Chapter 70: If It’s You

 After bidding goodbye to both Qing Mei and Auntie Wang, Su Ning was driven by the chauffeur to a Japanese tapas restaurant in District 1 where Lin JinYan had booked a private tatami room. As soon as Su Ning walked into the entrance of the restaurant, she was greeted by the manager, Yi Bo, and personally guided to where Lin JinYan sat. 

"Miss Su, Young Master Lin, your server will arrive momentarily with the dishes you ordered. If there is anything else you require please do not hesitate to inform me," the manager said as he handed out his business card with both hands. Lin JinYan casually accepted the calling card with his gloved hand and nodded at the man to signal his dismissal. 

Su Ning took a quick glance at the restaurant manager's bowed head as he excused himself out of the room, quietly closing the sliding doors behind him. She shook her head slightly as she took a sip of the lukewarm barley tea Lin JinYan had poured for her. It's truly difficult to get used to this type of VIP treatment whenever she goes out in public with Lin JinYan and Gu YuChen. To be honest, she sometimes feels like an imposter at these posh places. 'I really need to get a hold of myself. I shouldn't get used to this. I just need to think of this like a special event. Like…like those end-of-busy-season events at the old company.' Su Ning promptly recalled attending these company dinners at high class trendy restaurants and swanky hotels held once or twice a year. It was one of the few luxuries Su Ning was able to indulge in in her past life.

"What's my NingNing thinking about?" asked Lin JinYan gently, tapping Su Ning's nose.

"Oh! Nothing," she answered with a small laugh.

"Hmm?" Lin JinYan gave a soft humm in question.

"Just..JinYan-ge is graduating and leaving soon. It will be lonely without you and YuChen-ge around. I am sad to be honest," Su Ning admitted. This wasn't a complete lie since Su Ning was feeling melancholic at the thought of Lin JinYan's impending departure. But she was also engrossed with thoughts of what her life would be like without these young masters. 'I would go back to my working class self! But on the plus side, I'll get to eat street food whenever I want and spend weekends playing games without interruptions! Yes that's right! I got to focus on the brighter side of things.' 

Shortly thereafter, the server came in with their orders and the table was quickly filled with sumptuous bite sized meals: hotate tomato, hamachi carpaccio, mentaiko pizza, grilled beef tongue, unagi meshi claypot, ankimo in ponzu sauce (monkfish liver) and tsukemono (picked veggies).

Su Ning brightened up immediately at the sight of the food and any mention of Lin JinYan leaving was all but forgotten. Little did Su Ning know that these simple words she nonchalantly spoke had already gripped Lin JinYan's heart.

"NingNing-ah," Lin JinYan affectionately called the name of the girl whose attention was completely focused on the food.

"Mmm?" Su Ning asked not bothering to meet Lin JinYan's gaze.

"Is it true what you just said?" (Lin JinYan)

"Ung?" She inquired while chewing on a piece of hamachi tuna.

"Would you be sad when I leave?" (Lin JinYan)

"Of course!" Su Ning quickly responded as she chose to taste the hotate tomato next. She then looked up and gave Lin JinYan a look as if to say 'Isn't it obvious? Why do you even ask?'

Her frank response made Lin JinYan smile. It infused his heart with warmth. 'NingNing, I don't think you'll ever know how happy you make me feel.'

"NingNing-ah~" Lin JinYan called out her name once more.

"Hu-waarr?" (What?) she asked with a mouth full of mentaiko pizza. 

"If you tell me not to go…if it's you, I won't go," Lin JinYan slowly said, trying not to stumble over his words. "I'll stay with you. I won't leave you," he continued with an earnest gaze.

Su Ning stared at Lin JinYan wide-eyed.

'What did he just say?!' She shook her head vigorously before her thoughts could run wild. 'Best not to overthink things. Lin JinYan could simply be feeling lonely at the thought of moving so far away. He also cares for me a lot so he's willing to offer to stay in C Country with me.' To be honest, Su Ning was tempted. She'd already come to rely on Lin JinYan a lot. 'It wouldn't be right to make him give up his college for me. This is not something he should do for a friend.' 

"JinYan-ge, what are you saying?" Su Ning asked in a joking manner. "You are making it sound like you're enlisting in the army and going off to war instead of university."

"Am I?" He asked with a wistful smile. He'd known that Su Ning would come to this decision but he wished just once that she could be more selfish.

"Mhmm!" She nodded vigorously. "JinYan-ge, you'll meet so many new friends there! And you'll become an even better musician than you are now! 4 years will pass by in a jiffy!"

"4 Years. Maybe it will be quick only for NingNing," he said with a sigh of resignation.

"No no! I heard that the college years are one of the best times of a person's life! You might even forget about me after you've settled in," she chuckled trying to ease the mood.

"I can never forget you," Lin JinYan quietly said with a steady gaze. 'Yours is the only fragrance that can calm my heart. So how could I forget you?' He silently thought as he kept his eyes on the girl.'

"Oh.. heheheh no need to be so serious. I won't forget you either," Su Ning easily quipped back. 

Whether she purposely missed the nuance of Lin JinYan's statement or not, he didn't bother to clarify. He could tell that Su Ning was becoming ill at ease with the direction of this conversation. 'It wasn't time yet. Be patient.'

"So, are you going to tell me what you and Qing Me talked about?" Lin JinYan casually asked.

"Oooh yes!" Su Ning exclaimed grateful for the change in the topic. So she quickly caught up Lin JinYan with what had occured at Qing Mei's apartment. She also didn't forget to mention how Wang Mei Na seems to be working a lot of manual labor jobs at the moment. Apparently, Qing Mei's mother had just recently divorced so she is having financial difficulties being a single parent household while putting her daughter through M Academy.

"Is NingNing concerned about their situation?" (Lin JinYan)

"Ah?! Well…just… I feel bad that Auntie Wang has to work so hard so Qing Mei could attend M Academy." (Su Ning)

"Hmm.. actually she didn't have to attend M Academy specifically if her family doesn't have the means." (Lin JinYan)

"If her ultimate goal is to join XIIN Entertainment, she could've entered several 2nd or 3rd tier high schools in and around A City. The company holds annual auditions across all school tiers." Lin JinYan commented in a neutral tone.

"Yeah. That's what I thought as well. So, I'm hoping things work out for them. They might end up suffering later on if she doesn't get in the company and eventually debut." (Su Ning)

"My NingNing is so kind." Lin JinYan whispered softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Su Ning's ear.

"No it's not that. Just in general I want my friends to have a happy, comfortable life. And..oh! I almost forgot! Qing Mei…she seems to not have given up on JinYan-ge completely," Su Ning said, pumping the bottom of her right fist on her left palm.

"Oh?" Lin JinYan asked, one eyebrow slightly raised. 'That's annoying.'

"Yes yes I know. And she wanted me to ask you if you'd still be okay with spending time with her before your graduation."

"If NingNing wishes then…I'm alright but only as friends and only if NingNing is also present."