Chen Kuang urged to start earlier, so as not to delay rest and normal work.
However, he completely did not know, with his kind of intensity, even if starting early and ending early, Qiao Ling still completely did not have the ability to walk out the door like a normal person the next day.
After an extremely stimulating x-love, Qiao Ling felt that the comfortable feeling of curling up in his arms and sleeping deeply in the latter half of the night added another layer of sublimation filter to the experience of this first night.
Because her body felt like it had fallen apart, sore all over, around eight thirty in the morning, when she turned over, she was woken up by the pain, and did not close her eyes again.
The curtains were not drawn, outside was a stretch of white, cold air drilling in through the gaps, Qiao Ling wore his T-shirt still somewhat thin, curled up like a little bug into his arms to hide.
Chen Kuang was still sleeping, felt her drilling over, stretched his arm to pull her in, subconsciously pressed the quilt down on her.
Qiao Ling scratched at the corner of her eye, raised her head, eyes staring pitifully at his sleeping face.
They had known each other for almost four months already, how come she still couldn’t get tired of looking at this face?
Such a high nose bridge oh… eyelashes even denser than a girl’s, and this mouth… steadily sexy, the only flaw is just that when kissing her, always kissed too hard.
When eyes are closed, Chen Kuang’s features were extremely cold, also extremely fierce.
But she knew, when these eyes opened, the sun hidden inside would emit gentleness.
Qiao Ling remembered the topic the two of them talked about before making love last night, only then reacted.
So it’s really no need to worry about long-distance anymore.
Chen Kuang was going to settle in Binyang, living here in the future, developing, planning to buy a house in the city where she grew up, and would also marry her…
Clearly just a few months ago, she still thought she was destined not to meet someone she liked so much in life, planned to live her whole life swinging a silver hammer.
Thinking back one by one, in the short changing of seasons, in the ordinary little days, truly someone remarkable appeared in her life.
And this person, happened to become her most special person.
Qiao Ling stretched out her hand, fingers tracing lightly in the air, sketching his brows, eyes, nose.
He was sleeping so soundly.
Didn’t know from which day, Chen Kuang already no longer suffered from insomnia, sometimes had to call him several times before he would wake up.
She rolled around in his arms back and forth, in the end still woke up the sleeping person, Chen Kuang frowned slightly, pressed Qiao Ling into his arms not letting her move around, muttered a sentence: “…not sleeping anymore?”
Qiao Ling pillow on his arm, voice also drowsy: “Isn’t it all your fault.”
“This morning the temperature dropped.” Chen Kuang leaned against the top of her head, like talking in his sleep without waking up: “Snowed?”
She glanced outside, indeed was white, but just frost, no snow.
“Do you want to see snow?”
“Just heard that every year Binyang’s snow is very heavy.”
While Chen Kuang was speaking, the sleepiness also gradually dispersed, he difficultly opened a slit in his eyes, “Southerners haven’t really seen much snow, of course it feels fresh.”
“Recently the temperature is dropping so fast, I estimate it will snow very soon.” Qiao Ling hugged his waist, planning: “In the future, we can find a few days to take leave together, drive out, go to Snow Village.”
“The air over there is better, the snow finer, at night you can even see stars.”
“Okay.” He lifted her bangs, kissed her on the forehead.
“Tired or not?”
“My waist can’t move already.” She was dissatisfied, already had a bit of a ‘psychological shadow’, unhappily said: “Not doing it again in a short period of time, I’m scared of you.”
Chen Kuang laughed, his chest shaking so that her cheek followed feeling itchy.
“Be good.”
“Sleep a bit more with me.”
“Recently sleep quality has been especially good.”
Days accompanied by Binyang’s rapid temperature drop, whoosh whoosh, flipped a page.
Xie Lisheng and Chen Kuang officially finalized the employment relationship, also secured the building planned to open a branch, but even if it was a ready-made building, it still needed renovation. From now until launch, it was estimated to take a year’s time, then promotion, team confirmation, Chen Kuang’s official employment was estimated to be about a year and a half later.
This year and a half’s time, he still needed to go back and forth from Qinnan City headquarters from time to time, but compared to long-term long-distance with Qiao Ling, this was already the best arrangement.
Chen Kuang laid out the plan of returning to the IT circle to Qiao Jing and Xie Rouyin in full, Xie Rouyin naturally unconditionally supported him, although her own bar would lose a major player, and she would have to spend time and effort to dig up a new bartender again.
But as Chen Kuang’s long-time friend, she of course hoped he could soar high, have better development.
Moreover, now Xia Tian’s technique was getting more and more exquisite, also had that kind of pretty-boy milky-faced pleasing appearance, even without Chen Kuang, he could also hold up Epic’s small world.
During this year’s time, Chen Kuang would also from time to time help out at the bar, then slowly transition into a resigned state, giving Xia Tian, as well as the new bartender, buffer time.
Chen Kuang and Qiao Ling also temporarily decided to maintain dating status, marriage was still too early, waiting until Chen Kuang’s work at Binyang branch stabilized before considering wouldn’t be too late.
Anyway, house, car, money, the things needed for marriage were already prepared, it was just lacking a small red certificate. [小红证 xiao hong zheng, literally “small red certificate,” slang for marriage certificate in China.]
Beginning of November.
At noon, Chen Kuang drove to deliver goods to the bar to help out.
He glanced at his phone, and the WeChat conversation with Qiao Ling was still stuck at last night.
Before going out today, she said this morning she needed to do the final finishing work on Grandma’s Miao silver headpiece, told him not to send messages and disturb her, she wanted to cut off all messages and shut herself in for half a day.
So Chen Kuang had been waiting for her message.
Waiting for her to send over a picture of the finished product all excitedly on WeChat, asking to be praised.
At this time, Xia Tian was also in the shop, currently discussing with the store manager optimization plans for several drinks on the new cocktail menu, the two of them gathered together at the bar seriously discussing.
Xie Rouyin saw he had arrived, wrapped her fur shawl tightly around herself, “Quick, close the door, so cold, yo.”
“Just right, Xia Tian, whether to use lime or lemongrass, you discuss it with Chen Kuang again.”
“You guys, move the goods into the storage room, I’ll tell you where to put them.” She directed three waiters to go outside and carry things.
Chen Kuang walked behind the bar, washed his hands, glanced at the new cocktail menu.
“This drink, you guys still haven’t finalized it?”
“You’ve been adjusting it since two weeks ago, right?”
Several of the drinks on the new menu were co-created by Xie Rouyin, Xia Tian, and Chen Kuang, but the part Chen Kuang was responsible for had long been completed.
Only Xia Tian’s drink’s flavor still hadn’t been settled.
“Someone who’s about to resign, don’t come interfering with the bar’s internal matters.” Xia Tian slanted a glance at him, not letting him interrupt.
Chen Kuang wiped his hands, gave a light sneer: “Sorry, I still have to stay at least three more quarters.”
“Even if I resign, I’m still one of the investors, one of the people paying your salary.”
“Is that enough to interfere?”
Xia Tian: “……”
Most annoying—stinky rich people who use their position to pressure others.
“Did Xie Rouyin choose lime or lemongrass?” he asked.
Xia Tian poured both versions of the trial drink into two small cups, respectively handed them to him to taste, “She said lemongrass’s character would be more distinct.”
Chen Kuang tasted both versions of the new product, thought for a moment, “Just like she said, lemongrass gives a fresher sensation to the taste buds, guests who don’t understand alcohol will be bluffed.”
“But the layers are too complicated, the returning sweetness is all muddy, don’t you think?”
After hearing that, Xia Tian’s eyes lit up, very much agreeing.
“Right.”
“Still lime then. If it lacks character, just find an ingredient that won’t break the balance.” Chen Kuang washed the cup, expressing his own opinion.
Xia Tian nodded, scribbling and writing in his own notebook.
Chen Kuang turned off the faucet, tilted his head, staring at this colleague who had never gotten along with him since joining.
“Hey, I say.”
Xia Tian didn’t look up: “What.”
“If I really leave.” Chen Kuang’s gaze swept around this tastefully elegant bar, scanning the furnishings that used to be nothing special to him.
He teased the other: “Would you not be willing to part with me?”
“Would you be afraid that without me, customers wouldn’t want to come anymore?”
Xia Tian’s writing motion stopped, then looked at him full of disdain plus disgust: “Come on, you think too highly of yourself.”
“I now am a gold award-winning bartender from the big competition, who are you?”
“I can’t wait to not see your punchable face again.”
Chen Kuang hooked his lips into a smile, as if completely unsurprised by this answer, shrugged.
Xia Tian looked at him, seeming like he had something to say but holding back, pressed his spring ballpoint pen five or six times, finally still said: “I most hate working with salted fish with no ideals or ambition.”
[咸鱼 xián yú – literally “salted fish,” slang for someone with no ambition or motivation.]
“If you don’t like bartending… then seriously go do your drones.”
“Then I might look at you with a bit more respect.”
Chen Kuang’s lazy demeanor slowly shifted, didn’t reply, after a while, lowered his head and raised the ends of his eyes.
“That’s really an honor.”
Ding-dong—
Creak—
At this moment, the bar’s door was pushed open hurriedly by someone.
Everyone in the shop looked toward the entrance, only to see Qiao Ling wrapped in a thick scarf, her face full of excitement appearing at the doorway, eyes shining bright.
Chen Kuang froze, put down the thing in his hand, “Qiao Ling? How come you didn’t send me…”
“Chen Kuang!!” Qiao Ling shouted his name, interrupting.
Her delighted and charming appearance stirred people’s hearts, waving to him, then pointing outside the black-gold colored door, “Snow!!”
“Chen Kuang! It’s snowing heavily!”
Qiao Ling hopped and bounced, as if the snow falling was some fortune raining down from the sky, “Let’s go, go see the first snow.”
The shop’s staff all looked toward Chen Kuang again, Xie Rouyin stood not far away watching the two of them with much gratification, not forgetting to remind: “It’s minus ten degrees outside, wear more.”
Chen Kuang touched the bridge of his nose, helplessly chuckled, took the down jacket handed over by the waiter.
He carried the coat, walking slowly toward her, raising his arm from a few steps away, extending his hand over.
“Say it first, I’m not making snowmen.”
Qiao Ling held his hand, leading him out of the bar, “This year’s first snow came very late, but it just happened to be on the day I finished the dowry Grandma made for me. Tell me, doesn’t it seem like fate?”
Chen Kuang gazed into her eyes, steady and gentle, deliberately guiding: “Fated for what?”
She looked at how thinly he was dressed, took off the pink scarf that had been warmed up, hooked her hand to let him bend down.
Chen Kuang obediently bent down, letting her mess up his natural curly hair without holding back.
Qiao Ling wrapped the scarf around him, her eyes almost curving into cashew nuts, “Fated… mm…”
She tied a cute knot on the scarf, under his deep, warm gaze, answered cleverly.
“Fated that today, we have to eat a big portion of fried chicken.”
After saying that, the two of them quietly looked at each other for a few seconds.
Then tacitly smiled together.
—
[Suffering is a blazing fire that forges the soul.]
[But, if it is for this encounter—]
[I am willing to dance in the fire, forge and temper a promise.]
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