TSDT - 46

“Hi!”

“Good morning!”

“Good morning.”

In front of the elevator, Jiang Ying greeted several colleagues. Soon after, others arrived in succession.

“Hi, Xiao Pan.”

“Hello.”

Xiao Pan smiled, but when her eyes swept past Jiang Ying, there was a clear look of resentment.

Jiang Ying... could only silently endure it.

It had been like this ever since Zheng Yifeng clarified things with her. In truth, the whole matter had little to do with Jiang Ying; Zheng Yifeng had never been interested in Xiao Pan to begin with. But now, Xiao Pan’s last shred of hope was shattered. Blaming the heavens and earth, she could only direct her anger at Jiang Ying.

Fortunately, the two of them didn’t have to work together, and it wasn’t some deep-seated grudge. Xiao Pan just gave her a fierce glare every time they met.

Jiang Ying simply pretended not to see it.

This was what it meant to stick up for a friend.

She maintained her smile and sent a few “slapping face” emojis to Huang Yanfei.

________________________________________

In the office, Xiao Man arrived late. Her little boyfriend had found a satisfactory job, and his only remaining task was his thesis proposal, so he was quite idle. Xiao Man also didn’t have much work, so she had been skipping work every other day recently, living a vibrant life.

When Jiang Ying saw her, she teased, “How rare! What wind blew this beauty back to our office?”

“Go on, go on!” Xiao Man chided her, then looked closely. “Why are this beauty’s eyes swollen?”

Jiang Ying touched her face: “Yesterday... I ate barbecue late last night and drank a lot of water. It’s water retention.”

“Oh my goodness, that’s truly sinful. I’ve been eating only greens at night recently!”

“Hehe, no wonder your chin looks a little sharper.”

Xiao Man cupped her face: “Does it?”

“Since you’ve become prettier and I’ve become uglier,” Jiang Ying said with a smile, pulling out a small stack of invoices, “do me a favor and take these to accounting to get reimbursed.”

“...”

“I’ll treat you to bubble tea at noon.”

Xiao Man put her hands on her hips: “You want me to help you, but you’re also trying to harm me!”

Jiang Ying laughed: “Then I’ll treat you to greens.”

“Hmph, bubble tea it is then, three-quarters sugar.”

“Pffft.”

As they were still playfully bickering, an even later arrival appeared.

Xiao Man turned around and teased, “Zheng Yifeng, you’re late too. You’ve fallen.”

Zheng Yifeng paused slightly, then smiled sheepishly.

He handed Jiang Ying a small bag: “She asked me to give this to you.”

Jiang Ying took it: “Thanks.”

Xiao Man leaned closer: “What is it?”

“Foundation sample.”

Last time, Jiang Ying felt her liquid foundation had oxidized a bit and complained to Huang Yanfei. Huang Yanfei then said she had just bought a new one and would give Jiang Ying some to try. Zheng Yifeng, traveling all the way to Futing District to have breakfast with her, then rushing back to work, naturally took on the role of delivery guy.

The office was somewhat aware of Zheng Yifeng’s budding romance, and seeing this, they couldn’t help but marvel.

Jiang Ying confirmed receipt with Huang Yanfei, who sent an OK emoji.

Just then, Meng Jingshu sent a message, a photo of a hot coffee. Last night they slept a bit late... Jiang Ying stared blankly for a few seconds, her mind empty, and sent him an OK in return.

She opened a case file to review, feeling inexplicably depressed.

She chose to bother her friend: “Awesome, Huang Yanfei!”

Friend: “? What nonsense are you spouting?”

Jiang Ying typed furiously: “Such a good boy, no sleep, traveling so far just to have breakfast with you~ And I only see him once every half month, while he’s meeting someone before dawn, hmph!”

Huang Yanfei: “I beg you, be a human being. You sleep with someone from dusk till dawn, and you have the nerve to talk about me?!”

Jiang Ying: [Arrogant].

Huang Yanfei: “...What, he even gave you a diamond ring, and Teacher Jiang is still unhappy?”

Jiang Ying replied after a moment: “I don’t know.”

Huang Yanfei: “Here we go again, Classmate Meng has made Teacher Jiang delirious.”

“...I just feel very unsettled, like I’m about to step into thin air. It’s a very unpleasant feeling.”

“Can’t understand... By the way, have you told him about the thing with Fu Xuan?”

Jiang Ying was unusually persistent on this matter: “I have no motive to tell him. What good would it do to tell him now? It’s all in the past, it wouldn’t help. It might even make him think I’m stupid, reckless, and impulsive.”

“Classmate Meng is also a half-party to this, doesn’t he have the right to know?”

“I said no, then no! If saying something makes everyone unhappy, why say it? And we just had an argument last night. I feel our relationship is so fragile now!”

“...Don’t say these things to people whose love is just budding. It’s bad luck.”

???

Jiang Ying sent a few “slapping face” emojis to vent her frustration, and then finally managed to concentrate, fully immersing herself in dozens of volumes of documents.

________________________________________

After work in the afternoon, Meng Jingshu called and said he would pick her up to go home for dinner. She agreed.

Only after hanging up did she realize that Deng Mingke had sent her a message a few hours earlier, saying someone had given him two tickets to an immersive play and asking if she was interested in going together.

Actually, they hadn’t seen each other since he delivered the hay last time. They had contacted each other a few times on WeChat. By then, her relationship with Meng Jingshu was established, and Jiang Ying felt awkward being overtly enthusiastic. Each time, she used being busy with work as an excuse to politely distance herself. This direct invitation to go out was probably a final ultimatum, wasn’t it?

She declined with an apology, finally feeling a sense of relief.

Huang Yanfei was right; as long as Meng Jingshu was involved, she really did tend to act impulsively.

________________________________________

She thought Meng Jingshu’s company had been swamped lately and finally had a day to breathe. Unexpectedly, after dinner, he was rushing out again.

“Why are you going out again?”

He came out after washing his face. Jiang Ying handed him his overcoat.

He said, “The project is about to be sent for approval, and there are some unavoidable social engagements.”

His demeanor was never understated. The crisp overcoat perfectly showcased his sharp and distinguished aura, which Jiang Ying adored. She casually straightened his collar, a trace of reluctance unconsciously emerging.

Meng Jingshu caught her hand and kissed it: “I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had time to accompany you. Things will be better after the New Year.”

Jiang Ying said, “Actually, if you’re busy, you don’t have to specially come back to have dinner with me. Running back and forth is too tiring.” How could there be a social engagement where no food was served? He was simply taking advantage of the time in between to rush back and spend some time with her.

He immediately said, “It’s not tiring, and it’s not far.”

Jiang Ying pinched his chin, saying, “Am I a three-year-old child? If you don’t accompany me, I can’t take care of myself?”

“Then I am, okay?” Meng Jingshu leaned his entire body against her. “If you don’t accompany me, I can’t take care of myself.”

He rubbed her neck with his chin again, a tingly itch that made Jiang Ying giggle. They played around for a few minutes.

“Don’t be late,” Jiang Ying pushed him.

“Mm.” His warm, thin lips lingered on her temple for a while before leaving.

“Don’t wash the dishes yourself. Aunt Zhou will clean up before she leaves later,” he instructed.

He was truly becoming more and more like a parent, giving repeated instructions before leaving the house.

Jiang Ying frowned and smiled: “Got it!”

________________________________________

Soon after he left, Aunt Zhou indeed came out of her lounge to clear the dining table and kitchen, as if on cue.

Although Jiang Ying knew it was an employment relationship, it was hard for her to remain indifferent watching an elder of such age doing housework, especially with just the two of them under the same roof. She couldn’t help but offer to help.

Aunt Zhou naturally declined profusely, but seeing Jiang Ying’s awkwardness, she chatted with her for a bit.

Aunt Zhou was a talkative person. Previously, Meng Jingshu’s cold demeanor had barely kept her in check. Now, encountering such a warm-hearted young girl, she became unstoppable. From talking about cooking to family matters, Aunt Zhou mentioned how her son, barely in college, already had a girlfriend who was restless all day, always wanting to go out and spend money. Fortunately, her son was still quite capable, earning scholarships and taking on part-time jobs during his free time, which was enough for them to go out and spend.

“But these young girls, oh, they just think about eating, drinking, and having fun all day. It’s not right to always spend a boy’s money, you know. Nobody’s money just falls from the sky, right... It’s also my son’s bad judgment; how did he find such a girlfriend? Not like Mr. Meng, finding such a good girl like you, his family won’t have to worry at all!”

“...” Jiang Ying was suddenly singled out and found it a bit amusing. “Auntie, you’re flattering me.”

“No flattery! I have a very accurate eye for people. I know you’re a very good girl, that’s why Mr. Meng likes you so much and treats you so well, completely different from his previous girlfriend.” Aunt Zhou busily wiped the table, her mouth ceaselessly moving. “Mr. Meng is very anxious about you, rushing back to eat with you even when he’s busy with work! I’ve worked for his family for almost half a year and I’ve seen his previous girlfriend. She was pretty, but she wore heavy makeup every day, very unnatural! I could tell Mr. Meng didn’t like her much; he was cold and distant towards her, and didn’t even let her stay at home.”

Jiang Ying picked at her fingers, a smile on her face: “Aunt Zhou, you don’t stay overnight, so how would you know she didn’t stay?”

“Oh, how would I not know? I come very early in the morning! I clean every day, so how would I not know if there are women’s things in this house? Oh, that’s right, I only saw her once. When I arrived in the morning, that lady was already here. I think she stayed overnight. Mr. Meng only came back at noon, and the two of them argued very fiercely in the room. That lady even threw her bag, oh. Later, Mr. Meng asked me to go in and clean up; there were cosmetics all over the floor, such a waste. After that, I never saw that lady again...”

That time... it was the day after their first time, wasn’t it? She was an accomplice in that “accident.”

Jiang Ying pulled at the corners of her lips: “When they’ve been together for a long time, they naturally grow distant. We’ve just started, so of course there’s still some passion.”

She had thought that hearing about him and Fu Xuan again would make her angry, would make her resentful.

But, at this moment, she was so calm.

________________________________________

Shufeng was out having dinner with people from the General Administration tonight, concerning the game approval. The connection was Deputy Director Wu, who was a bit older than Meng Jingshu’s second uncle. He used to be a subordinate of Meng Grandpa in Nanqing, and it was with his support that he got to where he was today. Meng Jingshu had asked his grandmother first before leveraging his grandfather’s goodwill to seek his help.

Deputy Director Wu was an elder and a leader, so Meng Jingshu and Wei Zhanfeng naturally did their best to accompany him, without a word of complaint.

Towards the end, everyone was a bit tipsy. Deputy Director Wu, being older, was even more heavily intoxicated. He pulled the young men into reminiscing about the past and envisioning the future. When he got excited, he revealed something to them.

“You all know the policies are tightening, right? This, of the same type, can only be given to one... Previously, someone from Hongle Network also came to me, but I didn’t let them, remembering the kindness your grandfather showed me back then... Little Meng, you young people, work hard... And about the real estate project, think carefully, understand?”

Meng Jingshu nodded in agreement and toasted him a few more times.

Late into the night, they finally managed to see off the flushed Deputy Director Wu.

Wei Zhanfeng sneered, “No wonder Hong Binyu keeps ridiculing us; turns out we cut him off.”

Hongle Network was a company under Hong Binyu, and also a rising star in Zebian’s internet industry in recent years, making them genuine competitors.

“It’s just about who’s more capable,” Meng Jingshu also chuckled. Having had some alcohol, his expression became even colder.

“By the way, what did Deputy Director Wu say about the real estate project? What’s the situation?” Wei Zhanfeng asked.

Meng Jingshu explained a few sentences.

Wei Zhanfeng’s eyes widened in disbelief. After much thought, he still warned him, “You choose your people carefully, don’t pick another one like Fu Xuan who will make a fool of you.”

Meng Jingshu shot him a cold glance, “You think too highly of Fu Xuan. Her little troubles can’t make a fool of me.”

“Yes, you’re so tolerant,” Wei Zhanfeng retorted. “A prime minister’s stomach can hold a boat, Old Meng’s head can wear a hat... I’m serious, if you’re going to date seriously, you need to keep a close eye on things. Don’t always have your eyes on the top of your head. Women need to be coaxed, they can’t stand neglect, otherwise they’re prone to changing their minds and going out with other people... Damn!”

He punched him on the shoulder.

“You motherfucker, you have a dog’s mouth!”