Chapter 145

Chapter 145: The Door to Rebirth in the Apocalypse – Full Book Online

Chapter 145

Gu Ning chewed the food in her mouth as if it were wax, not daring to lift her head. The room was silent, with only the occasional clinking of chopsticks and plates and the sporadic sound of chewing.

A faint sense of awkwardness lingered in the room, or more accurately, it enveloped Gu Ning. She stole a glance at Ji Jiuzhe across the table, who seemed completely unfazed, sitting upright and composed, his movements slow and deliberate.

After the sudden confession, the confessor remained calm and collected, while the confessed-to was left in a state of unease and turmoil.

Gu Ning couldn’t help but wonder if she had been too tired lately and was hallucinating. Maybe the incident at the ice rink was just a figment of her imagination?

Recalling the moment, after Ji Jiuzhe had said those words to her, he had continued skating as if nothing had happened, never bringing it up again. It didn’t follow the usual progression of events, like asking her how she felt about it or if she liked him back. This made Gu Ning question whether she had misheard.

After leaving the rink and driving to dinner, Ji Jiuzhe acted as usual, while Gu Ning felt like she was sitting on a frying pan, restless and anxious. Despite her inner turmoil, her face remained calm and composed. The two sat facing each other, like two martial arts masters testing each other’s composure.

After the meal, Ji Jiuzhe took Gu Ning home, saying he had some business with Qige, and then left again.

“Pfft—” Ji Qige spat out the tea he had just sipped, while Ji Jiuzhe, sitting across from him, seemed to have anticipated this reaction and slightly turned his body to avoid the spray, his face showing no displeasure.

“Sorry, my bad manners,” Ji Qige said, still shocked but maintaining his good upbringing by wiping his mouth with a tissue before addressing Ji Jiuzhe. “Did I hear you right? You really like Gu Ning? And you confessed to her?”

These were three questions, but Ji Jiuzhe calmly replied with one word: “Yes.”

“Wait, let me catch my breath,” Ji Qige said, gulping down his tea in a rather ungraceful manner, still unable to comprehend. “So, you like this type? No wonder you never showed interest in the various beauties I introduced to you before. But I still don’t get it. In my opinion, someone who matches you should either be a stunning beauty like Zhuang Chen or a lively, cheerful girl who complements your personality.

But Gu Ning doesn’t fit either category. Her pale face isn’t exactly pitiful, and she’s not particularly beautiful. Her features are delicate but somewhat plain, and even her smile carries a chilly vibe. Standing next to Ji Jiuzhe, they’re like two air conditioners.

Ji Qige calmed himself down and then asked, “So, what did she say?”

Ji Jiuzhe raised an eyebrow slightly: “Hmm?”

Ji Qige pressed on, “After you confessed, what was her reaction? Did she agree or not?”

Gu Ning’s reaction? Ji Jiuzhe vividly recalled the moment when Gu Ning looked up at him, dumbfounded, her expression silly and unlike her usual self, but… cute. Ji Jiuzhe was surprised by his own thought of her being cute, but indeed, she was. When she walked, she looked like a little pink penguin.

Ji Jiuzhe had a question about Ji Qige’s second query: “Agree to what?”

“What do you mean, agree to what?” Ji Qige was exasperated. “Did she agree to be with you, to be your girlfriend?”

Ji Jiuzhe thought back to his brief conversation with Gu Ning and said, “No.”

Ji Qige looked as if he had been struck by lightning: “What? No?! She didn’t agree? You were rejected?”

Ji Jiuzhe glanced at him: “I didn’t ask.” He paused, took a sip of tea, and then continued, “Because I know she doesn’t like me, so there was no need to ask.”

Ji Qige’s expression, which had just started to recover, froze again: “How do you know she doesn’t like you?”

“I didn’t come here to discuss this,” Ji Jiuzhe said with a hint of displeasure, his tone slightly stiff. “I know you have experience in this area, so I wanted to ask for your advice on how to make Gu Ning… like me.”

Ji Qige was stunned for a long time before he finally said, “I never thought I’d see the day.”

Ji Jiuzhe gave him a cold look.

Ji Qige coughed and then said, “Based on my years of experience in the love arena, if you really want to pursue a girl, there are only three principles.” He paused, seeing Ji Jiuzhe listening intently, and then continued, “First: Be good to her.

“Second: Be good to her by any means necessary.

“Third: Be good only to her.

“I know you’ve never been in a relationship, so I’ll give you a hint,” Ji Qige said enthusiastically. “No matter what kind of girl, they all love flowers and fluffy little animals. Look at my big fat dog; I got it to impress girls. Whenever I have time, I take it out for a walk, and the girls just flock around.”

Ji Jiuzhe seemed to ponder this.

“But can I ask you a question?” Ji Qige asked seriously after taking a sip of tea. “What do you like about that little girl?” He was dying to know how Gu Ning had managed to stir the heart of someone as stoic as Ji Jiuzhe.

Ji Jiuzhe paused, then smiled faintly: “Perhaps it’s because she fits my preferences in every way.”

Ji Qige was silent for a while, then looked at the hint of a smile at the corner of Ji Jiuzhe’s eye and thought to himself that Ji Jiuzhe must really like Gu Ning. When had he ever seen Ji Jiuzhe smile while talking about someone? He also wondered if he should call his aunt to share the news that Ji Jiuzhe might not end up alone after all.

When Gu Ning heard the knock on the door, her nerves immediately tensed up. How had Ji Jiuzhe returned so quickly? If she pretended not to be home, would he think she had disappeared again? With these thoughts, she walked to the door, took a deep breath to adjust her expression, and opened it, trying to sound natural: “Captain, is there something—” Before she could finish, she froze, staring at the flowers extended towards her, unsure of what to do. She instinctively took the large bouquet of baby’s breath and asked, “Uh… for me?”

Ji Jiuzhe’s response was: “Yes. I passed by a flower shop on my way back and bought them.”

Gu Ning: …

Ji Jiuzhe said, “You’re blushing.”

Gu Ning: “…I’m wearing too much; it’s a bit hot.”

Before she could finish, a hand touched her cheek. Gu Ning’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Ji Jiuzhe, who had placed his hand on her face, too stunned to speak.

Ji Jiuzhe seemed to simply want to check the temperature of her face and said, “It is a bit warm.”

Gu Ning gulped, feeling the spot he had touched burning even more.

Ji Jiuzhe looked at Gu Ning, whose eyes were still fixed on him but flickering nervously, and a smile appeared in his eyes: “What do you want to eat tonight?”

Gu Ning, seeing the usually cold eyes of Ji Jiuzhe now filled with a smile, suddenly felt inexplicably nervous. She lowered her head, focusing on the flowers in her arms, and mumbled, “Uh, anything is fine.”

After a pause, Ji Jiuzhe suddenly asked, “Do you remember what I said at the ice rink earlier?”

Gu Ning felt goosebumps rise on the back of her neck and instinctively looked up at Ji Jiuzhe.

Ji Jiuzhe, satisfied with her reaction, said, “Hmm, seems like you remember.”

Gu Ning: …

If the time Ji Qige sent her off at the airport didn’t count, this was the first bouquet of flowers Gu Ning had ever received in the true sense.

The most crucial point was that this bouquet was from Ji Jiuzhe.

After closing the door, Gu Ning sat on the bed, holding the flowers, and fell into deep thought again. How had Ji Jiuzhe come to like her? Recalling all the moments she had spent with Ji Jiuzhe, there didn’t seem to be any particular incident that could have triggered his feelings for her. Before the sudden hug at the ice rink, Ji Jiuzhe had never shown any signs of liking her…

She had never been pursued by anyone before. The girls around her had all been pursued by someone at some point, but she had never experienced it, perhaps because she had been too focused on chasing others herself.

But now, she had received flowers from Ji Jiuzhe, Ji Jiuzhe of all people…

If she wasn’t mistaken, this bouquet meant that he was now pursuing her… right?

Gu Ning let out a groan and lay back, feeling an inexplicable sense of panic. Her mind, usually sharp, was now a complete mess, unable to think clearly.

Gu Ning clutched her chest and let out a sigh.