A Ming pushed through his embarrassment to explain desperately, “It’s really not a girlfriend. It’s Zhou Yining, the actress filming with Dong-ge. The TV series Taiping Dynasty that airs on the third day of the New Year features her, but she won’t appear until after the tenth episode.”

A Ming’s mother had an ‘aha’ moment. “Oh, the little girl with the icy expression from the Heart Knot press conference?”

Ji Dongyang smiled. “Yes, that’s her.”

A Ming scratched his head. His mother got deeply involved in dramas, especially hating the wicked women on screen. Thinking of Zhou Yining playing the venomous Consort Ning in the Taiping Dynasty, he suddenly felt worried that when Dong-ge really brought Zhou Yining over for dinner next time, his mother wouldn’t be able to separate the actress from the role…

A Ming’s mother understood better now. She looked at A Ming. It would be a miracle if that boy could snag a star. She turned back to Ji Dongyang, smiling broadly. “Bring her next time, okay?”

Ji Dongyang smiled. “Okay.”

His phone vibrated. Ji Dongyang looked down, opening WeChat.

“What are you guys eating? Show me! Do you have any yellow croaker or beef jerky left? I want some.”

Ji Dongyang held up his phone, snapped a quick photo, and sent it to her. “Yes, we do.”

Zhou Yining received the photo, zoomed in to look at it, and smiled to herself. Then her aunt called out, “Ningning, still looking at your phone? Hurry up and come eat.”

She was spending the Lunar New Year at the Qin family’s house this year. The Qin family was large and lively. One table wasn’t enough, so they set up two. Qin Yuan hadn’t been back in the country for three years, and Qin Laoye, her maternal grandfather, looked displeased. He scolded Qin Yuan, “Look how long it’s been since you came back?”

Qin Yuan smiled. “But I’m back now, aren’t I? I’ll come back whenever I have time in the future.”

Zhou Yining’s aunt mediated. “You’re finally back after so long. Don’t talk about that. Let’s eat and watch the Spring Festival Gala later.”

Her aunt put a chicken leg on Zhou Yining’s plate. “Eat more. You look like you’ve lost weight these past two months.”

Zhou Yining gave a sweet smile. “I haven’t lost weight. I’m the same.”

“Even so, you should eat more. You’re already too thin.”

Zhou Yining obediently ate the chicken leg. When Qin Yuan went abroad, the Qin family and the Zhou family had a major falling out over Qin Yuan and Zhou Lihui’s issues. The two families barely spoke anymore. At that time, no one thought to bring her back to raise her. Perhaps someone did, but the Zhou family, Zhou Lihui, wouldn’t allow it.

When Qin Yuan returned to the country and acknowledged her as her daughter, bringing her back to the Qin family, they must have felt indebted. The Qin family had always treated her well.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, Zhou Yining slipped away to the third-floor balcony to call Ji Dongyang. “Finished eating?”

Ji Dongyang was also standing on a balcony, his voice low. “Mm. I’ll head back later.”

Zhou Yining smiled. “Oh.”

He said, “I have yellow croaker and beef jerky.”

After saying it, he let out a chuckle, feeling like he was rushing home to feed a cat.

Zhou Yining paused. “You knew I was back?”

Ji Dongyang looked down at the children playing in the snow downstairs, chuckling softly. “I guessed. I didn’t stay on that side last night.”

She had called him in the middle of the night with inconsequential questions. He figured she must have returned and rung his doorbell. Ji Dongyang wasn’t one to overly restrict others. He gave Zhou Yining enough space. As long as she didn’t cross his line, he would tolerate what she wanted to do, what she liked to do, and he was willing to indulge her.

However, he was a man in his thirties, after all, not a reckless young man. He was very good at exercising patience and rarely acted on impulse.

Zhou Yining asked, “Are you coming back tonight?”

Ji Dongyang: “Yes.”

She smiled. “Then I’ll wait for you at home.”

…

On New Year’s Eve, Ji Dongyang ultimately didn’t make it back to that home. He was spotted by paparazzi the moment he left A Ming’s house. Traffic was bad that night, and he couldn’t shake them.

On the first and second days of the New Year, Zhou Yining was taken by Qin Laoye to the old family estate, where several promising young men were waiting for her. It was a thinly veiled arranged dating session. The old man said, “If you like one, date him. If you don’t, then don’t. Your grandfather won’t pressure you. I just want you to be happy. Two of them came from the military; they’re good people.”

The arranged marriage between the Qin and Zhou families back then had caused misery for Qin Yuan and her granddaughter. In these years, no one in the Qin family, male or female, was forced into arranged dates or marriages. If they liked someone, they dated. If not, they split. As long as they were happy.

This policy was bought with the half-life tragedy of Qin Yuan.

Zhou Yining simply said, “I don’t like any of them.”

In the blink of an eye, the holiday was half over. Despite their plan to spend the New Year together, the two hadn’t seen each other yet. Early on the third day of the New Year, Zhou Yining appeared at his door wearing a mask and a hat. She pulled down the mask and smiled at him. “Aiya, dating an Actor is really hard. It’s so difficult to meet you.”

Ji Dongyang was clearly still half-asleep. His eye mask was pushed up to his forehead, his expression dark. Seeing that it was her, his expression softened somewhat.

The next second, Zhou Yining squeezed past him, kicked the door shut, and hugged his lean waist. She ran her hands over the man’s firm, smooth lines. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. “Okay, we have two days left. Let’s spend them together.”

Ji Dongyang pursed his lips, rubbed her head, but didn’t speak or kiss her back.

Zhou Yining guessed he was still grumpy from being woken up. She rubbed her head against his chest, instantly dissolving his bad temper.

Impressive.

Ji Dongyang pulled off his eye mask and looked down at her. “Coming so early, have you eaten?”

She shook her head. Ji Dongyang pulled her hand away and turned to wash up.

Zhou Yining looked around the apartment. It only had two bedrooms. The furniture was a bit old, but it was still clean and simple.

Ji Dongyang came out of the bathroom and looked at her. “Dumplings?”

Zhou Yining nodded. “Sounds great.”

She followed him into the kitchen. While he was boiling the dumplings, she hugged him from behind, rubbing herself against his back repeatedly, including the soft curves of her chest.

Ji Dongyang’s body straightened up with each passing second. His hand, which was dropping the dumplings, paused repeatedly. Finally, he dumped the entire box of dumplings into the boiling water, quickly turned around, and looked down at her. Zhou Yining looked up, hooked her arms around his neck, closed her eyes, and stood on her toes to kiss his lips.

Immediately, the back of her head was held firmly, and he deepened the kiss.

The dumplings floated to the surface one by one, and steam filled the air as the two of them passionately kissed in the kitchen.

It was quiet, intense, stimulating, and exhilarating.

When it came to kissing, Zhou Yining felt she had gotten used to closing her eyes after Ji Dongyang’s repeated forcing.

When he finally let go of her, she forgot to even open her eyes to look at him.

Ji Dongyang turned around, turned off the stove, and scooped the dumplings onto a plate. Zhou Yining was breathing raggedly, her cheeks flushed. She leaned her head on his back to rest. After a moment, Ji Dongyang pulled her hand away and instructed, “Get the bowls and chopsticks.”

He carried the plate of dumplings out. It was a huge plate. Zhou Yining looked at it and figured the two of them wouldn’t be able to finish it.

Zhou Yining brought the bowls and chopsticks to the table and went back to check the refrigerator. It was surprisingly stocked with fresh vegetables. She found a bottle of chili sauce. As soon as she opened it, she immediately knew it was made by A Ming’s mother. There was also fried yellow croaker, but it wasn’t suitable for breakfast. She took a look at it and put it back.

“Do you cook?” Zhou Yining asked while mixing the sauce.

“Moderately.”

“Oh, then you’re cooking tonight?”

Ji Dongyang looked up at her. Zhou Yining sat across from him, smiling brightly. “I want to eat your cooking. I’ll be your assistant. I won’t eat for free.”

He finally nodded. “Fine.”

Zhou Yining remembered something and said, “Taiping Dynasty airs tonight. I almost forgot.”

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