Looking at He Fang sitting quietly with her hands on her lap, appearing like a demure lady, Qin's Mom was in a great mood, "You young people chat, I should go buy groceries. He Fang, stay for lunch, okay?"
"No need to trouble yourself, Auntie, I'll sit for a bit and then head back." He Fang quickly waved her little hand.
"Do you have something later?" Qin's Mom glanced at Qin Guanglin and asked.
"Huh?" Qin Guanglin, still trying to pull the conversation back on track, instinctively replied, "Not really."
"Then stay for lunch. You're Lin's friend, don't be a stranger; it's settled." Qin's Mom turned to grab a basket.
He Fang finished the glass of water in front of her just as Qin's Mom headed out with the basket.
"Let's go, show me your studio." He Fang stood up with a grin, looking at Qin Guanglin.
"This way." Qin Guanglin got up and checked his watch; it was not even eleven yet, what lunch?
"Very artistic vibe." He Fang walked in and glanced around. Draft papers and ink were scattered everywhere, with only a small area in front of the easel being somewhat tidy.
"Uh..." Qin Guanglin scratched his head. But He Fang continued moving, bending down to sort the discarded drafts on the floor.
"Hey, I'll clean it up when I have time." He quickly spoke up; how could he let others do his cleaning?
"You change the trash bag." She moved skillfully, sorting the trash of discarded drafts, paper, and color-testing debris neatly. She even flattened the crumpled papers and placed them at the bottom.
After a while, He Fang stood up, glanced around again, and said, "Phew... looks much better now."
"Thanks." Qin Guanglin had to admit it was much better than his own organizing.
"Consider it my thanks for the lunch." He Fang walked out of the studio, "Which one is your room? Let me guess..."
"Hey?" Qin Guanglin widened his eyes. Was she going to tidy his bedroom too?
"This one, right?" He Fang squinted slightly, placed her hand on a doorknob, glanced back at Qin Guanglin, and went in.
Qin Guanglin hurried after her; it was indeed his room. He couldn't let her clean again.
A girl coming over to a guy's house and tidying his bedroom—how does that make sense?!
He Fang, once inside, didn't clean as he thought. She just stood there, surveyed the room's layout, and took a deep breath.
Was there an odor in the room? Qin Guanglin tensed up, took a discreet breath, but smelled nothing—he vented the room every day.
"I'm tired." He Fang lightly bit her lower lip and turned her head to say to Qin Guanglin.
Before Qin Guanglin responded, she took two steps forward and flopped onto the bed.
"Then you rest for a bit." Qin Guanglin rubbed his nose, feeling a bit at a loss.
He Fang, lying on the bed, slightly tilted her head, then moved over, patting the bed, "Come here."
"What for?" Qin Guanglin refused to go over.
"I won't eat you." She rolled her eyes, "Look at those dark circles, just lie down for a bit."
Qin Guanglin thought for a moment, well, it was his room, his bed, so what was there to fear?
Slowly, he crawled onto the bed as well. Turning his head, he saw He Fang's face.
He Fang inhaled with her eyes closed, then opened them again, "We're lying on the same bed."
"What?!" Qin Guanglin sat up immediately, "Don't say nonsense, we're just resting!"
"What are you worried about, this is your home, your room," He Fang chuckled softly, "I'm just teasing you, come on."
Qin Guanglin refused and kneeled at the bed's head, gazing at He Fang for a long while, and hesitantly said, "Last night... that..."
"Right." He Fang's eyes opened slightly, "You confessed to me last night, and I still haven't agreed."
"Yes, that's... No, I didn't confess to you!" Qin Guanglin nearly got swayed by her words, retorting with some irritation.
"You confessed under our dormitory, and kissed me afterward." He Fang whispered, burying her face in the blanket, her little feet kicking a bit.
For a brief moment, Qin Guanglin was indeed confused, did he remember wrong about last night, could he have really confessed?
In the next moment, he snapped back to reality, how could such a thing be remembered incorrectly!
"You..." Qin Guanglin just uttered a word and his rich dating experiences kicked in. A light bulb went off and he switched his tune, "Alright, do you accept my confession?"
"You already kissed me..." He Fang murmured, her head down.
"So..." He hesitated, "Are we dating now?"
He Fang lifted her head, pondered, looked at him, and slowly a smile spread across her face, "Not yet, you need to propose again."
Qin Guanglin knelt on the bed, looking at her sideways, no longer feeling so tangled, "Alright."
He straightened his body, looked at He Fang seriously, and said, "I like you, He Fang, let's date."
"Thud!"
A sound echoed from the living room's couch; both of them turned to look. They hadn't closed the door after coming in.
In the living room, Qin's Mom, carrying groceries, rubbed her leg with her other hand, loudly muttering, "Oh dear, getting old not only makes the ears bad at hearing but also makes the eyes poor, always bumping into things."
Qin Guanglin's face turned red instantly. He quickly got off the bed to close the door, then looked at He Fang.
He Fang lay on the bed with her face in her hands, peeking through her fingers, "Oops, your mom heard you confess to me. If I don't agree, I won't be able to eat her lunch."
"You did it on purpose." He was a bit exasperated.
He had been a totally normal guy, how did he end up being messed around by her like this?
"No, I didn't know Auntie was back."
"You did it on purpose!"
He Fang climbed out of bed and slowly approached him.
"What are you doing?" Qin Guanglin inexplicably felt a bit nervous.
"I'm going out." He Fang stood before him, smiling as she looked at him, "What did you think I was going to do?"
"Oh." Qin Guanglin moved aside to open the door. He had no intention of going out right then.
"Then I'm heading out." He Fang said as she stood by the door.
Qin Guanglin felt she seemed a bit mischievous with her smile. Just as he was about to speak, He Fang leaned over, tiptoed, and kissed the side of his face.
He widened his eyes abruptly, but He Fang had already gone out.
"Auntie, let me help you."
"No need, no need, you and Lin should rest."
"It's okay, I often cook at home."
"So young and already know how to cook? Such a nice girl, where are you from?"
"He City, not far from Luo City."
"Ah, from He City, I see, He City girls are all so clever... hey, let me do this, it's bloody and too dirty."
"It's alright, just rinse it."
Qin Guanglin listened to the conversation outside, standing in place, and touched his cheek, feeling a bit down. Wasn't dating supposed to be like this? He was clearly two years older than her, yet it felt like a big sister teasing a little brother?
Mopefully glancing toward the kitchen, he closed the door, flopped onto the bed, contemplating what exactly was off.
Hey, why does this blanket smell a bit fragrant?