Chapter 5: The First Kiss Under the Setting Sun
As Lu Li and Silly Goose became closer, the little girl would behave more and more childishly in front of him. Like now, pouting and silently staring at him, she looked incredibly adorable. She was jealous. Silly Goose wasn’t a saint who was immune to all desires. Her boyfriend and another girl had held hands on a roller coaster, how could she not be upset?
“Yi Bao…” Lu Li was about to speak when he saw Silly Goose angrily shake off his hand, breaking their handhold. She clasped her hands behind her back, deliberately not letting Lu Li hold her hand. When he tried to get close, she even pulled Long Jing and took a few steps back, refusing to let him touch her.
Lu Li chuckled wryly. He reached out and coaxed, “I’m sorry…”
“Ugh…” Silly Goose turned her head away, not wanting to look at Lu Li, but afraid of making him angry, so she turned her head back slightly, glancing at him from the corner of her eye. This girl’s heart was too soft. Even when she was angry, she was still considering Lu Li’s feelings. Lu Li’s heart warmed, but he also felt a pang of guilt. Had he been neglecting Yi Bao’s feelings? He had always thought of her as a naive child, assuming she wouldn’t mind anything. As the saying goes, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Sometimes, being too gentle wasn’t a good thing.
Lu Li pressed Long Jing’s head, turning her around like a screw. “Little kids shouldn’t look back.” Then, in front of Silly Goose’s complex gaze, he hugged her.
“You’re so annoying…” Silly Goose’s eyes were watery, as if she were about to cry. “If you don’t like me, just tell me. I’ll leave obediently.”
“I like Chu Jingyi the most.”
“Liar.” Chu Jingyi was crying now. “You were clearly scared on the roller coaster and held Wen Hupo’s hand. Who is Wen Hupo? Would she casually hold hands with someone? You’re so annoying…”
What Silly Goose said wasn’t the real reason for her sadness and anger. Lu Li rested his chin on the girl’s head. This silly goose was actually very tolerant. She was just upset because of the perceived unequal treatment. Lu Li couldn’t help but realize that he had been neglecting Silly Goose, thinking of her as a happy-go-lucky deer who didn’t have any worries.
What girl didn’t have delicate worries hidden in her heart?
“I’m sorry… I won’t do it again.” Lu Li’s words were sincere. He respected rebirth and cherished his current life. Wen Hupo was a passion born out of regret, a possessiveness fueled by a sense of superiority. To hurt the girl who loved him for the sake of fleeting excitement, was that something he would do?
“Wuu…” Hearing Lu Li’s words, Silly Goose was no longer angry. She was such an easy girl to please. With a simple promise, a few words without any guarantees, she would trust Lu Li completely. She snuggled into Lu Li’s arms and whispered, “…I can’t control you anyway… You always attract girls. Sooner or later… you’ll leave me and Baili… And I… I…” Her words were choked with sobs at the end.
That feeling of pouring all your emotions and efforts into someone, only to have it shattered, was heartbreaking just to imagine.
Lu Li knew that he hadn’t given Chu Jingyi enough security. Or rather, he had never given anyone enough security. Perhaps freedom and romance were poetic qualities, but recklessness and acting on impulse would only make those close to him feel insecure. That was the difference between a boy and a man. The latter took responsibility and willingly put on shackles.
“That won’t happen. I want to live with Chu Jingyi until we’re a hundred years old, lying in the courtyard and basking in the sun. By then, all my hair will be gone, and you’ll definitely laugh at me.”
Chu Jingyi burst into laughter through her tears. “Your hair won’t fall out… Not even when you’re a hundred… And I won’t laugh at you…”
Long Jing wanted to turn around and watch the couple’s intimate moment, but Lu Li held her head firmly in place. She pouted. “Sister is too easy to please. If it were me, I would definitely break up with brother-in-law! Break up! Divorce! This is cheating!”
“Don’t listen to this brat.”
“Mm-hmm… I’ll listen to you.”
Long Jing was furious. “You’re gaslighting me! Sister, who’s side are you on? Brother-in-law just held hands with another girl!”
“It was just because he was scared on the roller coaster, he held her hand subconsciously.”
“Mm-hmm…” Chu Jingyi nodded earnestly, choosing to believe Lu Li’s explanation. Seeing her watery eyes, Lu Li felt a pang of guilt. How pure was this girl? Did he really deserve to lie to her?
He kissed the girl’s forehead and secretly made a decision.
To appease Chu Jingyi, Lu Li spent the entire afternoon with her at the amusement park, leaving Long Jing to play by herself. He and Chu Jingyi enjoyed an extra-large sundae, rode the merry-go-round, and took photo booth pictures. Silly Goose carefully put away the photos, planning to put them on her bedside table when she got home… By the time the three of them left the amusement park, it was already evening. The sun was setting, the sky a blend of gold and crimson.
As they were about to part ways, Chu Jingyi suddenly grabbed Lu Li’s sleeve.
“What’s wrong, Yi Bao?”
Under the warm glow of the setting sun, Chu Jingyi’s face looked pitifully endearing.
“Lu Li, I shouldn’t have gotten angry this afternoon, I’m sorry…”
What? Lu Li was stunned. This silly girl was apologizing for being jealous? He was speechless.
“I know you were just trying to make me happy this afternoon.” Chu Jingyi lowered her head. “And I was indeed very happy. Now that I think about it, you only held Wen Hupo’s hand because you were scared on the roller coaster. And, and, even if you wanted to be close to other girls… I, I shouldn’t be so controlling… I’m sorry… Please don’t hate me because of this, okay?”
Lu Li felt an urge to embrace Chu Jingyi and declare to the world that she would be his future bride.
“Lu Li, can you close your eyes?” Sensing Long Jing’s absence, Chu Jingyi lowered her eyelids, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, like butterflies about to take flight.
Lu Li closed his eyes. The next second, he felt a warmth on his lips. He opened his eyes and saw Chu Jingyi blushing furiously, kissing him. Her toes were pointed, her neck stretched out, like a pure white swan.
Before, it was always Lu Li who took the initiative to kiss Silly Goose, and she would always be passive and accept it. This was completely different from Silly Goose initiating a kiss.
Lu Li stood there, stunned. The clumsy Chu Jingyi just pecked his lips like she was eating a lollipop, until there was a loud smack. The silly girl then ran away with her head in her arms, leaving a confused Long Jing looking back at her perverted brother-in-law.
“Brother-in-law? Did you fart?”
Lu Li was still in a daze, looking at Chu Jingyi’s slender figure, and nodded woodenly. “Ah, yes, I farted.”
“It stinks, eww, I’m going home with my sister~” Long Jing pinched her nose in disgust. “Hmph, my sister and I are going home. Poor brother-in-law can walk back by himself~”
Leave a Reply