Caught in My Own Trap Chapter 10

The Premature Aging

Indulging in the past will sound like one is aging pretty quickly.

To evacuate from quarreling, Zheng Xie went to the window and look outside. The rain is still heavy, then he went upstairs to the gym.

He spent over an hour in the gym. Having sweat out a fair bit, he went to take shower. He could hear the national anthem from the television in the living room. The Chinese athletes must have won gold medal so decided to go and check it out. He found He He watching the television looking a little silly with tears in her eyes.

This is how she grew up, showing extreme love for the national flag and national anthem. Even just looking at the flag-raising ceremony on the television, she will be moved to tears. He is totally amazed at her patriotism.

But beyond that, He He is not someone that loves to cry. When she is disciplined by the teachers, or when she fought with other children till she had 5 stiches on her head, there is no tears at all. At most, she will grind her teeth but refuse to cry.

Unfortunately, the sight in front of Zheng Xie is not what he has expected. Instead, he found He He wearing his clothes and curled up fast asleep on the sofa.

The air-condition temperature is low. She was not able to find the air-conditioning remote control, so don’t know where she found his clothes and wore it.

In the fetus-like position just like how a fetus is in the mother’s womb, she look very peaceful and pure while sleeping.

Zheng Xie stood silently next to her for a moment while considering to wake her up or carry her into the bedroom to sleep.

As he was still deciding what to do, on the side, the phone that He He drop on her side suddenly rang. Her ringing tone is the theme song from {Black Cat Detective -黑猫警长}, bringing him back by two decades.

Those interested to know, can listen to the theme song @ Black Cat Detective (黑猫警长) Theme Song

He looked helplessly at the sketch book that He He dropped on the floor. He thought that the 5 years gap between him and He He is very fulfilling. He He has never had interest in cats, including h.e.l.lo Kitty, Garfield and even the well-known Viking cat, why suddenly with this cat’s madness. Really scary.

The old-fashioned theme song plays over and over again. He He is still deep in her sleep. When it sounded a second time, Zheng Xie could no longer bear the song, and picked up the phone. He stuffed the phone into her ear, while tugging her ears to wake her up.

The phone call turns out to be a request to date. He He answers in her drowsiness, while obliquely aim at Zheng Xie. Zheng Xie noticed it and went into the other room, but he could still hear He He’s voice: “I have completed the drawings. Why don’t you have a look at them? I have nothing to do….. no you’re welcome. See you later.”

He He soon said that she is leaving as she had something to do. Zheng Xie look out of the window and said: “Such a heavy rain outside and you still want to go for a date? Are you not afraid to catch the cold?”

“Who is dating ah? I am going out to talk about work. I am helping a friend with some drawings.” He He frowned at Zheng Xie and continued: “he is also your friend, Brother Shi Lin.”

“Good. I wish you success in your work. It is cold outside. Wear warmly.”

With He He gone, Zheng Xie is so bored. He called a few executives from work to confirm several work schedule. They listened to him on the phone with a very worried heart. Their only worry is that with the unscrupulous weather, the boss will pull them back to the company to work overtime. To the outsiders, Zheng Xie is a workaholic. They don’t know that it is because he had nothing to do.

He went to check out the fridge and food cabinets. They are stuffed with frozen dumplings, frozen pizza, instant mashed potatoes, instant corn syrup and milk all very close to the date of manufacturing. These must be the job of He He in replenishing them.

He seldom eat these so-called junk food, hence these items barely move. He He constantly check the shelf life and will replenished with new ones. While most of the time this girl is sloppy, but she is also very carefully amazing.

But in this kind of moody weather, he would rather eat junk food than going into the rain. After studying the instructions carefully, he managed to prepare something to eat.

He had nagged He He countless time that eating these are not nutritious. He forced her to learn to cook. He nagged till he found himself very annoying. As a result, He He is only able to cook very delicious instant noodles.

Zheng Xie had just finished his meal when he received a call from He He asking him to hurry go and help to feed Xiao Bao. There is not much to do, just put the milk on the plate.

Zheng Xie bite the bullet and went over to He He’s house. He is very pleased to see Xiao Bao fast asleep in his own bed. Very familiar sight. He thought, turns out to look just like how Xiao He He curled up on the sofa. They even look alike.

He carefully took out the box of premium milk and poured into the deep plate. He He brought this plate from Jingdezhen (景德镇) when she travel there last year. The beautiful end of the plate is a hand-painted fish. The plate is very precious to He He. Once he used the plate to hold peel waste, He He got really upset. Now, she is using it as a cat’s tray, no longer such a n.o.ble look. Zheng Xie felt a little jealous of the cat as it is receiving better treatment.

Jingdezhen (景德镇) is a prefecture-level city in the northeastern of Jiangxi province, at the border of Anhui.

Then he received a phone call from Cousin Xiao Wei. From the start, she started scolding him. This is her usual opening remarks. Zheng Xie is accustomed to it, so put his phone far away from his ears and hear her speak. Although not very clear, it is just right.

However, because he was framed yesterday by He He as well as committed the big mistake, his cousin reprove for a long time. Fifteen minutes later, Zheng Xie phone is very hot and Cousin Xiao Wei probably is also tired. She restored her aristocratic ladylike att.i.tude and said: “Ah Xie, the beauty told me about your ‘little fairy’ yesterday. Since she is so important to you and you have already come to that stage, bring her over and allow me to see her.”

“I can say anything but really there is no such thing.”

“Oh, I know. It is He He again, right? Zheng Xie, you have enough losses, but so what kind of brother are you? He He follow you all day and constantly becomes your scapegoat. In the future, how you want her to find a husband?”

“Sister, in fact…..”

“Isn’t He He already twenty five years old? She also should get married. By the way Ah Xie, does He He have a boyfriend now? If not, I’ll help her to look for a good one.”

“No need. She will be getting one soon.”

“In your circle of acquaintance, are you able to come up with anyone decent?”

“Do not worry. He is not within my circle of acquaintance. He is different from me.”

“Oh, very good. Very good.”

After Zheng Xie hangs up the phone, he found the kitten has already woken up and is one meter away from him looking up at him. His overreaction this morning has frightened it, so the little thing now dare not come closer to him. The little kitten only reveled a pitiful yet alert expression while watching him carefully. The expression reminded him of Xiao He He when she is guilty, almost making Zheng Xie soft hearted and want to crouch down to pat it on the head.

He realized what he is doing and immediately re-tract his hand and walked to the other end to keep the kitten at a safe distant. Cat is really evil, his intuition told him. Cannot get any closer to cats.

Apart from Xiao He He and mother, there is no one else that know that he is afraid of cat. They just treat his fear of cats as a kind of annoyance. In fact, he do not understand why he is afraid of cats.

Xiao He He also found out by accident. That time, He He is about ten years old and she had been chasing a cat up the tree. She had the ability to climb up but not to get down. So she was trapped on the tree for nearly half an hour before she found Zheng Xie.

Zheng Xie had to climb up and carry her down. He did not always feel that climbing tree is an elegant thing to do. Even if he was in the moment and age, he had never had the urge to do it. He He after getting down, pouting and tearfully pointed to the branches on the tree: “Mi mi (childish word for cat), mi mi.”

Zheng Xie looked up and was amazed. There is a kitten on top of the branch, more miserable than He He earlier when she was up on the branch by tenfold. The kitten is shaking. Another fool that climb up the tree but not able to climb down.

Although he had a headache, but Xiao He He’s pitiful and charming look gives him more headaches. So he once again kind heartedly set his foot into the rescue mission again.

Originally, it all went well although he was terrified. He was able to disguise it well. In the eyes of the bystander, he is very calm and collected. About 34 meters from the desired goal, victory is in sight. Zheng Xie though, after successfully rescue the kitten, maybe is ailurophobia will be healed, and he intended to take a deep breath and jump.

Maybe he accidentally held the kitten too tightly, hurting the kitten. The ungrateful kitten turned and scratch Zheng Xie deeply. Already in a very high tension spirit, this caught Zheng Xie by surprise. So the legendary extraordinary skill of the martial art of the young master ended up in a tragedy. Zheng Xie in the n.o.ble cause of protecting and rescuing animals is heroically wounded. He was not able to control and intensity of the landing hence fractured his right foot.

It is a very dishonorable fall, hence Zheng Xie refuse to reveal the details of the injury and also order Xiao He He to keep quiet about it. But what he cannot stand even more is Xiao He He.

The incident happen during the summer vacation. Xiao He He had plenty of time, and voluntarily took care of him by accompanying him daily at his bedside. He He put on a “I want to be your feet, I want to take care of you forever” like att.i.tude. Every day to repent her willfulness and ignorance, she help him in every possible way. Washing his face, feeding him meals, read him story books, singing songs and patting while coaxing him to sleep. In fact, Zheng Xie suspect that she will fall asleep to which she really did so.

In reality, He He although taking care of him, is forcing him to play with her girly house games. To He He, he is like a big lifelike toy.

Zheng Xie was totally cornered. For the sake of making He He less guilty and to come clean, he honestly told Xiao He He that his fall is not because she wants him to rescue the kitten but because of his fear of cat / kitten.

Recalling these events, Zheng Xie thought that he is just nonsensical.

He became extremely upset with He He for going out on a date with another person despite knowing that he is in a bad mood.

Zheng Xie had to admit, his relationship with He He, sometimes very funny, just like a father-daughter relationship. He at times seems to be her elders as he will disciple her more. Although He He constantly will pout at him, she also would reveal her secrets to him, probably more than with her own mother. In additional to his mother, Zheng Xie is considered the closest person with her. Seeing that she is willing to go out on a date in the heavy rain, it actually gives him a sense of sadness just like a father about to send his daughter away on her marriage. Even though the man is his friend, he will still enthusiastically advise and carefully consider them for He He.

In fact, He He had several relationship in the past. The longest being six months while the shortest was only two weeks. Most of the time, she will come grinning at him and said: “Treat me to dinner, I am heartbroken.” Occasionally she will vividly cry a few times in front of him.

At that time, he has never felt lost. Probably because he has met most of the love object of He He. Despite her being clumsy, stupid with no opinion of her own at times, he is very aware that these bunch of guys have no opportunity to become He He’s soulmate. It is just a part of her growing up process, nothing but a playmate along the way, one day will go their separate ways.

However, Shi Lin is different. Zheng Xie understand Shi Lin as well as know He He very well. He is very clear that Shi Lin is a very suitable for He He while she is the type of lady that he likes. Should the timing is right, then….. this is the reason why he is so wistful. In the past when people share with him the story of father crying when his daughter get married, he can only listen and take it as a joke. Now he finally understand. And because Shi Lin is constantly abroad, that means that He He should also be away from him.

Really boring ah. Zheng Xie took a deep breath. He can go to the company to look for something to do, go swimming or go to the club to play. He remember someone once said, if a person begins to help free recollection of events that mean heart is beginning to age.

Who said these words? Yes it is Cheng Shao Chen. It was when Cheng Shao Chen had just returned from abroad. When they were drinking together, that guy were actually in a different mood, actually giving an infinite sense of loss.

In life, one must really be honest. He must have had his fist on the table and laughed too heartlessly, hence so soon he got back his retribution and began premature aging.

The problem is that once one is into the nostalgic and aging mood, the goal is clear. Everything has its caused and he finally got his wish. And for him, he is nostalgic about something really old, really something so heartbroken.

Suddenly, he felt physically and mentally unusual. It is probably the time to settle down. Perhaps he should listen to He He’s recommendation and seriously look for a woman that is pleasing to his eyes and have a serious relationship with. Can also reduce his boredom while able to please the elders. If luck is good enough, maybe this would also resolve his life biggest motive (marriage). Able to serve multiple purposes, why not?