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Bai Xiaosi is coming home? My rival in love and my benefactor is coming home? Mai Ding"s mind was flooded with many thoughts. However, the term "rival in love" didn"t seem appropriate. Wasn"t Mai Ding "the only woman"?
 
Mai Ding always felt that he was indebted to Bai Xiaosi. Right now he was feeling a little confused. Both of them were now in the car. Even though Mai Ding had gotten his license, the one driving was still An Ziyan. Mai Ding was feeling a little nervous but he knew Bai Xiaosi was not a bad person. However, he still didn"t know many things about her. Does she still love An Ziyan? Would An Ziyan recall the love he had for her after seeing her again? 
 
Before Mai Ding could finish his weird thoughts, the two had already reached the airport. Mai Ding was still feeling a little perturbed when he got off the car. He followed An Ziyan to the Arrival Hall. It was about time. People were streaming out of the gate. Mai Ding was looking all around to see if he could recognise her on his own.
 
Just then, he heard someone calling out, "My ex-boyfriend!" Everyone turned to look at her.
 
Such attention irritated An Ziyan and his face was unmistakably blacker than usual. He tried to ignore what had happened.
 
From where he stood, Mai Ding finally saw Bai Xiaosi. She had tied her hair into a ponytail and was wearing a blue coat, jeans and canvas shoes. She was indeed beautiful. The feeling that she gave others was one of a kind. Bai Xiaosi continued shouting, "My ex-boyfriend!" Once she was near them, she practically leapt into An Ziyan"s arms. "So you do have a conscience! I knew you would come."
 
Mai Ding was standing away from them. He saw that she was hugging An Ziyan tightly but he was frowning like his usual self. Mai Ding, however, was not jealous in any way. He wasn"t bothered because it was Bai Xiaosi, after all. Furthermore, given the situation, he didn"t really have the right to say anything since he was, after all, "the other woman".
 
"Let go of me." An Ziyan said curtly.
 
Still grinning like Cheshire cat, Xiaosi let him go and it was then when she saw another guy standing next to her ex-boyfriend. She guessed that this fellow was Mai Ding. Mai Ding was feeling a little uncomfortable when her gaze finally fell on him. He knew he could not compare to his boyfriend. It was then, Bai Xiaosi pounced on him and exclaimed, "What a cutie! Ex-boyfriend, you sure have good taste in men too!"
 
This was the first time Mai Ding was praised for his looks. He thought that Bai Xiaosi would have looked down on him. Never in his wildest dream did he expect such a greeting from her. He was feeling a little flattered, actually, and his impression of her was also getting better.
 
An Ziyan, seeing the two of them hugging, tore the two of them apart, saying, "Alright! Enough is enough."
 
"Wow, you mean, you can get jealous too?" Bai Xiaosi commented sarcastically.
 
"Shut up."
 
Mai Ding finally floated back to Earth and, smiling cheerfully at Bai Xiaosi, said, "Welcome home, my benefactor!"
 
An Ziyan thought it was strange for Mai Ding to call Bai Xiaosi that. However, he said nothing. He could never truly fathom all that Mai Ding was thinking.
 
"I"m hungry. Let"s go grab a bite." Bai Xiaosi exclaimed and ran towards the car. She took the backseat, leaving the seat next to driver for Mai Ding. Mai Ding was touched by her gesture. Bai Xiaosi was indeed a great girl. She bore no malice and she was not after An Ziyan again.
 
In actual fact, Mai Ding needn"t see her in such a wonderful light. Their relationship had always been this casual. In that sense, there wasn"t any reason why Bai Xiaosi would have plotted a revenge.
 
While they were on the way to the restaurant, An Ziyan was driving quietly. The other two, however, were chatting away like old friends. The ruckus they were creating irritated An Ziyan greatly, to the point that he wanted to just drive the car into the ocean so that he could drown the two of them. However, when he saw how happy Mai Ding looked, he relented.
 
An Ziyan wanted to give Mai Ding a complete life, and in order to do so, he was willing to give him whatever he wanted to be whole: s.p.a.ce, friends, love, whatever it took. Loving someone wasn"t just about taking over a person"s life anyway.
 
From the corner of her eye, Bai Xiaosi could see how much An Ziyan loved Mai Ding. It was the way he looked at him. When they were together, she had wanted that, but instead, he was always so far away, as if lost in another world. Mai Ding, however, was able to pull him back to this world with his love.
 
Bai Xiaosi patted An Ziyan from the backseat. "Let"s go to that restaurant that I love." Then turning to Mai Ding, she continued, "Mai Mai, this restaurant is great, I tell you. I only bring people who are close to me to this place."
 
"Is it really that good? I rarely eat out because I usually cook."
 
"You mean you can actually cook?"
 
"In this day and age, most men can cook."
 
When he said that, both of them stared at An Ziyan. An Ziyan knew that what was on their mind but said nothing. He just swerved the car left and right until both of them wanted to puke.
Mai Ding looked at Bai Xiaosi and felt somewhat relieved. He even wanted to laugh at himself for even thinking that Bai Xiaosi might have wanted revenge. They were more like relatives than lovers.
 
The trio finally reached the restaurant. It was a traditional inn in actual fact. It had a rather unique name and business was thriving. The boss of the inn was happy to see both An Ziyan and Bai Xiaosi. "You two have not been here for the longest time!" he exclaimed.
 
"I was studying abroad. Isn"t it great that I rushed here immediately when I touched down?"
 
"It is indeed my privilege to serve the two of you. It seems like your love for each other has not changed."
 
"He is already my ex-boyfriend. This is his current boyfriend." she said, pointing at Mai Ding.
 
"What a strange bunch." The boss thought to himself. But being a person who has seen more in life, he continued normally, "I"m so sorry for the mistake. I see that your seats are ready. This way please."
 
An Ziyan, Bai Xiaosi and even the boss looked as if nothing was wrong. Mai Ding, on the other hand, was about to flip. After Bai Xiaosi had openly told everyone about his relationship, how was he to remain calm?
 
Bai Xiaosi was busy ordering the dishes she had missed, and in a matter of minutes, they were served. Mai Ding tried some of the dishes and smiled to himself. "It"s really good"
 
"Are you an idiot?" An Ziyan was referring to the fact that he was smiling to himself.
 
"I told you it was good." Xiaosi chimed in. "An Ziyan," she continued. "Your parents called me the other day, asking me to go to your place to celebrate New Year"s. I see you haven"t said anything to your parents."
 
"Yeah, I haven"t"
 
"We are still studying after all. I think it"s better to wait a while so that we can find a better way to break the news" Mai Ding added.
 
"Sometimes it"s better to get it over and done with. Don"t drag it out too long. A guy f.u.c.king another guy is common nowadays anyway" Bai Xiaosi said with no qualms.
 
Mai Ding blushed. "Can you not phrase it that way? We are having a proper relationship. And to think you are an educated person."
 
"I didn"t know you were the shy-type. Unless... don"t tell me you guys haven"t f.u.c.ked before?"
 
"Can you stop mentioning that word? It"s such a crude word. And a girl like you shouldn"t be using it."
 
"Can the two of you shut it? I"m still eating here." That seemed to have put an end to the whole conversation. When they were done, An Ziyan sent Bai Xiaosi home.
 
Before she left, she waved to them, saying, "It"s up to you guys whether to be upfront with your parents or not. But after thinking about it, I guess it"s better to keep this quiet for a while more. I know you don"t bother." She was talking about An Ziyan. "But if word gets around, the only victim here will be Mai Mai. Will your parents let him off? You know your parents really well."
 
Mai Ding nodded his head. He believed that the time was not right. "So, when do you think is the right time?" he asked earnestly.
 
"I think you should wait till his folks kick the bucket."
 
"Get lost." An Ziyan barked, leaving the scene with Mai Ding.
 
When they were alone, Mai Ding continued, "An Ziyan, we are still young. There are many things that we can"t do yet. There are responsibilities that we are not able to shoulder. Let"s decide what we must do when we are older, OK?"
 
"You mean twenty is not old enough?"
 
"What do you mean by that? In my heart, can"t I always be a child?"
 
"You can. Alright. Let"s stop it. We"ll cross the bridge when we come to it." Saying that, An Ziyan reached out and held onto Mai Ding"s face while driving and turning Mai Ding to himself, he kissed him.
 
"Please concentrate while driving."
 
Even though he sounded like he was scolding An Ziyan, he was actually smiling. He laid down on An Ziyan"s thighs. The world was at peace again. All he could hear was the sound of the car and the beating of his heart. He was soon falling into the hands of slumber.
 
"Thank you for loving me, An Ziyan." And he slept.
 
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To be continued..