Chapter 6 Part3 (1/2)
We were left on a bit of a cliffhanger last time. They were “a little too close.” And then what? Does anyone act on that?
Chapter 6.3 — Development Period While Staying in Shanghai (3)
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Because he was going to take the teacup from her, he had moved forward slightly, and she, in the process of handing the tea to him, very naturally happened also to be leaning a little closer towards him… The two of them were thus separated by only the width of a teacup, gazing at each other.
She was wearing a round-necked sweats.h.i.+rt, and at such a distance, her delicate collarbone could be cleary seen.
Yi Wenze discreetly lifted his gaze. But whoos.h.!.+ Just this slight change was already enough to cause heat to rush into Jia He's face.
The scent of tobacco, intermixed with the aroma of lemon tea, invaded every inch of her awareness…
After a silence of several seconds, Jia He cleared her throat. ”It might be a little hot…”
He took the teacup from her and had a small sip. ”It does seem a little hot.”
Her eyes were inquiring. ”Would you like me to add some cool water?”
”No, it's okay.”
Perhaps because they were so close, both their voices were rather light.
He took another sip, his motion very slow. His gaze, though, never left her.
That song finished playing and then automatically cycled back to the beginning, as if the singing of it would never come to an end. Downstairs, someone, she was unsure who, had won the game, and a din had arisen. Somebody seemed to be calling Jia He's name, but she could not really make it out.
Wavering for a long time, she finally faltered, ”There might be someone calling me. I'll go downstairs and see.”
He was quiet for a while before giving a light smile. ”Go ahead.”
The result, naturally, was that she fled from there. The rug beneath her feet too soft, she nearly tripped over herself.
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Once she arrived downstairs, she saw Qiao Qiao looking at her with wide eyes and waggling brows, appearing as if she had something to say. So, Jia He moved a chair over and sat down. With a mahjong tile pinched between her fingers, Qiao Qiao leaned her head to the side and whispered, ”Your mobile rang just earlier. I took a look for you. It was Gu Yu.”
Jia He's heart thunked in her chest. ”You picked it up?”
Qiao Qiao looked sideways at her. ”I couldn't be bothered to pick it up. I straight out shut off your phone for you.”
Jia He was put in a little panic with that. ”You shut it off?”
”You still want to answer his calls?”
”Not at all. People over on the Beijing side said that in these next two days they'll be setting the meeting time. I've been waiting this whole time for their call.”
Qiao Qiao shrugged. ”Then you turn on your phone. Just be careful that the Big Bad Wolf doesn't scoop you into his mouth and take you away.”
Exasperated and amused at the same time, Jia He dug out her mobile phone from her bag and powered it back on. Five or six text messages all rushed in together, overwhelming her eyes. She tapped open each one. Many were just promotional messages from the bank or a shopping centre. Only one was from Gu Yu.
A single straightforward row of words: I'm downstairs of your home.
She stared at her phone, silent for a long while, vacillating over the simple question of whether she should reply or not. Qiao Qiao had already finished her round of drawing a tile and turned to look at her by the time she finally made up her mind, speedily typing off a line of words: I'm at Hongqiao Airport. Going to Beijing for a meeting.
Only ten seconds after she sent it out, he sent back a reply: May the wind be at your back the whole way.
Jia He still remembered, countless times in the past, she had complained, you cannot wish a person ”wind at her back” when she is going on a plane, because it is very unlucky. He, though, had always laughed that off, making fun of her for being superst.i.tious.
She sniffled. Her nose seemed a little congested, likely a result of her getting soaked in the rain.
This time, it was Wu Zhilun's turn to look at her. ”What's wrong? Did Ze pick on you?”
She had no words to respond to that. Standing, she asked, ”Qing, sorry to bother you, but would I be able to trouble you to first bring me to a room that I can sleep in?”
Qing hurriedly left her tiles where they were and, amid the background noise of a bunch of people urging her to come back quickly, led Jia He into a guest room, telling her that though it was not often that people stayed here, the items in the room had all been changed right before they came here and were new and clean, so she could rest a.s.sured and sleep easy. Her words, though, made Jia He feel even more ill at ease, and hastily she explained that she was not that picky. Only after the room door had shut did Jia He breathe out in relief.
The style of décor here was very similar to upstairs, with light-coloured hardwood floors and furniture that was all black.
Spread beside the bed was an identical white area rug.
After a night of upheaval, now could she at last truly relax. Accompanied by the indistinct sounds of boisterous commotion coming from outside the room, she wrapped herself in the blanket and fell asleep. In the middle of the night, she woke from thirst and felt her way out to get some water to drink, discovering that everyone was asleep already. The door of that room upstairs was still half-open, and a faint glow of light seeped from it.
A cup in her hand, she stood downstairs and took sip after sip, returning to her room only after she had drunk all her water.
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When she awoke the next day, she picked up her mobile phone and took a glance. It was already one o'clock in the afternoon.
Taped to the bedside table was a white note, and after pulling it down and seeing the handwriting scrawled on it, she knew Qiao Qiao was the one who wrote it. I've taken your car to my parents' place to grab my house key. Be back in the evening to pick you up.
The evening? Her head feeling stuffed, Jia He sat up. Her throat hurt so much it felt like a fire had been lit in it. She reached a hand up and touched her forehead. It seemed really hot. Seriously, all the bad things had come together. She got dressed quickly. When she stepped out of the room, she saw that Wu Zhilun and Yi Wenze were sitting by the small bar counter, appearing to be discussing some matters, while outside, a housekeeper was tidying the yard and the sun shone brilliantly.
Hearing the noise, the two men simultaneously turned their eyes and looked at her.
Yi Wenze stubbed out his cigarette, his motions natural. ”Sleep well?”
Taking a quick glimpse at Wu Zhilun, who was plainly displaying a knowing, suggestive look, Jia He struggled at length to get some words out from her throat and finally answered, ”Quite well.”
Wu Zhilun made an exaggerated show of looking at his watch. ”They say that women don't sleep well in strange beds, but I guess… what's that saying?” He put on a musing look, though Jia He did not know whether he truly had forgotten or was simply saying this intentionally. ”Oh, right, it's 'things vary from person to person.'”
She swore, the image this box office star had held in her mind was now completely crumbled… However, though she had grievances, she still remembered her purpose for coming out of the room. ”Where's Qing?”