In the end, Xiao Fengtai was escorted by Jiang Tong into a taxi heading back to the hotel.
"Come with me," Xiao Fengtai pleaded, clinging to the car window, unwilling to give up. "Aren't you afraid I'll sneak off halfway there?"
Jiang Tong waved his phone. "This is a ride-hailing app. I can track your entire route."
However, Xiao Fengtai’s words successfully sparked a flicker of worry. Jiang Tong leaned in and whispered to the driver, "Master, my... younger cousin is a bit mischievous. If he makes a fuss about getting out mid-trip, please don't let him."
"Once you reach the destination, please send me a photo. I'll pay you double the fare."
The driver, having no quarrel with money, nodded like a chick pecking at grain. Xiao Fengtai poked his head out from the back seat. "What did you say? What am I to you?"
"You are my little troublemaker," Jiang Tong said with a smile, flicking him on the forehead. "Please, stop causing more chaos. I’m going to be very busy for the rest of the summer break."
Xiao Fengtai hissed in pain, clutching his forehead. "Ow—what's a 'troublemaker'?"
Jiang Tong cleared his throat and turned his head to hide the flush on his face. "It's getting late. Go on."
"See you in Singapore."
The taxi sped away, leaving a cloud of dust. Xiao Fengtai looked back through the rear window. The scenery in the distance shrank and blurred into the darkness, but Jiang Tong’s silhouette remained motionless, standing right where he had left him until he vanished from sight.
The summer camp teacher had originally reserved a room for him. Xiao Fengtai made no mention of taking back the small bribe he’d paid, so his return to the fold was remarkably smooth. He went back to his room, took a shower, and was just connecting to the hotel Wi-Fi to play on his tablet when someone knocked on the door.
He assumed it was room service at the wrong door and ignored it, continuing his game. But the knocking was persistent, growing louder and more demanding.
"Kenneth, I know you're in there." A familiar, shrill girl's voice pierced his eardrums like a small drill. "Don't think you can pretend you don't hear me."
If he left her alone, the guests along the entire hallway would eventually come out to investigate. Xiao Fengtai, his patience exhausted, yanked the door open. "What do you want!"
Tiffany hadn't originally been on the summer camp roster; it seemed Xiao Fengtai wasn't the only one who knew how to utilize resources. He had caught a fleeting glimpse of her during boarding and felt an ominous premonition, but he had hoped for the best. After all, with over a hundred students moving together on a packed schedule, he thought she might not notice his absence during the transit.
He had clearly miscalculated. Tiffany’s chest heaved with agitation, her beautiful eyes wide with indignation. Though she held no official status, her aura carried the overbearing arrogance of a legal wife catching a straying husband.
"Where were you today?" She stared intently into his eyes. "I didn't see you all day. I asked the teacher, but he couldn't give me a straight answer."
"It's none of your business." Xiao Fengtai tried to close the door. "Go back and get some rest."
But Tiffany was prepared. In a flash, she stuck a leg into the doorway. She was wearing hot pants, and the wooden door was heavy; Xiao Fengtai couldn't pull back his momentum in time, and a red mark immediately bloomed on the girl’s fair skin.
"What are you doing?" Xiao Fengtai was startled, but his expression quickly turned cold. "Go back, now."
"I won't!" Tiffany cried out, aggrieved. "What exactly were you doing sneaking around Beijing by yourself?"
Tiffany was of mixed Chinese and British descent. Her features combined Eastern delicacy with Western definition, and the way her eyes reddened was enough to move anyone to pity. However, Xiao Fengtai had long since seen through the aggressive nature beneath her fragile exterior, and he felt nothing but profound annoyance.
"This has nothing to do with you," he warned. "If you keep making a scene, I'll have my grandmother send you back to London."
"Did you go to find Su Lingling!" Ignoring his threat, she voiced her own bitter deduction. "She's from Beijing too..."
"When did you two get together?" she asked frantically. "You don't suit each other at all!"
Xiao Fengtai and Su Lingling were the concertmaster and the second violin principal, respectively; they had no interaction outside of rehearsals. Tiffany was even in a different grade, yet because of Xiao Fengtai, she had thoroughly investigated the girl’s family background.
Xiao Fengtai’s patience snapped. "That’s enough nonsense." He gave Tiffany a firm shove. Caught off guard, she was no match for his strength. She stumbled back, and the door slammed shut in her face with a heavy *thud*.
The hallway was empty and silent in the dead of night. Tiffany stood there dazed, tears of rage falling. Xiao Fengtai had clearly gone AWOL; she had asked the teacher, but he had only offered vague cover-ups. She had been on edge, worrying all day, and had waited half the night in the hotel lobby. Finally, Xiao Fengtai had returned, only to treat her with such coldness.
Despite her young age, she had almost never failed in her dealings with the opposite sex. Only he, time and time again, refused to give her any face.
*He's definitely hiding something,* Tiffany thought resentfully as she walked back to her room. Sooner or later, she would dig out his secret.
She’d see if he still dared to show her that stony "coffin face" then!
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 小冤家 | Little troublemaker / Sweet tormentor | A playful, affectionate term for someone who causes one grief or worry but is loved. |
| 表弟 | Younger male cousin | Specifically a cousin with a different surname (maternal or paternal aunt's son). |
| 师傅 | Master / Sir | A respectful way to address a driver or skilled worker. |
| 绝尘而去 | Sped away / Left in the dust | An idiom describing a vehicle or person leaving very quickly. |
| Kenneth | Kenneth | Xiao Fengtai's English name. |
| Tiffany | Tiffany | A mixed-race girl pursuing Xiao Fengtai. |
| 苏灵灵 | Su Lingling | A girl in the orchestra, mentioned by Tiffany. |
| 乐团首席 | Concertmaster | The lead violinist of an orchestra. |
| 棺材脸 | Coffin face | Slang for a deadpan, expressionless, or stony facial expression. |
