The Heartbeat at the Tip of the Tongue

Word count: 3954

Uncle’s birthday

Lin Ke Song looked at the other party carefully, and wondered if this man was really the big ice block?

“Miller, make a trip to ‘Blue tulips’.”

“Yes, sir.”

At this time Jiang Qian Fan took out his phone, and made a call: “Help me prepare a three-pound birthday cake. I’ll pick it up in an hour.”

Lin Ke Song blinked her eyes, did he order the cake for her?

But Jiang Qian Fan is even acquainted with her uncle ah, why would he order a cake for him?

He never bothered himself with things that had no business with him.

After hanging up the call, Jiang Qian Fan also didn’t explain anything to Lin Ke Song, it was so quiet in the car that Lin Ke Song thought that this was all her wishful thinking.

10 minutes later, their cars stopped in front of an extremely exquisite entrance of a café.

They hadn’t even entered, and they could smell the rich and mellow aroma of coffee.

Lin Ke Song had never been a coffee enthusiast, but the aroma pa.s.sing through her nostrils at this moment was simply too moving.

Just as Jiang Qian Fan ascended the steps, a waiter wearing a white dress shirt with a coffee coloured ap.r.o.n around the waist refined and courteously opened the door for them.

“Mr Jiang.”

They bowed in greeting at a 30-degree angle, in no way with exaggerated enthusiasm, the smile was just right, but not at all stiff.

Lin Ke Song could tell, that they’d received professional training before.

They were led to a corner by the window, it was very quiet, and could just see the spa.r.s.e pedestrians on the street.

“What do you want to eat? The cake won’t be done so quickly.”

Jiang Qian Fan opened his mouth, and Lin Ke Song could only then confirm that the birthday cake ordered was for her.

The waiter bent the back, and place a menu in front of Lin Ke Song.

This was a handsome guy, wavy maroon hair, high nose bridge and grey blue eyes, a slight smile, and Lin Ke Song started feeling shy.

“English waffles.”

You couldn’t see the prices for the things here, but Lin Ke Song knew that the places that Jiang Qian Fan went to, as long as it had something to do with eating, the price would definitely not be cheap.

“Do you wish to drink anything?”

Little handsome guy’s smile made Lin Ke Song feel that it would be an offense if she didn’t order a drink.

Lin Ke Song lifted her head to look at Jiang Qian Fan.

“the earl grey milk tea here is pretty good.”

“Then I’ll have an earl grey milk tea.”

Lin Ke Song’s understanding towards milk tea, was using a drink that brewed milk tea powder with other sauces, a cheap one would cost 4 dollars, a slightly more expensive one would cost 10 plus dollars. Wonder what the milk tea would be like here.

When the waiter left, Jiang Qian Fan asked: “You like Morgan?”

“Morgan?” Lin Ke Song was stunned.

What Morgan? JPMorgan?

“The waiter from before.”

Jiang Qian Fan’s voice carried a little coolness.

Especially just as Lin Ke Song thought that he was becoming easier to get along with.

“Ah…… no ah. Why would……” Lin Ke Song subconsciously wanted to deny at first, but she reacted and thought that it was better to not lie to Jiang Qian Fan, so she hurriedly supplemented, “I only thought that he looked really good when he smiled, and his att.i.tude was very professional.”

Jiang Qian Fan didn’t say anything.

But Lin Ke Song’s heart felt like there were ants crawling back and forth. How did he manage to figure out that she like Morgan by just hearing?

Totally can’t be anymore baffling.

She was female, see a handsome guy and give him a couple more admiring looks, didn’t even whistle at him……

The atmosphere became slightly awkward in a short while. Until the waiter called Morgan carried the tray of English waffles and earl grey milk tea to her side, when he lowered his body and smiled at Lin Ke Song, Lin Ke Song could not help but pull back her mind from those beautiful pair of blue eyes, and politely said: “Thank you.”

The plating of the English waffles paid much attention to the pattern, the crisp white cream and the cherries and strawberries made others feel a sense of merriment. Lin Ke Song’s knife gently touched the surface of the waffle, the crispy sound was like tearing a piece of paper. Dip a little in the whipping cream, send it into her mouth, the feeling of happiness peeled of layer by layer in her mouth, the fluffy soft insides made her unconsciously smile.

Jiang Qian Fan on the opposite had his left leg over his right, sitting on this type of sofa, and holding a cup of coffee, aristocratically elegant, this was a disposition that was innate and could not be imitated.

The steam shrouded his forehead, nodded when he took a sip of coffee, it seemed like something silently pa.s.sed between his down casted eyelids, and was rippling through the air.

Lin Ke Song looked at the other party stupidly.

Until Jiang Qian Fan put down his cup, and leisurely asked: “are the waffles not good?”

Lin Ke Song suddenly remembered the mixed mushroom pork noodles from that night. All because she wanted to show herself more cultured in front of him, he thought that she didn’t like the noodles he made. Now, he won’t think that she didn’t like the food again ba?

“No! the waffles here are really good, it’s the ……”

“It’s the best waffles that you’ve ever eaten, and it’s so good you’re going to explode.”

Even if Lin Ke Song’s IQ was in the negatives, she’d also know that Jiang Qian Fan was ridiculing her.

“This is the first time I’ve ever had waffles. And it’s really delicious.” Lin KE Song didn’t say anything else, and silently had a sip of the earl grey milk tea.

And only then did she realise, the milk tea here actually soaked the tea leaves in milk. The fresh fragrance of the tea and the smoothness of the milk blended into the mouth, the taste was unique, the aftertaste was also deeper than the milk teas sold by the streets.

“You only had a mouthful.”

Why was he always preoccupied with why she only had a few mouthfuls or how she ate?

You mean she should gobble and inhale her food like she just came back from the refugee camps?

Lin Ke Song suddenly felt cheeky.

“Because I was looking at you.”

Jiang Qian Fan had nothing to say.

The corner of Lin Ke Song’s lips lifted, and purposely used an extremely honest tone to say: “Morgan only looks good when he smiles. But you, no matter what angle it is, no matter what kind of cold expression you show, all make me unable to look away.”

Aiya! The goose b.u.mps are about to fall into the milk tea!

She must have been possessed by Song Yi Ran, otherwise how could she have possible said these kind of words?

But, what expression would Jiang Qian Fan produce?

Will it be a shy one? What a joke, even of the whole world said that he was like a beautiful scene, chic and suave, only afraid that he would not even laugh.

The probability was greater that he would tell her coldly that she shouldn’t ever play this kind of silly joke ever.

Bit Jiang Qian Fan’s response exceeded Lin Ke Song’s expectations.

His body leaned forward, a hand on the table. As his face came nearer and closer, Lin Ke Song could not help moving backwards, until her back was firmly stuck to the sofa.

The entire s.p.a.ce seemed to follow Jiang Qian Fan’s figure and seemed about to collapse in front of her.

Her breath was stuck in her body, because he was too close, his stern but delicate features were so clear, she was afraid that the breath she breathed out would touch his skin.

Jiang Qian Fan reached out his other hand, and just nicely put it on Lin Ke Song’s shoulder, his fingers touched her neck, the blood pumping under his skin along his fingertips.

Until his hand lifted up her chin, covered her cheek, his fingers travelled along the lines of her brow, from the heart of the eyebrows to the end of the eyebrows.

“Wh……What is it……” Lin Ke Song asked extremely nervous.

She had subconsciously wanted to stick onto the other party’s palm, because the warmth there distracted her, it wasn’t too warm, and it wasn’t too cool.

But she endured.

Because she did not know just what Jiang Qian Fan was doing.

A good while later, Jiang Qian Fan took back his hand.

“Indeed, my looks are aesthetically pleasant and mainstream. But yours, are too common.”

“……”

Lin Ke Song wanted a to cover his face with the waffles. A pity that she didn’t dare to. And could only fiercely use the fork to jab the waffle, then stuff it into her mouth, and bite it with her might.

“the sound of your eating now, sounds like you feel it’s really delicious.”

Jiang Qian Fan lifted his coffee in an elegant posture.

Lin Ke Song took a look at her messy plate: Jiang Qian Fan do you really have aesthetics!

At this time, Morgan came to their side, and told them that their cake was prepared.

Lin Ke Song carried the cake and returned to the car with Jiang Qian Fan.

The car did not drive to Chinatown, but stopped at the corner of the street.

Lin Ke Song alighted, and suddenly felt her mood get a lot happier.

Haven’t seen Uncle for a few days, wonder how he’s doing! Is the restaurant busy? How’s business going?

When she came to Lin’s restaurant, and saw the mult.i.tudes of people coming and going, she could not help producing a grin.

Just as she was about to walk in, someone happily yelled: “Hurry ah! Ke Song’s back!”

Uncle practically rushed out from the back kitchen: “Ke Song! You’re back! Go up and have a seat! Uncle is on the way!”

“don’t need to greet me already! Uncle do your thing! I’ll also help out! This is a birthday cake for you!”

Uncle received the cake, and smile ecstatically: “There’s even a cake! Ke Song you’re so thoughtful! The few disciples I had have all graduated! I’ll hand all of tonight over to them! I’ll explain a couple words and come up! Right, your friend also came over! Actually it was to see you, in the end he even brought me a gift! So embarra.s.sed ah! So I got him to stay for dinner!”

“My friend?” Lin Ke Song blinked, “Can’t be Song Yi Ran ba?”

“Right right right! It’s Song Yi Ran! Go up and play with him!”

Haven’t seen that chap for so many days, Lin KE Song suddenly missed him so much. Ran up in a couple of steps, pushed opened the door of the first room.

Uncle knew that she will be back after 3 months, so the room was maintained, even the bed sheets and all that were properly covered.

And in the bed, laid a person, his back was towards the door, and only exposed the broad shoulders and a pair of long legs.

Even though it was only the view of a back, it was enough to charm many ladies.

Lin EK Song sat at the edge of the bed, and pounded his shoulders with her fingers: “Hey! Song Yi Ran! This is my territory, why is it invaded by you again?”

Song Yi Ran suddenly turned around, his arms bypa.s.sed around Lin Ke Song’s waist, and directly hugged her. His face was practically stuck to Lin Ke Song’s back, the warm breath made her freeze up uncontrollably.

“Why is it that though I haven’t been feeding you well, you still fattened up a round?”

Song Yi Ran said m.u.f.fled.

“No way? I didn’t even eat much ah!” Lin Ke Song angrily lowered her head, and realised that Song Yi Ran’s were all smiles.

“Didn’t eat much? Is it because I wasn’t around and so you missed me?” Song Yi Ran turned around, propped his face, really was quite like a tipsy concubine.

The long eyes carried a faint smile that provoked, lips bent in a lazy arc.

Even that elegant nose, made people have an impulse to bite down.

“That whatever food show’s host Annalise came over to look for me, said the that pot of stew I made it to the rotten tomatoes top 10 list, I did long for you then, longed to punch you!”

Lin Ke Song raised her fist, and just as she was about to pound into his nose, she was firmly withheld by Song Yi Ran.

He loosened her fingers one by one, lowered his eyes, couldn’t tell if he were happy, his fingers slowly embedded through hers, and pressed her hand gently onto the pillow.

“What about now? Do you think this so called isolated training is of any use? You don’t seem to be getting along happily with your mentor.”

Not very happily?

Lin Ke Song hesitated. Indeed, Jiang Qian Fan wasn’t that kind of patient and gentle through all weathers kind of mentor. At the start, she held some suspicions towards his behaviour. So many expectations, so many rules, so uneasy.

But if she really had to leave the life she had now, she suddenly felt that she’d actually be unable to bear to leave it.

Is this her having Stockholm syndrome?

Song Yi Ran raised his head slightly, that pair of mesmerising eyes looked at Lin Ke Song, and observed in detailed every one of her micro expressions.

His eyes were very deep.

Lin Ke Song suddenly felt that the Song Yi Ran in front of her was very unfamiliar. Because he had never looked at her like that, like he wanted to pull her into his eyes.

“If you want to lobby money for the degree’s tuition fees, I can recommend other more suitable jobs. You don’t have to definitely join this compet.i.tion. This kind of compet.i.tion, they most probably have a script already prepared. The so called learning from a mentor, is only a gimmick.”

Song Yi Ran used a very calm tone to say. There was no intention to mock her, but only to tell her a truth.

“You’re saying, that even if I joined the compet.i.tion, the result of the compet.i.tion actually had nothing to do with the abilities of the contestants…… just like those variety shows, whoever the audience likes will last to the end, and whoever is at the end will be the champion? Everything is for the ratings?”

Lin Ke Song was inexplicable agitated. When Annalise appeared in front of her and talked about some rotten tomatoes list, she actually knew in her heart that this was only a television programme. But Jiang Qian Fan…… made her treat all these seriously.

Because she believed, the programme that made Jiang Qian Fan get serious can be some flub dub programme.

“even though on the surface they let these prestigious big chefs in the industry mentor their students, but is 3 months really enough? This kind of compet.i.tion is just for the big chefs to avoid direct compet.i.tion that can result in embarra.s.sment and a loss of reputation. But they can totally have the students that the chefs have been teaching for a long time to compete ah! The standards will be higher, able to represent better, and are also able to achieve the motive of mining rookies. But the completion committee just happen to choose those of you who made the worst dish. You mean it really isn’t to attract the audience’s interests, and whet their appet.i.tes?”

Lin Ke Song knew that Song Yi Ran wasn’t targeting her, and was only worried that she would get disappointed if she carried too high of an expectation into people’s traps. This kind of feeling was much worse than when she knew at first that this was all a game for the audience to watch.

Song Yi Ran sat up, his finger tapped in Lin Ke Song’s forehead, “Look at your disappointment. Stayed so long in the kitchen, are you interested in cooking already?”

Lin Ke Song covered her forehead.

“Seems like it ba…… you know, I used to think that as long as food was cooked, the taste right and it’d be enough. I never knew that a dish, from the choosing of the ingredients, the cutting, pairing, the layer of flavours, all had so many details to take note of. If your told me that a cooking was an art or something before I came to New York, I would have harshly mocked you. But now…… it is indeed an art.”

“so you want to continue?” Song Yi Ran asked.

“I want to understand those things…… but I don’t really want to be a clown on telly.”

“Then as I’ve said, we can find someone willing to teach you.”

“But I’ve already promised to partic.i.p.ate in the compet.i.tion, I can’t just irresponsibly back out. Furthermore, there is a cash prize. Treat it as the salary for three months of work would do.” Lin Ke Song laughed, bent down and said softly, “furthermore from that big book of questions from Uncle, I haven’t even gotten a single answer. If I back out halfway like this, he’d definitely kill me.”

“You have never been those kind of people who never finish what they started.”

Song Yi Ran yawned, and lazily got up.

Lin Ke Song hadn’t straightened her waist in time, the tip of Song Yi Ran’s nose just nicely rubbed past her face.

The slightly cool tip of the nose left a lingering feeling like a scratch when it touched her cheek.

Lin Ke Song covered her face, while Song Yi Ran fluttered his peachy eyes, suddenly there was a pool of flirtation, “Great ah, Lin Ke Song! You were purposely waiting for me to kiss you right!”

The old drama is about to be staged.

Li Ke Song hunched her shoulders and laughed out loud three times, placed a leg along the edge of the bed frame, a finger hooked under Song Yi Ran’s chin, “Aiyo, pretty one, you seen through it? Come come come, let master give you a kiss.”

Song Yi Ran was like a lazy cat, covered his eyes like he was really enjoying Lin Ke Song hooking his chin.

At that moment, Lin Ke Song was shaken, she suddenly thought, when Chu Ting or other ladies played with him, will he also show this kind of expression?

At the next moment, Song Yi Ran cupped Lin Ke Song’s wrist, and suddenly pressed Lin Ke Song down.

When the back of her head hit the pillow, the Song Yi Ran in front of Lin Ke Song’s eyes suddenly got closer to her face.

His breath was at her nose, everything was caged by him, that kind of suppression, made Lin Ke Song inexplicably feel danger.

It was a posture totally different from Jiang Qian Fan, it was like a dormant beast, finally locking down on its prey in the thick forest.

The originally lazy and practically didn’t care about anything eyes, seemed to suddenly crash into the dark night.

A few seconds later, Lin Ke Song finally got her mind back.

“Hey…… you scared me to death!” she lifted her thigh, and actually was about to kick him away, but in the end, because the position wasn’t right, only the knee rubbed past the other party’s waist.

At that moment, Song Yi Ran’s eyes got even darker.

He slowly lowered his head, turned his face, like he was about to lean into her lips.

Lin Ke Song got nervous.

The closer he got, the clearer his warmth.

Don’t be played by him anymore. And don’t carry any expectations towards him.

Lin KE Song snapped her head away, Song Yi Ran’s head was buried in her neck, then he gave a m.u.f.fled laugh.

“Hey, master—— the pretty one was about to kiss you, how did you end up getting shy?”

Lin KE Song rolled her eyes. Look ba! Look ba! This chap was just like this!

Good thing she didn’t uncontrollably kiss him, otherwise don’t know how this d.a.m.ned ending would be!

“What are you guys doing!”

A girl’s voice sounded at their sides.

Lin Ke Song turned her face, and this time she really just happened to touch Song Yi Ran’s lips.

She widened her eyes, and didn’t have her consciousness back for a few seconds.

What had she just done?

The person standing at the side of the bed wasn’t anyone else, it was Lin Xiao Xue!

Don’t even bother first about how Song Yi Ran would react, but what to do if Lin Xiao Xue ran to tell her Uncle rubbish? Even if it was very open minded here, but Uncle was like her Father, are all very conservative people, definitely don’t like the young one to mess around in the room! And Song Yi Ran just happened to be pressing down on her, only the Lord knows if she were told on by Lin Xiao Xue, Uncle will think that they were doing something!

“Fooling around ah.” Song Yi Ran smiled as he got up.

“Fooling around? Lin Ke Song, didn’t you say that you were only ten-year-old friends with him?” Lin Xiao Xue was a whole appearance of anger.

Lin KE Song  囧-ed, why is this girl so obvious everything was shown on her face ah.

As if afraid that the whole world didn’t know she was interested in Song Yi Ran.

But today, Lin Ke Song considers this as seeing the real ability of Song Yi Ran’s thick skin.

“Who said that ten-year-old friends couldn’t fool around?” Song Yi Ran opened his arms, a posture like wanting to hug Lin Xiao Xue, “You can join us too ah! Otherwise you can kiss this part too?”

Lin Xiao Xue was stunned.

In her heart, Song Yi Ran was a personable, knowledgeable, virtuous, tiptop specimen. The previous time he helped her with her essay and she got a very high grade, even the lecturer praised her thoughts, sufficient a.n.a.lysis of the arguments. She idolised Song Yi Ran even more.

But the Song Yi Ran now, is he really Song Yi Ran?

“Wanna join or not ah?”

“You…… you…… this is my house!”

After saying, Lin Xiao Xue angrily slammed the door and went off.

Song Yi Ran didn’t forget to raise his voice to say: “but this is Lin Ke Song’s room. Remember to knock the next time you come!”

Separated by a wall, but Lin KE Song could hear the sounds of Lin Xiao Xue throwing things.

She exasperatedly lifted her leg, and kicked Song Yi Ran.

“Who asked you to play around! You’ve played well now ah! If Uncle knows about it, don’t even know how to explain. Let me be clear, Xiao Xue isn’t Chu Ting, she’s my cousin, my family. Don’t fool around.”

Song Yi Ran turned around, gathered his brows: “just what kind of person am I in your heart ah?”

“Gold and jade on the outside, filth on the inside.” Lin Ke Song sat up, crossed her legs, a hand propped on her knee and answered very seriously.

“Then what if one day you realise, that I’m the same inside out?”