She kept her head down, her chest feeling so tight it felt like it was about to explode.
The girls looked at each other, then disappeared in a flash.
Su Ying walked over, step by step, light and steady. Although she couldn't hear a sound, Zhao Xiyin felt as if each step was pounding on her heart.
Su Ying stopped in front of her and said calmly, "If you can't control your emotions, go take a few more emotional management classes. The practice room is for dancing, not for you to throw tantrums."
Zhao Xiyin stood still, without moving.
Her back was ramrod straight, so straight it hurt her back. She was holding her breath; if her earlier outburst was just anger, now it was stubbornness. Su Ying glanced at her, still cold, and after a moment, tossed a pack of tissues into her arms.
Su Ying said, "This place isn't for holding your tears either."
Later, more and more people returned to the group, but just before seven o'clock, a sudden announcement came that the evening rehearsal was canceled. Several people whispered among themselves, "Wasn't Sister Ying already here? Why was it canceled?"
"Who knows? Sister Ying's temper has always been so unpredictable. What's that saying on the internet again? She never acts like a diva, because she is a diva."
Laughter could be heard faintly, but the unexpected holiday still put people in a good mood. They left in twos and threes, discussing going to karaoke.
——
At nine o'clock in the evening, Teacher Zhao paced back and forth in the living room more than a dozen times, as if he had fleas all over him. Zhao Xiyin's bedroom door was tightly closed. He tried to sneak in to take some fruit under the pretense of bringing it in, but she wouldn't open the door, saying she didn't want to eat and wanted to sleep.
What are you trying to sleep for? I can clearly hear crying inside.
Teacher Zhao was anxious and restless. After thinking for a moment, she disregarded her own position and made a phone call to Zhou Qishen.
Upon seeing that it was Zhao Wenchun, Zhou Qishen's tone was quite surprised, "Teacher Zhao? I am truly flattered."
Zhao Wenchun interrupted hurriedly, "Where are you?"
"The company just finished a video conference, what's up?"
"Qishen, could you come over here?" Zhao Wenchun asked worriedly, "Xiaoxi has been acting strangely ever since she came back today. She locked herself in her bedroom, and I could hear her crying."
After hanging up the phone, Zhao Wenchun was still worried, so he called out from the doorway, "Xiao west, Qi Shen will be here soon."
The door opened in a few seconds.
Zhao Xiyin stood at the door looking tired, her eyes still a little swollen. "Why did you ask him to come over? He has a lot of work at his company, his headache hasn't gotten better, and it's not safe for him to drive so late at night."
Zhao Wenchun's understanding in this regard is correct: "Only he can control you."
Zhao Xiyin looked rather helpless, tucked her hair behind her ears, and said listlessly, "I'm fine, I'm just tired from training." She picked up her phone to call Zhou Qishen, hoping he wouldn't come, but the line was constantly busy.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Zhou Qishen replied to her text message with just two words—
"Get down."
He must be speeding at this time. Zhao Xiyin was worried about him, so she put on a down jacket and hurried downstairs.
The moon shines brightly over a thousand miles on a winter night, its coldness making the air seem sluggish.
Zhou Qishen came from the company, not having had time to change out of his suit, just wearing a fleece-lined woolen overcoat. He must have been there a while, and perhaps because it was too cold, he went back to his car to get gloves. He put them on one by one, brown lambskin gloves. The scene was beautiful; in the moonlight, he was as serene as a pillar of strength.
Zhao Xiyin stopped halfway there. Zhou Qishen looked up and saw her. The two looked at each other for a long time before he slowly smiled, naturally opened his arms, and gently lifted his chin, saying, "Xiao west, come here."
Zhao Xiyin's eyes instantly welled up with tears. She lowered her head and obediently went over.
She was cold, and her hands were still in her pockets. She tilted her head and buried herself directly in Zhou Qishen's chest, childishly nudging and bumping into him. Zhou Qishen laughed, "What are you doing, using me as a drill to dig a tunnel?"
Zhao Xiyin pressed her lips to his chest and said in a muffled voice, "Don't be a drill, being a drill is exhausting."
Zhou Qi smiled deeply, "So what do you want to be?"
After a moment of silence, Zhao Xiyin's voice was even hoarser than before, "I want to be a good person."
After saying that, she quickly shook her head and muttered to herself, "Being human is tiring, I don't want to be human anymore."
Zhou Qishen put his arm around her, nuzzled her hair with his chin, and said gently, "You can be whatever you want."
Zhao Xiyin tilted her head back, her nose rubbed red, and asked in a muffled voice, "Would you like to be my little darling?"
Zhou Qishen hugged her tightly and chuckled softly, "Being my wife is the best."
Zhao Xiyin's eyes were red as she stared at him intently.
Zhou Qishen suppressed his smile. "So if you're unhappy about anything, tell your husband now."
Chapter 73 Dreams of a Woman in Her Boudoir (1)
Zhao Xiyin nestled against Zhou Qishen's chest, whimpering and acting coquettishly.
She kept asking him why he was driving so fast, and whether he was cold. Zhou Qishen answered patiently, knowing that Zhao Xiyin didn't want to tell him the reason.
Zhou Qishen took her hand, and Zhao Xiyin hesitated, "What are you doing?"
He pushed her into the passenger seat and said, "I'm taking you somewhere."
It was late at night, the roads were clear, and the white Land Rover sped along Chang'an Avenue from east to west, the neon lights flashing by like frames from a movie. Passing Jianguomenwai Street, five kilometers further on was Tiananmen Square, the capital. Zhou Qishen slowed the car, and Zhao Xiyin's eyes followed the scenery.
Upon arriving at Shijingshan, Zhao Xiyin recognized the place; it was an amusement park.
Zhou Qishen entered through the west gate, which was supposed to be closed, but somehow he managed to drive right into the park. He parked the car, then took off his scarf and put it around Zhao Xiyin's neck over the center console. "Get out of the car."
A cold wind howled, and Zhao Xiyin looked up, staring blankly at the Ferris wheel in front of her. Zhou Qishen turned his back to make a phone call, and soon a young man arrived. The two seemed to know each other, chatting quietly for a few moments. The young man had a cute little tiger tooth when he smiled, "It's nothing, Mr. Zhou."
Zhou Qishen turned around and beckoned to Zhao Xiyin, "Come here."