Western or Chinese?
Hamburger, fries, sandwich, or soy milk, fried dough sticks, tofu pudding?
What drinks should he prepare?
She didn’t like things too hot, so he should prepare lukewarm, but he was worried that lukewarm would upset her stomach.
He scrolled through his phone leisurely, completely oblivious to what Zhou Jin, Xu Cong, and Lin Xu were muttering.
He regretted that when they were together before, he hadn’t cared enough about Jiang Xiao. He didn’t even know her preferences. He would have to ask her properly later.
Thinking this, he remembered something else.
She had a business dinner tonight, so she probably hadn’t eaten much. Should he send her a late-night snack?
Yes.
He grabbed his suit jacket, stepped past them, and walked out of the private room.
The three behind him stood dumbfounded, looking at each other. "What’s going on? Why did he just leave like that?"
Zhou Jin called Cheng Yuan and asked where he was going in such a hurry.
Cheng Yuan: "To send Jiang Xiao a late-night snack."
Zhou Jin: "…" What a damn madman.
*
Jiang Xiao had just finished putting on a face mask when the doorbell rang.
At this hour, no one should be coming. She casually picked up a baseball bat from the corner and walked over slowly. Through the peephole, she saw a blurry figure.
She cracked the door open a little and asked, "Who is it?"
"Xiao Xiao, it’s me," Cheng Yuan said.
Jiang Xiao opened the door with an impatient expression. "Cheng Yuan, are you sick? What are you doing here so late?"
Cheng Yuan lifted the bag. "I came to bring you a late-night snack."
He tried to step in, but Jiang Xiao blocked him at the door. "I’m on a diet. I won’t eat."
"I bought low-fat, so you won’t gain weight," Cheng Yuan coaxed gently. "If you don’t believe me, try it."
"I’m not hungry, and I’m not eating." Jiang Xiao had never realized he was so annoying before. "If you’re too idle, go work overtime at the company or do volunteer work. Just don’t disturb me."
"I’m not trying to disturb you. I’m worried about you," Cheng Yuan said warmly. "You’re too thin. It pains me."
Once upon a time, this kind of "sweet talk" was what Jiang Xiao most wanted to hear. She had tried both soft and hard approaches to get Cheng Yuan to say even a word or two, but he never did.
No matter how she coaxed or cried, he wouldn’t say it.
He was as cold as ice, but passionate as fire toward other women.
Things he couldn’t bear to buy for her, he would give to other women without hesitation.
It was as if those women were Mrs. Cheng, while she was just a stranger.
Jiang Xiao shook off those bad memories and said expressionlessly, "We agreed on the rules. Without my permission, you’re not allowed to come. I’ll let it slide this time since it’s the first offense, but if there’s a next time, the relationship is over."
That was what Cheng Yuan cared about most. He immediately said, "Xiao Xiao, don’t. I was wrong. I’ll leave now."
He bent down to put down the bag and turned to leave.
Jiang Xiao called him back. "Take these with you."
"I bought them especially for you," he said. He had waited in line for a long time, his legs sore from standing.
"Cheng Yuan, don’t do things that only move yourself," Jiang Xiao said. "You’re the only one touched by that."
This sentence felt vaguely familiar to Cheng Yuan. Later, he remembered it was something he had said.
On his birthday, Jiang Xiao had prepared a table full of dishes and made a cake, wanting to celebrate with him.
His reply was this very sentence: "Jiang Xiao, don’t do things that only move yourself. You’re the only one touched by that."
There seemed to be something after that.
He thought about it. The next sentence was, "I don’t need it."
That night, he didn’t stay home. He went drinking with friends at a club and only came back on the third day.
Cheng Yuan knew he was a jerk, but he never realized he was such a huge jerk.
"Okay, if you won’t eat, I’ll throw it away." He came back, picked up the bag, and before leaving, reminded her, "Lock the doors and windows, cover yourself well, and be careful not to catch a cold."
To Jiang Xiao, these caring words were just nagging. "How annoying."
Cheng Yuan forced a smile. "Yes, I’m annoying. I won’t do it next time."
He coaxed her carefully until Jiang Xiao’s brow smoothed out, and then he breathed a sigh of relief.
That night, Jiang Xiao slept peacefully, dreamlessly until dawn.
Cheng Yuan slept restlessly, afraid that last night was just a dream, and Jiang Xiao’s "responses" were also a dream. He got up at 3 a.m., didn’t even bother to put on his coat, and drove himself to Jiang Xiao’s apartment.
He didn’t dare get close; he waited downstairs all along.
He lowered the car window, letting the wind flow in, making him feel alternately hot and cold, and also making his thoughts clearer.
He wanted Jiang Xiao.
He would never let go, not even in death.
He longed to hear her voice. Several times, he dialed her number, then hung up.
The last time, he spoke into the receiver for a long time.
"Xiao Xiao, I regret it. I regret it so much, so much that I want to die."
"They all say you agreed to this relationship just to toy with me, and that sooner or later you’ll dump me."
"I don’t care. As long as you agreed, I’m overjoyed."
"Isn’t it just playing with me? Fine, go ahead and play."
"Play however you want."
"I just want to beg you—play with me for a longer time, okay?"
-----------------------
Author’s note: Come on, watch our girl torment the dog.