Stand firm and hold on tight
The singing seemed to go on for an eternity before it abruptly stopped, and that terrible silence once again engulfed the dimly lit space. Xiao Wanqing subconsciously fumbled over her little teddy, finally finding a small, solid object on its belly. She poked at it—no response. Then she switched to patting it, and just as she wished, Lin Xian’s soft and gentle voice began to flow through the air once again.
Xiao Wanqing didn’t know how many times she had listened or when the song eventually stopped again, nor did she realize when she herself had fallen asleep.
This time, she did not have any nightmares, and she slept through till she woke up naturally.
When she awoke, it was bright daylight. She habitually reached for her phone to check the time, then casually checked her messages.
There was a notification dot on the top of her WeChat. Her little girl had awakened and had sent her a photo along with a voice message.
The photo showed Lin Xian’s breakfast, and the voice message was full of cheerfulness and vitality, “Xiao Xiaowan, good morning! Come and have breakfast. Show me what delicious food you’re having, okay?” The message was imbued with laughter.
Xiao Wanqing swept back her messy hair from her ears, the terrifying nightmare of the previous night forgotten, and a smile naturally spread across her lips.
She knew Lin Xian probably wanted to make sure she had a proper breakfast. The girl always worried that Xiao Wanqing would get lazy about meals when she wasn’t around.
Getting out of bed and walking towards the bathroom, Xiao Wanqing replied with a voice still lazy and slightly husky from just waking up, “Good morning, Xianxian.” After a pause, she added another message: “The song was beautiful, I really liked it.”
Just as she put down her phone and was about to put toothpaste on her brush, the phone screen, on the verge of turning off, lit up timely. Lin Xian had sent a video call request. Xiao Wanqing turned on the faucet to collect water and, simultaneously, answered the video call.
The phone was propped up on the washstand, its camera pointed upwards, Lin Xian couldn’t see Xiao Wanqing, but Xiao Wanqing could clearly see Lin Xian. The girl seemed to have been up for quite a while, her hair neatly done, seemingly curled just a bit intentionally. She was sitting in front of a bay window, with an open book resting on her stomach, a rare sight of literary freshness.
Lin Xian’s tone was full of joy as she cheekily asked Xiao Wanqing, “Did you hear that? That means you hugged the little Teddy, did you miss me?”
Xiao Wanqing, brushing her teeth, couldn’t speak. She glanced down to see the girl’s bright and clean smile and felt that Lin Xian was like the little sun in her life—although perhaps too dazzling and scorching, she could always instantaneously disperse all the clouds shrouding her heart.
With her mouth full of water, Xiao Wanqing spat out the froth. Just when Lin Xian thought she would, as usual, avoid responding directly to this topic, Xiao Wanqing softly uttered, “Hmm. I’ve missed you.”
It had been so long since she had spoken such affectionate and cheesy words. Once the words left her mouth, Xiao Wanqing felt a warmth envelop her. She looked at the woman in the mirror, who wore an awkward and shy blush that seemed out of step with her age, and laughed at herself in silence.
Luckily, Lin Xian couldn’t see Xiao Wanqing like this.
The next second, Xiao Wanqing saw Lin Xian on the other end of the phone, dancing with joy like a child who had just received a long-awaited candy. Her heart couldn’t help but lift with Lin Xian’s happiness.
Lin Xian leaned in close to the phone, batting her large eyes and pushing her luck: “Xiao Xiaowan, what are you doing, where are you? Let me see you, are you shy? I want to see you; I want to kiss you.”
Xiao Wanqing bit her lip, listening to her lover’s soft cooing, her complexion growing even more flushed. She felt a rare playful mood as she teased Lin Xian, not even giving her a glimpse of the ceiling. She took a lipstick, covered the front camera, and then listened to the girl’s dissatisfied complaints, laughing with tender eyes.
At the end of August, first-year students had to start school early due to military training, and Lin Xian, unable to wait, returned to Xiao Wanqing’s home in the South District two days earlier than the freshmen’s start of school.
This time, Lin Xian didn’t follow Zhou Qin’s arrangements; she didn’t wait until evening to come over after Xiao Wanqing got off work, like the past few times. She insisted on coming over right after lunch, to avoid a meeting between Zhou Qin and Xiao Wanqing.
Upon entering and preparing to change shoes, Zhou Qin immediately noticed two pairs of slippers on the shoe rack, identical in style but different in color. Under her gaze, Lin Xian comfortably took a pair of pink ones to wear, then handed Zhou Qin a pair that looked rarely used.
Zhou Qin took the slippers without much thought.
Entering the living room, Zhou Qin keenly felt that something was different. Even though the overall arrangement had hardly changed, Zhou Qin swept the room with her eyes and felt a transformation.
“Xiaowan’s place looks livelier than before,” Zhou Qin commented while carrying a piece of Lin Xian’s luggage, continuing to walk further inside.
“After all, there’s one more ‘me’ around!” Lin Xian replied casually while dragging her suitcase back to the room.
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Zhou Qin placed the bag on the blanket over the living room couch and sat down to take a closer look around. She suddenly noticed what had changed.
The cabinet on the TV wall was now adorned with many small trinkets, paired up and brightly colored; there were also two little plush toys on the couch, appearing in a set; the bar area, once spotlessly empty, now featured two mugs with clearly matching illustrations.
Before Zhou Qin finished observing, Lin Xian came out of the bedroom and urged her without sentiment, “Mom, don’t you have things to do this afternoon? Better go now, or it would be bad if you got caught in a traffic jam and it delayed your affairs.”
Zhou Qin asked Lin Xian reflexively, “Having moved in, did you coax Xiaowan into buying lots of things together?”
Following Zhou Qin’s gaze, Lin Xian glanced over the many obviously paired couple items around. Her eyes rolled mischievously as she craftily responded, “Yes, when Auntie Xiao originally lived alone, she only prepared one of each thing, so I persuaded her to slowly start accumulating more. Each sole item looked so lonely, so we just decided to get two of everything.” As she spoke, she grabbed the two plush toys from the couch and asked Zhou Qin with an air of nonchalance, “Aren’t they cute? I chose them. Auntie Xiao thought they were too childish, but she gave in to my persistence and still bought them.”
Zhou Qin lovingly indulged Lin Xian, “You, always taking advantage of your Auntie Xiao’s good nature and pushing people around.” Looking at all the paired items, she got another idea and probed Lin Xian, “It’s been a year; hasn’t Auntie Xiao had any romantic interests? I introduced her to several young men in the first half of the year for her to chat with on WeChat, but she didn’t pay them much attention, and in the end, everything just fizzled out.”
Lin Xian’s smile faded slightly, a shadow crossing her face. She scolded her mother unhappily, “Mom, why are you always so nosy? Nothing like that. Maybe Auntie Xiao is not into the idea of marriage. Aren’t you worried that your unsolicited matchmaking might annoy her?”
She began to irritistically pull Zhou Qin to her feet, “Hey, it’s getting late, you better go now. Be careful on the road.”
Zhou Qin retorted in displeasure, “How is this gossiping? I’m concerned about her, okay? Another year has passed without a peep from Xiaowan. Even if she’s into non-marriage, having someone to date, to keep her company and take care of her, would let me worry less.”
Lin Xian’s push to usher her out paused, and on impulse, she asked Zhou Qin, “So, Mom, you don’t think that marriage is a must, right?”
Zhou Qin was taken aback by Lin Xian’s question and hesitated, “It’s not exactly like that.”
Lin Xian’s brows furrowed slightly as she tentatively said, “Then, Mom, I don’t want to get married in the future either. I think marriage is not good at all.”
Zhou Qin wasn’t angry or surprised. She thought about her previous suspicion of whether Lin Xian was in a relationship. Hearing her talk this way was actually a relief; it seemed there was probably no such situation.
She smiled lightly, treating Lin Xian’s words as child’s babble not to be taken seriously. She responded, “You think this way now, but you might think differently in the future. Come on, you, how old are you now to know about such things or to be thinking about marriage?” Distracted by Lin Xian, Zhou Qin lost the drive to continue the original topic.
Checking her watch, Zhou Qin waved her hand, “Alright, it’s about time I really should be going. You be good and listen to Auntie Xiao, don’t cause her any trouble, okay?”
Leaning against the door, Lin Xian watched Zhou Qin’s retreating figure and uncontrollably furrowed her brow.
Indeed, at her current age, whatever she said to her mother, her mother probably wouldn’t take her seriously. Lin Xian sighed deeply with a mix of melancholy.
Since Lin Xian had come back early, aside from the first day of the new term when she was busy with the reception tasks assigned by the school, making her too stretched to manage anything else. After that, apart from the Student Union’s recruitment, she didn’t have much else that was demanding her time.
Therefore, taking advantage of these few leisurely days, Lin Xian resumed her little chef lifestyle. She voluntarily took over the task of preparing dinner daily for the two of them, concocting a variety of dishes for Xiao Wanqing, trying to make up for the nutrition Xiao Wanqing missed out on due to a lack of appetite at lunch.
Xiao Wanqing initially tried to decline, telling Lin Xian not to busy herself too much, but she couldn’t win against Lin Xian’s stubbornness and eventually accepted her lover’s care with a mixture of heartache and sweetness. Occasionally, when there was a traffic jam or Xiao Wanqing had to work overtime, she would inform Lin Xian in advance, so she wouldn’t have to wait.
The day before the official start of the school term, Xiao Wanqing’s company was to hold an anniversary celebration evening party, an event she couldn’t miss.
Two days earlier, while they were snuggled up in the big bed after dinner, enjoying the cool breeze of the air conditioner and watching a movie, Xiao Wanqing mentioned the upcoming event to Lin Xian. Lin Xian, with her arms wrapped around Xiao Wanqing’s slender waist, nestled in her arms comfortably like a little cat that had just been stroked. Upon hearing Xiao Wanqing’s words, she narrowed her eyes slightly with her focus peculiarly landing on: “At that sort of event, will there be alcohol?”
With a smile, Xiao Wanqing responded, “There will be speeches from the leaders and toasts from colleagues, so I’ll likely have to drink a little.” Thinking that Lin Xian was concerned about her drinking, she patted the girl’s hand reassuringly, saying, “I’ll try to drink as little as possible.”
Lin Xian’s eyes curved in a smile, and she pecked Xiao Wanqing on the cheek, chuckling, “I know. I was just wondering, if you drink, then you can’t drive, so how will you get back?”
“I won’t drive there on that day; I’ll just take a taxi back after it’s over. It’s very convenient to hail a cab outside the hotel.”
Lin Xian blinked earnestly, pleading, “Xiao Xioawan, can I drive over to pick you up? I’m not at ease with you taking a taxi alone.”
Lin Xian hadn’t had her driver’s license for long, though she did practice a lot during the summer holidays using her parents’ car. Xiao Wanqing had even been a passenger once and thought Lin Xian’s driving rather steady. However, Xiao Wanqing still had reservations about Lin Xian driving alone at night.
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She refused, “Xianxian, that won’t do; I can’t be at peace with you going alone. I’ll be fine. It’s not a must for me to take a taxi. If a colleague is heading the same way, they could give me a lift.”
Lin Xian pouted, starting to act coy: “I can do it. Didn’t you check my driving skills yourself a few days ago? Didn’t you even compliment me? Besides, the hotel isn’t particularly far from our house, and there’s less traffic at night. Have a little faith in me. Please agree. The reason I got my driver’s license was to pick you up and drop you off; you can’t just shatter my dream so cruelly.” Having been with Xiao Wanqing for a while, Lin Xian knew full well that Xiao Wanqing had a soft spot for her. As long as it wasn’t a matter of principle, Xiao Wanqing couldn’t resist her whims.
The girl’s face was, to begin with, radiantly beautiful, like blooming spring blossoms. When she coaxed with her charms, she was even more pitifully adorable and stirringly enchanting. Xiao Wanqing’s heart began to soften and melt.
Yet, in the end, her concern for Lin Xian’s safety prevailed. Xiao Wanqing remarkably resisted the temptation and remained unmoved.
Lin Xian had no choice but to switch tactics. She flipped over and pinned down Xiao Wanqing, resorting to a seduction strategy. While caressing her ambiguously, she cooed, “Please agree…”
Xiao Wanqing was teased until her cheeks flushed, her breaths became erratic, but she still would not give in.
Lin Xian then relented, feeling a rush of warmth as she looked into her lover’s moist, hazy eyes. Giving up on her request, she focused solely on pleasing her beloved, playfully eliciting soft, continuous gasps until she was satisfied before she finally released her.
On the morning of the party, Lin Xian saw Xiao Wanqing out. Although they weren’t going to drive, Xiao Wanqing still purposely took her car keys from the cabinet. She was apprehensive the girl might disobey, making Xiao Wanqing worry.
Lin Xian pouted, a picture of aggrieved innocence as she gazed at her. Xiao Wanqing’s heart filled with fondness; she reached out to caress the girl’s cheek and planted a kiss on her pursed, unhappy lips, gently urging, “Be good, wait for me to come back.”
Lin Xian was far from satisfied with this brief moment of consolation. She grabbed Xiao Wanqing’s hand, lifted it high to the door, and leaned in to press Xiao Wanqing against it.
Xiao Wanqing fluttered her long eyelashes and softly reminded her, “Xianxian, lipstick…”
Lin Xian paid no heed, chuckling softly by her ear, “I saw this morning, the one you’re using, it’s edible.” For Xiao Wanqing’s birthday, she had given her six lipsticks, three of which Lin Xian had specifically chosen because they were edible.
“Stand firm, hold on tight,” the girl said, her tongue playing with her own lip, eyes sparkling.
Xiao Wanqing: “???”
Much later, with her breath still uneven and her legs a bit weak, Xiao Wanqing stood in the elevator, the girl’s words echoing in her ears, causing her cheeks to burn involuntarily.
Maybe it’s time for a serious talk with Shi Man; I can’t let Xianxian be exposed to such things anymore!
At the party, amidst the clinking of glasses and toasts, Xiao Wanqing, as a young, beautiful, high-ranking single woman who seldom attended these kinds of social events, attracted a lot of attention. Many colleagues and even executives from other companies who had rarely got the chance to interact with her took this opportunity to toast with her. She couldn’t decline every offer and inevitably ended up drinking quite a bit, getting somewhat tipsy.
At 8:55 PM, her phone vibrated in her bag. Xiao Wanqing used the excuse of taking the call to escape outside for a breath of fresh air.
It was a text message from Lin Xian, asking if she was almost done.
In the midst of the noisy hustle and bustle, Xiao Wanqing read the message and heard the sound of her own steady heartbeat. She replied to her, “Almost done, just making the final speech now. Should be able to leave in about twenty minutes.”
Lin Xian reminded her to call her before getting into the car and to report the license plate number.
Xiao Wanqing smiled and promised her with a reply.
After sending the text, Xiao Wanqing returned to find the event had ended. Being a mid-level executive, she couldn’t just leave with the others and ended up staying nearly until the end. Twenty minutes later, with most of her colleagues gone, and thanks to her assistant Xiao Ke’s unspoken understanding, she was able to fend off the remaining enthusiastic discussions from friendly business leaders who wanted to move to another location to continue the evening. Using the excuse of not being able to hold her liquor, she kindly refused their invites. Xiao Ke supported her and they made their way to the hotel entrance with the crowd.
Xiao Ke’s boyfriend had come to pick her up by taxi, and Xiao Wanqing didn’t want to inconvenience the young couple. She patted Xiao Ke on the shoulder, telling her not to worry and to go on without her.
Standing alone at the hotel entrance waiting for a taxi, Xiao Wanqing declined offers from two male colleagues she didn’t know well who asked if she needed a ride. As she tiredly rubbed her temples to clear her mind, a car suddenly stopped in front of her.
The window rolled down, and inside was a slightly overweight middle-aged man—an advertiser with a long-term relationship with the magazine. Xiao Wanqing always found dealing with him a headache, and earlier that evening, he had ungraciously pushed her to drink quite a bit.
Putting on an appearance of earnest kindness, the man offered, “Editor Xiao, waiting for a car? Let me give you a lift home.”
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Xiao Wanqing’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as she politely declined, “No trouble, President Wang. A friend is coming to pick me up; they should be here shortly.”
The man’s smile slightly retracted as he said in a lower voice, “Is that so?” A glint of cunning flashed in his eyes as he grinned, revealing yellowed teeth: “Then let me wait with Editor Xiao. It’s late, and you, a woman alone who had quite a bit to drink, it’s not safe.”
Xiao Wanqing’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Before she had a chance to decline again, a youthful and pleasant voice suddenly cut into their exchange: “Sorry, I’m late.”
Xiao Wanqing instinctively looked towards the source of the voice and saw a young girl with bright eyes and white teeth, tall and statuesque, smiling and walking towards her, safety helmet in hand.
It was her Lin Xian. Xiao Wanqing heard her own heart sigh with peace and satisfaction.
Apparently, she too was looking forward to such a scene, longing for her lover to pick her up and take her home.
The author has something to say:
Shi Man feels wronged: Am I the scapegoat here?!!
LP: Getting a little spicy there!!! (⸝⸝⸝╸w╺⸝⸝⸝)