Extra 4 - Xia Tong.

<b>Extra 4: Xia Tong.</b>

Su Jingmo met Xia Tong for the first time on the 23rd day of the 12th Lunar Month, during the Northern Little New Year ¹ .

Even after moving into the new house a few months ago, Qin Cheng’s friends did not yet know the exact location of his house. So, considering that they would all be in Xi’an for the Little New Year, Qin Cheng and Su Jingmo decided to invite them over.

It was around 3 pm, and while it was too early for dinner, there was a knock on the door.

“It’s probably Zhang Jun and the others. I’ll go open the door.”

“I’ll accompany you.” Su Jingmo put aside the book in his hand and stood up. “After all, they are your friends.”

However, Su Jingmo never expected that among the visitors, there would be women.

One of them was holding hands with the young man named Zhang Jun, so Su Jingmo assumed that she must be his wife. As for the other one….

Su Jingmo carefully looked at her. The girl was slim and petite, wearing glasses similar to Qin Cheng’s. Her cheeks were somewhat rosy, and while she looked rather shy, her eyes had been glued to Qin Cheng ever since he had opened the door….

“Qin Cheng, these two are….?”

“Oh, right, I forgot to introduce them to you.” Qin Cheng welcomed the guests into the living room. As he prepared some tea, he introduced: “This is Zhang Jun, whom you’ve met before. The woman next to him is his wife, He Yalan. They got married in August last year. Next to her is her good friend Xia Tong.”

“Xia… Tong?”

“Uh, um, yeah.”

Seeing the girl in front of him, Su Jingmo pursed his lips and his peach blossom eyes curved into a smile, looking rather alluring: “In the shadowy Summer woods, the yellow oriole sings, while the charming reddish hues of the sunset reflect on the clouds among the purple sky ² . It is a good name.”

As he spoke, Su Jingmo slightly raised an eyebrow, shooting a meaningful glance at Qin Cheng, who stood beside him.

Qin Cheng scratched his nose with some uncertainty.

“Qin Cheng, don’t just introduce us. Why haven’t you introduced us to the handsome guy beside you?” He Yalan had recently heard from Zhang Jun that Qin Cheng had found a male partner, and although she initially felt a bit aggrieved for Xia Tong, what made He Yalan harbor even more resistance about this relationship was the unknown man. Especially when He Yalan had created a distorted image about him inside her mind. He Yalan had believed that the man would look unpleasantly effeminate, but the reality was that this man was far from the initially stereotypically effeminate man she imagined.

Tall and graceful, exceptionally handsome, with long hair that didn’t make him look feminine at all. He Yalan couldn’t find the right words to describe the aura he exuded from inside out. But she had never seen a man with more elegance and poise than him. From the moment she stepped into the living room, He Yalan couldn’t take her eyes off him. Subtly, she felt as if Qin Cheng had gained a great treasure….

When he heard this, Qin Cheng smiled and replied: “He’s Su Jingmo, my lover.”

“Alright, alright Wife, your eyes are practically glued to him. You do know I’m here by your side, don’t you?” Zhang Jun joked, covering He Yalan’s eyes. “I know Mr. Su is handsome and has good manners, but there’s no need to be like that.”

“Yes, yes, you are so jealous.” He Yalan looked at Zhang Jun, then turned to pull Xia Tong and ask Qin Cheng: “Where’s the kitchen? Xia Tong and I will go and help prepare first.”

“No need, I already stewed the lamb. In fact, everything is already ready, there are only a few side dishes left to prepare to put inside the pot at dinner time. Since you’re my guests, how could I let you do all the work?”

“Oh? You actually know how to cook? That’s surprising, I thought a grown man like you would probably be just as bad as me in the kitchen, which is why I brought Yalan and Xia Tong.” Zhang Jun said.

“I can manage a little bit. It’s just that when I used to live in the dorm, I didn’t bother to cook. Oh right, Wu Hai hasn’t arrived yet? Wasn’t his train supposed to arrive at 2pm?”

“He just called me and told me that the train was delayed. I guess he won’t arrive until 4pm.”

“By the way, did you buy wine? It’s been a while since I last had any alcohol. I’d like to get some white wine.”

“I didn’t buy any…”

“Then I’ll go buy some—”

Before Qin Cheng could finish speaking, Xia Tong, who was standing next to him, rushed to chime in: “My maternal uncle has a wine shop in this neighborhood. The wines he sells taste very good.”

“Well, then I’ll go with you—”

“No, I’ll go.”

Su Jingmo interrupted Qin Cheng’s words. When Qin Cheng was about to say something else, Su Jingmo’s cold gaze obediently made him shut his mouth.

Slowly stepping towards Xia Tong, Su Jingmo slightly bowed his body, and said to Xia Tong with a smile on his face: “May I ask Miss Xia to lead the way?”

With a single sentence, Xia Tong’s cheeks instantly turned bright red.

Ignoring the stupefied onlookers, Su Jingmo made an inviting gesture and led the blushing girl out the front door.

Only after hearing that the door had been closed, did Zhang Jun regain his senses and said foolishly: “Damn, unbelievable. At first, I was worried whether it was appropriate for Yalan to bring Xia Tong, since Xia Tong and Mr. Su are kind of love rivals….. But now, I’m beginning to fear that the one who should be worried is you, Qin Cheng….”

Qin Cheng was naturally aware of what Zhang Jun meant. Smiling helplessly, Qin Cheng said: “Jingmo does indeed attract women.”

Patting Qin Cheng’s shoulder, Zhang Jun sighed: “Ah my brother, be careful. With his appearance, I’m afraid the entertainment scouts will come looking for him, am I right?”

Qin Cheng pushed Zhang Jun’s hand away with a smile: “You are joking, but in fact it has already happened. A while ago, someone posted a video of Jingmo practicing Tai Chi in the park and it went viral. Since then, many went to intercept him. Although Jingmo didn’t mind at first, later they started to follow him back to our house. At that time Jingmo beat them all up and handed them over to Jiang Ping.”

“What? Then is Mr. Su planning to enter the entertainment industry?”

Qin Cheng shook his head: “Jingmo said that’s what ‘opera singers ³ ‘ do, and he belittles it.”

“Opera singer?!” At first he was surprised, but then Zhang Jun remembered Su Jingmo’s original identity and couldn’t help, but sigh: “Indeed, ah, it makes sense that it’s not for him. Then what is Mr. Su doing now….?”

“Some time ago he met the Dean of a Literary Research Institute and they became friends almost instantly. The Dean invited him to Beijing, but Jingmo declined. However, some time later the Dean told him that there was someone interested in buying a piece of his calligraphy for 200,000 yuan, and Jingmo agreed.” Taking a pause at this point, Qin Cheng took a deep breath before continuing: “Honestly, when I heard him say that, I felt very sad. He shouldn’t be someone who needs to sell calligraphy and paintings to make a living.”

—

Neither Su Jingmo nor Xia Tong got to hear the conversation the people inside the house were having. Thus on his part, upon seeing that Xia Tong was extremely nervous, Su Jingmo asked: “Miss Xia, where is your uncle’s wine shop?”

“Ah? Um, it’s just around the corner. You can even smell the aroma of wine from here.”

Su Jingmo sniffed the air and commented: “Hmm, yes. The aroma of rice wine.”

“Mr. Su knows about wine?”

“A little.”

“You might get along well with my young uncle then. He is only ten years older than me, and though he could have opened a bar, he insisted on opening a wine shop. He says that bars are too chaotic and that there’s nothing purer than a wine shop. Besides, he distills all the wines himself, as he has a preference for Chinese liquor.”

“Oh? Then I would really like to meet this Master.”

Although the wine shop was small, it was decorated in an antique style. There were large jugs in the store, all filled with white wine that emitted a tantalizing aroma.

“Uncle, I’ve come to see you.”

When the shop owner heard the voice, he came out. The man looked to be in his mid-thirties, with a slight beard, but without appearing disheveled.

“Oh, Tongtong, what made you come today?” Upon noticing the man beside his niece, the man became momentarily stunned. But then he smiled and asked: “Could this be a case of ‘bring the boyfriend to meet the relative and be approved’?”

“Nono, this is Mr. Su. He’s not my boyfriend, I brought him to buy wine!” Xia Tong hurried to explain with a brightly flushed face. “Mr. Su is…. is a friend’s partner….”

Seeing that Xia Tong was uneasy, Zhou Minsheng stopped teasing her and asked earnestly: “Alright, alright. I won’t bother you anymore. What kind of wine are you here to buy this time? Do you need any recommendations?”

Su Jingmo smelled the aroma of the wine in front of him and asked: “Is this sorghum wine?”

“Hmm? You can tell just by smelling it?”

Su Jingmo smiled and nodded: “The aroma is quite fragrant.”

“Heh, not bad. Would you like to take a sip and taste it?”

“Sure.”

After taking a sip of the wine, Su Jingmo commented: “The taste is rich and smooth, with a clear, but slightly dry texture. It has to be a fresh wine, made about more than a month ago.”

Zhou Minsheng nodded with interest: “You really know your stuff. Here, try this one.” Zhou Minsheng then opened another jug of wine, scooped out some of the liquor, and handed it to Su Jingmo.

“Glutinous rice wine. Slightly sweet, but not intoxicating.”

“What about this one?” He said and handed another small cup to Su Jingmo.

Su Jingmo took the wine, closed his eyes in order to smell it, and smiled after taking a sip: “The wine’s body is smooth and fragrant, with a lingering aftertaste.” As he opened his eyes, Su Jingmo smelled the empty cup. “The fragrance of the wine lingers in the cup even after drinking it. It reminds me of the taste of Southwest Miao liquor. It’s an excellent wine.”

“Hey, not bad. Although I modeled the wine after Maotai liquor, I still can’t reach that level. This is the best wine I have in the shop, would you like to take some?” Zhou Minsheng asked.

“I’ll take a jug, and half a catty ⁴ of glutinous rice wine.”

Once the wine was bought, half an hour had passed. As Su Jingmo and Zhou Minsheng got along well, Zhou Minsheng invited him to attend the Southwest Wine Expo next month. After giving it some thought, Su Jingmo agreed.

On the way back, Xia Tong looked at Su Jingmo, who was walking in front of her with the jug of wine, and finally mustered up the courage to shout: “Mr. Su!”

Su Jingmo stopped dead in his tracks and turned to look at Xia Tong, without saying anything.

Xia Tong was a little nervous, so her fingers trembled slightly. Looking at the extremely outstanding man in front of her, Xia Tong opened her mouth, but didn’t utter a word. Only after a while was she able to muster up the courage to ask: “Mr. Su, when did you meet Qin Cheng?”

Su Jingmo thought about it for a moment, and replied: “A long time ago. So long that I can no longer remember it exactly.”

“Mr. Su, you know that I’m in love with Qin Cheng, don’t you?”

Looking at Xia Tong sharply, Su Jingmo nodded: “I know.”

“I’ve liked Qin Cheng for several years, but I never dared to tell him. But when I finally did, I realized it was too late. He likes you very much, he genuinely likes you. So much so that even during the time he lost his memory, he never gave me a glimmer of hope….”

Without her noticing, tears began to fall from Xia Tong’s eyes. She choked out: “There was a time when I thought that if it weren’t for you, he would have chosen me…. It’s just, I don’t know why, but I’ve always had the feeling that he should be mine….”

“He’s not yours.” Su Jingmo, who rarely showed any emotions, didn’t comfort the girl who was crying in front of him. Instead, he coldly interrupted her and said cruelly: “Since the past, a very long time ago, he has always belonged only to me, Su Jingmo, and no one else.”

“I knew you weren’t as kind as you made yourself out to be. He really does love you, but can you say the same?”

Xia Tong wiped away her tears with her head down, and even after a long while, she didn’t hear Su Jingmo’s reply. Unable to bear it any longer, Xia Tong looked up, only to see Su Jingmo’s smiling face. His eyes, which a few moments ago seemed completely devoid of emotion, had become colorful and radiant. Then, Xia Tong heard Su Jingmo say: “I love him.”

At that moment, Xia Tong understood everything. ‘ I never stood a chance. ’

By the time they returned to the house, Xia Tong’s eyes were red. Right when He Yalan was about to say something, Zhang Jun stopped her.

Wu Hai ended up arriving at 6pm, and a little later, the six people sat around the round table. They drank mutton stew, drank the wine, and merrily chatted until almost 10pm.

Although Su Jingmo had a good tolerance for alcohol, he had drunk quite a bit and was a bit tipsy. After washing up, he sat on the sofa next to Qin Cheng and stared at him: “I snatched you from her hands.”

Qin Cheng, guessing what had happened between Su Jingmo and Xia Tong outside, smiled as he sat closer to Su Jingmo: “And I snatched you away from the Heavens.”

Su Jingmo smiled: “She’s a good girl.”

“Not as good as…. you—” The last word faded the moment their lips met in a kiss.

In the middle of it all, at some point, clothes began to fall off, one after another, until skin met skin, and both of their breathing became heavier as they panted.

In the midst of all the mess, Su Jingmo let Qin Cheng do whatever he wanted.

“I love you, Jingmo…”

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Footnotes

<ol><b>北方小年 běi fāng xiǎo nián</b> ; The ‘Northern Little New Year’ refers to the traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month in the Northern regions of China. It marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year festivities, while the main celebration of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) occurs later, around the 1st day of the first lunar month. The Northern Little New Year is considered a prelude to the grand event. During this time, people start cleaning and decorating their homes, buy new clothes, and prepare traditional foods. <b>夏彤</b> <b>xià tóng</b> ; Xia = <b>阴阴夏木囀黄鸝</b> <b>yīn yīn xià mù zhuàn huáng lí</b> “In the shadowy Summer woods, the yellow oriole sings”. Tong = <b>绰约彤霞降紫霄</b> <b>chuò yuē tóng xiá jiàng zǐ xiāo</b> “The charming reddish hues of the sunset reflect on the clouds among the purple sky”. Xia ( <b>夏</b> ) means ‘Summer’, Tong ( <b>彤</b> ) means ‘Red’. The word Qin Cheng uses, in the way Su Jingmo meant, is: <b>戏子</b> <b>xì zi</b> , which can mean “Opera Singer” or “Actor”, but in a derogatory way. <b>斤</b> <b>jīn</b> ; A catty is a weight equal to 0.5 kg (500 gm). So half a catty would be 250 gm.</ol>