STT – Chapter 16

Jiang Huaixi, Get Off Me

Lu Zizheng had been lost in thought for too long. For however long she had stared dreamily at the fireworks, Jiang Huaixi had spent that time looking at her. Consequently, when she finally returned to her senses and turned her head, Jiang Huaixi was caught off guard, unable to pull her gaze away in time.

To cover her embarrassment, Jiang Huaixi feigned a natural air and asked, “I didn’t expect you to have such a romantic streak. Do you like watching fireworks?”

            

Lu Zizheng offered a faint smile, turning over a shrimp ball on her plate. “It’s nothing. I just remembered that someone owes me a fireworks display. For some reason, I seem to have remembered it for a very, very long time.”

She saw that Jiang Huaixi’s smile had stiffened slightly, as if she were lost in thought. Pulling her mind back, Lu Zizheng glanced out and happened to spot a child squatting on the ground below, playing in the snow, while his parents tried to pull him away. She shifted the topic and asked, “Do you know how to build a snowman?”

Jiang Huaixi raised an eyebrow and countered, “Take a guess?”

            

Lu Zizheng pursed her lips and smiled. “Pfft, one guess is all I need to know you definitely don’t know how.”

Jiang Huaixi said with great interest, “It seems you’re quite the expert. Why don’t you teach me, then?”

Lu Zizheng smiled. “Will you pay tuition?”

            

Jiang Huaixi poured a bit more wine into her empty glass, swirled it gently, and teased, “That depends on how well you teach. I’ve never been one to make a losing deal.”

Lu Zizheng shook her head in mock regret, expressing disdain. “What I’m teaching isn’t a skill; it’s sentiment. Sentiment is priceless, so how could there be a loss? You’ll only gain and never lose. You really don’t understand the market.”

Jiang Huaixi set down her glass, picked up her napkin to wipe the corners of her lips, and said, “Sentiment is indeed priceless. Kept in one’s heart, forgotten by none, growing only more vivid with time.” Her words carried a hidden meaning, yet they were delivered as a mere sigh of emotion.

            

“Sentiment…” Lu Zizheng sighed. “Come to think of it, I haven’t built one in years. I remember the first time I built a snowman, my dad taught me step-by-step. First you roll a big snowball, then you roll a smaller snowball. My mom was too afraid of the cold to touch the snow, so she was responsible for holding a pointed carrot on the side, waiting to give the snowman a nose…”

As she spoke, Jiang Huaixi clearly saw the nostalgia and longing in her eyes.

Stirred by the thought, Jiang Huaixi said softly, “Let’s go, then.”

            

Lu Zizheng failed to keep up with Jiang Huaixi’s sudden leap in logic and reflexively blurted out, “Where to?”

Jiang Huaixi frowned slightly. “Didn’t you say you’re going to teach me how to build a snowman and find some sentiment?”

Only today did Lu Zizheng realize that Jiang Huaixi was entirely the type of person who acted on every whim. Looking out the window, she saw that the snow was nothing more than a thin layer blanketed over the ground. She said, amused, “The snow is so thin right now. How are we supposed to build a snowman with this?”

            

Jiang Huaixi knit her brows, staring fixedly at Lu Zizheng. “I have my ways. You just have to tell me: do you want to go or not?” Her expression was entirely serious, and Lu Zizheng could tell she was not joking.

She was only puzzled and surprised for a brief moment before she, too, wiped her lips, grabbed her purse, and stood up. “Let’s go, then,” she responded. Then she smiled. “Anyway, even if I keep eating, there won’t be any little cakes…”

Jiang Huaixi led the way, a faint smile gracing her lips, her long hair swaying gently with the movement of her slender, straight back…

            

Out of the corner of her eye, Lu Zizheng saw that Lian Xuan was still watching them, trailing them with her eyes as they departed…

Once they stepped out of the restaurant, Lu Zizheng held Jiang Huaixi back and held out her hand, palm up. “Give me the car keys. I’ll drive.” Jiang Huaixi was usually moderate with her drinking, taking no more than a few sips, but just now she had uncharacteristically drunk quite a bit.

Jiang Huaixi obediently fished the keys out of her bag and pressed them into Lu Zizheng’s hand. “Here you go, law-abiding citizen.” Pulling out her phone, she tapped away as she spoke, “I’ll wait for you here. You won’t have any trouble backing out, will you?”

            

Lu Zizheng turned and walked away. “Just wait patiently and stop worrying.”

By the time Lu Zizheng drove the car over to Jiang Huaixi, Jiang Huaixi had already put away her phone. She stood waiting with her hands in her pockets, looking perfectly relaxed. As the car stopped, Jiang Huaixi pulled open the door, not forgetting to tease, “You took quite a while. I thought you were trapped in the parking lot and was just about to go rescue you.”

Lu Zizheng shot Jiang Huaixi a cold glare. She had not paid attention when Jiang Huaixi parked the car, but when she went to drive it, she realized just how “artfully” it had been positioned. She really had almost been trapped in the parking lot. No wonder Jiang Huaixi had asked her if she’d have trouble backing out; she couldn’t help but suspect it had been intentional.

            

Jiang Huaixi wore a mischievous smile, though her tone sounded thoroughly sincere. “Zizheng, I’m putting myself in your hands now. The roads are slippery tonight, so be careful.”

Lu Zizheng stared straight ahead, her voice cold. “Shut up. If you say one more word, I can’t guarantee I won’t drive us into a ditch.”

Jiang Huaixi pursed her lips and fell silent. She opened the navigation system for Lu Zizheng and entered their destination, offering a pointer or two whenever the road conditions turned poor.

            

Under Jiang Huaixi’s guidance, the car drove smoothly out of the city center and toward the quiet, barren suburbs. The snow fell heavier and heavier along the way, prompting Lu Zizheng to drive with increasing caution.

After passing through a stretch of wasteland, the car entered a villa district. Flickering lights from various households began to appear in their line of sight.

Located halfway up a mountain, the area was considerably colder and gloomier than the city center, and the snow along the road felt noticeably thicker. Yet as soon as they drove into the villa district itself, all traces of accumulated snow vanished from the roads. Lu Zizheng simply assumed the property management here was highly efficient with their snow removal.

            

From a distance, they could see a villa ahead that was brightly lit, standing out from the rest. As they drew closer, she saw that its courtyard gates were wide open, with a few figures standing indistinctly at the entrance.

Jiang Huaixi spoke up, “You can just stop up ahead. We’ll walk in.”

Lu Zizheng turned off the ignition and got out of the car after Jiang Huaixi.

            

Sure enough, several men in business suits stood by the gate. Bowing their heads and bending slightly, they greeted Jiang Huaixi respectfully, “Miss.”

Jiang Huaixi asked in a cool tone, “Is everything ready?”

The man standing at the front replied, “Everything is ready.”

            

Jiang Huaixi nodded, paying them no further attention. She turned to Lu Zizheng and said, “Let’s go inside.”

The moment she entered the courtyard, Lu Zizheng was stunned by the sight before her. The entire courtyard was packed with a flat, thick layer of snow. Stepping into it, her shoe sank more than halfway. After a moment of thought, connecting this to the snow-free roads outside, she understood everything in an instant.

She turned around to look at Jiang Huaixi, only to find the other woman staring back at her with a calm expression—though a sliver of anticipation slipped into her eyes despite herself. What a romantic fool, Lu Zizheng thought, deeply moved. Yet she teased, “Working for the Jiang family really isn’t easy. Even on a major holiday, they have to shovel snow and clear roads in the middle of the night just to keep their boss entertained. Big Boss, did you give them extra bonuses?”

            

Jiang Huaixi squatted down, playfully scooping up a handful of snow. Looking up at Lu Zizheng, she remarked dismissively, “Don’t make your resentment of the rich so obvious. Is this enough to build you a snowman?” Her eyes were shining bright, making it impossible for Lu Zizheng to refuse.

Lu Zizheng squatted down beside her, reaching out both hands to push together a thick layer of snow. “It’s enough to build ten,” she said, amused.

She began pushing the snow slowly from the sides, gathering it in the center and packing it tight. “Alright, class is in session. Just do exactly what I do.”

            

Jiang Huaixi nodded, looking every bit the good student.

Lu Zizheng rolled a large snowball to serve as the snowman’s base, and Jiang Huaixi copied her, shaping one just like it. Next, Lu Zizheng rolled a smaller ball, and Jiang Huaixi diligently followed suit…

Once the snowmen’s bodies were finished, Lu Zizheng gathered two twigs from beneath a tree in the courtyard to make arms, and Jiang Huaixi did the same. The twigs Jiang Huaixi gathered were much longer than Lu Zizheng’s, reaching out just far enough to touch the arm of Lu Zizheng’s snowman.

            

Everything was perfect, save for the lack of facial features. Lu Zizheng wanted to find materials nearby, but looking around, she saw nothing suitable. As she lowered her head in deep thought, she heard Jiang Huaixi clap her hands together lightly, the sound crisp and clear.

A man walked over to Jiang Huaixi carrying a white bag, set it down in silence, and quietly departed…

Jiang Huaixi raised her eyebrows triumphantly at Lu Zizheng. From the bag, she pulled out two perfectly round, glossy black beads and carefully set them into the snowman’s head. Next came a cute carrot nose, followed by a mouth formed from a delicate red bracelet.

            

Once her masterpiece was finished, she stood up and admired her snowman with satisfaction. Then, casting a glance over Lu Zizheng’s snowman, she grinned mischievously. “Teacher, your snowman has no eyes or nose. It is so terrifying, it will give poor me¹ nightmares tonight.”

Lu Zizheng shuddered, startled by Jiang Huaixi’s self-referential use of “poor me.” Without a word, she stood up too. Trudging unevenly through the deep snow, she walked over to Jiang Huaixi’s snowman and murmured thoughtfully, “These dark, shiny eyes really are quite beautiful.” Suddenly, she snatched her hand forward, pulled it back, and bolted away.

Jiang Huaixi stared closer and gasped in dismay. Where had her cute snowman’s dark, shiny eyes gone?! The moment she realized what had happened, she lifted her feet to chase after Lu Zizheng. “Give Xuebao²‘s eyes back to me!”

            

Lu Zizheng laughed as she ran. “Oh, you even gave him a name? I couldn’t tell you had such a childlike heart, Miss Jiang…”

How could Jiang Huaixi outrun Lu Zizheng? After only a few steps, she was already slightly out of breath. In her desperation, she squatted down, scooped up a handful of snow, and hurled it at Lu Zizheng. The snowball flew and struck its mark, hitting Lu Zizheng in the thigh and causing her to stumble.

Overjoyed, Jiang Huaixi cried out triumphantly, “Give me back his eyes!”

            

Lu Zizheng narrowed her eyes slightly. “You want his eyes, do you…?” With swift hands, she grabbed a fistful of snow and threw it back at Jiang Huaixi. “Come and get them…!”

But Jiang Huaixi was already on guard. With a slight shift of her body, she dodged the attack and teased, “Your aim isn’t very good, Zizheng.”

Unwilling to accept defeat, Lu Zizheng threw another snowball, but Jiang Huaixi dodged it once more…

            

“Let me teach you how to hit your target…” No sooner had the words left Jiang Huaixi’s mouth than Lu Zizheng, unable to dodge in time, was hit by another snowball. She could not help but let out a startled cry. “Ouch!”

“Are you giving them back or not?”

“No! Not unless you let me hit you once…” Lu Zizheng called back with a laugh.

            

“In your dreams!” Jiang Huaixi bent down and packed another snowball, preparing to launch another attack at Lu Zizheng.

Having learned her lesson, Lu Zizheng was not about to stand there like a sitting duck. The moment the snowball flew toward her, she bolted. Jiang Huaixi naturally quickened her pace and gave chase.

The two of them chased each other back and forth, trading snowball after snowball. Laughter and startled cries gradually filled the otherwise quiet, desolate courtyard, echoing through the night sky…

            

For the first time, Jiang Huaixi heard Lu Zizheng laugh so heartily, just like a child. When Jiang Huaixi reached out and caught her, Lu Zizheng looked back in panic, only to be swept up in a tight embrace and pulled down onto the snowy ground.

In her panic, Lu Zizheng’s eyes flew wide. Dark and glistening, she looked as adorable as a young deer. Jiang Huaixi’s eyes curved, brimming with laughter. Unfortunately, her legs were already so frozen that she had nearly lost all feeling in them. She no longer had the strength to roll over and shield Lu Zizheng from the hard fall, so she could only use her stiff, frozen hands to prop up her own weight, keeping herself from pressing down on her.

“Ah, Jiang Huaixi, get off me…”

            

“I’m sorry, but at the thought of my Xuebao losing his eyes, I’m simply too heartbroken to find any strength.” Jiang Huaixi looked down to meet Lu Zizheng’s gaze, her smile thick with mischief.

At such close proximity, Lu Zizheng could clearly see her own reflection shimmering like starlight in Jiang Huaixi’s ink-black eyes. It was so clear, so moving.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she squeezed her eyes shut in panic, not daring to look. She was already shivering all over from the cold, her teeth chattering, yet Jiang Huaixi’s eyes seemed to carry a burning heat that warmed her entire body. Jiang Huaixi’s breath fell softly against her frozen face, puff after puff, light and warm…

            

What about her lips? Were those pale pink lips just as warm? Lu Zizheng felt as though she were losing her mind.

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