Chapter 22 I Want to See You
The Star Ferry Pier in Central is brightly lit, echoing the dazzling lights of Tsim Sha Tsui across the water.
The sea breeze at the pier seemed even noisier than on the boat, carrying the laughter of tourists and the songs of street performers, yet it couldn't dispel the subtle atmosphere between the two.
As soon as Shi Banxia stepped off the Star Ferry, she stopped looking at Ji Rendong and turned to blend into the crowd.
She ignored Ji Rendong, but tacitly allowed him to follow half a step behind her.
After the impulsive outburst on the boat, reason returned, leaving behind an unspoken awkwardness between the two.
Shi Banxia walked slightly ahead, the sound of her high heels clicking on the pavement carrying a hint of resentment.
Ji Rendong followed beside her, his gaze occasionally falling on her soft profile. He wanted to speak, but didn't know where to begin.
After walking a short distance, Shi Banxia suddenly stopped and her gaze fell on the mango crepes in the window of a dessert shop with exquisite decoration and a lot of customers by the roadside.
Shi Banxia glanced at it, said nothing, and continued walking forward.
Ji Rendong noticed the subtle pause. She remembered that Shi Banxia had a sweet tooth, especially when she was feeling down or needed comfort; the girl had no resistance to sugar.
During that winter in the Arctic, whenever she encountered a bottleneck at work or felt too bored, Shi Banxia would always try to concoct some sweet and greasy food, and then share half of it with Ji Rendong with sparkling eyes.
"Want some?" Ji Rendong stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Shi Banxia, and asked softly.
Shi Banxia didn't stop walking. She looked straight ahead and said in a calm tone, "No, eating sweets at night makes you fat."
This is not something she would normally say; she is clearly saying one thing and meaning another.
Ji Rendong chuckled inwardly, knowing that Shi Banxia was being stubborn again. She didn't insist, but silently memorized the location of the shop.
After walking for a while, with the familiar Four Seasons Hotel sign just ahead, Shi Banxia's pace slowed down.
She actually...didn't want to go back to that hotel room where she was all alone so soon.
The editor's criticism, the creative block, and the person she had lost and then regained, yet didn't know how to get along with, all made her feel extremely confused.
Ji Rendong keenly noticed Shi Banxia's hesitation.
She checked the time; it wasn't too late. She tentatively asked, "Banxia, are you...hungry? Have you had dinner?"
Shi Banxia finally turned her head to look at Ji Rendong. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him with a scrutinizing gaze.
"A little," Shi Banxia replied vaguely. She hadn't eaten dinner; she was so angry from the unpleasant parting with her business partner that she hadn't eaten anything.
Almost simultaneously, her stomach let out a soft "rumble".
The air froze instantly.
Shi Banxia's cheeks flushed red instantly, and she was so embarrassed that she wanted to run away immediately.
A faint smile flickered in Ji Rendong's eyes. She glanced around, her gaze settling on a somewhat old-looking sign deep within a side alley.
The steaming stoves and scattered tables and chairs outside the shop exuded a genuine local atmosphere.
“I remember you mentioned before that you really liked the wonton noodles in Hong Kong,” Ji Rendong’s voice softened, her tone gentle. “That shop looks good. I’m a little hungry, will you come with me to get some?”
She used "come with me" instead of "go together," cleverly turning the request into a need, giving Shi Banxia a way out, and her tone even carried a hint of fear of being rejected.
Shi Banxia followed her gaze and saw that the smoky atmosphere of the noodle shop did indeed whet her appetite and evoke memories.
She recalled how she had enthusiastically described the delicious wonton noodles in Hong Kong to Ji Rendong during a chat, saying how perfectly the smooth noodles and the wontons wrapped with whole fresh shrimp were a perfect match.
At the time, Ji Rendong simply replied, "Sounds good."
Now, Ji Rendong, who has never been enthusiastic about food and thinks "anything edible is fine", actually took the initiative to suggest going to eat wonton noodles?
Shi Banxia's little bit of unease started acting up again.
She deliberately frowned slightly, her tone somewhat critical: "Can the great scientist Ji really get used to eating at this kind of roadside stall? Why don't we just go back to the hotel and order room service?"
These words carried a clear barb, but Ji Rendong detected a hint of probing and a touch of coquetry in them.
Far from being angry, she felt that Shi Banxia was more real and vibrant than the one who had been silently shedding tears just now.
"I can get used to it."
Ji Rendong looked at her earnestly, "In the Arctic, we often eat worse than street food. And..." She paused, her voice lowering, "I want to try what you like."
This answer stirred Shi Banxia's heart gently, and a bittersweet warmth welled up inside her once again.
She lowered her eyelashes, fiddling with the strap of her camera bag, and said in a deliberately indifferent tone, "Whatever. I'm hungry anyway."
After saying that, Shi Banxia took the lead and walked towards the small noodle shop, her pace quickening as if to conceal the slight wavering in her heart.
Ji Rendong immediately followed, and the two of them disappeared into the dim light of the alley.
The noodle shop was indeed very small, with only four or five folding tables. The narrow space was filled with the rich aroma of bone broth, and the shop was almost full of local diners, bustling with noise.
Shi Banxia easily found an empty seat in the corner and sat down, while Ji Rendong stood awkwardly to the side. He looked at the shiny plastic stool and table, hesitated for a moment, and then silently sat down opposite Shi Banxia.
"What would you like to eat?" The proprietress, wearing an apron, came over with a small notebook, her voice booming.
Without even looking at the menu, Shi Banxia blurted out, "One bowl of thin rice noodles, no green onions, thank you." After saying that, she lowered her head to fiddle with her camera and stopped looking at Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong said gently to the proprietress, "I'm fine with being the same as her, thank you."
Shi Banxia kept her head down, not looking at Ji Rendong. Her fingertips slid across the camera button, and photos flashed across the screen, but none of them seemed to catch her eye.
Ji Rendong sat quietly opposite, his gaze falling on Shi Banxia's fair nape, which was exposed when she lowered her head, where a few strands of hair were slightly disheveled by the sea breeze.
Ji Rendong wanted to reach out and straighten her hair, but his fingers twitched slightly under the table, and he restrained himself.
A warm silence fell over the room once again, broken only by the sounds of slurping noodles and the buzzing of laughter from the diners around them.
"Your work..." Ji Rendong tried to find a safe topic, "Is it going well?"
Shi Banxia paused on the shutter button, looked up, and her eyes held a hint of self-mockery and lingering anger: "Smoothly? Didn't the great scientist Ji see it? I was taking pictures everywhere, having fun everywhere, it looked very exciting."
She deliberately misinterpreted Ji Rendong's concern, swallowing back all her grievances, not wanting to show weakness at this moment.
"You..." Ji Rendong had just opened her mouth when Shi Banxia interrupted her.
"Why did Sister Rendong come to Hong Kong? The work in the Arctic... has all been completed smoothly?" Shi Banxia interrupted her, her eyes filled with inquiry, and her face showed an expression that said, "Don't try to fool me with 'by the way'."
Ji Rendong met her gaze, knowing that he couldn't avoid this question.
She hesitated for a moment, then decided to be more candid: "Yes, it's all over. After coming back... I feel a little unfamiliar. That city doesn't seem like there's anything worth going back to right away."
Her words were subtle, but Shi Banxia understood the meaning behind them—Ji Rendong had no warm home in China.
This made Shi Banxia's heart soften for some reason, but she didn't mince words: "So you came here to experience the hustle and bustle of life? Doesn't Sister Rendong prefer a quiet environment? Can you adapt to such a noisy place?"
Just then, two steaming bowls of wonton noodles were served. The broth was clear, the noodles were golden and smooth, and the wontons were plentiful on top, making it a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.
Shi Banxia picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and carefully drank it. As the warm soup went down her throat, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.
Ji Rendong followed her example and drank the soup first.
The soup was delicious and rich. She picked up a wonton, bit into it, and found a whole fresh shrimp inside, which was bouncy and smooth.
She always ate quietly and politely, a stark contrast to the noisy diners around her.
"How is it?" Shi Banxia suddenly asked, her eyes fixed on the noodles in the bowl. Her tone was casual, but her fingers gripping the chopsticks tightened slightly.
Ji Rendong nodded earnestly: "It's delicious. The soup is very flavorful, and the wontons are generously filled." She paused, then added, "It's so much better than the compressed biscuits and canned food from the Arctic."
The clumsy comparison almost made Shi Banxia burst out laughing. She quickly straightened her face, lowered her head to eat her noodles, and mumbled an "Mmm".
Ji Rendong breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the tips of Shi Banxia's ears turn slightly red. She picked up a wonton from her own bowl and naturally placed it into Shi Banxia's bowl.
Shi Banxia was stunned and looked up at her.
Ji Rendong's expression remained calm, and her tone was gentle: "Eat more. You look like you've lost weight."
Shi Banxia's heart skipped a beat, and a bittersweet warmth surged through her chest.
She lowered her head, poked at the extra wonton with her chopsticks, and muttered softly, "Who asked you to give it to me... You eat it yourself."
"I have enough to eat," Ji Rendong said softly. "Watching you eat makes me more hungry."
These words carried a hint of barely perceptible doting, causing Shi Banxia's cheeks to burn completely.
She ate her noodles in silence, her heart a jumble of emotions, like a spilled spice jar. Resentment, anger, and a barely suppressed sweetness mingled together.
After taking a few bites, Shi Banxia couldn't help but ask, though her tone had softened considerably: "So... what are your plans next? Are you going back to the research institute in China?"
"I'll go back to hand over my work first, and then... I might have a vacation." Ji Rendong carefully chose her words. "I haven't figured out the arrangements yet."
"Oh," Shi Banxia responded, stirring the soup in her bowl with a spoon, and asked casually, "Is the holiday very long?"
“It’s not short.” Ji Rendong looked at her, his gaze deep. “I might… find a place to stay for a while.”
"Where?" Shi Banxia blurted out almost immediately, then regretted it, feeling she had been too hasty.
Ji Rendong did not answer immediately, but quietly looked at Shi Banxia.
Under the dim light of the noodle shop, Shi Banxia's cheeks were flushed with a faint blush from the heat and her recent emotional turmoil, and her eyelashes seemed to still have a little bit of moisture on them.
Ji Rendong's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something.
“Perhaps…” Ji Rendong’s voice was deep and clear, “I will stay in Hong Kong for a while.”
Shi Banxia paused in her stirring motion with the spoon.
She looked up and met Ji Rendong's eyes, which were always cool and aloof, but now held a complex mix of emotions. There was probing, expectation, and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness in them.
"What's so great about Hong Kong that makes you want to stay?" Shi Banxia forced herself to look away, her voice trembling slightly, carrying the last vestiges of her stubborn defensiveness. "It's expensive and crowded; you definitely won't get used to it..."
"Yes, it is a bit noisy," Ji Rendong replied, then changed the subject, her voice softening.
"But here... is someone I want to see."
These words stirred up huge ripples in Shi Banxia's heart.
All the awkwardness, grievances, and heartache seemed to find an outlet at this moment. Her nose tingled, and she quickly lowered her head, afraid that Ji Rendong would see her eyes reddening again.
"Who you want to see... is none of my business." She muttered softly, her voice muffled, but it had lost its previous sharpness and instead carried a hint of coquettishness that she herself was unaware of.
Shi Banxia held her chopsticks, unconsciously poking at the few remaining noodles at the bottom of the bowl. Her slightly reddened ear tips and helpless expression betrayed her current state of mind.
Ji Rendong chuckled as he looked at her insincere expression.
She didn't answer the question directly, but simply took out a tissue and handed it to him naturally. "Wipe your mouth." Her voice was as gentle as ever.
Shi Banxia took the tissue, and her fingertips inadvertently touched Ji Rendong's, causing both of them to pause slightly.
Shi Banxia quickly wiped her mouth and stood up: "I'm done eating, let's go."
The walk back to the hotel is short; just across the sidewalk, the magnificent glass facade of the Four Seasons Hotel comes into view.
The two walked side by side, the evening breeze gently rustling the hems of their clothes. The silence was no longer awkward, but rather filled with a subtle, ambiguous tension.
Reaching the hotel entrance, Shi Banxia stopped and finally turned around to face Ji Rendong. The neon lights danced on her face, her eyes filled with a complex mix of struggle and anticipation.
"You..." Shi Banxia paused, seemingly choosing her words carefully, "How do you get back?"
Ji Rendong looked at the dazzling lights of Tsim Sha Tsui across the water, then turned to Shi Banxia and said, "I'm staying at the Peninsula Hotel. It's very convenient to take a ferry back."
“It’s late,” Shi Banxia replied instinctively, then realized she was being too hasty and awkwardly added, “What I mean is, it seems like the Star Ferry is about to close.”
A knowing glint flashed in Ji Rendong's eyes. She glanced at her watch and said calmly, "Yes, the last bus is around 11:30."
It was indeed getting late, and the two stared at each other in silence, their conversation seemingly about to reach another stalemate.
Shi Banxia's fingers twitched slightly, as if she wanted to turn around and escape into the hotel. Just then, Ji Rendong took a small step forward, gently grasped Shi Banxia's hand, and closed the already delicate distance between them.
“Banxia,” Ji Rendong’s voice was soft, carried on the night breeze of the port city, yet exceptionally clear.
"The person I want to see is you."
Shi Banxia suddenly looked up and met Ji Rendong's deep eyes. Gone was the usual coldness; there was only honesty and a burning emotion she had never seen before.
"Banxia, the person I want to see is you."
Ji Rendong repeated himself, his tone slow and firm, "I came to Gangcheng not by chance, but because this is the place you've always longed for. I want to see the sea you saw and walk the paths you walked."
She paused slightly, as if gathering her courage, and gently stroked Shi Banxia's slightly flushed cheeks, "If I were to say that the reason I want to stay in Hong Kong is because I want to be closer to you..."
Is this reason sufficient?
A note from the author:
Our Dongdong finally spoke his mind for once.
Actually, Xiaxia is very easy to coax; the love of dogs and cats is just so pure and lovely.
I've reached 70,000 words! Thank you all for your continued support!
The main story is expected to end at 80,000 words! Don't worry, I'll write side stories too, hahaha!
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