Li Sicheng subtly curled his lips and relaxed for the first time in more than a month. Su Qianci did not want to pay him any attention and continued to drive.
But eventually, she asked, “Where is that store?”
“Shili Mingdu.”
Su Qianci was dazed and looked at him, “isn’t it behind us?”
“Yes.”
“… Why didn’t you say it earlier?”
“You didn’t ask.”
She grit her teeth, wishing she could throw him out of the car. But she still turned around and drove toward the place.
“Turn right, we will get out here,” Li Sicheng said calmly. She parked the car, and the rain was still pouring. He took his umbrella and opened the door. “Sit tight.” She blinked. He came to hold the umbrella over her? Did he think she had no umbrella in the car? She pouted and went out of the car with her umbrella after Li Sicheng got out. Her umbrella was pink with two cartoon characters kissing each other, very girlish.
Su Qianci locked the car and walked ahead. Li Sicheng’s eyes darkened. He stopped and said, “It’s a bit far. Follow me.”
“Okay.”
It was indeed a bit far. After they walked for twenty minutes, the rain became lighter, and they ended up in a narrow alley. The alley was clean and well decorated. It was the first time that Su Qianci had been to this place, so she felt a bit surprised. “I didn’t expect this place to be so pretty.”
Li Sicheng took down his umbrella and walked into a store with a “time-honored brand” sign. They entered the store and she was immediately attracted by the delicious aroma of meat jerky and snacks. Reading the store’s history and origin, she was quite interested.
Li Sicheng ordered several flavors, glanced at her, and then gazed at her umbrella that she had put next to the door. After Su Qianci read the store’s history, she walked around the racks. When he came to get her, he had two full bags in his hands.
“Let’s go.”
“Okay.”
The rain became heavy again, but there was less water standing in the streets. They could easily walk. Su Qianci picked up her folding umbrella at the door and was dumbstruck. Since they were not going to spend a long time in the store, she did not fold the umbrella up. However, when she picked it up, all she got in her hand was the pole. Glancing at the pole in her hand and the canopy on the floor, she was so pissed that she stomped her foot. “What the hell? Who did this? Dammit.”
Standing behind her, Li Sicheng said in a cold voice, “Someone must have stepped on it by accident. Look at the footprint.” A black footprint was left on the canopy, dirty and wet.
She looked at the footprint and felt quite upset. She recently bought this umbrella because she loved the print. It was the first time she had used it, and it was broken already. She winced.
Glancing at her, Li Sicheng said calmly, “It’s just an umbrella.”
“But it’s raining so heavily. I would get all wet without it.”
“I have one here.” Li Sicheng took his big black umbrella drying on the rack and said, “let’s go.”
What the heck? He was going to share his umbrella with her? Su Qianci mumbled, “the rain so heavy. We will both get wet if we share an umbrella…”
“You can elope with me then.” [Translator’s note: “wet” and “elope” sound similar in Mandarin.]