"Really?" Li Mumu let out an evil laugh and Li Hua fluttered her eyes at her.
" Goodnight sister" Li Mumu cooed and slammed the door in Li Hua's face.
Li Hua heard the door being locked from inside and that was when she understood what was happening. Li Mumu has locked her outside.
She quickly dipped her hand into her handbag and brought her phone out to call her father but to her disappointment, her phone battery has died earlier ago.
She checked the time on her wristwatch and learned that it was 7:35 pm.
She hit the door with her hands hoping someone will hear her but all her effort were fruitless. She let out a thwarted sigh and went back to her car. She unlocked the car door and got inside. She was freezing from the cold and she needed warmness.
After sitting in the car for twenty minutes, hoping someone would open the door, her stomach growled. She turned the ignition on and drove out to get some food.
She drove unhurriedly out of the neighborhood looking for somewhere to have crabs and lobsters. The street was quite busy with people walking in pairs and laughing. The lights from the walkways and cars illuminated everywhere and all Li Hua wanted right that moment was to eat some food and enjoy the night view.
Her car came to a halt by the roadside. She looked outside her window and saw a mini restaurant with the name ' Midnight Eater's'. A smile crept into Li Hua's face when she saw that lobsters and crabs were listed in their food. She quickly unbuckled her seat belt and opened her car door.
When she got out of her car, the cool night breeze prickled her skin and she wrapped her arms around herself. Wearing just a low-neck yellow top and blue pants, she might get cold from the breeze.
She started approaching the entrance of the restaurant with her head hung down when she suddenly bumped into a masculine chest.
" I'm sorry" she apologized.
She sniffled the faint mint scent in the air and the first thing that came to her mind was 'Why is he here? ' but then she convinced herself that another person could have the same scent as him.
" Ugly Li Hua" She heard the familiar voice call and she froze on her steps. Her heart raced in her chest and she constantly inhale and exhale to calm herself down.
One part of her body was happy that he was there and another part of her body was not ready to deal with him.
" Hey!" She turned around and gave him a wry smile.
" Are you on a date?" Quan Qiang who was wearing a down jacket asked and Li Hua rolled her eyes at him.
" Why do you care?" She answered with a question.
" Just asking" Quan Qiang replied and glanced at her bare arms.
" If you're not on a date, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at home?" Quan Qiang probed.
" I'm here to get food," Li Hua said with an angry tone and dashed inside the restaurant. What she didn't expect was that Quan Qiang would also dash in behind her.
He drew a chair and sat opposite her. He wrapped his hands across his chest and tap his foot on the floor.
" Why do you look upset?" He asked not taking his gaze away from her face.
" Why do you care?" Li Hua snorted and picked the menu from the table.
" Who said I cared! " Quan Qiang smirked and turned to face the waiter.
" I want what she wants," He told him and the waiter nod his head.
Li Hua showed no sign of surprise because she has gotten used to him having the same food she was having.
An awkward silence occurred between them as they both looked outside the foggy window.
" Why are you here?" Li Hua asked.
" To get food" Quan Qiang replied with just three words. He wondered what could have made her so miserable tonight.
" Why didn't you eat at home?" He asked her and she bite her lips.
" Can we not talk about it? Does it matter where I eat?" She asked him and Quan Qiang raised his hands in resignation. Seeing the angry look on her face, he knew better not to upset her.
Whatever her reason for not eating at home has nothing to do with him. So he let the discussion drop.
The waiter came back with their food and placed them on the table. Li Hua who has been famished dug into her food and filled her mouth with lobsters.
Quan Qiang picked on his food and peeked at her. Somehow, watching her eat like a child was kind of satisfying.
He dropped his chopsticks and washed his hands in a bowl of water. He picked the crabs, started peeling them, and placed them on her plates.
He will seldom push a glass of water towards her and nudge her to drink.
All this while none of them mentioned a word. They just ate in silence.
Li Hua noticed his gesture and she felt warm in her heart. This was the first time she was receiving this kind of treatment. No one has ever peeled her crabs for her when eating.
She gulped down the glass of water and Quan Qiang placed his lobster on her plate.
" Eat more. You need the energy" He told her.
" What do you mean by that? " Li Hua asked with her mouth filled with lobster and a frown on her face.
" Your thoughts are very dirty" Quan Qiang replied and Li Hua ignored him and continued eating.
She finished the lobster on her plate and dabbed her oily mouth with a napkin while breathing heavily.
" Taste delicious" she beamed as she reached for her handbag to get her card.
" I already paid, " Quan Qiang said and got up from his chair.
" Drive home safely," He told her and started walking out of the restaurant but Li Hua ran after him.
" Wait for me!" She shouted and he stopped at the entrance.
" I was locked outside by my sister," she said and panted heavily from running after him.
" And you don't have anywhere to go" Quan Qiang completed her statement for her.
" Kind of" she replied.
" Why not sleep in your car?" He suggested and Li Hua waved her hands in disagreement.
" It's not safe. I can't" she opposed immediately.
" Are you scared? I thought you were the almighty Li Hua" Quan Qiang mocked.
" Not tonight" she muttered.
" Where's your car? " Quan Qiang asked.
" Over there," Li Hua said and pointed at her car.
" Let's go to my place," He told her and her eyes widened.
" No we can't" she refused.
" Do you have anywhere else to go? " Quan Qiang asked her and she remained silent.
" Or do you want the flower stealers to come to steal yours?"
" Eh.. let's go to your place but no... " She grabbed his hand and quickly let it go.
" Your thoughts are very dirty" Quan Qiang flicked Li Hua's forehead and she squinted her eyes at him, trying not to giggle.
They got into her car and drove to Quan Qiang's place. It was a condo that was on the fifth floor of the building.
" So you have an apartment and you chose to live in the hospital" Li Hua broke the silence as they rode the elevator.
" Does it matter? Besides, it's kind of lonely here" Quan Qiang replied.
They arrived at the fifth floor and Quan Qiang opened the door to his quarters. Li Hua was amazed when she stepped into the living room. Small, cozy, and comfortable. The couch was all neatly arranged.
" Your apartment looks great" she exclaimed and dropped her bag on the couch.
Quan Qiang pulled his jacket and kicked his shoes out of his feet.
Li Hua sat on the couch and looked around the sitting room and she suddenly have the urge to rent an apartment too.
" I'm going to take my shower," Quan Qiang told her and left the sitting room. Li Hua stared at his retreating and let out a sigh of relief.
She was uncomfortable, feeling the tension between them when he was in the living room besides, they were not good friends.
She removed her shoes from her legs and lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. She could have gone to Tao Mei's place but Tao left town for her mother's place.
Going to Ye Zeghai's place was not an option either because he would misunderstand it for something else.
She heard the sound of running water from the next room and that was when she realized she haven't had her bath.
A few minutes later, Quan Qiang walked into the sitting room wearing white pajamas with a white mini towel in his hand.
Li Hua opened her eyes and saw water dripping from his hair down to his white collarbone and she gulped hard.
Quan Qiang caught her peeking at him and his lips spread into a smile.
" Can't get enough?" He asked her and she quickly looks away feeling embarrassed.
" I've seen better " Li Hua replied and Quan Qiang's eyes popped.
" You shameless woman" Quan Qiang pointed his fingers at her and Li Hua pouted at him before walking towards the bathroom.
Immediately she entered the bathroom, she was welcomed with steam coming from the bathtub and her heart bubbled with warmth.
She quickly undressed and climbed into the tub that was prepared for her by Quan Qiang. She washed her body and hair and wrapped a pink towel that she found on the shelf around her chest.
She saw the same pair of pajamas Quan Qiang wore hanging on the hanger. She touched it and felt its softness in her palm before putting them on.
She dried her hair and opened the door to see Quan Qiang standing there with his head resting on the door frame.
" How long have you been here?" She asked with her face flushed.
" For the past fifteen minutes." He replied casually and Li Hua frowned.
" Did you peek at me? " She asked and point towards the bathtub.
" I saw everything" Quan Qiang replied and Li Hua let out a scream.