Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
Ying Jing thought he was hearing things.
But he didn’t dare to move, fearing that if he did, it would turn into an illusion.
Beside him, Yaoyao noticed something strange. She looked at Ying Jing for a moment, then glanced at Chu Ning. What was going on between these two?
“Little Jing Brother, I want bubble tea!” She tugged at Ying Jing’s shirt hem, “Are we still going?”
Ying Jing snapped out of it and stiffly nodded, “Mm, let’s go.”
Chu Ning, standing by the car, suddenly lowered her head and smiled faintly—a distant smile that left people confused and tense.
Her laugh seemed to see through all his thoughts and disguises, disdainful and confident.
Ying Jing felt challenged inside, not knowing who he was competing with, and strode forward without looking aside.
After a few steps, Chu Ning said, “Aren’t you treating me to dinner?”
Ying Jing didn’t stop walking. Yaoyao curiously studied her but was pulled by Ying Jing, who forbade her from looking.
Chu Ning watched his back, glanced twice, then lowered her head. Meanwhile, Ying Jing’s steps became hesitant.
Yaoyao kept asking, “Do you know this pretty sister? If you know her, why don’t you say hello?”
Ying Jing was annoyed and wanted her to shut up.
Suddenly, his wrist was tightly gripped; Chu Ning caught up and held him.
“Come here,” she slightly pulled, but found she couldn’t move him.
Ying Jing stood like a wooden post.
Chu Ning frowned slightly, pulled again, and softly said, “Come here.”
The wooden post lived up to its name.
Chu Ning didn’t insist, loosened her grip, turned her beautiful face towards him, her gaze wandering between his eyes.
Finally, she calmly shifted her gaze, took two steps back, and turned to leave.
This time, it was Ying Jing’s turn to be stunned.
She left?
Just like that?
Chu Ning’s back was graceful, revealing no emotion. She walked to the car, hand on the handle. Ying Jing’s inner impulse could no longer be hidden. He left Yaoyao behind and went after her like a puppy returning to its master.
Ying Jing quietly quickened his pace. Chu Ning had already opened the car door.
“Bang!” He pressed his palm on the car door.
Chu Ning turned her head and looked at him silently.
Ying Jing’s face reddened slightly, feeling awkward. After a while, he muttered gloomily, “What do you want to eat?”
Chu Ning smiled briefly, “Now you’re willing to talk to me?”
Ying Jing was extremely embarrassed, his face sullen. He decided to be tough and unreasonable till the end, “So what if I am! Are you eating or not!”
Chu Ning’s expression turned cold, her thin lips tightly closed.
After a moment of silence, she softened and gently said, “Get in the car.”
After saying that, she got into the car first.
Ying Jing took a deep breath and told Yaoyao, who was still waiting, “Go buy your bubble tea yourself. I have something to do.”
Yaoyao was upset, “You promised me.”
Chu Ning, sitting in the car, impatiently honked the horn.
Without further delay, Ying Jing obediently sat in the passenger seat.
Yaoyao shouted from outside, “Why don’t you invite me to such a good meal!”
The white BMW sped past, leaving her with a mouthful of exhaust fumes.
So frustrating!
The scenery outside the car changed frame by frame rapidly. The atmosphere inside the car was oppressive and silent.
Ying Jing couldn’t help but speak first, “Did you change cars?”
It used to be a white Audi.
Chu Ning hummed, “That one is being serviced.”
“Oh.”
They fell into another awkward cycle. No, it was just him feeling awkward.
He didn’t know why Chu Ning came. He also didn’t know what she wanted to do when she came to find him. She was always so independent and highly execution-driven. He simply couldn’t keep up with her pace.
Lost in thought, he grew increasingly disheartened and discouraged.
Most of Ying Jing’s guesses and worries stemmed from his internal struggle.
In his daze, Chu Ning suddenly spoke, “Which way?”
Ying Jing snapped out of it, swallowed, and replied, “What do you want to eat?”
“Let’s have meat. I’m starving,” Chu Ning said.
Ying Jing thought briefly and reminded her, “Change lanes, turn right at the next intersection.”
Chu Ning added, “I don’t eat fish.”
“...” Ying Jing corrected himself, “Then don’t change lanes, just go straight.”
Again, it was the omnipotent hot pot. Chu Ning parked the car and glanced at the signboard, resigned, “When you meet friends, do you only eat hot pot?”
Ying Jing had his hands in his pockets and glanced at her, “Hot pot is convenient. If you don’t want to eat it, we can change places.”
“Never mind, let’s eat.” Chu Ning pressed the car key to lock the car.
After sitting down, Ying Jing first called home and said he wouldn’t be back for dinner. Cui Jingshu seemed to ask questions on the other end. Ying Jing vaguely answered, “Just a friend, alright, alright, I know.”
He hung up. Silence filled the air, and the smell of hot pot warmed up the upcoming conversation.
Unlike before, Ying Jing reined in his chatterbox nature and sat quietly across from Chu Ning. He had many questions to ask, but they all reached the tip of his tongue, only for him to lose heart. What was the point of asking...?
Chu Ning also seemed impatient. She looked around several times, restless.
Finally, unwilling to settle, she said, “Let’s change places.”
“Huh?”
“It’s too noisy.” Chu Ning picked up her bag and stood up.
This old hot pot restaurant was quite famous in Xingcheng. It was crowded regardless of peak hours. Waiters carrying dishes squeezed through narrow aisles, shouting loudly, “Excuse me! Please make way!”
“Be careful.” Ying Jing blocked her and shielded Chu Ning behind him as he narrowly avoided a collision with the steaming broth pot.
From her angle, Chu Ning couldn’t see clearly and thought it looked dangerous. She quickly asked, “Are you burned?”
Ying Jing shook his head, “Let’s go.”
The two walked out of the hot pot restaurant. Ying Jing gradually regained his composure and acted more like the host, “What do you want to eat?”
Fearing she might not think of anything immediately, he started making suggestions, “Beef brisket noodles, eight treasures rice, seafood paella, light options include shrimp porridge, paired with a fried dough stick—will that fill you up? Barbecue is fine too; there’s a charcoal-fired bullfrog place not far ahead.”
As he spoke, he walked ahead, leaving his back to Chu Ning.
Halfway through his words, his sleeve was lightly tugged by her. Ying Jing turned his head and saw her pointing to the right.
It was a KFC.
Fifteen minutes later, Ying Jing came out holding a family bucket. They sat on the flower bed edge, eating legs and burgers alternately.
Chu Ning could eat quite a bit. Unlike most girls, she didn’t hold back in front of the opposite sex. She didn’t care about these things; she ate heartily and looked quite satisfied.
Ying Jing handed her a cup of Coke and then passed her a chicken wing.
“When did your patience and composure get so good?” Chu Ning asked while eating, “Don’t you want to know why I came to find you?”
Ying Jing replied, “If you want to say it, you will. If you don’t, my asking won’t help.”
Chu Ning turned her head and glanced at him, this brat.
“Why did you come to find me?” Ying Jing made his tone sound like “cooperation.”
But Chu Ning said, “What do you hope I came to find you for?”
With those two sentences, she once again took control.
Ying Jing suddenly felt wronged. This sense of injustice wasn’t related to Chu Ning, personal feelings, or her decision to give up on him that night. He had learned to deal with matters objectively but hadn’t mastered emotional restraint.
All the recent troubles were like a tangled mess of circuit boards. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t connect them into a smooth line.
These setbacks weren’t part of his life preparation or within the scope of his passionate endeavors.
Ying Jing finally gave in, stopped pretending to be strong, and softly said, “If I say I hope you came to give me a hug, would that request be childish?”
Chu Ning put down the chicken leg, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and smiled to herself, “Hmph, I wish someone would give me a hug too.”
“You’re serious?”
“Hmm?” Chu Ning tilted her head.
Ying Jing extended his arm, wrapped it around her shoulder, and hugged her tightly.
“...”
Ignoring her complex expression, Ying Jing said boldly, “You asked for it, don’t be polite.”
Seeing her roll her eyes almost to the sky, Chu Ning couldn’t help but lower her head and laugh.
Neither of them realized that somehow, their interactions had opened a gap where the word “closeness” could slowly fit in.
Nearby was the pedestrian street. After nightfall, the city’s hustle and bustle converged here.
Ying Jing bit the straw, sipped some iced Coke, and said flatly, “How’s your company?”
“What kind of good?”
“Just... those who opposed your investment in my project, are they still giving you trouble?”
“No.”
Chu Ning put the leftovers into the paper box, which Ying Jing promptly took away.
He held the empty family bucket, not rushing to throw it into the trash.
“Isn’t it much easier now?” He forced a bitter smile, doing his best to remain composed.
Chu Ning nodded, “It’s okay.”
Ying Jing’s heart was scratched by these two words, instantly stinging, yet he didn’t deserve to seek comfort from her.
The two remained silent.
They watched the passing vehicles, the pedestrians hurrying along, feeling the wind, the cold, and the approaching Lunar New Year. The streets were already adorned with festive decorations.
A gust of wind swayed the Chinese knots on the street. When the wind stopped...
“Let’s continue,” Chu Ning suddenly said.
Ying Jing was momentarily bewildered, “What?”
“Continue the project, don’t stop. We’ll see where it takes us.” Chu Ning remained calm.
Ying Jing dissected each word of this sentence in his heart, considering countless possibilities, but still found it hard to believe.
Chu Ning glanced at him and commanded, “Speak.”
But Ying Jing suddenly covered his face with his hands, buried his head in his palms, and shook his head continuously.
Chu Ning sighed, “Considering I drove all the way to Xingcheng, at least give me a response.”
Ying Jing moved his hands away, turned his head to look at her. His pupils were pitch black and bright, his nervousness and complexity fully displayed. He asked hoarsely, “Why?”
Chu Ning said, “I don’t know.”
Silence for a moment, Ying Jing softly said, “This isn’t the MH370 disappearance; there’s no reason for you to be impulsive again.”
“Impulsive?” Chu Ning smiled, “Is being impulsive always a bad thing?”
“What do you mean?”
“The premise of investment is precise measurement, ensuring the greatest possibility of success and striving for maximum profit returns. I started working independently at twenty and have been doing it for six or seven years.” Chu Ning’s gaze resembled the depths of a moonlit lake, rare in its gentle beauty. She said, “I’ve always thought that the reason I’ve accumulated today’s achievements is because of caution, restraint—oh, and I’m quite stingy. In business, even over a single yuan, I’d fight tooth and nail. But what’s the point? Struggling endlessly, losing feathers everywhere, winning doesn’t change the fact—it’s still just one yuan.”
Chu Ning sipped her Coke, swallowed, and kept biting the straw, grinding it with her teeth, “At twenty-five or twenty-six, many of my peers still maintain a bit of innocence and softness. Compared to them, I feel like an old woman—sometimes, I get tired of myself too.”
She lowered her head slightly, “But I can’t help it. The company has reached this stage; it’s no longer just my own affair. Every month, salaries need to be paid, key personnel retained, and they need to see hope. My life seems to no longer fully belong to me.”
Under the vast sky, everyone has their difficulties.
Struggling painfully, feeling helpless.
At this moment, Chu Ning shed her worldly dust, finally revealing a trace of genuine innocence.
Her slender fingers traced the patterns on the Coke paper cup. Finally, a hint of weariness appeared between her brows as she softly said, “I’ve finally reached the age I envied as a child, but I haven’t become the person I wanted to be.”
Her gaze was vacant, her profile breathtakingly beautiful.
Ying Jing’s heart ached more than ever.
He had so much to say but didn’t know where to start. At this moment, anything he said seemed powerless.
“What did you want to be when you were a child?” Ying Jing made himself sound like he was chatting casually, not wanting to add any pressure on her.
“I wanted to be an innkeeper.”
“Huh?”
“Not short of money, love, courage, or vision. Traveling, stopping, seeing the world, and finally settling down in a place I like.” Chu Ning turned her head and suddenly smiled at him, “Opening a black inn, specifically deceiving handsome scholars like you, sucking your yang energy dry, achieving immortality and eternal youth.”
The brilliance in her eyes dazzled Ying Jing, causing him to blurt out without thinking, “…I haven’t seen you suck my yang energy either.”
After speaking, he froze, not realizing the impropriety.
Chu Ning’s eyes darkened, clicking her tongue. She stretched out her right hand and pinched his chin, “What are you saying, hmm?”
Ying Jing’s throat rolled nervously, but he fearlessly repeated, “It’s true.”
“Bullshit.” Chu Ning was straightforward and brutal, flicking her hand, and Ying Jing’s face flew to the right.
He whimpered in pain.
“Serves you right!”
Chu Ning paused, “Wait, don’t die yet.” She asked, “Give me an answer first. Do you want to continue with me?”
Ying Jing rubbed his chin, “What if I say no?”
Chu Ning replied, “I won’t force you.”
... So carefree?
Ying Jing snorted, “Coming all this way, you didn’t even say a few comforting words.”
Chu Ning sneered, “You can push your luck even further.”
Ying Jing grinned, leaning closer to her, “Comfort me. Now.”
Chu Ning suppressed a laugh, “Troublesome.”
Ying Jing pouted, “Isn’t it troublesome? Liking a woman who doesn’t like me.”
Before Chu Ning could react, he had already gotten up and left.
Chu Ning pressed her temples; she hated when people brought emotions into discussions.
“Don’t take it to heart, and don’t worry about it,” Ying Jing didn’t look back, “I said I wouldn’t make things difficult for you anymore—I’ll keep my word.”
Chu Ning’s lips curved slightly, quickly returning to calmness. She got up and chased after his retreating figure. Neither of them spoke.
Between them, besides the word “closeness,” there seemed to be an unconscious understanding.
Their shadows on the ground slowly overlapped, occasionally drifting apart.
When Ying Jing turned around, their shadows perfectly merged.
He said, “Where are you staying tonight?”
Chu Ning raised an eyebrow at him.
Ying Jing’s heart raced, gritting his teeth, “If you keep looking at me like that, I’ll kidnap you and make you sleep at my place.”
Chu Ning didn’t change her expression but subtly averted her eyes.
It seemed he had grown up; teasing was no longer possible.
After getting in the car, Ying Jing directed her to turn right, “I’ll find you a place to stay.”
“Anywhere will do; there are hotels around here.”
“Turn right.”
“…”
“Turn right!”
“…” Chu Ning was speechless but still turned on the signal and entered the right-turn lane, following his instructions.
Ying Jing took her to the military district guesthouse. Despite its humble-sounding name, the guesthouse was actually quite high-level. The simple and elegant decoration and well-maintained infrastructure spoke volumes.
Ying Jing booked a single room for her and escorted her to the second floor.
“It’s safe here, and I’ll feel more at ease.” Ying Jing opened the door for her and stopped her, “Wait here for a moment.”
He went in first, turned on all the lights, checked every corner of the room, including the bathroom, then opened the window for ventilation and turned on the air conditioning.
“You can come in now.”
Chu Ning crossed her arms. After a day of traveling, she should have been tired. However, tonight’s seemingly ordinary conversation strangely stirred her emotions. At this moment, she relaxed lazily, her expression easing, and asked, “What were you checking for?”
Ying Jing glanced at her, “Checking if anyone was hiding in the room.”
“…”
Ying Jing pretended to realize, “Oh, I forgot! There’s still under the bed!”
Chu Ning couldn’t hold back, “Hey, hey, hey!!”
Ying Jing calmly said, “What? Scared? You can still change your mind and sleep at my place.”
“…” This guy, overly mischievous.
“Alright, alright, I won’t tease you anymore.” Ying Jing stepped aside and said to her, “Then rest well. Call me if anything happens.”
Chu Ning hummed, “Okay.”
Symbolically seeing him off to the door, just as she was about to close it, Ying Jing suddenly pressed the door panel.
“I have one more question!”
Chu Ning looked up, “What?”
He took a deep breath and asked bluntly, “You said the project will continue, so… how exactly will it continue? Didn’t your company already abandon it?”
Chu Ning remained calm, her expression clear and simple, having thought it through, “Not through our company.”
Ying Jing didn’t understand.
Chu Ning explained indifferently, “I’ll register a new company. You don’t need to know the details. Leave everything to me. You just focus on moving forward, with ideals and goals, solidly—move forward.”
Those last three words blew away days of gloom, bringing radiant sunshine.
Ying Jing was silent, unable to say a word.
Because anything he said would seem insufficient.
“Rest well. I’m leaving.” Ying Jing’s voice was hoarse; this time, he didn’t linger.
After taking a bath and coming out, it was almost eleven o’clock.
There were a few new messages on her phone. She opened them and saw one from China Mobile—a successful payment reminder: “You have successfully recharged 200 yuan of phone credit.”
Chu Ning hesitated, wondering who had recharged it for her.
At that moment, a new message popped up on WeChat.
It was from Ying Jing:
“I’m home. Are you asleep?”
“Don’t be scared. This guesthouse is very safe; there’s a duty room downstairs.”
The screen showed the other party typing.
Soon:
“It’s the end of the month. I was afraid your phone would run out of credit and you wouldn’t be able to make calls if something happened, so I topped up your phone bill.”
For the last message, Ying Jing sent a default WeChat emoji—
A big, red, pulsating heart of great love.
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