Chapter 30 I Think You Look Damn Cool When You Smoke
The atmosphere between the two was not the shyness of lovers, nor the intimacy of fiancés. If one were to say it was awkward, it wasn’t quite that, but if one were to say it was familiar, why were they standing so politely? The sales associate looked at the handsome man and beautiful woman before her, and a thought suddenly popped into her mind. Could these two people have just found a marriage partner somewhere and come to buy rings? In this day and age, a shotgun wedding wasn't exactly uncommon.
And wasn't that exactly what it was? A family alliance, a meeting through a blind date, and if they didn't dislike each other, they would proceed with the marriage. It could indeed be described as a shotgun wedding. Tan Zheng's hands remained in his pockets, and he didn't take the rings the sales associate presented. Song Ni didn't feel awkward; her hand remained outstretched. She didn't care about other people's gazes; she knew what she wanted. Since Tan Zheng wanted to declare his ownership, to satisfy that possessive streak, it wasn't unreasonable for him to put a ring on her finger, was it?
Tan Zheng lowered his eyelids and looked at the hand that had been extended. The corners of his lips curled up. He had misunderstood earlier. It was precisely because the Song family doted on Song Ni that she had developed this stubborn streak. What she wanted, she would get. Stubborn and proud. A difficult personality indeed. Finally, Tan Zheng raised his eyelids and met Song Ni's gaze. He remained casual, his calm eyes holding a hint of a smile. He continued to hold Song Ni's gaze, reached out, and the sales associate immediately and shrewdly placed the ring into his palm.
He was always warm, but the ring was cool, as if it were spreading a chill from his palm to everywhere. Back when Tan Zheng used to race cars, his clothes weren't outlandish, but he wore quite a few accessories. Things like necklaces and rings, even earrings, he had worn them all. He was good-looking, and his aura exuded masculinity. Wearing such items didn't diminish his presence at all; instead, it added a touch of arrogant defiance. Tan Zheng didn't even need to lower his head. With practiced ease, he brought the ring to his fingertips. He continued to stare into Song Ni's eyes, a roguish smile playing on his lips. He used his other hand to support Song Ni's, and just like that, he placed the ring on her ring finger.
Song Ni's eyelashes trembled slightly. Generally, the popular way to wear engagement rings in China was on the middle finger. The tradition of wearing it on the ring finger originated in Europe. It's said that there is a vein on the left ring finger that leads directly to the heart, the closest place to the heart. Wearing the engagement ring on the left ring finger signifies the intimate bond and heart-to-heart connection between the two. But what kind of intimate bond or heart-to-heart connection did she and Tan Zheng have? The ring was cold, but Tan Zheng's hand was scorching hot. Song Ni didn't understand why men's body temperatures were always so high. Her father was like that, and Song Jing was like that too. She even felt that Tan Zheng's heat was even greater; he was like a furnace, his entire being radiating heat. It burned into her heart.
Song Ni lowered her gaze to the ring on her left ring finger. It was simple, and the light reflected from the tiny diamonds was exceptionally beautiful. Tan Zheng's hand hadn't moved away. His skin was tanned, a stark contrast to Song Ni's fair complexion. His hands were also large, easily engulfing Song Ni's entire hand. Looking at this scene, Song Ni couldn't help but squint and swallow. The dominance and sense of security emanating from a powerful and sexy man were enough to make a woman's heart tremble. Song Ni took a deep breath and playfully scratched Tan Zheng's palm with her finger. Like a cat.
The sales associate noticed this small gesture and couldn't help but look away, her earlobes blushing. She felt her earlier question had been redundant. The passionate gazes between the two were so intense they could weave threads, where was the awkwardness? Even as an onlooker, she felt parched, yet the two involved parties were remarkably calm. Tan Zheng's palm was calloused and rough, unlike Song Ni's. Her light touch, with deliberate flirtation, felt like a feather brushing against his heart. It itched, and it was addictive.
Tan Zheng's eyes suddenly deepened, becoming as dark as an abyss. The playfulness and smiles had vanished completely, replaced by a turbulent, intense, and complex emotion. The man calmly withdrew his hand and took the men's ring from the sales associate. Just as he was about to put it on himself, Song Ni's slightly cool hand reached out. "Let me put it on for you." Song Ni's eyes sparkled with mischief, clearly pleased with her earlier action, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
Tan Zheng didn't look at her. He dodged her hand and then put the ring on himself. He had originally intended to wear it on his middle finger, but the size was slightly too small, so he moved it to his ring finger instead. Song Ni raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding the meaning of Tan Zheng's action. But she didn't overthink it. Although Tan Zheng's expression remained impassive, he had clearly dodged her just now. Didn't that mean her scratch had finally disturbed the calm surface of the lake? Thinking of this, Song Ni's lips curved upwards, and she even hummed a tune.
She took out her card and handed it to the sales associate. Tan Zheng frowned and glanced at the sales associate, whose action of reaching for the card halted. In the end, the sales associate accepted Tan Zheng's card. Song Ni had initially intended to pay for Tan Zheng's ring, but then she thought that with Tan Zheng's personality, how could he possibly tolerate such an action? So she gave up. She cheerfully put her card away and stretched out her left hand, examining it carefully under the light. Tsk, her hands were beautiful, and of course, anything she wore would look good.
Back in the car, Song Ni was still admiring her ring. Tan Zheng glanced over, a faint smile on his lips. "You like this ring so much?" Song Ni turned her head and blinked at him. "I like the title of future Mrs. Tan." Tan Zheng's hand movements paused. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Song Ni beside him, his gaze openly appraising and scrutinizing. Song Ni didn't back down; she stared back just as directly. She reached out and poked the ring on Tan Zheng's hand. She asked, "Do you like it?"
Tan Zheng found himself unable to quite understand Song Ni. She was bold and direct, not hiding her interest in him, and even making small gestures to draw him in. Yet, in her eyes, there wasn't the adoration of love. It was merely the curiosity that arises when encountering something new. But wasn't this young girl at an age where she should be pursuing love? Clearly, when she first came to find him at the bar, it was out of her resistance to the blind dates arranged by her family. But now, as things had developed, she seemed quite satisfied with this marriage. Interesting. A person who dared to love and hate, lived wantonly, stubborn and proud, was willing to enter a cold, arranged marriage without pursuing true love.
Tan Zheng lowered his left hand, took out a cigarette, and bit it between his lips. He didn't answer, nor did he light the cigarette. He just looked at Song Ni, but his gaze seemed to be looking past her. Song Ni curved her lips, found a lighter from the center console, and made to light Tan Zheng's cigarette. The man, however, leaned back slightly. "Don't you dislike the smell of smoke?" That day at the bar, Song Ni had left the private room because she couldn't stand the smell of smoke.
A flicker of surprise crossed Song Ni's eyes, and she immediately recovered. She said, "I dislike the smell of smoke, but I like the smell of smoke on you." Tan Zheng raised his eyelids and looked at her. She added, "I think you look damn cool when you smoke." As soon as the words left her lips, Song Ni leaned forward and, with a click, lit the cigarette in Tan Zheng's mouth.
Song Ni: I think you look damn cool when you smoke.
Mrs. Tan: Oh no, I was hoping my daughter-in-law would convince my son to quit smoking.
(End of Chapter)