"Why don"t you stay?" Song Sheng asked.
Qian Meigui"s lips parted open slightly. How can he say something like that so calm and resolute?
"All right," she finally answered, "I"ll be back." Qian Meigui went to the kitchen where she washed Song Sheng"s dishes.
She returned to tidy his room, after spending most of the morning tending to him. She returned to her bedroom and changed into a new pair of clothing, knowing that they were going to stay at home all day.
The twins have spent their day at school and would often return home late after studying. They refused to study in Song Rui"s library, knowing they would miss their parents.
She wore a pair of satin pink collared s.h.i.+rt and shorts with slippers. Qian Meigui entered the room with a few snacks, where Song Sheng switched on the television to watch a film.
Qian Meigui awkwardly approached the bed, placing the bowl of snacks in between them, and swiftly moved over the covers.
She glanced over at Song Sheng who stared at the television, calm and composed while holding the remote control. She envied his composure, but she was still practicing herself. She stared at Song Sheng, trying to study his expressions.
Song Sheng was still feverish, but judging by his posture, it seemed that he held back what he was feeling. And she wondered why he always did that, especially around her, he never expressed his true feelings.
"Why are you staring so hard?" he asked, concerned, without glancing an eye at her.
After a few moments, there was no answer. Song Sheng turned to face her. Qian Meigui"s eyebrows furrowed as if she were concentrating and her cheeks puffed in determination.
Song Sheng chuckled and flicked her forehead. Qian Meigui pouted, "That hurt, stupid," she said as she rubbed her forehead.
"You"re the stupid one," Song Sheng answered with a bright smile. His teeth gleamed, his eyes softened, and his one-sided dimple revealed. It felt like decades since she had last seen his genuine smile. It was playful yet warm. She looked at him, entranced, momentarily before she turned to face the television.
"You haven"t answered my question," he pried.
"And you don"t need an answer," she retorted.
"Why not?" he asked playfully.
Qian Meigui"s eyes shot at him, "How do you do it?" she asked, out of the blue.
Song Sheng frowned, "Do what?"
"Pretend as if you don"t feel any pain."
Song Sheng"s eyes focused on her. Even while sitting, he was a head taller than her. Qian Meigui gazed back at him, calm and unwavering. Song Sheng reached out to ruffle her hair into a messy fas.h.i.+on, avoiding the question. Qian Meigui glared at him, but the air felt a bit stiff.
To lighten the mood, Qian Meigui s.h.i.+fted closer to him, crossed her legs over the covers and dipped her fingers through the bowl of snacks.
There were chocolates, cookies, and wrapped pastries. Qian Meigui took a piece of chocolate and handed one to Song Sheng. He took it from her hand, unwrapped the piece of candy and ate it.
"I have work tomorrow," he said over the sound of the film and the crunching of his food.
"Oh?" Qian Meigui answered, not knowing how else to respond.
"Mhm," he began. "I will be on set all day tomorrow, but you can visit me after. We can after go to my apartment to continue our research."
"Sounds good," Qian Meigui dismissed casually. She thought for a moment before asking, "How is work?"
"Busy," he said, "But productions and investments are going steady."
"You never told me why you left?" Qian Meigui mentioned curiously. She only knew that he wanted to change careers; thus, Song Sheng joined the Entertainment Industry.
"I want to establish myself in Entertainment. Though I was good at science, I needed to pursue something I enjoy. Same as you, realizing now, that you are going to be a lawyer."
"I see," Qian Meigui said. "But I have to complete more school."
"As you should, Xiao Mei, if that"s what lead you to this point. You will be good at it."
Qian Meigui smiled. The air between them softened into a great mood. Although they have shared a kiss in the apartment, they both had to forget what could have happened. It was for the best.
Near the end of the film, Qian Meigui and Song Sheng ate, exchanged jokes and smiles, and spent the rest of the afternoon together. Their relations.h.i.+p was finally going back to normal, as it should.
Unconsciously, Qian Meigui drifted asleep. Song Sheng heard the sound of deep breathing. She sprawled next to him; her wavy hair spread around her. She slept beautifully, and he found it a pity that she would never see it for herself.
Qian Meigui flipped over, facing her back against him. She buried herself within the covers and sighed deeply in satisfaction. Song Sheng propped an elbow and gazed at her.
Her hair was long enough to reach him. He picked up a strand and twirled it around his finger, playing the soft thickness of her hair. He reached out to stroke it gently, not harsh enough to wake her.
His fingers moved from her mid-back upward to the nape of her neck. In his fevered daze, he reached out to embrace her tightly from behind and fell into the same rhythmic pattern of sleeping with her.