Chapter 6 : In Wait

That night, after finishing the friendly-priced job she had taken on, Jiang Yanlin planned to distance herself from him.

El was clearly not the type to be kept in her “fish pond.”

He was proactive and passionate, sincere in his eyes but immature in his actions.

Launching such a fierce pursuit of a woman he had known for only three days might be charitably called bold romanticism, but Jiang Yanlin knew the underlying truth: he was starved for affection.

He was subconsciously chasing a romantic love story, desperately yearning for such a fairy tale to happen to him.

This craving had reached a point of urgency.

When a person pathologically seeks something, it is precisely what they lack.

Jiang Yanlin knew she had nothing he was looking for.

So, her coldest act of kindness was to help him cut his losses in time, to stop him from investing any more sunk costs.

Of course, she knew that with someone as simple and single-minded as El, a little bit of sweetness now and then would be enough to keep him wrapped around her finger.

But that wasn’t her game.

She had no such boring, cruel hobby.

Every genuine heart is heavy.

If you take too many, you can’t move forward.

Jiang Yanlin rarely announced her decisions in advance.

So, the next day, she completely ignored all of El’s messages, using her attitude to create distance.

She didn’t pay much attention to the review post after it went up.

Her account’s traffic had been poor lately; other work had kept her too busy to be active.

Her last post had been a review of an influencer-famous guesthouse in another city, simply because she happened to be staying there for a few days and saved on accommodation costs.
—In the end, after calculating her income and expenses, she even made a profit.

Until late afternoon, Jiang Yanlin barely looked at the messages on her two phones.

She was either chatting with friends, working out, or found time to play games for two hours.

A certain fish from Japan was still on call, accompanying her through a few dungeons.

Just as he was about to start a conversation, Jiang Yanlin decisively hung up and logged off.

After a fulfilling day, she realized the yogurt in her fridge was gone.

She opened her phone to order takeout and saw a flood of unread messages.

Eighty percent of them were from El.

Jiang Yanlin wasn’t surprised.

She was about to swipe to clear the notifications but accidentally tapped into the chat.

The last message in the conversation made her pause.

[“I really don’t know how to thank you. Meeting you has been the greatest luck. You will always be welcome, my friend.”]

Confused, Jiang Yanlin scrolled up.

The earlier messages were in Chinese, but full of typos, clearly written in excitement.

Later, he switched to English, fully expressing his turbulent emotions.

She thought for a moment, then opened another app to check her account and the new blog post.

As expected, it had gone viral.

The number of likes and saves was surprisingly high, with plenty of comments and interactions, and it had even gained her a wave of new followers.

[“I never knew there was such a small, exquisite place in this district! The owner is a handsome foreign guy, the atmosphere looks great, and the food looks delicious.”]

[“Isn’t this that hidden gem I always go to? The owner is super nice and speaks fluent Chinese. You can also watch movies and drink on the second floor, just tell him what you want to see. No reservations needed on weekdays, maybe a short wait on weekends.”]

[“Saved! It’s so close to my office. We’ll go there for our weekend get-together.”]

[“Sister, you haven’t posted in so long, miss you! This post is so well-written, it looks delicious.”]

[“…”]

Jiang Yanlin was a little surprised, but not overly so.

She had understood marketing strategies since she first started using the internet.

Even though it wasn’t her main focus over the years, she could still easily grasp the keywords for traffic.

Moreover, El’s restaurant was run with great care; it was just in a less popular location and still in its early stages.

A carefully crafted promotional post combined with a shop that had enough highlights and quality was bound to be effective.

The only real concerns were the platform’s recommendation algorithm and her account’s exposure mechanism.

It seemed that this time, El’s luck was really good.

Jiang Yanlin switched back to the chat app and slowly read through his messages.

Around two in the afternoon, he had discovered what happened.

The restaurant’s landline was ringing off the hook, reservations suddenly surged, and several people—both men and women—asked for his contact information.

El ignored all that and immediately reported the good news to her, his fluctuating emotions palpable in his words.

[“You are amazing! This is the busiest day of calls since I opened! To be honest, business this month has been terrible. It’s only been my friends and a few regulars supporting me. I know it’s hard to succeed, and I was prepared for failure, but my mom said if I fail, I have to go back to Portugal. I don’t want to go back. I love China so much, all my friends are here. If I go back, I’ll have no friends. Thank you, Jiang, thank you so, so much. You are my lucky star. Maybe I’ll still fail later, but at least now I can hold on longer. I’ve saved the best table for you tonight. You have to come!”]

Jiang Yanlin stared at the message, silent for a long time.

Finally, she sighed and typed out a reply.

Then she got up to change, do her makeup, and prepare to go out.

If she moved quickly, she could still make it in time.

—In the face of absolute sincerity, all calculations of pros and cons become transparent.

Jiang Yanlin would never dislike a sincere person, nor would she dislike anyone who lived earnestly for their ideals.

What a boring world it would be without such people.

Same time of day, same location.

Jiang Yanlin and Miss Péi had a narrow encounter at the parking spot outside the restaurant.

Today, the young miss was driving a Porsche Taycan.

It seemed low-key, but the haze-green body was a silent statement of flamboyance.

She was clearly here to help draw a crowd.

Jiang Yanlin waited for her to park and gave a friendly greeting.

Péi Wanyi found it amusing how she seemed to have completely forgotten yesterday’s antics.

“The guest of honor has arrived,” she teased.

Jiang Yanlin raised an eyebrow. “Not as generous as Miss Péi.”

A jab right back at her.

Péi Wanyi neither confirmed nor denied, walking into the restaurant with her.

It was unprecedentedly lively today.

A sea of people filled the small restaurant, with more waiting at the door.

El was so busy he couldn’t stop to greet them.

He had called in all his kitchen staff on their day off and even roped in another friend to help, yet he was still exhausted.

Miss Péi didn’t need his attention.

She expertly found the reserved table in the corner, backed by a large painted wall, with a vintage record player on the side.

She walked over and changed the record to a country jazz album with a Celtic flair, perfect for a lively evening of drinking and chatting in a tavern.

Jiang Yanlin put down her things and sat down opposite her.
—There was no other choice; El had only reserved this one table.
He had probably assumed that she and Péi Wanyi should dine together.

Facing the same face for three consecutive nights, eating at the same restaurant, was probably a first for Jiang Yanlin.

Hearing the new melody from the record player, Jiang Yanlin wiped her hands with a wet wipe and said to the woman who had just sat down, “Do you like Celtic music?”

Péi Wanyi, sitting opposite her, replied casually, “I’ve been playing The Witcher 3 recently.”

In the world of medieval Europe, the haunting melodies of Celtic music were ever-present.

Jiang Yanlin nodded. “It’s very replayable, especially Gwent.”

“Have you finished the game?” The wait for food was likely to be long, and Péi Wanyi was happy to chat to pass the time.

Jiang Yanlin glanced at her and repeated meaningfully, “Gwent is very replayable.”

Péi Wanyi laughed, then remembered something. “In two months, we’ll get to see the grown-up Max.”

Jiang Yanlin wasn’t surprised. “They’re just milking it. The last one didn’t sell well.”

Certain publishers had been running out of ideas in recent years, squeezing every last drop of value from classic IPs, but the players knew best how they truly felt.

The conversation drifted, soaking in the Celtic-style country jazz.

The surroundings were bustling, the light was a warm yellow, the air was sweet, and time slipped by in the blink of an eye, winding through their fingers and words.

At some point, Miss Péi went to mix herself a drink and made a sparkling water for Jiang Yanlin as well.

Fresh lemon slices slowly sank in the water, bubbles bursting in a tiny rhythm.

El managed to sneak away from his work once to bring them two plates of savory seafood appetizers.

His eyes burned as he looked at Jiang Yanlin, with so much to say but no chance to express it.

After he left, Jiang Yanlin looked at Péi Wanyi, unsurprised by her role as a spectator.

Just like her deliberate visit last night.

Those who love watching drama will eventually become the drama themselves.

Jiang Yanlin was no exception.

She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze sweeping over Péi Wanyi’s flawless face, slowly, downwards, and further down.

Her focus finally settled on the glass of alcohol.

“What base liquor did you use? Is it good?” she asked in a lazy voice.

Péi Wanyi was used to being stared at, but this time she held her gaze for a moment, then suddenly smiled and asked in return,
“Want a taste?”

Jiang Yanlin had quit drinking a long time ago, but she didn’t mind a small sip.

The next second, she reached out her hand.

Her pale arm cast a shadow under the small night light, dividing the plate in front of Péi Wanyi, and finally, the wine glass.

The first thing one saw were her round, full nails, neatly trimmed, with no polish, clean and fair.

The hand gently grasped the slender stem of the glass, lifting her drink with effortless grace.

The rim of the glass neared her lips, touched them lightly, and the amber liquid flowed in.

The scent of citrus and lemon spread from the person across the table and drifted back to her.

The distance across the table was short; with a drop of an arm, the other’s fingertips were within reach.

But the distance across the table was also long, unsuitable for anything else.
—Anything else? There was nothing else.

Péi Wanyi came back to her senses and asked calmly,
“Is it good?”

Jiang Yanlin returned the glass, her finger tapping against it.
“A sweet and sour taste. I don’t dislike it.”

By the time the hot dishes finally arrived, both of them were already half-full.

The portions of drinks and appetizers could be smaller, and the timing of the main course needed improvement. Jiang Yanlin ate while typing notes into her phone, planning to send them to El after he was done.

Péi Wanyi paid some attention to the reactions and conversations of the other diners. She knew there was nothing wrong with El’s food; it was just poor management and a lack of exposure. His previous revenue couldn’t support more staff, so he had to handle everything himself.

Hopefully, this promotional push would help him get through the adjustment period and get on the right track soon.

Otherwise, he’d have to pack his things and go back to Portugal.

The busy night ended late. As he hung the “Closed” sign, El finally let out a weary sigh of relief.

But he was happy, eager to share his joy with his lucky star.

“Jiang, this is all thanks to you.”

El walked over and gave her a big hug.

Jiang Yanlin didn’t refuse, patting his shoulder. After he let go, she replied,
“It’s your hard work that’s being seen. That’s the most important thing.”

Péi Wanyi sipped her lemon water, watching them without interrupting.

El’s emotions were still running high. Looking at Jiang Yanlin’s face, the words he had been holding back rushed to his lips.

But Jiang Yanlin timely glanced at her sports wristband, then turned to the person who was “spectating” and said with a light laugh,
“I suppose I’ll have to trouble you for a ride home again today, sister.”

Péi Wanyi nearly choked on her water.

Before she could say anything, Jiang Yanlin had already bid a smiling farewell to El, thoughtfully reminding him to check her messages for her final suggestions for improvement.

And so, El was left speechless, only able to watch as she walked out the glass door with clean finality.

The handsome young man sighed, and Péi Wanyi sighed silently as well.

She patted his shoulder, said, “I’m leaving,” and strode out.

Outside the restaurant, the figure was standing still, seemingly waiting for her.

Péi Wanyi walked towards her and asked casually,
“Are you waiting for a ride?”

She turned her head, her loose hair falling from her shoulder.

The light from the streetlamp was gentle. When she blinked, her long lashes cast a flickering shadow beneath her eyes.

It wasn’t the first time Péi Wanyi had noticed how bright her eyes were.

They were a pure, unadulterated black, a rarity. A brief gaze felt like being seen through to your very depths.

That was why Péi Wanyi had been reluctant to get too close to her at first.

But now, her eyes were still just as dark, just as bright.

Perhaps the streetlights and the summer breeze were too gentle, making the reflection of herself in those eyes seem new.

Etching out a sparkling silhouette.

After a very slow, or perhaps very fast, second.

Péi Wanyi heard her say:
“I’m not waiting for a ride. I’m waiting for you.”