Chapter 205: New Year Bonus—The Blind Date
"Ning-Ning, your grand-aunt introduced you to a young man. He just got back from abroad. Since you're home for the New Year, just go meet him."
Ms. Zhang Manzhi pushed open the bedroom door, walked to the bedside, and patted the quilt rolled up like a silkworm cocoon—and Ji Ning inside it.
Ji Ning pushed the quilt aside just enough to reveal her whole face. Still groggy, she murmured in confusion, "Mom, I'm only twenty. I haven't even graduated college yet. Why are you setting me up on blind dates already?"
"Twenty isn't early at all." Ms. Manzhi disagreed, settling on the edge of the bed and counting on her fingers. "When I was your age, I was already married to your father. Look, it takes at least two years to really get to know someone and be sure. And you can't expect to find the right one on the first try. If you plan for three trial runs, you'll be twenty-six by then. Isn't that just perfect timing?"
Ji Ning rolled over, turning her back to her mother. "I'm not going. I'm still young."
Ms. Manzhi had already stood up and opened the wardrobe to put together an outfit for Ji Ning's blind date. "Your grand-aunt says the young man is very handsome, tall, and has earned quite a bit of money. He's planning to settle back in the country and is currently renting a place from her. He seems like a really good guy. If you don't seize the moment, you'll miss the boat."
Hm? Tall and handsome?
Ji Ning's body sat up involuntarily. It wasn't about the blind date or anything—it was purely that damnable human curiosity.
As they spoke, Ms. Manzhi had already picked out clothes for Ji Ning. A mid-length light blue down jacket with white faux-fur trim, paired with a white knit dress.
"Wear some short boots or casual shoes on your feet. Keep your look clean and neat. No one will be able to find fault with it."
"Okay, Mom." Ji Ning had no objections. She put on her pajamas and got up to wash up.
Ji Ning's grand-aunt was a very efficient old lady. As soon as Ji Ning agreed, the grand-aunt arranged the meeting for that very afternoon, telling the man to pick Ji Ning up for a meal.
At exactly five in the afternoon, an unfamiliar number called right on time.
Ji Ning answered the phone and spoke politely, "Hello? May I ask who's calling?"
A slightly deep voice came through, smooth and pleasant. "Hello, Miss Ji. I'm Xing Ye. Landlady Aunt Dou said she'd introduce us to be friends. I'm waiting for you now at the entrance of your apartment complex."
"Okay, I'll be right there." Ji Ning thought to herself, this guy is way too punctual.
"No rush," Xing Ye said flatly, then waited for Ji Ning to hang up.
With someone waiting, Ji Ning didn't dare dawdle. She wrapped her scarf properly and headed out quickly.
From a distance, she saw a G-Class parked at the gate, and beside it, a figure in a black coat with his back to her. Her intuition told her that was her blind date.
Grand-aunt didn't lie to me. He really is tall.
A tall, long-legged man paired with a G-Class was quite a sight for sore eyes.
Ji Ning walked up and stopped behind him, a little nervous. "Excuse me, are you Xing Ye? I'm Ji Ning."
The man turned around and responded without a smile, "I am. Hello, Miss Ji." He then led Ji Ning to the passenger side and opened the car door for her.
The whole drive, the car remained silent, no one speaking.
With her blind date so taciturn, Ji Ning felt a bit awkward.
She turned her head to look at him. High brow bone, deep-set eyes, a tall nose bridge, and thin lips. When he wasn't talking, he looked very stern, but also strikingly handsome.
Ji Ning turned back and focused on the road ahead, already mentally prepared for the blind date to fail with no follow-up.
She felt that someone like Xing Ye, who seemed to have everything, probably had no shortage of suitors. A naive girl like her, still in school, probably wasn't what he was looking for.
The dining spot was the city's highest per-capita seafood restaurant, elegantly decorated with great style.
Ji Ning and Xing Ye sat down face to face. She silently wondered, did Grand-aunt give him a discount on rent? Or maybe free rent entirely? For him to take this blind date so seriously.
Having eaten his food, she felt obliged to be more proactive, so as not to be impolite.
"Eating here is so expensive. Thank you for going to all this trouble."
Xing Ye met her gaze, his eyes very steady.
"No trouble at all. Aunt Dou mentioned you like seafood. I looked it up and this place seemed good. Eat more, don't be shy."
Ji Ning nodded, smiling a little self-consciously, and finally opened up. "So what do you like to eat?"
"Anything is fine with me, as long as I'm full," Xing Ye answered.
"Oh, I see." Ji Ning didn't know what to say to that, so she switched topics. "What hobbies do you usually have?"
Xing Ye remained just as calm. "I don't really have any hobbies. What about you? What do you like to do?"
"I like playing games, swimming, and watching movies." The enthusiasm Ji Ning had mustered earlier gradually fizzled out again with each of Xing Ye's content-free answers.
The meal grew increasingly awkward. Ji Ning could only use eating to mask the embarrassment, and by the end, she had stuffed herself.
After the meal, Ji Ning thought about reciprocity and offered to treat Xing Ye to a movie and bubble tea, but he declined, citing a sudden matter to attend to.
Still, he maintained a gentlemanly attitude and drove Ji Ning back home.
The car pulled up beneath her apartment building. Ji Ning ended the failed blind date with a word of thanks. "Xing Ye, thank you for treating me to a big meal today. If you have things to do, go ahead. I won't keep you." With that, she unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door to get out.
"Please wait a moment."
Unexpectedly, Xing Ye actually spoke up.
"Hm?" Ji Ning turned back, staring at him blankly, not knowing what he was going to say.
"May I add you on WeChat? Something came up suddenly today. Next time, when you're free, we can meet up properly. No need for you to treat me to bubble tea or a movie. I'll take care of it."
"Huh?" Ji Ning was completely dumbfounded. The thought in her head just blurted right out. "There's going to be a next time?"
Xing Ye still wore that same expressionless look. "Yes. When are you free?"
"I… I've been home every day lately," Ji Ning answered honestly.
"Good. Then tomorrow it is." Xing Ye nodded, pulled up the add-friend screen on his phone, and handed it to Ji Ning.
Ji Ning: Regarding the matter of me thinking my blind date wasn't into me, but he still wants to go on another date.
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