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The Illusion of Addiction
墨書 Inktalez
He lowered his head to check his watch, then looked up just in time to see a shadow dart past him, stirring up a gust of wind. In the blink of an eye, the shadow stumbled back toward him.
A wet hand quickly covered his mouth and pushed him hard against the wall.
Feng Ning's heart was still racing as she huddled motionless under the shoulder of a stranger, secretly gasping for breath while wiping the droplets of water from her face with the back of her hand.
Moments later, several security guards rushed over, shouting and looking around. She instinctively tightened her grip around the waist of the person in front of her.
They paused for a moment before chasing off in another direction.
A faint scent of citrus wafted by her nose, and Feng Ning belatedly tilted her head back to look at the person whose mouth she was covering.
He was very tall.
As her gaze traveled upward, her breath caught for a moment.
The face in front of her was extremely close. He had short black hair, light eyelashes, and a small brown mole near his brow. His eyes were misty, with long, curled outer corners reflecting the pouring rain outside, creating an indescribable allure.
Feng Ning's hand went slack.
Everything happened too quickly; the dazed boy finally snapped out of his shock from being assaulted and instinctively pushed her away as if shocked.
“Shh, don’t shout. They haven’t gone far,” Feng Ning said, pressing her index finger to her lips and glancing around. She hurriedly explained, “I’m not a bad person. I was just doodling over there and got chased by the security here.”
She had just run in from the rain, completely soaked through. The deep blue eyeshadow on her eyelids had smudged, and a skull necklace gleamed on her chest. Silver studs adorned her ears, and there was a bandage on her chin with a hint of blood visible beneath it.
Silently, the boy looked down at his damp jacket with a frown of disgust. The little delinquent seemed unfazed, meeting his gaze with an expression that said she was a rebel who feared no one.
He looked at her as if she were just a pile of scrap metal. With a hint of habitual disdain, he unzipped his coat, hesitated for no moment, took off his clothes, and tossed them to the ground.
This person had an air of superiority about him, surveying others from top to bottom. In line with the luxury store signs above, he exuded a similarly noble and aloof demeanor.
Feng Ning wanted to laugh but held it back. She glanced at the designer coat discarded at her feet and calmly said, "Hey handsome, do you have such a bad temper?"
The boy restrained himself and replied coldly, "Yeah."
"Alright, if you don't want it, I'll take it as a raincoat." Feng Ning had developed a thick skin since childhood; she was neither embarrassed nor awkward. Calmly bending down, she picked up the coat and cheerfully waved it in the air. "Hehe, thanks!"
He shot her a glance and didn't want to say anything more. He took out his headphones and expressionlessly put them on.
Jiang Yuyun was signing the bill at the counter while wearing a trench coat. Yiqiao twirled the car keys with her fingers, sharing a joke she had heard from someone just yesterday.
These two were well-known socialites in South City. A few salespeople quietly listened as they made snide remarks about others, used to it by now, efficiently packing their items.
"Arthur is coming back to the country soon, did you know?"
"Yeah." Jiang Yuyun paused her pen and raised an eyebrow. "So?"
"This dog of a man got drunk at someone's birthday party yesterday and acted all high and mighty, saying he can't forget you. It was hilarious. His girlfriend almost lost it and has been asking around about who you are today."
The transparent glass door slid open, and the two walked outside. Jiang Yuyun swayed in her designer high heels and coldly snorted, "What do I care? Those people really think too highly of themselves."
Yiqiao stretched her neck to sneak a look at a boy not far away but was caught by Jiang Yuyun, who shot her a glare. "My brother just started high school."
"Tsk, what are you thinking? I'm not that crazy!" Yiqiao feigned anger and nudged her friend's shoulder. "But your brother is quite handsome; no wonder he's from the Jiang family. How many girls will he break hearts when he grows up?"
Jiang Yuyun let out a hum from her throat, saying, "He has a glass heart." She continued, "You probably don't know, but when we were kids, my mom went to the mountain to have his fortune told. The fortune teller said my brother would have smooth sailing in life, but he would never escape the trials of love."
Yiqiao chuckled, "Trials of love? Which woman can bear to see him get hurt?"
"Xiao Wen, let's go." Jiang Yuyun walked over, took off her sunglasses, and looked her brother up and down in surprise, saying, "Hey, where are your clothes?"
Jiang Wen pulled off one side of his earphone wire and answered absentmindedly, "I ran into a female thug."
The female thug happily returned home.
Qilan's gaze fell on her daughter, who was drenched from head to toe. "What happened to you?"
"I went out to play today without an umbrella." Feng Ning politely greeted the aunt at the mahjong table, wiped her long hair with a towel, and casually stood by to watch her cards.
Aunt Li glanced at her. "Xiao Ning, did your grades come out? How did you do?"
Amidst the crisp sound of mahjong tiles, Feng Ning smiled and replied, "Not bad."
"What school?"
"Qide."
"Wow, Qide? That's impressive!" Aunt Li praised her bright future and exaggeratedly sighed, "If my son could be half as outstanding as Xiao Ning, I would wake up laughing from my dreams."
Qilan drew an eight of circles and laughed heartily, pretending to be modest. "Well, you haven't seen her when she's disobedient; I really can't stop worrying."
"Yes, Sister Lan, you've worked so hard over the years. I can't tell you how comforting it is to see my daughter doing so well."
Feng Ning's father passed away early, and Qilan, being a non-local, had no relatives to turn to as a single mother with an orphaned child. Worried that her young daughter might suffer, Qilan chose not to remarry. She worked in a beauty salon, sold clothes, and tried her hand at various sales jobs. After much effort, she managed to get Feng Ning into Junior High School and opened a Mahjong Parlor with her savings, finally making life a bit easier.
Feng Ning said with a playful grin, "Mom, you take your time; I'm going to take a shower."
Qilan looked up briefly and called out, "Oh right, Auntie has something to do today. Remember to help out in the kitchen for dinner."
After tidying up, Feng Ning returned to her room, habitually humming a tune as she pulled back the curtains to let the sunlight in.
She leaned on the windowsill for a moment. After the summer rain, the grapevine leaves glistened with droplets, cicadas were calling hoarsely, and under the shade of the trees, an old man from the neighboring yard dozed off in his rocking chair.
She grabbed half a chilled watermelon from the fridge in the kitchen.
Lying comfortably on the window seat, she munched on the watermelon while browsing Taobao. Suddenly, she remembered that coat she had picked up for free. With a typical small-town mindset, Feng Ning searched for similar styles at the boutique.
As the webpage refreshed with prices, she was jolted awake by the shocking figures; her phone nearly slipped from her hands. She knew designer brands were expensive but never expected them to be this pricey!
Feng Ning clicked her tongue; that spoiled young master really had money.
A big yellow dog wagged its tail and jumped up beside her, letting out a soft whine before curling up in the corner. She closed the webpage and sent a WeChat message to Shuang Yao.
Feng Ning: "Quickly tell Xiao Zhao that it's his birthday tomorrow; Sister Ning will definitely give him a big gift."
Shuang Yao: "You said you'd give him a big gift last year too, but all you gave him was a bottle of Blue Moon!"
Feng Ning: "That was last year; does it really matter?"
Shuang Yao: "You're just too stingy. When Xiao Zhao got home, he found his mom holding the exact same laundry detergent. They stared at each other in disbelief, and his mom even said it was a gift from your Mahjong Parlor..."
Feng Ning laughed so hard he rolled over, while Beibei jumped into his arms, nuzzling against him.
Turning over, she freed one hand to pet the fluffy dog's head and typed: "Isn't it just perfect timing for the Mahjong Parlor to reward loyal customers with gifts? I picked one out to tease him. Don't worry, to make up for the emotional trauma Xiao Zhao suffered last year, this year's birthday gift will have him kneeling and calling me 'Dad'!"
The summer vacation passed especially quickly, and before they knew it, it was the day of reporting. The summer in South City had the sun blazing overhead, the sky was blue, and heat waves rolled in.
The hallway was packed with people—both male and female, teachers and students alike.
Jiang Wen wore a thin polo shirt, one hand in his pocket, leaning casually against the door frame.
In the sweltering summer heat, his short hair was slightly damp with sweat, tiny beads of perspiration clung to the tip of his nose. His strikingly handsome features stood out in the bustling crowd, drawing glances from passing girls who couldn't help but steal a few looks before whispering to each other.
After being observed for a while, his temper began to rise, though he didn't show it on his face.
"Damn you, you bitch! In such a serious campus, why are you dressed so provocatively? What are you trying to achieve?"
The female voice responded without hesitation, lazily saying, "Why bother with that? Mind your own business."
Upon hearing those words, Jiang Wen felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with that voice. He instinctively turned his head but found a completely unfamiliar face.
At that moment, the girl fully turned around. She had her bag slung over one shoulder and was chatting with someone nearby. The slight lift at the corners of her eyes and eyebrows gave her an air of wildness accentuated by a band-aid on her chin.
He took a moment to assess her and suddenly remembered.
The little delinquent from a rainy day.
She had removed her heavy makeup, revealing a fair face with delicate features that made her look strikingly beautiful at first glance. She wore a light-colored tank top with a low neckline, accentuating her slim waist. Paired with a matching pleated skirt and sandals, her long legs were prominently exposed, showcasing a curve that flaunted a sensuality not typical for someone her age.
Before he could gather his thoughts, Feng Ning noticed him. Jiang Wen immediately turned his gaze elsewhere.
She seemed slightly surprised, hesitating for two seconds before widening her eyes and breaking into a grin. "Wow! What a coincidence, handsome! I didn't expect to run into you here. Do you remember me?"
Despite her enthusiastic greeting, there was no smile on Jiang Wen's face. He remained calm, pretending not to hear her and didn’t even glance in her direction.
Just then, the person he was waiting for emerged. He nudged the wall with his elbow and stood up straight. With an expression that suggested he preferred looking down at others, he coldly walked past her without a word.
Zhao Binlin was used to such situations; he casually draped an arm over Jiang Wen's shoulder and turned back to smile at them in a teasing manner. "Ladies, my brother is hard to catch. Remember to change your pickup lines next time."
Feng Ning rolled her eyes internally but kept smiling cheerfully. "Got it."
Once they were far away, Shuang Yao's eyes sparkled as she slapped Feng Ning on the back. "Who do you know? Spill it!"
Feng Ning nearly stumbled forward, steadying herself against the wall as she shot an angry glare back at her. "Could you be gentler? Know what? Do we look like we know each other?"
Shuang Yao pushed her forward. "I just quickly assessed his entire outfit. Oh my god, just getting one look from him feels like an assault on my self-esteem."
"Why's that?"
"Because everything about him screams that he's rich and noble while making it clear that you're not worthy."
"Awesome, and it even rhymes!" Feng Ning laughed before lowering her voice. "By the way, remember I need to give that outfit to Xiao Zhao?"
Shuang Yao suddenly realized, "He's the one you mentioned, that rich young master?!"
"That's right." Feng Ning sighed heavily. "It's him. Not only does he have a serious case of prince syndrome, but he's also a generous spender."
Shuang Yao lamented, "What a shame he's so handsome. But whether he's sick or not, it's as if anyone would care about you."
"Is that so? How about I make a bet with you?" Feng Ning said playfully, extending her index finger and shaking it back and forth. "One month."
Shuang Yao responded with a puzzled hum.
"In one month, I can win him over."
Shuang Yao had no words, using the back of her hand to check Feng Ning's forehead, hesitating to speak. "...You're not running a fever. Maybe think about whether you're worthy first."
"You think I'm just bragging?" Feng Ning looked ahead and said slowly, "I've seen countless boys who pretend to look down on me while actually putting on an act."
She leaned against the railing, her arms crossed behind her head, letting the wind tousle her skirt as she laughed arrogantly. "He was just lost in thought watching me walk by; what's he pretending for?"
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