Chapter 13.1: What’s Most Precious?
When they arrived in G city, it was two o’clock in the afternoon. An Ning looked outside the car’s window and was silent throughout the journey. Whereas Zhou Jin Cheng focused on his driving and did not start a conversation.
An Ning dragged her luggage out of the car and looked around the mansion. There was an extra big dog in the garden, glaring at this stranger like a tiger watching its prey.
She is not afraid of puppy or kitten but this kind of large dog is no doubt somewhat dangerous. Luckily it was tied up with a chain but An Ning still walked cautiously and gently. At this moment, the person behind actually laughed, “It’ll be okay after you’ve lived here for a period of time. It is not hard to ingratiate yourself with it.
An Ning is fond of house pet, but – after taking another look, it is just too big.
Auntie Zhan who is grandma’s housekeeper was the first one to come out of the mansion to welcome her. When she saw An Ning, she was so excited until her voice almost cracked, “Ning Ning!?” Then she excitedly turned around and called out for the person inside the house, “Elderly lady, Ning Ning has come back!”
Although grandma Li was over seventy years old, she was still healthy. After draping an overcoat padded with cotton over her shoulders, she ran out right away. When she saw her granddaughter, she almost cried tears of joy, “At long last, my Ning Ning has come back. I miss you so much!”
An Ning smiled and went up to hug the elderly lady, “Grandma, I also miss you.”
An old and a young ladies disclosed their yearning for each other. Then the elderly lady noticed Zhou Jin Cheng who was previously leaning on the door but was smiling and walking over now. She immediately greeted him, “Jin Cheng, come and meet my darling granddaughter. After not seeing her for a year, don’t you think she looks a lot prettier!?”
Zhou Jin Cheng went so far as to really pretend they have just met, “h.e.l.lo, Ning Ning.”
An Ning said in her heart: Which kind of act was he putting on ah? Following her usual response, she just nodded faintly.
At night, she met her father and Zhou Jin Cheng’s sister, Zhou Xi. An Ning did not have any special or great impression on this sweet-tempered stepmother. She was not familiar with her and also did not intend to have much contact with her. Although she answered all her father’s questions, she was not enthusiastic at all. Li Qi Shan also knew her daughter loves her birth mother very much and is a little hostile towards him. Thus he accommodated her in many ways and did not force her.
After dinner that day, An Ning went to the kitchen to lend a hand. Unexpectedly, Auntie Zhan asked her in private, “Ning Ning, is Mr. Zhou the one who sent you back just now?”
“Huh?” An Ning was washing some fruits so she did not hear clearly.
Auntie Zhan proceeded to say: “The day before yesterday, Mr. Zhou was still here. He purposely drove his car to X city but did not specifically say why. He only said that he was going there to deal with some official business. I was thinking what kind of official business he must rush back to deal with during Lunar New Year ah? As it turned out, it was to take my Ning Ning home, so considerate of him.”
An Ning stared blankly at her.
When she came out from the kitchen, she happened to run into Zhou Jin Cheng who was about to go out. When the two saw each other, he nodded slightly at her.
An Ning gazed at his figure from behind, and could not help but think in her heart, the adult’s mind is really difficult to understand.
She took the fruit to grandma’s room to chat. At eight something, when she walked upstairs, she saw Zhou Xi was in her room to give her an extra quilt. An Ning thanked her softly. The other person was also reserved as she just smiled and went out.
An Ning heaved a sigh and collapsed on the bed. She felt like a bad person.
After feeling depressed for a while, she jumped up to turn on the computer and go online. The moment she was online, Qiang Wei’s avatar was flashing, “Meow Meow ah ah ah! You’ve come to G city, right, right, right?!”
An Ning: “Yes.”
“Great! Come out the day after tomorrow to keep me company!”
Qiang Wei is from G City. During the first year in university, when An Ning said that she also has to celebrate Lunar New Year in G City, Qiang Wei straight away exclaimed fate ah fate.
“Can I ask come out for what?”
“Blind date.”
“Ah? Then I am not going!”
“I am not asking you to go on a blind date! I know you already have brother-in-law, this kind of national beauty and heavenly fragrance (a Chinese idiom meaning an outstanding beauty). Other people are all as transient as a fleeting cloud! But I am still single ah single ……”
When she was looking at Qiang Wei typing an endless stream of “single”on the screen, the mobile phone rang. An Ning took a look and it was indeed “national beauty” …… cough, Xu Mo Ting.
“Have you arrived there?” A deep and low male voice asked. Although she was already very familiar with his voice, every time she listens to it, she still feels a little enchanted. An Ning cannot help but suspect that she was being controlled by his voice.
“Yes.” She had sent a text message to him and mother beforehand. It is a must to send to mother. While Xu Mo Ting, it just came naturally at that time to report her whereabouts. Her fingers were pulling at the ta.s.sels along the edge of the table and she said slowly: “I sent you two embroidered pouches yesterday. There is Pueraria omeiensis w.a.n.g et Tang inside. There is also some Jasminum grandiflorum. The scent is very mild, but should still be able to dissipate the effects of alcohol.”
“Okay.”
“I purposely picked a pure black pouch, so it will not be very unsightly for a guy to carry it around. Moreover if you are asked to go out to social gathering, can just put inside the clothes.”
“Got it.” His voice sounded like he was whispering next to her ear.
An Ning’s ears turned red and she said: “Why did you not thank me ah?”
The other person smiled faintly, “An Ning, no words can express my grat.i.tude for your kindness.”
A long time later, An Ning still did not understand whether he meant her favour was too great (but two small pouches really cannot be considered a big favor), or implied her next verse “Never expect to be repaid when conferring a favour”?
At this moment in X city.
Xu Mo Ting was drinking in the bar with several friends who had just returned from overseas.
A slightly overweight guy came over and pushed a gla.s.s of wine in front of Xu Mo Ting.
The person wearing a dark colored and zipped up windbreaker was sitting on a high bar stool with one of his leg on the footrest. His black hair is always neat and clean, projecting a cool image …… but he actually looks patience and tender when he is making a phone call. At this moment, he sat with his waist bent forward slightly. He put the mobile phone on the table and played with it.
That fat guy sat on the other side of Xu Mo Ting, “Boy, if I had known earlier, I’ll not ask you to come. The moment you arrived here, all the beautiful women are fixing their attention on you only.”
Xu Mo Ting picked up the wine gla.s.s and languidly took a sip, “It is almost time to go.”
“Really? So early!”
Xu Mo Ting lifted up his hand to let him look at his watch, meaning ten o’clock is no longer early.
The other person heaved a big sigh, “As the dignified young master of the Xu family, you’ve talent, appearance and money. But why your life is so ascetic ah?” While talking, he pointed to someone behind him. Mo Ting turned around to look over —— a beautiful and alluring woman dressed in a red spaghetti strap dress in the booth seats, was looking at his direction.
“Mo Ting, do you know what I envy you most? Your fate with the ladies! A rare beauty, do you want to go over to say h.e.l.lo?”
Xu Mo Ting smiled, “I am very picky with woman.”
“This standard is still not high enough for you ah?”
Leader Xu got up and put the money for the drinks on the bar counter, “Far off.”
After saying that, he left.
Two people staggered over, “Xu Mo Ting has gone?”
“Yep.”
“Why did you let him go?! When he is here, the beauty will come ah!”
“He is Xu Mo Ting, so can I prevent him from leaving?”
The three people looked at each other in dismay.
On this end, leader Xu drove back to his apartment. He was carrying a box of eel rice.
He had just opened the door, when a black thing ran over and affectionately moved around his feet. Mo Ting bent down to pick it up. The little animal licked its paws and “meow meow” twice, exceptionally meek.
Xu Mo Ting carried it to the marble table in the kitchen and opened the box meal. The small and fat black cat immersed itself in eating right away. Mo Ting reached out to pinch its ears.
“Do you want me to take you to see mommy? Okay?”
To his surprise, the little animal cooperated by lifting its head and glancing at its owner. Then it gave a “meow” sound.
Xu Mo Ting stared blankly and laughed out.
Two days later, Li An Ning’s state of mind was a little calmer so her daily life was not too bad. She spoke to her mother on the phone every day and also Xu Mo Ting.
This morning, she went to a nearby park with her grandmother to practice Tai Chi for half an hour. When they came back, they unexpectedly met Zhou Xi who has not gone out but was eating breakfast.
“Ning Ning, do you want to eat breakfast? If you’ve nothing to do today, accompany me to go shopping, okay?”
An Ning thought for a while, then shook her head, “I have something to do.” She really has something to do since she has an appointment to meet Qiang Wei at ten o’clock in a cafe.
On the day she met Qiang Wei, An Ning felt that she really should not have come to tread on muddy water (to follow other people to do bad things).
Qiang Wei gave a meaningful smile. Her pair of penetrating eyes showed unusual persistent.
“Why pretend to be lesbian?” An Ning wanted to cry but had no tears.
“Test his s.e.xual orientation.”
“……”
At that time, An Ning was forcibly dragged inside. When Qiang Wei walked up to that man and said “I am Fu Qiang Wei and she is my lover,” An Ning nearly cried into the air.
The other person smiled, “Miss Fu, right? Please take a seat.” He glanced at An Ning, “May I know how to address you ——”
“My surname is Li.” She has no intention of saying her name. She planned to finish eating quickly and leave because too humiliating.
Actually Qiang Wei was very interested because he is a handsome guy.
But, 10:00, hospital work, 11:00, hospital work, 12:00, hospital work …… Qiang Wei was only mildly interested.
“Big brother, apart from your hospital, can you say something else ah?”
The other person stopped talking and smiled, “Okay, what do you want to say?”
“What did you just say is your area of specialization?”
“Department of Gynecology.”
Qiang Wei completely lost interest and wanted to leave. However she cannot be too rude, so she smilingly asked: “How much does hymen reconstruction surgery in your hospital cost?”
The corner of his mouth grimaced slightly and he stood up slowly, “I’m sorry. I just remember that I still have to go to the hospital today to do some work.”
Waiting until that pitiful person walked out of the cafe hurriedly, An Ning could not help but burst out laughing, “Can’t you find a more tactful excuse?”
Qiang Wei shrugged her shoulders, “Generally being tactful is not very effective. I’ve been really kind to a man who specializes in gynecology!” After saying that she waved her hand sadly. Suddenly she thought of something and asked, “By the way, did brother-in-law show any reaction when you’ve to come to G City?”
“What?” An Ning remained calm and collected.
“I mean not letting you come or very sticky and the like? Got or not?”
An Ning gave her a look of disdain, “He’s very magnanimous, okay?” However, two days before her departure …… can be considered stick to her?
Qiang Wei shook her head, “Don’t you know, the greater the man, the more evil in certain aspect?! Don’t they have a person called Zhang Qi in their dormitory? When he met me online yesterday, he asked me where have you gone. Their leader is so nasty (idle) until looked for them to play ball. The specific words are ‘d.a.m.n it. Can we beat the leader at his level!? Losing one game is equivalent to one month’s wages ah ah ah! Still let people live or not! Where is sister-in-law ah?!"”
An Ning black line (did not know how to respond to something completely out of the line).
Qiang Wei continued to imitate Zhang Qi’s manner of speaking, “Our leader had never let anyone held his hands. At a distance of a few dozen meters, he also had never been able to differentiate who is the girl walking over to him. Moreover he showed up in the university every few days. Since last year, he has never attended more than ten lessons. When the leader is together with sister-in-law, he is really well-behaved, very well-behaved—— Do you understand what I had just said?—— We feel very sad that sister-in-law is not around ah. Also, hey, can you get sister-in-law to help me get back the money ah?”
An Ning asked in a very weak voice: “How much?”
Qiang Wei replied sympathetically: “Six thousand.”
“……” Leader Xu, you are too hard-hearted, right?