MC - Chapter 21

Zhang Rufan didn’t understand what Shen Mingjin meant by “helping her take the initiative.” He didn’t explain either, keeping the whole thing deliberately mysterious.

That afternoon, back at the office, she sat in front of her computer, staring at the project proposal with a worried expression. When Yuan Shuang heard about her troubles, she suggested sending task assignments directly in the work group chat. She said that’s what previous project leads had always done.

But Zhang Rufan felt uneasy about it. Those former leads were all veteran employees with some standing in the company. She, on the other hand, was a newcomer—if she acted the same way, it might come off as presumptuous or arrogant.

She mulled over it for ages and still couldn’t find a good solution. Just as she stood up, planning to call her grandmother for advice, her eyes landed on an unexpected sight—Shen Mingjin.

He walked into the planning department carrying a large delivery box. One of the employees recognized him and called out, “Boss Shen, delivering takeout yourself today?”

“Who ordered coffee? That’s a whole box,” Yuan Shuang asked.

Shen Mingjin walked straight over to Zhang Rufan, set the box down on the corner of her desk, rested a hand on it, and smiled. “This Ms. Zhang ordered it.”

“Huh?” Zhang Rufan looked stunned.

Without missing a beat, Shen Mingjin glanced at her and said calmly, “She said she’s just joined the company and still has a lot to learn, so she asked me to bring over some coffee as a small gesture. She hopes everyone can guide her going forward.”

“Rufan, you’re way too polite!” someone laughed.

Flustered, Zhang Rufan looked helplessly at Shen Mingjin.

He just gave her a reassuring smile. Then, he started handing out the coffees one by one, and—acting as if it had just occurred to him—asked, “Oh, by the way, I heard OW is organizing a ‘Coffee Market’ next month?”

“That’s right,” someone replied. “Boss Shen, you’re really well-informed.”

“Well, of course. You can’t do business without staying in the loop,” Shen Mingjin replied cheerfully. Then, with just the right touch of flattery, he added, “OW’s themed events are famous all across Shangjing. No other mall puts together anything nearly as fun. I’ve been waiting to ride the hype.”

“My barista friends have been following the news ever since they heard about the ‘Coffee Market.’ They all said they’re eager to join if they get the chance. Even our regulars are asking about it—they’re already planning to come by the mall next month to check it out.”

The way Shen Mingjin spoke was masterful—he struck a perfect balance between praise and pressure. His compliments flattered the staff’s egos, sparked their professional pride, and simultaneously elevated the importance of the event—making it feel as though if this one didn’t go well, OW’s reputation would be on the line.

Sure enough, before his words even fully settled, someone responded, “Don’t worry, Boss Shen—we’ll make sure this event is a hit. We’ll definitely invite you. You’d better not turn us down!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Shen Mingjin replied with a hearty laugh, continuing to hand out the coffees. “Another box will be delivered later for the other departments too.”

“Oh wow, Rufan, this is really generous of you.”

“Seriously, if you need anything from us in the future, just say the word—no need to be so formal.”

“Rufan, you can drop the proposal for the ‘Coffee Market’ in the group chat. We’ll sort out the division of tasks together.”

“I know people on the operations and media side—I’ll help with coordination when the time comes.”

Zhang Rufan suddenly found herself gaining her colleagues’ goodwill. She felt both flustered and delighted. When she looked up at Shen Mingjin, he gave her a knowing wink.

Her heart skipped a beat. In that moment, a thought flashed through her mind—

Even without their shared high school history, she would’ve still fallen for Shen Mingjin.

Thanks to Shen Mingjin’s help, Zhang Rufan got along more smoothly with her coworkers, and the afternoon’s work progressed with ease. She split the event into sections and assigned each part to experienced colleagues. A weight lifted from her shoulders, and she felt a noticeable sense of relief—alongside a deepened gratitude toward Shen Mingjin.

Before getting off work, she finished wrapping up her tasks, then started browsing online for nearby restaurants with good reviews. She rarely treated others to meals, and since she’d only recently returned to Shangjing, she had to rely on various review platforms for reliable info.

Yuan Shuang, catching a glimpse of her screen, leaned over curiously. “Looking up restaurants? Treating someone to dinner?”

Zhang Rufan nodded.

“Who?” Yuan Shuang probed.

“Shen Mingjin,” Zhang Rufan answered honestly.

Yuan Shuang looked surprised for a moment, but then nodded in understanding. “Boss Shen really did help out a lot.”

She added, “Actually, you don’t need to spend your own money. The company usually hosts a celebration after major events.”

Zhang Rufan had her own reasons beyond just work, but she wasn’t sure whether Shen Mingjin would want others to know she was pursuing him. So she didn’t go into detail, simply saying, “I still want to thank him personally.”

Yuan Shuang nodded. “Makes sense. After all, it’s your first big project. You might still need his help down the line—building a good relationship is smart.”

The online reviews were all over the place, and Zhang Rufan couldn’t make up her mind. Then she remembered that when she first joined, Yuan Shuang had said she knew all the best local spots. So she turned to her with a look that clearly said help me.

Yuan Shuang caught on immediately and grinned with pride. “You came to the right person.”

She asked, “Any dietary restrictions?”

Zhang Rufan shook her head.

“Not sure if Boss Shen has any…” Yuan Shuang murmured to herself.

But to her surprise, Zhang Rufan answered almost instantly,

 “He doesn’t eat raw food, is allergic to crab, and hates cilantro.”

“...” Yuan Shuang stared at her in disbelief. “How do you know that?”

“I asked him.”

Thinking she must have asked him earlier today, Yuan Shuang gave her a big thumbs-up. “Professional!”

“...”

“No raw food rules out Japanese. Crab allergy means skip seafood altogether. Hotpot and barbecue are smoky—not exactly elegant. Street food is better for people who are already close.” Yuan Shuang analyzed fluently. “Since this is a dinner based on work ties, you should go with something more formal.”

Zhang Rufan wasn’t inviting Shen Mingjin just for work, but she didn’t correct Yuan Shuang. They weren’t close yet, and it was indeed not the right time for somewhere overly casual or bustling.

Yuan Shuang recommended a few well-reviewed Western restaurants in Shangjing, and Zhang Rufan carefully saved them to her phone’s notes.

After work, she went straight to Jindu. But as soon as she stepped through the door, Shen Mingjin emerged from behind the bar. He didn’t say a word to the staff, as if he’d been ready to leave the moment she arrived.

“Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Autumn days were short, and the nights long. By evening, the sky had already dimmed, and a gust of autumn wind swept through the street trees, lifting fallen leaves into the air and lending a quiet chill to the scene.

Outside the café, Zhang Rufan spoke first. “Thank you for helping me ‘take the initiative’ today—it really worked. Oh, and for all that coffee you brought to the office, I need to transfer you the money.”

“No need,” Shen Mingjin replied casually. “I offered to help you. If I take your money, doesn’t that make it a forced transaction?”

“But—”

“Didn’t you say you were treating me? So, what’s for dinner?” Shen Mingjin cut her off, shifting the topic before she could insist again.

Caught off guard, Zhang Rufan followed his lead. “I found a few Western restaurants…”

“So business-like?” Shen Mingjin teased. “Do I need to change into a suit?”

“You don’t like Western food?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it,” he shrugged, “it’s just a little too uptight.”

Zhang Rufan fell silent for a moment—clearly, she’d miscalculated and hadn’t made a backup plan.

But Shen Mingjin didn’t let her stay flustered for long. “Since you’re the one treating, I’ll choose the place.”

Hearing that, Zhang Rufan visibly relaxed and nodded.

“Wait for me by the curb. I’ll go get the car.”

Zhang Rufan waited until Shen Mingjin drove up. After getting in, she noticed him pulling away from the OW commercial district. She assumed he was taking her to another shopping area for dinner, but instead, he parked at the mouth of a small alley.

“There’s... a restaurant here?” she asked, peering down the narrow lane with uncertainty.

“You’ll see.” Shen Mingjin tilted his head toward the alley. “Come on.”

Zhang Rufan hesitated briefly, then followed.

The alley was dimly lit—each streetlamp stingy with its glow, illuminating only a small patch of the path. The lane itself was just wide enough for a single car, and lined on both sides were scooters, bicycles, and even a few three-wheelers.

Though a Shangjing native, Zhang Rufan hadn’t explored every corner of the city. This place was unfamiliar to her.

People lived in the alley, and around this time, the air was thick with the scent of home-cooked meals—warm, savory, and deeply human.

She looked around, trying to spot which place was the restaurant. Her attention on the surroundings, she failed to watch her step and stumbled—luckily, Shen Mingjin caught her in time.

“Careful,” he said, pulling her gently to his side before letting go. “We’re almost there.”

Following him around a bend, Zhang Rufan suddenly caught a whiff of something rich and fragrant. A few more steps forward, and a small shop came into view, a modest sign hanging above the door:

“Li’s Beef Noodles.”

She blinked. “Beef noodles?”

“Yeah.” Shen Mingjin turned to her, raising an eyebrow with mock seriousness. “Not in the mood to treat anymore?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Zhang Rufan looked up at the small shop. Everything about it screamed humble hole-in-the-wall. Shen Mingjin had found Western food too formal, but this… a beef noodle joint? It felt far too casual for a dinner she was hosting.

“This place has been here forever. Only real foodies know it,” Shen Mingjin said, tilting his chin toward the sign. “The shop may be small, but the beef noodles are top-notch. Just try it once—you’ll see.”

Well, they were already at the door—there was no real reason not to go in.

It was peak dinner time, and business was booming. Every table was taken. Just as they entered, one group finished and stood to pay. Shen Mingjin signaled to the staff to clean the table, then ordered two bowls of beef noodles.

Outside, the autumn wind was biting, but inside the shop, it was warm—whether from the heater or the crowd, she couldn’t tell. The aroma of simmering broth was even stronger inside, making her mouth water.

The place was lively. Customers chatted as they slurped their noodles, talking about everything from household gossip to national news. Some whispered, others laughed out loud. It felt chaotic, but full of life.

Before long, the server brought over two steaming bowls of beef noodles. Shen Mingjin handed her a pair of chopsticks and a spoon.

“The broth here’s made from slow-simmered marrow bones. Super flavorful—give it a try.”

“Well?”

Zhang Rufan nodded. “It’s really flavorful.”

“Now try the noodles—hand-pulled, nice and springy.”

After tasting both the broth and the noodles, Zhang Rufan finally understood why this little shop tucked deep in an alley had such a thriving business. She looked up and asked, “How did you even find this place?”

“My grandpa brought me,” Shen Mingjin said. “He’s a foodie—loves exploring all the hidden gems. I used to tag along while he ate his way through the city. But he was diagnosed with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol a couple of years ago, so my grandma cracked down on his eating habits. With nothing else to do, he got into sports.”

He went on to tell her, amused, about how his grandfather started with ping-pong but, after losing a few games to him, switched to badminton in hopes of reclaiming his dignity.

“You’re really close with your grandparents,” Zhang Rufan said with a smile after hearing his story.

“Yeah, they’re both easygoing. You’ll get to meet them someday.”

“Huh?”

Seeing her a bit stunned, Shen Mingjin grew uncharacteristically serious and said, “Ace of Hearts, didn’t it ever occur to you that you might actually catch me?”

Zhang Rufan pressed her lips together, uncertain. “I’m… not that confident.”

“You should have more confidence. I’m not that hard to get,” he said casually.

She squinted at him, skeptical. “Then why are you still single?”

“….”

 Shen Mingjin was caught off guard. He paused, his mind scrambling for a plausible excuse before blurting, “Uh… strict family upbringing?”

“Huh?”

“My mom drilled it into me when I was young: a man should establish his career before starting a family. Can’t drag a girl into hardship,” he said, feigning sincerity. “So I never planned on dating before now.”

He sounded so convincing, so earnest, that Zhang Rufan actually believed him. In fact, she suddenly felt a bit lucky—like she’d come into his life at just the right time. Not too early. Not too late.

“I’m really not that hard to pursue,” Shen Mingjin repeated, looking at her meaningfully. “Just try a little, put in some effort—you’ll get me.”

“And once you do, I’ll take you to meet my grandparents.”

His words lit something in her.

Zhang Rufan gave a small, almost bashful smile and said, “Okay.”

Maybe it was the rising steam from the bowl, but her cheeks felt warm. And her chest too—like something tender was blooming there, bathed in golden light.

She didn’t usually dine out like this. Especially not at small, lived-in eateries with such strong flavors of daily life. As Yuan Shuang had once said, these places suited people who were already close. If she’d come here with someone unfamiliar, the lively, casual atmosphere would have only made things awkward and overwhelming.

But sitting here with Shen Mingjin tonight, she didn’t feel the slightest bit out of place. In fact, surrounded by the warmth and bustle of everyday life, their connection felt even closer, even more real.

For the longest time, Zhang Rufan hadn’t been able to name what it was that she felt when she was around Shen Mingjin. But now, amid the hum of conversation, the aroma of beef broth, and the clatter of bowls, the word came to her.

Comfort.

Being with him was easy. She didn’t have to armor up or weigh her every word. He never made her feel foolish or small. In fact, he always seemed to know what she meant before she even finished saying it.

She realized she wasn’t afraid of forming a bond with him.

 She wanted that bond. She longed for it.

For the first time in over twenty years, she felt something so intense and certain about someone.

She really, really wanted to catch him.

1. 李记牛肉面 (Lǐ jì niúròu miàn) – "Li’s Beef Noodles" (A famous beef noodle shop in the story)

2. 三高 (Sān gāo) – "Three Highs" (Refers to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar—common health issues)

3. 老饕 (Lǎo tāo) – "Foodie" or "gourmet" (Someone who is passionate about food)

4. 苍蝇小馆 (Cāngying xiǎo guǎn) – "Hole-in-the-wall eatery" (A small, humble, but often delicious restaurant)

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 ~~~

They're such cuties 😭