A small candy

Chapter 37 Christmas Gift

After Cheng Zhixu finished discussing business with Shen Qinghe, he walked back to his desk and happened to see the phone screen on the desk light up. Jian Ling had sent him a message.

Palm Pig: "I'm not going upstairs for lunch. I'm going to the newly opened barbecue restaurant with Chuchu to check in."

Cheng Zhixu grabbed a chair and sat down, typing on his phone: "Oh, you've had enough of the food on the 48th floor and want to go out and try something new?"

Jian Ling was so embarrassed that sweat broke out on her forehead. He made it sound as if she was tired of him and had gone out to cheat on him. It was unbearable.

Just as Jian Ling was about to fight back, Cheng Zhixu sent another message: "Without live eating broadcasts, I'm afraid I'll lose my appetite."

Jian Ling clicked her chin and admitted defeat.

Palm Pig: "So I'm just a food blogger? Cheng Zhixu, I advise you to be careful with your words."

Orange Juice: "You are a feast for the eyes."

Palm Pig: "That's more like it. Okay, I'm just letting you know. I have to get back to work. You'll have lunch by yourself."

Cheng Zhixu shook his head, put down his phone, and sighed, "What a heartless and ungrateful woman." He had just helped her deal with a love rival, and she treated him like this in the blink of an eye.

Jian Ling completed all the tasks for the morning and tore off several notes in a row. These were all completed work. Looking at them lying in the trash can, her mood suddenly became as bright as the sun outside the window.

"Let's go out and eat. I'm starving." Jian Ling picked up the coat on the back of the chair and put it on. She took Dai Wangchu's arm and walked out happily.

Dai Wangchu: "Are you still taking your medication? Why haven't I seen you swallowing pills recently?"

"The last time I went to the hospital for a follow-up, my condition improved a lot, so the doctor reduced my medication. I don't need to take so many pills. I only take them after meals, so you didn't see it."

They did not eat breakfast and dinner together, and she had lunch with Cheng Zhixu on the 48th floor. The medicine for this course of treatment was taken after meals, so she usually took the medicine in Cheng Zhixu's office after dinner before coming downstairs.

She left some of her medicine with Cheng Zhixu.

Thinking of this, Jian Ling was stunned. After coming back from lunch outside, she still had to go to the 48th floor - there was no medicine in her bag.

Dai Wangchu pressed the elevator button, and the elevator coming down from above just stopped at the 26th floor. The elevator door opened, and the two of them walked in. The people inside were walking out, and they almost bumped into each other.

Minglang stopped in his tracks when he saw Jian Ling and breathed a sigh of relief: "I almost thought you'd left..."

Dai Wangchu and Jian Ling were followed by several colleagues from the planning department, so Minglang did not elaborate. The hint in his eyes was obvious, meaning that they would talk about it later.

When a group of people entered the elevator, Jian Ling guessed that Minglang might have come to find her on Cheng Zhixu's orders, but he didn't say it explicitly because there were other people present.

I just got off work and the elevator was stopping and starting. Every time it stopped, three or two people came in. No one got off in the middle, so it seemed a bit crowded.

Fan Yijun, standing by the elevator door, glanced back at the two people behind him and snorted, a sound just loud enough for the people inside to hear. "I remember Special Assistant Ming was just about to leave on the 26th floor. Why is he coming in again?"

Minglang looked at the woman who was speaking. He didn't know her and didn't understand why she asked such a strange question.

Anyone who can be a special assistant is no ordinary person. Minglang immediately said, "I have some work matters to ask Manager Yuan, but I suddenly remembered that it's after get off work and he's not in the office, so I have to go get lunch first. Does anyone have any questions?"

Fan Yijun was speechless and looked away.

The elevator reached the first floor and a group of people walked out. Dai Wangchu and Jian Ling deliberately lagged behind for a few steps. After everyone else had walked out of the company gate, Minglang took something out of his pocket and handed it to Jian Ling.

The small transparent plastic medicine box, half the size of a palm, is divided into small compartments. Each compartment contains a kind of medicine. Some compartments contain one pill, some contain three or two pills, and some contain five or six pills. Some are white and some are black. They are all the medicines that Jian Ling wants to take.

"Mr. Cheng asked me to give it to you. He was afraid that you would forget to take the medicine after dinner." Minglang said.

Jian Ling was still struggling with this problem, but unexpectedly Cheng Zhixu thought of it for her. She took the small medicine box and put it in her bag, smiled and said, "Thank you, thank you for your trouble."

"No trouble." Minglang took out another card from his trouser pocket and handed it to her. "This is also what Mr. Cheng asked me to give you. He said... ahem, since you didn't have lunch with him at noon, he's giving you a separate meal allowance."

Jian Ling pressed her forehead and was suddenly speechless.

"Since it's Mr. Cheng's kindness, just accept it." Dai Wangchu smiled and patted her shoulder.

Normally, Jian Ling rarely talked about Boss Cheng. At most, she would praise him for being nice to her. This made Dai Wangchu always imagine how Jian Ling and Boss Cheng got along, but he couldn't think of a specific picture. Today, he finally got a glimpse of it.

Jian Ling took the card and waved it at Dai Wangchu: "Then let's go eat something delicious?"

Minglang was stunned for a moment, thinking that she would reject the boss's kindness. When he came out of the CEO's office, he was still thinking about how to persuade Jian Ling to accept it if she refused. Fortunately, he didn't have to rack his brains.

Jian Ling and Dai Wangchu took their card and ordered a bunch of delicious food at the barbecue restaurant. They almost didn't finish it. When they returned to the company, she couldn't help but go to the dessert shop to buy a bunch of desserts. They each took one and shared the rest with their colleagues.

The planning department has half male and half female colleagues. After working together for a long time, except for a few individuals who feel a little uncomfortable, most colleagues get along well with Jian Ling.

Jian Ling put a dessert on Fan Yijun's table as a token of her respect. It was up to her whether to eat it or not. She didn't need the money for the dessert, but she didn't want people to say that she treated her differently.

Someone asked loudly, "Jian Ling, do you have something good to announce to everyone? Is it your birthday today?"

"Don't tell me yet, let me guess, are you getting married?"

"Congratulations first."

"If it's really a wedding, just dessert wouldn't be enough. You have to treat us to a meal at a restaurant at least."

"Just shut up! It's good enough to have something to eat, but you're still complaining about this and that."

It was not yet the official working hours of the afternoon, and the atmosphere in the office was relaxed. Everyone was talking to each other, and they all speculated that Jian Ling had good news to announce.

However, the person involved just spread his hands and said calmly: "Sorry everyone, it's just a simple afternoon tea. There is no good news or birthday celebration."

There was a sigh of relief in the office area. They really thought she was going to announce her marriage, and some people even raised their hands to applaud.

Jian Ling smiled brightly, pulled out a chair and sat down, then picked up her phone and sent a message to Cheng Zhixu: "Just to report, this cost you almost five hundred dollars in total."

Orange Juice: "Well, keep up the good work." Palm Pig: "Why are you suddenly being so nice to me? Did you do something to let me down?"

Orange Juice: "...I'm just sorry you were late so many times last month that your salary was almost deducted, and it's not even payday yet. You said you wouldn't ask your parents for money, so as your boyfriend, I have no choice but to help you out. Not only do you not appreciate it, but you're also slandering me."

Even through the screen, she could feel how helpless the person on the other side was. Jian Ling covered her cheeks and laughed out loud, then sent an emoticon.

It shows a little girl in red clothes kneeling on the ground and kowtowed frantically, with the text "Thank you, boss" - an emoticon package often used when receiving red envelopes during the Chinese New Year.
Cheng Zhixu was amused and replied after a while: "Change your name, I will feel better."

Palm Pig: "Thank you, boyfriend~"

Orange Juice: "Back off."

The two chatted for a while before Jian Ling put down her phone, became serious in an instant, and started working seriously.

After work, Jian Ling would sneak into the parking lot, get in Cheng Zhixu's car, and go grocery shopping together. Back at the apartment, Cheng Zhixu would cook for her, and she'd start messing around with a bunch of celery. Cheng Zhixu finally caught her and gave her a kiss, and she'd finally calmed down.

The two of them watched variety shows while eating dinner together. Jian Ling often laughed so hard that she fell over and made goose-like noises. Cheng Zhixu looked at her expressionlessly, not knowing what was so funny about her.

Jian Ling wiped the rice that had leaked from the corner of her mouth. Seeing Cheng Zhixu was indifferent, she said with a smile, "You don't know this joke? Haven't you been surfing the Internet?"

Cheng Zhixu shook his head indifferently.

Jian Ling announced solemnly, "Boss Cheng, I've noticed a generation gap between you and me. Every three years, there's a gap. There are now two huge gaps between us."

Cheng Zhixu twitched the corners of his mouth and sneered, hoping that she wouldn't regret saying such a thing later...

Of course, this is how the two of them get along in daily life when Cheng Zhixu is not busy.

In November, Cheng Zhixu became very busy. Fortunately, they had lunch together every day, so they saw each other and their relationship developed steadily.

By December, Cheng Zhixu's schedule became even busier, and he went on business trips abroad one after another. Jian Ling often couldn't see him and could only contact him through his mobile phone.

Sometimes there was a time difference between the two sides, so he would not be able to reply to her messages in time, and she would not be able to see his replies in time. So every chat was just a few short sentences, and on the days when he was busiest, he would only say "good morning" and "good night".

Christmas was approaching, and Cheng Zhixu sent a message saying he couldn't make it back. He was far away in Sri Lanka, but he hadn't forgotten the holiday and had someone send her a Christmas gift.

Jian Ling was nestled in her apartment, her aunt preparing dinner for her. The doorbell rang, and she slid over in her slippers to answer the door. The delivery man handed her a bouquet of flowers and a gift box.

Jian Ling said thank you and came in with flowers and gifts.

The aunt in the kitchen heard the noise and came out with a spatula in hand. She looked at the large bunch of pink and white roses in Jian Ling's arms with surprise and asked, "Is someone pursuing our Lingling?"

Jian Ling smiled but didn't answer. She put her nose close to the flower and sniffed it. The rose petals were stained by the cold air outside, soft and cold. The subtle fragrance filled the air, and her heart warmed.

Her aunt went into the kitchen. Jian Ling sat on the sofa, unwrapping the gift. She untied the ribbon and opened the box. A bracelet lay on dark blue velvet, with a small golden pig embellished at the bottom. The piglet was covered in hollowed-out patterns, delicately crafted and adorable.

"What? You said I was a pig again." Jian Ling scolded, but her heart was filled with ripples, as sweet as honey.

Jian Ling's emotions were in turmoil. She felt for her phone in the crack of the sofa and couldn't help but send a message to Cheng Zhixu: "Why did you give me a pig bracelet? You really think you're a pig farmer!"

After thinking about it, I felt that the tone of this sentence was not right, so I quickly long-pressed the message to withdraw it and sent a new one.

Palm Pig: "I received the gift. When will you be back?"

Unfortunately, after waiting for more than ten minutes, there was no response from the other party. Her aunt was calling her to eat, so she had to put down her phone and went to the dining room in a depressed mood.

After taking a few bites of her meal, Jian Ling slowly calmed down and began to understand Cheng Zhixu. He was doing it for work, not on purpose. Besides, she hadn't initially thought he would remember a holiday like Christmas. She was satisfied that he had prepared gifts and flowers in advance.

Jian Ling is an optimist. After dinner, she helped her aunt clean up the dishes and then saw her out.

She was the only one left in the apartment. She went upstairs to take a bath, played with her phone for a while, and felt bored, so she went to explore the audio-visual room in the house, turned on the projector and found an anime to watch.

Just as she finished reading the beginning, she vaguely heard some movement outside the door, and her nerves suddenly tensed. Being a girl living alone, she pulled back the blanket from her legs and got off the sofa barefoot. She looked around, but couldn't find any tools. Just as she was about to hide, the door clicked open.

All the lights in the audio-visual room were turned off, and it was dim, with only a faint light coming from the projection screen in front. As the door was pushed open, light from the corridor poured in.

The man stood at the doorway, tall and slender, against the light, with a small silver suitcase at his feet.

Jian Ling blinked, unable to believe that the person who had sent her a message that morning telling her that he was in Colombo was now right in front of her. She pinched her finger and it hurt a little, but it wasn't a dream.

Cheng Zhixu was pleased by her reaction. He kicked the suitcase that was blocking his way away, walked over and hugged her. He used a lot of strength to almost lift her off the ground. His voice was cold and low, "I'm back."

Jian Ling was stunned, and when she came to her senses, he had already kissed her. As their lips and tongues intertwined, the air was filled with ambiguity, and the sounds of Japanese anime pouring out of the audio-visual room became the background music of the kiss.

The man was dusty and his coat was stained with water and cold, but his embrace was scorching hot. Her heart was trembling and burning, and unprecedented emotions squeezed her, causing her to hug him even tighter. In the past, she would blush shyly when kissing, but this was the first time she was so passionate and responded to him without reservation.

Cheng Zhixu breathed heavily and put her down. His self-control was on the verge of collapse. If he kissed her again, something bad might happen.

He closed his eyes and touched her hair: "Do you like the gift?"

Jian Ling calmed down for a while and waved her hand at him. On her fair wrist hung the bracelet he had given her. The little golden pig hung on the slightly protruding part of her wrist bone, as cute as she was. "I've already put it on!"

Cheng Zhixu smiled and hugged her again, burying his handsome face in her hair, greedily absorbing the warm and familiar sweet fragrance.

"Is it raining outside?" Jian Ling hugged his waist, her hands touching the slightly damp fabric of his clothes. She whispered in his arms, "Why is your coat wet?"

"It was snowing. At the beginning, it was just snowflakes, and when they fell on my body, they melted into water." Cheng Zhixu said.

　In this situation, shouldn't we do something?

　　Cheng Zhixu: ...I do want to.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)