Translated by newbienoona

Edited by anks

T/N: I took the liberty of changing c.o.c.kroaches to gra.s.shoppers just to reflect proper Chinese culture .

Xiao Mingluo looks at Xiaonan with some urgency, trying to calm her from the Mankuai incident . He bends forward, carefully plucking a strand of wet hair from her face .

“Come to my side, and don’t be too anxious . There’s always a way, right?” Xiao Mingluo lowers his head a little bit more . “You know how hard I’ve been trying to resist you?”

Meng Xiaonan lowers her face, unable to look him in the eye . “I was wrong… . ”

“It’s rare to see you admit you’re wrong . ” He smiles and taps his forehead to hers . “Look at me . ”

Xiao Mingluo’s most fascinating feature is his peach shaped eyes . She can hear his words, but she’s mesmerized . His handsome face zooms closer, and when his lips are about to touch hers Xiaonan subconsciously pulls away and swallows hard . “Dirty… . ”

She’s not saying Xiao Mingluo is dirty; she is . Even if the bathroom is cleaned regularly, it’s still a bathroom . People keep coming and going . Water is splashed everywhere, even on the floor when the children play with the faucet . And when they mop, it’s still dirty .

Her once-bright yellow dress is now a deeper color from the water . She doesn’t want to get Mingluo dirty as well .

“You’re dirty . ” Mingluo reaches out to wipe the water from her face . “But I don’t want to stop . ”

“Huh?” Just as Xiaonan looks up in confusion, Mingluo leans all the way in to kiss her lips . She tastes as good as the first time . His Jiangnan is the only Jiangnan in the world .

Meng Xiaonan thought that the person who truly loves you won’t always appear when you’re in danger . Sometimes, they’ll balance the scales, and realize there’s no use to moving forward . But Mingluo just wanted her to remember a lesson . He wants her to know that a person who loves will appear when you’re desperate, will help heal wounds, will tell you the truth, and never forget [living] this life .

She will still get smarter .

Mankuai’s mood is very unstable . When Qilu took her out of Tomorrow’s Glory and to the car, she was still sobbing . He thinks he should’ve let the girl suffer more than just shoving her to the ground .

“Don’t cry, I’m here . ” Han Qilu comforts her, reaching out and touching her head .

Her hair is messy after Meng Xiaonan grabbed it . Qilu helps her smooth it out, but she trembles as she cries . “An Chuxia’s friend said I shouldn’t be with you . Can’t I?”

Han Qilu’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, and his jaw tightens . After a while, he says coldly, “Don’t think about it . You were hurt . Let me take you home . ”

“Well… . ” Mankuai knows she has accomplished her goal . Instead of saying something, she should remain quiet and sniffle from time to time .

The street light casts a yellow tint on the road, and both of them sit in the car, thinking .

The night is still and the stars aren’t visible in the sky . Tomorrow will be similar since it’ll be another rainy day . The car stops in front of Mankuai’s residence .

The inertia from the car stopping suddenly reminds her of what her grandmother said: cook raw rice .  She feels that even if Han Qilu likes her, things wouldn’t be like they were before .

Relying on him just liking her won’t be enough to enter the Han family .

“I’ll be going to school tomorrow . I suggest you come to cla.s.s the following day . I don’t think you’re in the right state [of mind],” Qilu says .

Mankuai nods . “I will . ”

Without anything left to say, Qilu sends Mankuai off . The lights in the corridor are triggered by sound . Mankuai’s high heels click, and each light sensor is triggered .

“It’s strange that I’ve lived in the US by myself for so long, but I am still a little scared sometimes . ” Mankuai lives on the third floor . She can climb the stairs and not use the elevator .

“On the days you’re working late, let you a.s.sistant walk you up, just to be safe . ” Han Qilu stands by her door and opens it . The interior lights up, and a little beep becomes audible .

“I won’t invite myself in . Have a good rest,” he says, taking his leave .

Mankuai’s grandmother’s words replay in her head and it squeezes her heart . She calls out to him . “I made some jelly before going home . It’s really good . Do you want to try it?”

“Next time . ”

If Han Qilu wants to refuse her, he can . But she’s not going to give up since she is his girlfriend .

“Come in and taste it . It’s not late; it’s only seven o’clock . ” Mankuai shakes his arm . Her voice carries loud enough for the floor lights to come on . Everything has gotten brighter .

The light s.h.i.+nes on Mankuai’s face; her tears have dried on her face .

“You really made it yourself? You didn’t buy it?” Han Qilu raises his eyebrow . He’s skeptical .

Mankuai scrunches her nose at his skepticism and pulls him indoors .

This is the second time Han Qilu has entered her house . The last time he was here was when he brought her home from the airport . This time, he takes a seat on the sofa, waiting for her to serve jelly .

Her place isn’t large, but it has two bedrooms . One is used as a guest bedroom except on the occasions her manager sleeps over . The decoration is professionally done in warm colors .

“Come on!” Mankuai brings over a bowl of jelly with gloved hands . She doesn’t make meals, but she can prepare snacks .

She seasoned the jelly with a lot of gra.s.shoppers, which has a nouris.h.i.+ng effect . It’s good for beauty and fatigue . She keep up with the regime and swears by it .

“Come on . ” Mankuai takes a scoop of jelly and puts it in Qilu’s mouth . “Isn’t it delicious?”

“Well, it’s delicious . ” Han Qilu doesn’t like eating gra.s.shoppers . His mouth says it’s delicious, but his eyebrows give him away .

She sees his dislike, so she says, “It took me a long time to perfect it . ”

“I said it’s delicious . ” Han Qilu says, taking another spoonful of jelly and putting it in his mouth . He praises her again, despite disliking it .

“Okay, I’m teasing you!” She smiles at Qilu and hugs his arm . She put her head on his shoulder and softly says, “I’ll learn to cook for you so you can eat well . ”

All of a sudden, Qilu remembers he promised to be back for dinner to taste Chuxia’s cooking . By now, dinner must be over .

“I’m talking to you!” Mankuai says disappointingly . “Are you okay?”

“I’m good . ” Han Qilu doesn’t really answer her question, but he guesses his response was okay .

Qilu’s response makes Mankuai happy . She stands up and sits on his lap . She says coquettishly, “Thank you . ”

“For what?” Han Qilu worries she’s going to fall, so he reaches out and hugs her close .

The way they were, they can make sweet music .

“You’re becoming greedy… . ”

“Thank you for showing up in time when that crazy woman attacked me . Thank you for choosing me instead of An Chuxia . ” Her voice has become a curse, looping in Han Qilu’s brain . She keeps reminding him she’s his girlfriend, not Chuxia .

He’s starting to get annoyed when she says Chuxia’s name . Yes, Mankuai is his girlfriend, and the person he loves . He shouldn’t think of An Chuxia from time to time .

To remind him of what she is to him, Mankuai throws her arm around his neck and leans over . She nibbles his earlobe before saying, “I love you, Qilu . ”

Her smile widens when she sees his ear redden from her words . She puts her arms on his shoulders so he can look at her cleavage .

He’s aroused . He can feel his throat go dry .

She isn’t naive . She went to Paris to study music . When her music career didn’t take off, she started modeling part-time . Her modeling career took off and she headed to the US to continue modeling .

There are many things she’s not comfortable doing, but when it comes to men, she knows what they want .

She tilts her head and gently kisses his lips . Han Qilu is not invulnerable . Whatever happens, she must take him down!