Chapter 9 - The Cold Night
The car arrived at their destination, the Xishan Villa. Jiang Jun got off as she nervously looked at Yuan Shuai next to her.
She can vaguely hear the crows cawing from afar, one after another, and their cries echoed in the quietness.
He hugged her, "Let’s go in". She stopped him in the yard, "I need a cigarette."
"If you want to die in a worse manner, don’t drag me along with you!" He strengthened her hold on her as he dragged towards the main hall.
"Chief, I have something to attend to, I’ll leave first." Yuan Shuai said with respect.
"Eat with us first before you leave." A voice replied.
"Okay."
Yuan Shuai looked at the women hugging each other, crying in front of him, and sat on the next couch. "Yuan Shuai, thank you for bringing Jun Jun (Jiang Jun’s nickname) back. She is always so stubborn that no one could make her change her mind. So thank you so much."
"Uncle Zhong (Jiang Jun’s father. Jiang Jun’s surname is Zhong too), Jiang Jun wanted to come back a long time ago but she was embarrassed.” Yuan Shuai replied.
"Dad, since she is back already, please don't be angry. Later we’ll have her apologize to you." Mr. Zhong faced Grandpa Zhong.
"We have pampered her too much." Grandpa Zhong picked up his tobacco pipe and knocked on the table. Mr. Zhong quickly handed a velvet bag to Yuan Shuai and signaled him to make a move.
Yuan Shuai knew what Mr. Zhong meant and quickly came forward, helping the old man refill more shredded tobacco and lit up the match for him.
"You as well! If you continue pampering her like that, when would she ever grow up?" Grandpa Zhong scolded him.
"Chief, you know Jiang Jun’s situation over the past few years. She suffered a lot. She endured many things and told me she would not embarrass her family. In fact, she was afraid that you said she was not able to live up to her expectations. She already knew her mistakes a long time ago."
"Yeah dad, you always say that Jun Jun’s temper was similar to you, and she has your blood running in her veins. You also mentioned that if she lived in the olden days, she would definitely be a heroine." Mr. Zhong said.
"Don't make excuses for her. I know what my granddaughter's character is. By the way, we already knew what’s going on between you two. Find time to prepare for a wedding. Don't always listen to her."
"Yes, chief”
Mr. Zhong stepped forward with a smile, "still calling him chief? Call grandpa."
"Ah?"
"..."
"Yes, Grandpa"
Old Grandpa Zhong smiled and faced Mr. Zhong, "After a few days, ask your Uncle Yuan (Yuan Shuai’s grandfather) and Xiao Yuan(Yuan Shuai’s father) to have a meal together. We need to set a date and discuss about their wedding"
"Yes"
"Call Jiang Jun in, tell them to start preparing for dinner."
"Yes"
Jiang Jun's eyes were red, and she was like a little rabbit hiding behind her grandmother.
"Little fool, it's not like your grandpa will eat you."
Jiang Jun lowered her head and took small steps towards grandpa "Grandpa, I'm back"
"..."
"Grandpa, I’ve learned from my mistake already."
"..."
She saw her grandmother signaling at her and immediately knelt down with a thump.
"Grandpa, I'm sorry, I know I was wrong"
"..............."
"Grandpa, you can hit me or scold me. I know I’m wrong and have made you upset."
The old man motioned for others to stand up, tapping on the table with his fingers, "Does hitting or scolding you make you learn? From young, since when did you ever learn your lessons and remember the pain?"
"I really know mistakes, or should I write a guarantee note? The kind where I need to write with my blood."
"Zhong Jiangjun, are you feeling itchy and want me to hit you so badly?"
"Please hit me, grandpa. Or you can send me to Tibet to become a soldier, I promise to defend our country well"
"Why did I raise you up as such a debt collector?" The old man's hand raised high and fell on her ass with a soft thump. Everyone was finally relieved.
They went to the dining hall with a smile. Yuan Shuai followed behind her and saw Jiang Jun proudly gesturing a YAY at him.
After the meal, Yuan Shuai left.
Jiang Jiang was escorted to the small meeting room for a “trial”. "You have made enough trouble outside, it's time to settle down. Yuan Shuai is a good kid. It's rare that someone would care for you so much. You and he should settle down quickly."
"Grandma, I’m still young..."
"When I was your age, I already had you going to the elementary school!" Jiang Jun’s mother, Mrs. Zhong said.
"Mom, no one at my age will get married. It’s too early."
"You are a girl. You are just fooling around now."
"Grandpa, I am not fooling around! I am working hard and improving every day, you have always educated me not to be like those good-for-nothing kids from a wealthy family and must have the desire to make progress."
"Don’t be impolite" Mrs. Zhong glared at Jiang Jun.
"I didn't use the name of our Zhong family to seek attention, I just wanted to gain achievements using my own effort." Jiang Jun retaliated.
"It’s definitely okay to work, but you need to get married too." Mrs. Zhong explained.
"Yeah, I'm anticipating for my great-grandson. We are old already. How long can we wait? If you really feel sorry for grandma, hurry up, get married, and have children."
"I don’t want children. If grandma has a great-grandson, you won’t pamper me anymore.."
"What nonsense!" Grandma said.
"Zhong Jiangjun, is your skin itching again?" Grandpa Zhong’s voice was strict.
She saw the old man glaring at her and she ran over. "Grandpa ~ Isn’t it better that I come back to accompany you every day. Why do you want me to get married so soon?"
The old man squeezed her nose hard, "naughty girl, I'm eager to send a troublemaker like you away."
"Forget it, let's discuss it later. You should stay with me at home these days and accompany us" Grandpa Zhong continued.
"Yes, Chief!"
It was late at night, she was lying in bed and could not sleep. She was tossing and turning, so she took out her mobile phone and sent a text message to Yuan Shuai: You asleep?
Very soon, she received his reply: Not yet. Are you done with your trial?
She replied: Yes, what are you doing?
Yuan Shuai: Lying down on my bed. You?
She replied again: Me too.
Her phone rang immediately, she quickly picked it up and glanced around guiltily.
"Why, they all fell asleep" She whispered a low voice and a soft laugh was heard from the other end of the phone, "Are you in the room yourself?" He asked, lowering her voice.
"Yes"
"Even a bomb would not be able to blow off your house, foolish girl!" He suddenly raised his voice and laughed. "Ha, I hate you..." She finally realized that she didn’t need to lower her voice and laughed with him.
"Do you miss me?" He suddenly asked. She buried her face in her pillow and whispered "Yes". She missed him, very, very much.
She put on her clothes and walked downstairs like a thief, and forced the guards on duty to open the gate for her.
She ran in the cold night, her body and soul eager to be loved by the man.
His car was parked at the garden’s exit. The car avoided the street lights and silently lurked in the shadows.
She pulled open the car door, he leaned on the steering wheel to look at her but could not see her expressions and her eyes. She pounced and entangled with him and he cupped her face and kissed her deeply. The car speeded like lightning and she caressed him, forcing him to beat several red lights. He carried her on his shoulders, strode into the room and they kneeled on the bed, kissing like wild beasts.
"Call my name" He gasped and looked at her, his sweat dripping onto her face, she was under him and their fingers intertwined. "Yuan Shuai" she looked at him bewitched, her body arched. "Again", "Yuan Shuai", "Again", "Yuan Shuai!"
