"I'm sorry."
Hearing the soothing music, Su Cui sincerely apologized to Zhou Shixiang for her earlier speculation.
"Please accept my condolences..."
"It's my fault. It's a holiday, and I'm talking about this..." Zhou Shixiang, in turn, looked apologetic. "At my age, what's there to be unable to accept? I don't have many years left."
"You still look young. You're destined for a long life." Su Cui pretended to read his fortune, examining his face. "Mm, your forehead is full..."
The more she looked, the more she felt this old gentleman really had a distinguished air. His skin was well-maintained too. He must have been very handsome when young. If he were thirty years younger, he would definitely be her type...
That height!
That aura!
Alas, he was old.
The thought of age made everything lose its flavor.
Not to mention a handsome old man, even if a real handsome man stood before her and tilted her chin, she wouldn't have the mind to flirt back.
Speaking of flirting, Su Cui's finger on the old man's shoulder suddenly lit up. To her horror, it uncontrollably led her arm to make a turn and accurately—
Hooked under Zhou Shixiang's chin.
Su Cui: "..." I didn't! I didn't!
Zhou Shixiang: "..."
She poked his chin hard and gave a dry laugh. "Haha, a mosquito landed on your chin!"
As the words fell, a cold wind made them shiver.
Su Cui: "..."
Zhou Shixiang: "..."
Suddenly, the soothing Christmas music stopped, and a rough voice shouted behind them: "Last dance! Let's all dance to a public disco!"
Change music!?
Great opportunity!
Su Cui quickly pulled down her Santa hat, glanced at Li Guizhi in the distance, and said to Zhou Shixiang, "Old Zhou, sorry, I don't know how to disco. I'll call Guizhi over for you to dance!" Then she immediately shouted, "Guizhi! Over here!"
Zhou Shixiang couldn't stop her and waved his hand. He sighed. "No need. I can't dance... disco either."
Li Guizhi had already walked over. "You two aren't dancing either?"
She smiled and said, "Then let's head to the church early. Bai Xue is shy. She danced one dance and didn't dare go back. There's nothing much to do. Cuihua, call your granddaughter, and we'll go to the church!"
Su Cui immediately agreed: "Great idea!"
She hurried over to Su Baixue and pulled her away from the small square game she was playing.
Li Guizhi saw Zhou Shixiang looking in Su Cui's direction and said to him, "Mr. Zhou, would you like to come to the church too?"
Zhou Shixiang: "I'll pass."
"I just heard Old Li say he's going back. It's getting late. Where do you live, Mr. Zhou?"
Zhou Shixiang raised his wrist to check his watch. Its face glinted for a second under the light, then was covered by his thick down jacket. He nodded. "Mm, I should be going too."
"You and Old Li can keep each other company. I'll go tell him."
As time passed, the remaining elderly in the square split into four groups. One group lived nearby and stayed to play a while longer. One group went home. Li Guizhi's group headed to the church. The last group lived far away; as winter bus service in the old A City neighborhood was sparse and had fixed schedules, they started for the bus stop.
Li Guizhi pulled Su Cui aside to bid farewell to Old Li's group, exchanging holiday wishes.
Outwardly calm, Su Cui inwardly wanted to smack her cheat ability. Without any reason to protect Su Baixue, why had the cheat activated at such an awkward time! It was so rude, especially with the old man still mourning his late wife, and her excuse was terrible. She felt like she was being roasted over a fire.
Then it struck her!
Yes! Why had it activated when she wasn't protecting Su Baixue?
Could the trigger mechanism for the cheat be more than just protecting Su Baixue?
Su Cui pondered.
She recalled her train of thought while examining Zhou Shixiang.
Chinning someone wasn't something people actually did in real life.
She'd been indulging in a daydream, thinking about what she'd do if she met a handsome man, and that led to thoughts of chinning him. The reason wasn't just her age; it was also her personality—she only ever imagined herself chinning others. She would hate anyone trying to touch her face.
Strangers had barriers between them.
Chinning a stranger was rude.
Fantasy was just fantasy; she'd never actually do it.
So when looking at Zhou Shixiang, her gaze had landed on his chin, and a frivolous thought indeed flashed through her mind. But it was just a thought—who knew it would come true!
She also wanted to wake up young and beautiful! Why didn't that come true?
How strange.
Could the cheat not only work to protect Su Baixue but also follow her thoughts sometimes?