The bus stopped at its usual spot, from where my dormitory was just walking distance away. I stood up from my seat and got out of the bus. Xu Yuan followed me and also got out like me.
I turned around to him in a quietly pissed-off way and said, "Xu Yuan, please stop. Go to your home."
"My home is just standing in front of me," he said, giving that mischievous smile of his.
I said, "What? Did you say anything?"
He asked, "Did you hear anything?"
I said, "No."
"Then I didn't say anything," he said while smirking.
This man is going to be crazy, definitely, I said to myself, and then started moving toward my dorm. He followed me again, but this time I didn't turn around. I just let him do whatever he wanted.
I kept moving. The rain had finally stopped. The sky was clear, but it was late evening, and anytime it was going to get dark. I reached the gate of my dorm. I entered inside and, without turning back, quietly went in.
He stood outside the dormitory, smiled lightly, then walked away from there while putting both his hands inside his hoodie pockets.
I entered my room, threw my bag on the bed, sat there for a while, and started thinking. What is he doing? What is exactly going on in his mind? Why did he suddenly start noticing me?
Ooo Zhao Shiza, so many thoughts in my little head… little head, I repeated it again. Why am I saying it like him? He calls me little head. Why am I using his language? Ooo God, what is going on with me? I think I should escape this.
I took my headphones, placed them on my ears, played a random song on high volume, and closed my eyes.
Then Wang Ruoxi entered the room. She was calling my name, but I couldn't hear her. She pulled the headphones off my ears and yelled, "Zhao Shiza! I was calling your name and you were just listening to music. Have you lost your mind?"
"Is anything wrong with you, Wang Ruoxi? Why are you yelling at me suddenly? Are you upset? Did a teacher scold you or—"
She stopped me and said, "I am angry with you."
"With me? But why? I didn't do anything," I said, completely unaware.
"That is the problem. You didn't do anything," she said.
"Why was Xu Yuan outside our dorm? Did he drop you here again? But today you are not drunk, so why did he come here?" she asked.
"I don't know. He just came on his own. He didn't drop me. He came with me on the same bus. I don't know what's going on in his mind these days. He's behaving a little strangely," I said.
Wang Ruoxi looked at my face and held my hand. "Zhao Shiza, you know—"
Before she could say anything, I said it myself. "I know, Wang Ruoxi. He has a girlfriend. I must stay away from him and end this obsession. Trust me, I am really trying and working on it. Don't worry. I won't let you down."
Wang Ruoxi gave me a faint smile and hugged me, while thinking to herself:
I don't know if it's right or wrong to tell you that Xu Yuan met me today and that he knows about your feelings for him. It won't change anything. It will only hurt you more. I can't give you hope when I myself can't see it. You're still learning to stay away from him. I won't disturb your mind now. If not telling you is better for you, then I'll never tell you that we ever met and that he knows about you.
She broke the hug, cupped my face with both her hands, and said, "Finish this shooting as soon as possible and come back to our normal life. We'll go to classes together, make assignments together. I've also planned a trip—just you and me."
"Where?" I asked.
"Your favorite city, Shenzhen," she said.
I smiled, but inside I thought: no matter how much I avoid him, somehow he always finds a way to get close to me. Wherever I go, wherever I am, a part of him is always breathing inside me, forever and ever.
"Where are you lost, Zhao Shiza? Did you already reach Shenzhen in your dreams?" Wang Ruoxi asked, shaking me lightly.
I smiled.
"Come, let's eat your favorite xia jiao today," she said, and we went out together.
Meanwhile, Xu Yuan reached his home. He sat on his bed and said to himself, I will definitely make you confess your feelings from your own mouth. But how? You're not ready to utter even a single word. I need a strategy to deal with you, you pretty liar.
A mischievous idea came into his mind. Got it. You can't escape me, Miss Silly Girl.
The next day on set, Xu Yuan was already reading his script when I came out after changing costumes. I sat beside him and started reading mine too. Suddenly, he laughed.
I looked at him in shock. "Why? Is there any comedy scene today?"
He shook his head, still laughing. "No, no. There's a romantic scene between us… I mean, between the lead characters."
"So what's there to laugh about?" I asked.
"Nothing. You won't understand," he said.
I got a little angry. "Why won't I understand?"
"It's not for under-age people. It's for adults," he said.
"I am 22," I said.
He laughed harder. "Miss 22, you're saying your age like you won a medal. But 22 can't compete with 29."
"Oo Mr. 29, old man, why are you flaunting your age?" I asked.
"Because Miss 22 is younger than me by 7 years. She's still a kid but behaves like a grown-up woman," he said, smiling.
"I am a grown-up woman," I said.
He laughed again. "Look at you. Anyone can tell you're a kid trying to act older than your age."
"You are teasing me about my age," I said.
"Are you feeling it?" he asked.
"Yes," I said.
"Then I am teasing you," he said.
This man is impossible. Every day he shows me a different side of him. Yesterday something else, today something else, tomorrow something unimaginable. I just need to manage this for a few months. Then everything will end.
He was still laughing. "Look at your face. It's so red, especially your nose." He pinched my nose. "Like a red round cherry," he laughed again.
"You'll be declared mad very soon," I said.
He smiled to himself. Indeed, I will. Mad for you.
I continued reading my script without looking anywhere else...