Chapter 13
During her university days in Beijing, because she and Tan Yucheng attended different schools, she was busy identifying new classmates, participating in clubs, and gaining favor as a teaching assistant. Ji Ting also helped the teacher with many things. In the midst of the busy and fulfilling university life, her time together with Tan Yucheng became scarce, unlike their high school days.
He was always on her mind.
Therefore, she only remembered clearly those times during university when they were together and occasionally when he brought things for her as per her mother’s instructions. Because she remembered her high school days so clearly, even now, she felt as if it were just yesterday, believing they would eventually reunite and relive those days that were once ridiculed.
Who would have known.
Now, Shu Xiao is in a relationship with another man.
Ji Ting hesitated.
She clicked on that black profile picture, stared at the chat box, wondering what to say.
In the end, after a long time, she didn’t type a single word.
Ji Ting paused.
I hope he’s doing well.
At this time, Yu Xi sent a message to Ji Ting: [Tingting, let’s have dinner together tomorrow night. Bring along your boyfriend Lu Hai; I haven’t met him yet, I want to see him.]
Ji Ting hesitated: [Let me ask him if he’s free.]
Yu Xi replied: [He definitely should be free. As your best friend, I have to meet him!]
Ji Ting smiled: [But our relationship isn’t that close yet.]
Yu Xi insisted: [What’s the big deal? Let’s meet and have dinner, I’ll check him out for you.]
Ji Ting agreed: [I’ll ask him.]
Yu Xi said: [Sounds good.]
Ji Ting messaged Lu Hai, asking if he was free tomorrow night. Lu Hai promptly replied: [I’m free.]
Ji Ting confirmed: [Let’s have dinner together.]
Lu Hai responded: [Sure.]
Ji Ting smiled and added: [There might be friends joining us, is that okay?]
Lu Hai quickly replied: [No problem. Have you booked the restaurant?]
Ji Ting replied: [Yes, it’s booked.]
Lu Hai sounded a bit disappointed: [Alright then, I’ll pick you up.]
The batch of coffee beans that arrived had no major issues, but some of them were damp due to the humid southern weather. Fortunately, it was just a small amount, not too much.
After taking them out and re-roasting, the aroma during grinding was delightful, but the taste when brewed was somewhat affected.
Ji Ting decided to keep this batch for herself to drink and try a different approach with the rest, ensuring she could still enjoy the fragrance.
Wednesday afternoon.
Yu Xi sent a restaurant address. Ji Ting tidied up in the lounge after spending the whole afternoon making coffee. Her face bore slight marks from wearing a mask, so she used concealer to cover them up a bit, adjusted her collar, and loosened up a little, feeling relieved.
Once she finished tidying up and went out with her bag, she saw Lu Hai had already arrived, sitting by the window with a smile on his face.
Xiao Wan blinked gossiping at the counter.
Ji Ting sighed helplessly, walked towards the counter, picked up the packed coffee, then went to Lu Hai. Lu Hai stood up, took the car keys, and asked, “Is this for me?”
Ji Ting smiled, “Yes, give it a try. The coffee beans just arrived.”
“Alright.” Lu Hai took it, opened the lid, took a sip, and walked out with Ji Ting. The car was parked in a temporary spot across the street. As they got in, Lu Hai said, “It smells great. What blend is this?”
“It’s Gui Xia.”
“It has a jasmine-like fragrance.”
“Yes, it’s a hybrid variety, with notes of bergamot and peach.”
“No wonder, I thought I detected more than one aroma.” Lu Hai placed the coffee cup on the center console and said, “It’s really delicious.”
Ji Ting smiled, “As long as you like it.”
Lu Hai saw her smile and his heart raced. He started the car, feeling a mix of nervousness and anticipation about meeting her friends next.
The restaurant Yu Xi booked was a Thai cuisine place with a distinctive tropical rainforest style in its decor. The seating was elevated with steps, higher than the floor level, each seat arranged on a platform.
When Ji Ting and Lu Hai arrived, Yu Xi and Zhu Zhan were already there, waving to them from above.
Ji Ting walked up the steps and took her seat, with Lu Hai sitting beside her.
Yu Xi winked mischievously at Ji Ting.
Ji Ting introduced, “Lu Hai, this is my best friend Yu Xi, she…”
Yu Xi smiled brightly, shook hands with Zhu Zhan, and Ji Ting continued, “Her boyfriend, Zhu Zhan.”
Zhu Zhan adjusted his glasses and seemed a bit shy as he nodded towards Lu Hai.
Lu Hai turned to them and said, “Hello.”
“Hi there,” Yu Xi grinned, glancing at Ji Ting with a look that seemed to say, ——He seems alright, looks honest enough.
Ji Ting smiled back without responding to her gaze.
Zhu Zhan brought over the menu and prompted Ji Ting and Lu Hai to order. Lu Hai deferred to Ji Ting to choose, and after she selected a few items, she checked with Lu Hai if it was okay. Lu Hai nodded and said it was fine, “You order, you decide.”
Ji Ting didn’t ask him further.
They handed in their menus.
Yu Xi then asked Lu Hai what he does for a living.
Lu Hai told her he works in interior design, and Yu Xi asked if he owns property in Li City.
Ji Ting kicked Yu Xi under the table.
Lu Hai immediately replied, “Yes, I do.”
Yu Xi was about to ask further, but Ji Ting kicked her again, so Yu Xi had to drop the question. She smiled and said to Lu Hai, “I work in hotels. If you ever need anything, feel free to reach out. I can offer discounts on room bookings.”
Lu Hai smiled and responded, “Sure, I’ll definitely look for you if I need anything.”
Yu Xi nodded in acknowledgment.
Ji Ting’s phone vibrated, and she picked it up to check a message from Yu Xi.
Yu Xi: [Overall he seems okay, but I feel like he’s not quite as good as the guys who pursued you.]
Ji Ting typed her reply: [Which guys who pursued me do you think are better?]
Yu Xi paused for a moment.
She thought about it.
Actually, there weren’t any who were good enough to consider marrying. The main issue was that Ji Ting’s social circle was relatively small. She wasn’t proactive in meeting new people and her life was quite routine—between the shop and home. Most of the customers in the shop were from the Zuoyue office building, and their true colors were unknown—many appeared polished on the surface, but who they really were remained a mystery.
Otherwise, Aunt Qiu Dan wouldn’t have needed to arrange blind dates for Ji Ting.
For example, she was no different. Despite knowing many people at the hotel, after searching and waiting, there wasn’t anyone she truly felt was suitable.
That’s why she returned to Nan’an and let her parents arrange things.
Perhaps it was because Nan’an gave her peace of mind; marrying back to Nan’an felt like a destined homecoming.
As the food was served.
Lu Hai handed Ji Ting a piece of durian pancake, while Yu Xi moved the salad towards Ji Ting. Glancing at Lu Hai, she smiled and said, “She likes salads.”
Lu Hai paused briefly upon hearing this, then said to Yu Xi, “Thank you, noted.”
Ji Ting sighed helplessly and gave Yu Xi a look.
Yu Xi just smiled back.
She then sent Ji Ting another message.
Yu Xi: [You like salads, and Lu Hai, this prospective boyfriend, can’t be clueless about it. His observational skills are really average.]
Ji Ting: [Just eat your food.]
Yu Xi: [Alright then.]
Zhu Zhan observed and followed Yu Xi’s instructions during the meal, fetching whatever she indicated. He did so tirelessly. Lu Hai couldn’t emulate Zhu Zhan because Ji Ting remained quiet, eating peacefully. Occasionally, she would smile and listen to Yu Xi talk. Yu Xi even urged Zhu Zhan to speak up, calling Lu Hai a tough nut to crack, leaving Lu Hai unsure how to proceed.
Ji Ting’s personality was also different from Yu Xi’s.
She took a shrimp chip and bit into it.
Yu Xi called out to Zhu Zhan, “Tissue, tissue!”
Zhu Zhan immediately reached out to hand it to her.
Seeing this, Lu Hai leaned closer to Ji Ting and chuckled, “Your best friend has quite a fiery personality.”
Caught off guard by his sudden proximity and the scent of cologne on him, Ji Ting hesitated momentarily. Subconsciously, she moved slightly to the side to avoid the warmth he brought with him.
Casually retracting her arm that was resting on the table, she created a bit more distance and smiled, “It’s alright, she’s not usually like this.”
Lu Hai rested his arm on the armrest, looking at her with a puzzled expression.
Ji Ting whispered softly, “It’s like back in school, when boys tease a girl they like—it’s deliberate.”
“Deliberate?”
“Yeah.”
As she spoke, a memory flashed in her mind: the boy with sharply defined fingertips casually twirling Shu Xiao’s hair at the end, playfully pulling it, which made Shu Xiao turn and glare at him.
Ji Ting’s thoughts drifted a bit.
Lu Hai nodded understandingly, “I see now.”
Ji Ting snapped back to reality and smiled.
She saw Yu Xi leaning close to Zhu Zhan, whispering something with her hand covering her mouth. They were very close, and the lenses of Zhu Zhan’s glasses reflected light, but his eyes were focused on Yu Xi. Suddenly, she realized that when Lu Hai approached her, she had instinctively created distance, and she subtly felt repelled by the not unpleasant scent on Lu Hai. Could there be more intimate interactions in the future?
Could there be?
After dinner, the four of them took a stroll in the seaside park near the restaurant. From there, they could see the Zuoyue and Zuoyue towers, both brightly lit up.
Yu Xi held Ji Ting’s arm and mentioned that Zhu Zhan would be returning to Nan’an tomorrow, so she had invited them out for dinner.
Ji Ting glanced at Yu Xi, “Are you really prepared for a long-distance relationship?”
Yu Xi shrugged, “Well, someone has to make a sacrifice. It’s just a matter of whether it’s him or me.”
“Most likely him. I still want to stay here.”
Ji Ting murmured in agreement. She knew if Zhu Zhan wasn’t willing to sacrifice, this relationship might be short-lived. Yu Xi brushed aside her tousled hair and said, “Actually, both you and Lu Hai could make it work in Li City. That would be ideal.”
“But you’re different from me. Your parents are in Li City. Even if it’s not Lu Hai, you would choose another man in Li City.”
Ji Ting smiled faintly.
Her mind was already filled with uncertainty.
Tonight, the small details had a significant impact on her. Sometimes she felt she could compromise, as long as it was suitable, relationships could develop. But if even intimate contact wasn’t achievable, what else could there be?
Ji Ting looked at the night sky in the distance, devoid of any stars, and said, “Let’s just go with the flow.”
Yu Xi murmured in agreement.
She strongly agreed with those words.
Back at the apartment, it was already past eleven in the evening. Ji Ting tidied up a bit, took a shower, and then lay down to rest. The next morning, Ji Ting had just woken up when she received a call from Long Kong.
Long Kong rarely called her; most of the time, they communicated via messages. Ji Ting answered with a sleepy voice, and Long Kong’s voice came through, “Just woke up?”
Ji Ting sat up, tying her hair back. “Yeah.”
“Hey, didn’t mean to wake you. I called around your shop’s opening time.” There was wind noise on Long Kong’s end, as if he were walking. He continued, “Listen, do you have time today to go see Brother Cheng?”
Ji Ting paused in tying her hair. “What’s going on?”
Long Kong got into a taxi; once the door closed, the wind noise ceased. He said, “He hasn’t been responding much to my messages these past couple of days. I’m not overly concerned, but some things are just too coincidental, you know? Shu Xiao is dating now, right? Although I think, after all this time, Brother Cheng may not necessarily still have feelings, but I’m still worried about him.”