Inextricable

The end of the annual meeting meant that the end of the year was approaching, and the company had started to prepare for the Spring Festival holidays. The benefits given by the IO group were good, and employees got holidays for special celebrations. The Spring Festival holiday started on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, and they didn’t have to return to work until the sixth day of the new year. Altogether, the employees got more than ten days of vacation.

[TL Notes: Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest festival in China, with a 7-day long national holiday.]

During this holiday, Xu Xingxing naturally planned to return to Huaicheng. However, before she left, she first went to her shop to arrange Du Yizhe’s vacation.

Xu Xingxing went there on a Sunday afternoon. There was not much traffic on Heping Street at this time, and the afternoon sunlight penetrated Heping Street from the west to the east.

As soon as Xu Xingxing entered the street, she saw Huangfu Yiduo teasing Ah Jin, while Du Yizhe was sitting at the door of the shop, looking at the two of them with a smile.

Huangfu Yiduo wore a pink corduroy dress today, paired with a pink padded jacket boasting a big fur collar on the outside. To match her outfit, the makeup was also pink and tender, shrouding her in a girly atmosphere.

Huangfu Yiduo seemed to be teaching Ah Jin to sit down, but he seemed to be teasing her back by deliberately not sitting down.

When even after teaching twice, Ah Jin didn’t sit down, Huangfu stamped her feet angrily, and trotted to Du Yizhe’s side to complain.

Du Yizhe looked up at her tenderly, and seemed as if he was trying to persuade her. After a while, he got up, put his hand on her head and rubbed it twice.

When Xu Xingxing was approaching them, she heard Huangfu Yiduo say “sit down.” Du Yizhe, who was standing in front of her, immediately sat down, looked up at her with a smile and said, “Look, I still listen to you.”

The dissatisfaction in the girl’s face disappeared, and she became happy again.

Ah Jin, who had spotted Xu Xingxing by now, had already run to her side. Xu Xingxing looked at Du Yizhe and Huangfu Yiduo, completely warmed by their interaction just now, and the corners of her lips curled up unconsciously.

As soon as Ah Jin came to her side, Xu Xingxing reached out and patted his head, while he stuck out his tongue and sat down.

Seeing it like this, Huangfu Yiduo laughed and said, “Sister, take Ah Jin away, I’m going to find another dog who will listen to me.”

Seemingly understanding Huangfu Yiduo’s words, Ah Jin trotted back to Huangfu Yiduo’s side, and gently rubbed her hand with its head. Huangfu Yiduo turned around and let out a soft “hum” to show that she was still angry.

Ah Jin quickly turned to Huangfu Yiduo’s side again, carefully rubbing against her. She looked down at it, pursed her lips, and commanded, “Then sit down now.”

This time around, Ah Jin sat down obediently.

Huangfu Yiduo, who was coaxed instantly, squatted down and hugged Ah Jin, and said with a smile, “You’re so cute.”

Du Yizhe, who was looking at the person and the dog, said helplessly, “Hey, the dog’s ‘hair’ will easily get stuck on your clothes…”

“Ah?” Huangfu Yiduo got up quickly.

Xu Xingxing laughed, and Huangfu Yiduo rubbed her nose in embarrassment.

“Sister, what’s the matter?” Du Yizhe came to his senses and asked Xu Xingxing.

Huangfu Yiduo also came to Xu Xingxing’s side and hugged her. Since she usually wrote manuscripts at home, her friends were the only ones Du Yizhe knew. Among Du Yizhe’s friends, she liked Xu Xingxing the most.

Xu Xingxing let Huangfu hug her, glanced at her, and asked, “Are you going home for the Spring Festival?”

Wuyin was a franchise brand and had its own holiday regulations, with its Spring Festival holiday extending from the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month to the second day of the new year. Xu Xingxing didn’t want to follow that, because she wanted to spend more time with her family.

Hearing Xu Xingxing’s words, Du Yizhe nodded, looked at Huangfu Yiduo and said, “I still want to talk to you about this. Duoduo and I are both from Xiacheng, so it’s easy to go home. There will be a lot of traffic during the Spring Festival, so we can open the shop for half a day and then go home for New Year’s Eve dinner.”

Xu Xingxing was taken aback for a moment, she hadn’t expected there to be people who still asked to work overtime.

“Aren’t you going out to play during the Spring Festival holiday?” Xu Xingxing asked.

“No need.” Huangfu Yiduo said, “We’re having a good time here. Ah Zhe and Ah Jin are with me, and we’re happy wherever all three of us are.” After saying this, Huangfu Yiduo smiled at Du Yizhe.

Xu Xingxing looked at the three of them, feeling a little envy sprout in her heart.

Du Yizhe and Huangfu Yiduo didn’t seem to have many requirements, as long as they could meet their personal needs materially, they just needed to be together spiritually. They were content and happy.

Xu Xingxing smiled and said, “Okay, then you guys play here. I’ll send you two a big red envelope during the Spring Festival.”

“Really?” Huangfu Yiduo’s eyes lit up, and she said with a smile, “Thank you sister.”

………………………..

Xu Xingxing got into the car with a bunch of ingredients. Although the supermarket in the southern district also sold them, Xu Xingxing was afraid of delaying her shopping time. 

Huai Jing looked at the bag full of ingredients, a smile flashed in his eyes, and he asked, “Are you going to move to my place?”

Putting on the seat belt, she shook her head and said, “No. If I move, I’ll bring Mimi with me.”

Hearing the name Mimi, Huai Jing frowned and started the car. ‘Hmph… You still can’t forget Mimi…’

After arriving at Huai Jing’s home, Xu Xingxing entered the kitchen with the bag of ingredients, with Huai Jing following behind her like a tail. 

Xu Xingxing quickly started to prepare dinner. This was the last dinner they would have together this year so she wanted to make a somewhat grand one.

Huai Jing looked at her silently for a while, listening to the sound of fish soup boiling in the pot, and eventually asked, “Are you leaving tomorrow, as soon as your holiday starts?”

“Yeah.” Xu Xingxing noticed that his voice was a bit cold, so she pursed her lips and explained, “My brother’s engagement ceremony is being held the day after tomorrow, I have to go back and help.”

The man’s expression gradually softened on hearing this. He didn’t say anything else, so Xu Xingxing didn’t continue. She turned her eyes away and went back to her own business.

In the big kitchen, pots and pans rung in an unbreakable parting.

The influence of Xu Xingxing’s words on Huai Jing only appeared in the deepest part of the night. He was obviously unhappy, and wanted to get rid of the thought of the next ten lonely days at once tonight.

But after it was over, a soft light lit up the bedroom, illuminating the man’s much softer brows and eyes. He leaned over and kissed her ear, his voice hoarse and sexy. “These next few days, leave Mimi at my house.”

When Mimi was mentioned, Xu Xingxing’s scattered consciousness regrouped.

She couldn’t take Mimi with her so the only option she had was to put it in the foster cat care centre for a few days. But with the advent of the Spring Festival, the foster care centre would also be very busy, and she was reluctant to put it there.

This proposal moved Xu Xingxing a lot. Even if Huai Jing didn’t help take care of it, the housekeeper would help take care of it. After all, Mimi had been living here for more than half a year before. 

Thinking of this, Xu Xingxing blinked, looked at the man next to her suspiciously, and asked in a low voice, “Don’t you not like cats?”

“Yeah.” Huai Jing raised his eyes and admitted lightly. He glanced sideways at Xu Xingxing, and said in a deep voice, “Leave it here, and if you come back one day late, I’ll just starve it for one day.”

Xu Xingxing frowned in shock and looked at him anxiously, saying, “No…you can’t starve it.”

Huai Jing looked at her with a calm expression. “Then will you be coming back sooner?”

The man’s breath penetrated into the bottom of her heart silently like a tentacle. Xu Xingxing’s voice trembled, and she acquiesced in a low voice, “Yes.”