Chapter 40
The card wasn’t on the outside of the gift box but inside it. After receiving the gift, Ji Ting checked who it was from. She finished unwrapping it and closed the lid, returning the box to its original state as much as possible.
Even though Shu Xiao had been abroad for years, she frequently posted on Moments and was often mentioned in class groups. Her recent romance had also been quite the sensation, with Long Kong and Yu Xi having discussed it. However, when Shu Xiao finally returned, everyone seemed to have little to say and no longer discussed her much.
Moreover, she returned due to issues with her ex-boyfriend. The once-clear and elegant girl had become somewhat unfamiliar to everyone after many years. At this moment, everyone was more concerned with someone’s attitude.
Ji Ting set the box aside, walked past them, and returned to her seat.
She glanced casually at the man sitting in the corner of the sofa. Tan Yucheng was peeling an orange, placing the peeled segments into a dish, and pushing it toward her position.
Ji Ting pursed her lips and took a seat beside him.
As the game continued, Ji Ting joined Tan Yucheng’s team. He leaned a little behind her, and they worked together to eliminate others.
When Ji Ting won, she turned and raised her hand to clap.
Tan Yucheng lowered his gaze, focusing on her eyes and lips.
After saying to stop.
Despite not wearing foundation and being bare-faced with only a glossy lip tint, she still looked beautiful. Tan Yucheng’s irritability grew, and his frustration resurfaced.
He raised his hand and touched her palm.
In just one second, Ji Ting pulled her hand back, smiling as she turned to look at the others. The loser of the game had to face a punishment, and Ji Ting propped her face up, asking, “Who wants to be ¹Zhu Bajie?”
Long Kong, with a sigh, stood up, “I’ll do it.”
Yu Xi covered her face, “I don’t want to. Manager Zhang, you do it?”
Zhang Yang looked puzzled, but after a few seconds, he saw Xiao Wan and Xiao Zhou hiding behind Yu Xi. Zhu Bajie was supposed to carry his wife, and while it was supposed to be a girl, all the girls present were single, and Zhu Bajie was male. Considering this, it fell to him. Zhang Yang reluctantly put down his phone and stood up, saying, “Alright, I’ll do it.”
Long Kong, a former athlete, had a strong build. He cleared his throat and turned around. Zhang Yang, being smaller, immediately jumped onto Long Kong’s back. Long Kong exclaimed, “Damn,” and quickly steadied himself by holding onto the table. He gritted his teeth and said, “Bro, you may not look big, but you’re pretty heavy.”
Zhang Yang wrapped his arms around his neck, “Don’t underestimate us tall and lean guys. Bro, your muscles seem a bit flimsy.”
“Shut up—” Long Kong’s face turned red as he stood up.
Everyone burst into laughter. Even Meng Jia was interested and leaned on her chair, while Yu Xi took out her phone and played the music. With the music playing, Long Kong began to bounce with Zhang Yang on his back.
The laughter intensified.
Yu Xi sat beside Ji Ting, laughing so hard she almost fell into Ji Ting. Ji Ting let her lean on her shoulder and laughed too, slightly leaning back.
Tan Yucheng remained still, and her hair brushed against his chin.
He looked down at the person in his arms. A few days ago, he could have reached out to her.
He shifted his gaze, grabbed a lollipop from the side, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth to ease his frustration.
“Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter,” Yu Xi laughed so hard her shoulders shook. Pressed against Ji Ting, she continued to laugh, and Ji Ting laughed until she cried. She reached for a lollipop but missed. A long hand reached over and tossed it into her lap.
Ji Ting picked up the lollipop, unwrapped it, and paused for a few seconds. She looked up and made brief eye contact with the man behind her. After a moment, Ji Ting said, “Thank you.”
Tan Yucheng didn’t respond, continuing to suck on the lollipop while looking down. He glanced at the glistening tear of laughter at the corner of her eye.
Ji Ting paused briefly, then shifted her gaze and unwrapped the candy. She put it in her mouth; it was chocolate-flavored and from a good brand. Ji Ting enjoyed the sweetness of the candy and looked at the two people still having fun nearby.
The laughter in the restaurant came in waves. When Zhang Yang got off Long Kong’s back, he felt dizzy. Long Kong, leaning on a chair and breathing heavily, said, “Next time, I have to win. Otherwise, my back won’t take it.”
“Hahahahaha…”
Everyone laughed again.
After all the commotion, time passed quickly. The last part of the evening was cutting the cake. Tan Yucheng had prepared one for Ji Ting, and Zhang Yang had also made a two-layer cake himself.
So, both cakes were brought out.
Tan Yucheng lit candles on Ji Ting’s cake, using his long fingers to handle the lighter.
Illuminated by the candlelight, Ji Ting’s face was softly glowing. She saw his shadow out of the corner of her eye, paused for a few seconds, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands to make a wish.
‘I’m already very satisfied. I hope everyone I love gets everything they want, and I wish for my parents’ health and a long life.’
After making her wish, she opened her eyes.
The candlelight flickered, and he sat across from her, watching her.
Ji Ting leaned forward and, under everyone’s gaze, blew out the candles on both sides in one breath.
Yu Xi stopped clapping and raised her hand, saying, “Tingting, happy birthday! I hope all your wishes come true.”
“By the way, what did you wish for? To find someone? To get married?” Yu Xi asked, leaning closer with curiosity. Ji Ting smiled and said, “That’s your wish.”
“Hey, if that’s my wish, it must be yours too…”
Ji Ting smiled and took a plastic knife to start cutting the cake.
After the cake was finished, the birthday party came to an end. Ji Ting had so many gifts that she had to move her car from the neighboring tea house’s parking space to make room. They helped her load the gifts into the car.
The gifts from Yu Xi, Meng Jia, and Long Kong were in the front part, while the gift from Shu Xiao was placed on the very outside. All the gifts from Tan Yucheng were under the plaque, many of which were blue boxes. Zhang Yang helped Tan Yucheng take some out. Yu Xi, surprised, leaned on Ji Ting’s shoulder and said, “All these are from him? I thought they were just empty boxes.”
Ji Ting pressed her lips together and made eye contact with the man carrying the blue boxes. Tan Yucheng casually set down the gifts he had for her—sixteen boxes in total, filling up the trunk.
Yu Xi asked, “Tan Yucheng, what did you buy?”
Tan Yucheng closed Ji Ting’s trunk, rolled up his sleeves, took a step back, and said lazily, “Just bought some random stuff.”
Yu Xi responded with an “Oh,” glancing at Ji Ting with a bit of envy.
Ji Ting looked at Tan Yucheng, their eyes meeting. She said, “Thank you, then we’ll be going.”
Tan Yucheng, standing by the car, gave a nod.
Long Kong also said his goodbyes. Meng Jia, carrying an expensive little bag, stood by, crossed her arms, glanced at Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng, then suddenly turned and walked toward the parking lot where Long Kong’s car was. Yu Xi quickly followed Long Kong, while Ji Ting’s car still had Xiao Wan, Xiao Zhou, and Zhang Yang inside, just as it had when they arrived.
Ji Ting walked to the driver’s seat, opened the door, and glanced at him. “Good night.”
Tan Yucheng, standing on the steps and lighting a cigarette, looked at her and replied, “Good night.”
They exchanged glances in the darkness. Ji Ting hurriedly averted her gaze, then bent down and sat in the driver’s seat. Tan Yucheng watched the white car start up and drive away while biting on his cigarette.
Ji Ting gripped the steering wheel and drove straight ahead.
First, she dropped Xiao Wan off. Xiao Wan lived far away and was editing photos in the passenger seat. She opened the background photo from earlier, zoomed in, and saw the many boxes under the plaque. She said, “I thought like sister Yu Xi did, that the boxes under the plaque were just for show. I didn’t expect them all to be gifts from Tan Yucheng for you.”
Ji Ting kept her eyes on the road and didn’t respond.
She sometimes felt dissatisfied and resentful, but when she thought about it, he had always taken good care of her as a friend over the years.
After dropping off Xiao Wan, Xiao Zhou, and Zhang Yang, it was already very late. When Ji Ting returned to her apartment, took a shower, and dried her hair, she received many photos from them, all newly edited.
Yu Xi had created a separate chat group with only her and Long Kong, avoiding Meng Jia.
Yu Xi posted some photos in the group and then asked, Ji Ting, how did Shu Xiao know you were at Tan Yucheng’s restaurant tonight? Did Tan Yucheng tell her?
Ji Ting: …I don’t know.
Long Kong: Has Shu Xiao been back for two days? Where is she staying? I haven’t seen her post on social media recently.
Yu Xi: After what happened, she wouldn’t dare to post on social media. But Ji Ting, it seems that Shu Xiao is still like before, only keeping in touch with you.
Ji Ting paused briefly.
She didn’t reply.
In fact, she had set aside Shu Xiao’s gift.
The gift came so unexpectedly that she was hesitant about whether to keep it.
The next morning, Ji Ting began to sort through the gifts. Long Kong’s gift was a brand-name coffee machine. Yu Xi’s gift included everything—skincare sets, scarves, sunglasses, all of high value. Meng Jia’s gift was a simple bag. Ji Ting made notes in her notebook, and only then did she open the sixteen blue boxes. His gifts were more complete.
There was a bag, a camera, a bracelet, a laptop… The last box revealed a red envelope with 8888 inside.
Ji Ting paused, looking at these gifts.
He had given much more than last year. Sitting cross-legged on the carpet, she quietly looked at them. After a few seconds, she picked up her notebook and made a note.
After organizing the gifts, Ji Ting got up, changed her clothes, and went downstairs to the store. The weather was very cold, with a biting wind that made her face numb. Ji Ting pushed open the door to the store, starting her workday.
In the evening.
There were many deliveries at the store, mostly hot coffee. Many nearby shops had placed orders, and even Lu Xingyao had ordered three cups for her clients. Since the orders were all for Zhuoyue Plaza, Ji Ting arranged for her own staff to handle the deliveries. One order was for a private room at Yonghe Private Kitchen, four cups of iced Americano. Ji Ting decided to deliver it herself.
She took the elevator up to the Phoenix Terrace private room.
Ji Ting was quite familiar with Yonghe Private Kitchen, so she greeted them and went to find the private room. After locating it, she knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door was opened from the inside.
Tan Yucheng, dressed in a black shirt and tie, stood at the door. He looked neat but a faint smell of alcohol.
Ji Ting was taken aback for a second, then looked at him and asked, “Did you order this?”
Tan Yucheng looked at her and nodded, extending his hand.
Ji Ting immediately handed over the coffee. Tan Yucheng took it and lowered his gaze, saying, “Do you have time later?”
Ji Ting raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”
“Drive me,” he said, pulling out a car key and handing it to her. Ji Ting looked at the key. He slightly tugged at his collar and spoke in a low voice, “I’ve had quite a drink a lot.”
Ji Ting, feeling a bit helpless, took the key from his hand and looked at him. “Can’t you call a ride service?”
“My phone is out of battery,” he replied.
Ji Ting responded with a short “oh.”
Alright, she owed him.
She gave him a quick glance. “Come to the store to find me later.”
“Okay.”
Ji Ting took his car key and turned to walk towards the stairs. Tan Yucheng gently closed the door, placed the coffees on the coffee table, adjusted his collar, and looked up with a smile, saying, “No more, Mr. Chen.”
“Hey, have a bit more. Why order coffee out of the blue?”
Chen Fei smiled and said, “It’s good. Mr. Chen, you should try the coffee from this place; it’s amazing.”
Chen Fei handed out the coffee to the Mediterranean men. Tan Yucheng sat down on a single sofa nearby and loosened his collar a bit.
—
Back at the store, there were over a dozen more deliveries. Xiao Wan and Zhang Yang took turns going out, and even his apprentice made a delivery. Probably because of the sudden cold weather, everyone working overtime wanted something hot.
That’s why there were so many orders.
This kept them busy until just after ten at night. When Ji Ting finished mopping the floor in the break room and looked up, she saw a tall figure standing not far from the door, wearing a suit jacket draped over his arm, his back to the door. Waiting for her with a cigarette in his mouth.
Ji Ting watched his silhouette.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Unfortunately, today was different from the past; their temporary relationship had ended.
She removed her sleeves, and Zhang Yang, who had finished cleaning, came out with a black bag. He said goodbye to Ji Ting, who smiled and said, “Drive safely.”
“Okay, Sister Ting. You should rest early.”
Ji Ting nodded.
Zhang Yang pushed the door open and stepped out. The wind outside was strong enough to make the doorbell ring. Ji Ting went to check the bookstore and the cabinets, and after finishing, she went back to the break room to wash her hands, apply some lip balm, put on her scarf, grab her bag, turn off the lights in the store, and lock the door behind her.
Once she had locked the door, Ji Ting walked toward Tan Yucheng. He looked up, a cigarette in his mouth, the wind strong, his eyes dark like ink. His tie was loosened at the collar, giving him a wild look. Ji Ting asked softly, “Where’s the car?”
“In the garage,” he replied in a low, lazy voice.
Ji Ting nodded and headed toward the garage elevator.
Tan Yucheng followed her, extinguishing his cigarette at the elevator. At this time, there were almost no customers around, only those finishing work at Zhuoyue, and the elevator was very quiet.
His car was parked not far from the elevator exit.
Ji Ting and Tan Yucheng got into the car.
The faint scent of ebony wood wafted in the car. Ji Ting started the car, and Tan Yucheng loosened his tie and relaxed against the seat back. Ji Ting glanced at him; he looked a bit tired and was resting with his eyes closed. There was also a faint scent of alcohol on him.
This alcohol was clearly not the ordinary kind.
Ji Ting had smelled it once at his place.
She drove out of the garage.
The neon lights flickered, passing over her face, and Ji Ting drove with concentration.
The man beside her, still resting with his eyes closed, spoke in a low voice, “Ji Ting.”
His voice, in the darkness of the late night, was extremely pleasant. Ji Ting paused, responding with a soft “Hmm.”
“We should start over with a different identity.”
Ji Ting was taken aback and turned to look at him.
Tan Yucheng had already opened his eyes, turning his head to look at her. His gaze was deep, and as they stared at each other, Ji Ting was about to ask what he meant by a different identity when her phone rang. She glanced at it and answered the call.
On the other end, Shu Xiao’s voice came through, “Ji Ting, are you free? Can you help me—”
Her tone was panicked.
Ji Ting was momentarily stunned.
She looked at Tan Yucheng and said, “It’s Shu Xiao. She’s crying.”
Tan Yucheng frowned slightly but didn’t speak.
Ji Ting asked Shu Xiao, “What happened? Can you tell me?”
“That person sent me a message. He knows where I am.”
—
¹”Zhu Bajie” refers to a character from the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West.” Zhu Bajie, also known as Pigsy, is a comical character known for his gluttony and laziness. They are mimicking Zhu Bajie’s actions.