“Your husband was holding my fiancée’s hand!” Chi Cheng said to Xun Xun word by word, his tone seeking confirmation.
“Huh? Oh. No… ah!” Xun Xun was flustered, at a loss for words.
Chi Cheng wasn’t affected by her distress at all. He gently pushed her aside, gave a cold laugh, and was about to walk into the restaurant. Without thinking, Xun Xun held him back. “Wait, wait! Don’t be hasty…”
“What!”
“First tell me what you’re planning to do!” Xun Xun pointed inside nervously.
Chi Cheng answered as if it was the most natural thing in the world, “Go in and beat up your husband, and break that restless hand of his…” His tone was nonchalant, his face full of youthful arrogance.
Xun Xun’s hand trembled slightly. He noticed it and looked down at her, adding knowingly: “Don’t worry, I’ll give you a couple of slaps too. Women love slapping people, I know that.”
“Don’t be rash, don’t be rash!” Xun Xun pulled him forcefully in the opposite direction. Chi Cheng backed up a few steps with her.
“Why are you stopping me?” he asked reluctantly.
“Ah, young people are so hot-blooded! Can’t we think this through?” Xun Xun tried every trick to coax him, “Going in now won’t help anything, and it’ll just be awkward. Let’s find a place to discuss this slowly.” She stood on tiptoe looking around and was delighted to spot a KFC nearby. She continued dragging him, struggling to walk in that direction.
“Where are we going? Tsk, I don’t understand you…” Though Chi Cheng was being pulled along and still resistant, he didn’t stubbornly fight against her.
Pushing open the KFC door, Xun Xun was already covered in sweat. She forced Chi Cheng into an empty chair and said breathlessly, “Don’t be angry first, let me treat you to a drink to cool down.”
Chi Cheng let out a cold snort through his nose, clearly unimpressed.
Seeing he wasn’t appreciative, Xun Xun was at a loss and said dejectedly, “Then what do you want?”
“A blueberry sundae!” he said decisively.
“Ah, oh!” Xun Xun resigned herself to queuing, afraid he might reignite his anger during this interval. She repeatedly instructed him to stay put and wait, frequently looking back while ordering. Fortunately, he retained some rationality, remaining in his seat with a gloomy face until Xun Xun returned with the blueberry sundae.
“Here you go.” Xun Xun sat opposite Chi Cheng. He turned his face towards her, looking sarcastic: “You’re such a noble good wife! If this were ancient times, you’d probably actively help your husband take a bunch of concubines!”
Xun Xun felt both angry and amused, but thinking about the sad truth behind the joke, her heart darkened again. She sighed, “It’s normal to be angry at a time like this, but violence won’t solve anything.”
“It’s because you’re so tolerant that others can push you around however they want. I won’t swallow my anger like you!” His fiancé’s anger seemed to ignite in him again. He slammed the blueberry sundae on the table and stood up abruptly.
“Why are you angry again?” Xun Xun grabbed his hand and held him back once more. He looked impatient but, conscious of onlookers, refrained from making a scene. Unable to break free, he followed her pull and sat beside her. Xun Xun felt this was inappropriate and released his hand, shifting further inside. But at this point, as long as he wasn’t going back to confront the people in the restaurant, she didn’t want to provoke him further.
“What exactly did you see outside earlier?” Chi Cheng stirred the ice cream in his cup and asked in a muffled voice. Xun Xun said, “Actually, it wasn’t much, they seemed to be arguing intensely.”
“Did your husband grab Jia Quan’s hand first?” Xun Xun couldn’t say anything good about that. The fact was as he had seen it – she couldn’t falsely claim that someone else’s fiancée had actively placed her hand in Xie Ping Ning’s palm.
“Like this?” Chi Cheng imitated Xie Ping Ning’s gesture by placing his hand over Xun Xun’s and gripping it.
Xun Xun immediately withdrew her hand.
“Not like that?” He frowned in confusion and, before she could react, turned her face and quickly pecked her lips. “Perhaps like this?”
Xun Xun hurriedly pushed him away. Now she was truly angry, her face as red as a ripe tomato. No matter how young and careless one might be, this behavior was too much – he was simply finding ways to take advantage of her!
“You…” Chi Cheng’s reaction was even bigger than hers. He slammed the table hard, “Xie Ping Ning dared to do that? This is outrageous!” Xun Xun was startled by the sound of him hitting the table. He acted as if nothing had happened, completely oblivious to his inappropriate behavior, once again transforming into a victim and moral judge.
“Stop! What were you just doing? I’m warning you, if you have something to say, say it, but keep your hands to yourself!” Faced with his righteous indignation, Xun Xun’s warning immediately lost half its force.
Chi Cheng paused, looking innocent. “What?” Before Xun Xun could lose her temper, he suddenly seemed to realize and said “Oh!” “You mean I’m not allowed to do ‘this’!” He looked like he was about to repeat his previous action. Xun Xun was about to go crazy – this person was completely unreasonable. She wanted to storm off, but she was sitting against the wall with Chi Cheng on the other end.
“I told you not to get physical, don’t you have a mouth to speak with?” Xun Xun glared at him.
“Wasn’t I using my mouth?” Xun Xun bit her lower lip, tasting a faint sweetness – blueberry sundae! Perhaps she should write a suggestion letter to KFC, prohibiting the sale of blueberry sundaes to children; this taste was truly unsuitable for minors. She decided not to continue conversing with him and pushed him to force her way out of the seat.
“I’ll apologize, okay? Don’t be angry!” Chi Cheng lowered his stance and spoke seriously, but Xun Xun saw a flash of amusement in his eyes. She became wary. “Do you act this way with everyone?”
Xun Xun coldly looked at Chi Cheng. Chi Cheng smiled, “Of course not, I’m not a flirt.” Why are you treating me this way then? Xun Xun hesitated, but before she could ask, he had already provided the answer. “I like you. From the first moment, I saw you.” Chi Cheng said straightforwardly. What kind of nonsense was this? Xun Xun took a deep breath, “I’m married, you have a fiancée, and your fiancée is my husband’s aunt, which makes you our future uncle-in-law. Even though there’s some ambiguity between your fiancée and my husband, she’s still your fiancée, my husband is still my husband, the aunt is still the aunt, and the uncle-in-law is still the uncle-in-law!” After she finished speaking, she felt things had become even more complicated.
Chi Cheng smiled even more brightly. “See, you’re still being hot-blooded. I haven’t finished what I was saying. I like you because you have a quality that reminds me of my mother.” Xun Xun felt both embarrassed and annoyed, almost following Professor Zeng’s example, using her last breath to give Chi Cheng a shove. Chi Cheng wasn’t prepared and stumbled to one side, taking several steps to steady himself. Xun Xun seized the opportunity to escape from the trapped seat position and fled through the door.
Walking on the sun-brightened street, she suddenly asked herself what was going on. The problem troubling her should have been the relationship between Xie Ping Ning and Shao Jia Quan, but somehow it had turned into an ambiguous falling out between her and Chi Cheng, while the real trouble remained completely unresolved. She was heading toward the restaurant, but what would she do when she got there? Should she burst in and beat them up as Chi Cheng suggested? Besides venting her anger, what consequences would that bring her?
Xun Xun calmed down. She stopped about a hundred meters from Jin Yi Xuan, slowly took out her phone, and called Xie Ping Ning.
“Hello, Ping Ning? Didn’t you text me to come to Jin Yi Xuan? I’m in the area, but I can’t find where Jin Yi Xuan is.”
Xun Xun browsed in a nearby craft shop for a while until Xie Ping Ning notified her that the car had arrived. She went out and found the familiar car, with someone already sitting in the passenger seat – it was Shao Jia Quan with slightly reddened eyes.
Xun Xun sat in the back seat, and Shao Jia Quan greeted her familiarly. Xie Ping Ning voluntarily explained, “Mom asked us to go home for dinner today and told Jia Quan to come too. I was handling some business nearby and picked her up, so I asked you to meet us at Jin Yi Xuan.” Seeing that Xun Xun didn’t respond, he asked another question: “Did you just arrive?”
“Yes, almost couldn’t find the place.” Xun Xun said, looking out the car window.
“You…” Xie Ping Ning’s voice became considerably lighter, “I never know what’s going on in your head.”
Xun Xun smiled, lowered her head to play with her fingers, and said nothing more.
Seeing the car suddenly fall silent, Shao Jia Quan started discussing a recently released movie with Xie Ping Ning. He mocked her perspective as too extreme, while she implied he hadn’t understood it. They went back and forth, neither giving ground, arguing with evident enjoyment.
Xun Xun had seen that movie too, alone at the theater, and had even posted a personal review on Douban afterward. But since marriage, Xie Ping Ning had never shown the slightest interest in such things, so she hadn’t bothered bringing them up to trouble him. Now she couldn’t help feeling a bit melancholic.
At her in-laws’ home, when Xun Xun’s mother-in-law saw Shao Jia Quan arrive alone with her son and daughter-in-law, she asked, “Where’s Chi Cheng?”
Hearing this name, Xun Xun’s hands slowed as she was setting out bowls and chopsticks.
Shao Jia Quan said, “He went to see a play by himself today.”
“A play?” Xun Xun’s mother-in-law was surprised. “Young people enjoy watching those?”
Shao Jia Quan smiled, “I’m not sure either. I called him before coming, and he said he was at an exciting party, so he couldn’t come. He asked me to send his regards to you both.”
If this excuse came from Chi Cheng, he was quite good at making things up. Xun Xun thought she had just watched her play, though after it ended, everyone kept their thoughts to themselves.
After dinner, Xun Xun helped her mother-in-law clean up in the kitchen. Shao Jia Quan wanted to help too, but Mother Xie could tell she wasn’t good at housework and sent her to watch TV instead. She and Xie Ping Ning sat at opposite ends of the sofa with Father Xie between them, both intently watching the News Broadcast, their thoughts unknown.
“Mom, you should go sit too,” Xun Xun said to her mother-in-law. Mother Xie replied, “I’m used to this. But you, among young people, it’s rare to find someone as diligent and sensible as you.”
Her mother-in-law’s tone was gentle and approving, making Xun Xun smile sheepishly.
“Not at all.”
“I know that even at home, there are endless things to do, having to worry about everything inside and out. I heard you’ve been accompanying Jia Quan since she came back, and today you spent half the day shopping with her?”
Xun Xun froze, then understood this must be the version Xie Ping Ning had presented to his mother. He was skilled at using resources – having a confused and tolerant wife not only allowed him to act as he pleased but also provided a shield of protection.
She looked toward the living room, and whether by coincidence or other reasons, Xie Ping Ning’s gaze also turned toward the kitchen.
Seeing Xun Xun’s silence, Mother Xie took it as modesty and sighed softly, “You’re a good child. Having you is Ping Ning’s blessing.”
Her mother-in-law’s words stirred indescribable feelings in Xun Xun. She couldn’t bring herself to say it, but whether it was fortune or misfortune, only those involved truly understood. Even mothers, as close as they were, were merely watching from the sidelines.
After sitting a while longer and having fruit, Xie Ping Ning suggested they should head home. Mother Xie insisted on having Shao Jia Quan stay to watch TV with her, letting her son and daughter-in-law leave first. Xie Ping Ning and Xun Xun said goodbye, and before leaving, the elderly couple saw them at the door, reminding them to drive carefully. As the door closed, Xun Xun looked back to see Shao Jia Quan sitting alone on the sofa, her expression indifferent.
On the road, the radio fittingly played a listless song, which Xun Xun hummed along to quietly.
“…Who can turn off the moon’s power supply in the sky, it illuminates our silence too clearly, about love, we understand too little… Huh? Why did it stop?”
Xie Ping Ning turned off the radio, saying, “It’s giving me a headache.”
“Does it still hurt when you’re not listening?” He didn’t respond to Xun Xun’s question, but after a while, he turned the radio back on.
“What do you think of Chi Cheng?” Xie Ping Ning asked out of nowhere.
“Ah? Um…” Xun Xun’s first reaction was somewhat guilty. She hadn’t even questioned him yet, was he preemptively setting her up? But how had he sensed something was amiss?
“He seems alright, I guess.” She said vaguely. Xie Ping Ning continued, “You think he’s not bad?” Xun Xun’s heart jumped to her throat. She was annoyed with herself – she hadn’t done anything wrong – and even more annoyed with Chi Cheng for causing unnecessary trouble.
Before discerning Xie Ping Ning’s intentions, she could only answer cautiously: “Hard to say, I haven’t met him many times, don’t really know him.”
“Do women find him attractive?” Xie Ping Ning asked dismissively. Xun Xun said, “Not necessarily, his looks are just average.”
She regretted these words immediately – such obvious lies were easily seen through and might suggest she had something to hide. Chi Cheng was quite handsome, but whether he was attractive was subjective. That would have been the ideal answer. However, Xie Ping Ning wasn’t focused on these details. He smiled self-mockingly, “Never mind, I was just asking. People have different opinions.”
So his concern had nothing to do with what Xun Xun had worried about. She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or more sorrowful. The only reason for Xie Ping Ning to ask these questions unless he had homosexual tendencies, was that he was trying to gauge Shao Jia Quan’s feelings from his wife’s perspective as a woman.
Could there be a more tragic wife in the world? The answer was: Yes!
Because the Zhao Xun Xun of the next minute would be even more tragic than she was now.
“Tomorrow is Jia Quan’s birthday. She’s here by herself, shouldn’t we do something for her? It’s too restrictive with the elderly around. What do you think would be a good way to celebrate?”
Xie Ping Ning focused on driving, focused on what he was focused on, and at this moment, he naturally had no time to look at his usually gentle and quiet wife. For a man whose body was present but whose heart was distant, too many trivial matters were far more important than what the woman beside him was thinking. So he wouldn’t notice that for an instant, Zhao Xun Xun’s gaze toward him, after hitting rock bottom, held an inexplicable mockery.
After one song ended, Xie Ping Ning still hadn’t received Xun Xun’s reasonable suggestion. He initially thought she was thinking, but later realized she was lost in thought.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Xun Xun said. “I just suddenly remembered a joke I heard long ago.”
“Oh?” Xie Ping Ning wasn’t particularly interested. “Should I tell it to you?” He was noncommittal about Xun Xun’s unexpected enthusiasm.
Xun Xun continued on her own: “One day, a bear and a rabbit were defecating together in the forest. Midway through, the bear asked the rabbit: ‘Do you mind getting feces on your fur?’ The rabbit thought about it and said no. So the bear used the rabbit to wipe his bottom.”
Xie Ping Ning waited a moment, and after confirming the joke was finished, he shrugged and said: “I don’t find it funny, just a bit disgusting.”
Xun Xun slowly nodded beside him: “Yes, it is disgusting. I think so too.”