Chapter 50: Hand in Hand (2 of 2)
When the car is near the station, Jin Xi pats Han Chen’s hand, “I’ll get off here and walk over.”
Han Chen places both of hands on the steering wheel and says without raising an eyebrow, “Come with me directly. I’ll let our superiors know.”
There’s no way that Jin Xi would be willing to let him do that! She knows that Han Chen isn’t trying to be high-profile about this, but he’s used to having everything his own way, so since he has found his fiancée, he doesn’t care about others or anything else.
But she cares. She doesn’t want to be the subject of discussion. If they can avoid such troubles, why not avoid it?
Therefore, she turns her head and looks at him directly, “Han Chen, promise me. Let’s keep this a secret for the time being. We’ve just gotten together, so why cause a riot to bother us? I’ve already told Xiao Zhuan to keep his mouth shut, so don’t tell anyone else today.”
Han Chen taps his finger on the steering wheel and doesn’t say anything.
Jin Xi leans over, kisses his cheek and says gently, “Han Chen……just listen to me this time, okay?”
He finally shifts his gaze towards her while unbuttoning the topmost button of his shirt.
“Were you always this good at acting affectionately?” he asks softly.
Jin Xi’s face flushes immediately, “Who’s trying to be affectionate. Hurry and stop the car!”
Nevertheless, Han Chen drops her off at the intersection before the station. Jin Xi looks left and right cautiously while greeting other colleagues calmly on her way. When she makes it to the office, she sees Han Chen is already sitting down and reading the newspaper. Only Cold Face is here; Chatterbox and Xiao Zhuan haven’t made it yet.
Jin Xi walks in naturally, “Good morning Leader! Good morning Cold Face!”
Han Chen’s face is still behind the newspapers, “Mm.” Cold Face remains quiet as usual and only nods at her.
Jin Xi is very satisfied with this outcome.
After a while, she gets up to make some tea. She glances and sees that Han Chen’s cup is empty. Thinking about how he’s been cooperating with her so well today, she should probably pacify him. Therefore, she picks up his cup, “Leader, I’ll make you a cup as well.”
Han Chen looks up at her.
Their eyes meet. Jin Xi feels her heart pound. She presses her lips together lightly and walks away.
But she overestimates her ability to hold hot water. She can feel the boiling heat on her fingertips and palms as she holds onto two cups. She walks over to his desk quickly and places them down.
Han Chen raises his head and sees her frowning slightly while holding both of her hands up to blow on them. In the light, her face is fair white and her slender fingertips are slightly red; he’s not sure if she got burned.
The image of last night springs into Han Chen’s mind immediately. She was in his embrace and her face was red from being kissed by him. His heart ripples. He puts down the newspapers and grabs her fingers.
“Got burned?”
Jin Xi stares at him with her eyes wide open. She takes a quick peek at Cold Face and then tries to signal Han Chen with her eyes. But Han Chen just won’t let go of her hands. He rubs her fingers with his long and fair white fingers.
“It’s okay. Cold Face knows.”
Jin Xi’s body is completely stiff.
But her face is blushing harder now.
She turns her head to look at Cold Face.
Cold Face coughs lightly. He can’t help but smile, revealing his small dimples.
“Don’t mind me,” he says, indicating his stance on this.
Jin Xi feels quite embarrassed after seeing how natural they acted together. Yet she was pretending to be all righteous and enthusiastic, drawing a line between herself and Han Chen in front of Cold Face.
This is too detestable!
She shakes off Han Chen’s hands, picks up her cup and goes back to her seat.
In the next instance, she places her hand on the edge of Cold Face’s table and threatens, “Don’t you dare tell anyone!” She looks up and glances at Han Chen. He’s clearly not looking this way. He doesn’t even care!
Cold Face smiles, “I won’t.”
Jin Xi is satisfied with this answer. She sucks on her fingers that are still slightly red and starts to read the newspapers.
After a while, Xiao Zhuan arrives. The moment he walks in, he glances at her and then at Han Chen. His expression is complicated and a bit depressed from feeling wronged. Jin Xi doesn’t sit and wait. She gets up immediately and drags him into the pantry area to talk secretly.
They finish chatting after ten or so minutes.
Xiao Zhuan’s expression and mood have changed completely.
Excited, worked up, touched, and heartache……as if he has just been through a heartrending love relationship facing a life and death situation! Jin Xi’s expression is still very calm. He, on the other hand, walks out with a face full of determination. He pats Jin Xi’s shoulder and then walks to Han Chen’s desk suddenly. Jin Xi tries to pull him back frantically but can’t.
“Leader!” he says in a serious manner, “From now on, I will be your full-time supporter! Please rest assured a hundred and twenty percent! I will always stand on your side!”
Jin Xi rubs her forehead helplessly. Cold Face continues busying himself as if he hasn’t heard anything.
Han Chen lifts his eyes to look at him and then at Jin Xi. He smiles nonetheless, “Thanks.”
Chatterbox has already arrived at the office for a while. He asks feeling puzzled by this scene, “Xiao Zhuan, what’s gotten into you suddenly? Why are you confessing to Leader? I’ll have to confess as well then!”
Jin Xi makes eye contact with Xiao Zhuan, signaling him to back away quickly. But Xiao Zhuan looks at Chatterbox with a sorrowful face, “You don’t understand at all!”
Everybody is speechless, “……”
As the only person who doesn’t know what’s going on, Chatterbox ruffles his hair to express his confusion.
But no one bothers about him. Everybody returns to their seats and starts working. Xiao Zhuan seems especially energetic today as he flips through page after page of information furiously.
After a while, Jin Xi suddenly remembers that she still has half a pack of cigarette in her pocket that Han Chen threw away. She takes it out and throws it onto Chatterbox’s table.
Since they’re Suyan (brand name), everybody knows that they’re from Han Chen. Therefore, she says in a lazy voice, “Leader gave me a pack. I’m sharing half with you.”
The others aren’t watching them. Chatterbox picks up the squished up package and laughs out loud cheerfully.
“Hehhehheh……he gave you a whole pack?…..” he opens his drawer to reveal two big sealed boxes of Suyan, “These were just given to me by Leader. Two boxes! Two whole boxes!”
Jin Xi is stunned. She turns and looks at Han Chen. He’s also looking at her with calm eyes. It’s basically telling her: weren’t you the one telling me to quit smoking?
Chatterbox is surely someone who likes to show off. He looks at Xiao Bai and caresses the boxes of cigarettes in the drawer, “Xiao Bai, it looks like you’re not that important in Leader’s heart after all! Hahaha! Don’t be jealous of me now!”
Jin Xi stares at his glowing face and lets out a laugh suddenly.
The corners of Cold Face’s mouth also curves up. Xiao Zhuan is still immersed in his own emotions, so he looks at Chatterbox like he’s looking at an idiot.
After a while, Han Chen, who’s working with his head down, also smiles slowly.
_____
The morning passes quickly. Just when everyone is about to head down for lunch, Han Chen receives a call from Qin Wen Long.
Chatterbox watches his back view. He then slaps his thigh and says to everybody, “Oh crap. Leader Qin loves to eat, so unless it’s something extremely urgent, nothing can stop him from eating lunch. Since he’s calling for our Leader at this time, it must be something big.”
The others honestly haven’t noticed that “Qin Wen Long loves to eat,” so they can only believe half of what he’s saying.
In the end, just when they sit down at the cafeteria, Cold Face receives a phone call from Han Chen, “Three serial killing cases have just appeared in the South city district. Come immediately.”