Chapter 73: An Yiran's Warm Trap (Part 2)

  Jiang Fengchen looked at her helplessly, "Yiran, how did I not know you had such a stubborn side?"

  An Yiran raised an eyebrow, pulling his arm as he walked in the direction of home, "You don't even listen to my advice. Look, it's proven that being barbaric is the most direct and effective method."

  Jiang Fengchen's head felt heavier, and he could only let her pull him along as they walked slowly forward on the desolate street. The night in Yin City was never lonely or quiet, even on this cold and windy deep night, it was still bustling with cars and horses, flowing endlessly. The neon lights were still flashing diligently, the sound of car horns from the endless stream of cars on the side of the road filled their ears, and the noise of the night seemed to have reached its peak at this moment.

  An Yiran finally let go of the hand that was holding Jiang Fengchen's arm, and the two walked shoulder to shoulder on the pedestrian path, each lost in their own thoughts, neither speaking a word, yet somehow a tacit understanding seemed to have grown between them, making the silence feel comfortable rather than awkward.

  Jiang Fengchen suddenly raised his eyes to look at her, with a strange feeling in his heart that he couldn't quite put into words. The dazzling white streetlights on the side of the road illuminated the silhouettes of the two people, and the dark shadows were vaguely reflected on the asphalt ground. Jiang Fengchen looked at the shadows huddled together on the ground, and suddenly remembered the dim streetlight in the backyard of Jiangcheng No. 2 Middle School, which had accompanied him through so many nights, illuminating Su Yisu's innocent smile.

  "What are you thinking about?"

  Dazed and confused, An Yiran seemed to be asking himself. Jiang Fengchen came back to his senses and said, "Oh, nothing, just thinking of some past events."

  "Haha......" Hearing this, An Yiran couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "After being out for so long, what haven't you learned? Instead, you've only learned to recall memories of the past and get sentimental about them. At such a young age, why do you have so many sad things?"

  Jiang Fengchen just smiled and said nothing.

  "We're here!" An Yiran took out the key and opened the door, gesturing for Jiang Fengchen to enter.

  Jiang Fengchen hesitated for a moment before finally walking into that familiar living room.

  "You sit for a while, I'll go boil some ginger tea right away. Although it's been quiet here since An Yi left, these commonly used ingredients are still stocked up. You've caught a cold, you have to defend against it in time, or else the cough will get worse." An Yi went into the kitchen and started busying herself, looking like a kind mother with a hint of wife-like demeanor.

  Jiang Fengchen sat on the sofa, watching An Yiran busy herself, feeling a little dazed, as if he was sitting in his home in Jiang City, with his loved ones bustling around for him. People say that when someone is ill, they are always a bit fragile, probably, he was like that now too.

  "Ah-choo!" He couldn't help but let out another sneeze, shrinking his body and leaning back against the sofa with his eyes closed, resting. The long journey had indeed been tiring.

  It was unknown how long had passed when Jiang Fengchen was dazedly woken up by An Yiran, "Fengchen, Fengchen? Wake up."

  Jiang Fengchen opened his blurry eyes to see An Yiran's enlarged face, and he couldn't help but feel a little dazed. He quickly sat up straight and said apologetically: "Sorry, I'm a bit tired, I fell asleep."

  An shook his head slightly, feeling a bit apologetic. "To be honest, the one who should be saying sorry is me. You just got off the car and you have to rush around for the sake of the wine shop."

  "What's there to say? This is originally my duty."

  An Yiran smiled lightly and changed the subject, "Alright, let's not talk about it anymore. Come on, drink the ginger soda quickly before it gets cold." As she spoke, she turned around and picked up the steaming bowl of ginger water from the table.

  Jiang Fengchen was slightly moved, his hands holding the ceramic bowl were trembling, and he said: "I have a feeling of home."

  An Yiran smiled softly and said, "Then, please drink this bowl of ginger water filled with affection."

  Jiang Fengchen nodded and drank it all in one gulp.

  After drinking the Coca-Cola ginger water, Jiang Fengchen started to feel drowsy again and yawned several times in a row. An Yiran took out the empty bowl and saw Jiang Fengchen's state, feeling a bit heartbroken, said: "Fengchen, it's very late now, why don't you just rest here? I'll clean up An Yijun's room for you. You're still recovering from your cold, if you go back and get blown by the wind again, what if your condition gets worse?"

  Upon hearing this, Jiang Fengchen hastily shook his head, "This won't do, a single man and woman living together will be gossiped about by the neighbors. I'm unlucky enough already, you're a young lady from a good family, it's not right for you to be pointed at and talked about."

  An Yiran shook her head, "We are clean and honest, we act with integrity, what is there to fear?"

  "Rumors are like knives; it's always good to avoid suspicion."

  Jiang Fengchen's words were so clear, An Yiran didn't know what else to say. If he continued, Jiang Fengchen might misunderstand something. He could only nod and say: "I was too careless, in that case, you should go back now, it's late, be careful on the road."

  Jiang Fengchen nodded slightly and walked towards the door, "Then I'll go first, you should get some rest too, there's still a lot to do tomorrow."

  An smiled slightly and said, "See you tomorrow."

  Jiang Fengchen dragged his tired body back to his rental house, it was already twelve o'clock. After taking a bath and picking up his phone, he found several missed calls and unread messages, all from Su Yisu, roughly asking if he had arrived. He originally wanted to call Su Yisu, but looking at the time on the screen, he gave up, she must be asleep by now. So he replied with a message briefly mentioning today's events, and fell fast asleep.

  The moon is gone, the sky is bright with dew, and a new day begins under the clear sky.

  Su Yisuo stretched and got up from the couch, only to find Li Shuiyan rummaging through things next door. She couldn't help but scold: "Li Fengqing, what are you messing around with so early in the morning?"

  Li Shuiyan raised her head from a pile of miscellaneous items and said, "A few days ago, I bought a small bag of apple blossoms and roses at the supermarket, but now they're nowhere to be found. I was planning to use them to make tea."

  Su Yisu was puzzled, "You bought flower tea for no reason, I've never seen you drink tea before."

  Li Shuiyan's face turned slightly red, "What business is it of yours?!"

  "Alright, alright, whatever." Su Yisu yawned and climbed down from the bed to put on her slippers and wash up.

  Li Shuiyan resumed her search, head bowed. "Ah!" After turning over all the neatly arranged items on the couch, she finally found the small bag of dried apple blossoms in a seam.

  "Why did you make this gap so big, it's hard to find!" Li Shuiyan scolded and grumbled, still picked up the bag of roses placed aside, took the water cup, and walked out of the dormitory leisurely.

  When Daisy arrived at the classroom, Li Shuiyan was enjoying her floral tea. The transparent cup showed the opened apple blossoms and rose petals clearly.

  "How amazing!" Su Yisuo stared at the water cup for a while, sincerely letting out a sigh of admiration. "Just now it was still dry and withered, but in such a short time, it's become so beautiful."

  Li Shuinan glanced at her and ignored her.

  "You said, these so-called flower teas, can't we just dry the flowers and that's it? If so, we can do it too, like chrysanthemum, rose, carnation... uh... apple blossoms seem to be rare in our southern region."

  Li Shuiyan glanced at her lightly and said, "People say that apple blossoms are poisonous."