Chapter 13 (Part 1)
As soon as she walked out of the Cheng family's door, Gan Ling realized that she was shaking. Her shoulders and arms trembled involuntarily, and her body was hot and cold. No matter how hard she tried to control it, it was useless. She knew very well that this tremor came from the heart, because her heart was throbbing, and she could still feel the weight of Cheng Zhao pressing on her, so heavy, so clear. She had just said that he made her breathless, and it was not a lie, but it was a real feeling, not a mental one. She wanted to find a place to calm down, but gave up when she got to the door. She opened the door with her key and quickly slipped in, fearing that Cheng Zhao would chase her out again. This feeling was very strange, she had never had it before when she was with Cheng Zhao. When they were together before, she almost always had the final say. But now, the control was quietly shifting, and his power to influence each other was far greater than hers. She didn't like this strange feeling, maybe she was afraid. She had a fear of everything she couldn't figure out. Gan Wenkang's room was completely silent. Gan Ling suddenly woke up and ran to open the door. "Dad!" Gan Wenkang, who was sitting at the desk, turned around and asked, "What's wrong?" Gan Ling was relieved to know her father was fine. "Uh, can we have dinner now?" "Okay." Gan Ling glanced at the clock on the living room wall and calculated that only twenty minutes had passed, but why did it feel like a century? However, this interruption finally brought Gan Ling out of her trance. She walked into the kitchen and started to make dinner. After dinner, when the dishes were almost washed, Song Yiping called again. Gan Ling hung up after a few words. After dinner, Gan Wenkang was left on the balcony, drinking tea and listening to the radio. Gan Ling changed her shoes at the door and called out to the balcony, "Dad, I'm going out for a walk. I'll be back soon." Gan Wenkang turned and said, "Don't worry, take a nice walk." Gan Ling ran downstairs but didn't see Song Yiping's car. Cheng Zhao's car, a black Mercedes, was still parked in the open parking lot. She glanced at the car, feeling a little uneasy, as if Cheng Zhao was watching her. She dialed Song Yiping's cell phone number, and when it connected, she asked, "Where are you?" "At the entrance to the community. There's a traffic jam here, so I'll be coming in soon." Gan Ling said, "If there's a traffic jam, just park at Gate 4. Don't come in, or it'll be inconvenient to leave later." "Where is Gate 4?" "Turn right from Gate 2. You're at the main gate now, right?" The two of them chatted for a while about directions. Song Yiping was not familiar with this old community at all. Gan Ling said, "Then park where you are now. I'll come find you." Exiting Gate 4, Gan Ling walked along the outer wall of the community...
As soon as she walked out of the Cheng family's door, Gan Ling realized that she was shaking. Her shoulders and arms trembled involuntarily, and her body was hot and cold. No matter how hard she tried to control it, it was useless.
She knew very well that this shudder came from within, because her heart was throbbing, and she could still feel the weight of Cheng Zhao pressing on her, so heavy, so clear. She hadn't lied when she said he made her breathless, but that was a real feeling, not a mental one.
She wanted to find a place to calm down, but gave up when she reached her doorstep. She unlocked the door with her key and quickly slipped inside, fearing Cheng Zhao would chase her out again. This feeling was strange, something she had never experienced before with Cheng Zhao. When they were together, she almost always had the final say. But now, the control was quietly shifting, and his influence on both of them was far greater than hers. She didn't like this unfamiliar feeling, perhaps it was fear. She was terrified of everything she couldn't understand.
Gan Wenkang's room was quiet. Gan Ling suddenly woke up and ran over to open the door, "Dad!"
Gan Wenkang turned around at the desk and asked, "What's the matter?"
Gan Ling was relieved that her father was fine. "Um, can we have dinner now?"
"OK."
Gan Ling glanced at the clock on the living room wall. Only twenty minutes had passed, but why did it feel like a century? However, this interruption brought Gan Ling back to her senses. She walked into the kitchen and started making dinner.
After dinner, when the dishes were almost washed, Song Yiping called again. Gan Ling hung up after just a few words.
After dinner, Gan Wenkang was placed on the balcony, drinking tea and listening to the radio.
Gan Ling changed her shoes at the door and shouted to the balcony, "Dad, I'm going out for a walk and will be back soon."
Gan Wenkang turned around and said, "Don't worry, just take a nice walk."
Gan Ling ran downstairs and didn't see Song Yiping's car. Cheng Zhao's car was still parked in the open-air parking lot, a black Mercedes-Benz. She glanced at the car, feeling a little uneasy, as if Cheng Zhao was watching her.
She dialed Song Yiping's cell phone number, and when it connected, she asked, "Where are you?"
"At the entrance of the community, there is a traffic jam here, come in immediately."
Gan Ling said, "If the traffic is congested, just park at Gate 4 and don't come in. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient to get out later."
"Where is Gate 4?"
"It's Gate 2, turn right. You're at the main gate now, right?"
The two chatted for a while about the direction. Song Yiping was not familiar with this old neighborhood at all. Gan Ling said, "Then you can park where you are now. I will come to find you."
After walking out of Gate No. 4, Gan Ling walked around the outer wall of the community and saw Song Yiping's car near Gate No. 3.
Song Yiping also saw Gan Ling, so he parked his car by the roadside, got out, waved to her, and walked over quickly. As he got closer, Gan Ling noticed in the light of the street lamp that sweat was beading on his forehead.
“It’s really hard to drive here.”
Gan Ling apologized and explained, "The old neighborhood is like this. The roads are too narrow. When they were built, they didn't consider that there would be so many cars a few decades later."
Song Yiping looked back at his car, feeling a little worried. "Will I get fined if I park on the side of the road?"
Gan Ling really didn't know, "It's possible."
"Then I'd better drive in and park there to feel more at ease. You get in and show me the way."
Gan Ling hesitated. Song Yiping called her and said he wanted to send her two baskets of Dongshan loquats. His company was preparing them for a client, and he had ordered some because they looked fresh, intending to give them privately to a friend. Although Gan Ling declined, Song Yiping insisted, saying he would leave after delivering them and would not bother her. However, judging by his current attitude, it seemed that it was not that simple.
But there was no way to say it bluntly: "Loquat stays, you can go." Gan Ling got in the car and gave Song Yiping directions. When they were almost at Building 24, Gan Ling's nerves tensed up for some reason, and she quickly pointed to the right, "Turn right ahead!"
Song Yiping just happened to see a sign on a new tree next to the roadside trees, which clearly said "Turn left from Building 22 to Building 24".
Gan Ling explained, "We have no parking spaces downstairs. Look to the right."
The car finally stopped in front of Building 26, across the street from Building 24. Song Yiping opened the trunk and took out two baskets of loquats, weighing more than ten pounds, and handed them to Gan Ling.
"I tasted it at the company and it was very sweet."
Gan Ling took the loquat and said, "Thank you! It's really troublesome for you."
"No trouble—it's quite heavy. Let me help you carry it up."
Gan Ling said, "My dad is at home."
Song Yiping was not frightened at all. Instead, he smiled and said, "It's a good opportunity to meet my uncle."
"He's not well. Last time I told you..."
"It's okay, we'll meet sooner or later!"
"I mean, he, he doesn't really want to see anyone tonight."
Song Yiping looked at her, understood something, and fell silent for a while.
Gan Ling felt guilty, but she still felt that meeting the parents after only three dates was too fast. Especially tonight, when her heart was in turmoil.
"I'm sorry," she muttered, "and I made you go all the way here."
Song Yiping smiled a little dryly, "I originally thought... Never mind, then, let's talk about it next time!"
"Well, I'll treat you to tea next time."
"Just tea? Or dinner?"
Gan Ling smiled and said, "Okay! It's all on me."
"Then it's settled!"
The two said goodbye, Gan Ling picked up the loquat on the ground, turned around and walked towards Building 24.
Song Yiping suddenly caught up with him and said, "It seems like you have a hard time carrying it. Let me help you. I'll leave after I drop it off at your house."
He snatched the basket from Gan Ling's right hand and stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
Gan Ling had no choice but to follow him forward, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. It seemed that after-sales service agents were thicker-skinned than the average person, prone to forcing others to do things against their will. She should have just asked him to pull over, and he would have left in a hurry.
When they reached the entrance of the stairwell, Gan Ling refused to let Song Yiping follow her. "I can go up by myself. I can carry it, really."
Seeing her firm attitude, Song Yiping had no choice but to hand the basket back to her. Gan Ling breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly took it, and wanted to say thank you again, but was surprised when Song Yiping gently hugged her body.
"Gan Ling." He called softly in her ear.
Gan Ling shuddered, wondering what had happened to her today that she had received two hugs in one night. However, Song Yiping's embrace didn't make her lose control of her emotions or cause her mind to become confused. She just let him hold her awkwardly, thinking about how to get out without embarrassing him.
"Mr. Song..."
"Call me Yiping."
"I have to go up. The loquats are a bit heavy..."
Song Yiping laughed triumphantly and let go of her, "You still need my help!"
"Really? I can handle it." Gan Ling almost didn't know what to say. Then, an idea struck him, and he thought of his car. "You should hurry back! The parking lot will be full soon, and it will be very troublesome for you to drive out."
The car incident finally brought Song Yiping back to reality. "...Okay! I'm leaving then."
"Yeah, see you later!"
This time Gan Ling didn't dare to delay any longer. After saying "don't", he ran away. Only a disappointed sigh came from behind him.
Gan Ling didn't dare slow down, climbing up the stairs in one go, fearing that she would see Song Yiping following her if she turned around. She was so focused on watching out for the back that she didn't expect Cheng Zhao to block her way in front of her, and she almost ran into his arms.
Cheng Zhao stood on the second-floor landing, leaning on the railing, not caring how long it hadn't been cleaned. He was shrouded in the dim light of the hallway lamp, his face gloomy.
"It's developing so fast!" His tone was also sour.
Gan Ling didn't want to argue with him, so she lowered her head and tried to pass by him, but Cheng Zhao took a stance and stopped her.
"Excuse me."
Cheng Zhao tilted his head and looked at her, gnashing his teeth a bit, "What's so good about him?"
Gan Ling looked up. "You're thirty-three, right? Can you stop being so childish?"
Objectively speaking, the face before her had nothing to do with childishness. It was a mature and handsome face, with bright and sharp eyes, and the corners of his mouth often pulled up slightly, revealing an unruly yet seemingly satisfied smile. But Gan Ling had grown up with him. She had seen him vulnerable and heartbroken. She could easily search for traces of childhood in this face, even if they were deeply hidden by their owner, she could still see through them at a glance.
Cheng Zhao's face pressed towards her. Gan Ling hurriedly dodged backwards, her heart starting to beat wildly again. There was obviously nothing to be nervous about. She was not afraid of him at all. She just didn't know how to treat the 33-year-old Cheng Zhao.
Cheng Zhao saw her panic and didn't dare to push her any further, but he didn't back down either. He whispered, "Let's talk it over."
Gan Ling leaned against the wall, trying to maintain a calm tone, "Okay, let's go to my house?"
As she expected, the face opposite her softened for a moment, then bounced back, "No, let's go to my house."
"Let's talk outside. I'll take the fruit back first."
"I'll wait for you here."
"OK."
Cheng Zhao finally gave way to her. Seeing Gan Ling walking upstairs, he suddenly became worried, "Don't play tricks on me!"
Without looking back, Gan Ling climbed to the third floor door, put down the loquat basket, took out the key to open the door, then picked up the basket again and walked in. As she was about to close the door, a foot suddenly stretched out and got stuck between the door and the door frame. Gan Ling looked up and saw that it was Cheng Zhao, looking in furtively.
Gan Ling almost laughed out loud, "You really won't come in?"
Cheng Zhao said nothing, shook his head, and pointed downstairs, meaning that he would wait for her there and don't stand him up.
Gan Wenkang heard the noise from the balcony and poked his head in in surprise, asking, "Xiao Ling, you're back so early?"
Gan Ling said loudly, "Yes, Dad! I bought some fruit and put it here first. I have to go out soon. Do you want me to wash some for you to try?"
After hearing her say this, the foot stuck in the door was quickly withdrawn.
Gan Wenkang said, "I can't eat now, go shopping!"
Gan Ling put the fruit away, washed her hands, and went out again.
Cheng Zhao was standing on the second-floor landing. Seeing her come out as promised, his expression immediately softened. Neither of them spoke, as they walked downstairs, one in front and one behind, in tacit understanding.
When walking out of the stairwell, Gan Ling couldn't help but glance towards Building 26. Song Yiping and his car had disappeared. She breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, she heard a barely audible snort from behind.
Gan Ling turned around and gently suggested, "Why don't we go to the small pavilion?"
Cheng Zhao flatly refused, "It's dark and there are lots of mosquitoes."
"On a night like this, where can there be no mosquitoes?"
"How about a cafe? I'll drive."
"It's too far. Isn't there a milk tea shop right next door?"
"There are too many people! It's impossible to talk."
"Where's the little park?"
"There are a lot of mosquitoes."
Gan Ling thought for a moment and said, "Then... let's go to my bookstore!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
