Chapter 11 Her Hand Injury Had Not Fully Healed
After dinner, the two ladies left together, leaving Tan Zheng and Song Ni alone. Before leaving, Mrs. Tan specifically instructed Tan Zheng. "Get along well with Nini, take her out to play, and cultivate your feelings." Then she took Song Ni's hand again. "Nini, Tan Zheng is a rough person, so don't hesitate to order him around if you need anything." Hearing this, Song Ni raised her eyebrows and looked at Tan Zheng, who stood by her side. It was rare to see a hint of helplessness on his face, indicating he was being pressured by his family. Song Ni replied sweetly. "Aunt Tan, don't worry, I won't be reluctant." Mrs. Tan couldn't help but laugh at her words, and even Mrs. Song smiled and tapped Song Ni's nose. "Don't be naughty. You're allowed to come back late tonight. You haven't been home for a few days, your father misses you." Song Ni scrunched her nose, knowing her father must be missing her terribly as she hadn't been home for days, but she had done it intentionally, still bothered by the sudden arranged blind date by her family.
After seeing off the two ladies, the smile on Song Ni's lips faded. She was no longer the obedient girl she was just moments ago. Tan Zheng was not surprised. "You can really put on an act." At least on the dining table, the words obedient and sensible were perfectly applicable to her. Song Ni suddenly understood why Tan Zheng was so taciturn. With that mouth, talking more would only be annoying. "You can talk less." It was as if she was about to throw "If you can't speak, close your mouth" in Tan Zheng's face. Tan Zheng, however, found this version of Song Ni to be more vibrant. While obedience was good, it lacked the liveliness and fun she had now. "Where do you want to go?" Tan Zheng had a whole day free, and with the afternoon still available, he couldn't send Song Ni back now, or he wouldn't be able to report back home. Song Ni's eyes flickered, and she crossed her arms over her chest. "I want to go to your bar." Hearing this, Tan Zheng lowered his gaze to meet Song Ni's eyes. She neither dodged nor hid her intentions. Tan Zheng chuckled softly, realizing she was still upset about him not showing up that night. "The bar doesn't open until evening, let's go somewhere else." Song Ni shrugged. "Then you pick." The restaurant was in a mall, making it very convenient to leave. Song Ni saw that the new arrivals of her usual brands were already on display in the store, and without paying attention to the man beside her, she walked straight in. Song Ni was clearly a VIP here, and the service staff immediately showed the utmost respect. Tan Zheng didn't follow her in, but stood outside. He couldn't figure out Song Ni's current mood, but it was his first time accompanying someone shopping for clothes. Waiting was something men were worst at. After standing for just a minute, a sense of impatience began to stir within him. He had a craving for a cigarette. Tan Zheng instinctively reached into his pocket, but when he pulled his hand out, he realized there was no place to smoke. His brow furrowed. Song Ni had already changed her clothes. A black casual shirt paired with brown wide-leg shorts and a pair of shiny black lace-up mid-calf boots. Song Ni unbuttoned two buttons, revealing her delicate collarbone, put on a simple silver necklace, casually tucked the hem of her shirt into her pants, and rolled up her sleeves. She had removed the pearl hair accessories and all her slightly curled hair was swept behind her shoulders, revealing her slender neck. The outfit was neat and stylish. Tan Zheng had merely glanced at her with some impatience, but after seeing Song Ni's outfit, his gaze lingered. While the obedient style was beautiful, it always felt like something was missing. This current neat and crisp look, coupled with that bold red lipstick, was simple,高级, and cool. Tan Zheng felt this was the real Song Ni. Her beautiful peach blossom eyes, now deliberately cold, added a touch of distance, yet her amorous eyes still held a captivating charm. The conflicting emotions intertwined, creating an indescribable allure. Tan Zheng couldn't help but stare at Song Ni's eyes for a while longer.
After shedding the long dress, Song Ni felt much more relaxed. She felt comfortable in this attire. She walked up to Tan Zheng and met his scrutinizing gaze. "How is it?" she asked, her eyebrows raised, bold and direct. Tan Zheng's gaze shifted downwards, settling on Song Ni's knees, which were still bandaged. But Song Ni's confident and uninhibited display of her injury made it a fashionable element of her look. Tan Zheng didn't understand these things; he only knew that Song Ni looked truly beautiful like this. However, seeing the upturned ends of Song Ni's eyes, Tan Zheng didn't indulge her confidence and simply gave a standard compliment. "Not bad." Hearing this evaluation, Song Ni's confidence was not affected in the slightest. She trusted her taste and could only say that Tan Zheng didn't appreciate it. Song Ni was very obedient. As Mrs. Tan had told her to order him around, she handed the bag containing her original dress to Tan Zheng. The man glanced down at her. Song Ni curved her lips and smiled sweetly. "Taking a bag shouldn't be difficult, right?" It was indeed not difficult, but for some reason, Tan Zheng felt that if he indulged her this time, the girl would become even more presumptuous in the future. Thinking this, Tan Zheng unconsciously squeezed his left wrist with his right hand. Seeing his action, Song Ni took a step back. "If you don't want to take it, then don't. Don't think about laying a hand on me." Tan Zheng was startled, looked down at himself, put his right hand into his pocket, and then looked up at Song Ni. Song Ni wasn't truly afraid; she was just giving Tan Zheng and herself an excuse. Her pride was real, and occasional impulsiveness was also real, but it depended on who she was with. She had just been feeling whimsical. Tan Zheng watched the girl stand tall and walk forward with large strides, curved his lips, and slowly followed behind. This time, Tan Zheng opened the car door for Song Ni. Song Ni looked at him with a hint of surprise. Tan Zheng felt she was dawdling, snatched the bag from her hand and threw it into the back seat, urging her to get in quickly with his eyes. Suddenly, Song Ni's mood became joyful. She stooped to get into the car and quickly fastened her seatbelt. When Tan Zheng got in, she asked enthusiastically, "Where are we going to play?" She had changed her clothes specifically for convenience in the afternoon. She believed Tan Zheng's entertainment methods would be more interesting. Tan Zheng stared at the smile on Song Ni's face, didn't clarify, and just drove. The car finally stopped at a shooting club. Song Ni had only gone shooting once when she was a child, playing with Song Jing. That time, she had injured her hand due to improper operation, which led to Song Jing being severely scolded by their father upon returning home, and Song Ni was also forbidden to play with such things again. Song Ni couldn't remember what shooting felt like anymore, but looking at the decoration of the club piqued her interest again. Besides professional archery, this club also offered various competitive firearms and world-famous guns. Tan Zheng came here often, and the manager personally came out to greet him. "Brother Tan, you're here. What project are you planning to play today?" Tan Zheng responded with a hum. He turned around, and Song Ni was already dazzled, her eyes shining. Seeing this, Tan Zheng suddenly let out a soft laugh. The manager, being very astute, immediately walked up to Song Ni. "Miss, what project would you like to play?" After speaking, he began to introduce the options to Song Ni. Tan Zheng sat down and handed Song Ni a bottle of water. "Her hand injury hasn't fully healed yet, choose something relatively easy."
(End of Chapter)