Lu Qianzhou would buy anything for her unconditionally.
Yan Xia was munching on ice cream, feeling extremely content. It wasn't something particularly expensive, but having someone buy it for her just made her really happy.
She really was still like a child at heart.
There was someone selling huge lollipops by the roadside. The round, colorful lollipops were even bigger than Yan Xia's head. Lu Qianzhou bought one for her, and she hugged it in her arms. It felt as if her whole heart was like this candy, so sweet that it was about to melt.
"Are you tired?" Lu Qianzhou had been keeping an eye on her condition all the way.
Yan Xia shook her head. She didn't feel tired at all. Lu Qianzhou even took the bag she usually carried with her.
"Ah, there are so many delicious things over there." Yan Xia skipped excitedly to the stall.
She'd actually eaten quite a lot for dinner, but maybe it was because she was in a good mood. Seeing all those delicious foods, she wanted to try them all.
Yan Xia bought a delicate box of Japanese sweets and happily held the pastry in front of Lu Qianzhou, asking him to taste it.
Lu Qianzhou frowned. "I don't eat this."
Maybe it was just a long - standing habit, but he wasn't used to eating food outside.
But Yan Xia insisted on having him try it. She almost put it right in front of his mouth. "Try it. It's really delicious. Didn't you say that when you come to a place like this, you should really relax? But if you don't even try the delicious food, how can you call it relaxing?"
The smile on her face was like a blooming rose, extremely vivid.
Lu Qianzhou hesitated for a moment, then still frowned and opened his mouth to eat the pastry.
Yan Xia carefully observed his expression. "How is it? Is it delicious?"
The tension on Lu Qianzhou's face relaxed. "It's okay."
She finally let out a sigh of relief. But as soon as she did, she felt really full in her stomach. She couldn't help but clutch her stomach and suck in a breath of cold air.
"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Lu Qianzhou asked.
She gave a happy smile. "No, I'm just a bit too full."
The corner of Lu Qianzhou's lips twitched up suspiciously.
"Do you want to keep walking?"
Reluctant to let go of this happy time, Yan Xia nodded.
He held her hand and walked through one street after another, in the crowded and unfamiliar streets. Every time Yan Xia saw his back as he led her forward, she inexplicably felt like crying.
She couldn't believe that if she hadn't met Lu Qianzhou back then, if he hadn't saved her and helped her, what kind of situation she would be in now.
As they walked through the street, they saw a little girl selling flowers. He bought a bunch of gardenias and asked the little girl to cut off the branches and leaves, leaving only the flower buds. Lu Qianzhou tucked the pure - white gardenia behind her ear. It smelled fragrant and looked just right on her.
He curved his lips slightly and said, "You're really suited to gardenias."
The language of gardenias is strong love, eternal love, and a lifetime of waiting.
Lu Qianzhou took off Yan Xia's baseball cap and hung it on her bag.
Even though they were on a busy street, they still stood out as the most eye - catching couple. The combination of a beautiful girl and a handsome guy attracted a lot of attention.
Even a street photographer asked if they could take a group photo.
Lu Qianzhou stood beside her, and his strong hand held her right hand. Yan Xia had a big smile on her face. Just as the shutter was about to be pressed, Lu Qianzhou suddenly turned his head and looked down at her.
In that photo, the girl had the sweetest smile, with a pure - white gardenia behind her ear. The man was looking down at her, seemingly full of affection but also with a hint of deep thought.
Yan Xia carefully put the photo into her bag.
After spending five or six hours having fun outside, Lu Qianzhou sent her back. But he stopped outside the car and didn't get in with her.
"Aren't you coming back with me?" Yan Xia was confused.
Lu Qianzhou shook his head. "It's easy to get exposed if we go back together now. You go back first. Don't worry about me."
He was right. After all, they were staying in the same hotel. If they ran into Fang Jiangyi, it would be hard to explain.
So she got in the car alone and let the driver take her back. Like a child who had gotten candy, she happily looked at the things Lu Qianzhou had bought for her one by one.
The devil and angel headbands, the lollipop bigger than her head, the take - out of all kinds of special local foods, the gardenia behind her ear, and the photo.
Even though it was already early morning, she wasn't sleepy at all. Her eyes were wide open all the way until she reached the hotel.
As she was walking towards the elevator with her gifts, she heard someone call her from behind. She turned around and was surprised to see Fang Jiangyi standing at the hotel entrance, walking towards her step by step, with suppressed anger on his face.
Yan Xia's heart skipped a beat. "Mr. Fang... Why aren't you asleep so late?"
Fang Jiangyi glanced at the bags in her hand, and his gaze finally landed on the gardenia behind her ear.
"I told you not to wander around and to keep your phone on for easy contact. You're on a business trip. If anything happens to your personal safety here, who can take the responsibility?" Fang Jiangyi's words were like thunder, and his furious look was terrifying.
Yan Xia's expression instantly froze on her face. She stared blankly at him, quickly trying to come up with an explanation in her head.
"I've been careful. I won't get into trouble. I just wanted to go out for a walk..."
"You're here on a business trip. Even if you want to go out, you should let someone know in advance." Fang Jiangyi rarely got angry. "I always thought you were a self - disciplined person. You've really disappointed me."
Yan Xia was like a child who had done something wrong. She stood there holding the bags, letting him scold her.
She didn't quite understand what was wrong with Fang Jiangyi. Even if she had sneaked out to play in the middle of the night, there was no need for him to get so angry. And why wasn't he sleeping in the middle of the night? How did he even know that she had sneaked out?
For the first time in a long while, Yan Xia felt that the relationship between Fang Jiangyi and her had returned to the previous one of an elder and a child.
Convinced by his scolding, she lowered her head and whispered, "Sorry. I won't do it again."
Fang Jiangyi didn't even bother to look at her anymore. He silently pressed the elevator button. When the elevator door opened, Yan Xia quickly followed him in.
After getting out of the elevator and walking in the corridor, Fang Jiangyi suddenly stopped. Yan Xia almost bumped into his broad back.
Fang Jiangyi looked back at her for a long time. His chest was heaving. Finally, he just reached out and plucked the gardenia behind her ear and silently went back to his room.
Yan Xia was still in a state of shock. After going back to her room, she quickly got into bed. Thinking of Lu Qianzhou and the night view today, she actually fell into a deep sleep very quickly.
They stayed in Japan for two days. After finishing all their work, they returned to Shoujing on the third day.
There was a huge backlog of work. Yan Xia worked overtime until early morning that night.
Since the last time she parted with Lu Qianzhou, she hadn't seen him again, and Lu Qianzhou hadn't contacted her either.
Yan Xia was used to his elusive attitude. Maybe it was because he was too busy.
When she got off work this day and just got in the car, Wen Liang reminded her.
"Miss Lu, the Third Master said he wants to see you."