They look at each other for ten minutes.
Lu Xing Yan suddenly takes steps back, as if nothing had happened, he walk stoward the other guest room.
After several steps, he stops an goes back to the room before. He stays outside the door: “Who are you? Why are you at my home and act like you want to jump from this building?”
That man’s voice is hostile. He is tall and skinny. He is wearing a deep color sweatshirt. She could only see his side-face, yet she notices that his skin is very white. He looks impatient.
Chen Xing Ruo realizes quickly that this hostile man is “Lu Xing Yan”.
She doesn’t answer him and just turns silence for a while. Then she just nods.
Hearing something outside, Pei Yue just goes outside with her phone.
“What happened to you? Why are you making noise this late night? You should know that I’m waiting for you inside your room? You are so tricky, you want to avoid me?” She moves forward and pinches Lu Xing Yan’s ear and starts to criticize him.
“Ma, let go.” Lu Xing Yan frowns.
Pei Yue notices that Chen Xing Ruo comes out, Pei Yue just pokes Lu Xing Yan’s head and smiles. She says affectionately toward Chen Xing Ruo. “Ruo Ruo, why aren’t you sleeping? Is it because you aren’t comfortable or because this guy disturbs you?”
Chen Xing Ruo: “No, Pei Yi, before I wake up to drink water.”
She looks at Lu Xing Yan’s face, which says ‘D*mm*t I’m not in a good mood’, her expression is calm. She just nods.
Pei Yue just remembers to introduce both of them.
“Oh right, this my son, Lu Xing Yan. I also don’t know who he takes after. He has a bad temper and couldn’t say anything. Ruo Ruo, don’t mind him.”
“This is your Chen Shu Shu (Uncle Chen)’s daughter, Xing Ruo. For the college entrance examination, she should go back to the school according to her household register so this year, she returns to to Xing City. In the future she would stay at our house. Oh right, Xing Ruo would also attend Ming Li, at school you should take care of her.”
Lu Xing Yan: “There’s a year and half before the college entrance examination, why should she move this early?”
He expresses that he doesn’t welcome her, he just falls short of having a broom to kick her out.
Pei Yue pokes his head again and looks at him with a gaze ‘shut up’.
Actually for Pei Yue, these two people could be regarded as true childhood sweethearts. They both were born at the same day, one at the early morning, one at the midnight. That time the ‘Xing = star” name on both of their names were also discussed together. Both family even joked that they would be each other in-laws.
It’s just afterwards Chen Guang Yang takes his whole family moves to Hui Ze to progress there. The adults frequently connects with each other, but their kids never meet each other.
Her introduction shows somehow she overestimates the young kids’ ability to remember. The time she is in high spirit, she retells the past “You guys used to swim naked together in a small pool.”
She keeps on chattering till “During your one years old’s birthday party, you guys also wore the same open pants and fought over….” Then she just notices the atmosphere is a bit awkward.
“kkh… It’s late. Ruo Ruo, you should rest early.” Pei Yue touches her newly-curled hair.
Lu Xing Yan looks like he has no feeling, he has no expression. His face is cold.
During his Ma’s chattering, he finally remembers —-
This woman is the white peacock who poured a water to that middle-aged man on the high speed train.
Yet it seems this white peacock seems to have a bad memory, she looks like she doesn’t remember him.
———
The sound of shower fills the bathroom. The water flows down and passes his chest.
Lu Xing Yan faces upward to the shower. He recalls a lot of images on his mind and starts connect it without paying attention.
No wonder Xu Cheng Zhou said that he saw his family’s car on the train station before.
He goes out of the bathroom, and wipes dry his hair. He then takes out his phone and opens up his album.
Inside the album, there’s a photo of Chen Zhu lies her chin on a man’s shoulder, she is smiling so bright.
This morning someone asked her about it, Chen Zhu was honest to him. “This is the Xiao Ge Ge, who lives next door. I frequently mention him to you. Take a look, isn’t he handsome?”
“You guys never meet him, he is really cool and cute! He would go and study at Guo Fang university, it’s too far from here. So I use this photo to send him so he would remember me his childhood sweetheart!”
Lu Xing Yan doesn’t know what is his feeling. He just feels ‘childhood sweethearts’ makes him unhappy.
But turns out he also has a childhood sweetheart.
He snorts lightly and throws his phone to his bed
———
This night Lu Xing Yan doesn’t have a good night sleep. When the sun is about to shine, he just falls asleep.
The time he is awake, it’s already 12:00 p.m.
He goes freshen up and goes downstair.
When he on the stairway of the second floor, he hears Lu Shan’s voice: “Green color, very fragrant, the shape is like a sparrow tongue. It’s very good tea!”
“Papa said that Lu Shu Shu really likes to drink Long Jing tea, so he asked me to especially bring it for you.”
Lu Xing Yan straightens his lips.
Chen Ruo Xing is standing facing the stair, so when she raises her head, she could see Lu Xing, who is wearing a black t-shirt and grey trunks. His hands are inside his pocket, he goes down lazily.
“Ruo Ruo, do you like chicken?” Pei Yue speaks out from the kitchen.
Chen Xing Ruo: “Pei Yue, I am okay with anything.”
She puts down her teapot and greets LU Shan. Then she goes to the kitchen to help Pei Yue.
Lu Xing Yan goes to the fridge and pours a glass of milk for himself. He then holds a toast with his mouth. He has walked around the living room for some time. Yet no one minds him.
He just hears “Ruo Ruo.” “Xing Ruo”. Even Lu Shan, who usually just drinks his tea, goes to the the kitchen to see Pei Yue cooks.
He looks at the kitchen.
Actually it’s a rare moment for Pei Yue to cook for the family. If it’s not the maid comes back, it’s very rare to see her to occupy the kitchen
She stir-fries three fresh ingredients, stew brisket with tofu, stew duck meat soup…..
Lu Xing Yan raises his chopsticks and looks at the dishes. Very well, there’s no even a dish that he likes.
Finally Pei Yue comes out of the room with a wok of stir-fried chicken, yet she doesn’t put any chili on it. It has no ‘soul’.
“I heard that people from Hui Ze likes much plainer taste. Last time I met your Pa at Nan Cheng. He used to be able to eat spicy food, but then when he ate a fish head served with chopped chili peppers on top, he drank three glasses of water.”
Pei Yue says and places the wok of stir-friend chicken in front of Chen Xing Ruo’s front. “Ruo Ruo, taste this.”
Lu Shan points at that dish: “This one is your Pei Yi’s specialty dish. Xing Ruo, today Shu Shu is infected by your light.”
Chen Xing Ruo smiles: “Thank you Pei Yi.”
Looking at how gentle and obedient he is, Pei Yue be more eagerly attentive to her: “Also drink more of this duck soup, you should build up your health with nourishing food. Look at you, you are so skinny. Grade 11 indeed has a lot of pressures. But you should take care of your health. Don’t just mind about your school…………”
Pei Yue talks and suddenly Chen Xing Ruo just laughs.
“What happened Ruo Ruo? Are you having flu?” Pei Yue is anxious.
Lu Shan: “Recently the hot and cold weather keep on taking turn. You should wear more clothes.”
“Pei Yi, Lu Shu Shu, I’m okay. <cough> <cough>….. My throat is so itchy. I would get better after drinking hot water. <cough> <cough>…..”
“………….”
Lu Xing Yan picks up his chopsticks and just watches the three people in front of her. He is recalling how this white peacock splashed a middle-aged man arrogantly. Now she is coughing like ‘Chen Dai Yu’.
“Lu Xing Yan, go and pour a glass of hot water.”
“No, warm one.”
“Why are you daydreaming? Hurry up.”
The disregarded Lu Xing Yan finally is noticed by them.
The time he has poured the water, “Pak” He places it in front of her. It makes a clear sound. It’s a bit too powerful, that the water is splashed to anywhere. A bit of the water makes ‘Chen Dai Yu’s’ hands be wet.
‘Chen Dai Yu’ just says “thank you” and holds the cup. She drinks it.
Lu Xing Yan just puts his hands on his pocket and looks at her for a while. He licks his mouth and just looks away.
Very good.
It turns out there’s someone with an unrecognized talent coming over the house.
During the dinner, Lu Shan and Pei Yue keep pampering Chen Xing Ruo. At first after the dinner, Lu Xing Yan wanted to immediately go upstair. But the time Lu Shan and Chen Xing Ruo discuss about the school transferring process, he just stops.
“The administration process is done. At first the principal said that it is necessary to have a test, but the time I showed him your file, he said nothing and just arranged a place for you.
Lu Xing Yan raises his head.
Lu Shan looks at him: “What are you looking at? She would be in the same class as you. You should learn from Xing Ruo. Xing Ruo is ranked third at Hui Ze city, she never swaps the rank. How about you? When have you ever get a great rank? If you could get pass to lowest rank, I and your ma would thank heaven.
In Ming Li, the seats in the class are arranged based on the rank of the examination. The people who are sitting on the backseat are those who have a bad mark.
Unfortunately, Lu Xing Yan is a highly experienced underachiever.
Lu Shan continues: “In two days, it’ll be the first day of school. I’ll take a look whether I have free time that day. If I’m free, I’ll send you both off to school. If not, I’ll ask Lao Liu to send you guys there. Xing Ruo, you just came here, you would go to live at the dorm the day before. You should try to be familiar with your roommates.
Lu Xing Yan doesn’t say anything, his face shows his feeling ‘you definitely would not have time’.
Lu Shan: “What happened to your expression?”
“I hope that you would be occupied with a myriad of state affairs so you could earn more money.”
Lu Shan: “…..”
“I’m full.”
Lu Xing Yan is too lazy to say anything, he just picks up his chopsticks and goes upstair.
Just like Lu Xing Yan’s expectation, the day of the registration, Lu Shan is not free.
The driver, Lao Liu, stops the car in front of the house and gets off the car to help take her suitcase inside the trunk.
Lu Xing Yan doesn’t raise his head, he just stays in the car and plays with his phone. He keeps on chewing his candy.
Outside the car, Pei Yue is still talking with Chen Xing Ruo. She keeps on reminding her to take care of herself and remember to call her if something happens.
After the game ends, Lu Xing Yan notices that Pei Yue still has no intention to get on the car. Lu Xin Yan just lowers the window and frowns. On his face, it is written ‘Ma, aren’t you done?’
Chen Xing Ruo looks at him. Pei Yue’s gaze also shifts to Lu Xing Yan’s face. “Oh right, at school you should take more care of Ruo Ruo, understand? She just moves over here, she is alone. understand? Don’t let anyone bully her okay?”
“……..”
“He?”
How could there’s anyone that could bully this woman?
Lu Xing Yan raises his window again.
Though there’s a window between them, yet Chen Xing Ruo could see his sneering face.
Chen Xing Ruo doesn’t know what part of her has offended this Da Shao Ye (spoilt son of a rich family). For her, being disliked by a man is rather rare thing.
For the time being, she also doesn’t know how should she interact with him. Chen Xing Ruo also doesn’t take any initiative to say anything.
The winter is still far away, there’s no flower around. People on the road are wearing their thick coat. She opens up the window a bit and lets the wind gets inside the car. The man beside of her just says: “You want to freeze me to death?”
“……”
“I’m sorry.”
She just closes the window again.
It’s a silence journey. Chen Xing Ruo looks at the GPS to get to know the direction. She notices there would be oneway street in front after turning right, so she says to Lao Liu in advance. “Liu Shu Shu, I want to get off in front. There’s a stationery store there. I want to buy a bit of things.”
“Okay. I’ll stop there for a while and wait for you.”
“No need to wait, Liu Shu Shu. I also know the way. I could go by myself.”
Suddenly Lu Xing Yan just says: “I also will get off here. Liu Shu Shu, don’t wait for us. It’ll be a traffic jam at Ming Li today.”
Chen Xing Ruo looks at him.
Both of them get off the car on the roadside. They both stand under the tree for a while.
Cheng Xing Ruo considers and says politely to him. “I’ll go and buy things first.”
She drags her suitcase and Lu Xing Yan suddenly calls after her. “Hey, Chen Xing Ruo.”
Chen Xing Ruo looks at him.
Lu Xing Yan says coldly: “We are close to the school, could you stop pretending?”
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