A Quiet Conversation

The soft glow of lanterns illuminated the old teahouse as Xiao Ning and Bing Rong sat across from each other. The atmosphere was peaceful, with the distant sound of a stream trickling outside and the occasional murmur of quiet conversations from other diners. But despite the serenity, there was a tension between the two of them, an unspoken awkwardness that neither could shake.

They had been engaged for almost a year, and yet moments like these felt foreign to both of them. The expectations from their families weighed heavily in the air, and though they had agreed to meet tonight, neither was sure where to begin.

The server poured the tea, filling their cups with precision before slipping away, leaving the two in silence.

Bing Rong was the first to break it, her eyes briefly flicking up to meet Xiao Ning’s. “I wasn’t expecting our grandparents to arrange this meeting,” she said, her voice calm but slightly guarded. “But I suppose they’ve been right all along. We haven’t exactly spent much time together.”

Xiao Ning nodded, his fingers wrapping around his teacup. “No, we haven’t,” he agreed, his voice as steady as ever. “Our work keeps us both busy.”

Bing Rong took a sip of her tea, studying him. Xiao Ning was always composed and quiet almost to a fault. But she could never quite figure him out. He seemed content with his simple office job, never expressing the same ambition or drive she had. It made her wonder, again and again, if they were truly a good match.

“Your job,” she began carefully, “at the software company… is it really something you enjoy?”

Xiao Ning looked at her for a moment, surprised by the question. He was used to her asking about work, but it was rare for her to show much interest in his daily life. “I like what I do,” he said, though the truth was far more complicated. “It’s stable. Predictable.”

Bing Rong tilted her head slightly, a frown tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Stable and predictable. Those are not words I’d usually associate with someone who grew up in a martial family. Doesn’t it feel… limiting? Like there’s more out there for you?”

Xiao Ning paused, his gaze flickering to the lanterns overhead. She wasn’t wrong, his life during the day was a façade, a carefully constructed mask that hid the truth of who he really was. But he couldn’t tell her that. Not yet.

“Sometimes,” he admitted quietly. “But stability has its benefits. Not everyone needs a life of excitement.”

Bing Rong narrowed her eyes slightly, sensing something deeper beneath his words but unable to grasp it. “And yet… our families expect us to live lives filled with honor and purpose. Don’t you ever feel like you’re wasting your potential?”

Xiao Ning smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Maybe I’m just not as ambitious as you, Bing Rong.”

She frowned, feeling the familiar frustration rise within her. This was the very thing that made her question their relationship, his quiet acceptance of a life that seemed so ordinary compared to her own. She was a captain in Police Intelligence, the top in her field, and constantly chasing after dangerous criminals. He was a software developer.

It didn’t seem balanced.

She wanted to challenge him, to push him, but how could she do that when he didn’t seem interested in pushing himself?

Xiao Ning, sensing her frustration, set his cup down and leaned forward slightly, his gaze soft but serious. “Bing Rong, I know you think I’m not enough. That I don’t match your ambition or your strength.”

Her eyes widened slightly at his words, caught off guard by how directly he addressed her doubts.

“But I want you to know,” he continued, “that I’m trying. Even if it doesn’t seem like it. I don’t show it the way you do, but I’ve got my own responsibilities. They just… look different from yours.”

Bing Rong felt a pang of guilt. She hadn’t expected him to be so open, and now she realized how little she knew about what Xiao Ning really thought or felt. Maybe she had been too quick to judge him, too focused on her own needs to see that he might have his own path.

“I didn’t mean to make it seem like you’re not enough,” she said softly, her voice losing some of its edge. “It’s just… I need someone who can stand beside me. Someone who can understand the risks and the dangers I face every day.”

Xiao Ning’s expression didn’t change, but inside, he felt a wave of sadness. She didn’t know that he faced those very same dangers, often far worse. But how could he tell her? If she knew he was Night Owl, her sworn target, everything would fall apart.

“I understand more than you think,” he said, his voice carefully measured. “You might be surprised.”

Bing Rong studied him closely, unsure of what to make of his words. There was something in his eyes—something deeper than she had ever noticed before. For the first time, she wondered if maybe she hadn’t been seeing the whole picture.

But before she could press further, the server arrived with their meal, breaking the moment.

They ate in relative silence for a while, though the tension between them seemed to have softened. Bing Rong found herself glancing at Xiao Ning more often, curious about this side of him she had never seen before. He wasn’t as complacent as she had thought. There was a quiet strength in him, one that she hadn’t appreciated until now.

After the meal, as they sat with their tea, Xiao Ning spoke again. “Our families want us to make this work,” he said quietly. “But that’s not enough. We need to want it too.”

Bing Rong nodded slowly, realizing the truth in his words. “I know. And I do want it… I just don’t know how to make it work.”

“Maybe we start with understanding,” Xiao Ning suggested. “We don’t need to have all the answers right now. But if we’re going to be partners, we need to at least try to see each other’s worlds.”

Bing Rong looked down at her tea, considering his words. “You’re right,” she admitted after a moment. “We’ve both been too focused on our own lives. Maybe it’s time we try to understand each other better.”

Xiao Ning smiled softly, relieved by her response. “I think that’s a good place to start.”

There was a quiet warmth between them now, a tentative connection that hadn’t been there before. They still had a long way to go, but for the first time in a long while, it felt like they were moving in the right direction.

As they stood to leave the teahouse, Bing Rong turned to him with a slight smile. “Maybe next time, we can try something a little less formal. A walk in the park or something.”

Xiao Ning nodded, feeling a flicker of hope. “I’d like that.”

They walked out of the teahouse together, the night air cool and refreshing. For once, Xiao Ning wasn’t thinking about his next mission or his hidden life. Instead, he found himself focused on the woman beside him, wondering if, maybe, just maybe, they could make this work after all.

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