NOVEL NEXT Chapter 35
Chapter 35: You Have a Nice Smile:
The movie theater was pitch black, showing a popular film on the giant screen. It wasn’t a romance or horror movie, but a war-themed art film.
Watching a movie was Ji Yan’s idea.
When she chose this one, Qin Luo knew she must have seen something intriguing online. He didn’t mind because he was interested in the film too, so they bought tickets and went in.
They sat near the back.
Ji Yan didn’t have popcorn or drinks, but she did buy a soda for Qin Luo.
There was no reward from the system this time, so Qin Luo curiously asked about it.
The system replied that the reward standards were getting higher. Qin Luo understood immediately.
Initially, Ji Yan seeking him out was considered a character-breaking behavior. However, as their interactions increased, acts like buying him a drink were no longer seen as out of character.
To keep earning rewards, he needed to ensure her behavior was even more out of character, like the kiss she gave him on the field yesterday.
But they both seemed to agree silently not to mention that incident again.
During the movie, Qin Luo noticed Ji Yan glancing at him several times, her hand on the armrest fidgeting as if she were distracted.
Qin Luo found this amusing and pretended to be engrossed in the movie. But as the movie ended, Ji Yan hadn’t made a move and sighed as if she had missed an opportunity.
As for Qin Luo, after watching the entire movie, he felt he understood it but not completely. The director, known for his artistic flair and dark humor, used quirky lines to add depth to his films. Some lines from his movies even became internet memes. One line from this film had also become a meme:
“Do you keep a diary?”
“No, who keeps a diary seriously?”
Qin Luo had seen this meme online before and found it amusing. Although he could guess the director’s intentions, the scene of the main character running naked on the rooftop overshadowed everything else in his mind. It was quite an eyesore.
As they left the theater, Qin Luo asked Ji Yan, “What did you think of the movie?”
“Ah? Oh… it was good,” Ji Yan answered perfunctorily. She wasn’t intentionally dismissing Qin Luo, but she hadn’t really watched the movie. Her real intention was to use the theater’s atmosphere to get closer to Qin Luo, as she had read online.
She kept trying to muster the courage to touch Qin Luo’s hand, but each time she got close, her courage would deflate like a popped balloon.
She worried that such behavior would seem too forward and make Qin Luo uncomfortable, forgetting that she had already done something much bolder the previous day.
Feeling dejected at not achieving her goal, Ji Yan sighed. Qin Luo, seeing her expression, realized she hadn’t understood the movie either. He felt a bit more balanced knowing this.
As they walked, they passed a painting shop.
Inside were various stickers and sculptures, mostly featuring cartoon characters. Some were painted, while others were plain white, awaiting colors.
Looking at the sculptures, Qin Luo asked, “Want to try this?”
Ji Yan glanced at the shop. She had seen such stores before but had never tried them. She nodded, “Okay.”
Inside, a mother was painting with her two children. The kids stared at Qin Luo and Ji Yan as they walked in, one of them murmuring, “What a beautiful brother and sister.”
Their mother watched with admiration, while the young female clerk, taken aback by their looks, greeted them warmly, “Hello, would you like to paint sculptures or stickers?”
“I’ll paint a sculpture. You?” Qin Luo asked Ji Yan.
“I’ll paint a sculpture too.” she replied without hesitation.
They quickly chose their sculptures.
Ji Yan picked a cute little girl in a dress with a sweet smile, while Qin Luo chose a cool-looking boy in a shirt and pants. The clerk handed them sample images of colored sculptures, saying, “You can follow these colors or paint as you wish.”
“Thank you,” Ji Yan said, starting to paint the girl’s skin.
Qin Luo barely glanced at the sample before painting wildly with vibrant colors, turning the boy into a garish mix of purple, yellow, and blue.
The young clerk, fascinated by Qin Luo, didn’t notice his eccentric painting.
Ji Yan noticed and felt a bit uncomfortable, coughing lightly to get the clerk’s attention. Embarrassed, the clerk said, “Your boyfriend’s painting is really nice.”
Ji Yan glanced at Qin Luo’s sculpture and laughed, “It’s pretty ugly.”
Qin Luo stopped painting and looked at her intently. Ji Yan, avoiding his gaze, asked quietly, “Why are you staring at me?”
Qin Luo said, “I noticed yesterday, you have a nice smile. You should smile more often instead of always being so serious.”
Yesterday… Ji Yan’s mind flashed back to the scene on the field, her cheeks turning a light shade of red. She lowered her head, replaying Qin Luo’s words in her mind, her lips curling into a slight smile.
After a moment, she softly said, “Okay,” as if agreeing to a silent promise.