novelraw Chapter 267: Buying Osmanthus Wine Together
Chapter 267: Buying Osmanthus Wine Together
“How is it? Feeling sentimental?” Wang Jiao propped her chin on her hands, smiling at her friend across the table. “Back when you were in Beijing, you always loved visiting lively places like this at night.”
Wen Ruan withdrew her gaze and said softly, “It’s not that strong of a feeling. I guess it’s just the memories that come with revisiting old places.”
“Well, of course! The last time you came to Beijing was two years ago for my wedding. Time flies!”
The two began catching up about their work lives.
Wen Ruan’s eyes filled with nostalgia.
After graduating from university, Wang Jiao successfully got into her alma mater’s journalism and communications master’s program. Upon graduating, she landed a job at Beijing TV through campus recruitment.
As a city government-affiliated institution, the job quickly resolved her residency status, making her an official Beijing resident. Later, she married a colleague who worked as a director at the station, and they bought a house near Yaojiayuan.
Last year, she finally got a spot for a new energy vehicle license and purchased a Tesla Model Y.
Her life was now relaxed, with a car, a home, and both sets of parents in good health.
It was the dream she had envisioned during university: settling down in a bustling international metropolis like Beijing.It had once been Wen Ruan’s dream, too.
Now, Sun Simin had also reached this milestone.
In contrast, Wen Ruan felt like the most unsuccessful one among her dormmates.
She worked at a media company in Yan City, a modest second-tier city.
Though she had side income and her work was easy with little pressure, the future felt uncertain.
Soon, the dishes they had ordered arrived: M5 filet steak, a sausage platter, avocado corn chips, and tuna Niçoise salad.
Wang Jiao cut into her steak, took a bite, and looked at Wen Ruan with a gentle tone. “Ruan Ruan, have you ever thought about coming back to Beijing? I can refer you. With your skills, staying in your hometown feels like such a waste.”
Having worked at the TV station for almost five years and being married to a capable husband, Wang Jiao had built quite a network.
It wouldn’t be hard for her to arrange a suitable job for Wen Ruan.
“No need, I’m quite fine as I am now.” Wen Ruan placed a sausage on Wang Jiao’s plate and smiled. “Xingyun International is planning to open a branch in Yan City. I’m thinking of investing in it myself—it shouldn’t be too difficult.”
“So, you really want to stay in your hometown. Alright then.” Wang Jiao seemed a bit disappointed. “I know many excellent men here in Beijing—great age, education, and family background. With your qualities, you have plenty of options.”
At thirty and unmarried, Wen Ruan wouldn’t stand out in a metropolis like Beijing.
Especially now, her appearance and figure were even more striking than a few years ago—more mature and alluring.
After a brief silence, Wen Ruan lowered her voice and said, “Let’s leave it. I’m doing just fine now.”
She didn’t intend to mention Tang Song to her former classmates.
Even if they were together, their relationship was difficult to make public.
If so, what was the point of showing others a dazzling façade?
After speaking, she looked carefully at Wang Jiao, whom she hadn’t seen in over two years.
The friend she had seen through beauty filters on social media now showed visible signs of aging in person.
Still, the vibrant young woman from their university days could be faintly seen.
She probably looked the same.
Time was truly an unstoppable force.
...
By the terrace railing, green vines climbed the structure, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze and rustling softly.
The two friends reminisced as they enjoyed their meal, the awkwardness of time apart gradually fading.
After finishing their meal, Wang Jiao insisted on paying the bill.
They strolled from Taikoo Li’s south district to its north.
Looking at the rows of luxury stores, Wang Jiao sighed. “Back in college, I used to dream about owning an LV bag. I thought it was the most beautiful and amazing bag in the world. After I graduated from my master’s program and saved up enough money, I came here full of excitement. I browsed for ages but ended up just buying a lipstick for a few hundred yuan.”
She paused, then added, “It’s like that poem: ‘Wanting to buy osmanthus and share wine, but it’s no longer like the carefree days of youth.’”
Wen Ruan nodded quietly, seemingly touched as well.
They walked out of the northern district and continued toward the shimmering Liangma River.
The pathway was softly lit by streetlamps.
Joggers, elderly couples strolling, hand-in-hand lovers, and families with small children passed by them.
Liangma River was teeming with life in the early summer.
The brightly lit skyscrapers cast their shimmering reflections onto the water, painting a vivid picture of a bustling metropolis at night.
Wen Ruan gazed at a neon-lit high-rise in the distance, her eyes flickering with complicated emotions.
That was the place where she had worked for five years.
The period before she left Beijing had been her lowest and most oppressive time.
The brighter the city lights, the more she wanted to escape.
She had spiraled into a state of self-doubt and denial, yearning only for a dark corner where she could quietly lie down.
Even now, recalling those days made her feel breathless.
On the way back.
Wang Jiao pointed to a group of young people gathered on the lawn, playing guitars and singing. She laughed softly. “I still remember that night during our junior year when Zheng Jinping stood downstairs with his guitar and sang Leehom Wang’s ‘All the Things You Never Knew’ just for you.
“He’ll be at Simin’s wedding too—he even volunteered to be a groomsman. I bet he’s still got feelings for you, hoping to rekindle something with you, the bridesmaid.”
“It’s been so many years. He’s had two or three girlfriends since then, and you’re still teasing me about him?” Wen Ruan chuckled, her lips curving into a faint smile.
University had been an incredibly beautiful memory for her.
Looking back, it was a time of lightness and fond recollection.
Studying together, reading together, lying on the field under the stars, talking about everything from dreams to philosophy...
“Well, you were such a heart-stealer back then. You were the campus belle, the white moonlight for so many guys.” Wang Jiao pinched her cheek playfully and pulled out her phone from her bag. After some searching, she sent a photo to Wen Ruan’s WeChat. “Remember this picture? I took it with my camera during our art class in university.
“I dug it up from my old QQ space a few days ago while preparing the wedding slideshow for Simin. I’ve got to say, we all envied you to death back then.”
Wen Ruan glanced at the photo on her phone, momentarily dazed. A whirlwind of emotions churned within her.
It was likely taken during her junior year. New ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄhapters are published on novelFirｅ.net
At the time, she had fully adjusted to life at Beijing Normal University, a prestigious institution.
She had immersed herself in its vibrant academic environment, filled with hope for the future, believing she could become whoever she wanted to be.
Her hair was short back then, and she had dyed it a unique and striking purple out of vanity.
Ah, to be twenty years old—a time of dewy skin, a body bursting with vitality, and a mindset brimming with optimism.
Tang Song’s face began to appear in her mind.
If her twenty-year-old self had met him as he was now, she would have thrown caution to the wind, diving headfirst into the fight to win his heart.
“But there’s no going back,” she murmured quietly.
Sensing her friend’s sudden low mood, Wang Jiao quickly shifted gears, laughing as she said, “Ruan Ruan, if anything, you’ve become even more alluring now. You’re more charming than ever. If those old admirers of yours saw you today, they’d be drowning in emo nostalgia.”
“Heh, you make it sound like I was out there leading everyone on. I’m the only one in our dorm who didn’t date in university!”
“Well, that’s just because your standards were too high!”
In a corner of the parking lot, the headlights of a black Tesla illuminated.
Wang Jiao stood by the car, her face glowing with happiness. “I have to head home early tonight—no late nights for me. Oh, and don’t tell anyone, but I’m pregnant.”
“What?!” Wen Ruan’s eyes widened in surprise and joy as she looked at her friend’s stomach. “How far along are you?”
“Just four weeks. We’ve been trying for almost a year, and it finally happened. My husband’s at home right now making tremella soup for me and keeps nagging me to hurry back.” Wang Jiao touched her belly gently. “It’s hard to believe there’s a tiny life growing inside me. It feels so surreal.”
“That’s wonderful! Go home quickly and be careful driving. Let me know when you get back.”
“Will do. Bye!” Wang Jiao gave her a strong hug. “Also, Ruan Ruan, you really should start thinking about your own happily ever after.”
Wen Ruan watched the Tesla merge into traffic and disappear into the night.
She lowered her gaze, her smile gradually fading as she trudged forward, her thick-soled shoes clacking against the stone pavement.
Minutes later, she found herself back at the entrance of Lavande Hotel.
Standing in the evening breeze, she stared blankly ahead.
Youth, dreams, and love.
Those were the three things she had once cherished the most.
Now, she had lost the first two, and the third seemed unlikely to come to fruition.
She no longer had the courage or confidence she once did, whether in career or love.
Her decision to rejoin Xingyun International felt more like seeking temporary refuge than chasing ambition.
But what about the future?
What would become of her future?
It seemed she would never be the version of herself she had imagined at twenty.
Gritting her teeth, she raised her head.
Above, the sky was dotted with stars, like jewels embedded in a black velvet curtain.
Beijing’s splendor had yet to unsettle her heart, but the metaphorical bullet from years ago had already struck true, leaving an indelible mark.