Greedy.

A long time ago, the conclusion Qiao Qing made for you suddenly popped up in your mind.

—gloomy, but looking for hope.

You think you have experienced so much, many brilliant things have long since ceased to exist, and persistent things have quietly fermented and mildewed for a long time, leaving only a dark gutter.However, until now, Qiao Qing's views still seem to be the same.

Even the sewers were originally illuminated by moonlight.

You were only curious about him before, but now you suddenly care about yourself in his eyes.What's there to like?Are you greedy, vulnerable and neurotic?

You ask: "Why do you... like me?"

All you can give is sincerity, but this emotion is also overflowing, because you give everything you have, so you are aggressive.

Joe pondered lightly.

You suddenly regret asking.You ducked back, "Farewell, I don't want to know."

You are afraid that all this is just his frivolity, and after thinking it over clearly, you find that you are useless.You are afraid that this relationship is like a rootless duckweed, which looks lush and green from the surface of the water, but is barren under the water.

That's fine.Think of it as a luck that doesn't ask about cause and effect.

Qiao lightly grabbed your wrist and said softly, "Don't worry."

Don't be afraid.

"Shall we talk slowly?" He stroked your palm with his thumb, "I didn't think about it carefully. I wanted to say everything at once, but I couldn't say anything."

You just look at him.

Qiao sighed softly: "When I first saw you, you looked like a stray dog. Those eyes are so pitiful.

"It seems to have been beaten, scolded and abused by others, and it has clearly tasted the malice of humans, but as long as someone touches its head lightly, it will retract its paws and lie down whimpering.

"It seems that as long as passers-by give me ham sausage, they will limp and follow the ten-mile journey.

"Just follow, don't talk. If that person insists on closing the door, you will just stand outside the door overnight, wait until dawn and leave silently, waiting for the next kind person who will come or not."

"I just wanted to give you a ham sausage." Qiao Qing thought for a while, "But seeing how hard you've been following, I just want you to take a rest."

"I touched your neck and found that your eyes were so bright, like a fire. However, as I walked away, the fire seemed to slowly dim again.

"You chased after me, howled softly, and showed me how strong your limbs are and how soft your hair is - even when you're skinny and dirty. You helped me pick up the branches from under my feet, as if trying to protect me .”

Joe chuckled lightly.

"You don't know how lovely you are," he said. "It makes me sad to leave you."

"I just wanted to give you ham sausage before, but now I want to give you a home."

Qiao Qing stretched out his arms to hug you and patted your back lightly.

"Let you be happy every day, and your eyes will always be so bright."

You didn't make a sound, you just hugged him back minute by minute.

"You are too insecure." Joe whispered.

Your heart sinks.You hurriedly said: "I can..."

"I'll give it to you," he interrupted, "I promise."

You supported your head and looked at Qiao Qing under the pen for a while, then put down the pen contentedly, picked up the glass bottle next to it, and took a small sip.You smack your lips and feel that you are wasting too much. You rummaged through the box to find a straw and insert it.

Inside is Qiao Qing's specially soaked honey water for you to take home and drink.There are two cans in total. When you were painting just now, you drank one can unknowingly, and the remaining half glass will be gone if you drink any more.

It may be that the honey water is sweet, but the Qiao Qing drawn is also much softer.On the paper, Qiao Qing only has a profile face, with her hands raised, and she turns slightly, in a hugging posture.His arms were not clasped tightly, and they stopped peacefully, like soothing and protecting.His lips parted slightly, as if whispering something, and there was a little tenderness in the corners of his brows and eyes.

But what he embraced was nothing.

You dropped the pens one by one, poked the drawing paper repeatedly, sucked the honey water with the straw in your mouth.You recalled what he said at that time.

"...You remember, Zhou Huai. It's not how pitiful you are, so I want to cherish you, no. It's because I want you to belong to me, so I want to heal all your pains."

"I will, you wait."

You paused with the tip of your pen, and finally drew a little doll in his arms, with a round body and a round face, looking up at him tearfully.

This is the first time you have added something other than Qiao Qing.The eraser is turning around in your hand, but you still haven't edited it after all.You carefully sealed it into a folder, counted the number of finished products, and then counted the days, happily took a big mouthful of honey water.

Cohabitation began by accident.

It was already mid-August at that time, and Qiao Qing's portraits had already accumulated a thick stack.

You just came back from the Western Regions, and the wind, sand and dust on your faces have just been washed off.After I came back, I was lazy for several days, just watching movies and taking walks.

That day, the walk went to the riverside again, and you kissed heartily under the old tree.The old bark is against your back, and there is a small rough protrusion on the back of your neck, but his lips are soft.

You move your head slightly, trying to move away from the bump.Qiao Qing played tricks, just pressed against you and didn't move.

You made a gesture to bite, but Qiao Qing has already retreated quickly. Before he left, he still nibbled on your lips. It can be said that you are showing off your might, so shameless.

You grabbed his back to retaliate, but you couldn't help but laugh first.

Qiao lightly rubbed his forehead against your face, and his soft hair brushed your eyelashes from time to time, showing no trace of the domineering look just now.You were swept away by a few strands of hair and closed your eyes, with a calm expression on your face, but in your heart you admired his good behavior so much that you even wanted to pat him on the head.

"...Again?" He mumbled, "This time... be gentle."

You looked for his lips with your eyes closed, and murmured like him, "...no need."

Qiao Qing didn't know if she heard it, but just licked your lips over and over again, like a gentle little beast.

...you feel his hand gradually move up and finally rest on the back of your head.

You squinted your eyes and smiled, leaning back relaxed into his hand.

After pestering like this for a while, and having played enough, you held hands and continued to walk forward.He stopped and walked, and walked two miles without knowing it.

It was getting late, and it happened to be at the fork.

It's time to say goodbye.

You stopped silently.You turn around and hug him.Don't hold tight, but don't let go.

Qiao chuckled and said, "I'll see you tomorrow too."

You hummed, still hugging him.

Joe patted you on the shoulder, and said again in a low voice:

"tomorrow……"

You moved reluctantly, but before you let go, Qiao Qing suddenly changed course.

"...to my house?"

When he caught your gaze, the roots of his ears suddenly turned red.

"...I bought new sugar."

Qiao Qing asked himself, he didn't want to do anything.He just... couldn't bear it.

Like a child who wanders in front of the window on Christmas Eve, although he can't afford it, he can be happy just by looking at it.

"Okay." You winked at him and replied loudly.

Qiao was careless and dissatisfied, and asked mysteriously, "...always?"

You leaned close to his ear and repeated it earnestly: "—OK."