Rebirth on the Doors to the Civil Affairs Bureau - Chapter 54
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It was a month after Ren Xinxin’s discharge that Yu Dong finally finished the last of Xiaoyue Studio’s backlogged work from last year. Ren Xinxin was still a little chubby from the pregnancy, but her skin was much better, and her face was so tender it could be compared to Little Bell.
“I see having children makes your skin a lot better. I want to have one.” Xiaoyue couldn’t help but say this every time she sees Xinxin.
“Then go give birth to one.” Ren Xinxin laughed.
“The question is, with whom?” Xiaoyue helplessly spread her hands.
“Qin Yue?” Yu Dong suddenly suggested.
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“What is it about him that makes you even consider that person?” Xiang Xiaoyue’s expression twisted at the mention of Qin Yue.
“Looks like you haven’t caught up yet, ah.” Yu Dong shook her head regretfully.
“I say, why do you want me to be with him so much?” Xiang Xiaoyue had long wanted to ask this question. Ever since Yu Dong found out about Qin Yue pursuing her, Yu Dong’s attitude was ‘total agreement’, giving Qin Yue tips and all sorts of ideas, so much so that the recent gift she received from the man was quite in line with her tastes.
“I like him.” Yu Dong said decisively.
“How can he be good? In what way exactly can he deserve me?” Xiang Xiaoyue disagreed.
“He’s handsome and well-built.” Ren Xinxin said.
“From a good family and he’s reliable.” Yu Dong continued.
“He’s fun to talk to and has a steady personality.”
“He’s single-minded with his goals, is the type to pamper their wife, and isn’t arrogant.” Yu Dong then pointed the pen in her hand towards Xiaoyue. “And the most important thing is that he really likes you.”
“Also important, compared to your dozens of previous boyfriends, this one is different.” Ren Xinxin also analyzed.
“How much did he bribe you to say these things to me?” Xiaoyue couldn’t help but ask, “Speaking so highly of him.”
Yu Dong and Ren Xinxin smiled at her instead, with Yu Dong honestly admitting: “Xinxin received two packets of diapers, and as for me…he’s forgiven me for fooling him the last time.”
“Am I only worth two packets of diapers?” Xiaoyue was incredulous.
“Don’t be stubborn, I saw you in the conference room that day, so bold!” Yu Dong said, deliberately being ambiguous.
“What?” Ren Xinxin covered her mouth in surprise.
“What’s this nonsense you’re spouting, what conference room, that day he was…he was the one who took advantage of my inattention,” Xiaoyue said awkwardly.
“The kiss was so heated I got too scared and left work early.” Yu Dong obviously didn’t believe her petty excuses.
“You…don’t talk nonsense.” Xiang Xiaoyue looked like she was about to jump Yu Dong.
On that day, Qin Yue came to the studio to find her. Xiaoyue originally didn’t intend to listen to him for long, but who knew that fellow would press her against the wall and kiss her for that long. When he finally let her go, two of Xiaoyue’s shirt buttons were unfastened. Thinking of this, Xiaoyue became angry and embarrassed, that man was simply a hooligan.
“Blushing so hard, I think our experienced Queen finally fell.” Yu Dong and Ren Xinxin slapped the table as they laughed.
The trio continued to laugh and talk as they finished the day’s work. Since it was still early, Yu Dong planned to go to the hospital to find Xia Feng and have lunch with him. Xiang Xiaoyue wanted to go straight to Qin Yue to give him the punishment of his life, and RenXinxin and her baby took a taxi home.
There was a small park just outside Ren Xinxin’s residential area. On the other side of the park was a large supermarket. Ren Xinxin, who was planning on buying some daily necessities before going home, pushed the baby stroller through the park.
After a few minutes, Ren Xinxin became puzzled when she encountered a decent sized crowd in front of the park’s central bench. She didn’t know what was being discussed, only seeing a few aunts acting excited. Ren Xinxin was worried that the noise would disturb Little Bell, so she didn’t approach the crowd despite her curiosity, instead walking past.
After shopping for half an hour, it was dark when Ren Xinxin walked through the park again. Some of the street lights of the small park were damaged, so there were parts of the park that was pitch black. Ren Xinxin was afraid that she might bump into something in the dark and frighten the baby, so she quickened her pace.
Maybe it was because she was walking too fast or because she bought too many things, Ren Xinxin accidentally dropped a shopping bag, scattering its contents all over the ground. An apple that she’d bought rolled to who knows where.
Ren Xinxin busily bent down to pick her items but dared not to leave the baby stroller unattended so she could only pick up the scattered things bit by bit. Looking at the dark sky, Ren Xinxin became somewhat anxious.
Suddenly, a pair of bony hands passed her several apples.
Ren Xinxin looked up to the person offering the apples and smiled: “Ah, it’s you.”
The man in front of her had messy hair, worn out clothes, and shoes so dirty you can’t tell what their original color was. The man’s eyes were shifty and his cheeks so gaunt that it was hard to pinpoint their actual age.
It was the homeless man who slept in this park.
Xinxin met him for the first time about three months ago. At first, Xinxin was quite scared of him. Whenever she saw the homeless man, Xinxin would avoid him. This was until two months ago, when Xinxin was walking back from the supermarket and suddenly experienced a stomachache. The park was quiet, and pedestrians were scarce. Ren Xinxin had been in so much pain that she almost fainted. It was this homeless man who came over and helped Xinxin and her big belly rest on a bench he often slept on.
The man didn’t like to talk, instead handing over a bottle of mineral water that she had dropped. Ren Xinxin accepted the offered item with a thank you, but the homeless man didn’t say anything. He just stood up sat on the grass a meter away from the bench.
After half an hour, Ren Xinxin felt much better and slowly approached him to say thank you before continuing to walk out of the park. She could still feel his gaze as she walked away, but this time, Ren Xinxin felt that while he was homeless, he was gentle and kind-hearted.
Since then, whenever Ren Xinxin passed by the supermarket, she would leave some bread and water for the man. Whenever she did this, the homeless man would just quietly accept the items, saying nothing.
Ren Xinxin smiled as she took the apples the man picked up for her, then looked towards the homeless man’s bench and asked: “When I passed your bench before I noticed a lot of people surrounding it, were they trying to kick you off again?”
The man shook his head, and when he saw that Xinxin had all her things, he turned to sit back down on the bench.
Ren Xinxin was accustomed to his silence, so she just smiled. Remembering the bread she had bought for him, she approached the man once more to give him the food.
“I bought some bread and water.” At Ren Xinxin’s outstretched hand, the homeless man was a little puzzled.
He silently reached for the shopping bag.
“Oh, by the way, this is my daughter Ling Dang,” Ren Xinxin opened the stroller’s roof as she whispered, “This Little Bell should remember this uncle who helped her when she was only eight month’s old.”
The man was stunned and looked in the stroller, faintly seeing a child’s delicate face.
Xinxin smiled, then noticed a piece of cardboard on the bench. There were some words on it but because it was dark, she had to squint to read the words written on it.
“I need a kiss from a beautiful woman to wake up a decaying soul.” Although the cardboard was shabby, the words were beautiful, and Ren Xinxin couldn’t help but praise, “That’s beautiful.”
The man glanced at her as he grasped the half-eaten bread.
Ren Xinxin was thoughtful: “Did you write it?”
The homeless man nodded.
“To wake up a decaying soul, are you going to stop being homeless after waking up?” Although she couldn’t tell the man’s age, based on his hair, his fingers, his eyes, and his movements, Ren Xinxin could see that this homeless man should be quite young, and quite educated.
The man didn’t speak and just looked at her.
“Having such a sign, no wonder so many people surrounded you today.” Ren Xinxin guessed.
The man was hungry, so he simply bowed his head to continue eating the bread.
“Did a beautiful woman kiss you?” Ren Xinxin asked curiously.
The man shook his head.
“Well…do you think…am I a beautiful woman?” Xinxin hesitated for a moment before suddenly asking.
The man’s hands froze, his usually indifferent eyes flashing. He then nodded.
Xinxin couldn’t help but smile at this. Turning sideways and holding her hair to keep it still, with the distant stars as her witness, she slightly bent down and dropped a light kiss on the man’s startled face.
The homeless man looked at Xinxin’s long eyelashes, her bright eyes and gentle smile. Feeling the warmth of her touch, his hands shook, almost dropping the food in his hand.
“Find a job in the future, work steadfastly, and let the sun shine on you.” Ren Xinxin smiled, then left with the stroller.
“What’s your name?” A hoarse voice called out to her from behind. Ren Xinxin turned her head, there was only one man in this empty park tonight.
“Ren Xinxin.” She answered with a smile.
“My name is Gao Feng.” Maybe because he hadn’t talked to anyone for a long time, the man’s voice was hoarse. Still, it sounded nice.
“It’s very nice to meet you, but I have to head home now…goodbye Gao Feng.” Ren Xinxin waved as she slowly disappeared from his sight.
Gao Feng looked towards the direction Xinxin left. After standing there for a long time, he finally picked up his shabby piece of cardboard and with the food Xinxin gave him in his hands, he disappeared on the other end of the park. Since then, the park has never seen the man called Gao Feng again. But the story of him asking beautiful women to kiss and wake up his soul circulated around the neighborhood for a long time.
Afterward, Ren Xinxin specifically tried to find him a couple of times, but when she confirmed that Gao Feng had really left, she felt a little relieved.
Compared to the rumors the aunties spread that he was taken away by the police, Xinxin would prefer to believe that Gao Feng had left to begin a new life.
And many years later, when another man had stepped into her life, Ren Xinxin never would have thought that her own story would begin with today’s kiss filled with blessings.
Maybe she woke up more than just a decaying soul.
The author has something to say: This strange man…is no legend…
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