Though Fang Cheng Ran had sent Yang Wei home several times before, this was his first time inside.
Her living room was decorated very simply, but the warm colours of the sofa and curtains combined to give a cozy feeling to anyone who entered. He helped Yang Wei to the sofa and arranged a pillow behind her back. "Do you have a hot water bottle? The clerk told me just now that a hot compress will relieve pain."
Yang Wei pointed to the TV cabinet. "The hot water bottle should be in there."
"Hang on just a second." Fang Cheng Ran first filled the hot water bottle from the water dispenser in the living room, then plugged it in. On the TV cabinet, two photo frames lay facedown. Fang Cheng Ran peered underneath, then laughed and put them back.
Yang Wei leaned against the sofa with her eyes closed, her brow creased. She seemed to be in great pain. Fang Cheng Ran patted her face very lightly and picked her up. Waking up suddenly, Yang Wei asked, "What are you doing?"
Fang Cheng Ran chuckled, "What do you think I"m doing? I"m putting you to bed."
Seeing her wide-eyed look, he sighed helplessly. "I mean, you"re going to bed by yourself."
Yang Wei licked her lips awkwardly. "I have to change first."
Fang Cheng Ran smiled, laid her down in the bedroom and retreated. "I"ll hang out here for a bit. When you"re done, I"ll help you with the medicine and hot water bottle."
He closed the door. Yang Wei touched her hot cheeks before picking up her pajamas and sanitary napkin, taking them into the bathroom. As if he had some internal alarm, Fang Cheng Ran knocked on the door to her bedroom just as she exited. "Are you ready?"
"Yes!"
Yang Wei opened the door for him. Fang Cheng Ran ran his gaze over her striped pajamas and smiled, handing her a cup and pills. "First take your medicine."
She did so. Then he handed her the hot water bottle, saying, "Now go sleep."
Taking the bottle, Yang Wei glanced at him. "What about you?"
Fang Cheng Ran"s lips slowly bent into a smile. In her ear, he said, "If you need me, I could provide escort and sleeping services."
"...Thanks, but no." Nestling into her quilt, Yang Wei raised her eyes to meet those of the man standing at the door. "If you have something important to do, don"t let me keep you. I"ll be fine."
Leaning on the door frame, Fang Cheng Ran bantered, "Don"t worry, I won"t scheme against you."
Yang Wei"s eyelids slowly drifted closed. A little smile hovering about the corners of his mouth, Fang Cheng Ran turned toward the living room, but a glimpse of the wedding photo on the wall halted him in his tracks.
It is said that a woman wearing a wedding dress is at her most beautiful. At the sight of Yang Wei in her white dress, Fang Cheng Ran"s heart skipped a beat. There was only one fly in the ointment - the smile on her lovely face was not for him.
His brow furrowed, he looked toward the man beside her, who had been scribbled on beyond recognition. To himself, he admitted his own inner jealousy. The only good feelings he had toward this man was that the fool had chosen to divorce Yang Wei, thus granting he himself a chance.
Right next to the wedding photo hung a poster of Mo Zhen. Film Emperor Mo had some reputation overseas, so much so that even Fang Cheng Ran, who had only just returned to China, was able to recognize him. Raising a brow, he found himself empathizing with Yang Wei"s ex-husband a little. At the very least, the man hadn"t been generous enough to tolerate his wife tacking up posters of another in their bedroom.
In her sleep, Yang Wei shifted, and the quilt laid over her rustled. Fang Cheng Ran looked down in her direction. Her eyebrows were furrowed; her eyelashes trembled uneasily, as if her sleep was uneasy. Taking her in, his lips parted suddenly.
He wanted to kiss her.
The idea was like a seed taking root in Fang Cheng Ran"s heart in an instant, blooming into a charming little flower.
Just one little kiss couldn"t be considered a scheme. Thinking so, Fang Cheng Ran slowly leant down, as if it was his first kiss, his breath caught in his mouth. Closer and closer he got to Yang Wei, and soon they were about to touch.
"What the h.e.l.l are you doing?"
An icy voice filled with repressed anger doused Fang Cheng Ran"s beautiful fantasy, like a bucket of cold water falling from the sky.
Fang Cheng Ran looked over his shoulder to see a slender man standing at the door, eyes shining coldly without a trace of warmth. Though he was stunned for a moment, Fang Cheng Ran immediately stood back up, a smile on his face. "Shouldn"t I be asking you that? You might not be aware, but breaking into private property is illegal."
Qi Xiao Yan spread a hand and a cl.u.s.ter of keys fell from it with the clattering sound of metal on metal. "This is my home. I don"t see a problem with that."
Fang Cheng Ran had recognized Qi Xiao Yan at first sight, but only in this moment did he pull a sneer over the corners of his mouth. "So you"re Yang Wei"s ex-husband? Shouldn"t you leave her the keys now that you"ve divorced?"
"None of your business." Qi Xiao Yan took two steps forward. He rather thought that this must be the owner of the Maserati downstairs. "You haven"t answered me yet. What the h.e.l.l were you doing just now? Don"t you know that molesting women is also against the law?"
It seemed that she had registered Qi Xiao Yan"s voice, for Yang Wei opened her eyes, confused. In a small voice she called out, "Curly..."
Qi Xiao Yan"s brow arched and he quickly walked over. "Darling, what"s wrong?"
Likely due to the drugs she had taken, Yang Wei was dizzy and confused. The outline of Qi Xiao Yan was unclear to her, and as she gazed up at him, her eyes bleary and drooping, she suddenly felt wronged. "Curly-bae, my stomach hurts..."
Qi Xiao Yan"s hand slipped naturally into the quilt and gently rested over her abdomen. "Here?"
"Mmmhmm..."
He rubbed gently on her abdomen, his palm warm. Yang Wei"s eyes fell closed in comfort.
"Have you taken your medicine?"
Yang Wei nodded. "Mmhmm."
"Sleep, you won"t feel pain then." Qi Xiao Yan gently kissed her between her eyebrows, his voice as gentle as if addressing a young child still in kindergarten. "Close your eyes and sleep well, okay?"
"Okay." Yang Wei sighed and closed her eyes, drifting off. Qi Xiao Yan waited for her breathing to level off before getting up and leaving the bedroom. Fang Cheng Ran followed behind him, any trace of a smile gone. "Mr. Qi, you should know that you now no longer have anything to do with Yang Wei."
The other man smiled, looking at him, and asked, "And what about you? What is your relationship with Yang Wei?"
"I was once Yang Wei"s elementary school cla.s.smate. Now I am her suitor. And in the future, I will likely be her husband."
Qi Xiao Yan curled a corner of his mouth up in a sneer. "A bold a.s.sumption, but impossible for you to prove."
In that moment, Fang Cheng Ran caught a glimpse of the reason why Yang Wei had divorced this man. But how could he, a writer, admit defeat to a math professor? He held Qi Xiao Yan"s gaze, and a faint smile crept into his eyes. "Time will prove everything."
Qi Xiao Yan"s smile was still cold as ice, but his tone turned extraordinarily serious. "Well spoken - time will prove it. But you should know that I agreed to divorce Yang Wei not because I no longer love her, but because I still love her very much."
Fang Cheng Ran"s gaze, too, began to chill. "And your point?"
"Perhaps you"ve heard of the term "remarriage"."
Fang Cheng Ran snorted without giving a comment. The two men stood face to face in the living room for a long time, neither willing to leave first.
At last, Fang Cheng Ran couldn"t help but say, "Aren"t you going to leave? Shouldn"t a university professor be very busy?"
Expressionless, Qi Xiao Yan glanced his way and replied, "I can"t leave you alone with Yang Wei."
Fang Cheng Ran c.o.c.ked his head sarcastically. "You know, Mr. Qi, I once saw you having a meal with a celebrity."
Unmoved, the other replied, "Did you at least get a photo? Without one, the tabloids might not pay you."
Smiling, Fang Cheng Ran told him, "You know what I"m talking about. But rest a.s.sured, I didn"t say anything to Yang Wei. Your affairs aren"t worth her time and worry."
"There"s nothing to be taken from an ordinary meal."
At the fall of those words, the living room returned to silence. After a while, Qi Xiao Yan"s phone. He strode to the window and accepted the call. "Auntie? Yes, I know, I"m on my way to the airport."
Fang Cheng Ran, who had p.r.i.c.ked up his ears and shamelessly eavesdropped, was utterly relieved, though his face didn"t give it away. When Qi Xiao Yan turned to look at him, he smiled back.
"If you don"t leave, I"ll call the police."
Fang Cheng Ran: "..."
It had been a long time since he had met such a shameless person.