TSDT - 39

A sedan slowly pulled over to the side of the road. A girl in a short lamb-wool jacket paired with a long skirt opened the car door, politely said goodbye to the person in the driver’s seat, and then got out.

“Over here!” Huang Yanfei had just finished her interview assignment for the day, dressed in a proper coat. She stood under the eaves of a building on the street, waving to her friend.

Jiang Ying jogged over through the drizzle: “It’s so out of the way here, how did you find it?”

“Dianping.” (A Chinese Yelp-like app)

Both of them had been out for work today. After completing their tasks, they messaged each other, found they weren’t far apart, and arranged to meet for an afternoon tea.

“Hey, who was that?” Huang Yanfei nudged Jiang Ying with her shoulder. “Such a low-profile brand, that wasn’t Meng’s car, was it? And saying goodbye before getting out, it wasn’t a booked ride either, hmm?”

“A new friend I just met,” Jiang Ying pushed open the delicate door of the small dessert shop, saying casually.

“Oh?”

Jiang Ying initially kept her guessing. After finding a seat, she slowly explained a few things.

Unexpectedly, Huang Yanfei’s reaction was intense.

“Are you insane, Jiang Ying? You’re toying with Meng Jingshu!”

“...” Jiang Ying argued, “He kindly gave me some grass and just happened to drop me off on his way. It’s normal social interaction, and my conscience is clear. How is that toying with him?”

“Oh, really? So open and honest, then do you dare to tell him, and see if he’ll get angry? He’s only been gone for two or three days, and you’ve already met a man you just met a few times, hmm, and even received a gift.”

“Why should I let him know? He didn’t tell me what he went to Nanqing for either.”

“Oh, so you’re sulking, playing an eye for an eye?”

Jiang Ying crossed her arms and glared at her: “Huang Yanfei, whose friend are you exactly?”

Huang Yanfei spread her hands: “Just stating the facts.”

She smiled and speared a piece of dessert that the waiter had brought over—a red wine blueberry mousse called ‘Duke of Burgundy,’ topped with jelly and macarons. She brought a small piece to Jiang Ying’s mouth, “Don’t be angry, baby, ah—”

“...”

She really is my friend, even the way she tries to make up is the same.

Jiang Ying swallowed it in one bite, deflating. She explained: “I’m not sulking with him. I just feel that we just... came together, it’s not like we’re tied down to each other. We’ve never promised anything, so ultimately, we’re still free. Why can’t I give myself more opportunities? Do I have to walk away far away if I meet an opposite-sex person who wants to talk to me a bit more?”

He said he’d bring the dry grass yesterday, and he contacted her first thing this morning. No one was stupid; it was just a “why not try” attitude.

Huang Yanfei poured Jiang Ying a cup of black tea and slowly said, “Does Meng Jingshu think so too? He doesn’t look like it to me. Besides, can you really let him go? Can you bear to separate from him?”

Jiang Ying was very calm: “When the time comes, cut ties cleanly.”

“...But aren’t you two getting along quite well? Actually, you know each other inside out. It might not be bad to just clear things up and be together. Of course, I’m not telling you to be head over heels for Young Master Meng, but you need to think carefully and not impulsively get yourself into trouble.”

“I know.”

“Knowing is one thing, being able to do it is another. Anyway, ever since you were little, you completely lose your rationality when it comes to Meng Jingshu.” Huang Yanfei, seeing clearly as an outsider, described it vividly, “You become a completely different person, especially emotional and stubborn. Did he cast a spell on you or something?”

“Is it that exaggerated?” Jiang Ying’s tone was flat.

“How is it not? You even got into a fight and lost your spot for postgraduate recommendation. And, our class had such a good relationship, we used to gather every holiday, but you purposely avoided Meng Jingshu and didn’t go to class gatherings for two years. Everyone knew about your falling out, but last time, Young Master Meng liked your post again, and they were probably going wild in the small group chat.”

“...” Jiang Ying was speechless.

“I ask you, do you still hate him?”

“I don’t hate him...” she murmured, “I wouldn’t have slept with him from the beginning.”

If he were just a long-estranged former classmate, there would be no need to leave such a deep impression on him. If he were just a long-cherished crush, she certainly wouldn’t have chosen such a terrible beginning.

“Tsk, you’re really interesting. Let me ask you again, do you like that young professor from Zed University?”

“It’s not about liking.”

“OK, then we conclude that currently, you like Meng Jingshu the most and only him.”

Jiang Ying jolted, her eyes gleaming green: “Exactly, that’s why I’m messing with him.”

Perhaps his existence covered too much of her time and emotions, which made her value him exceptionally. If he was far away and she couldn’t see him, then so be it. But if she saw him, she couldn’t help but rush forward. Whether happy or angry, she asked for nothing else, as long as she could provoke him, make him no longer calm, no longer indifferent, then she had an outlet for her emotions.

He was a long-brewed obsession, a decade-old unfulfilled wish.

She wanted to uphold it, and she also wanted to destroy it.

“...” Huang Yanfei took a sip of tea, earnestly advising: “Baby, I’m not talking about that kind of messing with him. Young Master Meng likes you.”

“Are you a tapeworm in his stomach?”

“Otherwise, with how arrogant and high-and-mighty he is, if he only considered you a f**k buddy, would he need to stay at your place every day and live with you? Does your little rundown house have a gold mine? Oh, right, I remember Xu Jiahong told me once, when they were packing up after graduation, he saw Meng Jingshu putting the book you gave him into his luggage to take home. That was probably the only book that survived in their male dorm.”

“...” The green light in Jiang Ying’s eyes dimmed, and she was silent for a long time.

Although she already knew he still kept the chuunibyou gift she gave him, hearing these words, refined and spoken by someone else, was a different feeling altogether.

At least, her efforts were not unacknowledged.

But...

Xu Jiahong?

“When did Xu Jiahong tell you?”

“Just... at graduation... um, over six years ago.” The two little brats were sweetly holding hands, sharing all sorts of gossip with each other, but then they just forgot about it afterwards.

“???! Then why didn’t you tell me then???”

“I meant to, but then we broke up a few days later, and I was too busy being angry. My brain automatically blocked out all memories related to him. Who remembers trivial stuff like that?”

“...” Jiang Ying was speechless, angrily biting into a macaron.

Too sweet.

Huang Yanfei teased her: “If I had told you then, what would you have done? Pounced on him and confessed? Or clenched your teeth and just pinned him down?”

“Impossible. At most, it would have just made me feel a bit comforted. In that situation back then, I absolutely, absolutely would not have taken another step.” Jiang Ying’s eyes were blank from the sweetness, but her voice was cold and firm: “I don’t regret anything I did back then. Including fighting, including losing my postgraduate recommendation spot, including blocking him, and years of no contact. I don’t regret any of it.”

“Alright,” Huang Yanfei stopped trying to persuade her. She pinched the transparent teacup handle with two fingers, making a vow: “As long as you like it, whatever you do is right. I’ll support you.”

Jiang Ying was satisfied and clinked glasses with her.

The black tea went down, and a slightly astringent tea aroma lingered between her teeth. Her phone’s notification light flashed. She tapped it open, pursed her lips, and smiled. Her tongue was full of sweetness.

Huang Yanfei’s eyes sparkled: “Student Meng?”

Jiang Ying nodded: “He said he’s coming back tomorrow.”

Huang Yanfei laughed at her: “This isn’t just sweet; it’s genuinely sweet.”

“Just eat your own food.”

“Oh, by the way,” Huang Yanfei interlaced her fingers, her tone suddenly awkward, “Didn’t I go to Dongming District this morning? And then... I ran into your colleague, the one from the arcade that Halloween.”

“Oh, Zheng Yifeng,” Jiang Ying thought for a moment, “Right, he was at the Dongming District Court today.”

Huang Yanfei then said, “Well, he bought me a cup of coffee, but I was in a big rush and didn’t even get to say a few words before I left... Otherwise, could you give me his contact information?”

“...”

Jiang Ying remained silent for an eternity.

Huang Yanfei looked annoyed by her stare: “What kind of look is that?”

Jiang Ying sighed, returning her own words: “Huang Yanfei, are you insane? You’re toying with Xu Jiahong!”

Huang Yanfei said faintly: “I just said I’d support whatever you do, and what about you, hmm?”

“...”

What goes around, comes around.

Class Monitor, I’m sorry.

________________________________________

Late at night, past eleven, Jiang Ying was lying in bed reading posts when drowsiness struck, and she prepared to turn off her phone and sleep.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps in the hallway, slowly approaching her direction. Her apartment was the second to last one at the end of the hall, and about two hours ago, she had heard her neighbor come home. So these footsteps now...

The sound kept getting closer and closer, finally stopping at her door. Then she heard the sound of a metal object being inserted into the keyhole, clicking and clattering, clearly not matching, trying different orientations.

Someone was... picking the lock.

Jiang Ying’s nerves tensed, and she immediately broke out in a cold sweat. She slapped on the light, opened her phone’s dial pad, and quickly put on her clothes.

Just as she had put on her jacket and was about to put on her pants, the lock clicked, and the door opened.

Huh?

That fast!

She moved too forcefully, her feet tangled, and she slipped over her waistband, falling back onto the bed.

The person was already inside.

Jiang Ying scrambled to the foot of the bed and saw the familiar figure locking the door, the scarf around his neck still neatly in place.

“It’s you!” She let out a heavy sigh of relief, collapsing onto the duvet. “Didn’t you say you were coming back tomorrow? You scared me to death!”

Meng Jingshu saw her disheveled, panicked appearance and immediately understood what had happened. He deliberately stared at her jade-white legs, smiling, “Haven’t seen each other for a few days, already this enthusiastic?”

Jiang Ying relaxed, too lazy to argue with him. She gave him an exasperated look and then burrowed back into the covers.

Sounds of washing came from the bathroom. In just two or three minutes, he had taken off his clothes and gotten into bed. A corner of the quilt was lifted, and Meng Jingshu lay down, pulling her into a hug from behind.

Jiang Ying struggled a few times, but he held her tighter.

“...Aren’t you going to shower?”

“I did,” he said, “I went home for a bit.”

Originally, they were spooning, lying on their sides. Jiang Ying now turned over to lie on her back and indeed smelled the faint scent of shower gel on him.

She habitually rested her lower leg on his bent leg, her voice heavy with sleepiness and a little sticky: “Why did you come here after going home? It’s so late.”

Meng Jingshu’s original flight was for tonight, but because it was late and he had things to do at the company tomorrow morning, he had planned to come see her after work tomorrow. However, after being home for a while, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity, an emptiness, he wasn’t used to it anymore. He took a shower, wanting to rest early, but lying in bed, he couldn’t fall asleep at all. In the end, he couldn’t resist and came over late at night without warning.

“It’s comfortable here,” he simply said, his nose pressed against her cheek, about to kiss her.

Jiang Ying dodged: “I’m so sleepy.”

She had been running around outside for the past few days and was exhausted; she really feared him tossing and turning.

“Not doing anything, just a few kisses.” His lips brushed against her temples, cheeks, and the corners of her mouth, intimately, like a small animal.

“Do you have something to tell me?” Jiang Ying suddenly asked.

He paused, his breath enveloping her ear.

He said: “The key you gave me isn’t very easy to use.”

Jiang Ying’s apartment had two keys; she kept one, and the other was with Huang Yanfei in case of emergency. After the incident on Meng Jingshu’s birthday, he had pestered her for a key. Jiang Ying had no choice but to get one duplicated for him. The new key was certainly not as smooth as the original, and he fumbled while opening the door, making her think someone was picking the lock.

“...”

“And what else?” Jiang Ying asked again.

This time, it took him a while before he whispered, “I missed you.”

“...”

Aside from when they were intimate, he rarely said sweet nothings. Now, suddenly, hearing it beside her ear in a lazy, low voice, the shock effect was doubled, and Jiang Ying was instantly numb.

“Stop messing around; I’m going to sleep.”

Jiang Ying feigned disdain, turned over, closed her eyes, and ignored him.

Meng Jingshu made no sound.

But as Jiang Ying’s consciousness drifted and she was about to fall asleep, the arm wrapped around her waist tightened, instantly pulling her back from the edge of dreamland.

This happened three times. Jiang Ying became a little angry, hitting his arm, trying to push him away.

He didn’t move, holding her even tighter amidst her struggles, his face buried in her long hair, his breathing deep, trying to draw energy from her body warmth and scent.