Part Two
Just like Cinderella, Xi Men took me home before midnight. We were still inside his car which was parked in front of my apartment building. I’m not proud to tell you this but I was laughing all the way home. Xi Men was not amused at all and kept begging me to stop it. Every time he pleaded I ended up laughing more. I saw him rolling his eyes and sighing.
You might wonder why I was laughing so hard at the expense of my boyfriend. Well, it was because of the “surprise gift” he had for me after our dinner. But first let me just tell you where we ate dinner.
Xi Men brought me to the Highline at The Ascott*. Super fancy restaurant indeed. If I had known Xi Men was bringing me there I would have chosen a more sophisticated attire. Xi Men said it didn’t matter. No one’s going to notice. To which I retorted, “Yeah, because everyone will be looking at you.” He erupted a bark-like laughter.
A waiter welcomed us at once and directed us to our table. I could tell that Xi Men had been here before. The waitstaff seemed to be familiar with him. I admit to feeling a pang of jealousy. But that’s neither here or there.
The dinner was as romantic as can be. I have no solid experience about dating but Xi Men sure did give me a wonderful evening. After all, he is the most “dangerous, frivolous and flirtatious” guy in F4. At least that’s how I remembered Shan Cai describing him to me to sway me to avoid him. Anyway, we left the restaurant and walked a few blocks while holding hands. I don’t know which made me shiver more: the cold air or the giddy feeling that’s been building up inside me. I finally got the man of my dreams. All is perfect in the world. Or not.
We stopped walking once we reached this street corner. Xi Men told me that he wanted our first date to be a special memory. He looked up to the building across the street and I can see that he was suddenly upset. I didn’t know what was going on but Xi Men was acting strange. He even wanted to buy me flowers.
Then across the street something flashed so bright. It was a beating heart. I was so enthralled by it that I blabbered on that it must be a special gift for a girl from her awesome boyfriend. I should have sensed right then and there why Xi Men was so flustered. No wonder when I suggested we took a photo together he didn’t look happy.
I didn’t know what came over me at that very moment but the only way I could think of to make him happy again was to kiss him. I grabbed his collar and pulled him in for a kiss. As he kissed me back, I clicked on my camera and took a photo of us.
So, there we were kissing on the street when we were interrupted by Qing He and Li Zhen.
“Xi Men!” Qing He called out loud. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He kept bowing to Xi Men.
Just when I thought I’d made my boyfriend happy, he was upset once again. No thanks to Qing He.
“Qing He, Li Zhen, what are you two doing here?” I asked.
“Xiao You,” Qing He looked at me apologetically. “I’m sorry.” He turned to Xi Men again. “Xi Men-laoshi…Ta-Ge…I’m so sorry.” Then he knelt down.
“Chen Qing He! Get up!” Xi Men scolded him. “What are you doing?”
“No, no, no, no, no!!! I will not get up unless you have forgiven me for my blunder tonight.”
“What is he talking about?” I asked Xi Men.
“It’s nothing.” He gave me a sweet smile.
“It’s definitely not nothing.” Qing He blurted out still kneeling. “I ruined your date tonight. It’s all my fault.”
“Ruined? What does Qing He mean by that Xi Men?” I was getting confused here.
I glanced at Li Zhen who was by now trying to suppress a giggle.
Xi Men heaved a sigh. After he explained everything, I could only laugh at him and Qing He. And laughing still even when we reached my place.
“C’mon Xiao You. Can you stop laughing now?” He looked so serious. I immediately ceased laughing.
“I’m sorry.”
He got out of the car and opened the door for me.
“Thank you.”
“Well, it’s almost midnight. You should go up now. I promised your mother I’d bring you home before midnight,” he said.
Xi Men watched me walked to the main entrance. He didn’t even say goodnight to me. Was he angry at me? Did I ruin our first date because I was laughing at him? I turned around to take one last look at him and say goodnight but instead I was pulled in for a kiss. I didn’t even hear Xi Men walking behind me.
From the way he was kissing me, he certainly wasn’t angry at all.
“To make our first date as special and memorable as can be,” he whispered.
“Any date of ours will always be special and memorable,” I replied. “Especially when you asked for Qing He’s help.”
He chuckled. “I promise never to ask Qing He’s help in the future.”
I giggled.
He ended up accompanying me upstairs. Rather than rode the elevator we climbed all the way to the tenth floor. Us and stairs. It’s our thing.
I had unlocked the door to my apartment. “Goodnight Xi Men.”
“Goodnight Xiao You.”
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. I was just about to change footwear when I heard a gentle knocking on the door.
“Xi Men, why are you still here?”
“For this.” He pulled me in for another kiss. “That’s for initiating our first two kisses.” He snickered.
“Ni---"
“Wan an.” Then he actually left.
~END~
* Location information from findingdaomingsi on Instagram
