Chapter 4
The others immediately started cheering.
Meng Jia smiled broadly.
Tan Yucheng didn’t even flinch. He was pulled over by the squad leader Long Kong and sat down. Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng were separated by a large table, with quite a few people in between. Yu Xi leaned close to Ji Ting and whispered, “What’s her intention?”
Ji Ting sipped her drink, watching the cunning smile on Meng Jia’s lips.
Before Yu Xi saw Meng Jia’s latest Moments post, which was quite long, the final message was that after waiting for so long, she was going to make a move. Ji Ting leaned back in her chair, the colorful lights in front of her making her feel a bit confused. The taste of the red wine was quite good.
Yu Xi nudged her glass, “Have you had a bit too much drink? Is it really that good?”
“You should try it, it’s quite rich.” Ji Ting snapped out of her thoughts and pushed Yu Xi’s glass lightly.
Yu Xi took a sip, pretending to be serious, “It does seem quite good. Let me try another sip.”
Ji Ting chuckled, her eyes and brows lifting.
The rest of the people started singing. Meng Jia was a karaoke enthusiast, and hardly anyone dared to challenge her singing. After the waiters brought in her cake, she put down the microphone and made a wish amid everyone’s singing.
When she opened her eyes, they sparkled. A song titled “Just Love You” was playing in the background.
She held the microphone and slowly walked up to Tan Yucheng.
Raising the microphone.
“Just love you, loving you.”
“With sorrows, joys, and meanings.”
“Even the ordinary now has meaning.”
“Just love you, loving you.”
The meaning of these lyrics was very clear, and the whole room fell silent instantly. Ji Ting’s hand holding the glass paused, feeling the spiciness of the drink as it went down her throat. Subconsciously, she leaned forward, looking towards Tan Yucheng, watching his expression.
Tan Yucheng stopped chatting with squad leader Long Kong, but remained silent. He sat leaning against the sofa, legs spread wide apart, holding his glass.
The song continued.
However, Meng Jia didn’t continue singing. She looked at the man in front of her. The next moment, she directly dropped to her knees between Tan Yucheng’s legs, holding the microphone tightly and looking down at him. “I like you.”
“I want to be with you, Tan Yucheng.”
The whole room erupted in astonishment.
Tan Yucheng’s posture remained unchanged, just leaning there. He even held the glass so steadily that not a drop of liquid spilled. Meng Jia moved her knees forward slightly, and the whole room collectively gasped.
This scene was extremely shocking, waiting to see if Tan Yucheng would respond.
Some people started cheering.
“Agree to her, agree to her.”
Meng Jia raised her eyebrows, her long, and fair legs stunningly beautiful as she stared at Tan Yucheng like a hunter. Tan Yucheng remained unmoved, still emanating that powerful aura. He toyed with his glass.
Ji Ting’s friends beside her all stood up, their figures bustling. Someone pulled her, and Yu Xi helped her up. As she stood up, gaining a better view, she witnessed this scene.
The lights, the flowing drinks, a silent undercurrent.
Ji Ting tightened her grip on her glass.
For a while, many people felt tense.
Tan Yucheng spoke up, “I don’t agree.”
He glanced lightly at those fair, long legs. “You can get down.”
Meng Jia’s expression changed, and she gritted her teeth.
The whole room fell silent instantly and the discussions and cheers also quieted down.
Meng Jia lost face for a moment. Her little sister pulled her, and she struggled for a few seconds before reluctantly lowering her leg. She said, “I won’t give up.” After saying that, she angrily put her leg down, maneuvered through the crowd, took the knife handed to her by her sister, and went to cut the cake.
Ji Ting was pulled by Yu Xi for a moment, feeling a sigh. She walked towards the sofa. Tan Yucheng adjusted his collar and casually swept his gaze over this way. His eyes met Ji Ting’s in the crowd. Ji Ting was caught by his gaze, her heart skipping a beat. Amidst the colorful lights in the room, she steadied herself, blinked, and then was pulled onto the sofa by Yu Xi. She gradually came to her senses, and clicked her tongue a few times.
“So Meng Jia likes Tan Yucheng.”
“No wonder tonight…”
“Tsk tsk, she’s quite bold. She really dares, just as expected of a rich girl.”
Ji Ting watched as Meng Jia cut the cake over there. Under her beautiful eyelashes, she seemed to be saying something, but she handed the largest slice to Tan Yucheng and even placed her princess figurine on top, and had someone deliver it to Tan Yucheng.
Back when they were in school, Meng Jia was in another class, but she often came to find Tan Yucheng. Later, when Tan Yucheng got together with Shu Xiao, Meng Jia came to find him less often. And even when she did, she would stare at Shu Xiao while hugging herself.
She only showed signs of interest today.
Perhaps because she felt that Shu Xiao wouldn’t come back.
She didn’t want to wait anymore.
Her phone rang at this moment.
Ji Ting picked it up and looked at it.
Tan: [When are you leaving?]
Ji Ting was stunned.
She looked over there.
Tan Yucheng was holding his phone, talking to the squad leader, unaffected by what just happened.
Ji Ting withdrew her gaze, replied with her head down, [Do you want to leave?]
Tan: [With you.]
Ji Ting’s heart skipped a beat.
She replied okay.
After eating the cake and drinking with Yu Xi for a bit, Ji Ting left the car for Yu Xi, and made an excuse to return to the leave first. Yu Xi, who had just started to enjoy herself, took her car keys without any suspicion, and waved goodbye. Letting her go.
She went downstairs, the wind quite strong. After a while, Tan Yucheng came down too, grabbing his suit jacket and walking to her side. “Let’s stay at your place for a while.”
Ji Ting knew immediately that he was avoiding Meng Jia.
She nodded, looking at him. “Did you call a chauffeur?”
“I did.”
He lowered his head to light a cigarette, the smoke curling around him. His tie was gone. Ji Ting glanced at him. “Is your company dressing this formally today?”
Tan Yucheng glanced at her. “Meeting a client.”
“Oh.”
Ji Ting responded.
The chauffeur arrived, and the two of them walked towards the black sedan. Ji Ting sat in the back seat, and Tan Yucheng took the front passenger seat. The chauffeur started the car and drove towards Zhuoyue.
They entered the door.
Ji Ting told him to make himself at home.
Tan Yucheng had been here before. He had been here a few times. He casually draped his suit jacket over the sofa arm and sat down. Ji Ting opened the fridge. “What would you like to drink?”
“Warm water.”
Ji Ting closed the fridge and came out, pouring a glass of warm water for him and placing it on the coffee table.
She untied her hair, looking at him. “I’ll take a shower, you can sit for a bit.”
The smell of smoke and alcohol in the box made her uncomfortable. Tan Yucheng glanced at her, and nodded. Ji Ting went to her room to get her pajamas, then headed to the bathroom. After a while, she came out with her hair dry. She was wearing a loose top and pants. Tan Yucheng had drunk quite a bit just now, and was feeling the effects. He leaned against her sofa, raising his hand to shield his eyes.
Seeing this, Ji Ting grabbed the remote and adjusted the lamp to a warmer color. Then she walked over to the carpet and sat down on it.
She had to check today’s sales figures. There was also no inventory left, so she needed to take stock. She opened her notebook and lightly tapped on the keyboard with her fingertips.
The room was quiet.
“How was the fruit juice from that day?” Tan Yucheng’s slightly intoxicated voice came from behind.
So, he hadn’t slept yet.
Ji Ting’s fingertips paused, and she replied, “It was okay.”
“Just okay?” His voice sounded a bit lazy, casually questioning.
Ji Ting continued typing on the keyboard and replied, “How else should I praise it? Exceptionally good, or it’s out of this world taste?”
Tan Yucheng made a light sound of agreement and fell silent.
Ji Ting didn’t speak again. She looked at the computer screen, her hair tied up with loose strands falling down. There were account books spread out on the table, which she sometimes flipped through. As she did, her neckline slipped down, revealing a fair shoulder. The thin black straps of her camisole rested on her collarbone. The room was very quiet, and her phone, placed to the side, suddenly rang.
The ringtone shattered the silence. Ji Ting picked up the phone and looked at it. It was Meng Jia calling. Her heart skipped a beat with guilt. She was about to find Tan Yucheng when an arm reached out from behind. The distinct joints of a large hand gripped her phone, and his arm was close to her shoulder, extremely close to her collarbone, as if the veins in his arm lightly brushed against her skin.
Ji Ting’s heart thumped violently.
She turned her head and met his gaze.
Tan Yucheng took her phone, glanced at it, then handed it back to her. “Say I’m not here.”
Ji Ting took the phone, and blinked. She wasn’t good at lying, but she could try to make up a story. She answered the call.
It was quite windy on Meng Jia’s end, making a whistling sound.
“Ji Ting, are you still staying at Zhuoyue?”
Ji Ting breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, I’m still here. Why do you want to stay with me tonight?”
“No, I just wanted to ask you if he’s there with you.”
He…
Ji Ting steadied herself. “When you say ‘he,’ do you mean Tan Yucheng?”
Turning on the defensive to offensive.
“Yes, him. You saw it tonight, I confessed to him.”
“I did see. You’re very brave.”
“Heh, I’m downstairs from his place, he’s not here. I went to two of his shops in the market area, and he’s not there either. So, where else could he be?”
Ji Ting thought for a moment and said, “Have you tried his newly opened restaurant, ‘Another Restaurant’? Also, you can try looking for Fu Yan. Aren’t they close? Maybe he’s there.”
She said this earnestly to Meng Jia.
Upon hearing this, Meng Jia got some clues and immediately thanked Ji Ting.
Before hanging up, Meng Jia asked softly, “Ji Ting, did you also have feelings for him?”
Ji Ting’s fingertips suddenly cooled down. She lowered her head, not looking at Tan Yucheng. Luckily, her phone was on speaker mode, so as long as she didn’t put it to his ear, he wouldn’t hear anything.
Ji Ting replied softly, “I don’t remember.”
“Is that so?” Meng Jia pondered for a moment. It made sense.
It had been a long time since their high school days. If Ji Ting still had feelings for him, she wouldn’t still be stuck in the same place today. She had gone to study in Hong Kong during university, missing those few years. But Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng had always been in the same place. If there was something between them, it would have happened long ago.
Besides, Tan Yucheng hardly ever looked at Ji Ting with the eyes of a man.
Meng Jia hung up the phone.
Ji Ting let out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the coffee table.
Tan Yucheng had long known that she was not good at lying. He smiled lightly, leaned back in his chair, and said, “Water.”
Ji Ting turned around and handed him his glass of water. Tan Yucheng reached out to take it, and inadvertently glanced at her. Because of her movement, she was half kneeling, while giving the water.
At this moment, her features looked especially beautiful, and her collarbone was delicate. Tan Yucheng paused, looking at her for several seconds. Ji Ting raised her eyes, and only then did Tan Yucheng reach out to take the water.
He casually asked, “What did Meng Jia ask you in the end?”