Chapter 119 Why Do You Like Tan Zheng?
Sheng Jiang, being young, knew nothing of the past between Li Shang and Tan Zheng. Seeing Li Shang approach, he leaned close to Song Ni's ear and whispered, "Sister Ni, why didn't you ask Li Shang? She's way better than me when it comes to motorcycles." Moreover, being of the same gender, teaching would be much more convenient. Motorcycles were not like other things; to teach someone, physical contact was unavoidable. Sheng Jiang couldn't refuse Song Ni's request, but if Tan Zheng found out he was the one teaching her, wouldn't his jealousy boil over? He would surely flay him alive!
Song Ni didn't reply, but instead looked at Li Shang, who had already sat down beside her. The latter casually brushed her long hair, and her scent wafted over. Frederic Alle portrait of Dy. A queen who was strong at her core, domineering yet magnificent. Few could carry off such arrogance, but it suited Li Shang perfectly.
Song Ni picked up her glass and took a sip of wine, tapping her fingers idly against the glass. Li Shang spoke, "Can we talk?" Song Ni's eyes moved. Direct and straightforward, never beating around the bush – this was a personality she admired. "Sure."
Li Shang's lips curved slightly as she looked at Sheng Jiang. The latter reacted a little slowly, his ears turning red under her gaze before he understood her meaning. "Then you two beautiful sisters can chat. We'll go play billiards." With that, he ushered the other young men to the next room.
Song Ni's waist injury hadn't fully healed, so she couldn't drink. As soon as they entered the private room, Tan Zheng had someone prepare milk for her, the same brand she often drank. The service staff here were highly professional; the milk was at the perfect temperature, soft and warm as she drank it. Song Ni drank half a cup and put the glass down, tilting her head slightly towards Li Shang. "Talk about what?"
Li Shang smiled and took out a cigarette case, skillfully rolling a cigarette between her fingers. "About you. Do you mind?" Song Ni looked at her with some surprise. About her? She thought Li Shang had come to talk about Tan Zheng. What was there to talk about her? "I don't mind." As soon as she finished speaking, Li Shang lit her cigarette with a *flick*.
Song Ni's nose twitched, detecting a familiar scent. She was smoking the same brand as Tan Zheng. "This cigarette is too harsh when you first take a drag. When I started smoking, I used to cough until I was heartbroken. I smoked secretly for half a month before I slowly got used to the taste." Speaking of which, Li Shang suddenly chuckled, squinting her eyes as she took another puff. "Now I'm used to it. This taste is ingrained in my bones. I only realized that the harsher the taste, the fainter the aftertaste, but it's precisely this bland aftertaste that lingers." In the past, Li Shang didn't understand why Tan Zheng liked such a cigarette. Now, she seemed to get it. This cigarette was very much like Tan Zheng. No matter how arrogant and unrestrained someone was, they had a soft spot in their heart. But the soft spot in Tan Zheng's heart that she pursued was only for Song Ni.
Song Ni's brows furrowed. She didn't understand the meaning behind Li Shang's sudden talk about the cigarette. Because of Tan Zheng, she didn't dislike the taste of this cigarette. "Mmm, it is quite harsh." The feeling of it choking her lungs and heart when she snatched a drag from Tan Zheng last time was still vivid.
Hearing this, Li Shang turned her head to look at her, her red lips leaving a sufficiently seductive mark on the cigarette holder. "You smoke too?" Song Ni shook her head and took a sip of milk to ease the discomfort. "I tried it once. It was too strong, and he didn't let me smoke." Although this "he" was not explicitly named, the intimacy was enough to make others envious.
Li Shang suddenly felt that the cigarette in her mouth was meaningless. Her brother had also told her not to develop a smoking habit. At that time, she was blinded by her obsession, pouring all her energy into trying the things Tan Zheng loved. "Indeed, once you're addicted, it's hard to quit. It's best not to try it lightly." Song Ni understood Li Shang's meaning and drank the milk in her cup, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction. She was wearing a fluffy white sweater today, and her expression was like a kitten napping by a warm stove on a winter day. She was in her prime, passionate and youthful. She couldn't say anything about stopping in time. What she wanted, she would fight for with all her might.
"That depends on what you're addicted to. If it's something you willingly embrace, then there's no need to quit." Li Shang twitched the corner of her lips, a bitter smile. If Song Ni knew what Tan Zheng was like back then, she probably wouldn't have said such a thing. But Song Ni would never know, because she had Tan Zheng's response.
"You're right." Li Shang extinguished the cigarette in her hand and drained her glass. "I'm very curious, why does he like you?" Song Ni heard this and her lips curved slightly. Tan Zheng, look, everyone knows you like me. "Then I'm very curious, why do you like him?"
Li Shang was stunned for a long moment. Why did she like Tan Zheng? It was a memory from a long time ago. She was still in college when she went out with her brother once and met Tan Zheng, who had just returned to China and was into cars. Like all women, she was captivated by Tan Zheng's handsome face, his sexy physique, and his irresistible rebelliousness. How could anyone not like a dazzling person like Tan Zheng? The way he handled cars with ease, yet with a passion that burned with his life. Just a casual, roguish smile could charm all young girls.
After that, she often skipped classes to watch Tan Zheng and his friends practice. She heard somewhere that Tan Zheng liked people who were skilled at cars, so she started from scratch, pestering her brother to teach her how to ride motorcycles. But even though she learned to ride motorcycles, she still couldn't earn Tan Zheng's special attention. She became obsessed, chasing and entangling herself, losing herself, following in Tan Zheng's footsteps. When her steadfast pursuit finally earned her the status of girlfriend, she thought her perseverance would pay off. But Tan Zheng remained distant. He was colder to her than a mere acquaintance, let alone a boyfriend. During those three months, she barely saw him, let alone held hands. They never did any of the intimate things couples do. Her brother, who had always doted on her, finally couldn't stand it and slapped her awake. She should wake up from her self-constructed dream. She broke up with him, thinking Tan Zheng would be affected, but he didn't even bother to lift his eyes, simply agreeing. She fled from that place of sorrow and went abroad. After completing her studies, she couldn't let go of motorcycles. After a few detours, she picked up motorcycles again and turned it into a profession. She had been living quite well these past few years, except for the late nights when she would dream of that spirited man.
"Who wouldn't like Tan Zheng?" Song Ni smiled faintly, completely agreeing with her. "I can't give you the answer you want. If you're curious, you should ask him yourself." Li Shang's eyes moved. Yes, why Tan Zheng liked Song Ni, she should ask Tan Zheng. She had been foolish. "Then one more question, do you ride motorcycles?" Song Ni shook her head. "I don't." In fact, her driving skills were terrible, so bad that Tan Zheng often teased her about it. However, Song Ni would never tell Li Shang this.
Hearing this answer, Li Shang's last lingering obsession shattered. Matters of the heart are mysterious. You can't force them. If you don't like someone, you don't like them. If you do, you do. Song Ni didn't know how to ride motorcycles, so what? Tan Zheng still liked her. Li Shang breathed a sigh of relief and stood up, preparing to leave. Before leaving, she said, "If you want to learn, you can find me. I'll keep it a secret." She had heard what Sheng Jiang and Song Ni had said. Song Ni was very similar to herself when she was young, yet also different. This time, would Song Ni's proactive learning of motorcycles lead to a very, very good outcome?
(End of this chapter)