The Rice Pot Next Door

Untitled Part 20

Chapter 37: Misinterpret

Lan Shan stares hard at the bright red invitation card as if trying to bore 2 holes through it. Qiao Feng is curious. "Whose wedding invite is this? Don't you like it?"

Lan Shan dumps the card on the tea set. "There is a creature in this world called 'ex-boyfriend'."

Qiao Feng takes the card and flips open to read it. Everything is printed except for Lan Shan's name which is handwritten with a 0.7mm felt-tip pen in curved, equal strokes. He nods. "The handwriting is good."

Lan Shan frowns. "Hey!"

"But," he continues, "although the words are neat, the writer did not exert much force when writing and the writing style is conservative without flare. Judging by his handwriting, your ex seems to have a rather weak personality."

Lan Shan is amused by his analysis. "You sound so obscure; is this how a scientist behaves?"

"Handwriting analysis is also a form of science."

"For a non-forceful man, you dare call another weak?"

Qiao Feng looks at her in challenge. "You think I am weak?"

Lan Shan ponders on his question. On the surface, he does look like a pushover at first glance. But in truth, he is super smart, earns a lot, can act cute, and cooks like a chef. Perhaps "weak" may not be the best word to describe him as it is a false impression caused by his mild-mannerisms. He may not be the type with commanding presence, but once he is has decided on something, he can probably start a revolution with it, so unwavering and stubborn he is in his beliefs. "You are more like 'a pig in disguise in order to eat a tiger'."

It is a barely acceptable answer for Qiao Feng since it means she does not think he is weak. Looking back at the invite, he asks. "This person call "Sheng Yu" – is he your ex-boyfriend?"

"No. I think Sheng Yu is the bride. My ex is call Yang Xiao Xiu."

[Note from Moonblossom: 'Sheng Yu is a masculine-sounding name like John or Sam, while Xiao Xiu sounds feminine like Joyce, Samantha, etc.]

Qiao Feng privately thinks it is a good name but aloud to Lan Shan: "How long are you guys together?"

"Slightly more than a year? I can't remember."

She is so dumb, but as if remembering something, his brightens. "How long have you been apart? Can you not remember too?"

Lan Shan answers the question patiently although privately, she thinks that Qiao Feng has the qualities of a true gossipmonger. "I dated him when I first started working and we parted after 1 year and 3 – 4 months together. You can do your own maths."

Qiao Feng has already computed an answer in his brain by the time she finishes her sentence, and he next asks for the reason they broke up.

Lan Shan can't help sighing when she recalls how "wonderful" her ex is. "Because his mother thinks that I'm not worthy of him. Their family is comfortably middle-class and his mother looks down on me – my academic results, my job, and the fact that I am not local. Yang Xiao Xiu dare not even utter one word in my defense so I dumped him in a fit of anger."

Qiao Feng catches the implication of her words. "You two are close enough to be considering marriage?"

Lan Shan covers her face in embarrassment. "Please don't bring it up again. Who doesn't have their moments of folly right?" At that time, she has just graduated and has yet to find a job. On impulse, she has toyed with the idea of getting married and starting a family but in the end... thank goodness she has sort out herself in time. Man has always existed between heaven and earth, so there is no need to worry sometimes and just march on in life with diligence.