Translator: Noodletown Translations Editor: Noodletown Translations
Xu Ai widened her eyes in astonishment.
Let Su Xuan stay in her home?
She grabbed her grandma’s hand and touched her forehead. “Grandma, are you having a fever?”
“Child, I’m fine. I don’t have a fever.” The old lady brushed her hand off. “Move away from the gate and Let Xuan drive in.”
Xu Ai knew her grandma wasn’t feverish, but obviously, her grandma lost her head. Standing before the gate, she objected, “No, he can’t stay here.”
“Why not? We have many rooms. I’m not letting him stay in your room. Move away.” The old lady pushed at her, but she didn’t budge. Her grandma got angry and said, “Ai, you’re inconsiderate. It’s dangerous for Xuan to drive home at this late hour. What if something happens to him? You’d regret your decision.”
Xu Ai stomped her foot. “Grandma!”
“Move away!” The old lady pushed Xu Ai to one side. Seeing Su Xuan got out of the car, she urged him, “Come on and drive in.”
Su Xuan smiled at the old lady. “Grandma, it’s not convenient for me to stay here. It’s not so late anyway.”
“Of course, it’s convenient. We’re family and you don’t need to stand ceremonies with me. It’s almost ten o’clock now. How can you say it’s not late?” The old lady pretended to be angry. “If you refuse, I’ll not like you.”
Su Xuan looked toward Xu Ai in resignation.
Xu Ai stared at him. “When did you tell Grandma that you’d drive me home?”
Su Xuan said truthfully, “When you were napping in the car, I sent a message to Grandma telling her I’d drive you home, so she wouldn’t worry about you.” After a pause, he expressed his surprise, “I didn’t know Grandma would wait for us at the gate.”
Xu Ai was piqued. “You have a scheming mind, right?”
Su Xuan chuckled but didn’t reply.
“Girl, Xuan drove you all the way home, and you accuse him of scheming. Ungrateful girl.” The old lady patted Xu Ai. “Move away now.”
Reluctantly, Xu Ai moved to one side.
“Come on! Drive the car into the yard!” The old lady urged Su Xuan.
Su Xuan saw Xu Ai show no objection despite her anger. Smiling, he nodded and said mildly, “Okay, Grandma.”
“Good boy.” The old lady beamed broadly and opened the gate wide.
Su Xuan got into the car and drove it into the yard.
Grumpily, Xu Ai walked toward her room with her bag.
After Su Xuan locked the car, the old lady said to him with a beaming face, “The water heated by the solar panels is very hot. I left a glass of warm milk in your room. Take a shower and drink the milk before you sleep. Ai’s room is next to yours. If you have any problems during the night, just ask her…”
“Grandma! Are you truly my grandma?” Xu Ai interrupted her grandma in exasperation.
Her grandma even told him to go to her during the night if he had problems.
But what problems could he have during the night?
“I told you many times it’s not polite to interrupt people while they’re talking. You just don’t listen to me!” The old lady scolded her.
Xu Ai looked back and pointed a finger at Su Xuan. “I warn you not to come to me no matter what happens while you stay here. Handle the problems yourself.” Then she walked into her room and closed the door behind her.
Su Xuan chuckled.
“The child is bad-tempered. Fortunately, she has you as her boyfriend; no one but you can put up with her bad temper,” the old lady complained, “Xuan, I’m sorry that you have to put up with her.”
Su Xuan shook his head with a smile. “Not at all. Ai is very good. I like her very much.”
The old lady laughed heartily. “I knew you’re a good boy.” Turning on the lights, she pointed at the room next to Xu Ai’s and said, “The bedding is new, so are the toiletries in the bathroom. If the girl doesn’t help you, come to me if you need anything. My room is over there.”
“Thank you, Grandma.” Su Xuan said with a smile, “You must go to bed now.”
“Don’t mention it. Good night.” The old lady waved her hand and walked to her room.
Su Xuan glanced around his room and found it clean and neat. Putting down the laptop, he went into the bathroom.
There were new towels and toiletries in the bathroom; the man’s bathrobe even had the tag on it.
Leaning on the bathroom door, Su Xuan laughed silently and then closed the door behind him.
Entering her own room, Xu Ai dropped down her bag in a huff and plopped down on the bed. After a moment, she heard him showering in the next room. She muttered in frustration, “He truly thinks he’s home.”
After the sounds of water stopped in the next room, she stood up, changed into her pajamas, and entered her own bathroom.
Half an hour later, she went out of the shower and looked for the hair drier. Seeing no sign of it, she pulled open the door and saw lights were still on in her grandma’s room. She yelled, “Grandma, where did you put my hairdryer?”
The old lady answered immediately, “I put it in Xuan’s room. There’s only one hair drier, you know.”
Xu Ai rolled her eyes. “Are you sure you’re my grandma?”
“Go get it in Xuan’s room if you need it.” The old lady turned off the lights in her room.
Xu Ai touched her damp hair. If she didn’t use the hairdryer, it would take forever to get dry. Resigned, she knocked on Su Xuan’s door. “Give me the hairdryer.”
“The door is not locked. Come and get it yourself.”
“Give it to me!” Xu Ai knocked on the door with more force.
“I’m typing. Can’t do it,” said Su Xuan.
Xu Ai could hear the faint sounds of typing in the room. Resigned, she pushed open the door and saw he was sitting before the desk dressed in pajamas. She asked, “Where’s the hair drier?”
“In the bathroom.” Su Xuan cast a glance at her.
Entering the bathroom, she saw Su Xuan had cleaned the sink and the shower after using them; the floor had been mopped and looked dry. Thinking of her own messy bathroom, she felt a bit embarrassed. Taking the hair drier, she returned to her room.
Plugging it into the outlet, she pressed on the “ON” button, but nothing happened. Returning to Su Xuan’s room, she said, “Don’t tell me the hairdryer is broken.”
“It’s not. I used it a moment ago.” Su Xuan shook his head.
“Then why couldn’t I use it?” Xu Ai asked.
Su Xuan glanced at her and saw her wet hair had dampened the back of her pajama gown. Saving the file, he walked to the door and said, “Give it to me.”
Xu Ai handed it to him.
After checking the hair drier, he walked toward her room.
“Hey, where are you going?” Xu Ai yelled at him immediately.
“I’m going to try the outlet in your room,” said Su Xuan.
Xu Ai fell silent.
In her room, Su Xuan glanced around. On her bed was a huge doll; the wall next to the writing desk was covered by her photos; opposite to the desk was a bookshelf and books lay haphazardly on it.
He chuckled. “She’s a little addled girl.”
Xu Ai didn’t catch his words and asked from behind him, “What did you say?”
“Where’s the outlet?” Su Xuan asked.
“Next to the desk.” Xu Ai pointed at the outlet.
He walked over and plugged the hairdryer, but nothing happened when he turned it on. Unplugging it, he picked up the charger and plugged it to the outlet but the power light on the charger didn’t blink on. He unplugged it and said, “The outlet is out of order.”
Xu Ai was dejected. “Out of order? How can I dry my hair?”
“There’s only one outlet here?” Su Xuan raised his brows.
“The one in the bathroom is out of order, too,” said she.
Su Xuan smiled. “Go to my room.”
She shook her head immediately, “No, there are outlets in the yard.” She walked to the door with the hair drier.
Su Xuan grabbed her hand and said in a low voice, “Grandma is asleep. You’ll wake her up if you do it out in the yard.”
Xu Ai paused; after a moment of consideration, she nodded reluctantly. Grandma was old and had little sleep.
Back in his room, he took the hair drier from her hand and said, “Sit down. I’ll blow your hair dry.”
“It’s not necessary.” Xu Ai shook her head and plugged it into the outlet.
Su Xuan sat her down and said, “I can’t work with you drying hair in my room. With my help, you’ll get your hair dry faster, so you can go to bed early and I can return to my work.”
Xu Ai felt uncomfortable. “I can dry my hair pretty fast, too.”
Su Xuan smiled and turned her head forward. Adjusting the wind speed, he began to blow her hair softly little by little from top to end.
Xu Ai had intended to make the hair drier from his hand but gave up since it was comfortable to have him do it for her.
The mirror next to the big wardrobe was in the perfect angle to capture their reflections.
From the mirror, she watched as Su Xuan pulled up her hair with his fingers and blew it from the top with a gentle wind. His chiseled face was unbelievably good-looking and the gentleness and concentration on his face seemed to soften the air in the room.
In a daze, she watched him in the mirror until he turned off the hair drier and patted her head lightly, saying in his soft and melodious voice, “It’s done.” Snapping back to her senses, she stood up abruptly and bumped into him.
Supporting himself with one hand on the table, he held her with the other hand, saying in amusement, “I’m amazed that you could go into space in the short time of getting your hair dry.”
Casting a glance at him, she pushed him away and walked out of the room without a word. She was in such a hurry that she didn’t even close the door.
Su Xuan walked over and closed the door. Returning to the desk, he glanced at the mirror opposite to the desk thoughtfully and smiled. Sitting down, he opened the file.
Returning to her room, Xu Ai turned off the lights immediately and went to bed.
On the second morning, she opened the door and smelt the scent of food.
Following the scent, she went into the kitchen and saw Su Xuan standing before the gas stove, stirring food in the pot with a large ladle.
She walked over and saw it was potato and pork rib soup. The rich scent was so good that she couldn’t believe he had made it. “Did you cook it?”
Su Xuan said, “Yeah. Wash up; we’ll have breakfast soon.”
Xu Ai scratched her head. “You truly cooked it?”
Su Xuan chuckled. “You don’t believe me?”
Xu Ai pursed her lips. “Didn’t you live abroad all the time? How did you learn to make Chinese food?”
“Who told you that?” Su Xuan glanced at her with a smile. “I went abroad after I finished all the high school courses in China. I stayed abroad for only eight years.”
Xu Ai looked at him. “You’re 25. Eight years ago, you were 17. You mean you learned to cook at 17?”
He shook his head. “No. After I went abroad, I found I didn’t like the food there, so I learned to cook Chinese food.”
“You’ve cooked for eight years,” Xu Ai concluded.
Su Xuan nodded with a smile.
“No wonder.” Xu Ai pursed her lips and said arrogantly, “If I practiced cooking for eight years, I could cook as well as you.”
Su Xuan chuckled.
Xu Ai turned to leave; then she paused, asking, “Where’s Grandma?”
“She’s watering vegetables in the garden,” said Su Xuan.
Xu Ai stretched and returned to her room to have her morning routines.
Half an hour later, her grandma came back. The moment she walked in, she smiled broadly. “Whoa. It smells so good.”
“Grandma, please wash your hands. Breakfast is ready,” Su Xuan placed plates and bowls on the table and said with a smile.
The old lady nodded. “I thought my cooking skills were good, but you’re obviously a better cook. The yard is filled with aroma. Ai-Ai, you’re a lucky girl.”
Su Xuan smiled but didn’t speak.
Xu Ai walked out of her room and sat at the table. There were fried breadsticks, steamed bread, two dishes, and potato and pork rib soup. Her grandma made the fried breadsticks and steamed bread, and she guessed Su Yu had made the two dishes.
This is a bountiful breakfast!
Xu Ai was so full that she didn’t want to leave the table after putting down her chopsticks.
Her grandma urged them, “You’d better set off now. Your Grandma Li called me first thing in the morning. The old girl just can’t stay idle now that she has recovered a bit.”
Xu Ai glanced at Su Xuan.
Su Xuan looked amused. “I told you not to eat so much and you didn’t listen. You won’t be able to eat the delicacies that Grandma Li has prepared for lunch.”
“You’re wrong. If Grandma Li prepares delicacies, I can still eat.” Xu Ai went into her room to get her bag.
Su Xuan stood up and said to the old lady, “Grandma, we’re leaving.”
She nodded. “Xuan, come again next Sunday.”
Su Xuan thought for a moment and said with a smile, “My grandma wants Ai to go to our home next Sunday.”
Xu Ai’s grandma looked surprised; then she said with a broad smile, “Whoa. I forgot it. I can’t keep you around all the time. No problem. You guys go to your home next Sunday.”
Walking out of her room with her bag, Xu Ai heard their conversation and looked startled. Immediately, she said, “No, I’m not going.”
Su Xuan looked at her and said, “Grandma said you promised to go and see her last week.”
Xu Ai answered immediately, “No, I didn’t.”
“But she said you promised.” Su Xuan was puzzled; then he said embarrassedly, “She’s old and might misunderstand you. Thinking you’ve agreed, she’s been very pleased. If you don’t go, she’d be sad.”
Xu Ai felt her head begin to ache.
“Of course, you must go.” Her grandma decided for her. “All girls must meet the family of their future husbands. You’re a nice girl; there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“Grandma! What are you talking about?” Xu Ai was horrified.
“I said you must go to Xuan’s home with him next Sunday. It’s settled.” The old lady made the final decision and urged them, “It’s high time to go.”