Chapter 60: Heart Flutter
Xiao Qiu was originally holding the steamed bun and eating it in tiny bites very cherishingly, but upon hearing the knock at the door, she immediately anxiously stuffed it all into her mouth, her cheeks bulging round like a little hamster.
“Drink some porridge, Xiao Qiu, don’t rush or you’ll choke!”
Turning back and seeing this scene, Su Ning couldn’t help but laugh and cry as she spoke up to remind her, “Chew slowly.”
Obediently holding the small bowl in front of her with both hands, Xiao Qiu nodded obediently, slurped a mouthful of porridge, and then began to chew.
It had just rained last night, and the vines on the yard wall were covered with crystal-clear water droplets, rustling down with the sound of the wind chime under the eaves as the wind blew.
Hurrying to the door and pulling out the door bolt, she unexpectedly met that pair of eyes like a clear spring, clear and bright, with her reflection filling the dark pupils.
That focused gaze gave the person being stared at the illusion that she was his whole world.
Heartbeats growing louder and louder in his chest made Yan Bei suddenly a bit at a loss, averting his gaze first in a somewhat disheveled manner for the first time.
“Ahem, are you all prepared?”
Shaking off the strange thoughts popping up in her mind with a wry smile, Su Ning flung the door wide open, revealing the suitcase placed in the courtyard, “I’ve also prepared some dry rations in the kitchen, have you eaten breakfast?”
“Didn’t have time.”
“Perfect then.”
While the two were talking, Xiao Qiu had already finished her meal, putting on the short-sleeved overalls she had just bought yesterday. Perhaps because she was about to head to the hometown her mom had always longed for, she still looked dark and thin, but there was light in her eyes, and her whole spirit was different.
“Once we grab the things, we can set off.”
“I’ll go help carry…”
“No, you’d better take care of your own ribs.”
Smiling as she refused his kind offer, the things weren’t heavy, just a bit much, and she could handle them herself completely, no need to trouble this patient.
Beckoning to Xiao Qiu, Su Ning quickly walked to the suitcase and slung the small cloth bag placed on top across her chest.
“This is from Sister Shuang Shuang for Xiao Qiu, inside are the snacks I put away for you, you can take some to eat if you’re hungry on the car later.”
“Okay~”
Rubbing her head, she then went to the kitchen to retrieve the large canvas bag she had packed, inside which bottles and jars clinked crisply.
Carrying the bag in one hand and dragging the suitcase, her other arm cradled Zhang Qin’s urn wrapped in black cloth.
“Alright, let’s head out.”
“Mm-hmm!”
“Sister Ning Ning, what about Little Round Circle? Aren’t we bringing it along?”
Little Round Circle naturally had to be brought along; leaving it here alone, she feared it would tear the house apart by the time she returned.
These past few days, Little Round Circle could only stay obediently in the Peach Blossom Spring Space, unable to show its face for now.
But she couldn’t say the real situation outright, so Su Ning apologized in her heart and casually made up an excuse to fob off the little one.
……
The car couldn’t enter the alley on the river embankment road, so it could only park nearby on the main street.
Fu Jiaming, waiting in the car, stuck his head and half his body out the window, frequently peering toward the alley entrance.
Seeing the two adults and one child stroll out leisurely, his eyes lit up.
Handsome man and beautiful woman plus a cute little girl…
Not knowing what scene he imagined, he chuckled to himself with a heh heh heh.
“What are you grinning foolishly about? Come help out.”
“Oh oh, coming right now!”
Dragging his legs out of the car, Fu Jiaming took the canvas bag and wrapped box from her hands with both of his, and hearing the sound from the large bag in his left hand, he instinctively shook it, “What’s this?”
“Smell it?”
“Hahaha, Su Ning, you think I’m really that dumb? Now that you say that, I know exactly what it is!”
Fu Jiaming thought of the feast he had eaten on housewarming day, the taste still making him crave it even now.
The hand holding the bag immediately became careful, handling it gingerly for fear of spilling, “They can ride up front with me, I guarantee I’ll take good care of both!”
“Ambitious!”
Waiting for her to place the suitcase, then walking to the car door to let the two get in first, Yan Bei laughed and scolded, then sat in the back row right after.
The two sat one on the left and one on the right, with Xiao Qiu perfectly in between.
The car slowly drove off, surrounding curious children laughing and running after the car tail.
Xiao Qiu, riding in a small car for the first time, blinked her eyes, looking here and there with full curiosity on her face.
“Fu Jiaming, there are steamed buns and tea eggs in the canvas bag, take them out and eat some while it’s still warm.”
“Got it! I haven’t eaten and I’m starving, was just thinking of padding something on the train, Su Ning, you think of everything!”
Praising while his hands kept moving, Fu Jiaming unzipped it and saw two small bundles wrapped in fine white gauze cloth right on top.
Opening them, a tea fragrance rushed straight to his head; he took two large steamed buns and two tea eggs each for the driving master and Yan Bei in the back seat, then happily started eating himself.
“Sister Ning Ning, you eat some too?”
“Su Ning, you haven’t eaten yet?”
Hearing this, without needing Yan Bei to say anything, Fu Jiaming bit into a steamed bun, freeing up a hand to grab more steamed buns and eggs to pass backward.
“You eat, I get carsick and have no appetite.”
No wonder she looked unwell as soon as she got in the car; Yan Bei lowered his eyes, quietly noting this in his heart for some reason.
“Since you’re uncomfortable, why not close your eyes and rest a bit? I’ll watch Xiao Qiu for you.”
“Right, if you fall asleep you won’t feel bad, Xiao Qiu is well-behaved and won’t cause trouble, rest assured!”
Faced with the two’s harmonious proposal, Su Ning, who indeed felt unwell, didn’t refuse; her straight back slowly leaned against the seat as she closed her eyes.
The car immediately quieted down, even the chewing sounds deliberately minimized.
……
As the car bumped along onto the mountain road, the person who had been resting with eyes closed gradually breathed evenly and fell asleep.
Constantly watching her, especially turning his head to look each time they passed a big pothole, Yan Bei worried if it would bump her head.
Until her head, swaying with the car, gradually leaned this way bit by bit, Yan Bei instinctively straightened his back, his shoulder involuntarily tilting toward her.
When her head finally rested on his shoulder as desired, Yan Bei realized what he had done and instantly stiffened, turning his head to look out the window like he was fooling himself, his body firm as a rock, not daring to move.
Even though waves of dull pain came from his chest, it couldn’t outweigh the intensifying heart palpitations.
Xiao Qiu nestled between the two, glancing up at the person sleeping soundly, reached out her little hand to hug her waist, thinking to keep her from shaking uncomfortably.
Because of her movement, Su Ning’s head pressed closer to Yan Bei, caught at his prominent collarbone, almost nestling into his neck.
With each breath, it was all her faint hair fragrance, that naughty strand of hair brushing his cheek and chin repeatedly.
The hand at his side silently clenched tight; Yan Bei gazed at the trees flashing by outside the window as if seeing the world’s most beautiful sight, the smile tugging at his lips climbing into his eyes, rippling one circle after another.
……
A few hours passed in a flash.
Slowly opening her eyes and feeling the warmth on her face, the groggily sleeping Su Ning instantly woke up startled.
Seeing that she had actually been pillowed in Yan Bei’s neck hollow, with a suspicious water stain on his white shirt.
With a boom, her face flushed hot red so fast that it even caused brief tinnitus.
“S-sorry, are you okay? I…”
How did she lean over and stick so close?!
Seeing his pale face, forehead covered in dense fine sweat, eyes full of forced endurance, Su Ning ignored the question flashing in her mind, switching instead to worry and regret.
Not knowing how long they had maintained this position? Had she pressed on his injury?
“It’s fine, just a bit numb and sore.”
Drawing in a sharp breath, Yan Bei endured the pain and tried to speak lightly, “I’ll be fine after a rest.”
Su Ning wasn’t a doctor and didn’t know if he was telling the truth, so she looked at him skeptically, seeing him slowly move his neck and shoulders, his chest seeming not seriously affected, before slightly easing her worry.
The Peach Blossom Spring Space could heal injuries…
Lowering her eyes to hide the complex emotions inside—
Pretend it’s a bottle of air for Yan Bei to chug, if he doesn’t drink thinking she’s crazy that’s normal; if he does, she’d have to suspect his brain instead, and rack her mind for explanations.
Forget it, if it really caused him secondary injury, worst case… she’d cover all subsequent medical and food costs.
“You…”
“Eh? We arrived?”
Fu Jiaming in the front also slowly woke up, having gone to sleep late and woken early, after a few hours he felt not refreshed but more tired and fatigued.
Yawning and rubbing away the physiological tears with his shoulder, turning back to see the two silently avoiding each other’s gazes, Fu Jiaming was full of question marks: Why does it feel weird somewhere, did he miss something?
