Chapter 14

Ji Fanling: “…” Who wants to have a meal with him.

The girl pulled the corners of her lips unnaturally. “It’s not necessarily about the meal.”

Fu Yingcheng’s tone carried a cold, sarcastic undertone. “Then it seems it’s a matter of the person involved.”

Ji Fanling assumed that the person he was referring to was her, so she didn’t feel it was right to argue back.

After all, she was the one who had vomited all over Fu Yingcheng.

It seemed that Fu Yingcheng didn’t mind the smell and even allowed her to keep staying at his place.

He even personally carried her back.

… No matter how she thought about it, she was clearly in the wrong.

As Ji Fanling thought about this, her hazy mind suddenly cleared up, and she realized she was still being carried on his back. She quickly struggled to get down.

Fu Yingcheng didn’t let go, but he just frowned slightly and looked back at her.

Ji Fanling, feeling awkward, insisted, “I can walk on my own…”

Fu Yingcheng glanced down at her for a moment, then set her down.

The elevator doors opened, and he raised his hand to hold them, gesturing for her to go first.

Ji Fanling stepped out, a bit puzzled. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier?”

“Wake you up?”

Fu Yingcheng followed behind her, as if he’d heard something amusing, letting out a light chuckle. “That would only work if you could actually be woken up.”

Ji Fanling: “?”

“You sleep like you’re in a coma; no one could wake you up even if they tried.” As he entered the room and changed his shoes, his tone was flat, but to her, it sounded like blatant mockery.

“The nurse was so scared that her face turned pale, thinking they’d given you the wrong medication.”

Ji Fanling suddenly felt a pang of guilt. “… Really?”

When she slept at home, separated only by a thin wall, the deafening arguments between Ji Guoliang and his gambling friends, mixed with the neighbors’ curses and banging on the door, lasted all night.

If she woke up to every little noise, she might as well give up sleeping entirely, so she gradually developed the ability to block out sounds around her.

Maybe Fu Yingcheng had really tried to wake her, but she simply hadn’t heard it at all.

“If you can’t wake me up next time,” Ji Fanling hesitated, “just give me a nudge.”

After a pause, the girl slowly added, “But you’d better dodge quickly, because… I might throw a punch at you with my eyes closed.”

“…So, you’d better hit me while loudly shouting, ‘I’m Fu Yingcheng.’”

The scenario she described was somewhat absurd.

“I’m not like you,” Fu Yingcheng glanced at her with a hint of meaning. “I don’t enjoy doing things that break the rules.”

Ji Fanling: “…”

*

Once they got home, without a word, both headed straight for the bathroom.

Ji Fanling couldn’t stand the smell on herself and worried that Fu Yingcheng might mind her dirtying the house, so she showered until she felt dizzy before finally coming out. She had no energy left to wash her clothes and, feeling light-headed, climbed into bed and fell asleep.

After staying up until nearly two in the morning, she naturally slept in until noon the next day.

Fu Yingcheng, unshakable in his routine, got up early for work. The sound of a knife chopping on the cutting board came from the kitchen, where Aunt Tong was busy cooking. Ji Fanling was about to wash her clothes and, after searching around the house twice, was puzzled to find her jacket missing.

“Aunt Tong, have you seen my jacket?” she asked, poking her head into the kitchen.

“No, I haven’t.” Aunt Tong wiped her hands on her apron and turned around with a concerned look.

“Mr. Fu said you had stomach pain and ended up in the hospital, right? I specially made ginseng and pork tripe soup and some silver fungus and red date porridge for you at noon, to help you recover well. Don’t forget you still need to go for an IV this afternoon.”

“Thank you, Aunt Tong.”

Ji Fanling, still confused, sent a message to Fu Yingcheng: 【Have you seen my jacket?】

C: 【Threw it away.】

None of Your Business: 【?????】

C: 【Not worth ruining the washing machine over one jacket.】

None of Your Business: 【Who said I was going to use your washing machine? I planned to hand wash it.】

C: 【Hand wash in this weather? Are you trying to throw up even more?】

Even through the screen, she could almost hear the man’s aloof tone.

Back home, Ji Guoliang would barge into her room and take her things without a word, which made Ji Fanling particularly protective of her belongings, like a territorial animal. She even carried a pen with her to mark her items, going so far as to write her name on her toothbrush handle.

Losing a piece of clothing for no reason only added insult to injury for her struggling family, and it made her so angry that she felt like steam was coming out of her head.

None of Your Business: 【Can’t I leave it for a few days and wash it after I’m better?】

C: 【You think my house is a drug lab?】

None of Your Business: 【If you threw it away, then what am I supposed to wear?!】

The other side went silent for a few minutes, seemingly busy with something, then replied:

C: 【Take whatever you like from my wardrobe.】

C: 【After your IV tomorrow night, we’ll go buy a new one.】

C: 【I’ll make it up to you.】

Make it up to her?

Was he serious?

… She hadn’t meant for it to come to this.

She could easily guess, even without thinking hard, that Fu Yingcheng hadn’t just thrown away her jacket. He had probably tossed his own coat, shirt, pants, and shoes—all of it, down to the last piece.

In terms of quantity, value, and who was at fault, it was clearly she who owed Fu Yingcheng.

Besides, her jacket was just an old piece discarded by Ji Guoliang. If she had a choice, she’d rather wear a burlap sack than wear his castoffs.

The girl spent ages typing, deleting, editing, and retyping, only to finally reply with a cool message: 【I have money to buy my own.】

Fu Yingcheng replied with an ambiguous question mark: 【?】

Ji Fanling typed each character slowly into the chatbox: 【I am, after all, generous.】

【I forgive you.】

…

After three days of IV drips and Aunt Tong’s various nutritious dishes, Ji Fanling not only didn’t lose weight but even put on a bit. By Friday morning, she even had the energy to attend a job interview for a staff position at a local diner.

In the afternoon, Zhou Sui called, and upon hearing she was in the hospital, became anxious and wanted to visit her. Ji Fanling didn’t let her come, so Zhou Sui offered to treat her to a meal once she finished her IV.

Ji Fanling figured she could check out some clothes at the nearby wholesale market after the meal, so she agreed.

At 6:30 p.m., Ji Fanling removed her IV, left a message for Fu Yingcheng, and took a bus to the shopping center. Zhou Sui, mindful of her recent stomach issues, had reserved a table at a private restaurant known for its mild flavors.

When Ji Fanling arrived, Zhou Sui was already seated, holding her child in her arms.

The little boy in her arms, fair and chubby, stretched out his hand and waved, “Big sister, we’re here.”

Ji Fanling walked over with her hands in her pockets, keeping a straight face. “Call me Auntie, not Big Sister.”

Hanhan, in his soft little voice, insisted, “Big sister~”

The girl raised her eyebrow, her gaze sharp as she looked at Zhou Sui. “Trying to take advantage of me?”

Zhou Sui, both amused and exasperated, squeezed the child’s hand and said, “This is your Auntie, Auntie Ji.”

Hanhan chirped, “Auntie Ji~”

Only then did Ji Fanling respond, leisurely taking her seat.

Zhou Sui handed her the phone with the ordered dishes displayed. “These are the dishes I picked, take a look and see if they’re okay.”

Ji Fanling noticed that all the dishes had a note specifying no peanuts. She glanced away and said, “You’re treating me; who am I to say if it’s okay or not?”

She turned off the phone and handed it back, noticing that the lock screen wallpaper was a photo of Zhou Sui’s family of three. She couldn’t help but take an extra look.

The background was the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, a classic tourist shot. At the time, Hanhan was about one year old, cradled in Zhou Sui’s arms. The man beside her had a tanned complexion, a square face, and a kind, honest look. He was half a head taller than Zhou Sui.

Zhou Sui noticed and, a bit embarrassed, said, “This is my husband.”

Ji Fanling made the universal sound every girl makes when meeting her best friend’s boyfriend for the first time: “Huh.”

Zhou Sui’s face flushed. “He’s a computer science major, has a stable job, and treats me very well…”

Ji Fanling replied with a calm tone, “Luckily, the kid takes after you.”

Zhou Sui paused, a sudden wave of sadness welling up, stinging her nose. “Back then, I… I always wanted you to be my bridesmaid…” Her voice cracked into a near sob as she spoke.

Ji Fanling was startled, feeling a pang in her chest. “Stop. Hold it right there. We’re adults.”

Zhou Sui sniffled a few times, gently patting Hanhan’s head to reassure him. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Mommy’s not crying, Mommy is happy.”

“Don’t go getting emotional all on your own.”

Still shaken, Ji Fanling looked away awkwardly. “Even if I were around, I might not have even agreed to be your bridesmaid.”

Zhou Sui stared at her blankly for two seconds before suddenly bursting into laughter, wiping the corner of her eye. “Back then, I thought you were so fierce, but…”

Ji Fanling: “But what?”

Zhou Sui said, “Now, I think you’re kind of cute.”

Ji Fanling: “?????”

Seeing the murderous glare in Ji Fanling’s eyes, Zhou Sui quickly backed down. “Sorry, I was just joking. Don’t be mad, you’re the coolest.”

Hanhan chimed in from the side, “Cool big sister.”

Zhou Sui nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, yes, exactly.”

Ji Fanling shot back, “Exactly, my foot.”

Ji Fanling turned to Hanhan, scoffing, “Why are you always lowering my status?”

Zhou Sui explained, “My bad. I mentioned you to him before and called you ‘big sister,’ so he just stuck with it.”

Ji Fanling: “Mentioned what?”

Zhou Sui: “That time you helped me fight with Xu Zhilei and the others…”

At the time, they had just started high school, but Zhou Sui had developed early, already wearing a D-cup at fifteen, making her stand out among her peers.

In the summer heat, the thin school uniform couldn’t conceal it. She would hunch her shoulders and keep her head down, too embarrassed to make eye contact, yet it still drew smirks, winks, and whispers from a few rude boys in the class.

But the real nightmare was gym class.

Every time the girls had to run long-distance, Xu Zhilei and a few other boys would squat by the track and stare at her, making bowl shapes with their hands in front of their chests, bouncing them up and down and laughing loudly.

As soon as gym class ended, Zhou Sui would slump over her desk in tears, wishing she could break her own leg so she’d never have to run again.

Halfway through her crying fit, the girl who had been napping at the next desk suddenly let out an annoyed huff, grabbed Zhou Sui by the back of her neck, and lifted her tear-streaked face. “Crying, crying, crying, what are you crying about? It’s driving me crazy!”

Zhou Sui was so startled that she started hiccuping.

Ji Fanling, with a scowl on her face, demanded, “Who’s bullying you? Spill it.”

…

The following week during gym class, Zhou Sui nervously followed Ji Fanling onto the track. As she noticed Xu Zhilei and his friends squinting at her chest again, her heart sank.

In the next moment, Zhou Sui watched as Ji Fanling, expressionless, ran straight toward the boys, pulling off her shoe as she went.

Then, she smacked their grinning mouths hard with the sole of her shoe.

The scene was so unexpected that Zhou Sui was stunned, Xu Zhilei was stunned, and the other students were equally stunned.

What followed was a chaotic brawl that no one could clearly remember afterward, until the gym teacher stormed over, shouting as he separated everyone.

The gym teacher’s face was red with anger, veins bulging in his neck. “Ji Fanling! You were running just fine, why did you run over to hit someone?! Huh?!”

Blood rushed to Zhou Sui’s head.

Ji Fanling stood alone in the middle of the crowd, getting scolded. Her hair was messy, her shoe was long gone, and she awkwardly balanced on one foot, hiding the hole in her sock behind her leg.

She glanced at Zhou Sui, who was gripping her clothes tightly in the crowd, then looked away, lifted her chin, and said firmly, “—Because they were an eyesore.”

For some reason, Zhou Sui’s tears suddenly started to fall.

A strong feeling surged in her heart. A determination to never forget this moment for the rest of her life.

…