Chapter 24 Song Ni Throws a Tantrum
Song Ni’s preferences were anything but gentle; she loved spicy food and stimulating drinks. However, her throat had always been delicate, and a little indulgence would lead to inflammation. As a result, her family had always insisted she drink milk since she was young. While she didn't exactly love it, after so many years, drinking milk had become a habit.
Qin Yang knew about this habit, but faced with a choice between alcohol and milk, abandoning alcohol was something Song Ni would never have considered before. Although her alcohol tolerance was poor, she adored the taste of liquor, even learning to mix cocktails just to savor the flavor. Today, Song Ni's actions made it clear who she was doing this for.
Tan Zheng noticed Song Ni's rare compliance, his eyebrows lifting as he asked, "How's the wound?" It turned out he had taken away her alcohol because of the injury she sustained.
Song Ni’s lips couldn't help but curl upwards. She had suffered many injuries from practicing karate since childhood, but she never took the pain seriously, never minding what she ate or drank, and thus never learned to properly care for her own body. In the past, Song Jing would often nag her, which she found annoying, but today, Tan Zheng’s gentle admonishment actually brought her a sense of pleasure. Song Ni thought she might indeed possess the trait of forgetting friends when faced with an attractive prospect.
"It still hurts," Song Ni said, her feigned helplessness as natural as breathing. She didn't mind that others were watching. She extended her hand towards Tan Zheng, blinked her eyes, and pursed her lips, looking genuinely aggrieved.
Lu Fang, witnessing this, was momentarily and impolitely surprised. It was true, he had never seen Song Ni act so demure. The contrast was truly astonishing. Qin Yang, on the other hand, was accustomed to it. Her Nini always knew how to switch between being obedient and being herself with ease.
As for Tan Zheng, he tilted his head, looking at the young girl beside him. The light was dim, but her eyes shone like stars, always drawing all attention. Indeed, they were a pair of captivating peach blossom eyes. Even though he knew Song Ni was intentionally acting this way, he still chose to fall into her trap as she wished. He followed her lead and asked, "Still hurting?"
"Mhm, do you want to blow on it for me?" Song Ni's voice grew softer, like water.
Lu Fang: ...
Qin Yang: ... I can't bear to watch, I really can't bear to watch!
Yet, Song Ni seemed completely oblivious. Her eyes were fixed solely on Tan Zheng. She knew Tan Zheng knew she was faking, but so what? Very few people could resist her innocent act and charming pleas. But clearly, Tan Zheng was one of the few.
"Since you know it hurts, why are you still drinking so much? Aren't you just hurting yourself?" Hearing this, Lu Fang couldn't help but chuckle, and Qin Yang was taken aback by Tan Zheng's blunt remark.
Song Ni: ... She hadn't entirely expected this response, but hearing it still left her feeling a bit disappointed. Did her feigned innocence have no impact on Tan Zheng at all? It seemed she had placed too much expectation on him. She withdrew her hand, a rare hint of awkwardness on her face. Damn it, to have failed so miserably in front of Yang Yang and Lu Fang. Song Ni snorted. Tan Zheng, a man of thirty, couldn't find a partner himself and had to rely on his family to arrange blind dates. There was clearly a reason for that.
Noticing Song Ni's sulky expression, a glint of amusement flashed in Tan Zheng's eyes. The waiter soon brought the milk, which Tan Zheng took and offered to Song Ni. The latter, feeling a surge of annoyance, ignored him. Tan Zheng raised an eyebrow and, without indulging her, placed the cup in front of her. As the cup touched the table with a clink, Song Ni spoke. "I want to drink."
Qin Yang and Lu Fang, who had been spectating, were on the verge of bursting into laughter. Yes, the temperament of the Song family's eldest daughter wouldn't allow her to suffer public embarrassment. Lu Fang’s gaze shifted between Tan Zheng and Song Ni. He thought that Brother Tan might have provoked someone troublesome this time. However, Lu Fang wasn't siding with Tan Zheng; after all, any woman hearing what he had just said would be annoyed. He was curious to see how things would unfold. He turned to Qin Yang and asked, "Sister-in-law, has she always been this spirited since she was little?"
Qin Yang smiled, a hint of indulgence in her eyes. "Her? When she's unhappy, she makes sure others are too." To outsiders, Song Ni might seem too proud, too stubborn, and too unrestrained. But in Qin Yang's eyes, she adored Song Ni's attitude of prioritizing her own feelings. When happy, she shared it; when unhappy, she expressed it directly. As for why she was so well-behaved in front of elders, it was simply because Song Ni cared deeply for her family and was willing to go along with them. Life is fleeting; why not live it with a little more abandon?
Tan Zheng furrowed his brow. "You can't drink."
Song Ni huffed, her eyes cold as she stared at Tan Zheng. "Are you telling me what I can and can't drink?"
Tan Zheng felt a headache coming on, knowing he had pushed it too far just now. This young girl truly hated to concede even an inch. But the fault was indeed his. The man’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he instinctively reached for a cigarette, but seeing Song Ni, he forcefully restrained himself. When had a man like Tan Zheng ever indulged anyone?
Lu Fang, knowing Tan Zheng's personality, was even more eager for the next development. With two proud individuals together, one of them had to compromise.
Seeing that Tan Zheng had fallen silent, Song Ni stood up, intending to go down to the bar herself for a drink. Those people downstairs were still there, and Song Ni was not in a suitable condition to go out right now. Lu Fang understood. He wanted to speak up and stop her, but swallowed his words. He had mentioned something briefly on the phone earlier, and Tan Zheng was naturally aware of it. He was truly curious, would Tan Zheng be the one to compromise first?
The atmosphere in the private room was peculiar. Coincidentally, Lu Hao Ting had just finished his song, leaving an unusually quiet interval. Only the click-clack of Song Ni's high heels could be heard. Her wine-red top and form-fitting jeans perfectly accentuated Song Ni's figure. The slight exposure of her shoulder added a touch of allure, her straight back and long neck, proud and unwilling to bow her head.
As the door opened, Tan Zheng spoke. It was the proud son of heaven who finally compromised. "Drink your milk, and I'll blow on it for you." Tan Zheng's voice was stiff; the use of diminutives sounded awkward and strange coming from him, but it was enough to elicit a sigh of admiration. Lu Fang couldn't help but marvel, and Qin Yang gave Song Ni a thumbs-up. Song Ni, however, let go of the door handle.
She turned around. Although she couldn't see Tan Zheng's expression clearly, such an obvious statement of compromise suggested that Tan Zheng's complexion wouldn't be too pleasant. Song Ni was clever. She knew the limits of indulgence. If it were anyone else, she would have shown no mercy, but this was Tan Zheng, her future man. Such a compromise was enough to make her happy; there was no need to stubbornly continue opposing him. So, Song Ni walked back. The sound of her high heels could convey the delight of the Song family's eldest daughter. Song Ni sat down next to Tan Zheng, picked up the milk from the table, and smiled at Tan Zheng, looking at him as she took sip after sip. Tan Zheng's hand, hanging by his side, twitched. He looked at Song Ni's eyes, then averted his gaze. This young girl truly knew how to manipulate a person's mood.
As for blowing on it, Song Ni thought, there was no rush for this moment. What she wanted was Tan Zheng's attitude. Besides, if he were to actually blow on it for her in front of others, not only would Tan Zheng lose face, but she would also feel embarrassed.
Song Ni: Stubborn straight man!
Tan Zheng: Can't indulge her!
(End of this chapter)