A Marshmallow: Chapter 13
Chapter 13: New Year
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Gu An and Zaizai were like two left-behind children, keeping each other company. When they saw Gu Zhen and Jiang Yan early on the 30th, standing at the door in line to welcome them, it was as if they were eagerly awaiting their parents, like true siblings.
"Tomorrow night there will be a New Year's fireworks display," Gu An said, tilting her head, seemingly casually.
She had never seen a New Year's fireworks show before. In previous years, she could stay at school and not go home for New Year's, with only herself.
"Yeah, I know, it's densely populated, and there are a lot of cases," Gu Zhen hung his black coat in the hallway. "We need to increase patrols. I'll go back to the unit after dinner."
His eyes were distinctly blue, and he still had some stubble on his chin.
"Brother, don't overwork yourself. After I graduate, I'll take care of you."
Gu An had a serious expression on her doll-like face, and Gu Zhen smiled as he reached out to tap her head. "Jiang Yan is off today. After you finish your meal, hurry up and do your homework. Let's see how you did."
What's wrong with her score?
Clearly, she had made great progress!
Gu An pouted, "Oh..."
-
Gu An sat on one side of the dining table, while Jiang Yan sat opposite her.
The handsome young man was as cold as snow and captivating, but when Gu An watched him do his homework, she couldn't help but feel like a criminal being watched by a police officer.
She took a deep breath, her heart pounding, and immersed herself in her writing.
"It's been half an hour already. Can I play with Zaizai for a while?" Gu An asked cautiously after finishing her English exam.
"Pass it over, let me take a look," Jiang Yan raised his chin, and she quickly handed over her exercise book like a treasure.
The room was warm, and he was wearing only a white long-sleeve T-shirt and black sweatpants. His washed hair fell loosely over his eyebrows, like a young man with rosy lips and white teeth.
The beautiful young man's eyes curved slightly. "You delayed half an hour on one question."
Gu An's fair baby face quickly wrinkled visibly, her big eyes wide with shock. As if she were about to write on her face: Are you a devil?
"I'm done, I'm done, I'm writing, I'm writing..."
Unknowingly, Gu An was pressed by Jiang Yan to write homework all day. The sun hadn't set yet, and she had already finished all of her three-day long weekend homework, checked her answers, corrected mistakes, and had the questions she couldn't solve clearly explained by Jiang Yan.
Her neck hurt, her shoulders ached, like an abused child laborer. Gu An closed the last exercise book, let out a long and pleasant yawn, and desperately wanted to go downstairs to bounce around.
"Do you have time tonight?" Jiang Yan lowered his eyes.
Gu An was already so exhausted that her mind was hazy, and she asked in a daze, "Huh?"
"If you have time," Jiang Yan looked at her, "Gege will take you to watch a movie."
His tone was gentle and gentlemanly, switching from a devil to a refined young man in an instant.
Gu An's heart skipped a beat and she became momentarily dumbfounded.
Ah! He couldn't possibly want to take her out to play...
That's why he watched her write homework all day, right?!
"Oh..." Gu An tried to suppress the excitement in her heart, "Maybe I do, have some time."
Jiang Yan unlocked his phone to check the time, "Can you leave at seven?"
"Sure, sure," Gu An smiled, her small tiger teeth charmingly contained, like a little lady, "Then, see you later, Brother Jiang Yan!"
As Gu An walked towards the attic, she was completely disoriented. When she closed the door, her palms were slightly sweaty.
She tried to suppress her inner excitement and told herself it's just a movie, just a movie, don't get too excited. But her small tiger teeth had already gone out of control, happily poking out.
Gu An covered her face and buried herself in the fluffy, soft blanket, her palms hot with excitement.
Ah ah ah ah ah ah!!!
I secretly adore that handsome guy!
He said he wants to invite me to watch a movie!!!
The bangs on her forehead were all messed up, and Gu An sat up, propping her chin up while sitting cross-legged on the bed. She poked the dumb-looking goose-shaped pillow with her slender white fingertips.
"You're sure I didn't hear wrong, right?"
"He said he wants to invite me to watch a movie..."
"Why do you think he wants to take me to the movies?"
"Also, which outfit should I wear..."
The dumb-looking goose remained silent.
Staring at Gu An as if she were a moron, muttering to herself and floundering.
When Gu An left, Jiang Yan was already waiting downstairs. Surprisingly, they both wore clothes in the same color scheme.
Both wore white short-sleeved shirts and light blue jeans, only she had on small leather shoes while he wore white sneakers.
The movie theater's screen displayed various movie showtimes at different times. Jiang Yan stood to her left, hands in his pockets, with a devastatingly handsome face that left no girl's gaze untouched.
Normally, one would get used to looking at good-looking people, but every time she met his eyes, she felt stunned and defenseless. Her poor little heart had been pounding all night.
He slightly leaned in, "Which one would you like to watch?"
Gu An looked up at the screen with a seriousness matching a math class.
There were newly released crime films, starring the current top-tier celebrities. There were also movie tickets she had received earlier, centered around campus crush themes.
"I'd like to watch this..." She gathered her courage, pointing her finger at the movie about young boys and girls falling in love, the one with the nearest showtime. "Is that okay?"
Jiang Yan glanced at it, seeming somewhat helpless, but seeing Gu An's hopeful expression, he nodded in agreement.
Gu An walked ahead, and Jiang Yan followed her with a large bucket of popcorn and a cola in hand. They found their seats, and only then did he hand her what he was holding.
Gu An happily took them, and just before the movie started, she asked in a soft voice, "Brother Jiang Yan, have you been to a movie theater before?"
Jiang Yan leaned against the chair, the space between the seats was cramped, with both long legs casually stretched out. His gaze was fixed on the still dark screen, and the curve from his lower jaw to his neck was cool, with a clear and sharp throat contour.
"Mm."
Gu An discreetly squeezed her palm, trying to sound nonchalant, "With who?"
He lowered his head to look at her, the corners of his eyebrows raised mischievously, with a hint of a teasing smile, "Why, are you checking out brother's profile?"
Gu An thought to herself gloomily, it must be a girl!
A girl! She might even be his girlfriend!
Otherwise, given Jiang Yan's personality, how could he come to a place like this...
A little bud of happiness, previously carefree, was suddenly hit by a cold front, and she felt disheartened, the popcorn in her mouth instantly lost its sweetness.
Jiang Yan waited for a while, but the chatty girl next to him didn't engage in a conversation with him, and he noticed Gu An hanging her head, like a deflated balloon.
Is she upset?
Is it because I didn't answer her question?
Meanwhile, the popcorn in her mouth was making a cracking sound.
"With Gu Zhen," he said.
Gu An was taken by surprise, choked by her cola.
... What girl!
Jiang Yan turned slightly towards her, getting closer, his voice clear and detailed, "I watched 'Iron Man' during my senior year."
The movie's plot was actually quite boring. The female lead had a secret crush on the male lead, not knowing that he liked her too, and through various twists and turns, they missed each other until the almost end when they finally got together.
On the screen, the male lead pinned the female lead against a wall, getting closer.
Jiang Yan propped his forehead with his hand, his brow furrowed, wondering what all this mess was about.
But he saw the kid next to him, forgetting to chew the popcorn in her mouth, staring at the screen with wide eyes.
Hurry! Hurry! Gu An wanted to rush in and press their heads together.
But unexpectedly, the surroundings plunged into darkness, and a hand blocked her eyes: "You're not allowed to look."
"Why not..." Gu An was impatient.
"Not suitable for children."
On the movie screen, the man and the woman were passionately kissing. Jiang Yan covered her eyes, revealing only her delicate nose and slightly upturned corner of her mouth. She babbled, "If you don't let me watch, how am I supposed to see..."
Her cheeks were a bit warm, and her soft eyelashes brushed against his palm gently.
Jiang Yan's beautiful eyes were dark and deep. He casually averted his gaze and said, "Brother is an adult."
The movie had already ended, and it was half-past ten in the evening when Gu An followed the crowd out.
Although the movie wasn't particularly good, she was sitting next to the person she liked.
If only this moment could last forever.
But the future is long!
Opportunity comes when you're close!
"The city square is really close to here!"
"Is this the first time Jing City has held such a grand fireworks show?"
"Let's ring in the New Year!"
"Walking should be faster than taking a taxi; the main roads are all congested..."
Jiang Yan lowered his head, and Gu An wore a wheat-colored down jacket. The hood of her down jacket was tightly fastened to her head, as if it were very cold. Her face was squeezed into folds, like a blossoming flower. She was listening attentively to others discussing the fireworks tonight.
"Do you want to see the fireworks?"
The child with startled rabbit-like eyes looked up, her big, moist eyes blinking incessantly.
Her eyelashes were thick and curled like a small brush. They had just brushed against his palm, and the sensation was clear.
She nodded vigorously, "I want to, I want to, I want to!"
A large crowd surged toward the city center square. Gu An followed behind Jiang Yan, afraid of losing him.
But Jiang Yan's long legs stretched to 1.87 meters. If she wasn't careful, she could easily get separated. She broke through the crowd to reach his side and cautiously grabbed the cuff of his snow-white sleeve.
Jiang Yan lowered his eyes, and Gu An quickly let go, as though she had been caught doing something wrong. She avoided his gaze and quietly followed him.
A smile spread from his eyes to the corner of his lips, and Jiang Yan reached out to touch the back of her head. "Why do you still act like a child?"
Gu An pouted and breathed heavily.
He didn't even let her hold his sleeve!
Stingy!!!
The next moment, her wrist was gently held.
Gu An's eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat.
Through the layer of the down jacket, she could still feel the distinct joints of his slender fingers.
She let him lead her while secretly gazing at his tall, slender figure.
She liked the outfit he was wearing today – a white down jacket and light blue jeans, making him look like a college student whose youthful spirit had not faded.
It was as if the years between them didn't matter.
But he had only graduated from college three years ago and had skipped two grades in elementary school. Now, he was in his early twenties, so he was quite young.
Gu An's gaze drifted down to the fingers that held her wrist, long and slender, with clean and unobtrusive joints. She couldn't help but tilt her mouth into a quiet smile.
Rounding it up is like holding hands!
"We're here." Jiang Yan's hand didn't let go, holding hers loosely but with an undeniable presence.
In front of them were young couples snuggled together affectionately, and she and him standing in the middle felt like they were also one of those couples.
This thought made her heart strangely sweet, but it was fleeting. Would he have a girlfriend next year and spend New Year's with someone else?
Like the people in front of them, holding hands, hugging, kissing...
Gu An suddenly wanted to know why he brought her to the movies today.
"Brother, why did you bring me to the movies today..."
The little girl by his side tilted her head to look at him, her wet eyes blinking, even her little tiger teeth appeared cautious.
Jiang Yan shifted his gaze, his lips straight. "Just had some free time."
Gu An went blank and turned into a little withdrawn mushroom.
With her head down, her small face pouting, her slender shoulders drooped deeply.
Jiang Yan had a cold, expressionless face again.
...Did he say the wrong thing again?
His eyes lowered, looking at Gu An, who had just reached his shoulder.
So, she really is just a child, not yet grown up, needing someone to comfort her.
"Gu An."
"What...," Gu An's tone was faintly complaining, like a little sulking child.
Jiang Yan suppressed a smile. "I'm taking you to the movies because I'm not bored."
He gently bent down and looked at her eye to eye, his features clean and handsome. The fireworks in the sky reflected in his eyes, dazzling to the point of being blinding.
"I want to take you out once, so you won't be swindled by a little boy for a movie ticket so easily."
Gu An was left stunned.
His cold voice was soft and slow, his pronunciation clear, and his tone gentle.
It felt like he was dealing with a kindergarten kid, and there was even a touch of seriousness and indulgence in his tone.
At this moment, the crowd surged, and the countdown began in the square.
"10, 9, 8..."
Gu An's heart raced, causing a tingling sensation in her chest.
The starry sky stretched as far as the eye could see, and the fireworks were dazzling.
But everything else faded into black and white, the noise vanished, leaving only the person in front of her.
The cold and solemn aura that surrounded him dissipated, and when he raised the corner of his lips, a gentle dimple appeared. Now, he was quietly watching her.
Her heart raced with the countdown in the square, the surrounding shouts were deafening.
"5, 4, 3..."
The New Year's bell rang.
Jiang Yan slightly lowered his body, the crisp scent of mint lingering. He whispered to her ear, one word at a time:
"Gu An, Happy New Year."
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