CoP 27

Feeling that one kiss wasn’t enough, Sui Cannong leaned in for another.

Strictly speaking, this wasn’t their first kiss. The one at the swimming pool was their first, but Sui Cannong preferred to call that one a “heart-wrenching lip touch.”

Sui Cannong took the lead, pressing Ji Ling onto the sofa. Ji Ling had to tilt his head back slightly, allowing Sui Cannong to gently pry open his lips.

The temperature in the room seemed out of place for a rainy autumn day. After their lips and tongues intertwined, they parted, panting and gazing at each other.

After a while, Ji Ling said, “The rain seems to have stopped.”

“Stay the night,” Sui Cannong said. “My place is big.”

When Sui Cannong came out of the shower, he found Ji Ling already asleep.

It had been a tiring day. Sui Cannong dimmed the lamp and sat by the bed, watching Ji Ling’s face for a while.

Ji Ling had buried half his face in the blanket, curled up, and his breathing was light, like a small, insecure animal.

But in Sui Cannong’s mind, there was still the plan he had set: “Did I take a bold step today?”

At first, Sui Cannong didn’t quite understand what this plan was about, but when he saw Ji Ling’s panicked expression when he snatched back his phone, he immediately understood.

Sui Cannong remembered that the screen had shown “No check-in for five days,” and counting today, they had been together for exactly six days.

So for Ji Ling, this relationship had indeed delayed his “plan” a bit.

However, Ji Ling accepted this experimental relationship much faster than Sui Cannong had imagined.

He would take the initiative to hold hands, plan kisses, just as he had told Sui Cannong that day, he seemed to be actively starting a relationship.

Sui Cannong exhaled and turned off the lamp.

The mushroom plant was growing well. On Friday, Sui Cannong’s students had a harvest, filling a large basket with mushrooms.

He let the students take some home to observe, and the remaining half basket, Sui Cannong delivered to Ji Ling’s classroom after school.

Ji Ling stared at the basket of mushrooms for a moment, then looked up and asked Sui Cannong in a small voice if he was free to go on a date on Saturday.

Sui Cannong was taken aback and said, “This Saturday… I have a small dinner with friends.”

Liang Juan was about to return to the United States, and a mutual friend from their university was on a business trip to City C, so they planned to meet up on Saturday.

Sui Cannong thought for a moment and said, “But it’s perfect, why don’t you come with me?”

Ji Ling shook his head and said, “It’s fine, we can meet next week.”

“But,” Sui Cannong looked into his eyes and said sincerely, “I want you to meet my friends.”

Ji Ling was stunned.

“They are all great people, just chat casually,” Sui Cannong said. “You don’t have to worry about awkward silences. One of my friends is so talkative that half the humidity in the room is from his saliva.”

So on Saturday afternoon, Ji Ling met Liang Juan and Xu Taole.

They had reserved a small private room at a place that served English afternoon tea. When they entered, Sui Cannong introduced Ji Ling: “This is Ji Ling, my colleague.”

Sui Cannong was right; his two friends had great personalities, especially Liang Juan, who always found topics to include Ji Ling in the conversation.

However, Ji Ling noticed that Liang Juan’s eyes would occasionally fall on his and Sui Cannong’s faces, and her expression would often become thoughtful.

Xu Taole was the man Sui Cannong had mentioned who could change the humidity of the room.

During his solo time, he first vented about his workplace woes, becoming increasingly emotional, then started reminiscing about their university days.

“Who would have thought, our Dr. Liang is the first to enter the marriage hall,” Xu Taole joked. “Back then, I even tried to set you two up. Looking back, I wonder if I was just too stupid, or if you two just lacked a bit of chemistry…”

The air suddenly became quiet.

Sui Cannong’s heart sank. He turned around and saw Ji Ling quietly lowering his head, slowly eating a scone from his plate.

Sui Cannong paused and said to Xu Taole, “That’s enough.”

Xu Taole realized he might have said something wrong, scratched his head, and then continued to talk about the stocks he had recently bought.

Ji Ling remained quiet for a long time. Sui Cannong glanced at him again and saw him puffing his cheeks, slowly eating a second scone.

Scones were quite substantial, and since it was afternoon tea, Sui Cannong and Ji Ling had already eaten before coming here.

Sui Cannong found it a bit strange.

“Are you hungry?” Sui Cannong lowered his voice. “Just eating scones might be a bit dry. Do you want me to order something else?”

Ji Ling looked up, swallowed slowly, and shook his head.

“The scones are good,” he said.

Although Sui Cannong didn’t think these dry things were particularly tasty, he didn’t think much of it. “If you like them, eat more. I’ll go settle the bill.”

Sui Cannong stood up and walked out of the private room. Liang Juan, sitting opposite him, called out, “Hey,” and also stood up, following him out.

Xu Taole turned around and cheerfully said to Ji Ling, “They’re at it again, fighting over the bill. They always do this. I don’t even bother anymore.”

Ji Ling was silent for a moment and nodded.

Xu Taole was the kind of person who was completely clueless and lacked emotional intelligence. He continued to share his university life with Ji Ling, who listened politely. They added each other on WeChat.

Later, Xu Taole received a call and stood up to take it in a corner of the room. Ji Ling lowered his head and finished the remaining scones on his plate.

Ji Ling was already quite full, but he had nothing else to do, so he stared at the dessert stand for a while and decided to have a salmon tart.

However, the knife was already coated with the cheese used for the scones. If he used it to cut the salmon tart, Ji Ling felt the taste would be strange.

So Ji Ling hesitated for a moment and then stood up and left the private room.

He stood near the utensil cabinet and searched for a while. Just as he found a clean knife, he heard Sui Cannong and Liang Juan’s voices from behind him.

“…Last time you paid, and now you’re fighting with me again,” Liang Juan complained playfully. “If you do this again, Xu Taole and I will refuse to meet up with you.”

Sui Cannong laughed and said, “I promise, no more fighting over the bill.”

Ji Ling stood diagonally behind the utensil cabinet, while Sui Cannong and Liang Juan were at the end of the corridor, not noticing his presence.

“But Xu Taole’s big mouth…” Liang Juan sighed. “He hasn’t changed a bit in all these years.”

Ji Ling heard Sui Cannong chuckle lightly. They stood in the corridor for a moment, and then Ji Ling heard Liang Juan ask, “Is it him?”

Sui Cannong said, “Yes, it’s him.”

Liang Juan exclaimed, “I see, he’s a shy and excellent person. But from the atmosphere between you two earlier, you must have already…”

Ji Ling heard Sui Cannong hum in agreement.

Sui Cannong said, “Yes, I took the initiative. We’re planning to try it for three months.”

Liang Juan laughed. “Oh my… your efficiency. So he agreed?”

“He told me before that he’s always wanted to be in a relationship, so I asked him. I guess I was lucky,” Sui Cannong said. “But still, I have to thank Dr. Liang for her guidance.”

Liang Juan laughed heartily. “I just have a good eye, no need to thank me.”

“But I’m curious,” Liang Juan said after a moment. “You’re so quick and proactive. Is it just because you like him, or is it also because of…”

She paused. “You know.”

Liang Juan deliberately left the second half of her sentence unfinished. Ji Ling, holding the knife, blinked.

Sui Cannong was silent for a moment, and Ji Ling realized that the part Liang Juan had left out was something they both understood.

Sui Cannong stood in the dimly lit corridor, his face partially hidden in the shadows. Ji Ling couldn’t see his expression clearly.

After a while, he heard Sui Cannong say, “I guess… both, I suppose.”