Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 100 - 97: Let’s Chat

"Is it really okay to dress me up like this? Aren’t you afraid I’ll start doubting my life choices and develop a psychological shadow from the gifts you give me?" Qi Yi felt that whether he dressed up as a painting or as a piece of history, it took a great deal of courage, especially since he wasn’t a fan of wearing bizarre outfits.

"Leaving a shadow would actually be better. That way, I wouldn’t have to think about what gifts to give you anymore. Didn’t you say that not giving gifts would save you a month or two of hard work? For me, it would at least save a couple of brain cells." Yan Yan looked at the "piece of history" standing before her, uncertain whether she was satisfied with her work or not.

One thing she had to admit was that dressing Qi Yi up like this was indeed quite bizarre.

When Yan Yan went to buy fabric, she had planned to get a dark fabric for Qi Yi’s suit, but she was deeply attracted by the white fabric instead.

White fabric for a suit, Yan Yan imagined, wasn’t quite right.

Apart from wedding occasions, wearing a pure white suit to work or the like seemed somewhat odd.

Upon further thought, Yan Yan got carried away and ended up with the look he had now.

Qi Yi had to appear "proper and formal" when he went out, but behind closed doors, Yan Yan had the final say on his "dress-up."

The main issue was that Yan Yan felt her skills in tailoring suit patterns weren’t yet attractive enough.

With something like a suit, where the fabric and especially the pattern were vital, Yan Yan didn’t yet have the ability to make something she was satisfied with to give to Qi Yi.

"When do you leave tomorrow?" Qi Yi asked Yan Yan in a different tone.

"Late at night. You get some good sleep, do well in your training, and then come back to take me out to eat," replied Yan Yan, also speaking seriously.

"How could I possibly bear to sleep knowing you’re leaving?" Qi Yi’s reluctance was evident on his face.

The time they spent together was always so fleeting.

"If you can’t sleep here, then go back to your hotel. I wanted you to stay because I hoped you could get a good night’s sleep," Yan Yan clarified her stance and the reason she had asked Qi Yi to stay.

"Let’s talk," Qi Yi said, seizing the rare opportunity to stay, naturally not wanting to do anything that might annoy her and result in being sent back.

"Sure, what about?" Yan Yan felt there was absolutely no reason to refuse such a request.

"Can I hold your hand while we talk?" Qi Yi made a small request.

"Hold hands— I need to paint," Yan Yan thought to refuse without pondering, but then reconsidered, "Let’s switch places then. Come to this side of the bed, and you can hold my left hand."

Qi Yi quickly moved to the spot Yan Yan pointed out, grabbing her hand with a bright, rare smile on his face.

"You look so happy—did you find a treasure or are my hands made of gold?" Yan Yan was surprised by the speed with which Qi Yi changed positions.

"Yeah, I found a treasure. Up to now, it’s the only treasure in my life that I don’t want to miss out on," Qi Yi confessed without any cheesiness.

"What do you mean by ’up to now’?" Yan Yan turned and glared at Qi Yi, not resonating at all with his declaration.

"My girlfriend is really not easy to coax now— I miss that silly girlfriend from high school," Qi Yi quickly switched to a tone befitting a ’little wife’ upon receiving Yan Yan’s glare.

"Do you still want to talk or not? Who are you calling silly?" Yan Yan wasn’t about to be charmed by Qi Yi’s ’little wife’ demeanor.

"What are you drawing?" Qi Yi quickly changed the subject.

Clearly, he had learned how to shift topics from Yan Yan.

"Just sketching casually, recording today’s life. Seeing if I get any inspiration," Yan Yan signaled for Qi Yi not to peek.

Yan Yan glanced at Qi Yi and then set aside her sketchbook, "I’ll wait for you to fall asleep and then draw. What do you want to talk about?"

Inspiration was important, but not as crucial as the time she was spending with Qi Yi now.

"Have you decided which school to go to?" Qi Yi asked Yan Yan about something he was particularly concerned about.

"Just taking courses without pursuing a degree is much easier than I initially thought, so either school is fine.

"But I can’t make a decision now, I need to first look into the main focus of the schools in Italy.

Then I’ll see which one would be better to choose.

I personally liked Parsons, but my weaker area in handicrafts happens to be FIT’s strength.

I’m taking advantage of the holiday now to work on improving my hands-on skills.

I’ll take another look later," Yan Yan provided a detailed answer to Qi Yi’s question.

"Do we need to look into it again?" Qi Yi was very disappointed after hearing this.

"Hey, don’t look so hurt.

When I say ’take a look,’ I just mean to see which school to choose, not whether to go or not.

In terms of further education, private schools like Parsons would definitely be more convenient and offer more choices.

I want to create a brand in the future, not necessarily design everything myself.

The likelihood of going to Parsons is still quite high." Yan Yan asked Qi Yi not to be so down, suggesting he should wait until she finished speaking before reacting.

"Are you sure you’ll come to New York next August?" Qi Yi feared he might have misunderstood again.

"Yeah, absolutely sure," Yan Yan smiled, looking at Qi Yi who was now painfully anxious.

"Don’t I seem unlike myself now?" Qi Yi felt a strange sense of alienation from his current self.

"Not at all, you are you—how could you be like you? If you were like you, then where would the real you be?" Yan Yan said something particularly convoluted yet philosophical.

"In high school, I never felt your words were this precise?" Qi Yi looked at Yan Yan somewhat puzzled.

"That’s because I didn’t want to argue with you. I always had to leave the best debater spot to you," Yan Yan shamelessly boasted.

"That’s awful, you gave way to me so much, and yet I still failed to become the best debater—I really owe you a great debt of gratitude," Qi Yi hurriedly apologized.

"It’s good that you know," Yan Yan looked at Qi Yi, remembering how in high school Qi Yi had quit a competition in a burst of anger over her.

"But next August is still a long way off," Qi Yi started to count the days until the "Magpie Bridge Meeting."

"How do I feel that this trip of mine has brought you more shocks than surprises?" In fact, Yan Yan herself wasn’t sure what she was feeling right then.

They were about to face parting again.

Yan Yan also felt that at her age, she should not be living such a disciplined life.

Why can’t people be impulsive once in a while?

But that was just a passing thought for Yan Yan.

Qi Yi thought, "Today I’m sure I won’t be able to sleep all night due to the sadness of Yan Yan having to return home soon, and the frustration of not being able to be affectionate."

That’s how Qi Yi felt yesterday.

But amazingly, after chatting with Yan Yan while holding her hand for a while, he fell peacefully asleep.

Qi Yi usually had light sleep, waking up at any slight noise.

That day, Qi Yi slept like a child.

After Yan Yan made sure Qi Yi was sound asleep, she got out of bed to take a shower and tidy up.

Later, Yan Yan returned to bed to draw.

Qi Yi was utterly unaware, showing no signs of waking up at all.