A Marshmallow: Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Bus Ride

After the violent rain subsided, the cold white light inside the room hung above, enveloping that slender figure. His fingertips were slightly cool, with a touch that was fleeting, gently, as if it was her illusion.

Gu An unconsciously gripped the small blanket in her hand, though he clearly said, "Curious baby," but her little brain automatically filtered it—

Leaving only "baby, baby, baby..."

Her fingers unconsciously tugged at the small blanket in her hand, and suddenly, she felt a bit hesitant to look up at him.

"Afraid of dogs," Jiang Yan said indifferently.

"Hmm?" Gu An raised her small face, her pupils were very dark, looking at people without blinking, innocent and obedient.

"Not afraid!" She shook her head, and the small bobble on her head swayed with her, "I like dogs, especially big ones!"

Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow, "Then come and lock the door."

"Oh..." Gu An followed slowly.

As the door closed, Gu An supported the door handle and stuck her little head out from behind the door, bidding a quiet farewell to Jiang Yan, "Goodbye, big brother!"

Jiang Yan "Hmm" and put his hands in his pockets as he went downstairs.

With Gu Zhen not at home, it was inappropriate for a stranger to stay here.

How scared must she be to shout "big brother" to herself when the doorbell rang?

But it had nothing to do with him.

She was Gu Zhen's sister, not his, Jiang Yan's, sister.

He frowned, feeling faintly irritated, and the first signs of irritation began to sprout.

It wasn't until the lights on the 11th-floor east apartment were turned off that the black SUV started and drove out of the community gate.

-

The next day, early in the morning.

The attic window was washed by the pouring rain, like a scene from a Hayao Miyazaki comic, with white clouds like cotton candy within reach.

Gu An was still half asleep, but she still remembered something important. She got up and picked up her phone, seeing a red notification dot.

The message sent to Gu Zhen before bedtime yesterday received a response in the early hours of today:

"Originally, I'm not the brightest, so don't overthink things, your brother is doing well."

With her restless heart finally finding a resting place, Gu An leaned back comfortably into the fluffy, soft cotton quilt. However, she had no idea what her brother was going through at the moment.

During Gu Zhen's first three years of work, there was almost no communication, leaving her anxious every day. At that time, her grandmother was still alive, a devout Buddhist who would often pray for her brother's safety.

Gu An got up with determination.

Today, she had to go out.

She opened the refrigerator and was about to put the leftover food from yesterday into the microwave when she heard Jiang Yan coming in from outside, casually placing a delicate food container on the dining table.

He was dressed in a plain black sports suit, the zipper pulled up to his collar, concealing his fair chin. His black hair fell on his forehead, his brows were clean, and his nose was high, resembling a young college student who had just finished a run.

By his side was a black and yellow German Shepherd, majestic in appearance but with a gentle gaze.

Gu An and the German Shepherd stared at each other for a moment, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow."

She looked up at him with a raised corner of her mouth, casting a glance at the large dog in front of her, her small fangs peeking out, innocent and childish.

So, did she like it?

Jiang Yan's lips curled up, and his fingers, with distinct joints, stroked the German Shepherd's fur one by one. His face no longer bore the usual coldness.

Gu An's eyes blinked nonstop as she followed the German Shepherd, asking, "Where did you get him from? He's so handsome!"

"Adopted," Jiang Yan's icy tone softened, his long eyelashes drooping.

"Where did you adopt him from?" Gu An clenched her fists. A majestic puppy like this, he must have adopted a whole bunch of them! A big bunch!

"His father was a drug detection dog, served for five years with countless achievements," his eyes seemed to have a faint mist, hiding his emotions, "During a mission, he took a bullet for a rookie who had just started working and sacrificed himself."

---

Gu An had finished her breakfast and squatted beside the German Shepherd, unafraid, and said, "Little one, I'm going out for a bit. What delicious treat should I bring you when I return?"

The German Shepherd pup responded with a howl, and Gu An patted its head, her heart melting, wishing she could bring all the good things to it.

She wore an avocado-patterned sweatshirt, jeans, and canvas shoes. She took her pineapple crossbody bag from the hook in the hallway, looking like a walking pineapple.

"Where are you going?"

Little Pineapple had a serious expression on her baby face and said, "I'm going to the temple to burn incense."

Jiang Yan remained expressionless, his handsome face cold and aloof.

The holiday scenic spots were crowded, and just thinking about it gave him a headache.

I won't be your bodyguard.

The temple was situated on a hill.

Gu An climbed an unknown number of steps, and in the end, her calves felt like they were tied to sandbags, and she wished she could use her hands and feet.

The handsome guy next to her, on the other hand, calmly ascended two steps with each stride, his hands in his pockets, looking as if he were a cool and laid-back gentleman. However, his expression seemed a bit unhappy, like he wanted to punch someone.

She thought she should buy him a birdcage to carry around, and she secretly smiled with her little tiger teeth showing.

Gu An stood at the temple's entrance and turned to ask Jiang Yan, "Big brother, don't you have any wishes?"

Jiang Yan replied calmly, "I'm an atheist."

He only believed in what he could achieve on his own.

He'd give it his all, and nothing more.

"Oh!" Gu An, who usually walked with a spring in her step, was now well-behaved and even her little tiger teeth were hidden discreetly, like a perfect little lady.

She was quite short, even more so when viewed from behind, as she devoutly and seriously offered incense.

Did she have a wish to convey to the gods and Buddha?

Did the exam go smoothly, or is she aiming for a good university in the college entrance examination?

After a while, Gu An came out.

Her steps were cheerful, as if she had resolved a significant matter.

"What are you praying for?" Jiang Yan asked absentmindedly.

"I hope you and brother will be safe and successful every year!" She said, gazing at him with a serious look, her hands behind her back.

Jiang Yan's gaze lingered on her cheek, and he was momentarily stunned.

Grandpa led troops in battles his whole life and was indifferent to life and death. His most frequently uttered phrase was, "Whoever fears death will die first."

"Oh, I forgot to say something. What should I do?" She was vexed.

"What's that something?"

Gu An turned to face him, pursed her lips, and in a consultative tone, whispered, "If you promise me, I will do more good deeds in the future, and if necessary, I won't drink milk tea or eat pearls..."

After she finished speaking, she bowed sincerely, then turned around and gestured to him with her finger. "Let's go quickly; the little one is scared at home."

She began descending the mountain with her short legs.

Jiang Yan watched her petite figure and bit his lower lip, chuckling.

It was a long time later, when Jiang Yan faced the life-and-death situation in the rain of bullets in the jungle, that the word "death," which used to mean nothing to him, became a concrete fear.

He was afraid he might never see his little girl again.

In the deep mountains, under the sunlight, her features were like a painting, but she wore a deadly serious expression on her doll-like face.

"I hope you and brother will be safe and successful every year!"

Gu An took out her phone's map and found a direct bus from the foot of the mountain to Intercontinental Manor. "We don't need to take a taxi!"

Parking here was inconvenient, and Jiang Yan had spent a lot of money on a taxi to get here, enough to buy many cups of milk tea. Just thinking about it made her wince.

Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow, "Are we really walking back?"

"No, no," Gu An shook her head, afraid that the young master wouldn't agree, so she grabbed his wrist and headed to the bus stop, "Let's take the bus; we can enjoy the scenery along the way!"

Everyone who knew Jiang Yan knew that this guy had a good-looking face but a bad temper, mild OCD, and zero tolerance for unnecessary physical contact. How could someone like him become a cop? He should be living in a sterile glass room and be a wealthy young master.

The members of the Criminal Investigation Team had silently discussed behind his back. Every time Jiang Yan had to get up close and personal with criminals, he was precise and ruthless in his actions, probably because he despised physical contact.

If Jiang Yan's colleagues or classmates saw the young master being dragged by the wrist, they'd probably gasp in shock because in the next moment, this lovely girl might be thrown out.

Jiang Yan's eyes drooped as the delicate fingers of the girl were holding his wrist through the sports jacket fabric.

His eyelids showed a cold, indifferent curve, but his earlobes blushed slightly, making his pale skin even clearer.

"The bus is here!"

Gu An exclaimed, and the tourists coming down from the mountain gathered, almost bursting the bus's belly.

The bus was packed, with barely any standing room left, and Gu An sensed that the young master's cold, frosty face was finally showing some emotions—unhappiness, displeasure, and the desire to jump off the bus.

Feeling somewhat guilty but finding it amusing, she resembled a little boy.

Jiang Yan had long legs, and with one hand effortlessly holding onto a rail, he used the other to support the seat next to Gu An, silently isolating her from the noisy surroundings.

It was the peak travel season during the National Day holiday, and the return trip coincided with rush hour. What was originally a one-hour journey had already taken one and a half hours, but luckily, the second half of the journey saw some passengers getting off, freeing up seats.

Gu An had climbed the mountain and walked downhill for over two hours, and now her legs were sore, her eyelids heavy, and her head was foggy.

Suddenly, she bumped into something, jolting her awake.

In front of her were his clean temples, fair ear, the tip of his nose, and the faint scent of mint on his body.

Their gazes met, and Gu An immediately sat up straight, her face turning bright red like a child who had done something wrong. She avoided eye contact and mumbled, "I'm sorry..."

Jiang Yan pursed his lips, looking out the window. "It's okay."

Gu An was too tired to stay upright, and her consciousness was becoming hazy. She didn't want to rest her head on someone's shoulder again, so she quickly shifted her body towards the window.

She was dozing off, and just about to fall asleep when a stray dog darted across the pedestrian crossing, causing the public bus to slam its brakes, and her head went "thud" against the car window.

Gu An was truly exhausted. Her aunt had been in pain yesterday, there was a power outage at home, and she couldn't reach Gu Zhen on WeChat, so she had been unable to sleep until daybreak.

She reached out to rub her head, her mouth turned pitiful, but in no time, she fell asleep again.

The gentle autumn afternoon sun bathed her in warmth, revealing the tiny hairs on her cheeks, making her look like a little dumpling.

The little dumpling's head nodded slowly, and it seemed like it was about to hit the car window again.

Jiang Yan had a cold face and extended his hand.

Gu An's sleep was shallow due to her tense nerves.

Why isn't her head moving?

Oh... what should she do... it seems like she's resting her head on his shoulder again!

But... his shoulder is really comfortable, and he smells so fresh and clean.

She didn't want to get up.

She still remembered how the members of the Criminal Investigation Support Team described Jiang Yan: cold, with the temperament of a young master, and obsessive-compulsive. Even if the girls who pursued him circled the jurisdiction three times, they had never seen anyone get close to him.

Just as Gu An forced herself to open her eyes, to apologize and tense her whole body, the person beside her adjusted his posture without a word, gently pressing her head against his shoulder.

The voice in her ear was typically cold and indifferent, but because it was lowered, it sounded as soft as a whisper.

"Good girl, go back to sleep."

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