Chapter 195: Was It the Wind That Moved? No, It Was My Heart
In the end, Xia Changyu didn’t get what he had hoped for.
Being with the girl he liked wasn’t something that followed a strict set of rules or a step-by-step process. Love doesn’t come with standards or guidelines.
Even though a bunch of the tickets he had prepared were now useless, Xia Changyu didn’t feel the slightest bit of regret.
Because at that moment, a soft, fair hand was gently linked around his arm, and the sweet scent of the girl lingered in the air around his nose.
In the end, she had still taken his arm. Even if she looked a little unsure while doing it.
If this had happened half a year ago, she would’ve never believed she’d be going on a date with a guy, especially that guy, her annoying love rival.
Lin Yibai thought she could probably write an autobiography now: ‘Me and My Love Rival. The Years I Got Swayed by My Rival.’
Wait, “Swayed”? She almost let out a shocked yelp.
She suddenly realized something… but she didn’t want to admit it.
So she told herself quietly in her heart, ‘It’s not being swayed. It’s just… playing a game. A game called “temporary lovers” with her so-called love rival.’
Some things, some feelings, and some people. Once the truth is out, there’s no going back.
That stubborn mouth saying “no,” it’s okay to give in sometimes. Because the lips are soft, the heart is soft and the body is even more honest.
It quickly forgets the worries and starts to obsess over silly things instead.
She asked, “Is 170 cm tall really considered short?”
When Xia Changyu heard that, he couldn’t help but laugh to himself. “I was just joking! If someone like you counts as short, what about all the other girls out there?”
Lin Yibai said, “So, do you prefer long legs or short legs?”
What kind of question was that? Was she testing him? Testing him using a girl’s legs?
He glanced at her long, slender legs.
Whoa, whoa, whoa... can't even look for a second longer, or he’d explode on the spot.
Xia Changyu quickly looked serious and said, “They say, ‘A pretty girl is every guy's dream.’
But I only like you.”
Lin Yibai: “Ehh?”
She froze for a second, then chuckled softly.
Even if she only became a girl later, wasn't it okay for a woman to make herself beautiful for someone she likes later?
They finally reached the cold drink shop. But sadly, all the seats were already taken. The shop owner saw them and could only give a helpless smile.
Luckily, Xia Changyu was a reasonable person, and Lin Yibai was well-mannered and polite.
They didn’t make a fuss about not getting seats, or complain about the place.
So what if there were no seats?
As long as you don’t make a scene, the world is full of places where you can sit and rest.
The two of them found a spot on the edge of the flower bed in front of the shop. They brushed off some fallen leaves and sat down in the shade to cool off.
Xia Changyu went to place their order.
The shop owner saw him and said, “Sorry, man! It’s not that I didn’t want to save you a spot. You’ve seen the shop, right? It’s just too packed. If I block off seats, other customers will complain.”
Xia Changyu nodded and replied, “I understand.”
After all, it was his fault for being late. If he blamed others now, it would just be unreasonable.
He ordered some drinks and snacks.
While he waited, the shop owner also noticed the beautiful girl outside, sitting quietly by the flower bed.
He couldn’t say for sure what kind of person she was. But the first impression didn’t lie.
She gave off a calm, pleasant feeling. She was the kind of girl who made people want to get close, and her quiet sweetness tugged at the heart.
Maybe the weather was just too hot. Lin Yibai took out the round fan and started fanning herself gently.
A cool breeze passed by, making the hot summer day feel a little more bearable. But what really caught people’s attention was that round fan in her hand.
The cold drink shop owner’s eyes lit up when he saw it, because there were two fans. A matching pair.
A folding fan usually represents a talented man. A round fan represents a graceful lady.
The shop owner's eyes widened in surprise, and he asked excitedly.
“Hey, buddy! If I’m not mistaken, those fans are the limited-edition ones from the old street, right? Even though this place gets a lot of visitors, I heard they only give out maybe 100 or 200 of those fans a year! How did you two manage to get both of them at once?”
One fan by itself wasn’t a big deal, but a pair of limited-edition couple fans? That meant something special.
Xia Changyu was confused and asked, “They’re just two fans. Is that really a big deal?”
The shop owner got even more serious and replied with emotion.
“Just two fans? I’ve been running this shop for two and a half years! At first, I thought the same as you. I figured if I asked the folks in charge of tourism here nicely, maybe they’d give me one or two fans. That shouldn’t be too much to ask, right?”
Xia Changyu nodded and said, “Sounds reasonable.”
The shop owner continued, “But guess what happened?”
Xia Changyu shrugged and said, “I don’t know. Just tell me.”
The shop owner looked a little annoyed by the lack of suspense, but then went on.
“The people at the tourism office are super strict. They said they absolutely don’t give them away. If you want one, you have to earn it by performing on stage during events or festivals. But I just sell milk tea! I don’t have any talent for performing!”
Xia Changyu couldn’t help but laugh.
Finally, the shop owner revealed his true intention.
“So, here’s the thing, brother. I want to make a deal. You’ll probably take the fans home, look at them for a few days, then forget about them, right? But for me, it’s different! I could frame them and hang them on the wall to make my shop look classier. I’m willing to pay you for them.”
Honestly, if this wasn't something memorable, Xia Changyu and Lin Yibai might really have just taken the fans home, played with them for a while, and then tossed them aside like he said.
But now? Now it was different.
Especially since money was involved. This had become a matter of pride.
Still, out of curiosity, Xia Changyu asked, “How much are you offering?”
The owner replied, “Five hundred for one fan.”
Xia Changyu thought for a second and said, “Five hundred, huh? Then no deal.”
If he had said fifty thousand, maybe Xia Changyu would’ve thought about it. But let’s be real, that was never going to happen.
For a limited-edition souvenir like this in a tourist spot, five hundred or a thousand was actually a pretty fair price.
But here’s the thing, Xia Changyu wasn’t short on money. If he bowed down for a few hundred bucks, even he would look down on himself.
The owner said they could still negotiate. But Xia Changyu turned him down.
There was no need to ruin a sweet memory with the girl he liked just for some cash.
He picked up the cold drinks and went back to the flower bed where Lin Yibai was waiting.
Lin Yibai asked, “What were you talking about with the shop owner?”
Xia Changyu didn’t hide anything. “He wanted to buy our fans.”
Lin Yibai’s eyes lit up and she asked, “Ooh, and how much was he offering?”
Xia Changyu said, “Five hundred per fan.”
“Only five hundred…”
Well, she was just a normal person too. But honestly, in today’s world, five hundred yuan didn’t feel like that big of a deal anymore. At least, not big enough to sell something that belonged to both of them.
She said, “These precious memories? Not for sale.”
Precious? How could it not?