Chapter 35：

After reaching out his hand, time seemed to freeze.

The heat from the hot pot made his palms very hot, and Huo Ran stared at Tao Zhiyue who was opposite him at a loss.

He didn't seem to respond, and his expression didn't change.

Across the steaming white mist, there is a feeling of illusion and unreality.

A strange uneasiness rose in Huo Ran's heart.

Subconsciously, he didn't dare to say anything, as if he would break something if he made a sound.

The picture is still here, Huo Ran does not move, even the sound of breathing is quietly hidden.

The world around is flowing, people toast happily, bowls and chopsticks collide with crisp sounds, smiling waiters walk slowly with trays, red and white meat, green leafy vegetables, golden corn juice, everywhere It's colorful, and the smell of food wafts around.

After a long silence, Tao Zhi walked through the hazy mist, and slowly held his hand that was always hovering in the air.

"Your hands are hot."

he said softly.

On the contrary, Tao Zhiyue's hand was very cold, as if he had lost the temperature, his skin was soft against Huo Ran's palm, and his color was pale.

Huo Ran heard a very complicated emotion in his voice, which was too complicated for him to analyze.

So he lowered his head in a daze, and saw a small pink burn mark on the back of Tao Zhiyue's hand.

"Are you hot?"

He suddenly became nervous and wanted to call the waiter immediately.

"It's okay, it was burned a few days ago."

"Is it when you cook at home?"

"Well, on Thursday afternoon, make stewed beef at home."

Huo Ran silently calculated the time forward, it was the day when he asked Tao Zhiyue if he could chase him.

Tao Zhiyue continued to talk, as if he was recalling something far away, his expression was a little dazed.

"I took a shower that day, went to the supermarket to buy beef and seasonings, came back to cut the meat, and cut my finger. I was distracted, so I hit my head on the range hood several times. I accidentally got burned by the wall of the pot and hit the back of my hand. I washed it with tap water It's been a long time."

Before Huo Ran could ask him why he was distracted, he heard him whispering close to his ear.

"Because I've been thinking about you."

Fragments of light flashed in his clear eyes, and he stared sincerely at the person on the other side.

"I still remember the quicksand bread, which was very soft and had a strong aroma when I bit into the stuffing."

Huo Ran's heartbeat became very violent when he heard his words.

Tao Zhiyue's palm was no longer cold, but was warmed by the heat from the other hand.

So he shook each other's fingers lightly, then let go.

He withdrew his warmed hand, and showed a nice smile to Huo Ran.

Just like that long and lonely weekend night, someone told him that hedgehogs can also be hugged, so he held that person's outstretched hand, and couldn't help smiling because of the cuteness of the other person.

"Hi, my name is Tao Zhiyue."

The white mist between them was blown to other places by the wind, the world became clear and bright, and the face illuminated by the lights revealed a quiet tenderness.

For some reason, Huo Ran felt his nose a little sore.

He didn't know what Tao Zhiyue was thinking during those few minutes of silence.

But Huo Ran inexplicably noticed that the person opposite seemed to have made a very important decision in an instant.

Because his hand was trembling slightly just now, and he didn't calm down until the moment he actively clenched his fingers.

He seems to have wandered on the edge of the cliff for a long time, saw the starlight guiding the way, passed through the boundless fog, and finally decided to go to the world.

There are many chaotic pictures flashing in my mind, the language is out of order, emotions merge into a river, and many unfinished words float on it and flow into the sea of ​​heart.

But in the end, Huo Ran just scratched his hair stupidly.

"Actually... you told me that night when you were drunk."

Tao Zhiyue looked at him with a smile, his eyes were bright.

"So you lied to me when you said that we just chatted casually."

"I didn't do it on purpose." Huo Ran immediately explained, "I'm afraid you will be embarrassed, because I didn't say anything else..."

Tao Zhiyue picked up his chopsticks and started to put food into the boiling hot pot.

"What else did I say?"

"You said that you like eating hot pot, writing code, and the cabin where you can see the stars..."

"Is that why you suggested that I eat hot pot that day?"

"Yes..." Huo Ran looked at him anxiously, "Are you angry?"

Tao Zhiyue didn't speak, he picked up the blanched beef and put it in Huo Ran's bowl, it was just right in twenty seconds, and the meat was tender.

"The taste should be good, you can taste it for me first." Tao Zhiyue specially emphasized, "It's hot in a red oil pan."

Happiness came so suddenly, Huo Ran picked it up dreamily, he was even a bit reluctant to eat it.

The entrance is the tender and smooth beef with rich flavor and red oil, which is really delicious.

But Tao Zhiyue's stewed beef must be more delicious.

"tasty!"

He began to put food into the hot pot, trying to fill Tao Zhiyue's bowl.

And Tao Zhi looked at him quietly, obediently eating whatever he received.

The bean sprouts in the hydroponic pot were picked up in pieces and fell into the rich white bone soup. A whole row of mushrooms was also dropped into the soup, bubbling and bubbling.

The red soup on the other side was filled with fresh meat, and Huo Ran was very busy with the colander.

Tao Zhiyue asked him softly, "Is your name Burning Burning?"

"Yes." Huo Ran held the spoon to observe his expression, "Doesn't it sound good?"

Tao Zhiyue didn't nod or shake his head, but just stared at him steadfastly, "It suits you very well."

That must be complimenting him.

Huo Ran felt that he could do it again, and he was very happy.

He moved Jinsha Red Rice Sausage and Crab Roe Soup Xiaolongbao to Tao Zhiyue.

"Eat these two while they are hot."

Tao Zhiyue picked it up obediently, and put the first steamed bun into Huo Ran's bowl intact.

He was a little proud: "It's not broken."

Huo Ran almost couldn't control the corners of his upturned mouth, he bit open the thin skin of the steamed bun, the soup inside was very fresh and fragrant.

"This is also delicious."

Soon the two servings of snacks were exhausted, full of portions, Tao Zhi rubbed his belly, put down his chopsticks and started to ask questions.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Huo Ran sat up straight in an instant, and entered the state of preparation, "You can ask, you can ask anything!"

"Why did you come to Jinbei City?"

Huo Ran was a little surprised by this question, but he still answered solemnly: "The company had an investment in Jinbei City before. It was a game company. I was supposed to come here as the person in charge, but it was put on hold. A same-sex chasing..."

Speaking of this, he took a sneak peek at Tao Zhiyue: "I don't feel anything about them! Every day is annoying and I want to avoid it, so I keep urging my dad to start the project in Jinbei City quickly. He might think that I I really want to come to Jinbei, so let me come to the game exhibition here to have a look."

Tao Zhiyue listened carefully, "When did you mention those people who suddenly chased after you?"

"Two months ago, maybe less than two months."

When mentioning this matter, Huo Ran panicked. He tried to change the subject, "Actually, part of the reason why I came here is to thank you in person..."

"That day I told you that the schedule was too busy and I couldn't spare time. I lied to you. I just didn't want you to feel embarrassed after rejecting me."

"But after the game show ended, I stayed on all the time because I wanted to see you."

"I didn't do anything else. Apart from chatting with you every day, I was thinking about how to chase you."

This person is always forthright and warm.

Tao Zhiyue frowned, his cheeks were red from the heat, "I know."

Huo Ran breathed a sigh of relief, and added: "As for those four... two of them I have already rejected, and the other two should have been given up by myself. Anyway, when I return to Yanping, I will definitely refuse it very seriously. them."

"I'm not the same person I was when I posted, really!" Huo Ran solemnly raised a hand to assure him.

Tao Zhiyue was amused by his actions, and at the same time he found the point very keenly.

"They gave up? When?"

"Just during this time..." Huo Ran recalled, "One of them sent flowers to the company every day, and it seems that he stopped sending them these two days. The other sent me a lot of chats, but recently he didn't."

Tao Zhiyue frowned slightly, as if thinking about what he said.

Seeing that the situation was not right, Huo Ran immediately made a promise, "Whether there are or not, I have absolutely no unreasonable thoughts about them."

He pushed the untouched milk tea to the side, and changed the subject very awkwardly, "The cream is about to collapse, drink the milk tea first."

"For this one, eat the cream and chopped nuts first, and then stir it with the milk tea below."

Tao Zhiyue didn't think much about it, he just thought his appearance was funny, so according to his words, he took a small sip of rich cream and chopped nuts.

"Very sweet."

The corners of his mouth were covered with white cream foam, Huo Ran felt as if his gaze had been enchanted, he couldn't move away, and his throat tightened unconsciously.

Tao Zhi was more puzzled by his burning eyes, "What's wrong?"

"your…"

"mine?"

"Does your...finger still hurt?"

"What finger?"

"You said it was cut when you cut the beef."

"It doesn't hurt anymore, it's healed."

"Really?"

"Do you want to see it?"

"..." Huo Ran mumbled, "Can I watch it?"

Tao Zhiyue burst out laughing.

"you are stupid."

Huo Ran stared at him intently, so he smiled along with him, "Well, I'm stupid."

So Tao Zhiyue stretched out his hand again, and generously handed his fingers in front of him, there was a light pink scar on the slender joints.

Another scar was on the inside of the finger, very inconspicuous, but Huo Ran looked at it carefully.

"Will there be a scar? The wound looks a little deep."

Huo Ran was worried.

"No, it's only temporary and it will disappear soon."

His gaze was filled with eternally hot flames, making Tao Zhi more involuntarily look at the back of his hand that had regained its warmth.

The light blue blood vessels spread, flowing through the pulse, leading to the beating heart.

"It's good to be alive." He murmured to himself, his voice was so low that he could hardly hear him, "I can still cut my hand, and I can still bleed."

Huo Ran didn't hear the second half of the sentence clearly, but he echoed seriously: "It's good to be alive, and you can still eat hot pot."

Tao Zhiyue couldn't help laughing.

His pupils were always shining, filled with water-colored stars.

Later, the milk tea and ice powder also bottomed out, and the night outside the window was dim, but the bustling hot pot restaurant was always lit like daylight, and the cups of wine were intertwined.

This meal has been eaten for a long time, so long that time loses its meaning.

Facing the steaming hot pot, they said a lot of boring things, so boring that they couldn't remember a word afterwards, but they couldn't finish talking at that moment.

When I walked out of the store, the heat of the day had completely dissipated, and the evening breeze was slightly cool.

"There are no stars today."

Huo Ran looked at the night sky reflexively, he felt a little regretful.

"There will be in the future."

Tao Zhiyue followed his gaze, and his voice was calm, "Maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow."

The vast night sky above the head is vast and boundless, the bright moon hangs high, with bright silver light, and the endless universe draws a dark blue curtain, distant and grand.

Under the vast deep space, they are so small.

"Do you believe in fate?"

Tao Zhiyue looked at this person who was only a short distance away, and blurted out the words hidden in his heart.

Once again they were very close, breathing the same air, and stepping on the same ground.

In the suddenly staggered world lines, in the huge anonymous network torrent, they crossed over all the wrong options, and grasped the seemingly impossible possibility.

In the end they met by fate.

Huo Ran lifted up the tissue that had been pinched in his hand for a long time, summoned up his courage, breathed heavily, leaned forward, and gently wiped away the soft and light white corners of the other's lips.

Like a gust of wind passing over your cheeks.

"I don't believe in fate, I only believe in the present."

"Now you are by my side."