Chapter 261 258. Internet Cafe
For An Han, shopping and traveling didn't hold much appeal. Even though she had traveled a long way just to play games with Su Peng at an internet cafe, she didn't find it boring or regretful in the least. On the contrary, she was in high spirits, despite having just gone on a three-game losing streak with him.
Losing a game was no big deal; An Han remained in a good mood, though she was getting hungry.
"Time for lunch," she said, rubbing her tummy. The porridge she'd had that morning wasn't very filling.
Su Peng glanced at the computer clock and realized it was already eleven. Time always seemed to fly when he was with An Han. He fell silent for a moment, calculating that she would have to leave for the train station in about two hours.
"What do you want to eat? Should we find a nice restaurant?"
An Han frowned slightly and shook her head vigorously. "It's freezing outside. Let's just get fried rice noodles—delivery."
"Works for me."
While Su Peng handled the ordering, An Han leaned back against the sofa. She kicked off her shoes, curled her legs up, and tucked herself into a ball, resting her weight on her stockinged feet. Finding a cute pet compilation online, she began watching with great interest, occasionally calling Su Peng over. "Look at this cat, it’s so goofy~"
"Corgis really do have big butts."
"Munchkin cats are way too cute! Look at those tiny short legs!"
Su Peng leaned in to watch with her, distracted by the delivery app. "What do you want in your fried noodles?"
"Everything! Add whatever they’ve got!"
"I've placed the order. Take a look."
An Han didn't even turn around, her eyes glued to the screen. She waved him off dismissively. "I'm watching a video, no time."
Su Peng finalized the order, collected some points, and then looked up to ask, "Do you want a cat? I could get you—"
"No, 'cloud-petting' is enough. Real ones are too much trouble."
Just moments ago, she was beaming with "auntie smiles" at the pet videos, but now her face was full of distaste. Whether it was cats or dogs, they were all heavy shedders, not to mention the constant concern over litter boxes, health, and exercise. Keeping a pet was practically like raising a child. As soon as she listed the chores in her head, the desire to own one vanished.
Noticing Su Peng was also interested in the videos, An Han shifted her hips, squeezing herself into the corner of the sofa chair.
"Sit closer if you want to watch."
Su Peng didn't hesitate to lean in. As the distance closed, the sweet, light scent of the young girl grew stronger at the tip of his nose. An Han glanced at him, then uncurled her legs and rested them across his lap. She slid down until she was half-sitting, half-lying against the sofa, continuing to watch the screen comfortably.
She was wearing slim-fit trousers today that tightly hugged the straight lines of her legs. From Su Peng’s downward perspective, the curves of her long legs were fully visible. However, he only took a brief glance before leaning back himself, resting one hand casually on An Han’s knee while the other played with his phone—checking the delivery status or looking up at the pets on screen.
Soon, the video ended.
"Switch to another one for me."
Lying back as she was, An Han could barely reach the mouse even with her arm fully extended. As she watched the video transition into a food vlog, she noticed something felt off. The burning sensation in her cheeks had faded quite a bit. Usually, Su Peng would have looked flustered by now, and she would have felt his heated gaze lingering on her.
But this time, Su Peng had no reaction. He seemed to have something on his mind. An Han stole a peek at his face; it was expressionless, making it impossible to read his emotions. Usually, whenever he was with her, he had a gentle smile on his face.
"Are you in a bad mood?"
"I'm alright..."
"Tell me about it." An Han sat up straight.
After a moment of deliberation, Su Peng offered a slightly bitter smile. "I'm going abroad to study in the second half of this year..."
"Oh~ you mentioned that before. I know." An Han muttered nonchalantly. "Isn't studying abroad a good thing? Do you not like it over there?"
"It’s not that... I’m just worried about you while I’m gone."
She almost laughed out loud. "What, am I going to die without you?"
"That’s not what I meant." Su Peng looked a bit flustered. Since they weren't a couple yet, he didn't dare be too direct. His last failed confession was still a headache for him; now he was always worried about offending her. He had been a bit too aggressive that time.
"Which country?"
"The UK."
An Han’s father happened to work in the UK. She paused, imagining her father and Su Peng crossing paths abroad, while asking aloud, "If your blind date had been successful, would she have gone abroad with you?"
"Yeah, we probably would have gone together..."
"Oh~" An Han nodded thoughtfully, then went back to watching the video, ignoring him.
Su Peng scratched his head awkwardly and asked hesitantly, "How about... you come to the UK with me?"
The words were practically another confession. But An Han shook her head unromantically. "I hate going abroad, and my English is terrible."
"I think my dad wanted me to go to school in the UK back in high school since he works there..." She tried to recall the events from years ago. "But apparently, because of some falsified information, I'm banned from applying for ten years."
"What...?"
"My mom didn't have a job, so she insisted on making a fake employment certificate, and someone helped brush the bank statements," she muttered. "They found out, and the visa was denied."
During the visa process, someone had called An Han to verify the info, and she had accidentally let the truth slip... mainly because her parents hadn't briefed her properly.
Su Peng sighed with a slight headache. "I see." He had been hoping to "kidnap" her abroad with him.
"But my dad works there. When you go, I can ask him to look after you," An Han said with a mock-charitable tone.
"That would be great."
Su Peng’s gloom vanished instantly. While studying abroad, he could also try to win over his future father-in-law. It was a shame his future mother-in-law didn't seem to have a great impression of him—that was going to be a high-difficulty conquest.
"You're getting a huge bargain," An Han said, oblivious to his scheme. She tilted her head back and hummed. "It's an unfamiliar place; this way, you won't die out there without anyone knowing."
"True, true."
She shifted her body, resting her head against the back of the sofa. She was now almost completely lying down, her legs stretched past Su Peng with her calves resting on the opposite armrest. Having found a more comfortable position, she asked triumphantly, "Well? Aren't you going to thank me?"
Su Peng looked down at her. An Han was looking up, her cheeks still flushed, looking very much like she was "waiting to be plucked." He wasn't quite sure what she was thinking.
But this posture, combined with her proactive warmth over the past two days... Is she seducing me?
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Su Peng didn't hesitate. He leaned his upper body down toward her. "Then let me thank you properly."
"Hey!"
An Han’s eyes widened. Seeing his face getting closer, she frantically blocked her face with her arms. "No! Get lost!" At least last time he waited until after the confession to force a kiss!
Su Peng stopped instantly. An Han scrambled up from the sofa and sat back, putting distance between them. "Pervert!"
"My fault..."
I misunderstood again. Why the hell do I overthink things! An Han wasn't seducing him; she just trusted him and hadn't been on guard. Su Peng leaned against the desk, covering his face with one hand. If this kind of misunderstanding happened a few more times, she might actually cut ties with him.
"How about I treat you to something as an apology?" He was trying to figure out how to salvage his image.
But suddenly, a cold, soft sensation touched his cheek. A light, hurried breath brushed past his face, retreating as soon as it landed. He turned his head in shock. An Han was sitting with her legs crossed, staring fixedly at the computer screen as if she hadn't done a thing.
Only her face—blushing like the most beautiful flower—gave her away.
It made Su Peng wonder if An Han actually preferred being the one in control.
Thank you for the chapters.