Xi Zhengqing smiled. "No, he knows you. I don't know if you remember, but he saw you at the hospital in West City in the Sixth District. He was visiting a schoolmate and had brought flowers."
Xin Hexue picked up the box of oil pastels. "Will he like this gift?"
Xi Zhengqing said, "He will. I'll bring him along to hang out with us sometime."
"Mm."
Xi Zhengqing browsed the stationery store slowly alongside him.
By comparison, relations within the Xi Family were much more harmonious than those of the Pei and Qiu Families. Unlike the Pei family, they didn't have illegitimate children everywhere, and unlike the Qiu Family, their blood relatives weren't as cold to one another as enemies.
The Xi Family was the most harmonious and placed the greatest importance on family unity. Husbands and wives loved each other, and the children got along reasonably well. As such, Xi Zhengqing also gave the younger members of the family the care expected of an elder.
Xi Xiaode needed a set of rulers, a new mechanical pencil, and an eraser.
As they picked out an eraser, Xi Zhengqing suddenly said, "I remember hearing when I was in school that if you wrote the name of someone you liked on an eraser and kept using it until it was all gone, someone with an unrequited love would have their wish granted, and two people who shared the same feelings would be together for a long, long time."
When Xi Zhengqing said "someone you liked," his light gray eyes looked earnestly at Xin Hexue.
His feelings seemed plain to see, yet, mindful of his place as a friend, he restrained himself and looked away.
Xin Hexue's lips curved slightly, and he glanced at Xi Zhengqing when the latter wasn't looking. "Really?"
It looks like Xi Zhengqing has changed his strategy and started taking the pure-love route?
Xi Zhengqing said, "But those were just the romantic notions people had as students."
In his school days, Xi Zhengqing had been the quintessential genius student and had never paid much attention to such things. He had heard this from Xi Xiaode.
His nephew wrote Xiaomei's name on his erasers every time and lost one every half semester.
They browsed a while longer and decided to have dinner out. By the time Xi Zhengqing drove Xin Hexue home, the moon had already risen.
The air was a little cold when they got out of the car.
Xi Zhengqing tentatively touched Xin Hexue's hand. "Your hand is freezing."
Xin Hexue was used to it. "Is it?"
Xi Zhengqing's expression remained unchanged. "My hands happen to be rather warm. I'll warm yours up so you don't catch a chill?"
He made it sound like a small favor between friends.
When Xin Hexue didn't explicitly refuse, Xi Zhengqing took the young man's hand and tucked it into his own trench coat pocket.
An Alpha's body temperature was higher, and both his large hand and his coat pocket were warm.
Xi Zhengqing asked, "Are you free next weekend? I'd like to introduce you to my friends. How about we go to a hot spring resort in North City? No one else, just friends and friends."
Xi Zhengqing's friends... Zuo Yongyan and Qiu Yuan?
Xin Hexue smiled. "Sure."
Xi Zhengqing looked at him again and said goodbye. "Then I'll pick you up that morning."
The night dew was heavy, and the shadows of the trees swayed.
As Xi Zhengqing walked away, he slipped his hand into the pocket of his black trench coat without thinking.
Something firm and resilient met his touch.
He abruptly stopped and took the object out of his pocket.
It was an eraser.
The clear plastic bag had been opened, but the sleeve around the eraser itself was still on.
The stationery Xi Zhengqing had bought was all in the car.
When we were holding hands just now...
Xin Hexue?
His heart seemed to speed up all at once, especially after he slowly pushed the eraser's sleeve down a little.
The edge of some writing appeared at the top.
Xi Zhengqing felt like a hot-blooded youngster newly come of age, his heart pounding in his chest with the belated heartbeat of youth.
He carefully, ever so carefully, slid the sleeve off the eraser.
Unfortunately, the name written on it wasn't his—
"Look at the windowsill."
Following the words' prompt, Xi Zhengqing turned to look at the windowsill on the villa's second floor.
The lights inside were on.
Outside, moonlight stretched into the distance.
The moonlight was so gentle, falling on Xin Hexue as clear and bright as water.
Xin Hexue smiled at him, hands braced on the edge of the balcony, his body leaning slightly forward. "Take care on the way."
His voice came to him on the spring night breeze, light and soft, like a fine, gentle rain, and even more like a murmur between lovers.
Xi Zhengqing felt a tingling in his heart.
Chapter 25: Face Blindness (25)
The hot spring resort Xi Zhengqing had mentioned was in North City, District One. Surrounded by mountains, it stood on a level stretch of ground at the very top, with vast tea plantations covering the slopes.
Rain had fallen before sunrise, leaving the mountain forests lush and green. White mist formed from water vapor swirled like clouds, and as the convertible climbed the road, a light breeze brushed their faces. The clouds and mist seemed close enough to touch.
It really was a good place to relax.
Xin Hexue leaned over the edge to look at the scenery outside the car and asked Xi Zhengqing, "Are the friends we're having lunch with today your childhood friends?"
"Mm, Pei Guangji should have mentioned them to you. We grew up together: me, Zuo Yongyan, Pei Guangji... and Qiu Yuan." Xi Zhengqing kept one hand on the steering wheel as he spoke, using the other to fiddle with the buttons in front of him. "Want to listen to the radio? Though we're almost there."
It was unclear which station he had tuned into. The radio was noisy, and the host spoke excitedly. "A suspected love triangle? Young Master Hill, the Plastic King's eldest son, meets a mysterious movie star at night? And an unidentified Omega has been seen entering and leaving Young Master Hill's private club on multiple occasions. Lovers meeting—who's the third party?"
Xi Zhengqing frowned and switched to another station. Gentle, relaxing music filled the car.
He explained to Xin Hexue, "Some stations broadcast the latest gossip tabloid stories. That kind of media loves to chase rumors."
Outside the Core District, gossip tabloids like these were very popular. They had a regular audience eager to hear about the romantic entanglements, inheritance battles, and private grudges of wealthy families.
Xin Hexue nodded without saying anything, turning instead to look out the window. Just when Xi Zhengqing thought he wouldn't speak again, Xin Hexue asked, "Has Guangji been busy lately? He hasn't replied to my messages in a long time, and he hasn't come back to the villa either."
Xi Zhengqing glanced at him, then returned his gaze to the mountain road. "Mm, he's quite focused on his career, and the Pei Corporation has been rolling out a new batch of genetically modified products lately. When he gets busy, he neglects his family and friends. But isn't it better that he doesn't come looking for you often? Whenever he shows up, because of that contract, you have to mind his feelings all the time, don't you? As your friend, it's harder for me to see you and talk to you too..."
Xi Zhengqing had been watching Xin Hexue's reaction from the corner of his eye. Seeing the young man lean back against his seat and lower his lashes, he realized that Xin Hexue might still have feelings for Pei Guangji. He changed his tune. "Sorry, I was just speaking offhand. If it makes you uncomfortable, I won't bring it up again. You can put those things aside for today. I hope going out with me can cheer you up a little."
Xi Zhengqing continued, "Besides the hot springs, there's an Archery Club at the resort. Would you like to try it later? It's still early for lunch, and Zuo Yongyan and the others might not get here that soon."
Xin Hexue nodded slightly. "Mm."
Unlike the steep green peaks surrounding it, the mountaintop was flat, and the resort was thoroughly equipped. It was more like an upscale private club, with everything from restaurants, bars, outdoor terraces, a spa, an outdoor swimming pool, and a theater room to all kinds of indoor and outdoor sports and recreation areas.
There weren't many guests, and the resort was quiet.
The archery range was on an outdoor lawn.
Since Xin Hexue was a beginner, the coach gave him a twenty-pound bow and had him start at the ten-meter range.
Xi Zhengqing helped him put on his gloves and protective gear, then stepped back.
He could tell that Xin Hexue was somewhat ill at ease around strangers. This was probably a social anxiety disorder brought on by his face blindness. When the coach and assistant approached, Xin Hexue looked around in confusion before settling his gaze on Xi Zhengqing's face.
Xi Zhengqing saw a hint of dependence in his expression. He enjoyed the way the young man looked at him so much that his heart sped up again. He stepped forward, politely declined the coach and assistant's help, and said to Xin Hexue, "Do you trust me? I can teach you too. The Xi Family trains its heirs in archery and horsemanship from childhood. I promise I won't let you get hurt."
Xin Hexue nodded.
[Xi Zhengqing's Affection Points +1]
As Xi Zhengqing explained the essentials and demonstrated, Xin Hexue listened attentively on the surface, but asked K in a distracted manner, [How many Affection Points does he have now?]
K answered, [Seventy-six.]
They were growing steadily.
Xi Zhengqing had been pretending to be a gentleman so much lately that he was probably starting to believe it himself. Even now, as he helped correct Xin Hexue's archery stance, he kept his hands well behaved.
Xin Hexue quietly watched to see how much longer he could keep up the act.
"Your feet and the bull's-eye should be in a straight line. Now, draw the bow." Only after Xin Hexue had drawn the bow did Xi Zhengqing adjust the angle of his elbow. "Keep your elbow perpendicular to the ground, or the string can easily strike your arm."
"Pointing the arrowhead straight at the bull's-eye won't necessarily hit it. Generally, you need to aim a little lower. Keep adjusting as you practice and get a feel for it."
Xin Hexue nodded, and Xi Zhengqing stepped back. "Good. Hold that position and give it a try."
As Xi Zhengqing withdrew his hand, he unconsciously rubbed his fingertips together, as though they still retained the feel of Xin Hexue's delicate skin, along with the lingering cool fragrance hidden beneath the young man's flesh.
Everything made his heart flutter.
Archery was a sport that required exceptional calm. Everything other than the person, the bow, and the target could be classified as a distraction. With his heart beating as it was, he was in no state to take part.
Fortunately, all Xi Zhengqing needed to do now was pretend to be an understanding friend and draw closer to Xin Hexue like a frog in slowly warming water.
Xin Hexue stood straight, the act of drawing the bow engaging his back muscles and revealing the beautiful, flowing lines of his frame.
His right hand released the string.
The wind whistled.
The arrow lodged in the outer edge of the target paper.
Xi Zhengqing encouraged him. "Your form is correct; there's nothing wrong with it. Try a few more times and get a feel for it. The first time I tried, my shot was so bad it hit another target, and Mother gave me quite a scolding."