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Chu Ning didn’t believe Ying Jing’s nonsense for a second.
She had seen him in short sleeves and shorts—his arms, legs, and even armpits were free of any tattoos.
“Where did you get it?” Chu Ning narrowed her eyes, deliberately scrutinizing him from head to toe.
Ying Jing stubbornly insisted, “Of course, it’s somewhere you can’t see.”
Chu Ning relaxed her brows and continued to stare at him.
Ying Jing’s face turned red first, and he surrendered by turning his head away, mentally screaming: Ah!! Can I be a little more dignified?!
A faint smile flickered across Chu Ning’s lips, disappearing as quickly as it came.
From here to the parking lot, there was a direct elevator on the right side of the lobby. As she prepared to leave, Ying Jing eagerly chased after her again.
“I’ll press the elevator for you.” He took advantage of his long legs and arms to beat her to it.
Chu Ning let him. When the elevator doors opened—
“Wait, let me hold the door for you.”
Ying Jing imitated Feng Ziyang’s gentlemanly gesture, pressing the elevator door with his right hand.
Chu Ning stepped in. Only then did Ying Jing retract his hand, humming inwardly, I’m quite the gentleman too.
This kid’s behavior tonight was highly suspicious. After pondering for a few seconds, Chu Ning coldly remarked, “Are you too idle?”
Ying Jing: “Huh? Ah...”
Chu Ning earnestly advised, “The project has already started. I hope you have a clear understanding of the planning and progress of each procedure. You don’t need to report daily affairs to me, but I must be informed of important milestones. Of course, I’ve also made a backup of your proposal. Based on your actual situation, I will make targeted public disclosures within the company. If necessary, I’ll adjust the timing of fund disbursement.”
Ying Jing: “...” Even outside work hours, she was this serious—it was overwhelming.
Just as Chu Ning wondered if she had been too harsh again, Ying Jing suddenly saluted her like a Young Pioneer.
“Yes! I’ll remember.”
________________________________________
After the meal, the three-day New Year holiday began.
S.Fly’s members all lived nearby. The farthest was Gu Pengpeng, who only needed to take a one-hour high-speed train. Zhang Huaiyu and Zhou Yuan were from the same hometown and traveled together. Qi Yu worked part-time at the school cafeteria.
Ying Jing originally didn’t plan to go home, but the day before New Year’s Day happened to be his father Ying Yizhang’s birthday.
That day, his sister Ying Chen and her partner arrived early, bringing flowers, cake, and gifts—nothing was missing.
“Happy birthday, Dad.”
“Thank you for remembering.”
Ying Jing’s future brother-in-law was named Li Kun, a member of the special forces—a true tough guy. His love story with Ying Chen could fill a novel, experiencing the bitterness of a broken mirror and the sweetness of reunion. They were a pair that made people feel sorry for them.
Later, several close relatives and comrades-in-arms arrived one after another to congratulate him, making it a lively day.
By evening, the sky hadn’t completely darkened yet, and fireworks to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one were already being set off in the distance.
When the frequency of the fireworks increased, Ying Jing took out his phone and recorded a short video of the southeast sky—firework shells trailing bright little tails, shooting into the night sky one after another, exploding into splendid silver starbursts.
The faint glow, the light scent of gunpowder, reflected in Ying Jing’s eyes and lungs.
He sent the short video to Chu Ning: “Here’s some fireworks for you.” After thinking for a moment, fearing she wouldn’t reply, he added a question mark: “Do you think it’s beautiful?”
After sending it, ah, his phone seemed to become scorching hot.
He waited hopefully for her reply.
Ten minutes—she was probably taking a bath.
Fifteen minutes—maybe her bath was taking a bit longer.
Half an hour—was her phone charging?
One hour... Hmm.
“Is her phone broken?” He waved his own phone around and held it to his ear to listen—no faults detected, huh.
Unbeknownst to him, this strange sense of anxiety and restlessness represented something.
At around eleven o’clock, his sister and brother-in-law went to bed, uncles and aunts returned home, and his parents soaked their feet, read the day’s newspaper, and retired to their room for conversation.
Not long after, the only room still lit in the Ying household was Ying Jing’s.
Before taking a shower, he intentionally left his phone on the table, thinking, When I come out, maybe there’ll be a reply.
Thus, even taking a shower became unusually anticipated.
Midway through, Ying Jing grew restless, always thinking about the phone outside: Has she replied to my message? The sound of the water might drown out even the ringtone. Ah, I need to hurry.
So, without drying himself properly, Ying Jing dashed out barefoot, his heart pounding. He picked up the phone and looked at it.
Nothing.
“AAAAHHHH!” He threw himself onto the bed, rolling around in frustration, “I’m dying! I’m dying!”
Suddenly, the phone rang.
Ying Jing shot upright, like a zombie rising from the dead.
It was Chu Ning calling.
Oh yeah, he wasn’t going to die after all.
Chu Ning’s voice was languid, different from usual, “Sorry, little buddy. Last night I was at a gathering with older friends, and I didn’t have time to check among so many messages.”
At least she gave him an explanation, though it couldn’t salvage his mood.
He responded with an “Oh,” focusing intently on three particular words: Little buddy?
What the heck—he was twenty-two, for goodness’ sake!
Chu Ning: “The fireworks you filmed are beautiful.”
Ying Jing felt slightly better. His senses were keen, and after two sentences, he had already noticed something unusual. He asked, “Did you drink tonight?”
Chu Ning seemed reluctant to answer, murmuring vaguely, “Mm.”
Then silence fell. Their breathing intertwined softly over the phone line.
“Anything else?” Chu Ning asked.
“Happy New Year,” Ying Jing said.
They spoke simultaneously.
Afterward, a brief quiet settled.
Ying Jing gripped his phone tightly, bringing his lips closer to it, and repeated, “Happy New Year, Boss Ning. Wishing you lots of money, heaps and heaps of it.”
That sounded pleasant to Chu Ning, her voice tinged with laughter: “Whether I earn money this year or not depends entirely on you.”
Ying Jing chuckled, “I’ll do my best!”
Chu Ning said, “I’ll be watching.” Then added, “Keep it up.”
The row of small bulbs in his heart that had been flickering poorly all night suddenly connected, illuminating brightly like daylight.
From this point on, Ying Jing truly experienced the joy of the holiday.
That night, he slept well, behaving himself and not kicking off the covers!
Morning in the courtyard came earlier than elsewhere.
At five-thirty, the special forces brother-in-law was already up for his morning run. By six o’clock sharp, Auntie Mu was bustling in the kitchen preparing breakfast. A new day officially began with the gentle clinking of pots and pans.
Ying Jing always rose early. He changed into his workout gear and headed out for a jog.
At six-ten, the soldiers from the guard unit began their morning exercises. Young faces, stern and resolute, dressed uniformly in training gear and canvas shoes, stood like rows of robust poplar trees.
Military songs played over the loudspeakers—
“Smoke rolls, heroes sing; mountains on all sides lend their ears. Heaven thunders drums; oceans resonate with harmony.”
The morning sun had already begun to shine, the sky transitioning from dark to red. In the eastern sky, golden dawn light eagerly awaited its turn. Ying Jing sat cross-legged on the basketball court ground, watching the soldiers drill while humming along to the broadcast:
“People’s warriors drive away tigers and leopards, sacrificing themselves for peace. Why is the battle flag so beautiful? Heroes’ blood dyed it red.”
Ying Jing had grown up in the courtyard, and these things had seeped into his life. Without reason, he simply wanted to capture it all on his phone. After filming, he felt it would be a waste to enjoy it alone.
Opening Chu Ning’s chat window, hmm, sharing joy is better than enjoying it alone.
He pressed send.
At the same time in Beijing.
Chu Ning had gathered with friends like Guan Yu the previous night. Two of them had returned from the US, and they hadn’t seen each other in years, so everyone had a blast. She drank quite a bit and didn’t get home until after two in the morning. Her hangover headache was particularly unbearable, affecting her sleep quality. When her phone vibrated, Chu Ning was groggily half-asleep.
She picked it up and glanced at it—accurately speaking, without fully opening her eyelids—and randomly tapped around. This voice message was strange, what was this random singing? Chu Ning thought it was some friend’s prank WeChat and didn’t even remember how she pressed delete.
Her phone tilted to the side, and Chu Ning fell asleep again.
At eleven-thirty, Chu Ning finally woke up. She rubbed her head, got out of bed barefoot to wash up. Her loose black spaghetti strap nightgown slipped off one shoulder. Her skin was fair, like snowflakes.
In the Zhao family, there was a rule: the New Year must be celebrated at the Zhao residence. Chu Ning had returned late last night, and during the full moon period, Chen Yue had called twice to urge her, clearly dissatisfied.
Chu Ning looked at herself in the mirror. She wasn’t as resilient as she used to be when she was young; staying up late had caused dark circles to form under her eyes. She picked out a plain cashmere dress to change into when the strap of her nightgown slid off her shoulder, falling to her chest.
At that moment, two perfunctory knocks sounded: “Knock, knock.”
Before Chu Ning could respond, too late—the door was pushed open—”Are you dead asleep? Do you need someone to call you for a meal? Do you understand the rules…”
Zhao Mingchuan appeared at the door, the word “rules” stuck in his throat.
Chu Ning, with half her clothes off, exposed her chest partially, her curves captivating. They stared at each other for two seconds, then Zhao Mingchuan turned his head away. Chu Ning calmly put on her coat.
Neither spoke, avoiding any awkwardness in the atmosphere.
Zhao Mingchuan silently exited, leaving only two words: “Mealtime.”
After he left, Chu Ning cursed inwardly. He was so accustomed to ruling the roost that he treated the entire house as his domain. What arrogance.
After lunch, the New Year was considered over. Zhao Peilin and Zhao Mingchuan went out to discuss matters, and Chu Ning also prepared to leave.
Chu Ning packed her cosmetics into her bag and went to find her charger. While tidying up, she said, “That bag you asked me to buy, I’ve already had someone bring it back from the US. Have your driver pick it up from my company.”
Chen Yue sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, sitting straight, clearly in a bad mood.
“I’m leaving,” Chu Ning said, picking up her bag.
“Wait a minute,” Chen Yue stopped her, spilling out something that had been bothering her for a long time: “Has the Feng family mentioned your engagement with Ziyang again?”
Chu Ning: “Didn’t I tell you? They consulted a Hong Kong master, and it’s not auspicious for the next six months.”
“I think it’s just an excuse,” Chen Yue thought more and more suspiciously, complaining, “There must be something fishy.”
Chu Ning ignored her, changing into high heels, first the left foot, then the right.
“Masters can be found by anyone. Let’s find one too, say next month is a good date, and once the wedding happens, the Feng family will prosper for ten years.” Chen Yue’s complaints grew more and more exaggerated. Chu Ning was exasperated, “Mom, can you calm down?”
“I’m not calming down?” Chen Yue became agitated, leaning forward, frustrated with her daughter’s indifference, “You’re so naive, only caring about money, money, money. Don’t you know your man is running around?!”
Chu Ning raised her eyebrows, what did this lady mean?
“Feng Ziyang has someone else outside, do you know? Last time I went to the mall, I saw him hugging a woman!” Chen Yue couldn’t help but extend her index finger and poke her daughter’s forehead, “Do you have any sense of crisis?”
Chu Ning remained calm: “Oh.”
Chen Yue became even angrier, “Once a man starts misbehaving, there’s no stopping him. As a woman, you’ll suffer greatly. Losing both man and money is still minor. What if their family bites back and accuses you of misconduct? What will you do then? Who will stand up for you? Huh? Zhao Mingchuan?”
Chu Ning wasn’t upset, leaning back on the sofa lazily, “Maybe what they say is true.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m promiscuous,” Chu Ning giggled.
Chen Yue lightly slapped her shoulder, “I’m fed up with you!”
Chu Ning dropped the joke, not taking it to heart, and stood up, saying, “Alright, alright, stop worrying. As you said, if a man wants to misbehave, there’s no stopping him. If he truly cares for you, you can’t chase him away.”
________________________________________
The three-day New Year holiday ended, and work and life resumed normalcy.
Upon returning to school, Ying Jing brought specialties from Xingcheng for S.Fly’s members.
“Zhou Yuan, that sausage you said was really delicious last time, and this smoked meat—I’ve brought them all for you.”
The class monitor was a carnivore, very pleased indeed!
“Here’s yours.” Ying Jing handed the bag to Qi Yu: “Chili sauce, two flavors for you to try. Let me know which one you like, and I’ll buy more next time.”
“Thanks.” Qi Yu accepted it, “Whoa! It’s so heavy!”
Zhang Huaiyu watched with shining eyes, almost drooling. Ying Jing took out a smaller portion, “Girls should eat lighter. Here’s twisted dough sticks, sesame-flavored, sweet and salty.”
Zhang Huaiyu exclaimed, “I want to eat chili too.”
Ying Jing pointed, “Divide theirs.”
Zhou Yuan quickly protected his meats, “Don’t take my life!”
Laughter erupted.
Qi Yu’s sharp eyes spotted the large cardboard box, “There’s still one more inside, for whom?”
Ying Jing said, “For our boss.”
“Wow!!” Zhou Yuan shouted loudly, “Much more than ours, Ying Jing, you’re biased!”
“Go away, don’t mess it up.” Ying Jing slapped his chubby hand away, “What’s wrong with a little more? We need to treat our investors well.”
The topic extended along this vein. Zhou Yuan asked, “What does she look like?”
Ying Jing had authority on this, “Very beautiful.”
“How beautiful?”
“Have you seen my sister?”
Everyone nodded like little chickens pecking rice.
“Same type as my sister, but her demeanor is colder.” Ying Jing summarized seriously, “Very young, wearing professional attire doesn’t make her look mature at all. Her figure is also great, at least five-foot-nine in high heels, super charismatic.”
“Hello? Hello?” Zhou Yuan waved his hands frantically, “Your observation skills are overly detailed!”
“...” Ying Jing looked bewildered, “Really? Is it?”
Zhou Yuan chuckled mischievously.
Stop laughing!
Ying Jing suddenly grew agitated, impatiently standing up, “I’m going out.”
“Where to?”
Qi Yu kicked the empty cardboard box, “Dumb question. He’s taken everything, obviously going to bribe her.”
Ying Jing went to find Chu Ning, calling to ask where she was. Chu Ning said she was in the office.
Afraid she’d leave, he didn’t take the subway but hailed a taxi instead. The front desk girl remembered Ying Jing and greeted him with a smile: “Hi.”
Ying Jing said, “I have an appointment with President Ning. Is she in her office? I’ll go up to find her.”
As they spoke, the elevator behind them opened, and Chu Ning walked out while talking on the phone, “I know, hmm, I’ll be there in about twenty minutes, okay, okay, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Ying Jing keenly caught the keyword, meal? She’s going to eat? With whom? But she had just agreed to wait for me!
Chu Ning looked over at the same time, her gaze pausing.
Ying Jing suddenly became unhappy, “You’re leaving?”
“Mm.”
“I called you beforehand, we had an appointment to meet.”
“Isn’t this perfect?” Chu Ning didn’t think much of it. Ten minutes ago, she received a call from Feng Ziyang, reminding him to be discreet and not get caught cheating on his official girlfriend. Feng Ziyang was troubled and suggested they meet for a meal to talk.
“This is why I ran into you. If I were a step later, you’d have left, making my trip in vain, right?” Ying Jing argued, his tone brimming with anger.
Chu Ning frowned, “It was sudden. I intended to call and inform you.”
“But I’m already here!”
“Then come along.”
Chu Ning took a step forward, looking at him, “So come eat with us, what’s the problem?”
Ying Jing suddenly felt deflated, as if his fist had hit cotton. No matter how reasonable her explanations were, to him, they felt like excuses and indifference. Could it be understood as—she didn’t consider him important, that he was dispensable? If someone else had something to discuss with her, she would sacrifice him.
Adding old grievances to new ones, the military song voice message he sent her that morning had sunk like a stone, and she hadn’t acknowledged him since.
A teenager’s mind is sensitive and extreme, easily ignited.
However, Chu Ning had no idea about his inner turmoil. Changing the subject, she pointed to the bag in his hand, softening her tone, “What’s that?”
Ying Jing’s stubborn streak kicked in. Ignoring her, he walked to the trash can in a fit of pique,
“Splash, bang, crash, clatter—”
He dumped everything inside.
Chu Ning was speechless.
Ying Jing turned and walked away.
He appeared carefree and decisive, but at the moment he turned around, it felt as if he hadn’t thrown away souvenirs but his heartfelt intentions.
His eyes were red-rimmed.
He felt so wronged he wanted to cry.
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