I Advise You To Like Me As Soon As Possible

Feeling energized by Shao Lili's encouragement, Ning Wan spent the next few days doing her absolute best to take care of Fu Zheng. First she took care of his breakfast, then she brought him fruit after meals. During lunch break, she went with him to buy daily necessities and she went to his house in Yuelan several times.

Unfortunately, to Ning Wan's surprise, Fu Zheng was not at all like most guys. But for a little gray dust, his house was almost cleaner than her own. Everything was arranged in its place, and the bed neatly made. If it weren't for the half cup of coffee on the bedside table, she might have thought that Fu Zheng had never even lived in his hard-won house from start to finish.

But of course, that was impossible.

After all, living in the Yuelan Community, he was so close to work that he could walk to the office, not only saving time, but travel expenses. Furthermore, he was saving on rent by owning his own place, so there was no way Fu Zheng would live anywhere other than such a good house.

It's was just that Ning Wan already took pretty good care of him normally, so when she thought about it soberly, she felt like he might not get her meaning just through her usual clumsy enthusiasm. He might even take for granted that it was how a mentor acted toward her mentee.

In distress, she gave Shao Lili another call--

"Lili, didn't you tell me to treat Fu Zheng a little better last time? Do you think I should be more obvious? He and I... "

Ever since last time (probably concerned about her important life events) Shao Lili had been strangely earnest whenever talk of Fu Zheng came up. Before Ning Wan could finish speaking, she heard enthusiastic advice coming from the other end of the call. "Yes! Be more obvious! There's no problem with that! Listen, you can't possibly be too nice to him. Remember, sister, I wouldn't ever lead you wrong!"

……

After hanging up the call, Ning Wan thought about it and felt like what she had said was reasonable. If she treated Fu Zheng just the same as before, he might not be aware of how she felt, so why not first drop a gentle hint? Sound out his position?

Quite coincidentally, Ning Wan found that the supermarket was having a sale during lunch break that day. She took advantage of it to buy a lot of fruits and vegetables, and thought about giving some to Fu Zheng.

Although Fu Zheng was out getting evidence for a case that day, he had given Ning Wan a spare key to his home, so after sending him a text message to ask for his permission, she brought the vegetables and fruits to his door.

There is nothing fresh remaining in Fu Zheng's refrigerator except a few eggs and bananas. After filling up his refrigerator, Ning Wan finally felt like the place seemed a little more lived-in.

All done, she turned around to leave, but whether she was possessed by a ghost or had a flash of inspiration, a plan flashed into her mind, one hard to tell whether it was excellent or absolutely dumb.

Hadn't she just been thinking about how to give Fu Zheng a hint of her own regard?

Then wasn't this the perfect time?!

At that moment, some unknown impulse took the place of reason. Ning Wan didn't even struggle internally with it, but simply pulled out the cherries she had conveniently just bought...

Fifteen minutes later, after she had left Fu Zheng's house and returned to the office, reason returned. But everything had already been done...

Ning Wan thumped her head on the table. On the one hand, her heart was beating like a drum, as if she had done something worthy of a crime. On the other, she was uneasy, nervous and also a little expectant.

Just a quarter of an hour ago, on the counter of Fu Zheng's kitchen, Ning Wan had carefully arranged the cherries she had bought one by one into the shape of a heart.

It sounded a little corny and elementary school-ish, but it was the only tactful hint that her poor imagination could come up with.

Although when it came to cases she could be brave and straightforward, emotionally she was not so courageous. Even if she didn't want to admit it, her parents' marriage had left her with some scars.

But she didn't want to miss out on Fu Zheng.

Fu Zheng's gentleness, Fu Zheng's gallantry, Fu Zheng's easygoing temper, Fu Zheng's protectiveness, all of those things that he had. Like water slowly flowing, by the time Ning Wan came to realize it, she had already become used to having Fu Zheng's company.

She couldn't deny those small, irregular moves in her heart, couldn't stop herself from unconsciously gazing at his eyes, couldn't suppress the joy she felt every time she saw him.

Putting out a heart made of cherries was already the bravest Ning Wan could be.

What would happen when Fu Zheng saw it? He would see it tonight when he came home from work, right? Would he call her immediately? Would he say yes? Would he be shy? Or would he hesitate?

That whole afternoon, Ning Wan had no peace. Fu Zheng was out collecting evidence, and thanks to the traffic jam, he didn't come back to the office after work. Since she didn't see him all day, she could only sneakily remind him on WeChat to go home and eat the fruit in the kitchen.

Fu Zheng really was stuck in the car when he got Ning Wan's text message, but he wasn't on his way back to the community. Tonight was his mother's birthday, and Fu Zheng was heading home to have dinner with his mother.

Thanks to the fluctuating weather, Mother Fu had recently been feeling a little uncomfortable, so Fu Zheng had been living at home so that he would be there to take care of her or send her to the hospital in case anything happened.

This was a secret from Ning Wan, of course. Fu Zheng still hadn't decided how to confess the truth to her, so he could only continue his poverty-stricken persona and lie about living in the Yuelan apartment. It was because of this that when she enthusiastically brought him fruit, Fu Zheng couldn't refuse. He didn't want to look suspicious.

Therefore, Fu Zheng would go to the apartment in Yuelan once a week to change some little details, like making a cup of coffee and putting it by the bed, proving that he really did live there. When Ning Wan bought him fresh vegetables, he would pick them up as well. They weren't expensive, but since Ning Wan had bought them for him, he didn't want to waste them.

But this time was special. His mother's birthday was the first time that Fu Zheng failed to pick up his produce from the apartment at Yuelan. The night of her birthday dinner, his mother's discomfort became worse. Worried and at the end of his rope, Fu Zheng had to send her to the hospital. He could only put off his plans to go to Yuelan for a little longer...

Meanwhile, Ning Wan waited and waited, tossed and turned all night, and never heard anything back from Fu Zheng.

At work the next day, there were two huge bags under Ning Wan's eyes. On the contrary, although Fu Zheng looked a little tired, he seemed to be overall in good form.

"Did you eat the cherries from last night?" Ning Wan let out an artificial cough. "Um, the cherries will go bad soon if you don't."

In answer to her question, Fu Zheng smiled very naturally indeed and said, "I did eat them."

Ning Wan stared at him and waited for quite awhile. But aside from giving her another gentle smile, Fu Zheng said nothing more.

She had laid out a heart so large that anyone with eyes would understand.

But Fu Zheng didn't say a single word about it...

Rejected.

That was the only thing she could think of for a while.

She had been rejected.

She felt cold.

Last night's anticipation and anxiety were suddenly replaced by loss and discomfort. Although any confession might be rejected, probably because she hadn't even wanted to entertain the possibility at all, she had never even thought about an outcome like this.

She could like Fu Zheng, but she couldn't force Fu Zheng to like her back. Intellectually, this was very clear, but emotionally, Ning Wan was so devastated that she couldn't even eat.

It was the first time she had liked someone so much.

Thank goodness Fu Zheng was a kind person. He had turned her down gently and without embarrassing her. He had replied to the matter without bringing it up directed treated her just like normal.

But Ning Wan still felt a little like crying.

It was because Fu Zheng was such a good man that she felt even sadder to have been turned down.

Such a good man, and she would have to see him every day, but he wouldn't be hers!

It was like food in a window. You could see it every day, but you couldn't afford to buy it, making you angry and anxious. The thought that this delicious morsel would eventually be taken home by someone else made you sour and bitter. You felt like smashing the window and robbing the shop and taking it for yourself.

Ning Wan gazed covertly at Fu Zheng, half her heart broken, and the other half filled with dangerous criminal thoughts.