Chapter 34
After a long while,
The bed quieted down. Ji Ting hooked her arm around his neck, fingertips trembling slightly, but her mind gradually cleared. Her voice was soft and low, “What time is it?”
Tan Yucheng raised his gaze to check the time.
“Three o’clock,” he replied.
Ji Ting nudged his shoulder. “I need to get up.”
Tan Yucheng lowered his eyes to look at her, kissed the tip of her nose, “Take a shower, I’ll get clothes for you.”
“Okay.”
With a soft acknowledgement from Ji Ting, Tan Yucheng rolled off the bed. His shoulders bore varied marks and many bite marks. He put on his bathrobe and headed out, pushing open the door. The room was dim. Ji Ting quickly got out of bed, hurried into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and swiftly tidied herself up. She wrapped herself in a bathrobe, came out to dress, opting for the uniform she had changed into at sunset.
The cleaned uniform faintly emitted the fragrance of laundry pearls used in his household. Ji Ting tucked her hair behind her ears, opened the door, and stepped outside.
Tan Yucheng was already neatly dressed, standing at the kitchen island pouring water.
Seeing her come out, he poured a glass and handed it to her. Ji Ting took it and drank. Tan Yucheng wore a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, his broad shoulders and long legs stood beside her as she drank.
After finishing the drink, Ji Ting said, “You need to drive me.”
Tan Yucheng nodded. “Alright.”
Then, Ji Ting set down the glass, loosely tied up her hair, and Tan Yucheng picked up her gifts from the sofa, grabbed the car keys, and led her downstairs.
At this hour, many people in the apartment had already left, and there were fewer cars in the garage compared to last night. Ji Ting had sent Zhang Yang a message in the morning, saying she would only arrive at the store in the afternoon.
Zhang Yang replied, agreeing.
So, the whole day passed without anyone looking for her.
She managed to quietly take half a day off.
She glanced sideways at Tan Yucheng, who was driving. The SUV started up and left the ground, sunlight hitting them head-on. He glanced at the condition of the car and the spot on his neck where she had left a bite mark.
He hadn’t intended to cover it up either.
Thinking of this, Ji Ting reached into her bag.
Tan Yucheng turned to see her searching and asked, “What are you looking for?”
Ji Ting’s ears grew slightly warm. She rummaged inside but couldn’t find it. She looked up and met his gaze, “I’m looking for concealer.”
She pointed to his neckline. “Right there.”
Tan Yucheng raised an eyebrow and glanced at the mirror.
A very noticeable bite mark was partially covered by his collar. He smirked slightly, looked away, started the car, and lazily said, “It’ll be gone in two days.”
As he said this,
Ji Ting’s face grew even redder.
She leaned back in her seat, looking out at the scenery outside. From last night until today, it seemed like something had happened. Holding hands, going on a date, interacting like a couple. In such a starry night, they had become deeply immersed. Now, looking at the bright light outside, Ji Ting felt a slight sense of returning to reality, just a hint of it.
Shu Xiao was about to return to China and arrive in Li City.
The black SUV pulled up to the entrance of the Sunset store. Before Ji Ting got out of the car, Tan Yucheng was on a call. He moved the phone aside and glanced at her, “We’ll stay in touch on WeChat.”
Ji Ting turned to look at his handsome features, nodded in acknowledgment, and then opened the door.
Just as she was about to place her foot on the ground, she hesitated.
Turning back towards him, Tan Yucheng was still on the phone, looking down at her. Ji Ting had already unbuckled her seatbelt. She leaned over the center console and gave him a quick kiss on his lips.
Tan Yucheng blinked, a faint smile playing on his lips.
With her heart racing faster, Ji Ting turned and got out of the car. Perhaps everyone hopes to shine brightly in the eyes of the one they love, and she was no exception.
On the other end, Chen Fei heard about Tan Yucheng’s recent WeChat exchange and the brief pause on his end. Chen Fei asked teasingly, “Brother Cheng, are you with Sister Ting now?”
Tan Yucheng watched the slender figure entering Sunset, snapped out of his thoughts, started the car, and ignored Chen Fei’s question, saying only, “I’ll be at the company soon.”
Chen Fei replied with an understanding “Oh.”
After last night’s party,
The shop wasn’t very busy at this time. In the book cafe, a few people gathered, drinking coffee, reading books, and having afternoon tea. Some were nodding off, their heads tilted against the bookshelves, a book covering their face.
The shop was quiet, with only Xiao Wan standing there dozing off. When Ji Ting pushed open the door and entered, Xiao Wan, mistaking her for a customer, abruptly woke up.
“Sister Ting, you’re here! Did you sleep well last night?”
Ji Ting smiled and replied, “I slept okay. You look quite sleepy. Where’s Xiao Zhou?”
“Xiao Zhou is off today. We take turns resting. It’s my turn tomorrow. Ah, I couldn’t sleep after I got back last night. I watched some variety shows and didn’t sleep until past three, so I’m really tired.”
Xiao Wan answered truthfully.
Ji Ting is a great boss. She sets rules but doesn’t make people feel constrained. Occasionally, she’s flexible in special circumstances. After resting herself, she handed the gift to Xiao Wan and said, “Take this gift inside for me. I’ll keep watch here. You go take a nap inside for half an hour.”
“Wow, okay! Thanks, Sister Ting,” Xiao Wan replied cheerfully.
Taking the gift, Xiao Wan walked towards the rest area, asking as she walked, “Sister Ting, did you not go back to the apartment last night?”
Ji Ting tied on an apron and paused before answering, “Hmm, I went home.”
“This morning, the beautiful lady came to the store asking for you. I told her you were still resting,” Xiao Wan continued.
The beautiful lady referred to is Meng Jia.
Turning to make herself a cup of coffee, Ji Ting listened and said, “Oh, what about Zhang Yang?”
“He went to the branch store to deliver desserts,” Xiao Wan replied.
Ji Ting nodded.
Xiao Wan then disappeared into the break room. Ji Ting made herself a latte, took a sip, and glanced at her computer. There were fewer orders today due to many people being off work in the office building.
Takeout orders were decent, slightly more than dine-in today.
No new orders were coming in at the moment.
Ji Ting sat down on the nearby sofa, sipping her coffee. She opened her phone and noticed that the photo album page was still open. She tapped on the photo taken last night, facing the French window.
His profile was sharply defined, exuding a strong allure as he kissed her neck.
He had someone unforgettable in his heart.
And there were things he couldn’t let go of.
“He said, ‘The light boat has passed ten thousand mountains’…”
If she hadn’t lost control, she and he wouldn’t have reached this state of being more than friends but less than lovers.
‘Didi’
A WeChat message popped up.
It was Shu Xiao’s profile picture.
Ji Ting hesitated slightly. The screen didn’t show what she had said. She stayed quiet for a few seconds before opening the message.
Shu Xiao: Are you busy, Ji Ting?
Ji Ting paused briefly before replying: Yes, I’m busy.
Shu Xiao: I’m sorry for bothering you last night. I contacted a colleague from Li University. She happened to have an apartment right next to where she lives. She helped me rent it.
Shu Xiao: This way, I won’t trouble you anymore. Thank you.
Ji Ting didn’t say much, but she felt a bit relieved inside. Yet, she also felt that agreeing with Shu Xiao’s approach was necessary. Due to family reasons, she was sensitive and rarely bothered others unless absolutely necessary. This was also why, back in high school, she had better popularity than Meng Jia; girls didn’t like Shu Xiao mainly out of jealousy.
As for the boys, it goes without saying that many liked her. Sometimes, she didn’t need to do anything to attract a lot of attention.
Ji Ting: You don’t need to thank me. I didn’t really help you much. I’ve been busy since the New Year’s, and if you need any help, it might take up more of your time.
Shu Xiao: I’m not worried about that. It just happened that my colleague had one available, so it worked out conveniently for me.
Shu Xiao: Ji Ting, time flies. It’s been a long time since we last met. I hope when I arrive in Li City, I can see you.
Ji Ting: Sure, let’s meet up when you come back.
Shu Xiao: I really admire you. You’ve opened two coffee shops, yet you’re still as independent and excellent as before.
Ji Ting hesitated slightly.
Shu Xiao hasn’t changed much either.
In the yearbook she wrote for Ji Ting, she mentioned Ji Ting’s heroic temperament, perhaps influenced by the impression left after they climbed the wall together that one time. In the days that followed, she would be shy and blush in front of Tan Yucheng, but her words also showed some reliance on Ji Ting and she would listen to Ji Ting’s words. However, Ji Ting only liked to play with Yu Xi and a few others, so over time, she played more with Zhong Yu.
Ji Ting replied: You’re amazing too.
Shu Xiao: [wink]
She sent an emoji over, but Ji Ting didn’t plan to reply anymore. She picked up her coffee and drank it. Over at the book café, a customer left, leaving books and tables in a mess, with cake spilled on the table.
Ji Ting set down her cup and phone, got up, and started to tidy up.
Half an hour later, Xiao Wan woke up, and Zhang Yang returned as well. Ji Ting invited them to dinner and ordered from a nearby famous Cantonese dim sum place, eating in the lounge.
There weren’t many people in the shop that evening. Everyone was quite tired, sporting dark circles under their eyes from the revelry.
Ji Ting arranged for them to leave work early, so she returned to her apartment by 8:30 PM. She took a hot shower, changed out of her light green work uniform. The weather had turned cold at night, so Ji Ting took out her autumn pajamas, a set of three pieces in light colors with soft fabric. She hadn’t been back to her apartment all day, so she lit some aromatherapy and turned on the projector.
She curled up on the sofa, poured herself a glass of juice, living a solitary life.
Leaning on the armrest, she held the remote control and started pressing buttons.
Her phone beeped, and she checked it. A message came from a contact with a black profile picture.
Tan: What are you doing?
Ji Ting paused for a moment, then replied: Getting ready to watch a movie.
Tan: Video call.
Before finishing his sentence, the video call came through. Ji Ting hesitated for a moment, then grabbed a phone stand and propped up her phone. She accepted the call. On his end, Tan Yucheng had his phone propped up too, giving her a teasing glance. Behind him was the floor-to-ceiling window of an office, wearing a slightly open black shirt. The bite mark was still visible, giving him a wild look. His voice was low and lazy: “What movie are you watching?”
Ji Ting leaned against the armrest, looking at him lazily in the video, with traces of his kisses on her collarbone. She replied, “Xixili.”
Tan Yucheng’s lips curled slightly. He tapped on the keyboard nearby, picked up a cigarette, and placed it in his mouth, his voice husky: “You’ve watched this movie many times. Aren’t you tired of it?”
Ji Ting shook her head. “Things I love never get old.”
Tan Yucheng glanced at her after hearing that.
Ji Ting’s hair fell loosely over her shoulders, partially covering the kiss marks left by Tan Yucheng. Tan Yucheng held the cigarette in his mouth without lighting it, continuously typing on the keyboard. Ji Ting looked at his profile, noticing his Adam’s apple; she remembered kissing him there last night. He shifted slightly, his hand pressing against her waist more firmly. Tan Yucheng took the cigarette out of his mouth, probably deciding not to smoke.
He didn’t look at the camera, saying, “Your birthday is coming up.”
“How do you plan to celebrate?”
Ji Ting paused, only just realizing her birthday was approaching. She replied, “I don’t know yet, haven’t thought about it.”
Tan Yucheng picked up the coffee beside him, took a sip, and looked at the screen in front of him. He responded, “I’ll arrange something.”
Ji Ting’s heart skipped a beat as she looked at the busy man on the screen.
“Ji Ting,” his voice suddenly came through.
Ji Ting snapped back to attention, focused on him. Tan Yucheng turned his head slightly towards her, meeting her gaze on the video call. He said, “I have a business trip for five days.”
“I’ll be back just in time for your birthday.”
Ji Ting nodded as she looked at him.
She asked softly, “Are you working late tonight?”
“Yeah,” he replied, picking up some files and flipping through them while typing on the keyboard. Ji Ting noticed he was busy, so she started a movie on her end, keeping it on mute and watching attentively.
Tan Yucheng didn’t intend to end the video call either. He continued typing code on his side, eventually lighting the cigarette. As the flame touched the cigarette, he glanced at the woman in the video. She was curled up, engrossed in the movie, her three-piece outfit slipping off her shoulders to reveal her fair skin. At that moment, Tan Yucheng felt the ache of missing her.
The movie played slowly. Ji Ting had seen it dozens of times, yet she still watched it intently, familiar with the plot but captivated nonetheless.
Later, he needed to attend a meeting with his team, so he bid her goodnight. Ji Ting snapped back to reality and nodded at him.
Tan Yucheng’s lips curled slightly as he held the cigarette and ended the video call.
Ji Ting placed the phone stand on the sofa cabinet, leaned against the armrest, and took a sip of chilled fruit juice. Just then, her phone beeped, breaking the long silence in the group chat among classmates.
A male classmate said, “Zhong Yu said Shu Xiao is returning to China.”
Long Kong froze, “Is that true?”
The male classmate replied, “Of course it’s true. I was on a business trip to Haicheng and ran into Zhong Yu. We had dinner together, and she told me.”
The male classmate continued, “Moreover, Shu Xiao has been assigned to teach at Li University.”
Yu Xi exclaimed, “OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!”
Several male classmates immediately chimed in, discussing excitedly. Someone suggested adding Shu Xiao into the chat. Before Long Kong could say anything, many people tagged Zhong Yu. She hesitated for a moment after reading the messages and cautiously asked, “Is it okay?”
Others immediately said yes.
After a pause, Zhong Yu entered the group.
There was a moment of silence in the chat box.
For a while.
Shu Xiao edited a message and sent it out: “Hello everyone, long time no see.”
There was a brief silence in the group. Her greeting “hello everyone” seemed to bring them back to that summer when she had just transferred to Class 1 of Grade 2 in No. 1 High School. She was wearing a white dress, stepping in a pair of small leather shoes, standing by the platform, introducing herself.
A few seconds later.
The male students in the class started joking and laughing, commenting on how beautiful the transfer student was.
Ji Ting still remembered that moment.
Tan Yucheng arrived late, carrying his backpack over one shoulder, leaning against the door. He listened to her self-introduction before entering the classroom.