Love in the Fast Lane - Novelbike

her out, especially with the pressure from her family turning into headaches. More importantly, she felt that she could finally stop and settle down.

Life is like a dandelion. No matter how far you drift, you eventually have to take root and sprout. As a woman, no matter how successful or exciting your life may be, when you approach thirty, if you are wise, you instinctively know the kind of life you want.

Mo Zihan knew this well. She was very clear that, given both the external environment and her own desires, she now wanted stability, to settle down and plant roots. She wasn’t a picky person in life. A modest income, a bit of leisure, and occasional moments of romance were enough for her. Although she had dreamed of a life with luxury cars and glamorous living, she knew that wasn’t her reality. From beginning to end, she held firm to the belief that she had to live her life for herself.

Tang Ning, despite being cunning in her eyes, was someone she believed would become a wise figure in life. Such a man wouldn’t actively invite trouble into his life, but with age, his charm would only become more evident. When the restlessness fades and society craves wisdom, his brilliance would illuminate every corner around him. A man like that was suitable for her now, and given his wisdom, he would undoubtedly be hers in the future. The only uncertainty was whether Tang Ning was playing some act with her or if he truly shared the same intentions.

She hadn’t met many men, but there were quite a few, each quite representative. Take her previous boyfriend, for example. Mo Zihan had never really fallen for him; it was merely a superficial relationship. She felt it was time to have a boyfriend, which led to their temporary union. Then there was Li Ke, whom she now rarely contacted. Men like him are somewhat successful, but with that personality, he certainly wasn’t someone she could lean on at this age. As for men like Murong Feng, it wasn’t just about him alone. Such men, regardless of their success or depth of emotion, could only be seen as empty shells, symbols, or even metaphors. Those men weren’t living their own lives in the past, are not doing so now, and maybe will do so in the future, but men like that have their own destinies.

And then there was Tang Ning-calm, responsible, and persistent. But his persistence didn’t come at the cost of self-sacrifice. Instead, he was a man who was responsible to both himself and everyone else.

Mo Zihan had never been too successful. She merely worked towards living her life and surviving in this world. So, she felt that Tang Ning was the most suitable for her. Moreover, this man genuinely moved her heart, not as a mere fleeting whim, but as a constant, warm presence in her otherwise mundane life.

She knew her own feelings best and yet found them most elusive. Mo Zihan realized that if this vague sense disappeared, she would be forever trapped in this peculiar sensation.

After finishing cleaning the rooftop, Mo Zihan heated up some water to wash her father’s hands. Meanwhile, she saw Tang Ning putting the tools into the newly cleaned house and stepping into the courtyard to change clothes. She quickly rushed over to zip up his jacket, softly scolding, “Don’t you feel cold? Just wash your face and change clothes inside the house. Look at you, all muddy. What’s the rush?”

Tang Ning chuckled softly, “I didn’t want to dirty your room. I’m not that cold.”

Mo Zihan’s face turned serious, “Then you can sleep on the floor tonight. You’re not cold, remember?”

Tang Ning’s smile disappeared as he said gloomily, “How can that even be compared? Sleeping on the floor at night, there’s no heating here, and the stove’s downstairs. Do you want to turn me into a mummy?”

Mo Zihan huffed, “Then what do you plan on doing? I’m certainly not sleeping on the floor.”

Tang Ning whispered, “I’ve checked your room while you were sleeping. There are quite a few books, and the bed is big enough. If we put a row of books in the middle and use the two quilts separately, the boundary will be clear-we won’t interfere with each other. Don’t worry, I sleep very calmly; I won’t roll over to your side.”

Mo Zihan’s face darkened, “You’d make a good spy. Alright, alright, that’s for later tonight. You said you were going to cook, right? Just don’t add too many spices. Also, how did you know… that the first day you’re here you had to cook?”

Tang Ning proudly said, “Did you think all those days at home when you were at work, I was just sleeping in? This custom is quite famous. I looked it up online and found it easily. I even asked some local netizens about it under the pretense of learning local customs. So I knew about this first task long ago.”

Mo Zihan recalled that these past days, after his parents left, it was Tang Ning who cooked every meal. The variety of dishes changed often, and most were Southern style, which explained why she found them milder than usual and why he occasionally asked her how they tasted. He had been preparing for this!

“Alright, I’ll admit you’re clever. Just use the same amount of spices as you did at home; you won’t go wrong. And tonight, there will definitely be relatives and friends coming over, and there will be drinking. Be cautious and don’t spill any secrets after you’ve had a few.”

Tang Ning nodded, “Don’t worry, I’m not that foolish. Besides, if I do get drunk, who knows what embarrassing things I might do? When I feel it’s getting too much, I’ll pretend to be drunk and go upstairs to sleep. No problem at all. Moreover, considering my current state, don’t I look exactly like a new son-in-law visiting for the first time?”

Mo Zihan pinched him and scolded, “Nonsense! Who’s making you their son-in-law? Hurry up, go change your clothes. Bring down those dirty clothes. You cook, I’ll do the laundry. Didn’t you hear my mom talking to me just now? I have to show some effort too, otherwise, given my mom’s temper, she’ll spend the entire New Year teaching me this and that. That would be even more troublesome.”

Tang Ning thought for a moment and didn’t object. He just said, “Alright then, but don’t be lazy. Remember to boil water first on the stove and then in the pot. It’s cold, and your hands can get easily frozen.”

Mo Zihan nodded, “I know. You hurry and put on some warmer clothes. It might not be as cold here as in the Northern region, but this kind of cold is even worse because it feels more penetrating. If you stay outside without proper clothing, you’ll catch a cold. We need to stay healthy and safe as the New Year approaches.”

Suddenly, Tang Ning leaned in and gave her a light kiss on the cheek, whispering, “This is our first kiss, and also our last first kiss. Consider it a gift. Now, take your leave.”

Poof…

Mo Zihan almost spat out. But why was she feeling so dizzy? Did she just get ambushed like that?

Tang Ning laughed mischievously, “Got ambushed, huh? Feeling upset? Then counter-attack. I’m waiting. Or, I won’t fight back, I really won’t. You can ambush me once.”

Embarrassed and angry, Mo Zihan pinched him hard on the arm several times, then chased him into the house, muttering, “Shameless! Trying to take advantage of me! Go change your clothes. If you catch a cold, I’ll treat you with a big needle and see if you behave.”

Tang Ning, laughing like a fox that just stole an egg, scurried inside. Mo Zihan’s mom emerged from the kitchen, holding a kitchen knife, and said, “Xiaohan, why are you bullying him? Come here and boil water to wash the clothes. You’re grown up, but you’re still so immature. Tang Ning’s mom praised you for being diligent. Hurry up, no slacking off!”

Mom, you really are my biological mother, aren’t you? How can you be so biased against your daughter?

However, the spot on her cheek where she was ambushed still felt like a dragonfly darting about. She had wiped it several times, yet it still felt hot, like it was smeared with chili oil. Could it be that I’ve been captured just like that?

No way, I need to maintain my composure. I must stay composed!