Chapter 28: Pickled Vegetable with Fish

For every week after that, Shi Yan woke her up on time day-after-day for a morning run. Initially, Ruan Zhizhi was out of breath from the primary few runs, however now she was capable of run three laps. Though this was removed from sufficient from Shi Yan’s normal of six laps, it was already an immense enchancment for Ruan Zhizhi.

At midday that Friday, the corporate had an hour and a half for his or her lunch break as all the time. Ruan Zhizhi and Lu Wanyi meant to go to the McDonald’s subsequent to the corporate’s workplace constructing for an off-the-cuff meal like standard. 

Lu Wanyi was a bit astonished. “Zhizhi, Li Sichen is right here, he should have been ready for you.” After a pause, she added sincerely, “I can’t inform. He’s fairly infatuated.”

Li Sichen?

Ruan Zhizhi’s coronary heart thudded. Since final time’s incident on the bar, she and Li Sichen had not been in touch for a complete week. She thought the entanglement between them was utterly over.

Li Sichen noticed her and shortly parked his automotive, then received out.

When he drew close to, Ruan Zhizhi clearly noticed that Li Sichen, who had all the time been high-spirited, was now haggard. He had stubble on his chin and two heavy darkish circles beneath his eyes.

“Zhizhi, do you could have time? I wished to search out you to talk.”

Ruan Zhizhi thought of it, then nodded. 

1 / 4 of an hour later, the 2 of them sat in a milk tea store close to the corporate. 

Ruan Zhizhi sat in her seat, misplaced in thought. A second later, Li Sichen introduced a cup of taro milk tea and handed it to her.

Again when she was in faculty, each time she went to Chinatown to eat, she would order a cup of taro milk tea.

So it appeared that Li Sichen wasn’t utterly detached to her. If Shi Yan hadn’t appeared, she in all probability would have chosen to be along with Li Sichen. However in different phrases, it was due to Shi Yan’s look that she realized that on this world, there have been truly individuals that would deal with her properly.

As a result of he was too good, it appeared that everybody else was not adequate.

“Zhizhi, do you actually wish to be with Shi Yan?” Li Sichen lowered his head. After being silent for a very long time, he requested with unwillingness.

Ruan Zhizhi took a sip of the nice and cozy and candy taro milk tea in her hand and actually stated, “Him and I aren’t collectively but.”

Li Sichen immediately breathed a sigh of reduction when he heard these phrases. “Zhizhi, I’ve thought of what occurred on the bar that evening time and again. I admit that I didn’t take care of you sufficient earlier than, however I’m really attempting actually arduous already. As long as you’re prepared to provide me a bit extra time, I’ll definitely let you realize that I’m the person who loves you probably the most on this world.”

His voice was hoarse, and on the finish, the edges of his eyes had been barely purple.

Ruan Zhizhi pursed her lips and stated phrase for phrase, “I’m very sorry. For me proper now, Shi Yan is the extra appropriate companion for love.”

“How is he higher than me? Zhizhi, you inform me, I can change it doesn’t matter what.” Li Sichen’s tone was choked with emotion. “Zhizhi, I actually can’t be with out you.”

How was Shi Yan higher than Li Sichen?

Ruan Zhizhi lowered her eyes. After a protracted silence, she spoke softly: “Once I’m with Shi Yan, I typically really feel like I’m a toddler. I don’t have to be mature, I don’t have to fake, and I don’t have to be sturdy. I simply have to be by his aspect and be taken care of by him. However Li Sichen, after I’m with you, I all the time have to take action many issues to win your consideration. I really feel so drained.” Her eyes hung down and he or she laughed a bit self-deprecatingly. “Regardless of how deep the emotions are, they’re no match for day-to-day put on and tear. Through the years, you could have actually worn down my emotions for you.”

Li Sichen clenched his fists tightly, his blue veins bursting. “Zhizhi, I swear I can change. I’ll change all of those. You realize that I’ve been used to standing in the course of the gang since childhood, so at occasions I uncared for you…However it’s a must to consider me, in my coronary heart, you might be an important particular person in my life proper now.”

After talking, he reached out and opened his bag with pressing actions. He fastidiously took out a stack of greeting playing cards from inside and unfold them out neatly earlier than Ruan Zhizhi’s eyes.

These had been all of the playing cards she had as soon as despatched him.

When she was in america for college, though the rooms they rented had been just one block aside, she would all the time ship him greeting playing cards at any time when there was a vacation. She loved sending him greeting playing cards and by no means uninterested in it, and because of this, she was continually scolded by Gu Nian for being a psychological case.

At Christmastime, she despatched him a card to remind him to put on extra garments to maintain heat; at Thanksgiving, she despatched him a card to remind him to not neglect to eat turkey; at Halloween, she despatched him a card to remind him to watch out when going out and to keep away from being focused by drug addicts.

……

It turned out that he nonetheless stored all these greeting playing cards.

“Zhizhi, you used to love me a lot. You wouldn’t have been this heartless to me,” Li Sichen mumbled to himself. The emotion in his eyes steadily turned vacant. “Give me one final probability, I’ll do very properly, I can’t be any worse than him…”

Ruan Zhizhi checked out him like this and her nostril felt considerably bitter.

In any case, at this second, her coronary heart was grateful to Li Sichen. She was grateful to Li Sichen for being prepared to gather these candy and panic-stricken moments of her girlhood, and for not disdaining her beneath contempt or discarding her like worn sneakers like she had imagined. 

She positioned the milk tea gently on the desk and appeared as much as meet Li Sichen’s eyes. “Li Sichen, thanks, however I’m very sorry. Proper now, I actually don’t have any additional emotions for you. Maybe I will be your good friend, however being the particular person you’re keen on is inconceivable.” After talking, she stood up and bid farewell courteously. “If there may be nothing else, I nonetheless have to return to work.”

Completed, she opened her purse and took out fifteen kuai, inserting it neatly on the tabletop.

A cup of taro milk tea price fifteen kuai. Ruan Zhizhi by no means appreciated to owe different individuals favours.

“Zhizhi.”

Ruan Zhizhi had simply taken two steps when she all of the sudden heard the person behind her name out to cease her. His voice was very low, as if he was suppressing one thing. “Have you ever not heard the rumours outdoors? Shi Yan has had a troublesome life. He was dangerous luck to his dad and mom and is an individual with shallow emotions. Furthermore, he has extreme melancholy. He’s like a ticking time bomb, who is aware of what day he’ll explode? For those who’re with him, will you really be joyful for the remainder of your life?”

Her footsteps paused for a second at Li Sichen’s phrases. However it was just for a second. Quickly after, she continued to stroll out the door with none reluctance. 

A troublesome life? Shallow emotions?

Shi Yan might have been chilly and indifferent by nature, however Ruan Zhizhi knew deep in her coronary heart that he was all the time and trustworthy particular person. Unhealthy luck to his dad and mom? What full nonsense.

When coping with individuals and issues, Ruan Zhizhi had all the time been a rational and goal particular person. However this time, she didn’t even search proof. She selected to consider Shi Yan with out the slightest hesitation. Even she herself didn’t know why.

Maybe after going by way of today and nights of getting alongside, Shi Yan actually gave her a magic potion.

After Ruan Zhizhi returned to the corporate, it was ten minutes earlier than work time. She received out of the elevator and stored her head lowered as she walked cautiously to her desk. As soon as she verified that her supervisor by way of the glass subsequent door hadn’t seen her, she breathed a sigh of reduction.

March would lastly come to an finish tomorrow. She would have the ability to receive the right attendance award. Interested by it, she was a bit excited.

Afterwards, Lu Wanyi, who had initially been revising her manuscript earnestly, noticed that she had come again. She instantly came visiting and excitedly whispered, “Zhizhi, I simply heard from the supervisors that our firm will maintain a ball in just a few days. I heard that this time, the contributors are usually not restricted to the employees inside our firm. Many profitable figures from different fields will probably be invited.” When Lu Wanyi talked about this, there was anticipation throughout her complete face. “I don’t know if I can undergo the again door and get a ticket for my boyfriend too.”

Ruan Zhizhi couldn’t assist laughing. “In case your boyfriend comes and sees you being smitten with different males, he will certainly be livid.”

In spite of everything, Lu Wanyi had complained to her many occasions, saying that her boyfriend was an individual with excessive male chauvinism.

The opposite get together pouted. “Proper, neglect it. He nonetheless wouldn’t come, so this fashion I nonetheless have an opportunity to bounce and drink with a good-looking man.”

After getting off work, Ruan Zhizhi tactfully declined Lu Wanyi’s invitation to have dinner collectively and took a taxi to A College by herself. Yesterday, she had agreed to have dinner with Shi Yan tonight.

When Ruan Zhizhi arrived on the gates of A College, the sky was already a bit dim.

Shi Yan had a night class that day. She estimated that it wasn’t supper time fairly but. Ruan Zhizhi bowed her head and glanced at her wristwatch. Now, there was nonetheless half an hour earlier than he completed class. Interested by it, she determined to go purchase him one thing to eat upfront.

There was a snack avenue specifically for college kids close to A College. Ruan Zhizhi strolled aimlessly by way of it for a very long time. She felt considerably defeated to find that she didn’t even know what Shi Yan normally appreciated to eat. 

Most likely as a result of at any time when she was with him, he all the time accommodated her.

In the long run, after struggling for fairly some time, she lastly entered a 24-hour comfort retailer with a tidy look. On the gross sales counter, there have been rice set meals organized so as. They’d candy and bitter pork cutlet, yuxiang eggplant, pickled greens with fish, and so forth.

Ruan Zhizhi stared at these set meals for a very long time. She felt that she was about to commit a significant crime out of alternative phobia.

To the aspect, the woman boss noticed that she was indecisive. With an enthusiastic bearing, she came visiting to make suggestions. “Little woman, our retailer’s candy and bitter pork cutlet and our pickled greens with fish set meals promote very properly. Proper now, there may be one in every of every left. You can provide it a attempt. If it isn’t tasty, simply come to me, I gives you a full refund.”

Ruan Zhizhi struggled in her thoughts for a second, considering that consuming candy and bitter pork cutlet within the night would possibly really feel greasy. In the end, she selected the pickled greens with fish.

With swift motions, the woman boss took out the meals and put it in a meals field. She additionally considerately put it within the microwave oven to warmth it up for a couple of minutes. Throughout this time, Ruan Zhizhi ran to the again counter and grabbed a bottle of complete milk. 

The girl boss couldn’t assist laughing when she noticed her actions. “I noticed you strolling backwards and forwards round right here ten minutes in the past, and your expression was particularly at a loss. Are you right here to purchase meals in your boyfriend?”

“……” Ruan Zhizhi made a “囧” face. “Uh, not a boyfriend.”

“Then it’s the particular person you want?” The microwave beeped with a “ding” sound. The girl boss took out the meals field whereas asking. Opening a paper bag, she attentively positioned the steaming meals field on the backside and positioned the milk on high, then lastly folded the corners of the paper bag fastidiously earlier than handing it to Ruan Zhizhi.

Ruan Zhizhi took out cash from her pockets. After considering for a very long time, she replied, “I suppose. He treats me very properly and helps me rather a lot, however I haven’t completed something for him. Simply this time, I had the possibility and wished to purchase him dinner.”

When she left the comfort retailer, there have been solely ten minutes earlier than Shi Yan completed class. Ruan Zhizhi held the paper bag in her arms and walked to A College with fast steps.

As a result of she had already been there many occasions earlier than, Ruan Zhizhi simply entered the third instructing constructing the place Shi Yan taught classes. Strolling all the best way up the steps, she turned a nook and went to the door of the classroom.

She had listened to 2 lectures on this classroom earlier than. It made her reminisce a bit.

With gentle actions, she stood on her tiptoes. By means of the window, Ruan Zhizhi noticed that the scholars within the classroom had their heads lowered, in the course of recording notes. Shi Yan stood on the rostrum, lazily lecturing. The expression in his eyes remained detached, and he appeared very unhurried and calm.

Ruan Zhizhi watched him for some time and needed to admit that there was certainly a magic on this man.

He simply stood in place, with out having to do something, and directly he may simply appeal to the eye of others.

She was simply eager about this. Within the subsequent second, not sure if it was telepathy or not, Shi Yan’s apathetic eyes appeared straight at her outdoors the window. Ruan Zhizhi, who was in the course of peeking, smiled with a bit embarrassment when she noticed him. After that, she raised the steaming paper bag in her hand in a really lackey-like method.

Shi Yan’s pitch-black eyes softened. They had been awfully brilliant—much more dazzling than the celebs within the sky.

The category time got here to an finish fairly quickly. Some college students went to the rostrum with their notebooks to ask questions. Shi Yan defined issues to them very significantly. From Ruan Zhizhi’s angle at that second, she may soak up all of Shi Yan’s profile directly. His eyelashes had been lengthy and thick, fluttering gracefully like butterflies. The same old fierceness in his eyes had subsided, and beneath the reflection of the classroom lights, they appeared very tender now.

She thought that in the event that they had been in historical occasions, Shi Yan will surely be a magnificence who introduced injury to the nation and struggling to the individuals.

Ruan Zhizhi leaned in opposition to the door body and checked out his profile like this. Unconsciously, she was enchanted.

She shortly realized that she was performing identical to Lu Wanyi being starry-eyed with infatuation, and Ruan Zhizhi turned her head away with some embarrassment.

As they packed their faculty luggage to go away, the scholars within the classroom checked out her expression. Though they had been nonetheless in surprise, it wasn’t as inconceivable because the previous few occasions. They had been in all probability already used to seeing her by Shi Yan’s aspect rather a lot.

She additionally heard just a few women discussing in a low voice, saying that Professor Shi had been single for thus a few years and had lastly come round, prepared to have a girlfriend.

Ruan Zhizhi recalled that when she had first met him, she had misunderstood that he was homosexual. She couldn’t assist laughing.

After the scholars all left, Ruan Zhizhi walked into the empty classroom. Shi Yan was tidying some issues on the rostrum.

She positioned the paper bag in her hand on the rostrum and took out the fragrant meals field. “Eat first, I’ll show you how to tidy up.”

Shi Yan turned a deaf ear to this, however ultimately he compromised at Ruan Zhizhi’s insistence and set down the lesson plan supplies in his hand to eat.

Whereas packing up the supplies, Ruan Zhizhi secretly surveyed Shi Yan’s expression. “The pickled greens with fish was really useful by the boss, I don’t know in the event you prefer it or not.”

The implication was to shift the blame onto the woman boss. In case it didn’t style good, then it could don’t have anything to do along with her.

Shi Yan lowered his head and tried a chew. “It’s superb.”

“Oh, then that’s good, it was one thing I fastidiously selected after a very long time.”

“Not the boss’s suggestion?”

“Although she really useful it, the ultimate determination maker is me. Within the remaining evaluation, I had the discerning eye, and I selected thepickled greens with fish amongst quite a few dishes,” Ruan Zhizhi retorted confidently.

Shi Yan couldn’t assist laughing. “Ruan Zhizhi, I truly didn’t know. It seems you’re so intelligent and eloquent.”

Ruan Zhizhi checked out his smiling expression and all of the sudden couldn’t say something to refute. After packing his issues, she discovered a random seat within the entrance row beneath the rostrum and sat down, quietly watching Shi Yan eat.

Even the flowing air turned mild.

When would the final layer of window paper be pierced?

Ruan Zhizhi tilted her head to have a look at him, and all of the sudden regretted not accepting him instantly that day.