Don't be So Proud

Chapter 5.5 — The Stirring of His and Her Heart

——”Hi. Guess where I am?”

——”You’re at …… guess your head ah!” A middle-aged man’s angry tone of voice can be heard from the mobile phone.

Whose voice was this? Shen Xi was stunned. After a while, she instinctively uttered: “….. Dad.”

“Who are you calling dad? Why are you calling my daughter’s phone?! To harass her? Which class are you ……”

Shen Xi felt like weeping but had no tears. Fortunately her ability to react was fairly quick, she immediately changed her address: “No …… is uncle, how are you uncle Shen?”

“Uncle …. May I ask how old is your father?”

As expected, Shen Jian Guo cares about this, so she must fabricate a younger age …… Shen Xi said in a clear tone of voice: “My father is in his early 40s.”

Shen Jian Guo fell silent, after a few seconds said: “…… Then indeed you should call me uncle.”

Haha, who asked him to have a daughter at such an old age! Shen Xi covered her mouth to laugh, feeling happy.

On the other side, He Zhi Zhou rubbed his forehead, sitting ice-cold on the leather sofa in the reception hall on the first floor. His eyes coldly swept that mobile phone on daddy Shen’s hand. Daddy Shen took one glance at his ‘daughter’s’ imposing look that commanded respect without her even needing to get angry, and his heart gave a tremble out of worry he might have gone too far, quickly handed the phone over: “Dad is concerned about you. It seems like a call from a male classmate, doesn’t sound like a good boy …… ”

He Zhi Zhou took the phone without any expression, walked away to answer the phone call.

“……” Daddy Shen looked at his daughter deliberately moving away from him to answer the phone, the old man’s fragile (sensitive) heart immediately broken into a million pieces.

——

“Where are you?” He Zhi Zhou put the phone to his ear, and straightaway asked Shen Xi.

Shen Xi was still immersed in her brilliant achievement of climbing 28 stories of stairs in one go, and her voice seemed to float a little, carrying in it a sense of girly sense of pride: “You guess?”

He Zhi Zhou snorted: “Then I’ll hang up the phone.”

“Do not ——” Shen Xi howled twice like a wolf, and quickly explained, “I am in the stairway on the 28th floor. I sneaked up, you’ll be able to see me when you come out from the restaurant.”

He Zhi Zhou: “…… you climbed up?”

Shen Xi felt a little helpless; “I don’t have a room key card so can’t come up ah. Twenty-eight floors, climbed until half dead.”

“……” Suddenly He Zhi Zhou did not have the heart to tell Shen Xi, that he was currently in the reception hall on the first floor.

Shen Xi hurried him: “Quickly come out to see me.”

“How to see? I am in the reception hall on the first floor.” He Zhi Zhou said softly, “You —— slowly come down.”

“What?” Shen Xi was completely stunned, then sat down on the flight of steps, her long legs splaying out: “No—— ”

A sharp and powerful ‘no’, was using a man’s clear and raw voice, but with the tender tone of a girl. He Zhi Zhou listened until the ear hurts, but a rosy and fair face appeared in his mind …… He said in a light tone of voice: “It takes less energy to walk down than to climb up.”

Shen Xi did not expect He Zhi Zhou to be so cruel, but according to his character, if he really did not care about her, he simply would not bother with these trivial matters. Shen Xi began to use soft tactic, nearly wanted to roll over on the floor: “Big brother He, please come up to pick me up. I beg you, my legs are killing me …… they are not just my legs, they are also your legs ah ……”

“Bang——”

Suddenly a sound can be heard from behind, Shen Xi turned around: A hotel cleaning lady dropped her mop and was staring at her. Following which, with a pale face, she turned around and ran back.

Shen Xi took a look at herself, then climbed a flight of stairs: “Auntie, please listen to my explanation …..”

The cleaning lady simply did not want to hear any explanation, continuously ran up the stairs and kept saying: “Don’t chase me. Don’t chase me ……”

Shen Xi stretched out her hand: “Auntie, please listen to my explanation, okay?!”

The cleaning lady was scared away. Shen Xi learned her lesson. In order not to scare someone else, she looked for the corner of the staircase and sat down, quietly lowered her head and started counting in her heart. She did not know how many she has to count until before He Zhi Zhou will come up.

At the same time, the cleaning lady who fled upstairs, wanted to get back the cleaning tools she left behind. She cautiously walked down and found that the ‘thing’ she saw just now was not there. Hence she could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. When she was about to bend down to pick up a cleaning tool, a voice can be heard from behind her: “Auntie, did you come down to listen to my explanation?

“Ah——” The cleaning lady once again ran up the stairs.

Shen Xi was depressed, and continued to count: “1,2,3,4,5,6 …… 100.” She counted 1 to 100 once, then for convenience sake, counted from the beginning again: “1,2, 3 … ”

The more she counted, the more downcast she felt, thinking that He Zhi Zhou may not come. When she wanted to stand up and intend to walk down herself, the emergency access door in the corridor was pushed open. She looked up and saw He Zhi Zhou —— a dressed up He Zhi Zhou.

Shen Xi wanted to laugh. He Zhi Zhou walked towards her step by step, looked at her in an aloof manner: “Get up.”

She stretched out her hand to He Zhi Zhou: “Pull me.”

He Zhi Zhou did not intend to do as she said, but half a second later, he still stretched out his hand and said: “How did you end up like this?”

“I can’t come up without a room key card!” Shen Xi smiled like a blooming flower. She made a gesture, the tone of her voice was like the flaunting of a child, “Thus I climbed up, all the way in one go ……”

He Zhi Zhou looked at Shen Xi who was gesturing to him. In a flash, the mood was complex to the extreme. After a while, a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips: “Why don’t you call me earlier?

Shen Xi felt aggrieved: “I was afraid that you cannot get out, so rushed over to save you ……”

He Zhi Zhou pulled Shen Xi up. She patted her backside and stood up. When she lowered her head, she saw He Zhi Zhou’s high heels, which she immediately became attracted: “Very pretty!

He Zhi Zhou immediately pulled a long face.

Shen Xi knew He Zhi Zhou must have been forced to wear high heels, she gently tugged at his hand: “I’m so sorry for any inconvenience this has caused you.”

He Zhi Zhou’s expression eased up. When Shen Xi tugged at his hand, he naturally took it in his and led her into the elevator corridor, where the attendant called for an elevator to take them down.

“Why are you so slow?” Shen Xi asked He Zhi Zhou in the elevator. Why were you so slow in coming up?

He Zhi Zhou explained with one sentence: “There were many people when coming up.”

After hearing that, Shen Xi felt better. While the elevator was slowly descending, she asked He Zhi Zhou some questions: such as where was her father.

He Zhi Zhou answered her one by one, he can be considered patience.

“Actually, my father is easy to get along with.”

“I can tell.”

Shen Xi smiled. She lowered her head, inadvertently saw their hands intertwined, so carefully removed her hand.

Suddenly the hand was empty, but He Zhi Zhou did not think much of it and wanted to put his hand into his pocket. However his clothes did not have a pocket. He said a swear word, lifted his chin to look at the flashing floor numbers on the elevator’s control panel.

The elevator arrived on the first floor of the hotel. Shen Xi followed He Zhi Zhou out of the elevator. From a distance, she can already see her father, the heart a bit anxious. She was a bit scared that Shen Jian Guo will beat her.

When Shen Jian Guo saw his daughter coming down together with a tall and thin boy, he has the impulse to beat up that brat. In the end, he did not expect this brat to be such a sweet talker.

“You must be Uncle Shen, so young-looking, I should call you little Uncle Shen ……”

Daddy Shen: “…… This doesn’t really sound right.”

Shen Xi grinning: “Who ask you to look so young.”

Daddy Shen put on a scowl. “Cut the brown-nosing. Why are you following my daughter?”

“It is a misunderstanding ah.” Shen Xi was a little anxious, then pointed at He Zhi Zhou, “It is your daughter who asked me to come over, when I was studying in the library. She said, if I want to court her, I’ve to climb from the first floor to the 28th floor ….”

He Zhi Zhou turned around and took a deep breath, let her fudge as she pleased.

Shen Jian Guo was choked off by the brat’s explanation. It turned out to be his daughter causing trouble without a reason, but …..

Seeing that his father still would not let her off, Shen Xi used the last resort: “Uncle, I heard Shen Xi said you have a Weibo account. Also very popular online, so may I follow you in Weibo?”

Shen Jian Guo hesitated, after a while said: “….. lion in the wind, just search for lion in the wind.”

Shen Xi successfully took He Zhi Zhou away. For once in her lifetime, she got the opportunity to be the hero saving the beautiful maiden, and even though, in the end, she was exhausted like a loser instead, her heart was still bursting with excitement that would not dissipate.

The taxi stopped at the west side gate of the normal college. She excitedly jumped out of the taxi, then opened the taxi door for He Zhi Zhou and made an ‘inviting’ gesture.

He Zhi Zhou glanced at her, got out of the taxi but tripped in the high heels he was wearing due to a lapse in concentration.

“Fuck!” He cursed.

The taxi driver in front frowned, shook his head and thought: Women nowadays are not gentle, moreover a college student.

Shen Xi quickly helped He Zhi Zhou to get down. However God He’s self-esteem and pride will not allow him to accept any help. Hence he pushed Shen Xi’s hand away and walked forward step by step.

He Zhi Zhou was walking upright and steadily. Shen Xi caught up with him to walk side by side with him. The cool night breeze blowing gently, bringing with it the faint sweet smell of fruit.

The west side gate of the normal college was the quietest, the road outside can be considered the dividing line of the suburb of S city. After passing the road, there was a large orchard, which was why there was the sweet smell of fruit in the air now.

But the west side gate was closer to the female dormitory, which was why Shen Xi got the driver to use this road. Although nearest, also need to walk five to six minutes. Shen Xi looked at He Zhi Zhou’s feet, even though he was walking very steadily and bringing out the ‘man’s aura’ with the high heels, she can still see the swelling in the instep ……

“He Zhi Zhou, I’ll piggyback you.” Suddenly Shen Xi squatted down in front of He Zhi Zhou, turned around and said.

He Zhi Zhou ignored Shen Xi and walked to the left. Shen Xi acted like a frog and jumped to the left. He moved towards the right side, Shen Xi also jumped to the right side.

He Zhi Zhou: “Shen Xi!”

Shen Xi turned her head, lifted her black and bright eyes, and looked straight at He Zhi Zhou: “Let me piggyback you, otherwise I’ll not be able to live with my guilty conscience.”

He Zhi Zhou was annoyed and amused at the same time. In an unguarded moment, Shen Xi had already forcibly carried him on the back. He was lying on his ‘own’ back.

All the members of the Shen family also have obsessive-compulsive disorder?!

Speaking of which, this was the first time Shen Xi has to carry a person piggyback. When she was a child, she really wanted to have a younger sister, because she can carry the sister on the back and play. Later, Shen Jian Guo got her a dog to let her carry on the back and play ……

Shen Xi bent from the waist, she must carry He Zhi Zhou comfortably on the back.

Both of He Zhi Zhou’s hands were pressing down on Shen Xi’s shoulders. In order to maintain a distance between them, he really was not comfortable.

Shen Xi has a male body now, so has an endless supply of strength. While carrying her ‘own’ body, she tried to estimate her weight and said to He Zhi Zhou: “I didn’t think I’ll be so light.” Having said that, in order to prove that she was really light, she scurried, as if on wings.

He Zhi Zhou was shaken until suffering physically and mentally. He said to Shen Xi: “Slow down please!”

“Okay!” Shen Xi readily agreed, slowly stopped. Then she walked three steps, took a step back, walked three steps, and once again took a step back …… like seeing her grandmother doing , a popular rural folk dance when she was a child.

He Zhi Zhou took a deep breath: “Shen Xi, you’ve done enough!”

“Okay, stopping!” Shen Xi shouted, then stopped and continued to move forward in a normal manner. He Zhi Zhou rubbed his forehead, wanted to get angry but was unable to do so. He never thought in his lifetime, he will let a woman carry him.

But in the eyes of the passers-by, it was a handsome guy caring his girlfriend piggyback around the campus. It was that type of despicable behaviour where you wished on them “the more you make a public display of affection, the faster you break-up.”

Shen Xi’s mood was pretty good today, not sure whether it was because the night scene was too beautiful, many bright stars in the sky; or she finally became a hero. During this time, she and He Zhi Zhou were walking together because they were concealing a common secret. From stranger to getting to know each other well, they faced each and every problem together, as if embarking on an adventurous journey, overcoming obstacles and difficulties to solve predicaments.

Along campus road, accompanied all the way by the stars.

“Big brother He, when you go back, remember to use hot water to soak your feet.” Shen Xi told He Zhi Zhou while carrying him on the back.

He Zhi Zhou looking calm, acknowledged softy.

From the west side gate of the normal college to the female dormitory building number 6, you need to bypass a gymnasium, Shen Xi walked the tree-lined paths with bushes on both sides. There were several pair of lovers hiding inside, hugging and kissing.

The moonlight was bright as well as obscure. The sound of the leaves rustling as the wind blowing.

After letting Shen Xi carrying him on her back, He Zhi Zhou’s field of view became wider, so it was very easy to see some scenes which he should not see. He could not help feeling a hot sensation in the heart. At this very moment, he and Shen Xi were stuck so close together. With every step that Shen Xi took, he can feel ‘the softness in the chest’ sticking to his ‘own’ slender back.

He Zhi Zhou closed his eyes, if he is a man now, he will not mind making a mistake in such a night. In the midst of many flowers on a summer night, it created ‘the stirring of his and her heart’.

……

Suddenly Shen Xi started to hum a lively and relaxing folk tune, very cute. He Zhi Zhou listened carefully for a while, feeling pretty good, but why this tone sounded so familiar? Suddenly, his temple throbbed —— wasn’t this the background music when Zhu Bajie (Pigsy) carried his spouse on the back in?

He Zhi Zhou took a deep breath, the heat and emotion in the heart immediately cleared up.

——

“I, old pig is radiant with joy today, carrying my new spouse. While walking, I am also singing, yi ya also singing …. good scenery all the way ya ……”

Shen Xi was humming all the way back to dormitory 921. She was sweating all over, so she intended to take a cold shower first. Being a man now was good, since taking a cold shower can be so comfortable!

She pushed open the bathroom door and discovered that Brawny was using the bathroom but did not close the door again. Furthermore his back was facing her and he was squatting, she did not know what he was doing ……

Shen Xi decided to walk over and take a look: “Zhou Chen, what are you doing ah?

“Don’t come over!” Brawny stopped Shen Xi from looking around, turned his head, and mysteriously said: “Leader, I’m upgrading my system right now so it’ll be new and fresh.”

Upgrading the system ……

Brawny said that in order to meet tomorrow’s rigorous testing, he wanted to do some personal hygiene work beforehand!

23 of 65 Chapters segments

0 of 2 epilogues