Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Rewards
It was not yet nine o'clock in the evening when Li Jinglang got home. As soon as he entered the room, he went back to his room and locked the door. Tang Ningyue asked him to have supper together outside the door, but was rejected.
Zhou Su was on a business trip again. She was much busier than before. Before boarding the plane, she called Tang Ningyue and asked her to help take care of Li Jinglang for a few days.
In fact, Li Jinglang doesn't need anyone to take care of him at all. He even feels annoyed when someone is around him, but Zhou Su just wants him to talk more, walk around, and feel better.
Since childhood, Zhou Su had taken Li Jinglang to meet many friends, but he had always been indifferent, at most greeting them out of politeness, and nothing more. The only person he could think about every day was Tang Ningyue.
It’s just that ten years is too long, long enough for people to forget what another person looks like.
Even someone like Tang Ningyue doesn't have much self-confidence, but no matter what the reason, she will not say no to Zhou Su.
Tang Ningyue had just returned to China and hadn't gotten back on track yet. She had a lot of free time recently. She ate takeout barbecue in the evening and had the time to video call her younger brother who was studying in Singapore.
Tang Zhaoming had just dyed his hair blue and was still sitting in the barber shop, so Tang Ningyue started to mock him.
"Look at what you're wearing, like a colorful peacock, and your hair, grandpa will beat you to death if he sees you." Tang Ningyue took a bite of rice cake and said with disgust.
"I dyed it back when school started. I won't let Grandpa find out." Tang Zhaoming smiled and asked her, "Where are you?"
"At...home."
Tang Ningyue sat up straight with a guilty conscience. Her grandfather and mother didn't know that she was living in Zhou Su's house, and she didn't dare let them know. After all, things had been so tense back then, and Xu Lin was a person who cared about her reputation and had no plans to come back. If she knew, it would definitely be a big deal.
"Home?" Tang Zhaoming raised his eyebrows and asked, "Have you moved in with Brother Qingye?"
"No." Tang Ningyue answered vaguely, "Why are you asking, Old Blind? You've never been to Beining. Even if I tell you, you wouldn't know."
Tang Zhaoming was born in Canada. He only knew Xu Qing through Tang Ningyue. After returning, he only traveled to the south a few times. He knew nothing about Beining or the Zhou Su family.
"Then does the switch you promised to buy me still count?" Tang Zhaoming had his birthday last month. Tang Ningyue was very worried about returning to China at the time and said she would give him a birthday present after she left, but it has been a long time since then.
Tang Ningyue smiled and said she would think about it. Tang Zhaoming jumped up from his seat and begged her in a pitiful voice.
"Good sister, please, I will be your slave for the rest of my life."
The two were still arguing when a beam of light suddenly appeared in the corridor, and the next second Li Jinglang pushed open the bedroom door and walked out.
Tang Ningyue hurriedly said goodbye to Tang Zhaoming, hung up the video and put the phone on the table.
"Did I disturb you?" She leaned forward and asked Li Jinglang.
Only the lights in the restaurant were on. He stood at the corner against the light, hesitated for a few seconds, and walked out amidst Tang Ningyue's blooming smile.
"No." He shook his head slightly.
She loves to laugh, as if life is always positive for her no matter what the circumstances are. She never seems to care about right or wrong, and she will never be like him, losing sleep all night long because of trivial matters.
"Thirsty?"
Seeing him walk to the island counter to pour a glass of water, Tang Ningyue talked to him again, her eyes following his direction.
Li Jinglang turned his back to her, and boiled water rolled down his throat, diluting the dryness in the room.
The restaurant fell silent again, the same silence that fell wherever he appeared.
There is a wind chime chandelier hanging in front of the restaurant's island counter. It makes a sound when the wind blows, but that only happens in the summer. It is always so quiet in winter.
After quenching his thirst, Tang Ningyue's gaze had not yet ended. Li Jinglang could feel the burning gaze even with his back to her.
He put down the used cup, picked up a new cup from the side, poured most of the water into it, and finally placed it in front of Tang Ningyue.
Tang Ningyue was a little surprised, then smiled: "Thank you."
He shook his head and prepared to go back.
"Hey!" Tang Ningyue called him again, holding a little rabbit-shaped mousse dessert and pulling his arm.
This little dessert is only the size of a bite, and it is really hard to refuse.
"Yes." She handed it over. "It's a gift of reciprocity."
"Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome, brother."
Hearing this name, Li Jinglang stopped in his tracks and his head tightened for a moment. He didn't know if it was because it was too hot indoors or the humidifier was not turned on. In short, his brain was not in control, just like the ballet girl in the music box who kept adding strings and would dance wildly once he let go.
He stared at the dessert in his hand, his jaw clenched, and said something incoherent: "Do you miss him here?"
"Him?" Tang Ningyue didn't react. "Who?"
"Brother." Li Jinglang's eyes darkened and he spoke incoherently. One could only feel his lips moving.
"Tang Zhaoming, why do I miss him? I'm so annoyed with him. If he were a little more obedient and listened to me, I might just take pity on him and answer his call..."
Tang Ningyue was still complaining, but Li Jinglang was no longer willing to listen.
Be good...
obedient....
"Yeah." He nodded, his eyes fixed on the floor, not looking at her again, "It's getting late, I'm going to bed first."
-
Boys of this age are the easiest to coax. The next morning, Tang Ningyue just came out of the bedroom yawning. Li Jinglang was already sitting in the dining room. Seeing Tang Ningyue, he stood up awkwardly and pointed at the breakfast on the table.
"Want to eat?"
His tone was always soft, almost inviting, almost pleading. But if he had anticipated this scene the first day Tang Ningyue returned, he would have slapped himself awake that very day. Of course, if he excused himself by saying "out of politeness," even ten slaps wouldn't have woken him.
This ridiculous excuse could only deceive himself, but it was enough. If someone asked him now, he would definitely not admit that his life had been completely marked by her.
Especially when that gentle smile appeared on her lips again.
"Of course I want to eat it." Tang Ningyue certainly wouldn't refuse, "Auntie made it?"
Tang Ningyue had just finished washing up and sat down to drink some lotus seed soup to clear her stomach.
"Yeah." He nodded and responded.
She looked at him and smiled, then stuffed the custard bun in her hand into her mouth and looked down at the dishes on the table.
"Don't you like the breakfast I made?" she teased him again.
"No." He explained, "It was prepared in advance."
"OK."
Tang Ningyue didn't ask him any more questions. She finished the meal with him quietly, took the car keys and sent him to school as usual.
This time he remembered it. After getting off the car, he turned around and said goodbye to her before leaving. Tang Ningyue took out a piece of coffee candy from the car and gave it to him, saying it was a reward.
Although it was awkward, he still accepted it and hurried to escape, holding the candy all the way through the gate.
Tang Ningyue was in a good mood and hummed a song all the way to the company. Her mind was still on the moment she asked him before leaving if there were any other girls in school who had given him gifts. It was the first time she had seen someone like that and her earlobes and neck turned red. She didn't have the heart to tease him anymore.
She is still in the stage of getting familiar with the company's business and is not as busy as Xu Qing. She attended a regular meeting with him and met several newly signed artists of the company, and then she was free again.
Xu Qing also brought two cups of coffee, and leaned against the low table by the floor-to-ceiling window with Tang Ningyue, asking her what she thought of the boys just now.
"These people have participated in many programs, big and small. Although they don't have many fans, they still have a certain fan base." Xu Qing also flipped through their files and introduced them to Tang Ningyue.
"Today's hairstyle was also designed by the company?" Tang Ningyue added a whole sugar cube into the coffee cup and stirred it slowly with her head down.
"No, they're all my own private clothes." Xu Qing also pushed his glasses and asked, "Are they okay?"
"Hmm... not bad."
"Unsatisfied?"
"No." Tang Ningyue took a sip of coffee. "I always feel... they don't look like fresh graduates."
"Studying acting... he must be different from the science and engineering boys you usually interact with."
"Indeed." Tang Ningyue nodded, then changed the subject, "But...for a man, the most important thing is to please a woman."
"They..." Tang Ningyue shook her head and sighed twice, "It's as if anyone who sees them will fall in love with them immediately. There's no desire to..."
"Of course I don't mean anything against you." Tang Ningyue looked at Xu Qingye and smiled without any concealment.
"No." Xu Qing also leaned back. "You're right. After all, we rely on fans to make a living. If we can't please our customers, there's no point in having them."
"But your requirements are a bit high." Xu Qing also joked, "It's hard to find someone who can meet your conditions."
"They need to have a good image, but not be too conspicuous, and be humble in every way." He paused. "At first, they can do it, and they can pretend to do it, but after a while, no one can control it."
"Then don't wait until it's out of control." Tang Ningyue stared at the rolling river in the distance, her eyes stretched long. Her words seemed to be a joke, and she even used inappropriate words and metaphors. "Just break their wings first."
Xu Qing also turned his head to look at her, and smiled: "Ning Yue, you have changed a lot."
She raised the corners of her lips high but did not answer.
Xu Qing also turned his gaze back and nodded.
"You're right...some things, if you cherish them too much, you can't keep them."
You must never be soft-hearted when you need to be ruthless.
-
Li Jinglang told Tang Ningyue that he had evening classes tonight, and she promised to pick him up at 8 o'clock.
After class at five o'clock, he had a quick dinner in the cafeteria and went to the library. He stood in front of the window in the corridor at the right time and replied to Tang Ningyue's message when he saw the familiar Mercedes-Benz.
[I'm done with class, I'm coming out now.]
The library was some distance away from the teaching building, so he went around from the back door, walked through the entire building, and finally came out from the main door of the teaching building.
Tang Ningyue's car was still parked in that position. This time she didn't come out, but sat in the driver's seat replying to text messages.
"Are you here?"
As soon as Li Jinglang approached, Tang Ningyue immediately put down her phone and smiled at him.
Today we prepared sweet milk, which was still boiling hot when it was handed to Li Jinglang.
"No need for that." He squeezed the milk bottle in his hand, and suddenly felt that this year's winter did not seem to have as biting wind as before.
"It's just a simple thing." Tang Ningyue didn't take it seriously and started the car.
She hadn't taken it seriously at first. Work was much more troublesome than taking care of someone, but she had never complained. Besides, it wasn't a hard job, and Zhou Su's care for her was more important than that.
Consider it a repayment, or perhaps gratitude, that's what she should do.
"Thank you." He looked at her in the rearview mirror.
"You should thank me." She turned the car around and successfully entered the main road. "Other men can't even beg for it."
Li Jinglang watched her eyes slide down, finally landing on the dial, and then retracted it, "Will it waste your time to pick me up every day?"
People who do business always have to socialize, just like Zhou Su.
"At this time? Are you talking about social events?" Tang Ningyue couldn't think of anything else.
"These things are not as important as picking you up."
People in the business world are always good at talking nonsense, saying one thing to one person and another thing to another. Tang Ningyue is even more immersed in this than Xu Qingye.
Xu Qing still has some literary qualities, but Tang Ningyue doesn't care about that. Maintaining personal connections and making friends is much more important than being aloof and reserved.
What's more, she doesn't belong to the category of good men and women.
After all, Li Jinglang was still a young man who had not yet entered society. He could not stand Tang Ningyue's words and fell silent, drinking milk secretly in the shadows.
"Oh, by the way." Tang Ningyue said again, "Does your school have a confession wall?"
"Our company recently signed a new contract with a boy from your school. We wanted to see how he's doing in school for our new project," she explained. "He's the key player."
"But...you shouldn't pay attention to these, right?" Tang Ningyue glanced at him through the rearview mirror. No matter how she looked at him, he didn't seem to have anything to do with this.
"have."
He replied suddenly.
It turns out he was listening to her carefully.
"What's your name?"
"His name is...Duan...Duan something. I don't remember. The company gave him a stage name. I can't remember what he was called in school either. We just met today."
"Duan Jiayu." He murmured, his voice so soft that he couldn't even hear it clearly.
"What did you say?" Tang Ningyue really didn't hear clearly.
"Nothing." He tilted his head towards the car window again. "Ask me when you understand."
"Okay, then please help me find out more. I'll treat you to a meal later, okay?"
He didn't say anything, or perhaps he replied with a faint "hmm", but the wind was too loud and blew it away.
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Tang·Dog Training Master, Li·Dogless
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
