Limited-Time Attachment - Chapter 45

“…Who are you taking that attitude with?” Jing Lie noticed something was off and raised an eyebrow.

“No one.” Song Ming withdrew her gaze, her face cold.

Jing Lie thought for a moment, leaning in front of Song Ming to study her expression with a look of investigative, secret excitement.

Song Ming frowned, lowered her eyes, and gave Jing Lie a frigid look. “What are you doing?”

Jing Lie stared at Song Ming and laughed, teasing with certainty: “You’re acting weird.”

Annoyed beyond belief, Song Ming brushed Jing Lie aside and took a sip of her drink, which had been spiked with extra base liquor. “Back off. Stop acting like a fortune teller. What’s weird about me?”

The flavor of the wine had been completely ruined, bitter and harsh, but the alcohol content was high enough to wash away the cool sensation of the mint leaves.

Jing Lie threw up her hands and quipped, “You used to never get angry; whoever provoked you was just out of luck. So, why is today different?”

Song Ming turned to stare at Jing Lie, articulating every word: “I. Am. Not. Angry.”

Jing Lie leaned back, feeling the bone-chilling low pressure radiating from Song Ming. She thought to herself: Good grief.

Having finally shut Jing Lie up, Song Ming turned back and took another sip of the unpleasant drink. A burning dizziness slowly scorched its way to her nerve endings, and the image of Zhou Jibai with her eyes slightly downcast reappeared in her mind.

Some beauties are as soft as sweet cakes, others are quiet but possess a chilling, inviolable dignity.

Zhou Jibai didn’t say much. She occasionally responded to Song Ming’s flirting, but more often, they were caught in a cycle of mutual resentment.

Song Ming paused, dejectedly propping up her brow.

‘I know, you’re just used to acting this way. It doesn’t mean anything special.’

‘Song Ming, is this what you mean when you say you love me?’

‘…That’s heartless enough.’

Song Ming closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

The cigarette was still between her fingers, a length of ash slowly curled, dropped, and vanished into the darkness.

“Holy…” Jing Lie froze, her playful expression vanishing. She had truly never seen Song Ming like this.

“Hey,” Jing Lie gently poked Song Ming, “Is it because of Zhou Jibai?”

Song Ming’s lips moved slightly, but in the end, she said nothing, merely exhaling a breath scented with alcohol.

Looking at the uncharacteristically quiet Song Ming, Jing Lie let out a sympathetic “tsk” and frowned. “Do you two really need to let things get to this point?”

“…Heh.”

Hearing Jing Lie’s remark, Song Ming let out a soft laugh, one tinged with mockery.

Song Ming finally looked up, turned her head slightly, took a drag of her cigarette, and blew out the smoke.

“Isn’t it inevitable that the two of us would end up like this?”

Jing Lie: “Huh?”

Song Ming didn’t answer. She glanced at the burning cigarette butt and crushed it out in the ashtray.

“I’m just playing around. She… knows that full well.”

Jing Lie frowned. “Why say it like that?”

“How else should I put it?” Song Ming picked up her glass with downcast eyes, her expression indifferent. “That’s just how it is.”

Jing Lie couldn’t take it anymore and said bluntly, “You’ve really lost your mind.”

Song Ming’s reaction was cold, as if she hadn’t heard. She continued drinking quietly. The dance floor was a riot of noise, pretty girls gathered by the bar talking, their expressions intimate and ambiguous. Lights swirled through the space, making the field of vision flicker between light and shadow.

Sitting beside Song Ming, Jing Lie looked at the boisterous crowd and then at the detached Song Ming. For the first time in such a lively venue, she felt a sensation called “loneliness.”

Jing Lie quieted down and sighed. “If you really like her, then go chase her back and try again. Anyway, you’re already living at her house, so it’s even more convenient.”

“Chase her back, just to argue again and break up again?” Song Ming said calmly.

Jing Lie arched her eyebrows, utterly shocked. “You… you’re afraid of a breakup?”

Song Ming’s hand holding the glass shook imperceptibly, spilling a few drops of liquor.

“Wow,” Jing Lie’s loud-mouthed nature flared up. “Haven’t you always been the ‘bye-bye’ type? Usually, you’re calculating how to end things before the other person even thinks about it. What happened?”

Song Ming frowned at her. “Can you just shut up?”

Jing Lie couldn’t. She had to keep going. “I thought it was ridiculous enough that you stopped smoking and drinking, stayed chaste, and were strict with yourself for Zhou Jibai. I didn’t expect there to be this layer to it. It’s almost like…”

Jing Lie couldn’t think of the word to describe such a stable and long-term expectation of a relationship for a moment, she was stuck.

The music on the dance floor was too loud. Song Ming only caught the parts about not smoking or drinking and being strict with herself. She suddenly remembered her initial anger and sneered. “Forget it. When have I ever changed for anyone? I’ve always been this way.”

Jing Lie was stunned. She looked at the dance floor, then at the drinks on the table. “Then are you going home tonight? I mean, to Zhou Jibai’s place…”

“I’m not going back.”

“Mmm, Sis, you smell so good.” Jing Lie leaned against a cold, elegant beauty like she had no bones, acting spoiled and clingy.

Song Ming stood to the side indifferently, not even glancing at Jing Lie’s bizarre behavior. She spoke without a hint of sincerity: “Sorry, my friend gets clingy when she drinks too much.”

The elevator climbed higher. Only the three of them were in the spacious, bright car.

Jing Lie was a nutcase. She didn’t hit on anyone at her own club, but during one trip to the restroom, she caught sight of a beauty at a distant booth and dragged Song Ming over to pester her.

The three of them opened two rooms upstairs.

Song Ming stood with her hands in her pockets, watching the shifting numbers on the LCD screen. Her eyes were clear, but her expression was calm and weary.

The cold beauty, with one arm around the fidgeting Jing Lie, seemed quite interested in Song Ming. She gave Song Ming a subtle, provocative look. “Are you alone, Miss?”

“No hookups,” Song Ming said flatly.

The beauty laughed. Her slightly husky, “cool older sister” voice was light, swirling through the elevator as she spoke. “I didn’t mean me, of course. My friend really likes your type… her body is even better than mine.”

“Thanks. No hookups.” Song Ming didn’t even shift her gaze.

Just then, the elevator stopped at the corresponding floor. Song Ming glanced at Jing Lie.

Jing Lie was frantically winking at her, her eyelashes and eyeliner fluttering together.

Song Ming looked away and dropped a line: “She’s all yours.”

To Jing Lie, “not going home” meant finding fun and meeting new beauties. Jing Lie was enthusiastic about dragging Song Ming along, but Song Ming had no interest; she just wanted to stay out.

Entering the suite, Song Ming casually tossed her coat onto the sofa and pulled open the balcony door.

The cool outside air was refreshing, whisking away the last traces of Song Ming’s intoxication. There was a high-quality round chair on the balcony. Song Ming sat down and habitually lit a cigarette.

The balcony was semi-open, providing a wide view. In the distance, she could see the lights on the mountains in the suburbs.

Song Ming stared at those lights, casually flicking her ash.

Anyway, since Zhou Jibai was convinced she wouldn’t be faithful and there was no way to defend herself, it was better to just leave it like this.