Love for You

"Not bad." Miao Jing didn't follow the conversation thread. "There aren't many things I can argue with him about."

Tu Li shrugged her shoulders.

Miao Jing asked, "Do you find his temper hard to put up with?"

"He's just like a spoiled master." Tu Li lazily played with her hair and sighed. "It's quite annoying."

"But you've been together for a long time."

Tu Li smiled. Among the men she knew, those wealthier than him weren't as handsome, those more handsome weren't as generous, those with better tempers lacked his personality, and those who loved her desperately weren't as impressive. Between men and women, that's just how it is.

"By the way, since you've given me so many things, let me treat you to a meal. Are you free this weekend?"

Miao Jing hesitated: "I might have other plans this weekend... A friend invited me to go bowling."

"Male or female?" Tu Li's eyes lit up.

"Male, a colleague from work."

"Single?"

She nodded.

"Something's brewing! You're moving quite fast." Tu Li clicked her tongue in admiration. "Miao Jing, you're really quite decisive."

"Not really, we've been getting to know each other for a while. We went on a business trip together last time and talked a lot." Miao Jing's eyes sparkled slightly. "I'll introduce you to him when there's a chance."

"Great."

Lu Zhengsi readily accepted Miao Jing's suggestion. Regardless of whether the romance was real or not, their relationship was indeed good. Miao Jing was open to dates and alone time. Lu Zhengsi invited her to go bowling, and Miao Jing treated him to a meal, just rewarding them for their recent intense overtime work.

It was only when Tu Li called that Chen Yi learned she had met with Miao Jing. As for the red wine and beef jerky, he hadn't seen even a trace of them at home. And then there was that Lu Zhengsi and the bowling alley. After finishing a cigarette, hearing Tu Li ask if he wanted to go shopping and eat over the weekend, Chen Yi furrowed his brows: "Go, of course we'll go."

On the weekend, Chen Yi saw that Miao Jing was already dressed up - a light-colored polo shirt, a white sports skirt, long socks covering her calves. Her slender figure, waist so thin it could be encircled by two hands, porcelain-white legs straight and well-proportioned, paired with a baseball cap and long ponytail - she looked like a youthful, delicate young woman.

Walking past, his voice cold and disdainful: "How old are you this year, dressing like that?"

Miao Jing held a milk cup, looking down to smooth her skirt: "Is it strange? This was my tennis competition uniform from university. I even made it into the school newspaper wearing this outfit."

Chen Yi snorted through his nose.

That was back when she was only nineteen, four or five years ago. Though there was some suspicion of trying to look young, the outfit still fit well. The house lacked a full-length mirror, so Miao Jing was checking her attire in the bathroom mirror when she saw him leaning against the doorway, a towel draped over his shoulder, arms crossed impatiently.

"Get out."

By the time Chen Yi finished showering, there was no one left in the house. A snow-white napkin bearing lipstick marks was crumpled and thrown on the table. The dining table hadn't been cleared, and the cold milk carton was still sitting there - the remaining half was all his portion. Chen Yi frowned, then leaned against the table corner, tore open the milk carton, tilted his head back to drink it all in one go, before lazily dragging his sword-like eyebrows and taking the bowls and chopsticks to the kitchen.As autumn set in and the weather cooled, the diminishing heat made it ideal for outdoor activities. The bowling alley was quite crowded. When Lu Zhengsi spotted Miao Jing, his eyes couldn’t help but light up with admiration. He was even more surprised to find that Miao Jing was quite skilled at bowling. She mentioned that her previous boyfriend had enjoyed it, so she had picked up a bit herself—there was always a certain incongruity about Miao Jing, traits that didn’t quite seem to belong to her. For instance, being an engineering student, an engineer, engaging in sunny sports, and even straightforward, open relationships all seemed to dissolve seamlessly into her persona, leaving others impressed.

The mall was bustling as well. Tu Li had a friend working at a specialty counter, so she went over to chat and pick up some items, not in a hurry to pay just yet. Chen Yi and Hua Qiang had matters to discuss, telling her to browse on her own and wait for him to settle the bill. Tu Li actually liked his commanding tone—at least the boss paid without hesitation. Her friends envied her luck, wondering how she had found such a handsome and generous boyfriend.

Chen Yi arrived wearing a white shirt and black pants, his polished leather shoes giving off a somewhat suave yet roguish vibe. With his broad, tall build, his shirt was stretched taut, appearing crisp and well-fitted. His sleeves were rolled up, not in a casual, refined style, but more like the embodiment of untamed charisma. Tu Li’s eyes sparkled as she planted a delicate kiss on his cheek, laughing with her friend, "Finally, he’s here."

Her friend watched with envy bordering on jealousy as Tu Li walked off arm-in-arm with her man, whispering to her companion and raising an eyebrow in satisfaction at their wide-eyed reaction.

After shopping at several stores, Chen Yi glanced at the bill as he paid. He was willing to cover expenses, but that didn’t mean he was open to being overly generous. Among the shopping bags were clothes Tu Li had bought for her parents and younger brother, so Chen Yi had her pay for those herself.

Tu Li had chosen the restaurant for their meal—a Japanese place. As they sat down, they overheard voices from the next table and turned in surprise.

Unexpectedly, Miao Jing and Lu Zhengsi were there too—not entirely a coincidence, as Miao Jing had asked Tu Li for recommendations on dining spots in the city. Tu Li had listed several names, and this one was the closest to the billiards hall and most suitable for a young couple’s date.

Lunch turned into a meal for four.

It was Tu Li’s first time meeting Lu Zhengsi. She smiled warmly, causing him to shyly rub the tip of his nose. "He looks like a little brother," she remarked.

Miao Jing defended Lu Zhengsi, gently placing her hand on his arm. "He’s not a little brother; he’s my boyfriend."

Her tone was calm as she said this, but the corners of her mouth and eyes eventually lifted into a knowing, curved smile.

Chen Yi stood silently in front of her.

Miao Jing then introduced Tu Li: "My brother’s girlfriend, Tu Li, Lily."

"Lily, Yi Ge, nice to meet you."

"Congratulations, you two make a great pair."

"Thank you."

"Good." Chen Yi’s gaze was penetrating as he assessed them, finally curling his lips into a slight smile and patting Lu Zhengsi’s shoulder with a slightly imposing tone. "Just call me Chen Yi."

"I wouldn’t dare. I’ll still call you Yi Ge."

The meal was particularly lively. Miao Jing and Lu Zhengsi shared stories of their time together, while Tu Li chatted about current popular topics, joking that the four of them could make up a mahjong game someday. Only Chen Yi spoke little, occasionally offering a brief "Mm" in response.

Miao Jing’s eyes lingered on his white shirt for a moment longer before she turned her gaze back, softly resting it on Lu Zhengsi.