I Like You

At 11:45 a. m., the car slowly drove into an old residential area called "Xinxin Homeland". As soon as I saw the exterior of the community, I turned off the navigation. Fatty was right. This community was almost identical to the community in our other world except for the name.

These old-style residential buildings are all six stories high and don't have elevators, so I drove directly to building number 20.

Downstairs, Second Aunt brought Ding Ying down to greet them, while Dad and Second Uncle were mostly upstairs cooking.

My Second Aunt pointed at the Bentley; she recognized the car. Ding Ying, on the other hand, looked surprised, not expecting me to drive such a nice car back for the New Year.

"Elder brother!"

The moment she got out of the car, Ding Ying rushed forward. "Quick, let's compare! See if I've grown taller in the last two years, and if I'm up to your shoulder now!"

I glanced at it. "Far from it, keep trying."

She lowered her voice, looking annoyed, and said, "Brother, where do you work? You even drive a Bentley?"

"Shh, this car belongs to your sister-in-law."

"By the way, sister-in-law..."

She abandoned me and rushed to Lin Qingying. She first looked at Lin Qingying with amazement, then stood at attention and said, "Hello, sister-in-law! My name is Ding Ying, my brother's cousin!"

It seems she doesn't know Lin Qingying.

"Hello, Ding Ying."

Lin Qingying nodded with a smile, and I called out, "Ding Ying, come help me with these things!"

"Okay, bro!"

So, I carried a case of liquor, and the others each took their things and went upstairs.

"Ding Han is back?"

After opening the door, my Second Uncle came out of the kitchen, and then I saw Old Ding holding a spatula.

"Dad!"

After putting down the wine, I rushed into the kitchen. "What delicious food have you made?"

At a glance, the dishes—young rooster, large salted fish, braised pork, stir-fried river shrimp with chives, etc.—are all rustic farm-style dishes, but they all smell delicious.

"Look at you."

Old Ding put down his shovel, smiled, and nodded to Lin Qingying: "Little Lin, you're here. Were you tired on the way?"

"Fine."

In the marketplace of Yue Ning Group, Lin Qingying was clearly a young yet capable CEO, but once she entered the room, that composure and calmness vanished instantly, and I could clearly sense that she was somewhat restrained.

"Ding Han."

Old Ding said, "I've cleaned the guest room. Take Xiao Lin to see it."

"Oh..."

I turned around, picked up Lin Qingying's suitcase, and led her to the guest room of the house.

This old house was allocated to my parents by their work unit when they were young. It has three bedrooms, one living room, and one bathroom, and is quite spacious. My room is in the shade, while the guest room is sunny. It has been cleaned thoroughly.

"Ding Han..."

After closing the room door, Lin Qingying looked embarrassed. "I originally planned to stay in a hotel, but..."

"It doesn't matter."

I thought for a moment and said, "It might be a little inconvenient at home, so... how about you leave your luggage here first, and if you really feel uncomfortable tonight, I'll take you to a hotel."

"Okay, fine..."

She looked at me with a hint of helplessness, then said softly, "Pretending to be your girlfriend is really challenging. The elders are all so enthusiastic; I feel a little guilty..."

"You know what, I also have a feeling that I'm deceiving them."

"Yes, that's the feeling!"

Just then, Ding Ying's voice came from outside the door. "Brother, sister-in-law, come out for dinner!"

"Knew."

I comforted Lin Qingying, then opened the door and went out to help Old Ding serve the dishes.

Soon after, a sumptuous meal was served. I opened the box, took out a bottle of Moutai (I don't know which year it was from), and opened it. Instantly, the aroma of the liquor mingled with the aroma of the food, a smell that was simply intoxicating.

"Xiao Ying, come and eat."

"Good."

Lin Qingying came out of the room rather awkwardly and then sat down next to me.

"Xiaoying seems a little nervous..." Second Uncle chuckled, "It's alright, just treat yourself at home. Everyone here is family, it's fine, just be at home."

"Ying, what's wrong?"

I turned around and looked at her teasingly, laughing, "First time being someone's girlfriend?"

"You..."

Lin Qingying blushed and lightly punched me. "You still dare to talk back!"

Old Ding and his Second Uncle burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright, let's eat," Second Aunt said, trying to smooth things over.

I quickly poured wine for the two elders, then looked at Lin Qingying: "Would you like some?"

"I won't drink."

She looked at the table full of food. "I want to eat more delicious food."

"Okay, eat as much as you want!"

I poured myself a small glass, just to share a little with my two elders.

Soon after, I got about 50% drunk and immediately switched to a soft drink.

Old Ding and his Second Uncle drank a little too quickly, and their faces soon turned red.

"Ding Han."

Second Uncle glanced at Ding Ying and said, "Are you really not going to consider it? The company Ding Ying works for is pretty good, I heard the benefits are comprehensive. She's only been working there for less than six months, and she already got a year-end bonus of 20,000 yuan. Where can you find such a good company? You have a higher degree than your sister, and you're smarter. Get a resume and have your sister submit it for you internally, maybe you'll get the job."

Second Aunt said, "Yes, that's what I think too. Ding Ying, what company are you working for...?"

"Mom, Yue Ning Group? I just can't remember!" Ding Ying said helplessly.

At this moment, Lin Qingying looked at me in surprise.

"Um."

I nodded. "Ding Ying works at Yue Ning Group. I just found out about this myself."

"Oh..."

She smiled slightly and said nothing.

"Oh, right, Ding Ying."

I looked at my cousin who was gnawing on a chicken leg. "Which department do you work in at Yue Ning Group? Is it at headquarters?"

"Yes, it's headquarters."

Ding Ying said, "My department is Business Development. My supervisor is a senior from five years ahead of me. She's been quite kind to me. But if you really want to work at Yuening, I can definitely get her to introduce you. You can submit your resume then, and your chances of success will be much higher."

"Need not."

I shook my head and said, "To be honest, CEO Yuening has tried to persuade me to join Yuening several times, but I have firmly refused each time."

As he spoke, he looked at Lin Qingying.

She gave me a completely speechless look.

"Look at you, child..."

Second Aunt laughed and said, "You've always been like this since you were little. You always talk nonsense when it comes to important things. I heard from Ding Ying that Yuening's valuation is really high. Would their CEO really invite you to join them?"

"That's right, that's right..."

Ding Ying said, "I heard that the CEO of headquarters is a very young girl, her name is Lin something... I've never even seen her before, how could you possibly have seen her, brother?"

I ignored her and just kept offering drinks to my Second Uncle.

"Sister in law."

Ding Ying narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Can you tell me how you met my brother?"

"This...?"

Lin Qingying glanced at me and said, "Back when I was interning in Creek City, I rented a place close to the company, and I happened to become your brother's roommate. That's how we met."

"Ding Han, you've been to Creek City?" Second Uncle asked.

"Yes, I stayed for a while, not long."

"Oh..."

My Second Uncle asked, "Xiaoying, where do you work?"

"I..."

Lin Qingying hesitated for a moment, unsure how to answer the question.

She is a senior executive at a company in Huaining.

I raised an eyebrow and said, "Otherwise, how could you afford a Bentley?"

"I see..."

My Second Uncle nodded and smiled, but didn't say anything.

"Sister-in-law, want to add each other on WeChat?"

Ding Ying asked.

"Um."

Lin Qingying did not refuse and opened the WeChat code.

Fortunately, her Moments is always blank, and her name and profile picture are also blank, so even if Ding Ying adds her on WeChat, she may not be able to recognize her identity.

"Ding Han."

Old Ding said, "After dinner, take Xiaoying out for a walk. There are so many scenic spots in Tengshan City, you can visit them all."

"Okay, Dad."

Afternoon, on the balcony.

I sat in the wicker chair, typing furiously.

"What are you doing?" Lin Qingying asked.

"Design a trip plan for New Year's Eve."

I showed her the memo I was writing, which was full of various tourist attractions in Tengshan City, and said, "These are some of the more well-known places worth visiting. You drive, and we'll go to them one by one, okay?"

"Good!"

She smiled.

"Drop!"

Just then, a WeChat message arrived from Fatty: "Are you home yet? Want to hang out this afternoon? I've made plans with two classmates to go to the pool hall. Do you want to bring Manager Lin along? With her looks, she'll definitely Explosive Kill show in the whole pool hall."

"No, I won't go. I'll take her to see all the major attractions in Tengshan City this afternoon."

"Alright, have fun, we'll reschedule for later."

Shortly after, we set off for the first attraction.

Lin Qingying Tengshan City to really like the feel of this water town, standing on the bridge for a long time, reluctant to leave.

"Ding Han, could you take a picture for me?"

"Can."

I took out my phone. "Don't worry, I'm very knowledgeable about photography. I've studied things like the golden ratio, negative space, and perfect composition. I guarantee you won't be disappointed."

"Yeah?"

She smiled slightly, turned around, and sat on the railing.

It's a pity that if she had a fan in her hand, the composition would have been perfect.

"Click-clack~~~"

I took several pictures and sent them to her immediately, asking, "How are they? How are they?"

All I can say is...

Lin Qingying said, "In short, utterly unremarkable!"

"No way..."

I carefully examined several photos, and then I suddenly had the same feeling: the angles and photographic techniques in these photos were almost negligible; they were all carried by Lin Qingying's good looks.

"Cough cough..."

I said, "I think I have enough artistic talent; all I lack is some practical experience. Why don't you try a different angle, and I'll take a few more shots for you. You're sure to get some good photos!"

"Um!"

She gave me a look that said, "I'll trust you one more time," and then continued searching for the perfect angle to take the picture.

"Drop!"

Just then, a WeChat message arrived from his cousin Ding Ying: "Brother! Isn't your sister-in-law the newly appointed CEO of our Yue Ning Group? I saw her photo with the chairman in the year-end summary that the company forwarded, and they look exactly alike!"

My heart sank. I'd been found out after all...

In an instant, his mind raced. Since Ding Ying already knew Lin Qingying's identity, there was no need to keep it from her any longer. After all, one lie requires countless lies to cover it up, so he might as well just tell her everything.

So I called Ding Ying directly.

"Hello!"

She answered the voice call immediately and asked excitedly, "Brother, are you really with our Manager Lin?"

Of course not.

I went straight to the point. "Xiaoying and I are friends. Last time, because of a misunderstanding, my family all thought she was my girlfriend. Plus, it wasn't good for her to spend the New Year alone in Huaining, so I invited her to spend the New Year in Tengshan as my girlfriend. It's a win-win situation. You absolutely must keep this a secret, otherwise, hmph..."

"No..."

Ding Ying said angrily, "Brother, what do you want to do?"

"I'm just telling you this, you'd better keep it a secret."

I chuckled and said, "Otherwise, although Lin Qingying isn't my girlfriend, she's still a very good friend of mine. One word from me is enough to decide your future at Yue Ning Group. Sis, you don't want to do menial work in Yuening's logistics department, do you?"

"Brother, don't scare me..."

Ding Ying said weakly, "I'll keep it a secret for you, okay? But are you and Manager Lin really just ordinary friends? If you're just ordinary friends, why didn't she go home with someone else for the New Year?"

Her question stumped me.

"Don't ask about adult matters, you're just a kid. You're so long-winded, are you some kind of reincarnation of Tang Sanzang?"

"Snort!"

Ding Ying said, "I understand. I'll keep it a secret. When you have time, say a few good words about me to our Manager Lin. I'm very hardworking."

She hung up the phone quickly after saying that, as if afraid of being nagged again.

I continued taking photos of Lin Qingying, and finally managed to capture a few pictures of her at sunset. They were very evocative, and she saved them with satisfaction.

Afterwards, before dinner, we went to another attraction. After having our fill of sightseeing, we drove home.

For dinner, my Second Uncle, Second Aunt, and Ding Ying were all there, and the whole family enjoyed a harmonious meal together.

In my memory, in another world, after Old Ding passed away, the two families would celebrate the Lunar New Year's Eve and Mid-Autumn Festival together every year, making it more lively. And this world seems to have continued this tradition.

"Ding Han."

After finishing her meal, Lin Qingying asked with a smile, "What are we going to do later? Watch the Spring Festival Gala?"

"What are you looking at...?"

I refrained from using the uncivilized language of "I won't even look," and said, "We'll go downstairs to set off fireworks first, then I'll take you to see the famous Moonlight Walkway, and afterwards I'll take you to try the guokui (a type of flatbread) at the night market, it's so delicious."

"Good!"

She smiled and nodded, then went back to her room to change into a black coat, which gave her a cooler, more CEO-like aura.

Downstairs, accompanied by Old Ding and her Second Uncle, they set off fireworks. As the fireworks sizzled and shot into the sky before exploding, Ding Ying smiled brightly and took Lin Qingying's arm, "Sister-in-law, how did you fall for my brother? He's shameless, not handsome at all, and all he does is bully me. He's so mean!"

Lin Qingying smiled and said, "He is very sincere and brave."

"Oh?"

Ding Ying fell into deep thought, then desperately searched her memory for these two excellent qualities that she had never sensed in me.

Lin Qingying took out her phone to film the fireworks, but perhaps she wasn't satisfied with the snapshots, so she switched to video mode and recorded the entire fireworks display.

After the fireworks ended, Ding Ying didn't follow us. Lin Qingying and I drove directly to the famous local tourist attraction, Moonlight Pedestrian Street.

Shortly after, we arrived at our destination.

Upon reaching the overpass, a chilly wind was blowing, but the scenic spot was bustling with people.

The reason why Moonlight Pedestrian Street is famous is because the moon is artificial. Tengshan City is a mountain city, and there are still mountains running through the city. So, at the end of the pedestrian street, the local government created a moon on the mountain. At night, the moon and the mountain blend together, which looks quite beautiful.

"Ding Han, could you take a picture for me?"

Lin Qingying leaned against the glass railing at the edge of the overpass, gesturing for me to take a picture of her with the artificial moon behind her.

I'm an expert at this, so I quickly snapped a picture and was quite satisfied. The main reason is that Lin Qingying's looks are stunning. Standing in the crowd, she seems to be on a completely different level. The moment she stands there, many people's eyes are drawn to her.

"Are you satisfied with this? If not, we'll retake it." I sent the photos over.

Lin Qingying received the photo, glanced at it, and then looked up and smiled, "It's beautiful, I like it very much. Ding Han, let me take a picture of you too, stand over there."

"Good."

I immediately straightened my clothes and stood there very solemnly.

Lin Qingying snapped several photos in quick succession and sent them over one by one. To be honest, when I'm serious, you can still tell I'm kind of handsome; I wouldn't be completely lost in a crowd.

Then I saw Lin Qingying standing in the cold wind, looking down at her phone, and she seemed hesitant.

I leaned closer and saw that she was posting on her Moments. The photo she posted was the one I had just taken of her, but she was still hesitant, unsure whether she should post it.

"Post it, otherwise your Moments will be too monotonous, no... more than monotonous, it's practically lifeless."

"Oh!"

She nodded, then quickly typed in two words: "Copywriting".

"With you."

The next second, Lin Qingying actually posted the photo; this was her first time ever posting on Moments.

Then, she looked at me.

"Cough cough..."

I coughed, picked up my phone, and posted this photo of myself on Moonlight Pedestrian Street, along with the caption "With you."

"You stole my copy, didn't you?" she laughed.

"How can you call something a scholar does stealing? That's called borrowing!" I retorted.

"Let's go take a look over there."

"Good."

The two continued walking along the overpass.

Just then, her phone suddenly rang. When she picked it up, she saw that it was Lu Xiaobei calling.

"Ding Han!"

The moment the call connected, Lu Xiaobei asked, "Are you with Lin Qingying?"

"Um..."

"Are you with her?"

I felt a chill run down my spine and said, "No."

"So, do you like her?" Lu Xiaobei continued to press.

"Yes."

I never intended to keep Lu Xiaobei hanging, so I made a tough decision and gave him my answer.

"Ding Han, you..."

Lu Xiaobei hung up the phone.

When I called back later, she had already blocked me from all over the internet again.

Instantly, my mood plummeted, so I called Milo.

Happy New Year!

Milo laughed and said, "We don't need to call each other to wish each other a Happy New Year, do we?"

"What kind of New Year's greetings are you talking about?"

I said helplessly, "Lu Xiaobei has blocked me again."

"Holy crap, my god, what the hell did you do to her again?"

I explained what happened.

"Fine, you're awesome..."

Milo said, "Just tell Lu Xiaobei you like Lin Qingying directly. That's how a man does things. But doing it this way hurts Xiao Bei too much."

"Milo."

I frowned and said, "I know Xiao Bei likes me, and I never intended to hurt her with Xiao Bei feelings for me, but I really don't know how to handle this. Why don't you call her and try to persuade her?"

"Knew."

Milo said, "Actually... there's something I shouldn't have kept from you. Several days ago, Xiao Bei asked me for your address. I figured out the exact address by going through a maze of twists and turns on the Left Hand. Although Xiao Bei is spending the New Year with her father in BH City today, she already booked a flight to Tengshan City for tomorrow morning, wanting to give you a surprise. I didn't expect you to give her such a surprise."

"Stop talking."

I was dejected. "I'm so sorry to Lu Xiaobei."

"You know that's good. I'm not going to say anything more. I'm going to call her."

"Um."

"Whose call was that?" Lin Qingying asked from the overpass, the cold wind howling.

"Lu Xiaobei's."

I didn't hide anything, but I didn't say much either. I said, "Xiaoying, let's walk a little further and then go eat stewed chicken and guokui (a type of flatbread). Let's get up early tomorrow. In the morning, we'll visit the Tengshan City Botanical Garden, and in the afternoon, we'll go to the Tengshan City Museum to learn about the local history and culture."

"Okay, sure~~"

She nodded with a smile.

So the two went out for a late-night snack, and finally returned home around 11 p. m.

Old Ding was watching the Spring Festival Gala in the living room. When he saw us come back, he quickly tucked his clothes in and said, "You're back? I'm going to bed, I can't stay up any longer. Son, there are clean bedding in Xiaolin's wardrobe, can you make her room?"

"Knew."

Afterwards, Old Ding went back to his room, Lin Qingying washed up, and I helped her make up the quilt. Then we each went back to our rooms to rest.

The next day, I was woken up early by the sound of firecrackers. Old Ding had cooked some glutinous rice balls and dumplings and pushed open my bedroom door. "Son, the glutinous rice balls and dumplings are in the pot. Remember to eat some with Xiao Lin later. I'm going to play cards with Old Zhang and the others."

"Good."

I hurriedly got up, washed up, woke up Lin Qingying, and then we ate glutinous rice balls together.

"Let's go, the botanical garden will definitely be crowded today, we need to get there early."

"Uh-huh!"

She tidied her hair in front of the mirror, then quickly followed me out the door.

Downstairs.

"Um?"

Suddenly, I noticed a two-tone luxury car parked downstairs. It was a Maybach S900, not far from Lin Qingying's Bentley. A man and a woman were standing next to the car. The man looked to be around 30 years old and was handsome. The woman was wearing a black coat and was about the same age, with above-average looks.

Who are this man and woman? Logically, there shouldn't be anyone like them in our neighborhood.

"Xiao Ying!"

The moment the man saw Lin Qingying, he immediately approached her, his face filled with anxiety. He said, "I've finally found you! There's been an accident at Yue Ning Energy's factory in LN City. There was an explosion for some unknown reason. The city radio station sent someone to report it immediately, without even informing us. I suspect someone is targeting Yue Ning Energy. Your sister-in-law and I just happened to be passing by and have already booked a flight for you. We have to leave right away."

"What? Why didn't you call me sooner?" Lin Qingying asked in surprise.

The man was busy explaining.

"You must be Ding Han?"

The woman approached and said, "I forgot to introduce myself. This is Xiaoying's brother, Lin Yue, and I am her sister-in-law, Jiang Xiaoyun. Xie Xie you for bringing Xiaoying to Tengshan to relax, but this incident happened suddenly, and Xiaoying must immediately go with us to the Northwest to deal with this emergency at Yue Ning Energy, so I apologize."

"I'll go tidy up."

Lin Qingying looked terrible. She rushed upstairs and came back down in less than five minutes with her suitcase. She handed me the car and house keys and said, "Ding Han, I have to go..."

"Yes, the group's affairs are more important." I nodded.

The next moment, Lin Qingying got into the S900, while Jiang Xiaoyun glanced at me with a hint of mockery in her eyes and said with a smile, "Ding Han, this period has been very difficult for Xiaoying. I'm grateful to have you as a friend by her side, but... don't take it too seriously."

With that, she turned and left, and the S900 quickly left the neighborhood and disappeared from my sight.

I had no interest in understanding Jiang Xiaoyun's implied meaning; this day had been too tumultuous for me.

Evening arrived in the blink of an eye.

Lin Qingying did not send any messages.

At this moment, the person beside me was neither Lu Xiaobei nor Lin Qingying, but Fatty.

"Lin Yue Lin Junting's adopted son, and also Lin Qingying's adopted brother. He was adopted by Lin Junting and later became one of Lin Junting's key generals in expanding his business empire. As for Jiang Xiaoyun, she is the eldest daughter of Yun Que Holdings. She married into the Lin family with her own investment and received 5% of the shares in Yue Ning Group. Both of them are considered to be members of Lin Qingying's faction."

As the fat man looked at the information, he described the two men's identities in detail.

"Lin Qingying hasn't sent you a message yet?" he asked.

"Um."

I sat on the edge of the overpass, watching the street singer perform. His singing was mediocre, not as good as Milo's.

"Sigh, he's probably busy."

The fat man said helplessly, "I'll call home and tell you I won't be home for dinner today. How about we go out for a drink? Or maybe..."

He took out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, and handed it to him.

After lighting the cigarette, I took a deep drag, which made me choke and feel nauseous. I don't know what's so good about this stuff.

Disappointed?

He suddenly asked in a soft voice.

"A little."

I frowned. "But it can be overcome!"

"Haha, that's right. How could the Shadow Chaser, who roams the wilderness, be defeated by such a small setback? Besides, this crisis at Yue Ning Energy is a major event. It's basically all over the news headlines. If Yuening doesn't handle this public relations well, it might lose its dominant position in the industry."

The fat man chuckled, "Lin Qingying must be overwhelmed with work right now, so it's only natural that she can't spare any attention for you."

I remained silent.

Just then, her phone beeped. A message from Lin Qingying: "I'm already in LN City. I just finished up and am on my way back to the hotel."

I did not reply.

She continued, "Ding Han, are you very disappointed?"

I stared at my phone, unsure how to answer.

"Sorry..."

Lin Qingying continued to send messages, "I originally wanted to spend more time with you..."

"Sorry..."

She sent a crying emoji.

My heart was filled with mixed feelings. My finger hovered over the screen, but I didn't know how to reply.

A minute later, Lin Qingying sent another message: "Are you angry? Don't be angry with me, okay?"

I felt a little sad, and replied to her with:

"I like you."

After replying to that message, I looked up and watched the street musician playing his guitar and singing, and I began to feel uneasy.

Two full minutes passed before my phone vibrated again; it was a message from Lin Qingying:

I like you too.