TSDT - 36

Their relationship was friendly and harmonious, and Jiang Ying lived with Meng Jingshu in carefree cohabitation.

Days passed, and time entered the last month of the year. From the internet to real life, an atmosphere of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new pervaded everywhere.

One day, Jiang Ying received a message from Xu Jiahong, saying that his procedures were almost complete and he would be returning to the country to start his new job soon. Since he’d be settling down, he needed to find a place, so he sent her a red envelope and asked Jiang Ying to run errands for him to look at houses.

Jiang Ying wanted to curse, but he’d already sent a red envelope, and it wasn’t a small amount. Beggars can’t be choosers.

In the end, she only subtly hinted, “Why don’t you ask Feifei? Isn’t that a good opportunity to strengthen your relationship?”

The former class monitor profoundly said, “Don’t you understand? For someone you’re pursuing, you must be gentle like spring and make her feel light and happy. So, troublesome chores like these can, of course, only be entrusted to a brother.”

Pfft,渣男!

Who’s your brother!

Jiang Ying only grumbled internally, but someone else was even more displeased than her.

“Who is he, to ask you for help?” Meng Jingshu was not at all polite.

This time, Jiang Ying couldn’t help but speak up for her friend: “It’s not that troublesome. He’s already chosen. I just need to do an on-site inspection; it’s a very easy job. In fact, the two houses are in adjacent buildings. I’ve scheduled both for after work, to take care of them at once.”

Although Meng Jingshu had no positive attitude towards the matter, he still left work on time that day, accompanying her with a cold face.

“If you’re so unwilling, why bother coming along?” Jiang Ying said coolly.

“I’m not unwilling.”

“Then what’s that expression on your face?”

“No expression. I was born looking like this.”

There were a few parking spaces available on the small road outside the complex, so they simply parked there and walked over, side by side under the streetlights.

Turning her head, she saw the dim light cut by his sharp profile. The man’s expression was indifferent, his bangs ruffled by the wind, adding a hint of untamed arrogance to his firm features.

Noticing her gaze, Meng Jingshu turned his face to look at her, his brow slightly raised, revealing a playful glint.

He truly was born looking like this, uniquely blessed.

Jiang Ying let out a “harrumph,” rolling her eyes at him.

Around seven o’clock was when most office workers got off work. They walked among the hurried homeward bound pedestrians in the winter night, indistinguishable from anyone else.

In this vast world, with countless homes lit up, they were just the most ordinary of couples.

Yes, a couple.

The word made Meng Jingshu’s heart warm.

“Hey,” he suddenly called her.

“What?”

“Hand.”

Jiang Ying froze for a moment.

Meng Jingshu directly reached into her coat pocket, trying to hold her hand.

Jiang Ying suddenly tightened and moved two steps away from him.

“No.”

“No one here knows us,” he frowned.

Jiang Ying’s heart grew cold, and she acted petulantly: “Just no.”

After saying that, she strode ahead, no longer caring whether he followed or stayed away.

The night wind blew across her face, a chilling scrape.

He thought that way too, after all.

No one knows us... Hmph.

So clearly defined, truly a perfect match.

There had to be a distinguishing mark between reality and illusion. Like the spinning top in Inception.

Holding hands was different from intimacy. It was open, could be seen by the whole world, signifying a strong declaration. She could indulge without restraint with Meng Jingshu in private, but she would not allow this intimacy to be expressed in the slightest outside. This was the boundary she had drawn, and it absolutely could not be broken. Otherwise, she would get confused, she would hope, she would go crazy.

________________________________________

After a few minutes of silence, as agreed, Jiang Ying arrived at the male tenant’s apartment on the twentieth floor first.

The door was already open, waiting.

Jiang Ying lightly knocked: “Mr. Deng?”

Soon, a man wearing rimless glasses came out. He smiled and asked, “Are you Mr. Xu Jiahong’s friend?”

Jiang Ying also smiled politely: “Yes, sorry to bother you.”

“Not at all, please come in.”

Jiang Ying followed the man in to view the apartment, checking the living room, bedrooms, kitchen, and bathroom thoroughly, primarily inspecting whether the appliances and furniture were in good condition. The man patiently explained each item, and they communicated with questions and answers.

Apart from a brief greeting with the man when they first entered, Meng Jingshu said nothing more. Like a leader on inspection, his silence was also quite pressure-inducing. The man couldn’t ignore his strong presence and couldn’t help but ask him, “Sir, do you have any opinions or questions?”

Meng Jingshu’s face was unreadable: “No, you just communicate with her.”

There was nothing inherently wrong with his words, but processed through his cold expression and indifferent voice, it became something else entirely.

Jiang Ying was speechless, and smiled apologetically at Mr. Deng.

Perhaps it was an overreaction? She saw a clear moment of surprise from the other party.

At this moment, Meng Jingshu’s phone rang, and he glanced at Jiang Ying, saying softly, “You two talk.”

Then he went out to the fire escape to answer the phone.

His presence or absence naturally made no difference. Since Xu Jiahong was taking over directly from the previous tenant, there was an issue with transferring utility bills (water, electricity, internet). Fortunately, none of them were petty, and they settled it in a few minutes.

Jiang Ying was quite satisfied with this apartment, but she would definitely let Xu Jiahong make the final decision. She exchanged a few polite words with Mr. Deng at the door, preparing to go to the next one.

Mr. Deng suddenly lowered his voice: “May I ask, is that gentleman your boyfriend?”

Jiang Ying smiled faintly: “Just a friend, accompanying me.”

“Then... would it be convenient to leave your contact information?”

________________________________________

Jiang Ying walked to the elevator just as Meng Jingshu finished his call and pushed open the door from the stairwell, his face looking terrible.

“Finished looking?” he asked.

“Mm. What’s wrong with you?” Jiang Ying couldn’t help but ask.

His eyes were half-lowered, staring fixedly at a spot on the elevator door: “Something’s come up. I have to go back to Nanqing.”

“Oh...” He said no more, and she wouldn’t push for details without a reason.

Soon he added, “Assistant Liu is coming over now. He’ll accompany you to the next place and then take you home.”

The elevator arrived, empty.

They stepped inside, standing together. The residential elevator wasn’t like a hotel’s mirrored type; on all four sides, only two blurry figures could be seen. The elevator descended quietly. Jiang Ying couldn’t see his expression, she could barely hear his breathing. She had never seen him like this before, as if he might break with a touch.

“Meng Jingshu,” she called him softly.

He looked up, and for a moment, a bewildered look entered Jiang Ying’s eyes.

She smiled faintly, found a colorful small tin box in her handbag, and put it in his hand.

“Take it to eat on the way. Candy will make you feel a little better.”

Meng Jingshu unconsciously shook the item in his hand; there was a clear jingling sound. The corners of his mouth stretched into an extremely faint smile.

The elevator reached the first floor, and they stepped out into the hallway.

A few residents were returning home and, seeing them unfamiliar, gave them a few extra glances.

Meng Jingshu whispered to Jiang Ying that Assistant Liu would contact her shortly, and told her to wait a few minutes, as he had to go to the airport.

Jiang Ying assented.

He looked at her small, fair face in the dim light, then suddenly raised his hand and ruffled her soft hair.

She stiffened abruptly.

The act of ruffling someone’s head carried too much affection.

This... was not allowed.

But before she could resist, Meng Jingshu had already withdrawn his hand. He said nothing more, turned, and walked into the night.

Jiang Ying scratched her hair with mixed feelings. The spot he had touched was almost numb.

________________________________________

Assistant Liu ultimately didn’t accompany Jiang Ying to view the apartment, as she firmly refused, saying that the agreed time with the person had arrived and she couldn’t be late. Moreover, that tenant was a girl, so there was nothing to worry about. However, she couldn’t refuse the ride home. His boss had instructed him, so she couldn’t make him disobey, and simply told Assistant Liu to wait at the parking spot for a bit.

Following the same routine, Jiang Ying looked around the second place and made up her mind.

About ten minutes later, she went downstairs, and as she walked out, she sent a voice message to Xu Jiahong on WeChat:

“My opinion is that the place on the twentieth floor is better. The kitchen faucet and living room air conditioner there were just replaced not long ago, so they’re quite new. The apartment on the eighth floor itself has no problem, but when I went over, I happened to run into their neighbors opening their door, and the smell was unbearable. Who knows if snakes, insects, rats, or ants might come out when the weather gets hot. But then again, for the exact same apartment type, the twentieth floor is 300 more expensive. You decide for yourself.”

After sending the message to Xu Jiahong, Jiang Ying then informed Assistant Liu that she was coming out.

As she reached the central recreational area of the complex, she suddenly heard a middle-aged man’s booming laugh, very familiar.

Then, a charming female voice: “Old Hu, you’re annoying!”

Jiang Ying stiffened all over and immediately hid behind a gazebo pillar. Sneakily, she peeked out with one eye. Under the complex’s streetlights, she indeed recognized Director Hu’s robust figure. And the beautiful woman beside him looked familiar; she was tall, wearing a long camel-colored coat, carrying a classic Chanel flap bag, her delicate body leaning entirely against Hu Guowei, who was about her same height. The two were flirting and walking towards a certain building.

Jiang Ying, with the mindset of visiting a scenic spot, took a candid photo for remembrance.

She posted it in the office group chat: “Ran into Director Hu on a conquest, check-in.”

Soon, colleagues replied.

“666666666666666666666” (Lots of ‘6’s, which means “awesome” in Chinese internet slang)

“Holy crap, how many is this already this year?”

“Director Hu is truly old in years, but young at heart, with blossoming桃花.” (桃花 literally means “peach blossoms,” but here it means “romantic encounters” or “flings”)

And so on, endless similar comments.

Jiang Ying met up with Assistant Liu at the parking spot, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Liu.”

Assistant Liu offered a professional smile: “No trouble, it’s my job.”

However, less than five minutes after saying it was no trouble, Jiang Ying really did have something to bother him with.

Just after getting into the car, Hu Ruochen, who hadn’t dared to call Jiang Ying for a long time, called.

The young girl’s voice on the other end was slurred: “Sister, sister... I, I want to treat you to dinner... Is that okay? I ordered so much, I can’t finish... Boo hoo hoo, what do I do if I can’t finish it?”

Jiang Ying was speechless: “Are you drinking?”

“I, I didn’t want to... Yingying is celebrating her birthday with her boyfriend, Nini went to Korea to play, boo hoo, no one to accompany me... Boo hoo hoo...”

“Sorry, hiccup... I know, hiccup, brother-in-law doesn’t like me contacting you, but, I, I... Woo-wah—”

Jiang Ying’s head ached.

“Where are you?”