That evening, Qin Jiran came home late due to set construction issues at the studio. He expected Su Yanyi to be in the bedroom or study, but to his surprise, he saw her as soon as he walked in the door.
Su Yanyi was sitting in the living room, looking through some documents. When she saw Qin Jiran come in, her eyes lit up instantly, giving Qin the illusion that she had been waiting for him.
"Have you eaten yet? There’s still some food in the kitchen," Su Yanyi asked first. Dinner had been prepared by Sister Wang and it was quite good. She had intentionally saved some for Qin Jiran, thinking he could eat it when he came home. This was a strategy Su Yanyi had come up with over the past few days, noting that Qin Jiran’s returns home were getting increasingly later, yet he often made himself something to eat after getting back. Having seen this a few times, she kept it in mind and had Sister Wang prepare extra when making dinner.
"Alright, I’ll go get it," Qin Jiran said without changing his clothes, heading straight for the kitchen. He hadn’t had dinner and was truly a bit hungry.
Watching the man’s retreating figure, Su Yanyi had planned to brew coffee for Qin Jiran, but sensing the tiredness exuding from him, she decided to brew it tomorrow instead. Tonight should be for him to rest well.
Qin Jiran brought the food from the thermal container to the dining table and started eating by himself. Su Yanyi watched from a distance, not disturbing him. Only when Qin was almost done did she approach and say, "Go to bed early tonight, don’t stay up late."
Though Su Yanyi’s tone was cool, the clear concern in her words made it impossible for Qin to misunderstand.
"Yes, I will," Qin Jiran said with a noticeable smile on his lips. Although he wasn’t quite sure, he felt that his relationship with Su Yanyi seemed to have changed. It seemed to have started when Su Yanyi decided not to divorce for the time being. At first it wasn’t very noticeable and only made him think Su Yanyi was a bit strange, but after a series of changes, especially after the incident with sharing half a bed and a blanket, Qin started to have his suspicions.
It seemed like Yanyi didn’t dislike him so much anymore!
Qin Jiran was well aware of who Su Yanyi was, knowing she was someone who would never put herself in an uncomfortable situation. If she liked something, she liked it; if she detested it, she detested it. If Su Yanyi still disliked him, she definitely wouldn’t allow him to appear in front of her so frequently, let alone share meals at the same table or sleep together!
So, Qin could feel quite certain that Su Yanyi probably didn’t dislike him, and, what’s more, she seemed to be gradually changing her impression of him. She was even showing concern for him now. Their time spent together held a tinge of camaraderie, almost like that between friends.
Qin found this realization joyful and exhilarating, but at the same time, his yearning grew stronger.
If they could be friends, and if Yanyi could stop disliking him, then perhaps he could also hope that, with effort and perseverance, one day Yanyi might accept his feelings?
Qin Jiran had a strong urge to confess his feelings to Su Yanyi, but he also warned himself that the timing wasn’t right. He should be patient and spend more time with Yanyi, allowing their relationship to grow closer before making a confession to stand a better chance.
Qin was a patient man, especially toward someone he liked. Having fallen for Su Yanyi at first sight, he had already decided to pursue her for a lifetime. Being patient for a bit longer was not difficult for him.
The next morning, while Qin Jiran was making breakfast, Su Yanyi also appeared in the kitchen. Generally, the kitchen was a no-go zone for Su Yanyi; she had never entered it before, so seeing her there was truly a surprise for Qin. But what surprised him even more came next—Su Yanyi started to make coffee!