Little Fish and Mint - Chapter 26

His voice, already deep, was even lower, huskier, almost as if he’d just woken up.

<em>So sexy, she thought.

Does he know I can’t resist his voice?

Why does he have to make a simple question sound so seductive? </em>

Xu Yitong felt a little dizzy. “Are you tired? Your voice is hoarse.”

“…”

“Your voice is nice like this, but you should tone it down normally. People might think you’re trying to seduce them” she said, a playful complaint.

Yu Ge, momentarily thrown off, forgot what he’d wanted to ask.

“You’re overthinking it,” he said after a pause. “I had some wine.”

“Really? I thought you didn’t like alcohol.”

“It was the victory celebration.”

She cleared her throat, refocusing. 

“What were you saying earlier? About WeChat?”

Silence.

“Oh! You saw me… today…?” She paused, a flicker of surprise in her voice. “You actually saw that?”

More silence. Yu Ge had gone “offline” again.

Xu Yitong stared into space, thinking.

She wasn’t usually one for deep thought, but Yu Ge’s simple question had sent her mind racing. He wasn’t the gossiping type, so why ask? Curiosity? Concern? Or… something else?

Jealousy?

She decided to play along, feigning hesitation. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Do you know him?”

Fidgeting with her teddy bear, she confessed, “I didn’t at the time, but I saw the trending topics later.”

“Saw what?”

“That he’s… also an esports player.”

“And?”

“That’s it.”

“Why did you ask?” she asked curiously.

“He’s married” he said, his voice flat.

A wave of warmth spread through her. “Oh, he’s married? No wonder he didn’t give me his WeChat” she sighed dramatically.

“…” Yu Ge was speechless.

She pinched her teddy bear, trying not to laugh. “Such a shame! So handsome, yet married so young. Guess I missed my chance.”

“Oh,” he said coldly. “I’m hanging up now.”

“Wait! I have something to say!”

“What?”

She pouted. Why so fierce?

She huffed. “You won’t date me, and now you’re telling me who I can and can’t add on WeChat?!”

Silence.

The background noise faded. He seemed to have moved to a quieter place.

“Are you drunk?” he asked, his voice stiff.

“Just kidding!” she giggled. “You said you had some wine, so I thought you were giving me permission to be bolder!”

“I wasn’t.”

“Fine,” she stopped teasing him. “Even though you probably don’t care, I’m going to explain. I didn’t ask for his WeChat. My friend did! It was so embarrassing! I made her buy me dinner! Besides, I’m not interested in married men! Even if he wasn’t married, I wouldn’t be interested! I’m not that kind of girl! I’m very picky! The person I like is the best of the best!” 

She paused for breath. “Happy now?”

After a long silence, “Oh.”

They were both quiet. She held the phone to her ear, almost hearing his breathing.

She shifted from sitting to lying down, the call still connected.

After a while, he said, “They’re calling me for dinner. I have to go.”

…

…

Lying in bed that night, Xu Yitong thought about Yu Ge.

He must know she liked him. She’d never hidden it.

He’s so clueless, she thought. He seemed to like her a little, too. She’d been so enthusiastic, yet his responses were always so… measured.

What if I give up? she wondered.

Then she thought, It’s fine.

Some little fish are just timid. Easy to scare.

She turned off the light, snuggling under her blanket.

Staring at a sliver of light peeking through her curtains, she thought, As long as the little fish hasn’t swum too far away, as long as I can still see it, it means it doesn’t want to escape.

It’s just hesitant, cautious, afraid of falling into a predator’s trap…

She relaxed.

She had patience, and she had confidence.

One day, she would catch that awkward, lonely little fish…

Drifting off to sleep, she made a vow.

She would cherish her little fish.

✧✧✧

Xu Yitong was summoned home for her grandfather’s birthday dinner.

A pair of elementary school-aged twins were doing homework in the living room.

“Xiao Yi (Auntie),” they greeted her politely. [Xiao Yi is a term of address for a younger aunt, or any younger female relative.]

“Still doing summer homework?” she asked, walking around them. “Summer’s over.”

“We didn’t finish, and the teacher found out” the older twin said.

“Oh dear, how embarrassing!” She picked up a lychee from a fruit platter. “Did your classmates make fun of you?”

“The teacher made us stand in the corner…” the younger twin mumbled, his voice full of委屈.

“That’s serious! You might not be able to join the Young Pioneers! All the other kids will have red scarves, but not you!” [The Young Pioneers is a youth organization in China.]

The older twin’s lip trembled, and the younger one burst into tears.

“What’s going on here?!” Chen Bolan rushed over, seeing the crying children and Xu Yitong casually eating lychees.

She picked up the younger twin. “What happened?”

“Xiao Yi said we can’t be Young Pioneers!” he wailed.

“…”

“It’s okay, baby. She was just kidding,” she soothed him.

Xu Yitong, stifling laughter, said, “I’m going to watch cartoons now. You kids have fun with your homework.”

✧✧✧

The adults were chatting in the living room. Xu Yitong greeted them all enthusiastically.

Chen Bochang and Xu Mingyi were talking.

My dad is such a suck-up in front of my uncle, she thought.

“Uncle, you look even more handsome! A true middle-aged heartthrob! Chen Yuzheng didn’t inherit any of your good looks,” she exclaimed.

Chen Bochang paused mid-sentence.

Xu Mingyi gave her a warning look.

She sat beside her grandfather. “Happy birthday, old man! I missed you!”

He chuckled, patting her head affectionately.

“Show some respect!” Xu Mingyi scolded, setting down his teacup. “Such impertinence!”

“Keep your voice down! You’ll give me a heart attack!” her grandfather warned.

“Dad, you spoil her too much,” Xu Mingyi protested.

“If I hadn’t spoiled Lanlan, would she have married you?”

“Exactly!” Xu Yitong chimed in, emboldened by her grandfather’s support.

Xu Mingyi, defeated, fell silent.

Her cousin walked over after calming down his crying sons. “Xiao Zhen, how old are you? Still bullying kids?”

“It’s fun! I want kids of my own soon,” she said, swaying back and forth.

“I already had Chen Yuzheng at your age,” Yu Yiyun chuckled.

“Where is he, anyway? Isn’t he on vacation?”

“He’s with his girlfriend.”

✧✧✧

Yu Ge woke up to a ready-made lunch.

Sitting at the table, he noticed only one place setting. “Aren’t you eating?”

“I… I have plans with a friend… Might be out all day,” Yu Nuo stammered.

“Oh,” he said, unfazed. “What time will you be back?”

“I don’t know… Maybe late…” she mumbled, her hands behind her back.

“Be safe,” he said, not asking further.

Yu Nuo quickly changed and left.

He ate his lunch alone, then washed the dishes.

It was a rare day off, but he had nothing to do. He turned on the TV, flipping through news channels.

His phone buzzed occasionally with congratulatory messages for his recent championship win. He’d glanced at them, but hadn’t replied.

He kept his phone in his hand. If Yu Nuo were home, she’d probably ask who he was waiting for. He wasn’t waiting for anyone.

His phone buzzed again.

-Roy: [Going to Yiyi’s for poker tonight. Will, Little C, and some of Yiyi’s friends will be there. Coming?]

-Fs: [No.]

Roy sent a few more messages trying to persuade him, but Yu Ge ignored them.

…

…

He woke up in the evening, his phone ringing.

He glanced at the caller ID. “Hello.”

“It’s me,” Yu Nuo said.

“Mm,” he mumbled, still groggy.

“There’s a meteor shower tonight. I’m going with friends. Don’t wait up. And don’t lock the door.”

“Okay,” he said after a moment.

His head felt heavy from sleeping too long. He sat up.

It was almost 7:30.

He turned on the light and saw her message from half an hour ago:

[What are you doing? Want to watch the meteor shower?]

✧✧✧

Arriving at the location she’d sent, he was surprised by the crowd.

The large square was packed with vendors and people.

He looked at the map she’d sent.

The crowd was like a sea of people. He’d barely taken a few steps when he was recognized by some young fans asking for photos.

He obliged.

After a few rounds of photos, he went back to his car and put on a mask.

…

…

Xu Yitong sat on a bench, scanning the night sky with her binoculars. Her arms tired, she lowered them, resting.

A sudden commotion erupted nearby.

Someone was using a drone to create a light show in the sky, a fox chasing a rabbit. Just as the fox was about to catch the rabbit, Yu Ge appeared, walking towards her through the crowd.

She ran towards him. “What’s with the mask? Are you sick?” she asked, noticing his face was partially covered.

He almost said yes, then changed his mind. “Too many people.”

“Oh, right. You’re a celebrity now,” she said understandingly.

He didn’t reply.

“Let’s go somewhere else. Less crowded,” she said, putting away her binoculars.

He followed her through a maze of narrow alleyways and into a residential complex.

“This is where my grandfather used to live. They don’t allow high-rise buildings here, so it has a great view. Perfect for watching meteors,” she explained.

“Mm,” he replied.

It was dark, with every other streetlight out of order. Tired of walking, she sat down on a set of steps in a dimly lit area. “Here’s good!”

He took off his mask and sat beside her.

“Why are you home alone today?” she asked.

“Day off.”

“No one invited you out?”

“Mm,” he said indifferently.

“Lucky me!” she grinned. “What were you doing at home?”

“Sleeping.”

“And?”

“Watching the news.”

She chuckled. “Anything else?”

His life was simple: training and matches. He rarely did anything interesting on his days off. “What about you?” he asked.

“Me?” She told him about her grandfather’s birthday dinner, her antics with the twins, and her father’s scolding. “My dad keeps saying I’m immature! He secretly watches cheesy dramas at home, and I don’t even tell anyone!”

He looked away, a smile playing on his lips.

“I’m thirsty. I forgot to bring water,” she said after her long story.

He handed her a bottle.

“Yours?” she asked.

“Unopened.”

“Thanks!” She struggled to open it.

He watched her, then stood up, about to help, when a loud crash startled them.

They both looked up.

Something was falling from the sky.

Xu Yitong froze, stunned.

“Watch out!”

He reacted instantly, pulling her towards him and shielding her head with his other hand.

She screamed, instinctively pulling his hand down to protect herself as they both lost their balance and tumbled down the steps. She heard a thud as something hit the ground nearby.

A flowerpot had narrowly missed them, shattering on the steps, sending shards of pottery flying.

“Are you okay?!” She scrambled up, frantic.

“I’m fine,” he said, wincing.

She looked up.

A figure quickly disappeared from a fourth-floor balcony.

“That assh0le!” she yelled, then took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Using her phone as a flashlight, she carefully examined his injuries.

He seemed mostly okay, except for a large, bleeding scrape on his elbow, mixed with dirt and grime.

“Why did you try to catch it?! You could have injured your hand!” she exclaimed, distressed.

He didn’t answer, bearing the pain stoically.

“I saw it. It was the fourth floor. Someone threw it deliberately,” she said, her voice tight. “I’m calling the police! This is assault!”

She started taking pictures of the broken flowerpot.

“It was a kid. Just forget it,” he said after a moment.

“So kids can just hurt people?!” she was furious.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding! It’s my fault! I should have reacted faster! Your hands are important! What if you can’t play?!”

“It’s just a scrape. Some antiseptic will be fine,” he said, his usual stoicism faltering slightly. “My hand is really okay.”

“I can see you’re hurt! Stop trying to comfort me!” she interrupted.

A few residents, hearing the commotion, looked out from their windows.

Pulling out a hair tie, she quickly tied up her hair, her protective instincts kicking in. “I don’t care if it was a kid! You’re injured! Someone has to be held responsible! I’m not letting this go!”

Searching online for information on “injury from falling objects,” she declared, “I never forget a grudge! I’m getting justice for you!”

Yu Ge stared at her, a strange expression on his face.

He sighed softly.

Then, his voice unusually gentle, he said, “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

A faint smile played on his lips. “Fourth floor.”

“Huh?” she looked at him, confused.

“Aren’t you getting justice for me?”