Chapter Seven: The First Night
After Banxia finished washing the dishes, night had already fallen. Inside the house, there was only a small candle and an oil lamp. For two people accustomed to the dazzling lights of the city, this was truly uncomfortable. On the third time Banxia stubbed her toe against something, Gan Sui finally couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Sit down for now, I’ll bring you the water. It’s too dark in here—we’ll have to buy another oil lamp tomorrow.”
“Wouldn’t candles do?”
“Candles are too expensive. We can’t afford them right now.”
Gan Sui poured the water from the pot into a basin for Banxia to soak her feet. As she soaked, Banxia asked, “Boss, do you kind of hate me? You used to drive a Cayenne, and now—well, it’s not about the Cayenne anymore, but even eating has become a problem.” She buried her head in her knees, her voice muffled.
“It’s alright. It doesn’t make much difference to me where I live. What about you? Do you want to go home?”
“I do. I want to check my social media, I want to eat spicy snacks, I want to play ‘Love and Producer.’ I still haven’t drawn my ‘Deeper than the Sea’ card. I haven’t kissed my virtual husband Xu Mo today. I really want to play with my phone…”
“Keep dreaming.”
“Boss, you’re so cold. Just like Li Zeyan. This kind of aloof persona is outdated—now it’s all about the sweet puppy types.”
“Shut up. You’re noisy.”
When it was time to sleep, Banxia realized that the most awkward thing in the world wasn’t marrying a stranger—it was having to share a bed with that stranger on your very first night. Because in this house, there was only one bed.
Gan Sui came in carrying the oil lamp and something else in his hand. Seeing Banxia standing dumbly by the bed, he said, “Why are you just standing there? Sit down.”
“S-sit? For what? Isn’t it a bit too fast?”
“I really want to crack open your head and see if it’s full of nonsense. I told you to sit down.”
Banxia forced a laugh. “Alright, alright, I’ll sit.”
Gan Sui set the oil lamp on the table beside them. “Lift your shirt.”
Banxia clutched her clothes tightly. “You beast, what are you trying to do to me?”
“Relax, I have no interest—for now—in flat-chested, underage girls like you. Did you scrape your stomach on the tree? I found some herbs. Put them on, it’ll heal faster.”
“Boss, what did you do before? How do you know all these things?” Banxia took the medicine, making small talk.
“Murder and robbery.”
“I don’t believe you,” Banxia pouted.
“Move in a bit. There’s only one quilt. Let’s hope you don’t steal it in the night.”
“I won’t. I sleep very quietly.”
They lay down.
Banxia started fidgeting.
“Are you going to sleep or not?”
“I can’t fall asleep. I usually stay up until after one. Boss, let’s chat.”
“Don’t want to. Go to sleep.”
“Just a little. Listen, when I was in fourth grade, my grandpa died while away on a mission. When I was in seventh grade, my dad died too. My mom is a bit superstitious, so she thinks I bring misfortune to the family. As soon as my dad died, she disappeared. My grandma raised me, but she passed away when I started college. Maybe I really am a little cursed. See, as soon as I met you, you lost your life too.”
“Yesterday morning I watched a TV show. There was a line in it that I thought was pretty good: ‘There’s no real reason for death, it’s just coincidence. We’re only alive by coincidence too. As long as we’re alive, we shouldn’t treat death as something unlucky.’ So I think there’s no such thing as being cursed or not. It’s all just fate… Are you crying?”
“I’m not…”
With her nose all stuffy, who would believe that? Gan Sui gently pulled her into his arms, patting her softly. “It’s alright now, it’s all in the past.”
“Gan Sui…”
“Hmm?”
“I forgot to wash my hair tonight.”
“Hmm?”
“I think there’s still a smell of chicken poop on my head.”
“…If I comfort you again, I’m a pig. Get up and wash your hair before you come back.”
“I don’t want to. I want to sleep now.”
“Hurry up!”
“Alright.”