Chapter Twenty-Four: A Little Bit of Sweetness

Just as Lin Shirong's black Mercedes pulled up in front of Gapper's house, Cheng Yin stepped out of the revolving door.

Today she wore a light gray shirt, black straight-leg pants, and her hair was simply tied in a ponytail, looking like a faded old photograph, standing out incongruously in the dazzling morning light of Haojiang.

"Good morning." Lin Shirong rolled down the car window, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses narrowing slightly. "Did you sleep well?"

Cheng Yin nodded and opened the car door.

As the car entered the main road, Cheng Yin gazed at the fleeting street scenes outside the window. Sunlight streamed through the windshield, casting a small, shimmering patch of light on the back of her hand.

"How did you meet Li Yaodong?" she suddenly asked.

Lin Shirong tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel: "Why are you suddenly curious about this?"

"I went to the old street last night," Cheng Yin said. "He...is a bit different."

Lin Shirong chuckled softly, and the car turned into a tree-lined road. "That happened more than ten years ago." He pushed up his glasses. "I was studying in London at the time, and I was kidnapped when I came back to Macau for a holiday."

Cheng Yin turned to look at him. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on Lin Shirong's profile and outlining his defined jawline.

"The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of five million," Lin Shirong said calmly, as if recounting someone else's story. "The old man called the police, but the kidnappers got wind of it and are preparing to kill him."

The green light came on, and the car started moving again. Cheng Yin noticed that Lin Shirong tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"He saved you," Cheng Yin stated the facts.

"Yes." Lin Shirong nodded. "The old man wanted a hefty reward, but he only asked for an opportunity." The car turned into the underground parking garage of Golden Night City. "Later, the old man invested in him to open his first casino, and the rest... is history."

Cheng Yin seemed to be deep in thought.

"We're here." Lin Shirong parked the car. "I'll pick you up for lunch."

"I heard the owner is from Huaizhou," Lin Shirong said, leading her to a seat. "It should be very authentic."

Before I was five, my parents would occasionally cook these dishes at home. Later, at my aunt's house, leftovers and expired food became the norm.

The dishes were served quickly. Lin Shirong placed the best parts into Cheng Yin's bowl.

She took a small bite; the taste was indeed authentic, but she couldn't find the familiar sensation on her tongue.

"Not to your liking?" Lin Shirong noticed that she had barely touched her chopsticks.

Cheng Yin put down her cutlery. "No." She hesitated for a moment. "Thank you for your arrangements, but..." She unusually struggled to find the right words, "I don't quite remember the taste of my hometown."

Lin Shirong's hand, which was holding a chopstick, froze in mid-air.

"My aunt's family rarely cooks these dishes," Cheng Yin explained calmly. "They...are more...frugal."

Lin Shirong recalled his father's often-quoted saying, "When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue," his own childhood of luxury, and Cheng Yin's prominent wrist bones... He suddenly lost his appetite.

"I'm sorry," Lin Shirong put down his chopsticks, "I didn't think it through."

Cheng Yin shook her head: "I should apologize." She looked at the table full of dishes, "I just feel..." She paused, as if searching for the right words, "...that I've let you down."

The thought, the gesture? The moment the word slipped out, Cheng Yin herself froze. She recalled the debate about "the thought being the most important thing," the black lace lingerie Cici had given her, and Lin Shirong's expression when he said, "A gift represents the thought..."

Lin Shirong's lips curled slightly upward, and a knowing glint flashed in his eyes behind his glasses. But he said nothing, simply gesturing for the waiter to pack it up.

On the way back to the company, the car was unusually quiet.

Cheng Yin looked out the window and suddenly said, "When Li Yaodong comes back... I'll treat you to dinner."

Lin Shirong raised an eyebrow: "Us?"

"You t, Cici..." Cheng Yin paused, as if pondering a complex question.

"What about He Jingwen?" Lin Shirong asked deliberately. "Aren't you going to invite him?"

Cheng Yin frowned slightly, clearly weighing the options carefully: "It's...okay," she finally said, her tone as if solving a math problem.

Lin Shirong couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing at?" Cheng Yin asked, puzzled.

"It's nothing," Lin Shirong said, turning the steering wheel. "I just feel... you've improved a lot."

Cheng Yin wasn't sure if it was a compliment or a joke, but Lin Shirong's expression was sincere, even carrying a hint of tenderness that she couldn't decipher.

The afternoon's work proceeded as usual.

When Cheng Yin finished processing the last report, the streetlights outside were already on. She stretched and noticed that Lin Shirong was standing at the office door, holding two cups of coffee.

"Working overtime?" He handed her a glass.

Cheng Yin took it, the warmth transferring through the paper cup to her palm: "Ready in a minute."

Lin Shirong leaned against the door frame, watching her organize the documents.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window onto Cheng Yin's profile, adding a touch of warmth to her pale skin. She was wearing the lipstick Cici had given her today, a light pink that was almost invisible, but Lin Shirong noticed it.

"Are we going to that Lianbang restaurant again tomorrow?" he suddenly asked.

Cheng Yin looked up: "Hmm?"

"You said you'd treat us," Lin Shirong pushed up his glasses, "we need to familiarize ourselves with the menu first."

"We can try another place," Cheng Yin finally said. "What does Li Yaodong like to eat?"

Lin Shirong raised an eyebrow: "You don't know?"

Cheng Yin shook her head. She had eaten with Li Yaodong countless times, but had never paid attention to his preferences.

Food was merely a necessity for her to survive, not a source of enjoyment.

"A street food stall," Lin Shirong said. "The noisier and dirtier it is, the more flavorful it is, the better he likes it." He paused, "But if it's for treating someone... the Italian restaurant on the top floor of Golden Night is good; we'll go there for Dong-ge's birthday."

Cheng Yin nodded and kept it in mind.

As Cheng Yin walked out of the company building, the night view of Macau was as dazzling as ever. Lin Shirong's car was parked in its usual spot, but Cheng Yin noticed an extra paper bag in the back seat.

"Here you go." Lin Shirong handed it to her. "Cici said your skin is sensitive and you can't use regular skincare products."

Cheng Yin took the paper bag, which contained a complete La Prairie travel set and a box of handmade chocolates.

"This is...?"

"A token of my appreciation." Lin Shirong emphasized the word "appreciation," a faint smile playing on his lips. "No need to repay the money."

"Thank you," Cheng Yin said softly, her voice gentler than usual.

Lin Shirong started the car without looking at her: "You're welcome."

On the way back to the hotel, neither of them spoke again. But the silence in the car was no longer as awkward as it had been in the morning; instead, it was a comfortable tranquility, as if two people understood each other without needing words.

At the door of apartment 3306, Lin Shirong put his car keys back in his pocket: "See you tomorrow."

Cheng Yin nodded, then suddenly asked, "When is Li Yaodong coming back?"

"The day after tomorrow afternoon." Lin Shirong pushed up his glasses. "Missing him?"

Cheng Yin shook her head honestly: "I just need to confirm the time for the dinner."

Lin Shirong smiled, this time without teasing her. He watched Cheng Yin swipe her card to enter the room, and only turned to leave after the door closed. As the elevator descended, he took off his glasses and rubbed his temples.

It wasn't the "L" of Lai Yiu-tung, she realized.

Cheng Yin picked up the box of chocolates, unwrapped it, and carefully bit off a corner. The sweetness spread across her tongue, so intense it was almost bitter. She took another bite; this time the sweetness was just right.

In the bathroom mirror, Cheng Yin saw a little chocolate on the corner of her mouth.

Outside the window, the lights of the Haojiang Tower changed colors.

Cheng Yin lay in bed, listening to the hum of the air conditioner. Tomorrow, the day after, and then Li Yaodong would be back.

She wanted to invite him to dinner, along with Lin Shirong, Cici, He Jingwen... This thought gave her a strange sense of anticipation, like a small lamp suddenly lit in the darkness, flickering weakly but firmly.