He Yi brought her to a nearby general shopping mall. Although the mall in the old district looked dated, it had a heavy flow of foot traffic, and the shops inside had all survived through fierce natural selection.
Besides, He Yi had figured that if she didn't like the clothes here, she would probably just tell him right to his face: "He Yi, I don't like the clothes here, let's go."
A trace of extra softness bloomed in He Yi's heart.
Yet Qin Jiujiu said nothing at all. The two walked down the central corridor of the women's clothing section, browsing shop by shop. Qin Jiujiu entered a store with a fairly uniform and pleasing style, where she picked out a hooded gray pullover tracksuit.
After that, Qin Jiujiu didn't stand on ceremony with him at all. She selected running sneakers, underwear, socks, and even hair ties.
She moved fast; if she liked it, she tried it on, and if it fit, she bought it. He Yi was in charge of paying and carrying the bags.
Though it was his first time shopping with a girl, He Yi didn't feel a shred of the annoyance he had once imagined. Instead, watching her every expression and smile, he found himself unable to look away.
It was a little past five in the afternoon, and daylight still filled the sky.
On the way home, He Yi received a call. His father asked if it would be convenient for him to bring back dinner for everyone.
Hanging up, He Yi turned his head to ask Qin Jiujiu, "What are you doing for dinner?"
Qin Jiujiu countered, "What about you?"
"I'm eating with my dad and the guys at the shop—rice and stir-fried dishes," He Yi paused, "Or I can take you somewhere else to eat."
"No need, can I tag along for a free meal?"
He Yi was already used to her habit of staring right at him whenever she made a request, and he nodded with an amused smile, "We're all eating together, just as long as you don't mind."
Qin Jiujiu gave an acknowledgment.
Passing a self-service fast-food counter, He Yi greeted the boss and picked out several dishes from the array of prepared stir-fries. There happened to be sweet and sour pork ribs, so He Yi ordered a portion, and for the first time, asked the boss to pack it in a separate take-out box.
Seeing the portion size of the rice in the shop, Qin Jiujiu said, "One portion of rice is too much, I can only eat a third of it."
He Yi replied entirely naturally, "It's fine, I'll eat the rest."
Qin Jiujiu was struck right in the heart again.
The boss was a shrewd man who understood instantly, blinking at He Yi with a knowing look and even handing over a few extra empty food containers.
Back at the entrance of the auto repair shop, He Yi dragged out a slightly oil-stained Eight Immortals table, wiped it down carefully, and then briskly arranged the stools and all the dishes.
Qin Jiujiu watched him finish all this, glanced at her as if pondering something, and then first served a little of each dish, portioned out the rice for her, and motioned for her to sit over before calling the others to eat.
None of them expected a girl to still be around at mealtime. Aside from Daniu, who happily tucked into his food, everyone else at the table felt a bit constrained.
Fortunately, Qin Jiujiu ate with casual ease. At one point, Daniu tried to pick up a peeled quail egg with his chopsticks, but after failing several times, he grew a bit anxious. Qin Jiujiu quickly and deftly scooped it over to him with a spoon.
Seeing this, the others finally relaxed and began to eat freely.
"Little Qin, are you and He Yi deskmates? I don't think I've ever heard of him having a deskmate before." It was He Yi's father who spoke first.
Qin Jiujiu put down her chopsticks: "Uncle, I just transferred here, but my grandmother's home is right in Qingshui City."
With that, she raised her head and pointed toward a cluster of towering buildings not far away. "Very close, right over in the neighborhood on Leyuan Avenue. I'm staying at my grandmother's place."
"Oh, oh, I see," He Yi's father gestured that she didn't need to put down her chopsticks and could keep eating, "Then staying at your grandmother's makes it a bit more convenient with the elderly around to take care of you."
"No, my grandparents have both passed away. I live by myself on weekends and stay at school during the week."
The familiar silence was deafening.
He Yi's father gave a remorseful cough and comforted her, "How can living by yourself work? If you don't mind, just come over here anytime. He Yi usually helps out here when he isn't practicing basketball."
Qin Jiujiu gave a polite acknowledgment, her expression entirely placid—neither sad nor desolate—making it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
The topic shifted quickly. She picked up the small spoon beside her, wanting to scoop a meatball out of the meatball soup, but then she paused.
The small spoon was a brand new one, not the one stained with a piece of cilantro leaf from when she had served the quail eggs just a moment ago.
Qin Jiujiu glanced over. That disposable spoon with the cilantro leaf was resting right beside He Yi's hand.
Her heartbeat quickened a fraction. She had never realized before that after living for millions of years, she actually quite liked this feeling of being cared for and looked after.
The food was quickly devoured by the group like a whirlwind. Qin Jiujiu no longer had a reason to stay, so she said her goodbyes and left on her own.
"Little Yi, does she like you?" Everyone at the shop was older than He Yi, and Shouhou, with his slender build, gossiped.
He Yi abruptly looked over at him: "How can you tell?"
Shouhou scratched his head: "Well, whenever you were around, she kept staring right at you!"
He Yi thought about it, his voice dropping lower: "Probably just because I'm the only person she knows."