Summer Green Apples

She no longer needs care and love from her parents.

That's something only a young Ji Xiwen would think about.

Mingying didn't know how to respond and hurriedly hung up the phone.

After putting down her phone, Ji Xiwen stood there in a daze for a while.

Until something soft brushed against my ankle.

She lowered her head.

The kitten lay on its back on the floor, its two paws raised above its head, its tail idly brushing against her ankles.

Ji Xiwen squatted down, picked it up, pinched its soft little ears, and sniffed.

She lifted the bureau chief up, meeting his gaze into his dark eyes that seemed to fill the room.

"You were only two months old when you first came here. Were you sad when you left your mother?"

The bureau chief exclaimed, his eyes widening, and he began to snore.

Ji Xiwen buried her face in its head, "I'm just a little... a little sad."

……

"Knock knock—"

There was a knock on the door.

Ji Xiwen was startled.

The next second, a boy's lazy voice rang out, "Ji Xiwen, are you hungry?"

Ji Xiwen opened the door while holding the bureau chief.

Chi Sui returned at some point, having changed his clothes, except for the blue scarf around his neck.

He seemed to want to say something, but then stopped himself, "...What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

Ji Xiwen looked down at the kitten as if to hide her unease.

Chi Sui looked at her constantly blinking eyelashes and said, "Aunt Chen is on vacation and has gone back to her hometown. My dad is away on a business trip, and your aunt is on the night shift. You'll have to take care of your own dinner tonight. Let me take you out to eat."

Ji Xiwen kept her head down and said, "Okay."

Chi Sui: "What would you like to eat?"

Ji Xiwen was about to say that she was fine with anything and wouldn't be picky when she suddenly remembered what Chi Sui had said on Christmas Day.

If he's annoyed, he'll say so himself.

She nervously pinched the kitten's ears. "Can I have some grilled meat?"

"sure."

Chi Sui raised his hand and flicked her forehead with his finger, then smiled and said, "Change your clothes, let's go."

-

It rarely snows in Pingcheng, and winters are always gloomy.

On Friday evening, the commercial street was packed with people. The barbecue restaurants were not as popular as the hot pot restaurants, and there were still some seats available.

After taking his seat, Chi carefully removed the scarf from his neck, folded it neatly, and put it into a clean plastic bag.

Ji Xiwen across from him looked completely numb.

"...It's just an ordinary scarf," Ji Xiwen said with difficulty. "If it's broken, it's broken. There's no need to cherish it so much."

"You make it sound so easy." Chi Sui picked up the kettle, poured Ji Xiwen a glass of warm water, and said, "If it really breaks, will you knit me another one?"

"sure."

Ji Xiwen reached out and touched the cup; the temperature was just right. "It's not that difficult."

Chi Sui was taken aback and carefully observed her expression.

It seems like I'm not joking; it's the truth.

Are you sure?

"Yes, I'm sure."

Ji Xiwen rested her arm on the edge of the table, smiling as she propped her cheek up.

Young Master Chi is Young Master Chi after all. The barbecue restaurant he brought her to was very luxuriously decorated. The restaurant was very large, with soft, warm-toned chandeliers, natural wood tables, and a well-installed smoke extraction system, so there was not a strong smell of oil fumes in the air. The tables and chairs were arranged in a neat and clean manner.

Due to the large temperature difference between the inside and outside, a thin layer of fog always lingers on the glass windows.

It wasn't much different from the barbecue restaurant Ji Xiwen had imagined.

This was her first time at a barbecue restaurant.

Chi Sui brought her here.

It is Chi Sui.

pool!

遂！

She remembered his kindness to her deeply; she would agree to knit a hundred scarves if he asked her to.

"That won't work either."

Chi muttered to himself, "If one is like this, then a hundred will be too."

Ji Xiwen pursed her lips and said from the bottom of her heart, "You're such a nice person."

Chi Sui: "..."

I will endure.

He unscrewed the juice and handed it to Ji Xiwen, "What are your plans after dinner?"

"No," Ji Xiwen said. "Why are you asking that?"

"Tonight is a friend's birthday party. He likes a lively atmosphere and always invites a lot of people, even strangers."

Chi then unscrewed another bottle, tilted his head back, and took a sip. "Your good friend is here too."

"Qingyan?" Ji Xi asked.

"right."

Chi nodded. "It's not too chaotic. There are many people you know there, and lots of interesting games. Would you like to go?"

He could tell that Ji Xiwen was in a bad mood tonight.

She was unwilling to talk about it, so he could only try other ways to coax her.

"..."

In the past, Ji Xiwen would have hesitated.

She was probably feeling down right now, and biting her lip, she asked, "Should I prepare a gift?"

"No need, I already gave it to him."

Chi then picked up a piece of fish and placed it on the plate in front of Ji Xiwen.

Ji Xiwen: "..."

Generally speaking, only people who are very close to each other will share a gift.

Just like Cui Kai and Zhang Qingyan.

They're dating, so it's perfectly fine for Zhang Qingyan to go along.

However, her nominal brother-sister relationship with Chi Sui seems insufficient.

Ji Xiwen didn't say anything more.

Because she likes this feeling.

Within the blurred boundaries lies unreasonable indulgence and closeness.

-

Chi Sui's friend is clearly a rich second-generation.

The birthday party was held in a detached villa. The courtyard was brightly lit with LED strip lights, the swimming pool shimmered, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers. Next to it was a small garden with a constant temperature system.

The courtyard was full of young people, all of whom looked to be sixteen or seventeen-year-old students.

The noise was deafening, and the atmosphere was lively.

"There are so many people," Ji Xiwen murmured.

Every face was unfamiliar.

This was Ji Xiwen's first time visiting such a large villa.

Although the villas in Huayue Bay are not bad, Chi Kai clearly prefers a low-key and simple decorating style, unlike this detached villa.

Every brick, every tile, every blade of grass, every tree—all bear the mark of "wealth."

She nervously tugged at her sleeve and pursed her lips.

She regretted coming along.

Out of place, like someone who has barged in.

"Let's go."

Chi Sui raised his hand and hooked it around her shoulder. "Xu Jiyang and the others are playing games inside."

He stood very close, and when he spoke, I could smell the mints that come with barbecue restaurants.

It has a light strawberry flavor.

"it is good."

She nodded very slightly.

The boy's arm quickly left his body, and he put one hand in his pocket, the bright light illuminating his silhouette clearly.

On the living room carpet, Xu Jiyang shuffled the cards as he said, "Cui Kai, if you're a real man, do it yourself. Don't let your girlfriend do it."

Cui Kai clicked his tongue. "You're just jealous that I have a girlfriend."

"Pah!"

Xu Jiyang angrily shuffled the cards.

After all, Cui Kai is a typical reckless brute, the kind who doesn't have a brain.

I'm incredibly stupid every time I play cards or games.

Xu Jiyang had originally planned to trick him, but this time he was smarter and sent Zhang Qingyan instead.

Li Junyu sat quietly to one side, wearing a white hoodie. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and said, "Coming..."

When he saw the girl behind Chi Sui, he didn't even show surprise in his eyes, he just smiled slightly.

Xu Jiyang looked over and enthusiastically patted the carpet next to him, "Little sister, come here quickly!"