Cruel Romance Chapter 2.5

The strands of Jin Xiu’s hair were wet, her fringe was dripping with water, sticking to her glistening forehead. Her eyebrows seemed shining black, an air of moisture before her irises, like two black pearls immersed in water, looking around in a child-like manner.

Zuo Zhen turned to her, “Have you recovered from your injuries?”

Jin Xiu nodded her head, “Yes, since yesterday, I’ve stopped using crutches.” She looked towards Zuo Zhen and smiled, “Look, even the bruises on my face are almost gone.”

“Auntie Lan takes very good care of me, she never repeats the items for my meals, and wouldn’t even let me wash my clothes. Every day I sleep after eating, and eat after waking up, sigh, I feel bad about it. Taking care of me like that, how can I not get better from my injuries, it wasn’t that serious anyway, just some bruising and swelling, my bones or muscles weren’t injured.”

Jin Xiu casually chatted, with a tad of excitement and nagging as though she was talking to someone from her hometown. Actually Zuo Zhen could only be considered an acquaintance, and barely spoke to each other before. But right now, to Jin Xiu, even as just an acquaintance, was so precious.

Zuo Zhen didn’t cut her off, and he didn’t seem to mind her being long-winded, simply asking,”Do you have anything on tonight?”

Jin Xiu was surprised, “What would I have on, besides sleeping?”
“Go home later then.” Zuo Zhen blandly replied.

Only when Jin Xiu got down from the car did she realise, that this was a hotel.

Even though it was a hotel, it was a far cry from Lion Grove. It was just a white building with two floors and “Xiang Tan Hotel” written on the signboard.

“Ying Dong and I love having Hunan cuisine, what they serve here is truly authentic.” Zuo Zhen said to her, “And it’s considered peaceful, even though the furnishings are unsophisticated.”

However Jin Xiu was rather overjoyed. How could this be considered unsophisticated, it was just simple, red lanterns hung on the door, paper umbrellas and the bamboo stairs inside, the resounding “click” sound of footsteps, simple and endearing. Ying Shao also liked coming here?

They went up the stairs, it wasn’t a booth but a quiet dining hall, there were few people due to the rain, only one table of customers. Their table was close to the window and it was half closed, to shield from the rain, the sound of raindrops trickling, a subtle peacefulness. Jin Xiu suddenly thought of a saying,”Plane trees, midnight rain, no road leaves love bitter. A leaf, a sound, emptiness drips into existence.” In this sereneness, raindrops beating against the bamboo windows, sounded poetic.

A faint smile drifted past Zuo Zhen’s lips. This lady, since she entered had seemed out of sorts. He lightly knocked against the table, “Do you take spicy foods?”

Jin Xiu proudly lifted up her head, “I can’t live without it.”

Zuo Zhen seemed a tad surprised, “I’ve heard that women that take spicy food don’t have good tempers.”

Jin Xiu suddenly laughed, “Even if that’s true, don’t tell me you’re scared?” When she laughed, the corners of her lips gently lifted up.

Zuo Zhen looked down at the menu. Actually he knew what was available even without looking at the menu. To the waiter standing beside, he ordered a whole table of dishes, and finally looked towards Jin Xiu, “Still missing a few dishes, it’s your turn now.”

To be honest, Jin Xiu rarely had the experience of ordering in a restaurant, looking at the menu, it seemed as though Zuo Zhen had already ordered every dish, what would she know about which dishes were nice and which were not? After pondering, she seriously and cautiously asked, “Could I… have the granny pancake?”

What, granny pancake? What was that thing?

The waiter was stunned, Zuo Zhen likewise. Two of them looked at each other and burst into laughter. Zuo Zhen had just picked up a teacup and with this laughed, he almost spilled out all the tea in his cup.

The waiter held in his laughter, “Lady, this dish you would like to order, doesn’t seem to be Hunan cuisine?”

Jin Xiu knew that she had made a fool of herself and blushed, extremely awkward, replying softly,”No, if there isn’t then it’s alright…erm…”

Zuo Zhen saw that hand hers had already balled into fists as though she was squeezing out sweat, he couldn’t bear it anymore, hurriedly continuing,”We’ll have a lotus shrimp soup.”

After waving away the waiter, Zuo Zhen lighted up a cigarette.

“Granny pancake is something from your hometown?” he asked.

Jin Xiu nodded, “I haven’t had it for a long time, Shanghai doesn’t sell it.” Thinking of the granny pancake from Zhenjiang, she suddenly felt homesick. In this lifetime, she could no longer return to that familiar house.”

“Why did you end up at the entrance of Hua Long?” Zuo Zhen started asking,”You don’t even recognise the routes, yet you’re running about alone.”

Jin Xiu replied, “I just went to Hua Ying Primary School, they advertised on the newspaper, to hire teachers.”

She really wanted to come out and work? She really wouldn’t give up. Zuo Zhen raised his brows in surprise, “You’re in such a hurry to find a job?”

“Of course!” Jin Xiu didn’t even hesitate, “I already troubled Ying Shao for so many days, relying on him for a place to stay, food to eat and clothes to wear, even if I ignore food and accommodation, I can’t possibly ask money from him for clothes, cosmetics and newspapers right?”

Zuo Zhen took in a breath of smoke, “A lady, and you don’t even know anyone, I’m afraid it wouldn’t be that easy.”

Jin Xiu was dejected, “Yes. After running about today, there isn’t any result at all. But, don’t worry, I’ll definitely think of something.”

“I promised you before, to help you take care of this” Zuo Zhen faintly pondered,”Since you’ve studied before, work under me then.”

“Really?” Jin Xiu was overjoyed, unable to believe, “Is it because you’re taking pity on me?”

Zuo Zhen smiled, “What do I pity you for? There are too many pitiful people in the whole of Shanghai, if I help everyone I see, I’ll exhaust myself completely. If you’re unwilling, you can ask Ying Dong.”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant!” Jin Xiu hurriedly explained, “It’s just that I really don’t know much, I’m afraid that I’ll bring you trouble.”

Zuo Zhen didn’t reply. Since saving her that day, he had already taken responsibility for this matter, troublesome or not, wasn’t it too late now?