Chapter 59: Stars

With Cen Ning’s personality, it was really hard for her to go to heaven.

Her emotions didn’t get affected by the outside world very much. Even if she felt something, it would just be hidden in her heart rather than venting out at will.

During happy or sad events, people who were not familiar with her would only see a different twitch of expression.

Just like the fact that she was “very highly valued by Yin Li” these days.

There were so many talents in the club, but Yin Li seemed to like Cen Ning in particular. He would bring her or recommend her to go to gatherings, photographer meetings, and competitions. He also taught her many things personally.

In the eyes of outsiders, this would be enough to go home to burn incense (TLN: means to thank the gods and her ancestors), but Cen Ning was still neither arrogant nor impatient. She was gentle to everyone, so although everyone envied her, they would not hate her.

In the summer break of her junior year, Yin Li submitted Cen Ning’s works to the youth group of the International National Photography Competition. During the whole summer vacation, Cen Ning studied with Yin Li at the Eternal Camera Club. Although Yin Li was very satisfied with the series of works that were submitted to the competition, he also hoped that Cen Ning could improve to a higher level.

When Cen Ning’s senior year was approaching, Wei Pinfang was admitted to the hospital due to health reasons. Since then, Cen Ning has been running around all day.

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“Ebyv eke vbl esnvsa pyu?”

Cen Ning: “Chronic emphysema, cardiopulmonary function is a little weak, but the condition is not too bad. The doctor said that she should pay attention to rest and limit the intake of salt.”

“That’s good.” Yan Xingzhi rubbed her head, “You don’t have to worry about Auntie over here, I will get someone to take care of her specifically, and everything will be fine.”

Cen Ning nodded.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right?” Yan Xingzhi said, “I’ll take you out for a meal first.”

Cen Ning turned her head and glanced at Wei Pinfang through the window on the room door. “Okay.”

In the room, Wei Pinfang suddenly opened her eyes.

The room was quiet, and the person who was sitting next to her had already left. She propped herself up to sit up and took the iPad that Cen Ning left on the table just now.

After unlocking the password, the page that had not been closed yet was very clear.

——New York School of Visual Arts Graduate Admission Requirements

——Graduate tuition at the New York School of Visual Arts

…

**

Cen Ning had officially entered her senior year, and students of the same major had found internships one after another. There were very few people in the dormitory who had free time to watch dramas and play games.

Cen Ning was busy with photography and her graduation thesis. Fortunately, Wei Pinfang was discharged from the hospital, so she no longer needed to put her attention at the hospital.

During these days, she was hardly at home, and she was so busy that she was a little dazed. But on this day, there was sudden news that immediately woke her up.

During the summer break of her junior year, Cen Ning’s works that Yin Li submitted to the youth group of the International National Photography Competition, had won an award.

She got the silver award. There were only two silver awards, and the other silver award winner was a photographer from Japan.

“Cen Ning! You are simply amazing!!”

Everyone in the studio was excited, and Cen Ning sat in her seat, still not recovering from the excessive shock.

“I knew you were good.” Yin Li patted Cen Ning on the shoulder, “Keep working hard.”

Cen Ning stared blankly at Yin Li. “Teacher… Really?”

“You kid, of course, it’s true, why would I lie to you.“ Yin Li smiled and reassured her.

“I can still lie to you.” Yin Li smiled, “This is the biggest happy event that has happened at Eternal (TLN: referring to the club name) in this period, the prize content of the trophy is very high.”

Cen Ning blinked her eyes slowly, and her heart was beating extremely fast because she was too excited. She wanted to calm down, but she couldn’t. At this moment, there was only one voice in her mind, ‘I did it, I did it!’

“Ningning, you are amazing!” Xixi jumped on her, “This is a super prize for participants of our age. Congratulations!!”

Cen Ning hugged Xixi as if she had found a sense of reality.

“Thanks……”

Yes, for newcomers like them, this was a super prize, a supreme honour. It not only strengthened her determination to take this path but also made her even more inspired.

And… the prize money for the silver prize was 40,000 US dollars.

Nearly 300,000 RMB.

She never thought that she would be able to win this award and get this money. But, when this good luck fell on her head, a certain desire in her heart suddenly became clear.

But this desire didn’t immediately cause her to make up her mind. After thinking about it for a week, she finally decided to reveal it to Yan Xingzhi, hoping to hear his opinion.

But she also knew that if she wanted to go this path, he wouldn’t stop her. Just as she had never stopped him from doing anything dangerous.

**

This afternoon, Cen Ning settled her work early.

She first went to the supermarket to buy a lot of fresh ingredients and then went back to the apartment to prepare dinner.

This dinner counted as a celebration.

Around six o’clock in the evening, Yan Xingzhi returned to the apartment. After entering the door, he immediately saw a figure busy in the kitchen. The light in the kitchen was gentle and smoky, and as he approached, the aroma of the food became stronger.

Such a simple scene, but Yan Xingzhi felt unprecedented satisfaction and joy.

“Ah, you’re back.” Turning around inadvertently, Cen Ning saw Yan Xingzhi leaning to the side, “Why are you silent?”

Yan Xingzhi walked over. “Seeing that you are so busy, I don’t want to bother you.”

“It’s not that bad, I’m not very busy.” As she said that, Cen Ning lifted the lid of the eight-treasure soup pot, “Ah!” (TLN: the soup consists of eight “treasures”: ginseng, atractylodes macrocephala, poria cocos, angelica, rhizoma chuanxiong, paeoniae alba, rehmannia glutinosa, and licorice)

“What’s the matter!” Yan Xingzhi pulled her hand over immediately, and after seeing her red fingertips, he gave her a dissatisfied look, “Come here.”

Cen Ning: “It’s nothing, I just forgot to wear oven mitts…”

Yan Xingzhi hurriedly pulled her to cool down under the faucet, and he was even more dissatisfied when he heard her say, “So reckless, you got burned so bad that it’s all red, can you see it?”

“Sorry……”

She was quite quick to admit her mistakes.

Yan Xingzhi glanced at her. “What day is it today, why are you cooking all of a sudden?”

“It’s nothing.” Cen Ning stammered, “It’s just a day for something I have to say…”

“What’s up?”

Cen Ning withdrew her hand. “I’ll talk about it later, my soup is ready.”

Yan Xingzhi: “Cen Ning.”

“You go out first.” Cen Ning smiled and pushed him out, “Isn’t it okay to wait until I finish serving the food?”

Yan Xingzhi was helpless and lectured. “Now you even know how to leave me on a cliffhanger.”

Cen Ning grinned and insisted on driving him out of the kitchen. It was just that when she turned around, the smile on her face suddenly fell. She was a little uneasy because if she made this decision, she knew what she and Yan Xingzhi would face.

“Okay.” Finally, Cen Ning placed the last dish on the table.

Yan Xingzhi looked at the table of delicious-looking dishes, picked up the chopsticks and took a bite.

“How is it?” Cen Ning was expectant.

It tasted… okay.

However, Yan Xingzhi was looking at Cen Ning’s watery deer eyes, so he definitely couldn’t say “okay”.

“Not bad, there is progress.”

“Really?” Cen Ning also picked up the chopsticks and took a bite, “I’ve been too busy recently, I haven’t cooked for a long time, hiss…it’s a bit salty. Xingzhi Gege, are you coaxing me?”

Without changing his expression, Yan Xngzhi continued to get more vegetables to eat. “Coax you? If you think it’s more realistic to think that way, you can also think so.”

Cen Ning smiled slowly. “Okay, then I’ll believe that you like saltier food.”

The two sat down to eat seriously. Halfway through the meal, Yan Xingzhi raised his eyes to look at her. “Why aren’t you saying what you were going to say before?”

“Mhm?”

“Didn’t you have something to tell me in the kitchen just now, what’s the matter?”

Cen Ning paused. “Ah… well, didn’t I tell you that Mr Yin Li helped me submit something to a competition before?”

“Mhm.”

“I won an award.”

Yan Xingzhi raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“Silver medal, second place.”

“Silver award?” Yan Xingzhi put down his chopsticks, “It seems that there is going to be an extraordinary person by my side.”

“It’s alright.” Cen Ning replied embarrassedly.

“So, today’s meal is a celebration?” Yan Xingzhi thought for a second, “Why didn’t you say earlier, I should have prepared some gifts.”

“That’s not necessary… I have something else—”

Before she finished speaking, Yan Xingzhi’s cell phone rang suddenly. Yan Xingzhi glanced at the incoming call and quickly picked it up.

After a long time, the originally relaxed expression on Yan Xingzhi’s face gradually became dignified.

“Okay, I’ll be there soon, you guys get ready first.”

Putting down the phone, Yan Xingzhi looked at Cen Ning silently.

Cen Ning’s heart was suddenly raised on tenterhooks. “You… are leaving?”

Over the past year, Yan Xingzhi left suddenly many times and even came back with injuries a few times. Cen Ning never said anything about it in front of him, but every time it happened, she felt worried.

Yan Xingzhi nodded. “I’m leaving right now.”

Cen Ning opened her mouth and wanted to ask something but found that she couldn’t ask anything, even though the return date was unknown.

She should have gotten used to it long ago, but she still felt uncomfortable every time.

“Mhm.”

Yan Xingzhi felt a little sorry, but he still stood up. He walked to her side, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “Wait for me, we will celebrate when I come back.”

Cen Ning pursed her lips, didn’t speak, and just looked at him.

It was an order from the superiors, time was tight, and Yan Xingzhi couldn’t stay any longer. He looked at Cen Ning and felt very guilty. His work was his glory and mission, but he never thought that one day, on top of his glory and mission, there would be her.

Yan Xingzhi: “I’m sorry.”

Cen Ning paused, realizing that she had made things difficult for him.

“It’s okay, go quickly, anyway, you have already eaten this meal.” Cen Ning forced herself to smile, “I can wait for you to talk about other things when you come back, I will wait for you.”

Yan Xingzhi’s heart ached, and he murmured in a deep voice, “Okay.”

He turned and walked quickly towards the door.

“Xingzhi Gege!”

Yan Xingzhi turned around.

“Don’t get hurt this time.” Cen Ning’s eyes were soft and her voice was light, “If you get hurt, I will be angry.”