Chapter 45
The elevator was a bit warmer, but once they exited it, a cold draft from the hallway cut through, chilling them to the bone. Ji Ting had to bury her face into his body, and her exposed arm felt icy.
Tan Yucheng arrived at her door and looked down at her. “Key.”
Ji Ting took out a bunch of keys from the pocket of her coat with one hand and unlocked the door.
With a click, Tan Yucheng pulled out the key, opened the door with one hand, and carried her inside.
The wind was strong, and as soon as they entered, the door slammed shut behind them. Tan Yucheng carried her straight into the master bedroom. The master bedroom was much warmer, but there was no time to turn on the light.
He lowered himself to place her on the bed. As they exhaled, their bodies entwined, and Ji Ting adjusted to the darkness, watching his eyebrows and eyes.
Tan Yucheng noticed the faint scent of perfume on her and glanced up slightly to look into her eyes.
Ji Ting held her breath and instinctively lowered her gaze, not meeting his eyes.
Tan Yucheng looked at her for a few seconds, then pulled a blanket from beside him and covered her with it. He stood up, rolled up his sleeves and asked, “Is there still brown sugar?”
Ji Ting tightened the blanket; she was indeed a bit cold, the pain making it worse. She nodded, “Yes.”
Tan Yucheng nodded back, took the air conditioner remote from the nightstand, and raised the temperature.
In the southern winter, the indoor temperature was colder than outside. Ji Ting’s house was like an ice cellar, with even the blanket feeling icy.
After adjusting the heating, he turned on the bedside lamp.
Then he turned and left the room. Ji Ting curled up in bed for a while, and her fingers were no longer so cold. She sat up, removed his coat, and took off her own coat as well.
Enduring the pain, she got out of bed, hung up their clothes, and quickly changed into soft pajamas. She then lay back down in bed, feeling much more comfortable.
The bed wasn’t fully warm yet, but the warmth from the air conditioner was gradually taking effect.
Ji Ting felt the pain easing somewhat.
Tan Yucheng came back in, holding a cup of brown sugar water with a straw. He sat by the bed and looked at the woman in the blanket. “Get up and have some to drink.”
Ji Ting’s hands and feet were still icy. She turned and saw him casually sitting by her bed, resting his elbow on his long leg, holding a cup. Ji Ting propped herself up, moved over obediently, and took the straw to sip the brown sugar water.
She had changed into her pajamas, which were a loose white top suitable for winter. Her hair, previously in a bun, was now loose and draped over her shoulders, with a slight wave. With her shoulders relaxed and her collarbone visible, she looked delicate.
Her hair spread casually over her shoulders and even a few strands slipped into her collar, partially visible.
Tan Yucheng had one long leg bent as he sat by her bed. In this position, every posture and appearance of the woman before him was in his sight.
He looked at her so close.
Tan Yucheng’s jaw tightened slightly.
To gain and then lose.
This feeling was magnified.
The brown sugar water was very hot and comforting. Ji Ting wasn’t afraid of the heat at all; she drank a lot continuously, finishing almost the entire cup. Her hands and feet warmed up, and she felt much more comfortable.
She looked up at him. “I’m done drinking.”
Tan Yucheng responded with a hum.
Ji Ting’s voice was very soft. “Then I’ll sleep.”
She was exhausted and still in pain.
Tan Yucheng nodded. Ji Ting tightened the blanket around herself, almost covering her head, leaving only her hair spread over the pillow. Tan Yucheng glanced at the cup, which now had only a little water left, then stood up and went to the kitchen. He turned on the faucet, washed the cup, and cleaned off all the brown sugar residue before placing it on the cup rack.
He dried his hands with a paper towel, returned to the master bedroom, and sat down again by the bed, picking up his phone to open the Punk Thug and check the tasks.
The room was very quiet, with only the faint hum of the air conditioner. Ji Ting slept drowsily under the covers, occasionally tossing and turning. Time seemed to pass slowly, as if it had been a long while but also felt like it had stopped. Tan Yucheng looked up from his phone and saw Ji Ting’s shoulder exposed from under the blanket, her top having slipped off, revealing her fair skin.
He watched for a few seconds, then placed his phone on the nightstand, removed his watch and cufflinks, and a few moments later, he lifted the blanket and lay down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist.
Ji Ting’s abdomen was still aching, so her palm was pressed against it. She felt the warmth of his hard chest close by and instinctively shifted.
Tan Yucheng buried his face in her neck and spoke softly, “Don’t move.”
Ji Ting hesitated and then, out of instinct, stayed still.
She was sleepy and still in some pain, vaguely aware that he had settled down next to her.
She wanted to open her eyes, but he was so warm and comforting. The arm around her waist held her close, and when she turned her head, she could smell a faint scent of ebony from him.
In that subtle fragrance, Ji Ting gradually fell into a deeper sleep.
Under the quilt, Tan Yucheng’s hand not only held her waist but also clasped her delicate wrist. He was wearing a black shirt with an open collar, while her white pajamas contrasted with his dark attire, creating a scene of black and white entwining.
Ji Ting’s pain slowly, gradually eased.
The warmth pressing against her dispelled the cold seeping from her body.
A restful night’s sleep.
When she woke up, Ji Ting was still lying on her back. She blinked, still somewhat dazed, and then realized something. She turned her head and found the space beside her empty, with only a humidifier, which had been turned on at some point, emitting a fine mist.
He’s gone.
As Ji Ting came to her senses, she shifted her position and felt incredibly warm. The bed was like a furnace, and the pain in her abdomen had vanished. She reached up to brush her hair, feeling hot and sweaty but comfortable. She got out of bed, retrieved her coat, and found that the black suit jacket had been taken by him, leaving only her own clothes.
She put on the coat from last night, opened the bedroom door, and found the living room warm as well. The heating had been turned on there too, making the entire house comfortable. Ji Ting turned back to the master bedroom, grabbed her clothes, and went into the bathroom for a hot shower, also washing yesterday’s clothes. The pants were clean, so she finished her tasks and stepped out.
On the coffee table, she found a note.
Breakfast is in the pot.
— Tan.
Recognizing his handwriting at a glance, Ji Ting pursed her lips and walked to the kitchen. She opened the rice cooker, which was keeping the food warm, and found it filled with hot salted pork bone congee from the restaurant downstairs.
Ji Ting scooped out a bowl of the congee and walked into the living room, picking up her phone to send a message to Tan Yucheng.
Ji Ting: I’m okay now.
He replied quickly.
Tan Yucheng: Mm.
Ji Ting put down her phone and prepared to eat her congee when she noticed another message on WeChat, from Fang Yu. She opened it to find a message from around 8 p.m. last night. She must have missed it because she was feeling unwell.
Fang Yu wrote with a smile: What a coincidence, you were actually busy in the afternoon.
He was referring to the afternoon tea incident.
Even though Ji Ting couldn’t see his expression, she could sense his smiling tone.
Ji Ting replied: I was too busy last night and forgot to check my phone. Just saw your message.
Fang Yu responded quickly: It’s okay. I was a bit puzzled and thought about calling, but I didn’t want to be intrusive, so I waited.
Ji Ting replied with a smile: Sorry about that.
Fang Yu: No, no, it’s fine.
Fang Yu: I happened to see your Moments and noticed you’ve been reading Plain Kingdom recently?
Ji Ting paused, realizing that the book she was reading when she took a photo of her café routine had ended up in the shot.
Most people thought she was just staging it.
She didn’t expect Fang Yu to notice that detail.
Ji Ting replied: Just browsing, it’s a new addition to the café’s bookshelf.
Fang Yu: I just finished that book too. It’s quite good. I think the author’s ideas are quite advanced.
Ji Ting smiled: Yes, indeed.
Fang Yu: Thanks for the mousse you sent yesterday.
Ji Ting: Was it good?
Fang Yu: Of course.
Ji Ting smiled and didn’t reply further. After finishing her breakfast, she tidied up and went downstairs to the shop. The sun was out, but the cold wind was still sharp. Ji Ting’s hands were cold even with them in her coat pockets as she pushed open the shop door.
Inside the shop, it was very comfortable.
The seats by the window were almost all taken. Xiao Zhou, who was on the morning shift today, saw Ji Ting come in and said, “Sister Ting, good morning.”
Ji Ting returned the greeting and took a look around, noticing that there were still many orders. Xiao Zhou said while making coffee, “As soon as we opened this morning, a lot of people came in for coffee. There are several people over by the bookshelf.”
Ji Ting put on an apron, washed her hands, and went behind the counter to help, saying, “The weather’s cold and it’s warm in the shop.”
“That’s right.”
At Zhang Yang’s side, the croissants had just come out of the oven and customers were already asking for them. His apprentice was off today, so Ji Ting went to serve the croissants to the customers. It was busier than usual early in the morning.
At noon, Ji Ting was planning to order pizza from a place upstairs with Xiao Zhou and the others. While she was looking at the menu, the door opened with a sound of “Welcome,” and Ji Ting looked up to see Shu Xiao wearing a white long down jacket, her hair flowing over her shoulders, carrying a takeaway box from WH Hotel. She walked in and looked at Ji Ting.
She wore a down jacket in winter, Shu Xiao looked delicate and beautiful, as if she had stepped out of a painting.
Xiao Zhou’s eyes widened as she exclaimed, “Sister Ting, is this your friend?”
Ji Ting paused for a moment, then smiled and replied, “Yes.”
Shu Xiao looked at Ji Ting and said, “Have you eaten? Let’s eat together. I packed this from the hotel.”
Ji Ting handed the pizza menu to Xiao Zhou, washed her hands, and asked, “Are you feeling better?”
Shu Xiao nodded.
“I felt better as soon as I got up this morning, and I even broke a sweat.”
“And you?”
Ji Ting smiled and said, “I’m fine now. You sit down first. Do you want a coffee?”
Shu Xiao agreed.
Then she paused for a moment, walked to a seat by the window, and opened the takeaway box. Ji Ting turned around and asked Xiao Zhou to make a hot cappuccino. Xiao Zhou, while making the coffee, leaned in and asked, “Sister Ting, is this beautiful lady Tan Yucheng’s ex-girlfriend?”
Ji Ting’s fingers paused, and she looked up, “How do you know?”
Xiao Zhou cleared her throat and whispered, “Last time, when Sister Yu Xi and the others were chatting, I happened to see a photo from a long time ago.”
Ji Ting paused.
She nodded, “Mm.”
Xiao Zhou blinked, “She’s really pretty.”
“But Sister Ting, you’re even more beautiful.”
Ji Ting glanced at Xiao Zhou.
Xiao Zhou stuck out her tongue and continued making coffee. She knew well how well Tan Yucheng treated Ji Ting. Even though she was aware they weren’t in a romantic relationship, seeing Shu Xiao made Xiao Zhou instinctively side with Ji Ting. Perhaps this was just a woman’s intuition.
Ji Ting carried the cappuccino to the window seat and placed it on the table for Shu Xiao. Shu Xiao had already opened the takeaway box, which contained a mix of dishes, six portions in total, with three portions per person, plus two soups. She handed Ji Ting some chopsticks and white rice. Ji Ting took them and glanced at the food on the table, saying, “You ordered quite a lot.”
“It’s not too much. Try some,” Shu Xiao said with a smile after taking a sip of coffee.
Though her face was still a bit pale from her illness, her smile added a bit of vitality, making her seem less frail. Ji Ting ate some of the white rice, and Shu Xiao, after finishing her coffee, started eating as well.
Shu Xiao didn’t have as big an appetite as Ji Ting and could only eat a little before she was full.
Ji Ting had a decent appetite and finished about two-thirds of the meal. Afterward, she tidied up, and Xiao Zhou made a latte for Ji Ting. The café was very warm in the afternoon, while outside, office workers walked hurriedly.
With the bookshelf behind them, it was a perfect place to relax.
Shu Xiao held her coffee, feeling the warmth on her fingertips.
Ji Ting also picked up her drink and asked, “Aren’t you going to school for the time being?”
Shu Xiao paused, set down her coffee, and said, “No, I start next semester. I wasn’t originally supposed to be sent out; it was only after what happened that my mom had to arrange it with my advisor and get me the slot.”
“So that’s why you’re in such a rush.”
Ji Ting was taken aback and nodded, “Then you should rest well for these days.”
“Mm.”
Shu Xiao rubbed the warm cup, looking at Ji Ting with a bit of hesitation, and said, “Tingting.”
Ji Ting, holding her cup and drinking, looked up at her when she heard her name.
Shu Xiao hesitated before asking, “Do you think there’s still a chance for me and Tan Yucheng?”
Ji Ting paused, looking at Shu Xiao.
Shu Xiao lowered her head, gripping her cup tightly, and said, “I want to give it a try. After nine years, I’m finally able to come back. It’s actually quite ironic. If that person hadn’t hit me, I might never have had the chance to return. My mother didn’t want me to come back; she wanted me to get married and have children in New York, to stay there forever.”
“I didn’t dare to go against her, so I had to listen to her. I thought I’d never return to the country again, but it seems that fate has been quite kind to me. I’ve suffered, but at least I can come back.”
Ji Ting pressed her lips together.
She thought about their encounter at the airport, the old district across the street, and the neighborhood where he lived. It felt almost like destiny—Li City was so large, divided into so many districts, with two universities. Yet she was assigned to the one closest to him, as if even fate was helping her.
Ji Ting had anticipated today.
And today had finally arrived.
Shu Xiao looked up at Ji Ting and asked, “Tingting, I want to give it a try. Do you think I have a chance?”
Ji Ting held her cup tightly, gazing at Shu Xiao for a long time. After a while, she finally released her grip and said, “I don’t know. I’ve never been able to read his mind. I rarely get any information from him about your relationship. After all, so much time has passed.”
She hesitated mid-sentence.
In her mind, she recalled the bracelet in his drawer. She instinctively glanced at Shu Xiao’s wrist. Shu Xiao’s down jacket concealed the small red sandalwood bracelet, but Ji Ting knew she was wearing it, as if she had never taken it off.
Seeing the bracelet, Ji Ting paused and was unexpectedly reminded of Fu Yan and Wen Nanxi.
She looked up.
Shu Xiao pressed her lips together, holding the cup tightly, her expression a bit dazed and frustrated.
Ji Ting’s tongue was tinged with the bitterness of coffee. After a pause, she said, “Decide for yourself. Maybe it’s worth a try.”
After saying this, Ji Ting’s fingers pressed on the coffee cup.
It seemed like things were really coming to a close.
“Sister Ting, yesterday afternoon, Hongxiang ordered afternoon tea again and specifically requested that the beautiful boss deliver it.” Xiao Zhou peeked at the order and called out to Ji Ting. Ji Ting looked over and then told Shu Xiao, “You sit here first; I’ll check the order.”
Shu Xiao nodded.
Ji Ting left her seat and walked to the counter. Xiao Zhou picked up the order and showed it to her. At that moment, the order system beeped again, automatically sliding in a new order from Yanchun Intelligent Co., Ltd also for afternoon tea. This time, it seemed to be Chen Fei’s request, with a note: Sister Ting, please add ice to Brother Tan’s drink.
Xiao Zhou said “Oh” and made a playful face, looking at Ji Ting. “Sister Ting, brother Tan Yucheng have placed an order too.”
“Since Hongxiang and brother Tan Yucheng’s company are so close, how about we deliver them ourselves?” Xiao Zhou suggested eagerly. Ji Ting tore off the two orders and said, “Let’s make the coffee first. Check with Zhang Yang if there are still croissants for Hongxiang’s order.”
“Got it.” Xiao Zhou responded and quickly went to the baking room.
At that moment, Xiao Wan came in, smiling, and said, “I’m here for work, sister Ting.”
She was working the late shift for the past few days. Ji Ting saw her arrival and said, “Just in time. Wash your hands; we have deliveries.”
“Okay, okay.” Xiao Wan glanced at Shu Xiao, her eyes brightening at the sight of another beautiful woman. She then washed her hands and joined Ji Ting at the counter to help. Xiao Zhou came out with the croissants.
The two orders included a total of twenty cups of coffee and six croissants.
Yanchun’s order didn’t include croissants, only coffee. The three of them worked efficiently and soon had everything ready. Xiao Zhou helped Ji Ting put on her coat, and then they both headed out with the deliveries.