Chapter 59
With his hand pressing against the back of her head, Ji Ting had nowhere to hide. In a moment she wasn’t paying attention, he slipped in. Perhaps it had been a long time since they kissed so clearly. Through her eyelids, she could see his tall nose, so close. To make her accept it, he slightly lifted his chin, a mix of dominance and a hint of gentleness. Ji Ting’s heart raced wildly, and she eventually closed her eyes in a daze.
She felt his fingertips pressing against her jawline, firmly yet warmly touching her skin.
In a confusion.
Time seemed to stand still.
Tan Yucheng moved back slightly. Ji Ting’s eyelashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. They looked at each other closely. Ji Ting’s eyes shimmered with a watery light, making her extremely beautiful.
Tan Yucheng tightened his arms around her and said, “I like you, Ji Ting.”
“Will you like me?”
“I like you, Ji Ting.”
This caused the shimmer in Ji Ting’s eyes to flicker. She looked into his eyes, and he did not dodge. His eyes were as dark as ink, just staring at her. Ji Ting’s hand, resting on her lap, instinctively tugged at his sleeve.
Tan Yucheng gazed at her intently.
Just waiting for her answer.
But Ji Ting was caught up on the previous words. Tan Yucheng didn’t get an answer, his jawline tensed, and his voice was very low, “I’m asking you.”
Ji Ting came back to her senses, her eyes meeting his again. She let out a small sound.
Tan Yucheng’s thin lips pressed tightly together. He clasped her neck and asked, “I’m asking you, will you like me? Is there a possibility that you would like me?”
Ji Ting understood now.
She stared into his eyes.
She’s thinking to herself, ‘If I didn’t like you, would I let you kiss me?’
But she didn’t answer that way. Instead, she replied, “Probably.”
After hearing this answer, Tan Yucheng felt an urge to laugh. Perhaps he had never stumbled because of a girl before, so there was a sense of ridiculousness, but it also seemed reasonable.
If she really had feelings for him,
From the beginning when she called for a halt, she wouldn’t have acted that way.
He buried his face in her neck. Said in his low and lazy, “You’re really annoying.”
Ji Ting pressed her lips together.
‘You’re the annoying one.’
She didn’t say anything. As he held her, her emotions surged. The room was very quiet. Ji Ting’s hand fell and happened to touch his palm. Her tense body relaxed slightly, leaning against his chest. This scene was actually quite familiar. After their argument that day, he held her like this, burying his face in her neck and falling asleep.
Ji Ting recalled the time he arrived at her apartment.
He had rushed over from the company, and now it was already midnight.
Ji Ting slightly tilted her head and asked softly, “Are you sleepy?”
“I’ll hold you for a while.” His voice was a bit muffled, “You turned down Long Kong.”
He added this.
Not as forceful as before, but still with a sense of pressure.
Ji Ting didn’t respond.
She was actually a bit tired too. Mainly, his embrace was very warm, but she hadn’t taken a shower yet. Her thoughts were chaotic, thinking about everything, and both of their phones vibrated.
Ji Ting turned her head to look.
There was a WeChat message on his black phone, from Shu Xiao.
Her heart skipped a beat. Seeing that name, she elbowed his abs. Tan Yucheng straightened up, his brows showing a bit of weariness. He turned his head to look but didn’t respond. He looked back at Ji Ting.
Ji Ting also looked at him.
The corner of his lips tugged lightly, “What? Waiting for me to reply to her?”
Ji Ting pressed her lips together.
She didn’t respond.
Tan Yucheng let out a soft snort.
He grabbed his phone and opened the chat window, seeing Shu Xiao’s messages filling the screen. He hadn’t replied to a single one until tonight, when he sent her a message.
He asked her: Who told you about this game?
Shu Xiao responded with two messages in quick succession.
Now, she sent two more messages, asking if he was going to play the game and if he had gone to bed.
Tan Yucheng typed a response.
Tan: You’re quite annoying.
After sending it, there was no reply from Shu Xiao.
Tan Yucheng looked at Ji Ting. Ji Ting had seen what he wrote, and their eyes met. The message, in other words, was telling her to get lost. He just put it more politely.
Ji Ting realized he hadn’t replied to Shu Xiao’s messages before.
Maybe that was his way of being decent, as he sometimes spoke quite bluntly.
Ji Ting was still feeling anxious.
She said, “It’s late, and I haven’t showered yet. You should go home first.”
Tan Yucheng looked at her, “Alright.”
He released her waist, and Ji Ting stood up. Tan Yucheng’s shirt was a bit messy, his long legs wrapped in suit pants that didn’t wrinkle even after she had been sitting on them. As he stood, they were once again neat and straight.
Tan Yucheng picked up the suit jacket from the armrest of the sofa, grabbed his phone, and glanced at her, “Get some sleep early.”
Ji Ting nodded.
Tan Yucheng walked toward the door, his shirt collar and tie hanging loosely, giving him a casual and relaxed look. As he walked out, Ji Ting stepped forward to close the door. Tan Yucheng looked down at her.
Their eyes met, and Ji Ting quietly closed and locked the door.
With a click, the room was quiet again.
Ji Ting turned around and looked at her small apartment.
When she first rented the apartment, it was empty, and she furnished it all by herself. At that time, Tan Yucheng was on a business trip in Beijing, so she called Chen Fei to help her organize. Long Kong and Yu Xi also took some time to help her carry things. Before she knew it, several years had passed.
Ji Ting never thought there would be any changes between her and Tan Yucheng. The only time there might have been was when Meng Jia said it was enough to have once owned. At that time, she drank with him to comfort him, and in the end, a bit of greed made her take the initiative to kiss him.
What followed was an uncontrollable situation.
He said he liked her.
Ji Ting found it very unreal.
It was probably a subconscious doubt. Ji Ting knew that she was not very confident, but she couldn’t immediately break free from it. Just like he said, she needed to think about it. From a different perspective, she also didn’t dare to easily agree. Transitioning from friends to lovers is very difficult, especially since her parents and his parents were friends.
And she had been friends with him for so long that she knew her feelings for him weren’t equal.
Instead, he suggested returning to the state of being more than friends but not quite lovers, which was safer.
Ji Ting walked into the master bedroom, took her pajamas, and went to take a shower. She was still a bit lost in thought, realizing how much his simple declaration of liking her had affected her. What about the future?
Ji Ting felt a mix of laughter and bitterness.
After her shower, it was already very late when she lay down.
Ji Ting’s mind was still chaotic, and she tossed and turned before slowly falling asleep. She woke up late the next day, but no one from the store had called her. Ji Ting quickly got up, brushed her teeth, washed her face, changed clothes, and went downstairs. She had put the cream puffs he brought last night in the fridge and took them to the store for Xiao Wan and the others to eat.
As soon as she walked in, Ji Ting handed the cream puffs to Xiao Wan. Xiao Wan took them and was about to place an order when she suddenly looked up and saw behind Ji Ting, her eyes widening in surprise. She covered her mouth, exclaiming, “Wow.”
Ji Ting was startled and turned to look back.
A delivery truck from a flower shop pulled up, and several delivery guys carried down an enormous bouquet of roses, which seemed to have 999 roses. Meng Jia had posted about this on her social media before: a huge bouquet requiring three delivery guys to carry it, moving awkwardly like turtles towards the Sunset Café.
Xiao Wan was shocked, “Is this for us?”
“Holy crap.” Zhang Yang, with flour-covered hands, ran out to see, while the customers drinking coffee in the store also turned their heads to look.
Ji Ting raised her eyebrows.
She looked at Zhang Yang and Xiao Wan.
Zhang Yang waved his hand, “I can’t afford this.”
Xiao Wan blinked, “It’s definitely not for me. If I had a suitor like this, I’d marry him right now.”
Xiao Wan hesitated for a few seconds, then looked at Ji Ting, “Sister Ting, is it for you?”
Ji Ting was about to deny it.
At that moment, Xiao Wan exclaimed three times. Ji Ting turned her head to see the three delivery guys and the enormous bouquet stuck at the door, unable to get in. The three delivery guys adjusted their direction and tried to enter from another angle, but still couldn’t get in; the door of the café was too small. Xiao Wan quickly stepped forward, very curious, and took the black and gold card from the bouquet.
She opened it.
There was nothing except one name.
—Tan.
Tan.
Who else could it be but Tan Yucheng?
Xiao Wan looked at Ji Ting in astonishment, waving the card, and said, “It’s from brother Tan Yucheng.”
Ji Ting saw the name and couldn’t believe he was being so blatant. Meanwhile, the three delivery guys were still stuck at the door, constantly adjusting the bouquet’s angle to get inside. It was rush hour, and many people passing by stopped to watch.
Since there was no recipient’s name on the card, Xiao Wan stepped forward again and asked the three struggling delivery guys, “Who is this bouquet for? Is it delivered to the wrong place?”
One of the delivery guys said, “No mistake, it’s for Ji Ting, the owner of Sunset Café.”
Xiao Wan turned to look at Ji Ting with eyes full of gossip and excitement.
The delivery guy, looking at Ji Ting, said, “Boss Ji, what should we do? We’re stuck here with this bouquet, and we can’t get it inside.”
Ji Ting closed her eyes for a moment.
She turned around, grabbed her phone from the counter, and called Tan Yucheng.
Soon.
The call connected.
Tan Yucheng had just entered his office, walking briskly. “Hello.”
Ji Ting said, “The flowers you ordered?”
“Did you receive them?” He put down his documents.
Seeing the three delivery guys and the huge bouquet stuck at the door, Ji Ting found it a bit comical. She said, “You ordered such a huge bouquet, and now it’s stuck at the door and can’t get in.”
Tan Yucheng was silent for a few seconds. After a moment, he chuckled softly, “Try to figure something out.”
Ji Ting asked softly, “Can’t we return them? Is there any space in the store?”
“Send them to your home’s supermarket?”
Ji Ting: “…..”
Ji Ting closed her eyes and hung up the phone. The people around her, Zhang Yang, Xiao Wan, and the three delivery guys, all looked at her. Xiao Wan was excited, and Zhang Yang showed interest.
What’s Brother Tan up to?
Is it as he intended?
Ji Ting looked at the three delivery guys and the door frame, and said, “Try laying the flowers horizontally. Don’t worry about the people; just get the flowers in. Zhang Yang, Xiao Wan, let’s help out.”
Zhang Yang smiled, “Alright, I’ll take off my gloves.”
He ran to the counter, threw his gloves into the trash can, and then came out. The three delivery guys had tried changing directions and were now pushing the bouquet in. Ji Ting and Xiao Wan went up to help, and Zhang Yang also came over to support the bouquet. The vibrant red roses were tied with ribbons and carried a faint floral scent as they were brought inside. The three of them finally managed to get it in.
Ji Ting said, “Put it in the break room.”
So, the three of them did not let go and carried the bouquet directly to the break room. The delivery guys quickly followed in to help place the flowers by the window in the break room.
One of the delivery guys then handed Ji Ting the receipt.
Ji Ting signed it.
The three delivery guys left.
Xiao Wan moved closer to the flowers and exclaimed, “Wow.” She didn’t dare to touch them, only looking at Ji Ting, “It’s really beautiful. It’s the first time I’ve seen 999 roses in real life.”
“Sister Ting, does Brother Tan Yucheng like you?”
Ji Ting looked at the flowers but didn’t respond.
She told Xiao Wan, “Focus on work for now.”
“Got it.” Xiao Wan cheerfully got up and walked outside, glancing back at Ji Ting’s pretty face and saying, “Xiao Zhou and I guessed whether Brother Tan Yucheng might like you.”
“After all, he’s really good to you.”
Ji Ting gave her a sidelong glance but didn’t reply.
As they went outside, some of the new customers, intrigued by the roses stuck at the café door, came in and ordered coffee. Some customers who recognized Ji Ting teased her.
Ji Ting smiled and responded with light-heartedness.
After sending off those customers.
The café started getting busy with more takeout orders. Ji Ting, having washed her hands, saw Xiao Wan taking pictures of the bouquet. She paused and reminded her, “Don’t post it on social media.”
Last time, Xiao Wan posted the roses from Long Kong.
Some of Xiao Wan’s regular customers were curious and asked Ji Ting on the work account, including Lu Xingyao.
Xiao Wan was momentarily stunned but nodded and smiled, “Then I’ll just take nice photos of it.”
Ji Ting responded with a sound of agreement.
She glanced at the roses.
Although Ji Ting told Xiao Wan not to post them, it didn’t stop the customers from the morning. In several office building coffee groups, someone had taken pictures of the roses stuck at the door and shared them in the group.
During afternoon tea, many people in the group were discussing it.
“It’s normal for someone to pursue the beautiful owner of Sunset Café.”
“I think someone pursued her last time too, with champagne-colored roses.”
“Ha ha ha, this is really funny. The bouquet is stuck at the door. The person who sent it probably didn’t expect this, ha ha ha.”
“Don’t know which big shot sent it. This bouquet is really generous. It’s a SW brand, worth around thirty thousand, or even less.”
“Thirty thousand? Damn.”
“From Floyd’s.”
“Sis, you have a good eye. Have you received it before?”
“Not really, just some research. I’ve dreamed about it.”
“Ha ha ha, I really want to know which big shot sent it. It’s amazing.”
The group was buzzing with excitement. Xiao Wan kept sneaking glances at the messages, itching to speak up, but Ji Ting had told her to keep quiet, so she restrained herself. The group was unusually lively today, usually just discussing orders, chatting, teasing Zhang Yang, and having a bit of fun with Ji Ting and Xiao Zhou.
Today’s topic was all about the roses.
Xiao Wan knew well that Tan Yucheng was famous in this area, with his good looks and excellent family background. There were undoubtedly many girls discussing him. He was very prominent, especially considering his looks. He had once been ranked as the most difficult to win over.
At this moment, he was the big shot everyone was talking about.
Xiao Wan couldn’t help but be excited.
But in the end, she kept quiet and decided to listen to Ji Ting.
—
Li University has a part-time job group, and this group’s main focus is around the Zhuoyue area. The news about the 999 roses blocking the entrance of Sunset Café, which belongs to the extremely beautiful owner, was shared in the group, with photos circulating.
Shu Xiao had already returned to school.
Although she was still staying in a hotel, she was negotiating with the director at the school to see if she could get a dormitory room, even if it was a graduate student dormitory.
Staying in a hotel long-term was inconvenient.
After leaving the director’s office, she passed by some returning students discussing something. Hearing the words “Sunset,” she remembered Ji Ting and approached the three students to ask what they were talking about.
The three male students were caught off guard by the appearance of their attractive teacher and were somewhat embarrassed. One of them showed Shu Xiao the photo and said, “Sister Ting from Sunset is being pursued and received this huge bouquet of roses stuck at the door. Everyone is laughing about it.”
Shu Xiao saw the photo.
The enormous bouquet of roses looked very beautiful.
It turned out that someone sent roses to Ji Ting, which wasn’t a big deal. She nodded and, after taking another look at the roses, she bid farewell to the three students and left.
Ji Ting’s phone rang. Her hands were wet, so she dried one hand and retrieved her phone from the counter.
Shu Xiao’s message appeared.
Shu Xiao: Tingting, someone is pursuing you? The roses are stuck at the door?
Ji Ting paused.
She replied.
Ji Ting: How did you know?
Shu Xiao: Some students from the school are doing part-time jobs at your place.
Ji Ting understood immediately.
She looked at Shu Xiao’s name, put her phone back on the counter, and didn’t reply further.
If the roses hadn’t been stuck at the door, they might have been quietly delivered inside the store, and even if someone knew about it, there wouldn’t be so much discussion. But the fact that they were stuck at the door made them a topic of conversation.
Yu Xi also sent a message: Tingting, Long Kong is so generous, buying such a large bouquet of roses for you?! And it’s from Floyd’s.
Yu Xi: It seems he’s serious. Given his effort, would you consider him?
Ji Ting: …
She didn’t reply.
She really didn’t know how to respond.
The news spread quickly, even reaching Yu Xi in another district.