Chapter 38

Chapter 38 Special Gift

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Every time Xiang Xiaoyue remembered last night’s events, she would turn grumpy. With a snap, she broke the pencil she was holding in two, making her even angrier as she threw the pieces into the bin.

The script she was holding in her other hand crumpled, moments away from being ripped into shreds.

Yu Dong took her coffee and walked to Ren Xinxin, whispering: “What’s wrong with her?”

“I don’t know, she’s been like that all morning. I wanted to ask you, didn’t she see you perform last night?” Ren Xinxin asked.

“I was about to go look for her after the show, but she called me and said she had something to do. she left first.” Yu Dong and Ren Xinxin looked at each other, curiosity and the thirst for gossip obvious in their eyes.

Yu Dong went over and rapped on Xiaoyue’s table.

“What?” Xiang Xiaoyue looked up to Yu Dong.

“Squeeze a little more, and I think you’ll break all the pencils in your pencil case.” Yu Dong pointed at the trash bin.

Xiang Xiaoyue looked down and was startled to see several broken pencils in the bin. Depressed, she finally put down the papers in her hand. She needed a break.

“What happened last night?” Yu Dong asked.

Xiang Xiaoyue regained her spirit as she looked up to Yu Dong. She thought for a moment and said: “Nothing, I just met an old friend.”

Her black history that is chubby girl must never see the light of day.

“What about your murder bag? Why don’t you have it today?” She had been so proud of that bag when she showed it off to Yu Dong, Xiaoyue should be using it for weeks, not for just one night.

“Oh, that bag, I think you’re right in the end. It’s a little dangerous, and I’m always near a pregnant woman, I have to be careful.” Xiang Xiaoyue explained.

Yu Dong looked at her with suspicion, then looked back towards Ren Xinxin. Ren Xinxin shrugged her shoulders clearly not believing Xiaoyue’s answer.

Ring…

Xiaoyue picked up her phone and when she saw the screen her face scrunched. She took her phone and rushed out of the room.

“There’s something fishy!” Yu Dong asserted.

“Very fishy!’ Ren Xinxin agreed as she nodded.

Meanwhile, Xiang Xiaoyue entered an empty dubbing room and helplessly answered her phone: “What are you calling me for?”

“You don’t seem very happy that I called.” Qin Yue arched an eyebrow as he comfortably sat down on the sofa.

“If you have something to say, just say it!” Xiaoyue said impatiently. Thinking of her dark past, her face turned weird.

“There’s nothing, it’s just that I’m in Shanghai and I haven’t had the time to look around. Do you have time to be my tour guide today?” Qin Yue laughed.

“Nope!” Xiang Xiaoyue didn’t even hesitate as she answered.

“Are you still angry at me for calling you chubby back then?”  Qin Yue speculated.

“How forgetful are you? You did more than that,” Xiaoyue said fiercely, “You said I had some sort of disease and made me believe I had to eat swan meat to get better.”

“Oh, ha ha…” Qin Yue couldn’t help but chuckle. “How do you remember things that happened so long ago? Weren’t you 5 at the time?”

“I think it’s 3 year-olds that can’t retain memories.” Xiang Xiaoyue said sarcastically.

Qin Yue laughed, enjoying himself. That chubby girl grew into a beautiful, powerful and fun woman.

“That…since you weren’t 3 back then, you should remember that day when you said you were going to marry me?”

“Pei!” Xiaoyue scolded, “It was clearly Grandma Su’s walnut crisps that I wanted to marry.”

When she was young, as they were neighbors and was well-liked, Grandma Su often made her walnut desserts. Xiang Xiaoyue was so happy she asked Grandma Su if she could eat her sweets for the rest of her life. Grandma Su patted the young Xiaoyue’s head and replied: “If you become my granddaughter-in-law, Grandma will make you whatever you want.”

Xiaoyue’s personality had always been the same, even back then. The young Xiaoyue had always liked the handsome brother next door, so one day she blocked the Qin Yue on the way home from school. Her chubby paws were clutching a walnut crisp as she haughtily said: “Handsome brother, I’ll be your wife.”

“Hey little chubby, I think there’s something wrong with your body, you should go eat swam meat.” The teenage Qin Yue rapped on the round little girls’ head.

The young fatty was so stunned she cried. She had cried so hard that Xiang Xiaoyue still clearly remembers that day, even now.

“Then have you been eating my grandmother’s walnut pastries all these years in the hopes that I would notice?”

“Ha! In your dreams!” Xiang Xiaoyue angrily hung up the phone. “So shameless.”

Qin Yue listened to the beep as the call ended. He wasn’t angry, in fact, he was feeling very refreshed. He didn’t feel the pain on his forehead as he picked up his glass and took a sip of the red wine.

When Xiang Xiaoyue opened the door to leave, she startled. Xiang Xiaoyue’s expression sunk as she realized Yu Dong had been leaning in front of the door, eavesdropping.

“What? Didn’t Xia Feng invite you girls to dinner today? It’s almost time to leave so I went to call you.” Yu Dong randomly found an excuse.

Looking at her phone, Xiaoyue realized that Yu Dong was right; it was already 5:00 p.m. and they were supposed to meet with Xia Feng at 6:00 p.m.

Because Ren Xinxin recently had a taste for spicy food, Xia Feng made a reservation to the nearby restaurant the three girls often frequented. When the three arrived, Xia Feng was already waiting for them in their private room.

As soon as Yu Dong saw Xia Feng, she unknowingly drifted towards him and asked: “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, just arrived.” Xia Feng held Yu Dong’s hand as he turned to the other two and greeted them. “Hello.”

“Hello!” Ren Xinxin replied with a sunny smile.

Xiang Xiaoyue looked at Xia Feng from head to toe, before graciously saying: “It seems that you made an effort to look particularly good today, I’ll give you a point for that.”

Xia Feng knew Xiang Xiaoyue’s personality, so he wasn’t offended. Instead, he asked: “If bring out a gift, can you add a few more points?”

“Gift?” After Xia Feng finished, the three girls looked at him in surprise.

Xia Feng smiled, let go of Yu Dong’s hand, and brought out two bags from the corner of the room. He handed a bag to Xiang Xiaoyue and Ren Xinxin saying: “I don’t often buy things for girls, but I heard that this was pretty universal, so I bought two.”

“Coach’s limited edition handbag?” Xiang Xiaoyue took out a handbag and exclaimed, “This isn’t even out in China yet, I’ve been drooling over this bag for a while.”

Ren Xinxin opened her own bag to see the same bag, albeit a different color.

“You…you bought it when you were in America?” Yu Dong couldn’t help but ask.

“Well I had a colleauge buying things for his girlfriend’s friends, I thought I should do the same.” Xia Feng laughed.

Hearing this, Yu Dong’s heart was moved. Had Xia Feng been considering such things already so early in their relationship?

Xiang Xiaoyue accepted the gift and therefore couldn’t act like the villain anymore. So she rushed to Xia Feng and said: “Your attitude is pretty good. If I try to pick you apart after this, it’ll only embarrass the both of us. I won’t say any more, but just remember this: Don’t you dare bully Dong Dong, or else…”

Xiang Xiaoyue made a gesture to slash her throat while Ren Xinxin nodded in agreement.

Though Xia Feng smiled at Xiaoyue’s actions, his eyes were serious as he replied: “I promise.”

Although Yu Dong was chuckling at their antics, a stray tear threatened to fall.

“Let’s eat!”

Since everyone was familiar with each other, dinner was comfortable and light-hearted. When dinner finished, Xiang Xiaoyue and Ren Xinxin gave each other a look before handing Xia Feng a box. “Come on, it’s not something indecent. This is for you.”

Xia Feng took the gift box, surprised.

“You also prepared a present?” Yu Dong was curious as she motioned to open the box.

Xiaoyue stopped her with a laugh and said: “Open it when you get home.”

“OK, laughing so bizarrely, there must be something weird in that box.” Yu Dong knew Xiang Xiaoyue. Seeing that expression, there was definitely something going on. Therefore Yu Dong tried to grab the box from Xia Feng.

Before she could, Xiang Xiaoyue and Ren Xinxin each grabbed an arm and pulled. In the end, Xia Feng dodged Yu Dong’s arms and smiled, trying to reassure her: “Since Xiaoyue doesn’t want us to open it now, we can take a look when we get home.”

“Yes, yes!” Xiaoyue was relieved.

Afterward, the group said their goodbyes. Xiaoyue and Xinxin went back to their apartment, Xia Feng went back to the hospital, and Yu Dong went to the radio station to record her New Year’s broadcast.

Because of her performance at the gala, Yu Dong’s high-spec appearance became the focus of tonight’s Midnight Phantom audience. Many praised her grandeur beauty and generosity throughout the broadcast.

After being interrogated by countless sisters about maintaining her skin and figure, it became obvious that ever since Midnight Phantom started, the central topic always inevitably involved the host.

At the end of the show, Senior Yu seemed to realize something. He handed Yu Dong an envelope and said, “While you were recording the security guard downstairs brought this letter, he said it was from a listener.”

Curious, Yu Dong took the offered envelope. Turning it over, there wasn’t anything written on the outside. She then opened it and started to read the single page.

Fish Jelly:

I didn’t go see your show because I couldn’t bear to part with the only goodwill given to me these past 10 years. I looked at the tickets for a while and decided to try again. I hope I’m already at the lowest point of my life so that from now on, I can only go upward.

There was no name, but Yu Dong knew that it must be that dangerous Mr. Strong.

Yu Dong solemnly put the letter back in the envelope. She looked past the window to the moon high above, battling with the brightness of the surrounding neon.

Perhaps courage is like the moon over a city. Although it’s brightness couldn’t be compared to the neon signs and high-rise buildings, it still exists.

It was a busy day in the hospital, so Xia Feng had just managed to come home a little earlier than Yu Dong.

After he changed clothes and turned on the air conditioner for Yu Dong, Xia Feng remembered the gift Xiaoyue gave them.

Curious, Xia Feng unwrapped the beautiful packaging.

When he saw the box full of condoms, Xia Feng’s usually gentle face reddened, full of unspeakable embarrassment and dismay.

This, was this a reminder, an encouragement?

“…” Xia Feng was stunned for a long while, then suddenly he couldn’t help but laugh out loud, shoulders shaking. After a few minutes, he finally calmed down and picked up this special gift, bringing it back to his room. He thought about where to put it, and eventually decided to place it in his bedside table.

Xia Feng sat down on his bed, leaning on his headboard to do some bedtime reading. He couldn’t concentrate though, his mind was full of Yu Dong’s smiles and the gift box.

As Xia Feng continued to stare into space, a slight sound in the living room alerted him of Yu Dong’s return.

After a slight hesitation, Xia Feng put down his book and went out.

“Hey, why are you still awake?” Yu Dong saw him and smiled as she shed her coat.

“I just got back too.” Xia Feng replied.

“Oh, let me tell you, I just received a letter from Mr. Strong, you know that guy from the night before yesterday…” Yu Dong was overjoyed, eager to share the good news with Xia Feng.

“Go wash up first, I’ll properly listen after.” Xia Feng patted Yu Dong’s head.

“Don’t touch, my hair’s a little oily.” Yu Dong backed away.

“Then go ahead and wash it, I’ll blow dry your hair later.” Xia Feng proposed.

“Great!” Yu Dong’s eyes lit up, and she happily left to take a bath.

While Yu Dong took a bath Xia Feng grabbed the hairdryer and sat on the sofa to wait for her. When Yu Dong came out, she grinned as she approached, putting her wet head on the towel on Xia Feng’s thigh.

Xia Feng blowdried her hair as he listened to Yu Dong loudly recount tonight’s events, her joy and enthusiasm overpowering the hairdryer’s noise.

“I feel like I’m like you. You save lives, and I save lives too.” Yu Dong said happily, “We’re quite a good match.”

Suddenly Xia Feng turned off the hairdryer, his hands also ceasing to move.

“All done?” Yu Dong felt that her hair was still a little wet, so she looked up at Xia Feng, puzzled.

“A perfect match.”

Xia Feng looked into Yu Dong’s questioning eyes before bending down to cover the lips that tempted him the whole night.

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He really wished the holidays would come sooner!

After a while Xia Feng let her go and continued to blow dry her hair with a smile.

Yu Dong blinked, then blushed as she grinned.

***