Serenade

Shen Pingchuan stopped in front of a hot pot restaurant. Jin Xi slowly got off the back of the bicycle and looked up at the neon signboard in front.

"Eating hot pot, bro?"

Shen Pingchuan made an extremely unnatural "hmm" sound, as if afraid Jin Xi would ask more, and quickly pushed the bicycle to the dedicated parking area by the roadside.

Jin Xi stood behind him and said, "But I'm on my period these days, I can't eat spicy food."

"Then I'll order a yinyang pot for you."

"So you have to eat hot pot, right?"

"Hmm."

Jin Xi shrugged and followed him into the hot pot restaurant.

Xia Qing was wearing a striped work uniform and was busy carrying plates. Seeing the familiar faces at the door, she immediately came over, a look of astonishment appeared on her face: "Oh, Shen senior, are you here to eat hot pot?"

Shen Pingchuan scratched the back of his head awkwardly: "Yeah, my sister was crying for hot pot."

Jin Xi was baffled: "When did I..."

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Pingchuan slapped her hard on the back.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Jin Xi was slapped so hard that she yelled "yes" three times in a row very cooperatively, with a sweet smile on her face: "I really want to eat hot pot!"

"Please come in."

Xia Qing led the two to sit by the window.

After Jin Xi sat down, she would still sneak peeks at her from time to time.

She had high and distinguished brows and narrow eyes, with a certain oriental charm unique to Eastern women, yet she was also soft with a hard core, and her features exuded a sense of heroism.

As expected of a young lady from the National Defense Academy, so handsome and pretty.

Possibly because she had seen the coquettish and charming Mrs. Jiang and her daughter today, Jin Xi felt more and more that Xia Qing was really good-looking.

When Xia Qing went to get menus for the two, Jin Xi immediately moved next to Shen Pingchuan and whispered: "No wonder you went halfway around the city just to come to this restaurant. Turns out the real intention was not to eat hot pot!"

Shen Pingchuan was a little nervous and quickly said, "Don't talk nonsense! Act normal!"

Xia Qing walked over and Shen Pingchuan immediately pushed Jin Xi away, then straightened his tie.

Jin Xi looked at him sideways, with a mysterious smile on her face.

Working at the sales office these days, Shen Pingchuan had to wear shirts and ties every day, looking quite spirited.

Shen Pingchuan ordered food and handed the menu to Xia Qing, gently saying, "Thank you."

Xia Qing asked in confusion: "You're not ordering for your sister?"

"No need. This brat eats anything, very easy to feed."

Xia Qing paused, but still handed the menu to Jin Xi: "Sister, take another look, there are also snacks and pastries in the back."

Jin Xi was so moved! She took the menu and glared fiercely at Shen Pingchuan.

Letting you take charge without asking me!

Jin Xi almost instantly liked her.

Holding a pencil, she poked her chubby cheek with the tip and ticked and drew carefully on the menu.

Shen Pingchuan glanced at her sideways, constantly reminding her: "Take it easy, don't order too much and waste food."

"I can finish it."

"Even so, don't order too much. Eating too much at night will make you fat."

"Shen Pingchuan, stop nagging!"

Under the table, Shen Pingchuan kicked Jin Xi. Jin Xi paused, and immediately changed her words with a smile: "Our pot is just so diligent and gentle."

Xia Qing smiled quietly, and took the menu.

After she left, Jin Xi immediately moved over: "Pot, how did I do?"

Shen Pingchuan frowned and said, "Don't be too deliberate! People can tell!"

"Really?"

"You think everyone is silly like you."

Jin Xi straightened up and solemnly said, "Then tell me what to do, and I'll do exactly as you say. I'll listen to you completely."

"When praising someone, you have to praise them subtly, leave no trace, so that people can't tell you're praising them, yet still feel your kindness."

Jin Xi knitted her brows: "This... is a skill."

"Forget it, just keep your mouth shut. Don't mess things up for me."

"Don't worry, I will definitely help you get the girl."

The two siblings chatted like lovebirds, whispering. Behind them, Xia Qing said awkwardly with a peanut milk drink in hand: "Um...sorry to disturb."

Shen Pingchuan' body shook.

Damn, she must have heard what they just said.

Jin Xi smiled and said, "Sister Xia Qing, my pot was saying the hot pot here tastes really good."

Xia Qing said helplessly: "But your food hasn't been served yet."

"Oh."

Shen Pingchuan covered his forehead with his hand, looking completely hopeless.

Xia Qing came over a few more times, poured tea for them, and said to call her directly if they needed anything. She was very thoughtful and attentive.

The table next door sat a few young men, talking loudly, yelling and shouting. Someone even took off his shirt directly and started shadowboxing. The loser had to either drink or play truth or dare, asking phone numbers from several girls around, but no one entertained them.

Shen Pingchuan looked very wary, so they didn't come over to harass Jin Xi.

A small flat-headed man who was drunk stumbled back after being rejected by a table of girls. He happened to bump into Xia Qing who was holding a tray of oil dishes.

The oil dishes were about to be spilled, but unexpectedly, Xia Qing held the tray and managed to catch everything back steadily on the plates.

Jin Xi's eyes widened in admiration and exclaimed: "Sister, great skills!"

A proud look appeared on Shen Pingchuan's face: "She's very capable. Ordinary men are no match for her."

Although she steadied the oil dishes, some oil splashed out, landing on the shirt of the flat-headed man opposite, which was white, so the few drops of oil stains were quite conspicuous.

Xia Qing apologized to him, but the small flat-head didn't seem to want to let her off easily. He said, "I'm a server, you splashed oil on me, is a mere sorry enough?"

Working in the service industry, no matter whether the customer is right or wrong, you can’t argue with the customer.

Xia Qing could only apologize sincerely again: "Sir, you can take off your clothes first. I'll take them to the kitchen and help you dab the oil stains. It might be hard to wash once dried."

The small flat-head laughed and said to his buddies: “This girl is asking me to take off my clothes!"

A few men started heckling: "If she asks you to take it off, then take it off!"

The flat-headed man had a skinny "ribs" figure even with his clothes on. He didn't take off his clothes, but said, "This shirt wasn't cheap. Little girl, you got oil on me, you can't just let it go like that."

"Then I'll compensate you with money."

"Money? Do my brothers need your money?"

The flat-headed man handed Xia Qing a bottle of beer: "Here, drink with us brothers. If we're happy after drinking, then the matter's settled."

"I'm working, I can't drink."

"Not drinking, huh? Okay, call your boss! You spilled oil all over me, I have to talk to your boss!"

Xia Qing lowered her head to think for a moment, and finally accepted the glass.

Just then, someone brushed past, a whole bowl of fragrant oil and garlic sauce, all poured onto the small flat-head's shirt front.

Xia Qing looked up in surprise and met Shen Pingchuan's pitch-black eyes. His curved brows quirked up as he smiled and said, "Sorry bro, my hand slipped and made a mess of you."

The small flat-head's white shirt was stained with large patches of shiny fragrant oil, still hanging with garlic and onion stalks, filthy and dirty.

He angrily questioned: "Hey! How can you walk like that! Are you blind?"

"My eyes can only see people, not beasts..." Before Shen Pingchuan could finish speaking, Xia Qing beside him suddenly squeezed his sleeve.

The word "beast" was already at his lips, but was forcibly swallowed back by Shen Pingchuan.

If a conflict broke out in the store, Xia Qing would surely be scolded by the boss, so Shen Pingchuan still held back his temper. He raised his glass and clinked it against the man's: "Well, I'll drink with you."

Shen Ping Chuan glanced at the beer mug and said, "What's a man drinking beer for? Come on, brothers, let's have some baijiu."

A large glass of baijiu was brought over. Shen Ping Chuan took a gulp and laughed, "Tonight I'm treating, let's just take this as getting to know each other."

Don't hit a smiling face, and those men couldn't start anything even if they wanted to. They had no choice but to give up.

Shen Ping Chuan went back to his seat, cursing angrily under his breath.

Jin Xi saw his flushed cheeks and laughed, "When has our Prince Shen ever been so stifled?"

He took a sip of her hot peanut milk, trying to suppress the fishy burning sensation in his throat, "I really haven't."

Despite Shen Ping Chuan's usual joking around, when his temper flared up he could get aggressive.

Who would have thought this Miss Xia could keep him under control? Impressive.

After dinner, Xia Qing saw the siblings off at the door and gave special thanks to Shen Ping Chuan. Shen Ping Chuan casually said no problem, didn't she help him out last time too? It was nothing.

Once Xia Qing went back inside, Jin Xi said, "Bro, I'm going home myself."

"Then what about me?"

"You of course stay and wait for her!" Jin Xi rummaged around in her bike's side box and took out a pink cushion pad, carefully putting it on the rear seat, "Wait for her to get off work and offer to take her back to her dorm. Have her sit on the rear seat."

Shen Ping Chuan looked at the pink seat cover. It was from his high school days when he had bought it to take Jin Xi to school every day. But she never went with him and insisted on going with her girlfriends instead, so the pad never got used.

He felt a little embarrassed, "What if she refuses?"

"If she refuses then she refuses, no big deal." Jin Xi said indifferently, "What guy pursuing a girl doesn't get rejected a few times?"

"I...I'm not pursuing her." Shen Ping Chuan stammered shyly, "Where did you get that idea?"

"Well do you like her or not? If not let's just go home."

Shen Ping Chuan lowered his head, scuffing a pebble on the ground with his toe, "I don't know."

He had to admit, seeing this dumb guy being bashful was pretty cute.

"What's there to not know about?" Jin Xi patted his shoulder as a senior giving advice, "Do thoughts of her face keep popping up in your mind, making you want to see her all the time?"

Shen Ping Chuan thought for a moment, then whispered to her, "I want to see her abs, does that count?"

"......"

"You can try telling her your wish."

Shen Ping Chuan swallowed, "Then I might die."

After struggling for a bit, he still decided to wait for Xia Qing to get off work and offer to take her back to her dorm. Jin Xi would walk home herself after dinner.

The evening breeze was cool and refreshing, the lights just coming on. Jin Xi walked down the street with her shoulder bag, occasionally stopping at roadside stalls to browse little accessories.

Couples holding hands passed by her and Jin Xi looked at them, starting to miss a certain annoying guy again.

Unknowingly, it had already been a month without any word from him.

She stood at the busy intersection, actually feeling a little heartache that she hid when Shen Ping Chuan was around. Only when alone did she allow herself to feel sad.

Just then, her phone rang with an incoming video call.

Jin Xi saw the profile picture on the screen and almost fainted from shock.

Bo Yan.

His profile pic was a polar bear, with a little girl sitting on its shoulders cartoonishly drawn to resemble her face.

Jin Xi checked over and over that the hand-drawn white profile picture really belonged to him.

She excitedly yet carefully tapped to accept the video connection, steadying herself and calling out, "Bro Bo Yan."

The screen was pitch black and unclear, but she could hear the piercing wind noise in the receiver, mixed with static and interference, Bo Yan's broken up voice coming through, "Can you...Xi...hear me?"

"I can hear you, baby, I miss you so much, I...I miss you a lot..."

Jin Xi's eyes instantly turned red.

"No signal...at camp...climbed mountain...barely get network...didn't hear...you said?"

"I said I miss you!"

There was some rustling from his end, and his disjointed voice came through, "Damn...network...Yang, come let me step on you..."

The video froze again, vaguely making out Bo Yan sitting on Xu Chaoyang's shoulders, finally the picture cleared up a lot.

"Jin Xi, can you hear me?"

Jin Xi: ......

Lost her voice from crying.

Bo Yan could finally see the full picture on his phone, Jin Xi standing by the roadside wearing a little white blouse, a pretty black bow tie at the collar, rosy cheeks and doe eyes brimming with tears, looking like she would start bawling any second.

Bo Yan frowned, "Why are you crying?"

"No, how could I be crying, it's the wind, blowing in my eyes."

She clearly heard Bo Yan let out a heavy exhale, obviously not believing her.

"It's too dark here, go somewhere brighter so I can see you better on the screen."

Jin Xi looked around and ran under a neon advertisement light across the street.

The neon lights shone on Bo Yan's face through the screen, enveloping his handsome features in a dim blue glow, lighting up his clear eyes.

Jin Xi rubbed her nose, holding back tears with effort, "Are you on a mountain?"

"I can use my phone tonight, but no signal at camp. I ran up the mountain before I could get a network connection, was worried you wouldn't have your phone on you."

"I do, I...I don't even dare turn it off when I sleep, just in case you try to contact me someday."

"Jin Xi, miss me?"

Jin Xi's thumb unconsciously caressed his magnified features on the screen, "No way, not one bit, you big oaf."

"But I miss you like crazy." Bo Yan's eyes were full of tenderness, "I see a damn tree stump now and think it looks like you, makes me want to fuck it."

"......"

Suddenly wanted to hang up.

Jin Xi huffed, "You and your trash talk again."

Yet he said it with such deep emotion too, ridiculous.

"Let me see, has my girl gotten fat?"

Jin Xi held the phone farther away to show her full face.

Bo Yan's gentle gaze slowly traced her features, mouth quirking up lightly, "So good."

Below him, Xu Chaoyang spat, "You two and your mushy chatter, spare a thought for the third wheel here."

Jin Xi asked Bo Yan, "Isn't Instructor Xu calling his girlfriend too?"

"He did, less than a minute."

"Oh, not every girlfriend is as gentle and considerate as Brother Bo's."

"Agreed."

Xu Chaoyang yelled loudly, "Bo Yan, don't think I won't throw you off and kill you."

Jin Xi looked at Bo Yan with a smile, "You look uglier, all scruffy."

In the soft light, Bo Yan's face did look much rougher, with stubble on his jaw adding to his masculinity.

"Yeah, uglier." Bo Yan rubbed his forehead, "This past month's training has been harder than the entire past year."

Jin Xi looked at him sympathetically, eyes turning red again, "I want to hug you so much."

Bo Yan said gently, "There there, no more tears. Give your Bo Ya a smile."

Jin Xi obediently forced out a teary smile.

His eyes crinkled, "Hideous."

Xu Chaoyang's urgent voice came from below, "I think I see flashlights over there, don't tell me we got caught?"

Bo Yan focused his gaze, murmuring, "Shit, Jin Xi I have to go."

"I'll wait for you to come back."

His later words seemed to cut out again, she didn't catch what he said indistinctly before the spinning picture abruptly disconnected.

She stood alone on the street, looking at the faintly glowing screen, still unable to recover for a long time, her heart feeling both bitter and sweet.

Back home that night, she curled up on the sofa watching TV. Shen Shishan messaged that he was accompanying clients and might directly stay at a hotel, telling the siblings to lock up properly.

Jin Xi replied telling Shen Shishan to drink less.

Then she got a call from Shen Ping Chuan.

"Little Pot, what's the situation! Did you get the girl or not!"

There was an odd silence on the line for a few seconds. "This is Xia Qing."

"......"

Uh oh.

She saw Xia Qing and Shen Ping Chuan downstairs.

Shen Ping Chuan was drunk and dizzy, sitting on the pink bike seat cushion as Xia Qing gave him a ride back.

"He seems to have a slight alcohol intolerance," Xia Qing stopped the bike and helped Shen Ping Chuan get off. "Baijiu has a strong aftertaste. I saw him passed out on the side of the road when I got off work. Little sister, how could you just leave him on the side of the road like that?"

"Uh..."

He seemed fine when they left. Who knew one cup of baijiu would affect him so much? This lightweight had never drank before.

"Thank you for the trouble, Sister Xia Qing."

Jin Xi took over carrying Shen Ping Chuan, but was knocked off balance by him, and the siblings fell to the ground. Jin Xi felt like her butt was about to split open.

This guy...was just too heavy!

Xia Qing pulled Jin Xi up and squatted down with no choice but to put Shen Ping Chuan on her back. She steadied herself on one knee and stood up firmly.

"Forget it, I'll help you get him upstairs."

Jin Xi watched as Xia Qing carried Shen Ping Chuan, nearly 6'3" and built like a bull, up to the apartment building with ease.

The young lady from the National Defense Academy really was amazing!

"Sister, how did you know which apartment was ours?"

"It was in his phone."

"Oh, thank you for the trouble of bringing my brother home."

"It's nothing. I couldn't just let him sleep outside all night."

Jin Xi thought to say that it actually would not have been a problem to do just that.

In the elevator, the lights shone on Xia Qing's face, revealing an unnatural flush.

Jin Xi had assumed Xia Qing was just tired, and was about to suggest letting Shen Ping Chuan down so they could drag him back.

But when she turned her head, she saw Shen Ping Chuan in his dazed state sweep his thick arm over Xia Qing's shoulder, and steadily grab hold of her chest.

Not only that, he even groped and kneaded like it was dough...

Although Xia Qing remained expressionless, her face was bright red.

Jin Xi's breath hitched as she glanced away in shock.

This f*cking dog Shen Ping Chuan, he couldn't be pretending, could he!