That night, Zhang Yu peeped at her while she bathed, though she caught him immediately. After her bath, she went to the spot where he had been watching, picked up the silver bell, but didn't return it to him; she simply kept it quietly. The feeling of being spied on was something she had never experienced before, and it haunted her for a long time.
As she grew older and more mature, she felt she should forget this past and start a new life in the big city, so she returned the silver bell to Zhang Yu before leaving. Over the years in Zhenhai City, her personality had changed, and that scene had long been forgotten.
Now, seeing the silver bell again, the past flashed before her eyes. Looking at Zhang Yu's serious expression, his face still showing traces of childishness, he retained the innocence of his youth.
"Why am I thinking about the past again! Zhang Yu is just a child! I need to look forward, I need to make something of myself, I can't let the people of town laugh at me!" Yang Ying gritted her teeth, stopped looking at Zhang Yu, and simply lay down, closing her eyes.
Zhang Yu's massage technique was perfectly balanced, varying in pressure, much like that of an experienced traditional Chinese medicine masseur.
Yang Ying, with her eyes closed, felt a tingling, numb sensation in her feet, a feeling akin to an electric shock, traveling from her toes to her calves, thighs, and even her entire body. She wanted to stop him, but Zhang Yu meant well, so she could only bite her lip and endure it.
Zhang Yu could clearly feel Yang Ying's feet trembling. After a while, he became completely captivated, muttering to himself, "Auntie is so beautiful..."
His lips grew increasingly dry, and he even forgot what he was doing.
Zhang Yu stopped, and Yang Ying gradually came to her senses from the tingling sensation. She opened her eyes and looked at Zhang Yu. Seeing his infatuated expression, her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed red. She wanted to scold him, but couldn't open her mouth; a feeling of shyness and nervousness welled up inside her. This feeling was exactly the same as when Zhang Yu had secretly watched her years ago.
Her cheeks were flushed, a few drops of fragrant sweat glistening on them, like ripe peaches oozing honey.
Zhang Yu's eyes were glued to Yang Ying, who was also looking at him. Soon, their eyes met, and the instant their gazes locked, a wave of intense embarrassment washed over Yang Ying, making her exclaim, "What are you looking at?"
"I wasn't looking at anything..."
Zhang Yu's gaze also tightened when it met Yang Ying's. Hearing her angry voice, he jumped in fright, like a child caught doing something wrong, quickly closing his eyes, turning his head away, his face instantly turning red.
Seeing Zhang Yu's reaction, Yang Ying realized that perhaps her reaction had been a bit too much; after all, Zhang Yu was still just a big kid. She deliberately changed the subject, saying gently, "My foot doesn't hurt anymore, um... you can cook, right..."
"Yes..." Zhang Yu replied.
"There are vegetables in the fridge, and rice in the kitchen. You can cook whatever you like. I can't cook for you right now," Yang Ying said. "Okay, then I'll go cook…" Zhang Yu, feeling awkward, quickly stood up and hurried out.
Once Zhang Yu was out, Yang Ying finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, her heart was still pounding; that feeling of nervousness and shyness still filled her heart.
It took her a while to calm down. At that moment, her heart kept screaming, "No! I absolutely can't let him live with me anymore!"
Zhang Yu was young, at the age when he was most curious about women. It was really inconvenient for a single man and woman to live together in a one-bedroom apartment.
Simply kicking Zhang Yu out was definitely not an option. It seemed she had to find him a place to move out.
Soon, the sound of a spatula clattering outside could be heard. After a while, Yang Ying could smell the fragrant aroma of food.
"Dinner's ready." Zhang Yu came into the room, specifically to help her.
The living room and dining room were combined; four dishes and two bowls of rice were laid out on the folding table. Stir-fried green peppers and mushrooms, cucumber with dipping sauce, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with meat.
Both were hungry, and they immediately started eating after sitting down.
Eating alone is usually not very enjoyable; it's only with someone that you truly savor the meal. Zhang Yu's cooking was actually quite delicious, and Yang Ying ate a large bowl of rice. It was something she hadn't done in a long time. Zhang Yu ate even more, devouring three large bowls of rice.
That night, Zhang Yu slept in the small living room. The sofa was a bit narrow, making it awkward to lie on, but thankfully it was summer, so he simply slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.
The next morning, Zhang Yu made breakfast: porridge and smashed cucumber, a light and simple meal. While eating, the two sat opposite each other, and Zhang Yu could naturally see Yang Ying's complexion. He was surprised to find that Yang Ying's complexion wasn't good; her forehead was slightly dark, a sign of bad luck.
So Zhang Yu reminded her, "Auntie, you don't look well today. You're probably going to have some bad luck... Maybe..."
Zhang Yu wanted to advise Yang Ying not to go out today, but before he could finish, Yang Ying snapped, "What do you mean, 'maybe'? Can't you say something nice?! I've been having a run of bad luck for the past six months. I even sprained my ankle yesterday! How can I not be unlucky? Shut your jinxed mouth!"
Seeing Yang Ying was angry, Zhang Yu didn't dare say anything more, stuck out his tongue, and quickly ate his meal in silence.
After hastily finishing his meal, Zhang Yu escorted Yang Ying to the real estate agency. The agency wasn't too far from their place. He initially helped Yang Ying, but later, finding it too slow, he simply carried her on his back.
Yang Ying wrapped her arms around Zhang Yu's neck, resting her chin on his shoulder, her heart filled with mixed emotions. She was grateful for Zhang Yu's timely appearance, but she also knew that things were different now than before.
Upon arriving at Jiabao Real Estate Agency, the roller shutter door opened to reveal a large open-plan space of sixty square meters. Inside were nine desks, filing cabinets, a water dispenser, and other amenities. The room was spotless; although the decor was simple, it gave a clean and uncluttered feel.
Yang Ying was seated in the center. She arranged a seat for Zhang Yu, saying, "Although Zhenhai City is prosperous and said to be paved with gold, jobs are actually quite hard to find. You can stay here for now. If you find a better job later, you can always switch."
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