Chapter 34
I arrived feeling relaxed, and I'll leave feeling the same way.
Lin Ting walked down the street with a cloth bag slung over her shoulder. Young people don't resolve their inner conflicts so easily. Her nonchalant departure was a way of protecting her self-esteem, but the resentment in her heart had not yet dissipated.
She didn't go back to her dormitory. She walked alone on the roadside for a long time. As night fell and the streetlights came on, the surrounding bar area began its nightlife.
Neon lights flickered with vibrant colors, creating a dazzling and intoxicating atmosphere. At the bar, the bartender skillfully swirled the glasses, concocting tempting cocktails.
At the bar, a group of friends sat together, raising their glasses and chatting about their stories and feelings. Some were teary-eyed, while others laughed heartily.
This moment belongs to pure self; laugh when you want to laugh, cry when you want to cry, without any attachment to anything else.
She picked up her phone and made a call.
"Jingjing, let's go out for a drink."
Ren Jingjing thought she had answered the wrong number, so she took the phone away from her ear to check the caller ID. "Lin Ting, are you in a bad mood? Did something happen?"
In the dorm, when everyone was in a bad mood, they would buy some drinks to let loose. Thinking back, it was Lin Ting who led the first drinking session in the dorm. The others were shocked; they hadn't expected someone who seemed so aloof to have such a indulgent side. Lin Ting thought, "What's this? Right after the college entrance exam, I even tried smoking, but I couldn't stand the nicotine. I only took one puff and coughed myself to death, so I gave up."
Only Lin Ting herself knew that there were many unknown evil factors within her body that had been suppressed for a long time and occasionally needed to be released.
"Yeah, I'm in a bad mood, so I want to let loose a bit. I'll send you the address."
Ren Jingjing: "Tell me what happened first?"
Lin Ting: "Let's talk when we get there. I'll be waiting for you."
Unfortunately, Ren Jingjing came to a neighboring city to see her boyfriend today, so she couldn't come over. "How about we talk back in the dorm?"
Lin Ting refused: "It's no fun drinking in the dorm all the time. Let's go out today. I've already sent you the address. I..."
Before I could finish speaking, my phone ran out of battery and shut down automatically.
Ren Jingjing was still calling out on the other end of the phone, "Hello, hello." When she dialed back, the phone was switched off.
Although Lin Ting appears aloof and indifferent to everything, she has her own principles that she adheres to. In the three years we've known each other, she has always faced any problem calmly and dealt with it rationally, without exception.
Ren Jingjing was worried that something might happen to her while she was out alone, and that she wouldn't be able to get back in time, but she couldn't get through on the phone no matter what she tried.
Suddenly, I thought of someone.
Since Lin Ting resigned, Chen Zhiyi appeared calm on the surface, but inside he was extremely anxious. He wanted to see her, desperately wanted to see her.
But no reason could be found.
She would reply to my messages about my studies, but nothing else. She wouldn't even acknowledge my morning and evening greetings.
They've already gone to such lengths to avoid suspicion.
Thinking of this, Chen Zhiyi felt a surge of heat and resentment, and picked up the wine glass on the table and took a big gulp.
Du Yuan quickly stopped him, saying, "This is beer. Although the alcohol content is not high, you can't drink it like this."
Chen Zhiyi rolled his eyes at him. A few years ago, when he was fighting against his parents, he drank a lot of beer. What was one glass? He finished this glass in one go.
Du Yuan crossed his legs, leaned back on the sofa, spread his arms, and looked on with amusement.
"There are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one? If I had your face, I wouldn't be able to catch this one, I'd just move on to the next one. Everyone says the next one will be better."
Chen Zhiyi, sitting opposite him, kicked him. "If you have any constructive suggestions, say them; otherwise, get lost."
Du Yuan: "Tsk tsk tsk, how can you act like this when you need something from someone?"
Chen Zhiyi got up and left, saying, "Pay your own expenses."
Today they have arrived at a top-tier private club in Jinshi, owned by Chen Zhiyi's maternal grandfather's family. It usually only receives high-ranking executives and dignitaries, and even money doesn't guarantee entry.
The cost of one night is equivalent to an average person's annual salary.
Du Yuanlao had long wanted to come and experience it for free, but he had never found the opportunity.
Recently, after class, he went to find Chen Zhiyi and found his face almost touching the ground. Before, after school, he would wish he could ride on wheels of fire and run home as fast as he could, but now it didn't matter whether he went home or not, as if he had become the indifferent Chen Zhiyi of the past again.
Clearly, the person who changed him is no longer here.
Du Yuan stuck out a foot to stop him, "Don't get excited, let me analyze this for you properly."
Chen Zhiyi sat back down and briefly explained the situation.
Du Yuan: "So you confessed your feelings to her and failed? She quit her tutoring job to avoid you?"
Chen Zhiyi nodded.
Du Yuan: "Isn't she a LE?"
Chen Zhiyi frowned, puzzled.
Du Yuan explained, "It's because she's a lesbian. Otherwise, how could she not be interested in a handsome young man like you who's well-endowed and skilled in bed?"
Chen Zhiyi kicked him again, "Can't you speak properly?"
Du Yuan quickly withdrew his foot. "I'm telling the truth. She's not from our school and doesn't know your market value, but I certainly do. If you ask me, you should just find someone else. There are so many girls lining up to date you. Nothing in this world is difficult if you're willing to give up."
Chen Zhiyi didn't take it to heart: "I'm not like you, I'm not that fickle."
Du Yuan: "How come you're still a hopeless romantic? You've got the script backwards."
Chen Zhiyi felt it was a waste of time, saying, "If you have a solution, then say so; if not, then let's call it a day."
Du Yuan: "You just want an excuse to see her, right? Then just find an excuse she can't refuse you, okay?"
Chen Zhiyi: "What do you mean?"
Du Yuan: "For example, if you were seriously ill, I don't believe she wouldn't come to see you."
Chen Zhiyi: "Are you cursing me?"
Du Yuan: "Or is there any special occasion recently? Your birthday? No, your birthday is in April. What about her birthday? Prepare a birthday present for her and wait for her outside her dorm. I don't believe she won't be touched when she sees you. Or it's Christmas soon, the same logic applies!"
Chen Zhiyi suddenly remembered that Christmas was just around the corner, and Lin Ting's birthday was the day before, Christmas Eve. This was an opportunity.
After all this time, I've finally gotten a useful one.
Du Yuan continued, "They say a good man fears three attempts to win over a woman, and a virtuous woman fears three attempts to seduce her. You've only tried once, so of course you won't succeed. Let me tell you a secret: the three essentials to winning a girl's heart are persistence, shamelessness, and persistent shamelessness."
Then she taught Chen Zhiyi how to make her happy, how to take their relationship to the next level, and how to make her fall in love with her, which gave him a headache.
He felt that men could be really despicable sometimes, relying on sweet talk to deceive women. In his eyes, sincerity and genuine feelings were the key to winning a woman's heart.
Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer: "Are you sure no girl has reported you for harassment?"
Du Yuan was stunned for a long time. "Based on experience, okay?"
Chen Zhiyi complained, but he remembered everything he said.
Just then, Chen Zhiyi's phone rang, and he answered it without thinking.
"Hello, I'm Ren Jingjing."
Chen Zhiyi immediately stood up, his expression turning serious, and rushed out after hanging up the phone.
Seeing his hurried and flustered appearance, Du Yuan knew who it was for, and then touched his mouth, feeling as if it had been blessed.
And so, the excuse came.
Chen Zhiyi rushed over to the address sent by Ren Jingjing.
If someone were to ask Chen Zhiyi, "Who is the most stubborn and strong-willed person you have ever met?"
He would definitely say Lin Ting's name without hesitation.
But for her to give up her own self and be willing to indulge herself, something very sad must have happened.
Chen Zhiyi had never been so panicked before; every second he rushed there was agonizing.
Upon arriving at the bar, he opened the door and rushed inside. It was a rather quiet bar. He looked around and spotted a familiar figure in the corner of the bar.
It was obvious that this was her first time in a place like this. She was very reserved, clutching her wine glass tightly in her hand, never letting go, taking small sips, and glancing at the people passing by from time to time. If anyone got too close to her, she would shrink back, her face clearly saying "keep away."
Chen Zhiyi sat down in the empty seat next to her and said, "Give me a sparkling water."
Lin Ting thought she was hallucinating. She turned her head and saw a familiar profile and that dark brown beauty mark, faint and indistinct, like a frozen teardrop falling into her heart, leaving a trace. She stared at it for a moment in a daze, then turned her head back, looking straight ahead.
"Was it Ren Jingjing who called you?" They exchanged contact information when they had dinner together last time.
Chen Zhiyi: "She has something to do and can't come."
Lin Ting lowered her eyes and smiled faintly. It seems that today was not too bad for me. In the end, I still have someone to accompany me and talk to.
"Lin Ting." Chen Zhiyi called her by her full name for the first time, looking at her intently. "As long as you have something to talk to me about, as long as you're willing to talk to me, I can talk to you for a long time."
From darkness to dawn, and then to the next, and the next dawn after that.
If you can give me this opportunity, we can talk about anything.
It is said that a lover's eyes are the eighth ocean, and in Chen Zhiyi's vast ocean, Lin Ting clearly saw her own reflection.
She raised her glass to Chen Zhiyi and said, "Take a sip to celebrate my resignation today."
Chen Zhiyi: "So you're unhappy because of this?"
Lin Ting didn't answer directly, "Guess whether I was passive or active?"
Chen Zhiyi: "It's all good. If it was voluntary, I'm happy for you. Why should you compromise yourself for a job? If it was involuntary, I'm still happy for you. It means you're good enough that they're wary of you and can't tolerate you. In short, it's a good thing that you left."
Lin Ting: "Didn't you consider that it might be my own problem that led to their firing me?"
Chen Zhiyi shook his head: "I can't find a reason for them to fire you. In terms of ability, I believe that someone who wins the national scholarship every year and wins every competition he participates in can't be bad. In terms of work attitude, I believe that you can sleep at the company whenever needed. In terms of interpersonal skills, I believe that someone who can give up his own interests to satisfy others can't get along with his colleagues. So I believe in you."
As Lin Ting watched him speak, her eyes, deep and bright like stars embedded in the night sky, were serene yet resolute. Was he genuinely believing in himself, or was he simply believing in himself unconditionally?
It feels like grasping a bright lighthouse in a vast ocean, having someone you can trust to confide in.
"My design was stolen by my supervisor and adopted by senior management at a meeting. My supervisor received praise and the department received a bonus, but I wasn't even credited. I wanted to appeal, but my supervisor threatened me, saying, 'Who would believe what an intern like you says? And I can fire you on any pretext.'"
"What's even more ridiculous is that during the department meeting, she so righteously rejected my proposal, yet she still used my work at a crucial moment to reverse everyone's doubts about her abilities. I don't blame her, really, everyone is selfish, I can understand. I was willing to give up the bonus, the raise, and the formal contract upon graduation that she promised me, all I wanted was to be credited, and I didn't even need to give her the whole thing, just to mention that Lin Ting's design was also in this work, but she refused, and even threatened to fire me."
Chen Zhiyi: "So you resigned voluntarily? Without further reporting it to your superiors?"
Lin Ting's eyes welled up with tears, and she nodded helplessly. "Yeah, it's okay, just consider it a lesson learned. That project will cover the tuition. I just didn't expect this lesson to come so early, and to actually happen to an intern who's been working for less than a month. Do you think the workplace will always be like this? Hard-working people can't compete with those who know how to flatter and fawn? Capable people can't compete with those who have connections? Those with permanent positions bully those without? Bosses can easily manipulate their subordinates?"
Chen Zhiyi: "I haven't experienced it myself, so I can't express my opinion, but I know that ability and talent are personal; no one can take them away. If this job makes me happy, I'll do more and stay longer, but if it makes me unhappy, I'll leave. Talented people can shine anywhere, while those without talent will be kicked out no matter how much they flatter and fawn. No one can protect anyone for life. You're so outstanding; you'll always meet someone who appreciates you. Leaving this company is a good thing; don't feel sorry for yourself." Then he leaned close to Lin Ting, looking at her with direct and intense eyes, "In my heart, Teacher Lin is something I can't have!"
Lin Ting looked away, her earlobes turning bright red, whether from the alcohol or shyness. "It's true what they said last time that you're good at comforting people."
"Is Teacher Lin feeling better now?"
"Half, I guess!"
"So that means there's still half left." Chen Zhiyi put down the blanket he was holding, then took the one from Lin Ting's hand, and grabbed her hand. "Come with me!"
Lin Ting was stunned for a moment, staring at the two holding hands, and didn't react for a moment.
Chen Zhiyi was afraid that she was not used to holding hands, so he quickly let go and instead held her wrist, determined to hold her firmly no matter what.
They didn't hail a taxi; they just ran wildly along the roadside.
Lin Ting didn't even ask him where he was going. At first, he passively followed, but gradually they started running together. Fear, sadness, and anger couldn't keep up with their pace. The unhappy and painful things that happened were like the streetlights that flickered like blurry shadows next to them, which they left behind.
The early winter night was bitterly cold, but at that moment, Lin Ting felt as if a raging fire was burning within her, making her blood boil.
When she was a child, facing betrayal, abandonment, and criticism, she longed for someone to hold her hand tightly, lead her away from suffering, and help her find freedom, but no such person appeared. Now, overlapping with the past, she seems to see such a person.
The door in her heart, tightly shut and never opened to anyone, suddenly swung open, and she heard someone walking towards it step by step.
They stopped in front of an arcade. Chen Zhiyi was panting, but his smile was bright and enthusiastic. "Have you ever played before?"
“During summer vacations, I used to work as a cashier at an arcade. I would see many people come to play every day, but I never played myself.”
"Then let's play everything today."
Inside the arcade, the lights are as dazzling and colorful as a rainbow, reflecting the vibrant colors on the screens of various game machines, creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.
The room was filled with a cacophony of sounds: the sound effects of video games, the laughter of children, and the occasional exclamations of adults, creating a unique symphony.
In the past, this would have been a source of ridicule for Lin Ting, who preferred quiet. Back when she worked at the arcade, she always had to wear noise-canceling earplugs. But today, the place was bustling and cheerful.
Chen Zhiyi exchanged a large amount of game coins and also bought a large tub of popcorn, which he then presented to Lin Ting.
Lin Ting asked in surprise, "Isn't this for children?"
"Can't you eat this if you're not a child?" she said, picking up a popcorn and stuffing it into Lin Ting's mouth. "Eating something sweet will make you feel better, but there's no red bean flavored popcorn, so you'll have to make do."
Lin Ting felt a warmth in his heart. He had actually remembered the taste preference that had been casually mentioned at the dinner table last time. Red bean flavor, his favorite sweet flavor. He gently bit into the popcorn, and a sweet taste spread in his mouth. He smiled and said, "Mmm, delicious, quite sweet."
"Eat more if you like it." Chen Zhiyi stuffed a whole tub of popcorn into Lin Ting's hand.
"Is this an advertisement?" Lin Ting asked, holding the popcorn, looking a little embarrassed. "I can't possibly finish all of this."
It was rare to hear a hint of coquetry in his voice, and Chen Zhiyi readily accepted it, saying, "Don't worry, if you can't finish it, I'll cover for you."
...
Let's get back to the main topic.
Chen Zhiyi asked Lin Ting, "What do you want to play first?"
"Anything is fine! I've never played any of them before."
Chen Zhiyi shook the coin box in his hand, indicating that he was quite wealthy! "Then let's play with them one by one."
Together they challenged each other in racing, competing and experiencing the thrill of speed; in front of the basketball machine, they worked together seamlessly to compete for high scores; on the dance machine, they danced freely, releasing their inner enthusiasm without any shyness; and next to the claw machine, they had a great time, trying to grab every cute doll.
...
The arcade lights flickered on them, and cheerful music filled the air. Amidst the lively atmosphere, Lin Ting's smile grew brighter and brighter.
Chen Zhiyi loved seeing her smile. Gone was her usual aloofness and unapproachable demeanor. Her smile was as radiant as the spring sunshine, showering the world with endless joy. Like a blooming flower, bright and beautiful, it made people happy at first sight.
It's really beautiful and touching.
I really want to protect that smile for the rest of my life.
The two played around in the arcade for nearly two hours, and by the time they came out, it was already very late at night.
"It's snowing." Lin Ting stretched out her hand, and a few snowflakes fell into her palm.
“It’s winter now, so it’s normal for it to snow,” Chen Zhiyi said.
Lin Ting paused for a moment, "This snow is the first snow of the year, isn't it?"
"It seems so, is there any difference?"
"Of course, everyone says that if you make a wish upon the first snow, your wish will come true. It only happens once a year."
"So, what wishes do you want to fulfill?"
"Yes." Lin Ting closed her eyes, crossed her fists, and placed them on her chest. "I hope Chen Zhiyi does well in his art exam." Then she opened her eyes, a smile in them, "Sincerely!"
Chen Zhiyi choked up for a moment, "You gave me the chance to make a wish only once a year?"
"I have no desires that I'm in a hurry to achieve."
“I do!” Chen Zhiyi looked intently at Lin Ting. “I hope Teacher Lin can forget this bad experience, I hope she will always be happy, and I hope she can come back to be my tutor again. My affection is definitely not a burden.”
Lin Ting paused, speechless for a moment.
Soon, the deep voice sounded again, "I wonder if it's possible?"
"I think it should be possible."
I think I heard the sound of my heart being pushed open.
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