The system is very abstract, fortunately I am also.

Chapter 423 "She Gently Manipulated the Light and Shadow of the World"

The rowboat, without any oars, drifted slowly in the wind. A half-dried leaf stuck to the bottom of the boat swayed tirelessly back and forth on the water for countless times.

Lin Li's chin gently rested on Chen Yuying's soft hair, while his right hand tapped the girl's shoulder with a lazy rhythm.

Indistinct voices came from not far away. As if awakened from a nap, Chen Yuying opened her eyes, leaned forward, rested her chin on Lin Li's shoulder, and looked in the direction of the sound.

It's a different ship.

"Let's adjust the direction."

Although there was still some distance, if the wind continued to carry the boat, there was still a possibility of a collision. Therefore, the girl stood up and said, her voice slightly hoarse from just waking up.

It was as if nothing had ever happened before.

"receive."

Lin Li nodded, gripped the oar again, and with a flick of his wrist, gave the small boat a new course.

"Don't be a crow next time, that's so cheeky." Chen Yuying grabbed her sweater and pulled it tight, making sure it completely covered her neck, and said with some dissatisfaction.

Hmph, if Lin Li dares to flip the table now, he'll dare to flip her clothes next time.

My forehead is still slightly itchy.

"Wow, look! There are wild geese in the sky!"

Lin Li pointed to the sky and exclaimed in amazement, his smile as bright as if he had just kissed someone.

This time it wasn't a lie; Chen Yuying could see a flock of geese flying overhead, forming a "human" formation.

"Don't change the subject," Chen Yuying said calmly, withdrawing her gaze.

"Squad leader, what do you think about the geese abroad?" Lin Li seemed to be deaf, ignoring him completely, and stroked his chin with a touch of sympathy.
"When they fly abroad, they have to form a 'people' formation so that locals can understand them, which is really difficult."

When foreigners laugh, it must be happyhappyhappy, right?
“We’re talking about crows, not geese.” Chen Yuying remained unmoved, her smile only deepening.

“A crow?” Lin Li raised an eyebrow, his expression suddenly becoming serious. “A crow is a good bird; it has taught me many life philosophies.”

"Squad leader, do you remember the story of the crow drinking water?"
When I was a child, I saw an old man fall into a well. All the other children panicked, but I was inspired by the story and started calling on everyone to throw stones into the well one after another.

Persistence pays off. As our efforts increased, the water level in the well rose higher and higher, and the old man was eventually rescued, floating to the surface with the water. However, for some reason, the well water turned red. After he came out, the old man remained silent, even during his cremation, showing remarkable fortitude.

With a slightly indulgent and helpless smile, Chen Yuying quietly watched Lin Li pretend to be stupid and make up stories.

"Lin Li's childhood" also suffered with Lin Li, and all sorts of legendary experiences can be attributed to him.

There's a saying: "When you're a child, if you sneeze, you always feel like someone is secretly thinking about you. But when you grow up, you realize that maybe it's your grown-up self missing your childhood self."

When Lin Li said this, it meant that his childhood self had a premonition of countless calamities in his future, which was why he sneezed.

"Not only that, the proverb 'crows feed their parents' continues to inspire me to be filial to this day." Lin Li hadn't finished speaking.
"When I was a child, I was deeply moved after learning the story behind this idiom. I immediately promised my mother that if one day she got old and couldn't chew her food anymore, I would do what a crow does and chew the food up before feeding it to her!"

"Unfortunately, my mom didn't appreciate it and beat me up on the spot."

"Oh? Why?" Chen Yuying obediently played the straight man.

"Because when I made that promise, I was holding a sugarcane in my hand, chewing it as I made the promise." Lin Li shrugged. "It's really awful. When my mom beat me, she even used my sugarcane."

"Hehe—" Chen Yuying couldn't help but chuckle.

Of course, she knew Lin Li was just joking around to change the subject. After laughing, she gave Lin Li a disapproving glare and ultimately didn't press the matter further.

Let Lin Li be shameless if he wants to; I never expected him to agree anyway.

Anyway, Lin Li knows what he's doing, well, he probably does.

Taking out her phone, Chen Yuying prepared to take some photos. Glancing nervously towards the dock, she noticed the two orange life jackets in the cabin.
"Wouldn't it be bad not to wear a life jacket?"

"Woman, with me here, do you still need a life jacket?" The domineering CEO Lin Li's lips curled slightly.

Chen Yuying tilted her head and thought for a moment, then nodded emphatically, her eyes full of sincere trust: "That's right!"

"Right!" The feeling of being completely trusted made Lin Li feel good.

Chen Yuying: "With you here, we'd be doomed whether we had a life jacket or not if we fell into the water. It's really unnecessary and pointless."

Lin Li: "?"

Hey baby, that's not what I meant, is it?

Seeing Lin Li freeze in shock, Chen Yuying finally couldn't hold back anymore, and her clear laughter once again splashed across the lake.

The heavy life jackets really affected the photogenic effect. Since the boat was quite large, as long as you sat in the middle, even if you fell, you wouldn't fall into the water, so the risk was very low. Therefore, the two of them remained calmly lying on the bottom of the boat.

• Dangerous actions, do not imitate.

"Lin Li, take a few pictures for me." After taking some selfies, Chen Yuying handed her phone to Lin Li.

"Okay." Lin Li picked up his phone and was about to decide on an angle when someone else's voice came over first.

"Spread your legs wider, make the pose more provocative, stick your tongue out, OK, keep this angle..."

The two looked over at the sound and saw a slightly larger pedal boat approaching their rowboat.

On the boat, a man holding a professional camera was giving directions to a young woman at the bow.

Feeling the angle wasn't right, the photographer continued to direct: "Open your legs a little wider, hey, lower your waist a bit..."

Despite the sub-10-degree weather, the woman was wearing a tulle dress that looked like it was for cosplay, exposing a lot of skin. At that moment, she was posing for the camera according to instructions, with a professional smile on her face, and she was making some breathy sounds with each movement.

Does this woman raise sheep after graduation?

What is an eagle called?

But to be able to wear this kind of clothing to shoot videos or pictures in this weather shows a high level of professionalism, which is commendable for a Laoxiangji restaurant. Lin Li expressed his approval.

Lin Li couldn't help but laugh out loud—what a jerk! How could this photographer be so unprofessional, secretly adjusting his pants while giving instructions?

But thinking about it, I understand. That's how it is in winter; it can easily freeze you to the bone. That's the price of dedication.

Sensing a slight pause in the aura of the person beside him, Lin Li turned his head and met Chen Yuying's gaze.

Chen Yuying's lips seemed to lift slightly, forming a half-smile, and her voice, soft and slightly cool, drifted over: "Is it pretty?"

"It's not pretty, just a bit of a pity," Lin Li said calmly. "I wonder if, after choosing this path of becoming a borderline livestreamer, every night she recalls the heartwarming scene from her childhood when her father, dressed in a pure white princess dress, awkwardly twirled in front of her, then shyly but expectantly asked, 'Darling, am I pretty?'"

Chen Yuying: "...Doesn't something seem to be reversed?"

"It's the same idea, just understand it." Having easily handled this potentially disastrous question, Lin Li waved his phone.
"Alright, let's film ours. You need to tuck your legs in a little tighter, be more dignified, and make sure your tongue is hidden..."

Zhongdeng, with Linli here, don't be afraid!
……

time flies.

The golden glow of the setting sun bathed the mountains and forests, and waterbirds returning to their nests from hunting flew across the sky, casting fleeting shadows on the water and leaving behind long, drawn-out calls.

Before they knew it, the two had drifted on the lake until dusk.

"That's about it, shall we go eat?" Lin Li asked with a smile, noticing that Chen Yuying's paddling movements showed signs of fatigue.

Chen Yuying rowed the boat purely because she wanted to have fun.

"Okay." Chen Yuying nodded, her breath slightly short, and without any pretense, she let go of Lin Li's hand.

Lin Li rowed the small boat back to the dock and climbed back onto the bicycle that carried so much joy.

"Should we continue riding this lap and return the bike before going to the restaurant, or should we ride straight to where we'll eat tonight?" Lin Li asked slowly, pedaling.

“We won’t eat dinner here,” Chen Yuying said, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against his warm back. “After we finish riding around, we’ll take a taxi there.”

"You're not staying around here tonight?"

"Yeah, there's not much to see here at night."

"Do we have any activities after dinner? I don't want to go home."

"How about we go shopping in Puchun's 'city center'? We haven't gone shopping on our own yet. Of course, you've had a long day, so if you're tired, we've planned to do less walking tonight. I've checked out a few shops there online."

It's clear that Chen Yuying has made extremely detailed plans for today's date, with contingency plans for every aspect.

“Being with you,” Lin Li’s voice was tinged with laughter, cutting through the cool evening breeze, “I won’t get tired—note, this isn’t just sweet talk, it’s from the bottom of my heart.”

"Tch!" The girl responded with a light, amused reproach.

……

After getting out of the ride-hailing car, the two found themselves in the "urban area" of Puchun Town.

In terms of sheer bustling activity, this place may not be as vibrant as the core business district of Xiling, but as an unfamiliar new environment, it still offers a fresh and exciting experience.

Chen Yuying had booked a Spanish restaurant for dinner, which seemed to be quite famous locally. The restaurant was packed with people and had a lively atmosphere.

However, in terms of taste, it can only be described as mediocre and relatively average.

Lin Li was quite nonchalant about it; it's common to have bad experiences when eating out, and this wasn't even that bad.

Chen Yuying, who had carefully selected the restaurant, seemed somewhat disappointed; the greater her expectations, the stronger the sense of disappointment.

"Hello, gentlemen," a waiter said quickly, a standard smile on his face, as he saw the two starting to pack up to leave.

How was your dining experience tonight? If possible, could you please give us a positive review on the platform?
As a token of our appreciation, we'll waive the extra potato and egg pancake you ordered earlier.

Chen Yuying was about to shake her head and refuse, but Lin Li gently pressed her hand down, so she looked at him with some confusion.

"Okay." At this moment, Lin Li smiled and nodded at the waiter, and took the phone from Chen Yuying's hand to start leaving a review on the reservation platform.

With his fingers flying across the keyboard, Lin Li quickly finished: "Okay, I've given a good review."

"Okay, thank you both. I'll take a look... Oh, sir, it seems you gave a neutral review." The waiter's grateful smile froze the moment he leaned closer to see the phone screen.

Neutral review, you read that right.

"Oh, I see," Lin Li said sincerely, "I'm from Henan, and I think your restaurant is really good, really great! Great! Absolutely great! My highest praise!"

Waiter: "(；☉_☉)?"

Oh, no.

Chen Yuying chuckled softly.

"Are you happier now?" Lin Li reached out a finger and gently tugged at Chen Yuying's soft cheek, chuckling softly.

Under the girl's reproachful yet amused gaze, he took her hand and led her to the counter to settle the extra order.

I hadn't walked more than a few steps when I heard the waiter's voice behind me, tinged with resentment and curiosity:
"Sir, your logic is very reasonable... but you're definitely not from Henan!"

"I don't agree! You big idiot! What are you saying! Why do you say I'm not from Henan?" Lin Li turned around, frowning slightly.

“Because…” The waitress pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, her sharp eyes having seen through everything: “Sir, you just laughed, and since ancient times… laughter and good fortune are incompatible!!!” “Therefore, a true Henan person… will absolutely not laugh!!”

Lin Li: "(；☉_☉)?"

If Lin Li were the only person dining here today, this one sentence alone would be enough to warrant a positive review.

It's a pity, now Yingbao is dissatisfied, and no one can change that situation.

"Brilliant reasoning!" Although he couldn't change his evaluation, Lin Li didn't hold back his praise, giving the waiter a thumbs up: "I didn't expect my mistake to be here. I've learned something. I am indeed a wild child. I will pay attention next time."

"But we can only give you a mediocre rating, mainly because..." Lin Li explained the shortcomings of the dishes in detail, his attitude sincere.

"Let's settle the bill for the extra items we just ordered."

"No need, sir," the receptionist said as Lin Li approached the front desk, waving his hand and smiling much more sincerely. "Your suggestion was very helpful to us, so the omelet will be on the house."

“We will not change our evaluation because of this,” Lin Li emphasized.

"That's not what I meant," the service representative said politely. "The mid-term review can also encourage us to improve. Take care, and welcome back next time!"

Stepping out of the restaurant, the evening breeze carried the city's hustle and bustle. Lin Li raised an eyebrow: "The receptionist and waiters at this restaurant are quite good at dealing with people."

"OK."

"It's a pity that the kitchen staff at this restaurant don't know how to behave."

"How did you tell?"

"Didn't you figure it out from the taste? Normally, a chef who knows how to get along with people can't be bad at cooking. Hannibal is a gourmet, and even if he didn't know how to get along with people, he would still be a great cook. But this restaurant is different."

"As for being a person... I'd better just give up!"

With her arms wrapped around Lin Li's, Chen Yuying made a cheerful complaint.

The minor annoyance caused by the dinner not meeting expectations had long since vanished thanks to the witty banter and the restaurant's courteous response, and my mood returned to light and cheerful.

Let's go shopping with Lin Li!
……

"Are you in a hurry?" Lin Li asked with a smile, looking at the girl who had slightly furrowed brows.

"Yes and no. It's not that I'm going back now, it's just a reminder that it's getting late and I should start preparing to head home."

Chen Yuying replied to messages on her phone, then looked up and sighed.

It was already close to seven o'clock when they finished eating, and now it was not even nine o'clock. The two of them had only been shopping in the Puchun shopping district for a total of two hours.

These two hours were purely a leisurely stroll: I would go into any shop that interested me, browse around, and buy anything I liked.

From budget-friendly shops to luxury boutiques, I'll walk in with any taste, regardless of whether it's food or vegetables.

I didn't encounter any of the snobbish saleswomen often seen in novels. Even though I was just browsing without buying anything, the service I received, while not exactly enthusiastic, was still basic politeness and a respectful distance.

Time flew by in this relaxed and enjoyable exploration, and there was no sign of fatigue or boredom in them.

“It’s getting late,” Lin Li said, glancing at his phone. “Even if I take a taxi now, I won’t get home until almost ten o’clock.”

Chen Yuying turned off her phone screen, then held Lin Li's hand tightly again, her tone urging yet reluctant: "You didn't tell me to call a taxi right away. There are still twenty minutes left, so hurry up."

"Okay." Lin Li nodded with a smile. "Which store should we go to?"

Chen Yuying's bright eyes darted around, and she made a decision in a cheerful voice: "I'm going to buy you a gift."

"Oh? What gift?" Lin Li became interested.

"You'll find out soon enough." The girl kept him in suspense, then took Lin Li's hand and resolutely turned back the way they came.

A few minutes later, at the entrance of a brightly lit and fragrant cosmetics store.

Lin Li stroked his chin: "This is the shop you're planning to buy me as a gift?"

"Mmm." Chen Yuying nodded excitedly and went to the lip gloss and lipstick section: "I'm planning to give you a lip gloss."

Watching the young woman carefully compare and select items in front of the colorful shelves, Lin Li asked with a smile, "Miss Chen Yuying, what is the purpose of buying me lip gloss?"

Chen Yuying turned her head, her eyes clear and her expression extremely serious:

"That way, if you have a girlfriend in the future and she forgets to bring her lip gloss when she goes out, you can take out my gift and your girlfriend will be very happy and like you a lot."

"I see—" Lin Li exclaimed in amazement, never expecting Yingbao to be so thoughtful. He was utterly astonished, a vision that had resonated for a hundred years. He nodded emphatically.
"I was being stupid. Now, I'm counting on you, class monitor. Whether my relationship with my girlfriend goes well in the future depends entirely on you! Please!"

"no problem!"

The young woman readily accepted the task and immediately applied the lip glosses, which were provided for customers to try out, one by one to the area between Lin Li's thumbs and index fingers—no one dared to apply such public lip glosses directly to their lips.

After applying the makeup, she pulled Lin Li to the bright mirror, held up the back of his hand to her cheek, and carefully compared and admired the effects of different shades.

"Since this is for you, I definitely need to ask your opinion. Which of these three colors do you think looks the best?"

"I don't know much about color codes. How about this, I'll ask for help from outside the venue." Lin Li took out his phone and started asking for help from outside the venue. "I'll ask my girlfriend. She knows more about it."

Chen Yuying didn't stop her; she just picked up her phone to reply to messages because she was "bored."

"OK! I got it! I think the one in the middle of 067 looks good!" Therefore, three seconds later, when Lin Li spoke again, his voice was firm and confident!

"What a coincidence, I think so too!" Chen Yuying nodded, then couldn't help but laugh out loud.

After comparing several more, Chen Yuying still felt this one was the most suitable, so she picked out a brand new one and went to the front desk to pay.

"Let me borrow it for a moment."

After paying, Chen Yuying smiled and took back the lip gloss she had just bought from Lin Li. She walked to the mirror again, unscrewed the cap, and carefully applied the clear and moisturizing lip gloss to her soft lips.

Looking at the final result, Chen Yuying nodded before handing the gift back to Lin Li: "I am now very confident that your girlfriend will like this shade."

"Then I'll thank you on behalf of my girlfriend." Lin Li crossed his arms, his eyes crinkling, playing along with Chen Yuying's self-amusement.

"It's my duty, no need to thank me." Chen Yuying playfully tilted her head, pursed her glossy lips, and replied with a smile.

The next second, she pouted with a hint of disappointment, her voice carrying a touch of dissatisfaction: "I have to take a taxi home."

"Let's go," Lin Li said with a smile, taking Chen Yuying's hand. "It's just the end of one date, there's always next time, and next time, and next time, and next time—"

Chen Yuying understood this as well, so her disappointment was only slight. She smiled and nodded upon hearing this, then followed Lin Li outside.

……

The ride-hailing car came to a smooth stop downstairs at Chen Yuying's home.

Lin Li thus fulfilled his small wish of taking Chen Yuying home.

Stepping out of the car, Chen Yuying took the paper bag containing today's spoils from Lin Li's hand, and then said gently:

"Take a taxi. When your car arrives, I'll watch you get in before I go upstairs."

"Okay." Lin Li nodded and took out his phone to call a car.

Orders are accepted almost instantly, and the system shows that the vehicle is nearby and will arrive within a minute.

"How did it happen so fast?" Lin Li exclaimed with a smile.

"Do you still want it to drive all the way from the moon to pick you up?" Chen Yuying couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm actually kind of thinking about it," Lin Li nodded.

"Then you're such an idiot." The dim yellow light of the streetlamp gently shone on the smiling girl.

Actually, on the way from Puchun to Chen Yuying's house, you only need to take a slightly longer route to reach Lin Li's house.

Furthermore, by setting a drop-off point along the way, the previous car can drop off Chen Yuying and then directly take Lin Li, without needing to hail another taxi.

But both of them chose the most inefficient method: taking another taxi.

There's no way around it; during the initial passionate phase of falling in love, even a second apart feels incredibly long. Even just watching the other person's departing back makes you want to prolong that brief moment together as much as possible.

Lin Li felt that after a while, it wouldn't be so cloying anymore.

But what the heck.

I'm not tired of it now!
The beams of headlights pierced the night as a ride-hailing car slowly pulled up to the side of the road.

They were using their high beams, that's really bad.

"Is this the car?" Chen Yuying checked the license plate.

Hmm, it's not from my own family.

"Yes." Lin Li nodded, and pinched Chen Yuying's cheek with his free right hand. "Then see you tomorrow."

"Okay." Chen Yuying looked up, her eyes shining like stars under the streetlights, and then reminded her, "You didn't forget anything, did you? Remember to check."

"They're all in my bag." Lin Li patted his bag, smiled confidently, and walked towards the car.

After walking a few steps, Chen Yuying's voice came from behind:
"Wait a minute, thank goodness I checked again. Lin Li, you haven't taken your lip gloss yet, you idiot, you didn't even tell me!"

"Huh?" Lin Li stopped in his tracks upon hearing the sound, and subconsciously took out the lip gloss that Chen Yuying had given him to give to his girlfriend from the side pocket of his bag. He turned around and waved the small tube in his hand with some doubt: "It's here."

"Idiot, I still haven't returned some of it to you." The girl's voice was almost touching.

Before the words were even finished, the light and shadow of the world seemed to be gently manipulated.

The streetlights were briefly blocked.

The breath was warm, with a unique sweetness.

The tip of my nose seemed to brush against her soft hair, bringing a faint scent of orange blossom, like the breeze that caresses new leaves in early spring.

"Now that you have everything, get in the car." Chen Yuying took a step back and stood there calmly. Free from debt, she did not run away, but simply looked at Lin Li quietly under the light, her voice soft but carrying a sense of peace that had settled down.

Lin Li looked down at the lip gloss lying quietly in his palm, slowly closed his fingers, and held the lip gloss tightly along with his burning heartbeat.

A smile played on Lin Li's lips as he looked at the composed girl whose eyes betrayed a hint of shyness and tenderness, filling his heart with warmth.

Without making any unnecessary moves, he simply obediently opened the back door and got in.

The car door closed gently, and the car window slowly rolled down.

Across that invisible barrier, the boy's gaze was intense, tinged with a smile:

"If you borrow and return, then next time won't be difficult, right?"

Chen Yuying finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. Her laughter was crisp and melodious, but then she just gazed tenderly at the boy in the car, her eyes crinkling, without saying a word.

Until the car slowly started, the engine emitted a low, soft hum.

Her answer, carried by the cool night breeze, gently and clearly seeped into the half-open car window:
"Hmm, it won't be difficult next time."

(End of this chapter)