Chapter 145 Extra 2: Liang Jiushan's Story - Unrequited Love
In August 1996, Kyoto was sweltering in the heat of midsummer. The asphalt was slightly softened by the sun, and the air was thick with a scorching heat.
Liang Jiushan carried several lunch boxes and walked quickly through the campus of Huaxia Public Security University. His back was soaked with sweat, but he didn't care. He kept thinking about Jiang Ling's schedule. He was a thoughtful person. Through his several contacts with Jiang Ling and the information she occasionally revealed, he had figured out Jiang Ling's recent arrangements very well.
He knew that Jiang Ling was on leave for her first year of graduate studies and would stay in Kyoto to continue her studies this summer. After the summer, she would either return to the Yan City Public Security Bureau or work with her mentor Ying Xuanji to investigate real cases.
He also knew that Ying Songmao was coming to Kyoto soon to attend a national symposium on criminal psychology, hosted by Professor Ying Xuanji.
Thinking of Ying Songmao, Liang Jiushan felt as if his heart had been gently pricked by a tiny needle. It didn't hurt, but the lingering discomfort was hard to shake off.
Liang Jiushan had always known of Ying Songmao's existence. He knew that Ying Songmao was highly skilled in criminal investigation, had a calm personality, was a clean freak, spoke little, and was the same type of person as Jiang Ling, with a strong sense of career.
More importantly, he is Professor Ying Xuanji's nephew.
This natural intimacy made Liang Jiushan feel unprecedented pressure. A tall, upright man in a police uniform, with a cold and stern look, stood next to Jiang Ling, and they looked...very well-matched.
Moreover, Ying Songmao is three years older than Jiang Ling, and this age difference is more appropriate in the eyes of ordinary people than Liang Jiushan, a college student who is five years younger than Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling was 20 years old when she was assigned to the Jinwu Road Police Station after graduating from university, while Liang Jiushan was only 15 years old and still a junior high school student.
If he were to say that he likes Jiang Ling, everyone would probably laugh and pat him on the head, saying, "Little guy, focus on your studies and don't let your mind wander."
The words "suitable" and "well-matched" made Liang Jiushan feel uneasy.
But he dared not make any obvious moves. He was young and inexperienced. Apart from the title of founder of "Star Shield Technology" and some achievements in the field of computer science, in Jiang Ling's world, he seemed to always be the boy who needed her to lend a hand.
He was afraid that any overstepping of boundaries would offend Jiang Ling and push him away.
Therefore, he chose a more roundabout and safer path—to be a “well-behaved and sensible” younger brother.
"Sister Ling, are you still at school? I brought you some food." Liang Jiushan calculated the time and found a phone booth to make the call when Jiang Ling came out of the library and returned to her dormitory.
Jiang Ling's voice on the other end of the phone sounded tired: "No need to trouble yourself, Jiu Shan, I'll just grab something to eat at the cafeteria later."
"Didn't you say the food in the cafeteria wasn't spicy enough? I'm already at your school." He didn't give her a chance to refuse, his tone relaxed and natural. "Stir-fried pork with chili peppers, steamed sausage with chopped chili peppers, and water spinach with garlic sauce, how about that?"
He remembered all of Jiang Ling's taste preferences, even more clearly than she did herself.
Sure enough, Jiang Ling's voice held a hint of joy: "Great! Just hearing the name of the dish makes it sound delicious." After eating in the cafeteria for so long, she really missed the various spicy dishes of Hunan cuisine.
A few minutes later, Liang Jiushan appeared at Jiang Ling's dormitory carrying a still-steaming lunchbox. He was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, with soft hair and clear eyes, looking like a boy next door. No one would associate him with the young president of a technology company.
"Sister Ling," he said with a harmless smile, "eat it while it's hot."
A hint of warmth appeared in Jiang Ling's eyes: "Come in and sit down."
Liang Jiushan walked into the dormitory, skillfully set out her lunchbox, handed her chopsticks, and then casually glanced at the meeting materials and papers she had spread out on the table.
"Sister Ling, are you preparing a conference paper?"
"Yes, regarding the construction of regional crime prediction models, there are still some data models that I feel are not perfect enough."
Liang Jiushan's eyes lit up instantly; his opportunity had arrived.
"Is it a data processing problem? I've been optimizing a multi-dimensional algorithm recently, maybe I can run it for you? Just consider it a test." His tone was enthusiastic, with the excitement of a tech enthusiast encountering a problem.
Jiang Ling hesitated for a moment: "Won't this be too much trouble for you?"
"Of course not!" Liang Jiushan immediately assured him. "This is a learning opportunity for me. Sister Ling, give me the data and requirements, and I can help you create a preliminary model tonight!"
He picked up the first draft of the paper and materials on his desk, and after reading them for a while, he began to explain the model optimization ideas to Jiang Ling. His logic was clear and his insights were unique.
Jiang Ling was quickly drawn in and began discussing things with him while eating.
Looking at her focused profile, Liang Jiushan felt a mixture of satisfaction and bittersweetness. Satisfied to be able to get close to her and do something for her; bittersweet because he could only approach her in this way and with this kind of status.
He appeared humble and eager to learn, with clear eyes throughout, engaging only in academic exchanges with Jiang Ling, and only occasionally revealing a younger brother-like dependence.
With the help of professionals, Jiang Ling breathed a sigh of relief. Although she was good at criminal psychology and had outstanding practical skills in criminal investigation, mathematical modeling was her weakness.
Just as the discussion was in full swing, Jiang Ling received a phone call.
"Team Leader? Yes, I'm here. Tomorrow at 3 PM? Okay, let's meet then."
Upon hearing the name "Captain Ying," Liang Jiushan's ears perked up. Ying Songmao was coming? They were going to meet? Was Ying Songmao going to confess his feelings to Jiang Ling? What would he do if they really got together?
So, Liang Jiushan didn't sleep a wink that night.
He transformed the dry data in Jiang Ling's thesis into something vibrant and compelling on the computer screen. He not only wanted to help her solve her problems, but also to exceed her expectations, to show her his value, to show her that he was no longer a child who needed her protection, but someone who could discuss professional matters with her and even lend her a helping hand.
Perhaps Jiang Ling would think he's more useful than Ying Songmao?
The next day, with dark circles under his eyes, he sent Jiang Ling a clear and intuitive data model and analysis report. Hearing her delighted cheers, he felt a surge of joy.
"Jiu Shan, some data needs to be updated. I have something to do this afternoon, I'll send the data to you tonight." Jiang Ling's voice was calm on the phone.
"Okay, Sister Ling. You're busy." Liang Jiushan obediently replied, but after hanging up the phone, she subconsciously frowned. She had something to do this afternoon; was it a date with Ying Songmao?
An indescribable feeling made him uneasy.
In the afternoon, Liang Jiushan finished his experiment early, his heart inexplicably racing. He rode his bicycle and unknowingly wandered to the vicinity of the Police University. Just as he was hesitating whether to find an excuse to "bump into" Jiang Ling downstairs at her dormitory, he spotted that familiar figure walking out of the school gate.
She changed out of her usual casual or training clothes and, unusually, wore a plain-colored dress, which made her figure look both upright and graceful.
Liang Jiushan's heart sank, a strong sense of crisis gripping him. Almost instinctively, he quickly turned his bicycle into the alley next door, hid behind the shade of a tree, and kept his eyes fixed on her.
He saw a taxi stop and Jiang Ling get in. Almost without a moment's hesitation, Liang Jiushan pedaled his bicycle and, relying on his familiarity with the streets of Kyoto and a youthful impulse, followed the taxi at a distance.
The hot summer breeze brushed past his ears, but he felt a chill in his palms, and his heartbeat was so loud it drowned out all the noise.
Fortunately, the taxi only drove for seven or eight minutes before stopping on a quiet and elegant street near the campus, in front of a café with huge floor-to-ceiling windows. Liang Jiushan slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching softly against the pavement. He quickly pulled over behind an inconspicuous newsstand across the street, his heart pounding in his chest.
Through the bright glass window of the café, he could clearly see that a man was already sitting by the window—Ying Songmao. He was wearing a neatly pressed shirt, sitting upright, looking down at his watch, his expression one of tension and anticipation that Liang Jiushan had never seen before.
Jiang Ling pushed open the door and went in. Ying Songmao immediately stood up, his eyes flashing with an extremely bright light.
Liang Jiushan saw Ying Songmao pull out a chair for Jiang Ling and saw the two sitting opposite each other.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Liang Jiushan saw that Ying Songmao's gaze was almost glued to Jiang Ling, his focus and appreciation undisguised.
Liang Jiushan felt difficulty breathing, and his chest ached. Sunlight streamed through the glass, falling on them, making them look so... well-matched. This realization filled Liang Jiushan with dread.
Liang Jiushan couldn't hear what they were saying, so he could only guess from their expressions and actions. He saw that Ying Songmao seemed to be talking excitedly, while Jiang Ling's expression was initially surprised, then turned somewhat... troubled? Under pressure?
Liang Jiushan clenched his fists unconsciously, his nails digging deep into his palms.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind: Was Ying Songmao confessing his feelings? Would Sister Ling accept? Had they been together for a long time...? Had he never had a chance at all? A tremendous sense of loss and bitterness almost overwhelmed him. He felt like a child who had glimpsed a nightmare about to come true, helpless and desperate.
Just then, he saw the light on Ying Songmao's face gradually dim, and a somewhat helpless yet relieved smile appeared on his lips. Then, he saw Jiang Ling seem to breathe a sigh of relief, a clear and calm smile appearing on her face, and she even took the initiative to extend her hand to Ying Songmao!
The world seemed to have been muted.
Liang Jiushan couldn't hear the fateful conversation; he could only watch helplessly as the hand reached out, as the two hands clasped together, as the red rose on the table shone brightly, and as they smiled at each other…
It's over.
That was the only thought in his mind. As if all the strength had been drained from his body, he was almost unable to hold on.
However, the next second, things seemed to take a strange turn. The clasped hands quickly separated, and the atmosphere between the two no longer seemed so tense and ambiguous, but rather... relaxed? As if they had reached some kind of consensus.
Liang Jiushan froze, his heart feeling as if it had been gripped by an invisible hand and then suddenly released. He couldn't believe his eyes and desperately tried to glean more information from their expressions.
Then, he saw Ying Songmao call the waiter over to settle the bill, and the two of them stood up together and walked out. Their demeanor didn't resemble that of a couple who had just confessed their feelings for each other; it was more like... partners who had just completed a friendly meeting.
Like a startled rabbit, Liang Jiushan shrank back behind the newsstand, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would explode. He heard the coffee shop doorbell ring softly, and then he heard their footsteps and farewells.
"Then it's settled. We'll be the best comrades-in-arms and friends forever."
"Take care, Songmao. Have a safe journey."
Comrades-in-arms? Friends!
These two words, like heavenly music, instantly struck Liang Jiushan. An immense, indescribable ecstasy swept over all his senses like a tsunami. Not lovers, but comrades! They weren't talking about being together, but about being friends!
At that moment, all the tension, anxiety, and bitterness evaporated instantly! He quickly covered his mouth, afraid that the almost burst of joyful shout would disturb the two people who were saying goodbye not far away.
He watched Ying Songmao get into a taxi and leave, and then watched Jiang Ling stand there, seemingly letting out a soft sigh of relief before turning around and taking a taxi towards the school.
Only after Jiang Ling's figure disappeared around the street corner did Liang Jiushan suddenly jump out from behind the newsstand.
He could no longer contain the surging emotions within him. All notions of image and composure vanished! Like a child who had finally received a long-awaited gift, he jumped and spun around haphazardly, waving his fists, a huge, almost foolish smile spreading across his face as he silently shouted.
He was oblivious to the surprised looks he received from passersby. The summer breeze felt incredibly refreshing and cool on his face.
The golden rays of the setting sun bathed the streets, making the whole world appear incredibly bright and lovely in his eyes.
He won.
Oh no, he hadn't even actually taken the stage when his most formidable opponent had already voluntarily withdrawn.
In the end, God did favor him!
After the initial euphoria, an indescribable sense of relief and immense hope surged within him. He forced himself to calm down, glanced around furtively like a thief, quickly picked up the fallen bicycle, hopped on, and began pedaling at breakneck speed.
The wind filled his clothes, and Liang Jiushan couldn't help but chuckle softly again as he pedaled, unable to suppress the sound of his laughter.
He knew his chance had come.
That seemingly distant road suddenly unfolded before my eyes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com