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Keeping him?
Ying Jing suddenly deflated. What kind of person was she, not feminine at all, ruining the good atmosphere.
He restrained the urge to roll his eyes and said, “You don’t believe me.”
Chu Ning sat cross-legged, her legs a bit numb. She shifted her posture, moving her knees back into a kneeling position. She beckoned Ying Jing with her hand, “Come here.”
Ying Jing walked over, this time quite carefree.
Close now, he stood still.
Chu Ning gestured for him to squat down a bit.
Very obediently, a young face approached.
She suddenly reached out and flicked his forehead hard.
“Ow—!!” Ying Jing cried out in pain, “What are you doing?!”
“What do you think I’m doing?”
“Angry because of my confession? You’re using violence to mask your inner shock.”
“Can you just die?”
Chu Ning said flatly.
Ying Jing’s freshly washed hair was still dripping water, his thick locks clumping together. With his deep gaze, he looked like a drowned ghost.
“Are you bored? Huh?” Chu Ning was unkind.
“What did I do?” Ying Jing was also indignant.
“If you keep acting on whims, causing trouble without reason, I really won’t bother with you anymore.”
“You won’t.” Ying Jing whispered, “You wouldn’t ignore me.”
“Hmph,” Chu Ning sneered, “Who gave you that confidence?”
“You did.”
“...”
Forget it; there was no way to have a rational conversation with this person.
Round and round they went, the rhythm completely thrown off by him.
Chu Ning couldn’t help but reflect if she had spoiled this guy too much in daily life. She knew very well that giving him time to grow was a form of tolerance, but this tolerance wasn’t limitless. Now he had crossed the line, and she needed to correct the rules of the game.
Chu Ning looked at him again, deliberately widening the distance between them: “First, you’re still in school; prioritize your studies. Do I need to teach you this principle? Second, you have a project in hand; you must take full responsibility. Don’t play the emotional card. If anything goes wrong, the company won’t approve, and no one can save you. Let me be blunt: several vice presidents in my company unanimously favor Zhou Ming’s new energy vehicle project, and my boss, Wei Zong from Qiming Industry, is also actively promoting cooperation.”
This statement hit Ying Jing’s weak spot.
His morale was instantly halved.
All his emotions were written on his face, and Chu Ning could tell it was effective. She cleared her throat and continued, “At your age, I understand.”
“...Understand what...”
“I understand that you’re bored, that you’re fascinated by some unknown fields.” Chu Ning, like one of Beijing’s top ten distinguished teachers, maintained a firm attitude: “I’m kindly advising you. Listen if you want; otherwise, forget it. Prioritize tasks and don’t get things backwards. Focus on completing important tasks at hand. If you really want to date, talk about it after achieving success.”
But Ying Jing was cunning and seized the loophole, asking, “Is it okay if I finish the project?”
Chu Ning was cautious, vaguely sensing something behind his words.
He leaned closer, his gaze intense, “Speak up, hmm?”
Three seconds of eye contact.
Chu Ning raised her hand, palm touching his cheek, then pushed his face to the right, “Don’t look at me.”
Ying Jing, leaning on her soft palm, turned his face back, “Why can’t I look? Your face isn’t bearded.”
Chu Ning felt a headache coming on.
She increased the pressure, pushing his face to the right again, “I said don’t look. Why so many questions!”
Ying Jing forcefully turned his face back, looking at her.
Chu Ning pushed harder, not allowing him to look.
They were in a tug-of-war.
Unable to withstand the boy’s strength, Chu Ning straightened her back and pressed both hands on his head.
“Shit, you’re cheating!” Ying Jing’s neck was almost broken under her pressure. He struggled free and retaliated by biting her hand.
Chu Ning screamed in pain, “Why are you biting me?! Are you a dog?!”
A row of tooth marks appeared on her hand. Her skin was naturally pale, so the redness showed prominently under pressure.
Chu Ning covered her hand, glaring angrily.
Ying Jing glared back even more furiously, “This is my punishment for you. Unhappy? If you’re unhappy, bite me back.”
Chu Ning was caught between laughter and tears, “What are you punishing me for?”
“You don’t believe my sincerity.”
Chu Ning’s headache worsened. After all this, they circled back to square one.
She sighed, “Was all that advice for nothing?”
“That old rhetoric is outdated. Even my mom doesn’t say those things.”
Chu Ning’s eyes narrowed in displeasure.
Unfazed, Ying Jing immersed himself in his thoughts, “I know you don’t like me right now.”
“Then why waste so many words?”
“I’m not like you. I never hide anything, and I can’t. What is, is.”
“...” Chu Ning’s flared-up temper gradually smoothed out. She returned to her original position, changing from kneeling to sitting cross-legged again.
Quietly, Ying Jing glanced at her and muttered, “What’s so hard to understand? Just like how you don’t like me, so all your reactions just now clearly indicated an attitude of ‘dislike’.”
Chu Ning: “Then that’s settled.”
“No, it’s not,” Ying Jing stated confidently, “It’s the same principle. How come you can express dislike but not allow me to express liking?”
Chu Ning was speechless, feeling her headache reaching the point where she needed painkillers.
But Ying Jing no longer obsessed over this topic. Quite calmly, he got up, ruffled his half-dried hair, and laid down to sleep.
Chu Ning sat quietly in front of her computer, staring at the numbers on the report.
The atmosphere returned to calm.
Not long after, Ying Jing’s voice: “Does your hand still hurt?”
Chu Ning snorted coldly.
“Don’t snort. It won’t hurt. I controlled my strength; I wouldn’t let you feel pain.”
Chu Ning turned her head, “What nonsense are you spouting?!”
“I never spout nonsense. I’ll never let you feel pain in the future.” Ying Jing lay on his side on the floor, facing away. His shoulder blades rose like a hill, the vertebrae at the back of his neck slightly protruding, forming a straight, clean line, exuding strength.
He closed his eyes, “I’m sleeping. Don’t stay up late.”
As his breathing gradually became steady, it seemed to signal that the night’s skirmish was slowly subsiding.
Chu Ning reviewed and summarized everything, finally letting her thoughts drift away like a bad joke—heard it, forgot it.
She focused her mind and resumed work.
She finished at three in the morning and slept until later the next day. When she woke up, Ying Jing had already left. On the table was a note:
“Morning classes, I’ve returned to school. I kept some meat buns warm for you in the pot. Eat breakfast, or you’ll go bankrupt!”
What nonsense.
Flipping the note over, oh, there was another line on the back.
“Afraid your phone wasn’t on silent, so I didn’t send you a WeChat message. How’s that for thoughtful?”
There was a thumb drawn at the end.
“Childish.”
She evaluated while drawing the curtains. Outside, the sun shone brightly; it was a clear day.
This pleasant mood didn’t last long, ending abruptly after receiving a call from the company.
Hearing the gist of the matter over the phone, Chu Ning’s heart sank. She picked up her car keys, “Alright, I’m coming.”
Months ago, there was a glitch in the supply chain of the VR glasses order signed by the company. This story was long-winded. Initially signing a contract with Xu Youshan was due to his connections in the supply market. Essentially, it was a very simple contract: one party provided channels, the other provided funds, and profits were split according to benefits.
“The cost on the first batch quotation was absurdly high, whether parts, technical funds, or even transportation costs, all were more than five percent higher than the market rate.” As soon as Chu Ning arrived at the company, the secretary reported.
“The marketing department immediately questioned, but they presented all the bottom-line orders, consistent prices, saying the production factory raised the quotes.”
Chu Ning flipped through a few pages, already having an idea in mind. Frowning, she asked, “Who approved it?”
“They said… it was you.” The secretary hesitated.
Chu Ning’s expression darkened, but upon reflection, she suddenly froze.
The secretary continued, “They said they communicated this matter with you at the time, in your office. You said the choice of production factory was entirely their responsibility.”
Chu Ning vaguely remembered; indeed, there was such a thing.
In the early stages, Xu Youshan’s communication work was impeccable. He reported even the smallest matters to Chu Ning. Busy as she was, seeing their good attitude, she relaxed on many things. Relevant items in the contract were ambiguously stipulated—
“With mutual consent from both parties, implementation can proceed.”
This consent was too subtle.
“President Ning, they, they...” The secretary stumbled, seemingly troubled.
“Go ahead.”
“They recorded your conversation in the office.”
Chu Ning closed her eyes briefly, already understanding. She had fallen into a trap.
This Xu Youshan was too crafty. His tactics were clear: first making her lower her guard, impeccable in communication and reporting, then cutting to the key point, getting her to relax and say “entirely your responsibility,” which planted a hidden danger.
Moreover, the contract details were not thorough. If they really seized this loophole to file a lawsuit, the other party had recordings, leaving both sides unclear. In short, they exploited every loophole, hyping up cost pricing to profit.
Chu Ning quickly sorted out her thoughts and asked, “Which production factory did they choose?”
“Yao Lin Electronics.”
“Location?”
“Not far, in Xingcheng.”
The secretary paused, “Vice President Wang and the others already know about this. They’ve scheduled a meeting at ten o’clock and told me to inform you.”
Such a rogue affair would ruin whoever touched it.
Chu Ning felt frustrated and annoyed inside but attended the meeting calmly.
During the meeting, Wang Shan’s dissatisfaction was evident, and various departments voiced their opinions. Superficially polite and respectful, the tone remained relatively light, but discussing the matter objectively, Chu Ning calmly took responsibility, stating that the main responsibility lay with her.
An order worth several million yuan—neither small nor large.
If they took the matter to court, this squabble would drag on. Ningjing Investment, backed by Wei Qilin’s Qiming Industry, meant that Wang Shan, being Wei Qilin’s man, naturally elevated considerations.
“This timing is very unfavorable. The annual report is coming up soon, the stock market has been volatile recently, and the CSRC’s approval will be stricter. Less trouble is better than more.”
Chu Ning understood. During the meeting, she promised, “I will personally handle it, resolving this matter as peacefully as possible.”
The incident was sudden, and with the year-end approaching, it made Chu Ning want to vomit blood in frustration.
Efficient and decisive, she drove to Xingcheng that afternoon.
Without a doubt, this was a collusive trick. Xu Youshan definitely conspired with the factory to inflate quotes and split the profits. Chu Ning knew she couldn’t squeeze anything more from Mr. Xu.
Her purpose was clear—to directly confront the factory.
This trip included only one business supervisor. As they set off, Chu Ning’s menstrual cramps were severe; this old ailment was killing her.
One misfortune after another. Chu Ning sweated profusely in the car, suddenly recalling the note from that morning—”Eat breakfast, or you’ll go bankrupt!”
A prophecy fulfilled.
Chu Ning thought, this little brat was truly born to counter her.
Thinking of him brought his call.
“...” Strange. Chu Ning was weak with frustration, “What is it?”
Ying Jing: “Are you on a business trip?”
“Who told you?”
“Are you really on a business trip? And you’re in Xingcheng, right?” Ying Jing was unusually excited, “Right?”
Chu Ning tilted her head back, enduring the cramps in her lower abdomen, “Mm.”
“If I had known, I would have come along. I’m going home after my classes.”
Chu Ning then remembered, he was from Xingcheng.
“Alright, I’ll hang up if there’s nothing else.”
“Hang up already? Okay, see you tonight!”
This time, he was very obedient and didn’t pester her to talk more.
Chu Ning arrived at her destination at three o’clock.
As she had imagined, the factory and Xu Youshan were completely aligned. They claimed that the cost prices had risen, with signed sales contracts in black and white, presenting reasonable evidence without apparent loopholes. Chu Ning listed the market prices for the same period, pointing out their unreasonableness. In response, they argued about the materials themselves—imported goods, finer craftsmanship, naturally more expensive.
The final line: “We can make cheaper ones, but when you signed the contract, you specified this type. It was consensual; no one forced you.”
Chu Ning returned defeated.
She curled up in the hotel, exhausted from a day’s折腾, her stomach aching severely, even too lazy to eat.
Worried about how to deal with the factory people, with no ideas in mind, both body and spirit were low, leaving her completely drained.
When Ying Jing called, she was spacing out, answering after ten rings or so.
“Are you busy? Why did it take so long to answer?” Ying Jing’s voice was a bit breathless.
Chu Ning: “Breathing so hard, are you running?”
“You open the door.”
“...”
“Open the door!”
Chu Ning was puzzled, sat up from the bed, and opened the door.
“Hi!” Ying Jing grinned widely, wearing a backpack, fresh and clean.
This smile brushed away half of Chu Ning’s bad mood.
Perplexed, she asked, “How did you come here?”
“What kind of joke is that? I grew up here; this is my turf.” Ying Jing was dissatisfied with her questioning and forgetfulness, “And I said I would come to find you.”
“Not that, how did you know I’m staying here?”
“I asked the front desk at your company; they booked the hotel for you.” Ying Jing walked into the room familiarly, scanned around, and asked, “You haven’t eaten yet?”
He turned around, full of energy: “Come on, let me take you to eat!”
Chu Ning hesitated for a moment, looking at his backpack, “Where did you come from?”
“School, I came to find you as soon as I got off the bus.” Ying Jing glanced at her.
“You didn’t go home?”
“With you here, why would I go home?” Ying Jing suddenly smirked, leaning close, “Or, do you want to come home with me?”
Chu Ning’s eyes immediately turned warning.
“Nah nah nah, here we go again, you’re always so serious with me, you’re really boring.” Ying Jing was inherently optimistic, “Good thing I’m quite resilient.”
He turned around solemnly, “Can you change a bit?”
Chu Ning’s fists were itching to move.
“Alright, alright, if you don’t change, that’s fine too.” Ying Jing didn’t care, “Even if you don’t change, I still like you.”
Chu Ning laughed bitterly, her stomach hurt, and she was too lazy to argue with him.
Walking out of the hotel, Chu Ning said, “Hey, you drive.” She handed him the keys from her bag.
This was quite difficult.
Ying Jing awkwardly said, “...I don’t have a driver’s license yet. But rest assured, I’ll get it as soon as possible, and then I’ll take you for a drive.”
Chu Ning didn’t want to talk to him.
After getting in the car, Ying Jing acted as a live GPS, leading Chu Ning to a local restaurant.
The decoration of this place was quite ordinary.
Seeing her puzzled look, Ying Jing said, “The best food is always in nameless small shops; I wouldn’t tell just anyone.” Then he waved his hand, “Boss, make a chicken soup with some red dates.”
Chu Ning glanced at him, “You seem to know quite a bit about health care.”
Ying Jing, busy unwrapping disposable utensils, didn’t look up, saying, “It’s for you.”
He placed the bowl in front of her, naturally stating, “Girls should drink more chicken soup during this time to replenish themselves. I also asked the boss to add a charcoal fire pot; drink more soup, it will keep warm continuously.”
“...” Chu Ning frowned, how did he know?
“Your face is pale like paper, weak and breathless; I noticed it earlier.” Ying Jing said, “My sister is the same. Every time it’s excruciating, hey, girls really have it tough, they have to endure this suffering.”
“...”
By the time the chicken soup was served, Ying Jing was very attentive. He first stirred the thin layer of oil on top with a ladle, then filled her bowl.
“There, drink it, be careful it’s hot.”
His smile spread wide, pure and genuine, without a hint of ulterior motives.
Chu Ning suddenly understood something he had said before—”I say what I think, I’m not like you; I can’t hide my emotions.”
His kindness towards someone was to implement this “kindness” in every detail of life.
Not exaggerated, not dazzling, but so real.
The chicken soup steamed hot; Chu Ning held the spoon, slowly stirring.
She took a sip, feeling warmth in her heart.
“Did you come to Xingcheng for business?” Ying Jing chatted casually.
“Mm.”
“What business?”
Chu Ning realized that he really liked to ask questions persistently.
Under normal circumstances, she would ignore him, but today was strange. Maybe it was because of all the setbacks along the way, plus her physical discomfort, which made her feel like complaining.
After finishing a bowl of chicken soup, Chu Ning briefly recounted the entire incident.
With a light sigh, she was genuinely troubled.
“I met with the factory people this afternoon, and it didn’t go smoothly. I’ll think of another way.”
Ying Jing raised his head, “What way?”
“Invite them to dinner tomorrow.” Negotiating over wine was also one of China’s traditions.
“But won’t you have to drink?”
Chu Ning remained calm, “What can I do? At this critical juncture, solving the problem is the priority.”
Ying Jing was earnest: “You’re not allowed to drink.”
Chu Ning smiled, “What, are you going to entertain on my behalf?”
“You’re not feeling well, how can you drink!” Ying Jing’s tone started to stir up trouble again.
Chu Ning had figured out his temperament. If she countered him once, he would retort ten times. Why bother creating trouble for herself.
So she chose to remain silent.
“Give me the name of this factory.” Ying Jing suddenly said.
Chu Ning lowered her head and continued eating.
After a moment, he reproached softly, “You don’t trust me again.”
Chu Ning’s lips curved slightly, looking at him. Their eyes met for a few seconds.
“Alright.” She looked down, lazily responding.
Thus, he would be quieter. Chu Ning thought, enough trouble, better not waste energy arguing with him.
This episode was quickly forgotten by Chu Ning. She didn’t sleep well that night, pondering the negotiation details for the next day. Unexpectedly, an hour before departure, the factory side proactively called.
Their attitude was vastly different from yesterday, apologizing politely and asking if there was any misunderstanding, requesting a meeting to communicate.
The situation reversed. Chu Ning left the factory in the afternoon, still incredulous.
They naturally didn’t admit colluding with Xu Youshan to inflate quotes and extort money, but tactfully proposed concessions, suggesting either a discount based on the original price or an increase in order quantity.
Afraid of further surprises, Chu Ning decided on the spot to choose the first option.
In less than two hours, the situation tipped entirely to one side.
When leaving, a director from the factory side was courteous, speaking indirectly, “President Ning, we apologize for causing such a misunderstanding and thank you for your criticism and guidance. We will strengthen our management and avoid making such mistakes again. Also, please convey my greetings to President Meng.”
President Meng?
Which President Meng?
Chu Ning was sharp, quickly associating it with Ying Jing. She recalled his confident guarantee last night and suddenly understood. She picked up her phone to confirm her guess.
Ying Jing almost answered instantly.
Her heart raced at 120 beats per minute. After connecting, she pretended to be calm, imitating his usual cold demeanor, quietly asking, “What is it, please speak.”
Chu Ning wrinkled her brows, “Talk properly.”
“Tsk.” Ying Jing muttered, “That’s how you always treat me, uncomfortable, right? Put yourself in my shoes, stop being so serious with me in the future.”
This kid, now his speech was increasingly tricky.
Chu Ning felt odd but quickly suppressed it, cleared her throat, and asked, “Who is this President Meng to you?”
“Did you resolve the matter?”
“Mm.”
“That’s good!” Ying Jing’s joy was unadorned and unhidden, directly rushing into her ears. Hearing it, Chu Ning’s lips involuntarily curved upward.
Back to business, “Which President Meng? Tell me, I need to thank the person.”
“I won’t tell you.” Ying Jing was solemn, “He’s a bit handsome, I’m not reassured.”
Chu Ning’s lips curved higher, her brows relaxed, teasing, “What, losing confidence in yourself?”
Silence on the other end, then he said, “You’ve never given me this confidence. Either give it to me, or don’t laugh at me.”
Word by word, it was like drumming in her ear.
Chu Ning was momentarily speechless.
Fortunately, Ying Jing didn’t let the silence last long, he said, “Come to me.”
“Eh?”
“Not coming to thank Benefactor Meng? Come over, we’re waiting for you here.”
Chu Ning kept a wary eye, “Not your house, right?”
“Don’t you want to come to my house?”
Some decorum was still necessary; she said she didn’t want to.
“Not my house, rest assured.” His voice was calm on the other end.
After hanging up, the address was sent via WeChat.
Chu Ning clicked to view it.
An army family housing area.
Just as she was suspicious, Ying Jing added a text message: “The sunset here is beautiful, come over, there’s a football match to watch. Let me know when you arrive at the gate.”
Near the main street, the road was straight, single-lane, vehicles driving neatly and slowly.
On either side of the road, a military police officer stood guard every five meters.
At the main gate of the compound, security was even stricter; all outside vehicles were directed to designated parking areas.
The atmosphere suddenly became solemn.
Getting out of the car, Chu Ning didn’t dare to move around too much until Ying Jing ran out from inside, “I’m here!”
He moved freely, and when he exited the gate, the guards stood at attention and saluted, eyes fixed forward.
He didn’t say much, took Chu Ning’s ID card, efficiently completed the registration, and when leaving, chatted with the on-duty soldiers, clearly knowing each other for a long time.
Chu Ning rarely encountered such environments and hadn’t grasped the nuances, only suspicions arose in her mind.
Ying Jing led her into the main gate; this was Chu Ning’s first entry into a military-related area.
Spacious, orderly, even the landscaping was trimmed into uniform shapes and heights.
Every detail highlighted rules.
Ying Jing’s legs were long, so his strides were big, making Chu Ning struggle to keep up behind him, “Hey, are you familiar with this place?”
Ying Jing slowed his steps, turned back, and gave her an ambiguous smile.
“...” Chu Ning was alert, “Where is President Meng?”
“Over there.” He pointed far away.
Chu Ning unconsciously moved closer to him, “Where?”
“There.” Ying Jing imperceptibly leaned closer to her.
The direction he pointed to was a large basketball court. Despite the cold winter, many soldiers in camouflage short sleeves were running and shooting hoops on the court.
The sound of balls hitting the hoop and excited cheers coalesced together, igniting the passion that could overturn the winter chill.
But Chu Ning was only focused on finding people, unaware of Ying Jing’s subtle trick. When she stepped back half a step, he quickly advanced a big step, blocking her tightly with his embrace.
Today, she wasn’t wearing high heels; her flat ankle boots offered no height advantage, making their height difference even more obvious.
The heat emanating from Ying Jing boiled over, scorching her desire to jump away quickly.
“Don’t move.” Ying Jing pressed her shoulders and then turned her around, “Look.”
The terrain here was open, the horizon seemingly within reach.
The twilight painted the sky orange and yellow, the transition between day and night, welcoming the stars.
Enough to deserve the word magnificent.
Chu Ning’s back was still against Ying Jing’s chest, his deep breathing tickling the top of her head.
Perhaps the sunset was too beautiful, momentarily mesmerizing.
Chu Ning forgot to push him away.
The two stood in place, one speaking with a heartbeat, the other tormented by entanglement.
At this moment, Ying Jing reacted first, turning his chin and shouting to the right: “—Dad.”
“...” Following his gaze, Chu Ning saw a black sedan parked by the roadside, followed by a military SUV. All the license plates were military zone numbers.
The rear window of the sedan slid down, revealing the face of a middle-aged man.
Ying Yizhang had just finished a meeting in Shenbei and returned home after three days of official duties.
He nodded示意 to Ying Jing, while Fu, the staff officer beside him, cheerfully greeted, “Hey, Xiao Jing is back? Come to Uncle’s house for dinner tomorrow, Yao Yao mentioned you yesterday.”
Passersby formally saluted the people in the car.
Chu Ning heard them say, “Greetings, Commander!”
After the car drove away.
Chu Ning abruptly turned around, furious, “Didn’t you say you weren’t taking me to your house!!”
Ying Jing feigned nonchalance, hands in pockets, playing the rogue, whispering, “I wanted to seize the opportunity to ambush you.”
After a pause, he added, “...I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time.”
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