Chapter 5 Allergic to Mint
I signed the Car Endorsement in the end.
After it was done, I called Sister Li. "Haven't you always wanted to go independent? We'll have a meeting this week."
Sister Li sounded knocked flat by the surprise that had dropped out of the sky. These years at Haohai, I had taken more hits in the open and in the dark than I could count, and swallowed more losses than I could name.
Pity I was a Hopeless Romantic and a Simp. For Xiao Yuan, I could break my teeth and swallow the blood.
"You finally woke up." Sister Li sounded overjoyed. "You have no idea how much your fans want you to open your own studio."
I looked at my reflection in the glass and tried to smile.
I wrote the theme song for Spilt Water in a week.
It was easy for me. I had a lot of beats. Pick one at random, arrange it, and it could land a hit.
On recording day Xiao Yuan came to inspect.
I had headphones on, recording. Through the glass I couldn't tell what he was saying.
When I went out, Xiao Yuan was leaning on the railing, opening a bottle of sparkling water.
When he saw me, he handed it over. I shook my head. "I'm allergic to mint."
Xiao Yuan's hand paused. He looked surprised.
I just didn't know whether he was surprised I was allergic to mint, or surprised I would refuse him.
After all, a glass bead he had given me without thinking, I had kept from twenty to twenty-five.
"You sang well. No. It sounded really good." Xiao Yuan smiled. "I believe the annual report Xie Kun submitted now. You really can make me this much money."
It was praise. I still couldn't smile. I didn't even want to say thank you.
Xiao Yuan was dressed casual again, a black T-shirt and a two-tone denim jacket, accessories trendy and deliberate.
He trained and boxed year-round. His waist and chest looked solid and clean. Clothes sat well on him, tall, sharp, and hot.
I couldn't stand being alone with him. My chest ached out of habit. The pain had already crushed any wish to see him.
I was about to find an excuse to leave when Xiao Yuan spoke, sounding impressed. "I always thought you were just thin. Now I see your figure is actually healthy and beautiful."
I froze. My ears went red before I could stop them.
I was wearing a tight red short T-shirt and black cargo pants. My abs were fully out.
I blinked, slow, and said, "I box, usually."
Xiao Yuan raised a brow. He looked startled. "You box?"
My racing heart skipped. My ears were still hot. My fingertips went cold and numb, little by little.
I had told him I learned boxing for him. I had asked him many times to be my sparring partner.
He wouldn't remember.
Xiao Yuan's phone rang. A stretch of violin.
Xiao Yuan glanced down, lazy, and picked up. "Hello."
There was a smile in his voice.
It was strange. I had already guessed who was on the other end.
I was nailed in place. My soul took the beating, painful and numb. I watched Xiao Yuan pour love and patience onto someone else, holding nothing back.
"The food truck's there?" Xiao Yuan played with the ring on his hand. "I sent it on purpose. To back you up."
"Why is it all orange juice?" Xiao Yuan laughed. "Someone's asking on purpose. Why else? You don't like coconut milk, do you?"
My chest seized, and the pain made my breath taste like blood.
Xiao Yuan talked with Shen Xinrui for five minutes. After that, there was nothing left to say.
He put the phone away. I was already gone from the terrace.
The mint sparkling water, opened and never drunk, sat quietly at his side.