Cen Jin’s mouth twitched slightly as she looked at the dishes in the sink. She nodded and reluctantly chose to compromise, "Alright, I’ll wipe the table; you start washing, and I’ll come to help later."
Jiang Baizhou didn’t speak, he just glanced at her and started washing the dishes on his own. Cen Jin saw this and didn’t say much, grabbing a cloth to wipe the table and stove.
It took them more than ten minutes to tidy up the kitchen. Cen Jin carried two bags of garbage straight towards the villa’s front door. Jiang Baizhou, who had long finished the dishes and was resting on the living room sofa, watched her figure and asked casually, "Where are you going?"
"To throw away the garbage." Cen Jin stopped walking and turned her head to reply.
Jiang Baizhou hesitated a bit but still got up from the sofa, walked over and took one of the garbage bags from her. Cen Jin looked at him full of confusion, "Why?"
"Together." The notes from his cool lips were light yet not exactly gentle.
Cen Jin was stunned, watching his figure already heading out. After a while, she snapped back to reality and quickly chased after him, her mouth curling into a little smile.
The summer night was brushed by a few strands of warm wind. A silver-white new moon hung against the azure curtain, surrounded by a few scattered stars.
After throwing away the garbage, Cen Jin lowered her gaze, looking at the shadow cast by the streetlight beneath her, with her hands behind her, stepping forward step by step. Her pace, originally alongside Jiang Baizhou’s, gradually fell behind.
Jiang Baizhou noticed and stopped to wait for her. Once she caught up to his side again, he deliberately slowed his pace a bit.
Although the distance between them was half an arm’s length, the shadows cast on the ground by the streetlight were elongated, looking as if they were holding hands like a couple.
When passing by a small shop, Cen Jin’s eyes lit up. She instinctively reached out and grabbed Jiang Baizhou’s clothes, her eyes curved with a smile like the warmth of the winter sun, "Jiang Baizhou, I want to buy ice cream."
Feeling the tug at the corner of his clothing, Jiang Baizhou stopped and turned around, her radiant smile filling his eyes. His pupils contracted slightly, his gaze lowered, he eyed her delicate hand pulling at his clothes with rare movement of his brows, then glanced at the nearby convenience store she fixated on, responding, "Okay."
Cen Jin didn’t notice this, and naturally withdrew her hand, "Wait here for me; I’ll go buy it."
Watching her joyful steps towards the convenience store, Jiang Baizhou’s mouth faintly curved into a smile. He rubbed a hand in his pocket as if pondering something, then followed her with long strides.
"Do you want some?" Cen Jin walked to the refrigerator, selected an ice cream she usually liked, turned her head to see him following, and asked.
"Would you like a drink or soda?"
"Okay, I’ll check out then."
Jiang Baizhou’s eyes slightly narrowed, looking at her with interest but said nothing, just walked two steps towards the cashier.
Cen Jin handed the ice cream to the cashier for scanning and instinctively reached to her pocket for money, suddenly realizing the pants she wore had no pockets. She had left her phone on Jiang Baizhou’s living room coffee table. The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
After two seconds of hesitation, Cen Jin instinctively turned to Jiang Baizhou, "Jiang Baizhou..."
Seeing her slightly embarrassed expression, Jiang Baizhou didn’t wait for her to finish. He raised his brow, quietly took out his phone, brought up the payment code, and only after paying, he glanced at her, "Let’s go!"
"Thank you, I’ll transfer to you later when we get back," Cen Jin gratefully looked at him, holding the ice cream in both hands, flashing him a bright smile, and followed him out of the convenience store.
"No need." Jiang Baizhou looked straight ahead, speaking calmly.