Chapter 23: Healing (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Shen Siyuan stood by the roadside, saying to Jiang Tingyu, who was waiting for a car, "Then I won't see you off; be careful on your way."

"Okay, if you want hot pot next time, just call me, hot pot partner," Jiang Tingyu said with a smile.

Hearing this, Shen Siyuan was somewhat stunned; although the two had chatted happily all evening, Shen Siyuan knew the other party currently did not want to date, so what did saying such a thing mean now?

Seeing Shen Siyuan stunned, Jiang Tingyu said, "You are a good person, and I had fun chatting with you; besides dating, can't we become friends?"

"Another 'good person' card?" Shen Siyuan said.

Hearing this, Jiang Tingyu grinned and laughed loudly.

Shen Siyuan was somewhat confused whether Jiang Tingyu wanted to string him along or truly wanted to be friends with him, but seeing her cheerful personality, she did not seem like someone who would string Shen Siyuan along.

At this moment, the car Jiang Tingyu had called arrived.

Jiang Tingyu opened the car door, turned back to look at Shen Siyuan once, and waved her hand.

"See you next time."

"See you next time." Shen Siyuan waved his hand.

Hearing this, Jiang Tingyu turned around and got into the car.

Shen Siyuan watched the vehicle slowly drive away and prepared to call a car himself.

Just then, his phone suddenly received a WeChat message: a transfer from Jiang Tingyu.

The total was one hundred and thirty-three yuan, exactly half the cost of tonight's hot pot.

Since the meal was ordered using Shen Siyuan's phone, naturally Shen Siyuan paid; it was over two hundred yuan, and since she was Lin Manzhi's friend, Shen Siyuan felt awkward suggesting they split the bill, so he tacitly assumed he was treating, and Jiang Tingyu said nothing, but he did not expect she would now transfer the money directly.

Probably seeing Shen Siyuan had not accepted the money, Jiang Tingyu immediately sent another message.

"Accept it, hot pot partner, otherwise I won't dare come again next time (laugh)."

Seeing her say this, Shen Siyuan stopped being pretentious and directly clicked to accept the payment.

Then he put away his phone and did not chat further.

Actually, Shen Siyuan felt quite good about Jiang Tingyu; she was beautiful and had a great figure; earlier, while sitting, Shen Siyuan had guessed her height was at least one meter seventy and up; after she stood up, he found his guess was correct—even in flat shoes, her height was one meter seventy-five.

Today she wore denim shorts, with a pair of long, round, and fair legs, truly capable of captivating both men and women.

Her personality needed no mention; cheerful and generous, not at all pretentious, unlike other girls who, upon first meeting, were shy and hesitant.

Moreover, she especially loved to laugh, that kind of broad grin showing a row of teeth, cheerful and highly infectious, making those around her seem to feel their moods improve.

Shen Siyuan had been on many blind dates, and Jiang Tingyu could be said to be the one he was most satisfied with so far; unfortunately, the other party currently did not want to date, otherwise Shen Siyuan would truly like to try with her.

Of course, it was also possible she simply did not take a fancy to Shen Siyuan; after all, he had no house, no car, and no savings; why would a beauty take a fancy to him?

However, soon he stopped dwelling on this problem, hailed a car to go home, and absolutely refused to overthink.

But after he had been in the car for a while, the phone in his pocket vibrated repeatedly.

Taking it out, he saw not only messages from Jiang Tingyu but also one from Lin Manzhi.

Jiang Tingyu: "Come to the aquarium when you're free to watch my performance."

Jiang Tingyu: "Use my staff welfare card; you don't need to buy a ticket, free entry."

Following that, she sent an electronic membership card.

Shen Siyuan was somewhat confused; this did not seem like someone who did not want to date; could it really be just treating him as a friend?

"Thank you, I'll come see when I have time," Shen Siyuan replied with a message.

Then he opened Lin Manzhi's WeChat.

"Xiaoyu has a very good impression of you; you need to hurry up; Xiaoyu is a good girl."

Obviously, Jiang Tingyu had already contacted Lin Manzhi.

However, seeing her say this, Shen Siyuan did not know how to reply to her.

Could it be I misunderstood?

After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Okay, I understand, but that girl probably won't take a fancy to me."

"Just get to know each other first; it's not like I'm asking you to get a marriage certificate right now; feelings need to be cultivated slowly; at least right now, impressions of each other are good," Lin Manzhi said.

"Hmm~"

Shen Siyuan was somewhat puzzled; he could understand that Lin Manzhi knew Jiang Tingyu had a good impression of him.

How did she know Shen Siyuan also had a very good impression of Jiang Tingyu?

So Shen Siyuan directly asked about the doubt in his heart.

"Because you said that girl probably won't take a fancy to me, it shows you are very satisfied with her in your heart, but you feel a bit inferior, thinking you are not excellent enough to attract her; sister tells you, you are great..."

"Wow, sister, saying that makes me moved," Shen Siyuan said in an exaggerated manner.

However, Lin Manzhi's words still warmed his heart.

"Jiang Tingyu is my best friend; I know her very well, otherwise she wouldn't have told me so much. (screenshot. jpg)"

Lin Manzhi directly sent a screenshot of their conversation.

"Sister Manzhi, he looks so young; he looks much younger than me. (laugh)"

"His appetite looks very good; watching him eat really gives one an appetite. (drool)"

"His voice is very distinctive; I asked him if he sings very well, and he said he is tone-deaf; is he lying?"

"Chatting with him is very comfortable; it feels like being with a younger brother, with not too many worries."

"Since he is so good, don't miss him; hold onto him tightly," Lin Manzhi said.

"Sigh, let's just forget it; Sister Manzhi, you know me..."

"It has already been several years; you should let go," Lin Manzhi said.

Shen Siyuan read from beginning to end, then replied to Lin Manzhi with a WeChat message.

"It seems she currently does not want to date."

"If she didn't want to talk, she wouldn't have told me so much. I know her; she has no idea what she wants herself. As long as you hold on tight, I guarantee there won't be any problems," Lin Manzhi declared with solemn assurance.

"May I ask why she doesn't want to talk?" Shen Siyuan asked, somewhat curious.

Given that she is already twenty-six this year yet feels averse to dating, the most likely reason is that she encountered a scumbag and suffered emotional trauma.

"She had a boyfriend in university, and their relationship was exceptionally good."

"I know; you told me that before."

"Later, her boyfriend was involved in a car accident."

Hearing this, Shen Siyuan was somewhat shocked. If this were truly the case, he would completely extinguish his thoughts of pursuing Jiang Tingyu, because the living cannot compete with the dead. Even if he treated Jiang Tingyu well, there would always be a place for her ex-boyfriend in her heart, making the whole endeavor pointless.

Perhaps some might think that since the other party is already dead, what is there to fuss over, yet Shen Siyuan could not cross that mental barrier.

"On the day of the car accident, her boyfriend originally did not want to go out, but she insisted, so she has always felt guilty and has never been able to move on..."

"Before, I also introduced other blind date candidates to her, but after meeting once, there was no follow-up. You are the only exception who can make her talk to me this much, so you must hurry up and win her over..."

"Sister, I trusted you so much, yet you actually treat me as a healing medicine..."

"Haha~ Anyway, you don't lose anything; Tingyu is a great beauty..."

Good heavens, Shen Siyuan finally understood why Lin Manzhi was still so enthusiastic about introducing him despite his lack of a car, a house, or savings.

However, Shen Siyuan thought of her smile again; perhaps her smile was actually a disguise for self-protection.