UI CH 44
by Suxxi“She said she doesn’t mind what happened between you and Li Ting. She also said she’s liked you for a long time, but because she confessed too late, you ended up with Li first. Now that you’re single again, she just wants to give it another shot.”
Zheng Mingjin explained while watching the impatient expression on Shen Ran’s face.
“Besides, aren’t things still unclear between you and that person? You never said you were going to be together, so I just helped her out.”
“Oh, right,”
Zheng Mingjin brought it up again.
“You still haven’t told me that person’s name.”
Shen Ran avoided his friend’s gaze, thinking he might as well make up a random name to brush it off. But before he could, the phone in his pocket rang, interrupting their conversation.
He took it out, and Zheng Mingjin also caught a glimpse of the name on the screen—Zhao Jiyu. Then he watched as Shen Ran answered the call.
It was unclear what Zhao Jiyu said, but at first, Shen Ran refused twice, saying “No need.” Then his tone softened, and he lowered his voice,
“Alright, come over then. I’ll send you my location.”
After Shen Ran hung up, Zheng Mingjin asked,
“Why is Zhao Jiyu coming over?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Are you going to wait here for him? What about Wang Yin?”
This time, it was Shen Ran who felt confused.
“What do you mean, ‘what about her’?”
“Aren’t you going to walk her home? I asked around about her from her classmates—she’s got great qualities in every way, and she’s a local too. No risk of breaking up after graduation.” Zheng Mingjin nudged Shen Ran’s arm with his shoulder.
“At least be friends with her first. No one’s saying you have to treat her as your girlfriend right away.”
Shen Ran looked at Zheng Mingjin and felt like his friend had been possessed by a matchmaker today. But after thinking about it, he understood that Zheng Mingjin was just concerned about him. So he said,
“Don’t do things like this in the future. It’s not fair to her.”
Since Shen Ran didn’t outright reject the idea, Zheng Mingjin straightened his back again. “What’s wrong with it? Wang Yin wanted this too. Besides, isn’t dating all about getting to know each other first?”
Shen Ran had no interest in debating, and since Wang Yin had already returned from the restroom, he simply picked up his phone and went to settle the bill.
As the three of them stepped out of the store together, Zheng Mingjin quickly found an excuse to slip away, leaving Wang Yin standing there looking at Shen Ran.
“Senior, do you have time? If you do, let’s take a walk.”
Shen Ran smiled gently. “Actually, I have something to do. I’m waiting for a friend here.”
“Is it something important?”
“Tonight’s not really convenient.”
“I see,”
Wang Yin tucked her chin slightly, her tone carrying a hint of disappointment.
“I know today was a bit sudden. I originally planned to find you after the game, but you didn’t show up that day.”
Shen Ran looked at the girl in front of him. She had a petite and gentle appearance, the kind that naturally evoked a protective instinct in others. But because of what happened with Li, every time he saw a girl now, he couldn’t help but think of that past—how happy he had been when he was with Li, only to later realize it had all been an illusion.
He had no interest in starting another relationship at the moment, nor did he want to lead someone on. Just as he was trying to figure out the most tactful way to turn her down, Wang Yin continued, “Senior, why don’t we add each other on WeChat? We can make plans when you’re free next time.”
She tilted her head slightly. She wore natural, light makeup today, her long eyelashes curling upwards, making her dark eyes appear even brighter.
As she looked at him like that, Shen Ran suddenly thought of someone else—someone whose eyelashes were also long. When that person smiled, their eyes curved like an upturned crescent moon, clear and gentle.
Almost as if responding to his thoughts, a car’s headlights slowly approached. As Shen Ran recognized the license plate, the driver’s door had already opened. That person moved gracefully, like a cat, walking toward him against the darkness.
Wang Yin recognized the newcomer as well and exclaimed in surprise,
“Senior Zhao?”
“Wang Yin?”
Zhao Jiyu rarely called a girl’s name, making even Shen Ran curious.
“You two know each other?”
“She used to be my uncle’s student. We’ve met many times.”
Wang Yin’s gaze shifted between the two of them.
“So, Senior, the person you were waiting for was Senior Zhao?”
Shen Ran replied, “Yes.”
“Alright then, I guess I’ll leave for now.”
Wang Yin tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before unlocking her phone and looking at Shen Ran.
“Let’s add each other on WeChat before I go.”
Since she had taken the initiative this far, it would have been rude for Shen Ran to refuse. He scanned her QR code and accepted the request.
Once inside the car, Zhao Jiyu watched as Wang Yin walked away, occasionally glancing back at them. He then turned to Shen Ran and asked,
“How do you know her?”
“Mingjin introduced us.”
Shen Ran turned to fasten his seatbelt, missing the fleeting emotion in Zhao Jiyu’s eyes. When he looked up again, he noticed that Zhao Jiyu was gripping the steering wheel with one hand, his body leaning slightly toward him.
The moonlight was blocked by the tinted windows, leaving the car’s interior dim. Shen Ran couldn’t make out his expression clearly, only that his beautiful eyes, behind the lenses, were staring directly at him—sharp and penetrating, as if trying to see right through him.
A sudden wave of guilt hit Shen Ran, making him instinctively look away. He then heard Zhao Jiyu say,
“She likes you, doesn’t she?”
“No,” Shen Ran replied quickly, urging,
“Just drive.”
The man behind the wheel didn’t move immediately. After a moment, the sound of the engine starting filled the silence.
Shen Ran absentmindedly chewed on his knuckle, staring at the scenery outside. He wasn’t sure why he felt guilty, but Zhao Jiyu’s gaze just now carried a certain weight—almost as if he had done something shameful.
The car ride was quiet except for the hum of the engine and the air conditioning. Shen Ran remained lost in thought, barely noticing that Zhao Jiyu wasn’t taking their usual route home. It wasn’t until the car stopped in front of the convenience store they had passed after watching a basketball game last time that he realized something was off.
“I haven’t had dinner yet,”
Zhao Jiyu pulled the handbrake.
“Get me the same bento as last time.”
Shen Ran walked into the convenience store and headed toward the refrigerated section where the bentos were kept. Someone in front of him was holding a pork cutlet bento, examining it. He looked past them and realized—it was the last one.
Just as he was considering whether to negotiate for it, the person put the bento back and instead chose a rice ball. Without hesitation, Shen Ran grabbed the pork cutlet bento, then picked up a beef patty and a cola as well.
After heating up the food, he returned to the car, and Zhao Jiyu continued driving toward Baicheng Beach. He parked near the same spot as last time, and the two of them walked over, one following behind the other.
Tonight, Shen Ran hadn’t brought anything to sit on, but Zhao Jiyu didn’t seem to mind. He sat directly on the sand near where they had sat before, opened the bento, and started eating.
Shen Ran sat beside him, sipping his cola while listening to a guy playing the guitar and singing nearby. Just as he started to relax, Zhao Jiyu, as always, brought up the one thing he didn’t want to discuss.
“Why did Zheng Mingjin suddenly introduce a girl to you?”
“How would I know?”
Shen Ran muttered.
“Thinking about dating?”
For the second time that night, Shen Ran nearly choked on his cola. He wiped his chin in frustration.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
Zhao Jiyu showed no sign of feeling he had said anything wrong. He simply continued, saying whatever was on his mind.
“When I drove over earlier, the two of you seemed to be getting along pretty well.”
“So what if we were?”
Tired of explaining, Shen Ran turned his back on Zhao Jiyu, facing the other direction.
The man behind him didn’t respond. Just as Shen Ran was starting to feel stifled and was about to get up for a walk, Zhao Jiyu spoke again.
“Are you really considering her?”
Shen Ran paused mid-motion, but only for a brief second before he continued standing up. He held the can of cola between his fingers and, this time, didn’t respond.
He walked toward the part of the sand that had been dampened by the sea, gazing at the vast ocean, its surface darkening as the night deepened.
His attention was soon drawn to a group of young people playing in the shallow waves, their laughter echoing freely in the night. Watching them, Shen Ran was suddenly reminded of his childhood—of the small stream in front of his village that was once so clear.
Every summer, his father would take him there to play.
The salty sea breeze dried the sweat on the side of his face, and before he knew it, someone was standing next to him. The faint yet refreshing scent of cologne lingered on the person, and even though he stood quietly, he effortlessly drew Shen Ran’s gaze.
In the distance, the young man playing and singing switched to another song, one that perfectly suited a summer night on the beach with a bonfire. After listening for a while, the person beside him finally spoke.
“I did something like that once while traveling abroad,”
Zhao Jiyu said.
Shen Ran didn’t understand. “What?”
Zhao Jiyu gestured toward the young man leaning against a large rock.
“Like him—putting a box on the ground to collect money while playing and singing.”
“You’re messing with me,”
Shen Ran said, clearly not believing him.
“I’m serious.”
Zhao Jiyu brushed aside his wind-tousled bangs and adjusted his glasses.
“Back then, I was alone, sitting on the beach across from my hotel all afternoon. I actually made quite a bit of money in U.S. dollars.”
As he recounted this absurd experience, Zhao Jiyu didn’t seem embarrassed at all. Instead, he looked rather pleased, his eyes filled with ease.
“In the end, security asked me to leave, but since I was a guest at the hotel, they were very polite about it.”
Shen Ran imagined Zhao Jiyu in beach shorts, holding a guitar and a cardboard box, being asked to leave by security. He couldn’t help but laugh.
“No photos? What a pity.”
Zhao Jiyu reached out and flicked his forehead.
“Do you really want to see me making a fool of myself that badly?”
Shen Ran covered his forehead, furrowing his handsome brows. “Don’t flick me.”
Discovering a new source of amusement, Zhao Jiyu took advantage of his distraction and flicked him again, then ruffled his soft hair. Shen Ran was genuinely annoyed this time and reached out to retaliate, but Zhao Jiyu quickly dodged. The two, both over 1.8 meters tall, ended up chasing each other along the beach.
Shen Ran wasn’t sure what had gotten into him, but he stubbornly refused to let it go, determined to return the flicks. Normally, Zhao Jiyu would let him win, but tonight, he didn’t hold back. However, after a while, Zhao Jiyu was the one who stopped first. He caught Shen Ran as he ran toward him, and once Shen Ran was steady, he took the opportunity to hug him.
Leaning close to his ear, Zhao Jiyu whispered,
“Enough, my waist just recovered.”
Shen Ran was also breathing heavily. The August sea breeze was strong, but the air was humid and warm. After running around, sweat clung to his back, and his heart pounded rapidly.
With their bodies pressed together, he could feel Zhao Jiyu’s body heat and his fast heartbeat, thudding rhythmically against his own.
On the way back, seeing that Shen Ran was in a good mood, Zhao Jiyu asked,
“You have the next two days off, right?”
“Mm.” Shen Ran leaned back in his seat lazily.
“Then come with me somewhere tomorrow.”
“Where?”
Zhao Jiyu smiled at him.
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
Shen Ran had nothing better to do, so he agreed.
After showering at home, he answered a call from Xu Huijian. When he saw that it was still early, he accepted Zhao Jiyu’s invitation to play VR games.
This time, they played a shooting game. Boys tended to get excited about gun games, and although it was Shen Ran’s first time trying a VR first-person shooter, his athletic reflexes were quick. After a few deaths, he got the hang of it. Soon, he found his rhythm and began countering Zhao Jiyu, playing until two in the morning without realizing it.
The next day, they slept in until noon before heading out.
When Shen Ran got in the car, he assumed their destination was nearby. However, Zhao Jiyu first stopped at a drive-thru to buy lunch, then got on the highway. Over an hour later, they arrived at a vineyard nestled between rolling hills and a lake.
Zhao Jiyu honked the horn, and after a moment, the grand black wrought-iron gates slowly opened. As he drove in, Shen Ran took in the perfectly symmetrical European-style gardens on either side. He couldn’t help but ask,
“Where exactly is this?”
“My grandfather’s winery.”
Zhao Jiyu took off his sunglasses and nodded toward the three-story building at the end of the road.
“He’s in Beijing right now, so I came to pick up two cases of wine for him.”
“Winery?”
Shen Ran sat up straight and looked at the red-brick, white-walled building they were approaching.
“Does it have a basement for storing wine?”
“Yes,”
Zhao Jiyu said, parking the car at the steps in front of the main entrance. As he turned off the engine, he motioned for Shen Ran to look to the back left. “There are also a few horses here—my grandfather’s. Since your waist is almost healed, I’ll take you horseback riding later.”