Please Be More Serious | Chapter 33

Qiu Zheng Qing sends Yin Ting home.

Throughout the car ride, she doesn’t seem to take any initiative to talk. Oddly he is the one desperately trying to find conversational topics. He ended up describing how Da Da’s habit of burying its poop and then monitoring him cleaning the said poop. It is enough to get a laugh out of her. He really likes the way she smiles so happily.

Too bad the journey is too short, they have already reached her place. Yin Ting thanks him. Qiu Zheng Qing replies, “See you tomorrow.”

Yin Ting walks towards the community gate, while paying attention to noise behind her. It is all quiet. No sound of the car starting or sound of friction against the road – nothing. Yin Ting’s heart begins pounding. He has not left yet.

Why is he not leaving? She is already home.

A man who is this kind to a woman is definitely interested to her. She remembers this is what Qin Yu Fei told her. Her heart beats even faster. Yin Ting does not dare to turn around and look, so she ends up just picking up pace until she is almost running beyond the community gate. She stops in one of the darker corners, hiding to steal a peek at him.

Indeed Qiu Zheng Qing has not left and it look as if he is barely retreating from staring out of from the window. Is he looking at her? She is uncertain yet certain at  the same time. Her face turns red.

In the beginning, Qiu Zheng Qing is looking at her through the rear view mirror, but seeing her suddenly running surprised him. Once upon a time, there was a cat to pick her up. Now what is it? He sticks his head out to take a better look but she has all but disappeared.

Seeing that there are no weird noises nor is there anything unusual, he thinks that she should be alright. Only then does he start his car to drive home. 

Yin Ting, who is still hiding, sees that Qiu Zheng Qing is leaving. She knows that whether or not he is indeed looking at her earlier, the fact is that he only leaves after feeling assured that she has stepped into the gated neighbourhood.

Her heart feels indescribably warm.

Could it be? That such a serious, straight-laced man –who upon first meeting shows that he does not care for her free-spirited attitude – that such an elite member of society actually likes her? What does he like about her?

Turning around, she runs back home with a bright red face.

Back in her room, the first thing she does is call Qin Yu Fei. Thump, thump. Her heart is beating really fast. She thinks of all the time she spent with Qiu Zheng Qing, all those little and big moments. Maybe, it really is true. She needs to report this to Qin Yu Fei. This is in serious need of discussion.

Qin Yu Fei ends up not answering the call. Yin Ting tries to call again after some time but there is no one picking up the phone. She begins to feel a little depressed. How annoying, she actually doesn’t answer her phone at such a crucial moment.

The next morning, Yin Ting doesn’t immediately run over to Qiu Zheng Qing’s place. She has her breakfast and busies herself with the flowers and plants she is taking care of until ten am. Then, as expected, Qiu Zheng Qing’s call arrives.

“One of the things you have ordered has arrived. I didn’t unpack it yet, I was waiting for you. Do you want to come over? Do you need me to pick you up?”

Yin Ting smiles, feeling strangely happy – not that she knows what is it that she is being happy about. “Okay, I am also heading out now. You don’t have to pick me up.”

Maybe it is just her heart acting up but either way, she is overjoyed by the simple fact that he called to invite her. Cheerfully saying goodbye to her father, she then leaves her house.

If he is really only being kind, he wouldn’t be so considerate as to offer to pick her up, right? If he is asking whether or not she wants to come, does that mean he wants to see her?

She finds herself grinning all the way throughout the taxi ride.

When Qiu Zheng Qing answers the door, he is smiling. Looking at his expression, she couldn’t help but smile as well. “Another one just arrived. One of them is in a pretty big box,” he says. Yin Ting finds that both his eyes and voice are very gentle.

How is it that she has not noticed this earlier?

Right when she is about to say something, her phone rings. The caller ID is Qin Yu Fei. Feeling rather guilty, she quickly declines the call. Qiu Zheng Qing stares at her. Yin Ting shrugs. “It’s one of those sales people.”

He accepts the answer easily. “Should we open the package now?”

“Okay, you start first. I need the washroom.” Yin Ting runs towards the washroom, occasionally turning around to look at Qiu Zheng Qing in the living room. He is already starting to tear through the packaging. Locking the door, she fishes her phone out and returns Qin Yu Fei’s call.

“Why did you decline my call?” Qin Yu Fei demands.

“Why didn’t you answer my call?” Yin Ting retorts.

Without a shred of remorse or embarrassment, Qin Yu Fei answers, “I was at Jie’s place yesterday. We were enjoying our own sweet time, so of course I muted the phone.”

Huh. How hateful to be so lovey-dovey.

“Why did you decline my call?” Qin Yu Fei asks again. “Where are you?”

“I am at Qiu Zheng Qing’s place. Earlier I am in the living room with him, so it’s not convenient.”

Qin Yu Fei frowns. “Oh no, what do you mean that there are times where it is inconvenient for the both of you? What are you two doing?”

“Nothing,” Yin Ting answers, then immediately goes in for the kill. “Yu Fei, I called you last night to say that, I think, possibly, and I just mean just possibly, Qiu Zheng Qing might be a little interested in me.”

“And?” Qin Yu Fei is extremely interested in the follow-up.

“And you must remember to keep this secret. Don’t reveal to him that you have warned me.”

“What do you mean?” Qin Yu Fei doesn’t get her. In fact she has already planned to talk to Qiu Zheng Qing next Monday and warn him not to have any ideas about Yin Ting.

“It means that you shouldn’t say anything to him.”

“I still don’t understand. I don’t say anything to him, and then?”

“And then it will be our private matter. I will carefully observe him.”

“And after observing him?”

“I will think of something when I come to it.”

Being silent for a moment, Qin Yu Fei finally asks, “Don’t tell me you also like him?”

“Either way, how do I put it, I don’t hate him.” Ah, that is incorrect, “don’t hate” is not quite appropriate. “I mean if he likes me, I don’t hate it.”

That’s it, she’s done for. What is this situation? Qin Yu Fei dazes out for quite a while before asking, “Can I interview you about your journey? Qiu Zheng Qing that kind of a man, which part of him that you are attracted to?”

“I don’t like him that way.”

“Then are you planning to pretend to be ignorant of his feelings, slowly distancing yourself and then just give him the cold treatment? Is that it?”

“Why do I have to distance myself? Didn’t I say it earlier? If he likes me, I don’t hate it.”

Qin Yu Fei couldn’t really grasp the situation. “Okay, hang on. Let’s sort of your thoughts first. You said, you found out that he might really be interested in you.”

“Right.” Thinking about this is enough to make Yin Ting feel a little excited. The fact that such an elite man would fall for her is really giving her vainly pride a boost.

“Then, you don’t really hate this situation?”

“Right.” Never mind not hating, she is even happy.

“Then you don’t want him to know that you know about this.”

“Right.” Of course she needs to wait and see, she has barely confirmed anything.

“Then you are not distancing yourself, you still want to socialize with him while pretending not to know his feelings.”

“Uh.” Thinking about it, she answers, “That should be right.”

Qin Yu Fei cries, “You’re a wicked woman to want to play with others’ feelings.”

“I’m not!” Yin Ting retorts with a slightly raised voice. She quickly tones it down. “I’m not playing with him. I just want to make sure, you know, that he really likes me. Only after I know that, sort out my own feelings, only then we will decide what to do. I will not deceive him or play with his feelings.” Sheesh, she really isn’t that bad, alright?

Qin Yu Fei is quiet for a moment before sighing. “Xiao Ting.”

“Yes?”

“You never seem to use your brain when you are courting all those men in the past. So it seems like you have been saving all your wit and cunning to deal with Qiu Zheng Qing today.”

Yin Ting continues, “I used to chase after wrong guys and always failing. Next time I will choose the right one before trying anything.”

“…”

“I made a mistake, I shouldn’t worry about you. Instead I should worry about Qiu Zheng Qing.” Qin Yu Fei makes an exaggerated sigh. “My dear, he is my family’s cash cow. Please have mercy, our Yong Kai depends on him to make money for us.”

“Sheesh, I won’t mess things up.” Yin Ting reminds her again, “You must remember not to tell him. Once I made sure of things, I will tell you about it.”

Yin Ting hangs up the call. Biting her lip, she thinks about Qin Yu Fei’s words. Did she used to never use her brain when it comes to love? No. Is she being sly and cunning now? No. She is still the same time, but this is the first time a man has been so kind to her. Therefore she feels reluctant to refuse.

Is that how it is? Either way, she has not yet confirmed anything. That he likes her, this possibility makes her a little happy. But she is afraid of being happy too early and she doesn’t know what she is happy about. She will have to think about, observe him, and consider it thoughtfully.

Right, she needs to gather all her wit.

She wants to fall in love, she really wants to!

By the time she returns, Qiu Zheng Qing has already installed the automated feeder and is preparing to assemble the cat climber. He sits on the floor, frowning slightly as he reads the instructions manual. From where she is standing, she can only observe the side of his face – he does indeed look serious but he looks so terribly handsome.

The more she looks at him, the more she feels that he is pleasing to her eyes and the happier she feels.

At noon, they order takeout for lunch. While eating, Yin Ting asks Qiu Zheng Qing what he usually does during the weekend.

“Nothing special. On Saturdays, I will go the gym. On Sundays, I do grocery shopping at the supermarket. I also watch some TV and occasionally go on the Internet.” Qiu Zheng Qing is trying to demonstrate how productive his life is while conveniently leaving out the part where he actually does his work most of the time. He is afraid of making his life too eventful, in case Yin Ting feels like she is interfering in his life and won’t come over anymore.

“Since I came over today, you couldn’t go the gym.” Sure enough, Yin Ting points out this fact. He quickly replies, “It’s okay. I don’t necessarily have to every Saturday. It’s okay to not go. Sometimes when I have things to do, I wouldn’t go either.”

Yin Ting smiles sweetly. How could she not realize how adorable the straight-faced Qiu Zheng Qing is when he desperately tries to explain himself?

After lunch, he washes the dishes and leaves Yin Ting, equipped with her camera, to take pretty pictures of Da Da. Once he is done, he continues with his setting-up of the cat climber. She offers to help but he refuses it, so she continues with her picture-taking.

Da Da the troublemakers comes over to meddle, causing Qiu Zheng Qing to frown. Yin Ting takes a photo of that moment.

Da Da climbs the poll that Qiu Zheng Qing needs, causing him to push the cat away so he can get the job done. But that meddlesome cat actually holds on to his arm, refusing to let go. That moment, too, is immortalized with Yin Ting’s camera.

When the cat climber is finally set up, Da Da excitedly jumps up and looks at Qiu Zheng Qing. The both of them stare at each other, face-to-face. Qiu Zheng Qing quips, “Now you have no more excuse for fooling around.” Da Da answers by rolling around on its belly. Yin Ting quietly takes a few more photos of them both.

Once everything is said and done, Da Da the cat is having the time of its life. Qiu Zheng Qing stands up to air the room and for once, the cat doesn’t bother running out. Yin Ting is laughing, merrily taking photos. He feels a little awkward standing there, not knowing what to do. There’s nothing he can offer when it comes to photography and sitting down just feels silly without anything to do.

Yin Ting’s voice quips, “You can go. I’ll leave after taking a few more photos.”

Did she take all those photos so that she can advertise the cat, hoping someone will be willing to adopt it? Qiu Zheng Qing immediately puts a stop to that plan. “To be honest, it’s doing well under my care. Look, it’s adapting well here and there’s no other cat to steal its territory. You can even come visit it regularly. The adoptee may not be so willing to let you visit and it’s no longer up to you if Da Da gets to eat canned food. The adoptee may not be good to it, you don’t know these things.”

Yin Ting blinks. “But you’re busy with work, you won’t be able to take care of it in the long term.”

“Isn’t long and short term basically the same thing?” He desperately tries to convince her. “Isn’t it just feeding it before leaving for work, and come home to shovel its shit?”

Yin Ting laughs heartily. This description is really accurate. “But you will sometimes go on business trips,” she points out this problem.

“If I’m away on a business trip, I’ll give you my house keys. You have to feed it well. When you are away, who feeds your cat?”

“My brother or housekeeper.”

“Isn’t that right? I’ll just give you my eyes and you can take care of it for me.” When Qiu Zheng Qing proposes this, he is actually feeling rather nervous. No matter the circumstances, the fact that a single man is giving a single woman his house keys implies something very intimate. Would it scare Yin Ting?

She ends up smiling. “Okay. If you really have to be leave, I will ask for my brother’s help.”

Oh right. She has a brother. That’s one way of escaping the stigma.

“Okay,” Qiu Zheng Qing agrees.

While still playing with Da Da, Yin Ting suddenly turns to Qiu Zheng Qing to ask, “Oh right, I didn’t ask you. You’re no longer with Miss Zoe, why is that?”

He blanks for a moment before saying, “I think I have told you. I found her unsuitable for me. You tried to persuade me. You said it doesn’t matter feeling right or wrong isn’t important, what’s important is that if I like her.”

“Oh right.” She nods.

“What about you?” Qiu Zheng Qing takes the opportunity to spy on his enemy. “How are you doing? Didn’t Gu Ying Jie said he’s going to introduce you to someone, have you found someone suitable?”

Yin Ting shakes her head.

Qiu Zheng Qing’s heart is pounding. This is rare opportunity for him to talk properly about such a topic. Is this right time to tell her, see how she responses?

“I am still waiting for next time.”

Next time? This means he has to try before she finds her ‘next time’.

Qiu Zheng Qing clears his throat and solemnly asks, “So why did you fail?”

She blinks. “I don’t know. We would get along rather well but once I confessed, everything went to hell.”

Is this a warning to him? Just because they are not getting alone now, doesn’t mean it’s okay for him to confess to her. Is that what she is implying?

He asks in all seriousness, “How do you say it when you’re confessing? Pretend I’m your target, tell me how you would say it.”

Yin Ting blinks slowly. “That is, I like you a lot. Let’s date.”

Unconsciously he also blinks his eyes. He cautiously weighs her expression and says, “Okay.”

Yin Ting’s eyes widen. “What?” He feels his cheeks redden under her intense gaze but he has to preserve or everything is for naught. “I said okay, I agree.”

She blinks again – and then she smiles. She begins smiling so wide that she is laughing cheerfully. “This tactic is no good. If you say that with such a sombre expression, you’ll end up scaring all the girls away. You should be more gentle and put more sincerity in your words.”

He freezes right there and then. So she thought he is practicing his lines on her! She’s not even being shy, neither is she surprised or feeling awkward. She just thinks it’s funny!

Fine, fine. Qiu Zheng Qing comforts himself. This isn’t too bad either. She is giving him leeway to save face in this conversation. If she reacts, then consider him making his confession. If she doesn’t react or reacts badly, then just pretend he is joking and practicing on her.

Since she is the one making a joke out of it, then he’s not considered a failure.

Yin Ting is smiling so sweetly it hurts.

This fool. He likes her but doesn’t have to guts to say it.

What a fool.

Her heart is also very sweet. Please Be More Serious is really cute. He is actually trying to confess to her in such a manner. The way he says “okay!” is too cute. This is the first time she has met such a boy – no, a man – so straight-laced yet shy, so serious yet awkward. His caution shows just how seriously he treats her. Although he is neither candid nor open, he is serious about her. This fact makes her very happy indeed.

Qiu Zheng Qing has just suffered a huge blow, rendering him speechless. After playing with the cat for a while more, he leaves the room to watch some television. But he is still distracted and couldn’t pay attention to whatever’s on the television. Da Da is still crying last night so he has not slept well either. Lounging on the sofa, somehow he falls asleep.

Inside its room, Da Da is also beginning to tire. After going around a circle, it jumps on the sofa and, nesting in Qiu Zheng Qing’s arm, falls asleep too.

Both man and cat sleep huddled together on the sofa.

Yin Ting takes a snapshot of the moment.

Suddenly she feels that such a simple life is really blissful.

She thinks that they still need a little more time.

In her experience, once she makes the confession, the relationship will surely sour. She wants to get to know him more and let their feelings develop before taking the next step. She wants to make sure he really likes her and that whatever she is sensing from him is not a product of her vanity. If they really determine they like each other, then that would be the time to make a confession.

Furthermore, she really likes the way he looks while desperately trying to find excuses for her sake – all serious and straight-faced.