The Heartbeat at the Tip of the Tongue

Li Yan seemed like he wanted to say something more to Lin Ke Song, but Jiang Qian Fan said to the foreigner: “Mayer, pay her the tour guide fees of 1000USD.”

“Yes, sir.” Mayer nodded, turned to Lin Ke Song and said, “Miss, may I know your name?”

“That…… I’m called Lin Ke Song……” Lin Ke Song wonndered if the other party was going to pay by cheque or transfer, does she need to write down her account number too?

“Ke Song?” Mayer had an upper lip moustache, wore rimless glasses, had on a very formal western suit, and looked like an old British gentleman. Compared to Li Yan, Mayer was a lot more amiable. Moreover, his mandarin was really good, almost couldn’t hear an accent.

“Lin is my surname, my name is Ke Song.”

Mayer laughed: “Sounds like croissant (T/N: said in english).”

Lin Ke Song laughed, “Ah, croissant (T/N: lit. French styled sheep horn bread)!”

Mayer as expected tore out a cash cheque, and very politely handed it to Lin Ke Song: “Thank you for accompanying Mr Jiang today, cute little bun.”

Lin Ke Song blinked, what did he call her?

Cute little bun?

Jiang Qian Fan who had embarked up the hotel’s stairs stopped, and turned slightly towards Lin Ke Song’s direction.

Even if Lin Ke Song knew that he could not see her, she didn’t know why but she had the illusion that the other party was saying “goodbye” to her.

“Goodbye, Mr Jiang.”

Lin Ke Song quietly said, walked towards the main road, planning to catch the train home.

Li Yan and Mayer accompanied Jiang Qian Fan into the elevator.

The Jiang Qian Fan who had been silent the whole time suddenly said: “Where is that bicycle?”

“Oh, I was thinking…… how about giving it to the hotel employees?” Li Yan had a puzzled expression, he couldn’t understand why Jiang Qian Fan would ask about the bicycle.

“I want to bring it back to New York.”

Li Yan gaped, it’s only a bicycle, there’s no need to bring it over thousands of miles to New York, and Jiang Qian Fan is blind, he can’t even ride a bike ah!

But Mayer lifted his hand, signalling to Li Yan to not say anything more.

They reached the hotel room, after Li Yan gave a short report, Jiang Qian Fan and Mayer were left in the room.

Mayer slowly brewed a pot of tea, and sat opposite of Jiang Qian Fan.

“Mr Jiang, Li Yan said you wanted to try out the dishes around here, why didn’t you let him accompany you and instead chose a female stranger, and even rode the bicycle?”

“Lang Hua restaurant was not as outstanding as Li Yan had reported, not enough to collaborate with me in China’s region. Today at Lang Hua restaurant, Li Yan was also much more nervous than normal. ”

“So, Mr Jiang, you think Li Yan is hiding something from you?”

“My trust will only be given once. If I had sat in that car, I do not think Li Yan will help me find the thing I really want.”

“But Miss Lin did, right?”

“Yes.”

Right now, Lin Ke Song is sitting in the train totally concussed, when she suddenly woke up, it looks like she has slept for two rounds round the same train route!

Wiping off her saliva, Lin Ke Song hurried off the train.

When she got back home, she took a proper shower, laid on her bed and used WeChat to send Song Yi Ran a message: It looks like I’m going to New York too.

After sending, she put the phone to silent mode, flipped the blanket around and went to sleep.

The second day at eight in the morning, a black Bentley was on the road in the city district.

The young person in the front row tapped on the car’s windows: “It’s only eight in the morning, and traffic is already so congested!”

“Even if it’s in New York, at eight in the morning, the traffic isn’t any better, needless to say China? Stay calm, young man.” Mayer comforted.

Cars were congesting at an intersection, it was difficult moving even a few inches every few minutes.

Li Yan who was sitting at the front cautiously looked at the boss’s face through the rear-view mirror.

Jiang Qian Fan was still expressionless whether he felt joy or anger, like an ice statue where there were no fluctuations in the facial expressions.

But Li Yan could faintly sense, that Jiang Qian Fan already knew about Chairman Zhao from Lang Hua restaurant asking him to help him with the matter of collaborating with Jiang Qian Fan.

Jiang Qian Fan wanted to taste the local dishes, originally it could all be left in the hands of Li Yan to plan the tasting, there was no need to specially get a bicycle and get the girl to bring him around. Now they were going to be late, even though the traffic was not under Li Yan’s control, but he still couldn’t help being worried, if they did not get on the plane on time, will Jiang Qian Fan blame it on him?

The morning’s air was pretty fresh, Jiang Qian Fan half opened the window, the sunlight fell warmly on half his face.

Suddenly, he spoke up: “Is there someone selling candied haw on the road?”

Li Yan paused, and looked out of the window, seeing only an elderly slowly walking on the sidewalk holding a stand that was poked full of candied haw. If it were anyone else, they would have been shocked at how Jiang Qian Fan could know even when he couldn’t see. But Li Yan has been by his side for almost a year, Jiang Qian Fan’s sense of smell was extremely sensitive, as long as the smells were within five metres, he could differentiate them.

“There is someone selling candied haw.”

“I want a stick.”

Li Yan looked at Mayer, Mayer nodded.

When he got off the car, Li Yan exhaled. He really doesn’t understand Jiang Qian Fan anymore.

Tastes on Jiang Qian Fan’s tongue will be limitlessly magnified, no matter if it were delicious flavours or distasteful flavours. So Jiang Qian Fan’s expectations of food are so high it went into ridiculous standards. Food that may taste pretty good to an average person, to him might be hard to swallow.

And the candied haw, this kind of thing that can’t even make an appearance, no matter how Li Yan thinks, he feels that Jiang Qian Fan can’t possibly eat it.

But this past two days, Li Yan has understood, as an assistant, what he needs to do is not ask why, but do whatever Jiang Qian Fan asks of him.

After carefully selecting a candied haw that was most pleasing to the eyes, Li Yan gingerly wrapped it up in a paper bag, and sent it into the car.

He was very curious, would Jiang Qian Fan really eat it?

The car finally started moving. Jiang Qian Fan only held the stick of candied haw naturally, didn’t look like he had any intention to eat it, couldn’t even tell what he was thinking about.

Until they reached the airport, got down the car, Li Yan and the driver moved the luggage, did Jiang Qian Fan pass the candied haw to Mayer.

“Sir? Would you like to bring this back to New York too?”

“This is not the taste I want.”

After saying, Jiang Qian Fan took out his cane, and walked forwards.

Li Yan looked at Mayer, and Mayer dumped the candied haw on him.

But he doesn’t even know what to do with the candied haw ah? Does Jiang Qian Fan even want it? It better not be like the bicycle, wait till they’ve boarded the plane then ask whether the candied haw was air flown to New York!

Lin Ke Song hadn’t even woken up, Lin Ke Song was dragged out of bed.

“Why didn’t you pick up the phone when I called you? It’s already 11 and you’re still sleeping? Is this how an unemployed young woman’s attitude should be?”

The teasing voice came from above her head downwards. Lin Ke Song opened her eyes and the first thing her eyes were set on were a pair of narrow peach like eyes.

And the mole on the nose that meant that the person was a flirt.

Lin Ke Song jerked awake.

“Wey——- Song Yi Ran! What are you up to! How……how can you appear in my room!”

“I was looking for you, your mother opened the door for me, and she went for rehearsals for some red silk dance with the other aunties. Since nine in the morning I have been sitting on your sofa and waited for you till 11 before waking you up, don’t you think I’ve been really loyal?” Song Yi Ran had an expression of naturalness.

“You should have knocked, waited for me to put on my clothes then come in!”

Li Ke Song looked down at herself, and totally was about to lose her mind. She was wearing her father’s plaid pyjamas, her head probably looked like a bird’s nest. Her image ah! Even though she believes that in front of Song Yi Ran she has no image to talk about.

Song Yi Ran acted and walked out of the room then stood at the door and knocked: “Lin Ke Song, I’m coming in!”

Lin Ke Song rolled her eyes, is there any meaning when it’s done like this?

Without waiting for her reply, Song Yi Ran blatantly walked in, “Anyway what you’re wearing is pretty neat. First make this clear, what so you mean by this WeChat?”

“It’s exactly as it’s written ah? You don’t understand Chinese?”

Honestly, Lin Ke Song wished that he didn’t come all the way here to ask her about this.

Song Yi Ran stared at Lin Ke Song, noticed that she was angry then sincerely asked, “Ke Song, you couldn’t have decided to go to New York because you like me and want to be with me right?”

In a split second Lin Ke Song felt like her heart was strongly gripped by something, making her unable to catch her breath.

In that moment, she suddenly realised, there are some personal feelings that are best kept from Song Yi Ran forever.

She smirked, made an expression like a bullying bandit , and hooked her finger under Song Yi Ran’s chin: “Pretty lady, this sir just particularly likes you. Don’t shy away from me ah! Even if it’s New York, this sir will follow you!”

Song Yi Ran immediately put on an act of a little wife, acted shy and laid on the bed, “Aiyo…… don’t want ma!”

Lin Ke Song guffawed, attacked upwards, and purposely made the chap’s hair as messy as hers.

A messy Song Yi Ran, had a charming smile. That moment, Lin Ke Song really wanted to give him a fierce kiss.

But she held it in.

“Go find your girlfriend ba!”

Lin Ke Song promptly flipped over, and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Her eyes were stinging a little. But she held it in.

She squeezed out toothpaste and started brushing.

Song Yi Ran hugged his arm and leaned against the bathroom’s door, that image was totally like a movie poster, Lin Ke Song really did not want to look straight ahead.

“Chu Ting and I have broken up.”

“Broken up again?” Lin Ke Song used an expression of incomprehension to look at him, “What’s the reason this time?”

“I, Song Yi Ran don’t have friends, you have been my friend for 10 years. Then my girlfriend kept trying to establish her presence in front of you, isn’t this making it hard for me?” Song Yi Ran smiled blandly.

“Come on, stop using me as your shield. It’s most probably because you don’t like her petty tantrums.”

Lin Ke Song wetted her comb, and tamed her bird’s nest.

Song Yi Ran smiled without replying.

“Wey, wanna go opposite to have spicy soup?” Lin Ke Song used the back of her hand to pat Song Yi Ran’s chest.

“Your treat?”

“My treat then my treat!” Lin Ke Song took out a cheque of 1000USD, and shook it in front of Song Yi Ran.