Chapter 039　 He's more jealous than a boyfriend!

  *

  The night grew deeper. A few young people from Europe and America walked onto the lawn, played cheerful music on their phones, and invited those around them for a "little dance." Japanese people are usually very shy, but perhaps the atmosphere here was different. People gradually stood up and started swaying with them.

  "Li Chengshi, let's go too." Su Xian stood up, eager to join.

  "I can't."

  "Don’t you pretend. You can even do that dirty sexy dancing learnt from Karaoke! Get up."

  Knowing he couldn't argue, he reluctantly stood up. "I'll go throw away the trash first."

  "I'll go." She ran off and came back like a gust of wind, then pulled him and started slowly swaying towards the group.

  It was a little awkward, reminding Li Chengshi that he was still an introverted person, but the boundaries had already become blurred.

  More and more people joined in, because it required no skill, had no threshold, just a desire to be happy.

  *

  The light party ended half an hour later. Su Xian went over and chatted with a blonde girl, learning that they came here often, intending a bit of "cultural exchange."

  "Li Chengshi, I already want to live here. I absolutely love this atmosphere." She seemed unsatisfied.

  "I can tell. You're the kind of old lady who'll be dancing in the plaza every day when you're older." Li Chengshi dragged her toward the parking lot.

  "Won't you dance when you're old?"

  "I won't. I'll be selling fried chicken on the side." He pointed at the long queue at the food truck's fried chicken window.

  "Then I'll pretend I don't know you and persuade everyone to go buy from you."

  "It's a deal. Go back on your word, and you're a bastard."

  **

  The next day during working hours, Su Xian was organizing her thoughts and sketching in her notebook when Zhao Nanfeng walked in carrying a giant gourd and placed it on Honda's shoulder, nearly making her collapse. He asked angrily, "Who is going to explain this to me?!"

  Seeing Li Chengshi make a move, Su Xian quickly waved him down, stood up, and said, "I bought it for Li Chengshi to make dumplings for me. I got home late yesterday and forgot to take it out."

  "Dumplings?" Honda understood the Chinese word for dumplings. "Gyōza daisuki! (I love dumplings!)"

  Zhao Nanfeng pointed disdainfully toward the kitchen, motioning for her to go. Su Xian immediately put down her notebook and went with Honda to carry the gourd away.

  *

  "Li Chengshi, do you really think you can win a woman over by cooking and doing laundry?" Zhao Nanfeng was contemptuous.

  "Yes, and very easily so."

  "Hmph. If you weren't somewhat good-looking, those things would be worthless."

  "Looks and age are both assets; you use what you have. Besides," he sneered, "Dare you say you haven't used your looks?"

  No one would likely be angry at being insulted in this way, especially since Zhao Nanfeng had indeed used his looks.

  Returning from the kitchen, Honda approached Zhao Nanfeng, looked up, and pleaded, "Shachō, minna de gyōza tsukurimashou! (Boss, let's all make dumplings together!)"

  "Suki ni shiro! (Do as you please!)" This place was already tainted with countless signs of daily life; he couldn't possibly express any more disdain. Fortunately, their time working at Suitengu was almost over, and they would soon move back to the real office.

  *

  This giant gourd has a beautiful Japanese name: Yūgao (Moonflower).

  In the afternoon, Honda took Li Chengshi to buy side ingredients and seasonings nearby. They started bustling in the kitchen at 5 PM.

  Zhao Nanfeng and Su Xian began to pack up office supplies in advance.

  "What is this?" Zhao Nanfeng asked, picking up a floor plan.

  "My newly rented apartment."

  Zhao Nanfeng looked through it a few times. "It's quite big. When are you moving?"

  "I'm moving. He's not moving with me."

  He looked bewildered. "Every time I mention you, he gets frisky like a small dog protecting its food; he looks ready to jump up and bite me. If he cares that much, why are you playing this breakup game?"

  Su Xian briefly explained the whole story.

  "That's something worth being disgusted by?" Then I should be drawn and quartered.

  "The fallen don't understand the pain of the noble."

  "Tch! I may not be noble, but you're playing pure love at 34. It sounds a bit unhinged. And have you considered that even if he reluctantly accepts you now, he might use this to attack you at any point of disagreement in the future?"

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "I'm 34. I can handle pure lust and pure love. I can accept happiness, and I can endure pain. You don't need to worry about me."

  Zhao Nanfeng nodded in agreement, then looked at the floor plan again. "Security deposit, key money, furniture, appliances—that will cost a lot. Should I advance you two months' salary?"

  "I'll let you know if I need it."

  Li Chengshi walked out, holding the bowl of filling. While stirring, he stared at them and said coldly, "Are you working or cuddling? Do you need to stand that close?"

  "See? Frisky again, isn't he?" Zhao Nanfeng smiled at Su Xian and carried the organized cardboard boxes away.

  Su Xian stepped forward and wiped the flour off Li Chengshi's cheek. She smiled brightly and said, "This area is tidied up. You teach me; let's make them together."

  His tone immediately softened. "You don't have to do that."

  "I want to make a special bowl for you."

  "Well, alright then." He could barely suppress his smile.

  Zhao Nanfeng let out a sneering laugh, intending to mock Su Xian, but then realized that compared to his own solitude, she was actually the winner. Her only failure was meeting him during her best years.

  *

  The office desk became the work surface. Su Xian, Li Chengshi, and Honda chatted while making dumplings. Zhao Nanfeng disdained to participate and sat on a distant sofa, writing and sketching in his notebook.

  When visiting Old Zhang and Wang Jing for the New Year, Su Xian would be asked to make dumplings, so she actually knew how. But she pretended not to know first, then quickly picked it up under Li Chengshi's guidance, predictably earning praise. Honda Family's ramen shop also sold Japanese pan-fried dumplings (yaki gyōza), so she was skilled but still humbly learned Li Chengshi's technique. The three quickly made enough dumplings to eat and prepared to boil water.

  Honda walked over to Zhao Nanfeng and looked down to see what he was doing. "Waa, sugoi! (Wow, amazing!)"

  It turned out Zhao Nanfeng had drawn a watercolor sketch of the three of them making dumplings. Although the style was simple and casual, the expressions and characteristics of the figures were captured very accurately.

  Honda took the notebook over to show Su Xian and Li Chengshi, saying she was thrilled to be drawn for the first time.

  Seeing Su Xian's subdued expression, Li Chengshi had a bad feeling: "This isn't your first time being drawn, is it?"

  "He's very good at drawing people."

  "Looks like he's drawn quite a bit."

  "I have three booklets at home."

  He couldn't bear to imagine the content. He slammed the dough in his hand onto the cutting board and turned to the kitchen to boil water.

  Honda asked doubtfully, "Dōshita no? (What's wrong?)"

  "Yakimochi. (He's jealous.)"

  Honda burst out laughing. "Kawaii ne. (So cute.)"

  *

  Su Xian brought a plate of dumplings and placed it on the work surface, standing beside him. "Little Bear, are you angry?"

  "Why would I be angry!"

  "Good, as long as you're not angry, hehe." She started boiling water in a small pot on another burner, preparing to cook the dumplings she made specifically for him.

  Seeing that she wasn't going to coax him further, he had to take the initiative: "When we go back to China for New Year's Day, show me those booklets."

  "I can, it's just..." She didn't mind him seeing them, but she was worried he couldn't handle it.

  "Are there naked ones?!" It's over. He only thought her relationship with the third boyfriend was unacceptable, but he had overlooked that her relationship with Zhao Nanfeng was the most worrying.

  "...Yes."

  "Then I still want to see them, since we've already slept together." He was furious and only cared about sounding tough, but his face turned red after he said it.

  "Okay. Now, can I kiss you and make up? Otherwise, the dumplings won't taste good later."

  "Why would you kiss me? I'm not your boyfriend."

  "Oh, I was crossing a line." Su Xian gently patted his lower back and happily walked away. That's right, he's not my boyfriend, but he's more jealous than a boyfriend!

  **