Marriage at Thirty - Chapter 51

Wang Zhe neither intentionally harmed Lin Ran nor lied; she simply genuinely remembered the incident.

In the past, when boys would confess to Lin Ran, she always immediately refused, claiming she already had someone she liked.

“A lot of people knew about this. Fu Linling, don’t you remember?” Wang Zhe asked.

Fu Linling nodded.

Lin Ran raised her eyebrows in surprise, then quickly realized the answer. “The person I said I liked was my idols! Seriously, Doctor Fu, you have to believe me!”

Fu Linling nodded. “I believe you.”

Wang Zhe smiled, but when her gaze fell upon Fu Linling, her smile slowly faded. She awkwardly rubbed her hands, then finally gathered the courage. “Fu Linling, I’m sorry… I was immature back then and said things that hurt you…”

Fu Linling turned to look at her.

“I truly apologize.” Wang Zhe lowered her head guiltily.

Fu Linling instinctively looked at Lin Ran, noticing that Lin Ran was looking at her. Only after feeling the warmth radiating from Lin Ran’s hand did she slowly say, “It’s all in the past.”

After getting home, Lin Ran walked into the kitchen. “Do you need help with anything?”

“No need. It’ll be ready soon.”

Lin Ran hugged her from behind and whispered, “Have you truly forgiven Wang Zhe?”

“Do you want me to forgive her?”

“I have no standing to speak for you, but I can help. If you don’t want to forgive her, I’ll go teach her a lesson tomorrow and make her regret it until her guts turn green,” Lin Ran said.

Fu Linling heard her sincere tone and couldn’t help but smile. “There’s nothing to forgive or not forgive. Before seeing her today, I had already forgotten about that person. Many people made fun of me growing up. Wouldn’t I just be wasting my life if I remembered every single one of them?”

Lin Ran stood on her tiptoes and kissed her on the side of her face. “Yes. From now on, you only need to remember me.”

Fu Linling turned around, lifted Lin Ran’s chin with a wet finger, and sealed it with a kiss.

“Do I need to wait until the future to remember you? I’ve only remembered you since a very long time ago.”

“I’m thrice-blessed,” Lin Ran said.

The weather changed so quickly that within just a week, it had turned to winter. A light jacket was no longer enough for survival.

Lin Ran bundled up in a heavy coat to eat in the cafeteria. Wang Ke saw that her coat was soft and stylish and wanted to ask for the link.

Lin Ran had bought it at a physical store, but the official website had a link. After sending it to her, Wang Ke immediately put down her phone.

“Holy cow, over twenty thousand. That’s a coat I can’t afford to touch.”

Qin Shanshan leaned over to look, then turned to Lin Ran with stars in her eyes. “Sugar mama, are you open to keeping a mistress?”

Fu Linling immediately looked at her, her gaze like that of someone looking at a rotten tooth, wishing to eradicate it quickly.

“Just kidding, I’m just kidding,” Qin Shanshan quickly clarified.

Lin Ran and Wang Ke both laughed.

After eating, Lin Ran went to the ward and chatted with Wang Zhe for a while before leaving.

Stepping out of the inpatient building, a cold wind blew directly at her. She tightened her coat, cupped her face with her hands, and hurried into the car. Just as she was about to drive home, she received a call from Liang Qingbo.

“Come over for a shareholder meeting.”

There were only two people attending the meeting.

The main purpose of the meeting was to share the loot—ahem, to share the accounts.

Lin Ran received her quarterly dividend.

Business had been good since the opening. Over the years, Liang Qingbo had acquired a stable base of loyal customers.

As the weather grew colder, which was normally a good time for healing wounds, customers had decreased. Most people still preferred to get tattoos in the spring and summer so they could show them off.

“When are you going to travel?” Liang Qingbo asked.

In previous winters, Liang Qingbo used to take time off and travel when business was slow. She was always willing to argue with her former bosses over this, which is why she decided to start her own business.

Fortunately, the shop still had two tattoo artists, so she could take ten days or half a month off.

“Where do you want to go?” Lin Ran asked.

“Either skiing or a warm island getaway.”

Lin Ran thought for a moment and said, “Let’s do an island. I’ll ask Doctor Fu if she can go.”

She made a phone call. After some discussion, the result was that they would fly out on Friday. Fu Linling would join them for two days and then return first, and Lin Ran and Liang Qingbo could come back later.

“You two are having a blast, but won’t I just be the awkward third wheel? That’s too awkward,” Liang Qingbo asked.

“Then let’s invite a few more friends to go with us?”

“Invite people I know, too.”

However, when they called a few people, they all said they were too busy with year-end work to travel.

A day later, Lin Ran called Liang Qingbo. “Found companions! I’ll book the tickets!”

On Friday evening, the group met at the airport. When Liang Qingbo saw their travel companion, her smile froze. “Why is it you?”

“Are you not happy to see me?” Feng Ming asked.

“I didn’t say that.”

Lin Ran laughed. “Feng Ming also wanted to go to an island; she hates the cold.”

Liang Qingbo glanced at everyone’s clothes. Sure enough, Feng Ming was the only one bundled up in a thick, long down coat. “Weakling.”

Feng Ming glanced at her and said nothing.

After boarding, Lin Ran and Fu Linling sat together, whispering sweet nothings, and then Lin Ran fell asleep in Fu Linling’s arms.

Liang Qingbo watched for a moment, then looked at the empty seat next to Feng Ming, stood up, and went to sit next to her.

“What are you doing?” Feng Ming asked.

“It’s quieter here.”

Feng Ming peeked over at Lin Ran and Fu Linling and couldn’t help but smile.

When the plane landed, Liang Qingbo was jolted awake and realized that at some point, she had fallen asleep leaning on Feng Ming’s shoulder. She quickly sat up.

“You were not sleeping quietly,” Feng Ming said, getting her revenge from earlier.

Liang Qingbo: “…”

Lin Ran had pre-booked a rental car online. After finding the car, they drove to the hotel. Lively music filled the car, along with Lin Ran and Liang Qingbo’s singing and rocking bodies.

Feng Ming and Fu Linling exchanged a look, both seeing a sense of helplessness in the other’s eyes.

They wanted to join in, but they just couldn’t blend in.

After checking in, Lin Ran told the other three, “Breakfast ends at ten. If you want to eat, don’t be late. If you’re not eating breakfast, sleep until you wake up naturally, and we’ll meet up around noon.”

Lin Ran woke up to bright sunshine. She sat up and found that Fu Linling wasn’t in the room. When she called, she found out Fu Linling had already gone to eat breakfast.

She quickly created a small group chat, brushing her teeth while asking if the other two were up.

[Feng Ming]: Eating breakfast.

[Qingzi]: Taking a dump.

[Feng Ming]: …

[Doctor Fu Linling]: [Smirking Emoji]

Halfway through getting ready, Liang Qingbo came over. The two of them discussed the day’s itinerary while doing their makeup.

Before long, the two who had gone for breakfast returned. They furtively took two eggs and some corn out of their bags and said guiltily, “Hurry up and eat.”

They looked totally busted.

Lin Ran laughed. “Just put it over there. We’ll eat once we’re finished.”

Fu Linling sat on the side, peeled an egg, and offered it to Lin Ran’s mouth. Lin Ran took a bite with her mouth wide open and continued applying makeup.

Liang Qingbo saw this, turned to look at Feng Ming, who was also being blinded by the PDA. “Do you know why you’re single?”

Feng Ming: “?”

Why the sudden personal attack?

“Learn from her,” Liang Qingbo said, pointing to Fu Linling, then started applying mascara. A moment later, a peeled egg appeared in front of her.

She looked at Feng Ming in confusion.

Feng Ming: “Didn’t you tell me to learn?”

“I just told you to observe, I didn’t say to give it to me…” Liang Qingbo muttered.

“So, are you going to eat it?”

“Yes.” Liang Qingbo took it and ate it in a few bites.

The beach was neither crowded nor empty. The group walked along the water’s edge for a while. Lin Ran wanted to go out to sea for snorkeling, but Feng Ming couldn’t swim and was too scared to go.

They were in a dilemma.

Liang Qingbo finally said, “Why don’t you two go first? I’ll take her to do something else.”

After Lin Ran and Fu Linling left, Feng Ming turned to look at Liang Qingbo, who had sat down on the sand. “What should we do?”

“Play with sand, I guess.” Liang Qingbo started digging a hole. “Let’s see if we can dig a tunnel to the Atlantic Ocean.”

Feng Ming: “…”

The wind was strong on the yacht, completely messing up Lin Ran’s hairstyle. Once they reached their destination, the two changed clothes and went down to snorkel together.

It was Fu Linling’s first time, but because Lin Ran was by her side, her courage grew significantly.

Under the guidance of the instructor and Lin Ran, Fu Linling successfully submerged into the water.

In the vast underwater world.

Fu Linling looked at the scenery below and stretched out her hand.

Lin Ran tightly held her hand and smiled at her.

Fu Linling used her other hand to gently squeeze Lin Ran’s leg.

Lin Ran smiled and playfully kicked her.

After playing underwater for a while, Lin Ran surfaced and removed her mask, accidentally getting some seawater in her mouth.

She choked and coughed uncontrollably.

Just then, a hand reached out from behind, wrapped around her waist, and lifted her toward the yacht.

A long-forgotten memory suddenly flashed in her mind.

After climbing aboard, Lin Ran immediately collapsed onto the deck to sunbathe, raising her hand to block the sun.

Fu Linling’s figure appeared in her line of sight.

“Are you alright?” Fu Linling bent over, looking at her with worry in her eyes.

Lin Ran stared intently at her, sat up, and looked up to ask, “Do you remember the time the class had a party at a villa with a pool?”

Fu Linling nodded.

“I think you were the only one in the class who didn’t sign up back then.”

“Mmm.”

Parties are naturally fun when everyone plays together, but nobody wanted to play with Fu Linling. Fu Linling also didn’t want to awkwardly force her way into other people’s small groups and preferred to spend the time reading at home.

“That night, I went swimming, and my leg suddenly cramped. I almost drowned. Did you know about that?”

Fu Linling sat down in front of her and nodded, the concern in her eyes deepening.

“It happened very suddenly. My classmates were all inside playing games and no one heard my initial cries for help. I nearly died. Luckily, someone discovered me in time and saved me.”

Fu Linling looked slightly relieved.

“The person who saved me was the class monitor.” Lin Ran stared unblinkingly at her. Seeing Fu Linling’s brows gradually furrow, Lin Ran suddenly felt the hairs on her neck stand up. She grabbed Fu Linling’s hand and looked up to ask, “…But it wasn’t him, was it?”

Fu Linling shook her head. “No.”

Lin Ran swallowed hard. “Was it you?”

“Mmm.”

Fu Linling had finished her homework at home and noticed the sky darkening. She wasn’t sure why, but she suddenly felt like going to peek at the party, sensing that Lin Ran might bring about something interesting.

However, when she reached the villa, she felt shy.

Just as she was about to quietly leave, she heard a cry for help. It was Lin Ran’s voice.

She immediately ran over and saw Lin Ran sinking into the water.

Without a second to hesitate, she dove in and pulled her onto the shore.

“What happened?” The class monitor came out to look for someone and found them.

“Lin Ran fell in the water,” Fu Linling said.

“You’re doing it wrong. That’s not how you perform first aid. Let me.” The class monitor pushed her aside and started pressing on Lin Ran’s chest.

Fu Linling watched from the side. When she saw signs of Lin Ran waking up, she finally sighed in relief.

“Lin Ran… Lin Ran! What’s wrong?!” Lian Fang came out and saw Lin Ran lying unconscious by the pool. She was terrified and quickly ran over. Others also rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

Everyone focused their attention on Lin Ran. Fu Linling retreated to the corner. The light was dim, and no one noticed her presence.

She looked down at her clothes, which were completely soaked and dripping water. It was not suitable for her to be seen. Only after hearing Lin Ran had woken up did she go home to shower.

“I thought it was the class monitor. When I opened my eyes, I saw him, and everyone said he discovered me. He never denied it either.” Lin Ran angrily punched the deck.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I never knew it was you…”

“It’s okay. The important thing is that you were fine,” Fu Linling said.

Lin Ran tightly hugged her, then cupped her face and gave her a salty, wet kiss. The sea breeze tousled their hair.

“Whoa!” The tourists on the boat stared at them, dumbfounded.

The next moment, the yacht accelerated. The two fell backward, instinctively hugging each other, and tumbled inside together.

Lin Ran laughed heartily.

“That’s wonderful. It was you all along.”