At lunch that day, I spotted Ling Xiao from a distance as he was getting his food. I quickly scurried over to line up behind him. "Team Heartthrob... Tea—Captain! (Damn, that look in his eyes is terrifying!)"
Ling Xiao turned his head calmly, picked up his tray, and started walking. "What is it?"
I clutched my chest in lingering fear, thinking to myself: *Is calling you "Team Heartthrob" really enough to make you that unhappy? If someone called me the "Group Cutie"... fine, I forgive you.*
I figured I couldn't just bring up the contract termination fee directly; I needed to lay some groundwork first. "You usually have your headphones on," I asked. "How come I haven't seen you wearing them the last few days?"
"Because you call my name several hundred times a day."
Old Seven let out a snort of laughter from behind us. I glared at the back of Ling Xiao’s head as he moved through the line with icy, fluid grace. Seriously, he was making things so awkward for me...
I saw him ask for a vegetable dish, and then his gaze lingered on a plate of fish, though he seemed to hesitate. I immediately spoke up to Sister Yuan, the server: "He wants that one!"
The fish landed on Ling Xiao’s tray. He turned to look at me, and I gave him a bright smile. "Eat it if you like it!" I then asked Sister Yuan for a small bottle of vinegar and set it on his tray. "Drink this if a bone gets stuck!"
Gao Dapang let out a cackle from behind. "Captain, do you actually get fish bones stuck in your throat?"
Ling Xiao looked at the fish, then at me. He said nothing and walked away with his meal.
The two of us sat at Ling Xiao’s usual "throne" by the window. He hesitated to touch the fish with his chopsticks. I looked at that fish, lying there "naked" amidst a pile of chopped chilies, waiting in vain to be graced by his attention. It looked so pitiful that I eventually grabbed a pair of clean chopsticks and began de-boning it for him. I used the task as a cover to fish for information.
"So, um, when do you plan on terminating the contract?"
"This weekend." Ling Xiao lifted his bowl of vegetable soup with both hands and took a sip.
I peeked at him, and my heart accidentally did a little *doki-doki*. He looked so elegant—like a refined young master sipping a saucer of fine wine. Just how good was his upbringing that he drank soup in such a proper, upright manner? Someone like me just hovers their chin over the bowl and gulps it down noisily. Then again, maybe he was doing this just for my benefit, blatantly trying to seduce me, haha!
Ling Xiao set down his bowl and let out what sounded like a sigh.
I cleared my throat. "Do you have the money for the termination fee yet?"
"I'll have it by then."
"I can help, you know!"
"Thank you, but it’s not necessary."
I knew his blunt, unromantic personality was just like this, but that instantaneous "not necessary" still stung a little.
Ling Xiao picked up his chopsticks, paused, and then amended his statement: "I’ll come to you if I need to."
I felt a wave of relief. This guy was really starting to get it. Hearing him say that made me feel much better instantly. I picked up my own chopsticks. "It’s a deal, then. You have to come to me if you need help. If I find out you went behind my back to sell a kidney or something, I’m unfriending you!"
Ling Xiao seemed to stifle a laugh. "I’m an athlete. I’m not *that* poor."
"I was just using an analogy. Anyway, you’re not allowed to do anything like that."
"Fine," he said, giving a rare nod. "I won't."
Seeing as I was being so attentive, Ling Xiao finally gave me some face and took a bite of the fish I had de-boned. After a taste, he asked, "Where did you learn to de-bone fish like this?"
"When I was a kid, I got a really long bone stuck in my throat. I had to go to the hospital to get it out. After that, my mom always did it for me. Once, she was away on a long business trip and I wanted fish, so my dad took me out to a restaurant. He wasn't about to de-bone it for me; he just sat there drinking his wine and snacking on peanuts. With no one to help, I had to do it myself. I spent that entire meal just picking out bones. My dad just ate his own food and ignored me completely. In the end, I only got a tiny bit of fish—he ate the lion's share! From that day on, I swore I’d master the skill. I’m not just good with fish; I can peel crawfish and crack crabs, too. Basically, whenever there’s fish, shrimp, or crab involved, I never get the short end of the stick anymore~" I noticed Ling Xiao looking a bit lost in thought, so I asked, "What about you? Judging by your skills, you must lose out a lot..."
I imagined him being excluded from social circles, and then if the whole class went out for seafood, he’d just have to sit there and watch. Could it get any more tragic?
"Your mother is very good to you. Your father is quite decent, too," Ling Xiao said suddenly.
"My mom is beyond reproach, but my dad..."
"At least he took you to a restaurant and watched over you while you learned to de-bone the fish."
I thought about it. "Uh, I guess so. Could be better, could be worse~"
Ling Xiao smiled slightly and went back to his meal without another word.
The smile was brief, but because smiles were such a rare commodity on his face, every time he did it, I felt like I’d found money on the street and couldn't bear to hand it over to the police. I remembered that my guitar skills were pretty much there now. I wondered what kind of expression Ling Xiao would make after hearing my confession. Would it be a look I’d never seen before?
I couldn't help but ask, "Whose music do you usually listen to?"
"No one in particular. I listen to whatever sounds good."
"It’s not opera, is it?" With Ling Xiao’s serious personality, it was a distinct possibility.
Ling Xiao unlocked his phone, set it on the table, and slid it toward me. "Will you let me eat in peace now?"
I scrambled to take it. "Yes! Team Heartth—I mean, Captain! I won't bother you while you eat your fish!"
Ling Xiao shot me a warning look. Honestly, it was unreasonable for someone who looked like that to forbid people from calling him the Team Heartthrob.
I really wanted to peek at his other apps and accounts, but I restrained myself and only checked his playlist. At first glance, it was full of melancholy, tragic songs or "cold" instrumental tracks. How could anyone stay sunny listening to that stuff long-term? However, as I scrolled to the bottom, I saw that some upbeat, heartwarming songs had been added recently. I silently memorized the song titles and artists.
Just as I was about to give it back, the phone suddenly rang. The caller ID on the screen read... Li Xin?
That name was so unexpected. Why did Ling Xiao have Li Xin’s number? Why were the two of them in contact?
While I was still dazed, Ling Xiao took the phone from my hand. He glanced at the name, looked up at me, then stood and walked off to the side to take the call.
I didn't even have anything to analyze, because he only left me with the view of his back—a back that revealed absolutely nothing.
The call didn't last long. Ling Xiao returned shortly after.
I wanted to ask, but I was afraid to. I felt that, as someone with a secret crush, I was as fragile as a young girl. Ling Xiao didn't seem to have any intention of telling me anything, either.
Finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I feigned a casual tone and asked, "What did Li Xin want?"
I saw Ling Xiao’s chopsticks pause, and my heart tightened. I was terrified he’d say, "It’s none of your business."
"There’s something I haven't told you."
That was a terrible opening. I subconsciously swallowed. Usually, when a sentence started like that, the second half was "Li Xin and I are dating..."
To my surprise, Ling Xiao picked up his chopsticks again. "Never mind. I'll tell you another day."
Since he wouldn't say it, I found it even harder to ask. Maybe it wasn't what I thought at all, but I couldn't stop the nervous sweating and the wild theorizing. I was terrified that something would happen to my love life. It sounded ridiculous, but the first thought that popped into my head was such an ominous, silly premonition.
Was Murphy’s Law about to strike?
***
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