TSDT - 5

Jiang Ying woke up feeling hot, accompanied by dizziness and the lingering malaise of overindulgence from the night before.

Unfortunately, she didn’t black out after drinking and could recall most of what happened, including the fact that she had climbed into this bed herself. Therefore, she couldn’t dramatically slap him and call him a pervert.

As she sobered up, no matter how she thought about it, she felt that she was in the wrong, so she decided to escape.

He was just close behind her, not touching her, so as long as she moved quietly enough, she wouldn’t be discovered.

Now, she needed to carefully plan her escape route. First, get out of bed, find her things, maybe use the bathroom, and then quietly leave, just like last time.

Her phone – it was on the bed next to them.

Her clothes – her jacket was also on the bed next to them, and the rest were in the bathroom.

So the route was: next bed – bathroom – door.

Okay, let’s go.

Jiang Ying tiptoed out of bed. To even more thoroughly avoid risk, she didn’t even put on a bath towel or shoes, stepping completely naked onto the carpet, making no sound.

She floated to the small bed and picked up her jacket. Up to this point, everything was perfect.

The flaw lay with her phone; it created a crack in her perfect plan – her alarm went off.

To maintain her resolve as an ambitious young person, she set an alarm even on weekends, to avoid sleeping in too long. Though it was set for 10:30 AM.

The alarm was set to maximum volume, so Meng Jingshu, quite reasonably, woke up.

To the tune of her foreign children’s song alarm, and in front of her completely naked body.

She was still in the bent-over position, reaching for her phone.

…

Fucking awkward.

Meng Jingshu sat up, eyes half-closed, glanced over, and chuckled, “What are those lyrics?”

Jiang Ying was petrified for a long moment. Her phone was still cheerfully singing, “Generally stupid jerks dress coolly...”

…

When awkwardness reaches its peak, it transcends.

Jiang Ying calmly pressed off the alarm, grabbed her jacket, and went into the bathroom.

Meng Jingshu sat halfway up, watching Jiang Ying silently enter the bathroom. A few minutes later, she silently came out. She was already fully dressed: a short skirt, a thin trench coat, her slender legs bare.

She looked a little thinner than before, it seemed?

Jiang Ying acted as if she didn’t see the other person in the room, quietly tidied herself up, and was about to open the door and leave, not saying a word from beginning to end.

“Wait.”

Meng Jingshu called out to her, his low, hoarse voice tinged with annoyance.

Jiang Ying paused for a moment, then turned to face him, “Anything else?”

In that short time, he had already put on a bathrobe and walked a few steps closer, holding out his phone: “Leave your phone number.”

Jiang Ying met his gaze, unmoving.

Meng Jingshu: “Or you can go to the class group chat and add my WeChat back.”

Jiang Ying was expressionless: “No need. Our relationship doesn’t require contact.”

Meng Jingshu’s patience ran out. He glared at her coldly: “What is our relationship? Ten-year old classmates, or lovers who’ve slept together twice? You tell me, which kind doesn’t require contact?”

It was as if a fig leaf had been ripped away, a balloon punctured by a needle.

Jiang Ying instantly flushed with anger and embarrassment: “Whatever our relationship is, if I say no contact, I mean no contact!”

She stormed off angrily, and before slamming the door, she specially yelled at him, “Good! Bye!”

Meng Jingshu was hit with a strong gust of wind and didn’t know where to direct his anger.

What was wrong with this person?!

________________________________________

The Mid-Autumn Festival connected to the National Day holiday, forming a long break.

Meng Jingshu went back to his hometown, Nanqing City, for the Mid-Autumn Festival to visit his grandmother. The elderly lady naturally cared about his relationship status and was deeply worried upon hearing the news of their breakup.

This youngest grandson lost his parents when he was little and was raised by her and her late husband. She pampered and doted on him, spoiling him since childhood so he walked around like he owned the place, doing whatever he wanted. Yet, he still managed to keep up with his studies and career. No one in the family dared to control him, but thankfully, he didn’t turn out crooked. Her husband passed away a few years ago, and she didn’t know how many more years she had left to live. Now, she just hoped her youngest grandson could get married soon and not be alone and adrift.

Grandma Meng held her youngest grandson’s hand and sighed, “I thought that since she went abroad and came back with you, things would soon be settled, but how could you just break up like that?”

Meng Jingshu didn’t say much, only that they weren’t suitable and couldn’t get along.

“Three years, and you only now realize you can’t get along? Tell Grandma the truth, do you really like her, have you ever thought about marrying her?”

Meng Jingshu said indifferently, “I’m still young, I haven’t thought about that.”

Grandma slapped his hand, “You muddle-headed fool! You didn’t want to, yet you dated for so long. I thought you had decided she was my grandson’s wife, that’s why I doted on her so much.”

Meng Jingshu was slightly surprised: “I thought you liked her a lot?”

Another heavy slap on his hand, enough to make a grown man gasp.

Grandma was full of vigor: “You muddle-headed thing! You were so mischievous as a child, and I thought you were so clever! Wasted several years for nothing! If you don’t want to get married now, when do you plan to? Will this old woman even live to see it??”

Meng Jingshu said casually, “Don’t worry, I’ll find another one later.”

“And don’t bring anyone to me if you don’t want to marry them. You need to open your eyes and find someone you truly care about, and then Grandma will screen them for you. Don’t treat every time like a game.” Grandma said, then a new worry surfaced, “I’m just afraid that you, this little rascal, with your bad temper and inability to sweet-talk, might actually meet someone you like and end up chasing them away.”

Meng Jingshu twitched his lips: “How could that be?”

Grandma looked at her grandson’s young and handsome face, growing more and more satisfied: “Yes, yes, you’ve always attracted girls since you were little. Do you remember back in high school, when you invited classmates over for a barbecue? There was a fair-skinned, clean little girl with glasses who kept following you, unable to take her eyes off you.”

Meng Jingshu froze, then chuckled softly: “I think there was something like that.”

________________________________________

A few high school buddies from his hometown organized a gathering and invited Meng Jingshu. He had initially agreed but was unexpectedly hijacked—Wei Zhanfeng said his friend had bought a small island and invited them for a vacation. He swore that Meng Jingshu would come too, attracting several girls along.

Wei Zhanfeng’s final words were: “This is also part of the company’s entertainment. If you don’t come, you’re embarrassing me. If I’m embarrassed, I’ll be unhappy, and then you’ll have to attend all those meaningless meetings yourself from now on!”

Meng Jingshu: “Damn it!”

What was wrong lately? Everyone was getting on his nerves.

Curses aside, he still had to attend the social event. The partner’s threat indeed held some deterrent power.

A group of single men and women went on vacation together, eating, drinking, playing, flirting, and hooking up.

Although Meng Jingshu was a desirable catch, they weren’t that promiscuous. Sandy, who he had met once before, got in first, and the others wisely backed off.

After the beach party, those who clicked went off for private rendezvous.

Sandy clung to Meng Jingshu’s firm arm, her cropped top, tube top, and tiny hot pants revealing her full breasts almost pressed against him. She had a little too much to drink, and with the beauty by his side, her cheeks flushed, she giggled sweetly.

“Jingshu~ Are we just going to look at the sea tonight?”

Meng Jingshu smiled back: “Want to look in the room?”

Sandy giggled, shaking with laughter.

She trembled her way into the room. Sandy left several lipstick marks on Meng Jingshu’s face and reached out to take off his clothes. Meng Jingshu lightly pinched her waist, eliciting a soft gasp from her.

He chuckled and patted her, “I’ll shower first.”

After Meng Jingshu finished showering, Sandy leaned against the door, waiting for him, poking his damp chest, “Wait for me, I’ll come out smelling all fresh and nice.”

He smiled and agreed.

She indeed came out smelling fresh and nice.

His desire and her eagerness quickly led them to roll together. Sandy loved kissing people. Not content with just kissing Meng Jingshu’s cheek and chin, she tried to kiss his lips.

Meng Jingshu instinctively dodged.

Sandy asked strangely, “Can’t I kiss your mouth?”

Meng Jingshu said, “Waste of time.”

Sandy giggled, bent her leg, and pulled off the man’s pants. She had removed her heavy makeup and looked even more like SpongeBob.

Meng Jingshu suddenly stopped.

As if possessed, he recalled what he had told his grandmother a few days ago. He remembered a girl from high school, fair-skinned and clean, wearing black-rimmed glasses, not good at dressing up. Many girls wore short skirts under their uniforms, but she obediently wore baggy school pants, and she loved wearing T-shirts with SpongeBob cartoon images.

The impulse cooled.

This was truly bizarre.

“Sorry.” Meng Jingshu propped himself up, turned around, and put on his pants.

Sandy was bewildered, asking him, “Aren’t we doing it? But you’re already...”

“I’m very sorry.” Meng Jingshu said again, still the same words, with no further explanation.

Sandy was a little disappointed but also carefree; she didn’t fuss and found her own clothes to put on. She even had the presence of mind to gossip, “Is it because of that person you mentioned last time, who blacklisted you and then slept with you?”

Meng Jingshu’s brow twitched, and he vehemently denied it, “No.”

Sandy shrugged, “Whatever, I’m leaving then. If you change your mind, you can find me anytime~”

After she left, Meng Jingshu felt irritated. He went out to the balcony and lit a cigarette.

Smoke dispersed into the night. Looking up, he saw the tides rising and falling on the beach. The coastal climate was pleasant, and the night breeze was refreshing, but it couldn’t quell the restless fire in his heart.

He wanted to call Wei Zhanfeng out for a drink, but he probably was still enjoying himself right now, and calling him at this moment would be too inconsiderate. So, he scrolled through WeChat for a while and saw that the high school class group was lively.

It turned out today was the day of their class reunion.

Those not in Nanqing City could only envy, and Xu Jiahong, who was abroad, even spammed many messages like a firecracker.

“So many people! The old homeroom teacher is here too!”

“Why couldn’t this damn exchange meeting be earlier!”

“I’ll be back in the country the week after next for a meeting in Zebian. Those in Zebian must treat me to a meal!”

Xu Jiahong frantically @-ed several classmates he knew were in Zebian, refusing to give up until they promised.

Meng Jingshu bit his cigarette and replied, “Got it, I’ll treat.”

Xu Jiahong got excited: “Haha! My Brother Meng is still the best! Did everyone else see that? I got you a free meal!”

Other classmates who were at the reunion posted photos, saying, “Class monitor, they’re busy taking photos, no time for you.”

In the photo, Jiang Ying, Huang Yanfei, and several others were smiling and taking selfies. Even through the screen, one could feel how lively and happy the gathering was.

A girl who was out of town said, “How is Jiang Ying there? She told me just two days ago that she wasn’t going?”

The student responsible for organizing said, “You wouldn’t know this, but Brother Meng originally said he was coming, but then something came up and he didn’t come~~”

Those who understood, understood. Below this message, everyone tacitly sent some mischievous panda head emojis, one after another, indicating many busybodies.

Meng Jingshu let out a “heh,” feeling even more annoyed.

He couldn’t vent his frustration.

He went to the group members page and found Jiang Ying’s avatar. She changed her avatar every once in a while. The last time he saw it, it was an orange cat; now it was a puppy with a school bag, looked like an English Bulldog? He clicked in, and as expected, it was still the same—she didn’t make her Moments content public to non-friends.

Meng Jingshu frowned and exited, realizing the group had quieted down.

Because the other party involved had appeared.

Jiang Ying: [smiling face].

Everyone was tactful, pretending nothing had happened and talking about other topics.

Just as that cold smiley face was about to be covered, another message appeared in the group.

Meng Jingshu: [smiling face].

Two smiling faces, perfectly positioned at the beginning and end of the screen, echoing each other. Like a declaration, filled with the scent of gunpowder.

The crowd erupted!

This must confirm the rumors, right? Unrequited love turning into hatred, right?!!

Someone set the rhythm, posting: “Oh~~~~~~”

Followed by countless similar replies.

Jiang Ying didn’t say anything else, but Meng Jingshu felt her silent fury across the distance.

“Heh...”

The cigarette ash burned to its end. The man stubbed out the cigarette, revealing his first genuine smile of the day.