Love in the Fast Lane - Chapter 42 - Seizing the Initiative

“My perfect attendance award for this month went down the drain; you owe me one.” Mo Zihan grumbled at Tang Ning as she hung up the phone.

She had just received a call from her subordinate at work, which reminded her that her perfect attendance award for this month had sprouted wings and flown away due to half a day’s leave. Given Tang Ning’s reputation as a cheapskate, she figured she had to be a bit stingy herself.

“Sure, I’ll make it up to you right now.” Tang Ning emerged from the bathroom, placed the screwdriver back in the drawer, and grinned.

Mo Zihan blinked in confusion. “Where are we going? Dinner? Didn’t you say we were eating at home?”

Tang Ning chuckled. “Yes, we’re eating at home. Haven’t you noticed there’s an area that’s completely empty?”

Mo Zihan quickly inspected the room. “Nope, I’ve checked everything carefully. There’s no place that’s still empty.”

Tang Ning walked to the side bedroom, opened the wardrobe, and pointed inside with a sigh. “Young lady, who has a wardrobe that’s practically empty with hardly any clothes? You’ve done everything else right, but you missed this one. Do you expect my mom to see this and think we’re fooling her? Also, if there’s no clothing here, where am I going to stash the floor mats I bought?”

What? Buying clothes for me?

Mo Zihan blushed immediately. Rest assured, she wasn’t pretending.

Other than her parents, no one had ever bought clothes for her. However, this seemed a bit inappropriate; should she politely decline?

Hmm, she should be reserved. Clothes are nice, but image is more important!

Thus, Mo Zihan said, “Let’s save some money. I’ll bring over a box of my stuff later; wouldn’t that be more convenient when packing up?”

She didn’t have many clothes. Firstly, she couldn’t afford many good ones, and secondly, she had never paid much attention to attire. As for jewelry, besides the necklace her mother gave her, she had nothing else.

“Forgot already? You just agreed to move in completely, so what’s this about going back?” Tang Ning was amused by her, and naturally reached out to pat the back of her head gently. “Come on, we can’t buy too many nice things, but we can afford a piece or two. Besides, you don’t use makeup, which I also overlooked earlier. You don’t have to use it, but you shouldn’t be without it.”

Mo Zihan snapped her fingers in frustration, realizing she had forgotten another thing.

After a round of shopping, it wasn’t the notorious cheapskate Tang Ning who was worried about the expenses, but Mo Zihan who felt the pinch.

When had she ever shopped outside of thrift stores? Spending a few hundred yuan on a piece of clothing was already a big deal for her, and she was familiar but not well-acquainted with garments priced over a thousand.

Carrying several shopping bags, Mo Zihan felt a bit dizzy. This guy was usually so stingy; why was he being so generous now?

Her eyes flicked around, and she thought that she should show some appreciation. After all, accepting so many things from him didn’t feel right, even if she had helped him a lot.

“Wait a minute, shouldn’t you get some new clothes too?” Mo Zihan pulled Tang Ning, who was heading upstairs in the mall.

Tang Ning looked down at himself. “Me? Nah, even if you gave me a royal robe, I’d wear it like a bumpkin. It’d just be a waste of money. Let’s go upstairs, grab another essential item, and then head home to eat. I’m starving.”

Mo Zihan let out a cold chuckle. “Do you want your parents to think I’m mistreating you? If they open the wardrobe and see it’s all my stuff, then look at you, what will they think of me? You really want to ruin my image?”

Left speechless, Tang Ning reluctantly followed her to the men’s clothing section, while Mo Zihan secretly smiled as she led the way.

With more shopping bags in hand, Mo Zihan curiously asked, “Is there anything else we need? I thought we had everything covered.”

Tang Ning led her straight to the jewelry counter. Mo Zihan hesitated for a moment, feeling a strange sensation rise within her.

He actually wants to buy a ring? Doesn’t he know such things aren’t to be used lightly?

“Come on, look at these. Which one is pretty?” Tang Ning called out, waving her over from the counter.

Mo Zihan followed, speaking softly since there were few other customers around. “Hey, what are you planning? You can’t just use things like this. I don’t want your future girlfriend chasing me down the street demanding it back.”

Tang Ning said, “What are you talking about? My parents are aware of current trends. Just play along, okay? It’s just a ring.”

He really doesn’t care about this? Then why is his neck turning a bit red?

Mo Zihan stared at Tang Ning in confusion, unsure whether he truly didn’t care about the ring’s significance or if he was just pretending not to care.

She couldn’t argue with Tang Ning and knew he had a point. Reluctantly, she extended her hand as he slipped the pure white ring onto her slender finger.

As he did, it felt like her soul was being encircled as well. Through their touching hands, Mo Zihan could sense Tang Ning’s nervousness. It turned out that he wasn’t clueless or indifferent; he was just pretending.

The ring wasn’t expensive, and Mo Zihan kept reminding herself that it didn’t mean anything. Yet this small ring seemed like a thread of fate, continually stirring the softest part of her heart.

Suddenly, Mo Zihan felt an overwhelming urge to find a place to cry her heart out. She didn’t understand why this emotional turmoil was happening but felt wronged, sour, and oddly hopeful. She could only think of crying as a way to release her feelings.

Since breaking up with that cheating ex-boyfriend, she had considered finding someone new to lean on. But she was torn between wanting it and not being ready. She didn’t know what she wanted or what she sought. Perhaps the only person who truly understood her was Qi Xiaomeng.

Qi Xiaomeng was very wise. She knew that some realizations must be grasped independently to be meaningful. So, even though she understood, she never explicitly pointed things out. In the past six months, except for the last few days, Qi Xiaomeng hadn’t even joked about relationships.

At this moment, Mo Zihan seemed to grasp what Qi Xiaomeng wouldn’t say outright, but somehow, she still didn’t fully get it.

It was snowing again. As they exited the mall, Mo Zihan cautiously guarded the bags in her hands, but didn’t watch her footing and nearly slipped. Luckily, Tang Ning, who was right behind her, caught her just in time. Even so, her ankle felt a bit off.

The distance from the mall entrance to the driveway was considerable. Mo Zihan wanted to hop her way over, but Tang Ning grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto his back, warning firmly, “If you keep squirming, I won’t be a human cushion if you fall.”

Mo Zihan angrily pounded his shoulder a couple of times and even banged her forehead against the back of his head, but his hat was thick, and it was her forehead that ended up reddening.

As Tang Ning walked with a grin on his face, Mo Zihan’s mood lifted. Slowly, she took a few of the shopping bags from around his neck, encircled her arms around his neck, and relaxed. She felt like her old self again. Grinding her teeth playfully, she threatened, “I got hurt helping you. You owe me, so you’re granted the honor of carrying me. If you fall, it’s your fault!”

Tang Ning laughed heartily. “Don’t worry, my footing is solid. I may not have much, but I’ve got strength.”

Mo Zihan snickered. “Alright then, let’s see if you can carry me up to the ninth floor!”

Tang Ning panted heavily, reacting with the determination of someone challenged. “Piece of cake. If I carry you up, what will you say?”

Mo Zihan didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she buried her face in Tang Ning’s back. Suddenly, she had an epiphany: no matter how she felt inside, this time, she needed to take the initiative.

In this world, nothing is too significant, but many things are extraordinary, depending on how you view and approach them.