Chapter 61: Afternoon Sunlight

"Yiyi!"

"Hmm?" Chu Yitong responded casually while changing into her slippers.

"Any plans for the afternoon?" Xie Chenjing stood beside her, his gaze falling upon her fair, delicate little feet.

"None at all. Pull the quilt over my head and sleep the day away!" Her grand dream was to sleep until she woke up naturally!

"I'm going to the study to handle some work."

"The study?" Her feet stirred inside her slippers as if recalling something, then froze in place. "Are there books?"

"Yes!" There were books she liked.

"I'm going too." She walked naturally to his side, and the two of them headed up to the second floor together. The study was located near the elevator, right next to their bedroom.

The study was furnished in its usual simple and elegant style. The bookshelves were lined with numerous business volumes, though in one particular corner, a row of comic books sat somewhat incongruously.

The afternoon hours slipped quietly away in warmth. She curled up on the windowside sofa, happily reading her comics. She hadn't expected to find quite a few collector's edition manga here—it was entirely to her liking!

When Xie Chenjing finished the tasks at hand, he looked up. The afternoon sunlight dyed her hair a golden hue, swaying softly with her subtle movements. Her features were picturesque, her cherry lips slightly pursed, and from time to time she would reach out to cover her mouth, as if afraid her laughter would spill out.

Her slippers had been kicked off into a corner, and her bare feet contrasted sharply with the black sofa, creating a striking visual impact. He had never known a girl's feet could be so smooth and full, making it impossible to look away.

He glanced down at his watch, shut down his computer, and quietly slipped out of the study. Before long, he returned holding a thin blanket, walked over to her, and draped it over her bare feet. The sudden appearance of the blanket on her feet did not distract her; she simply said out of reflex, "Thank you!"

He curved his lips into a smile, lingered for a moment, and left once more. When he returned to the study, the sky outside had already grown dark. Turning on the lights inside, he leaned against the bookshelf and gazed at her intently. Having dealt with the company matters, he made a few phone calls, bringing his work to a temporary close.

"Yiyi!"

"Ah?" Chu Yitong, who had reached an exciting part of the story, puffed out her lips in dissatisfaction at the sudden interruption.

"Aren't you hungry?" She hadn't eaten much at lunch, having only taken two bites of her dessert.

She reached out and patted her belly; it did seem a little empty. However, looking at the book in her hand and then at the smiling man leaning against the shelf, she weighed the importance of things and slowly laid the book down. Since she was living under someone else's roof, it was better to be a well-behaved guest.

She lifted the blanket, lowered her legs, and searched high and low, only to find that her slippers had somehow wandered off somewhere. Just as she was about to stubbornly continue walking barefoot, her slippers materialized right before her eyes.

"Ahem, thanks!" Why did she always manage to make a fool of herself in front of him? Just thinking about it gave her a headache. She dawdled as she put on her shoes, keeping her head down to pretend she couldn't see him.

"Yiyi, go change your clothes!" Xie Chenjing said softly, choosing not to expose her little scheme.

"Change clothes?" She looked down at her outfit. It was fine, aside from a few wrinkles. "What kind of clothes?"

"Something slightly more formal!" Her current attire was lovely, highlighting her youthful, pure, and touching appeal. Yet, in a flash, two words crossed his mind: "old man." A tailored suit paired with a student's outfit somehow didn't seem quite appropriate.

"Oh, we're eating out?" This was clearly the rhythm of going out.

"There's a very nice restaurant, I'll take you to try it!" His original intention had been to eat at home, but after much thought, he made this decision.

"Alright, wait for me, I'll be right back!" Shuffling in her slippers, she vanished from sight in a flash.