Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Slippery Fish
Lin Xiangyu and Sheng Junchi were playing drinking games, while Xia Qingwan sat in the corner of the sofa, propping her head up with her hand and looking out the back window.
She could sense that Ye Peixiu, sitting on the single sofa diagonally opposite her, was watching her.
He had helped her so many times, yet when they bumped into each other like this, she could only pretend they weren't close.
What lies in the middle is always something that is unavoidable.
Even without mentioning these favors, what happened last time in his house was enough to make her feel overwhelmed.
She had seen and was used to all kinds of looks from men, but Mr. Ye's look was different from other men's. He was always gentle, and when she lost her composure, he could still take it lightly and half-jokingly lighten the atmosphere.
It also seems to be pitying.
How does he really see her? Does he feel sorry for her, like Grandma Liang?
Thinking this to herself, Xia Qingwan subconsciously turned her head to look at him.
Their eyes met in mid-air, and Ye Peixiu's gaze seemed to be fixed on her, not an inch wrong.
Her heart was pounding, and amidst her nervousness there was an indescribable desire. For some reason, at that moment, she actually hoped that everyone in the room would disappear, leaving only her and him, so that they could at least talk to each other.
-
Xia Mingzhou was so drunk that he was unconscious.
Lin Xiangyu offered to take him home and bid farewell to Sheng Junchi. Sheng Junchi retorted, "You haven't finished your drink yet, and you think you can just run away?"
Lin Xiangyu could only smile and say, "What are you talking about? I'll come back another day and drink all the wine, okay?"
"I'll have someone take him home. You can stay and continue drinking; it won't affect anything."
"No, I'm on summer vacation now, and we're staying in his house without any servants."
Sheng Junchi reacted for a moment before slowly saying "oh" and laughing, "You drank so much too. A drunk man taking care of another drunk man?"
"Mr. Sheng, I'm not drunk."
Lin Xiangyu could only continue to explain with a smile, hoping that Mr. Sheng would understand.
Xia Qingwan, who was standing by, was also feeling very uncomfortable.
People like Sheng Junchi and Ye Peixiu can leave them with no way out simply by not giving in a little.
She was about to stand up and speak when Ye Peixiu, who was sitting across from her, said, "Junchi, you've had too much to drink."
Sheng Junchi was indeed drunk. Normally, he would never embarrass anyone like this.
He pressed his temples, instantly sobering up and seemingly losing interest. He raised his hand and said, "Have the waiter send a car to take you home."
Lin Xiangyu looked at Ye Peixiu gratefully, helped Xia Mingzhou up and walked out.
Xia Qingwan stood up and went over to help support Xia Mingzhou on the other side.
Xia Mingzhou, however, buried his face in Lin Xiangyu's neck, swaying her gently while whispering in a drunken stupor, "Little Yu, my darling, I love you so much..."
"Stop talking, there are so many people here."
Lin Xiangyu quickly covered his mouth.
A warm smile also appeared in Xia Qingwan's heart, and she followed them out of the hall not too far away.
She should probably say goodbye to Ye Peixiu, but there were too many people present. She looked back and saw a few people walking around the screen in the brightly lit hall.
There was no sign of Ye Peixiu.
Lin Xiangyu's sisters said goodbye to her and left in their own groups.
It was already late.
A sudden gust of cool wind arose; it seemed another thunderstorm was on its way.
There was already a faint smell of damp earth in the air.
Xia Qingwan inexplicably recalled the night Mr. Ye helped her out of a predicament and took her to dinner. It was also under such a veranda then. She was not familiar with him and anticipated that there would be no future entanglements, so she was able to answer him frankly: "It depends on the person."
A month or two passed, and they became much more familiar with each other, but the distance between them seemed to have grown even greater.
Like rowing against the current. Advance half an inch, retreat an inch.
So be it.
They were supposed to be this far away.
After taking such a deep breath, she finally took a step forward.
My eyes inadvertently swept across the courtyard and saw a figure on the other side of the U-shaped corridor.
Ye Peixiu.
In the hazy evening, Ye Peixiu was walking in the same direction as her on the other side, separated by the thin and rugged lake rocks and the swaying shadows of the cypress and crabapple trees.
The corridor has never been so long and so short as it is today.
She glanced over occasionally.
Their eyes were always straying from each other, and they glanced at each other several times, but their eyes never met.
The paths eventually converge under the hanging flower gate.
Although Ye Peixiu was obviously closer, he arrived a few steps later and walked behind her.
Xia Qingwan didn't look back.
He walked out of the gate with steady steps, crossed the alley, and stood at the entrance of the alley waiting for the online taxi.
While waiting for the bus for several minutes, she was able to catch a glimpse of Mr. Ye's Audi slowly driving out of the alley and then stopping on the side road not far away.
The online taxi has arrived.
She got in the car and rolled down the window.
The Audi also started moving and merged into the main traffic flow.
A damp breeze blew in from outside the window.
The faint scent of rain reached my nose, like the anticipation of a glass of ice water on a humid summer afternoon. Before my lips and tongue could even taste it, my fingers, gripping the glass, already felt its chill.
-
A few days later, in the Xia family's old house, when Xia Qingwan was holding a voice conference with the field survey project team in the living room, her cousin Xia Mingzhou walked in leisurely.
Seeing that she was busy, she didn't go over to disturb her. Grandma Xi poured him a cup of cold tea and asked him to sit aside.
"Okay, I understand."
Xia Qingwan, wearing headphones, spoke to the screen, then smiled after a moment, "Okay, senior."
Xia Mingzhou kept looking at her with a smile. After she hung up the phone and took off her headphones, he shook his head and sighed, "Qingwan, I really think you have grown up a lot."
Meeting with classmates and teachers really feels like a real thing.
Xia Qingwan laughed.
Grandma Xi also laughed, "To be honest, when you were 19 years old, Mingzhou, you were still a silly boy, far worse than Qingwan now."
Xia Mingzhou smiled but didn't reply.
"What are you doing here? Do you need me for something?"
Xia Qingwan picked up the scattered documents on the table and neatly stacked them up.
"Grandma isn't home, so I came to check on you because I was worried that something might happen to you and no one would take care of you."
As Xia Qingwan walked up the stairs, she said, "I've been at home these past few days, and nothing much has happened. But after I leave Beijing next Wednesday, I'd really like you to come visit Grandma Xi more often. She's going to be living alone for a month, and I'm a little worried."
Xia Mingzhou caught up with her, taking two steps at a time, and followed her upstairs. "Oh, it's nothing, I'll take care of it."
Upon entering the bedroom, Xia Qingwan placed the documents on the desk and then turned to pack her luggage.
Xia Mingzhou looked around her bedroom and saw a big yellow dog stuffed dog lying on the head of her bed. Its fur had turned yellow and a little white, perhaps because it had been washed too many times.
"Hey, why do you still have this!"
As he was about to pick it up and look at it, Xia Qingwan rushed over to stop him, "Don't touch it."
Xia Mingzhou withdrew his hand and said with a smile, "I remember this doll was very popular when we were kids. Back then, it was only sold at Oriental Plaza."
"Um."
Xia Qingwan rearranged the big yellow dog doll and placed it next to her pillow.
This was brought to her by Grandma Xi when she first came south to see her a long time ago. She said she bought it at Shangjing Shopping Mall. It is very popular among children.
Since then, this doll has been with her until now.
"I still have to pack my luggage. Why don't you go downstairs and talk to Grandma Xi?"
Xia Qingwan said.
Xia Mingzhou agreed with a grin, "Okay." He took two steps toward the door and then turned and asked casually, "Sister, have you met anyone recently?"
Why do you ask that?
“Hey, Yingxuan and the others are just talking nonsense. They said they saw you talking to a guy, and they said that guy is no good, so they asked me to warn you.”
This statement was completely untenable. Qiao Yingxuan and his other young men had no such kindness towards her. Xia Qingwan remained calm and said with a smile, "Where did you see it?"
“I didn’t ask, I was just eager to come and tell you,” Xia Mingzhou said, his tone suddenly rising as if he had found a plausible explanation, “You’re just too well protected by your grandmother! You’re easily fooled by those shady men with sweet words!”
Xia Qingwan still smiled, "I don't remember this happening. Maybe they saw it wrong, or maybe I was just talking to a male classmate. Anyway, thank you for your kindness."
"That's really not true?"
Xia Mingzhou said suspiciously, "You don't need to lie to me. You know that if anyone really tries to bully you, I'll be the first to stand up for you."
"I know, but that's really not the case. I'll tell you if there's any trouble."
"……That's good."
The two of them talked for a few more words, and then Xia Mingzhou went downstairs.
After a while, Grandma Xi came upstairs and said that Zhou had left.
Xia Qingwan asked casually, "He seemed preoccupied. Did he say anything to you?"
"No," said Grandma Xi, "He drank a cup of tea downstairs and left."
Xia Qingwan nodded thoughtfully.
Regardless of the actual situation, Xia Mingzhou was indeed using this excuse to pry into her social life. Knowing Xia Mingzhou, she knew he wasn't the type to pry into such matters. Even if he was genuinely curious, he would most likely speak directly and not beat around the bush.
Perhaps Xia Changping sent him.
-
On this evening in early July, Ye Peixiu and Sheng Junchi went to the compound to visit an old senior.
The senior staff invited them to stay until evening, where they drank tea and chatted before seeing them off.
After bidding farewell to their senior, Ye Peixiu and Sheng Junchi walked side by side towards the parking lot.
Passing by the banquet hall in the courtyard.
With the recent implementation of new policies, fewer people gather to drink at parties, and the lobby of the banquet building in the compound is deserted. A little girl, carrying a food box in her hand, walked out diagonally through a shortcut with her head lowered.
She was wearing a baseball cap and a loose black dress. After taking a couple of steps, she probably caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye and turned to look at them.
Sheng Junchi spoke first, "Miss Xia, what a coincidence."
Xia Qingwan took off his headphones and greeted politely, "Mr. Sheng, Mr. Ye."
I greeted him casually at the club a few days ago, and now I'm doing this again. Have I decided to go back to being just a nodding acquaintance with him?
Ye Peixiu's face showed no emotion. "Why are you here?"
Sheng Junchi's eyes swept back and forth between the two people a few steps apart, with great interest.
"It's hot, and Grandma Xi has no appetite, so I'll pack some mung bean shaved ice for her."
Sheng Junchi continued, "Can this thing reduce internal heat?"
Xia Qingwan paused, looked at him, and said, "...Yes."
"I haven't had much of an appetite lately. I'm tired of home-cooked food," Sheng Junchi said. "Miss Xia, is the banquet hall still open? I'll go get some."
"It's still open for business."
"Oh, that's perfect. Pei Xiu, wait for me a moment."
As Sheng Junchi spoke, he walked towards the banquet building.
It was just an accidental encounter, and Xia Qingwan was about to leave, but she didn't expect the situation to change so suddenly, so she didn't know how to leave immediately.
Seeing her hesitate, this time Ye Peixiu did not considerately help her leave. He just stood there, silently watching her.
With no one else present, they remained silent, creating an even stranger atmosphere.
Xia Qingwan tried to find something innocuous to say, racking her brains, "...The weather has suddenly gotten hot lately—"
Coincidentally, Ye Peixiu also spoke at the same time, "What are you listening to in the headphones?"
She paused for a moment and said, "Analysis of ancient poetry."
"When are we leaving for the country?"
"the day after tomorrow."
"Be safe and remember to report safety when you arrive."
"Um."
Ye Peixiu laughed at this time and said, "The weather is indeed hot. It has changed after a heavy rain."
Xia Qingwan wasn't sure if he meant something else by those words, so she looked up at him.
Under the bright yellow street lights, a palm-sized face was raised from under the baseball cap, delicate and clear, like a cool evening breeze in the deep green valley, quiet and pleasant.
He remembered the touch of her wrist, warm, cool and smooth.
She stood perfectly still in Ye Peixiu's shadow, his broad shoulders and long legs against the streetlight, his figure as if rimmed in gold. Xia Qingwan felt strangely that he was like the shadow cast on the screen in a shadow play; as an audience member, she could only see that shadow.
No matter how pleasing to the eye or how captivating, it is nothing more than an illusion.
It is like a mirage, like the fine rain amidst the cuckoo's cry.
Sheng Junchi deliberately took a long time before walking out of the building.
I was afraid of disturbing their interaction, but when I got closer, I saw Ye Peixiu standing alone under the street light smoking.
The figure is cold and lonely, like the lingering snow in the shade behind the house that has not melted for years.
-
Xia Qingwan returned home, put the mung bean yogurt on the dining table, and asked Grandma Xi to come and eat it.
While Grandma Xi was eating listlessly, Xia Qingwan went to the storage room to find the air circulation fan, wiped it clean with a wet towel, put it in Grandma Xi's room, and blew it towards the window.
Grandma Xi is getting old and doesn't like air conditioning. The weather has been really strange lately. The first half of June was cool and comfortable, with a gentle spring breeze. But after a heavy rain in the second half of the month, it suddenly got hot. Grandma Xi couldn't stand the heat, so Xia Qingwan learned this method online to try to make her more comfortable.
After Grandma Xi finished washing up, Xia Qingwan took her to the bedroom and explained everything one by one, "Let the circulating fan blow towards the window, so that the air circulates better. Don't be too greedy for coolness, and don't let the circulating fan point at the bed, otherwise you will definitely have a headache when you wake up tomorrow morning."
"well."
Grandma Xi leaned against the headboard and lay down, sighing, "Really, it's troubled for you to take care of me."
Xia Qingwan smiled and said, "Go to sleep and stop talking."
As she spoke, she lifted the summer quilt and covered Grandma Xi's belly.
Seeing her action, Grandma Xi couldn't help but smile.
Many years ago, Grandma Xi was entrusted by Xia Huiqing to visit her in the south many times, and each time she stayed with her for a while. In the summer, the old and the young squeezed into one bed. The room in the teacher's house where she lived had no air conditioning. At that time, Grandma Xi covered her belly, fanned her with a palm-leaf fan, and coaxed her to sleep.
Grandma Xi patted her hands and said, "You should go to bed soon."
-
Early July.
The weather in Beijing has been really strange lately. It's half cloudy and half sunny every day, and it's really irritating. After being steamed up all day, there are rumbling thunders and heavy rain at night.
The next morning, it was another humid and stuffy day. Looking up, the sky was a blinding, dull white, like a steaming, glistening white glutinous rice cake—the kind that tastes completely bland.
On the weekend, Ye Peixiu took Liang Xinwu to the tailor shop to pick up clothes.
When Grandma Wu from the tailor shop asked about Xia Qingwan, Liang Xinwu replied, "The young lady is working on a summer project and won't be in Beijing this month."
“Well,” Grandma Wu said with a smile, “I made her a few outfits, thinking I’d have her come over and try them on sometime.”
"Let's wait until she comes back next month and have Pei Xiu bring her here for the trial."
Two elderly people chatted and drank tea.
Ye Peixiu sat on the chair by the window, casually flipping through a magazine, neither speaking nor looking up.
Liang Xinwu asked him, "How is Qingwan doing over there? I looked at the weather forecast and it's been raining in the mountain city."
“I don’t know.”
Liang Xinwu asked in surprise, "You haven't contacted her?"
Ye Peixiu did not answer.
"Xiao Xia is reserved and won't speak up when she encounters difficulties. As her brother, you should be more concerned about her."
Ye Peixiu smiled and flipped the page, "When did she recognize me as her brother?"
"She is cold on the outside but warm on the inside. Even if she doesn't say it, she will definitely remember your kindness in her heart."
"Yeah."
Ye Peixiu replied indifferently, thinking to himself that she might just be too fond of his kindness. She was so afraid of not being able to repay him that she simply stopped contacting him.
“Of course,” Liang Xinwu said loudly as he tried on clothes in the inner room, “Xia is a very transparent young girl, can’t you see what kind of person she is?”
Ye Peixiu didn't think she was invisible.
Like the sacred peak of Qingshan shrouded in clouds and mist, viewers can know its shape, chant its rhyme, and be fascinated by it in their dreams, but it is difficult to approach.
It was like a slippery fish that he couldn't catch.
If he really wanted to be ruthless and hold her captive, making her lie obediently in his palm, unable to move...
In that case...
Ye Peixiu stopped his thoughts.
A note from the author:
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The next chapter will be a VIP chapter, updated at 12:06 AM. Updates will be at 12:06 AM for the next few days, but will change to 9:00 AM after the hiatus. Thank you for your support and companionship!
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