My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Shi Nian finished her meal happily and waved Jiao Jiaying goodbye with a wide smile. [See you again, Sister Jiao.]

"Right…" Jiao Jiaying laughed wryly. "See you again."

Shi Nian hummed and went to buy a bottle of cold tea to wash her mouth. She had just paid and turned around when she inadvertently saw Jiang Jinyan through the throng of people. No matter how low profile and inconspicuous he was, Shi Nian would always be able to find him with a glance.

His back faced her and he walked down the street alone. The amber sky illuminated his profile and the wind blew his slightly longer hair. He had pulled his hair up in a half bun and with each step it would bounce softly. Shi Nian stared at him with blank eyes.

That day, he said, "Don't let me see you again."

But like this, he wouldn't be able to see her, right?

This kind of looking…was allowed, right?

"Miss, it's 2 yuan." The cashier reminded her. "Do you need anything else?"

Shi Nian snapped out of her thoughts and paid hastily then went out of the cafeteria. The distance between both of them was less than 200 meters. Shi Nian didn't dare to get close to him again, not after his manic declaration last time.

She kicked a pebble in front of her with the tip of her sole sullenly. Pedestrians strode along in between them and sometimes, she would lose sight of him. But when she turned, she would find him again. Just like that, she followed behind him and stole some glances occasionally, just like a child that was deprived of her treasure and could only sadly look at it from behind the glass.

Jiang Jinyan walked into the apartment building and disappeared from her sight.

Today too, he was safe and sound. Shi Nian hadn't seen that suspicious shadow ever since. If she wasn't keen, then she would have taken it as a mere imagination. She had wanted to tell him multiple times but...would Jiang Jinyan believe her? After all, he had always thought that she was stalking him...

Shi Nian let out a sigh and turned to the convenience store. She couldn't continue to eat in the cafeteria like this. Even though it was convenient, the cost that accumulated for days was quite high. She wanted to buy some groceries to cook for herself.

The convenience store in the apartment district was like a mini supermarket. There was a section for fruits, vegetables, seafood and meat. With a basket in hand, she stood by the shelf and bought three kinds of vegetables, a dozen eggs and some frozen food.

She was deliberating on whether to buy oatmeal when the bell attached to the top of the door rang, followed by the greeting. "Welcome, what can I help you, sir?"

Shi Nian accidentally peeked through the gaps of the shelf and saw Jiang Jinyan!

She hid by reflex, her heart thumping wildly. Why was he here?! Hadn't he gone back already? If he saw her here…then would he misunderstand that she was stalking him again?!

No, she couldn't let Jiang Jinyan see her!

Shi Nian grabbed a box of oatmeal and turned into the cornermost shelf that sold instant noodles.

Who knew that Jiang Jinyan would walk in her direction?!

Panicked, she circled around and successfully slid to the beer and condom section. Shi Nian looked around blankly but her attention was focused on Jiang Jinyan who was currently choosing instant noodles across the shelf.

"Miss." The female staff approached her with a strange smile. "Can I help you?"

Shi Nian looked at her, bewildered. She shook her head in panic.

"I'm sorry, but you look like you're underage. May I see your ID card?"

The convenience store was quite desolate and the distance between Jiang Jinyan and her was only less than ten meters. When the female staff spoke, Jiang Jinyan gave a cursory glance and their eyes instantly met.

Shi Nian froze in place, her mind in a mess. What to do…he saw me. What to do…he saw me…

She had thought that being caught was the worst thing that could have happened. Shi Nian didn't expect that there's something worse that awaited her in the next moment. Jiang Jinyan's gaze moved from her to the shelf in front of her and the patiently waiting female staff.

His lips curled into a scornful smile.

The female staff looked at them in confusion. Then, realization dawned on her. "Are you two together?"

Shi Nian looked at her in shock. What the hell are you saying?!

Jiang Jinyan scoffed and threw the cup noodle in his hand toward his basket. "I don't know her." Then he sauntered away.

"Miss?"

Shi Nian snapped out of her reverie and saw the weird gaze the female staff gave her. Steam poofed out of her head and her face reddened like a tomato.

"Do you…still need it?" she probed carefully.

Still need what?

Shi Nian blankly followed her line of sight and saw a colorful variety of boxes in front of her. Ultra thin…pleasure pack…exciting mix of sensation and stimulation…

She jumped like a cat whose tail was being stepped on. What had she been looking at?! No wonder…no wonder that Jiang Jinyan ridiculed her. No wonder that the female staff looked at her with those strange eyes. Aaaaaah! Shi Nian really felt like dying right here and now!

She shook her head like a rattle drum and escaped from that place as fast as possible! Her face combusted in red flame and Shi Nian felt like she couldn't come to this convenience store again…not when the female staff was still working…

She escaped to the toothbrush section and pretended to seriously consider which one she would choose.

Jiang Jinyan bought a basket full of instant noodles, eggs, vegetables and two large bags of cat food. "Thank you for your patronage!" The female staff sent him off with a smile.

Shi Nian waited until full five minutes before she dawdled to the cashier with a red face. The female staff gave her a wide smile. "Is there anything else?"

She shook her head furiously, her eyes teary. No matter how she defended herself, she would never be able to wash herself clean anymore…

She didn't buy much and it only took one large plastic bag.

"Thank you for your patronage!" The female staff smiled and added. "Don't worry, I will not tell anyone."

It's better that you didn't speak! Shi Nian wept internally and dashed out with tail between her legs.

She walked down the street with her head down, tears flooded her heart, forming a large river. The wind rushed to her face, slightly diminishing the heat that was caused by the earlier accident. Shi Nian was immersed in the funeral of her reputation when the sole of her feet bumped into an instant noodle cup.

She halted in her tracks.

Maybe due to her speed walking, she had caught up to Jiang Jinyan without her knowing. And in front of her, Jiang Jinyan was half kneeling as he bent down to pick up his things which had been scattered across the ground due to his plastic bag ripping…

All of the mortification and intense embarrassment went down the drain in the face of his twisted brows and his slightly trembling legs.

Without thinking, Shi Nian strode forward and helped him to pick it up one by one. She moved fast and in a blink of an eye, she had gathered all of his instant noodles in one place. It was unlucky though, his eggs cracked and the yolk stained the plastic bag, it was definitely unusable anymore.

Jiang Jinyan straightened his legs and discovered her. Surprise flashed through his eyes before disappearing in a split second. The mask emerged in the next second with armor so strong that nothing could break it.

"Go away. I don't need your help.." He said coldly.