My woman at the company

"Ring~ Ring~" The work bell had just rung when the noise of the production equipment started, marking the beginning of another busy day. The company's loudspeaker announced, "Team Leader Lin Yichen, Team Leader Lin Yichen, please go to the first-floor warehouse to collect materials." After filling out the material collection form, I went to the first-floor warehouse, which was known as the hub of gossip in the company, to collect the materials. My warehouse manager, Xiao Wu, who's about my age and we get along really well, told me, "Yichen, do you know that a new assistant just joined the company's export department?" I joked, "Oh! A young and pretty girl, then I have another chance." Xiao Wu teased me, "I'm telling you! Even if someone were delivered right to you, you still wouldn't be able to catch them. I think you should change your surname to Han." I asked him, a little confused, "Why should I have the surname Han?" He handed me the documents while laughing in Taiwanese, "I told you you're 'Han Man' (meaning slow-moving), and you didn't believe me!" I smiled and said to Xiao Wu, "Thank you so much! I have something to do, so I'll be going now!" When I got back to the fifth floor and was about to enter the studio, I saw a girl I didn't recognize with her back to me. She was standing at the studio door, looking around as if searching for something. From her back, I could tell she had short, pretty hair with a slightly reddish-brown tint, was about 160 centimeters tall, and was dressed casually in a white hoodie and dark blue distressed jeans. I walked up behind her and kindly asked, "Miss, is there anything I can help you with?" She was startled! Looking a little nervous and shy, she asked, "Um...excuse me, is the production team leader here?" While she spoke, I curiously took a good look at this girl I'd never met before. My first impression was that she had very fair skin, a small, delicate face without a single blemish, and slightly parted, reddish-brown hair with a small tuft of bangs covering her forehead. Her eyebrows were light brown, thin and long, slightly upturned, and her bright eyes blinked with long eyelashes, seemingly able to speak. Her small, straight nose and well-defined lines outlined her pink lips. I guessed she must be the new assistant in the export department that Xiao Wu had mentioned! She was holding what looked like a product needing repair and a few documents. Watching her expression change from initial nervousness and unease, as she bit her lower lip, to a slight furrow in her brow, her eyebrows slightly raised, and a questioning look in her eyes, I realized I'd been observing her and had forgotten to answer her question! I discovered this girl wasn't just beautiful on the outside; I guessed she probably had many other adorable expressions. I smiled slightly and said, "Yes, that's me," trying to ease her tension. She smiled back, as if relieved, and said, "I've been looking for you for so long, I finally found you!" Our manager said this was a product sent back from overseas that needed repair and needed to be fixed before the end of the day so it could be urgently sent to the customer; he asked the team leader to handle it quickly. I asked her, "Which part did the customer report as having a problem? That way I can handle it more quickly." She hurriedly flipped through the repair sheet in her hand, and after searching for a while, she said nervously, "He didn't write it down, what should I do?" I took the parts and briefly checked them before telling her, "I think it's probably a broken part inside. I can replace it with a new one in about ten minutes. Would you like to come in and wait a moment?" She nodded happily and said, "Really? Okay! Thank you for your help." During the repair and disassembly process, I introduced myself first: "My name is Lin Yichen, Yi as in 'elegant' and Chen as in 'starry sky.' I'm the team leader of the assembly group in the production department. I'm responsible for the assembly and repair of the company's products. I don't think I've seen you before. Are you new here?" She introduced herself shyly: "Um~ My name is Yin Jiaxi, Jia as in 'commendation' and Xixi as in 'grass-like beauty.' I'm the new assistant in the export department. Please guide me from now on, team leader." I asked her with concern: "You must be unfamiliar with many things since you just joined the company. You must be very busy lately?" As if she had finally found someone to confide in, she opened up and talked non-stop: "Yes! There were really many things I didn't know when I first came here. I didn't even know who was who. Every day I was like a headless fly running around the company. After our manager finished assigning me tasks each day, he would disappear. Everyone else in the department was also busy..." "She's too busy with her own things to deal with me, and I don't even know who to ask. I haven't done anything well these past few days! It's making me so frustrated, I feel like I'm about to give up!" Sensing her helplessness, I naturally comforted her, saying, "That's normal. I was the same when I first joined the company. It won't be like this after a while." I continued, "By the way! If you don't understand anything at the company and can't find anyone to ask, you can ask me. Maybe I can help you." She said happily, "Really? Team leader, you have to keep your word!" I smiled and replied, "Of course!" She said, a little touched, "Team leader, you've been the kindest to me since I joined the company!" I said, "If I don't take care of and care for my subordinates, how can I be a team leader?" She thought it made sense and nodded in agreement. I joked, "Oh! You've only just joined the company and you already know how to flatter. I bet you'll be fine in the future!" She blushed and shyly protested, "No, no! I don't know how to flatter, I'm serious!" By then, I had finished fixing the part, signed the repair slip, picked up the repaired product (which looked brand new), and handed it to her. I kindly reminded her to take the documents to the production manager for countersignature before sending the part to the warehouse. She happily said "Thank you, team leader!" several times before taking the part and leaving. But less than three seconds later, she came back, stuck out her tongue, and awkwardly asked me, "Excuse me, team leader, could you tell me who the production manager is?" I half-jokingly said to her, "Wow! You're all grown up, and you don't even know my boss? If my boss finds out, you're in for a world of trouble!" She said anxiously, "Team leader, please! Help me out!" I then prompted her, "The one with the biggest office seat on this floor is him." As soon as I finished speaking, she dashed out of the studio and started looking for him at each seat. The next morning, not long after I started work, I went to the quality control department on the twelfth floor to borrow a precision measuring instrument. As soon as I entered the elevator, I saw Jiaqian and Zhang, the export manager who was in his fifties, talking about business in the elevator. Through the reflection in the elevator door mirror, I noticed that Jiaqian, standing behind me, looked very nervous and unnatural. I noticed that while Manager Zhang was giving Jiaxi instructions—"Do you know how to do this? You need to notify the warehouse to ship the goods first, then print out the shipping order... You'll definitely be fine. I have high hopes for you. Perform well, and I'll promote you to be my deputy if the opportunity arises"—his other hand was improperly groping and lightly patting Jiaxi's buttocks from behind. I couldn't stand it anymore and quickly turned to Manager Zhang, saying, "Manager Zhang, long time no see!" I extended my hand to shake his, and also pushed Jiaxi behind my broad back. He quickly pulled his hand out from behind Jiaxi's back and shook my hand nervously, saying, "Team Leader Lin, long time no see!" I held onto his hand tightly and said, "I heard that the manager helped the company secure a lot of orders in the US recently, and the chairman is very happy. I think the year-end bonus will be even bigger this year." I kept bluffing until the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, then I let go of his hand: "Manager Zhang, come visit our production department again sometime. I have to go now." I deliberately pushed Jiaxi out to prevent her from foolishly entering the elevator and falling into the tiger's den again. I pretended not to know her and said to her in a slightly fierce tone, "Hey! New girl, you left a document with me last time and forgot to take it." "Do you still want that document? If not, I'm going to throw it away!" She quickly followed me. I led her into the production department's break room, turned on the lights, and closed the door. Her face was full of shock as she said, "I'm sorry." "Team leader, where's the document?" I first made her a cup of hot tea and handed it to her. "There's no document at all. I deliberately said that to get you here. Were you alright in the elevator?" Her eyes reddened slightly, and her face was full of embarrassment as she said, "I...I'm fine, team leader, thank you!" I reminded her, "Your manager Zhang is notorious in the company for groping. The last assistant in your department quit because of that. Didn't anyone tell you?" She said aggrievedly, "No, I haven't been here long, and I don't know many people in the department." I advised her, "Try to stay close to the ladies in the department in the future, and don't give that old pervert any opportunity." I told her, "Rest for a bit, calm down, and go out later." As I was about to close the door behind me, she called out to me, "Team leader...um...Yichen, thank you!" I turned around, gave her a smile, and went to attend to my work. Just then, our manager came over and asked me, "Yichen, is someone inside?" I casually made up an excuse, saying, "No! The new lady isn't feeling well, so I let her rest inside." The manager asked, "Is it serious? Should she see a doctor?" I said, "It should be nothing serious, she'll be fine after a rest." The manager said, "Then don't disturb her, let her rest properly." A few days later, a few close colleagues from the company agreed to have dinner together at a newly opened Japanese barbecue restaurant near the company after get off work. I had just finished clocking out and was about to...I went to ride my scooter and saw Jiaxi, who was also about to leave work. She saw me and greeted me, thanking me for helping her out in the elevator last time. Seeing that she didn't seem to be in a hurry to go home, I casually asked her if she wanted to go to a dinner party together. She hesitated and said, "I really want to go, but I don't know many people at the company well, and no one has invited me." "It seems too abrupt for me to go. Forget it! I think I'd better not go." I encouraged her, saying, "That's precisely why you should try to get to know them. They're all very nice people, and it'll be easier for you to get around the company later." Besides, didn't I just invite you? Let's go! Let's go! She was still struggling internally when she asked me, "Won't it look weird if I go?" I said, "No! No! They'll be too busy welcoming you to see such a pretty girl!" She finally laughed, "Really? Okay! Okay! I'll go!" I rode my newly bought motorcycle out of the parking lot, stopped it in front of her, and said, "Get on!" She exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! Your motorcycle is huge! So cool!" I proudly replied, "This one's a 150cc.""C's RV-150 motorcycle cost me two whole months' salary to buy." "You're so lucky! You're practically the first girl I've ever given a ride to!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Really? It's my first time riding such a big motorcycle too! But I'm not wearing a helmet, will I get you a ticket?" I said, "Don't worry! Even if you get a ticket, I, the team leader, will pay it, not you, the little assistant." She quickly protested, "You misunderstood, that's not what I meant." I teased her, "I know, I was just kidding, of course I won't fight you to pay it!" She said "Oh!" Finally, she understood and, puffing out her cheeks, asked, "What did you say?" I explained, "This is my daily commute. I know all the traffic lights and police officers there, so I won't get caught." Along the way, she told me, "Back when I was in school, my classmates would sometimes go out with boys from other schools." Those wicked boys always rode those smug little motorcycles, and the seats were so small that it was uncomfortable to ride on them. They would deliberately rev the engine and brake suddenly to try and grope girls. She hated those kinds of men…etc. After a while, we stopped, and I turned to her and said, "Miss, we've arrived. You should get off now!" Since she was so reluctant to get off, I suggested she go inside and eat while I watched the car for her. She quickly jumped off the motorcycle, embarrassed, and said, "Sorry! It was so comfortable that I forgot." While locking the motorcycle, I jokingly said to her, "Since you like being given rides so much, I'll take you out for a spin another day." She said seriously, "Really? I really want to go out on weekends, but I can't ride a motorcycle, and I don't know where to go for fun, so I just stay home bored." I asked her, "How do you usually get to work?" She honestly replied, "I always catch the bus early in the morning." I admired her from the bottom of my heart: "What a hardworking girl!" "!" After entering, I greeted everyone warmly. Xiao Hui, the accountant from the finance and tax department, said, "Yichen, when did you get a beautiful girlfriend? Why don't you introduce her to everyone?" Jiaqian's face immediately turned red. Before I could explain, Xiao Qi from the domestic department interrupted me, saying, "No, you all don't know. She's our company's new assistant in the export department—Yin Jiaqian." Jiaqian introduced herself a little shyly, "My name is Yin Jiaqian. I'm 24 years old and just graduated from university two years ago. I'm very happy to meet everyone. Please feel free to guide me if I have any questions." Then, Xiao Chen from the processing group, Xiao Wu from the warehouse, Alon from the R&D department, and Xiao Zheng from the purchasing department eagerly introduced themselves, each emphasizing to Jiaqian that they were "unmarried" and didn't have a "girlfriend." When Xiao Hui heard this, she said to Xiao Chen sitting next to her with a threatening tone, "Are you sure you're unmarried?" Xiao Chen immediately corrected himself, "I mean I haven't gotten married this year." Everyone burst out laughing when they heard Xiao Chen say this! Only Jiaxi was still clueless about what we were laughing at, looking completely bewildered. Because everyone else present, except Jiaxi, knew that Xiao Chen and Xiao Hui met and fell in love at work, and had gotten married last year. I explained to Jiaxi, "Xiao Chen got married last year, and Xiao Hui is his wife." Only then did Jiaxi understand what we were laughing at! She said to Xiao Chen, "Oh~ you want to cheat on me!" Xiao Chen jokingly said to me, "Yichen, you're not a good friend! Making fun of me in front of a pretty girl." This caused everyone to burst into laughter again. In front of everyone, Xiao Wu said, "Yichen, I heard that your manager introduced you to a girl a while ago, and even arranged for you to have dinner with her." I said while eating, "Yeah! How come you're so well-informed?" He asked curiously, "Of course! What news can escape my ears? What happened next?" "Hmm~ I had a pretty good impression of her. She seemed very approachable, but she didn't talk much. After dinner, we went to karaoke for two hours." Xiao Zheng asked curiously, "And then? Did she contact you again?" I said, "No." Xiao Wu said, "Then why didn't you call her?" I honestly said, "I don't have her phone number; she didn't give it to me." Xiao Wu asked again, "She didn't give it to you, so why didn't you ask her for it?" I said, "If she had a good impression of me, she would have given me her phone number so I could ask her out again next time." But she didn't say anything by the end. I thought maybe I wasn't her type, so I decided to let it go. Xiao Hui said disappointedly, "You really defeat me!" She told me, "Even if that girl has a good impression of you, girls are always a bit reserved, how can she be so shy as to ask?" So you, as a boy, need to be more proactive and ask her first, otherwise when will you ever get a girlfriend? Xiao Qi chimed in, "Yi Chen! I'm not saying this to be mean, but you're just too honest, always thinking of others first." A Long also chimed in, "Yeah! Yeah! Haven't you heard that nowadays 'bad boys are more attractive to girls'? You'll never find a girl you like if you keep going like this!" Although I felt a pang of sadness, I forced a smile in front of everyone. I joked to myself, "This is probably my biggest flaw! It seems that if I don't change it, no girl will ever be interested in me!" After saying that, I pretended to be thirsty and took a big gulp of my drink to wash away the sour feeling in my heart! When I looked up, I met Jia Qian's amused gaze. *Cough cough cough* I almost choked! Xiao Chen laughed and said, "Yichen, drinks are unlimited. Are you drinking so fast because you're afraid you won't have enough?" Jiaxi smiled and pretended to chat with everyone nonchalantly. I wondered if there was something on my face. Otherwise, why would she keep staring at me? Later, I didn't care too much. In the warm atmosphere, she gradually became one of the group. It was almost nine o'clock at night when the meeting ended. Jiaxi said, "Yichen, could you please take me to the nearest bus stop? I can take the bus home by myself." I told her, "There aren't many people in the industrial area after get off work, and sometimes drunk foreign workers wander around." It's quite dangerous for a girl to wait for the bus alone. Let me take you home; that way, I'll feel more at ease. Hearing me say that, she seemed a little worried too, and agreed to take me home. I then realized that her home was actually on the way to mine. When we got to her building, I told her, "It's late, go upstairs and rest, you have to go to work early tomorrow morning!" She turned around and said to me, "Thank you for giving me a ride home, be careful on your bike!" I watched her safely enter her home before starting my bike to leave. After I went inside, she saw me still downstairs and waved goodbye from her balcony! In the days that followed, Jiaqian would often bring me products that customers had brought back for repair. When I had time, I would handle them myself; if I wasn't available, I would delegate them to my team members. Because I always managed to get her work done on time, and because we had a lot to talk about and would sometimes banter, she had a pretty good impression of me after several interactions. This Saturday, I worked half a day. After the bell rang to signal the end of the workday, I made my usual rounds of the workplace before leaving the company. I saw Jiaxi still waiting for the bus at the bus stop not far away. I rode over and asked her, "Are you still waiting for the bus?" She nodded helplessly and said, "I've been waiting for almost thirty minutes, but not a single bus has come." I said, "Sigh~ I don't know what bad things I did in my past life to be so unlucky as to be going the same way as you every day. Miss~ get on the bus!" She was so happy that she got on the bus without thinking and said to me, "Hey! You must have burned a lot of incense in your past life to have the opportunity to give me a ride. Other people who want to give me a ride have to fill out an application form and wait in line!" After I stepped on the gas and drove off, I deliberately teased her, "Little Linzi, thank you for the favor of Empress Yin, may you live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years!" After hearing me say that, she laughed happily on the back seat. Sometimes I think I quite like hearing her silvery laughter. On the way, she casually asked me, "Yichen, are you going anywhere this afternoon?" I thought for a moment and replied, "Maybe I'll go fishing near Shimen Cave!" She then asked, "Are you going alone?" I said, "Yeah! I usually go alone." She asked me cautiously, "Then... can I come with you?" I asked her in surprise, "You...? You know how to fish?" She playfully stuck out her tongue and said, "I don't know how, but I can try, okay?" Besides, you promised to take me out for a walk last time, you haven't forgotten, have you? I couldn't refuse her request. "I can't argue with you, okay! Okay! I'll go back and get my fishing gear first, I'll come downstairs to pick you up at one o'clock." After getting the gear, I bought a new helmet and then waited for her downstairs. Unexpectedly, she was already waiting there! She saw me and smiled slightly, saying, "How about it? I was punctual, wasn't I?" I said to her, "Hmm~ I feel like you look a little different than this morning?" She smiled mysteriously at me and said, "Guess!" I handed her the helmet, and she looked at it and asked, "Did you buy a new helmet?" I said..."Yeah! There are so many police on the road, if you don't wear one, you'll get a ton of tickets." She said apologetically, "I'm sorry to have made you spend money, I'll pay you back." I said, "No need, I might need it sometime anyway." She said, "Yeah! I'll help you use it often when I have time, so it won't just sit there collecting dust." I laughed and asked her, "What did you just say?" She laughed happily on the back seat and said, "Nothing! Nothing!" We rode towards Shimen, stopping briefly at Shibawanggong to buy zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and drinks. It was an unnamed little fishing port. I led her to the embankment, prepared some simple fishing gear for her, and taught her how to fish. She was very excited and started fishing seriously, but no fish took the bait. She started to get a little bored! I told her my experience: "Fishing sometimes depends on luck; you can't always catch fish." I put down my fishing rod, took a zongzi and handed it to her. I took one for myself and ate it. She ate it with relish and had another one. I guessed she hadn't had lunch yet, just like me! While she was eating, I secretly observed her. What was different about her today? She was wearing a pink quilted jacket with trendy dark blue denim jeans. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Later, I laughed and said to her, "I finally know! So you were wearing makeup today!" "Hmm~ Makeup really makes a difference for girls, I look even prettier." She then turned to me, pouting, and said, "You only just realized this now? You're so slow! No wonder you can't get a girlfriend!" She suddenly asked me a question, "Yichen, how old are you?" I answered, "I'm five years older than you, practically an old man." She exclaimed in surprise, "Five years older than me! I can't tell! Wow! You're twenty-nine!" I brushed it off casually, "Yeah!" She asked me, "Yichen, have you ever had a girlfriend?" I honestly answered, "I dated one." She then asked a rather pointed question to me, "How long were you together, and why did you break up?" I evasively told her, "I really don't want to bring up that unpleasant memory again; it's all in the past." She asked curiously, "Why? I want to hear it! Or do you have some bad habits or quirks that no one knows about?" So that's why she couldn't stand you and didn't stay with you? Hahaha! I couldn't help but laugh at her vivid imagination. If I didn't clarify, she might really think there was something wrong with me! I calmly said, "My ex-girlfriend and I met when we were still students, and five years passed by in the blink of an eye... Like other couples, we went through military service, arguments, communication, separation, reunion... until we learned to understand and cherish each other. I thought we would naturally hold hands and walk together forever, and nothing could separate our hearts. I had long considered her my one and only love for life, but fate played a cruel joke on me!" I turned to look at Jiaxi sitting next to me. She was hugging her knees, tilting her head and listening intently. I continued, "Two years ago, the day before I was to join this big company, she suddenly broke up with me! The reason was that we had been separated for a long time. You know how difficult it is to maintain a long-distance relationship. At that time, I was unemployed for a period of time, and she felt that she couldn't see a future with me!" We used to argue endlessly about who should give up their familiar job and environment to accommodate the other if we actually lived together in the future. Plus, a man appeared in her life who could replace me; he could do what I couldn't: give her a hug, courage, and comfort whenever she needed it. All these factors led her to end our five-year relationship. I paused, trying to calm myself. Jiaxi urged me to continue, "And then? And then?" I continued, "Later, when she broke up with me, I tried to salvage the relationship, but my efforts were no match for her determination!" I maintained my composure, forcing back my sadness to comfort her, "It's okay, I'm really fine! We parted amicably, I wish you happiness..." Actually, I didn't want to say these insincere words; I only wanted to spare her guilt. I selfishly thought this was the last thing I could do for her. After choosing to let her go and find her so-called happiness, I kept telling myself to be more mature. This little setback was nothing compared to the long life ahead of me, and I would definitely find a better, more suitable girl in the future. But after she left, she left an indelible shadow in my heart. I found it difficult to take that step to pursue other girls. She asked me curiously, "Why?" I said, "Maybe it's because I'm afraid of experiencing the heart-wrenching pain of another breakup!" She nodded, whether she understood or not. Perhaps it was based on a sense of compensation! For the past two years, I've worked incredibly hard, unconsciously trying to make up for what I lost and the mistakes I made. That's why I was able to be promoted to team leader in just over a year. She seemed a little touched and asked, "You seem to still care about her." I quietly replied, "She was someone I deeply loved, and I can't just let go like that." I said to her, "This is the first time I've talked about this past with someone else!" She looked at me for a moment and said meaningfully, "It must be very windy and sandy at the beach, right?" I then realized that the cold feeling in my eyes was from my tears! I quickly wiped them away and pretended to be strong, saying, "But thankfully, it's all in the past now." Deep down, I was surprised that I would still shed tears for someone I hadn't seen for two years. She said, "I didn't realize you were so sentimental." I countered, "Jiaxi, you're not young anymore, you must have had boyfriends before, right? I've already told you mine, now it's your turn!" She dodged the question, saying, "Wow! The fishing rod hasn't had its bait changed in so long, it must have been eaten by the fish!" I said, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Don't try to bluff your way out! Tell me the truth." She pouted and said, "Oh~ my ex-boyfriend worked in sales at the same company as me, we only dated for a year before breaking up." I asked her curiously, "Why did you break up in just a year?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she said, "He was not only very handsome, but also very eloquent. I knew at first sight that he was my ideal partner." So when he asked me to be his girlfriend, I agreed without hesitation. He said he would love me forever and promised to start a family with me in the future… He asked me to lend him some money so he could work towards our future. At that time, I was completely immersed in the beautiful vision he promised me; I trusted him completely and believed everything he told me. Unexpectedly, it was only after a colleague couldn't stand it anymore and secretly told me that while he was dating me, he was also seeing other girls in the company. Only then did I realize that he had been keeping me in the dark all along, like a fool. I was angry at myself for being so stupid! So foolish! So easily believing his sweet words, being so badly deceived! Finally, I made up my mind to break up with him, left my old company, and started a new job. I remember Jiaxi had only been with the company for less than a month. I asked her in surprise, "Didn't you just break up with him recently?" She nodded and said, "Yeah! Today is the nineteenth day." I asked her with concern, "Are you still sad?" She smacked my forehead, "Idiot! Of course I am! He was my first love." "Sometimes when I think about the past, I still hide under the covers and cry at night!" At this moment, the fishing rod that we had been leaving idle suddenly started bobbing up and down like it had caught a big fish. She quickly picked it up and exclaimed excitedly, "What should we do! What should we do!" I reminded her to reel in the line quickly, and what she pulled up was a big, stinky belly fish, probably a school of fish that had come ashore! Later, we caught quite a few more fish, but we released them all back into the sea. We fished until after 7 p.m., and it got dark. We packed up our fishing gear and rode back home. Along the way, I chatted with her about our hobbies and work. When we got to her apartment building, I asked her, "Won't it be boring going out with me?" She shook her head and said, "No! This is my first time fishing, and I even caught some fish. It's quite novel." I could tell she was very tired from fishing. "You must be tired. Go upstairs and get some rest. See you next week!" Before going upstairs, she smiled and waved goodbye to me. Since we confided our deepest secrets to each other last time, Jiaqian and I have gone from colleagues to good friends. She always "coincidentally" waits for me at the door after get off work, hoping I'll give her a ride home. A little puzzled, I asked her, "Why haven't you been taking the bus home from get off work lately?" She said shyly, "You found out! I think it's faster and more comfortable for you to give me a ride!" I joked, "It's rare for such a pretty girl to give me this much face; I can't not give you a ride home every day." She happily said, "Yichen, I knew you were the best person in the company." I said to her, "Why do I suddenly feel like I've been tricked?" She laughed even harder and said, "You can't go back on your word! It's the little pig who goes back on their word!" She asked me, "Yichen, are you going anywhere this week?" I asked her, "I don't know yet, what are you going to do?" She said, "Nothing! I was just thinking about...""If you're going out, remember to call me!" I asked her, "What if I want to go out? How can I find you? Do you expect me to shout downstairs at your building?" She took out a pen and paper from her bag, wrote down her phone number, and stuffed it into my shirt pocket. When we got to her house, she reminded me again, afraid I'd forget, "Remember!" It was already past eight when I woke up on Sunday. The weather outside was warm, and the sun wasn't too strong—perfect weather for a walk. I washed the motorcycle and waxed it. The whole thing gleamed, looking brand new. I changed into a casual and stylish outfit: a beige fitted shirt with a deep V-neck, black fitted trousers with slits, and black cropped leather shoes. I arrived at Jiaxi's building and dialed her number: "Hey~ Jiaxi! Are you going out?" Jiaxi's lazy voice came from the other end of the phone: "Hmm~ Who is it?" I said, "It's me, Yichen! I'm downstairs at your place. I'm going to Danshui. Are you going?" She seemed to be half asleep and said, "Oh~ I still want to sleep... What Danshui?" Three seconds later, I heard a clattering sound from the other end of the phone. Jiaxi said as if she was rushing to work, "Wait for me for fifteen minutes!" and hurriedly hung up the phone. A moment later, the iron gate downstairs opened, and I couldn't help but exclaim in admiration—wow! Today she was wearing a pink sleeveless top with small white polka dots, the neckline trimmed with white lace, deliberately revealing half of her snow-white shoulder and a transparent bra strap. She paired it with an apple green slit skirt with a spring-like feel and a pair of camel-colored ankle boots. She had a stylish, short, reddish-brown haircut, a touch of powder on her face, a light blush, and her small, cute lips were glossy with a glossy pink lip gloss—it looked so tempting! She seemed surprised to see me dressed so casually and coolly, and she stared at me for a moment. I said to her sincerely, "You look so beautiful today!" She blushed and said shyly, "No, you look really cool too!" I joked, "Then we look like a perfect match today!" She stuck out her tongue and made a cute face, saying, "Who wants to be a perfect match with you!" I kindly reminded her, "Jiaqian, you'll be exposed when you get on and off the motorcycle in a short skirt! Do you want to change into some pants?" She replied, "But it looks better like this. Or I can grab a cardigan and tie it around my waist to cover up, that should solve the problem!" After we got on the motorcycle and set off, we chatted about recent events at the company, so it felt like we arrived in Tamsui City in no time. After parking the car, we walked into the bustling Tamsui Old Street. Since it was a holiday, the street was packed with cars and people. I walked ahead so she could stay behind me and avoid being jostled in the crowd. But several times, her slender frame was pushed aside by the throng! Later, she took my hand and said, "That way you'll know if I'm missing." Then I noticed her hands were sweating. I turned to see her face was flushed and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Your hands are sweating so much?" She said shyly, "I'm sorry! My hands sweat a lot. Let me wipe them." She tried to pull her hand away, embarrassed. I told her, "Oh, it's okay! I thought you were nervous." Hearing this, I felt her hand tremble slightly, but I thought it was just my imagination and didn't think much of it. I took her to one art shop after another, and she looked with curiosity at every item she had never seen before: shaped quill pens, stardust bottles, incense holders, retro bamboo products, childhood toys, necklaces and rings made from various stones, seashell handicrafts, ocarinas, shaped lighters, lucky cat figurines, trendy phone charms, Tamsui souvenirs… She was interested in everything. Sometimes she would excitedly pull me to see some fun little things: “Come look! Look! A little pig that kisses, so cute!” Seeing her happy face, I didn’t think she was childish at all, even though she was already twenty-four. Having met so many different kinds of people in society, I felt that this was precisely the innocence a girl should retain! Before we knew it, it was noon. After a morning of shopping, we were starving. I took her to try some must-try snacks in Tamsui: A-gei and fish ball soup. She ate until her nose was sweating and kept exclaiming, "It's so hot! So hot!" I laughed and told her, "Silly girl, these things have to be eaten while they're hot, they don't taste good when they're cold." Seeing her cheeks turn red from eating, I myself felt a little too hot to eat! I dragged her to get some refreshing "Tianba King Ice Cream." Since each ice cream cone is a good 50 centimeters tall, it's usually halved and served in a cup. The kind owner halved it, and she mistook us for a couple. When she handed it to us, she said in broken Taiwanese Mandarin, "Right! One for each of us, so our relationship won't fall apart." I deliberately mimicked her, saying, "Right! Right! You're really good at business, owner! Thank you!" The owner said shyly, "No problem! Come back another time!" Jiaxi, standing nearby, blushed and said shyly, "What are you talking about with the owner?" While eating my ice cream, I teased her, saying, "No, she said if we each eat half, our friendship won't fall apart." She knew I was teasing her on purpose. She took her ice cream and walked over to a small dog, saying, "Little White, here! This is for you." I quickly stopped her, "Hey! What are you doing?" She pretended to be innocent and said, "You said if we each eat half, our friendship won't fall apart!" I pretended to chase after her, saying, "I'm not a dog." She quickly ran away, "No! I was just joking!" Only the innocent little dog was left watching our retreating figures, wondering what we were doing. Later, she seemed to take a fancy to a wind chime made of seashells and wanted to buy it as a souvenir. I thought her taste was quite similar to mine, because I had a similar wind chime in my room. I jokingly asked her, "Wind chime! Do you like it? I'll buy it for you!" She took out her wallet to pay for it herself, but then laughed and said, "No need, I can pay for it myself." I told her, "Then I'll take you to another store; that one is cheaper." She casually asked me, "Wow! You know Tamsui so well. Did you come here often before?" I hesitated for a moment, but still honestly told her, "I used to bring my ex-girlfriend here often." At this moment, the atmosphere suddenly became awkward! She lowered her head, biting her lip in self-reproach, and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up." I smiled to ease her guilt: "It's okay! I won't take it to heart! What's past is past, people always have to look forward, right?" She then looked up and gave me an approving smile: "Yeah!" After buying her souvenirs, I asked her, "Haven't you ever been to Tamsui before?" She shook her head and said, "No, every time I asked my ex-boyfriend to take me out, he would make excuses that he was busy. He always said that he was too tired from work and wanted to rest properly on weekends." I said to her, "You've come all this way, so you should have a great time, if you don't mind being tired!" As soon as the topic of having fun came up, she perked up and shook her head vigorously, saying, "I won't be tired!" I told her, "Let's go queue up to buy boat tickets first." She asked me, a little excited but also a little uncertain, "Are we going to take a boat?" I replied, "Yes! We'll take a boat to Fisherman's Wharf and then come back later. I guarantee you'll never forget it!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she said, "Really? I've never been on a boat before!" After we boarded the yacht, I pulled her to stand behind a pillar on the stern. As soon as we got on, she happily exclaimed, "This is my first time on a boat! It's so much fun!" I pointed to a group of people standing in front of us and said to her meaningfully, "Look at those young people standing by the railing, riding the waves. They look so cool, right? Watch closely, it's going to be even more fun later!" She didn't understand what I meant and looked at me with a puzzled expression. I put my index finger to my lips and said, "Shh!" with a smile, signaling her to watch quietly. Sure enough, not long after, just as I expected, a huge wave, carried by the wind, crashed onto the ship's side. The group of people standing in front of us were soaked through, their pants and shoes drenched, as if they'd been doused with a whole bucket of water. They looked disheveled and kept cursing, "Oh! Shit! You son of a bitch, you son of a bitch…" They were so angry they didn't care about their manners and even swore. The group went into the cabin while still cursing. We were sheltered in a corner behind a pillar and weren't splashed. When Jiaxi saw this, she wanted to laugh but didn't dare to laugh in front of them. She covered her mouth and laughed until tears streamed down her face. I handed her a tissue: "See, I didn't lie to you!" She playfully punched me: "How could you be so mean? You knew this would happen and didn't even tell them!" My next answer made the tears she had just wiped away well up again. I said seriously, "Nobody told me last time either!" She laughed even harder, another wave of laughter washing over her, and she lost her balance and fell into my arms. My natural reaction was to reach out and hug her tightly. She slowly raised her head, and in that instant our eyes met—probably the first time we'd looked at each other so closely—she froze for a moment, her small lips parting slightly, a blush gradually rising to her cheeks. I asked her several times, "Are you alright?" before she finally snapped out of it.She turned her head away, gently brushing her hair aside as if trying to avoid something, and said, "No! Thank you!" Helping her off the yacht, I told her, "This is one of the three scenic spots of Fisherman's Wharf—the floating pier. It sways with the tides!" She seemed to have forgotten what had just happened, and said happily, "Really! There are even little fish swimming around." I pointed to a row of wooden walkways nearby and said, "This is also one of the three scenic spots—the boardwalk. From there, you can see Guanyin Mountain across the river and the Tamsui River in front. Let's go for a walk!" She nodded and said, "Okay!" The steps of the boardwalk were crowded with people sitting, and it was quite difficult to find a spot... We found an empty spot to sit and enjoy the view, and I told her, "The riverbank across the water is known as Taipei's Left Bank—the Bali Waterfront, it's really fun!" She turned to me and asked, "So...when are you going to take me there?" I pinched her little nose and smiled, saying, "Miss, we haven't even finished exploring here, and you're already thinking about where to go next?" She stuck out her tongue shyly and said, "Then remember to call me next time you go!" We walked to the white cross-sea bridge, one of the three scenic spots, and I told her, "This bridge is also called Lover's Bridge." It's a popular spot for couples to date and watch the sunset over Tamsui. They also hold events here every Valentine's Day, it's very lively! We leaned against the railing, watching the sunset. The red sun gradually sank below the horizon, turning the sea into a dazzling gold. A few colorful clouds chased each other across the sky, and seabirds flew low over the water, foraging for food. In the distance, anglers were casting their lines, and yachts constantly navigating the blue highway left two white trails in their wake… She turned to me and asked, “Yichen, can I ask you a question? You can’t get angry, okay?” She asked cautiously, “You and your girlfriend broke up two years ago. Why haven’t you dated anyone else?” I smiled and said, “I thought it was something serious. I won’t get angry!” I changed to a serious tone and said, “Actually, it’s not that I don’t want to date again, it’s just that I’m not going to force things in relationships right now. If I’m lucky enough to meet a girl I can talk to and who shares my interests, and she thinks I’m alright, then we can be friends first. After getting to know each other for a while, if we feel our personalities and habits are compatible…” "Then if we take things further and find we're incompatible, it won't be a waste of each other's time. After all, I'm not young anymore, and I don't have many five-year periods left to waste." She nodded and said, "I see! No wonder you haven't been able to find a girlfriend in the past two years!" I tilted my head and looked at her: "Hey! Miss, are you being sarcastic?" I asked her back, "Then why don't you try dating someone else? I see a lot of unmarried guys in the company are quite interested in you, and it seems some have even said they want to pursue you!" She smiled bitterly and said, "You know how badly I was fooled last time, how could I dare to date someone else so easily?" "Besides, I only broke up with my ex-boyfriend not long ago, and I'm still healing." I asked her again, "So, how many days has it been since the breakup?" She calculated for a moment before saying, "It seems to be the twenty-seventh day. Wow, time flies, almost a month has passed without me realizing it." I took her hand and said, "It's getting dark, we should go back to catch the boat." She said, "Okay! It seems to be getting cold." I reminded her, "You should put on your coat, it wouldn't be good if you caught a cold." As I led her across Lover's Bridge, I lied to her, saying, "There's a legend here that if couples can walk across Lover's Bridge hand in hand, they'll be together forever." She heard me... When I said that, she shyly tried to pull her hand away from mine, so I told her, "I was just kidding!" She then said disappointedly, "Oh~" Back at the Tamsui ferry dock, I said to her, "Come on, let's celebrate!" She asked me, puzzled, "Celebrate what?" I said, "Celebrate that it's been twenty-seven days since your breakup!" She playfully punched me, saying, "Lin Yichen, you're so annoying, why did you bring this up again!" Later, she excitedly dragged me to play ring toss. We spent a hundred NT dollars, and although we didn't win a single ring, the owner, seeing how cute and pretty she was, gave her a small ceramic tea dog doll as a gift. She held it preciously, happy for a long time! A little while later, she dragged me to play air gun shooting. I was lucky enough to win a Puccino doll for her, and she hugged and cuddled it, saying she loved it! We sat on the embankment next to the ferry dock, eating grilled squid, takoyaki, fried shrimp balls, and drinking Grandma's plum juice… Looking up at the dusky night, dotted with countless stars, the tide lapping rhythmically against the shore, creating white foam. The crowds on the street had gradually dispersed, leaving only a few couples cuddling together. A Mandarin love song played from an outdoor café not far away. Hearing it, she and I naturally stopped talking and fell silent. We promised to listen to the distant bells echoing in the rain, hand in hand under the eaves. I imagined our wedding in the church, a blessing for us. We've walked from mud to beautiful scenery, finding courage in each other's eyes. When I'm exhausted, I always want to kiss you, to forget the hardships of our journey. We promised not to mention the sad past, and that we would never worry each other. We'll be happy and take care of ourselves, even if one day we're alone. We promised to stop arguing quickly, and that we'll have no secrets, being completely transparent with each other. I will love you well, love you foolishly, without caring about fairness. As I listened, I noticed Jiaxi's hands were trembling slightly. I thought she was cold, but then I realized she was biting her lip, suppressing a sob, and tears, like pearls, rolled down her perfect oval face. Driven by a man's instinct to protect a woman, I gently put my arm around her shoulder, letting her lean on my broad shoulder and sob softly. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally raised her head and choked out, "I'm sorry!" I smiled and handed her a tissue, "It's okay! Wipe it off!" As she wiped her tears, she asked, "I must look awful crying, right?" I teased her, "No! You look much better than usual." She couldn't help but laugh, throwing the used tissue at me, "You're so mean! Who comforts someone like that!" I said seriously, "Seeing a beautiful woman like you crying really breaks my heart!" She sniffled and said, "I'm sorry! Every time I hear this song, I get so emotional." She earnestly told me, "There's a true story behind this song." There was a couple deeply in love who planned to get married, but the 921 earthquake struck on the eve of their wedding. The girl tragically lost her life. The boy couldn't believe it; he still loved her deeply. He arranged a ghost marriage to bring her home. This song was their favorite, and he often played it for his beloved wife at home. She continued, "Now when I hear this song, I think of the past, and I can't help it..." I patted her shoulder to comfort her, "I know, I understand how you feel. I used to feel the same way." Her tears, which had just stopped, welled up again. I jokingly told her, "If you keep crying like this, I won't dare take you out to play anymore." She stopped crying and asked me curiously, "Why?" I deliberately tried to cheer her up, saying, "Look, so many people on the street were looking at me with envy today because I had such a beautiful, elegant, and well-built woman with me. I felt so proud!" I continued, "Look at you now, crying like an ugly monster. If I take you out again, people on the street will look at me with disdain. They'll laugh at me for daring to bring such an ugly woman out to scare people. How embarrassing would that be for me!" She punched me, both angry and amused, "I don't care! I'm going to go with you! I'm going to make you the laughingstock of everyone!" Later, when we were about to get on the motorcycle, I reminded her to be careful not to expose herself without a jacket. She leaned close to my ear and asked, "What if I accidentally get exposed and someone sees us? Will you be jealous?" I replied naturally, "I'm not your boyfriend, why would I be jealous?" Sitting in the back seat, she sounded a little disappointed and said, "Oh~" I wondered if I had said something wrong. We're five years apart in age; it's unlikely she'd like someone so much younger than me! Over the next few weeks, I took her to visit the ceramics street in Yingge and the ancestral temple in Sanxia. I quite enjoyed going out with Jiaqian because, besides the playful banter, we could sometimes share private things we couldn't discuss at work. I hadn't realized that a familiar feeling was gradually resurfacing within me… However, recently, rumors have been circulating at work that Jiaqian and I are getting very close, even that we're having an affair, so I've been taking extra care of her… People who wanted to pursue Jiaxi even came to ask me, "Are Jiaxi and I boyfriend and girlfriend? Are you going to pursue Jiaxi?"... Some people even went to ask Jiaxi, "Do you like Yichen? If not, why do you ask Yichen to drive you home every day?"... All of this caused an ambiguous chemical change in the originally simple relationship between Jiaxi and me! In order to avoid suspicion, in the past month, I have gradually avoided meeting or being with Jiaxi. Sometimes when I accidentally bump into her at the company, I just nod and we are no longer as warm as before.I ran into her in the elevator that day. Since it was just the two of us, the atmosphere was a little awkward. She forced out a weak "What a coincidence!" I could only reply, "Yeah!" I stole a glance at her; she seemed thinner than before. "Why isn't she taking better care of herself?" I thought to myself. Her expression seemed to indicate she'd made a huge decision when she asked, "Why haven't I seen you after get off work lately?" I answered somewhat guiltily, "Because I've been rushing things, I've been staying late to work." Actually, the company wasn't rushing anything; I was just voluntarily staying late, deliberately avoiding leaving get off work with Jiaqian. She then asked, "Then why did you take half a day off on Saturdays?" I lied and said, "Because I'm usually too tired from overtime, I take Saturdays off to rest at home." She looked hurt and whispered, "Did I do something wrong? Why are you avoiding me?" Then, with tears in her eyes, she lowered her head and quickly walked out of the elevator. Ever since I ran into Jiaqian in the elevator that morning, I haven't been able to concentrate on work at all; things have been going wrong! I finally made it to lunchtime, grabbed my lunchbox, and took the elevator to the top floor. Ever since my relationship with Jiaxi changed, I hadn't followed company rules and eaten in the basement cafeteria. I sat on the water pipe, basking in the warm sun and enjoying the breeze, eating my lunchbox. Then I seemed to notice someone following me up. I assumed it was Xiao Wu from the warehouse, or Xiao Chen, A Long, or Xiao Zheng, because only they knew this place. Sometimes we would eat and chat here at lunchtime. I turned around to see who it was, and I almost dropped my lunchbox! I was so surprised I couldn't eat. I asked her, "How did you know this place?" Jiaxi calmly replied, "I asked Xiao Chen, and he told me." She seemed to have mustered up her courage and asked me, "Yichen, I really want to know why you've been avoiding me lately?" I thought for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain it to her. I replied, "Jiaxi, you probably know there's been talk at the company about us getting closer, right?" She listened intently and said, "Hmm~ And then?" I said helplessly, "Some people told me they want to pursue you, so I think I should stay away from you." She asked me questioningly, "Why?" I honestly told her what was on my mind, "Actually, some people at the company are quite attractive, and I think you should get to know more people; it would be better for you!" She gave a bitter smile, "You think that would be better for me? Is that your reason for avoiding me?" She looked at me quietly, a hurt expression on her face. Her eyes were brimming with tears, and I could see she was trying hard to control herself! I began to feel that what I had just said was like a sharp blade piercing her tender heart! She asked me, her voice choked with sobs, "Yichen, I want to know how you feel about me?" As soon as she finished speaking, a crystal tear, trailing a long teardrop, quietly slid down her face. At that moment, I seemed to hear the sound of the teardrop falling to the ground—the sound of a heart breaking. I thought carefully about how not to hurt her again, and after a while, I said, "I can't deny my feelings for you. I like your innocence, simplicity, kindness, and unpretentiousness." Because you are so good, I can't be selfish and only think of myself. I convinced myself for a long time before forcing myself to say these words: "I believe there are people who are more suitable for you. You should have the opportunity to choose a better and more suitable partner." As soon as I finished speaking, she cried even harder! Between sobs, she cursed me: "Idiot! Idiot! You big idiot!" "You only think about others and me. Why don't you have time to think more about yourself?" "You said there are people who are more suitable for me. How do you know what kind of person I like?" She earnestly choked up as she spoke: I like a man who is righteous and warm-hearted, considerate and gentle towards women, funny, honest, and kind. More importantly, he must be empathetic. She angrily asked, "Then tell me, which guy in the company is the most suitable for me? Tell me!" I thought to myself, aren't most people in the company scheming, power-hungry, cold-blooded, and ruthless like the scoundrels from Urumqi? Are there any people like that in our company? I don't know any of them. But I've known her for a while, and this is the first time I've seen her get angry and so determined. However, I'm not angry now. To be honest, I quite admire her when she gets angry; it's kind of funny and cute. She said sadly, "Why should I care about other people's opinions just because I like someone?" "Like you have feelings for me, do you run away just because you care about what other people say?" She seemed to be venting her emotions, crying as she blurted out, "I don't care that you're an old man! I don't care that you're not very handsome! I don't care that you're slow-witted! I don't care if you have a car! I don't care if you have a house! I don't care that you earn more than 30,000 a month! I only care if you're good to me and if I'm happy!" "Do you understand any of this?" What kind of old man is this? Not very handsome? Slow-witted? So that's how she sees me! I cursed inwardly, "I've been pretty good to her, even better than to my ex-girlfriends!" I've never complained about her! And she's complaining about me being old! Not handsome! And slow-witted... What the heck! Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Suddenly, I realized that these words didn't seem like she was complaining about me! Instead, it seemed like... Oh my god! I realized that Jiaxi wasn't completely indifferent to me! I'm such a fool! I thought she just saw me as a friend. After a while, she seemed to realize that she had said something she shouldn't have! Her face, which had been pale from crying, gradually flushed, her brows furrowed, and she looked pitiful. She seemed at a loss, lowering her head and biting her lower lip, her hands clasped tightly together. She must have regretted her impulsiveness! I slowly walked up to Jiaxi and said, "Do you remember that day everyone said I wasn't proactive in relationships? Actually, I just didn't want to force anyone. I'm afraid that if I took the initiative, we might not even be able to be friends or colleagues anymore, unless I'm sure the other person feels the same way." She seemed not to understand what I meant, and slowly raised her head to look at me with a puzzled expression. I gently hugged her and kissed her lips. Her eyes widened in disbelief! After a while, she reached out and hugged me back, a few tears welling up in her eyes. She shyly responded to my kiss, and I think the salty tears in her mouth were tears of joy. I gently touched her forehead with mine and said, "You can't cry anymore from now on! It hurts me to see you cry!" She looked shy, sniffed, and smiled, nodding, "Okay!" Suddenly, the iron gate next to us was opened, startling us both! We quickly separated. It turned out to be Xiao Chen, Xiao Wu, A Long, Xiao Zheng, Xiao Hui, and Xiao Qi. Xiao Wu shouted, "Five hundred yuan per person! If you're willing, hand it over!" The others reluctantly pulled out their money and gave it to Xiao Wu, saying, "Take it, take it!" I then realized that they had been hiding outside and spying on me and Jiaxi, using our relationship as a bet! They were still talking amongst themselves... Xiao Qi deliberately teased, "Jiaxi, I was wrong about you! You have no ladylike modesty at all!" Xiao Zheng chimed in, "Yeah! You made us all lose five hundred yuan. What a waste! What a waste!" Xiao Hui mimicked Jiaxi's words and said to Xiao Chen, "I don't care that you're an old man, I don't care that you're short, I don't care that you don't last. I only care if you're good to me!" Xiao Chen quickly tried to smooth things over, "Wife, everyone's here. Don't talk nonsense and ruin my reputation." This drew a burst of laughter from everyone, leaving Jiaxi and me speechless and exasperated. I said, somewhat embarrassed, "Hey! You guys are not only eavesdropping, but you're also openly betting!" Xiao Wu smugly replied, "I told you my judgment of people is spot on, but you wouldn't believe me." The others teased Xiao Wu, saying, "The winner has to treat us!" Xiao Wu said, "I think we might need to give out red envelopes soon, I'd better save mine." Alon chimed in, "I think so too, why don't we have a little chat first?" Their banter was clearly a dig at Jiaxi and me! Jiaxi's face grew increasingly red with embarrassment. She said, a mix of shame and amusement, "You guys are so annoying!" Later, feeling they'd had enough of their antics, they tactfully said, "We've had enough of the show, it's time to go to sleep. We have to go to work this afternoon!" Before leaving, they sincerely said, "Yichen, Jiaxi, good luck!" I jokingly said to Jiaxi, "I think the whole company will know about us tomorrow." She asked me nervously, "What should we do then?" I asked her, "Are you scared?" She smiled at me, shook her head firmly, and we held hands even tighter. From that day on, I drove Jiaxi to and from work as usual, and we went out together on weekends. Every time I dropped her off at her apartment building, she would casually check the surroundings before going upstairs. Once she was sure no one was around, she would quickly kiss me on the cheek and whisper in my ear, "I love you!" Only then would she blush and happily run upstairs. Sometimes I'd play a prank. Just as she turned to run upstairs, I'd grab her, cup her little face in my hands, and give her a deep kiss on her soft lips, deliberately...We kissed for a long time, and because she was afraid of being seen by the neighbors, she was so nervous that she kept trying to pull away. After kissing her, she would playfully punch me with her little pink fists, but I knew she really liked that feeling—the feeling of being deeply loved! It's been five months since Jiaxi and I became boyfriend and girlfriend, and this Saturday was an important day for me. I planned to surprise her! After getting off work at noon on Saturday, I drove her to the fish market at Zhuwei Fishing Port to buy seafood. She followed me the whole way; it was her first time there, and she watched curiously as I asked the vendors questions and bargained. Confused, she asked me, "Are you crazy?! Why did you come all this way to buy groceries?" I smiled and kept her in suspense, "You'll find out soon enough!" After buying everything, I drove her home and told her, "Meet me downstairs at 5 pm sharp!" She was still completely confused, wondering what was going on, why it was so mysterious. After I was all ready, I picked her up on time. She thought I was going to take her out, but tonight she was wearing a purple knitted sleeveless turtleneck top, a beige dress skirt, and white sandals. Later she found out she was coming to my house! This was her first time at my place. I led her up to the fifth floor and opened the door. Jiaxi asked me suspiciously, "You live here?" I said, "Yes! My parents live downstairs, I live upstairs alone." She said enviously, "You're so free! You don't have to be told what to do by your parents." I told her to make herself at home and went to get ready. Later, she wandered to the back and found me preparing dinner. She exclaimed as if she'd discovered something amazing, "Yichen, you can cook?" I replied, "Yes! I'm twenty-nine, don't you know how?" She stuck out her tongue and said, "My mom always cooks at home, I can't cook!" I pretended to faint, "Oh my god!" But she just laughed happily! A little while later, she helped bring all the dishes to the table, turned off the fluorescent lights, leaving the room dark. Then I lit three pretty scented candles and placed them on the table, pressed the play button, and the melodious piano music gently echoed in the dim room. I asked her, "Is the atmosphere alright?" She nodded, her eyes full of emotion. She tried to trick me into thinking, asking, "I've never seen you so romantic before. Tell me, what day is it today?" I wasn't fooled and said, "Shh! You'll find out soon enough." I introduced each dish to her: "This is steamed grouper, stir-fried prawns with soy sauce, cod with bean curd, stir-fried clams, anchovy and seaweed soup, three-cup squid, and stir-fried crab legs." This was the first time I had ever cooked for a girl, and the ingredients were even better than what you get at restaurants! She said shyly, "Um... but this meal must have cost you a lot, right?" I smiled and said, "It's okay! I hope you're happy!" She said, "I'm so touched. It's the first time a boy has cooked for me." I said, "Okay! Let's eat! The food won't taste good if it gets cold." After dinner, I got up and teased her, "There's one last dessert!" She looked at me with surprise, as if she couldn't believe it: "You can make desserts?" I brought out a cute little cake with a candle on it, humming a familiar melody... She finally realized what day it was. It was her twenty-fifth birthday. She covered her mouth, her eyes wide, unable to believe everything I had done for her. I deliberately said, "The cake was bought, I didn't make it, so don't be too touched!" Her eyes, already red, finally gave way, and two streams of tears slid down her face. With reddened eyes, she said, "Why are you so touched? You made me cry!" I pinched her little nose, wiped away her tears, and said, "Silly girl! You're my girlfriend, who else would I pamper if not you?" Before I finished speaking, another tear appeared on the spot. I mischievously scooped some cream and smeared it on her little nose, and she stopped crying and started playing around. She took some cream and smeared it on my lips. I licked it and said, "It's quite fresh and delicious!" I said, "You should try some too!" Ignoring her protests, I sealed her lips with a kiss. After a while, the atmosphere suddenly felt a little strange; neither of us wanted to let go. The surroundings were so quiet that only our heavy breathing could be heard. I knew what was going to happen next. Being adults, we both knew what was going to happen. I whispered in Jiaxi's ear in a slightly magnetic voice, "Should we stop?" She lowered her head, blushing, and after a while, she slowly shook her head. We kissed passionately, my hand covering her soft breasts through her clothes. I felt her tremble slightly in my arms. While we were kissing, I carefully removed her top and short skirt. She was now only wearing a light blue embroidered bra and panties. This was the first time I had seen her shapely figure in all the time I had known her. She awkwardly and laboriously unbuttoned my shirt and belt, leaving us with only the last line of defense. I rested my forehead against he

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/1691.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=1691&aspx=1

Previous Page : Urban Special Forces: The Story of a Handsome Guy Winning the Hearts of Nine Beautiful Women

Next Page : A peculiar romantic encounter

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

My woman at the company

comment Open a new window to view comments