"Like last time?" Xie Ci asked.

"Yes, ever since that time at your place, I've been reminiscing about that taste." Miss Ye Li's lips curved into a smile, but her expression was somewhat unfathomable.

Xie Ci gazed into those amber eyes, feeling uncertain.

It was just simple tomato scrambled eggs and millet porridge, though she did praise it enthusiastically at the time.

Xie Ci stared hard at Miss Ye Li beside him. Her eyebrows curved and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Xie Ci with a smile.

The countdown had really disappeared, with no sign of reappearing.

The task was also gone, so this was... complete?

What about the price? Or was there no notification?

Suddenly, Miss Ye Li touched the tip of Xie Ci's nose with her fair, soft finger that carried a faint fragrance.

"Hmm?" Xie Ci was confused.

Miss Ye Li looked at Xie Ci teasingly, speaking with interest: "Little Ci, you actually want to play 'adult games' too, don't you?"

After saying this, she smiled charmingly and thrust out her chest, causing those two sinful peaks to bounce.

Only then did Xie Ci realize that while staring hard at the system beside Miss Ye Li, he had unconsciously moved closer to her.

So close that the citrus fragrance from Miss Ye Li filled his nostrils, and his nose was now mere inches from the softness wrapped in red fabric.

Just a little forward, and he could fall directly into tender paradise.

Xie Ci's face reddened and he quickly sat up straight.

"Cough, sorry, Miss Ye Li."

Miss Ye Li looked at him meaningfully, pouting her small mouth.

"Silly child."

How many times had he been called a silly child today?

He was only three years younger than her.

However, this charming and alluring Miss Ye Li was the Miss Ye Li he recognized.

That sudden sadness and coldness in the coffee shop before,

Please don't appear again.

So his task should be complete, right?

Xie Ci could only change the subject. "Miss Ye Li, do you have ingredients at home?"

The girl in red tilted her head slightly, as if thinking.

"No, but on the way from here to my place we'll pass a market. We can buy some there."

......

The sedan stopped at an unfamiliar intersection.

Xie Ci and Miss Ye Li got out together. The fresh, cool air carried hints of moisture.

"The weather doesn't look good. It'll probably rain in a few hours," Xie Ci said in a low voice, looking up at the gradually darkening sky.

"Yes, in a few hours." Miss Ye Li leaned against the car, looking up at the sky and murmuring to herself.

The area where Xie Ci lived was much more remote than this place. Even on an evening street, there were many people here, bustling and lively.

Xie Ci took out his phone to check the time. Seven in the evening, exactly when ordinary families would be buying groceries and cooking dinner.

Xie Ci glanced at Miss Ye Li leaning against the car.

Speaking of which, was Miss Ye Li the type of person who couldn't cook for herself?

Xie Ci suddenly realized that in some ways, he didn't understand Miss Ye Li that well.

But it's fine. There's still a lot of time ahead, plenty of opportunities to get to know her.

Xie Ci walked toward the market, but the familiar sound of high heels didn't follow.

"Little Ci, I'll wait here for you, okay?"

Xie Ci looked at her smiling face.

He couldn't understand her again.

The countdown had already disappeared. Some things had already changed.

Xie Ci shook his head, pushing away his thoughts. He decided to jog.

"Alright... then Miss Ye Li just wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."

Miss Ye Li watched Xie Ci motionlessly, her gaze never leaving the young man's retreating figure.

His form gradually disappeared from Dong Ye Li's view until he turned a corner and vanished completely.

The girl in red looked down, wanting to see her shoe tips, but couldn't see them, her gaze meeting only a snowy white valley.

She suddenly felt somewhat bored.

Looking up at the sky, it was somewhat overcast, but the dark clouds had already retreated.

Suddenly, a touch of moisture appeared unexpectedly on her cheek, bringing fine coolness.

Then, the soft sound of "patter, patter" gradually arose around, like scattered drumbeats.

Before long, the raindrops grew denser, the rain sounds actually connecting into one continuous sheet, like countless arrows making people on the ground scatter in all directions.

The rain grew more fierce, countless raindrops fell overwhelmingly from the sky, the sound of rain intense and urgent.

But Dong Ye Li just quietly leaned against the car, not moving at all.

Her eyes still gazed toward the place where Xie Ci had just disappeared.

She stood quietly in place, heavy rain falling and soaking that red outfit. The rainwater thoroughly drenched her hair, flowed past her eyebrows and eyes, forming streams at her chin. She licked her lips. The rainwater was salty, bitter, and ice cold.

Dong Ye Li hated rain, especially summer rain.

Summer rain was always so quick. Just moments ago it had been fine, delicate moisture, but in the blink of an eye it became large droplets, unreasonably pouring down. Without warning, people on the street ran quickly and disappeared.

Just like a story playing on television that abruptly ended, the music finished and everyone scattered, leaving only chaos everywhere.

Whenever this happened, Dong Ye Li would feel like a child grasping sand. The tighter she clenched her fist, the more the fine grains would slip through her fingertips, just like helpless time.

So she hated rain. Looking from a window inside a house, the entire human world seemed empty, just like her hollow life.

Dong Ye Li's final gaze settled heavily on the far end of the market, lingering there for a very, very long time.

The daylight gradually faded, and the last of dusk would disappear with the heavy rain.

She looked up at the overcast sky, feeling an impulse to see Xie Ci one more time.

Miss Ye Li turned and walked to the old man watching the market entrance.

"Excuse me, could I ask you to do something for me?"

......

A strange request.

The gatekeeper felt very puzzled.

Such a beautiful girl, why would she come to the market alone? And not even carrying an umbrella in the rain.

Besides, if she wanted to establish contact with someone, wouldn't waiting here be enough?

At this moment, nearly ten minutes had passed since that girl had left.

Suddenly, the security office door was roughly pushed open, and the rain-scented air rushed in. The old man was startled.

"Young man! Be careful! Don't break the door!"

But the other person seemed unable to care about that. He was gasping heavily while taking out his phone from his pocket, apparently operating something.

Phone calls wouldn't go through, messages had no reply.

The old man could see his appearance clearly. Handsome and refined features, completely soaked, his hair curled into clumps from the water.

He took out his phone, typing with trembling hands.

Xie Ci held his phone screen out for the old man to see.

"Hello, was there a girl at the entrance just now? Wearing red clothes, extremely good-looking, leaning against a car?"

The old man was somewhat surprised and nodded.

"Yes, there was. A woman in red clothes did come here just now. Didn't you run into her?"

Xie Ci shook his head. He was still breathing heavily, unable to speak much. He had just sprinted at full speed.

"She already left. Before leaving, she told me that if anyone came looking for her, her address is XX Street, Number XX. You just need to go find her there."

Xie Ci's heart panicked.

"Sir, did you see which direction she went?"

"She might have gone toward the bay area. From the direction, it seemed like that's where she was heading."

"Thank you!"

After saying this, Xie Ci staggered and ran out like he was flying.

......

The countdown had appeared again!

00:10:00

And this time, there were less than ten minutes left!

Xie Ci had been haggling in the market when this crisis occurred.

Damn it! I should have thought of this!

Translator's Corner

Technically 10 minutes is not less than 10 minutes. But it looks better.

-Ruminas

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