Chapter 42

Gao Jiyi had just seen Tao Ranran off and was returning to the private room when he saw everyone putting on their coats. “So it’s over already? I might as well have stayed and played with the little girl.”

The elevator descended.

Fang Langxi suddenly remembered something and tried to ease the tension: “Hey, Zhou Zhou, do you have a golf club in your car?”

Zhao Pingjin’s face was still dark, but he responded, “Yeah, why?”

Fang Langxi said, “Hurry up and lend it to me. Tomorrow, Qingqing’s grandparents are coming to visit her. The old man likes to hit a few balls. I don’t know how to entertain him, so I’ll just go practice with him. You know I don’t care much for it. My golf bag is covered in dust in the garage.”

Zhao Pingjin nodded. “You can grab it yourself later.”

Gao Jiyi, unconcerned by what had just happened, chimed in with a teasing remark: “Old Two, Zhou Zhou’s club is a real American original. It’ll make a good impression when hosting your in-laws.”

The group descended to the underground parking lot. Gao Jiyi waved and got into his car to leave first. Zhao Pingjin’s black Audi, the one he drove in Beijing, was parked nearby. He opened the car’s trunk and took out the golf bag.

Fang Langxi took it: “Thanks.”

He and Qingqing got in the car and left.

Zhao Pingjin pressed the remote key.

Xi Tang had been standing next to them. She stared at the car trunk, her eyes fixed on it, looking all the way to the back where there was a white storage box. The box was transparent, filled with various items. On top, there was a small brown toy bear, sealed tightly inside, its face squashed.

The trunk slowly descended.

Xi Tang suddenly shouted, “Wait!”

She lunged toward the trunk.

“Xiang Xitang!” Zhao Pingjin, startled and sweating, rushed over and pressed the trunk back up, quickly pressing the remote. His voice had changed with anger: “Are you out of your mind?”

Xi Tang didn’t seem to hear. She had already climbed into the trunk.

She was small, and the car was big with ample space in the back. Xi Tang knelt inside and grabbed the white box, desperately trying to open it but couldn’t. 

Zhao Pingjin remained silent, watching her carefully. He looked at her expression, and the corner of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a faint, malicious smile.

Xi Tang anxiously asked, “Is this my little bear?”

Zhao Pingjin stood outside, arms crossed, leisurely: “What if it is?”

Xi Tang urgently said, “Could you open it, please?”

She struggled to open the box but couldn’t. She was on the verge of tears.

Zhao Pingjin took two steps closer, gently lifted a button beside the box, and with a click, it opened.

Xi Tang flipped the lid, pulled out the toy bear, and examined it for a moment. Then she hugged it tightly.

She tried to crawl out of the trunk with the bear in her arms.

Zhao Pingjin said, “Stop.”

Xi Tang, still with joy from the reunion on her face, looked at him, slightly confused.

Zhao Pingjin’s face was stern: “Put it back.”

Xi Tang clutched the bear tightly. “It’s my bear.”

Zhao Pingjin calmly stated, “This broken toy is mine. You took it out of my car, Miss Huang.”

Xi Tang stubbornly shook her head. “It’s mine.”

Zhao Pingjin asked, “What proof do you have?”

Xi Tang opened her mouth, thought for a moment, and finally managed to say, “Mine.”

“Put it back.” Zhao Pingjin ordered.

“I won’t.” She resisted firmly.

“You want it?” Zhao Pingjin’s voice was coaxing.

“Yes,” she nodded vigorously.

“Call me Zhou Zhou, brother.”

“Zhou Zhou, brother.”

“Say something nice.”

“I...” Xi Tang was momentarily speechless, her eyes turning red, on the brink of tears.

Zhao Pingjin sighed: “You’ve always been so foolish.”

Xi Tang knelt in front of the box, digging through its contents. She found her college textbooks, a character biography she had written, props from the graduation play, her costume, a whole stack of photos, various tickets and receipts... all her belongings. These things had been left at Jia Yuan’s place. Later, Ni Kailun had packed up the house for her. She had been in no condition to think clearly at the time, knowing she would never return to Beijing. Before going under anesthesia for surgery, she had told Ni Kailun, “Take care of everything.” According to Ni Kailun’s later instructions, all the valuable items were sold, and the rest were thrown away. The house had been listed with a real estate agent and sold a week later. She had always thought these things were gone forever.

She was shocked and kept muttering, “Why did you keep these…”

Zhao Pingjin stood by the car door, his face cold and emotionless, pale and sharp: “Do you think everyone is as heartless as you? Come out, let’s go home.”

The bedroom was warm.

Xi Tang, in socks, lay on the carpet, happily pulling out her old treasures from the box.

When they had just returned home, in the underground garage, Xi Tang wanted to carry the box upstairs. Zhao Pingjin didn’t want to deal with it: “Another day.”

Xi Tang refused: “I’ll carry it myself.”

Zhao Pingjin tried to drag her away.

Xi Tang stood firmly behind the car, refusing to move.

Zhao Pingjin, helpless, opened the trunk and brought the box upstairs for her.

Once inside, he took off his suit jacket and lay down on the bed, biting his lip, saying no more.

Xi Tang noticed that he wasn’t feeling well. 

She changed him into comfortable clothes, gave him warm water and medicine, and kept his stomach warm. Zhao Pingjin kissed her forehead and lay back on the bed comfortably.

Xi Tang sat on the carpet in front of the bed, looking at him with concern. She had dressed him in a deep gray chunky knit cardigan over a black shirt, making his features look calm and his complexion pale. When he wasn’t feeling well, he looked particularly obedient.

Xi Tang asked, “Are you okay now?”

Zhao Pingjin leaned back on the bed: “Yeah, I felt bad for a while, but I’m fine now.”

He watched as she took out item after item from the box, and seeing all the dust, he couldn’t help but frown: “Don’t make a mess in my room.”

Xi Tang asked, “Should I go play in the next room?”

Zhao Pingjin thought for a moment and said, “No, stay here.”

Xi Tang flipped through a large stack of receipts, most of them from five or six years ago, some of the paper even yellowing. She had kept every ticket, boarding pass, and entrance ticket from when she went out with Zhao Pingjin, as well as receipts for things he bought her. Xi Tang quickly flipped through one side, feeling her eyes start to moisten. She hurriedly put them aside. In the books, there were several bags of photos. Xi Tang pulled them out. They were group photos from their performance class. In the pictures, she and Zhong Qiao were laughing tightly together, their makeup horribly done.

The memories were vivid, but the person was no longer there.

She smiled as she looked at the photos but secretly wiped away the tears at the corner of her eye.

Zhao Pingjin lay on the bed, watching her from a distance, both laughing and crying, like a madman. The smile wasn’t for him, but who was the crying for?

He had never opened that box.

At the time, he was abroad. Shen Min had briefly reported to him that Huang Xitang had been discharged from the hospital, the medical bills were settled, and she was now recuperating at home. Then one day, a security guard from Jia Yuan called him. They had lived there for almost a year, and the security guard was familiar with him. He asked if their house had been robbed, as there was a pile of trash at the door. He asked Shen Min to drive over, saying workers were clearing things out.

Shen Min had packed the items into a storage box, which she handed over to him when she returned. Zhao Pingjin had planned to throw it away immediately, but when he turned around, he saw a flattened brown teddy bear sitting on top of the box.

It was Huang Xitang’s favorite stuffed animal, which she needed by her pillow when she slept. She had said that her mother brought it back from Shanghai when she was little, telling her the bear was her best friend. Her mother had devoted herself to raising her and never left the small county after that.

Frowning, he threw the box into the deepest part of the car trunk.

Years went by. He changed his main car almost every year, but the box stayed in the trunk, never opened, never discarded.

Huang Xitang asked him, “Can I take my little bear to the set?”

Zhao Pingjin leaned against the bed and casually replied, “No.”

Huang Xitang pouted, feeling wronged, but didn’t dare to argue.

Zhao Pingjin asked, “Did you pack up the things in that house yourself?”

Xitang froze for a moment. “Yes.”

Zhao Pingjin stared at her, his face cold and stern. He said, “Lying.”

Xitang didn’t dare to argue anymore. The house they lived in had been packed up by Ni Kailun. Because of time constraints, Ni Kailun only packed her personal clothes, selling off the valuable items and throwing away everything else that wasn’t worth anything.

Nothing was kept.

She had thrown away the most precious things in her life. She felt guilty and had nothing to say.

Seeing her sudden silence, Zhao Pingjin unconsciously lowered his voice, “Alright, put it away. I’ll have someone disinfect it before you play with it. It’s been so many years, don’t touch it, it’s filthy.”

After cleaning herself up, Xitang climbed into bed and lay in his arms. They both were quiet, she read her script, and Zhao Pingjin read a book.

Soon, Xitang fell asleep in his arms.

Zhao Pingjin knew her work wasn’t easy. Shooting a drama was exhausting, especially long TV series where they had to work day and night, often filming in the cold and traveling to outdoor locations. And when she did have a little free time, it was always spent with him.

He gently picked her up, laid her beside him, and covered her with a blanket.

In the morning, Zhao Pingjin woke up and moved his arm gently. Xitang woke up with him.

She lay beside him, glanced at the time—it was just past seven—and softly asked, “Are you awake?”

Zhao Pingjin nodded.

Xitang got up, fully rested, looking fresh and full of energy.

It was Zhao Pingjin who had been feeling tired lately. He woke up feeling dizzy and only wanted to lazily stay in bed.

Xitang gently turned on the night light.

The dim light made the bedroom feel warm and cozy.

Zhao Pingjin lay under the blanket, watching her get up with bare feet. She had kicked the pillow away while sleeping, but she picked it up and placed it on a nearby armchair. Then, she sat on the bed, putting on a pink bathrobe, tying the belt, her black hair slightly messy but very playful and cute. She carefully placed his sweater on the bed, went into the wardrobe, and hung his shirt and suit for the day. Walking on the carpet, her steps were so soft they made no sound. Neither of them said anything, quietly enjoying an ordinary and peaceful morning.

Xitang walked up to the bed and kissed his cheek.

Zhao Pingjin lowered his eyelids, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Xitang went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Zhao Pingjin felt dizzy again, closed his eyes, and listened to her humming a nursery rhyme in the kitchen, “The pond is full, the rain has stopped, the pond is full, the rain has stopped...”

Life could indeed have such serene and happy moments. Zhao Pingjin lay there for a while, feeling his nostrils tingle and his eyes sting. He raised his hand, pressed his temples hard, and suppressed the tears that threatened to come.

When Xitang finished making breakfast and came in, Zhao Pingjin had finished washing up and was lying back in bed, with a movable desk beside him, his laptop open. He was wearing glasses, reading through some documents.

Xitang leaned over to take a quick look at the long list of urgent work emails in his inbox.

She said, “Come eat breakfast.”

Zhao Pingjin didn’t want to move. “It’s cold outside. I don’t want to go.”

The room was equipped with the best underfloor heating, and every room was set to a comfortable, constant temperature. The bedroom, living room, and kitchen all felt the same. Yet Zhao Pingjin, feeling lazy, refused to get up. Xitang glanced at the bedroom. The large room had the curtains drawn, and a soft yellow wall light illuminated the brown wooden floor. The blankets gave off a gentle warmth. It felt like a perfect spring night, making one wish they could sleep forever.

She also felt it but knew she no longer had the luxury to be willful.

Xitang quietly walked over, dressed him in his shirt, and buttoned it one by one. Zhao Pingjin just extended his hands, still focused on the computer screen. After Xitang finished dressing him, he stretched out his feet and placed them on her legs. She put on his socks for him and said, “Sir, it’s time to get up.”

After breakfast, Zhao Pingjin was in the bedroom’s dressing room tying his tie. He walked out and said to her, “I’m going to Europe tomorrow, for about a week.”

Xitang was applying lipstick at the vanity table. Hearing his words, she casually asked, “A business trip?”

Xitang knew that Zhao Pingjin usually didn’t like going abroad. Unless it was for work or an occasional vacation, he preferred staying in Beijing. 

Zhao Pingjin paused for a second, then nodded dismissively.