Chapter 9.1
The crowd of people on the street had died down by 4 o’clock in the morning .
The partying students had already returned to their dorms . The BBQ stand closed
at 2 am and they were the only customers left at the hot pot place .
The lights in the shop had turned off one by one and the waiter was now sweeping
the floor . He waved to Zhou Tingsheng: “Come back next time,” as Zhou Tingsheng
left carrying Ye Qiao .
Zhou Tingsheng put Ye Qiao at the back seat of his car, but she rolled off the seat
as soon as he started the car .
He had to park the car again and carry her to the front pa.s.senger seat . He fastened
the seat belt for her . Her head leaned against his forearm .
Her face was burning hot from too much alcohol; it was soft and warm . She lightly
rubbed her face against his arm .
Her eyelashes gently brushed against his skin, it was somewhat ticklish .
Zhou Tingsheng stepped on the accelerator . He wanted to go back to the hotel but
decided against it after giving it some thought . He drove towards the residential area
where they both lived, pa.s.sing by billboards for her movie one after another .
The doorman had fallen asleep already; only waking up after a honk from the car:
“Oh, Mr . Zhou, coming back this late?”
When the doorman saw Ye Qiao was slumped over in the pa.s.senger seat, he
stopped talking .
Zhou Tingsheng, with a sullen face, carried her from the car to the elevator, swiped
his card and pushed the floor number .
The woman in his arms was as light as a skeleton .
Ye Qiao was like an inflatable doll leaning on his shoulder and suddenly murmured
something in her dream .
Zhou Tingsheng watched the floor numbers go up and lightly answered: “En?”
Ye Qiao caught the front of his shirt and rubbed a red lip mark on his collar . Her
face was sad as if she was saying farewell to someone: “You help her . ”
“What?”
“You still help her . ”
Zhou Tingsheng realized that she was in a dream and decided to play along:
“Help who?”
“You help everyone else… . . . just not me . You never help me, saying I’m family . ”
She muttered on, he could only make out some of it . He used a finger to fiddle
under her chin like playing with a cat: “Who am I?”
“En… . . . Gu Jin……” Ye Qiao frowned and tried to get away from his finger .
Oh, Gu Jin, sounded familiar, he thought .
Her face suddenly turned quite serious and her voice turned solemn: “I’m not
family from now on . ”
family from now on . ”
He thought she had woken up; but after she finished, she seemed quite satisfied
with herself and her head went down on his shoulder back to sleep .
The elevator reached the 23rd floor . Zhou Tingsheng patted her head and said:
“We’re here . ”
The elevator door opened and before he could move towards Ye Qiao’s room,
someone called him: “Zhou Tingsheng . ”
The light came on as she spoke . Under the bright light, there was a woman
wearing a business suit .
Liang Zirao’s voice was still graceful; she only spoke fast when angered:
“What did you promise me? Why didn’t you answer my calls?”
“It’s dead . ”
“Hmph, who are you trying to fool? Coming back this late at night drunk and
with a woman . Look at yourself, look at how you look right now!”
“Hmph, who are you trying to fool? Coming back this late at night drunk and
with a woman . Look at yourself, look at how you look right now!”
Zhou Tingsheng, with Ye Qiao in his arms, bent over to pick up a ragged doll
in front of the door of apartment 2301 . The mouth of the doll was cut open and
the filling inside was dyed with red paint, twisted into stripes like animal intestines .
He picked the doll up and moved the doll up and down at Liang Zirao: “Jie . ”
“Get away!” Liang Zirao turned her face away in disgust . Who would put such a
doll at someone’s doorstep as a prank?
Zhou Tingsheng threw the doll away and still hadn’t answered her questions .
She shouted in irritation: “You, stand still!”
Zhou Tingsheng used his index finger and thumb as an arrow to point at Ye Qiao:
“Next door . I’m giving her a ride . ” He then curved up the corner of his mouth and
smiled shamelessly: “Don’t worry, I haven’t slept with her . ”
The crowd of people on the street had died down by 4 o clock in the morning . The partying students had already returned to their dorms . The BBQ stand closed at 2 am and they were the only customers left at the hot pot place . The lights in the shop had turned off one by one and the waiter was now sweeping the floor . He waved to Zhou Tingsheng Come back next time, as Zhou Tingsheng left carrying Ye Qiao . Zhou Tingsheng put Ye Qiao at the back seat of his car, but she rolled off the seat as soon as he started the car . He had to park the car again and carry her to the front pa.s.senger seat . He fastened the seat belt for her . Her head leaned against his forearm . Her face was burning hot from too much alcohol it was soft and warm . She lightly rubbed her face against his arm . Her eyelashes gently brushed against his skin, it was somewhat ticklish . Zhou Tingsheng stepped on the accelerator . He wanted to go back to the hotel but decided against it after giving it some thought . He drove towards the residential area where they both lived, pa.s.sing by billboards for her movie one after another . The doorman had fallen asleep already only waking up after a honk from the car Oh, Mr . Zhou, coming back this late When the doorman saw Ye Qiao was slumped over in the pa.s.senger seat, he stopped talking . Zhou Tingsheng, with a sullen face, carried her from the car to the elevator, swiped his card and pushed the floor number . The woman in his arms was as light as a skeleton . Ye Qiao was like an inflatable doll leaning on his shoulder and suddenly murmured something in her dream . Zhou Tingsheng watched the floor numbers go up and lightly answered En Ye Qiao caught the front of his shirt and rubbed a red lip mark on his collar . Her face was sad as if she was saying farewell to someone You help her . What You still help her . Zhou Tingsheng realized that she was in a dream and decided to play along Help who You help everyone else . . . just not me . You never help me, saying I m family . She muttered on, he could only make out some of it . He used a finger to fiddle under her chin like playing with a cat Who am I En . . . Gu Jin Ye Qiao frowned and tried to get away from his finger . Oh, Gu Jin, sounded familiar, he thought . Her face suddenly turned quite serious and her voice turned solemn I m not family from now on . He thought she had woken up but after she finished, she seemed quite satisfied with herself and her head went down on his shoulder back to sleep . The elevator reached the 23rd floor . Zhou Tingsheng patted her head and said We re here . The elevator door opened and before he could move towards Ye Qiao s room, someone called him Zhou Tingsheng . The light came on as she spoke . Under the bright light, there was a woman wearing a business suit . Liang Zirao s voice was still graceful she only spoke fast when angered What did you promise me Why didn t you answer my calls It s dead . Hmph, who are you trying to fool Coming back this late at night drunk and with a woman . Look at yourself, look at how you look right now Zhou Tingsheng, with Ye Qiao in his arms, bent over to pick up a ragged doll in front of the door of apartment 2301 . The mouth of the doll was cut open and the filling inside was dyed with red paint, twisted into stripes like animal intestines . He picked the doll up and moved the doll up and down at Liang Zirao Jie . Get away Liang Zirao turned her face away in disgust . Who would put such a doll at someone s doorstep as a prank Zhou Tingsheng threw the doll away and still hadn t answered her questions . She shouted in irritation You, stand still Zhou Tingsheng used his index finger and thumb as an arrow to point at Ye Qiao Next door . I m giving her a ride . He then curved up the corner of his mouth and smiled shamelessly Don t worry, I haven t slept with her .