After a night of indecision, Gu Miao finally found out what Zhou Ran had said to Cheng Chu.
The young man's face showed obvious discomfort, but he only let out a soft hum.
Cheng Chu was so happy that she almost bent over laughing.
"What are you humming for? I told him that I had a date with my boyfriend."
Gu Miao pursed his lips, his face calm, but the slight curve of his mouth betrayed his inner joy. "Mm," he said lightly. "Let's go home."
The autumn chill was in the air, and a few days after they returned from the amusement park, it was already Mid-Autumn Festival.
The dark room was only lit by a warm yellow light. Gu Miao furrowed his brows, his fingers typing rapidly on the keyboard.
The phone on the table vibrated, and he looked up. The coldness between his eyebrows gradually dissipated.
"Do you want to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival together? My parents are traveling," Cheng Chu asked Gu Miao.
In the next second, Gu Miao immediately replied, "Sure."
After a few minutes, Cheng Chu sent a voice message, and the eager young man opened it right away.
"How about we go to your house? I haven't been there before," said the girl's once clear voice, now slightly hoarse, but it still managed to tickle the boy's heart.
"Come to my house..." His ears turned red in an instant, and his fingertips stiffened.
But in less than half a second, his racing heart slowly calmed down, and he silently looked around.
The room was cold and the autumn wind howled, making the windows creak.
There were simple square walls, a table, a wooden bed, and a small wardrobe. This is the house he shared with others during the summer, and when school started, he continued to rent it so as not to disturb his roommates while working on coding projects and staying up late.
The white walls were dotted with gray marks that were there before he moved in. Sometimes, when he accidentally touched them, pieces of the wall would fall off.
Sighing, Gu Miao opened Alipay to check his balance.
With the payment for his just-completed project settled, he immediately went to buy a smartphone so he could message Cheng Chu.
The remaining money should be enough to rent a more decent place.
It must be said that at Haishi University, whether it was his roommates or senior classmates, everyone was friendly.
Gu Miao was the top scorer in the entire department and was appreciated by his professors. His senior classmates, seeing that he was struggling financially, also introduced him to many freelance jobs.
Last night's rain had left a dampness in the air. But at some point, the clouds were quietly blown away by a gentle breeze, and warm sunlight poured down on the earth.
~
The weather was perfect on this day of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The autumn light was no longer harsh, but instead fell gently, warming people's hearts.
Gu Miao sat in front of his laptop, but the screen was blank and he hadn't written a single word for a long time.
"Ding dong, ding dong." The doorbell rang.
He jumped up from his chair and rushed to the door.
The crisp autumn breeze blew into the room.
A girl stood at the door, looking graceful and elegant in her smoke-pink dress and loose knit jacket. Her long wavy hair was flowing down, and her bright peach blossom eyes were filled with a gentle smile, making her look lazy and charming.
"You're here." Gu Miao tightened his grip on the doorknob and quickly stepped aside to take the bag she was carrying.
The girl bent down to take off her slippers and handed him the rope in her hand.
"Can you help me hold him?" she asked.
He followed the rope and looked outside the door. In the bright hallway, a fat dog was squatting, staring at him with big round eyes.
The eyes of the man and the dog met, and suddenly the dog let out a loud "woof" that shook the heavens.
Gu Miao's brow twitched.
How did it get here?
The door moved slightly in the wind, and Cheng Chu put on the slippers that Gu Miao handed her and led the dog into the house.
"I'm sorry, I was going to come alone, but the aunt at home had a day off today, and Lin Qifeng isn't home either. I didn't want Meow Meow to be alone at home, so..." Her voice was low and her bright peach blossom eyes flickered nervously as she asked, "You don't mind, do you?"
The room fell silent as Gu Miao tightly pursed his lips and reluctantly replied, "It's okay."
Cheng Chu smiled and was about to speak when the dog leash in her hand suddenly loosened.
Meow Meow broke free from the leash and quickly ran off, its chubby body diving under a chair.
"Perhaps it's just not used to the new environment," Cheng Chu explained, facing the young man's puzzled gaze.
Gu Miao nodded and didn't bother with the timid Meow Meow anymore. He moved his fingers slightly and asked, "Did you have breakfast?"
Cheng Chu replied, "I just had a few sips of milk, why?"
The young man's dark eyes lit up with anticipation, his Adam's apple bobbing before he said, "I just made mooncakes, would you like to try them?"
"Mooncakes?" Cheng Chu's eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "You can make mooncakes too? That's amazing!"
The simple and straightforward compliment filled the young man's heart with sweetness.
He shyly lowered his eyes, hiding the joy in his eyes. "I just made them casually," he said.
"Quick, let me taste them," Cheng Chu raised her eyebrows and pretended to be spoiled.
The obedient young man went into the kitchen and soon came out with a plate in his hand.
The air was filled with the aroma of butter, and on the white porcelain plate in his hand were four small mooncakes neatly arranged.
"I made them a bit small, so you can taste each flavor," he said.
Cheng Chu picked up a piece. The mooncake had just come out of the oven and was still warm, with a slightly warm feeling spreading from her fingertips.
She took a bite and the pastry was still crispy, with a rich and salty egg yolk that melted in her mouth.
"This is too delicious," Cheng Chu exclaimed as she devoured the entire mooncake, her eyes sparkling with delight. "You're too talented in the kitchen."
The young man's heart was racing, and even his fingertips, which were hanging by his side, were trembling with joy. He lowered his gaze, and his shallow eyes fell on the girl's cherry-red, moist lips.
The girl finished the salty egg yolk and wiped her hands. She looked up and met the young man's pitch-black eyes. They were deep and bottomless, like a black vortex that silently sucked people in.
The autumn wind was slightly chilly, and the thin curtains fluttered gently, letting in a faint light. As his eyes met hers, it was as if a small flame had been ignited on the vast grasslands, spreading uncontrollably with the howling wind.
Cheng Chu's heart raced as she felt the heat of the young man's intense gaze, her fingers curling nervously at her side.
"What's wrong?" Her voice was weak, tinged with a mix of nervousness and anticipation.
The fire in his eyes burned all the way to his heart, causing the young man to almost lose his senses.
His Adam's apple bobbed rapidly as he leaned in, his lips pressing against hers in a passionate kiss.
Cheng Chu's hand clenched tightly as the gentle autumn breeze blew, the young man's lips tenderly caressing hers with each gentle suck.
She felt as though she was enveloped in warm spring water, her body melting with pleasure and relaxation. Without realizing it, she reached out and wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, standing on her tiptoes to respond quietly.
Last night's heavy rain had left the air damp and muggy.
The clock on the wall ticked and tocked, the two of them finally gasping for air as they separated.
"I-I'll go prepare lunch," the boy said, his face turning red as he stumbled over his words and walked awkwardly into the kitchen.
Watching his flustered figure, Cheng Chu couldn't help but smile.
Lunch was a feast, as Gu Miao's cooking skills were always top-notch, earning him the title of "virtuous and capable" from Cheng Chu.
The atmosphere was warm and cozy.
In the past, Gu Miao had always detested holidays.
Because during those times, he felt even more acutely that he was always alone, without any family or friends. The autumn wind was blowing gently as he looked at the girl in front of him, his cold eyes filled with warmth.
Finally, he was no longer alone.
~
After finishing lunch, the two of them snuggled up on the couch and watched TV together.
"Oh, right," Cheng Chu suddenly jumped up. "Meow Meow hasn't eaten yet."
The little dog had been hiding under the chair since they arrived, not making a sound.
Cheng Chu quickly rummaged through her bag and found Meow Meow's special bowl, pouring in the prepared dog food.
She crouched down next to the chair and pushed the bowl towards Meow Meow.
But the little black nose wrinkled up and pushed the pale pink plastic bowl away.
It was throwing a tantrum.
"What's wrong?" Cheng Chu asked softly. "Are you throwing another fit?"
Meow Meow barked loudly.
It didn't like that person! It didn't want to stay in his house!
Cheng Chu reached under the chair and gently rubbed Meow Meow's head, coaxing in a warm voice, "Little baby, today's dog food has beef added, isn't that your favorite?"
As she spoke, she tentatively extended the small bowl, but Meow Meow stubbornly pushed it away.
Noon had passed, and Cheng Chu was feeling a bit tired, her eyes showing a hint of drowsiness as she spoke softly.
"Do you want to take a nap first?" Gu Miao walked over, testing the waters.
But Cheng Chu looked at Meow Meow, who was still hiding under the chair, her eyes filled with worry.
"You can put the dog food on the ground, it should eat by itself when it gets hungry later." Gu Miao took the small bowl, crouched down, and placed it next to the chair where Meow Meow was hiding.
He understood that this little dog seemed to be hostile towards him, so it was extra cautious in his own home.
The afternoon sun dispersed the coolness of early autumn.
Finally convinced by Gu Miao, Cheng Chu lay in bed, her nose filled with the clean soap scent of the young man.
She blushed for only a moment before her heavy eyelids stuck together and she fell asleep.
When she woke up, the evening clouds had already spread across the sky.
Cheng Chu got up from the bed, still feeling a bit dizzy. She groped for her slippers and gently opened the door.
The living room was not very bright, with only a hint of sunset shining through the window.
The young man was facing away from her, squatting on the ground.
His back looked a bit thin, and his pale hand held a bottle of mineral water, pouring it into a small porcelain bowl with a gurgling sound.
There was a moment of silence all around.
The young man gently placed the porcelain bowl under the chair, his voice low and comforting.
"Have some water." The little dog pushed out its small bowl, but the untouched dog food remained beside it.
The young man let out a soft sigh, his hoarse voice lowering even more, with a hint of secret pleading.
"You haven't been eating, and she's really worried about you, you know?"
The little dog seemed to sense the gentleness in his tone and let out a soft whimper.
He continued to persuade in a low voice, "We all want her to be happy, don't we?"
The dog let out a soft "woof" in agreement. The last bit of sunset gradually disappeared on the horizon. The young man's voice was soft, floating in the wind, as if it merged into the vast night sky. "I know you don't like me, and I may not have been good to you before, but now, we both love the same person and want her to be happy, right?"
The black dog nose tentatively poked out from under the chair. Gu Miao pushed the small bowl over and the little dog lowered its head, tentatively taking a bite before stopping and letting out a "woof".
The young man reached out and pushed the porcelain bowl filled with water towards it.
The little dog crawled out from under the table, sticking out its pink tongue and lightly licking the water, splashing tiny droplets everywhere.
His eyes were deep and he tentatively reached out to touch the furry head.
The little head stiffened for a moment, then moved slightly as if rubbing against him.
The corner of the young man's lips couldn't help but curl up as he looked down at the furry dog head, muttering, "But it seems like she likes you more, calling you her little baby."
Author's note:
Gu Miao: She's never called me her little baby before.
