STT – Chapter 14

Rather than settling, I would prefer to waste it.

On Christmas Day, the translation agency humanely allowed everyone to leave work early. As soon as the clock struck four, everyone hurriedly packed up their things and left with their bags.

Lu Zizheng leisurely packed everything up and then called Jiang Huaixi to inform her that she had finished work. Earlier, Jiang Huaixi had said that when she was about to finish work, she should call her, and she would pick her up.

However, at this moment, Jiang Huaixi was somewhat troubled. She suddenly had something come up and couldn’t leave right then. After hesitating for a moment, she truthfully said, “I might be a little late. Something came up at the company.”

Lu Zizheng smiled and didn’t mind. Understandingly, she said, “It’s okay, you go ahead and finish your work. Are you at the company? I’ll go there and wait for you.” The translation agency wasn’t far from Jiang Huaixi’s company, only about a twenty-minute walk.

Jiang Huaixi looked back at her colleagues still discussing in the office, considered the distance between the reserved restaurant and the company, and reluctantly agreed, “Okay. When you get downstairs, give me a call, and I’ll come down right away.”

Lu Zizheng responded with an “okay,” hung up the phone, grabbed her coat, and left the translation agency.

The streets were filled with a festive atmosphere. Shops were decorated with lights and ornaments, and young people holding flowers could be seen everywhere, their faces brimming with unmistakable happiness.

Lu Zizheng tightened her coat and, braving the cold evening wind that arose with the sunset, slowly made her way to Jiang Huaixi’s company. She felt somewhat ashamed, realizing that over the years of knowing Jiang Huaixi, it seemed she always kept Jiang Huaixi waiting. Despite appearing quite impatient, Jiang Huaixi had never once shown anger or frustration when waiting for her.

Lu Zizheng herself disliked waiting for others, but at this particular moment, as she walked step by step toward Jiang Huaixi’s company, counting the passing seconds, she thought about Jiang Huaixi standing at the end of her wait. Surprisingly, the feeling wasn’t that bad.

She thought, after making Jiang Huaixi wait so many times, it was only fair to make it up to her at least once, wasn’t it?

For many years, Lu Zizheng never liked owing anyone anything. She always wanted to settle things clearly and never wished to take advantage of others. Jiang Huaixi was the only exception. Between them, things had long become impossible to settle.

The cold wind made Lu Zizheng’s cheeks ache, so she had to bow her head and take big strides. After turning one more corner, she would be able to see Jiang Huaixi’s company.

After turning the corner, Lu Zizheng continued to walk forward with her head down, only lifting her head when she felt she was about to arrive.

But, as soon as she raised her head, she unexpectedly saw Jiang Huaixi standing not far from her at the company entrance. Lu Zizheng couldn’t clearly see her expression; she only saw Jiang Huaixi reaching out to take flowers from a young man in front of her, then saying something with her red lips moving. The young man turned away reluctantly.

Lu Zizheng stood there in a daze, her hands unconsciously grasping the hem of her coat.

As if she had a sixth sense, Jiang Huaixi suddenly turned her face and immediately saw Lu Zizheng, then frowned deeply.

Holding the roses, Jiang Huaixi walked down the steps, step by step towards Lu Zizheng. When she passed by a trash can, Jiang Huaixi suddenly reached out and, without hesitation, threw the roses into the trash. With her hands free, she continued to walk while loosening the scarf around her neck.

Standing in front of Lu Zizheng, Jiang Huaixi naturally took off her scarf and put it around Lu Zizheng’s neck, wrapping it while mocking her: “Your face is red from the wind, like a monkey’s butt. It’s really ugly.” After saying that, she turned around: “Let’s go, the car is just ahead.”

Lu Zizheng followed behind her, the familiar scent of Jiang Huaixi lingering on the scarf around her nose. She watched Jiang Huaixi’s tall, slender figure walking steadily in the cold wind, and couldn’t help but speak: “The flowers were pretty, wasn’t it a pity to throw them away? That guy seemed nice.” The moment she finished speaking, Lu Zizheng knew she had crossed a line; she was testing something. She immediately felt regret, but the words had already been spoken and couldn’t be taken back.

Sure enough, Jiang Huaixi abruptly stopped in her tracks. She turned her head, her dark eyes fixed on Lu Zizheng, and lightly curled her lips: “I think you’re pretty nice too.”

For a moment, Lu Zizheng was scorched by the hidden heat in her eyes and hastily looked away, not daring to meet her gaze. The noise of the bustling street traffic vanished; Lu Zizheng could only hear her own heartbeat, one beat after another…

Jiang Huaixi chuckled softly again and added, “Most people in this world seem nice to me, and I think most flowers are pretty, but that’s all there is to it. Would you eat a cake that looks good but doesn’t suit your taste?”

Lu Zizheng looked up at Jiang Huaixi, remaining silent. She saw Jiang Huaixi lower her eyelids, her long eyelashes casting a beautiful shadow, her expression cold and her tone firm: “Rather than settling, I would prefer to waste it.”

Lu Zizheng relaxed her brows and smiled silently, pressing her lips together. She took a few steps forward to Jiang Huaixi’s side and said with a smile, “Let’s go. I wonder if the cake you ordered tonight will suit your taste.”

Jiang Huaixi furrowed her brows imperceptibly and raised an eyebrow at her, asking, “Is it supposed to suit your taste? If it does, would you eat it?”

Lu Zizheng, however, lightly deflected with a phrase that meant much more, “For me, when it comes to desserts, there’s no such thing as whether they suit my taste or not. I eat whatever is served.”

Jiang Huaixi let out a light snort, took a few steps to the car, opened the door, and got in, leaving behind the words, “Sorry, I didn’t order any cake” for Lu Zizheng.

Lu Zizheng walked to the passenger seat on the other side, curved her eyes into a smile, and got into the car as well.

During holidays, the roads are always inevitably extra congested. Their car got stuck halfway, and during the wait, Lu Zizheng took a small white rabbit doll out of her handbag and placed it on Jiang Huaixi’s dashboard. The rabbit had the characters “平安” (peace and safety) embroidered on it.

Jiang Huaixi glanced sideways at it and immediately mocked, “Where did you get something this ugly?”

Lu Zizheng’s hand stiffened where she had placed it, and she choked with anger, “Maybe there’s something wrong with your sense of aesthetics. Ugly or not, it’s your Christmas gift. Whether you want it or not is up to you.” In order to make this rabbit, and to embroider the characters for peace and safety, her hands were almost pricked to the point of becoming a honeycomb. Yet Jiang Huaixi still dared to complain that it looked ugly?!

As a young lady from a wealthy family, Lu Zizheng knew that Jiang Huaixi probably lacked for nothing. Over the years, the gifts she had given Jiang Huaixi were never measured by their monetary value. Each gift she gave to Jiang Huaixi was from her heart, a sincere expression of her feelings. Whether Jiang Huaixi felt it or not, she didn’t know, but she herself knew that as long as she could be true to their friendship, that was enough.

The traffic started moving, and Jiang Huaixi looked ahead and slowly drove the car forward, responding indifferently, “I let its owner, who is so ugly, get in the car, so whatever. It’s just ordinarily ugly, still bearable. I’ll let it stay in my car for now.”

She still wasn’t finished! Lu Zizheng glanced at Jiang Huaixi, then reached out to snatch the rabbit back.

But Jiang Huaixi was much quicker; with sharp eyes and quick hands, she grabbed the rabbit and placed it on the side where Lu Zizheng couldn’t reach. “How can you take back something that has been given away?”

Lu Zizheng snorted, “Didn’t you say it was ugly?”

“No matter how ugly it is, it’s still mine.” She glanced at Lu Zizheng’s unhappy face, then looked at the ugly rabbit, and slightly curled her lips, “Looking at it closely, it’s actually quite cute.”

Lu Zizheng: “Hmph…”

The sky gradually darkened, and as the city lights started to come on, the city turned into a sea of lights, a splendor granted by the night. In the flickering light, Jiang Huaixi’s profile looked particularly gentle, a sight that softened Lu Zizheng’s heart. Many times, Lu Zizheng would have whimsical thoughts, wishing the road could have no end. For instance, this very road at this very moment.

However, half an hour later, they finally arrived at their destination. Wishes, in the end, would always remain wishes and never become reality. Lu Zizheng had long understood this.

When they got out of the car, they realized that at some unknown time, the first snow of Linzhou had quietly arrived, coating everything in a layer of sparkling silver.

Jiang Huaixi and Lu Zizheng walked side by side towards the restaurant, snowflakes falling on their heads and bodies, playful yet gentle…

In just a short distance, the snowflakes almost turned their hair white.

When they reached the covered entrance of the restaurant, Jiang Huaixi unexpectedly grabbed Lu Zizheng’s hand from behind, making her stop.

Lu Zizheng turned around in confusion to look at Jiang Huaixi, not understanding what was happening.

Jiang Huaixi raised her hand, but at the moment Lu Zizheng turned her head, she lost her movement, staring unblinkingly at Lu Zizheng with a dazed expression.

If one day Lu Zizheng’s hair turns white, would she look like this? A trace of pain flashed in Jiang Huaixi’s expression, but Lu Zizheng, being slow, did not catch it.

In just a moment, Jiang Huaixi returned to her usual expression and continued her action, gently brushing Lu Zizheng’s hair with her hand, causing snowflakes to fall to the ground. “I wonder if the melted snow would be cold? If you catch a cold after having a meal with me, how could I face Auntie?”

Lu Zizheng did not respond verbally, but she extended her hand to help Jiang Huaixi brush off the snowflakes on her body, then turned around and muttered, “You’re so fussy. Can we go now?”

Jiang Huaixi silently watched her from behind, the smile on her lips seeming both bitter and understanding.

If we don’t use an umbrella on a snowy day, can we walk together until our hair turns white?

LP: Re-translated on July 23, 2024