chapter 63

“Torch Festival? What’s that?” Ai had never participated in an ethic group festival before, so she was quite intrigued at first.

“There will be bullfighting and goat-fighting. Songs and dance performances. There is also a lantern festival at night. All the lanterns are hand-made. It is definitely worth a visit.”

“I’d like to go there!” Ai really wanted to see those gorgeous lanterns. She had nothing to do at home, so going out sounded like a good choice.

“But are you free? I thought you were quite busy recently.” Lu had no days off all year round. He was either in the training camp or on the way to training. Even at home, he spent most of his time working. He hardly had any personal free time. It seemed that he never rested except when he got injured last time.

Lu looked at her. “It’s alright. Battalion 1 is carrying out its mission. Pei Mu and Song Shizhang are responsible for Battalion 2 and 3. It will be OK.”

Hearing what Lu said, Ai felt assured. “How long are we going to be out?”

“The bullfight and song and dance performances will be during the day. The lantern festival is at night, so we will spend a night there.”

Spend a night?

Ai suddenly felt that things would not go well. It was already embarrassing when they two were at home. Who knew what would happen if they went out.

Even an idiot knew that a girl would never go on a trip with a boy if she didn’t have a crush on him.

It would make her too hypocritical if she changed her mind just before they set off, so Ai only forced a smile and tried another plan.

Yang came by in the afternoon to see Ai Changhuan. Two days before, it seemed that they had had a serious argument. If they hadn’t made up by now, Yang would try her best to persuade them.

But before she started, Ai suddenly asked Yang if she wanted to go out.

“For what?” Yang looked at Ai. She looked better than before.

Ai hurriedly told Yang what Lu said, exaggerating the torch festival as if she would regret her entire life if she didn’t attend.

But Yang had never attended all these years because Pei Mu had always been busy. Having heard Ai describe the festival, she started to gain interest.

“Well, you two can go together. I don’t think it will be good if I go with you.” Yang knew that Lu was clearly trying to coax Ai. Yang didn’t want to be the third wheel.

Ai thought to herself, “That’s exactly what I want. If Lu and I get along too well, it will be dangerous.”

She clutched Yang’s hand, saying with determination, “Certainly not. Lu let me ask you. You know him. He is a total bore. It will definitely be boring to go out with only him, but I think it’s going to be more fun if there are more people. By the way, Pei Xiaopang is also at home, right? Let him join!”

“Are you sure you really want this?”

“I am 100% sure,” Ai said. “It’s definitely going to be fun. I promise.”

“Alright. I’ll talk with Pei Mu when he gets back and tell you later.” Yang was persuaded, and she went back home to wait for Pei.

Ai made a victory gesture. Yang would probably go with her.

Although she expected Yang to be persuaded, she didn’t expect one thing. When Yang was talking about going out with Pei Mu, Du was having a meal at their home. Not only was Pei Mu persuaded, but Du Yucheng was also persuaded. Du wanted to go together with a friend.

The next day, Yang hesitated as she was going to tell Ai. She saw what happened at the celebration. There must have been something between Ai and Du. Du wanted to go with them, but definitely not just for fun.

But Yang just mentioned it casually. She didn’t expect that Du would join them.

Ai was surprised when she heard that Du would come as well. Then she smiled with self-mockery.

“How silly I am! Du said he is not Qin Zhan. Why am I still being miserable?”

She shrugged and said nonchalantly, “He can definitely join us. It’s not a big deal. By the way, who is going to go with him?”

“Emm….” Yang was afraid to look at Ai’s eyes. “I heard…he is dating a girl. They met at the celebration.”

“…Good.” “He is not Qin Zhan. He is just a man who looks like Qin Zhan,” Ai told herself.

“OK. We will set off tomorrow in the morning.”

“OK.”

When Lu came back at noon, Ai told him that Pei Mu and Du Yucheng would be going with them. Lu looked unhappy about it. He roared inside his heart, “Ai Changhuan, you are an idiot. Don’t you know what a couple’s world means?”

“What’s wrong? You don’t look well. Do you feel uncomfortable?” Ai asked, concealing her intentions. How could she not know the reason why Lu looked upset? She snickered secretly.

Lu waved his hand feebly. “How did they know about it?”

“I told them.” Ai looked innocent.

Lu’s expression froze. “You told Pei Mu and Du Yucheng?”

Actually, he only cared about the second name.

“No. I told Anxin when she came by. Then, she accidentally told Du Yucheng, so they decided to join us.” She would never confess that she did it on purpose.

“…Well, that’s great.” Lu was totally pissed off. “Our couple’s world is now in pieces. And a man who looks just like my rival in love is going to come with us?”

“I’m going to pack my things. Have a good rest. You’d better pack your stuff as well.” Ai ran upstairs, and Lu was left there, looking sulky as a boy without his toys.

Ai packed some light and convenient clothes along with various essential mosquito repellents. It didn’t take her long to pack her luggage.

But when it was Lu’s turn, he put something into his bag stealthily. Ai tried to peep at it, but Lu gave her a warning glance.

“Humph!” Ai acted as if she did not care. “Nobody cares. I won’t look even if you beg me to.”

In the afternoon, Lu went to work to arrange his work schedule for the next few days. Ai felt somewhat bored. She chatted with Ji Xingfan for a while and talked about Lu’s hiding something in his bag.

Ji was shocked and excited. “Go and look now before he comes back! Maybe he hid his ex’s body in the bag.”

“Bah!” Even Ai couldn’t stand her ridiculous imagination. “Are you watching too much crime news? Could you please be more positive? You think the body can be compressed so you can hide it anywhere you want?”

“Look at you.” Ji’s tone turned sour. “You phoned me two days ago, crying and saying you wanted to go back home. Now you are explaining for him. Once the woman marries her man, the matchmaker is forgotten.’”

“Don’t show off your knowledge if you’re unlearned. Are you sure the saying is used in this situation?”

“Fine. Let me change to another. So it is ‘Put love before friendship’? Or ‘quarrels between lovers never last for two days.’”

“….Ji Xingfan!” Ai suddenly blushed. “That’s not the case.”

“If it’s not the case, go find what he’s hiding in his bag. Ai Changhuan, do you have the guts to do it?”

Her defiant tone…

“Why not?” Ai held her phone with one hand, opened the wardrobe, and took out the bag with her other hand.

“I will show you what it is now. So you can stop…”

However, Ai was stunned because she saw what he was hiding in his bag.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Xingfan was gloating on the other side. “Why are you keeping silent? Is it really a body in his bag?”

“…No…” It was the suit that she had bought for Lu last time. After that, they had quarreled twice, and then she had forgotten about it. She was surprised that Lu had put it away so carefully. Perhaps he was afraid that she would ask for it back if she saw it, so he hid it in the bag.

At that moment, there were indescribable mixed feelings in her heart.

“Saner…” Ji Xingfan was calling her name from the other side.

“Nothing. I will call you back next time.” Ai hung up and was lost in thought as she held the suit. She liked Qin Zhan, so she would even cherish a purse because it was from Qin Zhan. She would even risk her life in order to get it back from a robber.

“So… why does he cherish the suit so much?”

Ai didn’t want to continue her conjecture. She quickly put it back into the wardrobe.

“Stop being soft-hearted, Ai Changhuan. Never. Remember, you are not going to be with him for real. You just want to steal his phone and delete those pictures. And then you’ll finally leave this place!” she thought to herself.

But for no reason, she felt a little heartbroken when she thought this…

When Lu came back, Ai was making dinner in the kitchen. It seemed that she didn’t notice that he had returned.

Lu put down the things in his hands. He wanted to go into the kitchen, but he found that the door was shut, so he could only stare at her behind the door.

Ai washed the vegetables and started to chop them. Her knife skills had improved a lot. She chopped them quickly and nicely.

Lu couldn’t help laughing while thinking about the vegetables she had chopped before. Some of them were too long to chew while some of them were too short to pick up.

These changes were all because of him.

Lu was moved when he thought about it. He walked behind her and hugged her from behind with his arms around her waist. He asked in an extremely sweet tone, “What are you making?”

Ai was scared. She almost threw away the knife in her hand. She glared at Lu, raising the knife up. “What are you doing? Please stop scaring me like this.”

Lu rubbed her head affectionately. “Did I scare you again? Why do you get scared so easily?”

A feeling of numbness rippled over Ai’s body, and she almost dropped the knife again. She calmed down quickly and said, “Go….go away…”

“Why?” Lu had no intention to let go of her.

“How can I make food if you hold me like this? You want to starve tonight?” Her heart was beating wildly. Her muscles were so numb that she couldn’t even hold the knife.

Although she told herself to not be softhearted, when a man hugged her in this way, showing his affection and dependence on her, it was hard to not be softhearted.

Lu thought for a moment. “I don’t want dinner. I want…”