Chapter 12
"don't want--"
With this shattering cry, her tears gushed out like a fountain, conquering her entire unprotected face. The sobs trembled from her chest and poured out of her throat. She cried and coughed a few times, unable to stop...
It wasn't that she wanted to cry, it was her body calling out for help.
She knew it, she knew it clearly!
The girl wiped the tears from her face, threw away her clothes as if she was getting rid of a big trouble, turned around, took out a handful of clothes from the closet and threw them on the bed.
She has to go out, she has to go out today.
Even if she died today, she would die outside.
He Xi put on a thick layer of thermal underwear as a base, then put a light blue sweater over his head, pulled up a pair of dark fleece jeans, took off a pair of plush socks, and put on a white star-patterned down jacket on the outside. He walked to the entrance, took out the black snow boots from the shoe cabinet, stepped into the shoes, pushed open the door, and ran out in a hurry.
The cold air outside suddenly invaded her, but she was saved in an instant.
He Xi knew that she was going against her body.
In the past, the numbers on the scale were always high, and now her spleen and stomach cannot absorb food normally. She has never let herself go.
The bus stop was gradually crowded with pedestrians with snowflakes on their bodies. He Xi stood in the snow, rubbing his still cold hands with gloves on, and let out a breath.
Like everyone else standing in the snow waiting for the bus, he stuck his head out and looked in the direction the bus was coming from.
"Hello, Wei Mo, hello, I'm He Xi."
"...He Xi?" Wei Mo chuckled on the other end of the phone. "He Xi, how can I help you?"
"Hmm..." The girl pursed her pale lips. After much thought, she finally came up with the most lame excuse, "I... I have an English question on my winter vacation homework and I want to... ask Bai Shu..."
"Um?"
"...I want to ask Bai Shu about English questions."
"Huh?" Wei Mo on the other end of the phone seemed surprised and burst out laughing. "What? Say it again?"
“…You…puff…looking for Bai Shu…puff…and you’re still asking…puff…English puff hahahahahahaha!”
"...He Xi, you've been in the same class with him for so long, don't you know that guy...is a poor student?"
He Xi's face instantly turned red. She was only focused on watching Bai Shu's eating broadcast, and she didn't pay attention to other aspects of him at all.
As if Wei Mo didn't think she was embarrassed enough, he said, "Besides, he's a complete idiot in English...you might as well ask him about math!"
"He even got into high school thanks to extra points in sports!"
Wei Mo ruthlessly betrayed his good brother. "To think someone would ask him how to learn English when he can only get a few points on the test. I'm going to tell him about this and laugh at him when I get the chance!"
He Xi was silent, patted his head, and changed the subject smoothly, "...Okay, actually, what I want to ask him is mathematics."
"Can you tell me his address?"
The phone fell silent, with only the crackling sound of electricity. After an unknown amount of time, Wei Mo finally responded, "...Sure, I'm the class monitor, and it's my responsibility to help every student in the class." He Xi breathed a sigh of relief and then thanked him.
"No, I'm also curious about how Bai Shu will react."
Due to bad weather, the bus service has been reduced and the bus is now packed with people.
He Xi didn't get a seat, so he held on to the armrest of the car and looked around boredly. The snow scene by the window flashed by.
The phone screen was opened unintentionally and stayed on the WeChat interface, where Wei Mo sent the detailed address of Bai Qiu's home.
This was followed by a string of his phone calls.
He Xi lowered his head, his gaze paused on the string of numbers, and then looked away.
Turned off the phone screen.
She wasn't sure whether she had the courage to really run to Ren Baishu's house today, or whether she would suddenly turn around halfway and retreat back into that dark corner.
…
The car stopped at the bus stop and He Xi got off.
The address on her phone had already pointed her in the direction, but she was still confused and didn't know what to do.
Do you want to go? Do you want to go?
She kept asking herself this question in her mind, walking through the crowded and noisy crowds, the narrow and dark street tunnels, and wandering in Ansan, a small town that was bustling with activity but had nothing to do with her.
He Xi knew that his heart was more inclined to go against his body.
Just like now, she dragged her tired body, smelled the aroma of seasoning on the sausage grill, listened to the slurping sounds in the rice noodle shop, and looked at the dumpling restaurant crowded with diners, she was still fighting against her own body.
She must not be hungry enough, her body must not have been pushed to its limit yet... Wait a little longer, her physical hunger will surely overcome her instinctive aversion to food...
And then...it will hit rock bottom and rebound, and maybe this problem will be completely cured from now on without any medicine.
Chen Xiufang picked up the key and turned back to shout at her son in the room, "Bai Shu - what do you want to eat today?"
Bai Shu took off the headphones from his neck and replied, "Anything is fine."
Chen Xiufang didn't feel the slight was perfunctory. "Then we'll have four dishes and a soup: beef stewed with potatoes, scrambled eggs with green peppers, cabbage stewed with tofu, stir-fried leeks with Chinese sausage, and a shrimp and seaweed soup. I'll go get some tofu, green peppers, and leeks."
"Okay, Mom! I promise to have the other meat dishes ready before you get back."
Chen Xiufang smiled and said "yes," then left. She had loved cooking since she was little. When they were little, Bai Shu's father ate the half-cooked rice she cooked, and she married him when she grew up. Bai Shu never gave her a single worry about eating. He'd eat whatever was cooked. While other children needed coaxing and forcing, Bai Shu would just open his mouth wide and gobble it all up. It was so adorable.
She has been busy cooking for all these years and it would be a lie to say that she is not tired, but she likes to see Bai Shu carefully eat up the food she cooks and praise her sincerely. This child also knows how to care for others.
After buying the vegetables and leaving the market, Chen Xiufang prepared to go home.
Even when she's just out getting groceries and heading home, she loves to look her best. She's wearing a long black and pink down jacket, carefully permed hair, fashionable sunglasses, painted eyebrows, and a pair of black pointed-toe high-heeled leather shoes. She draws plenty of glances as she walks.
Especially the silver bag she was holding, the logo glowed dimly with her movements, looking very high-profile.
Chen Xiufang acted as if nothing had happened. This was not the first time she had dressed like this, so there was no need to be as cautious as the first time.
But if you walk by the river often, you will get your feet wet. As soon as she passed the bank near the vegetable market, a vicious bald man set his eyes on the bag in her hand.
Chen Xiufang's bag looks very large and has a very straight shape, which makes it hard not to wonder if there is something valuable inside.
She herself was unaware of it.
She was holding vegetables in one hand and a bag in the other, swaying her waist as she walked past people. As she walked, someone suddenly grabbed the bag in her hand. She screamed in panic, stumbled and almost fell. She quickly steadied herself, and when she reacted, the bag in her hand was gone.
"Robbery!"
She reacted quickly and chased after the bald man, loudly announcing his identity and actions.
The bald man was wearing a pair of thin-soled leather shoes, and his feet seemed to be greased with oil as he slid away so fast that she couldn't catch up with him. She could only broadcast loudly over and over again, but no pedestrian on the road was willing to step forward.
Her heart sank.
He was already prepared for not being able to get the bag back and was about to call the police, when suddenly the bald man bumped into a girl in a white down jacket. The girl turned around and seemed to have reacted. While the bald man was still busy looking back at Chen Xiufang, she threw down the bag on her back and hit the bald man on the head without mercy!
Baldy, dizzy.
Chen Xiufang opened her mouth wide in shock.
Bai Shu listened to the sound of the key turning outside the door, pushed open the door and walked out. Why did his mother come home so late today?
He walked into the living room and was about to open the door from the inside when it suddenly opened by itself.
My mother, who always looked exquisite, had lost one of her high heels. Her neat down jacket had a few wrinkled stripes. Her beloved bag was unexpectedly caught in the plastic bag of vegetables. A patch of her lipstick was missing, her eyebrows were blurred by sweat, and her carefully styled hair had become a mess without knowing when...
Looking next to her, why is there another person...
The person was wrapped in a baggy down jacket and jeans, her head buried in her scarf. After being stared at by him for a long time, she finally raised her head reluctantly, revealing a pair of tired and melancholy eyes, almost returning to the day when he first saw her -
"He Xi?"
How did she get herself into this mess again? Is it really that hard to eat well? Bai Shu looked at the skinny girl with a look of steel in his eyes, which made his eyes suddenly brighten.
Oh no, is this the point now? The point is...
"I..." Feeling the boy's fiery and straightforward gaze, He Xi met Bai Shu's eyes, but quickly turned his head away and stopped talking.
"It seems like you two know each other, son. Go get two glasses of water for Mom and Xixi."
"Hurry up! I'm dying of thirst." Chen Xiufang sighed, ushering He Xi in and inviting her to sit wherever she wanted. He Xi didn't dare to be careless. Chen Xiufang's cordial invitation had already hit the mark. Now she was thinking about Zhang Chaomei's usual teachings. But in someone else's home, one should know how to read the other person's expression, so she sat down on the sofa with proper attention.
Two glasses of water were placed on the glass coffee table. Chen Xiufang drank them all and began to talk about the thrilling scene that had just happened. After she finished speaking, she did not forget to bring up He Xi, one of the parties involved.
"Oh, son, you don't know how much we've done thanks to this girl. With such a small body, she actually has such explosive power. She's such an honest girl!"
"And he's incredibly courageous, almost a bit like a tiger. When he helps others, he doesn't even think about what he's supposed to do. Tsk, tsk, it really makes me feel bad..."
He Xi now buried his head in the water cup in his hand, with only the tips of his ears showing slightly red.
The young man sitting opposite the sofa did not react at all, and listened quietly and patiently throughout. When He Xi could not help but look up, he had already stood up from the chair.
"Mom, you guys must be tired. I'm going to cook today."
He Xi opened his eyes wide, turned to look at Chen Xiufang beside him, but she didn't react at all. She just smiled with relief and said, "Go ahead."
He Xi immediately felt as if there were a few more nails on the sofa and could no longer sit still. "I...I'll go help."
"No need!" Chen Xiufang pulled He Xi down and sat him back on the sofa without hesitation. "Bai Shu is a good cook and he cooks a lot at home. This won't be difficult for him at all. He can handle it all by himself."
The TV across from them was playing Chen Xiufang's favorite ancient fantasy drama. It was just about the moment the male and female protagonists confessed their love. He Xi saw Chen Xiufang stroking her chin and thinking, "So, my Bai Shu is also a good guy. At least if a girl marries him, she won't have to cook after marriage."
"And Xixi, you..." Chen Xiufang looked at He Xi dimly, "Although I don't quite approve of premature love, you two are a good boy and a good girl, and from this point of view..." She glanced up and down and smiled with satisfaction, "You are quite a match!"
"……Aunt!"
"mom!"
The two teenagers were obviously frightened by what was said.
He Xi heard Bai Shu sigh helplessly, "This is He Xi's first time coming home, don't scare her."
Then the sound of oil boiling in a pot was heard in the kitchen. He Xi's legs began to become uncontrollable again. She wanted to run to the kitchen, but as soon as she stood up, Chen Xiufang pulled her to sit down.
She repeated this until the noise in the kitchen stopped and Bai Shu called out that it was time for dinner, then she let He Xi go to the kitchen to help.
"Mom," Bai Shu turned around and handed the rice to the person who came. When she looked back, she saw He Xi. He Xi stared at Bai Shu with sparkling eyes. She felt like playing a prank, and then she ran out subconsciously with an unexpected reaction.
She opened her mouth and actually responded with "Hey".
"You, you, you--" Bai Shu staggered and almost dropped the spoon he was using to shovel rice.
He Xi was also stunned, but he walked out of the kitchen as if nothing had happened, only allowing his anxious expression to reveal his master's panic.
…
The white marble table was filled with delicious food.
He Xi sniffed almost greedily, but was not in a hurry to fill the emptiness in his stomach.
"Here." The chopsticks were on Bai Shu's side, so he stood up and handed them to Cheng Xiufang and He Xi.
He Xi took the chopsticks and was wondering why there were only three of them eating at home when Bai Shu, who was sitting opposite him, explained calmly, "My dad eats at work, and my sister's kindergarten provides meals. So, it's just my mom and I eating at home at noon."
Why is it so... sumptuous?
This time, Bai Shu didn't answer He Xi's question. It was obvious that he was too busy. He used one chopstick to pick up vegetables, one chopstick to pick up meat, and one chopstick to pick up rice. He scraped the bottom of his bowl vigorously, like an excavator. Soon, his bowl was empty.
He blinked in confusion and looked at He Xi, who hadn't eaten a single bite. "...Why aren't you eating?"
He regretted it as soon as he said it, as he had asked this question unnecessarily.
Looking down, he saw He Xi pick up a piece of fried leeks with Chinese sausage with chopsticks. The spicy and fresh aroma of leeks mixed with the rich salty and smoky flavor of the Chinese sausage exploded in his mouth. He Xi hummed in surprise, quickly took two mouthfuls of rice, and as if in response to what Bai Shu had just said, gave him a thumbs up.
"tasty."
As the only man who cooks in the family, this is not the first time that Bai Shu has been praised for her cooking skills, but this time she seems to understand what Chen Xiufang said, "I like watching him and his father eat up all the food she cooks, and I feel a strange sense of satisfaction in my heart."
In the past, he just thought that this statement was too exaggerated, but now, as he watched He Xi pick up the dishes he cooked one by one and give him a thumbs up, he suddenly felt a strong sense of agreement with this statement.
He Xi didn't understand why Bai Shu kept staring at her. She just thought the way he ate smelled so good and was so appetizing. This time she ate so much.
Before leaving, Chen Xiufang told her, "Come to our house for dinner often." He Xi really felt sleepy and someone handed her a pillow.
Regardless of whether Chen Xiufang was being polite or sincere, she was planning to go for it shamelessly, but she didn't expect Chen Xiufang to be serious. Not only did she add her WeChat and leave her phone number, she also made an appointment to come to her house tomorrow.
He Xi was so happy that she almost fainted, and she tried to politely refuse by saying "No, no", but Bai Shu, who was standing quietly beside Chen Xiufang, suddenly interrupted her.
"Didn't you come to me to ask math questions?"
"What?" He Xi was stunned.
"Come back tomorrow. I'm free tomorrow." After saying that, he turned and went into the room regardless of He Xi's reaction.
He Xi went downstairs dizzy, Chen Xiufang's voice still ringing behind her, "Come on time at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning, girl."
"Okay--" He Xi covered his face and happily walked down the stairs.
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