“Did she ask about me?”

“She did. You guessed right.”

“Of course. What exactly did she ask?”

“Your age.”

“I expected as much,” Jiangg Ning said, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead. “The age gap is a real thing. If we’re really going to make this work, it’s something we can’t avoid talking about. It probably won’t just be her asking. In the future, your parents might ask, my family will ask, maybe even our relatives and friends. I’ve thought about this.”

“So what do you think about it?” Chen Yuan asked earnestly, his hands resting by his knees as he turned to face her.

“I don’t have some grand philosophy about it. I just plan to face it head-on and work to overcome any problems our age difference might cause. To their concerns or doubts, I’ll reply with full confidence, ‘I can handle it.’ I won’t pretend the age gap isn’t an issue—that’s just fooling myself. The right thing to do is to actually try and solve those issues.”

Jiangg Ning said softly.

She looked down, smoothing a wrinkle in her skirt, then crossed her legs and gripped the edge of the wooden bench.

She looked up toward the distance. In front of her were rows of houses, tall and short, and behind her were the sea and an old wooden boardwalk.

“Mm.”

“Chen Yuan.” Jiangg Ning suddenly said his name, without any of her usual affectionate nicknames.

“What is it?”

“I’ve never told you about my past…”

It was as if a breath was caught in Jiangg Ning’s chest. She opened her mouth, then closed her red lips again.

“Go on, I’m listening. Let me get to know you better,” Chen Yuan said sincerely. He could see that Ningning was hesitating.

“Alright… I’ll tell you… The truth is, ever since high school, I’ve had a very clear plan for my life.”

“Mhm.”

“Back then, I wanted to study abroad, so naturally, I had to prepare. I worked hard to learn about my target school, learn about the city, and study the language. Yale University is in Connecticut, right next to New York, but for some reason, the spoken dialects in the two places are very different. I knew this even back in high school, and it took me a long time to find a qualified tutor in Mingzhu City.”

“Is that really a thing?” Chen Yuan raised his eyebrows.

“Yes. Later, I got my wish and went to study abroad. Life was wonderful, just as beautiful as I had imagined. I spent my days shuttling between my rented apartment, the university, and the library. I’m especially good at cooking Mingzhu-style dishes, so even in a foreign country, I never neglected my stomach. The major I chose and the advisor I found became effective stepping stones for me to stay and continue my studies… In a flash, a few years flew by. Then I came back, just as planned. With my qualifications, I landed a teaching position at Landa University. Every day was fascinating. I met so many students and teachers, and they genuinely gave me so much… Even in Lanjing, I never strayed from my ambitious plans.”

She said a great deal all in one breath, and Chen Yuan listened intently by her side.

Then, the direction of her story suddenly shifted, and her tone changed from straightforward narration to something much more animated.

“I just kept walking the path I had planned, on and on, never thinking of stopping… until I met you.”

Jiangg Ning pressed her lips together, her eyes full of tenderness as she looked at him.

“Until I met you, I actually felt like I was living like a wind-up doll. I actually felt… that every step I’d ever taken had never felt as light as it does now. Do you understand the feeling I’m trying to describe?”

Chen Yuan stared at her, dumbfounded.

‘Is this a confession?’

‘Why am I getting so flustered and nervous… Why am I subconsciously clutching the hem of my shirt?’

“I…”

“Meeting you, I started to not want to deliberately plan out every step anymore. You brought so much randomness into my life. At first, I couldn’t wait to cut it out. Only now do I understand why I was so resolute back then. Do you want to know why?”

“Of course I do.” Chen Yuan nodded vigorously. This was a rare chance to understand Ningning.

“Because I was terrified that you would change everything about me.”

“How could I? I never wanted to change anything about you!”

“But you already have… You’ve made me… unable to leave you… I can no longer control my own life as I please. You’ve made me… so I can only dream of a future with you in it.”

She lowered her eyes, and her shoulders suddenly relaxed.

Back then, by the Changhuan River, Jiangg Ning had walked in front, with Chen Yuan following closely behind.

The two of them, one in front, one behind.

The moonlight was bright, and the river still carried a fishy tang.

Jiangg Ning had never thought she would fall so quickly. At the time, she believed she could firmly hold the reins, planning this love affair just as she planned her life.

After that, one thing after another happened in quick succession.

Only a few days into their trip, she was already starting to feel afraid.

When you like someone, you start to feel afraid.

That was why she was willing to say so much, why she wanted to tell Chen Yuan.

“This is… a little unexpected. I don’t know how to respond. I won’t leave you… I really like you too, Jiangg,” Chen Yuan said, looking into her eyes.

“I really like you, too… Oh, right. Did your Rourou ask anything else?”

“She did. She thinks you might be my sugar mommy.”

“Sugar… sugar mommy?!” Jiangg Ning’s beautiful eyes went wide. A moment later, she covered her mouth and laughed. “If only that were the case. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about losing you.”

The corners of her eyes crinkled as she laughed, her tone light and casual.

A few seconds later, the corner of Jiangg Ning’s mouth lifted in a small smile, and she sighed. “If only that were true.”

“I told her point-blank that it’s not like that. Maybe only people who take dating really seriously would think something like that. I’ve always felt that if you’re going to date a girl, you should see it through to the end.” Chen Yuan stretched his long legs and looked up at the sky. “It’s a pretty naive way of thinking, I know. Most people go through several relationships in their lives. That’s why I was very careful about choosing a girlfriend… And now I’ve found her!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep