Night.
10 pm. There’s a light breeze at night.
Subdistrict Office Family Quarters. Dong Xuebing returned home and started ironing clothes in his living room. This set of clothes was borrowed from Geng Yuehua, and he didn’t get to return them after washing. It’s full of creases, and he got to iron it flat first. He laid the pants on the table and pressed the iron on it.
Steam emerged, and the pants became straight.
Dong Xuebing nodded with satisfaction and started ironing the shirt.
After a while, Dong Xuebing heard the sounds of a door opening outside.
Mayor Geng is back.
Dong Xuebing doesn’t know where she goes after the ball, but it’s not too late now. He folded the ironed clothes neatly in a paper bag and checked his appearance in the mirror. He thought for a while and felt it was not enough. He put down the paper bag and went to wash his face and brush his teeth to rid his cigarette smell. After that, he took his keys and pressed the doorbell of his opposite unit.
Ding dong…. Ding dong….
Footsteps immediately sounded from inside.
The door opens. Geng Yuehua, in her casual clothes, stared at Dong Xuebing with a frown. She didn’t even open the gate. “What is it?”
Dong Xuebing smiled and showed the paper bag. “I was caught in the rain that day, and you lent me your clothes.”
Geng Yuehua did not move.
“I washed and pressed it. Look.”
Geng Yuehua opened her gates emotionlessly and grabbed the bag from Dong Xuebing. “Ok. Anything else?” Dong Xuebing wanted to enter her apartment but stopped when he heard her. “Huh? Nothing.”
“Alright.”
Bam! Geng Yuehua slammed the door close behind her.
Dong Xuebing had come to see any changes to their relationship after their dance at the ball. If possible, he wanted to talk with her, but she didn’t give him any chance. He can only return home with his head low.
Is she not going to talk about that day?
Is Mayor Geng trying to pretend nothing had happened that day, and they should continue with their lives? This is the signal Dong Xuebing got since he woke up the next day. Is this what she thinks? Why can’t she say it to me and got to make me guess?
Dong Xuebing knew he had made a mistake, but he got to admit that he is starting to have feelings for Geng Yuehua.
Never mind. Just forget it.
Who is Geng Yuehua?! Is she someone you are worthy enough?
Dong Xuebing scolded himself and forced himself to forget about it. He returned to his apartment and went to bed.
Things don’t always work out as you think.
What’s there to think about? Just sleep.
Dong Xuebing slowly drifted to sleep.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Dong Xuebing woke up from his sleep. He was having a nightmare and was covered in sweat.
Ding dong… ding dong…. The doorbells sound again.
Dong Xuebing took a deep breath and got up to switch his bedroom’s light. He looked at the clock. It’s 1 am.
Dong Xuebing almost cursed. Who is pressing his doorbell in the middle of the night?
Ding dong…. Ding dong…. Ding dong…. The person outside kept pressing on the doorbell.
Dong Xuebing got mad. His phone is on 24 hours, as he needs to attend to emergencies in the Subdistrict. But there’s no missed call, and he knows the person outside is not looking for him for work-related matters. This made him angrier. Who is looking for him in the middle of the night and did not even give him a call? No one he knows is this rude, and the person outside is pressing the doorbell nonstop.
Dong Xuebing puts on his pants and walks to the living room. “Stop pressing.” He is still feeling sleepy, and he yawned while asking. “Who is it?”
No one replied.
Are you crazy?
Dong Xuebing opened the door and looked out through the door viewer. The lights along the corridor were off, and he couldn’t see the person outside. He can only see a figure in a dress standing outside his gate. If it were someone else, they would be wary. After all, it is past midnight. But Dong Xuebing is not afraid of anything. Even if the person outside is his enemy armed with knives and guns, he will still open the door for him.
Dong Xuebing opened the door to see which bastard was torturing him so late at night.
But Dong Xuebing was stunned when he opened the door. He stood there and looked at the woman outside for a few seconds without moving.
Dong Xuebing had not switched on his living room’s lights, and the lights along the corridor were off. But he recognized that person immediately.
“Mayor Geng.” Dong Xuebing did not expect it was her.
Geng Yuehua said. “Why did it take so long for you to open the door?”
Huh? What question is this? It’s so late at night, and do you think I don’t need to sleep? But Dong Xuebing could not say this out loud. “No…. I didn’t know it was you. Err…. You have something for me?”
“Yes.”
“Then come in first.”
“Ok.”
Dong Xuebing stepped aside for Geng Yuehua to enter and closed the door. His heart is pounding. She is visiting him in the middle of the night, and something must be wrong. He started imagining things. Is Secretary Wang Anshi in critical condition, and she need someone to send her to the hospital? Did the gas stove leak again in her apartment, or her parents or Geng Xinke have had an accident?
It was quiet in the living room.
Geng Yuehua walked to the sofa and sat down in the darkness.
Dong Xuebing quickly asks. “Mayor Geng, what happened?” Geng Yuehua’s reply confused him. She threw a paper bag to him. “These are the wet clothes you left at my place that day.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “And then? What happened?”
“What happened?”
“You…. Did anything happen in the District?”
“What’s wrong with the District?”
Dong Xuebing cautiously asked. “Are you here just to return my clothes?”
Geng Yuehua coldly replies. “Why should I come over if I am not returning your clothes?” Dong Xuebing is speechless. Is it past 1 am, and you pressed the doorbell nonstop just to return my clothes? Do you think I don’t need to sleep? Are you sleepwalking?
Silence.
Geng Yuehua suddenly asked in a monotonous tone. “Are the lights in your apartment spoil, or are you trying to save electricity?”
“Oh…. I forgot to switch it on.” Dong Xuebing quickly switches on the lights.
The living room becomes bright immediately.
Dong Xuebing was shocked again when he saw Geng Yuehua under the lights, and he rubbed his eyes.
Geng Yuehua is wearing a bright red long dress.
The dress is bright, and the straps hung on her fair shoulders. The helm of the dress is at her knees, showing her long legs in black stockings. She is also wearing a pair of sexy red pointed heels. She is hot.
What is going on? Am I dreaming?
Dong Xuebing was shocked by Geng Yuehua’s dressing and didn’t know what happened.
How can a conservative woman dress so sexy?
Geng Yuehua and Dong Xuebing didn’t say anything. She still has her usual poker face on. She sat on the sofa with her arms crossed and stared at the TV without saying a word.
“I will get you some tea. What tea would you like?” Dong Xuebing asked after calming himself.
Geng Yuehua replied without looking at him. “Anything.”
“Ok. Please wait for a while.” Dong Xuebing went to brew tea and returned with a cup of tea. He secretly looks at her red dress. Beautiful.
Geng Yuehua picked up the teacup and took a sip. “Are you sleeping?”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “It’s fine. I am awake now. I had enough sleep yesterday.”
Geng Yuehua looks at Dong Xuebing. “Then accompany to watch TV.” Dong Xuebing quickly looks around for the TV remote and switches it on. “Which channel do you want to watch?”
Geng Yuehua puts down the teacup. “News.”
“Ok. I will switch the channel, but there should not be anything interesting now. The news programs are all re-runs.” Dong Xuebing switched channels and continued to peep at the emotionless Geng Yuehua. He thought to himself. Did you dress up so sexily just to come to my place to watch TV? Suddenly, his heart raced. Is this a hint?
