8 Afterglow

When He Nian and He Yue returned home, Chi Xing had already gone to her bedroom to sleep. The three of them did not sense any strange atmosphere.

Since the three were her 24-hour personal bodyguards, naturally they ate and slept alongside Chi Xing.

Chi Xing was unwilling to stay in a hotel for long. Her house was small, divided into three rooms, just enough to accommodate them: He Yue slept alone in one room, He Nian shared another with Zhou Mang, although Zhou Mang usually just rested in the living room. He seemed like a tireless iron man, as if he never got tired.

However, He Yue noticed that tonight, when talking with Zhou Mang, he seemed somewhat distracted.

On the TV was a rerun of "Family Affairs," the drama that had made Chi Xing famous a few years ago.

Chi Xing played a girl from an ordinary family, eager to climb the social ladder, clinging to the male lead like chewing gum, with ambition written all over her face, but always seen through by the male lead.

She schemed, played tricks, and framed the female lead, but never gained anything good herself. She lost her job and lover, and after finally latching onto a wealthy second-generation heir, she was toyed with and abandoned on the road with ridicule: "Isn’t this all you deserve?"

The script focused all the spotlight on the female lead, leaving Chi Xing’s character without a single redeeming quality. She had encountered people who loved her, but rejected them out of social climbing, and failed to keep them.

This role was so detestable that in the first and second episodes, viewers were full of complaints. They couldn’t find Chi Xing’s Weibo and vandalized the brand endorsement displays she was associated with.

But as the drama progressed, the reputation of the second female lead gradually reversed.

She bit her ice cream spoon with a mischievous smile, her white teeth showing—a bit charming.

She was stunningly beautiful. Even in a gaudy red dress, with her head held slightly high, she looked genuinely gorgeous.

She grabbed the female lead by the hair and slammed her against the wall in a fierce scene, yet her vivid expression drew all eyes, especially in contrast to the female lead’s deadpan face with fake tears in the same shot.

Chi Xing’s beauty was fierce and direct, and as the director of "Tiger Tooth" had said, she had a talent for acting. She understood how pain and joy were distributed among worldly matters, but most outstandingly, she knew how to convey emotion and move others.

He Yue leaned over to watch and saw that the episode airing was the third-to-last of "Family Affairs."

She had watched this drama four or five times, whispering, "Right here, she’s so miserable."

The TV was muted; even the pouring rain outside was silent and peaceful. Chi Xing stumbled out of a car, her elbows and knees scraped.

"Why make a fuss? What’s there to argue about?" a man said, rolling down the car window. "Isn’t this all you deserve?"

The car drove away, the road down the mountain shrouded in mist. Chi Xing was thinly clothed, her skirt torn, walking barefoot.

As she walked, she began to cry, rain mixing with her tears, growing louder and louder until she couldn’t go on. She squatted down, covering her face.

He Nian came over casually, saying, "Even your crying looks beautiful."

He Yue and Zhou Mang both turned to look at him. He Nian scratched his head and smiled, and suddenly Zhou Mang spoke: "Am I cute?"

The siblings froze as if entering a cold storage, their expressions stiff.

Zhou Mang didn’t seem to be addressing them; after saying that, he turned back to the TV. The female and male leads were happily engaged, and with no more scenes involving Chi Xing, he found it dull and turned the TV off.

Only a floor lamp remained on in the living room, urging the siblings to rest. Zhou Mang then checked the balcony, doors, windows, and the home security cameras.

Zhou Mang: "..."

He had forgotten the balcony also had a camera, positioned right to capture the spot where he and Chi Xing had stood.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead, and opened his laptop to check the cloud storage.

He even began to suspect Chi Xing had purposely kissed him at that exact spot.

Thinking of that kiss, he licked his lips involuntarily.

Zhou Mang was a light sleeper and rarely dreamt, but this night he dreamed of the long-missed Chi Xing.

Eighteen-year-old Chi Xing.

He saw his mother cutting Chi Xing’s hair. Thunder flashed outside the window. Chi Xing sat obediently in front of the TV, tears streaking her face. The woman lowered her head to ask why she was crying, and Chi Xing stubbornly replied, "I’m not."

The next evening, Zhou Mang saw Chi Xing by the sea dike. The winter wind was bone-chilling. Chi Xing wore thin clothes, standing on the rocks, gazing into the distance. She stood there as long as Zhou Mang watched her from the dike.

Chi Xing turned and climbed up the dike, saw Zhou Mang, and gave a wide smile.

—

Zhou Mang followed her for half a street; Chi Xing turned and shouted, "I’m not going to kill myself!"

She bought two winter special ice creams to share with him. The two ate ice cream at the cold, blustery intersection. Chi Xing shivered more and more, her nose and cheeks flushed red from the cold.

"Isn’t it refreshing to eat ice cream in winter?" Chi Xing said boldly, reaching out to touch Zhou Mang’s chest. "Hey... you don’t have muscles."

Chi Xing laughed heartily, her scarred face changing expression in the cold wind. Her lips were bright with gloss, her long hair tangled. She pressed against Zhou Mang’s chest and said in her eighteen-year-old voice, "But now, it feels pretty good."

The intimate touch made Zhou Mang shiver. He grabbed her shoulder, trying to push her away, but she clung tighter. The sweet, luscious peach scent entered his mouth with her tongue, stirring and coaxing. Her long hair hung like a curtain; the world flipped, and the glass window became a soft bed.

Zhou Mang gasped, turned over, pinning her under creamy white sheets.

She was like a water nymph, with a body just as pale.

— "What are you dreaming about?" a soft laugh sounded, stroking Zhou Mang’s brow. "Still frowning."

Zhou Mang immediately sat up, covered with a blanket that Chi Xing had given him.

Chi Xing stood beside him with a glass of water, drinking and teasing, "Really? I just kissed you once, and you had a nightmare?"

Zhou Mang bit his lip silently. Chi Xing watched his profile and figure with interest, silently planning what teasing words to say.

In the lamplight, Zhou Mang’s sharp features stood out clearly. Chi Xing thought, if this man dressed up well, he might not lose to Yuan Qiushi.

"Are you a virgin?" she smiled. "Don’t you like it when big sister bites you?"

Zhou Mang ruffled his hair, voice hoarse: "Do you do this often?"

Inside Chi Xing, a little joyous imp jumped excitedly—this was the first time Zhou Mang had shown emotion in front of her.

"Yes," Chi Xing said, hands on hips, nodding. "Which drama of mine doesn’t have kissing scenes?"

"I’m not talking about work, I mean..."

"Then when dating, of course you kiss," Chi Xing quickly answered.

Every time she said "kiss," Zhou Mang’s eyes darkened a bit. Chi Xing thought to herself, no wonder she was nominated for Best Actress—she was clearly delighted inside but kept a calm and steady face. "I kissed you because you were cute; don’t get cocky."

Zhou Mang stood up straight: "I won’t."

Chi Xing tilted her head, looking innocent. Zhou Mang reminded himself: this woman was a great actress.

"Zhou Mang, have you ever had a girlfriend?" Chi Xing asked. "What kind of girl do you like?"

Zhou Mang: "That’s personal; I won’t answer."

Chi Xing shrugged disappointedly and handed him a cup. "Wash up, come run with me."

Zhou Mang was stunned, instinctively checking his watch. "You only slept four hours."

"Enough," Chi Xing said, heading to the bedroom. "I’ll give you ten minutes."

Yuan Qiushi indeed came to invite Chi Xing to the horse ranch that weekend. Unexpectedly for Yuan Qiushi, and even Zhou Mang and Chang Xiaoyan, Chi Xing politely declined, saying she had to attend class.

She was playing a professional woman in "Brilliant, Sweet You," so she needed to brush up on various specialized knowledge. The character was from Shanghai, so she even hired a teacher to help her learn the Shanghai dialect outside of class.

The pandemic hadn’t fully lifted; nearly all teachers and students wore masks at school. Chi Xing wore a fisherman's hat and was rarely recognized.

Zhou Mang and the others behaved cautiously, as if facing a formidable enemy: entering an unfamiliar environment, they had to be extremely vigilant.

After class, Chi Xing chatted with her teacher, who asked why she wasn’t attending dance lessons.

"I can’t act in that movie anymore."

"Can’t act, but you can still learn. You seem so energetic, always bouncing around. Don’t you enjoy ballroom dancing?"

"I don’t like dancing; I’m learning it for the movie," Chi Xing said, sitting before the teacher and raising her hands as if holding a dance partner. "...Does dancing really make people that happy?"

—

She slowly descended the stairs and found her assistant hadn’t carried the bag she had given her. "Don’t you like it?"

"I do!" the assistant whispered. "It’s just too expensive; I’m afraid to carry it out."

Chi Xing’s mood brightened a little. She put her arm around the assistant’s shoulder. "If I gave it to you, it’s yours alone. Only you can carry it. Show it off boldly. What’s there to fear..."

Before she finished, she stammered.

On a bench at the bottom of the teaching building sat a tall, long-limbed man wearing a fisherman's hat and mask, waving at her.

Chi Xing: "Yuan Qiushi?!"

Zhou Mang, following behind, frowned: that person was so heavily disguised, yet she recognized him at a glance—impressive.

Yuan Qiushi had come specifically to pick Chi Xing up for hotpot. Only a few actors from the crew went to the horse ranch to play; Yuan Qiushi arranged a French dinner for Yan Yan and others, then made an excuse to slip away and wait for Chi Xing.

Chi Xing: "How did you know I was here?"

Yuan Qiushi: "I bribed Sister Xiaoyan; she told me."

Chi Xing joked, "Oh, my Sister Xiaoyan really can’t keep a secret," her eyes crescent-shaped with laughter. Her cheerful side was likable; Yuan Qiushi always looked straight into her eyes when talking, not wanting to miss a moment.

The group split into two cars, heading to the hotpot restaurant. Yuan Qiushi opened his car door for Chi Xing. She glanced back at Zhou Mang.

"I’ll ride in my own car," she said, pointing at Zhou Mang. "Otherwise, my bodyguard will be unhappy."

Zhou Mang: "..."

Stay calm! he told himself. This was all her game; she knew exactly how to manipulate men’s minds. He mustn’t be fooled by her few words.

Everyone got into the cars and settled. He Nian in the driver’s seat asked, "Mang, what are you smiling about?"

Zhou Mang: "I’m not smiling."

He glanced at the rearview mirror. Chi Xing sat in the backseat, looking at him through the mirror, her eyes twinkling: "Am I good?"

Zhou Mang hadn’t yet decided how to answer when He Yue and the assistant simultaneously gave thumbs up: "Good."

The three girls in the backseat discussed updates on "Phantom Night Sonata," occasionally punctuated by Chi Xing’s hearty laughter. He Yue dared not join in too much, wary of Zhou Mang’s threatening glance. To liven the mood, the assistant brought up the recent hot gossip about an award-winning actor’s love life.

He Yue couldn’t help but ask, "Is it true the Best Actor is dating two women at the same time?"

Chi Xing and the assistant shook their heads simultaneously.

He Yue: "More than two?!"

Chi Xing laughed, rubbing He Yue’s head. "The Best Actor has a boyfriend; this is just to promote his next movie."

"Oh." He Yue paused for two seconds. "...Boyfriend?!"

Chi Xing’s fingers flew as she texted Chang Xiaoyan: "It’s not strange. I’ve been confessed to by pretty girls too. If I didn’t have a male idol in my heart, I might have been tempted."

He Yue asked dumbfounded, "Who’s your male idol?"

Zhou Mang in the front row pricked up his ears, feeling a faint, secretive pleasure.

Chi Xing didn’t look up, speaking clearly: "Yuan Qiushi."

Zhou Mang’s expression returned to normal, dryly reminding, "We’ve arrived."

This was a restaurant run by Yuan Qiushi’s friend, lively and crowded.

Zhou Mang entered first, immediately sensing something was wrong: the place was too crowded and chaotic. Almost instinctively, he felt a prickling sense of unease.