Chapter 23: A Hamster’s Hoard and a Supermarket Stroll

After Zhong Tian had made two trips, Su Linxi’s immediate problem was finally resolved. Returning home, he found Su Linxi in her room, writing something on her laptop.

Zhong Tian placed the new underwear and thin blanket he had purchased for her onto her bed. Curious, he leaned closer to peer at her screen. “What are you working on?”

Without lifting her gaze, Su Linxi replied, “A manga script.”

“Huh?” Zhong Tian blinked in surprise. “I don’t think you need to rush with the manga script just yet. I haven’t even finalized the storyboards for it…”

‘In fact,’ he mused, ‘I haven’t even begun to outline the overall plan for the entire manga.’

After all, he still had a manga currently in serialization, nearing its conclusion, and his focus remained squarely on that project.

“I know,” Su Linxi stated, “there’s no need to concern yourself with this one of mine until your current manga concludes. I’m simply stockpiling drafts for now.”

“I see…”

‘She’s like a little hamster, hoarding her manuscripts.’

“Well then, I’ll go play some games now.”

“Mhm,” the young woman murmured softly, her attention already fully drawn back to the screen before her as her fingers danced across the keyboard once more.

Returning to his room, Zhong Tian switched on the air conditioning and launched Elder Scrolls IV.

He recalled having acquired the game ages ago, yet it remained unconquered. The lengthy gameplay wasn’t the primary obstacle; rather, Zhong Tian simply wasn’t particularly skilled at this genre. Indeed, if one were to ask Zhong Tian which game genres he excelled at, the answer would be none at all… He was simply the kind of player who, despite their lack of skill, couldn’t resist indulging in the game.

Thus, an entire afternoon slipped away; little progress was made in the main quest, though he had thoroughly explored every corner of the map.

Zhong Tian stretched languidly, glancing at the time to see it was already nearing five o’clock. ‘Right,’ he thought, ‘time to head out for groceries.’

“Excuse me, ‘Su Linxi’?” Zhong Tian gently tapped on her bedroom door. “I’m about to head out for groceries; would you like to join me?”

Moments later, the door swung open to reveal Su Linxi, impeccably dressed, standing at the threshold. She met Zhong Tian’s gaze with a slight upward tilt of her head.

Su Linxi was clad in a remarkably simple white dress, devoid of any ornate embellishments. Yet, upon her, it exuded an air of understated elegance and considerable expense. ‘It was as if she imbued the garment itself with an enchantment.’

“Let’s go.”

****

Zhong Tian and Su Linxi ambled through the aisles of the supermarket.

He had initially intended to visit the bustling local market, but upon reflection, its somewhat disheveled atmosphere seemed ill-suited for Su Linxi. Moreover, the supermarket offered the convenience of proximity to home.

They walked in silence, a quiet journey where neither uttered a word, and ‘Su Linxi’ evinced no desire for conversation. Zhong Tian, feeling somewhat adrift, cast a glance down at Su Linxi before lifting his head once more. “Speaking of which,” he began, “I still don’t know your true name.”

She did not lift her head to meet Zhong Tian’s gaze, her eyes remaining fixed forward. “Su Linxi,” she stated. “You can simply call me Linxi.”

She paused, then clarified, “The ‘Lin’ as in ‘descending,’ and the ‘Xi’ as in ‘stream.'”

“Linxi… I heard you’re releasing a new book soon. What genre is it?”

“Fantasy.”

“That’s quite a leap between your two books. Is it something akin to Harry Potter?”

She nodded in affirmation.

“Why choose to write this kind of story?” Zhong Tian inquired, a note of curiosity in his voice. “It seems you haven’t ventured into this genre before.”

“Because I like it, and I find it interesting.”

Despite the placidity of her expression, Zhong Tian could discern the subtle joy shimmering within her eyes. This was the first time he had ever perceived such delight from Su Linxi. She would express her interest in things without adornment, though her method of expression remained understated. While others conveyed their emotions directly through facial expressions, she communicated hers solely through her gaze.

He could clearly perceive a profound desire for expression within her; however, due to aspects of her personality and perhaps physiological reasons, she was constrained to dance gracefully only upon the literary stage. Yet, she was undoubtedly immersed in profound enjoyment.

“I don’t know if I can write it well, but I am very much looking forward to it,” she confided. “I truly adore this story.”

Zhong Tian nodded. “Indeed, passion is the greatest motivator. It’s my love for manga that has driven me to continue drawing until now. But enough of that — what would you like to eat for dinner tonight?”

As they entered the supermarket’s fresh produce section, Su Linxi walked slightly ahead of Zhong Tian, her gaze sweeping around with an air of profound curiosity.

‘Could it be that she’d never even explored a supermarket before…?’

“Fish,” she decided, her eyes fixed on the live fish swimming in the tanks before them, then drifting to the palm-sized specimens neatly arranged on ice in the display case. She reached out a hand, lightly touching one.

“What kind of fish is this?” Su Linxi inquired, her gaze lifting slightly to meet Zhong Tian’s face.

“…That, I’m afraid, falls squarely into my blind spot of knowledge.”

While Zhong Tian frequently purchased fish and possessed a keen sense for which varieties were most palatable, his knowledge of their specific names extended to only one or two.

“Oh…” She nodded, letting the matter drop without further inquiry.

Zhong Tian gestured to the attendant beside the display case, requesting that the five small fish be bagged in transparent plastic. Once handed over, he carefully placed them into his shopping basket.

He then selected some tofu, though he promptly returned it to the shelf upon remembering Su Linxi’s aversion to cilantro. ‘Would fish soup, with only fish and tofu, prove too bland?’

Zhong Tian adopted a deadpan expression, pondering for a fleeting moment. ‘Perhaps blandness was not so bad; his sister consumed overly rich foods constantly, and a change of palate was surely due—though he himself was often guilty of the same.’ He then picked up a packet of instant herbal tea on a whim.

“Do you enjoy mushroom-stewed chicken?” Zhong Tian asked, picking up a mushroom and giving it a gentle shake.

Su Linxi nodded. “I don’t enjoy mushrooms, but I do like chicken,” she replied, pausing before adding, “Specifically, chicken breast.”

‘To nourish like with like?’ This sudden thought, springing unbidden into Zhong Tian’s mind, made him feel instantly impolite. He let out a discreet cough to mask his burgeoning embarrassment.

“Very well.”

Zhong Tian nodded, then fell into thoughtful contemplation. What else remained on their shopping list? He recalled that the remote control at home required new batteries. Pulling out his phone, he opened his memo application.

He had already begun to move, yet remained oblivious to Su Linxi, who was still engrossed in examining the mushrooms and lingering in her spot.

“Ah!”

With a soft, startled cry, Su Linxi suddenly lost her balance. Zhong Tian, reacting purely by instinct, swiftly braced himself with a backward step and, with lightning speed, caught her small hand.

Unconsciously, he exerted a gentle pull, drawing her into his embrace.

…

The sensation of soft warmth, like fragrant jade, entering his embrace left Zhong Tian momentarily stunned, causing him to forget to release her. Su Linxi’s head reached precisely to his nose, allowing him to inhale the delicate fragrance of her hair. Su Linxi’s small face was nestled against Zhong Tian’s chest, and with only a thin, short-sleeved shirt separating them, the warmth of her breath created a curious tickle on his skin. Simultaneously, a faint blush of crimson bloomed across his cheeks.

Zhong Tian promptly released her hand and retreated two quick steps, his heart pounding with profound embarrassment. ‘This was merely an emergency reaction, a reflex! Embracing her, holding her like that, was absolutely not intentional, he inwardly protested, aghast!’

“N-no, Linxi, I…”

“Thank you.”

The young woman before him offered her thanks with an earnest yet remarkably composed demeanor, a reaction that utterly surprised Zhong Tian. ‘Hmm… everything’s alright then?’

“Let’s go home…” Su Linxi murmured, turning to lead the way and implicitly clearing the path for Zhong Tian.

“Mhm.” Zhong Tian tightened his grip on the shopping basket and assented, utterly oblivious to the faint blush that had crept onto the young woman’s earlobes.

Su Linxi gently touched her cheek. It felt rather warm. A faint, almost imperceptible smile graced her lips, and her eyes softened considerably. ‘What a nostalgic feeling,’ she mused.