Chapter 8: Will You Pay More?
The business car halted outside the wooden fence of the villa. Su Yiting raised his brows in surprise. “Weren’t you not going to come back—” His words trailed off as the automatic door slowly opened and An Tong stepped gracefully out of the vehicle.
Su Yiting: “?”
Without glancing sideways, An Tong entered the small courtyard, looked at Rong Shen, and offered a brief greeting, “Doctor Rong.”
“Have a seat.” Rong Shen gestured, and An Tong pulled out a chair opposite him. There was no unnecessary small talk. The atmosphere between them was not overly familiar, yet it brimmed with an odd, tacit understanding.
Meanwhile, Su Yiting bent over, resting his arm on the railing, and beckoned with a finger toward Cheng Feng, who wore a foolish grin. “Come here.”
Cheng Feng stepped forward obediently. “Young Master Su, what can I do for you?”
“Who is she?” Su Yiting inquired as he scrutinized An Tong. Truth be told, the girl was strikingly beautiful—better than the famed socialites of Xiangjiang. Her demeanor was cold, her gaze indifferent, quite unique.
Cheng Feng glanced in the direction indicated by Su Yiting and explained tactfully, “She’s a friend of Ninth Master, Miss An Tong.”
The answer did little to quench Su Yiting’s curiosity. “She calls Old Nine ‘Doctor Rong’?”
“I suppose so. I haven’t paid much attention,” Cheng Feng replied vaguely, wary of saying too much, mainly because he couldn’t quite fathom Ninth Master’s current intentions, and loose talk might bring unnecessary trouble.
Su Yiting seemed to sense something, pulled out his phone, blatantly snapped a photo of An Tong and Rong Shen, then sent it to a group chat on WeChat.
He added, “Bet: The old monk is about to break his vows.”
After a moment’s silence, new messages flooded the group.
Across the courtyard, An Tong faintly heard the vibration, but Rong Shen paid it no mind. He poured her a fresh cup of tea. “Have you ever been to the Northern City Resort before?”
“No.” An Tong accepted the cup and set it aside, her gaze drifting lightly to Su Yiting, who leaned on the railing.
Sensing her look, the man soothed her gently, “Ignore irrelevant people.”
Irrelevant person Su Yiting: “……”
……
After some minutes, Cheng Feng managed to persuade Young Master Su to leave.
An Tong sipped her tea, her demeanor relaxing as she surveyed her surroundings.
“Besides auditing classes at school, do you have other activities?” The man leaned back in his chair, his deep gaze fixed on An Tong.
“I’ve taken a few part-time jobs.”
A few. Rong Shen caught the phrasing keenly, noting her plain attire, and deduced her life was indeed modest.
Understanding, he maintained his steady manner, probing further, “Why do you want to learn programming?”
For a moment, An Tong’s pupils contracted. After a brief silence, she replied, “Sometimes, code is warmer than people.”
Rong Shen lifted his eyelids, studying her expression intently.
“That’s too pessimistic.” He set down his cup and rose, walking to the center of the courtyard, hands behind his back as he gazed at the distant mountains. “Girls your age should spend more time outdoors, make new friends. In time, you’ll discover pleasures beyond coding.”
An Tong turned to watch his figure bathed in sunlight, not only mature but exuding an alluring warmth.
“If given the chance… I’ll try.” She added softly, “But not everyone has your patience.”
At twenty-something, who wouldn’t want to share joy and life with friends, their faces aglow with smiles? Yet the harshness of fate had made her an outsider, a freak, in many eyes.
Rong Shen looked back at her, his expression inscrutable.
He honestly didn’t consider himself a patient man, yet the girl’s eyes were full of respect toward him.
His thin lips pressed together, his gaze lowered to conceal the turbulence within. “It’s cool in the mountains. Let’s go inside.”
An Tong frowned again, sensing that Doctor Rong had some unspoken criticism about her words, though he hadn’t rebuked her.
Patience… Was there something wrong with that?
As the man strode past, An Tong instinctively followed.
They entered the house, warmth enveloping them from all sides.
An Tong accompanied him into the wooden living room, where a viewing table and round stools sat beneath the window. The tea table was tucked in the corner—a simple arrangement befitting Rong Shen’s serene temperament.
“There are some programming books in the study next door. If you’re interested, feel free to take a look.”
An Tong halted, bluntly voicing her doubt, “How long will today’s treatment take?”
She simply didn’t want to waste her paid treatment time reading, after all.
Rong Shen sat at the tea table, rolling up his white shirt sleeves, and smiled calmly. “Today’s time is yours. If there’s nothing else, I’ll have Cheng Feng drive you back at dusk.”
An Tong was a bit surprised. “The whole day?”
“Mm.” The man’s rugged features were softened by the sunlight streaming in. “Proper relaxation is good for your health.”
An Tong: “Will it cost extra?”
His hand paused as he held the tea tongs, observing her earnest and serious demeanor. A faint smile crept between his brows. “No. The fee remains as usual. The extra time is a complimentary gift.”
An Tong’s gaze flickered. After thanking him, she went to the next room.
For some reason, discussing money with such a gentle gentleman felt rather abrupt.
……
Time passed slowly. Rong Shen drank a few cups of tea, handled some business on his phone, and only then realized more than an hour had gone by.
An Tong was still in the study and hadn’t come out.
He slipped his phone into his pocket, his slender fingers kneading his brow as he rose and strode toward the study.
This wooden villa was his private retreat, where he occasionally stayed for a few days when time allowed.
Thus, the bookcase covering half a wall in the study was filled with volumes he’d read.
The wooden door was half open, and the room was quiet, without a sound.
His steps were steady as he approached. Through the gap, he saw An Tong sitting motionless on the rattan chair by the wall, a book spread on her knees, not even turning a page.
Rong Shen’s brows knit tightly. He pushed the door open and came to her side, calling her name in a low voice, “An Tong?”
No reaction.
The girl was oblivious to his arrival, seemingly lost in some emotion from which she couldn’t extricate herself.
Restrained, Rong Shen picked up the book from her lap and glanced at the cover. It was just an ordinary original translated programming book.
Written by Jones Wilson
Translated by An Xianghuai
He set the book aside, studied the unresponsive An Tong, knowing she was experiencing another episode of emotional detachment.
Rong Shen gently patted her shoulder with his warm palm, speaking in a soft voice to guide her, “Whatever happened is part of the past. Only by moving forward can you let go of burdens. Do you understand, An Tong?”
A few words, plain and unhurried.
As his voice gradually clarified in her ear, An Tong’s hollow gaze began to focus.
When she finally emerged from the episode, she found herself staring into a handsome, angular face and the concerned, dark eyes of the man before her.
Her hand trembled slightly as she rubbed her temple, murmuring hoarsely, “Doctor Rong…”