She hadn’t expected him to be online, much less to offer an explanation. She felt a bit embarrassed but also slightly amused—like when, as a child, she and a friend who lived in the same building would insist on calling each other on the phone instead of simply meeting face-to-face. Now, even though he was so close, they used MSN status messages to communicate from a distance.
She looked up just as he turned his face toward her and smiled.
From that day on, Ying Jun began paying closer attention, often checking his status message. When work got overwhelmingly busy, her own status read: “Stronger with every battle.” Shortly after, his status changed to: “Victory in every endeavor.”
The pairing of their statuses—her words alongside his—was energizing, as though it formed a shared secret motivation. Fortunately, no one else noticed their little game.
The day both Sponsors signed off on the project happened to be Song Lang’s birthday. Everyone seized the opportunity to tease him into treating them, even the Partner joining in the fun. Naturally, Song Lang agreed without hesitation.
The project had finally concluded successfully, leaving everyone feeling a profound sense of relief. At the celebratory buffet, everyone ate heartily. During the meal, Vivian jokingly requested vacation time from the Partner, only to be slowly and methodically turned down. The Malaysian elder carefully pronounced each Chinese word: “Getting married, okay. Having children, okay. Falling ill, okay. Taking a break, not okay.”
Vivian turned to Ying Jun, mimicking the Partner’s tone with a grin: “Getting married, okay! Having children, okay! Stronger with every battle, victorious in every endeavor!”
The room erupted in laughter. Vivian, unable to hold back her own amusement, added, “Senior Fang, how could you keep this from me? That’s not fair! Everyone already agreed—this time, you and Senior Song have to treat us!”
It turned out their little secret had been observed by all.
Ying Jun sipped a bit of red wine. For some reason, it left her lightly flushed and a little tipsy. Her cheeks grew warm, and she felt an inexplicable sense of guilt that stopped her from protesting. Perhaps after her surgery, her stomach had finally started absorbing alcohol properly.
After the buffet, they stepped outside to find the city wrapped in its most beautiful nighttime splendor—towering buildings like jade palaces and dazzling lights sparkling across the skyline. Ying Jun stood by the curb, waiting for a taxi, when Song Lang drove up from the underground parking lot and stopped beside her.
Neither of them spoke during the drive, as if words were unnecessary.
When they reached her building, he finally broke the silence: “There’s something I’ve been meaning to give you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. His lips curved into a soft smile as he opened his palm.
The pristine pearl lay in his broad palm, perfectly round and lustrous. It was the one missing piece from the necklace that had snapped before—the pearl they couldn’t find no matter how hard they searched.
She let out a soft “Ah.”
His smile was a little shy, reminiscent of the boy who used to wait for her at the sports field during their university days. Time had passed, fleeting and light, yet here he was, standing before her again, making the moment feel dreamlike and surreal. She heard him say, “I went back to the elevator to look for it later. In the end, I found it stuck in the carpet seam.”
For a moment, she was almost at a loss. After some thought, she asked him an unrelated question: “What did your MSN status mean—‘Shanghai is already in summer’? You posted that a long time ago.”
He paused, then smiled. “Spring is very short in this city. I thought spring was already over.”
Isn’t love the same? Fleeting, gone in the blink of an eye.
Thankfully, there was still a chance to start again.
He reached out and held her hand. “Do you want to take a vacation?”
“Hmm?”
“I want to take one,” he said.
Ying Jun smiled.
Why not?
[The End]
0 Comments