I can upgrade the shelter
Chapter 120 - 118 Qin Lan Staying Overnight (4/10)

Chapter 120: Chapter 118 Qin Lan Staying Overnight (4/10)

"I’ve told you so many times, cola isn’t for throwing!" Although Qin Lan caught the cola that Chen Xin threw over, he didn’t open it; he just put it back on the coffee table and sat down next to Chen Xin. "Where’s the other controller?"

"In the drawer below the TV, grab it if you want to play." Chen Xin glanced at Qin Lan, silently saved his current game and exited, then switched to a two-player fighting game.

The young special ops officer sitting nearby also sat down on the sofa, but he sensibly kept his distance from the long sofa where Chen Xin and Qin Lan were sitting, opting instead for the single-seater sofa.

Qin Lan pulled out the controller from the drawer, giving the TV screen a look to understand Chen Xin’s intention. "Is this the same controller I gave you back then? Still the same old one?"

"Choose your character; don’t say I’m bullying you, I’ll let you pick first." Chen Xin felt a bit nostalgic. Among the few shared hobbies he and Qin Lan had, playing fighting games was probably the one they did the most.

Soon, just like in the past, they picked their characters and started vigorously battling with their game controllers.

Perhaps games truly affect a person’s mood; they hadn’t played many rounds before shouting and exclaiming, and even the young special ops officer watching them seemed quite engrossed.

"KO! You lost again." Chen Xin took on an elder’s demeanor and said with a somewhat smug smile at Qin Lan, "Lan, your skills have regressed!"

"You think everyone has time to play games every day like you do?" Qin Lan didn’t seem to care about losing the match but still retorted in response to Chen Xin.

Setting the controller down, Qin Lan picked up the soda Chen Xin had given her earlier. Just as she was about to open it, she hesitated, put it back, and picked up Chen Xin’s opened can, pouring it into her mouth.

Chen Xin frowned at the sight. "Didn’t I give you one? Why do you have to drink mine?"

"What’s the big deal? It’s not like I haven’t drunk yours before, and we’re not even sharing the same spot on the can." Qin Lan put on a nonchalant look; when she and Chen Xin were dating, they’d been more intimate, so to her, this wasn’t anything to fuss over.

Her casual demeanor, however, seemed to the young special ops officer nearby like she was bantering with Chen Xin, making him feel awkward, like a third wheel.

Chen Xin glanced at the young officer, feeling a bit bad about leaving him out, so he handed his controller over. "Want to play a round?"

"No, no, watching you guys is fine." The young special ops officer quickly declined, though he loved playing games and was itching to play, he wisely turned down the offer.

For the young officer, if it weren’t for waiting to leave with Qin Lan, there was nowhere else to go in Chen Xin’s refuge. He truly wished he could escape somewhere else to avoid being in their way.

However, Qin Lan seemed to notice his embarrassment and said to him, "Xiao Wang, you can head back first. I have some things to discuss with Xin."

"Huh? You’re not going back, Lan? Then how are you getting back?" The young officer seemed a bit confused upon hearing Qin Lan wasn’t leaving.

"I’m staying at Xin’s for a couple of days because I’m off duty for the next two days." Qin Lan seemed to have planned this well, instructing the officer, "Besides, I need to discuss the ground source heat pump equipment for the team with Xin and supervise him in making it."

"Well..." The young officer wanted to say something but encountered Qin Lan’s warning gaze, leading him to answer firmly, "Alright, Lan, I understand."

Saying that, the young officer quickly stood up. "I’ll be off, Lan, enjoy your time here."

Watching the young officer prepare to leave, Chen Xin gave Qin Lan a meaningful look and said to her, "Alright, Lan, you see him out and remember to close the door."

"I know, I’ll be right back." Qin Lan nodded, standing up to see the young officer out.

As Qin Lan and the officer left, Chen Xin couldn’t help but stroke his chin, feeling something was off.

Though Qin Lan was his ex-girlfriend, even when they were dating, she had never actively stayed over at his place.

Suddenly exhibiting this behavior now, Chen Xin didn’t believe she was staying just to play games for two days.

However, Chen Xin didn’t want to delve into why Qin Lan stayed. Today, he felt particularly downcast and didn’t want to trouble himself with thinking things over; on the other hand, he trusted Qin Lan enough to believe she wouldn’t do anything against him.

Continuing to play the game alone, Chen Xin casually picked up the soda Qin Lan had just sipped from and glanced at the rim, smiled slightly, then drank from it directly.

Just like Qin Lan mentioned, she used to drink his soda too; back then, she would leave a lipstick mark on the can.

Qin Lan soon returned to the living room after seeing the young officer off and sat down beside Chen Xin, who was still gaming, picking up the controller again.

"Why did you stay?" As Chen Xin played the game, he raised the question.

Not wanting to think things through didn’t mean Chen Xin wouldn’t find out the cause.

"Xin, is your mood not good lately?" Qin Lan didn’t answer Chen Xin’s question; instead, she posed a new one. "You used to be like this when you felt bad or stressed—just soda, chips, and gaming all day, right?"

Qin Lan’s words made Chen Xin feel a bit embarrassed, also rather surprised; he hadn’t realized how predictable his behavior was or how observant Qin Lan was about his situation.

"Did I make it that obvious?" Though he chose to be downcast today, being directly pointed out made Chen Xin somewhat uncomfortable.

"You were once my boyfriend; I should at least notice when you’re unhappy." Qin Lan looked at Chen Xin with slight annoyance but also worried whether her words seemed too intimate.

Chen Xin didn’t mind Qin Lan’s remark, only sighed helplessly and said, "Last night I dreamed about past events, so I’m not in a good mood today."

Upon hearing Chen Xin, Qin Lan glanced at the paper stuck on Chen Xin’s wall, having some inkling about why he felt down. "Xin, are you missing your parents?"

"How could I not miss them?" Chen Xin’s face showed a bittersweet smile.