Attack again
Wen Lingyi's fingers hovered over the cold screen of her mobile phone. In the dialog box was a new dinner invitation from Zhou Jianxing.
Two days. Two whole days since I last saw that little fool. That face filled with anticipation and longing, those eyes filled with fascination and love, that clumsy yet docile demeanor, like the itchy itch of a drug addict, gnawed at my nerve endings.
As if possessed by some mysterious force, his fingertips tapped out the word "OK".
The next second, she began to regret it.
However, she immediately found a plausible excuse for herself: Zhou Jianxing had treated her last time, so it was only right that she should treat him back.
Yes, that's right. Just returning a favor.
The location was once again an upscale Western restaurant, this time chosen by Zhou Jianxing himself. When Wen Lingyi walked in, her gaze swept across the dim lights and the dining table covered with a snow-white tablecloth like a searchlight, finally settling on that figure.
Zhou Jianxing still sat by the window, her back as straight as a primary school student. The warm yellow light highlighted her superior head-to-shoulder ratio, making her look like a natural clothes hanger.
The well-cut denim skirt hugged her slender figure, revealing her beautiful collarbone and a small part of her calf. The accessories were simple silver, shining coldly under the light.
The makeup was obviously more carefully done than last time, more fitting and delicate, making the eyes look amazingly bright, like polished fire opals filled with tiny bits of light.
Wen Lingyi felt something hit her heart, neither lightly nor heavily, and her steps paused for a moment.
Before the meal, Zhou Jianxing, like a peacock eager to spread its feathers, excitedly recounted the daily fun of his work as a repairman: getting soaked by a burst water pipe, helping an elderly woman catch pigeons on her balcony, being chased by the neighborhood kids who called him "Repairman"...
She spoke with her hands gesticulating and her eyes sparkling.
Wen Lingyi looked at her intently and listened to her clear voice. The melodious classical music in the restaurant, the sound of cutlery colliding, and the whispers of other diners were all blurred as if through a layer of frosted glass.
The fatigue receded like the tide, leaving only the lively face in front of me.
Until Zhou Jianxing picked up her knife and fork and prepared to shut up and eat. Her clumsy posture made her look like she had just had her hand amputated. The silver knife and fork in her hand felt like heavy instruments of torture, and the movement of cutting the steak was filled with a tragic and labored effort.
Wen Lingyi's temples were throbbing with excitement.
She couldn't stand it any longer and reached out to take Zhou Jianxing's plate. Her fingers brushed against Zhou Jianxing's, and Zhou Jianxing retracted his fingertips suddenly as if he had been hit by static electricity.
Wen Lingyi lowered her eyes as she expertly cut the steak into even pieces, her movements as graceful as if she were performing surgery. The blade made a subtle sound as it sliced through the well-defined texture of the meat.
"Dip it in like this," she said, pushing the plate back, her voice deliberately calm, "don't get it on your clothes."
When Zhou Jianxing took the plate, his fingertips quickly brushed across Wen Lingyi's fingers again, like a feather passing by, but with a scorching temperature.
She quickly lowered her head, her ears red.
Seeing that they were almost done eating, Zhou Jianxing made a move to stand up and said, "I'm going to make a phone call..." Before he could finish his words, Wen Lingyi stopped him.
"Sit down." Wen Lingyi's voice was unquestionable. "Last time you treated me, this time it's my turn."
"No!" Zhou Jianxing reacted extremely strongly, "I agreed to treat you, so it's my turn!" His eyes were stubborn, with a childish persistence.
Wen Lingyi couldn't persuade her. Looking at her back as she walked quickly towards the cashier, her heart felt like it was blocked by a ball of wet cotton.
She used to eat here with Su Qing often, so how could she not know the average consumption here.
The steak was M9 air-shipped from Australia, and the fish arrived from Hokkaido that same day... She had no idea what this little fool was so obsessed with, and she had no idea how many times Zhou Jianxing's hard-earned money could allow her to squander like this.
·
After leaving the restaurant, Wen Lingyi wanted to go to the luxury store in Zhaohua Building to check out the new season's ready-to-wear. The two of them walked aimlessly on the mirror-like floor tiles, with nothing to talk about.
"Next time, let me pay the bill." Wen Lingyi couldn't help but speak.
"No!" Zhou Jianxing refused again, his voice rising a few notches, attracting the attention of passers-by.
She realized she had lost her composure and lowered her voice, but she became even more stubborn: "I usually eat and live at home, so I spend very little and save all my money. I have saved 200,000 yuan. I have a lot of orders this year, and if I work hard, I might be able to have 300,000 yuan by the end of the year. I... I am willing to spend money on you."
Her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes were scorching bright, and she looked at Wen Lingyi eagerly. When she said that she was willing to spend money on Wen Lingyi, her expression even had a little pride, which made people laugh and cry.
Then, Zhou Jianxing suddenly spoke out of nowhere, blurting out, "Sister Wen, your...your husband is cheating on you. Is it because of money that you don't divorce him?"
She swallowed the words "It's okay, I can still support you even if you get divorced."
Two hundred thousand? Wen Lingyi was quite surprised. No wonder she said "a little money" last time.
Then, she suddenly realized - Zhou Jianxing... thought she didn't want to divorce because of money?
So, Zhou Jianxing treated her as... a canary kept in a cage by her husband who couldn't survive if she got divorced?
Is that why she doesn't want her to spend money, thinking she's spending her "husband's" money?
A feeling of absurdity and bitterness welled up in her. Wen Lingyi opened her mouth, but ultimately offered no explanation.
She simply raised her hand and patted Zhou Jianxing's tense arm soothingly. "Well, you're doing very well. Work hard and earn more money." After a pause, she added, "You deal with water and electricity all day...be careful."
There was worry in her voice that Wen Lingyi herself was not aware of.
Zhou Jianxing nodded vigorously, his eyes instantly curved into crescents, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise.
·
Walking into the luxury store, Wen Lingyi tried on several new styles of the season.
No matter whether she changed into a charming and sexy dress or a smart and simple suit pants, Zhou Jianxing stood outside the fitting room, staring at her without blinking, and his undisguised amazement was projected at her like a tangible beam of light.
She didn't use fancy words, but only repeated awkwardly: "It looks good, really looks good... This color suits you... so, so beautiful..."
It's all elementary school vocabulary.
After choosing for a long time, I finally picked two skirts and a pair of trousers.
Wen Lingyi signaled the clerk to pack up the food. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Zhou Jianxing subconsciously take another step forward, his hand seemingly reaching for his cell phone.
She finally couldn't help but frown, and her voice became a little colder: "Zhou Jianxing." She just called the name with a warning.
Zhou Jianxing's outstretched hand froze in mid-air, and he retracted it awkwardly, like a child who had done something wrong.
Wen Lingyi sighed inwardly. She didn't know whether Zhou Jianxing knew this brand or not. The price tags of those clothes alone were enough to keep this little fool going without food or drink for half a year.
This kind-hearted person... made her feel distressed and a little breathless.
Wen Lingyi's heart moved as she glanced at Zhou Jianxing's crisp but obviously not high-end denim skirt.
She grabbed Zhou Jianxing's wrist and dragged her into the spacious VIP fitting room without hesitation. The heavy door slowly closed behind them, blocking out the noise and lights outside.
·
"Sister Wen, what are you doing?" Zhou Jianxing was a little confused and his body stiffened instantly.
Wen Lingyi said nothing. In the small space, only the faint sound of their breathing remained. The scent of the expensive salon fragrance and the cool, cool perfume on Wen Lingyi's body mixed together to form a strange, dizzying aroma.
She stretched out her hand, her fingertips feeling warm, and placed them directly on Zhou Jianxing's waist. Her fingers slid slowly along the waistline wrapped in the denim skirt, and her fingertips felt the tight muscle lines under the fabric, moving down inch by inch, passing over the hipbone, and then upwards, exploring along the depression of the spine.
Zhou Jianxing felt like she was nailed to the spot, her breathing suddenly becoming rapid. She could clearly feel the path of the warm fingertips, like a weak electric current, causing her skin to tingle wherever it passed.
Wen Lingyi leaned very close, his breath brushing her ears and neck from time to time, and an invisible, tense tension filled the air.
Zhou Jianxing could even hear the roar of his blood rushing through his veins and the heavy thud of his heart hitting his chest.
She didn't dare to move or breathe, letting those hands roam her body and letting herself be completely enveloped by the scent of the other person. Her brain seemed to have lost the ability to think, and she could only lie still, her body temperature gradually rising.
His fingers slid across every inch of her skin, pausing briefly on her chest, waist, and buttocks. The places touched by Wen Lingyi felt like they were on fire. Zhou Jianxing squinted her eyes unconsciously, then covered her eyes to hold back the moan that was about to escape.
The air in the fitting room was so thick that it almost froze.
After finishing the measurement, Wen Lingyi withdrew her hand, opened the door of the fitting room and walked out as usual, as if nothing had happened just now.
Zhou Jianxing followed behind, his cheeks burning and his steps a little unsteady. He was completely confused by what had just happened.
·
Leaving Zhaohua Building, the night air was chilly.
Wen Lingyi did not take the initiative to extend an invitation this time.
Zhou Jianxing watched Wen Lingyi walk towards the parking lot, and a strong sense of loss surged in his heart, as if he was abandoned on an empty platform.
Sure enough, did Wen Lingyi misunderstand her last rejection? She regretted it again.
Before leaving, Zhou Jianxing mustered up her courage and asked cautiously, "Sister Wen... do you have any hobbies?" She had finally managed to get Wen Lingyi out for dinner, and she had to seize the opportunity to create an excuse for their next meeting.
Hearing this, Wen Lingyi paused as she was getting into the car. She looked up at the cloudy sky, which was dyed a dark red by the city's neon lights. Her eyes were a little vague: "Look at the stars."
Zhou Jianxing's face began to turn red, and even his ears felt hot.
She stammered, her voice stuck in her throat: "Are you... are you... flirting?" Some unspeakable images flashed through her mind, and the shame made her toes curl up.
Wen Lingyi turned around and looked at Zhou Jianxing's embarrassed expression, wondering in her heart how someone could be so straightforward.
Flirting? It was a little bit interesting, sure. But more than that... I really wanted to see the stars.
Air pollution was like a thick gray cloth, covering up all the faint starlight. It had been a long time since she had seen the bright star that belonged to her mother.
But she didn't explain, she just said calmly: "It's not flirting. I really like it."
Zhou Jianxing's eyes lit up, his voice filled with excitement: "I know a place! My grandparents' old house, it's perfect for stargazing! Next time... next time when the weather is good, I'll take you there?"
Wen Lingyi looked at those sparkling eyes and nodded: "Okay."
Zhou Jianxing struck while the iron was hot, his voice filled with a hint of pitiful pleading: "Then tomorrow, can I still have dinner with you?"
"Not tomorrow." Wen Lingyi interrupted her, her voice returning to its usual distant tone.
She didn't like the sticky feeling that came too often, like syrup, so sweet that it would eventually suffocate her.
Moreover, Zhou Jianxing's wallet probably couldn't afford to treat people to dinner so frequently.
Wen Lingyi's blunt refusal made the light in Zhou Jianxing's eyes dim instantly, like a candle flame being extinguished.
She lowered her head, her fingers twisting the corners of her clothes unconsciously, and her voice was low, with a hint of pitiful grievance: "Then... watch the stars... you can't refuse me anymore... when the weather is good... let's go together..."
How come you have learned to retreat in order to advance and to keep pressing the issue?
The night wind blew the ends of Wen Lingyi's hair. Through the gaps between her hair, she looked at Zhou Jianxing's lowered head, with his eyebrows and eyes drooping, like a puppy drenched in the rain.
"Yeah." She responded, her voice drifting in the night wind.
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