Chapter 9: Snuggling

“You’re here. I was just about to go buy some ingredients; you two take over.”

Just as they arrived at the shop, the Boss happened to step out from behind the counter. He handed the position over to Luo Ming and gestured for Gu Yu to help out.

It was peak rush hour. Many white-collar workers passing by on their way home stopped to buy dinner, and a line had already formed at the shop entrance.

“We’re here. We will take care of it, Boss.”

Gu Yu put down his bag, put on a mask, and got ready to work.

Luo Ming stepped into the Boss’ spot with a smile, taking orders from customers before turning back to relay them to Gu Yu.

“Gu Yu, Order for Chicken Fillet Rice, add a Sausage, make it mild spice.”

Eight or nine types of ingredients were piled in their respective containers. Gu Yu used food tongs to pick out what the customers wanted, spread them over the rice in the takeout boxes, drizzled a spoonful of thick gravy, sprinkled some chili powder, and closed the lid before handing it to Luo Ming.

It was an ordinary fast-food shop nestled on this old, worn-down street. The food tasted decent and was inexpensive. Coupled with the fact that the server switched to a beautiful and likable girl every evening, business had always been steady, and the revenue satisfied the Boss.

The late autumn night was cold, and a biting wind swept through the streets. Inside the shop, the heated, cooked dishes emitted clouds of steam. The fresh, savory aroma wafted out onto the street, attracting hungry passersby hurrying home.

The line for food stayed long for a while. This kind of liveliness usually lasted for 1 or 2 hours before the crowd gradually thinned and the street began to grow quiet.

The dim yellow lights were slowly swallowed by the descending night. Vehicles sped past on the road, their lights flickering in and out of existence as the cold attacking from all sides intensified.

After the last guest left, the Boss still hadn’t returned. Looking at the deserted street, Luo Ming blew a breath of hot air into her hands, which had turned white from the cold, and rubbed them together.

Turning around, she saw Gu Yu resting on a plastic stool. His back was against the wall and his head was lowered; the hair she had helped him tidy not long ago was messy again.

There were only two stools in the shop, both backless plastic ones. Luo Ming pulled the other one over and sat down right next to Gu Yu.

“It’s so cold. The weather is really terrible,” Luo Ming said softly. “Gu Yu, how are you feeling?”

Gu Yu glanced at her from the side and licked his dry lips. “I’m okay, just a bit tired. I really want to get off work early.”

“The Boss isn’t even back yet.” Luo Ming looked at the wall clock and reminded him, “There’s still 1 hour left until we finish.”

“1 hour, huh? I’m starving.”

“Just endure it a little longer. You still have me here with you… Why don’t you take advantage of the Boss’s absence and secretly eat your dinner now? I won’t tell him.”

This job included dinner. The Boss was generous and kind-hearted, allowing them to eat for free at the shop after their shift, but they were supposed to wait until they clocked out.

“Better not. The Boss treats us quite well; I don’t want to break the rules,” Gu Yu said after a moment of thought, declining the offer.

“Then… want to chat? It might distract you, and maybe you won’t feel as hungry.”

“Sure, what should we talk about… the Asymptote Equation and Slope Formula?”

“Gu Yu, if you bring up topics like that when chatting with girls, you’re going to be called boring.”

Gu Yu scratched his head and smiled. “Just a joke. I know that much.”

Luo Ming sighed and turned to look at him, changing the subject. “Today, it seemed like a few people were talking about us…”

“That? I know.”

“You heard them too.” Luo Ming sounded huffy, a faint blush creeping onto her face. “It was just giving you a bottle of water. Those people are so annoying.”

“It’ll probably die down in a few days anyway, so there’s no need to pay them any mind.” Gu Yu seemed quite indifferent. “What about you? It didn’t affect you, did it?”

“I… I’m fine. Let them say what they want… Do you care, Gu Yu?”

He paused, turned his head away, and answered blankly, “I don’t. As long as it didn’t affect you, it’s fine.”

‘Really? I’m certainly happy to, but do you… do you really not care?’

Luo Ming blinked, the shop lights reflecting in her clear, distinct eyes. Her gaze swept over the boy’s handsome face; hidden in those details was the shyness she was looking for.

‘Liar.’

“Is that so? I was worried about you. You’re quite… composed, Gu Yu.”

Gu Yu’s feet scuffed against the floor. He turned his head and shifted his gaze out the window, avoiding the girl’s eyes as if he were a criminal fleeing a scene.

“Phew—”

Luo Ming let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes. Her limbs curled inward, and her voice softened like that of a tiny, hungry kitten. “I’m going to shut my eyes for a bit. If a customer or the Boss comes, wake me up… thanks.”

“Oh… okay.” Gu Yu stuttered slightly. When he looked back, the girl had already closed her eyes. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her lips were a pale, translucent pink.

He had to admit that Luo Ming was truly beautiful. Her skin was fairer than frost and whiter than snow, her eyeliner was slightly long, and her loose hair was jet-black and shiny. Even this dilapidated, desolate environment couldn’t overshadow her beauty.

Looking down, the dull, ugly school uniform hid her figure, yet one could still faintly see her slenderness and the youthful innocence typical of her age.

His gaze fell upon the lace of the white socks peeking out from under her pant legs. He quickly looked away, shaking his head vigorously, not wanting that unnecessary flutter in his heart to affect him.

There was no one left outside the shop. A biting wind howled, swirling and destroying fallen leaves. The darkness stretched into invisible corners, leaving the world so quiet that it felt as if only the two of them remained, snuggling in the corner to huddle for warmth.

The night was very cold, and their thin clothes could barely withstand the chill. Gu Yu longed more and more to finish work early so he could go home and soak his numb, frozen feet in hot water.

He suddenly felt something touch his shoulder. Gu Yu turned his head to find Luo Ming leaning against him. Her breathing was weak; she seemed to have fallen asleep.

With her arms crossed and her legs curled up, her face had turned somewhat pale from the cold. Through the contact on his shoulder, he could feel her shivering slightly.

Gu Yu carefully took off his jacket and draped it over Luo Ming. Fortunately, he didn’t wake her, and the thick garment stopped her shivering.

It felt like a cliché trope from a romance movie, where the next shot should be the girl’s smiling lips and the way she looks at him with eyes full of affection. But Gu Yu didn’t think that far. The action felt like an instinct; seeing her cold, he simply wanted to help her.

The low temperature immediately began to assault Gu Yu. As his warmth was stripped away, he forced himself to endure the shivering, not wanting to disturb Luo Ming.

He didn’t know why he went this far for her. Perhaps it was because of his naturally kind nature, or perhaps because Luo Ming was already the person closest to him now—even if the “friendship” between them wasn’t exactly a tight bond.

Her warm breath brushed against the side of Gu Yu’s neck, constantly reminding him of her presence. Along with the inevitable longings and aspirations of adolescence, it teased him bit by bit.

It felt as though a light feather was brushing against his heart, an unbearable itch that made him want to say something.

Seeing a familiar figure approaching from a distance, Gu Yu gently nudged Luo Ming. “The Boss is back. Luo Ming?”

“Tch…”

Luo Ming opened her eyes dazed, her voice soft and sweet. “Mm… what time is it?”

“Past 9:00 PM. It’s time to clock out.”

“This jacket is…?”

“I saw you were a bit cold.” Gu Yu touched the tip of his nose. “So I put it on you…”

“Then aren’t you afraid of the cold yourself?”

As Luo Ming spoke, she draped the jacket back over Gu Yu’s shoulders, her words overflowing with concern and a hint of reproach. “What if you catch a cold?”

“Time to head out.” The middle-aged man carrying two large bags of ingredients happened to walk into the shop. He gave orders to Gu Yu and Luo Ming while panting for breath. “Pack some food to take back. Go home early; it’s not very safe this late.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you, Boss.” Gu Yu stood up to pack the food.