That evening, Chai Qianning asked her to stay at her house, but Sheng Muxi refused. She could guess the other woman's intentions, and couldn't help but utter the word "insatiable."
Chai Qianning simply smiled with her lips pursed.
After the start of winter, the weather turned cold, and a chill gradually crept into the air.
A bustling street corner, with crowds of people coming and going.
The jewelry store's signboard stood out as incredibly luxurious among the other shops.
The speakers on both sides of the entrance kept playing official terms about discounts and promotions, sometimes accompanied by energetic background music.
Chai Qianning leaned against a transparent cabinet, one leg bent.
He was wearing a loose, dark red hoodie and charcoal gray wide-leg pants, with a finger peeking out from under his sleeve. He was looking down at the screen, swiping to check the group chat messages.
Of course, a ring is better; a ring immediately tells people that the person is taken.
Personally, I'm not used to wearing rings; I find it uncomfortable to have something on my finger. But from a ritualistic perspective, the practical use isn't important.
It depends on what the other person likes, but a ring definitely adds a more ceremonial touch.
If you're torn, just buy the ring and necklace together.
Buying a diamond ring the size of an eyeball—that's real showing off.
When Chai Qianning saw the group chat message, she scoffed. She half-raised her eyelashes, looked at a certain place for a few seconds, and then lowered her eyes again. After imagining it, she thought it was indeed quite high-profile.
She usually saw Sheng Muxi wearing only a watch; she rarely wore bracelets or necklaces.
Perhaps the other party doesn't like being too high-profile?
I hadn't checked the group for a short while, and there were already many more messages.
There's something called a ring bracelet, and another thing called a ring necklace. If you're torn between a ring and a necklace, why not just buy a ring necklace?
There's a saying that rings and necklaces symbolize aversion to romantic relationships, meaning one doesn't want to rush into a relationship. Is this really a good thing?
[Who said that? I've also heard that rings and necklaces are close to the heart, symbolizing sincerity.]
Rings and necklaces have completely different meanings.
Have you guys gone off-topic?
[“Achu” changed the group name to “The World of the Four Richest Women”.]
——
You guys are all so rich.
[Ah Ning isn't short of money, why is she agonizing over this? Isn't this kind of dilemma about which to buy just something we office workers have to worry about? (doge)]
【You call that being a corporate slave? You're clearly a high-level wage earner!】
Wait a minute, Ah Ning is agonizing over which gift to give to her partner, not about the money. You guys have gone off-topic again.
I feel offended.
Chai Qianning scrolled to the bottom of the chat as the message kept repeating itself.
After discussing it for a long time, we talked about a lot of random things.
Chai Qianning turned off her phone screen, put her hands in her hoodie pockets, and yawned at a busy street outside the jewelry store.
Her gaze swept over the elegant bracelets displayed in the cabinet before landing on Fang Jiaqin, who was talking to a sales clerk.
Fang Jiaqin was happily choosing everyday accessories for herself when, after a while, she called Chai Qianning over and asked her which of the two necklaces looked better.
Chai Qianning chose a path based on her first instinct, then chatted with another employee in the store for a while, and finally followed Fang Jiaqin out of the jewelry store, who was carrying several bags of exquisitely packaged boxes.
According to the original plan, Chai Qianning was supposed to go to a few other stores with Fang Jiaqin. But halfway through, Sheng Muxi called her, saying that Chai Shuqing had broken her leg at school.
After hanging up the phone, Chai Qianning and Fang Jiaqin parted ways and hailed a taxi at the intersection to go to the affiliated hospital.
Sheng Muxi brought Chai Shuqing to the hospital, along with two classmates.
When Chai Qianning arrived, Chai Shuqing's left hand was already bandaged, and she was sitting in a chair, still able to chat with her classmates.
Seeing that no one was seriously injured, Chai Qianning finally breathed a sigh of relief.
After she arrived, Sheng Muxi and the two classmates went back to school first.
She then paid the medical bills and listened to the doctor's instructions on what to pay attention to afterward.
On the way back, Chai Shuqing stared at the bandaged hand with curiosity.
Chai Qianning tilted her head and held a bottle of mineral water she had bought to the other person's chin: "Let me interview you, Comrade Chai Shuqing, how did you break your hand while going to the toilet?"
Chai Shuqing pouted, extremely reluctant to recount this embarrassing experience, but finally had to utter three words: "I slipped."
"puff."
"What are you laughing at? It's embarrassing, okay?" Chai Shuqing hung her head in distress.
When people are dissatisfied, they find fault with everything. Chai Shuqing complained about the design of the school's girls' restroom, asking why there was a step between the toilet and the sink, which caused her to slip on the wet floor and fall down the step. It was already a great respect for her dignity that she didn't tumble over.
Chai Qianning raised her hand and rubbed her head: "Be more careful next time."
Because of the hand injury, Chai Shuqing took a leave of absence from school to recuperate at home.
It just so happened that He Xiaoying and Chai Renbo were away on a business trip, so she stayed at Chai Qianning's house. When Sheng Muxi came back, he would bring her the homework.
She fell on her left hand, so she had no excuse not to do her homework, which was a major source of distress for Chai Shuqing.
But he lived a fairly comfortable life at home, leading a life that was essentially that of a semi-disabled person.
After finishing the pork rib soup, Chai Shuqing called out "Sister!" and Chai Qianning came out of the kitchen, took the bowl, and went to wash it.
Chai Shuqing nestled on the sofa and glanced towards the kitchen: "Sis, I want to eat grapes."
"Go get it yourself."
"Bring it to me."
Chai Qianning patiently placed the grapes in front of her, but the woman took advantage of the situation and opened her mouth, gesturing with her eyes towards the grapes in the bowl, wanting her to put them in her mouth.
Finally unable to bear it any longer, Chai Qianning grabbed her ear and said, "Do you really think I'm your nanny? Don't you have hands?"
Chai Shuqing touched her ear, raised her injured left hand, and said pitifully, "It's inconvenient for me to move around."
"Your right hand is useless? Maybe we should just cut it off?"
"Is this how you treat the wounded?"
Chai Qianning picked up a grape and threw it into her mouth, then put a grape in her own mouth, lowered her eyes, and opened her phone to reply to messages.
Chai Shuqing chewed on a grape, blinked, and picked up the remote to change the TV.
In the afternoon, Chai Qianning prepared porridge in advance and gave her a long list of instructions: "The porridge is kept warm. When you want to drink it, just open it and scoop it out. Be careful not to get hurt again. I've cut up the fruit and put it on the table. The snacks are all in the cabinet. Call me if you need anything, and don't turn off your phone."
Chai Shuqing blinked her eyelashes: "Sister, where are you going?"
"I'm going out for a bit. You stay home and finish your homework."
Chai Qianning went to the bedroom, picked out a handbag, put it on, and then put an exquisite dark green plush box from the table into the handbag.
Chai Shuqing slid off the sofa, walked to the bedroom door, and hung stiffly in front of her with her injured left hand: "Can I take you with me?"
"What are you going there for?" Chai Qianning glanced at the bandage on her left hand: "Your hand is still in a sling, take good care of your injury."
"You can't just leave your sister, who can't take care of herself, at home like that, can you?" Chai Shuqing followed behind her.
Chai Qianning opened the window and glanced at the weather outside. A city had been experiencing intermittent light rain these past few days, but today the weather was unusually better; although there was no sun, the sky wasn't as overcast.
She thought for a moment, then took off her handbag, changed into a slightly thicker coat, and said while adjusting her clothes, "I'm just missing a big pancake to hang around your neck and eat."
Chai Shuqing had been feeling bored staying at home all this time, so she was very unhappy that Chai Qianning was going out to play while she was left at home eating porridge: "What's wrong with taking me along to eat with your friends?"
"Who told you I was going out to eat with friends?"
"Then just treat me like I'm invisible, and let me follow behind you. I promise I won't cause any trouble." Chai Shuqing raised her finger to swear.
"Don't get involved. You're too young to be a third wheel."
Chai Shuqing uttered an "ah" and slowly blinked.
There's nothing wrong with being a freeloader, a third wheel who gets all the food, drinks, and entertainment. As for her age, she could automatically blind herself at times, protecting her innocent thoughts. But the thought that Chai Qianning's boyfriend was her homeroom teacher instantly killed any interest in being a third wheel.
"Okay," Chai Shuqing knelt down on the sofa again. "You'll be back tonight, right?"
Chai Qianning thought for a moment and said, "I guess I won't be coming back."
"Ah." Chai Shuqing frowned, "You've neglected me now that you're in a relationship, haven't you?"
Chai Qianning laughed at her: "How old are you? Can't you even stay home by yourself for one night?"
“No, it’s not that.” Chai Shuqing licked her lips: “Being home alone, I feel lonely, empty, and cold.”
Chai Qianning's brow twitched, and she rubbed her temples.
After her shoes were removed, she walked back to the living room and stood in front of Chai Shuqing: "Don't learn bad things! You don't learn anything good, you only learn bad things!"
At this point, Chai Qianning recalled something: "Didn't you say this to Teacher Sheng as well? And then say that I relayed it to her?"
Chai Shuqing looked up innocently and said, "I was helping you."
My head is throbbing slightly.
I should have known better than to say such things in front of Chai Shuqing. It seems I've led her astray.
Chai Qianning let out a sigh of relief: "If you're bored at home alone, you can call a friend over, just don't wreck the house. I'll try to come back early tonight. Also, staying out all night is bad behavior. I was just joking with you, don't do what I did, understand?"
Chai Shuqing nodded.
After explaining everything, Chai Qianning finally felt relieved and went out.
Traffic jams are common near the shopping district on weekends, and parking spaces are almost always full. If she were to drive there, it would take her a long time to find a parking spot, so she simply took the subway.
The subway is just about 100 meters away from the community, and it goes directly to your destination, which is very convenient.
After boarding the subway, she told Sheng Muxi on WeChat that she had set off.
Sheng Muxi was outside in the morning and didn't return to the community at noon, so she went directly from another place in the afternoon.
Liuying Mohua is a restaurant with "love" as its theme.
There was a large pink heart-shaped lamp standing at the entrance, with a little person sitting on it.
The light shimmered in the off-white modern lampshade, while the door was a warm yellow with an openwork upper section. Inside, there was a large ultra-high-definition display screen, where blue butterflies cast their fluttering shadows onto the walls and floor. Stepping inside felt like entering a dreamlike scene.