Resisting Winter

They stood in the doorway for a while.

For some reason, Xu Hui was silent.

Finally it was Bai Lu who spoke first and asked Xu Hui, “Are you home all day today?”

Xu Hui ruffled his hair, compared to Bai Lu’s carefulness, he seemed much more casual. Who knows what came his mind, Xu Hui suddenly said in a low voice: “You don’t know?”

Bai Lu opened her mouth slightly and raised her eyebrows in question.

Xu Hui looked at her from above, with a light smile at the corner of his mouth.

“Yesterday when I was talking on the phone, didn’t you listen quite carefully?”

Bai Lu looked like she had been discovered, and abruptly lowered her head again.

Xu Hui smiled and tried to speak again, but was interrupted by a sneeze from Bai Lu.

“Sorry.” Bai Lu hurriedly covered her mouth and sniffled. A little embarrassed, she turned around and said in a very nasal voice, “Then I won’t bother you anymore …… I’ll leave first.”

Xu Hui called out to Bai Lu and frowned.

“Your cold is still not well?”

Bai Lu lowered her head and said softly, “…… No, I’m sorry.”

Xu Hui felt a little ridiculous, “You are sick. What there’s to be sorry for?”

Bai Lu still kept the posture of covering her mouth and did not move. Xu Hui moved his body sideways and said, “Come in and rest for a while.”

Bai Lu nodded gently and followed Xu Hui into the house.

Xu Hui came to the sofa and once again picked up the cigarette from the table. Bai Lu sat on the chair next to him in a disciplined manner.

Bai Lu looked at the corner of the table. After Xu Hui finished smoking one cigarette, he rubbed his eyes and yawned to himself.

Although she was let in, Xu Hui did not ask her if she needed anything. He didn’t even a offered a glass of water.

He never cared much about others, probably because usually others were always caring for him. He has no concept of caring, and no habit of caring for someone.

Xu Hui’s sleepiness flew away because of smoking, and he sat in the sofa to chat with Bai Lu.

“You guys aren’t busy studying either?”

Bai Lu nodded, “Not busy.”

Xu Hui: “You’re also a high school student, right? Which grade are you in?”

Bai Lu smiled lightly at him and said softly, “Which grade do you think I am?”

Xu Hui was amused, raising his eyebrows, he tapped his chin.

“You look like an elementary school student to me.”

Bai Lu pursed her lips.

Xu Hui flicked his cigarette, “You are growing very slowly.” Speaking to this, he glanced at her from top to bottom and added with a bit of disgust, “Short too.”

Bai Lu did not care much about her height and what others think. She touched the tip of her nose, her brain recalled something, and she spoke, “I could be older than you.”

Xu Hui snickered, “Impossible.”

Bai Lu’s voice was soft and warm.

“My birthday is on September 6th ……”

Xu Hui’s hand suddenly stilled, “What?”


Bai Lu: “My birthday is on September 6th, what day is yours?”

Xu Hui showed a surprised expression for the first time, “My birthday is…… also September 6th.”

Bai Lu’s eyes widened slightly, “Are you on the lunar or solar calendar?”

Xu Hui: “Yang calendar.”

With her hand over her lips, Bai Lu was too surprised to speak, “Me too.”

Xu Hui extinguished his cigarette and turned his head, “What time?”

Bai Lu: “At night.”

The boy finally showed a dispensable smile, “Oh, then you are still younger than me, I was born in the early morning.”

The sun rose, Xu Hui’s did not pulled open the curtains, but the room was facing East. Even if the curtains were closed the house was still warm and bright.

Xu Hui’s cell phone rang.

“Hello?”

“……”

“Well, I woke up.”

“……”

“Is it today? Where are you guys?”

“……”

“Oh …… afternoon ……” He pondered before replying, “It’s okay, come over if you want, but buy good food and drink, I don’t have anything here.” He paused before finishing with a sentence, “My treat.”

A short phone call, he hanged up after finishing.

When Xu Hui put down the phone, Bai Lu opened her mouth.

“Your friends are coming over to play?”

Xu Hui nodded, “Mm.”

“Then I’ll go first.”

Xu Hui did not say anything, Bai Lu took the bag from behind her and pulled out the jar from the bag.

The hand towel was well insulated and the jar was still cold.

“This is for you.” Bai Lu placed the jar gently on the table.

“What?” Xu Hui looked and the jar and picked it up. He held it in one hand and tilted it a little to look inside. Bai Lu stood up anxiously, “Don’t, don’t, don’t knock it over.”

She did not dare to touch Xu Hui’s hand, thinking that he may find it disgusting.

Xu Hui put the jar back on the table and reassured her, “It won’t fall over, what is inside?”

Bai Lu whispered, “A little food, I made it last night, but made too much. I couldn’t finish it all so brought the rest to you.”

Xu Hui faintly glanced at her, smiling, “made too much?”

Bai Lu knew he was looking at her, so she lowered her head.

Xu Hui took the hand towel away and peeked inside. Inside the jar was regular lemon slices dipped in sweet and beautiful honey juice.

Xu Hui whispered, “Lemon.” He gave Bai Lu a look, “You are giving me something so sour.”

Bai Lu: “Don’t you like sour? Actually, it’s not particularly sour, it’s soaked with honey.”

Xu Hui shook his head and looked at the jar with more interest.


Bai Lu sat on the sidelines, her presence faint and quiet.

Yesterday while eating wonton, he poured a circle of vinegar as habitual move, he does not remember it at all.

“I don’t dislike it. I love sour food.” Xu Hui said.

“That’s good.” Bai Lu said, “You put the jar in the refrigerator and leave it for another day or two and-“

Along with Bai Lu’s words, Xu Hui unscrewed the lid, put his thumb index finger into the jar, pinched a slice of lemon up from the glass jar, tilted his neck and put it in his mouth.

Bai Lu: “……”

Xu Hui held the lemon and pursed his lips. His jaw moving and throat knotting gently, savouring the taste of the lemon.

Bai Lu looked at him in astonishment, can not help but say: “You are going to eat it now?”

Xu Hui shook his head.

Bai Lu stood up, “Oh, then I’ll go first, you still have things to do in the afternoon, I will not bother you.”

“Oh, so understanding?”

Bai Lu did not reply, walked to the door when Xu Hui asked from behind, “Do you come in this area often?”

Bai Lu stopped in her tracks and glanced back, “I live very close.” She hesitated and stammered, “How about …… leaving a phone number?”

Xu Hui gave a light laugh, “Ok.”

Bai Lu said, “You tell me your cell phone number.”

Xu Hui reported a series of numbers, Bai Lu: “I still don’t know what your name is ……”

“Xu Hui, Xu of promised, Hui of brilliant glow.”

Bai Lu dialed the number and then turned off her phone when Xu Hui asked, “What about you?”

“Bai Lu.”

“Oh. Like ‘A flock of egrets flying in the sky’, huh?”

Bai Lu smiled, “Hmm.”

After both sides saved their numbers, Bai Lu went out, and Xu Hui came to the door.

“I’m usually at school during the day, not always convenient, you ……” Xu Hui deliberately paused, Bai Lu understood and said, “I know, I won’t always call to bother you.”

She waved her hand at Xu Hui, “Then I’m leaving.”

Xu Hui nodded his head.

It was almost rnoon when she left the house, Bai Lu had worked hard for a weekend and could finally start to really “get well”.

Back to the dormitory, Bai Lu took the medicine, covered herself with a thick quilt, and slept for two and a half hours.

When she woke up, she felt a lot fresher than before.

Bai Lu sweat a lot. She was feeling uncomfortable because of her sticky body, but she still did not dare to take a shower again. She just changed her clothes and sat in front of her table to study.

At the same time, Xu Hui’s friends came to visit.

There were five of them, three boys and two girls. Carrying two cases of beer and several large pockets of food, they entered his home.

“Wait until the evening for the barbecue!” The friends entered the house cheekily, and the small living room, which was not large, was instantly full.

“What’s Brother Hui doing at home by himself? Isn’t it boring?” Liu Yuhai came over and leaned on Xu Hui while flopping the rest of his body on the sofa.

Xu Hui let him push him, “not bored. Catch up some sleep.”

“Didn’t you get enough sleep this morning?”


“Hmm. Got woken up by someone.”

“Who was it? Who woke you up?” Xiao Ye came over and gave Liu Yuhai a kick, “Sit properly or roll!”

“Hey you……” Xiao Ye glared at him that made him instantly give up: “Okay, I will roll.”

He switched to the small chair next to Xu Hui.

“Are you hungry? We brought food.” Xiao Ye brought the bag, which had a variety of snacks and drinks.

“I’m not hungry, you guys eat first.”

Liu Yuhai went to turn on the TV. It was not their first time they came to play in Xu Hui’s house, so they were familiar with the furnishings. From the bedroom, he moved out of the gaming box, plugged in and began to play.

The commotion continued until the evening, Xu Hui finally felt a little hungry, and decided to call for take-out.

They are too familiar with the take-out in this area, called nearly three hundred dollars of barbecue, Liu Yuhai took the phone and gave the store owner a fiery nagging.

“How much did I buy ah! Still not making it cheap? Take care of your business properly. Don’t beg me when I lead my people over!”

“……”

“Yeah, that’s good!”

Twenty dollars saving. Liu Yuhai won the bickering as if he had won a battle, showing off his extraordinary achievement with the others.

A girl named Zhang Wenhui had a face full of contempt, “Look at you. How stingy ……”

Liu Yuhai: “If you are feeling disgusted, then don’t eat my treat. Or I can call the store owner to add the twenty dollars back.”

Zhang Wenhui face became red. She was so angry that she picked the lighter from the table and threw at him.

“That’s not your treat either!” Zhang Wenhui’s voice was sharp, “Brother Hui’s treat! You don’t have to pretend as if it’s your money!”

Liu Yuhai dodged the lighter.

“Never mess with women in general.” He sat next to a quieter boy, “Old pussy …… no, not that.” Thinking that he wouldn’t reply considering how quite he is all the time, Liu Yuhai still patted him on the shoulder and asked, “Sun Yuhe, you say, was I right or not?”

Sun Yuhe was more quiet among the boys present. In addition to Xu Hui, who treasures his words like gold.

Zhang Wenhui almost punched him, so Liu Yuhai shouted: “All right, ah, I will stop.”

Xiao Ye also persuaded her, “Did you forget? He has a cheap mouth. Doesn’t know what to say ah.”

Zhang Wenhui sat back, Liu Yuhai glanced at her, turned around and started talking to Xiao Ye.

The barbecue was soon delivered, and the atmosphere in the house became even hotter.

“Where’s the wine, it’s should have frozen by now.”

Sun Yuhe stood up and headed for the kitchen, “I’ll go check.”

Going to the fridge to get the wine, he just happened to run into Xu Hui who had finished using the toilet.

“What’s up?”

“Getting the wine, the barbecue has arrived.”

“Oh.”

Sun Yuhe opened the upper level of the refrigerator, took a few bottles of wine out, and asked in a low voice, “Did you went to the hospital yesterday?”

Xu Hui frowned inadvertently, Sun Yuhe quickly changed the subject and said, “I went outside to see what they were howling there again.”

Sun Yuhe said while seeing Xu Hui’s eyes fall on the open refrigerator door. He followed his line of sight and saw a glass jar wrapped in a white hand towel.

“What’s this?” He reached for it and Xu Hui said from behind, “Hold it carefully, don’t drop it.”

“Lemon?” Sun Yuhe couldn’t help but frown, “You really like sour things.”

Xu Hui did not deny it.

After a few seconds, he suddenly smiled and added.

“Ah He*, I met a person who was born on the same day as me.”


[T/N: Calling someone affectionately]