Ding Zhitong wanted to say, “It’s not like that. I don’t want to be so clear-cut with you.”
As they were finishing their meal, Feng Sheng remembered something and asked Ding Zhitong if he could give her contact information to a friend who had just graduated and was job hunting.
Ding Zhitong agreed, finding it peculiar that she had suddenly become a target for networking by juniors. However, Song Mingmei overheard and asked, “Is it the one you recommended to me a few days ago? What was her name… Guan Wenyuan?”
Feng Sheng nodded. “Yes, has she contacted you already?”
Song Mingmei smiled, her expression somewhat complicated. After a pause, she said, “She sent me her resume, but in the cover letter, she even got my company and department names wrong. It still said ‘L Bank Sales and Trading Department.’ She probably just copied the letter she sent you without changing the keywords.”
Feng Sheng shook his head helplessly and laughed. Then, looking at Ding Zhitong, he asked, “Remember when we had dinner on graduation day? My mom mentioned she was from C Bank. She’s the daughter of a senior executive there. Anyway, it’s up to you how to handle it. I’m just passing along the message.”
“No wonder…” Song Mingmei immediately understood. “I saw on her resume that her summer internship was at C Bank’s New York branch investment banking department.”
“What’s wrong with C Bank?” Ding Zhitong noticed their shared smile but didn’t understand. In her mind, C Bank was a large state-owned bank, a Fortune 500 company with impressive overseas branches.
Song Mingmei explained, “I’ve heard their internship pay is barely above New York’s minimum wage. It’s technically on Wall Street, but anyone with ambition wouldn’t go there. It’s just a place for those with connections to get H1B visas.”
Ding Zhitong finally understood and asked, “So, are you going to meet her?”
Song Mingmei replied immediately, “Of course! This is a valuable connection!”
Once again, Ding Zhitong felt she was quite slow in these matters.
As they chatted engagingly, Gan Yang remained quiet and excused himself to use the restroom. When it was time to pay, they discovered he had already settled the bill.
The waiters in Chinatown restaurants, especially the older ones, were often quite arrogant with fellow Chinese customers. However, the one serving their table suddenly became exceptionally attentive. Ding Zhitong guessed someone must have left a generous tip.
Among the group, Gan Yang was the youngest and still a student. Feng Sheng insisted on reimbursing him, saying, “This isn’t right. We agreed on splitting the bill. How can we let you treat us?”
Gan Yang politely declined, and Ding Zhitong added, “We’ll settle it next time we meet.”
Feng Sheng joked, “Well, I’m getting a good deal then. You start work next week, so our next meal will probably be grabbing hot dogs outside the office…”
Ding Zhitong hadn’t expected her secret to be revealed so casually and felt embarrassed.
Fortunately, Gan Yang didn’t seem to notice. He smiled and said, “I came today specifically to treat you all. I won’t be in New York for the next few months, so thank you in advance for taking care of Tong Tong.”
Fighting over the bill was common in China, but they tried to be more restrained in a foreign country. Guests at nearby tables had already started looking their way.
Finally, Song Mingmei smoothed things over: “All right, we won’t be polite then. But let me make one thing clear…”
“What’s that?” Gan Yang asked.
Song Mingmei put her arm around Ding Zhitong’s shoulder and answered, “No need to thank us for taking care of her. She’s my Tong Tong too.”
Ding Zhitong felt utterly embarrassed. The group happily left the restaurant and stepped outside.
Night had fallen, and the air was damp and cold. Late January in New York meant temperatures hovered around freezing. They walked along Mott Street until they reached the subway station, where they said their goodbyes.
Feng Sheng and Song Mingmei descended into the subway, leaving Ding Zhitong and Gan Yang alone. Suddenly, silence fell between them, and they walked without speaking for a while.
“Hey,” Ding Zhitong sensed something was off. She slipped her hand into Gan Yang’s coat pocket and initiated conversation. “Can you tell me now? Why did you suddenly come today?”
Gan Yang turned to look at her, then looked away without speaking.
Ding Zhitong was now certain something was wrong.
After a long pause, Gan Yang finally answered, “I don’t want to tell you anymore…”
“What do you mean?” Ding Zhitong stopped walking, trying to withdraw her hand.
Gan Yang gripped it tightly, turning to face her. “You have the nerve to ask me? You don’t tell me anything important.”
Ding Zhitong found his behavior childish and wanted to laugh, but knowing she was at fault, she bit her lip and explained meekly, “I was planning to tell you next week…”
“Just so I wouldn’t come this week?” Gan Yang questioned, shaking her hand.
Ding Zhitong mumbled, “Well, it’s only a few days until Spring Festival anyway…”
Gan Yang turned away again, dropping the subject with a curt, “Fine then. I won’t tell you either.”
“Then don’t!” Ding Zhitong felt frustrated that her attempt at reconciliation had backfired.
Yet he wouldn’t let go of her hand, pulling her along as they walked to the serviced apartment and rode the elevator up in tense silence.
Once inside the room, Gan Yang took off his coat and jacket, set down his bag, and began sorting through his things.
Ding Zhitong thought for a moment and decided to speak first: “Since you’re here anyway, I’ll move in this week.”
Gan Yang grunted in acknowledgment but remained silent.
Ding Zhitong then pulled out a check from a book on the desk. She had carefully calculated the amount and prepared it in advance.
Handing over the check, she joked, “Here, the first quarter’s installment.”
Gan Yang froze, glanced at the check without taking it, then looked at her and asked once again, “Ding Zhitong, are you sick or something?”
He had said the same words to her before, but this time his tone was different, making her heart sink.
“What do you mean?” she asked again, her voice trembling. She really couldn’t handle arguments, especially with people she cared about.
Gan Yang wasn’t faring much better. After a long pause, he finally said, “Do you want to keep things so separate between us?”
The emphasis seemed to be on the word “us.”
Ding Zhitong wanted to say, “No, it’s not like that. I don’t want to keep things so separate from you.” But she also felt this was a different issue. The money he was using wasn’t his, and she needed to keep things clear. Then again, she thought she shouldn’t say that either, as it might sound like she was criticizing him for not working and spending his family’s money lavishly.
She didn’t want to make things unpleasant and felt she had no right to make demands of him. He had been living his life just fine, with his own lifestyle and post-graduation plans. They had only been dating for three months – who was she to interfere?