MC - Chapter 33

The "Coffee Market" event was exceptionally popular. Zhang Rufan was busy all day without a moment’s rest. Besides managing activities in the square, she also had to oversee events inside the mall, leaving her stretched thin.

Even on the weekend evening, when the mall was still open, the "Coffee Market" continued. OW had invited a band to perform, bringing another small peak in foot traffic to the square.

It wasn’t until 9 p.m. that the market finally closed. Zhang Rufan stayed behind with her colleagues to wrap things up. The first day had been extraordinarily successful, and all OW employees involved were thrilled—Zhang Rufan included.

After finishing the cleanup, she returned to the office building to grab her things, intending to go to Jindu to see Shen Mingjin. But as soon as she stepped outside, she saw him at the entrance.

"Why are you waiting for me here?" Zhang Rufan asked as she walked over.

"You must be exhausted today. I’ll take you home." Shen Mingjin took the computer bag from her hand.

"What about the café?"

"Everyone was busy all day, so I closed early and let them go home to rest."

"You’ve all worked hard." Seeing Shen Mingjin extend his hand, Zhang Rufan instinctively placed hers in his and added, "After the event, I’ll treat Xiao Mu and the others to a meal."

Shen Mingjin noticed that Zhang Rufan had become more at ease socially lately. Not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm, he smiled and asked, "What about me? Can I tag along?"

"Of course. You’re the one I’m most grateful to, and I’ll treat you separately." Zhang Rufan leaned closer and said softly, "With so many people today, you must be tired too."

Shen Mingjin nodded without modesty, rolling his neck. "Even during Jindu’s opening event, we never made this much coffee. My hands are about to develop calluses from grinding so many beans."

Zhang Rufan took his hand and rubbed it. Shen Mingjin clasped her hand tightly, wearing a mixture of exhaustion and joy, and said with a smile, "You’re tired, and so am I, but Jindu has gained more recognition, and the event you planned was a success. We’ve shared the hardships and joys together."

Zhang Rufan squeezed his hand back and nodded firmly, smiling.

The moon was bright, stars sparse, and faint clouds drifted across the sky. The wind in the square still carried the lingering aroma of coffee. Tomorrow would be another fine day.

Shen Mingjin and Zhang Rufan returned to Jinghua Garden together. They had been coming back together often, and the security guard, who already knew Shen Mingjin, naturally assumed Zhang Rufan was his live-in girlfriend. Every time, he greeted them warmly, saying, "The young couple is back."

They were dating but lived in separate apartments in the same building. It did sound like a waste of rent, but neither mentioned moving in together. Zhang Rufan hadn’t reached that level of awareness, while Shen Mingjin preferred to take things step by step and let nature take its course.

Every day, Shen Mingjin would walk Zhang Rufan to her apartment door, say goodnight, and then go downstairs. Tonight, because they returned late due to work, he didn’t want to delay her rest and let her go without lingering.

Back in her apartment, Zhang Rufan took out her notebook and wrote a summary of the day’s event. After finishing her work, she stood up and stretched. Even someone who exercised regularly felt tired, a testament to the intensity of the event.

Having run around all day, sweating and then catching the wind, Zhang Rufan worried she might catch a cold. She turned to the kitchen to make a cup of brown sugar ginger tea to ward off the chill.

She took out a health pot she had bought but never used, washed it, filled it with water, and set it on its base. But as soon as she plugged it in, the apartment unexpectedly went dark.

Startled, Zhang Rufan spun around in her panic and accidentally knocked over a cup. After a few seconds of stunned silence, she made her way back to the living room in the dark, found her phone, and turned on the flashlight.

She pressed the living room light switch twice, but nothing happened. Just as she was about to go to the window to check, someone knocked at the door, and her phone vibrated at the same time.

Zhang Rufan answered, and Shen Mingjin immediately asked, “Are you okay?”

Hearing the urgency in his voice, she paused for a moment, then walked to the door and opened it.

Shen Mingjin looked her over quickly. Only after confirming she was unharmed did he relax, hanging up the phone. “I heard something break upstairs and thought something had happened to you.”

He glanced into the apartment, seeing it was pitch dark. Frowning, he asked, “Why aren’t the lights on?”

“Seems like the power tripped,” Zhang Rufan explained.

She told him about using the health pot to boil water in the kitchen. Shen Mingjin went to check the circuit breaker in the hallway and returned shortly after.

“The breaker didn’t trip,” he said. “It might be an electrical short that blew the fuse.”

Zhang Rufan hadn’t expected a newly bought appliance to malfunction and frowned slightly.

Shen Mingjin turned on his flashlight and stepped inside. The kitchen floor was covered with shards of glass. Concerned about her staying overnight without electricity, he thought for a moment, then said, “Don’t stay here tonight. It’s too dangerous without power.”

He cleared his throat and tried to sound natural. “We’ll have an electrician check the wiring tomorrow. Tonight, you can stay downstairs.”

After a brief silence—though Zhang Rufan had only paused for a few seconds—he added, thinking she might be hesitant, “If you don’t want to stay at my place, I can book a hotel for you and take you there.”

Zhang Rufan considered this for a moment and said, “Wait for me a moment.”

She went into her room, packed a few clothes into a bag, and grabbed the travel-sized toiletries and skincare samples she had prepared for trips.

“Let’s go.”

They left the apartment together and entered the elevator. When Shen Mingjin saw her press the button for the 20th floor, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt inexplicably nervous. Earlier, when he suggested she stay downstairs, he had worried she might feel uncomfortable or suspect ulterior motives.

Though, to be fair, there was a little truth to that.

Zhang Rufan followed him to his apartment. It wasn’t her first visit, but tonight’s atmosphere felt different.

“Do you want to shower first?” Shen Mingjin asked, standing in the living room. Despite being on his own turf, he felt oddly awkward.

“Okay.”

Zhang Rufan changed her shoes, carried her clothes to the bathroom, and Shen Mingjin followed. When she glanced back, he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. “There are clean towels in the cabinet. Remember to turn on the heater while showering so you don’t catch a cold.”

“Mm.”

He stopped at the door. Once the bathroom door closed, he seemed to snap back to himself, rubbed his face, took a deep breath, and hurried to his room to change the bedsheets.

After showering and changing into her winter flannel pajamas, Zhang Rufan looked down at herself. The thick long sleeves and pants wrapped her up snugly. At the sink, she glanced in the mirror. Whether from the steam or not, her face was flushed, like she had lightly applied blush.

She folded her clothes and packed them into the bag. Before leaving, she checked the mirror one last time to make sure everything was in place, then opened the bathroom door and stepped out.

Shen Mingjin was sitting in the living room. Hearing the movement, he turned and muttered a meaningless phrase, “Done showering?”

“Mm.”

Not daring to look closely, Shen Mingjin pointed toward the room. “If you’re tired, go ahead and sleep.”

“What about you…?”

“I’ll go shower.”

Zhang Rufan pressed her lips together and nodded. “Then I’ll go in.”

“Mm.”

She entered Shen Mingjin’s room. The unfamiliar space made her cautious, and she walked carefully. She placed her bag on the nightstand, hesitated by the bed for a moment, then lifted the covers and sat down, leaning against the headboard while staring blankly at the soccer star poster on the opposite wall.

She remembered a few romance movies she’d watched recently. Whenever the leads were alone in a room, the camera cut away—to the curtains, a lamp, or the break of dawn. Even teenagers knew what the movies were skipping, let alone an adult like her.

Lost in thought, she heard a knock and snapped back to reality, seeing Shen Mingjin standing outside the door.

“It’s getting late, and you have work tomorrow. You should sleep early.”

Seeing he wasn’t coming in, Zhang Rufan asked, “Aren’t you sleeping?”

His gaze drifted. “I’ll sleep in the living room tonight. Call me if you need anything.”

Zhang Rufan quickly understood his intention. He probably worried she’d feel uncomfortable or resist. But since she had come downstairs with him, she was mentally prepared to share the bed. Besides, central heating in Shangjing wouldn’t start until next week. On such a cold night, sleeping in the living room might make him catch a cold again.

“Come sleep here. I don’t mind.” She patted the space beside her.

Shen Mingjin hesitated, a rare occurrence.

“The living room is too cold. If you catch a cold, I won’t be able to focus on work tomorrow.”

Instantly swayed, he felt the pull of her earnest tone, completely unaware of its effect on him.

He turned off the living room lights and returned to the bedroom, where Zhang Rufan was already lying down.

Shen Mingjin closed the door, walked to the bed, lifted the covers, and lay down. Softly, he asked, “Should I turn off the light?”

“Mm.”

The light went out, plunging the room into darkness. The night seemed to swallow all sound.

Shen Mingjin lay rigidly at the edge of the bed, not daring to move. When he sensed Zhang Rufan turn toward him, he abruptly sat up and started to pull off the covers.

“You’re not comfortable, are you? I should just sleep in the living room.”

Zhang Rufan reached out and grabbed him. “You’re too far over. You’re not even under the covers.”

Hearing her, he didn’t know whether to hold his breath or sigh in relief.

“Move closer.”

Shen Mingjin felt as though his heart were being squeezed—tightened, then loosened—his breathing controlled. In over twenty years of life, when had he ever been this flustered?

He sighed helplessly. “You really were sent by heaven to be my nemesis.”

“What?” Zhang Rufan didn’t catch it.

He raised a hand to his forehead, took a quiet deep breath, and lay down in the middle of the bed. “Nothing. Go to sleep.”

The room returned to silence.

“Shen Mingjin…”

“Ace of Heart, if you keep talking, neither of us will sleep tonight.”

Only then did Zhang Rufan detect the restraint in his voice. She clutched the covers for a moment before turning onto her side and whispering, “Didn’t you say you weren’t Liǔ Xiàhuì?”

Shen Mingjin raised his arm to cover his eyes and let out a long sigh, as if conceding. “You’ve been busy all day and are exhausted. Don’t provoke me, or else…”

“…I really will go sleep in the living room.”

Zhang Rufan’s heart softened. She let out a light laugh, gazing at his barely visible silhouette in the dark, and whispered, “Goodnight.”

Without the sun as a reference, time in the deep night seemed to crawl, each second an agony.

Shen Mingjin finally relaxed when he heard the steady rhythm of her breathing beside him. He shifted carefully, turning onto his side, and though he couldn’t clearly see her face in the dark, he stared at her intently.

Still awake, everything felt surreal, like a dream. At sixteen, he’d never imagined that one day Zhang Rufan would be lying beside him, peacefully asleep. Now, just watching her quietly and listening to her breathing filled him with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.

“This is nice,” he murmured softly.

…

On Sunday, the “Coffee Market” event remained lively. Though the coffee exchange activity had ended, discounts were still available for purchases at the market. It was a rare opportunity—aside from coffee enthusiasts, many came just to check in, experience, and learn about brewing coffee.

Since Monday was a workday, Sunday’s event didn’t run too late, officially concluding around six in the evening. The event was a resounding success, drawing large crowds to the mall and garnering coverage from numerous media outlets in Shangjing.

After every major event, OW held a banquet to reward its employees. Given this event’s success—thanks not just to company staff but also to the participating café teams—they were invited as well.

After wrapping up the event in the evening, everyone headed to the banquet hall OW had reserved. The turnout was larger than usual, and with the event’s success, the mood was jubilant.

As the lead organizer, Zhang Rufan naturally became the center of praise. Many came to toast her. While it was hard to decline, she didn’t drink much—Shen Mingjin stayed by her side, drinking on her behalf. By the end of the night, nearly everyone knew he was her boyfriend.

The banquet showed no signs of ending soon. Noticing Shen Mingjin’s slightly glazed eyes—hinting at his tipsiness—Zhang Rufan took his hand. “Let’s go.”

He looked down at her. “It’s a victory banquet. You’re the star—can you just leave?”

Glancing around, Zhang Rufan saw a group singing onstage while others treated the floor like a dance club, everyone caught up in the excitement.

“If we sneak out, no one will notice.”

Hand in hand, they slipped past the crowd and quickly left the venue. Outside, breathing in the fresh air, she finally slowed her pace and exhaled in relief.

Shen Mingjin chuckled. “Didn’t expect you to have a rebellious side.”

Noticing his reddened ears, Zhang Rufan asked, “Are you drunk?”

“No,” he said. “My tolerance isn’t that low.”

Still unconvinced, she led him to hail a cab. “Let’s go home. I’ll make you honey water.”

Shen Mingjin glanced at her, clearing his throat. “The electricity upstairs isn’t fixed yet.”

Busy all day, Zhang Rufan hadn’t had time to schedule an electrician, so her apartment remained without power.

She turned to him. “Can I stay at your place again tonight?”

“Of course. It can’t be helped.” Shen Mingjin shrugged, his tone and lips curling upward despite his words.

They took a cab back to Jinghua Garden. At the lobby, Zhang Rufan suddenly remembered Cheng Yi mentioning a gift. The courier had called earlier—it was in the building’s parcel locker, so she retrieved it.

Upstairs, they entered his apartment. Zhang Rufan headed straight to the kitchen, soon returning with honey water.

“Drink this. It’ll help.”

“I’m not drunk,” Shen Mingjin insisted but took the glass anyway.

Sitting beside him, she eyed the small parcel on the table. Giving it a shake, she turned to Shen Mingjin. “Do you have a knife?”

He leaned over, retrieving a craft knife from the drawer. Handing it to her, he asked, “What did you buy?”

“Not sure. It’s from Cheng Yi,” Zhang Rufan replied. “She said it’s a gift to celebrate me being in a relationship—told me to ‘enjoy.’”

Shen Mingjin choked on his honey water.

Zhang Rufan looked up, watching him cough. “Slow down,” she chided.

She lowered her head to open the parcel, but before she could slide the knife out, Shen Mingjin’s hand covered the box.

“Maybe don’t open it,” he said.

“Why?” She frowned.

His expression stiffened slightly. After a strained cough and a futile search for excuses, he finally said, “It’s Cheng Yi’s gift—better open it at home.”

“It’s fine. Since it’s for my relationship, you can see too.”

She brushed his hand aside, slicing the tape open. Inside, bubble wrap cushioned several small boxes—resembling cigarette packs.

Puzzled at first, she froze upon reading the labels.

Shen Mingjin had already guessed. A glance confirmed it—amused yet exasperated, he noted Cheng Yi’s thoroughness: every size available.

He took the box from her, casually tossing it aside. “Let’s watch a movie,” he said, feigning nonchalance.

“Ah… Oh. Okay.”

“Thriller?”

“Mm.”

Zhang Rufan barely registered his words, nodding absently while her mind reeled.

No wonder Cheng Yi had been so cryptic, saying she’d “know when it arrived.”

Shen Mingjin queued up a classic thriller. To set the mood, he dimmed the lights, then paused at the fridge, letting the chill air cool him down before asking, “Orange juice?”

Zhang Rufan, still dazed, nodded mechanically.

He poured her juice, grabbed a cola for himself, and returned to the couch.

The film was a gripping crime thriller, yet neither spoke, both staring blankly at the screen, minds elsewhere.

In the dim glow, Zhang Rufan studied Shen Mingjin—cola in hand, sipping occasionally, eyes fixed ahead as if engrossed.

His calm reaction to Cheng Yi’s gift—brushing it off effortlessly—spared her embarrassment. It was gentlemanly, yet she felt an odd pang of disappointment.

In her relationship notes, mutual attraction was key. Yet Shen Mingjin seemed unaffected—last night, today.

She recalled her younger self—short hair, sun-darkened skin—how many had said she “wasn’t girly,” lacking charm. Now, that insecurity crept back.

Shen Mingjin tried focusing on the film, pushing aside wandering thoughts—but her sidelong gaze was impossible to ignore.

When she looked over again, he turned, hesitating before offering his can. “Want some?”

Caught, she nodded hastily.

“You don’t like soda.”

Flustered but earnest, she replied, “You like it, so I want to try.”

Onscreen, a gunshot rang out. To Shen Mingjin, the bullet struck not the criminal—but his chest.

He handed her the cola. As she tilted her head back to drink, a deafening boom erupted from the speakers—a bomb detonating in the film.

Startled, Zhang Rufan fumbled, spilling the soda.

The liquid trailed from her lips down her neck, glistening faintly in the screen’s glow. A snap echoed in Shen Mingjin’s ears—the bomb shattering his restraint.

In an instant, he leaned in, cupping her chin as he kissed her. She swayed backward, and he took the can from her, setting it aside mid-kiss before deepening it.

This kiss was fiercer than before, matching the film’s relentless gunfire—drawing her deeper.

Breaths mingled between their lips.

When she gasped for air, he pulled back slightly, his darkened eyes gleaming in the low light.

“Ace of Heart, I don’t think I can take it slow anymore,” he murmured.

Gazing up at him, memories flashed through her mind. If high school had been mere fondness, now—she really, really liked him.

Eyes warming, she wrapped her arms around him. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I want to.”

1. 柳下惠 (Liǔ Xiàhuì) - A historical figure known for his extreme self-restraint with women.

2. 脱单 (tuōdān) - To leave singlehood; slang for entering a romantic relationship.

3. 好好享受 (hǎohǎo xiǎngshòu) - “Enjoy thoroughly”; Cheng Yi’s cheeky remark when gifting condoms

4. 庆功宴 (qìnggōng yàn) - Victory banquet; the post-event celebration for the successful project.

5. 蜂蜜水 (fēngmì shuǐ) - Honey water; a traditional remedy for soothing alcohol effects

6. 同甘共苦 (tóng gān gòng kǔ) - Share joys and hardships

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 ~~~

CY is such a bestie LMAO

I can't believe this is the last stretch... Next week MC will be completely translated. 

Enjoy!