MC - Chapter 16

Shen Mingjin poured a cup of coffee from the pot, dropped in a sugar cube, and handed it to Zhang Rufan. He bent down slightly to look at Zhang Zitong and said gently,

 "Kids can't drink coffee. Would you like juice or milk?"

"Why not?" Zhang Zitong ignored the question and asked her own instead.

"You won’t be able to sleep, you might have nightmares, and coffee's a bit bitter. You wouldn’t like it right now."

Still not giving up, Zhang Zitong stared longingly at Zhang Rufan’s cup, her eyes full of desire.

Since she wouldn’t listen, Zhang Rufan decided to let her learn the hard way. She scooped a bit of coffee with a spoon and held it up to Zhang Zitong’s lips for her to taste.

"So bitter." Zhang Zitong’s face scrunched up instantly. She stuck out her tongue and said, "It tastes like medicine."

Shen Mingjin chuckled and asked,

 "So... juice or milk?"

"Juice," Zhang Zitong replied without hesitation this time. She looked up and saw Zhang Rufan take a sip of coffee without so much as a frown, and couldn’t help but ask,

 "Doesn’t it taste bitter, sis?"

"It’s not bad."

Shen Mingjin placed a glass of juice in front of Zhang Zitong, thoughtfully adding a straw. Then he leaned on the edge of the bar, looked at Zhang Rufan, and asked,

 "You’re really used to drinking coffee?"

"Hm?"

"You said before you didn’t drink coffee—only started because of me."

Zhang Rufan nodded.

Getting her feelings confirmed again, Shen Mingjin couldn't help but smile, though he quickly forced it down. Clearing his throat, he said,

 "If you’re not used to it, don’t force yourself. You can come to the café anytime to see me—you don’t have to buy coffee. Don’t do something you don’t like just for me."

Zhang Rufan was briefly stunned before murmuring,

 "...Xiao Mu said a lot of people who like you go to your café to buy coffee."

Shen Mingjin raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected Xiao Mu to mention that. He couldn't tell if the guy was trying to help or just causing trouble.

"You're not like them," he replied without thinking.

Zhang Rufan’s heart gave a little jolt.

Noticing her staring at him, Shen Mingjin realized what he’d said was a bit too suggestive—not exactly what someone being pursued should be saying. He turned his head, gave a small cough to cover the moment, and added in a more restrained tone,

 "What I meant was, I never gave them a chance—so all they could do was buy coffee. But you’re different. I gave you a chance."

Zhang Rufan wasn’t disappointed by the clarification. No matter how different that “different” truly was, it meant he treated her unlike the others. After everything that had happened in high school, the fact that he could still treat her kindly and without prejudice was enough.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

Shen Mingjin accepted her gratitude with a faint sense of guilt, but kept up a calm, generous front as he earnestly advised,

 "So make the most of this opportunity."

"I will. But..."

His heart instantly jumped into his throat—until he heard her continue, holding her coffee cup in both hands,

 "I’ll still keep buying coffee. I’m not forcing myself—coffee really does help me stay awake. I’ve gotten used to it these days."

Shen Mingjin immediately relaxed, quietly letting out a breath of relief, and said cheerfully,

 "Come by anytime then. I’ll give you a discount."

Worried she might decline, he quickly added,

 "Friendship price—same for all old classmates."

Zhang Rufan didn’t try to politely refuse this time. She simply thanked him again.

Just then, the repairman came out of the bathroom. Shen Mingjin greeted him and offered a cup of coffee, while asking about the leak.

"No more leaks. All good now," the repairman replied. He took a sip of coffee, frowned, and said,

 "Huh. This foreign bean juice is pretty bitter."

Shen Mingjin dropped in a sugar cube for him.

 "So, the upstairs bathroom’s usable now?"

"Yes, you can drain the stored water now," the repairman said.

Shen Mingjin turned to Zhang Rufan.

 "You can move back in."

Zhang Rufan nodded, thanked the repairman, and said,

 "I’ll go upstairs and drain the water now."

She reached out, about to pick up Zhang Zitong, but Shen Mingjin spoke up,

 "Let her stay here. She hasn’t finished her juice yet. You can come back down for her later."

Zhang Rufan glanced down at Zhang Zitong, who was staring intently at the rows of bottles and jars on the shelf, clearly fascinated and showing no desire to leave.

After a moment’s thought, she said,

 "Then I’ll trouble you to keep an eye on her."

As soon as Zhang Rufan left, the repairman turned to Shen Mingjin and asked,

 "Young man, do you like that girl?"

Shen Mingjin laughed.

 "You’ve got it backward, sir—she’s the one who likes me."

"No way."

"It’s true."

"Doesn’t look like it to me. Feels like you’re the one who likes her more."

Shen Mingjin didn’t deny it. He just said,

 "Right now, she’s the one chasing me."

"Young people... I don’t get it anymore." The repairman shook his head in disbelief, finished his coffee, and grabbed his tools.

 "I’ve got other jobs to get to. Good luck—hope she catches you soon."

"Thanks for the kind words."

Shen Mingjin walked him to the door. When he turned back, he saw a pair of large, dark eyes staring right at him.

He’d noticed before that Zhang Zitong didn’t look much like her older sister. Especially the eyes—hers were big and round, giving her a sweet, innocent look. Zhang Rufan’s were narrower, and when she wasn’t smiling, they had a cool, distant air. But just a hint of a smile could light them up like the moon.

"Big brother," Zhang Zitong suddenly said,

 "Can you do that magic trick from last time again?"

Kids say the darndest things. Shen Mingjin chuckled. He didn’t have any snacks on him today to pull it off, so he said with a straight face,

 "My magic is currently sealed. I can’t do it right now."

"Why is it sealed?"

"Uh..." His mind spun for a moment before he answered,

 "Because I got hurt last night while saving the world."

He even put on a dramatic, weak expression as he spoke.

Zhang Zitong’s eyes widened with concern.

 "Are you okay, big brother?"

"I’m fine." Shen Mingjin struggled to keep a straight face.

 "When the seal is lifted, I’ll show you a new trick."

Zhang Zitong nodded seriously, then added thoughtfully,

 "Be careful when you go save the world."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Knowing it was Zhang Rufan, Shen Mingjin opened the door without hesitation.

"The repairman’s gone?" Zhang Rufan asked as she stepped inside, glancing around.

"Yeah." Shen Mingjin closed the door behind her, then turned and asked,

 "The bathroom’s all good now?"

Zhang Rufan nodded and gave him an apologetic look.

 "Sorry for bothering you so much these past few days."

"It was no trouble."

Meanwhile, Zhang Zitong had slid off her chair and was now tiptoeing to get a closer look at the coffee beans on the shelf. Zhang Rufan called to her,

 "We’ll be late for class. Let’s go."

"Heading out?" Shen Mingjin asked.

"Yeah, taking her to dance class."

"Where is it?"

"Huai’an District."

Huai’an District was known for its many schools. After thinking for a moment, Shen Mingjin said,

 "I’ll drive you."

"That’s not necessary," Zhang Rufan instinctively declined.

"I’m free this morning," he replied, instinctively brushing off her refusal. Then, putting on a mock-serious tone, he added,

 "You just said you’d seize opportunities. Now that one’s landing right in your lap, and you’re turning it down?"

"But the café..."

"I can go in a bit later. It’s fine."

Zhang Rufan hesitated, pressing her lips together. Under his gaze, she eventually gave in.

 "Then… thank you."

Huai’an District bordered Jinghua District and was part of Shangjing’s old city center. It was home to a cluster of schools, including the main campuses of several top universities. In recent years, housing prices in the area had skyrocketed as families fought for access to elite education. Zhang Rufan remembered Li Huishu once saying she regretted selling their house there and moving to Binhu District.

Zhang Rufan herself had grown up in Huai’an—attending elementary, middle, and high school all in that same area. Since returning to Shangjing, she hadn’t been back until today. As they drove through the familiar streets, a quiet sense of nostalgia stirred within her.

While driving, Shen Mingjin glanced at her from the corner of his eye and asked,

 "When did you move away?"

"The summer after the college entrance exams," Zhang Rufan replied, turning to look at him.

Shen Mingjin gave a slight nod.

 "That explains why I never ran into you these past few years."

"Huh?"

"I used to run into classmates from Huai’an District every winter and summer break," Shen Mingjin said. "But I never once saw you. I thought maybe you just never came back to Shangjing for the holidays. Turns out—you’d moved."

Zhang Rufan thought he was just making a casual observation and didn’t read too much into the underlying implication.

Shen Mingjin had lived in Huai’an District for years and knew its streets well. After Zhang Rufan gave him the address, he drove there easily without even needing directions.

After dropping Zhang Zitong off at the dance school, Zhang Rufan checked the time, then knocked on the driver’s side window. As it rolled down, she leaned in and said,

 "Her class lasts two hours. I’ll wait nearby. You can head to the café. Thanks again for today."

"Where are you planning to wait?"

"I…" She paused, unsure. "Just… wander around a bit, I guess."

Shen Mingjin thought for a second, then asked,

 "Do you remember where our old school is?"

Zhang Rufan blinked, then nodded.

 "Of course."

"Then say it."

"…It’s just in the next neighborhood."

Satisfied, Shen Mingjin nodded. Then he added with a teasing glint in his eye,

 "Ace of Hearts, don’t you think asking me to stroll through our old school might improve your odds of catching me?"

Zhang Rufan hesitated.

 "Would it…?"

"Only one way to find out." His tone was light but persuasive.

"But your café…"

"It’s fine if I show up a little late."

There was still plenty of time before Zhang Zitong’s class ended, and Zhang Rufan hadn’t decided how to spend the wait. Shen Mingjin’s suggestion tempted her. She thought—maybe being in a place filled with shared memories would make certain things easier to say. Things she’d been keeping in.

Making up her mind, she turned to him and asked,

 "Shen Mingjin, want to go back to our school with me?"

Even though he’d practically led her there, hearing her genuinely extend the invitation still made Shen Mingjin quietly happy. He lifted his chin slightly and motioned toward the car.

 "Hop in."

…

 The middle school they’d attended was just one neighborhood over—a drive that took less than ten minutes. Shen Mingjin found a spot to park just outside, and the two of them got out of the car together, heading straight toward the campus.

It was the weekend, and students were on break. After registering at the security office, Shen Mingjin and Zhang Rufan were granted entry. Even someone as unsentimental as Zhang Rufan couldn’t help but feel a sudden pang of nostalgia as she stepped onto campus—a quiet ache at how quickly time had passed.

The autumn leaves had turned golden, blanketing the paths in dry color. Each step on them gave off a faint, rustling sound. For some reason, Zhang Rufan thought of Anne—if Anne had been here, she would’ve given this road some whimsical, poetic name, just like “The White Way of Delight” at Green Gables. But she wasn’t Anne. All she could do was blandly describe it as “a campus path covered in fallen leaves.”

With no students around, the school grounds were strangely still. Places that were usually filled with noise now felt especially empty, almost desolate.

"You haven’t been back since graduation, have you?" Shen Mingjin turned to her.

"No," Zhang Rufan replied, glancing up. "What about you?"

"I come back pretty often," he said, gesturing ahead. "I play basketball here with friends when I have time."

Zhang Rufan followed the direction he pointed. If she remembered correctly, that was where the basketball court used to be.

"The school’s changed a bit over the years. Come on—let’s take a walk."

Huai’an Middle School was one of the top schools in Shangjing. It produced national exam top scorers almost every year and boasted high university admission rates. Competition was brutal. Zhang Rufan had worked hard to get in.

Her grades in middle school had been strong, but once she started high school, she could only maintain an upper-middle standing. Fortunately, while Zhang Shengyi was strict, he never pushed her hard when it came to academics. What mattered to him was whether she gave it her all.

She walked beside Shen Mingjin through the campus, aimless but calm. Though some things had changed, it wasn’t unfamiliar. Despite spending three years here, she felt no lingering attachment. For her, every place was simply a stop along the way. Even the concept of “home” wasn’t a place to return to—it was a station you inevitably left behind. Why invest too much emotion?

Shen Mingjin clearly felt differently. He sighed softly.

 "Can’t believe it’s been five years already. I wonder what everyone’s up to now."

Zhang Rufan didn’t know. She had lost touch with almost everyone from their class.

"At the farewell dinner after the college entrance exams, everyone said we’d get together once a year. That never happened." A thought struck him. He turned his head to look at her. "You weren’t at that dinner."

"No."

"Why not?"

Zhang Rufan hesitated. She hadn’t thought it was a question that needed answering—but to Shen Mingjin, her absence clearly meant something.

"I… didn’t want to go."

He looked at her for a moment, then sighed as if confirming something he’d long suspected.

 "Figures."

"You always kept people at arm’s length—never let anyone close."

Zhang Rufan sometimes wondered if she was too cold, maybe even heartless. That’s why she resisted emotional entanglements.

 At graduation, she hadn’t felt any sadness about leaving. To her, it was just the closing of a chapter. Naturally, people parted ways. It wasn’t worth mourning. But now, hearing the way Shen Mingjin described her, she found herself unexpectedly hurt.

As they walked, they rounded the back of the teaching building and came upon the grass lawn—now yellowed and dead. The sight sparked the same memory in both of them.

"Maybe it was for the best that you didn’t come to that dinner," Shen Mingjin said with a half-smile. "I was drunk that night. If you’d been there, I probably would’ve made a scene. Confessed to you again. If you’d rejected me again, I swear my poor teenage heart would’ve shattered into pieces."

 His tone was light, joking. But it was also a cover—a mask to hide something heavier, something that still hurt.

Zhang Rufan’s chest tightened. She felt like she couldn’t breathe. She bit her lip, looked up, and as if summoning all her courage, asked quietly,

 "Shen Mingjin… back then, why did you like me?"

1. 槐安区 (Huái'ān Qū) – Huai'an District (A district in the fictional city of Shangjing)

2. 京华区 (Jīnghuá Qū) – Jinghua District (Another district in the city, neighboring Huai'an)

3. 滨湖区 (Bīnhú Qū) – Binhu District (A district where Zhang Rufan’s family moved)

4. 谢师宴 (Xièshī yàn) – "Farewell Dinner" (A banquet held after exams to thank teachers)

5. 洋豆汁儿 (Yáng dòuzhīr) – "Foreign bean juice" (Humorous term for coffee used by the repairman)

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.

周慈 (Zhōu Cí) – Shen Mingjin’s mother

Sevyn here ~~~

I'm really not following the home page schedule at all, I think I'll be posting weekends from now on...

Anyways, she finally asked!!! You guys won't have to wait for an answer cause I'm posting both chapters at once lol