White Lotus Chapter 8
8 | Eight Roses
Tang You’s mind had been wandering listlessly. Because of the sudden brake, her body suddenly lurched forward, before being pulled back heavily by the seat belt. She reflexively clutched her chest and looked at Xiao Zexing in dazed confusion.
There was no expression on Xiao Zexing's face; it was as calm as ever.
Viewed in profile, his eyelashes were long, his eyes still.
He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and closed his eyes, not looking at her.
It seemed to Tang You that he sighed, but then again, maybe not.
She thought it was an illusion.
There is a red light ahead.
There were two minutes left.
Tang You felt extremely uneasy.
Eh… Did she say anything wrong just now?
Xiao Zexing looked straight ahead and put his hand on the steering wheel, his face already back to normal. “Sorry.”
Tang You didn’t know what he was apologizing for. For that sudden brake?
After a moment's pause, Xiao Zexing asked, “Which hospital are you going to?”
“First, to Jia Nan Pet Hospital to pick Huhu up, then, back to Cuihu Longting.” When she finished, Tang You suddenly realised that he might not know where the neighbourhood was, and added, “It's the Ding Hui side…”
As she spoke, Xiao Zexing had already turned on the navigation, “Hmm.”
The car’s air conditioning was set quite low and Tang You was only wearing a thin spaghetti strap dress. It was hot outside, and cold inside; this contrast of temperatures induced a lot of tiny goosebumps. She wrapped her arms around herself, and before she could think how to phrase her request, Xiao Zexing had already taken off his suit jacket and handed it to her, turned up the temperature as he did so.
Tang You thanked him and put the suit jacket on her legs, covering her glowing white skin.
Xiao Zexing asked, “How did you lose your phone and wallet?”
Tang You honestly recounted the events that happened, but withheld the bit about her being there to take photos, and only said that she had gone there with a friend.
Yuko's identity cannot be revealed.
Xiao Zexing listened attentively. When the lights turned green, he finally remarked, “Stupid.”
Tang You felt that there was really no way to continue the conversation anymore.
Besides, her thoughts were all with Tang Huhu now, and she could find the energy to deal with “Xiao Weijing” for the time being.
She was worn out from the quarrel with Tang Nan and Jiang Tao, and had neither the mood nor the energy to cultivate her little white flower image at the moment. The more one said, the more mistakes they’d make, so she’d just be a mute little bird for now.
It was already past the appointed time when she arrived at the hospital. Tang You headed directly to Dr. Zhao's office with the ease of familiarity.
Dr. Zhao was standing and making a call; when he saw her, he put his phone away in great relief, “Miss Tang, you're finally here.”
Tang You was deeply apologetic, “I’m sorry, I don’t have my phone with me.”
“The operation went well. Remember, it can only have water after four hours and food after six hours. In the next twelve hours, you have to keep a close watch, especially with regards to urination. If there is any problem, contact me at once,” cautioned Dr. Zhao. “It's best wear the pet collar for at least ten days, to prevent it from licking the wound and causing infection.”
Tang You asked, “Do I need to give him painkillers? Huhu is very active, do I still take him out for walks in the next few days?”
“It is recommended to give the painkillers after three days. It is okay to walk the dog, but don't let it jump.”
“Thank you.”
After thanking the doctor, Tang You walked to a platform in the corner, and called affectionately to Tang Huhu, “Huhu! Mummy is coming!”
Xiao Zexing stood to the side, looking calmly at the large yellow-brown dog who was still in protective clothing.
As a purebred Chinese Field Dog, Tang Huhu had already grown into a big, strong dog even though he was barely two years old. But now, just shortly after the operation, Tang Huhu lay on the platform, looking at his master with his black grape-like eyes. He rested his muzzle in her arms, and was extremely listless.
Tang Youzu hugged him and whispered coaxingly, “Good Huhu, even though you don’t have balls nows, you will always be my good son. It’s not painful, not painful, come, Mummy will hug…”
Xiao Zexing walked over and patted Tang Huhu’s head.
Huhu was docile and a good-tempered dog; he let Xiao Zexing pat him, and his big fluffy tail that was resting on the platform wagged to and fro.
Xiao Zexing’s hand trailed down Huhu’s body; as he grasped his fur, he caught a whiff of the faint scent of vanilla milk again.
Tang You was squatting, her hair was also fluffy and soft. She’d left his suit jacket in the car; her fair arms were around the dog, her elbows a pale pink, delicate and tender.
Xiao Zexing asked Tang You, “Which ‘hu’?”1
Tang You was surprised that his pronunciation was correct this time.
Maybe because he’d been back in China for some time now, so he’d adjusted back automatically.
She replied, “The ‘hu’ from ‘mihu’2.”
Xiao Zexing stood up straight, the dimples on his cheeks appeared shallowly, “He’s pretty cute.”
The effect of the anaesthesia had not yet completely worn off. Huhu’s wobbled weakly on his legs, unable to walk straight. Tang You was about to lean down to pick him up, when Xiao Zexing stepped ahead of her and said, “I'll do it.”
Tang Huhu was smart enough to know that Xiao Zexing had come with his master, so he lay meekly on his shoulder, only making a whimpering sound from deep in his throat.
Although he’d just been castrated, Tang Huhu obviously wasn’t aware of what had happened. When he saw Tang You walk over, he wanted to lick his master's face, but Xiao Zexing calmly walked away, just in time to prevent it.
Tang You had been worried about how she was going to bring Tang Huhu home; now that she had Xiao Zexing's help, she heaved a sigh of relief.
Well alright, “Xiao Weijing” was actually quite useful.
When he got into the car, Xiao Zexing didn't immediately drive off. He glanced casually at the watch on his hand and asked Tang You, “What’s your WeChat3 ID?”
The man said it lightly and naturally.
Tang You's eyelids twitched.
This must be what it meant to see a ghost in broad daylight.
It's not that Tang You had never tried to add Xiao Weijing's social accounts before, it’s just that she never succeeded. She’d also called him, but only resulted in being blocked. After being blocked twice, Tang You had lost hope; but now, “Xiao Weijing” was actually taking the initiative to ask for her contact information?
—— Fine, it’s good to add him in WeChat.
In future, she could bombard him anytime, anywhere, and disgust him.
Since they couldn’t usually meet in person, it’s also not bad to be able to flood him messages every day until he gets fed up.
When Tang You was about to speak, Xiao Zexing calmly handed her his phone. “Add it yourself.”
Tang You took it obediently and entered her WeChat ID. In order to make it easier to edit the title later, she saved his contact properly as “Xiao Weijing”.
Then she returned the phone.
Xiao Zexing took the phone and glanced down. Sunlight swept over his dark eyebrows, tinting the edges of his eyelashes gold.
He gave a light chuckle, and mused, “You’re pretty obedient.”
Tang You responded with a silly little white flower smile.
You’re the obedient one; if you didn’t have Elder Xiao behind you, I’d have stopped wasting my time on you long ago.
At the apartment, Miao Jiaxi was doing yoga with a facial mask on. When she heard the doorbell, she didn't clean up and just walked casually out with her slippers on. She saw Tang You's face on the home security panel and exclaimed happily, “Tang You, why are you——”
Halfway through the sentence, she noticed the man standing next to Tang You, with a dog in his arms—she couldn’t take her eyes off him.
The huge beast that was Tang Huhu, became a petite and cute dog in his arms. The man’s posture was upright and striking, and his white shirt was neat but not rigid. Miao Jiaxi really felt that there was no one in the world who could look better in a shirt better than he did.
Taking in a deep breath, Miao Jiaxi finally understood why Tang You didn't come directly into the apartment. She quickly tore off the facial mask, hastily changed her clothes, and swiped the clothes, comics and miscellaneous clutter off the sofa and stuffed them into the cabinet.
Two minutes later, a glamorous Miao Jiaxi opened the door, smiled and invited the pair in, “Youyou, this is——”
Without waiting for Tang You to introduce him, Xiao Zexing said calmly, “Hello, my surname is Xiao.”
Tang You saw the opportunity and added, “My fiancé.”
After saying that, she immediately "shyly" bowed her head and bashfully introduced Miao Jiaxi, “This is my good friend, Miao Jiaxi.”
Xiao Zexing put down Tang Huhu, straightened, adjusted his watch, and smiled at Tang You.
Miao Jiaxi waited until he left before shaking Tang You frantically, “F*ck, such a handsome man and you want to be a Green Tea B*tch and break off the engagement?! Sister, please sober up!!”
Tang You said resignedly, “Look, this handsome man likes Wen Ling’s type. The first time he did after returning to China is to go meet with her in private. He’s been in love with her for so many years and helped her to pay off her breached contract and even gave her money to open a gym.”
Miao Jiaxi was still heartbroken, “Rich, handsome and blind, such a man is just simply perfect… just that his blindspot is at the wrong place.”
Tang You squatted down and rubbed Tang Huhu’s fleshy paws.
Tang Huhu obediently rested his muzzle in his master's palm, and his big tail slowly and leisurely swished to and fro.
Tang You stroked the large dog’s fur gently, “I can never reconcile my feud with Wen Ling. Xiao Weijing is together with her, it feels dirty to me.”
Miao Jiaxi tsked, squatted down, looked her in the face and asked, “Who was the last one whose heart rate went over 500bpm when she was touched?”
Tang You retorted, “That’s because it’s my first time being so close to the opposite sex, I was scared!”
She didn't think she would fall for Xiao Weijing.
Even though now that she’d interacted with him more, and discovered that he wasn’t that bad a person.
But Tang You just didn’t want anything that had any relation with Wen Ling.
On Friday, she received a barrage of calls to go home for dinner. Tang You repeatedly refused, but Jiang Chenting was relentless; resigned, Tang You had to go home.
Rather than “home”, it was more accurate to call it a battlefield.
Every time she went back, she had to trade secret blows with the mother-daughter duo.
When she arrived, Tang You was surprised to find that both Tang Nan and Jiang Tao were not there.
Only Tang Xiao and Jiang Chenting were around.
Tang Xiao was in the gym trying to get his beer belly to go down a bit, while Jiang Chenting was busying in the kitchen.
The surprised Tang You slipped silently over and asked Jiang Chenting in a low voice, “Where did Jiang Tao and Tang Nan go?”
Jiang Chenting did not show the slightest displeasure at Tang You directly calling his mother by her name.
The thin and graceful man had an apron on; his shirt cuffs were rolled up, revealing a pair of clean hands.
Jiang Chenting answered her as he cut the tomatoes, “They’ve gone to play golf and will only be back tomorrow. Tangtang, how does sweet and sour pork sound?”
“Okay,” replied Tang You. “Golf? Doesn't Jiang Tao dislike sports?”
Jiang Chenting lowered his head and placed the cut tomatoes neatly on a white porcelain plate; some juice trickled down and stained his trousers, leaving dark marks.
He didn’t seem to notice. “You can sleep at home tonight. The quilt has been dried and the room has been cleaned.”
Tang You didn’t really want to stay, but since he’d already made the preparations, and taking into account that Tang Nan and Jiang Tao were not there, she didn’t really mind either. “Okay.”
After learning that the mother and daughter were not going to be there tonight, Tang You suddenly felt that Tang Xiao wasn’t so repulsive anymore.
Even the air was filled with the smell of freshness and freedom.
Dinner was entirely prepared by Jiang Chenting; they were all Tang You’s favourite dishes.
Although Jiang Tao and Tang Nan were both very hateful, this stepbrother, Jiang Chenting, was unexpectedly rather decent.
Jiang Chenting was five years older than her; it was said that Jiang Tao gave birth to him at the age of 18. The identity of his biological father was unknown, so he took on his mother's surname.
When she was a child, Tang You hated Jiang Tao and Tang Nan, so she also bullied Jiang Chenting.
Tang You has never been merciless in bullying him, but Jiang Chenting has always treated her as his own sister.
He’d never got angry with her.
Even when Tang You deliberately used a slingshot to hit him in the leg with a pebble, Jiang Chenting did not reprimand her. Instead, he took her to wash her hands, and checked to see if she was injured.
Over time, Tang You gradually began to respect him as her real brother.
That night, Tang You tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She decided to get up and harass “Xiao Weijing”.
The title she gave him was “Xiao Trash”.
Originally, she’d wanted to go with “Xiao Dog”, but felt that was being too unfair to dogs.
Dogs are so loyal, it’d be an insult to them!
Tang You pumped herself up, and sent a message to test the waters: [ Mr. Xiao, are you asleep? ]
The other party responded quickly: [ No ]
Tang You endured her goosebumps as she replied: [ It's so late, why aren’t you asleep? Don't stay up too late, it pains my heart to see you working so hard TTATT. ]
His reaction was extremely cold: [ Mm. ]
Tang You was just about to continue to pester him, when she was caught off by another message.
[ Why force it. ]
Tang You pondered upon the meaning of this sentence; it seemed to be a tactful way of saying that she should give up.
What a joke, how could she dare take the initiative to bring this up to Elder Xiao? If anything, Xiao Weijing should be the one to talk about it. He’s a grown man and his grandson; the old man would not do anything too extreme to him on account of their blood ties.
A fake, plastic couple; whoever spoke first is the loser.
Tang You did not want to incur Elder Xiao’s wrath over this matter.
Tang You swallowed the rising bile and sent off coyly: [ I believe that if I work hard enough, one day, the moon will come to me. ]
Xiao Trash: [ The thing that will come to you is not the moon, it’s a meteorite. ]
Translator’s notes:
When is this meteorite going to crash??! I thought they’d finally catch on to something when he realised that her dog was not a little boy like he’d thought, but he just sent her home without a word/ question..?!? We just have to keep reading I guess (‘:
Footnotes:
1 Xiao Zexing always say “Tang Fu” because of the misunderstanding (see chapter 2). “Fu” can be mispronunciation of “Hu”, so Tang You is surprised that he is actually pronouncing it properly this time.
2 mihu: 迷糊, meaning silly (usually in an endearing way). Tang Huhu’s name is written with the 糊 hu character of mihu.
3 WeChat: A China message app similar to WhatsApp.
