Time Traveling to 23 Years Later with My Ex-Boyfriend

18

Chapter 18
Ever since Chu Qing realized that Qi Weichen wasn't being affectionate with her anymore, she became preoccupied with it. When they were alone at home, she couldn't help but "accidentally" touch his hand with her fingers while he was tutoring her, or brush her foot against his calf. When he looked at her, she would pretend nothing had happened, trying to tease him with these methods.

However, Qi Weichen would only glance at her and warn her flatly, "Focus on the lesson."

Chu Qing, undeterred, moved even closer to him until she was almost leaning against him. Only then did Qi Weichen, unable to tolerate it anymore, pick her up. Chu Qing was delighted, about to throw her arms around him, when she heard him say in a deep voice, "Do you want to be punished with extra writing assignments?"

Chu Qing: "..."

His unresponsiveness was like a bolt from the blue for Chu Qing. A boyfriend unmoved by her teasing - what did that mean? It meant their relationship was heading for a crisis! Chu Qing stayed up late reading dozens of relationship articles about this and felt she couldn't let things continue like this.

Another dinner time came, and the two of them went to the school together. Qi Muyang came running up, his face full of apology as he said, "I forgot to text you guys. There's a basketball game later, and I've already eaten."

Chu Qing paused for a moment. "It's okay, we'll go back and eat by ourselves." In just a few days, Qi Muyang seemed to have integrated into college life. Recently, he had been texting them less and often not letting them come over.

"That won't do. I'll come with you to eat," Qi Muyang glanced at his phone. "The game doesn't start for another half hour, there's time."

"You should use that half hour to warm up more. Go play, we're not kids, we don't need you to accompany us," Chu Qing immediately refused, afraid of delaying his plans.

Qi Muyang looked at her helplessly. "Then... make sure you take photos of your meal for me, okay? Don't just eat whatever."

"Do I look like someone who would do that?" Chu Qing asked, amused.

Qi Muyang thought about it and realized she was right. He then recommended a few snack shops near the school and got so excited he was about to take them there himself when he received a call from the basketball team urging him to return.

"Alright, you go back now," Chu Qing shooed him back towards the school.

Qi Muyang couldn't help but turn back. "Make sure you eat enough, okay?"

"Stop with all the talk," Chu Qing laughed, efficiently sending him off. Watching Qi Muyang's hesitant retreating figure, she suddenly felt a wave of sadness for some reason.

"In the future, he'll leave us with only his back view more and more often. You'll have to get used to it," Qi Weichen said calmly.

Chu Qing looked at him and couldn't help but ask after a while, "Aren't you feeling melancholic at all?"

"What is there to feel melancholic about?" Qi Weichen asked in return.

Chu Qing frowned. "He's your child. He's grown up and leaving you to embrace a new life. Aren't you sad?"

"It's a good thing that he can grow up safely and welcome a new life. There's no need to be sad," Qi Weichen looked at her calmly. "Parents and children growing apart is an inevitable part of life. I think you should get used to these things as soon as possible, lest in the future..."

"Alright, I don't want to hear it," Chu Qing interrupted glumly, glancing at him before lowering her eyes and walking forward.

Qi Weichen paused for a moment, then silently followed. After they had walked quietly for a while, he asked in a low voice, "Weren't we going to eat?"