MC - Chapter 12

When she got home, Zhang Rufan hung her umbrella on the rack by the entryway and stared in a daze at the raindrops sliding down its surface.

Parking wasn't allowed for long outside the residential gate. Just after Zhang Rufan asked that question, before Shen Mingjin could reply, the security guard was already urging him to leave.

Zhang Rufan felt a mix of regret and unease. Thinking back on the question she'd asked Shen Mingjin, she felt a delayed embarrassment—but regret? That didn’t seem to be the case.

It wasn’t the first time she had acted on impulse because of him. Ever since she saw that letter, every time she got close to him, it defied everything about how she used to conduct herself. Maybe it wasn’t really impulse—maybe it was just following her heart. Her grandmother used to teach her to do whatever she wanted without overthinking, but she’d never been able to do that—until now.

Acting on impulse wasn’t in Zhang Rufan’s nature. But with Shen Mingjin, she let go of her usual caution, became reckless—saying and doing things she never had before. The change made her feel like a stranger to herself, as if someone else’s soul had entered her body—and yet, there was no resistance.

Tonight, that soul entered her body once more. Without thinking, she stopped Shen Mingjin’s car and asked that question—though perhaps calling it a request would be more accurate.

She asked him—give me one more chance.

Whether he would give her that chance, Zhang Rufan had no idea. And so, she felt anxious and uncertain.

Standing distracted in the entryway, Zhang Rufan was quickly called in by Li Huishu to come eat. Oddly, being home made her feel less at ease. After dinner, she sat through the evening news with Zhang Shengyi, then excused herself to her room, keeping to her own space.

With nothing else to do and unwilling to drown in useless emotions, Zhang Rufan took out her laptop to work on the unfinished proposal. The November mall event was the first major project she’d taken on since joining OW. Whether the "Coffee Market" concept would be approved was crucial to her—not just professionally.

Her fingers tapped out the event details. Under the list of cafés to invite, the first name she typed was “Jindu.” She stared blankly at those two characters.

A sudden knock at the door startled her. She turned her head and, after a brief pause, said, “It’s unlocked.”

Zhang Shengyi opened the door and spoke from the hallway: “Your Aunt Hui’s mother fell. We’re heading to the countryside now. Take care of your sister tonight.”

Heading out to the countryside at this hour meant the fall must have been serious. Zhang Rufan stood quickly and nodded. “Okay.”

Time was tight. Zhang Shengyi didn’t say much more, and Li Huishu gave only a few brief instructions. Fortunately, Zhang Zitong had already been coaxed to sleep, so they weren't held up.

Zhang Zitong slept soundly. In the middle of the night, Zhang Rufan went to check on her in the children’s room. Seeing her fast asleep, she finally relaxed and went back to her own room.

A sleeping child at night was easy. One awake during the day? That was trouble.

When Zhang Zitong woke and didn’t see her parents, she immediately began to howl. Zhang Rufan, with no experience caring for children, could only sit beside her, stiff and helpless, watching her cry.

“Your grandma fell. Your mom and dad went to see her. They’ll come back.”

Zhang Rufan stated the facts plainly, but children don’t listen to reason. Zhang Zitong just kept crying, wailing for her dad and mom.

Zhang Rufan didn’t try to comfort her—she didn’t know how. She just let her cry it out. Children have limited stamina, and before long, Zhang Zitong’s earth-shattering wails faded into soft sniffles.

Taking the opportunity, Zhang Rufan asked, “Hungry? I made some wontons.”

“…”

“I’m heading out soon. If you’re not hungry, I’ll go eat breakfast first.”

She spoke calmly. As she moved to get up, she suddenly felt a tug on her clothes.

She turned around and saw Zhang Zitong sniffling, her lips trembling as she mumbled, “There’s no one home.”

Zhang Rufan looked at her. “You want to come with me?”

Zhang Zitong turned her head away and pouted, saying nothing—clearly torn.

Zhang Rufan made to stand, but Zhang Zitong clung tightly to the hem of her clothes, still silent.

“I’ll get your clothes.”

Zhang Zitong finally let go. Zhang Rufan stood and opened the closet, only to be overwhelmed by the riot of colors inside—clothes in every shade, mostly princess dresses.

She paused, then picked out a warm sweater and cotton pants. But Zhang Zitong frowned. “I want to wear a dress.”

“…”

Zhang Rufan had no choice but to find a dress and a pair of leggings. She laid the clothes on the bed, but Zhang Zitong didn’t move. The two stared at each other.

“Go on, change,” Zhang Rufan said.

“I don’t know how.”

Zhang Rufan frowned and studied her face, trying to tell if she was just being difficult or truly didn’t know how to dress herself.

“How do you usually change your clothes?”

“Mom and Dad help me,” Zhang Zitong replied with perfect confidence.

Zhang Rufan said nothing.

When she was about Zhang Zitong’s age, her mother had died in an accident. From then on, her father, Zhang Shengyi, had raised her alone—demanding she be strong and independent, urging her to grow up quickly. In her memory, he never comforted her when she cried. He’d only give her cold lectures. And once she learned to dress herself, he never helped again.

“You’re five. You should learn to dress yourself.”

She said it with a serious expression, and Zhang Zitong looked startled. Her eyes began to well up, and her lower lip trembled as if she might cry again.

Zhang Rufan sighed, already feeling the headache coming on. She gave in, picking up the dress. After helping her get dressed, she fed her as well—time was tight—and by the time they left, half an hour had already passed.

It had rained the night before, and the morning was chilly. Zhang Rufan hailed a cab to Jinghua Garden with Zhang Zitong in tow. On the way, the repairman called—he was already at the apartment. Since she wasn’t there yet, she apologized and asked him to wait, saying she was on her way.

When they got out of the taxi at Jinghua Garden, Zhang Rufan didn’t want to keep the repairman waiting. But Zhang Zitong’s little legs couldn’t keep up, so she picked her up and carried her through the residential complex.

Halfway there, they ran into Shen Mingjin. Zhang Rufan immediately slowed her pace and came to a full stop as he approached. Though she wasn’t moving, her heart beat even faster than when she’d been hurrying. Zhang Zitong seemed to sense something unusual and pressed her ear to Zhang Rufan’s chest, listening.

Shen Mingjin, having heard no sound from the apartment earlier, had assumed the repairman hadn’t arrived yet. He hadn’t expected that Zhang Rufan was simply running late.

He greeted her first. “Morning.”

“Morning.”

“And this is…?” Shen Mingjin glanced at the little girl in her arms.

“My... sister. Zhang Zitong.”

"Biological?"

Zhang Rufan hesitated, then nodded.

Shen Mingjin looked slightly surprised, then seemed to understand. “She’s cute.”

He bent down slightly and said playfully to Zhang Zitong, “Call me gege.”

Zhang Zitong clung to Zhang Rufan, her big dark eyes staring at Shen Mingjin—curious, yet cautious.

Shen Mingjin raised both hands, showing his empty palms. Then, with a quick motion, he crossed his hands—and just like that, a piece of candy appeared between his fingers.

Zhang Zitong let out a surprised “Huh?” and leaned forward to get a better look. It wasn’t just the child who was amazed—even Zhang Rufan blinked in disbelief. Despite standing so close, she hadn’t caught how he pulled it off.

Smiling, Shen Mingjin handed the candy to her. “Here you go.”

Zhang Zitong looked to Zhang Rufan first. Only after she nodded did the little girl accept it, turning it over and over in her hands to inspect it.

Shen Mingjin stood up straight. Zhang Rufan looked up at him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke. After what happened last night, the atmosphere between them had subtly shifted—something different, something delicate.

“Last night…”

“About last night…”

They both began at the same time, then fell silent as soon as they heard the other speak. As if both instinctively knew how important this conversation could be, they treaded more carefully than usual.

Just then, Zhang Rufan’s phone rang. It was the repairman, asking if she had arrived.

After hanging up, Shen Mingjin asked, “He’s waiting?”

“Yeah.”

He glanced at Zhang Zitong, who was starting to sniffle in the cold. It was chilly today—not the kind of weather to linger outside with a child. Though there were things he wanted to say, they could wait.

“You should go up,” he said, checking his watch. “I have to head out, but message me if you need anything.”

Zhang Rufan knew this wasn’t the right time to talk either. She nodded. “…Okay.”

…

Shen Mingjin had gone out to negotiate with a coffee bean supplier. After wrapping up the deal, he stopped by his café—only to walk right into chaos.

A heartbroken man had stormed in, smashing things and accusing Shen Mingjin of seducing his girlfriend. He wouldn’t listen to anyone—not even Shen Mingjin’s explanations. In the end, Shen Mingjin had no choice but to call the police.

The unexpected incident kept him at the police station all afternoon. By the time the statement was filed and things had settled, it was already dark. He pulled out his phone—aside from a few concerned messages from his staff, no one else had reached out.

It looked like Zhang Rufan’s bathroom still wasn’t repaired—no waterproofing check scheduled yet.

Thinking of her, he couldn’t help recalling the last thing she said the night before, when he dropped her off in Binhu District. He hadn’t responded right away, afraid of misreading her meaning—and then the security guard had “ushered” him out before he had the chance to answer.

He’d mulled over her words all night. Taken literally, there was nothing ambiguous—just a simple wish to make peace and start over. But the look in her eyes had given those words… another shade of meaning.

His mind leaned toward the literal explanation, but his heart stubbornly leaned toward the other.

He wasn’t the type to overthink things—what you see is what you get. He preferred clarity over guesswork. He’d planned to ask her directly today, but the timing was off in the morning, and the mess in the afternoon ruined his chance. By now, she was surely home.

He opened her chat on WeChat and stared at the blank screen for a while. Then he locked the phone and stuffed it back into his pocket.

He'd only acted impulsively once back in high school. After the pep rally that day, she stayed cold toward him right through graduation—wouldn’t even meet his eyes in class. If what she said last night was really just about clearing the air and becoming friendly neighbors, pushing the matter now would only make things awkward. Worse, it might cost him even that thin thread of connection.

Some things needed to be said face to face—with the help of expression, tone, and eye contact. Without that, misunderstandings could grow boundlessly.

Shen Mingjin had made up his mind—he’d ask Zhang Rufan in person.

He arrived at the café early. On weekdays—Mondays in particular—the place was packed with office workers. The semi-automatic espresso machine started humming first thing in the morning and didn’t stop once.

After the morning rush, Shen Mingjin glanced at the time, then toward the entrance.

Xiao Mu leaned in, craning his neck to peer out the door too. “Jin-ge, what’re you looking at? Waiting for that new planner girl from OW?”

Shen Mingjin gave him a sideways glare. “You got all the takeout orders packed?”

“Still a few to go.”

“Then why are you still standing here? Not feeling the job today?”

“Come on, bro, no need to get all worked up just ‘cause I hit a nerve.”

Shen Mingjin bared his teeth and raised a hand, pretending he was about to flick Xiao Mu on the forehead.

Xiao Mu ducked away. “Last Friday around noon, when you weren’t here? That planner girl came by—asked about you.”

Shen Mingjin paused mid-motion. “What’d she ask?”

“She wanted to know when you’re usually here.” Xiao Mu shot him a look. “I think she might have a thing for you.”

“You think so?”

“Well, she asked for your WeChat, asked about your schedule. What else would you call that?”

A faint smile tugged at Shen Mingjin’s lips. Xiao Mu watched his face and asked tentatively, “So if she comes back asking about you again… should I tell her or not?”

Shen Mingjin cleared his throat and wiped the smile off his face. He glanced over. “You really need me to teach you?”

Xiao Mu exaggerated a knowing look and mimed zipping his lips. “Got it—old rules: not a word.”

“Tsk.” Shen Mingjin finally flicked his forehead. “Be flexible with people, not with principles. Got that?”

Xiao Mu grinned and teased, “Double standards, ge?”

Shen Mingjin didn’t respond.

“I swear she looked familiar the first time I saw her. Has she been here before?”

“No.”

“Really? I could’ve sworn I’ve seen her somewhere.”

“What’re you mumbling about? We’ve got more orders—get packing.” Shen Mingjin shot him a look. “And she has a name. Stop with the ‘miss planner’ stuff. Call her Fan-jie.”

"‘Fan?’" Xiao Mu winked at Shen Mingjin, teasing, "Bro, you’ve really ‘fallen into the mortal realm’—Rufan’s realm, huh?"

Shen Mingjin lifted his hand to swat him but paused when he spotted Yuan Shuang. Glancing behind her, he saw she was alone.

"Usual Americano?"

"Yeah, hurry up, Boss Shen—I’m gonna be late."

Shen Mingjin nodded toward Xiao Mu to handle the order, then tapped a few buttons on the register. Looking up casually, he asked Yuan Shuang, "You came alone today?"

"Oh." Yuan Shuang had come with Zhang Rufan the past two days. She immediately caught his drift. "Wondering where your old classmate went?"

"She stopped drinking coffee?" Shen Mingjin asked casually.

"No, she’s just late today," Yuan Shuang explained. "I texted her this morning to grab me a coffee, but she said she’s coming from Binhu District—couldn’t make it in time."

She suddenly clapped her hands. "Now that you mention it—Boss Shen, add a flat white coffee too."

Shen Mingjin nodded in acknowledgment.

While waiting for the drinks, Yuan Shuang chatted with him. The topic turned to the upcoming "Coffee Market."

"The idea was Rufan’s," she said. "Our manager told her to go draft a proposal. She said if it gets approved, she’ll definitely reach out to you."

Shen Mingjin paused. "Reach out… to me?"

"Yeah, you’re the owner of Jindu Café—who else would they ask?" Yuan Shuang didn’t notice Shen Mingjin’s unusual reaction and went on, "I think Rufan had this plan all along. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be coming here every day for coffee."

Shen Mingjin handed her the packaged coffee. Yuan Shuang took it, thanked him hurriedly, and quickly tried to leave. Before going, she cheerfully said, "Boss Shen, once Rufan’s proposal gets approved, she’ll discuss the details with you. You have to come to our mall event!"

Shen Mingjin didn’t respond, his expression unusually stern and silent.

It seemed that Zhang Rufan’s words were meant quite literally after all.

…

That morning, Zhang Rufan got lost while taking Zhang Zitong to kindergarten, causing her to almost be late for work. Luckily, she always allowed extra time before leaving, so she just barely managed to clock in on time.

When she sat at her desk, Zhang Rufan saw a cup of coffee—no doubt from Yuan Shuang. She turned to ask if Yuan Shuang had seen Shen Mingjin that morning, but before she could speak, Liu Pinyuan announced a morning meeting and called everyone to the conference room. Work took priority, so Zhang Rufan put her question aside.

During the meeting, Liu Pinyuan assigned the week’s tasks and then specifically called Zhang Rufan to her office to ask about the “Coffee Market” proposal and its progress.

After leaving Liu Pinyuan’s office, Zhang Rufan immediately threw herself into work. She spent the whole morning finishing the proposal she had drafted over the weekend, adding more event details, carefully reviewing it, and finally sending it to Liu Pinyuan.

"Finished?" Yuan Shuang asked as Zhang Rufan leaned back in her chair.

Zhang Rufan nodded.

"Confident it'll pass?"

"I did my best."

Whether the "Coffee Market" proposal would be approved depended entirely on Liu Pinyuan. Zhang Rufan wasn’t 100% sure. She had put a lot of heart into this plan, and having been involved in many events before, she felt more nervous and hopeful this time than ever.

"You prepared so thoroughly—I believe you can do it," Yuan Shuang encouraged.

"Thanks." Zhang Rufan also thanked her again for bringing her coffee that morning.

"No big deal." Yuan Shuang waved it off, then added, "Oh—Boss Shen asked about you this morning."

"Oh?"

"He wondered why you weren’t there to get coffee. I told him you were rushing from home and wouldn’t make it in time."

Zhang Rufan zoned out for a moment, suddenly anxious about how Shen Mingjin might respond.

"By the way, I also mentioned the 'Coffee Market' to him."

"You told him?"

Yuan Shuang blinked at her strong reaction. "Was that a problem?"

"…Not really." Zhang Rufan hesitated. "The proposal might not get approved."

"Don’t worry about it. Boss Shen’s a good guy. Even if it doesn’t pass, he’ll understand."

Zhang Rufan fell silent.

She had planned to tell him herself—after the proposal got approved.

At lunch, with Yuan Shuang meeting friends, Zhang Rufan ate alone in the company cafeteria. After much hesitation, she finally worked up the courage to visit Jindu and hear Shen Mingjin’s response.

The café was as busy as usual at midday—not crowded enough for long lines, but a steady stream of customers.

Zhang Rufan pushed open the door and immediately scanned the counter. Shen Mingjin was there today, chatting with a young woman. As Zhang Rufan approached, she caught a few words.

"Tiramisu, strawberry roll, mango mille-feuille, vanilla cream cake, matcha cheesecake... these for tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." Shen Mingjin paused, then said, "Add vanilla profiteroles too — those have been popular lately."

“Got it. I’ll deliver them on time tomorrow.”

At this moment, Shen Mingjin had already seen Zhang Rufan. He quickly withdrew his gaze and spoke a couple more words to the person.

Zhang Rufan only stepped forward after the woman left. Shen Mingjin looked up, “Coffee?”

“Mm.” Zhang Rufan glanced at the coffee menu and said, “A mocha.”

“For here?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Shen Mingjin tapped the cash register twice. As he turned to make the coffee, out of the corner of his eye he saw Zhang Rufan standing still, her body slightly hesitating. He said, “Find a seat. I’ll bring the coffee over later.”

Shen Mingjin spoke with a calm, indifferent tone; Zhang Rufan could see no hint of liking or dislike on his face.

She took a seat in the corner of the café. About five minutes later, Shen Mingjin brought over a cup of coffee and placed it on the table in front of her.

“Here you go,” he said.

As he finished speaking and was about to leave, he noticed Zhang Rufan’s earnest gaze—slightly intense—and couldn’t help but stop. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Something you want to say?”

“Mm.” Zhang Rufan nodded.

Without much hesitation, Shen Mingjin pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down, looking up. “What is it?”

Zhang Rufan sat up straight, suddenly nervous. She didn’t dare meet Shen Mingjin’s eyes directly, instead lowering her gaze slightly to focus on the bear-shaped latte art in her coffee.

“The night before last, I asked you—”

“Sure,” Shen Mingjin replied before she could finish.

Zhang Rufan suddenly lifted her head, as if she couldn’t believe what he had just said. “You’re willing?”

“What’s there not to be willing about?” Shen Mingjin smiled wryly, his attitude casual and carefree. “Forget the past entirely. What’s wrong with getting to know each other all over again?”

Shen Mingjin’s answer was exactly what Zhang Rufan wanted to hear—yet somehow, it wasn’t the answer she truly sought. She stared at him, momentarily lost; he always managed to disrupt her rhythm and throw her off balance.

“I told you before, high school is in the past. You don’t need to carry any burdens. If you need help with anything, just say the word—if I can help, I will.”

Shen Mingjin looked at Zhang Rufan and asked, “Has your proposal been approved?”

Zhang Rufan was caught off guard, wondering why he suddenly brought up her work.

“…Not yet.”

“‘Coffee Market’ sounds pretty interesting. I think you’ll do well.” Shen Mingjin paused, then looked her straight in the eye and said seriously, “You don’t have to try to get on good terms with me just because of work, nor worry that I’d refuse to cooperate because of past issues. This is a great promotional opportunity—I’ll be on board.”

“So it’s settled then. Once your proposal passes, be sure to invite me to the event.”

Shen Mingjin declared the conversation over as if stamping it with finality. It was only then that Zhang Rufan realized he had misunderstood—completely misread her motive for approaching him.

“No, you’ve got it wrong. When I said I wanted to start over that day, it wasn’t because of work.” Zhang Rufan’s brow furrowed slightly, her tone shifting from usual calm to rare urgency, as if afraid he might leave at any moment.

Hearing this, Shen Mingjin’s composure wavered slightly, almost shaken. “You come to the café every day… not just for research?”

“That was part of it, but not the whole reason. The idea for the ‘Coffee Market’ only came after I met you. I didn’t even drink coffee before. I thought if the proposal passed, I could spend more time with you and get to know you better…”

Her former boss had praised her as steady and methodical, but right now Zhang Rufan felt her thoughts were scattered, and her words made no logical sense—just impulsive feelings.

“When I said I wanted to start over, it was just hoping you wouldn’t dislike me because of the past. But I also don’t want you to forget everything, because, because…” Zhang Rufan felt like she had something to say but it got stuck in her chest, impossible to express.

Yet from her broken words, Shen Mingjin sensed something else. Surprised, he stared at her and tentatively asked, “You added me on WeChat, came to the café every day, planned the ‘Coffee Market’… were you… pursuing me?”

Zhang Rufan’s eyes were still clouded with confusion. She had no experience with these matters, rarely heard others’ love stories, hardly watched idol dramas or romantic movies, and barely read novels. Regarding matters of the heart, she had no direct experience, and precious little indirect experience either.

“Does… that count?”

Seeing the bewilderment in her eyes, Shen Mingjin was unexpectedly moved. He almost smiled, but forcibly restrained the impulse.

“Of course it counts.” Clearing his throat lightly, he spoke with a solemn, impartial tone: “Going out of your way to approach me, asking about me—that’s showing interest.”

Romantically naive, Zhang Rufan didn’t fully understand how love took root, but her feelings for Shen Mingjin were indeed special. Perhaps, as Cheng Yi had said, she “liked” him—and between a man and a woman, liking is precisely affection.

Now, recalling the scene at the pep rally—had her outburst at Shen Mingjin really been just about family issues? If it had been someone else confessing, would she have been that angry?

Perhaps long ago, before she even realized it herself, she had already fallen for him.

"凡？"小牧朝沈明津挤挤眼睛，笑话他，"哥，你这可真是名副其实地动了'凡'心啊。"
This line is a clever play on words that works particularly well in Chinese but requires some cultural and linguistic context to fully appreciate. 

1. "凡" (Fán) - This is the character from Zhang Rufan's name (章入凡). The name 入凡 (Rùfán) literally means "entering the mundane/common," suggesting someone coming down to earth from a more elevated state.

2. 动凡心 (dòng fánxīn) - This is a classical Chinese expression meaning:

   • Literally: "to stir/move one's mortal/common heart"

   • Figuratively: When an immortal/divine being develops human desires, or when an ascetic/monk breaks their vows of detachment (usually romantic)

   • Modern usage: When someone who's usually aloof or professional develops a personal/romantic interest

3. Wordplay:

   • The character 凡 (fán) in Zhang Rufan's name

   • The expression 动凡心 (dòng fánxīn) - "to develop romantic feelings"

   • By using her name's character 凡, Xiao Mu is saying: "You've developed 'Fan'-style feelings" (for the one named Fan)

4. Cultural Context:

   • The joke implies Shen Mingjin (who's usually professional/businesslike) is "descending to the mortal realm" of romance

   • There's a teasing tone s

   • The phrasing evokes classical literature where immortals fall for humans

Characters

章入凡 (Zhāng Rùfán) – The protagonist.

沈明津 (Shěn Míngjīn) – A former classmate who wrote Zhang Rufan a love letter in high school, in her copy of Anne of Green Gables.

章胜义 (Zhāng Shèngyì) – Zhang Rufan’s father. 

李惠淑 (Lǐ Huìshū) – Zhang Rufan’s stepmother ("惠姨 Huìyí").

章梓橦 (Zhāng Zǐtóng) – Rufan’s much younger half-sister (~18 years age gap). 

章胜嫔 (Zhāng Shèngpín) – Rufan’s aunt (father’s sister). 

程怡 (Chéng Yí) – Rufan’s close friend from middle school. 

谢易韦 (Xiè Yìwéi) – High school class monitor who is getting married, prompting the reunion.

杜升 (Dù Shēng) – Someone Zhang Rufan didn't want to add as a friend on WeChat at first.

刘品媛 (Liú Pǐnyuán) – The planning department manager at OW.

孙璐 (Sūn Lù) – Zhang Rufan’s direct supervisor at OW, who goes by "Sister Lu" (璐姐, Lù Jiě).

袁霜 (Yuán Shuāng) – A friendly coworker in the planning department.

Sevyn here ~~~

Also, a favorite chapter, I like how misunderstandings are resolved quickly. With this, we're 1/3 way through!

So short, anyways, ENJOY!