Inextricable

Xu Zhixin, who was the standard definition of ‘handsome’, was actually much more handsome in person than on the big screen. Although he was thirty-four years old, he looked younger than his age, and had a healthy body.

It seemed that he and Huai Jing were friends, and that they often played basketball whenever they had time. Xu Xingxing, who now sat on the bench, watched with wide eyes as they played a basketball match. She still couldn’t believe that she had met her idol in real life. 

Xu Zhixin was very easygoing. During the intermission, he saw Xu Xingxing seated there holding the documents. He wiped his sweat with a towel and asked her, “Still working overtime?”

Xu Xingxing blushed, her lips opened slightly, and it seemed as if the thousand words she had in her heart when her idol unexpectedly approached her would come out, but in the end, she merely nodded and said, “Um, yes.”

Huai Jing also followed Xu Zhixin. He held a sports drink in his hand and drank it with his head raised. He had been playing for a while before Xu Zhixin had joined the game. Playing basketball was a lot of exercise, and his sweat now ran down his Adam’s apple and landed on his slightly concave collarbone as he drank. 

After Huai Jing sat together with Xu Zhixin, Xu Xingxing recalled the series of questions that Huai Jing had asked, comparing him and Xu Zhixin the previous day. Actually, she could see that Huai Jing was slightly better looking than her idol. And suddenly, it clicked in her mind: Huai Jing was very familiar with Xu Zhixin, so that’s why he knew his advantages over Xu Zhixin.

“Hey, this is the weekend, and you told her to deliver documents. Are you bullying this girl?” Xu Zhixin asked after a while.

Huai Jing, who was drinking the sports drink, glanced sideways at Xu Xingxing and asked his friend, “What kind of bullying is this?”

Although the man’s tone was casual, there seemed to be a specific meaning to his question. When Xu Xingxing heard these two friends talk about her, she raised her head, only to meet Huai Jing’s cold and lazy gaze. This gaze seemed to shake her and she quickly looked away in panic.

‘Indeed, this is nowhere close to his bullying behaviour in private,’ Xu Xingxing sighed. 

“Hey, you can go to the labour bureau to sue him.” Xu Zhixin poked Huai Jing as he suggested this to Xu Xingxing.

“I am working overtime voluntarily.” When Xu Xingxing heard Xu Zhixin speak for her, her face flushed with excitement, then she pursed her lips, and said softly, “I’m your fan.”

It was the first time Xu Zhixin had seen such an honest fan, and he was visibly taken aback. She had obediently sat on the side without engaging in discussion. She probably wouldn’t even have taken the initiative to speak to him if he hadn’t said anything this time. Xu Zhixin has a lot of admiration for these types of fans. After all, when some fans see their idols, they become unable to control their emotions, and often ask their idol to cancel their next planned schedule. That would become a real headache real quick. 

“Really?” Xu Zhixin asked with a smile.

Xu Xingxing gradually let go of her shyness, she nodded and said, “Really.”

Xu Zhixin smiled again. He crossed his legs and swayed them, then asked Xu Xingxing with a smile, “Then you tell us, between me and your boss, who is the best player?”

Xu Xingxing: “…”

Xu Xingxing shifted her gaze to Huai Jing, who was now watching other people playing, and didn’t seem to be listening to their conversation. So Xu Xingxing pursed her lips, and whispered, “You are more handsome.”

“Hahaha!” Xu Zhixin slapped Huai Jing, making Xu Xingxing’s heart tremble.

 Huai Jing just glanced at them and looked away as if her words were just a joke. 

Xu Xingxing faintly felt relieved, she asked Xu Zhixin, “Can you give me an autograph?”

“Okay.” Xu Zhixin, who was very satisfied with Xu Xingxing’s answer, asked generously, “Where do I sign?”

“Here.” When Xu Zhixin agreed to autograph, Xu Xingxing’s heart filled with joy and she hurriedly took out a book from her bag and handed it over to him.

Xu Zhixin took the book, saw the title on the cover and looked at her with a smile on his eyes, asking in a surprised tone, “Touching Gold?”

“En.” Xu Xingxing nodded.

Xu Zhixin was actually satisfied with such fans. They liked him not only because of his looks but also because of his work. After all, his appearance would change with the years, but his work would get better over time as well.

“Have you watched the movie? Xu Zhixin inquired as he signed the book’s title page.

“Yes, I watched the movie yesterday, and I just bought this book today,” Xu Xingxing retorted.

Xu Zhixin was happy to hear such words and handed the signed book back to her. Xu Xingxing smiled as she took it back.

Xu Zhixin was very honest, and the title page was filled with writing, most of which were words like ‘thank you for liking me’. After she saw the last handwritten sentence, she felt a slight pain in her heart— ‘Wishing you a happy family.’ 

Her family was not happy at all, but she still wanted to thank him for his wishes.

………………………..

Xu Xingxing, who was lucky to meet her idol, was in a good mood. After she got in the car, Huai Jing drove them not in the direction of his house. Instead, he turned the car into another road and drove for two or three minutes before stopping in front of an imported supermarket.

Xu Xingxing glanced at Huai Jing with a questioning look. 

The man turned his head, looked back at her, and said, “Auntie couldn’t come tonight, and I haven’t had dinner yet.”

Xu Xingxing’s eyes flickered as she came to an understanding, then she unbuckled the seat belt, and said as she was getting out of the car, “Okay.”

Looking at her back, Huai Jing twitched his lips and followed her into the supermarket.

The vegetables in this imported supermarket were as fresh and vibrant as those in any local vegetable market. Xu Xingxing looked at them for a while, picked up a few, and checked their prices. ‘Wow~so expensive.’  But after thinking about the origin of these vegetables, Xu Xingxing understood the reason behind such pricing.

When Xu Xingxing was choosing vegetables, Huai Jing went somewhere else. She didn’t know where he had gone, so she pushed the shopping cart to find him after filling it with some vegetables.

This supermarket had only one floor, but the ceiling was very high, and the corresponding shelves were also very high up, so you couldn’t see anyone if you tried to look over them. Xu Xingxing failed to find Huai Jing, so she simply pushed the shopping cart to the cashier and waited for him.

There were many different types of candies on the small shelf next to the cash register. Xu Xingxing gave them a quick glance, but quickly turned her head away because her teeth started hurting.

When the cashier was scanning the prices of vegetables that Xu Xingxing had picked up, Huai Jing suddenly came and placed a beautifully packed box in front of the cashier, saying, “Add this one too.”

Xu Xingxing, unaware of Huai Jing’s arrival till now, raised her head when she heard his voice and then saw what he had put on the counter. When she saw the peach pattern on it, she suddenly felt happy and looked at the man beside her. As Huai Jing had also raised his head, Xu Xingxing met his eyes, and she then looked away to avoid his gaze.

There was a young couple standing at the cash register next to them. The two of them looked at Xu Xingxing’s side, and the girl asked quietly, “What’s that? Candy?”

The boy looked at the box for a few seconds, and then it clicked for him. “It’s not candy, it’s condoms. See how that woman’s face is turning red?”

Xu Xingxing’s face turned ever redder upon hearing the young couple’s words. ‘This is not that… this is just candy.’ She put the candy box into the shopping bag, and walked out first while Huai Jing was still paying the bill.

Who thought she would blush that much on hearing the word ‘condoms’. 

Xu Xingxing looked down at the box lying among a pile of vegetables.

Huai Jing swiftly caught up with the woman who was silently walking in front of him with his long legs and wide strides. He dropped another package into the shopping bag she was holding.

“Thanks to that couple for reminding me, otherwise I would have really forgotten.”

Without having to look, Xu Xingxing knew what was in that box that had just been put in. 

She followed Huai Jing’s pace and got into the car. 

Fortunately, they soon arrived at Huai Jing’s house. After Xu Xingxing entered, she took the ingredients into the kitchen.

For Xu Xingxing, this was the first time she had entered Huai Jing’s kitchen. The living room and kitchen shared a similar design. It was straightforward and succinct, but also incredibly empty and desolate. The brand-new kitchen tools were arranged neatly and coldly on the counter. His housekeeping aunt would probably use them when cooking for him, but even then, there were only a few traces of use on them.

Apart from the fact that the kitchen was too big, Xu Xingxing’s meal preparation went smoothly. She went to the dining room with the food, and called Huai Jing on the way.

Huai Jing, who had changed into his home clothes, came down the stairs and entered the dining room with Xu Xingxing.

As Xu Xingxing had expected, his dining room was also big. It featured a long oval table that could accommodate at least a dozen people. Xu Xingxing and Huai Jing sat on one side alone, and she felt lonely here as she remembered the meal she had at Chen Wanwan’s house.

‘When will I be able to eat with that many people together? Mother, brother, my child…’

Such thoughts caused Xu Xingxing a bit of pain in her heart, so she stuffed a piece of yam into her mouth to get rid of it.

“I’m very busy next week.” Xu Xingxing raised her head and told Huai Jing.

While eating, Huai Jing raised his eyes and asked, “Company matters?”

After taking a sip of the soup, Xu Xingxing shook her head and said, “I invested in a small shop. I will be busy with renovations and recruiting shop assistants during this time. I won’t have the time to come over after I get off work.”

“Do you lack money?” Huai Jing looked at Xu Xingxing and asked.

Xu Xingxing sighed, and said, “No, I just want to make some extra money.”

“The company won’t let you take a second job.” Huai Jing leaned on the back of the chair and said seriously.

Xu Xingxing, who was drinking water, choked at this. She looked at Huai Jing with red eyes, a flash of panic flashed in her eyes, and asked, “Who made the rules?”

The man took a tissue and handed it over to her. “I made it, just now.”

When Xu Xingxing heard his words she couldn’t think of what to say and just frowned at him.

Seeing her slightly gloomy look, the man smirked at Xu Xingxing and said, “But don’t worry, I will keep it a secret for you and not tell the others.”

Xu Xingxing: “…”

…………………….

After they finished their meal, a phone call came, so Huai Jing got up and went to the balcony to answer it. Xu Xingxing looked at Huai Jing’s back and picked up the dirty dishes, taking them to the kitchen to clean them.

When Huai Jing came back, an empty dining room welcomed him. The originally messy table had been wiped clean, so clean that it reflected the light of the chandelier overhead.

When he heard the sound of water coming from the kitchen, Huai Jing slowly moved there. 

Under the orange light, Xu Xingxing was standing by the sink. Her long hair was gathered together and simply tied into a low ponytail while some bangs were quietly hanging beside her cheeks. Her eyes were drooping, and her long curly eyelashes cast a half circle of black shadow on her lower eyelids. The high bridge of her small nose propped it up, making the contours of her facial features appear much deeper.

Huai Jing stood at the door quietly, watching the woman, but she only became aware of his presence when she was washing the last bowl. 

When Huai Jing’s and Xu Xingxing’s eyes met, he walked up to her, pinched her chin, bowed his head and kissed her.

Xu Xingxing was a little flustered by the sudden kiss. She pinched the edge of the bowl with her hands, brushed the man’s lips with the corner of her lips, and with slightly red cheeks, whispered, “Wait… it will be finished soon.”

The man’s lips flowed to her hair, gradually kissing her ear, then he bit her earlobe lightly, and said in a deep voice, “I can not wait anymore.”

Today’s idol meeting had been arranged by Huai Jing. In order to express her gratitude to Huai Jing, Xu Xingxing didn’t disobey. She thought that since Huai Jing had spent a lot of energy playing basketball, the act would be over soon. But she was wrong. Who told her to underestimate him?

Xu Xingxing was so tired that she was left in a daze afterwards. She lay on the bed, buried her face in the pillow, and was about to fall asleep with a confused mind. However, Huai Jing’s words awakened her.

“You were afraid that I was in a hurry, so you didn’t see the ending credits in that movie?”

He was next to her, and whenever Xu Xingxing slept, her back would always be facing him. The man’s voice was hoarse and low, like a gust of wind blowing through her heart. Xu Xingxing raised her head in a daze, a thin layer of water covering her round eyes. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she was gradually remembering something, and she responded softly, “En.”

Huai Jing’s eyes flickered, then a smile appeared in them, and he pushed aside the strand of hair on her cheek with his hand. His warm fingertips touched her face lightly, causing Xu Xingxing’s consciousness to be dazed for a moment.

Huai Jing said, “Next time I will watch it with you, so you don’t have to worry.”