The next morning, Xue Guangli woke up with a splitting, painful headache. A cup of hot tea steamed at her nightstand. She downed it, silently thanking her sister.
She then recalled the night before into some fragments, but she still remembered something clearly: Long Huojin took her home.
Xue Guangli sighed helplessly, tapping her head with her hand. Why did she even let him take her home?
She decided to forget about it and checked her phone: there was nothing from w.a.n.g Weimin. She then shut off her phone, slipping from the bed and changed into a light pink short sundress. At home, she avoids wearing layers as she likes the freedom of wearing little clothing.
Thankfully the store was closed that day, so she didn"t have to work. Instead, she flipped on her favourite drama and binged episodes.
"Guangli!" she heard her sister yell from downstairs, interrupting.
Xue Guangli didn"t move. She stayed seated on the edge of her bed. Irritated, she yelled back, "WHAT?"
Silence.
Xue Guangli grunted, shutting off the television, heading down the stairs. When she stepped into the kitchen, she paused abruptly as she didn"t expect Long Huojin to be sitting at the kitchen table. He wore a black suit; his face nonchalant.
His hair was wet, slightly soaked from the spitting rain. Xue Guangli looked out at the large windows to see the pale-grey sky and storm clouds.
"Ah. Guangli. I forgot to mention that I invited Long Huojin over for lunch," Xue Teegan said to her, biting her lips apologetically. But when she turned her back from Long Huojin, her sister flashed her a smirk.
Xue Guangli gritted her teeth as she knew her sister purposely didn"t tell her because then she would find an excuse to leave home.
"Join us," Xue Teegan pressed.
Slowly Xue Guangli entered the kitchen, sitting down, across Long Huojin, not meeting his eye.
Xue Teegan was stirring some food when she suddenly said, "Ah! I ran out of vegetable oil. I will go to the store quickly," she said as she grabbed her purse. She then went to Long Huojin, saying, "Don"t go anywhere! It"s my fault. I will be right back!"
She then ran out of the house. "But we have some in the—" Xue Guangli began, but her sister vanished.
Xue Guangli ground her teeth. She did this on purpose!
Xue Guangli released a breath before turning around. Long Huojin was watching her with curious eyes. Not knowing what to say, and wanting to release the awkward tension, Xue Guangli stood and approached the stove. She began to make some food that did not require oil in the meantime, waiting for her sister to return.
"I came to see you yesterday morning, but you were sleeping," he said neutrally by way of starting the conversation.
"Oh?" Xue Guangli responded uninterested while chopping some spring onions, facing him. "Why did you want to see me?" she asked curiously.
Long Huojin shrugged, not giving her a definite answer. "How are you feeling?" he asked instead. She knew he was referring to last night. "I"m fine," she responded bluntly.
Long Huojin folded his arms together. "How are you these days?" he continued.
Xue Guangli rolled her eyes. "Well, things are the same. My father is in jail, and my mother is dead," she responded bluntly. But she regretted it; Xue Guangli felt pain and las.h.i.+ng out wouldn"t help.
Long Huojin turned to face her. "And your father? Have you seen him?" he asked her curiously. He stared at her from the kitchen table. He was studying her movements, her expressions. He was good at that, and she hated him for it.
She nodded, "The other day."
Long Huojin stood up, walking around the living room, observing the s.p.a.ce.
"You haven"t gone back to painting?" he asked her, changing the subject. She knew why he asked. She used to hang up her art, but when her mother died, she ripped up all her canvases to release her frustration.
Xue Guangli shook her head as she looked down at the cutting board.
"Why not?" he continued.
Xue Guangli sighed. "I look at the blank canvas, and all I see is a white s.p.a.ce, nothing more."
Long Huojin sat over at the kitchen island where she was cutting the vegetables, looking at her unwaveringly. She found it odd that he was even here, talking to her as if they are friends. It felt weird yet familiar.
"How do you go about your days?" he led on. Xue Guangli didn"t like that he was asking questions. Why did he care now? Why was he behaving so unreserved?
But of course, he would sympathize and ask about her family once he returned from his trip. He understood well that even grief doesn"t go away with time; his empathy made her feel uneasy.
Xue Guangli loosed a breath, "I am living day-by-day," she admitted. In all honesty, she was glad he asked. Though she loved w.a.n.g Weimin, he never really asked much about her progress these days.
Long Huojin nodded at her, running his hand through his perfect dark locks. Perhaps he was just as nervous for being here alone with her. Xue Teegan did set them up.
He reached out, stretching his arm across the table to reach something. Xue Guangli watched him. He then slipped back, with her phone in his hand. Xue Guangli exhaled.
He unlocked her phone, "Your birthday?" he said with a smirk. He figured out her pa.s.sword was her birthday.
Xue Guangli rolled her eyes, "What are you doing?" she asked irritated.
But she watched as he added his phone number in her contacts. "Call me if you need anything," he looked at her; their eyes met. "I mean it. It could be anything, and I"ll be there," he said gently.
Xue Guangli"s paused, dropping the wooden ladle in the bowl of the food she was stirring. "Why are you nice to me now?" she questioned. Long Huojin looked at her with a complicated expression. His face was neutral. "Your mother was kind to me. I will always look out for the Xue family," he said flatly.
Xue Guangli flashed him a considerate look before she nodded. He then rose to tower her with his height. "I"ll help you when you"re ready, Xue Li."
Xue Li.
Xue Guangli realized that they were looking at each other for a long time before she breathed in sharply, shaking her head working back on the food. He then stepped away, returning to the kitchen table.
Xue Teegan had walked in slightly soaked from the rain. She was smiling as she held a bottle of oil. Xue Guangli didn"t know whether to laugh or cry.
Xue Teegan took an ap.r.o.n and proceeded to cook. Throughout the entire time, and while they ate, Teegan asked Long Huojin about his time overseas performing concerts. As he spoke, he was mainly looking at Xue Guangli, but she ignored him as she continued to eat.
Afterwards, Long Huojin thanked them for having him. He then gave Xue Guangli one lasting look as he kept his hands in his pockets, leaving the house.
When she saw him vanish, Xue Guangli turned to face her sister with blazing eyes. Xue Teegan gave her a knowing smile.
"What the h.e.l.l?" Xue Guangli questioned.
Xue Teegan glanced at her. "You need to be nice to him."
Xue Guangli leaned back into her chair, crossing her arms. "So that he can help father? All Long Huojin will do is pay for his bail or lawyers to get him out of jail, not because he"s innocent."
"I"m not asking to get him out of jail," her sister"s voice rose slightly. "I am asking you to free him because he IS innocent," Xue Teegan stared her down. "So please, work with Long Huojin," she pleaded.
Xue Guangli"s throat bobbed. "I don"t know," she responded.
Xue Teegan then said, "please."
Xue Guangli pursed her lips; her chest felt like a tangled mess. She didn"t know if her father was innocent; he had been in jail for three years now. What if Teegan was hanging onto something like hope because it was all she had? And of all people, she had to ask Long Huojin for help?
"I will consider it," was all she said.
Xue Teegan rose from her seat, approaching her and tugging her into a half-embrace. "Thank you," she said softly. Xue Guangli smiled at her grimly. She knew Xue Teegan was desperate and frustrated; she only wanted her father home.