Chapter 83
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Ting received a red envelope from Chen Zhiyi under her pillow. It wasn't money, but a bank card—the same bank card that Lin Ting had refused many times.
Now that I'm giving it to you as a New Year's red envelope, there's no reason for you to refuse, right?
Giving you a card isn't about looking down on you, but about giving you confidence so you don't have to worry about daily necessities, can freely choose what you like, and won't back down or be afraid when you need to use money to defend your dignity.
This card is not only the foundation of our shared life, the capital for your hard work and progress, but also a fallback plan when you're tired and want to take a break.
The two of them stayed home all day, enjoying a rare moment of rest together. Even just sunbathing and watching movies on the computer felt precious and romantic.
Early on the second day of the Lunar New Year, Chen Zhiyi drove back to S City. He originally wanted to leave the car with Lin Ting and have Zhang Ke pick him up. Lin Ting refused. Although she had a driver's license, it was practically useless; she drove very infrequently, and her driving skills were seriously questionable. She didn't want to be on the front page of the news during the New Year, further deepening people's misunderstanding of female drivers. Besides, Zhang Ke had finally taken her annual leave; couldn't she be allowed to enjoy it in peace? Even capitalists don't exploit people like this!
Besides, taking the high-speed rail back is safe and comfortable, isn't that a good option?
After Chen Zhiyi left, Lin Ting took the gifts he had prepared to his uncle's house to offer New Year's greetings. When Zhang Linfang heard that Chen Zhiyi had prepared the gifts, she was overjoyed and wanted to treat them like royalty. Knowing that he was spending the New Year in Lizhen, she was even more delighted.
If they can spend the New Year together, then it's only a matter of time before they get married.
Zhang Linfang was overjoyed and stuffed a lot of homemade sausages, cured meats, rice cakes, glutinous rice balls, and other local specialties into Linting's hands, asking her to take them back to Haishi for Chen Zhiyi to try.
Lin Ting didn't refuse and accepted everything, after all, this was the first time Zhang Linfang had been so generous. Originally, she had also wanted to prepare some local specialties to share with her colleagues after returning to work after the holiday. Now that she had been promoted, there were many people she needed to thank, and she also needed to maintain good relationships with her team members. These local specialties from her hometown were perfect for giving as gifts.
Unfortunately, Lin Qin didn't make many local specialties at the end of last year. Lin Ting plans to make or purchase some more in the next couple of days. This is a good thing, as it saves her some money.
Lin Ting managed to schedule an appointment with a specialist for Lin Qin's re-examination on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year. All the test results came out on the fifth day. The doctor examined her and said there were no major problems. He advised her to take her medication regularly, avoid overexertion, and maintain a good mindset, as cerebral infarction is most aggravated by large emotional fluctuations or excessive fatigue and suffering.
With everything at home settled, Lin Ting decided to return to Haishi on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. The high-speed train departs around 4 PM and arrives in Haishi around 5 or 6 PM.
Chen Zhiyi had promised to pick up Lin Ting and had even arranged the time with the coordinator. Unfortunately, during the filming of a large-scale scene in the afternoon, the backdrop built by the props team collapsed midway through the shoot. No one was injured, but it caused a delay, requiring the backdrop to be rebuilt and the filming to be reshot. The call sheet was issued today, and filming had to be completed no matter what—it's a basic professional duty for an actor. Therefore, Chen Zhiyi could only wait on set and couldn't pick up Lin Ting at the agreed time. Zhang Ke hadn't returned from her annual leave yet, but thankfully Han Ming came to visit the set.
He sent a message to Lin Ting, explaining the situation.
Lin didn't care; he could just take a taxi home himself.
Chen Zhiyi disagreed. He knew perfectly well that the distance from the exit to the taxi stand was quite far, and even without taking anything, it would take more than 20 minutes. Besides, Lin Ting was dragging two heavy suitcases, which was tiring and distressing. The underground parking lot was much more convenient; they could just take an elevator down from the exit.
So, he repeatedly told Lin to wait in the underground parking lot after he arrived at the station, and to pick Han Ming up from the station if he had time to visit the set today.
When Chen Zhiyi values something, his attitude and tone are always quite firm. Lin Ting couldn't refuse anymore, so she opened the WeChat postcard he sent and added Han Ming. After adding him, she didn't hesitate and openly sent a "smiling emoji" and "Thank you for your help."
Han Ming replied, "You're welcome. Send me your location when you get to the parking lot."
Lin Ting: "Okay."
Lin Ting's impression of Han Ming was that he was calm and reserved, and did not show his emotions. He was not aloof, but he had a calm and composed demeanor. He could face anything calmly and composedly. It was estimated that even if the sky collapsed in front of him, he could slowly finish his teacup and then try to hold the sky up again.
Whether it's something happy or something sad, in his eyes it's just a matter of life and death.
Lin Ting exited the station, arrived at the underground parking lot, and sent Han Ming her location.
Han Ming: "Wait a moment, there are ten minutes left."
"Okay, thank you!"
Han Ming felt like he had gone crazy today. When Chen Zhiyi was worrying about picking up Lin Ting, he blurted out without any hesitation, "I'll go pick her up."
He was impulsive yet overjoyed. He longed to see Lin Ting, even just for a brief meeting or a single word. Some girls, simply by standing there, possess a healing power that soothes the soul and calms the anger. In Han Ming's heart, Lin Ting was such a girl, and he couldn't help but want to get closer to her.
However, he didn't have a proper reason to go find her or see her. After all, she was someone else's most cherished person, and that person was still his friend. He understood the principle that "one should not be too close to a friend's wife."
But now, an opportunity had presented itself, and he couldn't remain calm. He didn't do anything outrageous; he simply took her home. From another perspective, if Chen Zhiyi offered to help, would he? Yes.
That's good, the result is the same, it's just a difference between being proactive and reactive.
The car entered the parking lot and circled a few corners before Han Ming spotted Lin Ting standing to one side. She was wearing a short white down jacket, black sweatpants, and a high ponytail, looking clean and neat. Upon seeing the car approach, she immediately waved and greeted him.
Han Ming stopped the car and got out. "Sorry to have kept you waiting for a while."
Lin Ting smiled and said, "No, it's you I'm sorry to trouble you."
Han Ming moved her two suitcases to the trunk, and Lin Ting sat in the passenger seat. As soon as she got in the car, she smelled a familiar fragrance and noticed the gardenia diffuser on the dashboard. She hadn't expected this. Gardenias are common and ordinary, and perhaps it is because of their ordinariness that few people like them.
Do you also like the scent of gardenias?
"Hmm, it smells quite nice."
At first, Han Ming didn't know it was the scent of gardenias. He only found it when he went to buy aromatherapy and specifically smelled it. It was then that he discovered the scent was similar to the one Lin Ting was wearing.
The fragrance of gardenias is fresh and elegant with a hint of creamy sweetness. When the flowers are in full bloom, the fragrance is rich but not cloying, and it also has a soothing and calming effect.
He's a good match for her.
Han Ming's gaze was fixed ahead, and he asked as if it were unintentional, "Do you find it strange that you like the scent of gardenias?"
"It's not strange, it's unexpected?"
"How so?"
Lin Ting thought for a moment, "I feel that the fragrance of gardenias doesn't quite match your image and temperament."
Han Ming hadn't expected her to be so direct, and asked in return, "Then what scent do you think suits me best?"
Lin Ting realized she might have said something wrong. Someone had kindly come to pick her up, and she was commenting on whether the fragrance in their car matched their personality? Besides, how well did she even know them? She'd only met them a few times. So she pursed her lips, trying to figure out how to change the subject.
Han Ming noticed her expression become more reserved and guessed she might be embarrassed by something she'd said. "Let's just chat casually. It would be awkward if we didn't talk the whole way. I don't know much about perfumes, but I still need to use them for events. The makeup artist just sprays them on by hand, and whatever perfume they bring out that day smells the same, without any personal touch, which is quite annoying. Last time on the red carpet, I thought you were very knowledgeable about clothing and styling, so I figured you must know a lot about perfume selection too. Consider it a consultation."
Lin Ting hadn't expected him to say such a long thing, and felt a little embarrassed. She didn't usually wear perfume, so how would she know? But having worked in a fashion group, she had seen all sorts of people and had picked up a bit of knowledge from their experiences. A person's preference for scent could reveal their personality and temperament. In her eyes, Han Ming's temperament was calm and composed, not so much suited to sweet floral scents, but rather to cooler fragrances.
"You overestimate me. Knowing about clothing and styling is my livelihood, so I'll definitely do that. As for perfume, I only have a superficial understanding."
Han Ming: "It's alright, I'd like to hear your explanation."
Since they were being so generous, Lin Ting didn't want to act coy. She decided to just chat casually. Indeed, the two of them had been quiet the whole way, which made it so awkward that it made one want to scratch their toenails.
"Liking a fragrance is either a habit or it suits one's personality. I also like gardenia, but for me it's the first reason. I've smelled it since I was a child and used it a lot, so when I buy scented items, I naturally tend to choose gardenia. Of course, it's also very popular, so it's easy to buy. But you probably don't have that reason, right?"
Han Ming grinned. "Of course, just like you said, I bought a bottle on a whim because it's so popular."
Lin Ting nodded.
Han Ming: "If we consider the second reason, which perfume would you recommend to me?" He actually wanted to know his image in Lin Ting's mind.
"Want to hear the truth?"
"Um."
Lin Ting: "Cool-toned woody sandalwood."
"Cold? You think I'm difficult to get along with?"
Lin Ting shook her head. "Woody sandalwood, the initial notes are quiet and cool, which makes you feel distant, but after smelling it for a while, it makes you feel at ease." She turned her head and met Han Ming's gaze. "I think you are that kind of person." The sincerity in her eyes was genuine.
"You may seem aloof, but you must be very strong and fearless inside. You can go to the hospital alone for an IV drip without caring about your status as a public figure, and you can also calmly face provocations from others on the red carpet. The fearless are fearless, right? I imagine you must have experienced a lot in the entertainment industry to have become like this. It's so difficult to maintain emotional stability. I admire people like you."
Han Ming's hand on the steering wheel paused, his heart skipped a beat. All the resentment and grievances he had experienced since entering the industry flashed through his mind. Yes, he had once been a young man full of ideals, striving with all his might to get into film school because of his love for acting. He consistently ranked first in his final acting exams, a prodigy praised by teachers and classmates alike. His four years of university were truly exhilarating; whenever he stood on stage, his eyes shone with confidence. Then, after graduation, he started sending out resumes to various film crews, only to be met with a harsh reality check. Compared to connections and resources, talent and hard work were utterly insignificant. Being replaced in roles, being ostracized, and subjected to unspoken rules gradually eroded his confidence. He drifted with the tide, doing many things against his conscience. It wasn't that he was emotionally stable; he had simply become numb and indifferent.
The atmosphere in the car quieted down. Lin Ting looked at Han Ming's solemn expression and was certain that he had really said too much and made a big mistake this time. He should have just taken it as politeness. Besides, they had only known each other for a short time, yet he had already made such insightful comments about Han Ming.
"I'm sorry, did I say too much?" Lin Ting apologized.
This apology brought Han Ming back to his senses. "No, what you said is very good. It's just that I feel I'm not worthy of what you said. I'm just an ordinary person." He had suffered a lot in this industry, but he had also taken some unsavory shortcuts.
“You’re no ordinary person. How could someone who can establish themselves in such a complex circle as the entertainment industry be ordinary? You and Zhiyi are both very outstanding people. I think your luck is just around the corner.” She recalled Chen Zhiyi’s words: Han Ming is good at everything, except for a bit of luck.
Han Ming was amused by her words, "Thank you for your kind words."
Lin Ting looked at his smile, his eyes sparkling, his smile gentle and bright. She realized that beneath his cold exterior, there was a soft side to him.
Han Ming looked at Lin Ting through the rearview mirror. She maintained an upright posture for as long as the car had been moving; anyone else would have been slumped in their seat. She spoke sincerely and frankly, saying what she meant, and would apologize if she felt she had offended anyone. Her eyes were clear and pure; you could always see that in her, like the pure and beautiful sunshine of early spring.
He enjoys chatting with her; they can chat without any pressure, about anything and everything. He doesn't know if he'll have another chance in the future.
The car turned into the underground parking lot again. Upon arriving at their destination, Han Ming pulled the suitcase out of the trunk. "Do you want me to take you up?"
"No need, I'll just take the elevator up. Thank you for today."
Han Ming wanted to talk to her more, so he pointed to the box and said, "I've been smelling a sausage smell all the time."
Lin Ting then remembered and quickly opened the box containing local specialties, taking out a bag. "These are homemade sausages and cured meats from my hometown. Take them back and try them."
"It smells so good, can I store it here?"
"Um?"
"I'm not very good at handling these ingredients, so storing them would be a waste."
Seeing the unease on Han Ming's face, Lin Ting understood and said with a smile, "Okay, when everyone is free, I'll have Zhiyi invite you over for dinner."
"good."
Han Ming hesitated for a moment, but still decided to step out and take a box out of his coat pocket and hand it to Lin Ting.
Lin asked, puzzled, "What is this?"
Han Ming opened the box, inside was a flower-shaped chalcedony silver bracelet. At first glance, it was hard to tell what kind of flower it was, but the design was exquisite and delicate, and the chalcedony was translucent and exquisite—the kind of style that any girl would fall in love with at first sight. "Thank you for taking care of me in the hospital and for making me rock sugar pear soup. Thank you also for helping me on the red carpet last time. This is a small token of my gratitude; I hope you will accept it."
Lin Ting quickly waved her hand to refuse, "This is too valuable, I can't accept it. Besides, you are Zhiyi's friend, which means you are my friend. It's only right to help a friend when they need something, and you don't need to be so polite about something so simple."
“If it weren’t for your help, how could I have stood out on the red carpet at the Night of Howling, won the Best Dressed Award, and even been featured in Vega fashion magazine? I’ve worked so hard for years and still couldn’t achieve this, but you made it happen for me. I have to thank you properly.” Han Ming stuffed the box into the front pocket of her down jacket, not allowing her to refuse. “It’s really just a small token of my appreciation. It’s very inexpensive, so don’t feel guilty. Its value is far less than the benefits you’ve brought me.”
"I'll be upset if you don't accept it."
Lin Ting still looked troubled. She believed that between friends, if I help you, you can help me next time. If doing a good deed requires the other party to give something in return, then the friendship is materialized, and helping becomes impure, as if you are doing it for something in return.
Han Ming didn't want to put her in a difficult position, so he changed his approach, "Then can I keep this bracelet in exchange for you designing an outfit for me?"
"Huh?" Lin Ting didn't understand.
Han Ming explained, "Every time I walk the red carpet, I borrow designer haute couture. I wear the same few well-known brands over and over again, and it's rare to see the work of our local designers. The biggest attraction of the red carpet is each artist's outfit. Actually, I think this is a great opportunity to promote custom brands, but people are used to competing for attention, and everyone chooses high-end luxury brands to grab the spotlight and media coverage. Top artists have more options, but for someone like me who's not even a big name, I have to beg to borrow, and if I'm unlucky, I might even run into someone wearing the same thing. Rather than continuing like this, I think it's better to wear custom designs from domestic designers. I might not get the camera's attention right now, but I'm still quite proud. I'm supporting local brands."
Lin laughed, "I didn't realize you were so good at talking!"
A rare shy smile appeared on Han Ming's face. It had been a long time since he had spoken so much in front of a girl. For a moment just now, he felt as if he had returned to the spirited and ambitious time when he dared to speak and act.
Lin Ting: "What do you mean by 'third tier or lower'? Be more confident. I already told you your luck is coming up. You should be close to first tier."
Han Ming: "Yes, you're right."
Lin Ting: "But I'm just a designer for a mass-market brand right now. The clothes are all mass-produced. Designing clothes for Chen Zhiyi is just part of the company business and something I do casually. I've never actually done custom-made clothes before, so I'm worried I won't do a good job."
"I believe in your abilities. I watched the video of your company's order meeting a while ago. The limited edition designs you made for Zhiyi were very eye-catching. So don't underestimate yourself. Consider this my request to you. Please let me make a small contribution to our Chinese clothing industry."
Lin thought for a moment and accepted, "Okay, the design is fine, but the production is a bit difficult. I don't have the tools at home. I'll give you the blueprints first. If you think it's okay, I'll give it to an old tailor I know. He's very skilled, and the clothes he makes are just as good as those from big brands."
"Okay." Han Ming breathed a sigh of relief, feeling very happy.
Lin Ting finally accepted the gift, patted his pocket, and said, "Thank you!"
"I should be thanking you."
"Then I'll go up."
"good!"
----
At 10 p.m., Chen Zhiyi returned home and saw Lin Ting sitting on the sofa flipping through a magazine. He sat down next to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck. He loved holding Lin Ting like this, feeling that there was no gap between them.
Lin Ting reached out and touched Chen Zhiyi's temple. "Are you hungry? The midnight snack is warm, I'll bring it to you."
"No rush, let me hug you for a while. I haven't hugged you in days." Chen Zhiyi noticed a bracelet on her hand. "Newly bought?" That was quite novel.
Lin Ting understood what he meant and spread the bracelet out in front of Chen Zhiyi. "No, it was a gift from Han Ming."
Chen Zhiyi was puzzled. He opened his arms and sat up straight. "Why did he give you the bracelet? Does he like you? That explains why he offered to pick you up for me today."
Where did this rich imagination come from? Lin Ting knew his jealousy was flaring up again. "What nonsense are you talking about? We've only met four times in total today. How could I say I like him? I think the reason he offered to pick me up and gave me the bracelet was mainly to thank me for helping him on the red carpet. Plus, when he was sick before, didn't I cook a pot of rock sugar pear soup for you to bring to him? It's only because we're just ordinary acquaintances that we're so clear about our relationship. I helped him, and he felt bad and wanted to return the favor."
Chen Zhiyi picked up the bracelet and looked at it. "Your intuition is pretty accurate, isn't it? The flowers on it are all gardenias."
Lin Ting felt that what she had just said was a waste of time. Who could recognize that this was a gardenia? She couldn't even tell what kind of flower it was. "So the song 'Gardenia Blossoms' was written for me?" He couldn't let her sour temper get the better of him, so he had to retort.
Chen Zhiyi pursed his lips and stopped trying.
Lin Ting: "It's because this bracelet is too expensive that I feel burdened, so I agreed to design an outfit for him." Seeing that Chen Zhiyi was about to explode again, she straddled him and covered his mouth, not giving him another chance to let his imagination run wild. "It's a fair deal. There's not a single strange idea you're talking about. He even asked if he wanted to explain the bracelet to you, and I said it was okay, I would explain it to him myself. So now that I've said it, you can shut up."
Chen Zhiyi was secretly pleased, but he pretended to be arrogant and took Lin Ting's hand away from his mouth, saying, "Okay, this won't happen again."
Lin Ting helplessly poked his forehead to vent her anger. She knew that if she didn't take the initiative to tell him where the bracelet came from, he would definitely keep digging into her past and would be incredibly annoying.
They are as petty as a sesame seed.
"I won't restrict your freedom to make friends. After all, we are all independent individuals. No matter how close the relationship is, we still need to give each other some independent space and social circles. But what I want to say is that you must control the distance, especially with friends of the opposite sex. It is rare for men and women to be able to maintain a pure friendship. Just because you don't have feelings for someone doesn't mean the other person won't. You must make your position clear."
Lin Ting nodded. "Okay, starting tomorrow I'll wear a sign that says - I have a boyfriend, stay away."
"I'm serious," Chen Zhiyi said with a solemn expression.
Lin Ting cupped his face in her hands, "Don't worry, I'm not blind. I can't get enough of such a handsome boyfriend every day, how could I possibly see other guys? None of them catch my eye."
"That's more like it." Chen Zhiyi felt secretly pleased.
Suddenly, he picked up Lin Ting and carried her to the bedroom.
"Not having a midnight snack?"
"I'm not eating anymore, let's try something else. I haven't seen you for five days, I'm starving down there."
Lin Ting's face flushed red, and she punched him on the back, "Speak more politely."
Chen Zhiyi remained calm and composed, saying, "This is also a reminder to you that when you can't take it anymore, you should speak more politely."
Lin Ting slapped his face again, "Shameless."
...
The bracelet was left on the sofa. If you look closely, the flowers on the bracelet are actually crabapple blossoms.
The crabapple blossom has no fragrance, which is a metaphor for unrequited love. I don't expect you to notice, but I don't want to regret it.
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