A Love Letter Written to You - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

“……” Leng Ying didn’t pull her hand back, but she didn’t keep pressing either. She looked at Xiao Ye in confusion.

Xiao Ye reminded her, “Ying-jie, there’s still an hour to go. You… you can wait a bit before heading down!”

Sister Qun, I tried my best ToT… Xiao Ye silently apologized in her heart. I really couldn’t bring myself to stop Ying-jie from getting out of the car to greet her best friend! Besides, Ying-jie doesn’t even seem bothered by those trailing her. Sister Qun is really overthinking this time!

Leng Ying froze for a moment, then naturally withdrew her hand and gently brushed the flower petals, “Mm, you have a point.”

Xiao Ye nodded quickly. The music in the car was still playing softly, not too loud, creating a quiet atmosphere. Ying-jie is pretty easy to convince after all! After waiting a few minutes and seeing Leng Ying didn’t say anything else, she happily picked up her phone and started scrolling social media—lurking without commenting, while still keeping an ear open for any instructions from Leng Ying.

Although going to pick someone up at the airport would inevitably be seen by others, waiting outside for an hour versus a shorter time made a difference… at least it reduced the chances of people recognizing her as Leng Ying.

Comforting herself with that logic, Xiao Ye relaxed completely. She could at least report back to Sister Qun—Ying-jie hadn’t gotten out to wait a whole hour early.

Now she could use her phone guilt-free!

Leng Ying was also looking at her phone.

Every time she got a new phone, she would migrate all her photos over—especially the ones in the locked album. Those could never be left behind.

She adjusted the angle and took a few pictures of the bouquet, then held up the phone for a selfie. She hesitated at the chat window with Ji Yu, then closed WeChat and moved the photo to the locked album.

Ji Yu will check her phone when she lands. If I send her the photo now, wouldn’t that ruin the surprise?

Her fingers swiped absentmindedly across the screen, and the photos in the locked album appeared one by one—each one connected to Ji Yu in some way. The further back they went in time, the lower the resolution.

On a modern high-resolution screen, they looked so old-fashioned.

And yet… they had a nostalgic charm.

Leng Ying smiled softly. These preserved photos were evidence of the time they had shared.

She had even thought about creating a photo wall at home—turning these old pictures and chat screenshots into little paper prints, clipped to a coarse brown string with tiny wooden clips. When bored, she could stand in front of it and reminisce.

Life is long, joy is rare—and this, it seemed, truly made her happy.

Resting her left arm on the armrest, Leng Ying scrolled through the photos. She had excellent memory—she could recall the origin and story of each picture.

Soft music filled the car like sunlight soaking into warm water—dreamy, intoxicating.

Until the alarm she had set earlier went off, snapping her back to the present. She pulled her cap and mask down a little and said quietly, “I’m going down now.”

Only ten minutes left until Ji Yu’s flight landed.

She was about to see her.

Xiao Ye put her phone away. “Jie, should I come with you to pick her up?”

“No need.” Leng Ying waved her hand and got out of the car gracefully, shutting the door behind her with a soft bang.

Xiao Ye watched her through the window. Her steps were light—like flowers blooming around her with each step… she looked truly happy! Xiao Ye smiled unconsciously. Seeing someone else’s happiness, especially someone close, made her feel happy too.

From the earlier conversation, Xiao Ye had already set her phone aside. She knew Ying-jie would need the car again soon after picking up her mysterious friend.

Still… as a seasoned internet user, Xiao Ye had some of her own theories about this “mysterious friend.”

Anyone who could coax Ying-jie out of her shell to bask in the sun… must be pretty amazing.

The delicate bouquet swayed gently with Leng Ying’s steps. One hand held the flowers; the other gently shielded them. She navigated precisely to the arrivals gate, took a quick photo, and sent it to Ji Yu.

Leng Ying:
I’m here. Waiting for you.

The time at the top of the screen jumped to 3:40—the flight’s landing time. Ji Yu’s reply came right on time:

Ji Yu:
Coming!!
[Golden retriever running.jpg]

Complete with a sticker.

So cute.

Leng Ying:
^_^ Waiting for you.

People bustled through the arrival hall. Leng Ying glanced at someone holding a bright red and yellow welcome sign—very eye-catching—and for a moment, she felt a bit of regret. Maybe I should’ve made a banner… or a welcome sign? That would make it easier for Ji Yu to spot me in the crowd.

What she didn’t realize—

She herself was a sight to behold.

Even wrapped up in a black puffer jacket, her upright posture was still visible. Beneath the cap, sunglasses, and mask, there was still a glimpse of glowing, fair skin.

People passing by couldn’t help but take another glance.

In the crowd, Ji Yu emerged, pulling a suitcase.

The sea of people was like a thick curtain—but she could see a beam of light shining through.

So dazzling. So radiant. So joyful.

Most of Leng Ying was concealed under her coat and gear, but Ji Yu just knew—it was her.

They had known each other for thirteen years. Their bond was strong enough.

Leng Ying…

Yingying!

The moment Ji Yu stepped past the gate, she could no longer hide her excitement.

Her steps quickened. She moved past the people beside her. Once the crowd thinned, she broke into a run, sprinting toward Leng Ying.

Her golden ponytail bounced high, strands of hair playfully slipping between the space of her coat and skin, greedily soaking in Leng Ying’s warmth.

She buried her face against Leng Ying’s neck and whispered, “Jiejie, we’ve finally met again.”

“…” Leng Ying reminded her, “I’m only two years older than you.”

“Two years still makes you jiejie.” Ji Yu turned slightly, eyes lingering on Leng Ying’s sharp jawline. “Yingying-jiejie, I just got back—please take me in?”

“Mm.” Leng Ying cleared her throat. “Come on, the car’s waiting.”

“Okay~” Ji Yu hugged her tight once more, completely content. Then she obediently let go. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Leng Ying’s necklace—a silver chain that matched her skin tone perfectly. Ji Yu naturally took the bouquet from her hands. “Is this for me?”

“Mm.”

Ji Yu spotted a black velvet box hidden in the bouquet. Surprised, she exclaimed, “There’s even a gift!”

“You just got back,” Leng Ying said, taking her hand. “Let’s head back to the car first.”

Her sharp senses told her many people were watching them. But when she looked, everyone seemed to be minding their own business. Maybe it was just her imagination.

It should be just imagination.

Still holding Ji Yu’s hand, Leng Ying walked toward where Xiao Ye had parked.

At first, their hands were dry.

But after a few seconds—or thirty—or maybe a full minute, they began to sweat slightly, forming a thin layer of moisture.

Leng Ying suspected her heartbeat was too loud.

Ji Yu inhaled the scent of the flowers, completely trusting as she let Leng Ying lead.

Noticing that Leng Ying slowed her steps, Ji Yu tilted her head to look at her. Leng Ying said calmly, “I wanted to look at you.”

“……”

Suppressing her own quickening heartbeat, Ji Yu replied without missing a beat, “How do I compare to the video calls?”

“More vivid,” Leng Ying said. “You can’t hold hands over video.”

…Ah.

How could this not be misunderstood?

Ji Yu studied Leng Ying, but her face was covered by a mask and sunglasses. All Ji Yu could see was her own reflection in the lenses.

At 18, Ji Yu had given Leng Ying a special, intimate coming-of-age gift—which she had worn for five years.

Through every holiday, they had never missed spending time together.

Ji Yu tightened her grip on Leng Ying’s hand. “Then let’s hold hands a little longer.”

Their hands stayed clasped until they reached the car. Once inside, Xiao Ye, who had witnessed the whole scene, instinctively pretended to be invisible. Still, Leng Ying introduced her.

“This is Xiao Ye, my assistant.”

“I’ve heard you mention her,” Ji Yu said.

Heard you mention me?!

How did I ever make it into their conversations?!

Xiao Ye screamed internally, but kept her composure like a good assistant. She nodded at Ji Yu. “Hello.”

“Hello,” Ji Yu replied warmly. “I’m Ji Yu.”

Wow, such fluent Chinese.

A two-character name.

“You’re Chinese?”

“My mom has foreign heritage,” Ji Yu answered smoothly. “My father is Chinese.”

“Ohhh.” Xiao Ye nodded in understanding, then asked, “Ying-jie, heading to your place?”

“Mm.” Leng Ying turned to Ji Yu. “Let’s go home first and eat something.”

Ji Yu smiled. “I don’t have a place to stay yet.”

Not true. Jingming Pavilion was already fully prepared.

She waited for Leng Ying’s response.

“Then come stay at my place,” Leng Ying said. “Going back and forth would be too tiring for you.”

Fortunately, she had had the foresight to redecorate. Her home used to be too minimal—fine when living alone—but if Ji Yu was moving in, it needed warmth.

From the driver’s seat, Xiao Ye thought: …I’m just a chauffeur… if I weren’t driving, I should be under the car, not inside it.

Remembering something, Leng Ying picked up the fruit and veggie juice from the armrest and handed a cup to Ji Yu. “Homemade from Xiao Ye’s family—tastes great.”

“Thanks.” Ji Yu met Xiao Ye’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Perfect. I’m thirsty.”

“You’re welcome,” Xiao Ye replied calmly. “Try it, Yu-jie. If you like it, I’ll bring more next time.”

Ji Yu gave a weird look and nudged Leng Ying. “Yu-jie?”

She sighed. “I’m only twenty-one!”

“Ah?!” Xiao Ye quickly apologized. “Sorry, Miss Ji—I called you ‘jie’ out of habit…”

“It’s understandable.” Ji Yu didn’t mind. “Call me whatever’s convenient.”

It doesn’t matter.

She carefully took the velvet box from the bouquet and handed it to Leng Ying. “Help me put it on.”