Blossom through the Cloud - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Summer rain, much like a woman's temper, arrived without a moment's warning.

Si Xiaozhen carefully parked her car in the lot and stepped into the elevator.

When she rang the doorbell, Ruan Xian had just finished eating and was clearing off the table.

Stepping inside, Si Xiaozhen was greeted by the sight of a large amount of leftover dishes on the table.

These meals, which had barely been touched, still looked quite appetizing and fresh. Ruan Xian opened the refrigerator and shoved half of them in before realizing there was almost no room left.

Si Xiaozhen came over to help spoon the rest into small bowls, asking, "How did you manage to order so much food all by yourself?"

She picked up a plate and glanced at it. "It's even from Xixiang Banquet. You're living large."

"Someone else ordered it," Ruan Xian said. "I didn't eat all this by myself."

"Who came over?" Si Xiaozhen closed the fridge, turned around, and spotted the claypot rice sitting on the coffee table. "Why is there claypot rice too?"

Wiping down the table with brisk, efficient motions, Ruan Xian ignored the question and asked instead, "Why are you here? Bring me that trash can."

Obeying, Si Xiaozhen brought it over while chattering away, "There was a car accident by the elevated highway today. I figured traffic would be jammed for ages, and with the heavy rain pouring down, I decided to just come crash at your place for a bit. Oh, by the way, I actually caught a glimpse of President Yan from Beihang outside earlier."

Ruan Xian let out an "oh," and Si Xiaozhen followed up, "Is he still chasing after you?"

Pausing for a second, Si Xiaozhen added, "Wait, did you eat dinner with him just now or something?"

"No way, how could that be? I made things completely clear with him. He just drank too much tonight and called me—we didn't meet up."

Ruan Xian finished cleaning the table, headed toward the kitchen, and tossed over her shoulder, "The person who came over to eat was Fu Mingyu."

By the time she walked back out after washing her hands, Si Xiaozhen was still frozen in place, wearing an expression that practically screamed, Are you fucking kidding me?

"What's wrong with you?"

Ruan Xian asked.

"What's wrong with you?" Si Xiaozhen shot back. "President Fu came to your house to eat?"

"Yeah, it was him. You heard right."

"Why did he come over?"

Ruan Xian didn't answer right away.

Why did he come over?

Because I think he's trying to hit on me.

"......We talked about work."

"......?"

Si Xiaozhen stared blankly for a long moment before letting out a single syllable to articulate her state of mind.

——"Huh?"

"You have to come all the way home to talk about work?"

"No, I was too exhausted today, so he did it for convenience."

Nodding with a mix of skepticism and belief, Si Xiaozhen pondered for a moment before looking at Ruan Xian with a knowing, ambiguous smile. "President Fu is truly considerate of his employees."

A sharp look from Ruan Xian made Si Xiaozhen instantly straighten up and ask with a deadpan expression, "Then how come it looks like neither of you even touched the food?"

"That's not the point. I was so pissed off today."

"Huh? What happened?"

Pulling Si Xiaozhen down to sit with her, Ruan Xian recounted the events of the day and explained why the table of food had remained virtually untouched.

She discovered that her memory was exceptionally sharp today, as she managed to replay the entire conversation between the two of them virtually word for word.

However.

As she reached the latter part of the retelling, her voice gradually tapered off. Finally, pressing a hand to her chest, she asked cautiously, "Is my temper really that bad lately?"

"I don't know if your temper is bad, but I think President Fu's temper is seriously incredible."

Recalling it calmly now, it really did seem to be the case.

Ruan Xian touched her lower abdomen. "Is my period about to start?"

Without waiting for Si Xiaozhen to answer, she opened her period tracking app and checked. Sure enough, it was.

Ruan Xian quietly gnawed on her fingernail.

Beside her, Si Xiaozhen was still rambling on, "And you—why on earth did you lose your temper out of nowhere? Sure, his tone wasn't great, but I think you basically took all your pent-up annoyance toward Zheng You'an and transferred it onto him. Sigh, I really think you're just..."

Mid-sentence, Si Xiaozhen caught sight of Ruan Xian's expression, slammed the brakes on her thoughts, and left those final four words unsaid.

Others might not understand her, but she considered herself more than familiar enough with Ruan Xian.

Ruan Xian had lived alone with her father since she was fourteen. The year she turned eighteen, her father passed away from illness, and she went off to another city for college entirely on her own. The money her dad left behind was only enough for four years of tuition; her living expenses depended entirely on her own part-time jobs. With practically no relatives to speak of and an absolute refusal to live with her mother, a drop-dead gorgeous beauty with neither money nor background actually had it much tougher than ordinary people in her position, because there were always ill-intentioned eyes lurking around.

An environment like that forced her to be more independent than others and made it harder for her to trust people easily. She always digested her emotions in silence, putting on a flawless facade of a beautiful, peaceful life to the outside world.

Yet once someone spent too long living like that, the moment they encountered a container that could unconditionally hold all their suppressed emotions, they would recklessly dump their entire temper into it all at once.

That was why Si Xiaozhen felt she had simply grown accustomed to Fu Mingyu's infinite tolerance toward her, leading her to vent all her frustration over Zheng You'an and her anger toward Dong Xian straight onto Fu Mingyu.

Or, to put it in common parlance...

"Are you going to finish that sentence or not?" Ruan Xian waited for a long time without hearing the rest and prompted, "What do you think I am?"

"I think you're just..." Si Xiaozhen suddenly sped up her speech, "...spiled by indulgence."

"What did you say?"

"I said you're spoiled by indulgence! Spoiled by indulgence!"

The moment those words dropped, silence fell over the room.

Ruan Xian stared at Si Xiaozhen. The two of them locked eyes, neither saying a word.

Only Ruan Xian knew that her heart had experienced a brief, turbulent ripple.

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Ruan Xian rolled her eyes. "Learned a couple of idioms and couldn't wait to show them off, huh?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Si Xiaozhen rolled her eyes right back and let out a dry laugh. "Believe what you want. I'm not leaving today; I'm going to take a shower first."

Taking two steps, she turned back to add, "I suggest you read Nonviolent Communication."

"Why are you talking so much today?"

"Fine, fine, got it!!"

Pitter-patter went Si Xiaozhen's footsteps as she bolted into the bathroom and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

The living room quieted down once more.

Ruan Xian slowly drew her legs up and curled herself on the sofa. By some strange whim, she opened Baidu and searched for Nonviolent Communication.

She flipped to the table of contents.

Chapter 1: "Giving from the Heart."

Chapter 2: "Communication That Blocks Compassion."?

What kind of book was this?

What was with all this talk about compassion and feelings?

In annoyance, Ruan Xian closed the webpage and fired up Candy Crush.

After failing a level a few times in a row, she decided the stupid game was boring.

Quitting the game, she opened WeChat and browsed her Moments, only to spot—for the very first time—that Fu Mingyu had posted an update.

He had shared a link: Asia's Largest Aircraft Hangar Officially Topped Out at Jiangcheng New Airport; Construction of World Aviation's Jiangcheng New Airport Base Enters a New Phase.

Truly a calm, self-contained workaholic through and through.

Maybe she should throw him a like. After all, she had chewed him out earlier today purely because her period was coming.

Ruan Xian tapped her screen, feeling that her sincerity still fell a bit short.

Even though she always bristled at Fu Mingyu, business was business, and Fu Mingyu had genuinely been quite innocent today.

So Ruan Xian added a comment underneath: [Thumbs Up] [Thumbs Up] [Thumbs Up]

Touching her nose, she figured Fu Mingyu definitely wasn't the type to reply to Moments posts, especially not to a comment as devoid of nutritional value as this one.

After waiting a moment, sure enough, there was no response.

Ruan Xian suddenly realized that she seemed to have never checked Fu Mingyu's past Moments before, nor did she have any idea what kind of things a guy like him usually posted.

Tapping into his profile to check.

Five months ago: World Aviation Holds Spring Route Product Promotion Seminar.

One year ago: World Aviation HCC Opens to the Public, Unveiling the Secrets of Efficient Summer Operations at the Jiangcheng Hub.

Two years ago: World Aviation and Qatar Airways Sign Memorandum of Understanding, Reaching Codeshare Cooperation Agreement.

Splendid, the corporate CEO persona remains rock-solid.

At twenty-eight years old, he's out here living with the energy of a forty-eight-year-old.

After exiting his profile, Ruan Xian hesitated briefly before ultimately sending him a message.

[Ruan Xian]: Sorry.

The other side replied almost instantly.

[Fu Mingyu]: ?

[Ruan Xian]: Was in a bad mood today, didn't mean to take it out on you.

Waiting a few seconds, Ruan Xian saw the status bar at the top change to "Other party is typing..."

Yet after waiting quite a while, all she got in return was: "In a meeting, understood."

"......"

Fine then.

The next day happened to be Si Xiaozhen's day off as well. Since she was already over, she naturally wasn't going to let Ruan Xian off the hook and dragged her out.

Feeling exhausted and lacking the energy to move around, the two of them ended up just going to see a movie in the afternoon.

Afterward, exactly as Si Xiaozhen wished, they went out for hot pot.

"Ugh, I'm so full. Let's walk it off; if we go over to Bian Xuan's place right now, she probably hasn't even opened yet."

"I want to go home!"

"It's a gorgeous weekend, don't be a buzzkill."

Insistent on browsing clothes on the lower three levels of the mall, Si Xiaozhen tried on store after store, hauling four or five items into the fitting room at a time.

While waiting for Si Xiaozhen, Ruan Xian sat on a bench scrolling through her phone.

After playing a few rounds of Candy Crush, browsing her Moments, and checking her Taobao delivery info, Si Xiaozhen still hadn't emerged.

Bored out of her mind, Ruan Xian opened Weibo again and scrolled through all her new notifications.

Sometimes, out of sheer habit, right after checking her feed, she would click into Zheng You'an's Weibo profile via her "Recent Visits" history.

Just yesterday, Zheng You'an had posted a new update showing off a celebrity's autographed photo.

Ahhhhhh!!! My mom went abroad for an exhibition and actually helped me score an autographed photo!!! Ahhhhhh!!! I love Mom!!!!

Right at that moment, Si Xiaozhen stepped out of the fitting room wearing a black dress and stood right in front of Ruan Xian.

"How does this one look?"

Locking her phone screen, Ruan Xian nodded. "Looks good."

"Great, then this is the one. No more agonizing over it."

Si Xiaozhen scurried back into the fitting room to change out of it.

Ruan Xian unlocked her phone again, didn't linger further, and exited Weibo.

On the way to Bian Xuan's bar after buying clothes, Si Xiaozhen noticed that Ruan Xian seemed to have been wrapped in a depressed mood the whole time.

"What's wrong?"

Ruan Xian walked at a slow, dragging pace.

The night market was bustling and lively, with cooking fumes drifting everywhere, brimming with the raw warmth of everyday life and serving as an effective stress reliever.

"Nothing, just a bit tired."

Seeing that they were already nearing Bian Xuan's bar, Si Xiaozhen hesitated for a moment and suggested, "Should we just head back?"

The sign for Bian Xuan's bar came into view ahead.

Ruan Xian shook her head. "We're already here, let's go sit for a bit."

Hesitatingly, Si Xiaozhen nodded. "Alright... there's a live band performing tonight, let's go hang out for a while."

The moment they pushed the door open, Bian Xuan was walking past them carrying a tray of drinks.

"You're here? Hurry up and help me tidy the bar counter, it's getting chaotic!"

With that, she bustled off without a backward glance.

True to her word, Ruan Xian and Si Xiaozhen honestly went over to straighten up the bar for her.

Roughly ten minutes later, Bian Xuan walked over with a beaming smile, squeezing in beside Si Xiaozhen and Ruan Xian. "I'm letting you guys try a new drink tonight. It hasn't even hit the menu yet—you're the very first people to ever taste it."

With exceptionally clean movements, she measured, added ice, and shook the shaker, whipping up two orange-colored drinks in no time.

"Brand new creation, Sunset Boulevard. Want to try?"

Si Xiaozhen took a sip first.

"What's the alcohol content on this?"

"Hmm..." Bian Xuan pondered. "Probably around the same as a Long Island Iced Tea."

Si Xiaozhen nearly spat her drink right back out.

"A Long Island Iced Tea? That's hard liquor! How come this tastes so sweet?"

"Well, how is it? Not bad, right?" Bian Xuan raised an eyebrow. "Female customers are guaranteed to love it—the alcohol is there, but the flavor profile is smooth."

"It's alright." Si Xiaozhen couldn't resist taking another sip, then turned to Ruan Xian. "Do you want to taste some?"

Ruan Xian took it and downed a large mouthful. It wasn't until long after she swallowed that she blinked and asked, "Is this really alcohol? Why is it so sweet?"

Hearing two girls in a row say the same thing, Bian Xuan looked a bit uncertain. She took the glass, sampled a sip, and said awkwardly, "Oops, I put too much honey in it..."

"......"

"......"

"Just think of it as honey water! Great for your skin!"

Saying she was going to dump it out, Bian Xuan muttered, "Forget it, I'll remake one."

"Don't waste it, hand it over."

Ruan Xian reached out to her. "This is about the only flavor profile I can handle anyway."

Naturally more than willing, Bian Xuan handed the drink over to Ruan Xian and turned to Si Xiaozhen. "I'll make you another glass, hang on."

Before long, the band took the stage to perform, lifting the bar's atmosphere.

Holding her drink, Si Xiaozhen sat at the bar counter and hummed along with the band for an entire song.

"Hey, this backup singer guy tonight is actually kind of cute, though he's a bit on the short side. If he were just a bit taller..." She turned to look at Ruan Xian mid-sentence. "Wait, you finished it already?"

Incredulous, Si Xiaozhen picked up the empty glass in front of Ruan Xian and shook it. "Even though this tastes like honey water, it's still alcohol! Alcohol!"

It was too late for regrets now; after all, the person sitting right in front of her had a completely flushed face.

"Mmm... it's kind of tasty."

Resting her chin in her hands, Ruan Xian smiled at her. "Why aren't you drinking yours?"

Si Xiaozhen: "......Are you feeling down today or something?"

Ruan Xian shook her head with a smile. "Nope."

"Tell me honestly, is there something you can't talk to me about?" Si Xiaozhen reached out to touch her face; it felt rather warm. "Did your mom track you down again?"

Ruan Xian shook her head once more. "Not a peep."

Suddenly falling silent, Si Xiaozhen looked straight into Ruan Xian's eyes, a complex storm of emotions churning in her chest.

Hearing that simple "Nope" made her heart ache fiercely.

"It's okay, Ruanruan." Si Xiaozhen helped tidy a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"We're going back already?"

"Let's go, get some early sleep, otherwise you'll wake up with a headache."

"Mmm, okay."

Ruan Xian didn't feel like staying out either; right now, her head felt dizzy and fuzzy. She grabbed her bag and stood up.

When Si Xiaozhen reached out to steady her, she waved a hand.

She wasn't so far gone that a single glass would render her unable to walk.

Still, unable to shake her worry, Si Xiaozhen hailed a cab and accompanied her all the way to the entrance of Minchen Mansions.

"Take it easy on the way back."

Ruan Xian waved at the car window. "Yeah, get home early and text me when you arrive."

"Got it."

With them standing right outside her apartment complex, Si Xiaozhen had no real reason to worry. Besides, she had witnessed Ruan Xian drinking before and knew that while her alcohol tolerance was trashy, her motor skills and cognitive functions didn't completely shut down.

Moreover, getting drunk made her turn all soft and exceptionally gentle.

Watching the taxi pull away and vanish from sight, Ruan Xian turned and walked toward her building.

Tonight's breeze felt wonderful. Swarms of tiny bugs fluttered in clusters around the halo of the streetlights, resembling the narrow alleyway where she lived as a child. The brightest streetlamp always drew the largest swarm of bugs, and every time Ruan Xian walked past it, she would subconsciously give it a wide berth.

Though sometimes, if she wasn't paying attention, she'd crash straight into it and scare herself half to death.

Just like right now.

Hastily retreating a step, Ruan Xian skirted around the spot.

A couple of steps later, she glanced back.

Whenever she walked without watching her step as a kid, Dong Xian would gently pat her on the head without ever yelling at her.

She had always been an extremely gentle mother, with a temper so pleasant that the neighborhood kids used to envy Ruan Xian.

She never scolded her children, never hit them, and certainly never uttered harsh words upon seeing a failed test paper.

She was always exceedingly patient when explaining things.

What child wouldn't envy a mother like that?

Which was why Ruan Xian actually envied Zheng You'an too.

She had always envied her—all along.

Taking the elevator up, Ruan Xian steadied herself against the wall by the elevator doors for a moment.

She rarely drank, and she had no idea that catching a draft after drinking was a major taboo.

Especially for someone with as poor an alcohol tolerance as hers; having the night breeze blow against her head made that dizzy, spinning sensation intensify tenfold.

Slowly making her way to her front door with her head bowed, she found that the voice-activated hallway light was already on, casting a silhouette against the door.

Ruan Xian blinked hard to focus.

Fu Mingyu.

What was he doing here?

While Ruan Xian was standing there in a daze, Fu Mingyu turned around, spotted her, and strode over.

He stopped just a step away from her.

Before Ruan Xian could open her mouth to ask, he suddenly leaned in close—so close that Ruan Xian could feel his breath.

"Did you drink?"

Fu Mingyu slowly straightened back up and looked down at her.

"Mmm."

"Why are you drinking again?"

Again?

She had only drunk twice the entire year: once at the graduation dinner with her classmates after finishing flight training, and the second time being today. How on earth could that possibly qualify as "again"?

Dropping her head, Ruan Xian kept quiet.

Because of their silence, the voice-activated light clicked off, plunging them into darkness where her vision failed, leaving only her sense of smell to register Fu Mingyu's familiar scent.

Feeling that the atmosphere had turned somewhat strange, Ruan Xian stomped her foot to trip the voice-activated light back on, simultaneously murmuring, "Bad mood."

From his angle, Fu Mingyu could only see Ruan Xian's lowered eyelashes casting delicate shadows across her lower eyelids.

Soaking his voice in softness, he asked, "What happened?"

"Just in a bad mood."

"Still mad?"

Ruan Xian raised her head to look at him. Her eyes were misty, her cheeks flushed pink, completely stripped of her usual sharp edge.

"What are you even doing here?"

"I sent you a message, and you didn't reply."

"Oh, I didn't check my phone. Are you looking for me for something?"

Fu Mingyu's gaze lingered on Ruan Xian's face, studying it bit by bit until he noticed a fallen leaf caught in the hair by her ear.

Reaching out to pluck it away, he asked concurrently, "Are you still angry?"

That distinct fir-scented fragrance of his closed in on Ruan Xian along with the movement.

Startling slightly, she watched Fu Mingyu's wrist flash past her field of vision, while the cool pine scent lingered in the air.

"Huh?"

Ruan Xian asked, "What would I be angry about?"

"Zheng You'an."

Ruan Xian's lips parted slightly as a sharp jab pierced her heart.

At the same time, a wave of confusion washed over her—had Fu Mingyu found something out?

Looking at him uncomprehendingly, she asked, "Why would I be mad at her?"

Lowering his gaze to study her, Fu Mingyu's expression turned thoughtful.

"Then what were you throwing a tantrum about these past few days?"

Ruan Xian turned the sentence over in her mind, analyzing it meticulously.

Mad at Zheng You'an?

Throwing a tantrum?

Could it be...

After a full several seconds of processing, a surge of heat rushed straight up into Ruan Xian's head.

So, for all these days, Fu Mingyu had assumed she was jealous?

Jealous of Zheng You'an?

Jealous of him?

"Were you... born a dinner plate in your past life? Why is your face so damn big?"