Chapter 9: "Nan Li, You’re So Good"
Just as I was lost in thought, staring at the screen, a sudden tapping sound came from the company’s front door.
I looked toward the noise and faintly saw a figure standing near the entrance, silhouetted against the light behind him. At first I couldn’t make out his face, but when my eyes finally adjusted and I recognized who it was, my eyes shot wide open. I sprang up so abruptly from my chair that it toppled with a loud bang.
Who could have imagined that the person I’d just seen on my phone screen would appear openly in front of me the very next moment?
Terrified, I stared at him, and after two seconds, sluggishly realized this was not my doll, but…the real Liang Zhiting.
My exaggerated reaction startled him too. He slowly lowered his knuckles from knocking and softly asked, “Sorry, did I scare you?”
I was alone in the office, so naturally, he was speaking to me.
I shook my head and asked why he was here. “What brings you here?”
His answer was simple: “I came to see you.”
“…” I didn’t know how to respond.
See me? Why?
He’d already apologized, invited me to lunch, added me on WeChat, then blocked me on Moments. That seemed to say he wanted me to be just a casual contact, with no real connection. So why did he come now?
Had I misunderstood? Was his “Let’s meet again” truly sincere? Was blocking me just a normal action with strangers?
Was I simply too suspicious?
Maybe sensing my silence, he called my name: “Nan Li.”
His voice snapped me back to reality. I licked my dry lips and answered, “…Yes? What is it?”
My voice was barely above a whisper, but he heard me.
He smiled. “Can you come out a moment?”
I locked my phone and walked over, careful not to stand too close to make him uncomfortable. At a respectful distance—about a meter—I waited for him to speak.
But he seemed to think it was too far, stepping closer, shortening the gap considerably. “Have you eaten? Why are you here alone at this hour?”
His sudden concern left my brain blank. Stammering, I said, “I…I’m not very hungry.”
“You can’t skip meals. You can’t sacrifice health for work; otherwise, you’ll wear yourself down.”
He cared for me…
My lips twitched upward, but afraid he’d notice, I lowered my head to stare at my shoes. “I know. I’ll go buy… rice balls later.”
“I’ll come with you. I haven’t eaten either. I’d actually planned to find you for lunch.”
This unexpected reply made me raise my head in surprise, meeting Liang Zhiting’s gentle, kind smile.
I dared not blink, carefully memorizing every inch of his face with my eyes.
Had luck finally smiled on me?
So many good things had happened these past two days—more than in the past twenty years combined. I felt like I was walking on clouds. In the elevator, the faint, pleasant scent of his cologne filled the small space.
I secretly took deep breaths, trying to hold the scent in my body longer, wishing it could imprint into my very bones. I’d gladly drown willingly in it.
The convenience store was crowded at lunchtime. Upon entering, I respectfully separated from him, pretending not to be with him. My reputation here was poor; he, in contrast, was impeccable. I feared my association would damage his image.
I quietly lowered my head, picking food from the shelves while straining to listen behind me.
Many greeted Liang Zhiting warmly.
He was popular—not surprising.
Feeling proud in my heart, a small white bottle of yogurt abruptly popped into my narrow field of view, held in his hand. He asked me, “This new flavor’s good. Want some?”
Though I deliberately kept my distance, he approached unbothered, initiating conversation as though he didn’t mind being near me.
My fingers tingled; warmth spread deep inside my chest.
I didn’t like yogurt, but how could I refuse him? I nodded.
“Good.”
He quickly took the rice ball I’d selected, then went to pay with the yogurt as well.
I heard the cashier ask him something, glancing my way. Liang Zhiting looked too, smiling as he replied.
No doubt the cashier wondered why he was associating with someone like me.
I was curious too.
So I asked.
“Why… me?”
We found a table outside on the first floor, shaded by a light brown umbrella.
He pulled the chilled yogurt from the bag and handed it to me. Hearing my strange question, he paused, as if trying to understand. Smart as ever, he caught on within seconds, replying without hesitation, “Aren’t we friends?”
…
Friends?
What kind of friends were we?
Because of a basketball, I had secretly watched him for six years. A casual gesture from him etched deep in my heart. Yet he didn’t remember this trivial incident, nor even that we attended the same university or shared a club.
From his perspective, our first meeting was at that coffee shop, where he accidentally spilled coffee on me—that was all. By the calendar, he’d only known me for two days.
Did that qualify as friends?
Was that how popular people made friends?
I had never had close family ties growing up. My odd temper made it hard to communicate properly, and I constantly annoyed people. So I never made friends. I couldn’t measure what true friendship was, but Liang Zhiting was normal—more than that, very popular—and he must be right.
If he said we were friends, then friends we were.
He wouldn’t reject me.
Wouldn’t look at me with the same disgust others did.
He was perfect, exactly as I’d imagined.
He even paid for our meal, bought me a box of barbecued pork lunch, and kindly opened the chopsticks for me.
“A grown man can’t just live on rice balls—how can that fill you up? You’re too thin; you need to eat more.”
Simple care like this, taken for granted by others, was a first for me. No one had ever asked if I kept warm or ate well.
Liang Zhiting was the first… always the first.
I doubted he’d ever know what his presence meant to me.
My nose stung. Though not hungry, I forced myself to finish every grain in front of me. Not a single rice grain was spared.
The portion was too much to stomach; afterward, it felt like my stomach would burst.
It was uncomfortable.
I straightened my back secretly to let in enough air through my nose, hoping to ease my labored breathing.
Liang Zhiting stayed opposite, lazily resting his chin on his hand, watching me eat like an engrossed movie.
When I swallowed the last bite, his smile widened, and he praised, “Nan Li, you’re so good.”
His words flushed my face crimson.
So just eating properly could earn a compliment?
“Your face is so red… did the sun burn you?”
His teasing was obvious—was he laughing at me?
I was doomed. My face grew hotter, flustered beyond words, nodding furiously to follow his lead. Then I buried my head even lower.
After a long silence, he suddenly called again: “Nan Li?”
I raised my head. Liang Zhiting pointed to his own mouth and said, “Here—you have something on your lip.”
Surprised, I cautiously felt my face but found nothing.
He sighed, amused, and brought his finger up, slowly wiping around my mouth with a warm touch.
Sticking to his fingertip was a grain of rice.
…From my lip, scraped off.
“S-sorry!”
Embarrassed, I fumbled through the convenience store bags, searching for a tissue to wipe his hand. But before I could, he opened his mouth and licked the grain off his finger right in front of me.
I froze.
His action was so quick, I almost thought I’d imagined it.
Did I see that right? Liang Zhiting—he actually… ate it?
My ears buzzed; my limbs felt like rusted machinery, frozen.
Liang Zhiting seemed unaware. “What are you spacing out for?”
“N-not… nothing.” I stammered and hurriedly handed him the napkin I found. He took it and casually wiped his hand.
He looked calm, as if nothing were unusual.
Had I overreacted?
Was this normal behavior between friends?
Liang Zhiting walked me to the company entrance and said goodbye. Before the elevator doors closed, he asked, “Can I come find you again?”
After spending the afternoon with him, I was permeated with his scent. That fragrance soaked into my bones and set my blood aflame.
My pupils blurred; dazed, I nodded, “Yes.”
He said that we were friends, and friends meeting up was only natural.
“Good. I’ll contact you.” Pressing the close button, he spoke through the narrowing door, “Goodbye, Nan Li.”
After he left, my legs weakened. I crouched, hands over my face, heat nearly melting me.
A scorching fire enveloped me, burning my consciousness. The breath I exhaled seemed mixed with molten lava. I reached up to touch my lips—today, his hand had grazed them.
Fingers traced slowly from my corner of the mouth to my lips, pressing on the soft flesh.
Oh no…
That familiar feeling surged through my blood.
I lowered my head, unable to ignore the powerful bodily reaction. No one watching, I staggered away toward the restroom deep in the corridor.
0 Comments