Volume 2 - CH 13

Playing Fish Trapped in Secret Room

Book 2: You’re Beautiful

Chapter 13

Startled, the two girls raised their heads to look at Dt and stopped complaining.  They began to gossip in a whisper instead.  They probably thought that since the others were Asians, they could speak freely without any concern.  They talked fast and lightly, but both Ai Qing and Dt heard and understood their conversation.

Grunt walked in behind Dt.  He faced Ai Qing’s angry glare, but without much reaction.

Until the elevator stopped at the tenth floor, Grunt, Dt, and Ai Jing all followed behind Ai Qing, who was still dragging her sister’s luggage, out of the elevator.

Ai Qing paused and spoke without turning her head.  “Do you live on the tenth floor also?  If not, don’t follow us.”

Grunt wasn’t too happy.  He gave a self-deprecating laugh and turned around to leave, but Ai Jing pulled his arm.

“Ai Qing…..”  Her sister begged in a soft voice.

“I don’t want to see you two continuously go back and forth.”  Ai Qing interrupted her elder sister.   She turned around and looked at Grunt’s back, with Ai Jing clinging to his sleeve,  “Grunt, is it interesting to be a two-timer?”

“Sure, it’s interesting.”  Grunt smiled and turned around.  His eyes clearly said it was none of your business.  “Ai Qing, even if I’m a two-timer, I’m not doing it to you. What nonsense are you talking about?  Your life is a mess already and you still want to mess up other people’s relationships?  You and Solo------”

“That’s enough!”  Dt abruptly grabbed his collar.  Dt moved forward two steps and pushed Grunt’s whole body against the wall.

Grunt looked at him.  His expression changed from anger to surprise, then he laughed in disbelief.

It was an incomprehensible laughter at the irony of it all.

“I just want to ask one question.  Does this have anything to do with either of you?”  His grasped Dt’s hand with his own.  “That’s enough.  Wu Bai.  Let go!”

“Shen Zhe,”  Dt somewhat forcefully pressed down with the back of his hand onto Grunt’s throat.  “You know where I draw the line.  I already told you in Korea.  Don’t go too far.”

“What too far? Am I going out with Ai Qing?  Are you insane?  Even if you’re already insane, don’t get me involved.”

Dt grasped Grunt’s collar tightly without responding.  It was growing more and more difficult for him to calm down.  The whole back of his hand became pale because he was pushing too hard.

He wasn’t cool headed anymore.  It was growing tenser for everybody involved.

Two maids at the end of the hallway were growing alarmed at the commotion.  They looked at each other, deciding whether they should come forward to and separate the two customers.  Or…...should they wait until they settle down a bit and separate from each other?

“Ai Qing!  You leave me alone!”  Her sister called her suddenly.

The origin of the problem was the difference between the two sisters.  She had to solve it quickly.  Otherwise…...Ai Jing looked at Grunt in panic, then she turned to look at Ai Qing, begging her.

Ai Qing was shocked by her sister’s outburst and looked at her elder sister.  The latter’s eyes were pleading to her, filled with anxiety and anger.

Yes, she was angry:  “Ai Qing, I beg you.  When did I interfere with anything between you and Solo?  You were also fighting with our parents when you were with Solo.  Who ever supported you?  Weren’t we always like this? Do we ever interfere with the other’s relationships?  Even though we are twins, we are all adults now.  I will be responsible for everything I do.”

This was the first time that her sister had used Solo’s name to have her back down in front of other people.

Ai Qing was speechless.

You are going to be responsible for what?

After you’ve suffered again, then you’re going to take the fall for it?

Why can’t you jump away.  You already know that Grunt’s a two-timer and never plans to settle with just one person.  Why do you still fly thousand of miles to follow him to competitions.  Then what?

She was speechless.

She stood there and watched Ai Jing walk passing her.  She pried open Dt’s hand and pulled Grunt aside.  Then Ai Qing watched her sister walk over and pry the handle of her luggage out of her hand.  She left with Grunt.  During the entire time, Ai Qing wanted to say something several times, but she couldn’t organize her words into sentences.

Now there was only one silent, helpless Dt left in the hallway.  He walked over and didn’t know what to say.  She then finally came to her sense, gripped her room key tightly, and walked one step ahead.  “I’m leaving.”

“Ai Qing.”  This was the first time he ever called her by her name.

“Thank you just now.”  She avoided his gaze.  “See you at the competition.”

Better let us meet again in a simpler place.  Where there were battlefields, commanders, battles of wits, cheers and applause, and the passionate commentating……

Make it simpler, it was more important than anything else.