10 Sunflowers (1/2)

”Senior Feng... haha..ha..”

Qiu Yue forced a stiff smile on her face as she let out an awkward laugh.

”This is a surprise?”

There wasn't really any reason for Huo Zi Feng to be here. Her goddamn heart had already been beating fast, his appearance just made her feel as though she had just run a marathon. It beat so loudly that the blood rushed to her cheeks, staining them a dark cherry.

Qiu Yue had earnestly been trying to avoid talking to Huo Zi Feng alone, she knew that whenever she was in this sort of situation, her brain would go haywire. Feeling as though her chest would burst she became hyper-aware of her surroundings and there was no way she could string up words to make any sense.

”Yao Yan can show you-”

Qiu Yue looked over to where Yao Yan had been standing but not even the shadow of that sly system could be seen.

”...around...”

Looking at Huo Zi Feng, who stood unmoving with his lips pressed together in silence, her mind raced to find a way to diffuse this situation. The air around her was getting more and more awkward with every passing minute, and it was clear that something had upset Huo Zi Feng.

”Uh...I, We had the... audition! Audition for voice actors for the new game today?”

Qiu Yue's fingers moved to the edge of her suit jacket, playing with the edge. She was already crying without tears, how was she in this situation? What had she done to make him mad? She had no idea why she felt guilty either, looking for some way placate him.

Although it had been only mere seconds, to Qiu Yue it felt like an eternity.

Looking at the girl in front of him as her eyes darted around the hallway as though looking for a way to escape andseeing her fingers fiddling around with the fabric of her jacket, Huo Zi Feng's heart softened.

He knew that he couldn't rush anything, like Liu Hui said, gently nudge her onto the path and then cut off all ways of escape.

Although Huo Zi Feng did feel that the latter part was a little too much, it didn't matter as long as it worked.

He knew from watching her that she would never hurt his feelings knowingly, in fact, she'd do her best to agree to things to make him happy as much as she could.

He knew he had to take advantage of her kindness to ensure he could stay near her, and in the process chase away any stray animals that wanted to approach her.

His expression gradually changed as the corners of his lips dropped a little and his eyes dimmed as though he had suffered a serious grievance.

”....Does Miss Yue dislike me that much? I apologize for causing you distress. Please do not be bothered, I shall leave and never show myself...”

Qiu Yue's eyes snapped towards him and as she heard his words her lashes lowered. Thinking that she has hurt him with her selfish actions, an uncomfortable feeling arose in her stomach.

”Of course not! Please don't say that!”

She bit her lower lip as she considered her words, though that wasn't of much use as her brains rarely seemed to function properly around him.

”I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you. It is just that I don't know how to reciprocate...”

Qiu Yue's voice that had already been very soft, trailed off at the end. To her, she had never loved anyone before. And no one had ever liked her, so this experience, these feelings... were something she was very new at.

She looked at Huo Zi Feng as he closed his eyes slowly, feeling pained.

”Then... do you mean to reject me?”

”No!”

Qiu Yue couldn't help it, she just didn't want him to look so hurt, and she never wanted to be the reason for his pain.

His eyes stared back her, his dark pupils reflected everything and there was no murkiness. At this point, Qiu Yue looked straight at him, and Huo Zi Feng's gaze never left her.

Even if Yao Yan had been there, they wouldn't have noticed her, right now they only had eyes for each other.

Huo Zi Feng took a step forward. Seeing that she didn't make a move away from him, he rejoiced as he moved towards her.

”I just need time...”

Qiu Yue said with a helpless smile, she couldn't reject him right now, perhaps when his attention was diverted away from her by the female lead, he'd forget all about her.

”Please, of course. It was never my intention to rush you. How long do you think..?”

He gave her a small smile suppressing his unrestrained joy.

Qiu Yue looked at him seriously, this was one thing she needed.

”Two years.”

She wanted to wait for the timeline, she didn't want to mess up his life because of her selfishness. Huo Zi Feng too was very reasonable, QiuYue didn't feel he would refuse after all she didn't really believe in his feelings all that well.

Of course, she never stopped to think that this request was completely unreasonable to Huo Zi Feng.

”No way.”

A dangerous glint flashed in Huo Zi Feng's eyes for a moment, but when he blinked again it was gone. Qiu Yue who was shocked by the answer hadn't noticed it.

”But I-”

”No. I'm sorry miss Yue, I know you don't feel that my feelings are true or reliable, but I want to take this chance to prove them to you.”

Huo Zi Feng spoke resolutely, with the slightest implication that he wouldn't budge from this decision.

”I hope that in the following month you'll allow me to prove this to you, and at the end of it you can give me an answer.”

He knew very well that if he didn't nudge her a bit harder, she would take much longer to decide. Two years? He'd already been a saint for more than two decades. He didn't mind this but after meeting her, another two years? He'd go crazy with temptation. There was no way in hell he'd actually agree to this. A month was already pushing it, but he wanted to make sure that there'd be no way she could refuse him.

”A month is just too short!”

Qiu Yue cried. What? From two years it went straight to a month? Why was he bargaining like an Aunty ah?

”I know you feel it's too short, but to me, it's very long. Already I've missed fourteen years of your life when I could have spent it with you, I don't want to miss anymore.”

That wasn't me!