Chapter 42

Mu Chengchuan glanced at Guan Tang's hand and said, "8:47."
"It's eight o'clock!" Guan Tang wanted to slam the door right in Mo Chengchuan's face, and she didn't care about the numbers behind eight. "Before nine o'clock is still eight o'clock!"
Mo Chengchuan was a little stunned by this behavior before he realized that Guan Tang was in a bad mood. When they first got together, Mo Chengchuan used to prepare breakfast, and Guan Tang would eagerly wake up early to eat. It was a small happiness in their daily life, and there was nothing else they could ask for. But after some time passed, their true natures started to show, and Mo Chengchuan slowly realized that not only did she like to sleep in, but she also had a bit of morning temper.
The most memorable time was probably when we got really drunk at night, and in the morning Guan Tang just couldn't get out of bed. At that time, Mo Chengchuan was still following his years of routine, getting up at seven to call Guan Tang to come and eat. Guan Tang couldn't even open his eyes, he just buried his face in the pillow, with his back to him. Mo Chengchuan thought Guan Tang was just being difficult again. He was standing at the foot of the bed, half-bent, reaching out to grab Guan Tang's ankle, but Guan Tang kicked him in the face with his foot - not the soft, playful kind of kick, but with impatience and force, very obvious, directly kicking Mo Chengchuan in the nose.
Mo Chengchuan has never been kicked in the face like this, and he immediately froze in place, his face darkening. He waited to see how Guan Tang would react, but she completely ignored the situation. After no one bothered them, she slept even more soundly.
That was the first time the two of them had breakfast together after living together. Mo Chengchuan finished his meal alone and went to class without calling Guan Tang, letting him sleep in naturally. Throughout the morning, Mo Chengchuan was in a low mood, after all, it was the first time they had "taken action" together.
When he finished his class and came back home, Guan Tang rushed up to him and hugged him as if nothing had happened, and even kissed him on the cheek with a loud smack.
Mo Chengchuan didn't want to make a scene without knowing the situation, so he just glanced at Guan Tang without saying a word.
关棠勾着他的脖子说：“你今天早晨怎么叫我啊？”
莫呈川内心一紧，以为关棠还学会耍招式了，没想到关棠紧接着就说：“真贴心！”说完又亲了他一口，“我以为你死活都会把我喊起来呢。”
"I've yelled," Mo Chengchuan said without any expression, but he often looked like this. Guan Tang didn't think there was anything wrong with it. Instead, she was secretly delighted, thinking that she didn't have to endure this kind of schedule like an old cadre all the time and made efforts to fight for her own rights.
For example, it's too tiring to stay up late at night, can I wake up a little later the next day? Also, on mornings without classes, can I not have to wake up so early... In fact, Guan Tang also felt a little embarrassed. Mo Chengchuan, the person who gets up early in the morning to cook, didn't say anything. He, on the other hand, complained. It's not very good after all. But to force him to wake up in the morning on weekends to eat breakfast before going back to sleep, not even Guan Shaoyang has done that. It's only after being with Mo Chengchuan that he always cooks on time, whether it's a weekday or a weekend. If he doesn't wake up to eat, it doesn't look good. At first, one or two days were sweet, but as time went on, it was inevitable that there would be some frustration.
Mo Chengchuan listened to him ramble for a long time and finally understood that the person hadn't actually woken up in the morning, so he had been wrongly accused.
Mo Chengchuan felt ashamed of the situation and couldn't possibly bring it up with Guan Tang again. He just used words to silence Guan Tang immediately, so that he wouldn't dare to casually mention not waking up early or not eating breakfast again.
But in the end, Mo Chengchuan's routine was still disrupted by Guan Tang. Guan Tang, no need to say more, as long as he rolls into Mo Chengchuan's arms when he gets up, fumbling and groping east and west, out of ten times, Guan Tang always manages to cling to him successfully three or four times.
Two people separated for several years, Mo Chengchuan could never possibly recall being kicked on the foot, and time could beautify the past and the people involved even better than a filter. Almost at the end, Mo Chengchuan had to pause for a moment before he remembered this incident. Immediately, Mo Chengchuan understood, in the past, Guantang had good routines because she lived with him, but now living alone, no one was there to manage him, staying up late and sleeping in had become a regular occurrence.
Mo Chengchuan even guessed that if Guan Tang was still the same as before, he probably wouldn't even bother cooking at home most of the time and would rely on takeout to get by.
For a moment, Mo Chengchuan didn't know what kind of psychology it was. He wanted to say something, but he knew that nothing was appropriate. Especially here, this kind of inappropriateness was like suddenly finding grit in his shoes, or a piece of vegetable stuck in his teeth. It was uncomfortable, but it was not suitable to make it public. He had to silently bear it while trying to find a way to get rid of this embarrassment.
Two people were standing inside and outside, Guan Tang was still considering whether to slap the door panel on the person's face, when he heard the sound of the door opening next door, as if someone was getting ready to leave and was talking to someone inside the house. Guan Tang was afraid of being recognized by Mo Chengchuan, so he directly pulled the person in, closed the door first, and then said to Mo Chengchuan, "I'm going to bed, you..." He originally planned to say "you play by yourself", but then he thought, why did he pull the person in if he was just going to send them away? So he was stuck for a moment and couldn't find the words to say.
Mo Chengchuan glanced around casually, put down the things he was carrying in the shoe cabinet, and walked straight into the kitchen, asking, "You haven't eaten breakfast yet, right? What do we have in the kitchen?"
Guantang followed him for a few steps and said, "What are you doing, I'm not eating."
"Noodles?" Mo Chengchuan opened the refrigerator and glanced at the contents inside. Guantang hadn't been home for a while, so there were no fresh ingredients, only a few eggs. Mo Chengchuan picked up an egg and asked, "When did you buy this?"
"I don't know," Guan Tang said when she saw Mo Chengchuan looking at her, "look at what I'm doing, it's not expired anyway."
Mo Chengchuan did not say anything, just put the eggs back and casually arranged the scattered eggs with the pointed end facing down, then closed the refrigerator door.
Guang Tang: "..."
"What else do we have at home?" Mo Chengchuan asked.
"I want to go to sleep." Guan Tang repeated.
Mo Chengchuan walked around in the kitchen and poured a glass of water, handing it to Guan Tang, saying, "Drink some water."
Guantang subconsciously took a big sip, Mo Chengchuan looked at him, and there was finally a hint of a smile on his face as he asked, "You've been up and about for so long, can you still sleep?"
Guantang carried a water cup in his hand, and his eyes were wide open. He pursed his lips and faintly formed the word "annoying."
He definitely had morning grumpiness, but once he got up and let it out, he would wake up. Even if he wanted to go back to sleep, he couldn't. Mo Chengchuan knew that when he complained about wanting to sleep, it was just that his grumpiness hadn't fully subsided. If he really asked him to sleep, he wouldn't be able to. At most, he would lie in bed and grumble some more.
Guantang stared straight at Mochengchuan and asked, "Have you had a girlfriend before?"
"You don't know if I have or haven't?" Mochengchuan asked back, and then, seeing Guantang's expression, knowing that he was asking if he had dated anyone after breaking up with him, said, "Not in the past few years."
Guan Tang nodded and said, "That's right, you don't look like someone who can chase after others." He put the water glass on the table and was about to leave, but was caught by Mo Chengchuan: "I don't chase after others, it doesn't mean no one is chasing after me."
The words were quite suggestive, and Guan Tang paused for a moment before looking up at Mo Chengchuan. His gaze slowly moved upwards, finally stopping only on the bridge of the other's nose, and didn't move again. He remembered the gossip he had heard yesterday, and the people who could start a business with him were probably not much better, at least they couldn't get into the school he attended. He also remembered the words of Lu Zhiming in the car, he didn't know if this was the favor of fate or a test, and if what held himself was the past happiness or the unknown embarrassment.
"Then why are you waiting here instead of chasing after someone?" Guan Tang heard herself asking in this way.
Meng Chengchuan was slightly stunned for a moment, then sighed and said, "I'm here to repay a debt."
Guantang raised her eyes slightly and met Mo Chengchuan's gaze, realizing that he understood. Guantang suddenly realized that over the years, she had been obsessing over old matters, repeatedly examining them under the guise of learning from experience before seeking a fresh start, but Mo Chengchuan might not have moved on so easily.
"There is flour, noodles, instant noodles, and ham sausages in the cabinet. In the freezer, there are frozen wontons, frozen dumplings, and frozen steamed buns. In the refrigerator, there are sauces and pickles brought by Aunt Yang. You can figure it out on your own." Guan Tang suddenly changed her attitude and mumbled a long list.
Mo Chengchuan let go of his hand and crossed his arms, looking at him, "Guantang, it seems like you never made breakfast for me when you were chasing me."
Guantang responded quickly, "Isn't buying breakfast using my money?" After speaking, he realized that he hadn't started making much money back then, so he added, "My dad gave me the money."
As a result, the momentum suddenly dropped, Mo Chengchuan said, "Let's go out and play."
Mo Chengchuan always liked to say this in the kitchen. Guan Tang had heard it so many times. But now, as he turned his head, he heard Mo Chengchuan say, "Go brush your teeth and wash your face."
Guantang was shocked to realize that she had gotten up early without even washing her face. She might still have eye boogers stuck in her eyes! She managed to remain calm when she stepped out of the kitchen, but as soon as she did, she quickened her pace towards the bathroom. She couldn't believe she had been so close to Mo Chengchuan just now, without any reservations.
When Mo Chengchuan is cooking, he doesn't like to have anyone around. In the past, Guan Tang would help him with the preparations, and once everything was ready and placed beside him, Mo Chengchuan would send him away before starting to cook. However, Guan Tang really liked watching Mo Chengchuan cook. He was tall and handsome, standing in front of the stove, exuding a sexy vibe. The house was small and the kitchen was built with a low counter, so Mo Chengchuan often had to bend slightly to work. With his tall and straight figure, rarely bending over, especially in this kind of place, he appeared to have a rare charisma, as if he instantly acquired a distinction between inside and out.
This feeling is different from the intimacy in bed. In bed, it's the explosive pleasure of hormones, but in the kitchen, it's quiet. Even when the water is boiling and the oil is frying, the person standing in it is like holding back time, regardless of the endless passing of time, it is still just a year of four seasons and three meals a day.