Hearing Song Meng’s soft words whisper in her ear, Jiang Ling felt a wave of warmth and security flow through her heart. She didn’t struggle, instead letting Song Meng lead her by the hand. As the advertisements began to roll across the big screen, Jiang Ling took the opportunity to take a deep breath, focusing her attention on the feature film as it slowly unfolded.
By the time the movie ended and the overhead lights abruptly flared on, Jiang Ling belatedly realized her eyes were wet. In truth, the movie didn’t have any intentionally melodramatic moments; it was simply a story of friends and companions overcoming numerous difficulties to finally defeat evil and live a happy, beautiful life together—a warm, perfect ending.
Yet, Jiang Ling had been moved to tears. She cried so much that everyone in the theater turned to look, casting suspicious glances at the slightly flustered Song Meng beside her.
“What are you crying for?” Song Meng looked at Jiang Ling, who wouldn’t stop sobbing in her seat, both amused and exasperated. She took her hand and pulled her up. “Let’s head out first. Other people have a movie to watch soon.”
“Waaaaah—” Even though Jiang Ling was crying a river, she followed Song Meng out of the screening room with a pouting face.
As soon as they stepped out, Song Meng took her almost immediately to the nearest McDonald’s downstairs. They sat in a quiet corner, and she ordered some snacks.
“The movie we watched wasn’t supposed to be a tear-jerker, right?” Song Meng looked helplessly at Jiang Ling, who was still rubbing her eyes, and handed her a few more tissues.
Jiang Ling’s voice had shifted from a full breakdown to small sobs. She stared with tear-filled eyes at Song Meng, who was looking at her gently, and asked blankly, “Am I a very selfish person?”
Hearing this sudden question, Song Meng froze for a moment, and her expression immediately turned serious. “Did someone say something to you?” After a short pause, she spoke again. “Why would you think that? Give me an example. What kind of selfish things do you think you’ve done?”
Song Meng didn’t offer perfunctory comfort but instead inquired patiently.
“I just suddenly felt like I’m always one-sidedly forcing my own ideas onto others…” Jiang Ling lowered her head, tearing at a tissue dampened by her tears, her voice muffled.
“Although I don’t know exactly what happened, thinking that way is a bit of an overestimation of yourself.” Song Meng smiled, took the mangled tissue from Jiang Ling’s hand, and stuffed two fresh ones into her palm. “Everyone is an adult. If it wasn’t of their own volition, how could they possibly follow your will just because of a few words from you?”
“The only possibility is that they already had those thoughts in their hearts, and you were just the catalyst that allowed their true feelings to be fully revealed. You and I are just ordinary people; we don’t have the kind of magic that can force others to obey our commands, do we?” Song Meng’s voice softened, her calm tone guiding Jiang Ling’s chaotic thoughts.
Hearing this, Jiang Ling’s sobbing stopped. She stared straight at Song Meng’s slightly moving lips, her mood gradually stabilizing.
Just then, the snack platter they ordered was ready. Song Meng pinched Jiang Ling’s face and reminded her, “Stop crying, or your eyes will hurt tomorrow.”
Watching Song Meng’s back as she got up to fetch the food, Jiang Ling didn’t look away for a long time. Song Meng’s words echoed in her mind, immediately followed by Shen Yue’s ruthless reprimand. The two vastly different voices collided and intertwined, making Jiang Ling’s head feel heavy and her ability to think sluggish.
“Eat something sweet to change your mood.” Song Meng brought the food back and placed it in front of Jiang Ling.
Despite her lack of appetite, Jiang Ling didn’t refuse Song Meng’s kindness and slowly began to put food into her mouth. After a couple of bites, her mood seemed to improve, and her movements quickened. It wasn’t until she had quietly finished a large bag of fries that she belatedly froze, looking at Song Meng with an apologetic expression. “Sorry, I…”
“Why are you apologizing to me?” Song Meng didn’t seem to care at all. “Besides, I wasn’t hungry. I only bought it because I was afraid you’d be exhausted from crying.” She watched as some color returned to Jiang Ling’s face before continuing her inquiry. “So, what actually happened?”
At the question, Jiang Ling lowered her eyes. After a moment of consideration, she told Song Meng everything that had happened. After all, Song Meng knew almost everything about her and had given her plenty of constructive advice in the past. Moreover, in Jiang Ling’s heart, she had long since categorized Song Meng as “one of her own,” so she naturally held nothing back.
After listening to Jiang Ling’s narrative, Song Meng’s expression turned slightly odd, and her voice carried a hint of confusion. “You’re saying that the composer who has always refused to give you a straight answer suddenly asked you out today to say those critical things?”
“Mm.” Recalling the scene now, Jiang Ling still felt a bit intimidated and could only nod silently.
“Don’t you find it very strange?” Song Meng’s eyebrows knitted slightly. “According to your description, she shouldn’t be that kind of person. For someone to undergo such a major change in such a short period of time… either she encountered something, or… she’s seen a ghost.”
“Pfft.” Jiang Ling couldn’t help but laugh. “What ‘seen a ghost’? That’s too much.”
“Otherwise, there’s no reason for it at all, right?” Song Meng continued seriously. “Anyway, this whole thing is ninety percent suspicious. I suggest you ask her about it again.”
Hearing Song Meng’s analysis, Jiang Ling also felt a trace of something being off, but if she had to ask Shen Yue for the specific reason… it would be too awkward! She had just been lectured to her face; how could she act as if nothing happened and send a message?
Was this the legendary “pressing a warm face against a cold butt”? Jiang Ling unconsciously touched her own face—which wasn’t exactly burning hot—and shook her head with extreme determination.
“I won’t!”
Song Meng watched her small face shaking like a fan on high speed and clicked her tongue, but she ultimately said nothing. If it were her, she could definitely solve this matter easily, but people were different. Jiang Ling’s sensitive and fragile personality meant she wouldn’t take the direct approach. Even if she did, her “glass heart” would likely take one step forward and ninety-nine steps back.
So Song Meng didn’t demand that she make any changes in the short term. Looking at the few crumbs left on the table, she thought for a moment and suggested, “How about you stay at my place tonight?”
Jiang Ling silently shifted her body, visibly moving further away from Song Meng.
“Don’t look at me like that, I really didn’t mean anything else.” Song Meng couldn’t help but laugh at her expression.
“I was really just asking in passing. Are your aunt and uncle…?”
“Not at home.”
“And you say you didn’t mean anything else?!”
Looking at the red flush rapidly spreading across Jiang Ling’s face, Song Meng tilted her head with a playful expression. “No, I just wanted to take my glass-hearted friend, who gets discouraged by a few words from others, to a different place to rest and adjust her mood.” She paused, showing a look that hovered between teasing and surprise. “Eh… what kind of messy things are you thinking about in that head of yours?”
Jiang Ling’s face turned even redder at the remark. In an instant, she forgot all those messy emotions and swung a fist toward Song Meng’s shoulder. “Song Meng!”
But she didn’t use any force. In fact, even if she had, Song Meng wouldn’t have felt much. So Song Meng just pretended to be in pain, clutching her shoulder and letting out a low laugh. “Ah, it hurts so much.”
“Can you put some emotion into it when you’re faking!” Jiang Ling had been teased to the point where she almost forgot what she was worried about. She pursed her lips and quickly stood up, reaching out a hand to Song Meng.
“What is it?” Song Meng naturally took her hand and gave it a little swing.
“Um… I want to go walk around the mall.” Jiang Ling opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn’t say much, only offering the suggestion somewhat unnaturally.
“No problem.” Although a bit confused, Song Meng quickly nodded. She walked out of McDonald’s with Jiang Ling and began to browse the mall.
Song Meng originally thought she wanted to turn her sadness into consumerism and go on a shopping spree, but in reality, Jiang Ling seemed to be looking for something specific. Her darting eyes made her look like a little rabbit. Song Meng followed her with a smile, letting her hand be gripped and released repeatedly.
“Hey!”
After walking for a while, Song Meng was almost dizzy from the circling. She heard Jiang Ling suddenly let out a joyful cry beside her. Following her gaze—it was a small booth for taking Polaroids.
Calling it a house wasn’t quite right, as it was just a narrow space with partitions acting like walls on the front, left, and right, creating a private area. The side facing them had a curtain that could be lifted at any time. Beside it, text and patterns kindly indicated: A set for XX yuan.
While Song Meng was looking at it intently, she felt her arm being pulled, and she followed Jiang Ling into the small booth without resistance.
What met her eyes was a machine Song Meng hadn’t used before. Of course, thanks to this convenient era, there were detailed instructions on the side explaining how to use it. Specifically, you choose a frame, the two people select the number of photos to take, then follow the prompts to shoot, and finally add stickers. The process was quite simple, or so Song Meng thought.
“What’s wrong? You want to take these?” Song Meng didn’t plan on refusing Jiang Ling’s sudden move; she was already starting to operate the machine.
“Mm… I thought it would help change my mood.” Jiang Ling nodded slightly, her eyes blinking. She looked inexplicably guilty.
But Song Meng, who was focused on tinkering with the machine, didn’t notice. She pointed at the various frames on the screen and asked, “Which one do you like?”
Jiang Ling looked over and chose a fresh white-and-blue color scheme almost without hesitation. The machine’s prompts immediately popped up on the screen. Watching the countdown, Jiang Ling reflexively flashed her idol smile and gave a universal peace sign. Song Meng watched her and did the same.
She didn’t know much about these things, so she figured she just needed to mimic Jiang Ling’s movements. After all, the person beside her was a currently active idol.
They had chosen a three-frame layout, so there were two more poses to go.
“Let’s make a heart?” Jiang Ling looked at some example photos nearby and quickly made the suggestion, swiftly forming half a heart with her hand between them.
Song Meng quickly completed the other half with a bright smile.
The final pose truly stumped Jiang Ling. She thought back and forth, and seeing the countdown about to end, she acted on impulse. She stood on her tiptoes and tilted her head toward Song Meng in one fluid motion.
*Snap—*
*Mwah.*
Song Meng’s brilliant smile froze on her face. She turned her head slowly in surprise, her finger touching the spot on her cheek where a lingering warmth remained. Her voice was hesitant. “You…”
“Haha! How long does it take for these photos to print?!” Jiang Ling’s face was completely red as she diverted the topic, constantly fanning herself with her hand. “This… this place is too small. It’s so hot…”
Looking at her shifting pupils, Song Meng felt as if a sweet spring was flowing through her heart. She wore a light smile and didn’t press the matter further.
However, the photos were printed quickly. Song Meng stared fixedly at the three-frame photo in her hand—or rather, the last frame. The image quality wasn’t great, and because the canvas was divided into three, it was somewhat blurry, but Song Meng stared at the image of Jiang Ling kissing her cheek, the smile on her lips deepening.
Beside her, Jiang Ling had long since covered her face with a mask of agony, steam seemingly rising from the top of her head. After a brief moment of mental collapse, Jiang Ling took advantage of Song Meng’s distraction and snatched the photo away with lightning speed, stuffing it into her pocket.
Meeting Song Meng’s questioning gaze, she spoke with righteous indignation, “I was the one who wanted to take it, so it’s mine—”
Seeing Jiang Ling’s obvious act of being unreasonable and making a scene, Song Meng thought she was both hilarious and cute. She didn’t bother to argue and simply complied with fond indulgence. “Fine, fine, fine.”
After taking the Polaroids, Jiang Ling didn’t seem to have any intention of browsing further and immediately took out her phone to call a ride. The two of them soon returned to Song Meng’s home.
“Meow?”
As they entered, Jiang Ling heard Xiao Ling let out a wary cry, its eyes staring straight at her. After a long moment, its bristling tail slowly lowered, and it began to pace slowly by her feet.
“See, the child almost didn’t recognize you.” Song Meng naturally didn’t miss this chance to tease Jiang Ling, her tone sounding pitiable. “It’s really not easy for a child from a single-parent home, boohoo~”
“Stop acting.” Jiang Ling rolled her eyes at her, picked up the still-cautious Xiao Ling, and took the cat treat Song Meng handed over. In just a few minutes, she regained Xiao Ling’s trust.
Watching her play with Xiao Ling, Song Meng felt her mood brighten considerably. She headed toward the bedroom to tidy up the bed. Seeing her enter the room, Jiang Ling seemed to suddenly remember something. She carefully set Xiao Ling down and followed Song Meng into the room with small steps.
Song Meng was standing to one side tidying the bed. Seeing her come in, she asked casually, “What is it?”
“Where’s your photo album?” Jiang Ling asked softly.
“On the desk.” Song Meng didn’t think too much of it, pointing toward the nearby desk as she finished smoothing out the bed in no time.
She turned around and found Jiang Ling sitting in the chair, staring intently at the album. She couldn’t help but curve her lips. “Why are you looking at it so seriously? Didn’t you already—”
Her words came to an abrupt halt.
The originally blank last page of the album was now filled by the Polaroid they had just taken. Jiang Ling tilted her head up slightly, her eyes shimmering with a watery light. She looked a bit nervous, and her voice stammered.
“This is… a gift for you.”