Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

As Liu Yunshu painted until the afternoon, a slight emptiness began to rise in her stomach.

She put away her paintbrush and easel in her bag, and just as she got up to find a small shop to fill her stomach, she heard someone calling her.

She turned around instinctively and met a pair of bright eyes.

Jiang Chi was wearing a clean white sports T-shirt, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, clearly having rushed over as soon as he finished training.

Clutching two bottles of chilled mineral water in his hand, his knuckles were slightly red from the force.

"Liu Yunshu! I'm here!"

He smiled broadly, then asked tentatively, his tone tinged with caution, "Are you leaving already?"

Liu Yunshu's cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice was soft and sweet: "I...I'm going to get something to eat."

Jiang Chi handed her a bottle of mineral water.

The cool bottle dispelled the afternoon heat: "Here you go, have some water first."

Before she could respond, he had already taken the sketchbook bag from her shoulder.

His fingertips brushed against her slightly cool shoulder, and his heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to remain calm.

"There's a really good noodle shop nearby! I...I'll take you there...okay?"

Liu Yunshu looked down at the bottle of mineral water he handed her. Water droplets slid down the bottle and wet his well-defined fingertips.

The anticipation in his eyes was so bright it couldn't be hidden, and even his breathing was tinged with a cautious urgency.

She nodded gently, a soft, watery light welling up in her light brown eyes, and said in a soft voice, "Okay, thank you."

"No trouble at all!"

Jiang Chi quickly waved his hand, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

When I took the easel bag, I made sure to use a light touch, afraid of damaging the paintings inside.

"That shop isn't far, you can walk there. Their tomato and egg noodles are especially fragrant, the broth is rich, and the eggs are cooked perfectly."

As he spoke, he walked naturally beside her, deliberately slowing his pace so that he could walk side by side with her.

Jiang Chi secretly glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and saw her lowered eyes and pursed lips with a faint smile, and the tips of her ears quietly turned red again.

The mineral water bottle in my hand was gripped even tighter, and the cool steam rose up from my fingertips, which slightly calmed the heat in my heart.

The two hadn't walked far when they arrived at the noodle shop Jiang Chi had mentioned. The shop wasn't big, but it was clean and tidy.

Red lanterns hung at the entrance, exuding a lively atmosphere.

Jiang Chi, familiar with the place, led her to a seat by the window and carefully placed the drawing board bag on the empty chair next to them.

He turned to look at her, his eyes full of expectation.

"What would you like to eat? Besides tomato and egg noodles, their beef noodles are also super delicious and the portion is very generous!"

Liu Yunshu looked up at the menu, her almond-shaped eyes widening slightly, a hint of confusion in them, and her voice soft and sweet:

"I...I'll just have tomato and egg noodles, thank you."

"Okay!"

Jiang Chi immediately stood up and walked towards the counter.

"Boss, two bowls of tomato and egg noodles, extra vegetables, please!"

After he finished speaking, he turned and glanced at Liu Yunshu again.

She was staring out the window in a daze, the sunlight falling on her porcelain-white profile, even the shadow of her eyelashes seemed gentle.

A warm feeling welled up in my heart, and my smile became even brighter.

The noodles were served quickly.

Golden eggs and bright red tomatoes rest atop steaming hot noodles, sprinkled with vibrant green vegetables, and their aroma instantly fills the air.

Jiang Chi quickly and gently pushed a bowl of noodles in front of Liu Yunshu, handing her chopsticks with a barely perceptible hint of nervousness in his voice:

"Try it, do you like it?"

Liu Yunshu took the chopsticks, looked up at him and smiled, her eyes glistening with tears, as if they held tiny stars.

"Thanks."

She gently picked up a noodle with her chopsticks, blew on it, and slowly put it into her mouth.

The sweet and sour taste of tomatoes and the savory aroma of eggs spread across her tongue. She squinted her eyes contentedly, and the curve of her lips became even softer.

Seeing her expression, Jiang Chi quickly lowered his head and started eating his noodles.

But I couldn't help but steal glances at her, watching her obediently eat noodles in small bites, even the way her cheeks puffed out was incredibly cute.

The two occasionally exchanged a few words, mostly Jiang Chi recounting amusing anecdotes from the training camp, his tone lively and passionate.

Liu Yunshu listened quietly, nodding in response from time to time.

Every sound touched Jiang Chi's heart, making him even more reluctant to look away.

After finishing their noodles, Jiang Chi paid the bill, then carefully picked up his sketchbook bag and accompanied Liu Yunshu out of the noodle shop.

The afternoon breeze gradually softened, and the two walked side by side on the sidewalk.

"Where...are you going next? Are you going back to the lake?"

Jiang Chi unconsciously stroked the shoulder strap of his sketchbook bag, asking casually.

Liu Yunshu looked up at the sky, the sunlight illuminating her porcelain-white face and making her watery almond eyes appear exceptionally bright.

She replied softly, "Yes, I'd like to go paint by the lake for a while longer. The sunset should be beautiful by evening."

"Then I'll go with you!"

Jiang Chi blurted it out almost without thinking, then quickly added, afraid she would refuse.

"I... I just happen to be free, and I'd like to see you paint a sunset; it'll definitely look amazing!"

Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, a faint smile curving her lips, and nodded gently: "Okay."

The two walked side by side toward the lake.

Jiang Chi would occasionally glance at her out of the corner of his eye, watching the sunlight fall on her porcelain-white profile, even tinging her lips with a faint pink.

A restless heat crept into my heart again, and I slowed my steps even further.

Upon arriving at the lakeside, Liu Yunshu chose a blue stone to sit on, and Jiang Chi quickly helped her set up her easel.

She glanced at the time. "It's only three o'clock. We'll have to wait a while, you..."

"I'm fine, I'll stay here with you." Jiang Chi immediately sat down on the grass next to her, casually placing his hands on his knees, his gaze fixed on her profile.

Liu Yunshu's ears burned slightly under his intense and direct gaze. "You..."

When she looked up, her eyes were filled with a shallow glint of water, and her voice was soft and gentle: "You don't have to keep looking at me... You can walk around, the breeze by the lake is very pleasant."

Jiang Chi's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he blurted out, "You're very handsome!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Chi froze, his ears turning bright red, a faint blush spreading across his neck. He instinctively looked at Liu Yunshu, and seeing her staring blankly at him, Jiang Chi's heart skipped a beat, his ears burning hot. He stammered, "Really...really! More beautiful than anyone I've ever seen..."

Liu Yunshu's heart trembled slightly at his blunt and passionate words, and a thin layer of tears welled up in her light brown pupils. She hurriedly lowered her eyes, her porcelain-white ear tips instantly turning a deep blush, which spread to her neck with a faint pink hue. Her lips were slightly pursed, and even her voice trembled softly as she spoke: "You, you shouldn't say that..."

Jiang Chi's heart pounded even faster at the sight of her, his palms sweating, yet he refused to look away. The light in his eyes was intense and sincere, as if he wanted to etch her whole being into his heart: "I... I'm telling the truth!" He took a deep breath, as if summoning all his courage, his voice tinged with clumsy urgency, "Liu Yunshu, I... I think I might like you a little."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating delicate ripples between the two. Liu Yunshu suddenly looked up, meeting Jiang Chi's expectant yet slightly flustered eyes. The boy's cheeks were flushed, but the light in his eyes was dazzling, and even his voice trembled with nervousness: "I... I know we haven't known each other for long, but... but whenever I see you, my heart beats faster. I always want to be with you, to be with you, to know what you're thinking every day, to see you smile..."

He became increasingly anxious as he spoke, his tone filled with helpless sincerity, like a child laying bare his innermost thoughts, afraid of saying the wrong thing and upsetting her: "I... I didn't mean to offend you, it's just... I just couldn't control myself and wanted to tell you how I feel. Please, please don't be angry, okay?"

Liu Yunshu lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling gently like the wings of a startled butterfly, her voice soft and sweet, with a slight tremor: "I...I'm not angry."

"Then, can I pursue you?" Jiang Chi clenched his fists, his eyes filled with anxious anticipation, waiting for her answer.

"We...we've only just met...we don't know each other very well yet."

Liu Yunshu raised her eyelids, the watery light in her eyes like shattered moonlight.

She gently bit her lip, her voice tinged with a hint of helpless shyness, "Too...too fast..."

The intense light in Jiang Chi's eyes visibly dimmed by more than half.

His shoulders slumped slightly, and his voice lowered, carrying obvious grievance and disappointment:

"Yes... I was too hasty. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so reckless."

He lowered his head, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he were trying to swallow the sudden wave of frustration.

But he couldn't help but secretly lift his eyelids and quickly glance at her, his tone as soft as if he were pleading.

"Then... then let's take it slow, okay? I won't pressure you, just like now... I'll draw with you, talk to you, and let you get to know me slowly, okay?"

Looking at his eyes, which dimmed instantly, it was as if the bright sun was obscured by clouds, and even the vibrant youthful energy on his body seemed to have diminished.

Liu Yunshu's porcelain-white fingertips gently gripped the hem of her skirt. After a moment of silence, she gave an almost inaudible "hmm".

This faint, almost inaudible response was like a ray of dawn, suddenly piercing the gloom in Jiang Chi's heart.

He suddenly raised his head, and his eyes instantly shone with a brighter and more intense light than before.

Her voice was filled with barely suppressed joy: "Really?! That's wonderful! Thank you, Liu Yunshu!"

He was so excited he almost jumped up from the grass, but then he suddenly remembered something and forcibly stopped himself.

But the smile on his face was so bright that it seemed he possessed the whole world.

In the days that followed, Jiang Chi indeed became much more obedient.

He stopped staring at her and sat down beside her with his knees drawn up to his chest, his gaze fixed on the shimmering lake.

But out of the corner of his eye, he would always unconsciously and repeatedly trace the quiet profile of the person beside him.