Jiaochen

Fu Yanzhi raised his eyes.

Ji Qingying beckoned to him, “I’m tired, how do I bring it back down?”

Fu Yanzhi laughed and took over.

The pair retracted the kite and pulled it back.

Ji Qingying stared at it for a while, and asked in a shallow voice, “Do you know why I didn’t go further?”

Fu Yanzhi looked at her.

Ji Qingying thought for a while and said softly, "I'm afraid if I go any further, I will lose it."

Fu Yanzhi was surprised.

He paused, then whispered, "No."

Ji Qingying raised her eyes.

Fu Yanzhi looked straight at her and whispered, "Even if you lose it, it will come back to you."

Ji Qingying was stunned.

Fu Yanzhi looked down at her hair that had become all messed up from running and a few strands of which had been blown by the wind had become stuck to her cheek. He reached out and brushed it away gently.

Their gazes collided.

In Fu Yanzhi's eyes, she was the only one.

For a moment, Ji Qingying saw the tenderness in his eyes. It was mesmerizingly beautiful.

Their hands were still holding the kite together, refusing to let go.

Ji Qingying once again felt that she was falling hard for him, her heart beating profusely. Faintly, she felt that something was going to happen.

Just thinking about it, Fu Yanzhi suddenly bent down and asked in a soft tone, "Did you understand that sentence?"

"Huh?"

Fu Yanzhi lowered his eyes and stared at her. "It will come back to you, whether it is a kite or a person.

Ji Qingying suddenly doubted her intelligence.

Why did she not understand what Fu Yanzhi was saying?

Every word was familiar, but… she couldn’t understand anything aside from what was said.

Fu Yanzhi sighed slightly and whispered, "Ji Qingying."

Ji Qingying looked at him.

Fu Yanzhi looked at her, noticed her eyes were dodging his and smiled, "Can we discuss something?"

Ji Qingying blinked, "Go on."

Fu Yanzhi paused and said in a low voice, "The roles are reversed."

“Huh?”

She didn’t understand.

Fu Yanzhi looked at her dazed expression and a smile flashed in his eyes, "Don’t understand?”

“…..Mm.”

Ji Qingying pursed her lips, "Speak straightforwardly."

Fu Yanzhi bent his lower lip and stuffed the kite back into her hands completely. With a soft tone, "From now on, you run forward, and I will chase you."

Ji Qingying was shocked, eyes raised in disbelief with a dumbfounded look, “What do you mean?”

"You heard me."

Fu Yanzhi's eyes were still, and his voice was low, "I'm sorry for letting you run for so long."

Ji Qingying shook her head violently.

She didn’t want him to feel sorry, all of that was done out of her own will.

"I didn’t think…"

“Listen to me first."

Fu Yanzhi leaned over and looked at her with deep eyes, "This decision is not impulsive."

"I made a mistake," he said softly, with a hint of reassurance. "I should’ve taken the initiative. As a man should have done it."

Ji Qingying still shook her head.

She looked at him close at hand and bit her lip. "…But I don't think it's necessary. I don't think I should be chased."

Fu Yanzhi said with a smile, "I think it’s necessary."

He said calmly, "I don't want it so that everyone else gets to enjoy their rights and favors, but then you don't."

It’s true that in today’s society, love has no bounds. Women chasing men have become a common phenomenon.

But in the eyes of some, they think women chasing men are very unpretentious, even contemptuous.

Fu Yanzhi didn’t want people to cast a peculiar look towards Ji Qingying if they knew she had taken the initiative.

Even if it was secretly gossiping about her through posts.

Fu Yanzhi didn’t think anyone would post about them; however, he didn’t want to hear rumors, let alone have Ji Qingying hear them.

Girls are born to be spoiled. Let alone talk about someone he adored.

She has that right.

He bowed his head and said seriously, "In the future, if someone asks you what your relationship is with me, tell them honestly…”

His words fell in her ears, "I am your suitor."

Silence ensued for a moment.

Ji Qingying stared at him, "Must it be like this?"

Fu Yanzhi nodded and smiled, "You don’t want to be chased by me?"

“No.”

"I just want to have a boyfriend soon," Ji Qingying whispered with her fingers on her lips.

Fu Yanzhi could not help but chuckle.

He coaxed her, "Then I will work hard and catch up quickly."

*********

As they were heading back, the pair put the kite away.

Ji Qingying went to the bathroom, but when she returned to the car Fu Yanzhi had pulled something out of the trunk that she hadn't found before.

He brought Ji Qingying to a picnic.

The red and white squares spread out with small bamboo baskets laid out, snacks, and even desserts that made it seem that Fu Yanzhi had conjured them up out of nowhere.

The sunset in the evening dyed the blue sky red, elegant and beautiful like an oil painting.

The two of them were encircled by flowers and enveloped in the setting sun.

"When did you prepare all this?"

Ji Qingying stared blankly.

Fu Yazhi said "um" and whispered, "I went to the supermarket after work last night."

When he mentioned this, Ji Qingying envisioned him going to the supermarket alone.

Thinking, she pursed her lips and said, “You can call me next time you go.”

Fu Yanzhi smiled and said, "Okay."

The two of them could have spent the night out if time had permitted.

Even so they didn't turn back until 8 p.m.

Like a guide towards home, streetlights shone brightly on both sides.

Ji Qingying tilted her head to look at the scenery outside the window, and suddenly remembered something.

She sat up straight and turned to look at the man next to her.

“Fu Yanzhi.”

Fu Yanzhi replied, "Huh?"

Ji Qingying frowned. "Are you… Do you know something?"