Chapter 25

Chapter 25

***

After leaving Xu Lian’s store, Wei YiChen drove around Starlight Park before heading back towards his bar. His brothers knew he was in a bad mood, so they didn’t dare talk to him.

When Wei YiChen walked in his bar, he shut himself in the lounge and put on an album of PUMPKIN in the DVD player. Hearing the loud music coming from the lounge, Ah Mao subconsciously kneaded his ears. The person beside him said: “Brother Mao, Brother Chen is doing it again.”

Ah Mao sighed then said: “Let him go, he’s in a bad mood.”

Every time Wei YiChen was in a bad mood, he liked to vent like this.

In the lounge, Wei YiChen played with his air guitar, completely immersed in the music. This time, he wasn’t playing PUMPKIN’s famous song ‘Green Plum’, but another old song he was familiar with—— ‘Dorothy’.

It was said that the song was written by lead singer Ray for their band agent. They were childhood sweethearts, and the band was actually formed by the two. At the time, all the magazines and reporters said that the two would surely get together. But in the end, the agent married an ordinary outsider and later, PUMPKIN disbanded.

What the world said about the fated golden boy and jade girl had only been wishful thinking in the end.

It was now nine years since Wei YiChen had first seen Xu Lian. Nine years filled with compulsory education and resistance. But no matter how hard he had tried, he hadn’t managed to move her heart.

He thought back to the day Xu Lian entered high school. She was standing in the corner of the classroom, her schoolbag slung across her back. She was looking around with cold eyes, as if she had never once thought of integrating herself into the people she would be with for the next three years. At the time he thought: This girl is really interesting.

It was as if nothing could move her. That nothing had to do with her.

At first, he paid attention to Xu Lian just out of curiosity. He wanted to see a change of expression out of the girl. Bit by bit he paid more and more attention to her and saw that even in small groups she would isolate herself.

Although Xu Lian never cared about it. Or rather, she preferred to be alone and with no one bothering her.

Because Wei YiChen was a well-known ‘school bully’, others naturally didn’t dare bother Xu Lian. But of course, this also meant that no one could stop Wei YiChen himself from bothering her. Although Xu Lian was indifferent to his attention, Wei YiChen thought that with enough time, she would eventually be moved.

It was like a long-winded tug-of-war. Both were stubborn and both were waiting for each other to give up. Wei YiChen had been waiting for Xu Lian to be moved. Xu Lian had been waiting for Wei YiChen to stop bother her.

In the end, he lost. He had never moved her.

The song ended, and Wei YiChen collapsed on the sofa, gasping violently.

He had spent nine years and not once did Xu Lian open her heart to him. And that takeaway boy only knew her for a few days? Why him?

Hearing the music from the lounge disappear, Ah Mao tentatively knocked on the lounge door. “Brother Chen, shall we go to lunch?”

There was no answer. Just when Ah Mao thought he wouldn’t get a response, the door suddenly opened. with no expression on his face, Wei YiChen answered: “I want to drink the best and most expensive alcohol in this bar.”

“Good, good. But we can’t just drink, why don’t we order some barbecue?”

“Whatever, just bring me the wine.” Wei YiChen took two steps outside, then turned back to Ah Mao. “Bring me the bottle of Jiang YueZhang.”

“…” Ah Mao pursed his lips then looked at him with embarrassment. “Brother Chen, that bottle’s been reserved for Zhang Shao. He wanted to drink it himself.”

Wei YiChen couldn’t care less. “It’s better that we drink it rather than let him use it to coax a few female stars.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry so much. Just get it.”

“Alright.” If Zhang Shao ended up wanting the wine…nevermind, Zhang Shao should be able to understand the pain of Brother Chen, even if his love remained unrequited. Ah Mao settled his heart and left to get the wine.

After delivering the lunchbox to Xu Lian, Xiang ChangKong went to deliver other orders. He was more than a little busy. During his breaks he ate lunch while reading his textbooks at the same time.

Xiang ChangKong didn’t even realize it when Cheng Peng approached him. Cheng Peng quietly parked his scooter next to Xiang ChangKong’s and peeked at the cover of the book he was reading.

Cheng Peng could read every single Chinese character on the book, but he had no idea what they meant when arranged and combined into a phrase on Xiang ChangKong’s cover.

Xiang ChangKong finally felt someone else’s presence behind him. He looked up at Cheng Peng and said: “What are you doing?”

Cheng Peng smiled at him and said: “I just wanted to see what you were looking at, so focused.”

Xiang ChangKong closed the book in his hands and put it back in the small bag on his scooter. “Nothing, it was just a textbook of mine.”

“Textbook?” Cheng Peng thought back to Xiang ChangKong’s previous job in a big company. He became excited and asked Xiang ChangKong: “That…your book is about making planes?”

Xiang ChangKong was self-conscious, and thinking that it would be much too difficult to explain, simply nodded. “Uh, yes.”

Cheng Peng happily asked: “That’s great! Are you going back to building planes?”

“…” Xiang ChangKong opened his lunchbox again. “I’m just going to take the postgraduate exam.”

“Oh…” Cheng Peng thought about it for a while, then said: “Are you going to be building planes after the exam?”

“….” Cheng Peng sounded more obsessed with making planes that Xiang ChangKong himself. Xiang ChangKong didn’t say anything and simply smiled and nodded instead.

Cheng Peng opened his lunchbox and continued: “I already said you’re no ordinary takeaway boy! Let’s make a deal- why my restaurant opens I’ll invite you to a meal, and when the plane you build is finished, you’ll invite me for a ride!”

He paused, then continued: “That sounds like I’m taking advantage of you. How about this, I’ll treat you to ten meals?”

Xiang ChangKong smiled. “OK, up to you.”

“Then it’s a deal!”

After a very busy day, Xiang ChangKong went to Xu Lian’s store at exactly 8:00 p.m. It was already dark and there were only a few tourists left in Starlight Park. The scenic spots that were usually lively during the day were now empty and a little lonely.

Xiang ChangKong parked his scooter just outside Xu Lian’s store. He knocked on the glass door and peered inside. Xu Lian, just like last time, had closed all the lights except the one above the cash register. At Xiang ChangKong’s knock, Xu Lian looked up.

Xiang ChangKong stood there, watching a smile bloomed from her lips.

The light had made her expression even more soft and gentle. It was enough for a person to fall.

Xu Lian cleared off the counter, turned off the lights, and walked out of the store towards Xiang ChangKong.

“You’re so punctual?” She thought he’d still be doing orders. Although he said he finished at 8:00 p.m., Xu Lian thought Xiang ChangKong would still need to finish delivering the orders they had on their list before he could actually clock off. He probably never left work on time.

“I did a little maneuvering so that my last order was something delivered to Starlight Park.”

Xu Lian didn’t know much about their delivery system and felt curious. “Is that even possible?”

“Yes.” Xiang ChangKong replied with a chuckle.

Xu Lian raised a brow, but didn’t ask again. “Please accompany me to the flower shop nearby. I need to send some tablets to the owner.”

Looking at the big bag in Xu Lian’s hands, Xiang ChangKong took it and said: “Let me help you with that.”

“Un.” Xu Lian then took out a key and closed her shop.

“Have you had dinner yet?” Xiang ChangKong asked.

“Yep. I’ll take your insulated lunchbox home and wash it later. I’ll give it back to you next time.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can just wash it myself later.”

Xu Lian looked at him with a smile. “If my mother found out that you even wash the lunchboxes you give me on top of cooking for me, I don’t know what she’ll say.”

Xiang ChangKong smiled, but didn’t say anything else.

Xu Lian looked at the scooter parked nearby and said: “You can leave your scooter here. We can just walk and come back later.”

“Alright.”

The two walked side by side through the night. It was between autumn and winter, and while the flowers along the park weren’t as prosperous as it was in spring, the air was still filled with the subtle fragrance of flowers. It was light, but refreshing.

“Cold?” After a gust of wind blew by, Xiang ChangKong asked Xu Lian beside him.

Xu Lian shook her head and said to him: “When is your postgraduate exams?”

“Next January.” Xiang ChangKong replied.

“January?” Xu Lian frowned. “That’s only two months away. Do you have enough time to study?”

“Yes, plenty of time.”

“Really?” It wasn’t that Xu Lian didn’t trust him, but when she was in university, many of her classmates in the same dormitory had to prepare for their postgraduates one whole year in advance. And some of them even failed. With Xiang ChangKong only having two months, he would definitely have to be in a great hurry.

Xiang ChangKong chuckled. “Didn’t you say you believed in me?”

“That’s different. You’re working on the side too; you won’t have much time to study.”

“You don’t need to worry so much.” Xiang ChangKong raised his hand, wanting to rub Xu Lian’s head. But remembering that he had been shuttling off food boxes all day, he put his hand down. “I had good enough grades to be recommended by my university. And unlike the other undergraduate candidates, I’ve already graduated. The questions aren’t going to be that difficult for me.”

Seeing that Xu Lian still not speaking, Xiang ChangKong continued: “To be honest, I’m actually being a little modest. It’ll probably be really simple for me.”

Xu Lian: “…” She should really stop worrying about this top student.

After walking for a while, they arrived at the flower shop Xu Lian had mentioned. They could still see the florist inside, fiddling with several flowers and plants. A little girl was sitting in the store, busily drawing on her sketchpad.

Seeing Xu Lian enter, the florist greeted her: “I’m sorry I made you sent me the boards on such a late hour.”

Xu Lian shook her head. “It was because I was too slow in making them.” She took the bag from Xiang ChangKong and handed it to the florist. “Its all in here, have a look.”

Xu Lian and the florist began counting the boards on a nearby table. After confirming that there was no problem, the florist raised her head and said to Xu Lian: “By the way, I’ve been trying to make fried flowers again recently. This new batch has a stronger fragrance, I’ll show them to you when I’m done. If you think they’re good you can buy some on a discount.”

Xu Lian was happy to hear that. She had tried many shops that sold dried flowers, but had always failed to find suitable ones. If these dried flowers can be used, it’ll definitely attract a few more customers. “Yep, please call me when you’re ready.”

As the two women continued to chat, Xiang ChangKong stood to the side and watched the little girl draw. She was drawing some sort of white flower. It looked quite beautiful. From afar, it looked like a white cloud floating in the air.

Squatting down to be the same height as her, Xiang ChangKong smiled at the little girl and said: “That’s very beautiful. What kind of flower is that?”

The little girl looked at him with a smile. “It’s a White Azaela. It looks really pretty when it blooms. Just like a cloud.”

Looking around the store, Xiang ChangKong asked: “Is there any in the store?”

The little girl pointed forward.

The florist had heard their conversation and went to get a pot of White Azaleas. Showing it to Xiang ChangKong, she said: “It’s not in bloom yet, not until March next year.”

Xu Lian also came over. “Do you like it? Then I’ll buy it please.”

“No, no, I can buy it myself.” Xiang ChangKong replied.

Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong, and before he could even stand up, Xu Lian had already walked towards the register and bought the flower. As the florist helped them pack everything up, she also gave them a brochure about winter gardening and a small bag of fertilizer.

Holding the flowerpot, Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian left the flower shop together. Xiang ChangKong turned towards Xu Lian and said: “Thank you.”

Xu Lian smiled. “It’s just a pot of flowers, why are you so polite?”

Xiang ChangKong didn’t speak and instead looked down at the flowers in his arms with a smile.

“Look at the sky.” Xu Lian raised a finger and pointed up somewhere in the night sky. “I can see stars, although it’s just the one.”

Looking up, Xiang ChangKong followed Xu Lian’s finger and saw the only twinkling star in the sky.

Although it wasn’t very bright, it was the only light in an otherwise dark night.

Much like Xu Lian’s love was to him.