After returning home, not long after Naruse and Naoko had dinner, Hikaru Takigawa came to the door.
"Come on, today is the last study session."
"Hmm."
Call Shanghai Xing again, and the four of them go to Morimi’s house together.
When he could already see the Morimi family's house, Takigawa Hikaru suddenly let out a sigh.
"What's wrong?" Naruse turned around and asked.
"Didn't I say last night that we had finished eating everything in the refrigerator? Before today, we should go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients?"
"..."
Naruse was stunned for a moment, a little helpless, "Is it a study meeting or a late night snack?"
"What are you talking about? Chunhai eats a lot."
"It's a long way to go back." Shangzi looked back, "Why don't we go home early today."
Hikaru Takigawa and Haixing, who were the most enthusiastic about eating late-night snacks, showed disappointed expressions at the same time.
The two looked at each other, and Hikaru Takigawa said: "Why don't Haixing and I go back to buy it, and you can start first."
"...Who do you think the study meeting is for?"
Naruse looked at her and Haixing, "It's been more than half an hour, back and forth."
"...Okay."
Takigawa Hikaru looked back at the way she came. She had just eaten dinner before going out, and her appetite was not that strong. She hesitated again and again, and finally gave up the idea of going back.
"If I could come here on a motorcycle..."
When she arrived at Morimi's house, she came out to open the door and saw the two people looking disappointed. She raised her eyebrows: "What's wrong?"
"It's okay."
Naruse walked in, took out his slippers skillfully, sat down and changed them.
"The study intensity is not strong enough and I am free. It would be nice to do more questions in the evening."
"No!" the two screamed.
When Morimi understood the reason for their disappointment, he just smiled.
The last study session before the annual exam started as usual.
After hard work in recent days, Haixing and Hikaru Takigawa, whose condition has improved, have basically escaped from the failing stage.
Morimi focused on the distracted Haixing, while Naruse was multitasking, tutoring the two and taking care of Naoko at the same time.
"Chunhai, this question..."
Shangzi pushed the notebook over and was about to speak when he yawned first.
She seems a little sleepy.
By nine o'clock at night, her yawns had become more frequent.
"Are Naoko already sleepy?" Morimi asked.
She shook her head, "It's okay..."
"Then let's stop here today." Takigawa Hikaru said, spreading his hands, "There's no midnight snack anyway."
A few people laughed and then got ready to leave.
"You have an exam tomorrow, remember to go to bed early tonight." Morimi warned Haixing again when sending a few people out.
"I know..."
She looked at her again and said no more.
"Good night."
"Yeah, good night."
We said goodbye and went home together.
When they arrived at the Maki Hotel, Naruse held up the rolling shutter door for Haixing. She got in and looked back at him, but hesitated to speak.
Naruse held the door, his eyes briefly lingered on her face, and then looked inside.
"Go to rest early. Stay in good condition and don't let your efforts during this period go to waste."
"Okay..."
"Good night."
After pulling down the rolling shutter door and walking a little further, they separated from Hikari Takigawa at the intersection. Naruse and Naoko returned home.
"I'm going to take a shower first." Shangzi said.
"Hmm."
When she came out steaming after washing, Naruse followed her in, washed her body, and took a bath.
Relaxing physically and mentally, he closed his eyes and leaned against the bathtub, his consciousness gradually sinking.
The exam is tomorrow...
In the silence, he vaguely heard Shangzi walking around.
After soaking for another ten minutes, Naruse climbed out of the bathtub.
Shangzi was neither in the living room nor in the room. He wiped his hair and came to the kitchen.
She is busy.
"What are you doing, a midnight snack?"
"Chunhai..."
Shangzi turned around and smiled at him.
He also saw what was in front of her.
"...Is it necessary to go to such trouble?"
"Yes."
Naruse walked over and looked at another small pot in the cooking pot. The chocolate chips inside were slowly melting.
Shangzi plans to make homemade Valentine’s Day chocolates.
"Is it heated over water?"
"Well. If the temperature is too high, the cocoa butter inside will separate, which will cause the chocolate to clump and taste worse."
Naruse glanced at the other props placed aside, "So you still need a thermometer?"
"Yes."
"It's really troublesome."
Shangzi smiled, looked at the melting chocolate in the small pot, and whispered:
“Because it’s natal chocolate.”
Naruse looked at the same place as her.
"Hmm."
The corners of her mouth curved.
The blue flame licks the bottom of the pot, the hot water continues to heat up, and the chocolate gradually melts.
After testing the temperature with a thermometer, Shangzi turned down the heat and started stirring.
The chocolate continues to melt.
Naruse looked at it, suddenly reached out and dipped a little, put it in his mouth and tasted it.
"..."
Shangzi looked at him.
“The taste is okay.”
"That's good."
"Let me help you."
"No need this time..."
"Okay."
Naruse continued to wipe his hair and watched from the side.
Shangzi kept stirring in one direction, and all the chocolate chips in the small pot quickly melted.
While stirring, she used a thermometer to test the temperature of the chocolate. When it reached more than 50 degrees, she quickly took out the small pot and placed it on the counter to continue stirring.
Naruse dried his hair, put down a towel and came back, she was still stirring.
Looking at the piping bag and heart-shaped mold placed aside, he asked: "When did you buy it?"
"A few days ago."
"Chocolate too."
"Hmm."
After leaving the water bath environment, the temperature of the chocolate in the small pot dropped quickly.
When it reached more than 20 degrees, the chocolate was almost solidified again. Shangzi put the small pot back into the cooking pot. When the temperature of the chocolate rose slightly, he poured it into a piping bag.
Cut a small opening at the bottom, Naoko pours the melted chocolate into the heart-shaped mold, and taps it gently to remove air bubbles.
There are nine holes in the mold, all of them are filled, and the chocolate in the bag is almost squeezed out.
Seeing that Naoko finally breathed a sigh of relief, Naruse said: "Do you want to put it in the refrigerator?"
She smiled and said, "With the current temperature, it would be better to leave it outside to cool down faster."
Putting the mold aside carefully, she packed it up, then pulled him out of the kitchen and returned to the living room to sit down.
"It will take about half an hour to an hour to completely solidify."
"That's still early."
Shangzi looked at him.
"We were at Morimi's house just now. Wasn't Naoko very sleepy?" Naruse said.
"I feel less sleepy after taking a bath..."
"Really?"
"...I'm not sleepy now anyway."
"Then go to bed later today."
"Okay."
The two of them were sitting on the sofa, watching TV, and waiting for Valentine's Day to arrive.
At a certain moment, she leaned on his shoulder.
"If you can't get up tomorrow morning, Chunhai remember to call me."
"Yeah. I'll set more alarm clocks."
"I heard that eating chocolate before an exam can relieve nervousness and promote blood supply to the brain." Shangzi said.
Naruse briefly imagined what might happen tomorrow morning.
"There should be a lot of chocolate to eat tomorrow."
"...Eating too much is not good either."
"Then eat less, one piece is enough."
She nodded and smiled again.
"Hmm."
The night is still very long, and the invisible dividing line is gradually approaching.
When it was almost midnight, Shangzi left his shoulder, got up and walked to the kitchen.
Naruse yawned and took out his phone to check the time.
23:58
23:59
00:00
The time returns to zero and the date jumps.
February 14th, Valentine’s Day is here.
That is, the death anniversary of the Christian saint Valentine has arrived...
Shaking away the useless knowledge that suddenly appeared in his mind, he raised his gaze. Shangzi came out of the kitchen with her hands behind her back and stopped in front of him.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Chunhai."
She took out the gift box from behind and said, "These are the chocolates I made for Chunhai, please accept them."
"Thank you."
The freshly made chocolates have been packaged in exquisite gift boxes.
"Did Shangzi make this box himself?"
"Hmm."
"I accepted it."
Taking the gift box, Naruse opened it carefully, and under Naoko's gaze, picked up a heart-shaped chocolate and put it into his mouth.
The sweet and greasy consistency melts on the tip of the tongue and spreads between the lips and teeth, with a slight bitterness.