Lady

"What kind of travel guide did you read? What's there to see in Norway during Christmas? Shops are all closed, the weather is bad, and events are canceled without warning."

"Huh?" Jiang Yiying was a little confused. "Okay, it was sent to me by Brother Jiaping. It said that going during the two days of Christmas is the luckiest, as it's very festive and lively."

"It should be now, two weeks before Christmas."

Kan Yu slurped up his beef noodles for lunch, "I can go to the Christmas market with you. Sister Ju Hui has to meet a client. The guesthouse we booked was canceled. The buyer knew we were coming and prepared a big hotel. The bar on the ground floor there is very nice, but I can't have a drink with you... Sister, what do you think?"

Kan Yu followed Ju Hui's gaze.

Pedestrians and announcements hurried past the beef noodle shop. Sheng Qijing and Ao Jiangxian walked out of the Starbucks directly opposite, passed through the gray-frosty airport tarmac floor-to-ceiling windows, and headed towards the escalator.

Ju Hui said she had no appetite, and Kan Yu believed her.

Isn't she looking at the humanoid lunch right now?

Sheng Qijing was wearing a gray-black waterproof long coat today, which was now hanging on his right forearm. In his other hand, he was holding two cups of hot coffee. His matching tie had been loosened early on, revealing a section of his powerful Adam's apple, which bobbed slightly up and down.

It seems his secretary has made him happy.

The two chatted as they walked, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant.

There are several connecting routes to choose from when flying to Norway. Considering that Jiang Yiying had never taken a long-haul flight before, Ju Hui chose the shortest route with a layover in Paris.

Ju Hui was a little surprised to meet Sheng Qijing, who was on the same flight to Paris. But when he mentioned Norway, she wondered if he wanted to go with her.

This was the first time Ju Hui had guessed that Sheng Qijing would fly for over ten hours to brave the cold, just to see how beautiful her city was.

But he denied it, saying no.

This is to be expected, since Ju Hui insisted on signing with Tera and clearly chose Bian Jiaping over the other two options.

It's been a week since she signed with Tera, and the signing bonus she's received is two zeros more than her previous agency, but she's not particularly happy.

Just like Bian Jiaping gave her a house and a car, Ju Hui did this to put her mind at ease, but the more she walked this path, the more anxious she became, and the harder she tried, the less she could see ahead.

It's all Bian Jiaping's fault; he deserted his post in the face of battle.

The responsibility of making amends on her shoulders became unnecessary in Sheng Qijing's words. There was no one behind her, and Bian Jiaping, whom she had forcibly bound to, became an empty shell.

Ju Hui witnessed firsthand how foolish Bian Jiaping was, yet at the same time she was doing similar stupid things; two people had come to a dead end.

Sheng Qijing, the muse watching from above, did not understand why Ju Hui had to do this in order to preserve this thing that resembled kinship.

What if, in the end, Bian Jiaping sees her persistence and gives up leaving, then Sheng Qijing can receive compensation.

From another perspective, Sheng Qijing might be considered saintly. The bright moon hangs high above the pavilion, shining on this insatiable fool, and in the end, the story still plays along with her in a drama of deep sibling affection.

Now that she has achieved her goal of signing the contract, she should just be a well-behaved employee and stop causing trouble.

Soon, the surrounding broadcasts erupted again. Ju Hui turned around after Sheng Qijing had completely disappeared in front of the door frame, and met Kan Yu's steaming eyes.

"You're not jealous, are you? You're acting like a little girl," Kan Yu teased, noodles dangling in front of their faces. "He probably won't be coming to Norway with us, will he?"

"We'll find out when we get there."

"Then I need to send the itinerary to President Sheng."

Kan Yu liked to talk nonsense, and Ju Hui would chime in with a few words. They couldn't imagine him appearing in Norway, or in what capacity. They just listened to these words and moved on.

But Sheng Qijing realized that this was Ju Hui's meaning, and now she was also being accused of "comparing him to Bian Jiaping."

Exhausted, Ju Hui stopped paying attention to Sheng Qijing's direction as boarding approached and joined the group ahead of her.

The business class queue wasn't long, and Ju Hui boarded quickly. After a short wait, she met Sheng Qijing, whose seat was a short distance behind her.

As he passed by, he glanced down at Ju Hui, but she didn't look up.

There were plenty of food and entertainment options in business class, so Ju Hui wasn't worried about Jiang Yiying's condition. Her newly bought Infinity camera was enough for her to enjoy, and she also had a Fujifilm XT4, which she had borrowed from her senior.

The two cameras had different tasks: the Inspire was used to shoot cheerful transitions, while the Fuji was used to shoot ambient sounds and various establishing shots. Jiang Yiying waited for almost thirty minutes until the plane entered the runway, took off, and stabilized. Then, following the sales assistant's instructions, she raised the selfie stick high and repeatedly took several shots.

The cabin in the shot became a sphere. After shooting a few more takes, Jiang Yiying checked the screen and confirmed that the effect was good. She put down the camera and picked up the Fujifilm camera, but suddenly stopped while she was fiddling with it.

Jiang Yiying wanted to record the sunset and sea of ​​clouds outside the window, but what could she do if she wasn't sitting in a window seat?

Jiang Yiying pushed open the partition to ask Ju Hui, but Ju Hui had just finished lunch and, with the low pressure in the cabin, had put on an eye mask and gone for a nap.

She wanted to ask Kan Yu in economy class what to do, but as soon as she picked up her phone, she realized that this model didn't have free Wi-Fi.

Jiang Yiying had no choice but to cautiously peek out to see if there were any empty seats in seat A.

Sure enough, the partition door was closed tightly. It was her fault for being careless; she only noticed that Ju Hui was sitting next to her when she boarded the plane and then went about her own business. Even if there were empty seats, someone else should have moved to them...

Whoosh—

A partition door not far behind them happened to be opened.

Ju Hui always keeps two extra melatonin gummies in her medicine box. Because of the unpleasant experience she had with Sheng Qijing before boarding the plane, she decided to eat them as soon as she got on the plane.

When I woke up from a light sleep, my phone showed that it was 5:30 pm Ruobei time. The cabin was comfortably dim with only a faint footlight, and the compressed twilight flowed through the cracks in the not-quite-closed window.

Ju Hui rubbed her sore temples, while Jiang Yiying next door shifted her sitting position as if she had just woken up or hadn't slept at all, the sound of clothes rubbing together mixed with the white noise of the autopilot.

Ju Hui asked in a low voice, "Yi Ying, are you watching a movie?"

There was no response from the other person; of course, they couldn't hear her while wearing headphones. Ju Hui muttered to herself, lost in thought, "I woke up too early. Any movie recommendations?"

Ju Hui pulled open the partition between the two seats, revealing only the screen in front of Jiang Yiying and the small camera attached to the corner of the iron frame.

The screen was still showing the initial interface, so she wasn't looking at it.

That meant she was sleeping. Ju Hui gently closed the gap she had opened.

Forget it, I'll just buy a Wi-Fi device.

Just as her fingertips were about to touch the "over-the-air" icon, the partition opened, and a hand with distinct knuckles reached out from the side, gently placing a tablet on her table.

The screen shows the purchase interface. I've filled in my account information and am just one step away from confirming payment.

Ju Hui suddenly turned her head.

With the partition fully extended, Sheng Qijing sat in the spot where Jiang Yiying should have been. He glanced at Ju Hui; her profile appeared soft and unfamiliar in the twilight that had crept in. He then looked down at the tablet, as if it were a relic he had found belonging to Ju Hui.

"……What's the meaning?"

"Jiang Yiying said you need it too."

Ju Hui focused her gaze back on the tablet, and Sheng Qijing also leaned back in his chair. The screen-off mechanism only gave Ju Hui a minute to think, and the red button on the screen went dark shortly afterward.

Ju Hui had no choice but to tentatively nod next to the confirmation.

"How much?" she asked, maintaining a calm demeanor. "I'll transfer it to you."

"No need." He only turned his back to her, his expression hidden. "The boss doesn't need that."

The air fell silent again. Ju Hui certainly didn't lack one, and could even use her miles to get him one for free, but now Sheng Qijing had placed her in the employee position, so she didn't need to pay for it.

"Thank you, boss."

She tapped to complete the payment.

After a long flight chasing the twilight, the horizon outside the window gradually changed from orange-yellow to pink, purple, and finally to deep black night. At 7 p.m. Paris time, the plane approached the jet bridge.

The crowd of people who got off the plane stretched endlessly forward. Ju Hui and Sheng Qijing, who was walking ahead, were separated by four or five passengers collecting their luggage. The cold air from the window glass was like rain and knives. He put on his crisp long coat, and Ju Hui also bent down to straighten her old plaid scarf, the one Bian Jiaping had given her in college.

She and Jiang Yiying met Kan Yu, who was suffering from back pain from sleeping, at the fork in the road between the transfer and the exit.

Jiang Yiying laughed at him with great enthusiasm. The crowd moved slowly forward, and they naturally headed towards the same exit, but in completely different directions.

An hour later, the silver dome bound for Oslo took off onto the runway amidst the flight information broadcast, and Kan Yu was the first to stand up beside me.

Just then, Ju Hui received a new message on her phone: "Go back to China soon."

The information comes from Bian Jiaping, who suffers from insomnia in the early hours of the morning in China.

Ju Huixin was distraught. Was returning to China sooner to get back to him and argue about the ownership of the house?

Ju Hui's mood was ruined, but she still typed "OK" in the chat box.

To maintain a semblance of calm, she became the one who replied instantly.

Before the message was even sent, WeChat popped up again, and Ju Hui almost thought she was seeing things.

Sheng Qijing also sent a message:

Let me know when you land in Norway.

The airport's weak signal delayed the two people, thousands of miles apart, from sending messages simultaneously.

Ju Hui pursed her lips. Sheng Qijing's message was the only one in the past two weeks that showed genuine concern and was unrelated to Tera's contract.

"Let's go."

Kan Yu tapped her shoulder from the side.

He didn't know what Ju Hui was staring at her phone in a daze. He had called her three times already. On this flight to Oslo, he would be back in business class, and he couldn't wait to board and lie down.

"Oh, okay." Ju Hui got up and walked north step by step.

After Sheng Qijing signed her and she chose Bian Jiaping from two options, he was still willing to care about her. Ju Hui began to suspect that this might be a normal exchange between an employee and a boss.

As a greedy person, Ju Hui was happy to take these words as a signal that Sheng Qijing was taking the initiative to break the ice.

This signal caused her decision to "not get entangled" to collapse right before takeoff. It had always been like this for so many years. A single thought or a gust of wind would make her miss Sheng Qijing back home, and she had traveled back and forth many times.

However, this is based on the premise that there is no choice between the two. According to Ju Hui, Sheng Qijing's pride does not allow him to bow his head.

She walked back onto the covered bridge where their paths had crossed and then crossed again. She stared at her phone signal as it disappeared bar by bar, while Bian Jiaping and Sheng Qijing's messages remained at the top of the screen.

The remaining Wi-Fi allowed her to send only one message.

Finally, she clicked on his profile and sent the message:

【good. 】

-

After Ju Hui settled in, she turned on her phone to check the time—it was already two days later.

Time flew by in the short, mournful daylight. It was 3:10 p.m. Norwegian time. The warm yellow lights, which had just been resting, came on again. The sky gradually seeped into Jiang Yiying's mouth, wanting to capture this eternal blue moment. The air was crisp, and wet snow was falling, not very pleasant.

The "not pleasant" comment was made by Ju Hui on behalf of Jiang Yiying. Ju Hui hoped she wouldn't lie to herself anymore; even in the north, this kind of snow could fall, and drinking a glass of piping hot mulled wine from a Christmas market in this weather wasn't romantic at all.

So Ju Hui spent almost all her time indoors, meeting with a collector of sculptures and strolling around his gallery that overlooked the snowy street scene.

The collector in Oslo was a meticulous, silver-haired gentleman. When he heard that Ju Hui wanted to postpone the delivery of "Rolling Up the Sleeves" to be sent back to China for exhibition next year, he readily agreed without hesitation, and the new contract was finalized before the coffee cooled down.

Ju Hui shook hands with the gentleman and then called the warehouse to schedule international shipping.

Everything was done, the phone went dark, and the screen saver showed no new messages.

Time slipped away to the last morning in Oslo. Ju Hui hurriedly passed several landmarks like a soldier bidding farewell to a battle. Jiang Yiying finally shouted her first words of the trip: "Tired—! Aren't we supposed to catch our flight in two hours?"

Ju Hui let out a sound of surprise. She was also a little tired, but thinking that Jiang Yiying wanted to see all the scenery, she put down her camera as if she had just remembered, "Then let's go back to the hotel. Kan Yu is waiting for us to carry the luggage."

Ju Hui and the other two boarded the plane in the last ten minutes and flew directly to Tromsø.

Tromsø is truly within the Arctic Circle. When they arrived, it was already the dead of night, and the sky hung high, like a silken jewel box prepared for the emerald aurora.

The snow in Oslo stopped here. The black muddy water on the roadside was gone, replaced by ankle-deep snow that was dragged by suitcases to the trunk of the car.

After landing at the airport, they rented a car and headed to a guesthouse near the snow-capped mountains.

The car drove through the empty, cold, dark night. Jiang Yiying, feeling a little tired, lay down on the back seat and posted a clip she had edited a few days ago. Her IP address was updated to Norway in real time, and fans in the comments section kindly said they were looking forward to her Norwegian vlog.

A scarf lay piled on the leather chair, making Jiang Yiying's cheeks flush. She was in a good mood when her class monitor suddenly sent a new message: "[Yiying, it's your turn for the Comprehensive English presentation today. Did you forget? Why isn't anyone covering for you?]"

Jiang Yiying sat up abruptly. She had made thorough preparations for this trip, but she had completely forgotten about the three-minute presentation before class.

Jiang Yiying asked the class monitor: "I forgot, what did the teacher say?"

Class monitor: [The teacher knows you're in Norway and wants you to record a video teaching Norwegian phrases in English. Send it to her before class tomorrow.]

Class monitor: [Don't worry, the teacher isn't angry.]

The class monitor sent another head-patting emoji, and then kindly reminded everyone: There are still 21 hours and 40 minutes until class tomorrow.

Jiang Yiying never expected that the first thing to disrupt her plans wouldn't be the weather, but the comprehensive English assignment a thousand miles away. She sat at the dining table by the window of the guesthouse, looking out at Kan Yu who was clearing snow from the mountaintop viewing platform, and felt inexplicably nervous.

Ju Hui, who taught her Norwegian, comforted her: "We'll stay here for five days, no rush."

Jiang Yiying felt bitter and silently increased her speed.

Within ten minutes, several streaks of rain appeared on the window.

Five minutes later, the fine rain had turned the long window into a frosted finish.

Snow, it's here again.

The phone notified her that the cable car was out of service due to strong winds, so her plan to take photos at the observation deck was cancelled. After recording her presentation video and sending it to her teacher, Jiang Yiying only wandered around the town and tried some venison and not-so-good beer.

Jiang Yiying had no choice but to pin her hopes on the next day.

But the situation remains the same.

The dog sledding session was cancelled. In addition, the English teacher said that Jiang Yiying's video was a bit perfunctory and that she seemed to be peeking at the teleprompter. He asked her to return to school and make up for it with a live presentation.

"Just relax and treat these two days like Christmas. Going out will feel the same as now. Does that make you happier?"

Ju Hui punched Kan Yu, realizing his words were wrong but there was nothing she could do. Remembering the thought that "Jiang Yiying can't be bored any longer," Ju Hui suggested, "Let's eat at home today. I'll make you Nanchang mixed rice noodles."

Nanchang mixed rice noodles are sold in supermarkets, and the nearest supermarket to the guesthouse is near Ju Hui's house—a farmhouse facing the fjord.

Kan Yu knew she was going to buy instant noodles when he heard the name. He also needed to go back to the house to get her handy little pot. He tossed the car keys to Ju Hui and said only, "I'm eating instant noodles."

Ju Hui gave an OK sign.

Snow is only white during the day. With only four hours of sunshine, the sky changes color every second. The wind whistles past the wheels. Ju Hui hopes to get back before dark to avoid the whitening of the road.

The world was overcast. The snow had stopped, but snowflakes swept up by the wind fell freely onto Ju Hui's hat and shoulders. She parked her car in front of her house, quickly grabbed a small pot, and prepared to walk to the Chinese Super League.

The phone vibrated in the side pocket of the down jacket; Jiang Yiying sent a crying emoji.

Jiang Yiying: [[Video]]

Jiang Yiying: [Can you help me see if it's really that bad...?]

Ju Hui took off her gloves, clicked, and walked forward while looking at the screen.

There's no need to turn the volume up; the wind suddenly subsided a bit.

"...In Norwegian, 'I love you' is a subject-verb-object phrase, just like in English: 'Jeg elsker dig,' where the three words represent 'I,' 'love,' and 'you.'"

"Please note that you should not say this to your roommate; it should only be used in close relationships. Of course, if there is love between you, then disregard what I said..."

Ju Hui chuckled. No wonder the teacher said she was perfunctory. Ju Hui had taught Jiang Yiying so much, but all she had taught were two ways to say "I love you," and her pronunciation wasn't even standard.

Ju Hui's fingertips were slightly red. She held the phone to her mouth, pressed the voice button, and said, "It would be better if you could add more content and pronounce it more naturally. Jeg elsker dig."

Jiang Yiying also sent a voice message: "Jeg elskkerr, die?"

As they approached the Chinese Super League, Ju Hui was amused by her sudden realization and trilled her tongue. She raised her phone and repeated:

“Jeg elsker……dig”

Ju Hui stopped, and the wind stopped at that moment as well.

She saw Sheng Qijing, dressed in all black, standing clearly on the other side of the road. She was heading north, but he was nowhere to be seen; he was just standing there.

At this moment, they were almost parallel, gazing at each other from afar.

Sheng Qijing looked like a telephone pole, with only his eyes showing under his hat—a feature Ju Hui had never paid attention to before, but now it had become a landmark for recognizing him.

—That's insane.

Ju Hui turned and walked towards him.

The question resurfaced in her mind: In what capacity did he appear?

Is she her friend, boss, old classmate, or boyfriend?

—Sheng Qijing has really arrived.