Chapter 86 Night Runaway: I'll grant your wish and set you free.
The two stared at each other in silence for a long time.
In the end, Lan Jia spoke first: "It's so cold outside."
Meng Cenjun belatedly turned to the side to let her in.
He instinctively reached out to untie her scarf, but Lan Jia took it down first and hung it in the closet along with her coat.
Meng Cenjun quietly clenched her fingers, her whole body stiffening.
At this time, she should be at the old house, reunited with her real family. Of course, he wouldn't be foolish enough to believe that Lan Jia had suddenly changed her mind and specially returned to spend the holiday with him.
As she walked in, she looked around; it remained deserted and utterly unadorned.
Why is there no one here?
"We don't need that many servants, so we've given them a break."
Lan Jia glanced at the empty dining room, frowned, and asked, "You haven't eaten yet?"
Meng Cenjun felt inexplicably being questioned, and said in a soft voice, "I'm busy."
"Then you can go ahead and get busy."
After she finished speaking, she went straight into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and looked inside. There was very little food.
It's Chinese New Year, and I have no idea what he's up to all by himself.
Lan Jia sighed inwardly, picking out the few remaining ingredients to make a mixed vegetable and egg dish, which was enough to make a bowl of noodles.
She tied an apron around her neck and was about to wash the vegetables when she saw him still standing there. She said, "Go ahead and do your thing. I'll be done here in a bit."
Meng Cenjun didn't move: "You've never cooked before in your life."
Amid the rushing water, Lan Jia muttered, "Watching the tutorial is easy enough, I'm not stupid."
Meng Cenjun remained silent.
The two fell silent again, and the atmosphere gradually became strange and awkward.
Lan Jia knew he had been watching her the whole time. Her ears were burning, and she didn't dare to lift her head. She just kept washing the tomatoes, turning them over and over until the skin was shiny.
Just as she was wondering why he hadn't left yet, a tall shadow loomed over her from behind. Lan Jia was startled, and then she reached out with both hands, grabbed her wrists, and rolled up her sleeves to her elbows.
“It will get wet,” he said.
Lan Jia froze, uttering two incoherent "ohs" before arranging the tomatoes. Just as she was about to cut them, a strand of hair slipped down, tickling her eyes.
Her hands were also wet, and she was about to smooth them when Meng Cenjun reached out and tucked them behind her ears before gathering her long hair and tying it up.
Lan Jia's cleaver clattered and slipped, accompanied by a small "ah" sound.
"Did you cut your hand?"
Before she could even react, Meng Cenjun had already nervously grabbed her hand and examined it over and over.
Thankfully, there were no wounds or bleeding.
He was slightly relieved and said, "Let me do it."
Lan Jia awkwardly withdrew her hand, feeling that something was wrong, and kept urging him on: "I can do it, I can do it, you...you go sit outside for a while, I can perform better when I'm alone."
Meng Cenjun paused for a moment, worried that he might be in the way, and repeatedly told her to be careful before leaving, turning back every few steps.
Only after he left did Lan Jia relax. She touched her cheeks with both hands; they were still hot, and she felt embarrassed.
Perhaps it's a case of feeling apprehensive about returning home; nothing feels quite right.
My mind was a mess, and after a flurry of activity in the kitchen, I finally managed to serve a steaming bowl of noodles.
Meng Cenjun brought over two cups of hot tea. Seeing her taking off her apron, she hurriedly said, "Sit down for a while."
Lan Jia nodded and added, "Try it quickly and see if it's good, it gets cold fast."
As if to confirm that she wouldn't leave immediately, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes. He pulled out a chair and sat down opposite her under the lamp.
Looking at the bowl of mushy stuff in front of him, Lan Jia felt a little embarrassed: "I was afraid it wouldn't be cooked enough, so I cooked it a little longer, but I didn't expect it to turn out like this."
“It’s alright,” he said gently, “you did a great job.”
She held the teacup in both hands, and seeing him pick up a piece of food with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, she asked nervously, "How is it?"
"It's delicious." Meng Cenjun lowered her eyes and said without changing her expression, "It's very delicious."
Lan Jia knew he was lying as soon as she heard it; didn't she know her own cooking skills? But she didn't call him out on it.
Gradually, they ran out of things to say, so she just watched him eat.
Meng Cenjun ate very well, cleanly and without making a sound.
At the quiet dinner table, Lan Jia nervously held onto the printed pattern on the rim of her glass, hesitant to speak.
But we can't delay any longer.
Finally mustering her courage, she braced herself and said to him, "Actually, I've come to say goodbye."
The sound was very soft, but it made his hand holding the chopsticks pause.
Meng Cenjun asked, "When are you leaving?"
"Tonight, the flight is in the early hours of the morning."
"With him?"
"yes……"
He stopped talking, picked up another piece of food with his chopsticks, and continued eating.
If you look closely, you'll notice that her hand is trembling slightly, but Lan Jia herself is still in a state of confusion.
She looked at him, at his ambiguous attitude, and felt inexplicably annoyed. She steeled herself and said in a low voice:
"Give me back my documents."
"You came here just for this?"
"I need to."
"Didn't you go and get it replaced?"
"It's not lost, what a hassle."
"Besides, this is mine to begin with. It's not unreasonable for me to take it back, is it?"
Meng Cenjun remained noncommittal: "It's still early, let's sit a while longer."
Lan Jia had a lot to say, but it got stuck in her throat, and she sat there looking sullen.
He ate most of the bowl of noodles, but as if he still wanted more, he slowly picked at the remaining tomato and egg pieces.
"You're not coming back anymore?" He then changed the subject.
"We'll see. My studies have been delayed for too long. I need to finish my studies first."
What happens after graduation?
"I've told you what I want to do."
"And then what?" Will you marry him?
Lan Jia's face turned cold: "What does this mean? By what right do you question me?"
No matter what, I'm still your brother.
She laughed in exasperation: "Fine, brother. Even though we've already done those things, you'll still be my good brother."
Meng Cenjun kept her head down; the soup was still hot, and her glasses were fogged up, obscuring her expression.
She regretted it; she must have regretted it.
That's what he was thinking.
"Lan Jia, I'm so sorry."
I'm sorry I impulsively spent that absurd night with her without confirming her feelings.
I'm sorry, as her older mentor, I lost all reason and plundered everything from her.
Lan Jia leaned back in her chair, her chest heaving.
She was most angry and hated him for being like this.
"Yes, I do regret it, I am filled with remorse."
She regretted blindly giving her heart away, only to receive no response. She regretted questioning and testing him, only to see him retreat step by step.
With a tense expression, Meng Cenjun put down her chopsticks and asked, "How far have things progressed between you and him?"
Why would he bring up other people at this time?
Lan Jia was both stunned and angry, then sneered, "Great, that's great, it couldn't be better."
"At least when I'm with him, I feel free."
Indeed, he had previously restricted her too much, making it hard for her to breathe.
Since it's so hard for me to be by his side.
Her choice of someone else is understandable.
He would rather see her suffer than suffer himself.
Meng Cenjun asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you sure you've thought it through?"
Lan Jia glared at him resentfully: "Yes, I've thought it through."
"You really want to be with him?"
She was determined to see this through: "How about I reserve the position of officiant for you in the future?"
Lan Jia stared at him intently until her eyes reddened.
However, all that could be heard was the sharp scraping sound of a chair against the floor. Meng Cenjun stood up, took off her glasses, and went upstairs.
She was taken aback, then followed him closely up the stairs.
Then I saw him go into the study and open the safe.
Lan Jiali stood by the table, her fingers gripping the corner of the desk tightly.
Meng Cenjun took the things, turned her back to her for a moment, and then slowly walked towards her: "Your documents are all here."
A look of disbelief flashed in her eyes as she reached out to take it, but he held on tightly and wouldn't let go.
"From now on, you must be responsible for yourself. Even if you like someone a lot, don't do anything impulsive when you're together." He paused, then continued...
"Okay, okay, okay..."
Lan Jia was so angry that her face turned red, and she couldn't say anything for a long time. She just grabbed the document and clenched it tightly in her hand.
“In the US, the houses near your school are too small, so I bought you a few apartments, which are being maintained. Once you get there, you can choose one to live in. You can live alone.”
"unnecessary!"
Meng Cenjun was not annoyed and continued, "Your expenses are high when you're away from home, so the monthly remittances to your account will double. You can buy whatever you want, play whatever you want, just like you always have."
Lan Jia finally snapped: "Don't you understand? I don't need your money!"
"Okay." He lowered his eyes, silently swallowing the rambling instructions, and only said one sentence: "Take good care of yourself."
"good!"
You're absolutely right!
He was determined to push her away.
Her tears had dried, and only disappointment remained in her eyes.
With a clatter from the drawer, Lan Jia grabbed a car key haphazardly and walked out without looking back.
Meng Cenjun finally couldn't hold back his tears, his heart moved with hers, watching her figure grow further and further away from him.
Lan Jia moved further and further away, inch by inch, into despair.
She stopped at the doorway, having completely given up hope, and said to him with an unusual coldness:
"Meng Cenjun, you deserve to be alone for the rest of your life!"
As the footsteps faded into the distance, Meng Cenjun heard the loud slam of the door closing downstairs. Finally, unable to hold on any longer, she slumped limply into her chair.
Before we knew it, snowflakes were falling outside.
The snow on the Li River was so late, but it finally fell suddenly on New Year's Eve.
She was dressed so thinly; I wonder if she'll catch a cold.
How long has it been since you last touched a steering wheel? What if you cause an accident on the road while you're rushing off in such a huff?
Meng Cenjun seemed to have thought of something, and in a flash, her mind raced as she frantically checked the car keys in the drawer.
The one Lan Jia received was the one that was supposed to be sent for repairs tomorrow.
He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and without even changing his shoes, he stumbled and chased after them.
A sudden blizzard blurred the world.
He drove along the road to the airport for two blocks before finally finding the Bentley parked on the side of the road.
However, the car had its hazard lights on, and the guardrail of the green belt next to it was also badly dented.
Meng Cenjun got out of the car with her legs stiff, as if all the blood in her body had frozen. She only ran two steps in that direction before falling heavily forward.
He called her name in a hoarse voice, got up from the wet ground, staggered over, and knocked on her car window.
Having survived the ordeal, Lan Jia angrily and aggrievedly slumped over the steering wheel and cried bitterly, when suddenly she heard a tapping sound.
She was stunned, tears streaming down her face, and stared blankly out the window.
But all she saw was Meng Cenjun standing there, her shoulders covered in snowflakes, dressed in thin clothes, her eyes red and swollen as she looked at her.
Author's Note: Everyone, please don't let your blood pressure spike! [crying][crying] Here's a blood pressure medication for everyone. In the next chapter, those two are definitely going to be together!!!
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