Romantic Collaboration

Part 6

12

Damn it.

For the countless time, I thought to myself, Ji Ming Chen is such a terrifying man!
I was lying on the sofa, chatting with Jiang Jia. "Kissing a mature man is just different—gentle and gradual, it feels like being slowly devoured."

Jiang Jia responded coldly, "Innocent me doesn't want to hear about this."

"Liar. Wasn't it you who told me last time that your ex was too fast?"

We were in the middle of a fun argument when Ji Ming Chen sent me a message saying he was home, then asked if I had time next week. He wanted to discuss engagement venues, outfits, and other related matters.
I immediately checked my schedule. I had a boxing session planned for next weekend, so I told my secretary to reschedule it and replied that I was available.

Ji Ming Chen sent a soft, cartoonish cat emoji, with the word "Okay" bouncing above its head.

I paused for a second, then silently covered my face and collapsed back onto the sofa.

My phone kept buzzing. Ji Ming Chen sent another message: "Last time when we met Lin Yao, I said I'd take you to that restaurant to make you happy, and I meant it—it wasn't because of Lin Yao."

I couldn't help but laugh, lying back on the sofa.

For me, this kind of feeling was rare.

But what did it matter? After all, Ji Ming Chen cared deeply, too.

How lovely it is to have such genuine, mutual affection.

13

I had imagined picking out a wedding dress with Ji Ming Chen, selecting a honeymoon destination, and designing wedding rings together.

But I never expected Ji Ming Chen to even have an opinion or two about manicures.

I was utterly shocked. "Isn't there supposed to be a wall between men and women?"
"Beautiful things are universal, aren't they?" Ji Ming Chen gently held my hand.

His hand was a whole size bigger than mine, and he could easily grasp my hand completely.

"Besides, I want to learn more about the things you like."

I covered my face with my other hand and mumbled, "You're too terrifying, Ji Ming Chen."

Ji Ming Chen tilted his head, a little puzzled, but still smiled at me.

"But I don't do manicures that often." I shook our linked hands. "I practice boxing, and long nails are really inconvenient."

It wasn't an exaggeration—at that moment, I saw obvious joy and surprise in Ji Ming Chen's deep eyes.

"I actually suspected that you had a fitness routine; your figure is healthy and beautiful." Ji Ming Chen lowered his head and kissed the back of my hand, then looked up at me. "How about adding some boxing to our future dates? I've been practicing boxing for many years."

We didn't wait for the future. Right after we finalized the wedding attire that day, we went straight to a boxing gym.

Calling it a boxing gym isn't quite accurate—it was more like a large fitness club. The membership requirements were strict, and I had applied when I first returned to the country, but unfortunately, I got rejected.
Ji Ming Chen helped me wrap my hands, and when he heard my complaint, he seemed a bit embarrassed for some reason. He whispered, "Sorry, I'll pull some strings for you."

I was a bit confused.

Ji Ming Chen scratched his nose. "I co-founded this place with a friend from graduate school, and I have shares in it."

I was completely charmed by his look. I reached out with my bandaged hand to scratch his chin. "Well then, thank you, President Ji!"

14

Sparring with Ji Ming Chen was very enjoyable.

He was an excellent training partner. Though I was nowhere near his level in terms of stamina and strength, Ji Ming Chen kept praising my punches.

While I was confident in my technique, even I couldn't handle the excessive amount of praise he was giving me.

During our break, Ji Ming Chen introduced me to another co-owner of the club, his long-time friend, Zhan Fei.

Ji Ming Chen's friends all had a strong sense of boundaries, which made them easy to get along with. After we exchanged greetings, Zhan Fei said:

"I've heard about you for years. Now that we've finally met, it turns out the rumors were true."

Me: ... How is it possible to be so sincere without being the least bit glib?

At some point, Zhan Fei and Ji Ming Chen started talking about the club's operations, and I took the opportunity to go shower, leaving them some space.

After coming out of the shower, I unexpectedly discovered someone I hadn't anticipated.

Lin Yao was dressed in workout clothes, handing a bottle of water to Ji Ming Chen.

I hesitated for a moment, holding the water I had brought for Ji Ming Chen, but still quietly took a few steps forward.

"... Did you come here alone?" Lin Yao lowered her hand holding the water, a bit of self-deprecation in her tone. "You won't even accept a bottle of water from me now?"

"I came with Wen Dong," Ji Ming Chen said, lowering his eyes as he untied his bandages, his attitude clearly indifferent.

"Really? Are you teaching her how to box too?"

"There's no need for me to teach her. Wen Dong has been training for many years. She's very skilled."

I couldn't help but smile a little.

"I still remember when we used to come here on weekends, and you would teach me how to box," Lin Yao said with a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "I was so clumsy. No matter how long I tried, I just couldn't get the hang of it."

"That's because you didn't have a habit of working out, so naturally, you couldn't improve at boxing," Ji Ming Chen replied gently. "You can ask Cheng Ke to teach you too; he's quite good at boxing."

Lin Yao's face instantly turned pale.