Chapter 15: I Hate You (IV)
It was just as Jing Rong said – as long as Dong Ci was obedient and he was in a good mood, he would unconditionally indulge her. Even though Dong Ci didn’t like the feeling of being controlled by others, she was too weak to resist.
She couldn’t fight him.
Dong Ci found that the longer she got along with Jing Rong, the more of her thorns he would pull out. And a rose without thorns was just a weak flower…
There was only one year left.
Word after word, Dong Ci wrote in her diary: After one more year of enduring, I will be free.
All she had to do now was nothing more than safely and care-freely enter her ideal university. Only when she achieves this goal, can she be assured of getting closer to her father’s dream.
Because of Jing Rong, there were a lot of rumors among the students about Dong Ci. Although most of her classmates were concentrating on their studies, Dong Ci still occasionally felt their complex gazes when she walked by them.
She didn’t have any friends, but she also didn’t need them. It’s just that she felt herself becoming lonelier with each passing day.
Dong Ci stroked the diary in her hands – now, she could understand why her mother also had one. It was because the heart was too depressed, and there was no one to tell, so she could only vent the surging emotions with a pen.
Writing a diary was a recent phenomenon, but in just a few days, there were over ten pages densely packed with emotions.
“What is this?”
Dong Ci subconsciously tightened her hold on the notebook and turned in the direction of the voice. It was Yan Ning Shuang who sat down beside her.
Dong Ci was relieved. She pretended to be nonchalant as she quickly put away the notebook into the desk’s drawer.
“It’s just my notebook,” she explained.
Over the past few months, there wasn’t much contact with Yan Ning Shuang, so there was no deep friendship between them.
Yan Ning Shuang rarely came to her, but every time they met – it was because of the other girl’s bad mood. After sitting down, there usually wasn’t much conversation. She just liked to sit in a daze beside Dong Ci. At times, she even dozed off.
The two of them didn’t talk – each one concentrated on their own matters. To other people, it might have looked weird, but between the girls the atmosphere was surprisingly harmonious and quiet.
“I don’t know why, but sitting beside you when I am in a bad mood helps me to calm my emotions.”
Yan Ning Shuang lay down on her arms and turned her head in Dong Ci’s direction. She sighed to herself, feeling that this posture was a little too self-indulgent, and straightened back. With a raised chest and elegantly crossed legs, she looked very imposing.
Sometimes, Dong Ci envied her. Yan Ning Shuang was beautiful and confident, and even though she liked to be by herself, she was never embarrassed or ashamed of her loneliness. Many of their classmates said that she was so proud and that no one could enter her eyes.
But Dong Ci thought that the other girl’s self-esteem was a little too high, so it was difficult to get along with others.
“Go back to your seat,” a male voice suddenly sounded behind the two girls.
As soon as Jing Rong came back, he grabbed Yan Ning Shuang by the collar and pulled her up.
Because Yan Ning Shuang’s feet were unsteady, she fell into An Cheng Feng’s arms, who was just behind Jing Rong. However, the teenager seemed very startled by the sudden appearance of the girl, and he immediately pushed her away.
“Stay away from me!” he said with disgust. His eyes wandered away from Yan Ning Shuang, seemingly searching for something in the classroom.
Dong Ci had a weird feeling. She frowned and tried to follow An Cheng Feng’s gaze, but her sight turned black as her eyes were blocked by a pair of big hands.
“Does he look better than I? Ever since I came in, you haven’t looked at me once,” Jing Rong complained. He pulled her by the shoulder and forced her to look at himself. His arm was placed on her shoulder in an overbearing manner, and his body directly blocked her sight.
Childish.
Dong Ci couldn’t understand why he suddenly felt the need to monopolize her. But it didn’t matter, because either way, she could only obediently look back at him.
In terms of appearance, Jing Rong was indeed the best she has seen in her life. However, in terms of temperament, it was probably the worst among the people she has met before.
“The first of May is coming up. Do you want to go and play anywhere?” Jing Rong asked, watching her go back to doing the exercises. Her side face looked delicate and smooth. Under the sunlight, he could even see the fine fluff on her face.
A strand of hair slipped from her shoulder to the front, looking particularly playful. Before Dong Ci could reach out to tuck it behind her ear, Jing Rong took the initiative and did it for her. His fingers accidentally touched her earlobe when he was about to withdraw his hand, the cold and round ear tempting him into licking it with the tip of his tongue.
This action scared her slightly, but Jing Rong didn’t do anything else, so Dong Ci could only passively express her discomfort with the following words: “I won’t go anywhere – I want to study at home.”
“You have been studying so seriously, but I haven’t seen any results yet,” Jing Rong snorted. He seemed to be particularly fond of her earlobe, touching and squeezing it over her shoulder.
Dong Ci knew that there was no use in arguing with him, so she forced herself to ignore his touch and put her mind back to the many unsolved questions.
“I am curious, why are you studying so hard?” Jing Rong continued bothering her – he seemed deliberate in trying to break her concentration. “Is it to find a good job after graduating from a good university?”
“What else could it be?” Dong Ci answered impatiently. She grabbed the hand which kept messing around with her ear but wasn’t able to throw it off. In the end, she could only continue holding it.
Jing Rong let her do it. He calmly placed his big palm around her soft and tender hand, and casually said, “Do you think I can’t afford to be responsible for you? With me here, you don’t need to work so hard.”
The loudly proclaimed words not only changed Dong Ci’s expression, but they also made Jing Rong feel stunned with himself.
He was used to speaking out whatever was on his mind without worrying about how others would react. However, that sentence expressed not only the possible future but also his desire to truly and completely possess Dong Ci.
For a moment, he felt just like his father…
Jing Rong gazed at the stiff girl in front of him with a trace of confusion and complexity in his eyes. Unconsciously, he reached for the beads on his wrist, lightly stroking the incomprehensible Buddhist scriptures engraved on their surface.
He blinked and suddenly smiled.
His dark eyes seemed to come to life as the thin lips stretched into a bright smile. This smile was from the heart, but for some reason, it made Dong Ci’s back cold with sweat.
“You…” she uttered. The corners of her lips felt a little dry, so she licked her mouth with a tip of the tongue. Although Dong Ci tried her best to keep calm, there was still a tremor in her voice, “We should go our separate ways after the graduation.”
“Hmm,” Jing Rong muttered incomprehensibly, his eyes deepening as they gazed at her red lips.
“So you don’t have to be responsible for me. We, we should not see each other afterward.”
“Oh,” he casually responded, appearing as though he hadn’t heard a word she said. Jing Rong was completely immersed in his thoughts, a smile gradually spreading on his face.
“What makes you so amused?” Dong Ci hissed. If she was a cat, she would have lashed out by now. She anxiously tugged on Jing Rong’s sleeve, desperately wishing for his smile to disappear.
Some people may have said that it looked good, but in the face of impending danger, that which normally looked handsome, could also make one feel scared.
“I was just thinking about something.”
“About what exactly?” Dong Ci asked, feeling that it must be related to her person. Her clear eyes inquisitively looked up at Jing Rong without blinking, perfectly reflecting his face.
“I won’t tell you.” Jing Rong playfully squeezed the tip of her nose. He took advantage of Dong Ci’s lack of resistance and lightly caressed her cheek. “I really want to swallow you up.”
“…”
She couldn’t understand this abnormal person’s thought process.
Many people like to travel during the holiday in May, so this time of the year is generally full of crowds – especially in places with tourist attractions. In the past, Dong Ci didn’t have a lot of feelings towards these people. But this time, she was certain that the restaurant’s income would be increasing.
The city where Dong Ci lived always attracted a lot of tourists and the street where her mother opened the restaurant was built in retro style. It also wasn’t far from the scenic spots.
Many travelers liked to come here after shopping, so during this time, the business in the surrounding shops was particularly good.
Ever since her mother opened the restaurant, Dong Ci quit her job at the auntie’s dessert shop and helped out with doing miscellaneous tasks every day after school. Even if there were many customers, Dong Ci didn’t feel too tired as she ran around the shop.
“Why aren’t the dishes for table 4 ready yet?”
“We have been waiting at this table for half an hour. When will the meal be ready?”
Her mother cooked in the kitchen, while Dong Ci looked after the front hall. At this time of the year, the weather wasn’t too hot, but the girl was still sweating. She kept on writing down the customers’ orders in the notebook, and there was no time to wipe the sweat from her forehead.
This state of work lasted for a total of five days, and by the sixth day there were finally fewer customers.
“Hello~”
After sending off a wave of guests, Dong Ci went to throw away the trash and was tapped on the shoulder just as she turned to go back.
“What a coincidence. We were going to eat at your restaurant, but saw you just as we got off the car,” An Cheng Feng said. He shook off Yan Ning Shuang’s hand wrapped around his arm, and hurriedly went to Dong Ci. “A’Rong went to park the car as there were no empty spaces on this street. I think, he’s going to be in a bad mood when he arrives.”
Then, he innocently blinked at Dong Ci and smiled, “Xiao Ci, you must coax him later, lest someone innocent suffers from his wrath.”
Why should she coax him?
Dong Ci stayed silent as she led them into the store. She handed out the menu and stood beside them to take the orders – acting like a regular waitress who was about to serve some strangers.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Don’t be so formal, sister. After all, we came here to play with you,” An Cheng Feng said, feeling too lazy to order food.
He pushed the menu to Yan Ning Shuang, who also didn’t bother to look at it. Without lifting her eyes, she said, “Just bring whatever.”
So casual?
Dong Ci frowned and was about to say something, but several people came into the store and interrupted her. One of the girls called out Dong Ci’s name as soon as she came in. She looked back and saw that it was Zhang Yiyi.
“The back image looked similar to you, but I didn’t expect for it to be true!” Zhang Yiyi excitedly ran to Dong Ci and asked with a smile, “Is this the shop that you opened?”
“Yes,” Dong Ci nodded and smiled back. It’s been a long time since she last saw her former classmate.
Today was really a ‘good day’. There weren’t many customers in the store, but Dong Ci’s classmates occupied two tables. Her mother knew that she didn’t like making friends with others. This time, there were so many classmates coming – at first glance, it appeared that the relationship between them was good.
Although these people came here for a meal, they didn’t order any food. When Dong Ci’s mother saw the situation, she invited everyone to a big table and made a feast.
“Come here and try the dishes – these are auntie’s specialties. Don’t be shy – try everything. This was specially prepared for you.”
Dong Ci followed after her mother and put the plates on the table. After hearing the mother’s words, she subconsciously glanced at Jing Rong who was about to sit down. Last time, this person hadn’t paid for the meal.
“Stingy,” Jing Rong seemed to understand her meaningful glance. He took advantage of Dong Ci when she was setting a plate next to him, and quietly whispered into her ear.
Dong Ci expressionlessly stepped on his foot.
“Auntie’s craftsmanship is so good, and the dishes are especially delicious! Have you thought about decorating the restaurant to enhance the atmosphere?” Jing Rong suddenly said out loud. His hands were intersecting below his chin as he smilingly continued, “I think that if auntie renovates the shop, the business will be better.”
This store hasn’t been renovated at all. The walls were white, while the tables and chairs were ordinary. Yan Ning Shuang looked around and frowned. If she hadn’t known that it was Dong Ci’s store, she would’ve never stepped inside.
“The business is just getting started, and it’s not necessary to lose money. Auntie doesn’t dare to casually renovate. I want to wait for the business to stabilize a bit.”
If it wasn’t because this shop could be rented on a monthly basis, Dong Ci’s mother would be too scared to open a restaurant. Of course, she also wished to decorate it. After all, there were many shop designs in the drawer of her bedside table, but she never had the opportunity to take them out.
Jing Rong easily guessed her thoughts, but his expression was calm. Taking advantage of the table, which hid everyone’s legs, he kicked An Cheng Feng’s calf.
“Cough, cough,” Zheng Xiang, who was eating beside An Cheng Feng, quickly cleared his throat, taking the silent hint. As per their previous agreement, he said, “Aunt, I have a cousin. He has a lot of experience in operating restaurants. If aunt trusts me, I can introduce him to you.”
Why didn’t she know that he has such a cousin?
Yan Ning Shuang inquiringly looked at him and Jing Rong, wondering whether it was just her misunderstanding. Today, she kept feeling that the two of them were a bit abnormal.
Zefelina's Translations 
Thanks for the chapter! ^ ^
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