Hard to Escape - Chapter 12.3

Yin Li didn’t linger around and quickly walked off with me in his arms.

I wanted to curl up into a ball of nothingness and disappear. It’s like I went to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice I used to lure it.1 In this wretched state I didn’t have the guts to face Yin Li.

1 The idiom 偷鸡不成蚀把米 (to try to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice used to lure it) describes when one tries to gain an advantage but only ends up worse off.

Yet Yin Li didn’t seem to mind. He brought me into a guest room and entered the bathroom. He then turned the shower on and tested the water’s temperature for me before giving handing over a bathrobe and saying, “Go take a bath, don’t catch a cold.”

The clouds of steam in the bathroom turned my face red and made me feel a bit dizzy. Before stepping in, I dipped a toe into the water, my other foot still on the mat. The air around me felt like it was warping.

Yin Li was waiting for me on the sofa when I finished. I strolled over, self-consciously fiddling with the ends of my knotted bathrobe belt.

“Yin Li, will you ditch me?”

Yin Li looked at me strangely so I added, “Because only people like me get drenched in Coke, not people like Chen Qing Yan. Don’t you find me embarrassing?”

Yin Li smiled. “No, or else I wouldn’t say that you are my fiancée.”

Hearing that, I suddenly felt a bit peeved. “But why would you choose at time when I looked so miserable to say that?! In my imagination, I’d be wearing a dress that flows to my knees, my whole body glittering with pearls and precious stones in a mesmerizing dazzle, while I stand in front of reporters at a press conference and field the media’s questions. Such as “’How did you meet Yin Li, start dating, and end up as his fiancée?’ or ‘What trials have you and Yin Li gone through together as lovers?’” And then my photograph would be on all the celebrity magazine covers.”

Yin Li couldn’t help but to let out a laugh. “Then in the future I’ll host another gathering to satisfy you.”

After this discussion, my legs started to feel wobbly and the Yin Li before me split into three separate images. Each one of them stared at me with an enticing look. I had a light headache, and my self control was weakening to the point that my body and my expressions already felt like they didn’t belong to me.

I plopped down next to Yin Li, and grabbing his head, forcefully turned it to face me. I earnestly mimicked Chen Qing Yan’s mannerisms to blow him a kiss, and blabbered, “Does it look prettier when I do it or when Chen Qing Yan does it?! Mine’s prettier, right?!” Though my words were slurred, I spoke forcefully like a thug. My eyes glimmered as I pinned Yin Li with a strong stare, as if I were threatening him and strongly hinting what answer he should give.

Yin Li laughed so hard his shoulders shook. He reached out a hand to rub my head and then gave my ruddy, red left cheek a pinch. “What in the world did you just drink?”

I stretched out my fingers to count, “One of those rainbow things, a tequila sunrise- wait no, two tequila sunrises. And then one cup of some purple thing, don’t know what it was. Anyway, I liked the color!”

Yin Li’s voice wavered between laughter and tears. “Idiot. The prettier the color the stronger the drink.”

Continuing on, I said, “Yeah, I’m drunk. That’s why everything I say right now is just drunken nonsense. Then Yin Li, quickly spit it out! Don’t I look prettier than Chen Qing Yan and more elegant and more composed and more suited to you?! Doesn’t the kiss I blow have more feeling?”

Yin Li didn’t respond to my questions and simply rubbed my head. “You’re drunk, quickly go to sleep. Or else you’ll end up with a headache tomorrow.”

Yet I didn’t relent. “You think I’m dumb, isn’t that right?! Angering me to death! That Chen Qing Yan! Damned vixen! Damned cheater! She can’t even understand ‘first come first serve!’ Your fiancee’s unconscious in the hospital yet she shamelessly dares to come seduce you. Infuriating! That shaken-up can of coke today obviously should have been for her to open. Why’d I end up with it?!”

The more Yin Li heard the more stumped he was as to what expression he should show. He just tenderly hugged my head against his chest and then kissed the tip of my nose. “That really seems like something you’d do.”

I retorted, “So what?! Is it really stupid?!”

Yin Li laughed, “Indeed it is.” Then he added in a low voice, “But I like it.”

I smugly said, “Sounds about right.” Then I crooked my head and complained with a frown, “Wearing heels today was so painful I could die. Clearly the size was right, but why does it feel weird when I put it on?”

“Does it still hurt?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, I wore it the whole night. Even my toes still hurt.”

Yin Li released me and had me stay on the sofa. Then he fetched a tub of hot water. “Come on, move your feet over.”

I stuck my feet in the tub, and the warm swirling water seemed to calm every fiber of my body. Yin Li helped me rub the swollen soles of my feet. I let out a few comfortable groans.

But Yin Li didn’t release his hand. He started rhythmically massaging the tension out of my feet and calves. Although I was still tipsy from the alcohol, I still had enough clarity to feel slightly embarrassed. I tried to push Yin Li away but he merely smiled and continued.

I saw my feet in the water. They weren’t by any means pretty to look at. I don’t know if it was because of the accident, but my toes and insteps were clearly deformed, making it impossible for my feet to have that pale and slender beauty. It was also because of this that high heels were always uncomfortable for me.

I couldn’t help but blurt out in disgust, “So ugly.” But Yin Li actually sternly corrected me. “Yan Xiao, your feet aren’t ugly. I’m more grateful to them than you are, for allowing you to stand again, for allowing me to meet the current you.”

Afterwards, Yin Li carried me back to my soft and comfy bed. The only thing I remember before falling asleep was him standing by my bed to turn off the lamp. In the darkness, I vaguely heard him sigh and say, “Sometimes, I really ought to be grateful for that accident.”

Before I had the chance to ask which accident he was referring to, I could no longer fight off my drowsiness and quickly sank into the land of dreams.

Author’s Note:

A man that washes his girl’s feet~ It’s not the least bit girly~ In fact, in terms of generosity, it’s a very manly thing. Those who grow up in a chauvinistic world and abuse their wives are the ones who shouldn’t exist in society. They beat those who are weaker than them to establish their dominance. Of course, I feel like the guys who have a strong exterior yet also have a soft and sinister heart are very very cute AHHHH! (I’ve never revealed it, but I kinda like those scumbags.) *flips hair*~

Lemme recommend my friend’s novel. Those who like campus settings check it out:

Candle: In awe at Yan Xiao’s ability to drink. 4 cocktails including 2 tequila sunrises…bruh

Niang Niang: [Looks at Yan Xiao’s liver.] In awe at the size of this absolute unit

Chapter end