Gu Siyu began to speak, and Huo Junxian opened the door.
The two stood face to face in silence, the atmosphere turning awkward. From their initial acquaintance to entanglement, entanglement to separation, and now reunion after two days, they found themselves at a loss.
Huo Junxian was apparently about to go out, as she had already changed her clothes and was wearing white sneakers. Gu Siyu, who had been bending down to pick up her shoes, stood up and asked, "Shall I come back later then?"
"I'm not going out, I just..." Huo Junxian trailed off, unsure of what to say. She actually didn't hold much hope anymore; Gu Siyu had left too many times. Today, she was struggling with this realization, feeling rather powerless.
So she hadn't planned on waiting any longer and decided to visit Gu Siyu's place again, perhaps also to talk to Qi Yuanhan's girlfriend.
The anger that had been rising in her chest gradually subsided.
She said, "I'm going out for a breath of fresh air. The pool downstairs has just been filled with new water, and I plan to take a look."
Gu Siyu responded with an "Oh," and Huo Junxian added, "You can come in first; I can go out later, it's the same."
Gu Siyu changed into slippers at the door and took a few steps inside, unsure of what to do next. She noticed a bear-shaped sofa in the living room and walked towards it, stealing glances at Huo Junxian with her peripheral vision.
After turning the words over in her mouth a few times, she finally spoke up, explaining, "I really went to take care of something today, something quite important. I handled it alone, which made me a bit late."
"You went to the bank?" Huo Junxian asked.
"No," Gu Siyu said, "It's just... how should I put it."
Gu Siyu studied Huo Junxian's expression. She sat on the sofa, trying to appear more relaxed, even slouching slightly with her long legs casually crossed. Soon enough, Huo Junxian seemed to understand and nodded knowingly.
Huo Junxian gave a long "Oh," and said, "I see."
"That's good."
Everyone has their privacy, and if it's a matter of saving face, there's no need to share everything, even with close ones. Gu Siyu felt that Huo Junxian had changed a lot, not prying any further. She couldn't help but keep her eyes on Huo Junxian, observing her closely.
Huo Junxian tilted her head slightly, deep in thought, her lips pressed together seriously. Then she said thoughtfully, "Then you shouldn't eat overly spicy or stimulating foods afterward."
"Hmm?" Gu Siyu was puzzled, then realized upon seeing Huo Junxian's concerned expression, "What are you thinking?"
"Weren't you at the hospital for hemorrhoid surgery..."
"How is that possible?" Gu Siyu gritted her teeth, frowning deeply. "No, Huo Junxian, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"
She had just felt a bit of warmth and a romantic, cozy atmosphere between them, but Huo Junxian had completely shattered that feeling.
At this realization, she paused. Ah, so this is what it feels like. It wasn't awkwardness she felt; rather, this feeling made her very comfortable, leaving her momentarily without a suitable reaction.
Gu Siyu had always been free-spirited and laid-back, having been polished smooth by society early on. In her dull and tasteless life, she didn't quite believe in love and was even secretly afraid of it.
Especially after the long mutual torment with Huo Junxian, she always felt that love brought a lot of pain.
As Gu Siyu sorted through her complicated thoughts, she looked up again and met Huo Junxian's gaze. Huo Junxian smiled with a hint of premeditation, but it wasn't an oppressive smile meant to control her; it was restrained and sly as she said, "I didn't."
