The rain outside eased. A few squirrels darted into the yard, and Shutiao, forgetting about his food, dashed out to see them. Qi Shi’an ate quickly, grabbed his coat, and said, “I’ll watch him. You all go ahead.”

“Uncle, is the squirrel hurt?”

Qi Shi’an glanced over. “No, it’s pretty plump and healthy.”

“Then why isn’t it moving?”

“Probably because it’s full. Who wants to move after a big meal?”

Shen Duoyi, just finishing breakfast, overheard this and waved the bread crusts at Shutiao. “Try feeding them. See if they’ll eat.”

You Si eventually joined them outside. With nothing to do, Qi Shi’an went back inside the villa. Shen Duoyi and You Si chatted about work—both being from the consulting department, they had plenty to discuss.

“Help me move the poker table!” Zhang Yiming suddenly called from inside.

“Idiot.” You Si didn’t budge.

Shen Duoyi offered, “I’ll help Mr. Zhang.”

You Si tugged his arm. “Don’t bother. He’s just making trouble.” Then, realizing her words might be inappropriate, she added quietly, “Team Leader Shen, even though he’s your superior, you don’t need to worry about offending him. He only cares about competence. But Qi Shi’an’s different. Ignore him, and he’ll hold a grudge.”

Shen Duoyi laughed and tried to probe further. “I think Mr. Qi has a pretty good temper. He doesn’t seem like someone who gets angry easily.”

You Si snapped her fingers. “Shutiao, tell Uncle Duoyi.”

Shutiao ran over, raindrops on his face. “When Uncle played house, he had to be the dad. When playing cops and robbers, he had to be the cop. When pretending to be animals, he had to be the lion. One time, Auntie made Uncle Zhe be the dad, and he ignored them for half a month.”

Feeling guilty for gossiping about her childhood friend, You Si added, “We were just kids in kindergarten. Everyone was a bit dramatic.”

If they weren’t out in public, Shen Duoyi would have laughed for two hours straight. He barely contained himself, excused himself for water, and returned to the villa. Qi Shi’an was in the side room playing blackjack with Zhang Yiming. Seeing Shen Duoyi, he asked, “Wanna join?”

Shen Duoyi looked at him and couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Qi Shi’an, sensing something was up, called out, “You Si, Shutiao, get in here!”

Shutiao dashed in, hiding behind Zhang Yiming’s chair.

“Why are you yelling? You’re scaring my nephew.” You Si walked in, grabbed the deck, and sat down opposite. Shen Duoyi was still laughing, trying to stifle it as Qi Shi’an approached.

Zhang Yiming said, “Thirty grand a round. In or out?”

You Si immediately agreed. “Let’s play. Maybe I’ll become a partner at Ming’an.”

The high-stakes game dampened Shen Duoyi’s amusement a bit. He looked on enviously, then caught Qi Shi’an’s gaze. Qi Shi’an wrapped an arm around him and led him outside, whispering, “Done laughing?”

“Yeah,” Shen Duoyi nodded. “Luxury and indulgence disgust me.”

“Sure.” Qi Shi’an laughed and led him to the jeep. They huddled in the backseat. Shen Duoyi said, “There’s a little path behind the villa.”

“Want to walk it when the rain stops?” Qi Shi’an asked.

“Yeah, but for now, let’s just stay here.” Shen Duoyi enjoyed the cozy space, surrounded by the quiet and the sound of rain. Qi Shi’an leaned closer, murmuring, “I left my coat behind. I’m a bit cold.”

Shen Duoyi unfolded a cushion and draped it over him.

Qi Shi’an said, “Not enough. Still cold.” He wrapped an arm around Shen Duoyi and pulled him closer. “That’s better.”

They settled into a comfortable position and began to check the market updates together.

The rain didn’t stop until the afternoon. There weren’t many visitors to begin with, and the bad weather made most of them leave early. In the afternoon, everyone napped in their rooms. When the rain finally stopped, Qi Shi’an and Shen Duoyi decided to take a stroll around the area.

They followed a small path, occasionally getting splashed by water droplets falling from the trees or slipping on damp leaves. After walking for over half an hour, they reached the roadside. Nearby, there was a small inn, and further down was a store.

Shen Duoyi remarked, “It’s so remote to have a store here. It reminds me of a mystery novel set in a secluded place. Although that one was an inn.”

Qi Shi’an smiled. “The White Horse Inn Murder Case?”

“Yes, that’s the one!” Shen Duoyi nodded. They continued walking, chatting about the novel’s plot and their impressions of it.

As they got closer, they saw the sign indicating it was a general store. Through the window, the interior looked charming, filled with handmade crafts. They pushed the door open, and a feathered wind chime above the entrance jingled softly, as if to say “Welcome.”

From tableware to stationery, from cassette tapes to beaded jewelry, the store seemed to have everything. They browsed separately but both ended up at the record shelf.

Qi Shi’an picked up a record and asked, “What kind of music do you like?”

Shen Duoyi answered honestly, “I’m not really sure. I usually only listen to music when I’m driving. Other than a few opera tracks, the rest are whatever the dealer preloaded when I bought the car.”

“Same here.” Qi Shi’an placed the record in their basket. “I like the music they play at bars. Let’s buy this one, and we can listen to it together next time you go with me.”

They walked to the tableware section, where a shelf prominently displayed several jars of jam. The handwritten labels with dates suggested they were homemade. Shen Duoyi leaned in to sniff the jars, enjoying the fragrance. Qi Shi’an asked, “Which flavor do you like? Let’s get a couple for breakfast.”

Shen Duoyi picked two jars—one orange and one blueberry. “I’ll take the orange. Blueberry is for you.”

Qi Shi’an teased, “What if I suddenly want the orange one?”

“Send me a message. I’ll make you a sandwich with it,” Shen Duoyi instructed. “Remember to put it in the fridge. There are no preservatives, so it spoils easily.”

After another round of browsing, Shen Duoyi held the basket, ready to check out. He turned to ask if Qi Shi’an needed anything else, only to find he was gone. Looking around, he saw Qi Shi’an standing in a corner, focused on a shelf.

Curious, Shen Duoyi walked over and asked, “Still not done? What’s so fascinating?”

When he saw what Qi Shi’an was looking at, he immediately felt awkward. The shelf was labeled “Family Planning Supplies” and stocked with boxes of condoms.

Unlike typical packaging, these boxes were sleek and square, resembling chocolates or candies. Qi Shi’an kept browsing. Though the store was empty of other customers, the shopkeeper was still present. Feeling nervous, Shen Duoyi reached up to cover Qi Shi’an’s eyes.

“Stop looking.”

Qi Shi’an said calmly, “I want to buy a box.”

Shen Duoyi didn’t know how to respond. Qi Shi’an continued, “Five yuan for a box this big. Not sure about the quality, though.”

Shen Duoyi started to turn away. “I’ll go check out first.”

Before he could leave, Qi Shi’an caught his arm and asked, “Which color do you like?”

His eyes sparkled with mischief, his expression a blend of roguish charm and gentlemanly composure. Shen Duoyi’s cheeks flushed, and after a moment’s hesitation, he bit his lip and muttered, “Light-colored.”

Qi Shi’an’s heart jolted. He had meant to tease Shen Duoyi, knowing he was shy. He hadn’t expected an actual answer. But his shamelessness knew no bounds. He leaned in close and whispered, “You touched it with your hand last night. Remember my size, right?”

Shen Duoyi’s face turned crimson. He glared at Qi Shi’an without saying a word.

Qi Shi’an smirked. “There are so many light colors. Pick one for me.”

They had been standing there too long. Shen Duoyi felt like the empty space around them was burning up. Afraid Qi Shi’an would say something even more outrageous, he quickly grabbed a box of light blue condoms and shoved it into Qi Shi’an’s hand.

Qi Shi’an leaned in so close their noses almost touched. “I like it. I’ll wait for you to put it on me.”