Easily Set Aflame – Chapter 24

Over there, Yi Wenze was about to light a cigarette. Hearing her words, he clearly paused his hand with a slight smile.

 

“Eh? Didn’t you say your idol was very high quality? How come there’s still a scandalous video of him?” As soon as mum heard secretly filmed, she immediately perked up and completely pulled over a chair to sit down.

 

“It’s not that kind of video…”

 

“Secretly filming must be that kind ba?” Mum had an I-understand expression.

 

“Of course not! He has great character!” Jia He was starting to feel muddled. Talking complete nonsense with her mouth full, “It’s called a life exposé. You don’t know that it’s popular nowadays. Fans like to see an idol’s real life. That what’s it called, Mango TV’s competition show, isn’t there going to be contestants with 72 hours of complete follow filming this year? It’s this kind of thing.” As she spoke, she desperately kicked about under the table.

 

Where was the plug? Where was the plug?!

 

Suddenly, Yi Wenze raised his head and said something to the side, like near the doorway.

 

Mum immediately questioned, “Is it starting? Who’s your idol talking to?”

 

She felt stifled in her chest, “How would I know.”

 

She desperately couldn’t find the socket. Could they have changed positions…

 

“It doesn’t look secretly filmed ah, dear girl,” mum hadn’t finished speaking before a person holding a cup had already appeared on screen, walking to stand behind Yi Wenze. He deliberately took a look at the camera, “Aiya? What’s this young man looking at?”

 

Seeing that delicate, beautiful face, Jia He was in tears of distress. She was definitely going to beat Wu Zhilun to a pulp when she saw him next…

 

Luckily, the video cut to black the very next second.

 

Mum’s ensuing words were mostly unheard by her. She only perfunctorily agreed while forcibly pushing her out. Right before leaving, granny intentionally added, “In the future, send this kind of videos to me on QQ. Since you’re a screenwriter, Feng Xiang’s would be best if you have any. I like him.”

 

“Okay, okay.” Jia He locked the door and breathed out in relief, leaning against the wall.

 

It was a very long time later before she made the call, speaking in a low apologetic voice, “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect my mum to suddenly come in.”

 

Yi Wenze very indifferently mmm-ed, “Video call again?”

 

“No need…”

 

“Did you lock the door?”

 

She mmm-ed.

 

His voice suddenly lowered, “I miss you a lot.”

 

Jia He didn’t speak. She turned this line over once in her brain then over again. This was still… the first time he had said this. His voice was still light and gentle as usual, carrying some low magnetic quality. In the past whenever she watched his confession scenes in movies, she could feel her blood pumping as she got more excited than the female lead. But now, this was the first time he was saying this to her directly.

 

With a phone separating them, over 1,400 kilometers apart, saying to her: I miss you a lot.

 

Just four words yet she subconsciously opened MSN again.

 

The camera seemed to have shifted places. From this angle you could see almost half the study. Yi Wenze poured a cup of water and walked over to sit down, simply quietly watching her without rushing to speak. Jia He rather awkwardly sat there with her gaze unconsciously drifting about until she really couldn’t stand it anymore and took a quick look at him. But one glimpse of those too unrealistic brows and eyes caused her to feel even more awkward.

 

“Is it hot in Beijing?” he suddenly asked.

 

“Not very hot.” Jia He truly didn’t dare look straight at him so she could only lower her head to see the keyboard.

 

“Any plans for tomorrow?”

 

“None for now. I’m off this weekend.”

 

She continued counting the keyboard.

 

“My flight is in the morning. I should arrive in Beijing around 12.”

 

Jia He oh-ed and continued counting the keyboard, counting and counting until she abruptly raised her head to look at him, “You’re coming to Beijing?”

 

He neither confirmed nor denied, “Have you thought about where to bring me to eat?”

 

……

 

Clearly the ensuing conversation was a dazed series of responses until she turned off the video call. Only then did she react – aside from knowing he would arrive at Terminal 3 at 12 noon, she hadn’t even asked what flight he was on. Forget it, just go to sleep first ba. She set her phone alarm to 8 am, figuring she needed an hour to get dressed and another hour to… Anyway she had to get up early.

 

And so carrying the wish of waking up early, she tossed and turned hugging her blanket until 3 am. Still energetically wide awake with eyes staring at the ceiling as she distressedly thought of smacking her head against the wall.

 

Couldn’t fall sleep no matter what…

 

The direct consequence was on the taxi the next day, she fell into such a deep sleep she nearly fainted.

 

The car hadn’t even reached the airport until shortly before 11 am. She went downstairs to buy a large cup of coffee and sat in a corner to kill time. Should she wait at the exit? Or the parking lot? Or stealthily tail from afar? She thought it over yet still hadn’t decided after half a day. She took a look at the time – just over 6 minutes had passed.

 

Cupping the paper cup in her hands, she started considering the next issue.

 

What should she call him for the first sentence?

 

Teacher Yi? Clearly not appropriate. Ah Ze? Also seemed rather odd. There happened to be a little girl behind her holding a phone, speaking in a soft tender voice, clearly chatting with her boyfriend. Just like Qiao Qiao’s habit, always calling him hubby left and hubby right. It was very sweet. She didn’t know when it started but those around her had already gotten used to addressing their boyfriends like this… Just thinking that it was Yi Wenze caused her to be completely unable to accept it. She was even more nervous.

 

She took another look at the time – only 3 minutes had passed.

 

Suddenly, her phone started ringing with a clear name flashing on the screen.

 

She gave a bad fright and swiftly picked up.

 

That side had some faint clamor, “Have you woken up?”

 

“I woke up already. Did your plane get delayed?”

 

It should be on the plane at this time. Her first reaction was that there was a delay. A later arrival would also be good, to give herself more psychological preparation time.

 

“No delays,” that side suddenly got noisy, sounding like reporter voices. There were probably fans there to pick him up too. Yet his voice was still as mild as always, instantly putting her at ease upon hearing it, “I’m waiting for you in the basement carpark. Give me a call once you’ve arrived.”

 

After speaking, he had already hung up.

 

Jia He savored these words. Could he have arrived early already? Wasn’t it 12 noon?

 

She swiftly called back, “I’m here already.”

 

Yi Wenze sounded slightly surprised, “So early?”

 

Jia He felt awkward, “I woke up early and had nothing to do at home so I came out first. How did you get here so fast?” What was going on with the Civil Aviation Administration? Usually whenever she took flights there was a 100% delay rate. Even if they saw a celebrity on board it still shouldn’t be an entire hour early ba…

 

That side, Yi Wenze should’ve been heading out. It was a while later before he said, “The flight was scheduled to land at 11:10 am. I added some extra time in case of delays because I was afraid you’d be waiting too long.”

 

Although he didn’t speak loudly, it was very clear.

 

The arrival time was 11:10 am. So that meant… he had left 50 minutes for possible delays.

 

She didn’t know how to respond. She could only clench her phone in one hand and unconsciously pinch her paper cup in the other… Until a light pop sounded and she realized the cup had been pinched out of shape by her did she softly say, “Once you’re in the car, tell me which area you’re at and I’ll come find you.”

 

“Alright, no rush. It might take some time.”

 

“It’s fine, I’ll wait for you.”

 

It was 20 minutes later when the text message came in before she truly understood the real meaning of “might take some time”. She had always gotten lost in T3’s basement carpark yet this time she unexpectedly clearly found her bearings, directly feeling her way to the location. Ah Qing was standing under the car peering around. The moment she saw Jia He, she quickly waved her hand. And once Jia He walked closer, only then did she say, “Teacher Yi is over that side. I’m leaving first.”

 

After speaking, she really did leave. Jia He blankly looked along a row of cars to find her way over and finally saw Yi Wenze sitting furthest inside. He seemed to be in the driver’s seat and it looked like he saw her.

 

With only this less-than-10-step distance left, she actually hesitated. This completely differed from a phone call. To truly have this person waiting for her in a car less than 10 steps away yet she hadn’t figured out what first sentence to say.

 

But in the end, he still seized the first line before she even sat down in the car and was considerately about to ask if he was tired from the trip when he had already naturally taken the lead to ask, “Go eat first or go to the company first?”

 

Still the same tone as if they were chatting daily on the phone.

 

Only then did she gain some sense of reality, “Let’s eat first ba. Were there a lot of reporters picking you up just now?”

 

He started the car, “Quite a few but Wu Zhilun has already brought them away.”

 

She heaved a sigh of relief and thought for a bit, “How about we go eat at your company? More private ba.”

 

“Okay.” He suddenly took a glance at her.

 

Jia He felt somewhat puzzled. She had just been about to ask what was going on when he had already reached across to help buckle her seatbelt.

 

Actually she had been worried about his leg the whole time over. Although he kept saying over the phone it was recovering very well, she ultimately still felt uneasy until seeing him drive now and finally assured herself. It was currently nice and warm. Wind blew in through the half-open window, feeling very comfortable. In just a short while, she unconsciously started dozing off. Her head nodding up and down yet she still forced herself not to fall asleep.

 

Yi Wenze looked at her with amusement so he asked, “What time did you sleep last night?”

 

Jia He answered honestly. In fact she basically hadn’t slept well the entire night.

 

“Still not used to being back in your own home?”

 

“I guess,” Jia He felt gloomy, “I don’t know why I just tossed and turned without being able to fall sleep. I squinted for a while only when I saw the sky start brightening before daybreak. Do I look very unwell?”

 

Yi Wenze took a sideways glance, “A little pale. You can take a nap once we’re at my office.”

 

Jia He mmm-ed. Her brain started continuously repeating: Take a nap, take a nap…

 

Then her face turned red.

 

After some time, she finally could persist no longer. In a drowsy, muddled state she fell asleep. By the time she awoke, the car had already parked in front of a 3-story small building. Yi Wenze simply leaned against the seat with eyes closed resting. She didn’t dare make a sound disturbing him and only lightly blinked her eyes to rehydrate her contacts. But her right eye was suddenly blurry. Her contact dropped…

 

How vexing.

 

She dejectedly rubbed her eyes before realizing Yi Wenze had already woken up, “Contact dropped out?”

 

“Usually they don’t fall out so easily. It’s probably because I didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

 

“It’s fine. I have some here.”

 

Jia He blankly looked at him.

 

He faintly smiled, “I specially brought along some spares for you in case they were needed on the spot. Much more convenient this way.”

 

Jia He oh-ed. Her brain started continuously repeating: On the spot, on the spot…

 

Then her face turned red again.

 

Support me on Ko-Fi

Table of Contents | Next Chapter

Leave a Reply