Sang Ning had no choice but to walk toward Shen Tingwan and return her smile. As soon as she sat down, a faint fragrance wrapped around her halfway.
Shen Tingwan turned her face to look at her. “Alcohol or a drink?”
“A drink is fine.” In a crowded environment, Sang Ning needed to read lips. Only when she turned her head to chat with Shen Tingwan did she realize how close they were—she could even see the other woman’s long eyelashes clearly.
Sang Ning’s breath hitched. It was the first time they had been this close; she was more accustomed to keeping her distance from Shen Tingwan.
Shen Tingwan got her a drink.
Sang Ning said thanks and turned her head away.
Yu Shuang and Sang Ning were unfamiliar faces, so Wei Xue pulled them over for a simple introduction. Perhaps Wei Xue had given prior notice, as no one asked Sang Ning about her Hearing Aid.
“Sang from the mulberry tree, Ning from peace and tranquility.”
Shen Tingwan recalled a club exchange event from years ago. Back then, she had thought the name suited the girl well—like something quietly growing.
After Wei Xue mentioned they were photographers, someone interested struck up a conversation with Sang Ning.
Yu Shuang beamed with joy. It was worth coming after all.
The atmosphere was great, but the noisy environment wasn’t friendly to Sang Ning. All sorts of sounds mixed together, lowering her speech resolution, and the Hearing Aid couldn’t compensate for it.
Most of the time, she didn’t understand what people were saying at all, yet she still had to smile along cooperatively.
Shen Tingwan sat to her left, so Sang Ning couldn’t see her lips. She had no idea what Shen Tingwan was saying, but she could sense her calm and relaxed demeanor.
A person’s family background and upbringing showed in their temperament, and Shen Tingwan was a perfect example.
Sang Ning’s first time attending a club gathering in university, Shen Tingwan had been there too.
She had sat on the edge in a corner back then, straining to listen to Shen Tingwan chatting with others about distant landscapes, preparations for studying abroad, and all sorts of photography terms—a casual mention of a lens price could cover her living expenses for a year.
Of course, she couldn’t chime in on anything. She could barely even hear what others said.
She knew Shen Tingwan was someone far beyond her reach, in a realm she could never touch.
Someone mentioned a breakup, and the topic naturally shifted to relationships.
Wei Xue comforted the person with a laugh. “A breakup is nothing. Don’t worry, plenty of us here to keep you company in singledom.”
Someone asked, “No way, Sister Wei, you’re still single too?”
“Yeah, being single is great. You can flirt with whoever you like and be ambiguous with anyone.” Wei Xue spoke in a total playgirl tone.
Someone else buttered her up. “Our Sister Wei is a true queen.”
Shen Tingwan listened and thought Wei Xue was all talk.
“Is Teacher Shen single too?”
Sang Ning unconsciously focused, though it had nothing to do with her.
“Teacher Shen has sky-high standards. It’s not weird if she stays single forever.” Wei Xue’s words carried a hint of teasing complaint.
Sang Ning had witnessed Shen Tingwan being confessed to several times before, by no shortage of outstanding people, and Shen Tingwan always rejected them gently. She thought silently that it made sense for her senior to have high standards—only someone truly exceptional could be worthy.
Shen Tingwan went along with Wei Xue’s banter; she was used to her friend’s unserious personality. As she lowered her head, she noticed Sang Ning’s phone screen light up, but the owner hadn’t noticed. “You have a call.”
Sang Ning showed no reaction whatsoever.
Shen Tingwan glanced at her ear, then lightly patted her arm.
Sang Ning was sensitive and turned her head back.
Shen Tingwan repeated, “You have a call.”
“Thanks.” Only then did Sang Ning see the incoming call on her phone. She got up and stepped aside to answer—it was a client. She didn’t have many friends; anyone contacting her was either family or a client.
After spending two minutes on the call, when Sang Ning returned to the sofa, she discovered that Shen Tingwan had swapped seats with her… It was just a coincidence, right? Usually, only particularly close people would notice to sit on her right side, where her hearing was relatively better.
“Sang Ning, are you single?”
No sooner had she returned than she got asked the same question. She turned to look at the person and admitted honestly that she was.
The other woman was enthusiastic. “Want me to introduce you to a handsome guy?”
Sang Ning shook her head with a smile.
The woman wasn’t giving up. “My friend—he’s 1.8 meters tall, good-looking, and has a great personality. Sure you don’t want to meet?”
Wrong gender entirely—what was there to talk about? Yu Shuang was loyal and gave Sang Ning an out. “No need to introduce anyone; she has a white moonlight in her heart.”
Sang Ning: “…”
Just then, her gaze happened to brush past Shen Tingwan.
A few years ago at Christmas, someone had confessed to her, and she’d told them she had someone she’d liked for a long time. Yu Shuang had overheard, and when Sang Ning later explained to her that it was just an excuse, Yu Shuang dismissed the “white moonlight” as something Sang Ning made up.
Sang Ning wasn’t good at lying, but she had one advantage—everyone thought she was pure and innocent, incapable of deceit.
The white moonlight excuse really worked, and Sang Ning got used to gently turning people down that way later on.
Shen Tingwan quietly glanced at the person beside her. Surprisingly, this always aloof one had someone she liked too?
That glance made Sang Ning’s heart guilty and flustered. She subconsciously did something to ease the awkwardness and picked up a drink from the table to sip.
Just as her lips touched the rim, her wrist was suddenly gently pulled back.
Shen Tingwan reminded her, “That’s mine.”
They had swapped seats, but not the drinks.
Sang Ning froze as if electrocuted, her heart instantly heating up—her ear tips too. She set the cup down. “Sorry.”
Though her face remained calm, Shen Tingwan caught her ears quietly turning red. She curved her lips slightly and replied coolly, “It’s fine.”
Sang Ning sipped her own iced drink, but her heart was still restless. Fortunately, her mild temperament always made her look composed.
“Sister Wei, where to next?”
“Up to you all; I’m fine with anything.”
Most of Wei Xue’s friends were outgoing, and Yu Shuang felt like she’d found her tribe. It was still early, and everyone was eager for round two, as if the nightlife was just beginning.
Shen Tingwan had no intention of joining the second round. She told Wei Xue, “I’m a bit tired lately, so I won’t go.”
Wei Xue knew Shen Tingwan had a lot on her plate since returning to the country and was mentally drained. “Alright, go rest up.”
Sang Ning had no plans for the second round either, but Yu Shuang definitely was going. She told her not to drink too much. Perhaps from staying too long in the noisy environment, she had some tinnitus today.
As she got up to leave, Sang Ning crossed paths with Shen Tingwan. They just exchanged smiles—no words.
Wei Xue saw it all and, after Sang Ning left, crossed her arms and whispered to Shen Tingwan with a sigh, “Looks like even your charms as the heartthrob don’t work on everyone.”
It was rare to meet someone so indifferent to Shen Tingwan. From childhood to now, Shen Tingwan had always been the most popular among them—a great beauty with a gentle temper that softened her distant aura.
Wei Xue joked again, “Did you reject her confession before? Is that why she’s so cold to you?”
Confession? Shen Tingwan wanted to laugh. She clearly couldn’t get away from her fast enough.
After a few brief words with Wei Xue, Shen Tingwan took the elevator to the underground garage.
…
Sang Ning stepped outside and realized it was raining again.
She hated this drizzly, damp weather; even the air she breathed was laden with moisture.
No umbrella—she was stuck.
The rain curtain was misty, her ears still ringing with tinnitus. Sang Ning frowned and adjusted her Hearing Aid.
Her ears had started failing to hear in elementary school, during the most sensitive age when she feared being different from others—and yet she was. Back then, she was reclusive and stubborn, annoyed by everything…
She stood there zoning out for a bit, and as if the heavens were toying with her, the rain only grew heavier.
The tinnitus came again.
Annoyance surged up too…
Sang Ning sighed with her head down. Luck like that never came her way; it was more practical to go to the mall and buy an umbrella.
“Sang Ning.”
Her ears were filled only with the sound of rain and tinnitus, a chaotic mess—she heard nothing else. When she finally lifted her head with a gloomy expression, she saw Shen Tingwan standing in front of her, not sure when she’d arrived.
Shen Tingwan held an umbrella, standing amid the rain mist.
Sang Ning blanked out. Without thinking if it was appropriate, she stared dazedly at Shen Tingwan for a long time—the person before her seemed to have walked straight out of her deepest memories…
Seeing her staring blankly, Shen Tingwan felt she looked a bit silly. She raised her voice slightly. “What are you spacing out for?”
Sang Ning still couldn’t hear clearly; the feeling frustrated her to no end, but Shen Tingwan’s sudden appearance offset most of that irritation.
Reading her lips, she guessed what Shen Tingwan had just said. “Why hasn’t Senior left yet?”
“I was heading back and happened to see you here.” Seeing she had no umbrella, Shen Tingwan said, “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
Sang Ning hated troubling others and usually refused decisively. But this time, after pausing for a moment, she smiled at Shen Tingwan. “No trouble—I’ll just buy an umbrella.”
The smile was sweet but still carried distance. Shen Tingwan held the umbrella and gazed at her for a beat, then asked in a joking tone, “Do you hate me? Am I that hard to get along with?”
“No.” Sang Ning answered quickly this time, blurting it out before realizing how eager she sounded—about to give herself away.
Even through the hazy night, Shen Tingwan could see the sincerity in her eyes. They shone brightly, like they held stars, without a trace of coldness.
Shen Tingwan stared at her and couldn’t help asking curiously, “Then why do you always avoid me?”
