Yin Ting and Qiu Zhengqing decided on a date to go on theelectronics market meet-up to buy his new camera. Because the market was closeto Yin Ting’s family home, she did not let Zhengqing pick her up, opting totake a taxi and meet at the gates of the market.

T

hat day the temperature was somewhat low, but Yin Ting didn’twant to spoil her look with a bulky coat. She was wearing makeup which made herlook soft and feminine, a pink jacket over a casual but fetching floral dressthat fell to her knees. She combed her hair into a ponytail, looked at themirror and decided she looked too young – so she let her hair down. She put onnude ballerina flats, and a cute knapsack. She checked herself in the floor toceiling mirror near her door for half a day. According to her father who sawher, she quickly ran out the door.

She had been a bit late leaving the house, and of course didnot find a taxi quickly. She was rapidly becoming late, Yin Ting got a bitanxious. Qiu Zhengqing was an exacting person, although it was a private date,she did not want to give him a bad impression by being late.

Fortunately, just then, a free taxi came by and she got it,relieved.

The taxi got her to the market quickly. Yin Ting sawZhengqing waiting at the gates for her. He wasn’t wearing a coat either (Zuben:Idiots) He was wearing the blue jacket that she recommended. He looked reallynice. Super handsome! Yin Ting was euphoric - sweet honey! She could not helpbut ran up to him and say, ‘Please be more serious - point!’ (Zuben: Is hesupposed to know about your point system?)

When Zhengqing saw her he was aglow. She looked good,the more he looked at her the more lovely she appeared to him.

‘You look so handsome today, the clothes suit you.’ Yin Tingsaid, praising him.

 Zhengqing"s face grewhot. Fortunately, she did not ask whether his jacket was new, maybe she’sforgotten about it. But she commented on his looks, so sweet, he felt a bitembarra.s.sed. You would think that at this age, he would not, but here he wasblushing like a school boy with his crush.

Yin Ting pretended not to see Zhengqing blush, it was quiteobvious though. It made her heart melt into a puddle, but she gave him face.

He liked her, she was now quite sure.

Both of them were not dressed warmly. In fact, they werequite cold. They briskly entered the market and found the camera shop. At theshop, Zhengqing realised that Yin Ting was very familiar with cameras, as sheselected an entry-level SLR. (Zuben: Entry-level? I thought one just pickedwhat you could afford and learnt as you went along. But then, thinking aboutChinese tourists and their paparazzi cameras…<><>

‘We can take a few pictures to get you familiarised with thecamera,’ Yin Ting said.

 ‘Good,’ Zhengqing said, he was very happy. It had beena long time since he held a camera. He had not felt that there was any need fora camera when there was a phone to point and shoot with.

There was nothing much to see in the market, as the two walkeddown the street, Yin Ting showed him how to use the camera. Zhengqing shot afew street scenes. Then he turned the lens to Yin Ting, and she generouslyposed for him. Even with the cold, the two of them were rather happy. Zhengqingfelt that getting a camera was a great event in his life.

When they decided to have lunch, they went to a restaurantnear Zhengqing’s home, because Yin Ting wanted to see Miao Dada. Zhengqing hadhoped she would.

As they entered the restaurant, one of Zhengqing’s shoelaces came loose. He did not notice it, he was on cloud nine. Yin Ting stoppedhim and without ado squatted down to help him tie the loosened shoe lace.  She stood up and their eyes met. Zhengqinglooked at her in surprise.

Oops! Yin Ting exclaimed to herself.

She was acting without restraint.

But Zhengqings expression changed from surprise to somethingelse…something subtle yet deep that she did not have a name for. She blushed,and quickly took a table near them, 

‘Hurry up, I am so hungry.’ she said.

‘Miss,’ the waiter called coming up to them, ‘Miss, thistable is reserved.’

Yin Ting looked down and saw placed prominently on the tablea reserved sign.

She wanted to find a hole to bury herself, but quietlyfollowed the waiter to their table, while Zhengqing followed behind her tryingnot to laugh.

They were handed their menus and the waiter left them for abit. Yin Ting held her menu up before her but did not look at it instead shepeered at Zhengqing over it. Zhengqinq’s face was half covered by the menu, butshe could see his eyes and he looked happy. He suddenly looked up at her andmet her eyes; Yin Ting quickly looked back at her menu.

‘Have you decided?’ Zhengqing asked her.

‘Well, mutton soup? It will keep warm us up.’ She saidcasually, without looking at the menu. She remembered that Qiu Zhengqing alsoloved lamb.

 ‘Yes, you look lovely but it seems too light for theweather.’ He said with a smile, he turned to the waiter and ordered the muttonsoup, and he added two other dishes, ‘Do you want anything else?’ he asked YinTing.

Yin Ting’s face bloomed red, ‘Um I will look again,’ and quicklyscanned the menu. This guy inadvertently caught her.  He was so sly! The day turned out so cold, butshe didn"t want to wear a jacket because it would ruin her fashion. He waswearing a vest under his handsome blue jacket, which was not part of hersuggestion.

Ahem.  Yin Ting hidbehind the menu to try and calm her fluttering heart down.

They hadn"t met up for a week, although that was intentionalon her part. She didn"t want to be over eager; it was too easy to be impulsive.It had happened before; she had been impulsive and ended up confessing as soonas she could. The other party did not accept right away. But there was anothergirl interested in him; she played hard to get, whetting his appet.i.te, doing acatch and release and he went with her and they became a couple. Afterwards, sheheard that the guy was saying that though she was good and pretty, she was likea little sister. He hadn"t been interested in her so he was happy for otherguys to go after her. Yin Ting gave him a negative score, and his girlfriendhad also been making weird comments.

She realised that she usually misread guys, and pursued themin a sometimes stupid manner. After some self reflection, she decided she wastoo impulsive. As long as there was a good impression and rapport with a guy,she jumped straight to loving. But in the eyes of the other party it was notthe case. Friendship or good will has not matured to love. Eagerness to addfire will only result in ashes.

 She was usually friendly withguys, despite hoping for a love connection. But she was not seen as a romanticcandidate, just a friend. This, though, may not be the main cause of herfailure in love, but it could be a factor.

And now with Zhengqing, it seemed her nature was coming out.Rather than wait and see, and make sure that they were on the same page, thatmoment was right and then show her feelings…she’d seen him wear the jacket shehad recommended, and she had gotten happy and carried away. She had not paidattention and checked herself and rushed to help him tie his shoelaces, makinghim very surprised.

So embarra.s.sing! So shameful!

‘Honestly…I don’t like lamb meat.’ Zhengqing said.

‘Eh?’ Yin Ting raided her head from the menu, verysurprised.

‘I don’t,’ Zhengqing said, ‘and I don’t like parsleyeither.’ (Zuben: What did parsley do to you? It’s practically tasteless…to meanyway.) He was really clear, right? If she had any feelings for him, she wouldunderstand what he was trying to say. If she did not, there will still be somereaction. He wondered what was on her mind.

Yin Ting froze for a long time, then began to blush.Zhengqing was not sure if the blush was from shyness or from mortification formaking him eat something he did not like.

‘Let’s not have the mutton, something else maybe?’ she said.

(Zuben: That waiter must have long lost his patience by now.Is he even still there?)

‘No, no need, you like to eat it. I am fine with it.’Zhengqing replied.

 Yin Ting"s continued to blush, after a little bit, sheexcused herself to go to the bathroom.

Zhengqing watched her go, disappointed. He’d thought she’dbe touched by his confession and would think it was sweet. He had been toohasty.

In the bathroom, Yin Ting quickly called Qin Yufei.

‘Yufei, Yufei, its bad!’

‘What happened?’

‘I really want to hug Qiu Zhengqing. I am so happy. I am sohappy to be with him.’

‘… …’ Qin Yufei was silent in her surprise, and then sheasked, ‘What have you eaten? What kind of magic is this? So powerful!’

‘Proper. Righteousness.’ (Zuben: Whatever this means…)

‘Did you kiss?’ Yufei asked snappily.

‘How can?!!’ Yin Ting replied indignantly.

‘There had been no spell, so why are you so excited abouthim?’ Yufei asked.

‘He does not like to eat lamb,’

‘…’ Yufei was suddenly lost.

‘But we have had it for dinner twice, and there has beenparsley. He doesn"t like it either.’

‘Girl, this is basic. Why are you so moved?’

‘I am moved. He also wore the coat I told him would suithim, especially.’

‘Isn’t that because he wants to look handsome?’

‘We did not see for a week and he text me every day.’

‘Isn’t that because he arranging time with you to go by thecamera? It doesn’t mean anything.’

Yufei was raining on her parade, but Yin Ting was a littlecalmer for it, ‘I think I like him very much.’

‘He does not eat lamb, yet he gets you all excited.’

‘It makes me so happy, the more I think about it the more Ilike him.’

‘Did you not say you wanted to watch him a bit? It has onlybeen a few days, while I am glad you have acquired some cunning, but the resultis only an illusion."

(Zuben: Yufei, I get that oneshould not be too excited but all this bashing is not how friends do, is it? Idon’t have many friends. I mean, this is a guy that has a high chance of likingher. Isn’t she happy for Ying Ting? Or am I reading too much and should just shutup and go along for the ride?)

‘Tell me, shall I confess or wait for him to declare first?’Yin Ting asked Yufei, ‘As you know, I’m rather jinxed with confessing first.’

‘As long as you remember that,’

‘Good point.’

‘Are you really sure he likes you? You have to wait for himto say first.’

‘If he does, he seems rather slow, no? Long time he does notsay anything, it will make me anxious.’

‘How are you anxious?!’ Queen Yufei spat.

‘Good, okay. I shouldn’t worry. I should be steady on theroad to success.’ She said cheering herself up.

‘So why did you call me?’ Yufei asked (Zuben: I shouldathought that was obvious)

‘I needed someone to shake me and calm me down; you’re thebest at pouring water.’ (Zuben: Different strokes for different folks)

‘Thank you for your praise,’ (Zuben: ¬.¬)

‘So blunt,’

‘Good, I started pouring,’

‘You’ve poured it for a long time on me.’

‘In front of the warm field, it is now formal.’ (Zuben: someChinese colloquialism)

‘Hmmm.’

‘You said your feelings will not develop so fast,’ Yufei wasbeginning to worry that her friend was going into heat again, ‘It’s only been aweek.’

‘There was a sudden realisation.’

‘Then you need to be more sure about it.’

‘I will try,’ Yin Ting said, she knew she had to rein herimpulsive nature in.  She had had it allplanned, but it went out the window when they met. It was so nice to hang outwith him. She’s noticed that he had a bit of cologne on, it smelt so nice.

‘You really need to take your time. How old is he anyway?’

‘Thirty-three.’

‘Oh?’

‘Nine years older,’ Yin Ting said biting her lip, (Zuben: Whathas that got to do with anything? I know from experience on this internet lyf,that women don’t seem to like men more than five years older and I think that theyare all blind superficial idiots.) It was a large age gap, but he cannot makehimself younger, he was who he was.

‘And he is so serious and such a workaholic.’

‘Hm.’

‘He won’t let you stay up late or sleep in, even afterchuang[1], because he will think you are lazy. He won’t like you playing videogames, because he does not play. If you write something naïve or youthful, hemay not like it because he doesn’t understand. And most importantly, will hefit in your circle of friends and would you fit in his?’

Yin Ting did not have an answer to any of the comments butthe last one, ‘You and Gu Yingjie are our mutual friends.’

‘Think about it carefully; don’t make excuses.’

‘Oh,’ there might be some problems (Zuben: Arbitrary ones, but okay)

‘Are you cool now?’

‘A little bit.’

‘Would you still like to jump on him?’

(Zuben: You’re keeping the fella waiting…)

‘Temporarily restrained,’

‘Well then, bye’ the queen rang off.

Yin Ting went back to the table and began to eat. As timewent on, she looked up to see Zhengqing smile at her and her heart started topound. 

Ah No! Refrain! Restraint!

⭐

Zuben: I wonder how long she"s going to last...

[1] Chuang; According to google research,1. to go to bed, 2. (colloquial) to have s.e.x.