Chapter 30

Chapter 30

***

Afterward, the two lay on the sofa panting. Xu Lian was so tired she didn’t want to move a finger.

Xu Lian felt that she may have to extend her half-hour morning run just to keep up with Xiang ChangKong.

Looking at her from the side, Xiang ChangKong raised his hand and plucked a strand of her sweaty hair. “Tired?”

“Un…let’s take a little break.”

Xiang ChangKong smiled. “After a bit, you should go take a bath.”

Xu Lian opened an eye and looked at him. “Finished already?”

The smile on Xiang ChangKong’s face widened, and his dark eyes had a twinkle as he taunted: “Do you still have the strength to continue? You were begging for mercy just a minute ago. Now you want to do it again?”

“Er…I’ll recover. Just give me a minute…”

Kissing her lips, Xiang ChangKong whispered: “We played all day, aren’t you tired?”

During their trip to the amusement park, they played around and spent a lot of time lining up in queues. And Xu Lian had been wearing high-heeled shoes. After standing all afternoon, Xiang ChangKong figured that her legs must be hurting.

A weak Xu Lian exhaled and sat up from the couch. “Then I’ll take a bath first. I feel sticky.”

She picked up her clothes from the ground and put them on. Looking back towards Xiang ChangKong, she said: “Go take a bath too.” Xu Lian’s home had another bathroom next to the guest room.　　　”Alright.”

Xu Lian shuffled into her slippers and went into her room. She filled the bathtub with water and had a comfortable soak. When she finally came out, she saw Xiang ChangKong had already taken a shower and cleaned the living room and sofa.

Xu Lian’s sofa was made of leather. Although its color made any stains obvious, being made of leather made it easy to clean up. She looked around and saw that Xiang ChangKong was standing on the balcony. Xu Lian went into the kitchen to pick up two cans of beer, then went to the balcony.

Xu Lian gave Xiang ChangKong a beer, then with a ‘snick’ opened her own. Taking a warm bath had stimulated her body’s blood flow, so drinking a cold beer was very refreshing.

Xu Lian let out a comfortable sigh. “It’d be better if we had barbecue.”

Opening his own can, Xiang ChangKong lightly smiled. “You really don’t worry about gaining weight, do you?”

Xu Lian didn’t care one bit. “The amount of exercise we just did was so intense, we definitely lost a lot of calories.”

Hearing this, Xiang ChangKong’s ears turned a little hot. After taking another sip of his cold beer, he felt better.

Xu Lian then straightened. She turned and looked at Xiang ChangKong and asked: “Have you been hiding from me these past couple days?”

Xiang ChangKong didn’t speak. His eyes remained trained at the distant sky. Xu Lian asked again: “Did Wei YiChen look for you?”

Xiang ChangKong’s adam’s apple moved as if he wanted to say something. The corner of his mouth lifted, and he raised his hand to rub Xu Lian’s head. “It’s nothing, I figured out things.”

Xu Lian raised an eyebrow, curious. “What did you figure out?”

Xiang ChangKong only smiled in response.

Xu Lian fiddled with the beer can in her hands and asked: “Are you going to continue delivering takeout?”

“Un.” Xiang ChangKong nodded. “I’m my only family’s source of income. If I don’t work, my family isn’t going to survive.”

Xu Lian thought for a moment, then said: “What are you going to do when you start graduate school? You’re still going to continue delivering even then?”

He didn’t have much free time now. It should be even harder when he starts school.

Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong. His hair was softly fluttering against the night wind, and he was staring into the depths of the dark sky.

Xu Lian took another sip of her beer. “To be honest, I have money. My business is doing quite good now. It won’t matter if you stop making deliveries.”

Xiang ChangKong looked down at Xu Lian. There were too many emotions hidden in his dark eyes, eyes that were darker than the night. The two stayed silent for a while, simply staring at each other. After a while, Xiang ChangKong curved his mouth and asked: “What, you want to raise me?”

“No, I’m investing in my country’s aviation industry.” Xu Lian replied.

Xiang ChangKong lowered his head and chuckled. He then raised his hand and rubbed Xu Lian’s hair. “Like you said before, there will always be a way to solve money problems.”

“Un.” Xu Lian lifted her beer but saw that it was empty. Shaking her can, she asked Xiang ChangKong: “Do you want another?”

Xiang ChangKong shook his head and finished his beer. “No, you should go to bed early.”

Xu Lian blinked. “Together?”

“I…”

“Sleep here tonight. I promise not to do anything to you.”

Xiang ChangKong chuckled, then nodded.

He had slept in Xu Lian’s bed several times already, but it was always when they were doing dirty things. This was the first time Xiang ChangKong would be using Xu Lian’s bed for its intended purpose.

As they entered back into the house, Xiang ChangKong looked up at the ceiling. He asked: “When did you buy this house?”

Xu Lian replied: “The year I graduated university. Why?”

Xiang ChangKong stopped and looked down at Xu Lian. The room was dark, but Xu Lian’s eyes shone brightly. Even in darkness, he could see her. Xiang ChangKong slowly said: “You already have everything. What do I have that I can offer to you?”

Xu Lian was silent for a while. Then she answered: “Since I already have everything, you don’t need to offer me anything else. You just need to love me.”

Xiang ChangKong gave her a shallow smile. He reached out and touched the side of her face. “How should I do that?”

Xiang ChangKong had deliberately lowered his voice, and in this dark room, it had an unspeakable charm to it. Xu Lian felt like Xiang ChangKong had tickled her heart with feathers. Xu Lian couldn’t help but lean closer to Xiang ChangKong, close enough that she could feel his body temperature. “You really don’t want to continue?”

Xiang ChangKong wrapped an arm around Xu Lian and pulled her to him. He kissed her soft lips and said: “I thought you weren’t going to do anything to me?”

“Well, that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to do something to me.”

Xu Lian wrapped her arms around Xiang ChangKong and melted into his kiss.

The next day, Xiang ChangKong woke up at 5:00 a.m. He gently removed his hands from the still sleeping Xu Lian and got up to put on his clothes.

Looking at her, Xiang ChangKong couldn’t help but smile. After a while, he left her room.

Xu Lian’s fridge barely had any ingredients, but Xiang ChangKong figured he could still make something. He took a pot and soon managed to cook a decent porridge. After that was done, Xiang ChangKong gathered up his things and left Xu Lian’s home.

When he arrived back at his own house, it wasn’t even 7:00 a.m. yet. His mother nor Xiang Nuan had gotten up yet. So, as usual, he began to prepare breakfast. Afterward, he served a bowl for himself and sat down in the living room to eat.

Meanwhile, Xiang Nuan had wanted to take advantage of the weekend to sleep in, but her biological clock forced her eyes to open early. Just as she resolved to close her eyes and go back to sleep, Xiang Nuan hears movement outside.

Xiang Nuan knew that Xiang ChangKong didn’t come home last night, he didn’t!

Haha, does he think he can just come back early in the morning and pretend that came home late?

Putting on her pajama pants and shuffling into her slippers, Xiang Nuan rushed out of her room without even combing her hair. Xiang ChangKong, who was eating breakfast, was surprised to see her. “Why are you up so early?”

“Hehe.” Xiang Nuan smiled and sat down across from him. “You’re awake quite early too. How did you sleep last night?”

Even though the person in front of him was his younger sister, having been asked such a question, Xiang ChangKong couldn’t help but feel a little shy. “I slept well.” He pushed a plate of steamed dumplings towards Xiang Nuan and said: “Wang Ji’s first batch of dumplings, do you want some?”

“Yes!” Xiang Nuan had still been a little sleepy, but as the taste of steamed dumplings filled her mouth, she became full of energy.

“Then go wash up and come get breakfast.” Xiang ChangKong then said: “But keep your voice down. Don’t wake up mom.”

Xiang Nuan smiled and said. “Don’t bother hiding things from mom. I feel that she always somehow knows everything. Since you and Sister Xu Lian are like this, don’t you think its time to officially bring her back for a visit?”

Xiang ChangKong had actually planned to take Xu Lian home ages ago. No matter what kind of situation his family was in, he knew he should formally introduce Xu Lian to his family. But because of that incident with Wei YiChen a few days ago, Xiang ChangKong’s heart had been feeling heavy. After actually seeing her though, Xiang ChangKong had the urge to take her home.

“I’ll ask her if she can visit next Saturday.”

“Ok!” Xiang Nuan jumped up and happily clapped her hands. “I’ll go wash up, leave me some steamed dumplings!”

As Xiang ChangKong laughed, he couldn’t help but think: Was Xu Lian awake now too?

Xu Lian didn’t wake up until 9:00 a.m. Just yesterday, she had been thinking of extending her morning run, but her plan already died on the first day. Although she took a bath last night, she still felt a little achy this morning. She looked at the empty space next to her, then yawned and sat up.

Xiang ChangKong’s clothes were gone. Xu Lian figured that he left for work. After Xu Lian washed up, she left her room and saw a thermos bucket on her dining table. There were also two covered plates next to the thermos.

It must have been Xiang ChangKong.

With a smile, Xu Lian sat down and opened the thermos, heat rushing to her face.

“Smell’s good.” Xu Lian poured some of the porridge into a bowl and tasted it. She then picked up her cell phone and sent Xiang ChangKong a message.

Xu Lian: When did you leave?

Xiang ChangKong: Before Dawn. I didn’t want to wake you since you looked so peaceful.

Xu Lian: I saw the breakfast you made. It’s delicious.

Xiang ChangKong: I’m glad you like it ????

Xiang ChangKong: By the way, my sister wanted to invite you home for a visit. Are you free next Saturday?

***

I kinda like this. Xiang ChangKong had been insecure because of Wei YiChen, and the way its been resolved isn’t from some dramatic scene. Instead, when they finally managed to see each other, Xu Lian shamelessly expressed her feelings towards Xiang ChangKong (as usual), and Xiang ChangKong realized that things were alright. Xu Lian liked him no matter what.