Song Baiyan sat on the bench, and upon hearing the creaking sound of the door opening, looked up to see Tang Li running out. The grayish-white of the night and the orange glow of the streetlights stretched the girl’s slender figure on the ground. Perhaps in order to run faster, she had already changed out of her high-heeled boots, now wearing a pair of white sneakers.
Emerging from the apartment building, Tang Li saw Song Baiyan sitting by the roadside, appearing relaxed.
Above his head was the locust tree with its withered yellow leaves.
Tang Li gradually slowed her pace and, by the time she stood before Song Baiyan, she had caught her breath and extended the small iron box in her hand: "This is for you."
With a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a faint smile on his face, Song Baiyan took the Peninsula Iron Box: "What kind of secretive item do you have here."
"See for yourself," Tang Li said, with pursed lips.
A blush crawled up her cheeks, and she clasped her hands tightly behind her back.
Inside the small iron box was a sachet she had recently crafted during her spare time, using the braiding method taught to her by the Little Monk from Guangyuan Temple. As for the contents of the sachet, it was filled with the Miao Medicine that the Little Monk’s mother had given her, which could be worn to prevent illness.
Watching Song Baiyan open the iron box with his hand, a hint of anticipation flickered in Tang Li’s eyes, but his reaction upon seeing the contents wasn’t quite what she expected. Rather, it lacked the excitement she envisaged, and he promptly placed the cigarette back between his fingers.
"Is this the gift you’re giving me?" Song Baiyan’s expression was a mix of confusion and curiosity.
Tang Li did not deny it.
But she felt something was off. Craning her neck to take a look, she then saw two lumps of yellowish "feces" and three plump "flies" inside the box. Tang Li: "..."
Her ears and neck turned bright red.
She snatched the box back from Song Baiyan’s hands, her attempted explanation coming out awkwardly: "I’m not giving you this, I made a mistake, this was probably put there by my roommate."
—— Even though the Peninsula Iron Box was still the very one she had bought herself.
It could only have been someone else swapping out the sachet.
Wu Xuehan wouldn’t do something . Tang Li recalled Wu Xuehan calling out to her just before, seeing her take the Peninsula Iron Box, the expression on her face was indescribably knowing, obviously aware of what was inside. Tang Li guessed who played the practical joke and blamed herself for being too hasty, not checking inside beforehand.
"I meant to give you a sachet, it should still be upstairs, I’ll go get it."
After saying this, Tang Li intended to go back upstairs to get the sachet.
But as soon as she turned around, Song Baiyan suddenly stood up, his outstretched right hand catching her by the elbow, gently pulling her back.
Caught off guard and turning around, Tang Li’s nose almost collided with Song Baiyan’s shoulder.
What she saw was the stubble on his chin.
Song Baiyan looked down, his deep eyes fixed on her blushing face, his left hand, still holding a cigarette, now resting on her lower back: "Why not go back to sleep instead of running up and down in the middle of the night for a sachet? Aren’t you tired?"
Being so close, Tang Li could smell the acrid scent of smoke.
...yet it didn’t make her uncomfortable.
In fact, listening to the low male voice so close to her ear, she was almost hypnotized, even her breathing becoming unsteady.
Tang Li lifted her head.
Looking again at Song Baiyan’s familiar features and his gentle gaze, she felt a sense of assurance, stirring within her an excited palpitation. Their current proximity was a novel ambiguity, and a thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.
Almost subconsciously, she raised her hand to cover Song Baiyan’s lips: "I’m not ready yet."
"...Don’t kiss me just yet."