TSDT - 19

The next day, Jiang Ying and Zheng Yifeng went with a client to collect evidence in a neighboring city. The procedures were straightforward; after a short wait in line, everything was handled smoothly. On the way back, passing by a shop, Jiang Ying discovered a type of snack cracker that had almost disappeared since her middle school days. Feeling a bit nostalgic for the taste, she immediately bought a few bags.

In the car, she offered some to the client and Zheng Yifeng. The client, a serious and down-to-earth uncle, waved his hand and declined. Zheng Yifeng, however, looked at the small bags of various shaped crackers with pleasant surprise, saying he had also eaten them when he was a child.

Jiang Ying felt she had found a kindred spirit and chatted with him for a while.

Their hometowns were in neighboring provinces, sharing some similar customs and dietary habits. When it came to food, the two young people were quite animated in their conversation. They had worked together for two years, and usually, Zheng Yifeng wasn’t very talkative. This was Jiang Ying’s first time realizing he could talk quite a bit, so she couldn’t help but extend the topic.

“Hey, isn’t Xiao Pan from accounting. She’s brought you local specialties several times, hasn’t she? How was it?”

Zheng Yifeng immediately became shy: “...It was quite tasty... but she probably won’t send any more in the future.”

“Ah... you didn’t click? She’s quite cute.” Jiang Ying genuinely felt a bit of a pity.

Zheng Yifeng whispered, “This... can’t be forced.”

Jiang Ying agreed: “True.”

Zheng Yifeng added, “You guys... don’t make jokes in front of her anymore.”

Jiang Ying felt guilty: “Sorry, I was too gossipy.”

Zheng Yifeng said, “It’s fine, I don’t mind, I just worry it might embarrass her.”

Jiang Ying smiled frankly: “Understood.”

That afternoon, during his nap, Meng Jingshu had a very long, very vivid dream.

In the dream, his feet stepped on the newly paved campus path. The smooth, firm asphalt still emitted a faint scent of oil. Evening self-study had just ended. The queue for late-night snacks at the cafeteria ahead was bustling, but he took another secluded path back to his dorm. The girl beside him tugged at her backpack strap, occasionally glancing at him, brewing the words she was about to say.

During class break that evening, she had written him a note, asking him to walk together after school.

She didn’t speak, and he didn’t open his mouth. He was never the one to initiate, and he was used to being at ease in silence.

The hustle and bustle of the cafeteria gradually receded behind them, and the girl quietly began to speak.

“Um... sorry.”

Meng Jingshu looked at her, his eyebrows slightly raised.

She explained: “It’s just... they’re all talking about us... I didn’t mean to,” she lowered her gaze, “I didn’t expect it to cause you trouble, I feel really bad.”

At that time, their third year of high school was nearing its end, with only a little over a hundred days left until the college entrance exam.

Her affection, unrestrained, gradually became apparent to everyone. Teenagers loved to tease each other about these subtle feelings.

A while ago, for the class autumn outing, they went to Meng Jingshu’s house for a barbecue. She was like a little shadow, following him, the host, busy with everything, never leaving his side. Some who were interested took many photos of them together. Inevitably, there were a few instances of eye contact. Even if the individuals were just having a normal conversation, to the gossiping crowd, it was sparks flying... As a result, rumors naturally spread like wildfire.

No matter how authoritative Jiang Ying usually was, she couldn’t stop the idle talk, so she could only come to apologize to him.

Meng Jingshu said flatly, “Let them say what they want. As long as the head teacher doesn’t call my family, it’s not a bother. You don’t need to apologize.”

The girl breathed a sigh of relief, pushed up her slightly heavy black-rimmed glasses, and smiled faintly.

“It’s good that you don’t feel bothered, I was just afraid it would affect you. Since that’s the case, let them talk. Anyway, the mock exams are coming soon, so their enthusiasm will probably be worn down by the tests.”

Meng Jingshu chuckled: “You’re quite open-minded.”

If it were other girls, being teased like that every day, they definitely wouldn’t be able to stand it.

She mumbled softly, “After all, it’s the truth... not rumors...”

Meng Jingshu: “Hmm?”

She raised her voice: “After all, they’re afraid I’ll mark them down if I don’t remind them, so they don’t dare to be too reckless...”

“Oh.” He silently curved his lips.

Actually, he had heard everything.

________________________________________

The scene shifted.

The dazzling neon signs of a superstar singer flickered all night. Outside, on one side, a hedge of holly surrounded two people.

The college entrance examination was over. She had changed her glasses, still black-rimmed, but with thinner frames, and her hair flowed softly, making her look less dull.

Today, after their teacher appreciation dinner, they went to KTV all night. Inside, the singing was heartbreaking and wailing. She called him, and he came out.

They sat on the edge of the green belt, with the summer starry sky above them and the dim, yellow road in front. Having escaped the heavy academic burden of high school, about to part ways, about to step into a new world at eighteen, they felt they could do anything they wanted, as if nothing would be an obstacle anymore.

Such a night was suitable for the fermentation of all emotions.

They each drank what they held in their hands. Meng Jingshu drank beer; hers was a can of Coca-Cola. She explained that her parents didn’t allow her to drink alcohol.

He let out a noncommittal hum, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Still quite naive, it seemed.

She chatted aimlessly with him, asking how he did on his exams and if he had any preferred universities. Meng Jingshu hadn’t decided yet; his family gave him complete freedom and had no requirements for university or major. He could go anywhere. He threw the same question back at her.

She thought for a while, then whispered, “Actually... if I performed normally, my score shouldn’t be too different from yours... After the scores come out, should we compare notes?” She then sounded a bit down, “But you can’t be sure, I don’t know if my essay was a bit off-topic...”

Meng Jingshu asked, “Do you want to go to the same university as me?”

She murmured, “...I don’t know.”

She lowered her gaze, wondering what she was thinking. After a long moment, as if having made a decision, she suddenly looked up, her eyes brimming with light.

She looked him directly in the eyes and asked very seriously, “Do you want to? To go to the same university as me?”

Meng Jingshu took a sip of beer and said blandly, “Whatever.”

“Oh...” The light dimmed. She silently turned her head away.

After a long while, she spoke again: “Actually, school can be boring sometimes, but you always seem to have so many things to play with, and so many friends...”

She sank into her own world, whispering as if in character.

“Even though I often snuck out of school, played games in the middle of the night, and got criticized, you studied very hard, got good grades, and won competition awards. I really admire that about you, that you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes when I see you, I feel like studying can be fun too. These past three years have been really good... Who knows what will happen in the future, at least for now...”

She suddenly stopped, turned her head to look at him, her eyes already a little moist.

She said, “Meng Jingshu, can you... give me ten seconds? Or, five seconds, is that okay?”

He was slightly startled: “What?”

The next moment, the girl crashed into him and hugged him.

His heart instantly lost its rhythm. He didn’t know how to react. He remained silent, but the girl suddenly tilted her head back from his neck and kissed his mouth.

His heart wouldn’t listen, nor would his body. Sucked by soft lips, he involuntarily extended his tongue and intertwined it with hers. Desire burned like fire. He held her tight, pressing her hips against his body. One of her hands was clasped in his, small and soft. He kissed her, in agony, wanting to use her hand to soothe himself there, but he didn’t dare.

What are you thinking, Meng Jingshu? She’s just a little girl, so well-behaved, and naive. How could you do such a lewd thing to her?

But physiological needs were swelling. He was impulsive, irrational.

Just as he was in a fierce internal struggle, the little girl in his arms suddenly chuckled softly. Her soft small hand slipped from his palm, burrowed into his waistband, and accurately grasped—

Meng Jingshu suddenly woke up, gasping for air, his heart threatening to leap out of his chest.

“Fuck...”

How could he have such a dream?

It was all perfectly fine before, all real events that he remembered. That night after the college entrance exam, she just briefly hugged him and let go. Nothing happened. How did the dream become so messed up towards the end?

It’s all that bad woman’s fault, messing with him so senselessly yesterday!

She used to be so well-behaved and proper, worried for half a day if someone was late, but now she’s turned into this devilish state? Every day, she wouldn’t let him have peace.

Meng Jingshu, exasperated, began to blame her.

Since they were destined to be entangled, why didn’t it start earlier?

Why couldn’t she have just asked a question back then?

She liked him, hugged him, but didn’t ask if they could be together?

That’s right, he thought highly of himself, with discerning tastes, and few could catch his eye. And Jiang Ying, to be honest, her appearance back then was very ordinary; she was just a well-behaved, serious good student, not pretty, nor interesting. In his eyes at the time, she was a completely unattractive type.

However, a small thought had once blossomed in his mind: if she had asked, he probably would have agreed.

If it were Jiang Ying, even if she wasn’t that pretty, it would be fine.

But this thought only consumed a little of his mental energy on that night of revelry and farewells. Afterwards, he rarely thought of it again; he had too many things he wanted to do.

When the college entrance examination scores came out, their scores were indeed similar, and they went to the same university. In such a vast campus, they rarely met, but they never lost touch. Perhaps the girl still had some feelings, subtly, as she would chat with him every few days, without interruption. Later, he started dating a girlfriend. After Jiang Ying found out, she didn’t contact him as much. Not long after, he broke up, and over time, their contact frequency returned to before.

But she didn’t seem to have any further intentions. He actually didn’t understand, didn’t she like him?

By junior or senior year, he often saw her spending a lot of time with a certain guy, eating together and frequenting the library together. Later, he heard from Fu Xuan that this guy was pursuing her.

So that was it.

At that moment, Meng Jingshu felt a bit disdainful.

She didn’t really like him that much, did she?

After that, they lost contact, and she blacklisted him. Perhaps someone saw him as a threat, or perhaps she was determined to forget him.

Who knew they would circle back again?

…

So, was she back from her business trip yet?