Fan Fiction |
by chrysanthemum
Xiao You's face was scrunched against the soft linen of Ximen's shirt, enabling her a good whiff of his sweet, yet alluringly manly scent. His toned and solid arms were secured around her petite body, holding her entire weight securely, while hers encircled his neck. A little accident in the stream earlier, which involved a twisted ankle and a rather ear-shattering shriek, rendered Xiao You unable to walk back to the car. Ergo, Ximen had to carry her all the way to the vehicle, and now, up to her room.
The room was dim as the two entered and Ximen had no means of hitting the switch, so he left the door open to allow the light outside to partly illuminate the inside. Reaching Xiao You's bed, Ximen slowly and gently set her down on the soft cushion and then went for the switch to turn on the lights.
"Stay put. I'll be right back." He said to a slightly groggy Xiao You before leaving.
A couple of minutes later, he came back with a white box in hand. Ximen sat by the foot of the bed and brought out some bandages from the box. Xiao You couldn't stop a yawn from escaping her.
"You know, I was told that something in chocolate has the same effect on people as coffee in such a way that it keeps people awake. You've just had an entire thermos of it and yet you seem unaffected. I'm impressed." He humorously remarked.
Xiao You only chuckled in response. Her brain had already gone off to sleep even before the rest of her body had, making her incapable of coming up with a witty retort. She watched as Ximen gently lifted her right foot onto his thigh and began dressing it ever so gently - as though it were as fragile as porcelain.
It was remarkable how such tenderness could exist beneath the coolness, authority, and masculinity that this authenticated playboy possessed on the surface.
Every contact of his hand with her bruised skin just felt so soft... feathery.... fleeting, even. As though he were deathly afraid of making her feel any semblance of pain. To some extent, it even seemed loving.
By the time Ximen was done, Xiao You was barely hanging on to a single fiber of wakefulness that she had left. And as he stood from the bed, her eyes had finally closed. A small smile formed on Ximen's lips at the sight of her in quiet slumber. He reached over to fix the pillows under her head to make her more comfortable and pulled up the covers to keep her warm.
Ximen's stare lingered on her face for a few more moments, and then he bent down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Goodnight, Xiao You." He softly whispered before heading to the door.
It was funny because Xiao You could hear the door creak as Ximen opened it. But then when it was closed, instead of a quiet click, what she heard was a loud, shrill, incessantly reverberating ringing sound...
... like that of an alarm clock.
Xiao You groaned in annoyance at the interruptive noise as she rolled over to her side. Still with eyes closed, she stretched out her hand to hit the snooze button of the alarm. She would've succumbed to somnolence once more if the bright rays of the sun hadn't filtered through the windows and struck her face.
Giving up on the thought of sleeping again, her eyelids began to weakly lift. Through the window, she could see that the sun was already high, making her surroundings glow with almost blinding light.
And then she remembered it.
She could almost still feel Ximen's soft lips on her forehead.
But then...
*So it was just a dream.* Xiao You thought to herself. She was unsure of how she felt about that realization. She didn't know if she should be relieved or disappointed.
Now that she thought about it, the Ximen in her dream was quite different from the Ximen she knew. He had been growing more kind than plainly civil to her lately, true, but he was not THAT kind. At least she believed he wasn't. She could still remember how his touch felt in her dream. The thought of it made her heart beat faster. But it was the kissing-her-goodnight part that made her heart race and her cheeks flush.
Xiao You shook her head in defiance. She shouldn't be reacting this way. She shouldn't be getting all worked up over something that could very possibly - and much preferably - have no meaning at all. Besides, no matter how real it felt, it was all still a dream. Nothing but a dream. A figment of imagination. Nothing more.
Xiao You sat up with a sigh and threw the covers off of her. She reflexively began to search her mental organizer for any scheduled appointment for the day. Finding none, she felt rather uncomfortably idle. It was her first undemanding day in quite a while. After all, the Glitz event had just finished, leaving her with no more hectic preparations to busy herself with.
Last night had been truly incredible. Ximen showed up even when he practically swore he wouldn't. A smile unknowingly spread across Xiao You's face at the memory.
And even Kyle was there...
*Kyle!* Xiao You turned pallid in panic.
She remembered him saying that he would be sending her something that day. Only, it would be addressed to the Dao Ming residence for the reason that as far as Kyle was concerned, that was where she 'lived'.
"Oh, shit! I have to go! I have to go!" Xiao You frantically exclaimed and quickly set her feet off of the bed and onto the ground. When she stood and tried to run to the bathroom to shower, a kind of sting in her right foot made her pause and hold on to the nightstand.
Curious, Xiao You looked down. She froze.
Her right foot was bandaged.
A knock on the door temporarily put her bewilderment on hold.
"Come in." Xiao You called out. Seconds after which, into the room entered Li Mei with a tray of food.
"Good morning, Miss Xiao You. I brought you your breakfast." She greeted with a sunny smile, which slowly faded when she saw Xiao You on her feet.
"I wouldn't be moving around too much if I were you." Li Mei spoke with a hint of warning in her tone, meriting her a befuddled look from the other woman in return.
"Why not?"
Instead of answering her query, Li Mei set the food tray down on the round table and took a piece of folded paper from the pocket of her apron.
"Master Ximen would like you to read this." She spoke, handing it over to the rightful recipient.
Xiao You curiously took the paper and began to unfold it. She instantly recognized Ximen's handwriting as she started to read.
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Xiao You,
Written below will be the rules in my house for as long as your foot is clad in bandage:
1. Meals will be served in bed. *
2. You may not descend or ascend the stairs without proper assistance from Auntie Li Mei, Butler Lang, or me. **
3. Use the intercom to call for assistance.
4. You may not leave the house for any reason. **
If you violate these, you will be subjected to a corresponding penalty. The moment I find out that you broke any of the rules, I WILL KISS YOU.***
Yes, you read that right. A violation to any of my regulations entitles you to a kiss... A big, wet one on the lips.
So if you don't want my lips on yours, which I presume you don't, then just follow the rules. And don't worry, I will not send a mole to spy on you. I know you'll strangle the life out of me if I did. But I have my ways of knowing things. You know that.
Have a good day.
Ximen.
* Negotiable. As long as you are to be assisted to the kitchen/dining area.
** Non-negotiable
*** Definitely non-negotiable.
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Xiao You gaped in horrified disbelief at the note in her hands.
"You have got to be kidding me!" She mumbled to herself, appalled. She went over every word again, just to make sure that she was getting it all right. Her eyes particularly lingered on the sentence that stated the condition that was decreed 'Definitely non-negotiable.'
*I will kiss you...* The words seemed to echo in her ears, as though she could actually hear Ximen saying them. Suddenly, she felt her palms turn cold and clammy.
Eyes still glued on the note, she reached for her phone that was on top of the nightstand and called Ximen's number.
His phone was off.
*Great!*
"Did you know anything about this, Auntie Li Mei?" Xiao You asked, finally tearing her eyes off the paper she was clutching, and turned to her companion.
"Well, I did not read Young Master Ximen's note, but I gather that it has something to do with the strict orders he gave me and Butler Lang this morning." Li Mei responded.
Only then did everything really sink in. This was no joke. Ximen was doing this for real - binding her under his control again. And the worst and most outrageously unthinkable part of it: he was threatening her with a kiss!
Xiao You was furious.
*'Have a nice day' my ass!*
"But this is ridiculous!! I got sprained, not amputated!! What kind of rules are these?! And what am I supposed to do? Lock myself up in here until I lose my mind?! And he threatens me with a stupid kiss?! How.... low! That...." Xiao You's high-pitched ranting trailed off as she suddenly felt embarrassed about her behavior.
She released a heavy sigh and plopped down on the bed in frustration.
"Sorry, Auntie Li Mei." She breathed out, face and voice showing signs of her regained composure, yet still hinting traces of the rage that she had at least managed to suppress. "It's just that.... seriously, what kind of a person does this?!" She grumbled in annoyance.
Li Mei's lips curved knowingly. "A person who cares."
At that, Xiao You's thrown gaze shot up, meeting the senior's perceptive stare.
"I know my Young Master cares about you. And I think you know it, too." She smilingly added with certainty in her eyes and tone.
By the way Li Mei was looking at her, Xiao You could tell that the older woman knew that something inside of her was holding back. Like she knew that she had just spoken the very words that Xiao You refused to admit to herself all this time. And perhaps she was right.
Xiao You sighed, her gaze dropping to her hands.
"I know." She spoke, almost in a whisper.
Xiao You felt a sense of release, paired up with a certain amount of fear after she finally released those words. Saying it out loud connotes a silent acceptance within her - something she had been avoiding. She had been fine with knowing that Ximen didn't care... that everything he did was simply out of obligation as her hypothetical boyfriend. She knew things have been gradually changing, but she never wanted to acknowledge it.
Her life was far more complicated now than it has ever been. Admitting to herself that Ximen has, indeed, returned into her life as someone more than simply an acquaintance or an accomplice in an outrageously twisted subterfuge would only make it much worse.
"He means well, Miss Xiao You. Perhaps you should take a break from work today if you don't have anything very important to catch, anyway."
Xiao You's little bubble of contemplation burst, her eyes widening in panic, as she remembered that there actually was something VERY important that she had to catch.
"But I do!" She exclaimed, jumping on her feet again. "I need to go to the Dao Ming Mansion! I... uh... got a phone call from Shan Cai. She said it was urgent." It wasn't exactly a lie. She really was going to the Dao Ming mansion anyway. She just stretched the truth a little and embellished it a bit. No biggie.
"Why? Is there something wrong?"
Xiao You was almost taken over by guilt at the sight of the kind woman's worry-stricken face. She almost retreated and took her little fib back in remorse and allowed fate to take charge of Kyle's sent parcel instead.
Well... almost.
"Uhm... she didn't say. But I really have to go! Auntie Li Mei, I need your help. Please??"
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