When Spring Awakens - Chapter 5

People kept emerging from the diving center, and the car lights in the parking lot flickered intermittently with the sound of locks being engaged. Wen Wanbing clutched the folder in her arms, her fingers curling tightly around it. She closed her eyes for a moment, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.

For that brief instant, just like when she used to see elderly couples holding hands and crossing the street at dusk, or hear the whispers and laughter of couples in movie theaters, or watch short videos of cats curled up together sleeping, she thought the stagnant pond of her heart would ripple faintly.

The difference this time was that the ripples lingered unusually long.

Perhaps it was because both her mother and Hailing had brought up the topic of relationships, unsettling her slightly.

Or perhaps it was because Fu Junxue beautiful, elegant, effortlessly casual, yet kind and gentle was brimming with a dangerous allure.

It made Wen Wanbing involuntarily wonder: what kind of chemistry would spark if she were to date someone like Fu Junxue?

This was not a good thought.

Wen Wanbing knew all too well that no matter how much she might gain along the way, the outcome would remain the same.

Time, energy, and possibly even emotions would all be wasted once the relationship ended.

The cicadas of June chirped softly, not deafening but impossible to ignore, especially on this otherwise quiet road.

Wen Wanbing walked along the sidewalk, stepping over the faint shadows cast by the streetlights and the sound of cicadas.

Her pace slowed gradually until she came to a stop. Glancing at the row of toppled bicycles by the roadside, she caught her breath and began setting them upright one by one.

As she worked, her heart which had been racing from Fu Junxue’s words and actions gradually settled back into calm.

Inside the car, Fu Junxue had just closed the driver’s door and settled into her seat when she saw Hu Jiao rushing out of the diving center, jumping around like a monkey and waving at her. “Wait for me!”

“Lucky, lucky, caught the ride in time,” Hu Jiao said. Knowing Fu Junxue’s habit of leaving things on the passenger seat, she automatically opened the back door and climbed in. “By the way, this substitute class of yours isn’t easy. That kid’s situation is way too special. Are you sure you can handle it?”

Fu Junxue fastened her seatbelt and answered honestly, “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know, and you still want to take the class?” Hu Jiao’s voice rose an octave. “Aren’t you afraid of ruining our reputation?”

“If I don’t try, I’ll definitely fail. If I try, I might actually succeed,” Fu Junxue said, pulling a thermos from the storage compartment and taking a sip.

“What’s wrong with your voice? It’s so hoarse,” Hu Jiao asked.

“I spent the morning in Shencheng talking to the coaches there for hours, then came back for an afternoon meeting without drinking much water,” Fu Junxue replied, pausing before taking a few more deliberate sips. “Remember to drive later. I’ll be in Shencheng for training these next few days, so I won’t be coming to Solo. No free rides for you.”

Hu Jiao was baffled. “What training?”

“Training for teaching diving to children with autism,” Fu Junxue explained. “I talked it over with that diving center. They agreed to train me for five days.”

Hu Jiao frowned. “Why are you so invested in that kid?”

“She’s cute and good-looking. I like her.” Fu Junxue’s lazy tone sounded particularly dismissive.

“That’s it?” Hu Jiao scoffed. “Last time, there was an even cuter kid, and you barely even glanced at them.”

Fu Junxue had no recollection of the so-called “cuter kid” Pepper mentioned and couldn’t be bothered to come up with another excuse. Puzzled, she asked, “Do you really need a reason to like someone and want to do things for them?”

Pepper pursed her lips, unable to argue back.

In her memory, Fu Junxue had been like this for a long time prioritizing freedom and personal interests, doing many things without reason, acting purely on whim, carefree and unrestrained.

Spontaneous trips were a regular occurrence for her. If an idea struck her, she would immediately set about making it happen, never worrying about the outcome. When it came to friendships, she would engage if they clicked and walk away without hesitation if they didn’t.

At this thought, Pepper’s mind wandered, suddenly recalling Fu Junxue’s sexual orientation. She couldn’t help but ask, “Are you genuinely interested in that kid, or do you have ulterior motives?”

“What motives?” Fu Junxue glanced at the rearview mirror and had a sudden idea. “If this works out, why don’t you start a project too? Nanquan City doesn’t have a diving facility that offers this yet.”

“I’ll follow your lead,” Pepper said with high ideological awareness. “The one who invests the most gets to call the shots.”

Most of Solo’s startup capital had come from Fu Junxue.

“But don’t use that to dodge the question. I think your motive isn’t just that,” Pepper added.

“What do you think my motive is?” Fu Junxue asked, amused.

“I’ll just say it straight don’t hit me,” Pepper said bluntly. “I feel like you might be really interested in her aunt.”

Fu Junxue burst out laughing as if she’d just heard a joke.

“Don’t just laugh,” Pepper urged for a response. “Is it true or not?”

Fu Junxue didn’t answer directly. “Remember that interview about the new profession abroad we talked about the other day? The one about dating.”

“Oh! I remember,” Pepper said. “The one where you get paid to spend time with someone, go on dates, eat, watch movies, and shower them with compliments.”

Fu Junxue hummed in agreement.

“What about it?” Pepper asked.

“Two girls at the water bar overheard a bit and thought that’s what I do for a living. They probably discussed it today, and Wen Wan, who was waiting for me at the bar, heard it too.”

“What the hell? How could they believe that and gossip behind your back?” Pepper was instantly annoyed. “I’m firing those two. They don’t know anything and just run their mouths that’s called slander! Defamation!”

Fu Junxue didn’t want to dwell on it and continued, “She was quite interesting. Her first thought was whether it was like renting a girlfriend, not jumping to anything vulgar.”

“That’s rare,” Pepper remarked, recalling the filthy comments they’d seen before.

“Yeah, I told her it was for a show,” Fu Junxue paused before leisurely admitting, “Then I asked if she wanted to try it with me.”

Pepper was stunned for a moment before slapping her thigh. “I knew you were up to no good!”

“What do you mean ‘up to no good’?” Fu Junxue defended herself. “I just think she’s interesting. She’s young but acts like a refrigerator, I’m curious what dating her would be like.”

Since signing up for a Solo membership required personal details, Pepper knew Fu Junxue had personally handled Wen Wan’s registration. She took the opportunity to ask, “How old is she?”

“Only 24.”

Yet she carried a sense of maturity and steadiness beyond her years.

“Wow, even younger than me,” Pepper recalled, saying, “Weren’t you the one who said you weren’t interested in cold people? Why tease her with such a joke? Aren’t you afraid she might actually take you up on the offer to date?”

Back when Fu Junxue had a roommate who appeared gentle but was actually quite aloof, a stunningly beautiful mixed-race girl Pepper had thought that living together long-term might spark some feelings between them.

But Fu Junxue had simply said she had no interest in people who were cold at heart.

Fu Junxue stopped her car at the crosswalk to let pedestrians pass, her gaze drifting slightly to the right.

In the distance, rows of towering skyscrapers still glowed with lights, echoing the bright subway station. Crowds of well-dressed people hurried in and out of the entrances, indifferent to the row of toppled bikes by the roadside.

It painted a picture of refined self-interest, like an oil painting.

At the edge where the natural night met the city’s brilliance, someone kept bending down to pick up the fallen bikes, as if isolated in a separate ink-wash painting.

Only when the car behind honked did Fu Junxue snap out of her reverie, murmuring in response, “She doesn’t count.”

Wen Wanbing gave her the impression of a towering iceberg on the surface, yet beneath it all, she was nothing but water.

Their next meeting was a week later, in the afternoon.

That day, Wen Wanbing accompanied Hai Ling to oversee the photoshoot for the Qixi Perfume Gift Box.

Hai Ling glanced into the studio and said, “They should wrap up by 4:30. I’ve already cleared it with HR, no need to clock back in afterward. But make sure you send me the weekly report today, and don’t forget to monitor Sniff’s ad metrics over the weekend.”

With the Sniff project nearing its end, work had been relentless, often keeping them in the office until 11 or 12 at night. The rare chance to leave early with pay was a welcome relief. Wen Wanbing readily agreed, “Got it.”

Hai Ling lifted her gaze, glancing sideways. To avoid disrupting the shoot, they stood in a corner. The soft glow from the studio cast a hazy mist over Wen Wanbing’s jade-like face, blurring her features into something dreamlike.

Wen Wanbing pulled out her phone and texted Fu Junxue:

I should be off by around 4:30 today. If you’re free, could we do the theory lesson today? If not, we can schedule for tomorrow.

Fu Junxue must have been busy she didn’t reply immediately. Wen Wanbing lowered her eyes, staring fixedly at their previous messages.

After returning that day, she had tweaked the teaching plan slightly based on Wen Xing’s needs. Since then, Fu Junxue had been reminding her daily to practice the Frenzel maneuver and checking her schedule to arrange future lessons. Beyond that, there had been no further discussion.

Wen Wanbing hadn’t brought up whether she had decided on the contractual relationship, and Fu Junxue hadn’t pressed the matter.

It was as if the topic had simply faded away.

“Going straight home after this?” Hai Ling suddenly asked.

Wen Wanbing absentmindedly hummed in agreement.

“Mind if I drop by for dinner?” Hai Ling stopped at a traffic light and sighed. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Xingxing.”

Wen Wanbing lifted her lashes briefly, but her attention was quickly stolen by the vibration of her phone.

[Snowflake]: Sure! Pepper also has two students for lessons today. How come you’re off so early?

Reading the reply, Wen Wanbing exhaled a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief as she typed back:

I’m out for work today. Barring any surprises, I’ll be done by 4-ish and won’t need to go back to the office.

“Probably not today, I have something to do,” Wen Wanbing replied to Hai Ling.

“Again?” Hai Ling raised an eyebrow. “Every Friday, you’re busy. Are you sure you’re not dating someone?”

Almost simultaneously, Fu Junxue sent a reply.

[Snowflake]: [How long will it take you to get to Solo? I need to estimate the time.]

icey: [A twenty-minute walk.]

[Snowflake]: [Ok, let me know when you’re done.]

icey: [Got it.]

After replying, Wen Wanbing messaged He Xiuying to inform her she’d be home late.

Hai Ling, still waiting for a response, called out to her, “Zhui Zhui.”

Wen Wanbing finally turned back to Hai Ling, responding belatedly, “Hmm? No, I’m not.”

Hai Ling pursed her lips, her gaze lingering on Wen Wanbing’s darkened screen for over ten seconds. In the end, she swallowed her follow-up questions and changed the subject. “There’s a Starbucks downstairs. Go buy some coffee for everyone. Keep the receipt, and I’ll reimburse you.”

“Okay.” Wen Wanbing quickly counted the number of people in the studio and hurried downstairs.

At this hour, Starbucks wasn’t too crowded. The order was placed quickly, but preparing the drinks took some time.

To the right was a full-length glass window, with a display in the corner showcasing the ocean-themed cups and sand-filled coasters released in June cool-toned and adorably designed.

Bored, Wen Wanbing stood there for a while, watching. Someone nearby picked up one of the sand-filled coasters, and she instinctively glanced over, only for her gaze to freeze abruptly.

Outside the window, a red Jeep Wrangler pulled into a parking spot.

The bold, rugged design and passionate red stood out starkly against the row of mostly black-and-white sedans in the lot.

The woman in the driver’s seat wore sunglasses, her side profile revealing an elegant nose bridge. Wen Wanbing thought of Fu Junxue.

The woman tilted her head slightly toward the window.

Sunlight danced across the glass and the lenses of her sunglasses, making it impossible to tell whether their gazes had met or missed each other.

As if the pause button had been pressed again, the girl beside her placed the sand-filled coaster back in its spot. The silver-blue sand cascaded down, and the red Jeep Wrangler drove out of sight.

Wen Wanbing looked away and walked briskly over, waiting as the barista packed the coffees one by one. Carefully lifting the bags, she headed for the door.

With both hands full, she was about to push the door open with her shoulder when someone pulled it open from the outside.

Wen Wanbing’s gaze landed on the sunglasses hooked between Fu Junxue’s slender, fair fingers, and her brow lifted involuntarily.

The person in the red Jeep Wrangler earlier had been Fu Junxue.

Yesterday, when Fu Junxue mentioned giving her a ride, Wen Wanbing had imagined what kind of car she might drive. She’d pictured something as vibrant as Fu Junxue herself red, perhaps but never a Wrangler.

Yet, it suited her perfectly.

A symbol of free-spiritedness, wild elegance, and a unique sense of individuality.

The heat outside, mingling with Fu Junxue’s rich, intoxicating floral-fruity fragrance, clashed with the air-conditioned chill inside the store.

“Like a whirlwind echoing the serendipitous encounters of life, a romantic rendezvous in the mundane world.”

Wen Wanbing suddenly recalled the perfume ad copy she’d brainstormed that morning.

Fu Junxue smiled, her voice laced with an intimate warmth as she playfully lingered on the last syllable.

“Long time no see! Miss Wen.”

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