Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 557 The Little Demon 18

Chi Jingchen moved his bandaged finger. Under the warm light in the kitchen, the small piece of gauze looked like a gentle medal.

"Um... Yunchu," he stood up, his voice more natural than before, his eyes falling on the pot of wilted green ivy on the windowsill, "Are you free tomorrow morning?"

Yun Chu was hanging up the cleaned chopping board when he turned around after hearing this.

"Hmm? I'm free, what's up?"

"I want to go to the Chenxi Garden Market and pick out some new flowers and plants." Chi Jingchen paused and looked at Yun Chu with a sincere and frank look. "You seem to be quite knowledgeable about these things... I want to ask you for some advice? By the way... can we go to the supermarket together? My refrigerator at home is about to go on strike."

The chirping of insects outside the window seemed to be still for a moment.

Yun Chu wiped the water from her hands and met his expectant gaze. His deep eyes, under the warm light, seemed exceptionally clear, devoid of the distant or weary look they had previously held. Instead, they were filled with the trust between neighbors and a subtle, subtle plea.

"Okay," she smiled, "I just wanted to pick some mint seeds too."

The next day, Chenxi Garden Market.

The sun is just right, the breeze is not dry.

The market is full of colors and greenery.

Chi Jingchen wore a low-key baseball cap with the brim pulled down and a mask, but his height advantage and the aura that settled in the crowd still made Yun Chu feel that someone was looking at him from time to time.

But he seemed not to care and focused on following Yun Chu as he moved between the various flower sheds.

Yunchu is indeed knowledgeable and patiently introduces which plants like light and tolerate shade, and which are easy to grow and require less water.

Chi Jingchen listened attentively, occasionally asking a few simple but to-the-point questions, with an interest in learning and exploring in his eyes.

He finally picked a pot of glossy green fig leaves, a pot of small and delicate Pilea coleus with white flowers, and two pots of ivy recommended by Yun Chu, which were said to be able to thrive in high-humidity places like bathrooms.

When paying the bill, Chi Jingchen naturally lifted all the flower pots.

Just as Yun Chu was about to say something, he said briskly, "It's time to go to the supermarket."

Coming out of the Chenxi Garden Market, the sunlight was already carrying a bit of the midday heat. Chi Jingchen, carrying a few pots of green plants, walked side by side with Yun Chu to the large chain supermarket next door.

The moment you step into the supermarket, cool air hits you in the face, mixed with the fresh scent of the fruit and vegetable area and the faint fragrance of the prepared food area.

Chi Jingchen habitually pulled up the brim of his hat and neatly unfolded a small folding cart - it was obvious that he was very familiar with the procedures here.

The fresh produce section of the supermarket is brightly lit and filled with shelves. The air is filled with the earthy fragrance of vegetables, the warm and sweet aroma from the bakery, and the unique coolness of the refrigerator.

Yun Chu, pushing her cart, stopped in front of the lush vegetable section, her fingertips gently brushing over the glossy green peppers and plump tomatoes. "Want some stir-fried seasonal vegetables tonight?" she asked the man beside her, who was checking his shopping list on his phone.

Chi Jingchen's tall and straight figure was very conspicuous in the crowd, but at this moment he frowned slightly and looked seriously at the scribbled words on the list: "This 'little white cabbage' you wrote, is it Shanghai green or milk cabbage?" He raised his eyes, with a bit of confusion in his eyes, as if he was a "top student who was stumped by a basic question."

Yun Chu couldn't help but chuckle, and she leaned close to him and stood on tiptoe to look at the screen: "Of course it's the bok choy, the kind with round leaves, isn't it here!" She picked up a bag and put it in the cart, her fingertips accidentally brushing against the back of his hand holding the handle of the cart.

Chi Jingchen felt a slight numbness on the back of his hand, but he remained expressionless, only gently suppressing the subtle touch. "Oh."

He responded, his eyes scanning the refrigerated section next to him, "Where's the fish? The list says 'fresh'..." He recited the vague criteria and began to scan the seafood neatly arranged on the ice.

Yun Chu had already walked towards the seafood stall and pointed at a sea bass swimming in the tank: "Boss, please help me catch this and clean it up!"

Turning back to see Chi Jingchen following him, he smiled slyly, "To choose a fish, you have to know whether its eyes are bright and its gills are red. These three words 'fresh' require practice."

Chi Jingchen looked at her confident profile, his eyebrows moving slightly, without commenting. But after the fish she selected was bagged, he naturally reached out to take the heavy bag that was still damp with ice water, and put it steadily into the isolation area in the corner of the cart specially for fresh food.

"Next target?" He pushed the cart and motioned Yun Chu to lead the way.

"Fruit section! The strawberries look good." Yun Chu walked briskly, and the slightly curly hair bounced gently with her movements.

"Yeah." Chi Jingchen followed closely, pushing the cart. When he saw Yun Chu pick up a box of big, red strawberries, a look of satisfaction appeared on the corner of his mouth.

After buying the ingredients, we drove back to Chenxi Community.

The shopping bags and flower pots were placed at his feet. Chi Jingchen didn't reach for his keys, but stood in front of the dark gray smart security door. Sunlight filtered through the corridor's air vents, casting a soft shadow on his profile.

He turned slightly to look at Yun Chu, his fingers pausing on the dimly lit password pad, then looked up, his eyes calm and frank: "Yun Chu, my door password is 1021."

"Huh?" Yun Chu didn't react at first, but his heart beat slightly faster uncontrollably.

"I'm saying," Chi Jingchen's tone remained natural, as if he was talking about something perfectly normal, but a barely perceptible blush seemed to quickly fade from his ears. "I'd like to trouble you to help me take care of them and water them. I have to join the group for a few days next week, and I'm worried they'll wilt from thirst before I get back."

He looked at the pots of green plants that were particularly bright in the sun, his eyes gentle, "I don't want to let them down right after buying them."

He pressed the four-digit number in front of her - [1021] - the LCD screen emitted a crisp electronic confirmation sound, and the door lock clicked lightly and opened.

There was a brief silence in the air.

The dust in the corridor danced in the beam of light.

Yun Chu looked at him, and he looked back at her calmly. In addition to entrustment, there seemed to be a deeper stream of trust flowing silently in his eyes.

Yun Chu's heart felt like it was gently touched by the crisp "click," and then it was enveloped by a warm feeling. She didn't ask what the number meant, but simply nodded vigorously, saying in a clear voice, "Don't worry, I promise to complete the task! I won't let them get thirsty."

Pushing open the dark grey door of Chi Jingchen's house, it feels like stepping into a finely decorated modern model room.

The open space is dominated by high-grade gray and white, with neat and simple lines.

The living room is furnished with a set of cold and hard dark grey modular sofas, matched with a low black metal coffee table.

The dining room has a matte rock dining table and several dining chairs with strong lines.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows offer excellent views, but the blinds are usually half-closed, cutting out the overly bright light.

The kitchen is open plan, with stainless steel countertops and high-gloss black cabinets reflecting a cool light.

The walls are bare, with almost no decoration. A smart home control panel is embedded in the corner, emitting a faint blue light.

The entire space is spotlessly clean, yet it also exudes a lackluster, slightly alienated sense of "technology" and "order." Every item seems to have been precisely measured, exuding a meticulous coldness.

Temporarily placing the heavy food and green plants on the polished tile floor by the door, the two men turned their attention to the few new additions. Their vibrant green color seemed particularly vibrant in this cool-toned space, almost an intrusion of something unusual.

Chi Jingchen took out the slippers he had prepared in advance and placed them in front of Yun Chu.