Chapter 66
"I made some mango pomelo sago, Shiqing, would you like to have some?" Zhong Ning held the white porcelain bowl in her hands and asked tentatively.
The sweet aroma of mango spread from where she stood. To make the act more convincing, Xie Shiqing had deliberately eaten very little for dinner. Her appetite, which had slightly grown recently, was no longer satisfied with her previous portions, and she was already a bit hungry.
This dessert arrived at just the right moment.
She turned slightly to let Zhong Ning in. "You made this yourself? Ning Ning can even make desserts?"
Zhong Ning replied a little embarrassed, "Actually, I can only make this one."
"You’ve been busy with the company affairs, and I couldn’t really help with anything. I just wanted to do what little I could."
She placed the porcelain bowl on the small dining table, adjusted the spoon to Xie Shiqing’s familiar position, then took a disposable napkin from the drawer and laid it out for her. Smiling, she said, "But I’ve made mango pomelo sago many times, the taste is absolutely fine. Since you don’t eat much sweet stuff, I didn’t add any sugar."
Xie Shiqing scooped up a spoonful and took a bite. It was slightly cool; the sweetness of the mango blended with the coconut milk and the rich fragrance of the milk. There were plenty of grapefruit pulp bits, and their mild tartness nicely offset the sweetness.
Zhong Ning indeed knew her taste well.
She remembered that when Zhong Ning ate this herself, she would even add some honey.
The corners of Xie Shiqing’s mouth lifted slightly. She scooped up a spoonful of fruit, held it up, and said sweetly, "Ning Ning, have a bite too."
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Zhong Ning (pressing her index fingers against her temples): Activate your brain, think quickly! Think of something you can do! (Suddenly has a flash of inspiration) (Begins performing a ritual)
Still Zhong Ning (after energetically performing a grand dance, panting heavily): I am blessed by fortune, destiny favors me. Since I say this crisis can be resolved, then it must be resolved!
Chapter 33
Zhong Ning liked sweets, bright colors, soft and cute things. Or more precisely, she liked everything that was related to beauty and happiness.
When feeling unhappy, one must eat sweets, because consuming sugar improves one’s mood. And when feeling happy, one should eat sweets even more, because it doubles the happiness.
She couldn’t handle any sourness, yet when the grapefruit pulp burst between her teeth, and the juice splashed onto her tongue, filling her mouth with that tart flavor, she didn’t feel any sourness at all.
Only sweetness.
Endless sweetness, as if every cell in her body was soaked in syrup, making her feel so blissfully foolish that she could only grin idiotically.
"So sweet." She put on a silly smile.
Xie Shiqing couldn’t see her expression but could hear the tone of her voice, like a tipsy Samoyed, swaying and giggling with a soft puppy face.
She fed her another spoonful, and immediately felt a warmth by her side as someone timidly scooted over, giggling foolishly.
Such a silly look. She had never seen anyone this silly.
Xie Shiqing commented inwardly with disdain, her expression full of contempt, though she struggled to suppress the curve at the corner of her lips.
Just being fed once made her this happy. She must really, really like her.
She snorted softly, thinking with disdain: I don’t need a fool like this to like me.
Then she fed Zhong Ning another spoonful of mango pomelo sago.
"I won’t eat anymore," Zhong Ning said after swallowing that spoonful. "I didn’t make much to begin with. If I keep eating, there’ll be none left. You eat."
The subtle curve on Xie Shiqing’s lips instantly disappeared. She scooped up another spoonful and asked, "Ning Ning, are you really not eating?"
Being fed by the person you like was such an honor and temptation.
Zhong Ning struggled to move her gaze away from the spoon, her fingers clutching at the table, "Really, I won’t eat anymore."
Xie Shiqing turned her face back.
What did that mean? She had kindly, condescendingly offered to feed her, yet this person actually refused?
She placed the spoon back into the bowl. The handle knocked against the rim with a crisp ding.
"I can’t eat anymore," she said. "This thing is too cold. If I eat too much, I’ll get a stomachache."
Zhong Ning let out a little "ah," the silly smile on her puppy-like face tightening into a furrow between her brows. She looked over helplessly, "I didn’t think it through… I-I’ll pour you a glass of hot water?"
"No need," Xie Shiqing interrupted her. "Just take it away."
She pushed the mango pomelo sago away. The porcelain bowl, with a pale cyan tint on its white surface, slid a short distance across the table. More than half of the dessert still remained inside, the crushed ice reflecting the light like tiny diamonds, sparkling in Zhong Ning’s eyes. Her hand resting on the smooth edge of the table moved slightly, unsure of what to do.
Xie Shiqing leaned back into the chair, rubbing her temples with her hand. As her brows lowered, a tired expression appeared. "I’m tired. I want to rest for a while. Could you turn off the light when you leave?"
Zhong Ning held the bowl in her arms, stunned. The warmth and joy from just moments ago burst like a bubble, vanishing in an instant.
Though she was not like a seagull in a storm, able to catch every shift in the air currents, love could give a person courage they never had and inspire new abilities even in someone dull, just to please the one they liked.
At this moment, in her confusion, Zhong Ning vaguely sensed that the person before her seemed a bit upset.
But she couldn’t be sure. She didn’t dare to draw a conclusion.
How could someone facing such a problem for the first time be certain their answer was correct? She had no past experiences to serve as her teacher, guiding her to detect the subtle emotional shifts in every sentence, nor did she have the reckless confidence and courage to stake everything. Caring too much only made her hesitant.
Love made people uneasy.
"It’s my fault," she chose to apologize.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have kept smiling. The Xie Corporation was in crisis, and she came to help, trying to do what little she could, hoping to cheer Xie Shiqing up and ease her worries.
How could she laugh so carelessly at a time like this?
It was no different from running in front of a cripple or singing in front of the deaf. It was like poking at someone’s wound.
"I wasn’t being considerate," she apologized again, her shoulders drooping as she held the bowl obediently, her head hanging dispiritedly. "Then, Shiqing, have a good rest. I’ll leave now."