Chapter 97: A Cozy Christmas Eve

The two walked out of the pet store. A few steps later, they spotted a breakfast shop on the corner. The shop was small. The aroma of soy milk drifted out through the crack in the door, mingling with the sweet scent of pastries.

“Let’s get some breakfast.” Su Muxue pulled Luo Xiaoyun along.

Luo Xiaoyun nodded. Nuomi was currently curled up in her arms, dozing off, a tiny ball with soft purrs. She carefully placed Nuomi into the cat carrier. The little thing shifted inside, curled up again, and continued sleeping.

There weren’t many people in the breakfast shop. The seats by the window were empty. They sat down. Su Muxue ordered a basket of soup dumplings, two tea eggs, and two cups of soy milk.

The soup dumplings arrived quickly, steaming hot, with thin skins wrapping savory broth. Luo Xiaoyun picked one up, took a small bite, and the broth melted in her mouth. She squinted in satisfaction.

Su Muxue picked up a tea egg, gently tapped it on the table a few times, and slowly peeled off the shell. The cracks on the tea egg looked like a brown spiderweb spreading across the egg white. After peeling it clean, she brought it to Luo Xiaoyun’s lips.

“Try it.”

Luo Xiaoyun opened her mouth and took a bite. A light tea fragrance spread on her tongue. She chewed, her eyes brightening: “This tea egg is so good!”

“Since it’s good, have more.” Su Muxue fed her the other half of the tea egg and picked up another to peel for herself.

Luo Xiaoyun ate it all in one bite. Remembering that Su Muxue hadn’t eaten much, she quickly picked up a soup dumpling, blew on it several times, and brought it to Su Muxue’s lips: “Muxue, you eat too. This one is super delicious. Try it.”

Su Muxue opened her mouth and ate it. She watched Luo Xiaoyun eating with her cheeks puffed out, like a hamster hoarding food, a smile in her eyes.

As she ate, Luo Xiaoyun occasionally looked down at the cat carrier by her feet. Nuomi was sleeping peacefully, now and then moving a little paw or twitching an ear. The two didn’t talk much. They just quietly ate breakfast, occasionally feeding each other. The atmosphere was gentle and warm.

After eating, Luo Xiaoyun leaned back in her chair, patting her belly with a satisfied look: “I’m full. This place is really good.”

Su Muxue helped wipe a bit of broth from the corner of her mouth, quickly finished her own food, stood up to pay, and picked up the cat carrier by her feet.

As they pushed open the door of the breakfast shop, the cold air hit them stronger than before. Luo Xiaoyun instinctively pressed her two small hands together and rubbed them gently. She opened her mouth and breathed out a puff of white air. The mist drifted in the air for a moment and then dissipated.

Su Muxue immediately stopped, reached out, and took her hands. The warmth in her palm instantly wrapped around Luo Xiaoyun’s slightly cold hands. She asked softly, “Cold?”

Luo Xiaoyun shook her head. Her fingertips brushed against Su Muxue’s warm palm. She said quietly, “Not cold. It’s just that without holding Nuomi, my hands feel a bit chilly.”

Su Muxue didn’t say much. She just held her hand tighter and, in one smooth motion, tucked their joined hands into the outer pocket of her coat. The spacious pocket was warm, wrapping both hands together. Su Muxue’s palm was always hot, and the warmth seeped into Luo Xiaoyun’s skin bit by bit, even her fingertips warming up.

“Now it’s not cold.” Su Muxue said softly. After a pause, she added, “If you don’t want to walk, we can take a taxi home. We’ll be there soon.”

“No.” Luo Xiaoyun shook her head, a hint of stubbornness in her tone. “I want to walk with you. Consider it… morning exercise.”

Su Muxue couldn’t help but laugh. She squeezed Luo Xiaoyun’s little hand in the pocket, her tone carrying a doting tease: “Oh, our little lazy bug who complains about walking two steps is actually volunteering for morning exercise? That’s a first today.”

Luo Xiaoyun pouted, her cheeks puffing slightly as she retorted indignantly: “I’m not a lazy bug! I exercise regularly, you know!”

“Oh?” Su Muxue raised an eyebrow, deliberately teasing her. “Last time I made you run one kilometer, you took ten minutes and rested twice. You call that exercise?”

“That’s still exercise!” Luo Xiaoyun stiffened her neck, feeling justified even if she wasn’t entirely confident. “No matter how long, moving counts as exercise. It’s better than not moving at all!”

Su Muxue chuckled at her reaction, holding her hand as they walked slowly forward. She slowed her pace, accompanying Luo Xiaoyun at a leisurely stroll. They walked along the sidewalk. Shops along the street were opening one by one. Occasionally, early risers passed by. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable.

When they were almost at the entrance of the residential area, Luo Xiaoyun’s eyes suddenly lit up. She tugged at Su Muxue’s hand and pointed at a small stall by the roadside. “Muxue, look! They’re selling apples over there! It’s Christmas Eve today. Let’s buy a few apples to bring home. Peace and safety, for good luck.”

Su Muxue looked in the direction she pointed. There was indeed a small vendor with a stall full of apples in various fancy packaging, looking quite exquisite. She smiled and nodded: “Alright, whatever you say. Let’s go pick some.”

Hand in hand, they walked over. Just as they reached the stall, Luo Xiaoyun’s eyes fell on the price sign beside it. The smile on her face instantly froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She leaned in to read it several times, making sure she hadn’t misread.

The most basic “Christmas Eve Selected Red Apple” was eight yuan each. Apples with gold “Merry Christmas” print were fifteen yuan each. Apples wrapped in pink transparent plastic paper like small bouquets, tied with ribbons, were thirty yuan each. The most outrageous were apples in exquisite gift boxes, adorned with small fairy lights and decorations, selling for a whopping sixty-eight yuan each.

She turned to look at Su Muxue, her eyes filled with a silent accusation: ‘Did you see that?’

Su Muxue held back a smile and nodded.

Luo Xiaoyun pulled Su Muxue quickly away from the stall. Only when they were off to the side did she lower her voice, her face full of disbelief as she complained: “My god, an apple actually costs sixty-eight yuan? That’s too ridiculous! Robbery isn’t even this fast! It’s just a regular apple. With some packaging, the price multiplies that much? What a scam.”

Su Muxue was amused by her excitement. She reached out and ruffled her hair, explaining gently: “It’s Christmas Eve after all. Merchants rely on this gimmick to make money. Most buyers just want a sense of ritual. We don’t need to join the crowd.”

“Christmas Eve can’t be this outrageous!” Luo Xiaoyun said indignantly. “An apple for sixty-eight yuan. Whoever buys it is a sucker.”

Su Muxue curved her lips but didn’t argue.

After a few steps, they happened to see a community fruit shop nearby. The storefront wasn’t big, but the fruits were neatly arranged, looking fresh and reasonably priced.

Entering the fruit shop, it was warm inside with a rich aroma of various fruits. Luo Xiaoyun made a beeline for the apple section. The apples were bright red, large, with smooth skin, looking fresh. The price tag said five yuan per jin. Compared to the stall’s prices just now, this was incredibly reasonable. Luo Xiaoyun picked a few good-looking ones, weighed them in her hand. They felt crisp and heavy, sure to be sweet.

After picking apples, she dragged Su Muxue around the shop. They also selected some fresh strawberries and cherry tomatoes. Su Muxue accompanied her the whole time, offering advice when Luo Xiaoyun couldn’t decide. They leisurely picked a full bag of fruit.

At checkout, the entire large bag of fruit only cost seventy yuan. Luo Xiaoyun looked at the bill, satisfied. She nodded: “See? This is so much more worth it than buying one gift-box apple from that stall. This is how you manage a household.”

Su Muxue took the fruit bag, still holding Luo Xiaoyun’s hand with the other, and responded with a smile: “Yes, yes. Our Xiaoyun really knows how to manage.”

The two carried the fruit and slowly walked toward the residential area. Nuomi woke up in the carrier again and meowed once, as if asking, ‘Are we home yet?’

In the evening, Luo Xiaoyun curled up on the sofa scrolling through her phone. Suddenly, she saw a photo posted by Zhou Yu’an in the dorm group chat. It was an exquisite gift box containing a red apple, with small fairy lights wrapped around it. The caption read: “Did everyone have an apple?”

Luo Xiaoyun zoomed in on the photo and noticed a small section of a finger exposed next the box, slender and fair, with pale nude nail polish, clearly a girl’s hand.

She raised an eyebrow and handed the phone to Su Muxue: “Didn’t think the sucker would be him.”

Su Muxue leaned in for a look, the corner of her mouth curving: “Maybe it was a gift from someone.”

Luo Xiaoyun stared at the photo for two seconds: “Then Zhou Yu’an is still a sucker, spent sixty-eight yuan on just one apple.”

Su Muxue didn’t respond. She just handed Luo Xiaoyun a peeled apple. Luo Xiaoyun took a bite. The crisp sound was especially clear in the quiet living room.

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