TBW - 19

19. An Overly Sensitive Little Girl

On the internal road near the fitness equipment in Huanghe Garden, the so-called single noble was currently drenched to the bone, dragging her dog through the pouring rain like a drowned rat.

Half an hour earlier, she had been ecstatic playing with her dog on the grass—but now, she was utterly miserable.

The rain had come down too fast for her to react, and with thunder and lightning flashing across the sky, Beibei had panicked and bolted straight into the bushes. By the time she managed to pull him out of the shrubbery, his fur was soaked, and her hair hung limply over her face like seaweed.

Like ghosts, the pair slipped into Building 6 just as the elevator ascended from the underground parking lot. Cheng Simin immediately started frantically pressing the elevator button.

She knew it would rain today—she should have taken the dog out earlier. But she didn’t have any proper portioned freezer bags for the dumplings, so arranging them neatly on plastic wrap in the freezer and then bagging them took far too much time.

Ultimately, she blamed Shi Ying for being stingy. If only he’d eaten the dumplings she made—and maybe even taken some for his family—she wouldn’t be drenched right now. Everyone on the twelfth floor, even toothless Grandma Qi, had eaten five dumplings. But not him!

Cheng Simin’s inner monologue was getting increasingly unkind.

When the elevator doors opened, her steps froze mid-motion because the culprit himself was standing inside, looking perfectly calm and composed.

Beibei still remembered the massage Shi Ying had given him last time. Upon seeing him, the dog wagged its tail happily and instinctively moved toward the elevator. But just as its head poked in, the leash around its neck pulled it back. Confused, Beibei took two steps backward and looked up at its owner. However, Cheng Simin’s expression was unreadable—a storm of emotions swirling across her face. The dog couldn’t decipher it and nervously nibbled its upper lip with its lower teeth.

The elevator doors closed again, but Cheng Simin still showed no intention of stepping in. This time, Shi Ying broke the silence first. He stepped forward, holding the elevator door open for Cheng Simin and Beibei, his tone unusually gentle. “Not getting on? The next one will take a while.”

“Alright,” Cheng Simin said stiffly, pulling Beibei into the elevator. The space was cramped; with Shi Ying standing in the front-left corner, she positioned herself in the back-right, keeping as much distance from him as possible.

As the elevator slowly climbed, Cheng Simin pulled out her phone and scrolled through her WeChat Moments. After waiting a few seconds without hearing a word from her, Shi Ying felt Beibei nudge his behind with its nose. Turning around, he bent down to pat the dog’s soaking wet head and awkwardly commented, “The rain outside is really heavy today.”

Cheng Simin brushed the seaweed-like strands of hair off her face and shot him a glance. You’ve got a car—you parked directly in the underground garage, staying dry and clean while only your hair got slightly damp. If the rain weren’t so bad, how could my dog and I end up looking like this? Stop making useless small talk.

Without opening her mouth, she simply let out a dismissive “Hmph” as a response.

The weather-related chitchat having failed, Shi Ying lifted his lashes and studied Cheng Simin carefully before trying another conversational route. “Cheng Simin, I started working at a winery last month—it’s at the foot of Helan Mountain. The scenery around there is beautiful. When you have time, bring your dog over to play. There are lots of wild rabbits around the winery.”

Little did the poor rabbits know they were being pitched as potential dog toys to impress someone Shi Ying admired.

So far, Cheng Simin’s interactions with Shi Ying on WeChat had been overwhelmingly one-sided—her enthusiasm met with his cold indifference. His sudden friendliness baffled her. She suspected he might have had a drink or two during a date and was now acting under the influence.

She glanced at him—his jade-like cheeks, sharp eyebrows, and bright eyes. Aside from a slightly glazed look, he didn’t seem particularly drunk. Frowning, Cheng Simin responded sternly, as if addressing a scammer: “No need, right? Didn’t you say this afternoon that you’re usually busy and that I shouldn’t bother you?”

Shi Ying was left speechless. But lies, once told, must be maintained. Clearing his throat, he tried again: “Well, I’m not that busy. Just during the day, sometimes. After work…”

The elevator was almost at their floor. Cheng Simin tucked her phone back into her pocket, tightened Beibei’s leash, and eyed the two instant noodle cups in Shi Ying’s hand. “Hmm, after work, aren’t you supposed to be on a date? Why are you buying instant noodles after a date?”

“You’re right. Dinner was probably all meat, none of what you like. I should’ve ordered more vegetarian dishes.”

With that, Cheng Simin tugged Beibei out of the elevator, leaving Shi Ying standing there dumbfounded. She opened her door so quickly that by the time he exited the elevator, the door to Unit 1203 was already shut.

The last time Shi Ying had been turned away by a woman was when Cheng Simin abruptly decided to cut ties with him in middle school. Time had passed, yet here he was facing the same cold rejection again. His face flushed red, then pale, as he stood hesitating in the hallway for a long while. Finally, he knocked on Cheng Simin’s door.

Time may pass, but at least his skin was thicker than it had been ten years ago.

If you don’t care about dignity, you’re invincible.

When the door opened, a security chain still separated them. Cheng Simin appeared to be drying Beibei with a large towel, her expression impatient. “What do you want?”

Summoning every ounce of strength, Shi Ying forced a benevolent smile onto his face. He felt like a gigolo, shamelessly ingratiating himself. But the fault lay with him—over the past month, Cheng Simin had repeatedly shown interest in him, and he had misinterpreted and rejected her advances blindly.

He truly deserved to die.

Cheng Simin was a fragile, sensitive girl. She had already taken ninety-nine steps toward him—it was his turn to take the final step.

“Do you have any leftover dumplings from lunch? I didn’t have a date tonight—I was working late, picking grapes. My stomach feels uneasy, like I might have heatstroke. I haven’t eaten all day… And with the rain, I couldn’t find anything to eat, so I ended up buying these two instant noodles.”

Shi Ying didn’t need to say so much. Cheng Simin’s heart leapt with joy upon hearing the first part of his sentence. She quickly removed the chain and welcomed him in, rushing to the fridge to pull out several bags of frozen dumplings. “Shi Ying, how many can you eat in one sitting? Fifteen per serving enough? Should I grab a couple more servings for you to freeze? That way, you can boil them whenever you’re hungry after work.”

“They’re really delicious—just wait and see. You’ll know once you try them.”

As she spoke, Cheng Simin flashed her dimples and waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, silly me! I forgot—you don’t have a pot at home, right?”

Not only did he lack a pot, but his only dishware was a glass bowl that had already been used by her dog.

For a potential dumpling customer, Cheng Simin was adept at putting herself in their shoes. She immediately offered with enthusiasm: “Then just sit here! I’ll cook them for you now—you can eat before heading back.”

“If you want more tomorrow, I’ll cook again. I’ve got some fragrant vinegar too.”

It was no big deal. Adding two yuan for gas per serving of dumplings still left her with a tidy profit.

With that, Cheng Simin closed the anti-theft door of Unit 1203 behind them, sealing the two in an enclosed space.

There was only one pair of house slippers at home. Cheng Simin tossed the comfier pair to Shi Ying while kicking off her muddy shoes and socks to slip into a pair of flip-flops.

Shi Ying’s feet felt as if they were walking on clouds, and the unease in his stomach vanished. Cheng Simin’s words had soothed him completely, except for the uneasy fluttering of his heart. He felt like he could devour an entire cow and digest it perfectly—fifteen dumplings would be no problem.

Though inwardly delighted, Shi Ying maintained a composed demeanor. Picking up the towel near Beibei, he tilted his head slightly toward Cheng Simin, deliberately showing off his left profile, his voice adopting an affected tone. “Shouldn’t you dry your hair first and change clothes? You got soaked in the rain—be careful not to catch a cold.”

While Shi Ying was busy showing off, Cheng Simin didn’t treat him as an outsider. She glanced down at her rain-soaked tank top and mud-streaked work pants, then waved her hand casually. “Alright, forget drying my hair—it’s too much trouble. I’ll just take a quick hot shower.”

“I’ll be done in ten minutes. Make yourself comfortable—sit on the couch, snack if you want. Drinks are in the fridge, the kettle’s in the kitchen, and tea bags are in the cupboard. Help yourself to whatever you’d like.”

With those words, Cheng Simin rummaged through her bedroom for clean pajamas and headed to the bathroom.

The bathroom door clicked shut, and soon the sound of running water filled the air. The inner door of the public rental apartment wasn’t airtight, and steam seeped out from the cracks, curling like dragons riding the clouds.

Shi Ying swore to the heavens that he wasn’t imagining any sultry scenes—but just the feeling of being trusted and chosen made him feel elated. Between him and Cheng Simin, it felt as though they were already a pair of affectionate lovebirds, separated only by a thin veil of unspoken sentiment.

Squatting on the floor, Shi Ying wiped Beibei’s fur, his lips curving almost to his ears. A large towel descended, enveloping Beibei’s head, leaving only his damp black nose exposed. As Shi Ying wiped, he couldn’t resist nudging the puppy’s nose with his own.

The temporarily blinded puppy paused, emotionally stable, and soon opened its mouth to reveal a pink tongue.

Once the ears were dry, Shi Ying shifted the towel back. As soon as Beibei regained his vision, he lunged forward, forcefully nudging Shi Ying’s cheek with his nose.

One nudge wasn’t enough. The chubby Beibei jumped up, placing his front paws on Shi Ying’s arm and taking the opportunity to lick his jawline, which Shi Ying had been trying to showcase for Cheng Simin.

What Cheng Simin hadn’t seen—the prominent brow bone, straight nose, and sharp chin—Beibei had all observed. The puppy seemed quite satisfied with his refined profile.

Cheng Simin’s dog was the epitome of a “licker.” Liking Shi Ying, it showed its affection without restraint.

“Alright, alright, thank you,” Shi Ying said, cradling Beibei’s sturdy body. Feeling obligated as the recipient of such affection, he diligently dried every part of the dog, even attending to the spaces between his toes and the tip of his tail.

Once Beibei was thoroughly dried, Shi Ying carried the towel to the balcony to hang it up. But as he looked up, his jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

Hanging on the clothesline were several of Cheng Simin’s intimate garments, already washed and drying. Boxer shorts aside, hanging closest to him was a T-shirt riddled with holes, resembling a battle-scarred relic.

Holding his breath, Shi Ying counted carefully—there were at least five holes in the back of this shirt.