She applauded from time to time, a smile spreading across her face.
Others in the restaurant also burst into applause, and some cried out in admiration.
"Beautiful! Amazing!"
"Fantastic!"
When the piece ended, Song Xuan returned and sat down. "Well?"
Jiang Xiao gave him a thumbs-up. "Absolutely wonderful."
"I practiced for many years. I'll play for you again sometime."
"I'd love that." Jiang Xiao said, "I couldn't ask for more."
She raised her juice glass to toast Song Xuan. He raised his wine glass. "Cheers."
There was a bit of food at the corner of Jiang Xiao's mouth. Song Xuan noticed and gently reminded her, "Your mouth."
Jiang Xiao took a napkin and wiped, but missed it. "Is it clean now?"
Song Xuan shook his head. He took the napkin from her hand. "Allow me."
He motioned for her to lean forward and reached out to wipe her mouth.
Jiang Xiao smiled. "Thank you."
Just as the atmosphere was perfect, someone strode over and roughly shoved Song Xuan's hand away. "What are you doing?"
Song Xuan withdrew his hand. "Miss Jiang had something at the corner of her mouth. I was just helping her wipe it. What's wrong with that?"
Cheng Yuan said, "There's everything wrong with it."
With that, he grabbed Jiang Xiao. "Come with me."
Jiang Xiao had no idea what bee had gotten into his bonnet. She pulled her hand free. "Cheng Yuan, that's enough."
Cheng Yuan's hand was left empty, just like his heart. He curled his fingers. "Why didn't you answer when I called?"
"I didn't hear it," Jiang Xiao said honestly. "But even if I had, I'm not obligated to answer, am I?"
"What if I had an emergency?"
"What does your emergency have to do with me?" Jiang Xiao said.
"Xiao Xiao, we're boyfriend and girlfriend." Cheng Yuan said. "You said we'd get back together."
"I said we'd try, not that it was set in stone." Jiang Xiao's voice was cold. "Cheng Yuan, you've overstepped. Apologize."
"You want me to apologize to him?" Cheng Yuan wanted nothing more than to twist Song Xuan's head off and use it as a stool.
"You were the one who struck first. Isn't an apology in order?" Jiang Xiao had never seen such a violent person. She repeated, "Apologize."
Cheng Yuan didn't want to argue with Jiang Xiao over Song Xuan; he didn't want her to have eyes for any other man. "I'll apologize, but you have to come with me."
"You're in no position to make demands." Jiang Xiao said, "Apologize."
She was truly angry this time. That was what Cheng Yuan feared most. He softened. "Alright, I apologize. Don't be mad."
He said to Song Xuan, "President Song, I'm sorry."
Song Xuan replied, "President Cheng, next time please don't be so impulsive. It could cause misunderstandings."
"Then please don't overstep in the future, President Song, or it could also lead to misunderstandings."
"Did I overstep?"
"Yes. President Song, you're a man with a fiancée. Isn't it inappropriate to date someone else's girlfriend?"
Jiang Xiao hadn't known Song Xuan had a fiancée. Shen Yue had never mentioned it either. "President Song has a fiancée?"
"Yes, I do." Song Xuan answered frankly. "What? Miss Jiang doesn't associate with men who have fiancées?"
"It's not that." Jiang Xiao said. "I just don't want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
She understood all too well the awful feeling of watching someone you liked get entangled with another woman.
"There won't be any misunderstandings." Song Xuan explained. "It's not certain if it'll work out."
Jiang Xiao didn't want to pry into other people's affairs. "It's getting late. I've finished my meal. I'll be going now."
Song Xuan wanted to stop her, but Cheng Yuan cut in. "Xiao Xiao, I'll take you."
Jiang Xiao didn't want to be a spectacle, so she hummed in agreement.
Cheng Yuan shot Song Xuan a look, his eyes full of provocation, as if to say: She's mine. Don't even think about taking her.
...
Once in the car, Jiang Xiao noticed Cheng Yuan's hand. "Didn't you say you needed surgery? Why didn't you have it done?"
Jiang Yu hesitated. "President Cheng didn't want to."
Jiang Xiao asked Cheng Yuan, "Will you have it or not?"
Cheng Yuan deliberately twisted her words. With his uninjured hand, he took hers and said tenderly, "If you're there, I'll do it."
Jiang Xiao accompanied Cheng Yuan through the surgery. It took longer than expected, mainly because Cheng Yuan's earlier self-destructive delay had caused nerve damage.
After the doctor had painstakingly repaired it, he emphasized that postoperative recovery was the most critical part.
The patient's family needed to take good care of him.
He said this to Jiang Xiao, but she merely smiled faintly. Jiang Yu said, "Understood, Doctor."
Once the doctor left, Jiang Yu begged Jiang Xiao again.
"Miss Jiang, could you stay with President Cheng tonight? Just one night, I beg you."
"There are nurses, and you're here. I'm not needed."
"We can't compare to you." Jiang Yu pleaded. "Just one night."
Jiang Xiao had originally intended to stay, but seeing Cheng Yuan's self-destructive behavior, she changed her mind. She turned to leave.
Cheng Yuan hugged her from behind.
"If you walk out that door, I'll jump from here."
He was threatening her.
The Jiang Xiao of the past would have softened, but not the one now.
She pried his hands away, walked to the window, and opened it.
"Fine. Go ahead and jump."