Chapter 29

Chapter 29

***

The room’s heating was already on. Shen Xi took off her coat and turned around, only to see Su Hang standing at the door, staring at the double bed. Shen Xi didn’t need to think much to figure out what was going on in the man’s brain.

“You sleep here. After we have dinner, I’ll go to Yun Shu’s room and sleep with her there.” Shen Xi said out loud. She took her luggage from Su Hang and opened it to take out a thick shawl. She placed it on her shoulders, intending to wear it for dinner.

Su Hang was stunned and failed to answer. It was only when Shen Xi was about to walk out of the room that he acted.

“No!” Su Hang managed to let out, grabbing Shen Xi’s hand.

“What ‘no’?” Shen Xi was confused.

“Don’t….don’t go to Yun Shu’s room to sleep.” If you do this, Shang HeXu will find out that…Su Hang couldn’t help but hold Shen Xi a little tighter.

“Then…what do you propose we do?” Shen Xi turned towards Su Hang and waited. It seems that ever since this morning, Su Hang had suddenly decided to be more proactive.

Truthfully, Su Hang could be quite eloquent when he wanted to. After all, when Su Hang graduated university as the representative, he was able to make a speech in front of everyone. At his company’s various shareholder meetings, Su Hang was able to persuade the shareholders with his words. It was just that whenever he was talking to Shen Xi…he would somehow lose the ability to form words.

“We’re husband and wife. Shouldn’t we stay together?” This was the answer Su Hang managed to choke out after a long silence.

So we’re required to share a room? If this was something Su Hang had said before that night of the charity ball, Shen Xi would’ve agreed. But now, Shen Xi, who was still sulking, wanted Su Hang to personally admit that the girl he had been secretly in love with was her.

“We can’t?” Seeing that Shen Xi hadn’t spoken, Su Hang thought that she was unwilling. His eyes gradually dimmed, and his heart shriveled. Sure enough, it seems that the tenderness he had felt with Shen Xi recently was just his own delusions?

Seeing the man’s grief-stricken expression, Shen Xi angrily shook off the Su Hang’s hand and stamped her feet. “You infuriate me!”

Su Hang’s heart jumped.

“You’re sleeping on the sofa.” Shen Xi said this, then stomped off. She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from knocking Su Hang on the head.

Sleeping on the sofa? Is that a yes? For some reason, Su Hang found this scene familiar. After thinking about it, he took out his cell phone and found the message Li QingYuan had sent him this morning. He carefully read through it again:

(Brother, let me tell you: As long as sister-in-law doesn’t cry or say no, 80% of the time, she means yes. If she doesn’t speak up, it’s because she’s too shy. She’s probably waiting for you to take the initiative, ah. You must not withdraw!)

Su Hang raised his head, an incredulous smile on his face. “So Shen Xi was quiet, not because she was unhappy, but because she was shy?”

What an incredibly cute shy expression she has! (Maybe I was just a bit too tactless? Maybe I don’t need to sleep on the sofa?)

Dinner was a simple affair. Everyone was also tired and jet-lagged, so after dinner, they all headed back into their rooms. Shang HeXu looked at Shen Xi and Su Hang as they left together. Although he had already known the outcome, seeing them go into the same room still made him feel sad.

“Feel bad?” Yun Shu, who was watching all this, asked aloud.

“No.” Shang HeXu restrained his expression.

“It’s normal to feel bad. I understand.” Yun Shu patted Shang HeXu’s shoulder.

Shang HeXu didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. “Then, are you suffering?”

“Why do you think I’m suffering?” Yun Shu was puzzled.

“Didn’t you say that you love me? Seeing me feel sad towards another woman; shouldn’t you be angry?” Shang HeXu asked.

“Oh, you’re actually thinking about me?” Yun Shu said, a trace of expectation in her voice.

Shang HeXu had only been joking, but after seeing Yun Shu’s solemn gaze, Shang HeXu couldn’t say anything. With a cough, he said: “I’m sure everyone’s tired after the flight and drive. Let’s all go to bed early.”

Then he scurried into his room.

Yun Shu watched as Shang HeXu fled. She let out a mocking laugh, unsure if it was for him or for her.

On the second day, early morning.

Because last night rained a bit, the surroundings were wet and cool, and the air fresh and pleasant. There was a white mist in the distance, and one or two cows could be faintly seen in the fields.

Shen Xi and Su Hang were in the middle of their morning run when Shen Xi suddenly stopped him. “Don’t go towards the town.”

“What’s the matter?” Su Hang stopped and asked.

“It’s easy to get lost in here.” Shen Xi panted.

“Lost?” Su Hang didn’t understand.

“This town is called BaGua town, with a history said to go back 1200 years.” Shen Xi took the sweat towel from Su Hang and wiped her forehead. After taking a breath, she continued: “Legend has it, a mighty man built the town according to the shape of the eight trigrams, and that’s why they named the town BaGua.”

(T/N: BaGua directly translated to the eight divinatory trigrams of the Book of Changes. Search up BaGua in google images if interested.)

“The roads here are small and winding. They also all look the same, so it’s easy to get lost.” Shen Xi said. “Yun Shu and I lost our way the first time we visited. We didn’t get out until sundown, and we only managed to leave because we found a kind uncle to lead us.”

“The uncle said that even the locals need to rely on some special signs to guide them. So it’s challenging for us outsiders.” Shen Xi explained. “If you walk without thought, you’ll end up being lost.”

Su Hang nodded. The two ran around the field outside the town one more time, then went back into the Shang home.

“Oh, you went out for a run?” Yun Shu, who was eating breakfast in the yard, couldn’t help but exclaim when she saw the two.

“Morning.” Shen Xi smiled and greeted everyone.

“Morning.” Shang HeXu nodded. “Feel free to change first, and then come out for breakfast.”

“Alright.” Shen Xi smiled, then crossed the courtyard to go into her room.

Su Hang silently glared at the genial Shang HeXu. He didn’t need to talk so intimately like that. ‘change your clothes, then come out for breakfast’? So annoying.

“Why are you glaring at my brother?” Shang YingYing, who had been eating a steamed bun, noticed that the annoying big brother was staring at her own brother and became unhappy.

The little girl’s question made Su Hang jolt. Yun Shu burst out laughing, and Shang HeXu tried to appease his sister with a smile. “YingYing, you’re mistaken. He wasn’t glaring at me.”

“No, I saw. He was looking at you like this.” Shang YingYing furrowed her brows.

“Pfft….” A laughing Yun Shu hurriedly put down the porridge bowl she was holding, afraid that she might topple it over.

Su Hang didn’t expect to get caught by the observant girl and ran away in embarrassment. Behind him, he could still hear the little girl’s incessant questions and Yun Shu’s wild laughter.

When Shen Xi came back, she saw the tears in Yun Shu’s eyes and asked: “What are you laughing at?”

“Oh, we were just talking about BaGua town and how they intend to develop their tourism next year.” Shang HeXu hurriedly changed the topic.

“BaGua town will start receiving tourists?” Shen Xia asked.

“Yeah.” Yun Shu stopped laughing and said: “Just now, YingYing told us that the new mayor of BaGua is very talented. He even made up a gimmick for their town.”

“Sister Yun Shu, it’s not a gimmick.” Shang YingYing disagreed. “My classmates all say that it’s a very special and romantic thing, just like the wishing tree in YueLao temple and the TieSuo bridge in SuoZuli. In the future, BaGua town will become the holy land of all lovers.”

“Yes, yes, yes, whatever you say.” Yun Shu perfunctorily nodded.

“Romance?” Shen Xi asked while drinking some soy milk.

“Didn’t BaGua town want to develop their tourism for a long time now, but couldn’t?”Yun Shu explained. “The roads in BaGua are complicated, and people get lost easily. Also, the government doesn’t allow the construction of road signs because it might destroy the town’s unique characteristics. But this new mayor finally came up with a good reason for people to come visit and willingly get lost.”

“What way?” Shen Xi asked, curious.

“They made up a legend.” Yun Shu said. “A man and woman enter the town, go through different roads, and if they can find each other, it means that they’re predestined lovers.”

“What if they can’t find each other?” Shen Xi had seen the power of this town maze. One wouldn’t be able to get out easily, let alone find a specific person.

“They must’ve taken that into account.” Shang HeXu commented. “If I was the mayor, I would’ve definitely arranged it so that no matter who the couple asked, the people would point towards the same place. Eventually, the couple will meet.”

“It’s a gimmick that’s made to make money.” Yun Shu concluded.

“Don’t say that. There’s always going to be people who can find each other without directions.” Shang YingYing argued. As a young girl full of romanticism, she didn’t want this beautiful idea sullied by an adult’s realism.

At this time, Su Hang finished changing his clothes and left the house. For some reason, Shang YingYing’s eyes lit up when she saw Su Hang, and she excitedly suggested: “Let’s play!”

“What?” Everyone was confused as to why she was suddenly so excited.

“Let’s see who are the ones truly predestined for each other.” Shang YingYing proudly exclaimed.

The four adults looked at each other.

But in the end, no one was able to overcome today’s birthday girl, so they all obediently handed their cell phones over.

Shang YingYing collected all the phones and handed them to the housekeeper. Then she said to the four: “Remember, you’re not allowed to ask for directions in the town. You have to go through the streets on your own. If you can’t find your way after dark, then you can ask.”

“Why’d you have to take our phones thought?” Yun Shu asked.

“That’s to prevent you from contacting each other.” Shang YingYing seriously explained. “No cheating.”

“YingYing, it’s only 10:00 a.m. why don’t we play for just a few hours, then have lunch?” Shang HeXu suggested.

“Brother, be more serious.” Shang YingYing pouted. “There are food vendors in town. You can buy something to eat if you get hungry.”

“Well, since YingYing wants to play, then we’ll play.” Shen Xi said in good-naturedly.

“Sister Shen Xi is the best!” Shang YingYing then turned towards Su Hang. “How about you?”

“Alright.” Su Hang simply nodded. Of course I’m going with my wife! Do you think I’ll let your brother go with her alone?

At half-past ten in the morning.

Five people were standing at the entrance to the town. They all looked at the new sign next to the gate with varying expressions.

” ‘A thousand-year-old legend,’ huh. I wasn’t aware the legend was that old.” Yun Shu said with a laugh.

“But it’s very well written. If I never visited before, I would’ve believed it.” Shen Xi said.

When they first discussed the gimmick this morning, Su Hang wasn’t present. So Su Hang only vaguely understood the situation from their conversations. But when he read the sign, Su Hang finally realized what was going on.

[Men and women who find each other and come out of this small town are the world’s fated match]

Su Hang knew that this was only some gimmick conjured up by the mayor, but as long as Shen Xi believed it, he will too.

“Brother.” Shang YingYing carefully pulled at her brother’s sleeve and whispered: “I’m familiar with the roads. I’ll help you find Sister Shen Xi.”

Shang HeXu stared at his younger sister. As he patted her head, he didn’t know if he should cry or laugh. “Isn’t that cheating?”

Shang YingYing only gave him a sly wink.

They entered the gate and stood before the intersection. Su Hang went to Shen Xi and took off the scarf he was wearing.

“The temperature will drop when it gets dark later.” Su Hang carefully wrapped the scarf around Shen Xi, then promised: “I’ll find you.”

Shen Xi’s eyes widened.

If finding you will prove that we’re destined to be together, then I’ll find you.