I run a convenience store in the Empire

[Edited] Chapter 44

Author: The wind is too late

She suddenly saw the picture of the man on TV. He was dressed in a military uniform, standing nearly six feet three inches tall, and exuded an imposing presence. His silver-gray eyes seemed distant and unapproachable, his high nose and thin lips adding to his cold, exhibit-like aura that warned others to keep their distance.

Tang Tang couldn't help but exclaim, "My God, this man is so handsome! He's exactly my type, but he looks kind of familiar." She glanced at Qi Tian's silver-gray eyes, which were warm and filled with tenderness, unlike the man on TV.

Noticing his slightly red face, she laughed, "It turns out you have the same eye color as him. Ji Tian and Qi Tian, though your surnames are different, your names sound the same. You're my sweet, and he's Tianran."

"It's not 'sweet'; it's Tang, like in 'Tang Tang,'" Qi Tian corrected her seriously.

"Is that so? Sorry, I won't make that mistake again, Ji Tian." Tang Tang suddenly felt awkward calling him that and said, "But I still think 'sweet' suits you better. It's very cute."

She continued, "You and the marshal probably just share the same eye color and the name similarity. Nothing else is alike. Our Qi Tian will grow up to be a kind and gentle man, very popular with girls."

"I think I am very similar to the marshal. In the future, I'll be as handsome as him, not just cute," Qi Tian said, a bit anxious.

"Alright, alright. In the future, you'll be as handsome as the marshal." Tang Tang comforted him absentmindedly. "But having the same appearance and personality isn't necessarily good. The marshal looks too cold, only suitable for admiring from a distance. I can't imagine having a chat with him. Our Qi Tian is the loveliest."

"The marshal is good to look at from afar and even better up close. He's perfect boyfriend material," Qi Tian said suddenly.

Tang Tang rubbed his head. "Well, no matter how good the marshal is as a boyfriend, it's not something we can touch. Besides, he's missing now. You should rest early. I'll stay with you until you fall asleep. I can't sleep if you don't."

Qi Tian immediately lay down, closed his eyes, and pretended to sleep.

Not long after, he felt a weight on his hand. He turned to see Tang Tang lying on his bed, her arm accidentally pressing on his hand.

Qi Tian gently combed the hair away from her face, looking at her sleeping expression. He sighed and muttered to himself, "You really can't be too greedy."

He carefully withdrew his hand, got off the bed, and gently carried Tang Tang to her bed, covering her with a quilt. He then sat on a small bed next to hers, watching her for a while before turning on his communicator.

Adjutant General: [Marshal, you need to return. The king is making moves again.]

Adjutant General: [The marshal made such big news this time. The king is bound to try to pull you down. Come back quickly.]

Adjutant General: [The king is sending someone to act as the marshal. Neither I nor the soldiers will recognize that person, but you need to come back and stabilize the army.]

Qi Tian: [I'll be back in three days.]

After sending the message, Qi Tian sighed, lay down on the small bed, and watched Tang Tang until he fell asleep.

For the next three days, Tang Tang prepared nourishing soups like goji berry chicken soup and yam duck soup for Qi Tian. The aromas from the hospital room made the other patients and doctors envious.

Finally, it was time to go home. After being discharged in the evening, Tang Tang and Qi Tian arrived home past ten o'clock. Standing in front of her store, Tang Tang felt a sense of peace. "Home sweet home," she thought.

It was late, and after taking a bath, Tang Tang was ready to sleep when there was a knock on the door.

She opened the door to find Qi Tian standing outside. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Tang Tang, I want to cook instant noodles with you."

"Instant noodles at night? But I'm not hungry—" Seeing Qi Tian's expectant eyes, she relented. "Alright, let's eat instant noodles. I can't get fat anyway." She said as she walked out of the room.

In the kitchen, Qi Tian boiled ginger ale, then braised beef noodles, added a handful of greens, and topped it with two poached eggs.

As the noodles were cooking, it started raining outside. Tang Tang couldn't help but laugh. "This is just like when we first met. Why do you want to eat this now?"

Qi Tian smiled softly but didn't reply. When the noodles were done, they both watched the raindrops outside the window, eating noodles and drinking hot ginger ale. Despite initially claiming she wasn't hungry, Tang Tang ended up eating a large bowl.

"Tang Tang, I love this moment," Qi Tian said suddenly, looking at her.

"I like it too. Eating hot instant noodles on a rainy day with a glass of ginger ale is so comforting," Tang Tang replied, still eating.

Though she had planned to accompany Qi Tian in eating instant noodles, Tang Tang ended up eating most of it herself. She fell asleep happily after eating and drinking her fill.

The next morning, Tang Tang woke up and felt something around her neck. She looked down to find a silver-gray necklace. Before she could wonder about it, she noticed a piece of paper on her bed.

She picked it up and read it, her whole body stunned. The paper gently fell from her hands to the ground.