Reverse Domestication chapter 42
Fortune favors the persistent
“Do you have something to do?”
Qi Yanbai was momentarily stunned by his words. He hadn’t considered why Lu Ye would want to separate from him, so he became worried.
“What’s going on?” Qi Yanbai instinctively became nervous. He looked around, lowered his voice mysteriously, and asked, “Did you see a criminal?”
“…No,” Lu Ye chuckled helplessly. He took a step, blocking Qi Yanbai’s view of the promotional booth. Then, he gently pushed Qi Yanbai’s shoulder, guiding him into the mall and said with a smile, “I’m just going to buy something, and it’s cold outside. You go upstairs and wait for me.”
The newly opened art supply store was located on the second floor of the mall, and its location was easy to find. Lu Ye had already scouted it out before coming. So, he escorted Qi Yanbai to the entrance, adding, “If you get tired, you can sit in the nearby public seating area for a while. I’ll be right up.”
Lu Ye was a thoughtful and considerate person. He had never left Qi Yanbai alone during their dates. Qi Yanbai furrowed his brows slightly, suddenly sensing something subtly unusual.
However, Lu Ye didn’t give him a chance to refuse. He avoided the gaze of the crowd, leaned down, and kissed him on the lips. Then, he pushed Qi Yanbai into the mall’s entrance, turned, and walked in the opposite direction.
Qi Yanbai turned, subconsciously wanting to follow and see what Lu Ye was up to. But he had always been restrained in front of Lu Ye, never prying into his work or personal life. So, he reluctantly suppressed his curiosity and simply watched as Lu Ye disappeared into the crowd, until he could no longer see his figure before turning unwillingly to walk toward the escalator.
Inside the mall, warm air was blowing abundantly, creating a cozy atmosphere. Lu Ye was afraid that Qi Yanbai would see where he was going, so he intentionally took a detour, exiting the mall through a side door.
The cold wind outside hit him as Lu Ye squinted his eyes, raising the collar of his coat to protect himself from the cold. He headed towards the bustling activity booth at the main entrance.
The area around the booth was crowded with spectators. The host on stage was passionately promoting the new jewelry collection, and several couples were brought on stage to participate in a “couples’ tacit understanding challenge.” Lu Ye squeezed through the crowd, retrieved a promotional brochure from the shelf next to the booth, and grabbed a salesperson by the arm.
“Where can I buy this pair of rings?” Lu Ye pointed to the brochure and asked, “Here at your booth, or at the store counter?”
“You can purchase them right here with us,” the young salesperson, who had been pulled over, replied enthusiastically. “The pair of rings you’re interested in is part of our promotion today. If you win our little game, you can get an 80% discount voucher.”
Lu Ye wasn’t particularly interested in these promotional discounts, so he shook his head at the offer and said, “No need, I’m in a hurry. Can I make the purchase here?”
The salesperson didn’t expect him to be so easygoing. Thinking that Lu Ye might leave if they kept pushing, she quickly agreed, “Of course, you can. If you’re ready, we can proceed with the purchase right here.”
In the purchase area near the booth, several customers were standing, and a row of transparent display cases showcased the jewelry. Bright jewelry lights were attached to the ceiling, illuminating the jewelry in the display cases with a sparkling glow.
Lu Ye spotted the pair of rings he wanted quickly. They looked even better in person than he had imagined: clean colors, refined design, and a sparkling material. He picked up the ring from the display case, examined it for a moment, and inexplicably thought of the bright eyes Qi Yanbai had when looking at him.
Lu Ye wasn’t particularly interested in jewelry, but he felt that these rings suited Qi Yanbai. Without asking about the material or haggling over the price, he simply closed the ring box and handed it to the salesperson.
“I’ll take this pair,” Lu Ye said. “No need for a gift bag, just prepare an invoice.”
The salesperson was momentarily surprised. She didn’t often encounter customers who were so easygoing. However, she quickly prepared the invoice, and as a gesture of goodwill, she also brought out a small, exquisite paper box filled with loose small accessories from under the counter.
“you’ve also met the purchase criteria for today,” the salesperson said enthusiastically. She picked a red cord bracelet adorned with silver beads from the box and placed it on the invoice. “We’re offering this bead bracelet as a gift to customers who meet the purchase criteria. It’s said to bring good luck—’Fortune favors the persistent.'” She added, “you also need to draw a card and see what fate has in store for you.”
Salespeople were experts at adding a little something extra to make customers happy. and even though Lu Ye didn’t care much about the card he drew, the salesperson’s thoughtful gesture made him feel comfortable.
However, it seemed that luck wasn’t on his side that day. The slip he pulled out had an average fortune written on it. Upon opening it, he found a large “below-average” written at the top.
Most marketing tactics aimed to add some excitement; they weren’t meant to bring bad luck. Among the two hundred slips in the box, only about twenty were labeled “below-average.” Unexpectedly, Lu Ye had drawn one of those. The salesperson noticed his situation and felt a bit embarrassed. She quickly completed the transaction, laughing nervously.
“Well… it seems like you’ll have to go through some difficulties,” the salesperson said.
Lu Ye wasn’t superstitious, and he glanced at the fortune slip. Without thinking, he threw the pale pink slip with the words “Your love life may not be clear, and there may be obstacles. Focus on your career first” into the nearby waste bin. He smiled at the salesperson and said, “It’s okay; I’m in a hurry.”
……………….
Qi Yanbai obediently followed Lu Ye’s instructions and waited for him at the escalator, leaning against the railing. He absentmindedly tapped on his phone while occasionally glancing downstairs.
Qi Yanbai, dressed in simple attire, exuded a certain charm, making him stand out in the crowd. Lu Ye spotted him as soon as he came up the escalator, so he called out to him from a distance.
“Yanbai!”
Qi Yanbai turned his head upon hearing his name, put his phone in his pocket, and walked over.
“Are you done with what you had to do?” Qi Yanbai asked, reaching out to touch the side of Lu Ye’s neck. He felt the coldness in Lu Ye’s skin. “Aren’t you cold?”
“I’m not cold,” Lu Ye smiled. He handed Qi Yanbai a candied hawthorn skewer and said, “Here, I saw this downstairs.”
Lu Ye didn’t have a sweet tooth, but Qi Yanbai liked sour and sweet flavors. Qi Yanbai took a small bite of the candied hawthorn, then wondered, “You said you had some business to attend to. Is it work-related?”
“No,” Lu Ye rarely had Qi Yanbai probing like this. He raised an eyebrow and said vaguely, “It’s personal.”
With every evasion, Qi Yanbai’s unease grew. Lu Ye had always been open and honest with him, even sharing his door and phone passwords since they started dating. Qi Yanbai couldn’t understand what kind of secret Lu Ye couldn’t tell him.
Qi Yanbai also knew that Lu Ye had sidestepped the topic twice now, so he shouldn’t press further. But perhaps the security of their relationship had given Qi Yanbai a new sense of confidence. He hesitated, but couldn’t resist trying to coax the information out of Lu Ye indirectly.
“Is it something related to your sister?” Qi Yanbai asked. “Do you need any help?”
He asked skillfully, but Lu Ye was an expert in interrogation techniques and skillfully avoided the topic.
“No,” Lu Ye said. “She’s fine.”
Lu Ye’s social circle was small, consisting mainly of colleagues and friends, along with his sister, Lu Wenyu. Qi Yanbai guessed around, but he couldn’t pinpoint who Lu Ye was referring to. He felt increasingly restless.
Lu Ye teased him a bit, but also worried that he was making Qi Yanbai think too much. So, he chuckled, took out the bead bracelet from his pocket, and tied it around Qi Yanbai’s right wrist, mimicking the motion of Qi Yanbai holding the candied hawthorn skewer.
“Alright, since you’re so eager to know,” Lu Ye sighed in resignation and said with a smile, “consider it a surprise.”
Qi Yanbai blinked in surprise.
“This is just an appetizer,” Lu Ye said with a teasing tone. “The main course is still to come, later.”
As he spoke, Lu Ye had already tied the bracelet for him.
The bracelet was exquisite and beautiful, although it didn’t quite match Lu Ye’s style. However, Qi Yanbai had fair skin and a slim figure, and the bright red color of the cord complimented him well. When worn, it added a touch of liveliness to his appearance. Lu Ye tilted his head and admired it, then used his fingertip to gently tap the silver bead on the bracelet, praising it, “Looks good.”
Lu Ye didn’t tie the bracelet too tightly. The silver beads hung at a slight angle, resting coolly against Qi Yanbai’s wrist.
“A little gift,” Lu Ye said. “Wear it always.”
The fact that Lu Ye paid full attention to him while shopping for the gift made Qi Yanbai feel elated. It also made him less concerned about the seemingly insignificant secret. He let it go.
‘It’s beautiful, and I love it,’ Qi Yanbai said, gently touching the bracelet. He then reached out and hugged Lu Ye, saying with a smile, ‘Thank you, Lu Ye’
”You don’t need to thank me,’ Lu Ye playfully ruffled his hair and said, ‘It’s only natural for me to buy you things.'”
“‘It’s not just about that,’ Qi Yanbai said, but before he could continue, he abruptly stopped. During that brief moment, it seemed like he had seen someone he was very familiar with out of the corner of his eye. Qi Yanbai suddenly fell silent, instinctively looking in that direction. However, he only saw a crowd of strangers as the mall bustled with activity.
The familiar figure seemed like an illusion, and Qi Yanbai furrowed his brows, feeling a sense of unease. Yet, he also found it unlikely for that person to be here.
Lu Ye noticed Qi Yanbai’s momentary stiffness and couldn’t help but turn his head, asking curiously, ‘What’s wrong?'”
“‘Nothing,’ Qi Yanbai said, shaking off the strange feeling. He felt a bit embarrassed for his overreaction, but he couldn’t help it.
The interruption just now left Qi Yanbai’s mind completely blank, causing him to forget what he wanted to say. He quickly snapped out of it, smiled at Lu Ye, and added, “I was going to say, since we’re spending New Year’s at your sister’s place this year, after we finish shopping, should we also buy some New Year’s goods?”
“Sure,” Lu Ye replied, not paying much attention. He smiled and continued, “We can buy a few things, but she doesn’t really need anything. It’s more important to buy what you need.”
Saying this, he put his arm around Qi Yanbai’s shoulder and accompanied him into the art supply store.
As they were about to enter the store, Qi Yanbai turned his head and glanced in the direction they had come from. However, the mall was bustling with unfamiliar faces. He scanned the corridor back and forth, confirming that he didn’t see any familiar figures. He then relaxed and withdrew his gaze.
Perhaps he had seen it wrong, Qi Yanbai thought.