Jiang Wen wasn’t someone who openly showed his emotions. Except when drunk, he rarely expressed his feelings for her directly. The more casually he spoke, the more it tugged at one’s heartstrings.
After a moment of silence, Feng Ning asked, “Where did you learn such romantic lines?” Jiang Wen: “……” The previously melancholic atmosphere was instantly shattered by her comment.
Jiang Wen brushed her hand away, stood up, and walked ahead. Feng Ning quickly grabbed the dog leash and ran after him. “Hey, wait for me! Why are you angry again? I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was just joking.”
—
Time flew by quickly.
The New Year came early this year, and the company gave holidays from mid-January. In previous years, Feng Ning would only return to South City on New Year’s Eve to visit Qi Lan’s grave and pay New Year visits to the households in Yu Jiang Lane before returning to Shanghai.
This year was special, so Feng Ning specifically asked Jiang Wen about his plans on WeChat.
After a while, someone added her – their contact note read: [Ryan’s Assistant]
Feng Ning was confused but accepted the friend request.
The assistant greeted her, calling her “boss’s wife,” and then sent three Excel spreadsheets. Feng Ning was puzzled. She opened them one by one and found they were detailed schedules of Jiang Wen’s upcoming activities.
After looking through them, she felt both speechless and amused. She messaged Jiang Wen:
Ning: [Why did you have your assistant send me these?]
-61nfiawj: [Didn’t you ask about my schedule?]
Ning: […It didn’t need to be this detailed]
-61nfiawj: [?]
Ning: [Everyone will think your girlfriend is controlling]
-61nfiawj: [.]
Feng Ning rarely got sick since childhood. But somehow she caught a cold, with a splitting headache and blocked nose. After dragging it out for several days, it turned into a severe cold.
After returning to South City, Jiang Wen was busy with family matters and social obligations, no less than in Shanghai. Feng Ning was completely knocked out by the illness, staying in bed for two whole days, too lazy to move. Shuang Yao would bring her meals for lunch and dinner. When Jiang Wen wanted to visit, she refused every time.
In the evening, she received his call, “What are you doing?”
Feng Ning whimpered weakly, “Sleeping.”
“At home?” Hearing his voice made her slightly more alert.
She cleared her throat, “Yes.”
“I’ll come pick you up.”
“Don’t come. If we talk, I might pass the cold to you.”
“So you’re planning not to see me at all after returning to South City?”
Feng Ning spoke through her blocked nose: “No… I have a bad cold these past few days. Can’t you hear it in my voice?” “Not even for a short meeting?”
After Jiang Wen put it that way, how could she refuse? Feng Ning sighed and got up from bed, “Alright, alright. Wait for me to take a shower and get ready. It’ll probably take about an hour.”
After hanging up, she got out of bed and pulled open the curtains. The sky outside was starting to darken. Feng Ning poured a glass of water, opened the drawer, and took two pills.
Just then, Shuang Yao came in with a thermos, “Today’s meal is from dad.”
Feng Ning nodded, gesturing with her chin, “Okay, just put it there.”
Seeing her take medicine, Shuang Yao walked over casually, “How long have you had this cold? Still not better?”
Feng Ning carelessly put the medicine down, “Ah, this illness came on so suddenly, I wasn’t prepared.”
“Did you take the wrong cold medicine?” Shuang Yao asked suspiciously. “Let me see what you’re taking.”
Before Shuang Yao could reach for the medicine, Feng Ning quickly snatched it away. Shuang Yao’s hand froze in mid-air, stunned for a moment, “What are you doing? I just want to see what cold medicine you’re taking. Why are you so worked up?”
Feng Ning read the label herself: “It’s for reducing fever and relieving sore throat. I didn’t take the wrong medicine, it’s this one.”
“……” Shuang Yao remained silent.
Feng Ning glanced at her, “What?”
Though suspicious, Shuang Yao didn’t think too much of it and nodded, “Well, okay, just don’t take random medicine.”
Feng Ning replied impatiently, “I know, stop nagging, okay? Like I would take random medicine. I have a date later, you should head back now.”
Shuang Yao smiled teasingly: “Oh, going to see Jiang Wen even when you’re this sick?”
“If I don’t see him for two days, his glass heart starts acting up.”
Shuang Yao hissed, “The way you say that sounds like you’re showing off.”
Smiling, Feng Ning started doing her hair.
“By the way, how are things with you and Jiang Wen?” Feng Ning opened her wardrobe and started matching clothes in front of the mirror, “Us? Pretty good.”
Shuang Yao was curious: “Don’t you find it awkward? After all these years, it’s like starting over as strangers.”
Feng Ning turned around, holding a red sweater in her left hand and a white one in her right, showing them to Shuang Yao, “Which one?”
“The white one, it looks gentler.” “OK.”
While changing clothes, Feng Ning answered her previous question, “It doesn’t feel strange at all. Although we’ve both changed a lot, being together feels natural.” She paused, “I feel really happy, like I’m floating. But honestly, it still doesn’t feel real.”
“What do you mean, doesn’t feel real?”
“I don’t know,” Feng Ning smiled, “Maybe I’m afraid it’s all just my imagination?”
Shuang Yao sighed, “So what are your next plans?”
Feng Ning answered casually: “No plans. Live in the moment, why think so much?”
Shuang Yao was completely confused, “Listen to yourself! What kind of player talk is that? What do you mean ‘live in the moment’? Are you planning to just walk away when you’re done?”
Feng Ning remained calm: “Living in the moment means Jiang Wen is Feng Ning’s winter-limited happiness.”
Shuang Yao repeated: “Winter, limited, happiness?”
Feng Ning spoke as if telling an insignificant joke, though her voice was calm, “Yes, I don’t want to think about the future. I just know I’m happy now, and that’s enough.”
Earlier in the park, when Jiang Wen talked about “the last time” with her, Feng Ning felt ashamed and also felt he was completely beyond her expectations. She didn’t know how to respond. She couldn’t be as certain as he was, certain that this would be their last time. Knowing it would disappoint Jiang Wen, she still skillfully avoided the topic.
Feng Ning sat down at her makeup mirror, “Being able to date Jiang Wen again is already like winning the lottery. I don’t want to think about anything beyond that for now.”
Shuang Yao: “I don’t understand how you think.”
“Do you think Jiang Wen and I are suitable for each other?” Feng Ning turned to look at her.
This question stumped Shuang Yao. After thinking for a long time, she answered: “You like him so much, and he likes you so much, what’s not suitable about that?”
Feng Ning turned back, started applying concealer to her arms, “Different concepts.”
After getting ready, Feng Ning put on a mask and a pair of leather ankle boots before heading out.
The wind was strong today, cutting like a knife. Fortunately, she dressed warmly. Feng Ning pulled up her hood but still shivered from the cold.
She walked to their meeting place, a quiet corner by the road. She sniffed, inhaling the crisp air, and her stuffy nose felt better.
Back in South City, Jiang Wen’s style had become noticeably more extravagant. Walking around his car, Feng Ning shook her head, thinking to herself: This is too much, even more flashy than Min Yueyue’s Maserati.
Opening the car door, Feng Ning sat down sideways. With her mask on and her down jacket hood framing her face, the fur trim almost completely buried her face. She looked like an Eskimo.
Jiang Wen must have just rushed over from some dinner or party, his whole outfit perfectly styled, hair swept up from his forehead. His handsome features were exposed, making it impossible not to stare.
Feng Ning took off her hood, turned her head, and asked in surprise: “Driver, you’re so handsome, why are you still driving for Didi?”
Jiang Wen: “……”
Feng Ning smiled cheerfully: “Alright driver, let’s go, don’t just stand there. I’m in a hurry to get to my date.”
Jiang Wen didn’t play along with her act, frowning slightly, “What’s wrong with you?”
Feng Ning pouted, clicking her tongue, “You’re no fun.”
Jiang Wen smirked.
The car was warm. Feng Ning took off her scarf too, hesitating before speaking: “Did you take something? Why are you so angry?”
Hearing her say this, Jiang Wen started counting grievances: “You’ve been back for two days, why haven’t you contacted me?”
His eyes were like two icicles, silently stabbing at her, “If I don’t contact you, you won’t contact me?”
Feng Ning looked at his expression, rubbed her nose with her finger, “Wasn’t I sick? At a time like this, a cold can be deadly. If I wasn’t worried about infecting you, how could I not want to see you?”
After not seeing each other for days, she was immediately criticized when they met. Feng Ning thought to herself, how had her status become so low?
Jiang Wen hadn’t meant to complain like a wronged wife, but the psychological trauma from their breakup years ago hadn’t faded. When Feng Ning returned to familiar places, she went back to her old ways.
Feng Ning was truly the bane of his existence. Jiang Wen was frustrated with both her and himself.
He took out his lighter, opened the car door, and went to smoke at a distance.
After finishing a cigarette, Jiang Wen turned around to see Feng Ning standing not far away, hands behind her back.
She walked over, “Still angry?”
Jiang Wen didn’t respond.
Feng Ning brought her hands out from behind her back. She held up a bunch of white and yellow wintersweet flowers, offering them to him.
After staring at her for a while, Jiang Wen accepted them.
Feng Ning said proudly: “I just stole them from the old man next door.”
“Take off your mask.” Jiang Wen found it annoying.
Feng Ning explained: “I have a bad cold.”
Jiang Wen insisted: “Take it off.”
Feng Ning obediently followed his request, “Okay, okay, there.”
She happily leaned in to smell the flowers she had just stolen, “They smell nice.”
Suddenly, Jiang Wen reached out and covered her eyes with his hand.
Feng Ning didn’t know what he was planning, but smiled, “Not angry anymore?”
Jiang Wen didn’t want to meet her gaze. When she looked at him like that, he couldn’t stay angry at all.
There was no one around.
Feng Ning stumbled a couple of steps as Jiang Wen pulled her into a nearby dead-end alley.
The flowers fell to the ground.
His breath carried the scent of mint and nicotine. Jiang Wen leaned in slightly, but Feng Ning quickly covered his mouth, “I have a cold.”
Jiang Wen lowered his head to meet her gaze, “Are you deliberately making me angry?”
Feng Ning stood against the wall, honestly admitting her fault: “I was wrong, I’m sorry.”
With his hands propped on either side of her ears, unable to resist any longer, he kissed her neck for a moment.
“Kiss me.” Jiang Wen commanded.
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