Chapter 18.4 (2/2)
He He softly said: “Brother s.h.i.+, I have always respected and admired you as a big brother, just like how I treat Brother Zheng Xie.”
s.h.i.+ Lin was silent for a moment and said with a wry smile: “He He, in fact, do you not need to give me the answer so quickly. You could at least let me have a few more days to look forward to.”
He He looked down at the bowl of ice that she is holding in her hand, the milk and the ice has melted from the temperature of her palm. She lower her voice and say: “Brother s.h.i.+ Lin, you are a good man. A very good man. If I have any sisters, I would hope that they marry you…”
“Unfortunately, you do not want to marry me, so I am not good enough.”
“This is not your problem.” He He lowered her voice so low that he almost could not hear anything. “My brother’s friend, will always be a brother to me. This is the idea that I had since I was young. I have never changed. So it is not you, but because of my own.”
“If…. He He, if I am not, then….. Would you…..” He He saw the rare expression of s.h.i.+ Lin. She had a sense of guilt, and found out for the first time, that her eloquence is very poor.
“There is no if.” He He finally said and looked up, but not to look at him, but to look at the light far out. She mechanically repeated: “There is no if.”
s.h.i.+ Lin suddenly seems to have an epiphany. He hesitantly said: “He He, do you like Zheng Xie but he could not read your mind.” He then explained hastily after finis.h.i.+ng the sentence: “I have no other meaning. It that is true, at least I can try to let him know.”
“No.” He He did not panic nor look lost. Her eyes firmly looked at s.h.i.+ Lin and said: “Really there is no such thoughts. I just hope that he and Ms Yang Wei Qi get married earlier and live a happy life forever.”
s.h.i.+ Lin sigh slightly but no longer speak.
A dinner that started off well did not end very well. When s.h.i.+ Lin sent He He home, on the road, both of them kept quiet and said nothing. When s.h.i.+ Lin wanted to adjust the tense atmosphere in the car by switching on the radio station, even after changing a few channels, all are broadcasting sad love songs.
He looked embarra.s.sedly looked at He He and laughed. She also happen to look at him, took her hand and pull out a cd. “Let’s put this on.”
It turns out to be a cla.s.sical symphony, very out of tune to the noisy night outside of the car. But this succeeded in changing the atmosphere between them in the car.
s.h.i.+ Lin said: “He He, what I said earlier, please don’t put it into your heart. Take it as I have never said them. Next time when I come back, please don’t pretend to not know me. Didn’t you say that a few steps away from where you stay, there is a good barbecue restaurant. Let’s go there when I am back.”
He He said: “Good.” She blinked hard and said: “This evening, apart from talking about your work, we did not talk about anything else.”
s.h.i.+ Lin said with a smile: “Yes ah, I am already old. So have bad memory.”
Although s.h.i.+ Lin was driving very slowly, they soon reached their destination. He got out of the car and open the door for He He.
He He got out of the car and took a few steps before turning back and said: “Brother s.h.i.+ Lin, you go first.”
“You go upstairs first. I will leave when you turned on your lights.”
s.h.i.+ Lin looked at He He climbing up the stairs quicker than her usual pace. He is not surprised. And the lights in her apartment turned on quicker than normal.
He self-deprecating smiled in the dark, got back into the car. Before re-starting the car, his cell phone beep to indicate a new text message received. Xiao He He had sent him a text message. Very simple words: “I am sorry.”
He looked dazedly at the words until the screen darkens. And then he only think that he should reply back. Him who never had used the drawing functions, clumsily drew a smiley face and sent it back to He He. Under the smiley face, he had handwritten some words: If you need help, remember to look for me.
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