Beijing Colors Lingering

Shen Jinsui still felt awkward after returning to her bedroom. She was too embarrassed to continue facing Zhou Yancong, so she chose to leave first.

Shen Jinsui couldn't help but recall what Zhou Yancong had said: if he had confessed his feelings to her shortly after they met, she definitely wouldn't have agreed.

An hour later, Shen Jinsui received a message from Zhou Yancong: [Are you resting?]

Shen Jinsui: [No.]

The next second, a message from Zhou Yancong popped up in the chat: "I'm going abroad for work tomorrow and will be back in Beijing next Saturday."

Shen Jinsui was stunned for a few seconds. Was Zhou Yancong reporting his itinerary to her?

A moment later, she typed back: "Okay, then take care to adjust to the time difference."

A few seconds later, Zhou Yancong sent two messages:

Okay, I understand.

[After I return to China, could you please accept the gift I gave you today?]

Shen Jinsui naturally understood his meaning. A few seconds later, her slender, fair fingers tapped on the phone screen: 【Let's talk about it after you return to China.】

Zhou Yancong: [Okay.]

……

A few days later, on a sunny Thursday afternoon, the sun was shining brightly.

After Shen Jinsui left the publishing house, she saw a black Mercedes parked on the side of the road, and Ji Yan was standing next to the car waiting for her.

Ji Yan had a day off this Thursday, and a few days ago he made an appointment with Shen Jinsui to go to Huaheng Hospital to visit his mother together after she got off work.

Shen Jinsui thought that she had work outside the office on Thursday and could leave work early, so she agreed.

Seeing her approach, Ji Yan opened the passenger door.

"Thank you." Shen Jinsui then got into the car.

Immediately afterwards, Ji Yan closed the car door, walked around the front of the car to the other side.

He then opened the car door, got into the driver's seat, and started the vehicle.

Shen Jinsui turned her head to look out the car window. This wasn't the direction they were going to the hospital. She asked him in confusion, "Aren't we going to Huaheng Hospital?"

Ji Yan gripped the steering wheel, his deep eyes fixed on the road ahead. "It's still early, we can go to the stray animal rescue center first."

"Okay." Shen Jinsui nodded in agreement, not rejecting the suggestion.

She occasionally visits the animal rescue center to see the cats and dogs, and it just so happens that she hasn't been there for a while.

The car then arrived at Beijing's largest stray animal rescue center.

After the two got out of the car, staff led them inside.

Shen Jinsui frequently donates money to this stray animal rescue center. Several staff members know her and are aware that she not only donates to the center regularly but also visits occasionally.

The two stopped at a wide lawn where several dogs were playing.

Soon, a round, chubby pine dog came running over happily and wagged its tail at her in a friendly manner.

Shen Jinsui bent down slightly and stroked the dog's head.

A few seconds later, a golden retriever came running over and came up to Shen Jinsui. She patted the golden retriever's head.

Ji Yan stood beside her, his eyes lowered, gazing intently at her with a gentle expression and a subtle, unspoken emotion in them.

Ji Yan suddenly asked her, "Are you still planning to keep a dog?"

Shen Jinsui shook her head and replied without hesitation, "I don't have that idea."

Shen Jinsui recalled Buddy, a Czech wolfhound she once owned, which tried to bite the kidnappers to save her, but was instead hacked to death by the kidnappers with a knife.

When the police and family arrived at the scene, Buddy had already died in her arms.

She clearly remembered that in the last few seconds of his life, Buddy licked her palm as if to comfort her and tell her not to be sad.

Ji Yan noticed the change in her expression and quickly realized that he had said the wrong thing.

Ji Yan couldn't help but raise his hand and gently pat her shoulder, saying softly, "Sui Sui, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought this up."

Shen Jinsui blinked her slightly sore eyes, lowered her gaze, smiled faintly, and shook her head slightly, "It's nothing."

Ji Yan changed the subject and casually asked, "Sui Sui, are you and Zhou Yancong dating?"

“We’re not together yet,” Shen Jinsui replied.

She then thought of the message Zhou Yancong had sent her before, and a smile gradually appeared in her eyes.

After a long pause, she slowly said, "However, we should be becoming boyfriend and girlfriend soon."

As soon as the words were spoken, an adorable little orange cat ran over and immediately lay down on the grass, revealing its round, bulging belly.

Shen Jinsui squatted down next to the little orange cat, gently stroking its fluffy fur.

Ji Yan gazed at her quietly, his face showing girlish shyness and longing for love.

This was an expression she had never shown before, but it was because of another man, someone unrelated to herself.

Ji Yan felt a pang of sadness, as if his throat was being choked, and he seemed to lose his voice temporarily.

He originally planned to confess his feelings to Shen Jinsui at her 20th birthday party, but someone said a long thing to him instead:

"Ji Yan, you and Sui Sui are not a good match. Do you know how much she spends each month? Or even how much she spends each day?"

Even if she does nothing in the future, she can live a wealthy and worry-free life just by relying on the shares of Lingyue Group, and have everything she wants, not to mention the real estate, cars, funds, stocks, etc. under her name.

Did you know that Sui Sui currently enjoys collecting all kinds of diamonds? None of the diamonds she owns are worth less than seven figures, and even nine-figure diamonds are just objects to her.

Ji Yan, I know you have your own pride and self-respect. You two can always be friends, but you're not suited to be lovers. We both know very well that love alone can never sustain you in this world.

Later, Ji Yan would often fall into deep thought.

If he had chosen to study a different major in college or started his own business after graduation, would he be qualified to be Sui Sui's suitor?

Ji Yan asked that question simply to test the situation between Shen Jinsui and Zhou Yancong.

If Shen Jinsui says she doesn't like Zhou Yancong and only sees him as a friend, and that person no longer objects to his pursuit of Shen Jinsui, then does he still have a chance?

However, things did not turn out as he had hoped, and in the end, it was all just a dream.

After a while, Shen Jinsui slowly stood up. Seeing Ji Yan looking lost in thought, she waved her hand in front of him and asked curiously, "Ji Yan? What's wrong?"

Hearing her voice, Ji Yan suddenly came to his senses and smiled gently: "It's nothing, let's go to the hospital first."

"okay."

Subsequently, Ji Yan and Shen Jinsui arrived at Huaheng Hospital.

Just then, Ji Yan received a phone call, so he asked Shen Jinsui to go into the ward first.

The elevator arrived at the floor where Aunt Ji's ward was located, and Shen Jinsui walked outside.

As she passed by the doctor's office, she overheard several doctors talking to each other.

Shen Jinsui had no penchant for eavesdropping on other people's conversations and planned to leave immediately.

However, the next sentence she heard made her stop in her tracks.

That was the voice of Aunt Ji's attending physician, Ying Wenjun, and also Zhou Yancong's mother—

“My son is getting a fiancée soon. His grandparents have already visited the girl’s family. Our two families will meet in a few days.”

Then she heard Ying Wenjun say, "Of course my son knows, and he agrees."

As far as she knew, Zhou Yancong was an only child and had no brothers or sisters from the same father or mother.

Therefore, the person Dr. Ying mentioned can only be Zhou Yancong.

So, Zhou Yancong already has a fiancée?

However, just a few days ago, Zhou Yancong said that he liked her and that he was planning to confess to her later.

The early autumn weather in Beijing still carried a faint warmth, but Shen Jinsui felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar at this moment. Her heart suddenly clenched, and a wave of heart-wrenching discomfort swept over her entire body.

This was a feeling she had never experienced before.

Shen Jinsui took a deep breath and quickly composed herself.

She felt that Zhou Yancong wasn't that kind of person.

There might be a misunderstanding, so I decided to message him later to ask.

At this moment, a slightly anxious voice sounded beside Shen Jinsui: "Sui Sui, what's wrong? Why do you look a little pale?"

"I'm fine." Shen Jinsui shook her head gently and walked straight ahead.

Seeing that she was unwilling to talk, Ji Yan did not press her further, and the two then walked towards the ward.

Long afterward, when the two left the ward and took the elevator to the underground parking garage, Shen Jinsui still had a sullen expression.

Ji Yan opened the passenger door for her, then looked up at her and asked gently, "Sui Sui, shall we go have dinner together?"

Shen Jinsui slowly shook her head, speaking softly, "I don't have much of an appetite, I want to go home first."

Ji Yan could sense that Shen Jinsui was in a very bad mood, so he naturally wouldn't force her. "Okay, I'll take you back."

"Okay, thank you." Shen Jinsui smiled faintly, then got into the car.

She turned her head to look out the car window. The sun was setting, the clouds in the sky were colorful, and a golden sunset was burning in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun fell on her face.