Who Wants to Love Bad Girls - Chapter 20

The scorching heat of summer was radiating, and the sun’s rays were becoming increasingly intense. The flowers in front of ‘kilig’ were withering under the heat, and Ting Wan had to spend more time watering and taking care of them.

Kevin finally selected the design for the shop’s renovation. It will be located on a bustling street, and the ‘Garden’ branch is said to be opening next month. It’s the summer vacation, and advertisements are flooding the streets. Lán Líng scoffed at this, mocking Kevin and saying that it’s not a grand opening, but rather a call for people to inhale formaldehyde.

Ting Wan smiled and didn’t show much reaction. Although Kevin always seemed to be sarcastic and constantly opposed them, she remembered the time when she first arrived at ‘kilig’… no, back then it was still called ‘Nightfall’. She recalled the difficult past, her eyes dimming as she composed herself.

“‘Garden’ offers lower prices, and many of their customers are students. Taking advantage of the summer vacation, they’ll probably have high sales with all the promotions. But it doesn’t concern us.”

The arrival of summer vacation wouldn’t have an impact on ‘kilig’. The consumption at ‘kilig’ has always been on the higher side, with mostly financially capable working professionals as customers. Occasionally, there are student customers, but mostly on special occasions like birthdays, and they don’t come frequently.

“Miss Chi is also a student, but she hasn’t been coming lately during the summer vacation…” Lán Líng muttered quietly, stealing a glance to observe Ting Wan Mama’s reaction.

Sure, no problem. Ting Wan Mama, puzzled by the lack of reaction, couldn’t understand why she seemed to be intentionally driving away a big customer like Miss Chi. The amount she spent during her visits could cover a month’s worth of sales at ‘kilig’. It had been two weeks since they last saw each other.

“These wines…” Lán Líng paused as she tidied up the liquor cabinet, secretly amazed at how much Miss Chi had ordered.

Ting Wan glanced over and said, “Put them away, they’re taking up space.”

After all, Chi Jianyue probably wouldn’t be coming anymore.

Although it was just a customer, Lán Líng always sensed a subtle undertone in these interactions. Perhaps it was because Ting Wan Mama’s cold demeanor seemed even more unusual.

Lán Líng was about to go find a box when Ting Wan spoke again, “It’s late, aren’t you leaving yet?”

‘kilig’ had already closed, and all the staff had gone home. Only Lán Líng and Ting Wan remained in the shop. She had originally been complaining to Ting Wan about ‘Garden’ and somehow ended up staying till the end.

“Ah!” Lán Líng checked the time, hastily grabbing her bag. Her family didn’t approve of her working in this line of business, thinking it was unsafe. They had set up a curfew, and if she came back any later, her parents would probably have gone to the police station to report her missing. “Well then, Ting Wan Mama, I’ll be leaving now. See you tomorrow!”

“It’s today we’ll see each other,” Ting Wan corrected with a smile, noting her hurried and flustered state.

The door closed with a heavy thud, and Ting Wan lowered her head, continuing with the routine tasks she had to do every day.

She was always the last person to leave ‘kilig’, walking alone through the desolate Bahe Road, stepping into the thick darkness of the night.

At the edge of the flowerbed, there was a osmanthus tree, still in its non-blooming season, just an ordinary tree. Ting Wan had already passed by, but then her footsteps halted, and she turned back, her voice hesitant.

“Jianyue…?”

Under the shade of the tree, there was the slender figure of a girl sitting with her knees drawn up. She softly responded when she heard the question. Ting Wan approached quickly, crouching down, furrowing her brows as she examined her appearance.

Chi Jianyue was surrounded by a strong smell of alcohol, and just by the scent, Ting Wan could tell how much she had been drinking.

“Why are you drinking so much alone? Where are your friends? Isn’t anyone coming to pick you up?”

Drunk beyond comprehension, Chi Jianyue didn’t answer any of these questions. She just lifted her face from her knees to look at Ting Wan. Her long, curly eyelashes were damp, her pupils shimmering like crystal balls, and her cheeks and the corners of her eyes were tinged with a rosy hue.

“Ting Wan…” Her voice, moistened by alcohol, was sticky and full of grievances.

Ting Wan’s breath hitched, her fingers holding onto her bag tightened, thinking that Chi Jianyue was about to say something.

“Bad girl…” Chi Jianyue pouted, her watery eyes shining even more. Ting Wan breathed a sigh of relief at her words, a faint smile appearing on her face as she responded, “Yes, I am.”

Although Ting Wan didn’t know why Chi Jianyue ended up drunk at the entrance of ‘kilig’, she couldn’t just leave her alone. Just as she was about to help her up and find a place for her to settle down, Chi Jianyue blinked, and the moisture in her eyes turned into tangible tears, falling like broken pearls. Her voice took on a hint of a sob, “But I really like you…”

“Ting Wan… How can I make you like me… even just a little bit…”

Suddenly, everything around them fell silent. The girl continued to murmur softly, interspersed with a few faint sobs. Ting Wan remained silent, her gaze heavy as she looked at her for a long time, finally exhaling a breath.

“I only like obedient pets… but I’m allergic to animal fur.”

“Will Jianyue be an obedient pet?”

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Did you guess where this is going…