Chapter 5
Ji Ting paused, “Nothing much.”
Tan Yucheng acknowledged with a sound.
He finished his water and leaned back in his chair.
Ji Ting glanced at the time at the bottom of the computer screen. It was still early, not even eleven yet. She sat back on the carpet, and saved the interrupted data The system used in the shop was developed continuously. As long as the correct quantity was inputted, the system would naturally generate the data, making it clear and convenient. The room fell quiet again.
Ji Ting was about to ask if he wanted a midnight snack.
But before she could, he spoke first, “Are you done being busy?”
Ji Ting turned to look at him.
Tan Yucheng waved his phone, “Come over and play a few rounds with me.”
Ji Ting acknowledged with a sound, and picked up the phone from the table. She moved closer, then opened up “Punk Thug” and teamed up with Tan Yucheng. A few years ago, when Punk Thug was first produced, Ji Ting was pulled by Tan Yucheng to participate in the internal testing to help Xu Xu. Xu Xu was Tan Yucheng’s college classmate, and she had met them a few times when she was in college in Beijing.
This game was very stress-relieving. Whenever they had time, she and Tan Yucheng would play together, also counting as gaming buddies.
He was fast, his slender fingers sliding smoothly, the pages were clear, neon lights flashing, it was raining, and the water on the ground was splashed as they passed by, giving a surreal feeling.
Ji Ting leaned against the sofa, bowing her head and focusing on keeping up with his pace.
Tan Yucheng’s elbows rested on his thighs, his long legs spread apart, as he leaned forward and played, he saw Ji Ting’s appearance, the black shirt collar was slightly open while she was playing. Under this soft orange light, the two of them were sitting quite close. When Ji Ting played the game, she was also very focused and agile, never needing anyone to lead her.
“Did you change your perfume?” Tan Yucheng asked without lifting his head.
Ji Ting’s character jumped up around when she heard his response. Remembering she had just showered and randomly applied perfume, she said, “It’s not really a change, just trying it out. Is it unpleasant?”
“Not at all,” he replied. Actually, it smelled really good. Ji Ting rarely used such alluring perfume.
Engrossed in the game, she continued, “It was a gift from someone, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow, probably guessing who had sent it.
But he didn’t ask further.
Ji Ting’s character boarded a hovercraft, and pulled Tan Yucheng’s character up, but then a tentacle caught Tan Yucheng’s character. Ji Ting immediately deployed a bomb.
In the end, both characters died.
Ji Ting relaxed her shoulders, still staring at the screen. “We keep dying here. We need to figure out how to deal with that monster before it gets to us.”
“I’ll think about it,” Tan Yucheng replied.
He rubbed his neck and looked up, catching sight of Ji Ting’s current appearance. Her shoulder slipped again as she played the game, the shark clip on her head swaying, strands of hair falling, and a warm light falling on her brows and eyes.
After watching for a few seconds, Tan Yucheng looked away, turned to the side, and took a sip from the water glass on the sofa table, feeling a bit dry.
They played a few more rounds. Tan Yucheng instructed Ji Ting to plant the bomb on the hovercraft. When the monster approached, they both jumped off the hovercraft, detonating the bomb in the process.
The bomb killed the monster but also destroyed their transportation.
Luckily, they could loot, so they grabbed someone else’s hovercraft, completed the mission, and moved on to the next stage.
When they put away their phones, it was already midnight.
Tan Yucheng checked his WeChat messages, and saw that there were a lot of messages. Meng Jia alone had sent a hundreds messages.
He leaned back on the sofa, motionless.
Ji Ting glanced at him. She had quite a few messages herself. She asked, “Want to grab some supper before you leave?”
Tan Yucheng was feeling the effects of alcohol. He raised his gaze. “No, I’ll head back.”
Ji Ting looked at him. At that moment, his shirt collar were undone, and his legs were spread apart. He looked like he might or might not sleep, might or might not drunk, exuding a somewhat nonchalant attitude.
No wonder Meng Jia couldn’t forget him after all these years. Ji Ting looked away and said, “Then you should head back soon and get some rest.”
“Mmm,” Tan Yucheng replied.
He got up, grabbed his coat from the armrest, and walked out.
Ji Ting followed to see him off. “Remember to call a designated driver.”
“I know,” he replied, still looking at his phone as he called for a ride, not bothering to lift his head. “Make sure you lock the door.”
Ji Ting acknowledged and closed the door after him. She stood by the door for a few seconds after locking it, then shuffled back in her slippers. She closed her laptop, yawning, and went into her room.
After Meng Jia’s failed birthday confession, she hardly posted anything on her Moments for the next few days. Yu Xi started a group chat without Meng Jia, providing a space for everyone to discuss.
They even started betting.
Betting on Meng Jia’s outcome.
Yu Xi was very confident in Meng Jia, betting on her success.
The others bet on her failure, especially the squad leader and his friends. They believed that Tan Yucheng, after these past couple of years of self-improvement, was most likely waiting for Shu Xiao. Even if he wasn’t waiting, they believed they would eventually get back together.
Some people analyzed Tan Yucheng’s personality signature.
[The light boat has passed ten thousand mountains.]
The past is already gone. What’s most important is the future. He is still single until today, isn’t he just waiting for a new future?
Yu Xi persuaded Ji Ting to join the bet.
But Ji Ting didn’t participate. She didn’t want to predetermine the outcome because it had nothing to do with her.
“Sunset” mainly deals with office buildings, but of course, being close to a large shopping mall, there are also many walk-in customers. Ji Ting spent these days renovating the rest area, adding a lot of books. In order to make it easier for mothers with children to visit the store, she purchased a batch of children’s books from the bookstore and just finished setting them up.
Lu Hai messaged her asking if she had eaten.
Ji Ting replied while sitting on the sofa: [We ate already, at eleven.]
Lu Hai: [So early?]
Ji Ting: [Our mealtime is different from yours at work.]
Lu Hai: [Understood.]
While chatting with Lu Hai, Ji Ting casually scrolled through her Moments. After a few posts, she came across Meng Jia’s. She had posted a photo: in the lobby of Superior Times, Tan Yucheng stood with one hand in his pocket, caught by her camera. She made a victory sign towards the camera, wearing sunglasses, suspenders, exuding a sexy, sunny, and bold vibe.
She still managed to capture people’s attention.
It’s impossible for him not to go to work, and it’s impossible not to go to the store. If Meng Jia is patient enough, she’ll catch him.
Yu Xi immediately exclaimed in the group chat: [Did you see that? Did you see that? Meng Jia succeeded!]
Long Kong: [It’s just a photo, and it doesn’t mean they’re together. That doesn’t count as success.]
Feng Yingying: [Exactly, just a photo, what kind of success is that?]
Yu Xi: [This is hope. You’re all going to lose to me.]
Feng Yingying: [Yu Xi, didn’t you say before that Tan Yucheng and Shu Xiao would eventually get back together? How can you bet on Meng Jia’s success now?]
Yu Xi: [But Tan Yucheng is quite fickle. When I said success, it doesn’t necessarily have to be long-lasting. It’s possible to have it timely.]
The others fell silent instantly, as if they understood this reasoning.
Yu Xi immediately shared: [Quick, check Moments.]
Ji Ting casually clicked into Moments. The first post was from Meng Jia. This time, she posted a video. She was holding Tan Yucheng’s arm, filming, then he pushed her away, and she pulled her hand back again.
But that moment of holding on still shocked everyone.
Yu Xi: [See that? Did you see that?]
Feng Yingying: [She’s too flashy; the more flashy, the more guilty.]
Yu Xi: [When a woman pursues a man, there’s a layer of gauze between them.]
Feng Yingying didn’t speak further.
Ji Ting didn’t check the group chat. She watched the video for a moment, paused at the moment he was held by the arm, then closed the video. Lu Hai sent several screenshots of newly released movies for Ji Ting to choose from.
Ji Ting clicked on them.
She actually preferred watching old movies. She would usually wait for the new ones to be available on an app after they were released. Most of the movies she had watched in recent years were with Yu Xi.
After browsing, she selected a decent science fiction film.
Lu Hai replied: [You don’t have to accommodate me. Watch what you want.]
Ji Ting: [I want to watch this one.]
Lu Hai: [Okay, I’ll book the tickets.]
The next day, Lu Hai came to pick up Ji Ting. After getting into the car, Lu Hai handed Ji Ting a bouquet of roses. Ji Ting smiled and accepted them, then gave him a box of cologne in return.
She said, “I don’t know what scent you like, but the fragrances from this brand are quite unique. Give it a try.”
Lu Hai was pleasantly surprised and took it, saying, “Thank you. I like whatever you choose.”
Ji Ting chuckled at his response.
The words seemed a bit ambiguous, so she didn’t know how to respond. Lu Hai placed the cologne aside, started the car, and they headed to the cinema. They decided to watch the movie first before grabbing dinner, just before entering the cinema.
Ji Ting’s phone rang.
She glanced at it; it was a call from Tan Yucheng.
She hesitated for a moment, told Lu Hai, then walked to the side to answer.
Tan Yucheng’s lazy voice came through the speaker, “Where are you?”
“What’s up?”
“At your store.”
“I’m out watching a movie.”
Upon hearing this, Tan Yucheng understood immediately and replied, “Okay, I’ll hang up then.”
Ji Ting murmured an acknowledgment, then hung up the phone. She placed her phone back into her bag and looked over at Lu Hai, who was waiting. She smiled and walked towards him. The two of them entered their seats, sitting in the middle, towards the back, where it was dimly lit.
There was only an armrest between them, so when they sat down, they were quite close.
Lu Hai rested his hand on the armrest, and Ji Ting subconsciously leaned slightly to the other side, not too noticeably. The screen lit up, and the movie officially began.
The thrilling plot kept Ji Ting from thinking about anything else. Occasionally, when she glanced back, she would see Lu Hai looking at her. Of course, Lu Hai wasn’t always looking; he was also focused on the movie at times.
The dim lighting occasionally made Ji Ting zone out in the darkness.
Her phone vibrated.
Yu Xi sent her a WeChat message.
Yu Xi: [The guy I went on a blind date with before, he came to see me today, the one from my hometown. He seems pretty nice.]
Ji Ting lowered her head to inquire: [Which one?]
Yu Xi: [The one with glasses.]
Ji Ting remembered. Among the few who didn’t pass the test, there were two left. Yu Xi said she needed to observe, and the one with glasses was the one she thought was okay. Being able to come to Li City in such a short time showed he was quite interested.
Ji Ting: [That’s good.]
Yu Xi: [I think so too. What about you? How’s Lu Hai?]
Ji Ting: [He’s okay, watching a movie. We’ll talk later.]
Yu Xi: [Go for it, go for it.]
Ji Ting put down her phone, and Lu Hai pushed the popcorn over. Ji Ting smiled at him, reached out to take some, and then she watched the movie screen. Explosive sounds filled her ears, making her slightly distracted, but the movie ended like that.
They then went to have dinner.
When they returned to “Sunset,” it was already past eight. After Lu Hai’s car drove away, Ji Ting walked into the store holding the flowers. Xiao Wan was wiping the counter. When she looked up, she exclaimed, “Wow, roses!”
Ji Ting handed her the flowers and said, “Open them and put them in a vase.”
“Oh, okay.” Xiao Wan took them and turned to unwrap them. Then she said, “By the way, a handsome guy came this afternoon. They were here to discuss business, and he also brought some food for you.”
Ji Ting knew it was Tan Yucheng. She turned behind the counter and asked, “What kind of food?”
Xiao Wan finished arranging the flowers, opened a cabinet, and inside was a whole box of cream puffs, with various flavors. It was also a signature item from the coffee shop in Superior Times building. Ji Ting had ordered takeout from there before and found it delicious.
Tan Yucheng would occasionally bring them.
Ji Ting took one out, and ate one first, and then handed the rest to Xiao Wan and the others.
Taking a bite, Xiao Wan said, “Brother Tan Yucheng is really handsome. When he met with the client this afternoon, his manner of chatting was amazing. Our business this afternoon was much better than usual.”
Ji Ting glanced at Xiao Wan and said, “Don’t say it’s all thanks to him.”
Another staff member, Xiao Zhou, poked his head out and said, “But it really is thanks to him.”
Ji Ting rolled her eyes and said, “You two can’t stop talking even when you’re eating.”
“Hehe.”