Milady's Fine Gentleman

His heart drummed against his chest as he completed his query inside his head, "Is it still me?"

"Hmmm.  Let me see."

Xue Jinx pulled back from his proximity, studied his anxious face and squinted her eyes.  She looked mischievous with her playful grin.  Her almond eyes sparkled as she retorted, "It"s a tie."

Chen Linyun"s visage s.h.i.+fted for a bit.  "I guess it couldn"t be helped." He bowed his head defeatedly but with acceptance.

Xue Jinxu continued.  "It"s still you… and…"

The lady grabbed her husband"s right hand and placed it on her tummy.  "This guy."

Chen Linyun sat up straight and looked up at his wife"s delighted countenance.  Her cheeks were of the rosy shade which he loved the most.  With his index and middle finger, he pinched her cheek gently, yet lovingly.  "You"re such a tease."

Xue Jinxu giggled.  The wife was happy with the outcome.

On her other side, however, the little brother was still in a daze.

Xue Guangxi sat there and stared at the white screen where the video had shown and had long ended.

Worriedly, Xue Jinxu rubbed her little bother"s shoulder and shook him up gently.  "Guangxi, dear, are you alright?"

"Is it really older bother?" He was still frozen in his seat as he fearfully asked.  This isn"t a good joke.

Before she could answer, Chen Linyun beat her to it, "It"s a work of technology.  Don"t worry much about it.  Come, the first game is starting.  You will be playing, right?  Your team members are here to fetch you."

"Really?  It"s that simple?" Xue Guangxi could not believe it, but if that"s the case perhaps he had gotten too excited over nothing.  A tiny, puny part of his heart had wished for his brother to be truly alive, but he knew it would be impossible.

And so, he shrugged it off just like that.

"Right.  It"s impossible." He stood up and stretched a bit while adding, "Watch me carefully, I will win this game."

Before he could leave, all three of them noticed someone with an outrageous hairstyle of purple highlights came running in their directions. 

It was Kang Sola.

She stopped in front of them, stooped as she panted heavily.  "I made it!  I made it!!"

"Sola, why are you in such a hurry?  I thought you would sleep in for a while longer?" Chen Linyun helplessly asked.

"Brother, I promised this brat that I would watch his game."

Chest erect, Xue Guangxi grinned proudly.  "Since you made it, Kang Sola, I"ll buy you some snacks you can munch while watching me win the game."

"Ohohoho.  You"re bragging already!  I will laugh as hard if you lose."

"I won"t lose.  Come on." He hooked one arm around Kang Sola"s nape and guided her away.  "I"ll buy something for you, too, Xu-Jie, brother-in-law."

"Alright."

Xue Jinxu turned to Chen Linyun.  "How"s Guangxi?"

Chen Linyun threw a questioning, puzzled look at his wife"s direction.  "Afraid I didn"t get your point."

"Guangxi seems to really like Kang Sola, your sister."

Chen Linyun felt awkward about this topic.  He felt as if he"s between two clas.h.i.+ng stones.  Perhaps his wife had an answer she wanted to hear?

"I haven"t thought about it yet…"   Chen Linyun gazed afar, heart heavy.  That was the truth anyway.  He had not had any experience of being an older brother because he was raised alone.  What should his stance be in this matter?

Xue Jinxu grabbed her husband"s arm and leaned on it.  "Take it easy."

"Have you talked to her yet about being biological siblings?"

"Not yet."

"Couldn"t find the perfect timing.  And I don"t know what to say.  I mean, how can I explain it to her when I don"t know it yet myself?  So problematic."

Xue Jinxu rubbed her cheek against his shoulder amorously. 

At this point, only the two of them were left at that particular gymnasium.  All the other employees already transferred to the other venue where the first tournament of basketball would take place to secure a good seat.  The first game was between yellow and green teams.

"I am so sure that you"ll find what you seek soon.  No matter what happens I"ll stand by you."

"I know.  I"m one such lucky man." He bowed and kissed her on her lips.  His hands cupped her rosy cheeks in place.

This moment would perhaps become one of the most cherished memory that they would keep for a long time.

As they pulled apart, Chen Linyun brought up another impending important family gathering.  "Tomorrow, we will be meeting everyone to disclose…" He gently placed his warm hand over Xue Jinxu"s tummy.  She hovered her hand on his.

"Are you ready?"

"I am.  I"m excited as well."

"I will be fetching Mother from the airport this afternoon."

"I"ll come with you."

"Okay."

Chen Linyun stood up and helped Xue Jinxu to her feet.  Hand intertwined, they left this empty gymnasium and headed to the other one where the tournament would be held.

As they reached it, they saw Kang Sola waving her hand.  She had already saved them seats at the best spot.  She also cradled in her arms some loot of snacks.  She offered churros to Xue Jinxu which she gratefully accepted. 

The match just started.

All three watched in glee.  Once in awhile Kang Sola stood up and cheered for the yellow team, and its captain.  Even if she didn"t play, she got sweaty, too, from all her cheering.  Every time Xue Guangxi pa.s.sed by their area, he would sneer teasingly at Kang Sola.  The girl would let out her tongue in response or make a face.  

In the end, the yellow team won with a score of seventy-one to sixty-five.  No one could ever tell how much the second young master"s head had blown up in front of Kang Sola and his family members.

"See?  What did I tell you?  I won"t lose!"

"You won because I cheered for you." Kang Sola bantered as she handed some refres.h.i.+ng bottled drink."

"You said it as if you did all the hard work!  You take too much credit." He gulped a few from the drink, and continued, "But yes, your cheering helped a lot." 

He winked at her.

Kang Sola was speechless.  She was just messing up with him, but she did not expect that he would give in and give her credit.  Shyly, she tore her gaze and kept it towards the floor.  She could feel her cheeks burning.  It must look like her purple highlights by now.

All this commenced under the watchful eyes of Chen Linyun and Xue Jinxu.  The two youths had become oblivious to them.  The truth was Xue Guangxi could not have cared any less who witnessed their little exchange.  It was all-natural to him.