It was already eleven in the evening. Mo Wenbin went to his room to wake Guangxi up. However the boy was sound asleep.
Chen Linyun suggested to carry him on his back.
Before Xue Jingxu can refuse, he already swung him against his shoulder and onto his back.
They headed to Xue Jinxu's unit in the third floor. The hallway was empty, only the three of them could be spotted there.
She was wearing a long-sleeved white dress and heels. He was wearing a pastel green knitted T-shirt. He looked casual and comfortable. They kept on walking towards the elevator.
"We were like this before." Chen Linyun commented.
Xue Jinxu was confused. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, hinting that she did not understand what he meant.
"The first time we met."
"Oh. Really?" she laughed lightly. "I must have been a pain in the ass."
Chen Linyun laughed too. "A bit. A beautiful pain in the ass." He gave her a side glance.
"What a coincidence that we live in the same apartment complex right?" Xue Jinxu actually found it odd. She was thinking that somehow it was premediated.
This time they already reached the elevator. She pushed the number three.
"Our apartment was arranged by the company. We were originally hired from Canada so when we moved here, they also took care of our lodging."
"When did you move here?"
"Over a month ago."
"I see."
The elevator opened to the third floor. Just around the corner to the right was Apartment 301. It was Xue Jinxu's apartment.
She opened the door and guided the man who was carrying Guangxi on his back. "You can put him on the sofa."
"Where's his room?"
"U-uhm, there." pointing to the direction of the guest room. He went straight to where she had pointed at. On the bed, he gently laid the sleeping beauty.
"I'll go ahead now."
"Thank you so much for the help. Please teach Guangxi well in your future sessions. I'll leave him in your hands."
"I will. I'll do my best."
"Thanks."
When he left the apartment, she prepared to take a bath and change into more comfortable home clothes. Her feet were sore from wearing high heels all day. She changed into slippers. She started filling the bath tub with water.
She reached for the zipper at the back of her dress. It unzipped smoothly until it stopped moving in the middle. She tried to pull harder but the zipper was caught. She pulled even harder.
She was starting to sweat with the effort and panic that she was facing. She went to the guest room.
"Guanxi, Guangxi." She tapped his shoulder lightly. She also tapped her thigh. "Wake up help me please!" She whispered beggingly.
"Mhmm – mhmm." Guangxi moved slightly, bit his lower lip then turned on his side facing the other side of the room. He remained asleep.
"Oh my! Should I just cut it with scissors? But this dress is pretty." She closed her eyes helplessly. She was feeling tired with this senselessness.
She decided to call for other's help. She could only think of one person.
-----
Chen Linyun was almost near his apartment's door. His phone vibrated as he received a text. He was surprised to see her name. Xue Jinxu. "I'm sorry, I might be needing some urgent help. Can you go back here?" the text message read.
He took a U-turn. Not very long he found himself again in the living room of the lady's apartment.
"What can I help you with?" he said.
The girl turned around, her slightly hunched back, facing him. Her long jet black hair was completely swept sideways and was secured by both her hand on her left shoulder. She tilted her head towards direction but she maintained her lowered gaze towards the floor. Her long curly eyelashes fluttered gracefully.
He noticed the slightly unzipped dress. The zipper was already down by around two inches in the middle of her back.
'What exactly does she want me to do?' He was thinking of the possibilities. He was so stiff but his head ran wild. 'Does she want to… I mean.. It's too out of her character.' His face and ears were too hot and red.
"Would you mind pulling it down?" Her voice broke his thoughts. His eyes widened in shock.
"It seemed stuck. I'm sorry. I tried many times already, I also tried to wake up Guangxi all to no avail. I can't think of any other way. Sorry I dragged you into this." Her voice was shaky. She was near tears.
"Alright." Chen Linyun agreed.
He closed the distance between them. Without further ado, he gingerly pinched the zipper with his index and thumb. He tugged it downwards. There was resistance. He lowered his gaze a little more.
"There were some loose threads that had been caught up in between the zipper's teeth."
He tried for a second time this time with a little more strength. Still it did not move.
For the third time, he pulled too hard. The zipper finally slid down. However he used too much force that the dress almost fell down to the ground.
"Aahh!" Xue Jinxu grabbed the front of her dress. She was just in time in securing that the dress did not completely fall off.
Chen Linyun was caught off-guard. He was bending low, and found himself staring to the exposed back of this lady. Her shoulder and back up to the level if her waist was open that it even revealed her black lacey undergarment. Its contrast from her pale white skin was alluring.
He so abruptly turned around. "If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
The girl was so embarrassed but she could not move. She was planted on the ground. She buried her face on both her palms. He heard a muffled "En. Thanks."
His eyes, cheeks and ears were burning. No, his whole body was burning.
He took one step, two steps.. He was only a step from the front door, but he halted his strides. Chen Linyun did not know what he was doing but went straight towards her direction again.
The girl still had her face buried on both her hands.
It was as if Chen Linyun was on autopilot. He walked toward her but passed through her. Xue Jinxu was stupefied of his movements. She was expecting him to be long gone by now, yet here he was even approaching her.
'What was he planning to do?' She was scared shit.
However, Chen Linyun did not even look at her and went past her. He was in autopilot mode.
The layout of her apartment, being in the same building, was extremely similar to the one the men own downstairs. Chen Linyun went straight to the bedroom.
Afraid, Xue Jinxu closed her eyes and waited of what will happen next. She could not move from where she was standing. She could hear noises from her bedroom, which seemed opening and closing of cabinets. He must have been at the walk-in closet.
After a good while he emerged and threw a towel on her back. She grabbed the edges of the towel draped across her shoulders.
Xue Jinxu heard a low voice, "'Kay. Bye." Then the door was slammed shut.