CH 44

I sat up and looked around as the sunlight came in through the window screen, my eyes taking in the white, blue and black the black color scheme selected for the minimalist decoration. Yesterday, Xi Xichen brought me to a high rise apartment in the centre of town, after which I’d promptly fallen asleep on the couch when he went to ready the shower for me.

I got out of bed, walked to the bathroom and couldn’t help but smile when I saw the fully prepared toiletries and girls’ clothes waiting for me inside. I hadn’t brought my luggage from Shanghai because I had assumed my visit would be short, but things keep turning out more complicated than I can anticipate.

After I was dressed, I headed back to the room, but as my hand rested on the door handle, I heard a voice coming from the living room.

“Today, the girl should return to Jian’s house.”

“Your Uncle Jian brought Lin Yujuan to step in but she still listens to her mother’s words in the end.”

“Xichen, do you want to go back too?”

After a moment of silence, I heard Xichen’s voice, “I will pass.”

I turned around, went back to bed and tried to go back to sleep. I felt the bed sink down a bit as I began to drift off, and a pair of arms encircled me from behind.

“Get up and eat breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Eat a little, and your appetite will increase.”

My eyes were still closed as I asked in a light voice, “Does she know I’m sleeping here? In your bed?”

I felt his body stiffen. I turned around and wrapped my arms around his neck. Xi Xichen looked slightly stunned as he lowered his head and kissed me.

I left Xichen’s place at around noon. I didn’t want him to drop me off so I took a cab; he didn’t ask me where I was going.

When I arrived at Jian’s house, the flowers and plants in the courtyard were all yellow and drooping lifelessly, as the autumn season was in full swing.

I had vowed never to set foot here again, and at every step I took further from the iron gate towards the eaves I silently recited the phrase, I will never embarrass myself again.

I rang the doorbell. The man who opened the door was not surprised to see me as he led me inside.

When I entered the living room, I was met with Jian Zhenlin, Shen Qingyu and several people I didn’t know.

When Jian Zhenlin saw me, he stood up with Shen Qingyu, her arm through his. His always serious face became full of smiles, “Good to have you back, good to have you back….”

I discreetly clenched my fist to remind myself not to show weakness in front of them, but my traitorous stomach had been twitching from the moment I’d stepped through that iron door. The white porridge I had eaten that morning sat heavy now, and I began wishing I’d stayed firm in my decision not to have breakfast.

Shen Qingyu waved me in, “Anjie, don’t just stand there, come sit down. Today is a great coincidence, as several of your uncles have come to see your father.”

“The little girl has grown into a maiden. I’m Uncle Ning, remember?”

I was silent.

Shen Qingyu laughed and said, “Our Anjie has been studying abroad these past few years, I’m afraid she doesn’t remember you old man.”

“This generation of young people like to run outside, just like that. My family brat has lived in the United States for three years. He comes back once a year and is unfamiliar with his own father.”

“Young master Ning is a promising young man,” Shen Qingyu praised.

“Why? Now that he’s been educated, he has nothing to do all day. He’s still not in tune at all with the world at the age of twenty-eight. If my son was half as capable as Xichen, I would be willing to live a few years less.”

Another elder also nodded repeatedly, “Xichen is the most visionary and bold young man I have ever met.”

At this moment, the doorbell rang again, and I knew instantly in my heart who it was.

Xichen walked in and came straight to my side, nodding slightly to the people gathered.

Shen Qingyu smiled and said, “Xichen, the two uncles were praising you just now.”

Jian Zhenlin looked at me with an apologetic glint in his eyes, “Anjie, come over and say hello to the uncles.”

“Mr. Jian,” I finally said, “Don’t you get tired of repeating the same tricks over and over again?”

“Anjie!” Shen Qingyu exclaimed. She hadn’t expected me to say that, but in the next moment she immediately quieted down her tone, “How can you talk to your father like that?”

“Qingyu.” Jane Zhenlin patted Shen Qingyu’s shoulder, “We’re the ones who need to be sorry, we’re sorry for what we did…”

“Zhen Lin, Shen, look at you guys, you’re even so serious with the child. Anjie, Uncle Ning will give you support, don’t be afraid.”

“If there is nothing else, then please Mr. Jian, tell my mother that I have come.”

I was about to turn around when Shen Qingyu’s exasperated voice came, “What’s wrong with you kid?”

“It’s so hard for her to come back, Qingyu, just bear with her,” Jane Zhenlin said.

Bear with her? If I am to be tolerated, then why call me back? Bear with her !? Am I not the same to you?

“Shen, I like this child very much. You don’t have to make it difficult for her.”

“Elder Ning! Anyway, a stepmother is destined to be the bad guy in her eyes. Lin Ma, let’s eat!”

Dinner? I guess there’s no need for me to stay any longer.

But before I could turn around, the person beside me grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers together.

“You guys….” Shen Qingyu trailed off.

“We’re together.” Xichen’s voice was firm and unperturbed. He stood calm as always, and only his tightly pulled hand declared an obvious possession.

“She wanted to come here and I didn’t stop her. But when she wants to leave, I will take her away.”

Shen Qingyu looked embarrassed, “Xichen…you…why are you talking nonsense…! She is your sister!”

“We do not share blood.”

Jian Zhenlin was also stunned, “Xichen, you and Anjie….”

“If she is willing, I will marry her,” Xichen said very plainly.

“You guys, how could you just….be messing around like this!” Jian Zhenlin stumbled as he tried to stand up, his face slack with shock.

“Uncle Jian, you know full well that she is autistic, introverted and afraid of life, and yet you still insisted on sending her abroad. You created a messy situation. Now you want to use her again for your own career, and that is very messed up.”

“What?”

“From now on, she’s under my protection. You will not hurt her again.” Xi Xichen’s voice took on a bit of a desperate tone.

Xi Xichen then turned to me and reached out to touch my forehead, “You’re a little pale. Do you have an upset stomach?”

“….a little.”

“Then let’s go back early?”

“….hmm.”

I’m not sure how he can still be so frank in front of this group of dumbfounded elders.

“That’s enough! Anjie you come here! Xichen, I’ve always valued you, yet you can do this to me!”

“Because you are Anjie’s father, I respectfully call you Uncle Jian.” His words were spoken in a courteous manner.

Jane Zhenlin’s face turned blue, “Uncle Jian? I’m afraid I can’t bear this Uncle Jian from you anymore!”

“Illegal fund raising and tax evasion? Uncle Jian, please behave yourself.”

As we headed towards the door, Xi Xichen turned back, “By the way, Uncle Jian, you have always wanted a share of those properties under my name. A while back I found a lawyer to draft up a contract for me. As long as Jian Anjie is willing to sign it, all my properties will belong to her.”

The evening breeze was a little cool, but not too cold. I lay on my side on the balcony lounger, looking up at the sky outside the parapet.

So, the dust has finally settled, has it?

The person behind me pulled the blanket further up my body, “Asleep?”

“No,” I said softly.

“Anjie, do you blame me?” He came around and sat down in front of me.

I tilted my head up to look at him. The man in front of me was introspective and affectionate. I still couldn’t figure out why he wanted me so badly when he was good in every way.

“Blame you for what?”

“I blame myself for making our relationship public, and in that manner,” he said carefully.

I couldn’t help raising my hand to stroke the strands of hair that had fallen onto his forehead, then slipping my hand down to cover his deep black eyes.

“Xi Xichen,” I murmured. If admitting it would put his mind at ease then, “I love you.”

It took about ten seconds for him to respond, before he suddenly pulled down my hand, leaned down, and kissed me suffocatingly, tangling his body with mine.

I knew that from that moment on that something had changed. Perhaps it had already begun to change from that tunnel, from when I heard the words “Anjie, I love you”.

From when I heard the words, “12 years is enough”.