Lunch

Lunchtime at Xia Yuwei’s residence.

A pristine white tablecloth was spread across the dining table, spotless and immaculate, with several plates of simple home-cooked dishes and three bowls of rice set upon it.

Three people sat at the table, having lunch: Lu Yichen, Xin Xin, and Xia Yuwei.

He liked it this way; she liked it this way too. Only Xia Yuwei did not. For every time, it was she who cooked and cleaned up afterwards. She felt as if she were still a housekeeper, tending to these two people so hopelessly in love.

At first, she had suspected that Lu Yichen was only pretending, that Xin Xin would end up hurt. But since they had lasted this long, she was too weary to wonder if their feelings were real or not. If it was genuine, so be it—Xin Xin was a good girl. She might not know how to take care of others, but she could make people willingly care for her, which was something in itself. Still, Xia Yuwei was considering whether she should move out.

She had long since grown used to ignoring the other two. Eyes down, mind focused, she quietly ate her meal and kept to her own business.

“I love you, baby, and if it’s quite all right, and I need you, baby…”

Xia Yuwei’s phone ringtone broke the silence. The other two both looked up at her. Xin Xin’s face was full of eager curiosity, while Lu Yichen frowned ever so slightly, barely perceptibly.

Xia Yuwei stood up, taking her phone into the living room and answering the call as if nothing were amiss. In her usual gentle tone, she said, “Hello?”

“Oh, Senior Ye!” She smiled instinctively upon hearing the familiar voice. “Is something the matter?”

“Free tickets? A movie? I…” Xia Yuwei seemed to hesitate, as though deliberating, or perhaps harboring some reservation.

“No need to be nervous, don’t overthink it. It’s just that I haven’t seen you for so long and wanted to meet up. You don’t have to be so distant, do you?” Ye Lifeng’s deep voice came through the line.

“It’s not like that… All right, then.” Listening to him, Xia Yuwei thought it over and nodded in agreement. She was never a petty person; she didn’t want him to think she still held on to the past.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll pick you up at five this afternoon. Let’s have dinner together first.”

“All right.” Xia Yuwei replied with a polite smile. Even over the phone, she knew the other person could sense her expression.

Once she hung up, Xin Xin had already finished eating and came over, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in high gossiping spirits. “Oh—was that Senior Ye Lifeng!”

Xia Yuwei smiled, though at Xin Xin’s ‘concern,’ it was clearly a wry smile.

“He asked you to the movies?”

“Yes.”

“Does he have a chance?”

Absentmindedly. They were both single—anyone had a chance.

“Wow! Scandalous!” Xin Xin nearly jumped for joy at hearing even a hint of affirmation. “To reward your progress, I’ve decided I’ll personally wash the dishes!”

“Good, go now then.” Xia Yuwei paid no mind to Xin Xin’s dramatics, but she was genuinely interested in her sudden willingness to do the dishes, though she was a little uneasy about Xin Xin’s clumsiness.

Watching Xin Xin hop off to clear the table, Xia Yuwei lost her appetite and turned to her own room. The weather was poor today; she decided to take a nap.

She drew the curtains and was just about to change into her pajamas when she heard the door slam shut with a bang, startling her into spinning around.