The next day.
Sunday morning. North Heping Street.
Dong Xuebing woke up and got dressed in the living. He looked at the bedroom and went into the bathroom quietly to brush his teeth. After he was done, he noticed the bedroom was still quiet. It is almost 8 am, and Sister Xu will bring her son out today.
Did Xu Yan wake up earlier and leave? Or is she still sleeping?
Dong Xuebing knocked on the bedroom door. “Sister Xu, Sister Xu, are you awake?”
No one answered.
Dong Xuebing pushed open the door slowly and was shocked by what he saw. Sister Xu is waking up and is not wearing many clothes. She had not planned to stay overnight in Beijing and did not bring her clothes. She is only wearing a pair of beige-colored underwear, and a thin blanket covers her top. The outline of her breasts is shown as she is pressing down on the blanket.
Big….
Dong Xuebing almost got a nosebleed when he saw Xu Yan. Luckily, she is lying on her side, and he could not see too much, or he would have fainted. He quickly turns around and looks away.
Xu Yan looked at Dong Xuebing and noticed she was not covered up. She quickly covered her chest area with her arm and pulled down the blanket. “Oh, you are awake. What time is it now? Did I oversleep?”
“It is almost 8 am now. I…. I thought you had left.”
“I fell asleep quite late last night.”
“I will prepare breakfast.”
Xu Yan smiles. “A simple breakfast will do.”
“Ok.” Dong Xuebing left the room and closed the door.
Dong Xuebing can hear clothes rustling and high heels footsteps. After a while, the door opens.
Dong Xuebing looks out from the kitchen. “I don’t have any ingredients at home. Are you fine with egg soup?”
“I am fine with it.” Xu Yan flicked her hair. She is wearing the same blouse and skirt as she enters the bathroom. After a while, she said. “I had told my son I would meet him at 9 am. I think I will be late.”
“I will send you there.”
“No need. I can take a cab. You should return to the District today.”
“I can wait for you and send you back this evening. Don’t reject me. It’s settled. I don’t have anything to do on weekends too.”
“You are being too nice to me. It will make me embarrassed to ask you for help in the future.”
“Haha…. don’t stand on ceremony with me.”
“Fine. I shall continue to order you around.”
*Sounds of brushing teeth.
When Dong Xuebing finished cooking the egg soup, Xu Yan stepped out from the bathroom. “The soup is ready. Ah….” He remembered something and slapped his forehead. “I had forgotten to buy a new toothbrush for you.”
Xu Yan smiles. “It’s alright. I used yours. What’s wrong? Did you think I dirtied your toothbrush?”
Dong Xuebing quickly reply. “No…. I was afraid you might think my toothbrush is dirty.”
Dong Xuebing had just brushed his teeth with that toothbrush a few minutes ago.
Xu Yan thought nothing about it and sat at the table. “Haha…. Sit down and have breakfast with me.” She took a sip and nodded. “Not bad.”
Dong Xuebing sat beside Xu Yan to have his soup. Sister Xu did not think of him as an outsider. The last time when they sparred at her apartment, she had used the same towel he used to wipe her sweat. This time, it is his toothbrush.
After breakfast.
Dong Xuebing drove Xu Yan to Gu Lou Da Jie and returned home at 10 am.
Dong Xuebing returns to his room and lies on his bed. He sniffed the blanket and pillow Xu Yan used. Smells nice.
Sigh…. What am I thinking?
Dong Xuebing shook his head to clear Xu Yan’s image from his mind. He played with his phone and remembered their conversation yesterday. He immediately called District Secretary Wang Anshi’s home phone number.
Ring… ring… a woman answered.
Dong Xuebing recognized the woman’s voice. “Are you Madam Yan? I am Dong Xuebing. Is Secretary Wang at home?”
Madam Yan replied. “Oh, Xiao Dong. Old Wang is not at home. Are you looking for him?”
“It’s nothing much. I just want to ask about his condition.”
“Haha…. Thanks to you, Old Wang had gotten better these two days. He did not have a relapse. Your massage treatment is quite good.”
“That’s good to know. I shall not bother you anymore. Call me if Secretary Wang has a relapse.”
After hanging up, Dong Xuebing took a nap. It was uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa last night, and he woke up several times. Anyway, Xu Yan will be busy until evening.
This is a long nap.
The sun was setting when Dong Xuebing woke up. It’s 7 pm.
Damn. I had slept for hours.
There were three missed calls from Xu Yan.
Dong Xuebing quickly call Xu Yan. “Hello, Sister Xu. I just woke up and missed your calls. Where are you now? I will pick you up now.”
The background is noisy from the traffic. “This is not important now. I received news this afternoon that you might be sent to the City Party School for training.”
“Party School?”
“I am not sure if this piece of news is reliable. You better go and find out more.”
“I understand. I will ask around now.”
Dong Xuebing’s face changed after hanging up.
Sent to the Party School?!
If this information is true, it will be a sign that someone in the District might be going after Dong Xuebing. No…. This person had already made a move against him.
