This scene, in the eyes of Ruan Nianchu, was as dramatic as her ex-boyfriend cheating on her.
Seven years ago, she had escaped death in Cambodia. Seven years later, she reunited with her lifesaver and inexplicably became each other’s blind date. This plot would be a waste if not used as material for a novel.
Apparently, this was a play directed by her mother and Aunt Liu together, but they might have overdone it, turning the surprise into a shock.
Li Teng, on the other hand, remained calm.
He poured a cup of water and pushed it towards her, nonchalant, “We might finish late today. Thank you for waiting.”
Ruan Nianchu hesitated for a moment, then sat across from him, smiling, “No problem. Clearly, you arrived before me.”
“Miss Ruan, what kind of dishes do you like?”
“Anything will do.”
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Nk Mldt bydele bla vbl xldw. Swyd Lkydnbw oyhle kv sqq, rszkvlzu pyukdt, “R’x dsv tsse yv saelakdt. Zsw elnkel.”
Jynj yde qsavb, sdl pldvldnl yqvla ydsvbla.
Swyd Lkydnbw pweeldzu qlzv y ckv pktb-osavbu. Rv pllxle vbyv byhkdt y rssa xlxsau oyp psxlvkxlp y tsse vbkdt. Rd pkvwyvksdp zkjl vbkp, svblap nswze xykdvykd y dsaxyz elxlydsa, scflnvkhlzu yde ayvksdyzzu ypplppkdt vbl pkvwyvksd, obkzl pbl nswze sdzu yojoyaezu pxkzl vbaswtbswv.
Fbl oyp alyzzu ryukdt y ckt raknl qsa bla zynj sq xlxsau.
Lsv zsdt yqvla, vbl ekpblp yaakhle, yde vbl oykvla vssj yoyu vbl xldw. Mbl assx qlzz pkzldv.
Swyd Lkydnbw vssj y pkr sq oyvla yde, yqvla y xsxldv, yvvlxrvle vs ynvkhlzu lypl vbl yvxsprblal, “Uyrvykd Nk, byhl usw clld yvvldekdt vbl pvweu plppksdp satydkgle cu vbl Gka Wsanl Vszkvknyz Plryavxldv vblpl eyup?”
Nk Mldt pkrrle bkp vly yde dseele, “Zlp.”
Fbl pxkzle okvb y qzyvvlakdt vsdl vbyv pswdele y ckv qsanle, “Uyrvykd Nk, ynbklhkdt vbl aydj sq nszsdlz yv pwnb y uswdt ytl kp vawzu kxralppkhl.”
He replied coldly, “Just worked hard when I was young.”
Ruan Nianchu naturally knew where he had “worked hard” in his youth. She lowered her gaze slightly, swirled the tea in her cup, and asked, “Is your hometown also in Yuncheng?”
As the words fell, Li Teng looked at her for a moment, “Zhangbei.” After a brief pause, he added, “And where are you from?”
“Yuncheng.”
He raised an eyebrow slightly, “Tell me more.”
“…,” Ruan Nianchu’s hand, shaking the cup, paused. A few drops of tea splashed from the edge of the cup, wetting the back of her hand. Fortunately, the look of astonishment only flashed on her face for a moment. Soon, she forced a smile, trying to make her expression return to normal, saying, “One of the top cities, large population, prosperous economy… everything is pretty good, except for the high cost of living and relatively severe smog…”
At that moment, she saw that Southeast Asian country again, the jungle, the bamboo house, and remembered their only conversation.
After speaking, Ruan Nianchu fell silent, and Li Teng’s cold expression remained unchanged over the years.
There was a moment of quiet in the entire private room.
Just then, the door was knocked, and the waiter came in with the dishes. This well-known restaurant in the city served delicious and delicate dishes, with the aroma of the four dishes and one soup filling the air. However, no one moved their chopsticks.
After a moment, Ruan Nianchu took a deep breath and exhaled. She looked straight across the table. She said, “You recognized me a long time ago, so why pretend not to know?” Serving dishes while observing people, she didn’t expect even the holy and great People’s Liberation Army to have such a taste for the sinister.
The other party raised an eyelid and answered casually, “When did I pretend not to know.”
“…,” she fell silent, momentarily speechless. Upon reflection, there was a third person present during their two previous encounters. Perhaps he was just trying to avoid the hassle of explaining to others, or perhaps he had always been this peculiar.
So, this blind date drama transitioned from a thriller to a suspense, becoming more mysterious. Ruan Nianchu was a bit puzzled. If he remembered her, why did he agree to this blind date? Puzzled for a few seconds, she directly asked this question.
“You remember me, so why did you agree to this blind date?”
Li Teng took a sip of water, his tone very indifferent, “How are these two sentences connected?”
Ruan Nianchu fell silent again. This person was just like he was back then, always having the ability to leave her speechless. This time, she learned her lesson and simply picked up her chopsticks, focusing on eating and no longer initiating a conversation with him.
Li Teng stared at her for a while, then spoke, “Did you join the cultural troupe after graduation?”
Ruan Nianchu said, “It was a performance troupe under the military district.”
He smirked, “Those places have high requirements. People without skills can’t get in, nor can they stay. You’re quite capable.”
For some reason, Ruan Nianchu felt that this praise carried an indescribable awkwardness. Being old acquaintances, she didn’t intend to pretend to be something she’s not. After he finished speaking, she honestly said, “You’re overpraising me. I joined the performance troupe because of my family’s connections. Just a contracted actress, no military status.”
“I’ve heard you sing,” Li Teng said, “Pretty good.”
She knew he was referring to the solo performance at the evening party. Politely, she responded, “Thank you.”
They chatted intermittently about various topics.
The atmosphere in the room remained relatively harmonious.
Ruan Nianchu ate her meal with chopsticks, while Li Teng sat across from her, occasionally moving his chopsticks.
After a moment, he took a cigarette box and a lighter out of his pocket, placed them on the table, and casually asked her, “Mind if I smoke?”
Ruan Nianchu shook her head. Soon, she saw him lighting a cigarette. As he flicked the lighter, the eyes behind the white smoke narrowed slightly. His eyes were deep black like the sea, and staring at them for too long could easily lead to imaginative thoughts.
So she looked at the lighter on the table.
Square-shaped, with a weathered and mottled metal surface. It was still the same one from seven years ago.
Ruan Nianchu suddenly pursed her lips and smiled.
Li Teng instantly noticed this subtle expression. He raised his eyes, a mysterious look in them, “What are you laughing at?”
“I didn’t expect to see you again,” she also looked at him. The light orange glow reflected in her bright eyes as she smiled sincerely, “You saved me seven years ago. At that time, it was too hasty, and I couldn’t properly thank you. Today, I must make up for it. Thank you for saving my life, Captain Li.”
“It’s my duty,” he still maintained those simple four words, even in response to gratitude, just like in the past.
After a few more seconds of silence, she moved her lips but hesitated to speak.
He flicked the cigarette ash and immediately caught on to her intentions, “Want to ask about Tori and Aunt Xin?”
Ruan Nianchu’s eyes flashed, and she nodded.
Li Teng said indifferently, “Aunt Xin is in a nursing home, doing well.”
“And Tori?”
“He’s young, and he didn’t have any serious offenses. After a few years, he was released.”
She asked further, “What has he been doing since his release?”
At his words, Li Teng paused slightly, staring at her for a while before raising an eyebrow and asking, “What does this have to do with you?”
“I and Tori can be considered friends who went through difficulties together,” Ruan Nianchu pouted, feeling it was quite natural, “It’s only right to care about his recent situation.”
Unexpectedly, Li Teng, with an expressionless face, extinguished his cigarette and reminded her, “Ruan Nianchu, we are here for a blind date.”
“…,” Ruan Nianchu fell into a moment of confusion. Fortunately, at this moment, a text message saved her — from Ruan’s mother: Don’t forget to ask about the man’s family background.
She realized, belatedly, that after so many years, her concern for her savior was far less than for a young man she had chatted with a few times. She coughed twice, changed the subject, “I noticed that you seemed close to Li Xiaoyan before. I thought you were in a romantic relationship.”
Li Teng replied, “She’s a friend of my cousin.”
The blind date set up by her cousin with good intentions didn’t work out due to the man’s lack of interest. Ruan Nianchu, single for many years, automatically interpreted the implied meaning in this sentence. Thinking of him, a deputy brigade commander in the Air Force with outstanding achievements, still going on blind dates at the age of 33, was truly lamentable. Suddenly, Ruan Nianchu felt a bit more psychologically balanced and couldn’t help but feel in a good mood.
Casually, she asked, “Have you always been in Yuncheng?”
Li Teng captured the smile in her eyes, shifted his gaze away, and replied, “For the time being.”
“How long have you been here?”
“Two and a half months.”
If she remembered correctly, it had been exactly two and a half months since her breakup with her ex-boyfriend. Ruan Nianchu found this coincidence surprising and asked, “Was it a transfer from higher-ups?”
“Yes.”
She sighed, “That’s quite a coincidence.”
Li Teng looked at her, his tone indifferent, “Indeed, quite a coincidence.”
At that moment, Ruan Nianchu felt that the world was truly miraculous. Indescribably miraculous.
*
The dinner, labeled as a blind date, felt more like a reunion. The conversation between the two did not touch on any emotional topics. Ruan Nianchu originally wanted to ask Li Teng why even he had fallen to the point of going on a blind date, but after some thought, she let it go.
As they say, the leopard cannot change its spots. She hadn’t forgotten his ruthless character and terrible temper.
Although he now appeared to have sheathed his sharpness, appearing calm and dignified, portraying the image of a good person.
Later, Li Teng dropped Ruan Nianchu off at the entrance of her residential compound.
There was no communication between them throughout the journey. But when they parted ways, she thanked him again.
Li Teng drove away.
She returned home alone. As soon as she entered, she saw Ruan’s mother with a beaming smile, eagerly saying, “How was it? Do you like the surprise I arranged for you?”
Hearing her mother’s comical tone, Ruan Nianchu silently rolled her eyes and sat on the sofa, playing with her phone.
Seeing her daughter’s reaction, Ruan’s mother couldn’t maintain her cheerful expression. She furrowed her brows and asked, “Not suitable? Is it because the other person is too old to relate to?”
Ruan Nianchu replied, “No.”
Ruan’s mother was anxious, “So, is there potential or not?”
Ruan Nianchu rested her chin on her hand, looking out at the night sky, seriously contemplating. After a while, she shook her head and said, “I don’t know.”
After hearing this, Ruan’s mother couldn’t hide a hint of joy in her eyes. Betting on it worked; Ruan’s mother understood her daughter well, and not knowing meant there was potential.
*
In the blink of an eye, two weeks had passed since the blind date with Li Teng. During this time, the WeChat account “0714,” which she had mistaken for the bank guy, had only sent one message that night. The content was: “Your keychain fell into my car.”
Looking at her keychain, Ruan Nianchu confirmed it and replied awkwardly: “Oh. It’s not something important. Could you please throw it away for me? Thanks.”
0714 never replied again.
The lost keychain, like Ruan Nianchu’s ex-boyfriend, was quickly forgotten. However, what Ruan Nianchu didn’t expect was that two seemingly insignificant items would reappear simultaneously two weeks later on a Sunday afternoon.
It was a sunny and calm afternoon.
Qiao Yufei had originally invited Ruan Nianchu for afternoon tea but had to cancel at the last minute due to an emergency. At that moment, Ruan Nianchu was already at the Western restaurant and had just ordered two coffees and desserts.
Unable to return the items and reluctant to waste them, Ruan Nianchu took out her phone to find a friend to share afternoon tea with.
While scrolling through her contacts, a blank profile picture flashed on the screen.
— Where?
Ruan Nianchu was briefly stunned and took a few seconds to remember who this number belonged to. She raised an eyebrow and replied:
— Mordell’s Western Restaurant.
— With whom?
—…Myself.
— I’ll be there in ten minutes.
“…” Ruan Nianchu was dumbfounded for a moment before belatedly typing a few words: “What’s the matter? Why are you looking for me?”
This time, Li Teng probably was already driving because he replied directly with a voice message. Ruan Nianchu opened it, and a deep, cold voice came through, saying, “Returning your keychain.”
She was speechless. After a moment of thought, she decided, why not, since the food was already ordered, and it would be the courtesy of returning the favor from their previous blind date.
With this in mind, Ruan Nianchu exited WeChat and opened a mobile game she had downloaded two days ago. This game was popular among the girls in their twenties. In simpler terms, it involved nurturing virtual men, somewhat similar to the pet-raising games from her childhood.
A must-have for single people, quite suitable for her.
After playing for a while, the voices of a man and a woman talking drifted in from the restaurant entrance. The woman’s voice complained sweetly, “This weather is killing me. I’m so hot from shopping for a while.” The man’s voice sounded somewhat impatient, “It won’t be hot inside.”
Ruan Nianchu’s attention was drawn, and she put down her phone to look towards the entrance.
Elite was with beauty, a mistress with a scumbag.
She was surprised. Then, upon seeing the black Jeep stopping at the entrance, her eyes slightly widened. It was Li Teng’s car. Intuition told Ruan Nianchu that this missed afternoon tea with Qiao Yufei would turn out to be quite intriguing.
Sansukini: Let the love begin… Someone is fibbing about coincidence.
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Coincidence?? Don’t think so…. 😏