Chapter 21
*** When Xiang ChangKong arrived home, it was almost 2:00 a.m. in the morning. He usually worked at night, but he had never come home so late before. He was worried about his mother.
Fortunately, his mother usually went to bed early, way before Xiang ChangKong usually came home. So maybe, she wouldn"t even notice that he had come back late today.
The house was so quiet he could hear his own breath. Xiang ChangKong didn"t turn on the lights and only looked towards his mother"s door before tiptoeing into his room.
Turning on the small lamp in his room, Xiang ChangKong took out the paper plane Xu Lian gave him. The white paper had been refolded back into a plane. After staring at it for a while, Xiang ChangKong placed it on his desk, beside the wooden plane.
The wooden plane was given to him on his fifteenth birthday, made by his own father. He had just entered high school and decided to study the same thing his father did. To encourage Xiang ChangKong, his father made this plane for him.
Xiang ChangKong had kept this small handmade representation of his father"s hopes and dreams for him all this time.
"When it comes to things you really want to do, you shouldn"t give up so easily."
What Xu Lian had said to him echoes in his ears. He looked at the white paper plane on his desk and slowly smiled.
Uncle Hou also told him that he shouldn"t give up like this, didn"t he?
Xiang ChangKong turned his computer on and clicked on the application page for post-graduates in the First Aircraft Research Inst.i.tute.
It was October 31 right now. The last day for registering.
Xiang ChangKong stared at the application form for a while. Then, slowly, he typed his information and clicked submit.
"Congratulations, you"ve signed up."
After submitting the form, a dialogue box popped up on the screen. Xiang ChangKong"s hand was still on the mouse, unmoving.
Xiang ChangKong could hear his heart beating loudly.
He had finally signed up.
After turning off his computer, Xiang ChangKong fell to his bed.
The next morning, when Weng ShuLi got up, Xiang ChangKong had already prepared breakfast. She wore her slippers and walked towards the kitchen. Standing by the doorframe, she watched Xiang ChangKong plating up some dishes. He turned around, noticed her, and smiled. "Good morning, mom. Breakfast will be ready in a minute, go and wash up first."
Weng ShuLi stared at him, no expression on her face. This made people unable to tell what she was thinking.
"Is there something I can do for you?" Xiang ChangKong asked.
Weng ShuLi didn"t answer. She simply turned and walked away. Xiang ChangKong breathed out and continued plating.
Today he was on the day shift, so after eating breakfast, he got ready to leave for work. When he left, he brought an insulated lunch box with him. Weng ShuLi looked at the lunchbox, but ultimately didn"t seem to care.
"Mom, I made lunch, just heat it up later. I"m going to work now." After calling this out, Xiang ChangKong opened the front door and left. Weng ShuLi stared at the closed front door for a very long time.
Xiang ChangKong continued to be busy, receiving orders throughout the day. At 11:00 a.m., he received an order to be sent to Starlight Park. He decided to visit Xu Lian"s store on the way.
Around this time was usually when Zhang GuoEr would start pestering Xu Lian to order takeout. Because Xu Lian had bought her a meal from one of the restaurants in Starlight Park before, Zhang GuoEr"s tastebuds have become a little choosy. She even started looking down on the Wolong Kitchen they often ordered from before.
"Why don"t we order from a restaurant in Starlight Park? It"ll be quick, and it"ll be delicious." Zhang GuoEr rubbed her hands together and asked Xu Lian.
Xu Lian nodded. "I don"t care, as long as you don"t think it"s too expensive."
Zhang GuoEr: "..."
She decided to write "stingy" in Xu Lian"s page on her notebook later.
As they debated which restaurant to go to, the bell by the store door chimed. Xu Lian turned and saw Xiang ChangKong walking in. Stunned, Xu Lian exclaimed: "Ah? But we haven"t ordered takeout yet."
Xiang ChangKong"s mouth slightly pursed. Very embarra.s.sed, he replied: "I cooked lunch this morning and made too much, so I brought some to give to you. Eating so much takeout isn"t good for you."
Xu Lian was visibly shocked. But after a few moments, she snapped out of her daze and accepted the insulated lunchbox that Xiang ChangKong had been holding out towards her.
Meanwhile, Zhang GuoEr was in the background, stupefied. Has she solved the case? The murderer who used the small red box appeared?
(T/N: Remember she was likening herself to Sherlock Holmes a couple of chapters back? She"s talking about the fact that she just solved the mystery of "Who Did Xu Lian Use The Condoms With.")
As Xu Lian opened the tiered lunchbox, Zhang GuoEr shuffled closer, attracted by the delicious aroma. The insulated lunchbox had three layers. One layer was filled with white rice, while the other two were filled with meat and vegetables, respectively.
"They"re all homemade. I hope they suit your taste." Xiang ChangKong explained.
Xu Lian looked at Xiang ChangKong. Then suddenly, she smiled, hooked an arm around his neck, and kissed him. "Thank you."
Xiang ChangKong"s face immediately turned red. He didn"t understand why Xu Lian acted with the same enthusiasm she had when they were in her home. After all, back then, it was just the two of them alone. But now, they were in her store in broad daylight, and even in front of a staff member...
How can he continue to deliver orders here in the future...
Zhang GuoEr was just as fl.u.s.tered as Xiang ChangKong, if not more. Her Boss is really...what"s with this obvious affection? It doesn"t look fake at all! And actually kissing in broad daylight?
Fortunately, there weren"t any guests in the store!
"Well, I"ll be going. You can just return the lunchbox next time." After saying this, Xiang ChangKong escaped. Xu Lian looked at his quickly retreating figure and couldn"t help laughing.
Arriving back to his scooter, Xiang ChangKong took a moment to get his breath back. He touched his lips. Xu Lian was using the lipstick he had given her. He could smell the faint peach fragrance.
He looked towards the rearview mirror on his scooter and saw that his lips were tainted red, as if he had stolen a sip of red wine.
His mouth involuntarily curved into a smile. As he wiped his lips with the back of his hand, Xiang ChangKong"s phone chimed.
Xu Lian: I just looked through your schedule. You have a day off tomorrow?
Xiang ChangKong: Yeah.
Xu Lian: Then let"s go on a date.
Xiang ChangKong had just managed to placate his heart when Xu Lian made it jump again.
He was ashamed to say that despite being so old, he had never made an appointment with a girl before.
Xiang ChangKong thought about it for a while, then replied to Xu Lian.
Xiang ChangKong: Alright. Where do you want to play?
Xu Lian: How about watching a movie and eating together? Most dates are like that, apparently.
Xiang ChangKong: Ok, let"s go to the cinema then have some dinner.
Xu Lian texted him to wait a minute, then looked through the cinema website to check the movie showings.
Meanwhile, Zhang GuoEr was sitting by the cash register, dutifully recording on her notebook: "On the first day I found out Boss has a boyfriend, I suddenly began to miss her being the single one. Also, I expect to save a lot of my lunch money in the future because I"m probably going to be fed a lot of dog food."
Zhang GuoEr peeked at Xu Lian, who was currently leaning against a nearby wall, sending messages to Xiang ChangKong. Zhang GuoEr shook her head, flipped a few pages in her notebook, then wrote under the t.i.tle Goal 0123: "I expect information about the little brother to sharply decline for the next month."
Xiang ChangKong"s rest day was always arranged to be on Sat.u.r.days because Xiang Nuan usually came back home on this day. He wanted to be free to make her delicious food to improve her well-being. It was the same this Sat.u.r.day. He went early to the nearby vegetable market as usual and bought some vegetables. What was different this week was his uneasiness.
Thinking about his date with Xu Lian later in the afternoon, Xiang ChangKong became so nervous he couldn"t hold a kitchen knife steady. Whenever he met up with Xu Lian before, it would be in her house, and they would be doing...unspeakable things. This was going to be the first time they would be acting like a regular couple.
Xiang Nuan had noticed Xiang ChangKong"s anxious mood and had already asked him several times, only to be met with vague answers.
After lunch, when Xiang ChangKong left to do the dishes, Xiang Nuan sent out a message in the group chat she had with her girlfriends.
NuanNuan traveling the world: I think my brother is in love!
Studying causes baldness: With whom? That big sister from last time?
NuanNuan traveling the world: I think so! He bought lipstick for her the other day!
Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Oh, man (´꒳`)
NuanNuan traveling the world: I noticed my brother becoming absentminded ever since I came back. Did something happen with Big Sister?
Studying causes baldness: Problems with their s.e.x life?
NuanNuan traveling the world: ......
Her brother already lost his virginity?!
With red ears, Xiang Nuan closed the group chat and rushed to open her math notebook to calm herself.
At 1:30 p.m., she heard a knock at her door. "Nuan."
"Brother? Oh good, I need help with a math question..." Halfway through her sentence, Xiang Nuan slowly closed her mouth. Her brother somehow changed his clothes after washing the dishes!
Xiang ChangKong didn"t usually pay any particular attention to what he was wearing. As long as they were clean and dry, it would be good enough for him. But now, it was apparent that her brother was wearing a set of carefully selected clothes- a black low-necked sweater, a jacket, jeans, dress shoes...
Xiang Nuan was pretty sure her brother searched up "men"s autumn clothing, date strategies" online.
"Wow, you"re so handsome today, brother!" Xiang Nuan put up her phone and immediately took pictures of him. Xiang ChangKong blushed and asked her, uncertain: "Does it really look good?"
"Really great! the perfect demonstration of straight guy aesthetics!"
Xiang ChangKong: "..."
Is she implying I"m not straight?
Xiang ChangKong coughed and said: "I have something to do, so I"m gonna go out for a while. I may not come back for dinner in the evening, so just heat up the leftovers with mom later."
"Alright." Xiang Nuan nodded, then looking for gossip, she asked him: "Where are you going?"
"N-nowhere." Xiang ChangKong coughed again. "I"m going now. Don"t you have homework? Write out the questions you don"t know, and I"ll look over them later."
"No, don"t worry about that, just go out there fearlessly."
Xiang ChangKong: "..."
"...Then I"ll be going." Xiang ChangKong closed her door and left. As he did so, Xiang Nuan opened her group chat and sent the photos she had just taken.
NuanNuan traveling the world: My brother dressed up like this just to see Big Sister!
Studying causes baldness: Your brother is so handsome, this Miss is so happy!
NuanNuan traveling the world: What are you thinking of doing to my brother? (・▽・)
Do a question for five minutes paralyzed for an hour: Please pay attention to what time your brother arrives home tonight (・▽・)
Studying causes baldness: It"s probably around the same time he comes home when Xiang Nuan isn"t there (・▽・)
NuanNuan traveling the world:...
No! Her brother is pure, he"s not going to make a move on Big Sister!
But...whether Big Sister will end up making a move on her brother...that she isn"t sure of.