Chapter 48

Shu Chi didn’t even know how to breathe during a kiss; her innocence only made Ding Ya want to tease her even more.

It was the same back at the Hot Spring Manor—even when Ding Ya couldn’t move, she could still completely control Shu Chi.

This person was clumsy and sincere, leaving Ding Ya nowhere to vent her mischievous streak.

But a knock on the door interrupted their kiss. Ding Ya swiftly returned to her seat just as new dishes were brought in. She asked, “Is the birthday noodles ready?”

The server replied, “Just a moment.”

Once the server left, Shu Chi pursed her lips and took a bite of the cake.

She wasn’t just taking a stingy nibble anymore, though Ding Ya noticed her hand was still trembling.

Ding Ya grinned and asked, “So, how was it? Did it blow your mind?”

Shu Chi seemed startled by the question. It took her a moment before she replied, “Yeah.”

She felt utterly unsatisfied, desperately wanting to go home with Ding Ya, or have Ding Ya come home with her.

Outside, thunder and rain raged, yet Shu Chi had never felt so at peace. A second later, she seemed to remember something and asked Ding Ya, “But if I’m with you, won’t your parents be angry?”

Ding Ya was quite optimistic. “Take it slow. I never expected them to accept it all at once.”

The portable gas stove was turned back on, and the fish soup began to simmer again. Ding Ya bit on her spoon and added, “It’s probably just my dad who might have trouble accepting it.”

Ding Ya mostly only chatted with her mom.

Her dad was nice, but he was more of a traditional father type, a man of few words. On WeChat, he’d just bluntly send money and leave all the heartfelt words for his wife to say.

When Ding Ya called home during university, she could always feel her dad’s strong presence in the background noise of the calls.

Shu Chi said, “Your dad does seem a bit stern.”

She recalled meeting Ding Ya’s parents at Willow Garden, but their relationship was so good—something she’d never seen in her own parents.

Ding Ya asked, “You still remember that?”

They had actually run into each other many times. Looking back, Ding Ya felt like fate had given them a helping hand.

Shu Chi said, “After all, we shared a table.”

Ding Ya snorted. “You have the nerve to call my dad serious? You have no idea what you were like back then!”

The hand Shu Chi was using to pick up food froze. She asked earnestly, “What was I like back then?”

Ding Ya said, “Super fierce. My mom was scared to death.”

Actually, Yang Jie hadn’t thought that at all. Shu Chi’s fierceness was mostly just a first impression, largely influenced by that scar. Besides, plenty of people without scars had perfectly thuggish faces.

Yang Jie had lived long enough to read people at least a little.

But Shu Chi seemed to believe it. She let out an “Ah,” and said, “What should I do then?”

A slightly troubled look crossed her face. Ding Ya preened with pride, “So you need to smile more.”

Shu Chi flashed a smile and asked, “Like this?”

She was incredibly cooperative. “But I talked to you too.”

Ding Ya took a sip of her drink. “So coldly.”

Shu Chi shook her head. “You were the one who was too overly familiar.”

Ding Ya asked, “Was I? You gave me a dog; doesn’t that mean we know each other?”

Shu Chi countered, “So were you that overly familiar with that resident singer too?”

Ding Ya let out an “Uh,” then said, “No.”

All the smugness instantly drained from her face. But Shu Chi pressed her advantage, “So, when you said you wanted to attract suitors, was that the kind you meant?”

Ding Ya used her chopsticks to pin down Shu Chi’s. “Stop it. There’s nothing like that.”

Shu Chi, however, continued, “But didn’t you also want to track down your online boyfriend before?”

Ding Ya shot back quickly, “So did you.”

Shu Chi let out an “Oh,” and said, “I’m sorry. I’ve always felt your voice was a little similar to hers.”

Ding Ya’s heart went thump. Shu Chi’s tone was apologetic. “At first, I even thought you and her might be the same person.”

The woman across from her didn’t know how to respond. Shu Chi, assuming she was sad, quickly added, “But don’t worry, not anymore.”

Ding Ya gave a soft “Oh” and lowered her head, staring at her glass of wine.

The reflection of the overhead lamp shimmered on the wine’s surface. Ding Ya asked quietly, “So are you still going to see her?”

Shu Chi looked at her and said, “I’d like to. After all, it was because of her that I finally got over things and opened my mind.”

If she didn’t know that person was herself, Ding Ya felt she’d probably be a little bothered. But that person was her.

A wave of mixed emotions washed over Ding Ya. She lowered her voice and said, “What if…”

Shu Chi asked, “Hm?”

Ding Ya whispered, “What if one day you find out I lied about something…”

Another knock on the door.

The birthday noodles arrived, topped with a large fried egg.

Shu Chi asked, “What if what?”

She explained to Ding Ya, “I don’t have to see her. She said she’s in this city now, so I thought it’d be nice to meet and just say thank you.”

As she refilled Ding Ya’s glass with wine, she thought about calling a designated driver later and checked her phone.

Jing Yuqi’s message was from half an hour ago—a cheeky, mischievous emoji.

Shu Chi had no intention of replying.

Ding Ya said, “Hurry up and eat your noodles.”

“Oh, right. When you were an apprentice at the noodle shop and delivering food, you were really busy, huh?”

Shu Chi gave an “Mm.” “But I wasn’t the only apprentice. After the noodle shop closed, I’d occasionally go wash dishes at street food stalls too.”

She didn’t shy away from her past at all. Instead, she felt inferior about her appearance and voice. “Do you like people who can sing?”

Her eyes looked at Ding Ya cautiously.

Ding Ya pushed the noodles toward her. “Eat your food. I like someone just like you.”

Su Dinghun was good-looking and an amazing singer, but Ding Ya felt nothing for her.

Liking someone was boring if you didn’t even have the desire to explore them.

That kind of boredom was something Ding Ya had already experienced. What she craved now was to dig deeper.

To uncover everything about Shu Chi.

She asked, “Sister Qi mentioned before that you still want to open a noodle shop. Is that true?”

Ding Ya snapped a photo of the newly arrived stone pot beef brisket, then used her phone to edit the picture. Shu Chi, caught in the photo, got edited as well.

The flowers she’d received that day also became part of a collage.

Shu Chi nodded. “This line of work is Sister Qi’s passion. For me, it’s just a business.”

It could be a real downer when work didn’t align with your interests. Usually, people like that had some kind of hobby in private. But from what Ding Ya could tell, Shu Chi’s hobbies seemed to be businesses too.

She wondered if fishing counted as a hobby.

Ding Ya asked, “Why do you want to open a noodle shop?”

Shu Chi was the type to eat whatever amount was put in front of her. Ding Ya had figured this out after just a few meals with her, so this time, she’d made sure to order smaller portions since there were many dishes.

Shu Chi said, “Working with food means you won’t starve to death.”

Ding Ya thought, That answer is way too nonchalant. I figured you’d at least say something about the joy of making noodles.

But this answer was also so very Shu Chi.

Ding Ya burst out laughing.

Shu Chi was a little embarrassed and asked, “Pretty unambitious, right?”

She laughed too. Even with her slightly dark skin, even with her complexion not being the best and having noticeable freckles…

Jing Yuqi had once answered a fan’s question on Weibo, asking what her first impression of Shu Chi was.

Jing Yuqi’s reply was just three words — wild and unpolished.

Shu Chi did have a certain wildness, but it was mostly in her appearance. This wildness wasn’t quite like something raised freely in nature.

It was unique. Ding Ya even thought she was like a community-raised cat.

Patched together from here and there, she’d grown up. She didn’t have much aggression. Her looks said ‘fierce,’ but if you were even a little nice to her, she’d let you pet her for a long, long time.

Ding Ya said, “The unambitious one is me.”

She tapped her phone screen as she spoke. “I’ve never really thought about making big money, or really wanted to buy a fancy house or a luxury car.”

She sighed. “I’m the type my mom calls ‘going through the motions,’ just doing the bare minimum.”

Shu Chi said, “But there’s no rule saying a person has to be ambitious, right?”

She thought about her upbringing, her parents, her older sister, her younger brother, that village, that small town.

Some people grew up cluelessly and got married cluelessly. Most followed the rules. If you asked if that was bad, they themselves thought it was pretty good.

Everyone lived their own lives; there was nothing worth arguing about.

Shu Chi had just thought a little more during her working days, refusing to do some things she didn’t want to do, and it had completely set her on a different path.

Ding Ya nodded. “But I’m happy because I have things I love.”

Shu Chi let out an “Oh,” and asked, “That basket after basket of plushies at your place?”

Ding Ya stretched out her hand, waving it proudly. “I’m really good at handicrafts. Next time, I’ll make you a dress.”

Shu Chi shook her head. “I don’t like wearing dresses.”

Ding Ya retorted, “I’ve seen your old product photos. You even wore a floral dress.”

Shu Chi said, “That’s because there was no model available.”

Ding Ya huffed. “I don’t care. It takes me ages to finish a dress. Do you think making one is easy? How could you, a boss, not know that?!”

She was totally domineering. “You have to wear it.”

Shu Chi relented. “Fine, I’ll wear it.”

Ding Ya asked, “What about you? I only get the sense you like fishing.”

Shu Chi replied, “Cooking counts, I guess.”

She glanced at the dishes on the table. “Tomorrow, I’ll cook for you.”

Ding Ya let out an “Oh,” and asked, “What about tonight?”

Shu Chi asked, “What about tonight?”

She was playing dumb, leaning on her ‘simple, honest person’ persona. She clearly understood but still feigned confusion.

But her acting was bad. Ding Ya took another sip of her wine and asked, “What are you feeding me tonight?”

Shu Chi’s ears burned red, her mind clearly wandering somewhere. “I don’t know how to…”

Ding Ya said, “I’ll teach you.”

Shu Chi asked, “You’re an expert?”

Ding Ya let out an “Uh,” remembering how Shu Chi had turned the tables and taken over that time. She tried to act tough. “You’re so boring. Don’t you know how to play by yourself?”

Shu Chi shook her head honestly. Of course, Ding Ya hadn’t expected her to. It had been the same last time.

Just as Ding Ya was about to delve deeper into this topic at the dinner table, her mom suddenly called via video chat.

Seeing the caller ID on the screen, Shu Chi seemed even more flustered than Ding Ya. “Wh-What do we do… your mom… Should I just leave first…”

Ding Ya laughed out loud. “What are you so afraid of?”

She answered the video call and propped the phone up to the side. She saw her mom sitting in the living room at home, holding the family dog. Her mom asked, “Ya Bao, have you eaten? Are you out right now?”

Outside, the rain was lightening. Shu Chi’s heart was racing. A strange, guilty feeling crept over her.

She’d considered this kind of relationship. In the context of Bramble City, her and Ding Ya’s social circles weren’t exactly huge.

But in the eyes of parents, it was still an anomaly, something outside the criteria for a conventional match.

Especially since both Ding Ya and her were at the age of being set up for arranged matchmaking.

Shu Chi, who had been so composed meeting Ding Ya’s parents before, was now in a complete panic.

She wouldn’t feel inferior because of her past experiences, but she felt inferior about her education. Especially in this society, how highly parents valued the conditions of a potential match.

If a man was rich, a lack of education didn’t make finding a wife hard. But if it was a woman without a degree, even if she had money, especially if she was a bit older, it was a completely different story.

Shu Chi had long learned about this kind of unfairness. Right now, she wished she could just turn into a quail and hide.

Ding Ya gave an “Mm,” and said, “Out. Eating by Peaceful Lake. I’ll bring you here next time.”

Her conversation with Yang Jie was very affectionate. Shu Chi had sensed before how close this family was.

Yang Jie smiled and asked, “Who are you eating with? I checked the weather forecast, and it said rain for your area today, right?”

Ding Ya, while playing with the dog through the screen, also scooped up her own dog from under the table and said, “With Shu Chi.”

Shu Chi’s heart skipped a beat with a thud.

Yang Jie asked, “Who?”

Ding Ya explained, “That gorgeous woman who shared our table at Willow Garden last time you visited.”

Yang Jie let out an “Oh,” and said, “I thought you two weren’t that close.”

Ding Ya held her chopsticks to put food in Shu Chi’s bowl as she spoke. “We weren’t at that time. Did you forget I told you she was the collaborating boss from my last project?”

Yang Jie let out another “Oh,” and said, “I did forget. Your mom doesn’t have the best memory, okay?”

Shu Chi finally understood where Ding Ya’s spoiled, coquettish streak came from.

Ding Ya said, “It’s her birthday today, so I’m celebrating with her.”

Yang Jie replied, “Oh, is that so? Well, quick, let me wish her a happy birthday.”

Before Shu Chi could even react, Ding Ya turned the phone around. A twisted, panicked expression on Shu Chi’s face was suddenly met with the smiling face of the dog-holding auntie.

This was her girlfriend’s mother, potentially a mother-in-law either way.

Yang Jie greeted Shu Chi, “Hello, Little Shu! I’m Ding Ya’s mother! We’ve met before! Happy birthday to you!”

Shu Chi forced a smile and exchanged a few brief pleasantries with Yang Jie, thinking to herself: The mother-daughter pair are both so naturally overly familiar.

When Yang Jie spoke to Ding Ya again, she didn’t avoid the topic. “Your mom is having a class reunion for New Year’s. Everyone’s bringing their kids. I’ll find some matches for you to look at.”

Shu Chi’s eyes flickered up.

Ding Ya laughed. “I don’t want that. I already told you I have someone I like right now.”

Yang Jie said, “You’ve been quiet about it for ages. I bet it’s going nowhere. You should still cast a wide net. A girl shouldn’t hang herself on just one tree.”

Shu Chi thought: …

Ding Ya shook her head. “I already won her over. I’m just not telling you.”

Yang Jie let out a gasp. “Really?! What’s their name? Where do they work? What’s their monthly salary? Do they have a house? What university did they graduate from?”

Hearing the later questions, Shu Chi’s face went pale.

Ding Ya was completely calm. “Annual salary in the millions. Has a house and a car. It’s just he has a lot of family members. Didn’t go to university.”

The next second, amidst her mother’s shocked exclamation of “Ah?”, Ding Ya said goodbye and hung up the phone with firm decisiveness.

Shu Chi’s eyes were red again.

Ding Ya smiled, looking at the woman across from her. Her eyes curved like crescent moons. Under the lamplight, she seemed like the beauties on the mooncake boxes from Shu Chi’s childhood brought to life.

Her voice was coquettish and sweet as she counted on her fingers: “Annual salary in the millions, has a house and a car, devoted only to me, and all this is Shu Chi.”

“That’s enough for me to take the leap without hesitation.”