In the two years she was away, he had kept her phone and maintained contact with her.
It was as if she had never left.
As if no rift had ever appeared in those two years.
Lin Jing didn't know what Sheng Kuang's mood was like every time he picked up his phone during these two years. She thought that even looking at it now made her feel uncomfortable; he must have felt even worse back then.
Lin Jing took a great deal of effort to compose herself. She had an appointment with Lan Tingting tonight. Sheng Kuang wasn't awake yet, so she didn't disturb him, leaving a note before heading out.
Lin Jing didn't like to drink, but so much had happened today that when Lan Tingting ordered drinks, she didn't object.
Around ten o'clock, Lin Jing received a WeChat message from Sheng Kuang, just a question mark.
Lin Jing replied with a question mark, then sent another message: "Are you awake?"
Sheng Kuang didn't respond.
Lin Jing sent another question mark. Seeing that Sheng Kuang still didn't react, she belatedly realized: "Didn't you see my note?"
Sheng Kuang: "What note?"
Lin Jing: "On the pillow, I left you a note."
There was no response from Sheng Kuang's side. He was probably looking for the note. About five minutes later, Lin Jing's phone vibrated.
Sheng Kuang: "I'm going to play some games."
Lin Jing: "Remember to drink your porridge before you play."
Sheng Kuang: "Mhm."
Lin Jing replied with a cute emoji.
She thought their conversation was over, but a moment later, her phone vibrated again.
Sheng Kuang: "When will it be over?"
Lin Jing paused, realizing he was asking when she and Lan Tingting would finish.
Lin Jing held her phone and typed: "Around 11 o'clock. Tingting has to work tomorrow, so it won't be too late."
Sheng Kuang: "Mhm."
Lin Jing: "What's up?"
There was no response from Sheng Kuang's side again.
Lin Jing assumed he had gone to play games, put down her phone, and continued chatting with Lan Tingting.
Lin Jing and Lan Tingting lived in the same neighborhood. Before eleven o'clock, the two decided to go home. After Lin Jing paid, as she was about to call for a car, Lan Tingting, with sharp eyes, spotted someone standing by the roadside through the glass: "Jingjing, Sheng Kuang is here."
Lin Jing followed Lan Tingting's gaze.
It had started to drizzle lightly outside. Sheng Kuang was holding a black umbrella, standing under a streetlamp. Lin Jing didn't know how long he had been waiting for her.
Lin Jing opened her mouth, suddenly stood up, and was about to run outside when she suddenly remembered Lan Tingting. She turned back to look at her.
Lan Tingting smiled and waved at her: "Alright, hurry up and go. I'll call a car back myself."
Lin Jing felt embarrassed: "Okay, text me when you get home."
"Got it, got it." Lan Tingting found her nagging and urged her impatiently to leave. Lin Jing didn't stand on ceremony. She ran to the door, pushed it open, and without bothering to ask the waiter for an umbrella, she dashed into the rain and ran to Sheng Kuang.
Seeing her approach, Sheng Kuang quickly met her, holding the umbrella over her.
Sheng Kuang's car was parked by the roadside. He opened the car door, let Lin Jing get in first, and then got in himself.
The car looked very new, as if it had been bought not long ago.
There was no extra decoration inside the car.
Lin Jing looked around the car and then her gaze fell on Sheng Kuang's profile as he focused on driving.
Her young man had indeed become much more mature.
Two years was neither a long nor a short time, but it seemed she had still missed some of his growth.
For instance, when did he learn to drive? When did he buy a car?
The rain grew heavier. From the entrance of the neighborhood to Lin Jing's building was a distance, so Lin Jing asked Sheng Kuang to drive directly into the underground parking lot.
The car stopped steadily. Lin Jing didn't get out. Instead, she turned to look at Sheng Kuang: "Do you want to come up?"
In college, such a question might not have led to any misinterpretations, but now, it carried a hint of ulterior motive.
Sheng Kuang looked at Lin Jing without speaking.
Lin Jing blinked her eyes: "Come up and stay for a while."
Sheng Kuang's gaze deepened: "Are you drunk?"
Lin Jing hadn't drunk much, just a slight tipsiness. Her mind was perfectly clear. She shook her head, "No."
Sheng Kuang fell silent again.
Just as Lin Jing was thinking of giving up, Sheng Kuang suddenly reached out and unbuckled his seatbelt.
They didn't speak in the elevator.
There were two deliveries at her door: one was a paper bag, and the other was the takeout she had ordered in the afternoon.
The takeout had been sitting there for a while and was probably inedible. Lin Jing threw it directly into the trash. She didn't open the paper bag, but took it directly into the bedroom and casually tossed it into a drawer.
Lin Jing poured Sheng Kuang a glass of warm water, gestured for him to make himself comfortable, and went into the bathroom to shower.
When she came out after showering, Lin Jing saw Sheng Kuang standing by the window, feeling the breeze.
It wasn't summer yet, and the wind mixed with raindrops was a bit cold. Lin Jing walked over and closed the window: "Don't catch a cold."
Sheng Kuang tilted his head slightly, glancing briefly at Lin Jing before looking away: "Get some rest early. I should be going back."
Before Sheng Kuang could move, Lin Jing reached out and grabbed his hand.
Sheng Kuang's Adam's apple bobbed twice. Just as he was about to pull his hand away, Lin Jing suddenly hugged him.
She buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled: "Don't go, okay?"
Sheng Kuang closed his eyes and his voice was a little hoarse: "Don't mess around."
"I'm not messing around," Lin Jing dared not look at Sheng Kuang, her face burning as if roasted by fire. "I was afraid you didn't think what I said at the club was sincere, so I wanted to prove it with actions..."
Sheng Kuang was speechless by Lin Jing's train of thought: "I didn't think that."
"But I'll feel like you haven't truly forgiven me," Lin Jing felt extremely guilty but spoke stubbornly: "Otherwise, can you prove it with actions?"
Sheng Kuang: "..."
Sheng Kuang lowered his eyelids, looking at the girl buried in his embrace who refused to show her face. After a moment of silence, he used some force and pulled her out of his arms: "I'll make you some honey water."
Lin Jing: "???"
She had been so direct, and he was still so indifferent, going to make her honey water.
He wasn't expecting everything to be initiated by her, was he?
She could say things, but she really couldn't do things...
Huh?
Lin Jing blinked her eyes, watching Sheng Kuang walk towards the kitchen, and slowly said, "Sheng Kuang, you don't know how, do you?"
Sheng Kuang turned to look at her: "?"
Lin Jing met Sheng Kuang's gaze, looking as if she understood him perfectly: "It's normal not to know, after all, you have no experience."
"..."
Sheng Kuang finally understood what she meant. He almost choked on his breath and turned his back completely.
The young girl standing not far away, thinking her idea was quite clever, spun her eyes and pointed to the TV next to them: "How about we watch... a movie and learn from it?"