Chapter 2: Past Feelings

                               

When Ruan Jing was pulled out of the building by her sister after visiting the clothing store, she saw him. He seemed to see her too, then nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Eight words immediately flashed through Ruan Jing's mind: This is really quite fateful.

The woman next to him ran towards Ruan Xian with a smile, her face lighting up. "San-san!"

"Zhao Lin!" Ruan Xian embraced her warmly. Obviously the two had a good relationship.

Ruan Xian gestured toward her sister. "My sister, Ruan Jing."

"Your sister is much taller than you." Zhao Lin laughed with genuine amusement. She saw the man behind her approaching and immediately made introductions. "Qiyan, let me introduce you to my college classmate Ruan Xian and her sister Ruan Jing."

The man nodded with practiced politeness. "Hello." His attitude was gentle and courteous.

Ruan Jing thought to herself that the two of them really didn't know each other—at most they had drunk coffee at the same table and visited a church once. So Ruan Jing also smiled and nodded, pretending to be meeting for the first time. "Hello."

Zhao Lin spoke with theatrical confusion, "He is my nephew, full name Zhao Qiyan. He was abroad a few years ago, just came back recently. Hey, is he handsome and extraordinary?"

Ruan Xian wondered aloud, "Are you his elder?"

Zhao Lin nodded with a sigh. "That's exactly the case with the family ranking, even though he's three years older than me." After saying that, she sighed again for emphasis.

Zhao Qiyan looked a little helpless. "Do you want to catch up? I'll take things back first."

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Could it be that you're embarrassed to see beautiful women?" Zhao Lin teased with a knowing smile.

"That's not true. I'm just afraid of disturbing the ladies' chatting."

Ruan Jing interjected dryly, "Why don't I go back first, so as not to disturb the two elders chatting."

"You're asking for it." Ruan Xian reached over with one hand and playfully mussed her sister's hair.

Later, because the two elders insisted with the force of friendly coercion, the four of them went into a nearby Chinese restaurant to drink beverages and chat.

Ruan Jing didn't particularly care—she was free anyway. She just noticed that Zhao Qiyan seemed to have something pressing to attend to, so she lowered her head and whispered in his ear, "I can guarantee that they don't have guns on them." The implication was clear: you're free to leave.

The other party was stunned for a moment, then smiled with unexpected warmth. "No need." Then he actually said something that surprised her: "It's nice to see you."

Ruan Jing waved her hand dismissively, naturally thinking he was just being polite. Later, Zhao Qiyan answered a phone call and left. Next, Ruan Jing was forced to listen to a wealth of anecdotes about Zhao Qiyan. It could be said that Zhao Lin admired her "nephew" with the fervor of a devoted fan.

Zhao Qiyan's parents lived in Dublin year-round. He lived in China with his grandfather. Zhao Qiyan had been outstanding since childhood—excelling in sports and immensely popular. After graduating from high school, he was taken to the UK to live with his parents. During this time, Zhao Qiyan did a lot of what his family considered outrageous things. He went to participate in polar expeditions with his classmates in college and almost didn't make it back. Then he voluntarily joined the navy for two years. His parents were enlightened people and didn't oppose too much, only asking that he be careful in everything. After graduating from university, Zhao Qiyan actually signed up for geological research and followed a group of mummy enthusiasts to Egypt, staying for a year. During that time he almost lost contact entirely. Then he moved to Iran, Pakistan and other regions. In the end, the Zhao family parents finally couldn't hold back anymore and ordered Zhao Qiyan to return to China, arranging a job for him at a research institute. Maybe Zhao Qiyan had played around enough over those years, because after returning to China, he restrained himself considerably and didn't do anything particularly out of the ordinary.

Ruan Jing was a little skeptical after hearing all this. After all, her impression of Zhao Qiyan was gentle and quiet—not at all like an adventurer.

"Haven't gone to school yet?" On this particular day, Ruan Jing went downstairs for breakfast and saw Jiang Yan there. Because there were only the two of them in the living room, she asked casually to avoid the awkwardness of silence. In fact, Jiang Yan was very busy every day, and the two rarely encountered each other. Today was unusual.

Jiang Yan glanced at her coolly. "Grandpa asked me to take you to school to get used to it."

Because of this sentence, Ruan Jing felt somewhat put on the spot. "I don't think it's necessary. I don't want to be a teacher."

"It's not about being a teacher. It's just about learning some administrative affairs."

Ruan Jing thought about it and refused. "I don't like doing things at school." She paused. "I will tell my grandfather about this matter myself. You don't have to—uh, I feel it would be awkward."

Jiang Yan looked at her for a long moment, then finally nodded. "That's fine." He picked up the car keys from the dining table and turned to leave.

Later, Ruan Jing asked about Ruan Xian's position at the school. Ruan Xian was in charge of finances, and Jiang Yan's position was deputy director. Although Ruan Xian was extremely dissatisfied with this arrangement, their grandfather had made it clear that Ruan Zhenhua's original position would be inherited by his adopted son. Ruan Xian had no choice but to accept it.

Ruan Xian repeatedly urged her sister to go to the school to work, but Ruan Jing affirmed that while she would stay at home longer this time, she would absolutely never go to school to do administrative work.

"Grandpa will be angry with you sooner or later." Ruan Xian was full of helplessness. "You have no ambition at all."

"When Dad was alive, he told me to do whatever I wanted. I'm living according to my father's wishes."

"Bullshit!" Ruan Xian remembered something. "Recently, Mom plans to help you go on blind dates. She's really afraid that if you disappear for a year again, she'll have to send three formal invitations just to see her own daughter. So—be careful."

"It's really troublesome. But I don't think I'll get married in my life."

Ruan Xian snorted with disbelief. "I don't believe that Jiang Yan wouldn't agree if you proposed to him."

Ruan Jing tilted her head and genuinely thought about it. "No."

When she was nineteen years old, she'd learned for the first time that she had an aunt. When she met Jiang Yan for the first time, it was like being possessed by a ghost—an inexplicable pull she couldn't explain.

"What do you think of Zhao Qiyan?" Ruan Xian asked abruptly, changing the subject.

"He's okay." Ruan Jing answered very neatly, without hesitation.

"Every time you say 'okay,' you're being perfunctory." Ruan Xian hugged her and they headed downstairs together. "I asked Zhao Lin to confirm—he doesn't have a girlfriend yet."

Ruan Jing heard the implications. "Are you interested in him?"

"Yes." Ruan Xian had always been frank about such things. "It's a pity that this person is not easy to approach. I can't seem to get him to open up."

"It's okay."

"He left before sitting for ten minutes last time." Ruan Xian shook her head and sighed dramatically. "Doesn't my Ruan Xian have any charm at all?"

"Maybe he really was in a hurry to leave." Although Ruan Jing did feel that Zhao Qiyan carried a certain noble aloofness.

"I just hope it wasn't a woman's appointment."

Ruan Jing smiled. "He is a bestseller, which shows you have good taste."

"Get lost."

Ruan Jing sighed. "Sister, you should get married early."

When she got up early the next morning, Ruan Jing put on sportswear and went out for a jog. The large shepherd dog Edward wagged his tail and followed closely behind her.

At this time, the man standing on the balcony watched one person and one dog run out through the iron gate, disappearing down the tree-lined street.

Ruan Jing didn't expect to meet Zhao Qiyan when she ran to the morning tea shop to buy milk tea. The morning sun fell on his white shirt, painting him in soft light, his posture relaxed and unguarded.

"Hi, good morning." Ruan Jing ran over and spoke first, slightly breathless.

Zhao Qiyan was obviously a little surprised. "Morning."

Ruan Jing bought a cup of original milk tea, then turned her head and asked, "Do you live nearby?"

"I just moved to the community in front." Zhao Qiyan took the breakfast package handed over by the waiter, then noticed a large dog rubbing affectionately at Ruan Jing's feet. "Your pet?"

"Yes. Pretty beautiful, isn't he?"

Zhao Qiyan smiled with what seemed like genuine appreciation. "He is a good match for his master."

"Are you complimenting me or insulting me?"

Zhao Qiyan said seriously, meeting her eyes, "I think it's the former."

The two looked at each other and laughed, as if they already had some tacit understanding with each other.

"Are you in a hurry?"

"What?"

Zhao Qiyan suggested, "Come with me to the park to sit down. If you don't mind, we can have breakfast together."

To be honest, Ruan Jing felt that Zhao Qiyan was somewhat withdrawn at first—not cold exactly, but maintaining some kind of careful measure of advance and retreat. A little precious and deliberately distanced.

Three minutes later, the two of them had already settled on the long wooden benches by the flower garden. Looking at the red and white tulips still glistening with dewdrops, there was a thin layer of mist in the woods in the distance. Sunlight refracted through it, creating little brilliances. Ruan Jing couldn't help but be captivated by the beautiful scenery before her. "I know why you chose to have breakfast here—beautiful and delicious."

Zhao Qiyan smiled, placing an egg tart on a paper napkin and handing it to her. "I don't know if you like the taste of blueberries. Do you?"

"I'm not a picky eater. I can basically accept anything. Oh, except leeks."

Zhao Qiyan chuckled, his eyes crinkling. "I wrote it down."

A few days later, Ruan Jing realized that she and Zhao Qiyan seemed to be growing closer. She could meet him every morning run, and then he'd buy breakfast. The two would sit on wooden benches together and chat casually. Usually two egg tarts could satisfy Ruan Jing's breakfast, but he always paid every time. "Next time I'll treat you," she'd protest.

Zhao Qiyan would nod indifferently, but next time he was still the one paying the bill—because he always arrived earlier than her.

Later, one day, Ruan Jing didn't see Zhao Qiyan outside the morning tea shop. She waited for ten minutes, bought a cup of juice, and went home with Edward. She didn't see him again for a whole week. Ruan Jing thought maybe it was because she'd never actually paid the bill—maybe Zhao Qiyan simply stopped coming to buy his own breakfast because of it.

On this particular day, Ruan Xian was ordered by their mother to make Ruan Jing choose a blind date candidate. Her aggressive posture forced Ruan Jing to select a man who looked quite bookish and harmless. When Jiang Yan entered the room, he saw Ruan Xian warning Ruan Jing sternly, "Don't escape from battle!" He noticed the photo on the dining table.

When Ruan Xian saw Jiang Yan come in, she immediately put away all her animated expressions and patted her sister on the shoulder. "I'll accompany you on Saturday." After saying that, she went upstairs.

Jiang Yan rarely came over. He pulled out a stool and sat down. Ruan Jing hurriedly put away the photo, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Auntie wants you to go on a blind date?"

Ruan Jing didn't want to discuss this further. She looked at the clock—it was already past eight. "Have you had dinner?"

"I've eaten a little."

Ruan Jing glanced at him with concern. "You seem very tired lately. Are you busy with work?" This was a sincere question.

Jiang Yan smiled faintly. "It's not too busy. Much better than the beginning of the school year."

Ruan Jing tucked the photo into a paper bag. It seemed there was nothing more to say. "Then—you rest early. I'll go upstairs to play chess with Grandpa." Before Jiang Yan could speak, she had already walked away.

This weekend, coincidentally, she was supposed to go on the blind date, but the other party temporarily canceled that evening's dinner. Ruan Jing was secretly relieved. She borrowed a car from her sister and decided to drive around the nearby suburbs. But she ran into Zhao Qiyan before she even left the city center.

Actually, Ruan Jing had gone to a Japanese restaurant to pack sushi, and when she was paying and turning to leave, she heard someone calling her name behind her.

"Hi." Ruan Jing greeted him with surprise.

Zhao Qiyan approached her and asked naturally, "Why did you come here?"

"I'm going to go on a picnic." Ruan Jing asked in return, "What about you?"

"Eating inside with friends."

Ruan Jing felt she could politely say goodbye now, but Zhao Qiyan spoke first. "You don't mind having one more person at a picnic, right?"

"Huh?"

"Wait for me. I'll go talk to them."

Ruan Jing looked in the direction he was heading—two men and one woman, all quite good-looking. Zhao Qiyan picked up the coat from the back of his chair, said a few words to them, and all three looked her way simultaneously. One of the men smiled meaningfully.

When the car pulled out in reverse, Ruan Jing couldn't help but ask, "Is it really okay for you to leave like that?"

"It's okay."

"Are they your colleagues?"

"No, friends I met in the UK. We've been on several expeditions together."

Ruan Jing asked with a smile, "Is there an appearance requirement to join your expedition team?"

Qiyan smiled and shook his head, looking sideways at Ruan Jing's soft facial lines. "Do you want to join?"

"I'm very timid. If I were really lucky enough to participate, I'd definitely drag you back."

"Then don't worry. I'll help you."

Fortunately, Ruan Jing didn't have fantasy cells. Otherwise these words would have sounded really meaningful.

"I didn't see you last week. Still running?" Zhao Qiyan opened another topic.

"Running."

"There aren't many girls who love sports."

"Heh, I was forced into it by my dad before. Later it became a habit."

Qiyan thought for a moment. "I opened a café in the city with a friend. It opens next week. Are you interested in coming to the opening?" Speaking of this, he smiled. "I've been busy with this lately, so I didn't have time to buy breakfast in the morning."

"No wonder." Ruan Jing remembered something. "Aren't you working at a research institute?"

"It's a side business."

Ruan Jing laughed. "Okay, when is it next week? I'll definitely be there."

"Saturday."

Ruan Jing didn't understand Zhao Qiyan completely yet. He definitely wasn't a person who could chat with people so sincerely—at least not usually.

When Ruan Jing returned home, it was almost dinner time. As soon as she got out of the car, she saw a white Mercedes-Benz pulling into the garage. Ruan Jing originally wanted to enter the house first, but she thought that would be rude, so she waited.

Jiang Yan got out of the car and saw Ruan Jing. "Just came back?"

"Yes." The two entered the living room at the same time. Jiang Yan seemed to think of something and asked casually, "How was the blind date?"

"Uh, the other party had something come up temporarily, so we didn't go."

"Really?"

Ruan Minghui was also there today. When he saw Ruan Jing and Jiang Yan coming in together, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. "Ah Jing, your cousin asked me to ask if you're free this weekend. She wants you to go to Huangshan with her."

Ruan Jing got a headache just hearing the word "mountain." "I have something to do this weekend."

Ruan Minghui was obviously not so easy to dismiss. "You sleep and surf online at home every day. Where did this 'something' come from? Don't tell me you have a boyfriend?"

Ruan Jing tried to face the person slandering her with a calm expression. "I'm really not interested in climbing mountains. You should ask another expert to be your sister-in-law's flower protector."

"But I only trust you." Ruan Minghui was half-joking. To be honest, his favorite among all his brothers and sisters was indeed Ruan Jing—gentle and informal, but sometimes a little stubborn in that quiet way.

"Ah Jing, come to my study." Ruan Zheng was standing on the stairs to the second floor with his cane. Nearly seventy years old, his presence still commanded respect. "Jiang Yan, you come up too."

Ruan Jing turned around and said to Ruan Minghui with a smile, "Cousin, I recommend Ruan Xian. She's gained a lot of weight recently and needs to exercise."

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