Chapter 5, Similar to Sparks (I)

Liang Jinge's gaze remained steady as it fell forward, while a familiar melody slowly flowed from the broadcast. A sweet-voiced girl was singing an old love song, singing: "You ask me how deep my love for you is, how much I love you? My feelings are true, my love is true, the moon represents my heart"

Either we do not go back at all

It was precisely the time to get off work, and hurried individuals were walking on the street. She noticed many girls around her age, just finishing work, hurrying towards the subway station in high heels. However, she did not need to do that; she was sitting comfortably in a car, accompanied by a dedicated bodyguard, and residing in a luxurious villa

But you have placed your bet

He took a step back to avoid her, slightly narrowing his eyes

Chen Danghao shook his head: "Not great, too bland"

Lifting his head, Liang Jinge saw the faint shadow of the moon in the sky

... ... but ... ...

"No need, you get in the car." He reached out and grabbed her arm, opening the car door while pushing her inside, into the passenger seat. Chen Danghao did not struggle. Once he got into the car as well, she suddenly resembled a cunning cat, licking her paw and smiling at him: "A Jin, the engine is still running, right?"

"I have never loved anyone." Liang Jinge heard himself say this. Chen Danghao merely smiled, no longer responding, and once again began to sing the song from earlier.

She curled her lips, and it seemed quite good. However, they did not have to walk along the edge of the table with a wine glass in hand, toasting with different middle-aged men. The smile faded, and Chen Dang took a deep breath, casually patting Liang Jinge's arm: "Give me a cigarette"

It was as if an illusion; he saw something different in his own eyes

Liang Jinge's expression remained unchanged as he turned his head to glance at her, lightly chuckling while gripping the steering wheel: "If you say so, then it is."

He watched her go upstairs, seeing her bare feet on the carpet and her messy hair. When the door closed, Liang Jinge turned his head, and his face was reflected in the mirror of the main hall.

When a man becomes indifferent and dull, it can truly drive one to frustration. However, given that she deceived him like that in the hospital, he would certainly not allow himself to stumble in the same place twice. Chen Dang must also understand this principle, so he chose to remain silent. The car fell into a moment of quiet, with only the afterglow of the setting sun repeatedly creeping up the car window and then disappearing behind them as the vehicle moved forward

I do not have it

I called Mr. Chen

Liang Jinge wanted to say something more, but he was truly at a loss for words. Before he could utter the feeble phrase "I really didn't," he saw the boy by the roadside suddenly take the girl into his arms as if in a fit of passion. From the girl's struggling movements as he lowered his head, it was evident that they were kissing

He did not speak in a flustered tone when he said this. Chen Danghao was taken aback; she had never taken a driving test and only vaguely understood what stalling meant for a car: "Then how are we going to get back"

You say he will not

He merely shook his head slightly, and Chen Danghao jumped down from the roof of the car: "I will help you push the car"

Liangzi, if you fall in love with someone in the future, " Chen Danghao exhaled a puff of smoke lightly: "If she loves you three parts, you should love her three parts; if she loves you five parts, you should love her five parts; if she loves you seven parts, then you should love her seven parts. But if she loves you ten parts, you should love her twelve parts." After a pause, Chen Danghao chuckled lightly: "That way, if one day you are no longer together, she will always remember the two parts she owes, and remember that you were someone she loved deeply."

In his daze, Chen Danghao, who was sitting on the roof of the car, suddenly spoke up, perhaps recalling the song from the broadcast earlier, and naturally began to sing. Her voice, of course, lacked the sweetness of Teresa Teng; under the influence of smoke and alcohol, it was slightly hoarse, an unhealthy hoarseness: "You ask me how deep my love for you is, how much I love you. My feelings are true, my love is also true, the moon represents my heart ... ... "

Liang Jinge did not glance sideways, his voice devoid of warmth, unlike the tender care he had shown when he had just held her. Perhaps she had misunderstood from the very beginning: "Miss Chen, Mr. Ji has advised you to smoke less"

For instance, he forbade her from smoking, yet she stubbornly refused to listen

"Old smoker." He casually dropped this remark and leaned against the car door, adopting a posture as if waiting for her to return. Chen Danghao also walked over but did not approach him; instead, she directly stepped onto the car hood, swaying slightly as she stood upright, preparing to climb onto the roof. She was wearing high heels, and her steps were firm as she walked. Liang Jinge instinctively reached out behind her, and words escaped his mouth without passing through his brain: "What are you doing? Be careful..."

The car stopped at the traffic light, and a couple on the street was arguing. The girl was passionately saying something to the boy, who seemed to want to retort but couldn't find the opportunity. After observing for a while, Chen suddenly turned her head, her eyes finally regaining the liveliness appropriate for her age: "Let's make a bet, do you think that boy will kiss her?"

The sunlight shattered, and Liang Jinge remained still, her eyelashes fluttering a few times, yet still succumbing to her.

As if sensing his thoughts, the woman on the roof of the car slightly curled her lips and lazily looked at him: "What do you want to say?"

As the car left the parking lot, Chen Danghao leaned against the seat and smiled foolishly at the moment she saw the sunlight again. After a few seconds, her laughter faded, and she turned her head to look out the car window.

I do not know

The sky had not yet darkened, and the sunset lingered. However, the parking lot was filled with a cold light. Chen Danghao slowly reached out to wrap her arms around Liang Jinge's neck, resembling a cat that had played outside for too long and was now utterly exhausted. Her gaze drifted away, and the vigilance and confusion in her eyes were concealed, as if the brief moment of eye contact had merely been an illusion. As if to deepen this illusion for him, Chen Danghao relaxed her body, leaning against his shoulder and closing her eyes as Liang Jinge took a step forward.

"Do you want to come up?" Sitting on the roof of the car, Chen Danghao swung her legs and patted the space beside her. The car body swayed slightly due to her movements. Liang Jinge frowned: "It's dangerous up there, come down."

That kind of disappointment felt both familiar and truly strange; she could not understand why she was making things difficult for this bodyguard whom she had only recently met, who could hardly even be considered an ordinary friend

"Miss Chen, you cannot smoke." He looked at her, perhaps due to the unfamiliarity of the place, even his brows and eyes seemed to have become strange, carrying a hint of indistinct sharpness. Chen feigned ignorance, took out a cigarette and put it in her mouth, took a couple of puffs, and reached for the lighter in his hand.

This afternoon with A Jin became a fleeting memory that Chen Danghao would silently reminisce about for a long time. Her nostalgia was not due to the absurd bet she had won, but rather out of envy for the youthful vitality that grew freely in his eyes. His life was flourishing, filled with infinite possibilities, while her own life was aging, gradually declining step by step. In that moment, she suddenly felt that Liang Jinge could save her. With such hope, Chen Danghao stepped into the Fenghua Villa with a lighter heart than ever before

He did not speak, or rather, he simply did not know how to respond. His heart raced like thunder as Liang Jinge took down the cigarette and awkwardly changed the subject: "How is this cigarette?"

The wind blew over again, and Liang Jinge looked up, catching sight of the gently swaying hem of her skirt. He wanted to say another word to her, but he felt so clumsy that just gazing at her made his heart tremble. It was not that he had never been infatuated with anyone; at this moment, the youthful passion pushed his heart into a frying pan. He opened his mouth, yet could not utter a single word

It will take twenty minutes to reach the villa. Liang Jinge had no intention of stopping.

Chen Danghao's gaze was cunning, and in that moment, Liang Jinge suddenly felt that he might have fallen into her trap again, hurriedly saying: "I did not bet with you"

It was getting dark, and they should have returned. However, he could not bring himself to speak. The singing behind him was casual, lacking in technical skill or method. As one song ended, he was still hesitating when she spoke first: "Let's go, I will help you push the cart"

Liang Jinge was taken aback and looked towards the boy. The boy, around eighteen or nineteen years old, wore a blue and white school uniform that evoked envy. From his perspective, he could see the boy's clenched fists and flushed ears. After pondering for a moment, he slowly shook his head: "No."

A gentle kiss has already touched my heart. A deep affection makes me yearn until now

I don't know, Liang Jinge did not look at her and after a moment of silence added: I am willing to accept the outcome of the bet

"What danger is there? It would be difficult to even fracture a bone from falling; at most, it would just hurt a little. " Chen Danghao lowered his head so much that he could see the line of her chin. Ji Mingrui's affection for her was not without reason; from the most superficial perspective, she was simply beautiful. So beautiful that with just a slight lowering of her head or a raising of her eyes, one would feel unable to look away.

"I beg you, Liang Jinge, I beg you." Chen Danghao hid his phone behind his back, slightly furrowing his brows; this was probably the greatest extent of pleading he could manage. The car was stifling, and he could see a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, her pupils sparkling as if they had been washed. His Adam's apple moved involuntarily as Liang Jinge turned his head, pushed open the car door, and stepped into the shade of the tree. He bent down to take out a cigarette from his pocket, and just as he lit it and took a puff, it was snatched away by Chen Danghao from behind.

"Forget it then." Chen Danghao withdrew his hand with disinterest, feeling somewhat uncomfortable as he pinched his neck. "I would like to have some water."

They sat there quietly, and from then on, no one spoke. The summer evening breeze gradually became cool, a cigarette was about to burn out, and Liang Jinge gazed into the distance, suddenly feeling as if a hundred years had passed in this world.

She is not a person who fears silence, but the alcohol within her constantly urges her to do something. Chen looked around the cramped carriage out of sheer boredom; she found it uninteresting to twist her body several times, and ultimately reached out to press the intercom. Most of the broadcasts in the evening are news or music; after pressing a few times, she heard a familiar melody and then withdrew her hand.

She was unwilling to return to the villa, for it was her cage, her prison, erasing not just her freedom. Liang Jinge remained silent, yet he still turned his head slightly to glance at her. With just that one glance, Chen Danghao knew he had wavered, but he still needed a step to facilitate his wavering

The further one drives forward, the more remote it becomes. Stopping at the foot of the mountain, in the gray area where sunlight is sparse, the shadows of the trees cast a mottled light on Liang Jinge's face. His hand remained on the steering wheel as he turned his head slightly to Chen Danghao, saying: "The car has stalled"

The red light extinguished, and the green light illuminated. It was not until the car behind honked that Liang Jinge awoke from his reverie and pressed the accelerator. They were still on the way back, getting closer to Fenghua Villa. Chen Danghao no longer spoke, perhaps feeling disappointed in her heart. She closed her eyes, bolstered by the effects of the alcohol, waiting for the car to come to a stop.

Similar to a spark

The moon has not yet risen, and the sunlight is brilliant. Chen Danghao remained quiet for a moment, then looked at him and said, "Jiming Rui won't be coming back tonight. How about we take a stroll outside before heading back?"

Her fingers rested on the cigarette, and Chen Danghao slightly lifted her heels. With the other hand, she instinctively pressed against his chest. The muscles beneath her hand were well-defined; she tightened her grip, lowered her gaze, and brought her cigarette closer to that small point of crimson on him

Taking a deep breath, Chen Dang held the cigarette between his fingers, stepped back a little, and chuckled: "Liangzi, your heart is beating so fast"

Chen paused for a moment, raising his eyes to look at him. The distance was very close, and there was a spark at the corner of his mouth. His expression was somewhat tense, yet it resembled a half-smile, lacking the usual reverence found in his gaze. She suddenly found it interesting, intrigued by his rebellious nature, and thus felt a sudden desire to compete for superiority.

Uncertain of how much time had passed, the car continued to move forward smoothly. She opened her eyes in suspicion and saw a landscape full of lush greenery. The sun was about to set behind the mountains, casting a soft light; the distant mountains were covered in a continuous expanse of green, and the clouds were layered upon one another, reminding her of the evenings back in her hometown, where wisps of smoke rose from every household. Glancing at the person beside her who was focused on driving, Chen Danghao couldn't help but smile slightly and said, "We should be arriving at the villa soon, right? Where are we headed?"

With his eyes slightly squinted, Liang Jinge resembled a beast fixated on its prey, exuding a raw, untamed wildness of just coming of age. Chen Danghao still reached out, leaning slightly to grasp his wrist. Due to this sudden proximity, Liang Jinge could even smell the fragrance of her perfume mingled with the scent of smoke, causing a slight ache in his spine. Before Chen Danghao could lean in any closer, he abruptly raised his hand and forcefully tossed the lighter into the distant grass.

Liang Jinge took out his phone, but before he could press any buttons, it was snatched away by Chen Danghao, who said: "Alright, I will help you push the cart later. For now, just sit here for a while, and we will head back later."

As the setting sun descends in the west, pedestrians continue to hurry. The broadcast still plays songs, with melodies lingering in the air

"I bet you. If I win, we will take a walk outside and then come back."