Go Sit In The Corner

It turned out that "next week" became a full month. Xin Tuyong didn't want to bother Fan Qentian, but the watch was precious to him.

He texted him once a week for it, but got the same general response each time: I'm still working on it. I'll give it back soon.

Tired of waiting and needing it back for his next meeting, Xin Tuyong finally just told Fan Qentian to bring it back to him, fixed or not. He needed it urgently and felt like he'd been robbed without it.

He sent the address and waited. Late in the evening, his phone buzzed.

[I'm here. Open up.] It was Fan Qentian.

Huan Mao was still at work, but she was expected to come home within the hour. He hoped to get the watch and have Fan Qentian leave before he could cause trouble.

Opening the door, he greeted his old friend.

"Here it is." He passed the watch to him.

"Thank you-" Xin Tuyong was just about to close the door when Fan Qentian pressed him aside and entered the house, looking around with wide eyes.

"Nice place! Is your boss home? I really want to see who would be," he lowered his voice, "so f***ing crazy."

"My boss is not home and won't be here for a while. It's getting late and I'm going to bed soon. Shouldn't you be heading home?"

"Is that any way to talk to your senior?" Fan Qentian half-joked. "Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"

Xin Tuyong sighed and got his friend a glass of water. Something was up, and he couldn't get rid of Fan Qentian.

After having a drink, Fan Qentian wanted to use the bathroom, then wanted to take a tour, then wanted to this and that, and before long, Xin Tuyong heard the front door open.

He and Fan Qentian returned to the front hall and tried to look casual as Huan Mao entered. She greeted them with a smile on her face, but Xin Tuyong felt that he would be in trouble.

He hadn't told anyone that there would be a visitor because in all honesty, he himself didn't expect his friend to barge in like that.

"What a surprise! You must be a friend of Xin Tuyong's?" Huan Mao directed the question at Fan Qentian.

"Yes, I'm Fan Qentian. And you are..?"

"I'm Minnie*. I'm the owner of this house, nice to meet you." Xin Tuyong almost choked in surprise, but controlled his expression.

Momentary surprise showed on his face. "Nice to meet you too."

"Well, Fan Qentian was just about to go. He just came to drop something off and he's heading out." Xin Tuyong slung his arm around Fan Qentian's shoulders as he firmly led him to the door. "It was nice seeing you. Have a good night."

Fan Qentian had a strange look on his face. "Yeah... goodnight."

Almost as soon as Fan Qentian closed the door, Huan Mao called Xin Tuyong over. Her lighthearted smile from before was all but gone.

Dread pooled in his body as he approached her, looking anywhere but her eyes. Her cold aura chilled him to the bone, even though the temperature was mild.

After a moment of thick silence, she spoke, slowly enunciating each syllable. "Xin Tuyong, Please don't bring visitors here. What did your friend bring?"

His mouth felt dry. It was like the closeness they'd built up disappeared and stretched them further apart. "I'm sorry, I just let him borrow my watch and he brought it back. I didn't expect him to come in and I couldn't stop him." He lowered his eyes.

She let out a contemplative sigh. "Give it to me." He looked up in confusion. She repeated, "Give me the watch. Let me look at it."

He handed it over with a guilty conscience. Huan Mao monitored his expression and laughed dryly.

"Oh. So you know." He nodded shamefully as she inspected the watch carefully at all angles, turning it over in her hands. "Stay right there. I'll be back."

She disappeared upstairs then reappeared a few minutes later, empty handed. Xin Tuyong felt cold with guilt. He didn't mean to do anything bad. Besides, she was the one tracking him without permission. Who was she to blame him?

She took his hand in both of hers and gazed through his soul. "This is just the first time, right?"

"Yes." His voice sounded weak to his ears.

Her expression softened and she softly said, "It's okay, you're not in trouble. I just need you to know that not everyone is as kind as you think they are. Your friend could use the information you give him against you. I just want everyone to be safe."

That didn't make any sense. Fan Qentian helped him restart his life-- no, he saved his life. How could he ever hurt him? It didn't make sense at all.

* Huan Mao gave him an English nickname, not her real name.