Xiao Nai hears Wei Wei talking harshly just as he is walking back. Seeing her natural expression of ferociousness, itâs the first time that he experiences a kind of feeling of speechlessness.
\nEr Xi takes the opportunity to complain, âSenior Xiao, would you just look at your (familyâs) Wei Wei?â
\nHer words are too pleasing to the ear, making Xiao Naiâs body and mind feel happy. He turns around to take a look at Er Xi, and officially remembers her. Agreeing with her words, he educates Wei Wei, âYou shouldnât treat our guests this way.â
\nXiao Ling and the others chuckle.
\nSi Si also finds the nerve to say to Xiao Nai, âBut Senior, now that Wei Wei has said this, we donât even dare to order anymore.â
\nXiao Nai smiles, âDonât worry, my wallet is not yet in Wei Weiâs possession.â
\nXiao Ling giggles, âWe must take this chance to eat lots. If we wait any longer, Seniorâs wallet will be in Wei Weiâs possession, and we wonât even get to eat preserved vegetables (inexpensive food) then!â
\n \nWei Wei doesnât interrupt them on their lively talk. She concentrates on looking at the person standing beside her.
\nHis handsome and refined facial features carry a natural sense of arrogance and detachment. But it seems as if the distance between him and her roommates has disappeared. Wei Wei is not surprised one bit. This is how he is; with a little patience, he is always able to make others feel delighted.
\nWei Wei didnât notice it while they were in the car; heâs actually wearing a very formal white shirt, as if he has just come out from a business conference. It seems right. He asked them out for dinner right after arriving from his flight. He didnât even have time to get changed.
\nFor some reason, Wei Wei suddenly feels stuffed inside.
\nShe doesnât dare to guess what kind of feelings the Great Master had when driving everyone here, but he most likely thought that this was a normal dinner gathering. He definitely didnât know that there was an ulterior motive.
\nThe stuffiness is getting even worse.
\nThey walk towards the restaurant as they speak, but Wei Wei stops her footsteps. Without much thought, she tugs on Xiao Naiâs sleeve.
\nâDonât go in.â
\n \nWei Wei feels relieved the moment she says it out loud. Like a swift breeze, all the troubling and depressing thoughts from the past few days and from seeing LoveChanel just now are gone.
\nThatâs right. She just doesnât want to go in. She doesnât want to go have dinner for the sake of pride, or for the sake of provoking others. She just wants to have dinner peacefully with her friends and him, whom she hasnât seen for a couple of days.
\n \nEr Xi, Xiao Ling, and Si Si look at each other and donât say anything. Wei Wei lifts her head and looks at Xiao Nai, âLetâs go to another place. I donât like it here.â
\nXiao Naiâs eyes flash slightly.
\nAfter a while.
\nHe nods, âOkay, Iâll drive the car over.â
\nâMm.â Wei Wei feels kind of bad because the Great Master is so accommodating. She lowers her head, âSorry for the troubleâŚâŚâ
\nâIf you feel bad, come with me to get the car.â
\nEh? Wei Wei raises her head in surprise, and catches a glimpse of mischievousness in his gaze.
\n>o<
\nââŚâŚyou go and come back quickly.â
\n \nWatching him walk away with a straight back, Wei Wei turns to Er Xi and the others, âYou guys wonât blame me, will you?â
\nSi Si shakes her head, âNah, if you donât want to eat here, letâs not. Youâre not even blaming us for planning this behind your back. Weâve shown ourselves in front of them anyway. Iâm already satisfied, haha.â
\nEr Xi feels a little disappointed, âWei Wei, you donât really need to mind them.â
\nâItâs not that I mind,â Wei Wei says seriously, âIf this was a boiling fish in fiery sauce restaurant, I would have eaten here. Even if there were ten LoveChanels inside, I would have still gone in. But this is a French restaurant. You guys donât even like it, and I donât like it either, so why should we make ourselves eat something that we donât like just to provoke others?â
\nItâs totally not worth it. They might even have indigestion from it, and more importantly, they would also be offering up the Great Masterâs handsomeness!!!
\nItâs a money losing game.
\n \nEr Xi wails, âAlright, I get it.â
\nWei Wei is pleased.
\nâYou just want to have boiling fish in fiery sauce.â
\nWei Wei, ââŚâŚâ
\nWei Wei, âThatâs basically rightâŚâŚâ
\n \nXiao Ling makes her last attempt, âAw, itâs such a waste to give up halfway and leave now.â
\nâGoing too far is as bad as not going far enough (idiom). This is enough. Getting things done outside is way better than fighting inside. Furthermore, oh, Xiao LingâŚâŚâ
\nA pair of eyes has been staring at her for a long time now. Wei Wei lifts her eyes and gazes directly back at them. She says calmly and confidently, âThe best way to deal with an enemy in disguise is to not even give her the chance to fight.â
\n \nOn the way to the boiling fish place, Er Xi declares that she will eat enough boiling fish for it to cost just as much as eating French cuisine. The fact that boiling fish are delicious at a low price while French cuisines are very expensive in comparison, Wei Wei didnât think that Er Xiâs declaration would come true.
\nHoweverâŚâŚ
\nThey actually ate seven catties of boiling fish.
\nSeven catties!âŚâŚ
\nWei Wei is astonished looking at the super big empty bowl with only a couple of bean sprouts left. Xiao Nai is rather calm and composed. Wei Wei makes an attempt to save her roommates from losing their image completely, and says while feeling embarrassed, âActuallyâŚâŚWe donât usually eat this much. The most we eat is four to five cattiesâŚâŚâ
\nXiao Nai nods apathetically and raises his hand to call the waiter, âMenu please.â
\nWei Wei is speechless. >o<
\nOh, Great Master, are you feeding pigs here?âŚâŚ
\n \nAfter dinner, Xiao Nai drives them back to school. When they pass by a supermarket near the school, Xiao Ling asks to stop the car, âEr Xi, Si Si, and I need to get some things at the supermarket. Senior, you and Wei Wei can head back first.â
\nXiao Nai says, âWeâll wait here for you guys.â
\nâItâs okay, weâll ride a bus back,â Xiao Ling quickly turns down his offer.
\nYeah right, they also have principles too, okay?! After eating and drinking for free, thereâs no way that theyâll be the third wheels! Theyâll be struck by lightning for hindering a couple from having time alone.
\n \nHer roommates snicker as they get out of the car. Wei Wei leans forward subconsciously and shifts her body slightly towards the outside. Not that she has the intention to get out of the car, but for some reason, her body seems to be acting out of habit and moving like it wants to get off.
\nOn the very next second, someone grabs her wrist firmly and presses it on the soft passenger seat.
\nWei Wei turns around in surprise, but can only see him bidding Xiao Ling and the others goodbye. His expression is so natural as if he isnât pressing her down with so much force.
\nXiao Ling and the others walk away while laughing cheerfully. Her wrist is still being grasped by someone. Wei Wei feels a little mad, âHey.â
\nXiao Nai smiles slightly, lets go, and starts driving again as if nothing happened. After a while, Xiao Nai stops at a red light, and asks softly while looking straight, âTell me, what happened?â
\nWei Wei reacts out of reflex, âAh?â
\nâAt the French restaurant,â Xiao Nai reminds her, âWhy did you want to leave suddenly?â
\nâOh~â
\nâStop playing dumb. Youâve never been a petulant person. What happened exactly?â
\n>o< Should I applaud him for his compliments?âŚâŚ
\nWei Wei says honestly, âThere was someone I dislike inside.â
\nâHm? Who?â
\nWei Wei suddenly realizes that the person in front of her is the actual culprit of causing her being scolded at. Heâs nothing but trouble!
\nTherefore, she says annoyingly, âIt wasnât anyone. She was probably the one who wanted to hand you a flyer but couldnât.â
\n \nHe suddenly slams on the brakes and makes a wide turn into a small alley. Xiao Nai stops the car, turns to look at her with eyes carrying a faint smile.
\nâWei Wei.â
\nWei Wei is a bit frightened from his suddenly move, âWhat are you doing?â
\nâNothing, I just feel itâs rare to see you like this, so,â he rests his elbow on the steering wheel while stroking his chin with his slender fingers. Xiao Nai eyes sparkles, âI just wanted to stop and take a good look.â
\n \nWei Wei glares at him while her face slowly turns red. She feels as if she is going to die from anger >o<
\nAlthough her face turning red makes her look pretty, seeing how she is really mad, Xiao Nai refrains himself and says seriously, âWhat did that flyer girl wanted to do?â
\n \nWei Wei calms herself and decides not to be bothered by him. After a moment of thought, she tells him everything from start to finish, but of course, she skips over the details such as measurements like 34C ==
\nXiao Naiâs face turns colder and colder as he listens. The intimate atmosphere in the car from just a moment ago is now completely gone. Wei Wei notices the change in mood and stops talking.
\nXiao Nai says expressionlessly, âContinue.â
\nâThatâs about it. They were eating at the restaurant just now. Er Xi knew that they would be there, so that was why she wanted to go.â
\nâName.â
\nWei Wei answers each of his questions, âLoveChanel.â
\nâThere were four of them, who are the others?â
\nââŚâŚAs for the others, Iâm not too sure,â Wei Wei just doesnât want to talk bad behind others, âItâs okay. You can go look them up online, but donât say anything, just let them be.â
\nMany people have already started taking her side, and LoveChanel has been humiliated enough.
\n \nLet them be? Xiao Nai says coldly, âIâm afraid I donât have the tolerance.â
\nThe Great MasterâŚâŚseems to be angry for real. Wei Wei on the other hand, doesnât feel much about it since it has been a couple of days already.
\nâIâve already gotten used to hearing these things since I was young. I used to take them as a form of motivation, but later, theyâre not even worthy of becoming a source of motivation.â With her eyes shining with confidence, Wei Wei looks at him and says sincerely, âRight now, my source of motivation isâââ
\nyou.
\n \nThe time stops.
\nHer pair of eyes continue looking him; brilliant and gleaming with captivating luminosity. Xiao Nai canât think of any words to describe her beauty at this moment. He wants to cover her eyes so that maybe, his heart will not beat so wildly.
\n \nWei Wei feels like sheâs suffocating.
\nThey were clearly talking about something normal just a second ago, but how did they get into this atmosphereâŚâŚ
\nWei Wei tries hard to shift her gaze towards the window. She clears her throat and says as naturally as she could, âYou shouldnât continue to park your car here, itâll impede traffic.â
\n \nAs a family member of the faculty, Xiao Nai is allowed to drive his car into the school, but driving it all the way to the girlsâ dormitory seems inappropriate. Therefore, he parks it underneath his building, and then walks Wei Wei back to the dorm.
\nThe school has always been the liveliest at 8 to 9pm, but due to the exam period, itâs rather quiet. They walk side by side on the path through the garden where there is no one. A blanket of stars shine above them as science student, Wei Wei, calculates in her headâŚâŚ
\nThey take a long route; itâs three-hundred metersâŚâŚ
\nThey take another long route; itâs another five-hundred metersâŚâŚ
\nAltogether, itâs eight-hundred meters. Mm, if they take a few more alternative routes, she should be able to burn off those boiling fish.
\nXiao Nai says casually, âCome eat dinner with my dorm mates after your exams.â
\nâAh?â pulled back from her simple addition, Wei Wei nods, âOkay.â
\nâYou donât want to?â he sounds a bit forced.
\nâYes, I do. Itâs just thatâŚâŚâ
\n \nWei Wei answers him, but suddenly feels a tint of unrealism.
\nShe has always felt that she and the Great Master are in the âready to be in a relationshipâ stage, but with all the things that her roommates have done, it feels as if their relationship has been confirmed >_< It feels so unreal.
\nFurthermore, she has to go have dinner with his dorm matesâŚâŚ
\nAnd, heâs Xiao NaiâŚâŚ
\nThe unreal feeling that is brought by the name has been shrouding her all this while.
\n \nâHm?â
\nâItâs just that, it feels a bit unreal.â
\nXiao Nai stops his footsteps and turns around to look at her.
\nWei Wei also stops.
\nWei Wei is then pulled into his embrace without any warning. The fresh scent of a man suddenly permeates all of her senses. His arms wrap around her making her unable to move. Her head is buried in his chest; she canât see anything, but can hear him say into her ears:
\nâI didnât want to do this so quickly,â he says with a cold and deep voice, sounding even more mesmerizing. He asks, âDoes it feel real now?â
\n \nIt seems like everything is silent, but it also seems like everything is in an uproar. At this moment, the time in the universe has stopped. In his embrace, Wei Wei can only hear his heart beating.
\nWhat is real, feels even more surreal, but what does it matter? Even if all of this is unreal, it is the most realistic kind of unreal.