Chapter 9 - Domineering

Chapter 9-DomineeringTranslator-zyzy Editor-Aru

“This year’s first place.” The host stopped, “Student Meng Ting, 142 marks.”

Meng Ting stood up.

She couldn’t believe that she really won.

Her heart started to race, $8000……

He Jun Ming below was confused too: “What……did I just win the bet?”

Fang Tan and He Han also froze.

He Jun Ming: “ She’s so smart oh my god.”

Jiang Ren laughed out loud without any clear reason why.

Ha Han said: “Boss Ren, where are you going?”

Jiang Ren didn’t reply to his question and walked out on his own.

The organizers were very efficient, the top 3 places were given their prizes on the spot as they got up the stage. Every one of them got a corresponding certificate, and also a banking card.

Lu Yue stood beside Meng Ting, her facial expression not looking very good.

She got first place for the last few years, she thought that this year wouldn’t be any different, but Meng Ting took her spot.

Come to think of it, Lu Yue’s own mentality contributed to the problem, all her attention was on Jiang Ren, even as she studied, she couldn’t focus on her book, in the past years, she could get at least 140 marks, but this year she only got 136 marks, as she wasn’t very matured, her thinking showed quite obviously. 

Lu Yue already adjusted her facial expression as she got on stage, she smiled at Meng Ting and said: “Congratulations junior.”

Meng Ting wasn’t good at socialising, she softly said in return: “Thank you, and congratulations to you too, senior Lu Yue.”

Lu Yue’s heart went cold, it’s just first place right? Someone like Meng Ting, she’s met so many people like her while growing up, poor and frugal, like grey dust in the air,  except for her slightly outstanding results, they had no other talents.

But Lu Yue, she’s pretty, her family was well off, her good results was only one of the small things in her list that she was good at. What she had, Meng Ting could never have for her entire life.

The only thing that she was embarrassed about, is that she told Jiang Ren that she’ll show him that she’ll get first place, but now that turned into second place.

After the photographer finished the group photo session, students started to leave to head home. Majority of the parents were comforting their children who lost the competition, together they walked out of the art centre.

Meng Ting walked at the back of the crowd.

She was carrying a blue backpack, it was already afternoon then, the sun was shining bright.

The sun hanging high, she couldn’t help but look down, her hands softly placed in front of her forehead. Colourful balloons were hung up outside, to celebrate the arrival of Thanksgiving.

A slender and strong-arm appeared in front of her eyes.

The teen was also wearing black leather gloves, holding a pink ice cream: “Meng Ting.”

She was surprised, she looked up at him.

He smiled: “Why are you looking at me, take it.”

Meng Ting didn’t really want to see him and didn’t want to accept his things, she looked down at the tip of her shoes: “Can I not?”

“Try saying another word.”

He really was so mean. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the N0vᴇlFire(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

Meng Ting didn’t have any other choice and reached out to accept it.

This year, delicate ice creams like these weren’t so popular in the country. After growing up and her mother passing away, she never bought snacks anymore. Time flew by, in her memories, ice cream were all in small packagings, either for $1, or 50 cents.

The one in her hand wasn’t like this.

It was shaped like a little crown.

Expensive Italian ice cream.

She’s seen this a few years later, one costs over 100 dollars.

The water from the small fountain was crystal clear, she was forced to hold onto it, slightly flustered by the situation.

Meng Ting was really scared that he would like her just as what happened in her past life. So she built up the courage to ask him: “Why are you giving me this?”

Jiang Ren looked down at her, noticed that she was slightly anxious, he smiled freely: “Why? Because I lost the bet. Just eat it when you’re told to, stop rambling so much.”

Meng Ting sighed out of relief, her tone softened: “Thank you.”

She smelled good, you could smell it as she got closer.

She smelled like the first bloom of flowers in summer, light and fresh.

“Meng Ting, are your results good?”

Meng Ting didn’t know what to answer: “Average”

Jiang Ren couldn’t contain his smile.

She felt slightly embarrassed: “What are you laughing at?”

“Laughing at you for being so fake, if it’s good then it’s good, what do you mean by average.”

Maybe in her world, since young, she’s been taught this way. To be modest, gentle, and not boastful. Jiang Ren’s presence was like the most rebellious ray of light, cutting through all modest lies. Meng Ting’s face turned red, as she couldn’t fight back.

“I’m going home.” she took a step back, distancing herself from him.

Jiang Ren slightly smiled: “I’ll send you back then.”

Meng Ting, completely shocked, hurriedly shook her head: “It’s okay, there’s the bus.”

Jiang Ren’s smile slowly faded.

Meng Ting already turned and left, her pace was slow, Jiang Ren could only look at her figure from the back. He couldn’t explain why, but he just wanted to be reckless.

He Jun Ming shockingly looked from afar, wasn’t boss ren not participating in the bet?

Jiang Ren walked over, and threw him the keys to his bike: “Send my car back for me.”

“Okok.”

Seeing as he was leaving after he finished, Lu Yue suddenly said: “Jiang Ren!”

Jiang Ren impatiently said: “Speak.”

“You didn’t come to cheer me on today right?”

Jiang Ren laughed: “What do you think.”

Lu Yue’s eyes turned red: “ You came for her……but everyone in our school knows about her eyes……”

Jiang Ren coldly looked at her: “I dare you to complete your sentence.”

Lu Yue suddenly felt terrified, in her heart, she felt disappointed. After all, everyone knew Jiang Ren’s background, she originally thought that she had a chance, after he broke up with Sheng Yu Qing, but seeing the looks of it now, it wasn’t like what she thought.

He actually came for Meng Ting.

However, there was something wrong with Meng Ting’s eyes. But under Jiang Ren’s stern gaze, Lu Yue couldn’t say another word.

She could only watch Jiang Ren leave.

He Han dazed for a while: “I think Boss Ren is kind of interested in Meng Ting.”

He Jun Ming looked at the keys in his hand, like the world was going to collapse: “What a weird preference in girls.” He still remembered the “Meng Ting” on the student card until now.

Fang Tan wasn’t sure, and said after a while: “Don’t think too much, Jiang Ren won’t be serious about it.”

~

The bus to Meng Ting’s home is bus 382. 10 minutes for one shift, and it came by quite fast.

As she hopped in, it was a peak period, where everyone just ended work. It was so crowded on the bus.

The bus driver spoke in a native dialect, asking everyone to step back.

Meng Ting swiped her transport card and reached out for the handle above her.

The second before the bus door closed shut, Jiang Ren got on.

It was his first time taking the bus in his life, he looked in and all he could see were heads, and couldn’t help but tssk.

The bus driver used crappy Chinese proficiency to remind him: “Young man, you either pay in cash, or you swipe the card.”

“How much?”

“One dollar.”

Jiang Ren looked through his pockets, after a while, he looked up at Meng Ting, and smiled slightly devilish: “Sir, I don’t have a card nor do I have money.”

The whole bus went quiet.

Even the bus driver froze for a while, so what now, you want to be a free rider?

“Then you have to get down.”

Meng Ting also followed the crowd’s gaze and looked over, everyone was looking at him with weird stares, but he didn’t care.

Meng Ting’s heart started to race and was hoping for him to get down too.

“Good student, lend me your card.”

Meng Ting looked into his black eyes, and worked up the courage: “Just drive home.”

Jiang Ren couldn’t help but smile: “So cruel of you.” 

He sees as Meng Ting refused to help, and took a $100 red note from his wallet and threw it across.

The bus driver was taken aback: “You this……” he didn’t say anything else and started the car.

Meng Ting frowned, no change was given in the bus, so Jiang Ren spent $100 on a bus ride? She couldn’t help but feel guilty, if she had lent him her card, he wouldn’t be so tragic.

This year, the transport system wasn’t as convenient yet, it was very crowded on the bus.

Jiang Ren was tall, the space felt even more cramped for him.

The bus shook, Meng Ting nearly bumped into the middle-aged man in front of her a few times. A hand with black leather gloves on grabbed her on the wrist and pulled her over.

“Jiang Ren.”

“En.”

Meng Ting said: “Let go of me.’

“If I let go, can you stand firmly on your own?

Her face turned red: “I can.”

He laughed softly, domineering as usual: “Don’t talk.”

And turned to the man behind him: “ Squeeze, try touching me again.” he spoke without a sense of doubt and didn’t care if he was being rude.

The man wanted to fight back, but as he looked at Jiang Ren, he chickened out.

The young man was tall, silver hair with diamond earrings, giving of gangster vibes. He didn’t dare to talk, and could only shift outwards.

Jiang Ren’s fierce tone made Meng Ting slightly scared, she could only try her best to distance herself from him.

Jiang Ren looked back and saw her like this, twitching his lips: “What are you scared of, I’m not scolding you.”

Meng Ting’s face turned slightly red, but he really is very fierce.

She held tight on the metal railing beside her, she didn’t talk.

The bus started to become quite spacious.

The bus rocked along the way, the final stop wasn’t too far from Meng Ting’s house. She noticed that something was off, Jiang Ren’s expression didn’t look good.

He tightly bit on his lips, his eyebrows furrowed.

He was experiencing motion sickness.

Meng Ting looked down and started to walk towards her house.

Jiang Ren was extremely frustrated, because of the sudden surge of nausea.

“Meng Ting.”

She looked back.

“Why didn’t you eat the food that I got you?”

The ice cream in her hands had already melted, but she didn’t even eat a bite. He saw as Meng Ting kept quiet, his gaze turned slightly cold, he walked a few steps towards her: “Fine then, if you look down at me then forget about it.”

He snatched it over and straight away threw it in the dustbin beside them.

Dong.

He looked up at him.

They were standing close to each other, behind the black lens, her clear pearly eyes looked slightly disappointed.

How can he be so domineering?

If he’s in the mood to give then he’ll give, in the mood to throw it away then he’ll throw.

Forget about it…… She wouldn’t be with him for the rest of her life, so there’s nothing much to argue about.

She thought for a long time, softly said: “Reach out your hand.”

Her hair was soft, under the sun, it looked slightly of a warmer tone. Jiang Ren cold, Meng Ting softly said: “Sorry, it’s my fault.”

His fingertips shuddered, slowly reaching out his hand.

It was starting to turn chilly in November.

The air was fresh.

He looked down, in his black gloves, was one small lemon flavoured candy.