After leaving the mall, Qin Tian hailed a taxi by the roadside and first took Xia Nuannuan home.
“Qin Tian, do you want to come to my place for dinner?”
As they neared her residential complex, Xia Nuannuan looked at Qin Tian beside her and invited him.
Qin Tian paused, then smiled and politely declined, “Not today, please send my regards to your mother.”
“Okay!”
Xia Nuannuan felt a slight disappointment but didn’t press further.
Soon, the taxi stopped at the entrance of Xia Nuannuan’s complex.
“I’m going in then, see you at school later.”
Xia Nuannuan opened the car door and bid Qin Tian farewell with a sweet smile.
“Alright.”
Qin Tian nodded with a smile.
After getting out of the car, Xia Nuannuan turned back and bowed, saying, “Qin Tian, thank you today, I had a great time.”
“It’s a pity your eyes are all swollen from crying.”
Qin Tian pointed to her eyes and teased her with a light laugh.
Xia Nuannuan blushed a little, feeling embarrassed, and gave him a playful eye-roll.
“Hahaha… Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. I had a great time too, and thank you for the gift for my mom, she’ll be very happy.”
“Hehe… That’s good, bye-bye.”
With that, Xia Nuannuan closed the car door and waved gently to him from outside.
Qin Tian smiled and told the driver his home address.
The driver expertly shifted gears, turned the car around, and then sped away.
Only after watching the taxi disappear from sight did Xia Nuannuan turn and enter the complex.
She hummed the ending theme song of the movie they had watched, her steps light as she returned home and took out her key to open the door.
In the open-plan kitchen, Su Xia was busy preparing dinner.
She had sent a message asking if her daughter was coming back for dinner before she started cooking.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Su Xia turned her head towards the entrance.
“Nuannuan?”
“Yes, Mom, I’m back!”
Xia Nuannuan quickly responded.
“Come here quickly, and tell Mom what you did today?”
Su Xia urged with a smile while stir-frying.
“Nothing much, we just went shopping casually, then watched a movie and came back.”
Xia Nuannuan replied calmly, but the memory of leaning on Qin Tian’s shoulder and watching the movie with their fingers intertwined made her face flush with shyness.
“Why didn’t you ask Little Qin to come up for dinner?”
“I did, but he declined, and asked me to send his regards to you.”
“It seems your father scared Little Qin last time.”
“Exactly, it’s all Old Xia’s fault!”
While chatting and joking, Xia Nuannuan had already changed her shoes and walked towards the kitchen.
Su Xia glanced at her with a gentle smile and was instantly stunned.
“Why are your eyes swollen like peaches? Did you cry?”
Her eyebrows furrowed, her mind full of confusion.
Judging by her daughter’s tone, she didn’t seem to have been wronged!
What was going on?
“Ah? Is it that exaggerated?”
Xia Nuannuan fumbled with her eyes in a panic and explained with a laugh, “I cried watching the movie just now, the director and screenwriter are too annoying.”
“Pfft!”
Su Xia was immediately amused and chuckled helplessly, “You’re all grown up, and a movie can still make you cry?”
Hearing this, Xia Nuannuan immediately recalled her almost identical confident words before the movie started, and her pretty face instantly felt a little hot.
“Hmph! That’s because you haven’t seen this movie. It really has a lot of tear-jerking moments. You’d cry too if you watched it.”
“Tsk, you think I’m like you?”
“Then next time you have free time during the holidays, I’ll watch it with you again and see if you cry.”
“Alright! Whoever cries is a puppy. Your mom isn’t a little girl anymore, I haven’t watched dramas and movies for so many years for nothing.”
“I’m not talking to you anymore, I’m going to wash my face.”
Xia Nuannuan pouted.
“Mhm, hurry up. First, use a hot towel to compress it, and I’ll help you with an ice compress later to reduce the swelling. Otherwise, if you go to school like this tonight, people will surely laugh.”
“Got it, got it!”
…
…
Qin Tian first returned home, put away the clothes he had bought, and then went out to the internet café.
On the way, when he passed a street food stall, he bought two Jianbing Guozi and some assorted fried skewers.
Eating the Jianbing Guozi, he arrived at the internet café.
“Good evening!”
The girl at the front desk greeted him with a smile as he entered.
She had seen the boss invite this handsome guy for barbecue last time when he was helping him move his computer.
Moreover, the boss had come twice afterward and specifically instructed them to treat Qin Tian well if he came, and that all consumption at the internet café would be free.
“Good evening, please help me open a computer.”
Qin Tian requested with a smile.
“Okay, where would you like to sit?”
The girl quickly inquired.
“Is Xu Hao here?”
“Yes, he’s in his usual spot, and your classmate is here too.”
“Then can you check if the computers next to them are free?”
“Okay, let me see.”
The girl checked on the computer and then looked up with an apologetic smile, “No, all the seats next to and around them are full. How about I get you a good seat in a private room?”
“That’s fine then, I’ll take a look.”
Qin Tian smiled and declined, took a bite of his Jianbing, and walked towards the spot where Xu Hao usually sat.
Before he could see them, he heard Zhang Peng and Xu Hao arguing.
“Holy crap, why don’t you push forward and engage?”
“Like hell I will, you got beaten like that playing Malphite, just defend the tower!”
“Damn it, the jungler has ganked several times, and you’ve been playing cat and mouse with the monsters for ten minutes.”
“You don’t know anything, I controlled two dragons, and I’ve invaded their jungle too.”
“Brother Hao, Brother Peng, stop arguing, stop arguing, I’ll carry!”
“You’ve only got 30 CS in ten minutes playing marksman, how are you going to carry?”
“Uh… my CSing hand feels off today, damn it, my cannon minion!”
“…”
Qin Tian walked closer with a smile and was a little taken aback.
Good heavens, two rows of people were sitting facing each other, seemingly playing a match.
Zhang Peng and Xu Hao were sitting together, playing with such focus that their eyes were almost glued to the computer screen.
“Haha… Brother Hao, your skills aren’t up to par yet, not even a tenth of your master’s!”
The jungler opposite them taunted playfully.
“Get lost, you little brat. You just picked up two kills on Malphite, what are you bragging about? My economy is higher than yours!”
Xu Hao retorted without looking up, unconvinced, saying, “Wait for the team fight, and I’ll show you how to play with my Super Spinning Kick.”
“Don’t wait for the team fight, the top tower is about to fall.”
Zhang Peng next to him interjected with a dark expression.
“Damn it, what are you playing? Can’t you play Malphite more cautiously? Can’t you last hit under the tower?”
“Last hit what? Try playing Malphite and last hitting under the tower? I don’t have that skill. Hurry up and come, the jungler is in your blue buff area, about to dive me.”
“Can’t get there, you die, defend the second tower, trash!”
“Pfft, you brain-dead jungler!”
“Idiot top laner!”
“Haha…”
The youths watching behind them burst into laughter.
Qin Tian also couldn’t help but chuckle and walked over, eating his Jianbing.
Upon seeing him, the youths watching immediately showed excitement.
“Shhh…”
Qin Tian made a shushing gesture.
The youths nodded in understanding and made way for him.