Inextricable

Chapter 13

Xu Xingxing thought for a moment and replied, “No.” 

“That’s good.” Just as Huai Jing finished speaking, someone came over to toast, and after he clinked glasses with them, he told Xu Xingxing, “I’ll hang up first.” 

………………………….

Xu Xingxing, who took two extra vacation days compared to her colleagues, brought some specialties from her hometown to share at work. After she had distributed them to everyone in her department, she got pulled by Chen Wanwan to her table, who asked curiously, “Why did you take two more days off? You didn’t go on a blind date, right?”

Handing a piece of candy to Chen Wanwan, Xu Xingxing smiled and said, “No, the house was being transferred, but because it was a holiday, it was delayed.”

“What house?” Chen Wanwan asked while tasting the candy she got from Xu Xingxing.

“I got two houses from the divorce, and I transferred the bigger one to Xingyuan,” Xu Xingxing said with a happy smile on her face. “Xingyuan is in love, so I asked him to take one of the houses I have.” 

Chen Wanwan and Xu Xingxing were college friends, so she also knew about the situation in Xu Xingxing’s home. She also knew that Xu Xingxing must have done this willingly because her brother was not a person with a bad heart who wanted to rob his sister.

“Is she trustworthy? She doesn’t love Xingyuan for the house, right?” After her divorce, Chen Wanwan had started paying more attention to Xu Xingxing’s matters, for she didn’t want to watch her get cheated again.

“We met her parents, and they are very good,” Xu Xingxing sighed in relief.

Hearing this, Chen Wanwan was also happy, and said with a smile, “Oh, Xiao Xingyuan is going to start a family. So, when are they going to get married?”

Just as Xu Xingxing was about to speak, a colleague called out for her, “Xu Xingxing, Lord Zhong is looking for you.”

“We have decided to hold the wedding before the Spring Festival, but it is still not certain.” Xu Xingxing spoke briefly, “I’ll go over first. Let’s talk later.” 

Chen Wanwan patted her shoulder and returned to her workplace.

In order to discuss projects with the German company, the translation department deputy director Zhong Yujun needed to go out and meet the clients. He planned to take Xu Xingxing along with him this time. When she heard this, she was shocked.

After Xu Xingxing picked up her bag, she followed Zhong Yujun, who would be driving them, to the hotel where the project was being negotiated .

Zhong Yujun had taught/brought up with countless newcomers, and he knew what Xu Xingxing was worried about from looking at her expression, so after getting off the elevator, he smiled and comforted Xu Xingxing on the way to his car.

“Unlike those young girls who have just graduated, you have solid skills, even if you have no experience with on-site translation. Don’t worry too much about the so-called scene the first time you visit; you’re simply there to take notes and similar things.”

Zhong Yujun had an extremely high opinion of her, which made Xu Xingxing feel a little flattered. And since her boss had said so, she couldn’t be too frightened. Xu Xingxing smiled gratefully and said, “Thank you, Lord Zhong.”

“By  the way, the box of tea leaves from last time was good, thank you,” said Zhong Yujun with his hand on the door handle as he used the car key to open the lock.

Xu Xingxing felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She hadn’t expected Zhong Yujun to know that that ‘box of tea leaves’ had been given to him by her. It was because of that box of tea that she and Zhong Yujun had ‘met’ at the front desk of the company and Zhong Yujun had found out about Li Miaoxue’s overtime work arrangement for Xu Xingxing. Since that day, Li Miaoxue didn’t cause any trouble for Xu Xingxing.

His lips pursed slightly, and Xu Xingxing’s eyes fluttered twice. Zhong Yujun had experienced hundreds of battles in the workplace, and could easily see through Xu Xingxing’s careful thoughts.

She lowered her head slightly and sincerely apologised, “I’m sorry, Lord Zhong, I…”

Xu Xingxing was a little afraid because she had deceived Zhong Yujun, but he actually didn’t care, compared to her using him, he appreciated her cleverness.

“What are you apologising for?” Zhong Yujun smiled and said, “I’m thanking you. Because of you I was able to teach that person a lesson. Otherwise…”

Suddenly, she heard the sound of a heavy object falling down, and raised her head to see what had happened. When she didn’t see Zhong Yujun on the opposite side, she became frightened, called out “Master Zhong” and hurriedly ran to the opposite side of the car. 

Seeing the scene in front of her, Xu Xingxing’s teeth clattered. Zhong Yujun lay flat on the ground, his face pale and his eyes tightly closed, it seemed he had lost consciousness.

Xu Xingxing immediately knelt down, pushed Zhong Yujun with trembling fingers, and yelled, “Lord Zhong?”

But he didn’t respond, so she quickly called 120.

While the ambulance was on its way, Xu Xingxing unbuttoned Zhong Yujun’s shirt to administer some first-aid. After it arrived, Xu Xingxing contacted Huang Qiansong and accompanied Zhong Yujun to the hospital.

Two EMTs were in the ambulance with Zhong Yujun, and they began to administer first aid to him as soon as he was brought into the ambulance. After seeing the scene, Xu Xingxing was sure that his situation was not optimistic.

Zhong Yujun was ushered into the emergency surgery room as soon as the ambulance got to the hospital. Xu Xingxing felt as if she was going to collapse when the red light above the entrance to the operation room turned on. She continued to stand in front of the door idly, staring at it as though dreaming.

Huang Qiansong informed the company’s HR division after Xu Xingxing informed him. To complete the formalities, a middle-aged man with glasses soon arrived, he was the representative from the HR department’s employee relations team. As Xu Xingxing accompanied him, he spoke gently while sighing, “A sudden cerebral haemorrhage, this is terrible…”

Zhong Yujun had always been severely obese, and such a body condition would not help him in recovering quickly.

Zhong Yujun’s family was informed of his situation by this man, and Huang Qiansong told Xu Xingxing to look after Zhong Yujun while he was in the hospital. He had to return to the company with another deputy director Yan Jialin first because the translation department was very busy at the moment, and although Zhong Yujun had fallen ill,  business still had to move forward.

Zhong Yujun’s family arrived soon, with his mother trotting ahead, followed by his wife holding his little daughter. The faces of the two women were full of anxiety and they were sweating profusely, showing that they had rushed all the way to the hospital.   

“He has been rescued now.” Xu Xingxing explained the general situation, “It was a sudden cerebral haemorrhage, auntie, sister-in-law, please sit down and rest for a while.”     

Zhong Yujun’s mother was a short and thin woman, with a face full of vicissitudes, black hair mixed with white hair, and shrunken eye sockets. For a moment, she reminded Xu Xingxing of Lin Meihui.     

Mother Zhong held Xu Xingxing’s hand with trembling cold fingers. “Thank you, thank you,” she said repeatedly. 

Xu Xingxing could only comfort the scared woman with a painful heart. Her son in the emergency room was hovering between life and death, and it was impossible for the mother not to worry. In the end, Mother Zhong let go of Xu Xingxing’s hand, wiped the corners of her eyes secretly, and took her granddaughter from her daughter-in-law.     

Zhong Yujun was not from Xiacheng but from the countryside, and he had stayed here after graduating from a university in Xiacheng. Xu Xingxing had heard that his family’s situation was not very good, his wife was now a full-time housewife, and his mother had also been brought over from her hometown. The whole family, old and young, depended on his wages for support.     

Compared to Zhong Yujun’s mother, his wife was more calm. She stared at the red light on top of the emergency room in a daze. Under her messy bangs, her eyes were a little dull. The little daughter was being hugged by Zhong Yujun’s mother, but when she looked at her mother, she noticed that there was something wrong with the atmosphere, so she asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong with dad?”     

Hearing the little girl repeat ‘what’s wrong with dad’ over and over again, Xu Xingxing stood up from the chair, and went near a window.     

Time passed, and night gradually fell, seemingly covering the sky with a delicate black veil. Xu Xingxing moved closer to the emergency room, but stood aside, looking at Mother Zhong and Wife Zhong, experiencing the parting of life and death more vividly in her heart.

‘My mother is no longer young, and Xingyuan wants to start a family. I am infertile, so it is useless to even get a sperm donation to conceive a child. In the future, I’m destined to be alone.’ Sorrowful thoughts covered Xu Xingxing’s heart like thorny creepers.

The cool night breeze crept into her body, enhancing her isolation. Xu Xingxing raised an eye to observe the partial full moon outside the window. Her heart seemed to be illuminated by the moonlight, adding a hint of futile despair.

The emergency room’s red light suddenly turned off, so Xu Xingxing, her colleague from the HR department and the members of Zhong family immediately gathered around the door. The doctor came out first, and after seeing the patient’s family, he said, “The person has been rescued.”

After hearing the doctor’s words, Zhong Yujun’s wife, who had been calm till now, broke down into tears and slid to the floor. Xu Xingxing’s heart sank, and she quickly helped her up, then held her hands and said repeatedly, “It’s okay, sister-in-law. Don’t be afraid now…”

Wife Zhong held Xu Xingxing tightly and wept her heart out.

Hearing the woman’s cries, Xu Xingxing’s heart seemed to have been sprinkled with lemon juice, and the sourness made her frown. 

Although the operation was over and his life was saved, Zhong Yujun still had to remain in the hospital for further observation. Since Xu Xingxing’s mission was now completed, she decided to leave.

After bidding farewell to the Zhong mother and wife pair, Xu Xingxing walked out of the corridor where the ICU was located. Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and she stopped in her tracks near the end of the corridor. She took out her phone, looked at the name on the caller ID and her eyes moved slightly. She then walked towards the window in the corridor, sighed, and picked up the call, “I’m in the hospital.” 

On the other end of the phone, Huai Jing was silent for a while before asking, “Are you okay?”

His voice was very low, flavoured with a touch of magnetism. 

Xu Xingxing was stunned for a moment, but these words allowed the stiffness in her body to gradually disappear from the inside out as the blood in her body began to circulate again.

Xu Xingxing replied, “Hmm…I’m okay.” 

The man paused for a while, then suddenly  said, “I’m behind you.” Huai Jing’s voice was filled with a hint of a smile.

Xu Xingxing was stunned, and she found herself at a loss for words, not even aware of what she was currently thinking. She then turned around and glanced behind her. She had thought the other party was joking, but when she saw Huai Jing behind her, her lips parted slightly in surprise.

The man was wearing casual clothes, a sweater and a pair of slacks, paired with a beige windbreaker. The tall and slender body cast a long shadow on the floor. 

Huai Jing had actually come to the hospital to find a friend, and when he came out of the doctor’s office, he noticed Xu Xingxing walking forward, her back a little lonely. He thought he had recognized the wrong person and so had called her, but hadn’t expected it to really be her.

The corner of his right lip raised slightly as Huai Jing hung up the phone and put it away.

“Going home?” Huai Jing pointed to the elevator behind her.

These two words, like a wave, shattered the just constructed wall of loneliness in Xu Xingxing. She licked her lips lightly, looked into the man’s eyes, and her expression became more vivid than before.

“Okay,” said Xu Xingxing as she walked towards him.