MC - Chapter 24

As Zhang Rufan's longtime friend, Cheng Yi understood her personality extremely well. When it came to love, Rufan didn't even have a smattering of knowledge—she was essentially a blank slate.

Though it wasn’t yet clear how she felt about Shen Mingjin, as he had said, if she were to plunge hastily into an intimate relationship, she would surely be at a complete loss.

For now, Cheng Yi chose to trust Shen Mingjin's character. She gave him a sidelong glance and asked, “Did you like our Xiaofan back in high school?”

Shen Mingjin showed no sign of embarrassment at being exposed. Instead, he laughed brightly and admitted, “You caught me.”

“I knew it,” Cheng Yi said, feeling surprised yet somehow finding it all perfectly reasonable. “No wonder you were always watching her in high school, always clinging to her during sports meets, and speaking up for her.”

“Was it that obvious?”

Cheng Yi thought back. In high school, although Shen Mingjin hadn’t constantly lingered around Zhang Rufan, he was always in their group for every group assignment, and she could always spot him nearby in the cafeteria—either in front, behind, or off to the side. She used to think it was purely coincidence. But now, she saw—it was a deliberate coincidence.

Shen Mingjin had been quite the popular guy at school, very well-liked by the girls. Cheng Yi was slightly surprised that he had liked Zhang Rufan back then, but she didn’t press him for a reason.

Back in school, a lot of people couldn’t understand why Cheng Yi was so close to Zhang Rufan. They thought Zhang Rufan was aloof and hard to get along with. But Cheng Yi knew she was a wonderful person.

She didn’t find it strange at all that Shen Mingjin had liked Zhang Rufan. On the contrary, she admired his taste and even felt a kind of “kindred spirit” connection with him.

Cheng Yi's hostility toward Shen Mingjin began to fade. She uncrossed her arms and, in a deliberately challenging tone, asked him, “So if you’re not saying yes to Xiaofan now, aren’t you afraid that she might really regret it later and stop chasing after you?”

Shen Mingjin let out a long, quiet sigh and said, “Then I’ll just have to chase her instead.”

As he spoke, he gave a little shrug, as if to say, “What else can I do?”

Cheng Yi couldn’t help but laugh. She had never met anyone quite like Shen Mingjin—put nicely, he was someone who knew when to bend and when to stand firm; put bluntly, he was just shamelessly thick-skinned.

Their initial conversation had gone reasonably well. Out of the corner of her eye, Cheng Yi saw Zhang Rufan walking over. She subtly made a throat-slitting gesture toward Shen Mingjin and warned, “Don’t bully her, or else… got it?”

Shen Mingjin smiled and nodded compliantly. “Got it.”

After leaving the cinema, Shen Mingjin deliberately let Zhang Rufan and Cheng Yi walk ahead, while he and Wu Zheng trailed behind, all to give them space to talk.

After speaking with Shen Mingjin, Cheng Yi felt more at ease. Linking arms with Zhang Rufan, she no longer felt the urge to interrogate her—after all, when it comes down to it, feelings are a deeply personal matter.

"I knew it—suddenly taking an interest in romance movies? Turns out you've finally had an awakening."

 Cheng Yi felt deeply gratified, filled with a sense of "my daughter has grown up." Her tone was both excited and emotional.

 "You actually took the initiative to pursue someone—heavens, I never would've imagined it."

As she spoke, Cheng Yi glanced back. Despite it being their first meeting, Shen Mingjin and Wu Zheng were already chatting animatedly.

Turning back, she asked Zhang Rufan, "Why Shen Mingjin? Your personalities are quite different."

"Was it because I once said you had a good impression of him back in high school?"

"That’s part of it, but not all."

 Truthfully, Zhang Rufan still found it hard to articulate why it had to be Shen Mingjin. The origin of feelings was far too complex—it didn’t arise from any one specific event, but was hidden within the details, difficult to trace.

Recalling Shen Mingjin’s earlier concerns, Cheng Yi couldn’t help but ask,

 "Xiaofan, do you truly like Shen Mingjin?"

Zhang Rufan looked momentarily lost—not because she was uncertain about her feelings for Shen Mingjin, but because the definition of “like” itself was still hazy to her.

She had never felt romantic affection for anyone before, so she had no reference point for how strong a feeling had to be before it could be called “liking.”

 But what she did know, with certainty, was this—

"He is a very special person to me."

Cheng Yi froze.

As her best friend, she knew the weight of those words.

Back in high school, several delinquents from Tenth High would block Cheng Yi’s path on her way home every day, harassing her. One day, Zhang Rufan happened to pass by and, seeing her surrounded, didn’t hesitate to step forward and protect her.

At an age when most kids still feared the police, she calmly escorted Cheng Yi to the station to file a report. After that, those boys never dared harass her again.

Cheng Yi was deeply grateful and began trying to befriend her at school. But Zhang Rufan was unmoved—she refused her small gifts, declined her weekend invitations, and even told her bluntly:

 "I don’t need friends."

At first, Cheng Yi was disheartened. Later, she realized that this feigned indifference was just Zhang Rufan’s protective armor.

Back then, teenage girls always gathered to talk about everything under the sun—idols, novels, anime... Yet Zhang Rufan knew none of it.

 Cheng Yi had overheard classmates call her boring more than once. Some even felt her “ignorance” was insulting:

 "How can you not know anything we love?"

More hurtful than being distant from the start was the experience of someone approaching with interest, only to walk away bored.

 During her friendship with Zhang Rufan, Cheng Yi came to understand that no one feared being dull more than she did—so she kept her heart locked tightly shut.

And now, she was finally opening that tightly closed door.

Cheng Yi suddenly felt a wave of emotion. With a sigh, she said,

 "I’m almost a little jealous of Shen Mingjin."

"But I’m really happy you’ve found someone you like."

 She leaned her head gently on Zhang Rufan’s shoulder.

 "Go ahead and chase him boldly. Shen Mingjin... is easy to catch. You’re sure to succeed."

Zhang Rufan smiled faintly.

"Alright, I won't delay your date," Cheng Yi said as she straightened up. She winked at Zhang Rufan and added with a grin, "I'll be waiting for good news."

Zhang Rufan hesitated for a moment. "Are you and Wu Zheng heading back?"

"Mm, we just came for the movie today. We'll take a little walk, then head home."

"Taking a walk," Zhang Rufan echoed thoughtfully.

Cheng Yi suddenly understood and giggled. "You don’t know what to do with Shen Mingjin next, do you?"

Zhang Rufan flushed slightly.

It was the first time Cheng Yi had ever seen her like this, and she found it delightfully novel. Laughing, she said,

 "It's not too cold tonight—you could ask him to take a walk with you, talk about the movie you just watched."

Zhang Rufan found the idea feasible.

"If you run into any trouble, be sure to ask me."

 Cheng Yi looked like someone who had finally fulfilled a long-standing wish. Excited, she added,

 "Heavens know how long I’ve wanted to be your love advisor."

Zhang Rufan felt a quiet warmth bloom in her heart.

Cheng Yi didn’t hold her back any longer. Letting go of her hand, she turned and waved Shen Mingjin over.

"All done talking?" Shen Mingjin asked.

"Mm. Returning her to you now. I’m off."

 Cheng Yi took Wu Zheng’s hand. As she cast a final glance at Zhang Rufan and Shen Mingjin standing side by side, she felt a wave of emotion.

Cautious, overthinking Zhang Rufan had now become bold; while the bold, straightforward Shen Mingjin was the one becoming careful and hesitant—

 Love was truly a strange and wondrous thing.

…

After Cheng Yi and Wu Zheng left, Zhang Rufan and Shen Mingjin exited the mall as well.

With the purpose of the date fulfilled and the movie finished, there no longer seemed to be a concrete reason to stay together.

Taking Cheng Yi’s suggestion to heart, Zhang Rufan tentatively asked,

 "Shall we take a walk before heading back?"

Shen Mingjin, more than eager to spend a little more time with her, was delighted by her initiative and agreed readily.

His mood tonight was nothing short of euphoric. Though it was an autumn night, it felt like a spring breeze brushing his face, and in his heart, a hundred flowers were blooming.

On weekend evenings, OW was bustling. Inside the mall, people were shopping, dining, and watching movies. Outside in the plaza, the crowd was just as lively.

Amid laughter and chatter, they walked side by side, slowly.

 Just then, a little flower girl carrying a bouquet walked up to them, beaming as she said to Shen Mingjin,

 "Big brother, buy a flower for the pretty sister!"

Zhang Rufan was just about to wave her off when Shen Mingjin cheerfully responded,

 "Sure."

He paid for the flower and handed her a bright red rose, its petals fresh and full of color.

Zhang Rufan took the flower with evident awkwardness. Looking at the tender bloom, she raised her head and said, polite yet sincere:

 "This is the first time I’ve ever received a flower. Thank you."

It was a simple statement, but it touched Shen Mingjin deeply. Smiling brightly, he declared:

 "Once you’ve won me over, I’ll bring you flowers every single day."

Infected by his cheer, Zhang Rufan smiled too.

The night breeze brushed softly against their faces. It was cool but not biting—carrying that invigorating crispness unique to autumn.

Shen Mingjin started the conversation.

 "You probably don’t watch thrillers often, right? What did you think of tonight’s movie?"

"It was quite interesting," Zhang Rufan said.

 "I didn’t expect the killer to be that uncle—he was the one who called the police."

"That’s what makes thrillers fun—the twists."

"Do you watch them a lot?"

"Mm." Shen Mingjin had both hands in his pockets, completely at ease.

 "They’re thrilling. Watching them just feels good."

"Which ones are your favorites?" she asked, pressing further.

He listed a few film titles.

 Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zhang Rufan frowning slightly—clearly trying to commit the names to memory. Amused, he chuckled.

 "You don’t have to force yourself to watch them if you don’t like thrillers."

"I want to understand you better."

Shen Mingjin’s heart stirred.

 For a moment, he thought—maybe he’d misunderstood Zhang Rufan all along. She was surprisingly good at tugging at his heartstrings.

Every time she took a step toward him, he found himself wanting to take two or three toward her.

He cleared his throat, putting on a mock-serious tone as he said,

 "Shen Mingjin. Male. Twenty-three. Occupation: café owner. Special skill... mastering everything except studying."

Zhang Rufan laughed—those were the exact words one of their high school teachers had once used to describe him.

"Favorite foods we covered last time. As for drinks—aside from coffee, I also like soda."

 He paused, then turned to her and asked suddenly,

 "You don’t like cola, do you?"

Zhang Rufan blinked, taking a second to realize he was referring to the cola he’d bought earlier during the movie.

 After a moment of thought, she answered with her usual precision:

 "It’s not that I dislike it—I just rarely drink it."

"I thought you only didn’t like milk tea. Turns out you don’t drink cola either."

That puzzled Zhang Rufan.

 It made sense that someone could figure out whether she ate spicy food by observing what she ordered at the cafeteria...

 But how could he know whether she drank milk tea?

"How did you know I don’t drink milk tea?"

"I tried to buy you one, remember?"

"Huh?" Zhang Rufan froze for a moment. Then, surprised, she said,

 "You mean—you were the one who treated the whole class to milk tea that time?"

"Mm." Shen Mingjin nodded and admitted frankly,

 "In high school, I saw you standing outside the milk tea shop a few times, hesitating.

 I thought you were like most girls—wanting to drink it, but worried about gaining weight."

"Later, I heard from Cheng Yi that you don’t like milk tea," Shen Mingjin said. Then, jokingly, he added,

 "It wasn’t because the milk tea I gave you tasted awful and left you traumatized, was it?"

Zhang Rufan blinked in surprise and gave a faint shake of her head.

Back in high school, there was a phase when milk tea became all the rage. Nearly every girl had a cup in hand—it was still a fresh novelty at the time. She had been curious about how it tasted, yet always held fast to her father Zhang Shengyi’s teachings. As a result, she often found herself caught between temptation and restraint.

Zhang Rufan had always believed that these inner struggles—the small rebellions and dilemmas of adolescence—were hers alone.

 She never imagined that someone had been quietly watching her, noticing her contradictions, and caring for her in their own silent way.

Just like that nickname—“tomboy.” Had she truly been unaffected by it? Not exactly.

 It was just that pretending not to care made things easier. But Shen Mingjin had cared.

He cared whether she wanted to drink milk tea.

 He cared when people called her hurtful names.

 He cared about everything that concerned her.

Suddenly, Zhang Rufan felt her eyes grow warm. She didn’t know why, but an inexplicable urge to cry welled up inside her.

She had always seen herself as a solitary planet, drifting alone in the far reaches of space.

 She never realized there had been a star in her solar system—shining, burning quietly for her.

 And now, at this very moment, that light had traveled across five years of time and finally reached her planet.

Five years.

 Had that light source already gone dark?

Zhang Rufan turned to look at Shen Mingjin, a desperate need rising in her chest to know the answer.

Immersed in her thoughts, she failed to notice the changing surroundings—until Shen Mingjin suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her aside.

A boy on a skateboard zipped past them, bringing a gust of wind in his wake. If Shen Mingjin hadn’t reacted so quickly, Zhang Rufan would’ve been knocked over.

Shen Mingjin frowned slightly as he watched the boy disappear into the crowd.

 As he loosened his grip, he realized that Zhang Rufan’s hand was still firmly holding his.

 She was gripping his hand, tightly.

His heart gave a lurch.

 He looked down and met her eyes—earnest and moving.

"Scared?" His voice softened instinctively.

Zhang Rufan came back to her senses. Following his gaze downward, she finally noticed—she had unconsciously reached out and taken his hand. She had acted on instinct, on feeling.

It was a bold act—one that crossed a line.

 Startled, she tried to pull away.

But in the very next second, Shen Mingjin tightened his grip and held her hand firmly in return.

Zhang Rufan looked up at him.

Shen Mingjin, meeting her burning gaze, was already a sea of emotion inside. Yet outwardly, he pretended to stay calm, even having the gall to tease her:

 "Looked to me like you were kind of hoping to hold my hand."

Zhang Rufan’s cheeks flushed red.

 But she didn’t deny it. She met his eyes, directly and sincerely.

Seeing that she didn’t refute him, Shen Mingjin’s heart surged like a stormy sea.

 He quickly added,

 "The plaza’s crowded... you can hold it for a bit."

"Is that okay?" she asked, half out of etiquette, half in genuine uncertainty.

"It is." Shen Mingjin gave a slight cough, as though to bolster his courage, his voice lifting ever so slightly.

His gaze flickered, and his expression became uncharacteristically awkward.

 Afraid he’d completely lose composure under her gaze, he didn’t say another word—instead, he took a step forward.

Still holding hands, Zhang Rufan followed naturally.

 Lowering her eyes, her gaze fell on their joined hands, and her heart pounded in her chest.

She could feel the warmth radiating from his palm—so real, so alive, with no barriers between them.

This time, there were no misunderstandings.

 No missed signals.

 No delay in timing.

She could feel his light—directly and clearly—right from the very first moment.

The luminous body had not burned out after all.

1. 白丁 (báidīng) – "Novice" or "layperson" someone with no knowledge in a particular field

2. 小红人 (xiǎo hóngrén) – Someone well-liked, often in school or social circles

3. 氓流子 (mángliúzi) – Delinquent or hoodlum, a derogatory term for troublemakers

4. 男人婆 (nánrénpó) – Tomboy, a somewhat derogatory term for a masculine girl

5. 脸皮忒厚 (liǎnpí tuī hòu) – Thick-skinned, describes someone shameless or overly bold

6. 吾家有女初长成 (wú jiā yǒu nǚ chū zhǎng chéng) – "My daughter has grown up" a proud expression used when a girl matures

7. 光源体 (guāngyuán tǐ) – "Luminous body" metaphor for someone who emits warmth and light, like a star

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 are so freaking cute