Chapter 23: Leaving the Door Open

Su Lingqing wasn’t as obsessive about cleanliness as Fu Yingcheng, but stepping on the scattered bamboo skewers on the ground still made him feel a bit distressed about his handmade Italian leather shoes. “I’m really impressed. You don’t have to save money for me to this extent.”

Su Lingqing grabbed a red plastic stool, sat down nearby, but then noticed Fu Yingcheng walking straight past him.

“Go sit over there.”

“……”

Su Lingqing had no choice but to stand up and switch tables. “What difference does it make? It’s all the same!”

Fu Yingcheng had already sat down. The red disposable plastic tablecloth was lifted by the wind and slapped against his legs. The man instinctively raised his knee, and the delicate fabric of his expensive suit pants was immediately snagged by the rough burrs on the plastic table.

“……”

Su Lingqing watched as his face darkened inch by inch.

Just as Su Lingqing thought Fu Yingcheng was definitely at his limit and about to get up and leave, he saw that he seemed completely unbothered. Instead, he reached out to peel off the plastic film from the set of dishes in front of him, marked with “Unwrap for 1 Yuan.”

Then his brows furrowed even more as he lowered his head to inspect the greasy residue left in the unwashed bowl. He looked up at Su Lingqing. “This isn’t sanitized?”

Su Lingqing: “… Let’s go, Bro, street food isn’t for you.”

Fu Yingcheng’s gaze darkened as he pulled back the bowls and chopsticks he was about to push away. “There’s nothing unsuitable about it.”

Even though he was trying to humble himself and blend in, the cold and aloof elegance he exuded made it impossible for him to truly fit in. The contrast was stark and almost unbearable to look at.

Many people around them were openly or covertly observing him, and one girl at a neighboring table even had her phone hidden under the table, secretly taking pictures.

Su Lingqing: “…”

The downside of going out with Fu Yingcheng was this: not only did he avoid romantic entanglements himself, but he also blocked Su Lingqing’s chances.

Su Lingqing was still looking at the menu when a slender hand placed down a glass cup and poured some lemon water.

A familiar female voice said, “Hello, are you ready to order… huh?” Su Lingqing looked up and met the girl’s eyes. She suddenly turned her head sharply to look at someone else. “Fu Yingcheng?”

Su Lingqing: “!”

He instinctively straightened up. “Ling Meimei!”^[1]Meimei (妹妹) is a Chinese term that means “younger sister.” It can be used literally to refer to one’s biological younger sister or affectionately when addressing a younger … Continue reading

Oh wow.

Oh~ wow~ wow~~~

So that’s why Fu Yingcheng was acting so out of character today, it turned out he was here for her all along.

Fu Yingcheng gave her a brief glance and nodded indifferently. Then he tilted his chin slightly toward Su Lingqing. “He insisted on treating me to dinner. I had no choice.”

Su Lingqing: “?”

I did say I was treating you to dinner, but you picked the place yourself.

Why are you making it sound like I dragged you here by force?

“Is that so?” Ji Fanling poured him a glass of lemon water.

She was genuinely happy to see Fu Yingcheng and couldn’t help but press her lips together to hide the upward curve of her smile.

Su Lingqing leaned forward, full of interest. “Ling Meimei, how come I didn’t know you were… working here?” His gaze fell on her apron.

“Fu Yingcheng didn’t tell you?” Ji Fanling replied. “I started in December.”

“Really?”

Su Lingqing crossed his arms, his expression sly like an old fox, eyebrows arched as he gave Fu Yingcheng a meaningful look. “Seems like there’s a lot I don’t know.”

Fu Yingcheng ignored him.

The man’s long lashes lowered slightly as he silently fiddled with his signet ring, his gaze fixed on Ji Fanling’s face.

She had lost weight.

In such a short time, her jawline had become noticeably sharper.

The two months of hard work to nourish her back to health, gone in the blink of an eye.

She was back to that state on the rainy night, after ten years apart, crouching at the entrance of a small convenience store, looking up at him through the rain.

Quiet and pale.

Like a wisp of cold mist, ready to dissipate with the slightest breeze.

Ji Fanling turned her head and met Fu Yingcheng’s gaze. “What would you like to eat?”

Fu Yingcheng paused for a moment, then withdrew his gaze. “Don’t you have any recommendations?”

Ji Fanling thought for a moment. “Stir-fried beef and spicy yellow croaker are both good options. For vegetables, the Di San Xian^[2]Di San Xian (地三鲜), is a classic dish from China’s northeastern region. It features stir-fried eggplant, potatoes, and green bell peppers, all combined in a savory garlic sauce. is nice, and for a main dish, you could try the assorted stir-fried noodles. Do you have any dietary restrictions?” she asked Su Lingqing.

“I have no restrictions at all,” Su Lingqing said with a cheerful smile.

“Then let me treat you this time.”

While quickly jotting down the dish names on a piece of paper, Ji Fanling added, “It’s perfect timing. I still owe Fu Yingcheng a meal.”

Su Lingqing raised his eyebrow knowingly after recalling Fu Yingcheng’s reaction earlier when the topic of treating dinner came up.

Across the table, Fu Yingcheng shifted slightly upon hearing her words, and raised his eyes leisurely as he said, “So you still remember?”

Ji Fanling’s pen paused mid-stroke. “……”

Fu Yingcheng let out a faint hum, almost as if talking to himself. “If I hadn’t come, you’d just pretend to forget about it.”

Ji Fanling: “……”

“To avoid me, you didn’t even dare to answer my calls,” Fu Yingcheng remarked.

Ji Fanling nearly snapped her pen in half. “Who hung up on you because of that!”

Fu Yingcheng: “Oh? Then what was the reason?”

His tone was light, as if he didn’t care at all and was merely asking out of casual curiosity.

In the bustling background of the street food stall, the clamor of voices rose and fell. The charcoal in the barbecue grill occasionally crackled, sending sparks leaping into the glow of the string lights above.

Yet the man’s eyes were half-shrouded in shadow.

Dark, quiet, and fixed intently on her.

Ji Fanling’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly averted her gaze.

…She didn’t really want to admit that she’d lost her voice from a fever, because it would sound like she wasn’t doing well after moving out.

“I was… busy hanging out with other people,” 

Ji Fanling said slowly, tapping her pen on the small notebook. “That’s why I didn’t have time to deal with you.”

After taking their order, Ji Fanling didn’t have time to chat with them further.

It was the peak dining hour, and the place was packed. She wasn’t just managing Fu Yingcheng’s table but also several others, weaving busily between tables with dishes in hand.

For convenience, the girl had tied her hair into a messy bun, with a few loose strands falling casually over her forehead, partially obscuring her small, plain yet delicate face.

Su Lingqing picked up a small yellow croaker and scoffed, “The clothes she’s wearing,those are from you, aren’t they?”

Even though most of her outfit was covered by the apron, the coat was unmistakably expensive at a glance.

The hem, tailored to perfection, fell just above her straight, slender legs. A two-finger-wide strap was tied tightly at the back of her waist, accentuating how strikingly slim she was.

In Su Lingqing’s eyes, it seemed a bit too formal, lacking any youthful energy.

It didn’t feel like something someone her age would wear. She looked like she could step into high heels and deliver a speech at a bidding conference the very next second.

It was obvious the outfit came from someone like Fu Yingcheng, who was practical, emotionless, and utterly devoid of charm.

Fu Yingcheng didn’t respond. His gaze lingered on a corner of something peeking out from her coat pocket.

With her movements, the object caught the light, reflecting briefly.

It was a cigarette pack.

He didn’t know when it started, but she had taken up smoking again.

It was exactly the same as ten years ago.

As if, so long as no one noticed, she could convince herself she wasn’t truly struggling.

When Ji Fanling came over with the stir-fried noodles, she noticed Fu Yingcheng’s unpleasant expression and paused. “Does it taste bad?”

Fu Yingcheng looked at her, opened his mouth but said nothing, his eyes filled with an inexplicable, complicated emotion.

Ji Fanling froze, her face changing abruptly as she pressed a hand to his shoulder. “No way, did you choke on a fishbone?”

Fu Yingcheng: “…”

It was surprisingly easy for her to irritate him to the point of a headache.

“Do I look that foolish?” Fu Yingcheng’s gaze darkened.

Ji Fanling let go of him and rubbed her nose. “Well… it’s hard to say.”

Fu Yingcheng lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the spot where her hand had just pressed against him.

The touch was brief, fleeting.

And her fingers were as cold as ice.

Fu Yingcheng’s heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly, beating heavily and with effort.

He started to speak: “If you’re…”

“Waiter!” someone called out loudly, raising a hand.

Fu Yingcheng’s gaze lifted coldly.

Ji Fanling had already walked over. “What’s the matter?…”

Meanwhile, Su Lingqing scooped himself a bowl of fried rice. “If she’s what?”

Fu Yingcheng: “None of your business.”

He picked up the lemon water in front of him, took a sip, paused, then tilted his head back and downed the entire glass.

He had spoken too impulsively.

Some proposals, even when he knew they would be rejected, still slipped out.

In the business world, he had never been foolish enough to act without considering the consequences.