Chapter 12.2 — The Peach Is Ripe
Sometimes, Shen Xi did understand that Chen Han did not like her. However, she felt that this type of dislike was because everyone has her own type of bearing and personality. For the problem where people’s presence and bearing are incompatible, there really is no one who is right or wrong. That was why, even if her interactions with Chen Han before had not been pleasant, she had not thought it was a big deal. And if possible, she even hoped to change that relationship. All along, she had actually admired how Chen Han did things with seriousness and hard work.
But now, what still did she have to admire about Chen Han? Regardless of how hard Chen Han worked or how serious she took things, shouldn’t admiration be premised on good moral character?
Today, Chen Han had pulled a “two-face” on her. She discovered that she was not only sad about it, even more so, she was furious.
……
Shen Xi pushed open the door and walked out. The bathroom was not big, and she and Chen Yan were nearly looking right at each other.
Shock covered Chen Han’s face, which turned crimson for a moment before draining of colour. Tugging up the corner of her lip, she wanted to smile at Shen Xi but discovered in the end that she was not able to squeeze out even a little smile. Finally, she threw an indifferent glance at Shen Xi and greeted, “What a coincidence, Shen Xi.”
Chen Han had returned to her usual calm, in-control self. In contrast, the face of the girl standing beside her was bright red, and she was tugging on the corner of Chen Han’s clothes, not knowing how to handle this.
Standing tall and straight, Shen Xi merely brushed a cold look over Chen Han. She was already at the point where she did not want to say a word to her. Bringing her gaze to the girl beside Chen Han, she asked, “Do you know where Teacher Li’s office is?”
Because of a guilty conscience, the girl was acting extremely ill at ease. It was obvious her mental strength was not as tough as Chen Han’s. When she was stammeringly about to give the location of Teacher Li’s office, Chen Han grabbed ahold of her.
Shen Xi swept her gaze over to Chen Han. “What? You don’t dare let her say it?”
All semblance of any sort of friendliness on Chen Han’s face was gone as she emphasized a fact. “Shen Xi, don’t forget I’m the one who found you this job. I have the right to decide whether you go or stay!”
“That’s right. Of course I know that this job was granted from your kindness.” Her eyes fixed on Chen Han, Shen Xi tried as best as she could to not lose when it came to the inner quality of being well-bred, as well as pride. Even if she had to grit her teeth until they shattered, she would still swallow all of that feeling of being wronged. She was the one who had trusted the wrong person; she brought it on to herself. She had no right to feel wronged.
She added, “That’s why I have to head over to Teacher Li’s to express my gratitude about you, to thank you for giving me two days’ worth of a part-time job, right?”
Her face stony, Chen Han did not speak.
“All right, then. It’s fine if you guys won’t tell me; I’ll just look for it myself.” Saying this, Shen Xi strode straight past Chen Han.
Chen Han still stood where she was, not fearing anything. The one who was scared was the other girl. Shen Xi had only just stepped out of the bathroom when she came chasing out after her. “Please, I’m begging you. Don’t go to Teacher Li. I’ll tell my cousin not to come tomorrow. Is that not good enough?”
What? Was this some sort of cheap, yet noble compromise?! Shen Xi did not respond with even a word, heading directly up the staircase in the corner. Behind her, the girl anxiously asked Chen Han, “Han, what are we going to do?”
Chen Han still remained silent.
Shen Xi did not go to find Teacher Li. She wanted to go back to the dance instruction studio to say goodbye to the children, but it was long since without anyone in there. With frustrated regrets, she sat inside in the middle of the floor. The floor-length mirrors surrounding her all displayed her wretched and aggravated state. She thought, she sure did lose a lot of face today. And she had just told the students that she would be teaching them for a month. She had even choreographed a dance for them. Alas, she had only taught them the beginning and now she had to leave. Would they think she was someone who really did not keep her word?
Shen Xi’s heart felt afflicted. Brushing away the tears that had cropped up at the corner of her eyes, she told herself, there was nothing worth crying about.
It was just that, at the moment, she was unable to pull her chin up to go back to the apartment, and even more so was unable to put on a happy face and pretend that nothing had happened. She could only do what she was doing now and quietly find a place to sit down. Maybe once she calmed her emotions, she would be fine.
Some things were like what Shen Jian Guo had once taught: “At least this thing is not your fault. So, if you didn’t do anything wrong, you don’t need to be sad.”
Shen Xi’s head was bowed. The problem was, she couldn’t figure out if she could be considered to have done something wrong!
When Shen Xi received He Zhi Zhou’s phone call, she had almost gathered herself again. She just was unable to muster up any spirits. Inside the phone, He Zhi Zhou still thought she was going to eat with Chen Han and was asking her the address of the restaurant.
Shen Xi felt she had lost all face to speak. Her voice was light and weak. “Um… I don’t need to eat with her anymore.”
There were a few seconds of silence from He Zhi Zhou. With a tone of voice that indicated he already understood, he inquired directly, “Are you still at that dance training institution?”
Shen Xi: “… Mm-hmm.”
He Zhi Zhou: “I’m nearby already. Come over to the entrance.”
When Shen Xi stepped out of the dance studio, someone called to her. Turning her head and watching as that person came toward her, she was roughly able to guess who this was. The bearing and manner of people who dance are always, to some extent, different from the average person.
Shen Xi: “Hello, Teacher Li.”
Teacher Li walked over with a bag. “I heard you’re not coming tomorrow.”
Shen Xi lowered her head. She had not expected that Chen Han would have already informed Teacher Li. Finding an arbitrary excuse, she said, “It feels a little far from where I live…”
There was regret on Teacher Li’s face, but she did not say much and only left Shen Xi a business card.
“Thank you, Teacher Li.” Shen Xi took the card from her. Giving a wave to her, she headed down the stairs with quick steps. With each stair step, those emotions that had seemed repressed were now gradually all released. At least she would not feel sad that it was because she was not skilled enough.
He Zhi Zhou had not arrived yet.
A little ways away from the main entrance of Star Dance Training School was a bus stop. Shen Xi sat there and waited for He Zhi Zhou. While she was waiting, she texted Teacher Li, asking Teacher Li to apologize to the children for her.
When she finished sending off the text message, Shen Xi finally sighed. Putting her mobile phone back into her bag, she lifted her head to see Chen Han and her new friend heading in her direction.
Chen Han had had one more class than her this afternoon, and it should have ended at about this time. Shen Xi twisted her head away, not even wanting to waste one extra glance on her.
Chen Han did not walk to the bus stop and rather, stood waiting at the door of the school. At the same time, she pulled out her mobile phone and dialed a number. Her tone carried a trace of displeased complaining. “Why aren’t you here yet?”
Approximately two minutes later, a white Toyota drove along the main road and came to showily to a stop in front of the main entrance.
Chen Han snuck a glimpse at Shen Xi, who was still at the bus stop, a feeling of satisfaction in her heart. The man inside the car had wooed her for a full two months. He was not from here. He did sales in S City and had a small business. His annual income was far higher than those white-collar workers in the city. However, she was still a little dissatisfied that he was not a local and also dissatisfied with his academic qualifications and work.
But at this moment, she felt so darn good. At least she had a man who would come immediately at her bidding. She had always felt that Shen Xi and Xia Wei Ye both lived their lives with a sense of superiority. What was this “sense of superiority”? Simply that they had something, and she did not.
Shen Xi really did not have that type of boyfriend who drove a car and would come whenever she called. Her boyfriend rode a bicycle, had good looks, and had calm, reserved eyes that seemed as if they could talk. He was an outstanding student. He was S University’s He Zhi Zhou.
Shen Xi held her head in place. No matter how curious she was in her heart, she would not let herself take even a glimpse in Chen Han’s direction. She stayed this way until a familiar male voice drifted over her head. “Shen Xi, do you have a crick in your neck?”
Shen Xi turned her head. He Zhi Zhou, straddling his bicycle, was already stopped in front of her. Just a moment ago, he had ridden over from the one-way street on the left. He was still dressed in the clothes he had worn to work, that dark patterned shirt that she had bought for him. An indescribable refined elegance exuded from its simplicity.
While the Toyota not far away was still backing up, she had already sat onto the back rack of He Zhi Zhou’s bicycle and ridden out of Chen Han’s sight.
Shen Xi wrapped her arms around He Zhi Zhou’s waist. The up and down emotions of this afternoon finally could be confided with someone. Sitting on the bicycle’s back rack, she told He Zhi Zhou about the entire incident.
Still riding his bicycle, He Zhi Zhou stated, “You deserved it!”
Shen Xi felt that she deserved it as well, but still, she shamelessly argued with He Zhi Zhou for a bit. “He Zhi Zhou, just who exactly is your girlfriend?”
In front of her, He Zhi Zhou grinned. “Do we even need to talk about that? Don’t tell me I’m giving the wrong person a ride.”
She let herself mull over these words of He Zhi Zhou carefully. And then, she grew gleeful.
They were all heading toward the city centre, so naturally, they were taking the same road. Very soon, that white Toyota caught up to He Zhi Zhou’s bicycle. The person inside driving was a young man with a buzz cut, and when he passed them, he purposely honked his horn several times.
Frick! Shen Xi asked He Zhi Zhou, “Big Brother He, can you beat him in a fight?”
“What?” The question had only just left He Zhi Zhou’s lips before Shen Xi was already flipping her middle finger up at the man in the car. She looked down on him! She had seen cocky people driving a Ferrari; she had never seen someone so cocky when driving just a Toyota!
She said to He Zhi Zhou, “Big Brother He, let’s pass him!”
He Zhi Zhou: “……”
Blinking her eyes, Shen Xi looked down at the pedals beneath He Zhi Zhou’s feet. There did seem to be some difficulty in that. He Zhi Zhou suddenly did not speak. Suspecting that she had hurt his male ego with her brainless words just now, Shen Xi hastily added, “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘One would rather sit smiling on the back rack of a bicycle than crying inside a BMW.’” [The actual saying is the reverse: “I would rather sit crying inside a BMW than smiling on the back rack of a bicycle.”]
He Zhi Zhou truly had not heard such a saying before. What retard would say something like that? He told Shen Xi, “Remember his license plate.”
Catching on, Shen Xi hurriedly memorized the license plate number. A gentleman’s revenge is not too late, even if it’s ten years later! [bide your time and wait for the right opportunity for revenge]
Inside the Toyota up ahead, Chen Han sat in the front passenger seat. In the rearview mirror was the reflection of Shen Xi and He Zhi Zhou that was getting smaller and smaller. The exhilaration she had felt just a moment ago instantly sunk to the bottom of the deepest valley… In fact, it was not only Xia Wei Ye and Shen Xi who liked a man like He Zhi Zhou. She had seen He Zhi Zhou one time when he was smoking. As she drew closer to him, he had snapped that cigarette butt in half and tossed it into a garbage can, his motions fluid and all in one go. When she cast an extra glance at him, he had lifted his head. The look in his eyes had contained a different type of stillness and aloofness. It was only afterward that she learned that the man she saw that day was S University’s He Zhi Zhou. And it was also from that time onward that she had favourable opinions of men who smoked.
Speaking of smoking, He Zhi Zhou really had not had a cigarette in a long time. Without even being aware of it, he had gotten rid of his body’s smoking addiction. It seemed, after swapping back into his own body, he had not had much cravings for it. Before, he had been turned off by sweet tastes, but now, he could occasionally have a piece of dessert.
As for the reason for not smoking, he kept feeling that it was not good to smoke now that he had a girlfriend—not good at all. So now, even when he had to stay up late into the night, he would still only just make himself a cup of coffee and then be done with it.
Shen Xi earned a total of 250 yuan in her two days of part-time work, and she used it all to buy scratch-and-win lottery tickets. Surprisingly, she won 500 yuan from those. That night, with a heart of reverence, she put her 500 yuan beneath her pillow and then stared at the ceiling, sighing, “Big Brother He, you say, with such good luck that I have, in the future, will I be able to provide for myself by just buying scratch-and-win cards?”
He Zhi Zhou was lying on the bed, reading, and with his eyes still on the book, he retorted, “Those gamblers whose families were torn apart and lives destroyed to the point that, in the end, they even sold their wives all started out like what you are now.”
Hmph, hmph. He went even so far as talking about selling the wife! What was he trying to warn her about, huh? … Turning over, Shen Xi threw her arms around He Zhi Zhou and gave him a very suck-up type of smile. “I definitely wouldn’t be able to bear selling you.”
Pursing his lips, He Zhi Zhou gave Shen Xi’s head a little rub, then carried on reading his book. After reading a page, he would give her head a rub, then another page and another rub. Such a nice head that was easy and comfortable to use.
Shen Xi did not have to go to Star Dance Training School the next day to teach classes. Worried that she would be bored, before leaving the home, He Zhi Zhou told her, “If you’re bored, go out to stroll around and shop.”
But shopping needs money! If you don’t have money, that’s called roaming the streets! Shen Xi felt too sheepish to tell He Zhi Zhou she did not have much money left. Sitting in the little living room, cutting up paper for amusement, she did not even lift her head as she answered, “All right. I know how to arrange things for myself.”
He Zhi Zhou bent down to change his shoes, but after thinking about something for a moment, he straightened and said to her, “Little Xi.”
Huh? He was addressing her in such a nice way again?
Shen Xi turned her head toward him, not knowing what else He Zhi Zhou might want to say.
Looking at her, He Zhi Zhou stated, “There’s a bank card in the bedside table in the bedroom. Take it to use. The PIN is the same one as last time.”
Bank card? Shen Xi blinked. But, how could she remember what the PIN was? Last time, he had said it so casually. Who would deliberately make a point to remember it?!
He Zhi Zhou was already able to guess that she would not have remembered it, so he stated it again one more time now. He then asked “Have you memorized it now?”
Mocking already filled He Zhi Zhou’s eyes. Afraid that she would expose her degree of intelligence, Shen Xi hurriedly nodded. “… Memorized it.”
He Zhi Zhou gave an inward resigned sigh. From what he could see, she had not memorized it at all. And even if she did remember it now, she would forget it in just a little bit. There happened to be paper and a pen on top of the shoe cabinet at the front entrance. Picking up the pen, he wrote down a string of numbers that was the PIN, then gave a wave of his arm and suavely departed.
Shen Xi froze, staring at the door and blinking innocently. Did she have a sugar daddy? Or… did she have a sugar daddy?
Mini Side Story Bonus from Author:
This is the origin behind “the little hussy”:
Brawny had basically gone through all sorts of porn books [mao shu], porn videos [mao pian], and porn pictures [mao zhao], and had been given the title of “Three Mao.” However, what he read and looked at were basically male-oriented “mao” books and pictures, and the stories’ contents were mainly about how men hunted down and had their amorous adventures.
After reading too many of those male-oriented, “amorous” books, Brawny gradually switched over and began making his way through the female-oriented domain. After he had completely finished reading a “president” novel [stereotypical female-oriented novel where the male lead is a rich boss of some sort], he lifted his head and tossed out one sentence to Monkey, who was beside him: “Monkey, my little hussy, are you pleased with what you see?” [a cliché line from these “president” novels where the male lead, usually unclothed in some form or fashion, asks the female lead this]
Monkey: “Nutcase!”
Lin Yu Tang was outside hanging some clothes out to dry and asked Brawny to hand him some clothes hangers. Brawny: “Little hussy, beg me!”
Lin Yu Tang: “……”
He Zhi Zhou had just finished showering and now stepped out directly from the bathroom with his upper body bare. His physique was so good it got even a reaction from men. Brawny scuttled over to him. “Leader, please let Brawny be your little hussy.”
He Zhi Zhou flicked a glance at him. “What? A hussy pig?”
Author: *cough cough*
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