Caught in My Own Trap Chapter 3

Before the Peach Blossom

Xiao He He felt that, if the timing of the “Peach Blossom” is not right, might as well do not come.

Xiao He He has not impression of Shi Lin. They have after all, met many years ago in additional to the fact that he is Zheng Xie’s friend.

Just like He He’s mother who often reminded her that she and Zheng Xie has always been people from two different world. He He mistakenly entered his world and is already a dislocation. She must not forget who she actually is and not live in the illusory magic of Cinderella to the real world that she belongs to.

Therefore, she is never close with any of Zheng Xie’s friends. To her, they have a common name, “Zheng Xie’s friends,” that’s all.

But this Shi Lin is different from those Zheng Xie’s friends. He is humbler and considerate. He exudes a rustic clean bookish feel, quite different from Zheng Xie, that even if a low profile also conceal aggressive extravagance. As for those Zheng Xie’s “friends”, they always feel stronger and out of reach, therefore are not worth mentioning.
They exchange a few more pleasantries and then Shi Lin depart with Zheng Xie. He He looked at their back for a while. She don’t know what to do or thoughts or continue to look for something to eat. He He is already full and could no longer eat anymore apart from fruits. She carefully add various sliced fruits onto her plate into a shape and lastly add a cherry for decoration. Unexpectedly, the very slippery cherry slipped and bounced off out of her sight. He He feels embarra.s.sed and looked around. She hear no screams and no one noticed her. She took another one and this time, that cherry actually hit someone else. Shi Lin walks towards her smiling.

Xiao He He tried to find a hole to hide. Shi Lin insert firmly the red cherry fruit into her plate. “Look, this is relatively simple. This is a peac.o.c.k? How to shape this?”

He He smiled at him.

“Just now, I saw you going around guessing correctly. I was wondering which girl so lively and intelligent while thinking that she looks somewhat familiar. As it turns out to be, really an acquaintances. How come you are no longer playing?”

“I’m a little hungry. And I’ve got a lot of prizes holding in front of the front desk.” Xiao He He gradually adapt to the situation and smiled faintly to Shi Lin.

Shi Lin stared at her for a while and then said: “That’s right. Your smile now looks just like how you were at the time. Just not if it is not because of Zheng Xie, I really cannot imagine.”

He He bowed her head and slowly stopped smiling while looking down at the fruits.

A timely playful music started and the host started shouting. First clapping song then unexpectedly the rabbit dance. And this repeat over and over again in order to get the ladies and gentlemen to put down everything and join in the fun.

With the noisy surrounding, Shi Lin did not notice her strange look: “Let’s go and dance. It has been more than half of a lifetime since I last played this game.” In a flash, she has been pulled by Shi Lin onto the dance floor.

Everyone form into a big circle, a male and a female, because over only five colors, like a color ring. On weekdays, it is estimates that there are no naive moment, a bunch of overjoyed people, dancing and laughing. Very lively and extraordinary, as if returning to kindergarten and childhood.

The air conditioning in the hall is very sufficient. Xiao he He small formal attire neckline is very low with a very short skirt. Just as they got to under the central air-conditioning air outlet, He He will be thrown into a trace of coolness. Her hands became wet and sticky while enclosing into Shi Lin dry palm, resulting in a strange feeling.

Shi Lin turned to look at her: “Are you feeling okay?”

“I am fine. Why?”

“Your hands are cold.”

“I’m just not used to the blowing cold air.”

The whole dance team turn half round, Shin Lin suddenly smiled and waved his hand. He He turned around and saw Zheng Xie holding a wine gla.s.s standing by against the wall with a faint smile while watching them dance while from time to time, casually look and chat with the woman dressed in a light blue dress in front of him. With He He looking at him, he suddenly using his other free hand, put up a rabbit shaped ear with a crooked fingers while smiling with an innocence look. He He looked at him and turned away, no longer looking at him.

Xiao He He grew up with no sense of music as she is tone deaf with extremely poor sense of music. In her first grade, because there were not enough partic.i.p.ants, she was pulled out to do a rabbit dance. He He always say, others practice 3 times, she will secretly practice 3 more times before she finally can follow the rhythm. On the actual performance day, because she was too nervous and could not find her rhythm, she was half a beat slower than the other kids. That was one of her most embarra.s.sing moments. Zheng Xie was there and he actually remembered. He used the opportunity to remind her of her embarra.s.sing moments again, really a nasty guy indeed!

He He has a stubborn streak in her. The more difficult it is for her, the more she will vigorously worked on overcoming it. With such profound and painful memories in her life, she decided to make up for her own shortcoming. She secretly worked hard and by the time she was in college, she actually successfully became the school band’s main drummer.

Reminiscing the past, He He’s anxiety gradually calmed down. Soon it is time to leave as the banquet event is almost over.

Shin Lin said: “You look a lot better now. I thought you were really sick before.”

“It’s really all right. Brother Shi, thank you.”

Zheng Xie stepped away from the other young men. “Shi Lin, we keep in touch. He He, let’s go…”

Someone called from the other side. “Ah Xie, don’t slip away so quickly. We brothers have not get together for a long time.”

“I want to send my sister home.”

“Sister come with us and have fun together.”

With a soft volume where only 3 of them can hear, He He whispered: “I can go back alone. It is very close by. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Zheng Xie glanced at her and then turned and look at Shi Lin. With a faint smile on his face, he said: “Then I will trouble you, Ah Lin.”

Shi Lin accompanied He He to collect her big bag of prizes. Because she was bored before, she played a lot of quizzes hence won a lot of big and small prizes. As it is still early, the sky has a rare heaps of clouds and the temperature is not high.

He He called Su Ren Ran and informed her that there are many gifts to be given to the children. Su Ren Ran during her free time, like to volunteer in the orphanage. Ren Ran told He He that she has brought a group of children to the beachside to play.

Coincidently, their car at the moment were heading the beach. With that, they soon found Ren Ran and the kids.

Ren Ran together with 7 or 8 children are playing on the fine while sand. Innocent and naïve, these children saw her and recognized her and shouted out: Aunty He He. Each of them received the gift from her with a smile.

These children have a little bit of birth defects so hence was abandoned at birth resulting in them being difficult to be adapted. Obviously each one of them looks as lovely as a little angel. Without any closer look, one will not be able to see the difference between them and the other normal children.

Xiao He He want to ask Shi Lin to go ahead without her as she wanted to spend time with Ren Ran and the children. She remembered that she is not properly dressed for the occasion, hence stood on the beach and stayed for a while before leaving together with Shi Lin.

The carpark is a distance away, so there are some prestige and expensive car pa.s.sing before them.

In accordance to the laws of the small words, in the parking lot, there are always unexpected surprises, such as collision of romance, such as meeting suddenly a good looking guy especially now where she is so dressed up. Unfortunately, these surprises are limited for single woman only, and not for anyone with an escort.

Reality is always a reality, one will not have time to even dream about it. Haiz, He He cannot help but sigh to herself.

A white car suddenly zoomed pa.s.s closely against He He. Luckily Shi Lin pulled He He aside, and she is almost fell into his arms. The car stopped and the driver opened the car door, don’t know to find fault or to apologize.

He He did not expect any seductive scene to appears. Although on the book, these type of car driver are always elegant, but in reality it is usually a poor old guy.

Although she already mentally prepared, waiting for the driver to get down, she was still very surprised.

 

“He He, is that you?” The man that got down from the car, although cannot be compared with Zheng Xie in appearance and temperament, but can also be regarded as an authentic guy.

“Cen Shi, long time no see.” In one day, meet 2 old acquaintance, He He is now surprisingly calm.

Cen Shi very infectiously laughed: “He He, you have not changed a single bit.” Looking at Shi Lin, “This is…..”

“A friend.” He He humbly answered.

Shi Lin and Cen Shi shake their hands and exchange their name cards. Then handed He He his name card and said: “He He, I am here for a week of vacation. Remember to call me.”

“Okay.”

“Well, you better give me your number. I’ll call you.”

In front of Shi Lin, He He can only meekly takes out her cell phone and call the number on the name card. Cen Shi’s phone rang and he took out the phone. He glanced at the phone screen, with a satisfied look, say goodbye and left.

In the car, He He kept quiet as they head to their destination. Shi Lin seeing her keeping quiet, did not bother her further. He quietly bid her goodbye, left his contact information and watched as He He head upstairs.

The following day, Xiao He He got woke up late. Randomly ate and then lay down on her bed watching the Olympics.

Probably because of the excessiveness of the air conditioning during the banquet yesterday, her menstrual cycle came earlier. The pain was so bad that she felt that she was dying as even holding hot water bags are not effective and she was sweating. The temperature outside is at a high 35 degrees and she had her air conditioning on. The cold is making her uncomfortable and hence she wrapped herself in her quilt.

There were 2 missed calls. She returned call to one of the missed call, which is from Shi Lin.

“I would like to walk around but I am not familiar with the surrounding. Would you like to accompany me?”

“I am sorry, Brother Shi. I slept too late yesterday and now is feeling a little uncomfortable. It is very hot today. If I go out I will get heat stroke. It would be better for me to stay at home and watch our country, China wins medal.”

“Yes, you have a good rest. I shall not disturb you.”

After a while, the phone suddenly rang again. After picking up, realized that she should not have picked up this call.

“He He, it’s me.” Cen Shi said.

“I know.”

“How have you been doing all these years?”

“Of course!”

“I missed you very much.”

“Cen Shi, how is Su Ge?”

“The 2nd year after we went abroad, we broke up.”

“I am sorry to hear that.”

“He He, are you free for the next 2 days? Let’s go for meal together.”

“I have plans for the entire weekend.”

“I see. Another day?”

“Let’s see.”

Xiao He He gently puts down the phone. On the television, the Chinese athletes really stands out, very atmospheric and very calm. She felt that she should drink for herself. After all, over the years, she had really made good progress in facing Cen Shi’s superb acting. She could stay so calm, completely play along with him without any fear.

Live on the television, the first five-star red flag (China Flag) has been raised in the Olympic venue with the audience singing the national anthem while the eyes of the champion were glittering with tears. Xiao He He finally found the outlet to vent her emotion. She sat on the bed with her head buried in her knees, shamelessly bursting into tears.

Xiao He He cried a storm unexpectedly. She sob really hard, blow her nose and is about to get up to pour herself a cup of hot water to warm the stomach when her phone rang again. It seems that even G.o.d does not allow her to be peaceful.

This time, the ringing sound is of a kitten meowing. This is Zheng Xie special caller tone set. This is because Zheng Xie hates cats, so He He deliberately set a unique caller tone for him.

Zheng Xie asked her to join them for open air barbecue dinner tonight. He He began to believe that Zheng Xie lately really have free time on hand. He has been looking for her 2 consecutive days in a row. It seems that his many girlfriends has turned their back on him.

“Not going. Of course, not going.” Zheng Xie is very sensitive. Only 2 words from He He, and he immediately asked: “What is wrong with your nose?”

“I caught a cold sleeping in the cold air-conditioned room yesterday.”

“You were crying earlier.”

Haiz, she could never hide it from him. “Our national flag rose, I just got very excited. You know, I have always been like this.”

Zheng Xie laughed at the other end: “Little child He He, I am sending you a small red flower.”

“Since there is nothing else, I am hanging up the phone. Why are you so busy these days?”

Zheng Xie did not complain about Xiao He He’s coldness and chat with her for a while before finally ready to hang up the phone. As he was saying goodbye, he asked her: “I am visiting Uncle Xiao tomorrow. Do you want to go with me?”

Taken aback, He He asked: “Isn’t it is usually during the Lunar New Year?”

“You happen to be on business trip then. Are you going?”

“Yes.”