Jiang Ruoning did indeed drag someone out of the elevator—it was Xiao Guai. When the elevator stopped, she was still pressing the floor buttons, playfully refusing to get off. Jiang Ruoning dragged her out. Shi Sui watched as she used brute force; kids had surprisingly big strength too. When she dragged her out, Zhou Man was standing at the door.
The moment Xiao Guai saw Zhou Man, she wilted.
She shrank behind Jiang Ruoning.
Shi Sui recalled their discussion on the way up: “We can’t tell your mom I bought you ice cream when we get back.”
Xiao Guai had been firm: “Absolutely not, I swear!”
Such a little imp.
She even knew to swear.
Zhou Man asked Xiao Guai, “Did you buy any candy?”
Xiao Guai immediately shook her head. “No, look at me—ah—”
She opened her mouth wide and leaned toward Zhou Man.
Zhou Man sniffed. “You ate chips?”
Xiao Guai looked at Shi Sui. “Sister bought them for me.”
Shi Sui said, “Yeah, I bought them.”
Zhou Man nodded and ruffled Xiao Guai’s hair. “Go home now.”
Xiao Guai scampered off toward home. At the door, she turned back, made a funny face at Shi Sui and Jiang Ruoning. Jiang Ruoning stuck out her tongue in response. Xiao Guai giggled loudly, then turned and got a glare from Zhou Man before bolting inside.
Zhou Man said to the two in front of her, “Thanks for the trouble.”
Jiang Ruoning sidled up to her. “Sister Xiao Man, if you keep being so polite, I won’t come to your place next time.”
“You don’t come, and Xiao Guai will cry for three days and nights,” Zhou Man said with a laugh. “She makes me call you every day.”
Jiang Ruoning replied, “Then let her call me. I’m happy just hearing her voice.”
Zhou Man glanced at Shi Sui and paused. “Why are your eyes red?”
Before Shi Sui could speak, Jiang Ruoning jumped in. “She got a bug in her eye downstairs earlier.”
Zhou Man looked at them, reminiscent of the old days.
Jiang Ruoning was chatty and close-mouthed. Several times Zhou Man asked Shi Sui something, and Jiang Ruoning answered for her. Shi Sui just stood by, watching her talk with a faint smile in her eyes.
Just like now.
Zhou Man lowered her gaze, silent for two seconds, then said to Shi Sui, “Are you still using your old number?”
Shi Sui replied, “I changed it.”
Zhou Man pulled out her phone. “What’s the new one?”
Shi Sui recited a string of numbers. Jiang Ruoning found it strangely familiar. She frowned, took out her own phone from her pocket, checked her contacts, and the afternoon’s call log popped up—right there was the exact string Shi Sui had just said.
Jiang Ruoning asked, “Did you go to the airport today?”
The out-of-the-blue question stilled the air for a moment. Shi Sui came back to herself and said to Jiang Ruoning, “I did today.” Knowing full well, she asked, “What’s up?”
Jiang Ruoning said, “Were you wearing dark gray high heels at the airport today?”
Shi Sui looked at her.
Jiang Ruoning held up her screen toward Shi Sui. “Is this you?”
She showed the WeChat contact she’d just added.
Shi Sui nodded.
Jiang Ruoning was delighted. “It really is you!”
She could tell.
She was genuinely a bit happy.
Shi Sui caught her excitement, her lips curving up slightly.
“So happy about it?” Zhou Man voiced what Shi Sui wanted to ask. She said to Jiang Ruoning, “You ran into each other at the airport?”
“Yeah, I ran into a little trouble at the airport today,” Jiang Ruoning said. “And this one—” She made a big show of it, extending her hand palm up, playfully adding, “She helped me out big time!”
Zhou Man was curious. “Helped you with what?”
“With!” Jiang Ruoning scratched her eyebrow with her fingertip. “A major life event.”
Zhou Man could tell she didn’t want to say more, so she didn’t press. Instead, she turned to look at Shi Sui, her gaze complicated.
Shi Sui watched Jiang Ruoning.
Jiang Ruoning heard Xiao Guai calling Zhou Man from inside the house. She urged, “You should head in.”
Zhou Man hesitated, then bit her lip and smiled. “Alright, I’m going home.”
Jiang Ruoning reminded her, “Don’t forget to look at the materials Ye Yu gave me for you.”
“I won’t forget,” Zhou Man said. “You two chat.”
Jiang Ruoning waved her off.
Zhou Man went inside. As the door closed, Jiang Ruoning said to Shi Sui, “Thanks so much for today. Without you, I’d have been in real trouble.”
Shi Sui said, “No problem. You’ve already thanked me.”
“That’s not enough,” Jiang Ruoning replied. “I was thinking of treating you to dinner, since you wouldn’t take my red envelope.”
She mainly wanted to see what this woman—who put so much pressure on her even through a screen—looked like up close.
She hadn’t expected it to be the person right in front of her.
Getting along like this, she wasn’t overbearing at all.
“No need—” Before “thanks” could leave her mouth, Shi Sui asked, “When?”
Jiang Ruoning let out an “ah,” then realized. “Anytime for me. Whatever works for you.”
Shi Sui was about to say anytime too, but she had dinner engagements both nights for the next two days. “The ninth work for you?”
Jiang Ruoning still had her phone out and checked the date. “The ninth.” She said, “Day after tomorrow?”
Shi Sui hummed. “If it’s not convenient for you…”
“It’s fine,” Jiang Ruoning said. “Good thing I’m on vacation these days.”
Shi Sui looked at her. “What do you do on vacation?”
Jiang Ruoning hadn’t taken much time off since entering the industry. This half-year, she’d made up for all the missed rest. But vacations were always the same few things. She thought for a moment. “Eat out, shop, sing karaoke, hit the bars—”
Shi Sui frowned. “Bars? You can drink?”
Jiang Ruoning said, “A little.”
Shi Sui asked, “Didn’t you say your stomach isn’t good?”
Jiang Ruoning replied, “Low-alcohol stuff isn’t too harsh.”
“You!” Shi Sui lifted her eyes, meeting Jiang Ruoning’s clear, puzzled gaze. She didn’t seem to understand why Shi Sui was so worked up. Shi Sui curled her fingers; she had no right to pry.
No standing to ask.
Jiang Ruoning looked at her. “Me what?”
“Nothing,” Shi Sui said. “Just take care of your health.”
Jiang Ruoning laughed lightly. “Thanks for the concern.”
It was perfunctory.
Shi Sui saw through the brush-off and chuckled softly. Her peripheral vision caught the doorframe behind her. She asked Jiang Ruoning, “Want to come in and sit?”
Jiang Ruoning clutched her phone. “I have a call to return. Won’t disturb you.”
Shi Sui nodded. “I’ll walk you down then.”
“No need.” Jiang Ruoning half-joked, “You’ve just gotten back. I know this place better than you.”
It was true.
Shi Sui had no reason to argue. She nodded.
Jiang Ruoning said, “I’ll call you once I book the restaurant.”
Shi Sui replied, “Okay.”
Jiang Ruoning waved. “See you.”
Shi Sui watched her back and murmured, “See you.”
The elevator doors clicked shut. Jiang Ruoning leaned against the handrail, body turned sideways, fiddling with her phone with one hand. At the next floor, a girl stepped in. Jiang Ruoning shifted back, closer to the wall. The girl pressed the button for the floor below and glanced at the woman behind her.
First impression: So tall and slim.
Had to be like 5’11”. Long hair casually pinned into a bun behind her ear, a few strands falling by her cheek and collarbone—so sexy.
Skin so fair.
Smells so good.
The girl’s sneaky glances suddenly met Jiang Ruoning’s eyes. She froze stiff, her ears and cheeks exploding red!
Jiang Ruoning said nothing, just calmly looked away.
The girl realized she was only checking what floor they were on.
Thinking back to that casual glance earlier.
That noble, aloof vibe.
Amazing! Absolutely amazing!
The girl couldn’t help but sneak another look with her peripheral vision.
Jiang Ruoning kept her head down at her phone, working hard to keep her upturned lips in check. On the screen was the message she’d sent Qin Zheng: [I’ve confirmed it. She’s into me.]
Qin Zheng was sprawled on the sofa resting. She had to admit Jiang Ruoning was spot on.
Only when Yun An wasn’t home could she rest properly.
Normally, she’d be doing pre-bed exercise by now.
Qin Zheng stretched her arms. Her phone buzzed. She saw Jiang Ruoning’s message pop up on the screen and grinned.
She was sure of it too.
Whether the other person was into Jiang Ruoning, she didn’t know.
But Jiang Ruoning was definitely into her.
And very much so.
In one day, she’d mentioned this person twice already.
Qin Zheng: [What did she do this time?]
Jiang Ruoning: [She just invited me into her place.]
Qin Zheng hadn’t typed yet.
Jiang Ruoning: [Naked signal. But she’s too direct. Planning a one-night stand?]
Qin Zheng: …
She suddenly wondered if the other person really was into Jiang Ruoning.
Qin Zheng asked: [Did you go in?]
Jiang Ruoning: [No way, I’m very reserved.]
Qin Zheng desperately wanted to send the chat log to others for judgment. About to fall hard, and still calling it reserved.
She was dying laughing.
But seeing Jiang Ruoning get all fluttery over someone new left Qin Zheng with mixed feelings.
Jiang Ruoning waited ages with no reply from Qin Zheng and puzzled: [Zhengzheng?]
Qin Zheng typed: [Got it, Miss Reserved. So, planning to take it further with her?]
Jiang Ruoning: [Nah.]
Knowing Jiang Ruoning’s hang-ups about Jiang Qin, Qin Zheng sent: [Actually, last time I was at your place, I felt like your mom wasn’t as opposed anymore.]
Jiang Ruoning: [Huh? What do you mean?]
Qin Zheng: [Remember how she used to hate me bringing Yun An over? When I left that day, she actually told me to bring Yun An next time for dinner.]
Jiang Ruoning: [For real? I don’t buy it.]
Qin Zheng: [Real. Why would I lie?]
Jiang Ruoning: [Why didn’t you tell me?]
Qin Zheng: [Was gonna just bring Yun An next time.]
Jiang Ruoning bit her lip.
Truth was, her mom hadn’t always been that extreme. Jiang Ruoning remembered when Qin Zheng and Yun An first started dating—they’d even come over for dinner. During summer breaks, they’d often come play with her, and her mom hadn’t said much, hadn’t stopped her from going out with Qin Zheng.
Later, it seemed to blow up over her own dating life.
Her mom developed severe mental issues, had been on meds for years. As long as her orientation wasn’t brought up, she was stable. Jiang Ruoning had thought she’d slowly accept it—until that “rumor” incident last time, when her mom’s condition worsened again. The doctor said no more stress, so Jiang Ruoning never imagined her mom would accept it.
Qin Zheng was adamant: [Really, Auntie’s not as resistant. Want me to bring Yun An over next time to test the waters?]
Jiang Ruoning was tempted.
She stared at her phone, unconsciously opening her chat with Shi Sui. Her finger itched to poke the avatar, like she’d done it countless times before.
The phone vibrated lightly.
Jiang Ruoning paled in fright.
On the screen popped up: You patted “R”.
