Chapter 4 - She Had Been Emotionally Unavailable

Proofread by Yin Jing

After going outside, Qiao Sheng smiled and looked at Lu Zhanke: “Sir, she is beautiful, huh? You come to see her although there’s only a 15-minute break after the conference.”

“Big mouth!” Lu Zhanke got in the car in one stride, but the corner of his mouth was involuntarily tilted up.

Ai Changhuan came for negotiation. However, it turned out that she lost her first kiss before talking. She was totally irritated. After Lu Zhanke left, she immediately rushed to the bathroom to brush her teeth. The smell from his mouth, however, was still hanging on, stubborn.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her cheeks blushing, as if they were dyed with the superior rouge. The lips were red and swollen. Obviously, they just experienced a disaster. She was upset and decided to pack her bags and go home after changing the clothes.

Keeping everything in place, she went out to call a taxi for a ride. However, there was no one at the door, let alone asking for help.

The houses were in rows. The layout was exactly the same except the only difference—the house number; there was not even a signpost.

She looked around and wondered whether she should go left or right.

When she was in a dilemma, a woman came out of the house on the right. She was about thirty or forty years old, having slender eyebrows, shining eyes, and a pair of beautiful lying silkworm. With straight eyeliner and a boat-shaped mouth curving upward, she looked quiet, graceful and calm.

Almost without hesitation, she immediately smiled and went forward, “Hello, I’m Ai Changhuan, living next door.”

The woman’s eyes lingered on her. Having a few glances, she laughed with a hearty smile, “You’re the wife of Head Lu. You look really young”.

“…Really? You look young too.” Ai Changhuan was quite resistant to the identity—“Wife of Head Lu.”

“My husband and Head Lu are comrades. He’s Pei Mu, the political commissar of the Independent Brigade. I’m Yang Anxin.” Yang Anxin was cordial, holding Ai Changhuan’s hand immediately. “You are new here and must know little about this place. It’s hard to get used to the life here, isn’t it? Don’t be afraid. You’ll find this place is much better than cities after a long time. You see, the air is absolutely clean. But…I’m going out, or I can show you around.”

Ai Changhuan’s eyes lit up and asked at once, “Go out? How? Where can you take a taxi?”

“I’m not going to the city center. I’ve got to run an errand around here.”

“Ah, well.” Ai Changhuan was a little disappointed. “I want to go out.”

“There is a special bus by which women and children are sent to work and school respectively. But the bus hasn’t come back at this time. If you’d like to go downtown, you can only ask Head Lu to arrange a driver. What are you going to do? Is there anything you need to buy? It’s OK. You can tell me. We’ve got everything.”

Yang Anxin was inviting Ai Changhuan to her home.

Ai Changhuan hurriedly said, “Thank you. I’m just wondering.”

Ai Changhuan felt awkward for it turned out that she had to ask Lu Zhanke for help. She had planned to slip away before he came back, but never thought about facing him.

“Ah! By the way, you two come over for dinner tonight. I’ll prepare my specialties.”

“Eh…OK.” Ai Changhuan was a little embarrassed. “How can it be possible? That man and I are a couple?” she thought.

After saying goodbye to Yang Anxin, Ai Changhuan returned to the house. She was thinking that since it would not take a long time to leave, there was no need to pack her luggage. Sitting on the sofa, she complained to her close friend Ji Xingfan. Ji Xingfan comforted her to take things as they come, and keep calm. Maybe she would like this place.

Ai Changhuan swore that it was the last place she would like.

“I’m here to stay away from trouble for the moment. Qin Zhan will take me away soon.”

Ji Xingfan didn’t want to cast a chill over her. After silence, she couldn’t help saying, “Qin Zhan lives like a hermit. I even start to wonder if there is such a person.”

“He definitely exists.” Ai Changhuan was anxious. She had been dating with Qin Zhan for nearly two years. How could she have no idea about his existence?

“So why have I never met him?” Ji Xingfan responded.

“That’s because…he’s busy…” Ai Changhuan guessed. But she was uncertain about it.

She and Qin Zhan seldom met. It was she who asked Qin Zhan importunately whether he loved her. After they started a relationship, Qin Zhan gave her his cellphone number but told her not to dial it easily. He always called her only if there was something.

Thus it was Qin Zhan who contacted her when he wanted to meet. On the contrary, there was no way for her to do it like this. A week before getting married, she texted him for the first time. Ai Changhuan wanted him to take her away but he did not appear. He had not come yet.

Ji Xingfan couldn’t help sneering, “You can’t even understand it’s an excuse. You’re such a fool!”

“Maybe…” She would rather believe that Qin Zhan failed to show up because he was busy instead of other excuses.

“So what are you going to do now? You’ve married after all. What if your husband wants to have sex with you?”

“Absolutely not!” It suddenly reminded Ai Changhuan of the strange kiss in the morning. Her face turned red involuntarily. She hurriedly patted her face to keep awake, “I’ll insist on returning home as soon as he’s back.”