Delightful Nemesis

Dumb Goose Can Get Angry（1）

"Hey, dumb goose, I'm curious. How have you managed to go twenty-seven years without ever kissing a man? Hey, why aren't you answering? Don't tell me you're really asleep? Hey, move over. You're in the middle, and I can't sleep. You don't expect me to sleep on the couch, do you? Forget it. Move over." Xi Zixiao kept pushing Yao Si to the side of the bed. But halfway through, his hand slipped, and he almost fell on top of her. He quickly steadied himself, realizing their position was incredibly intimate. His face was now inches from hers, close enough to feel her warmth.

"Hey, dumb goose?" he called softly, noticing she didn't respond. He took a deep breath, lowering himself slowly. Her lips, glossed with a pink tint, looked soft and tempting.

"Hey, woman, today I'm going to sacrifice my charm to teach you how to kiss a man until he's burning with desire." He took another deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing as he moved closer. Just as he was about to kiss her, the phone rang, startling him. He sat up, cursing under his breath.

"Damn it, who is it?"

"Hey, what do you want, you damn tomboy?" He answered the call, recognizing Fei Ying's number, and immediately vented his frustration.

"Well, well, someone's in a bad mood. I heard you took my Si Si away? Too bad, Ziqian is such a clueless i***t. I even had everything prepared," Fei Ying teased, only making Xi Zixiao angrier.

"What's with the condoms in her bag?" he snapped.

"Oh, so you found them. I must say, Mr. Xi, rummaging through a lady's bag isn't very gentlemanly."

"Do you really think Ziqian would sleep with her?" Xi Zixiao scoffed.

"Who knows? It's hard to resist temptation. Unless... you already started? Come on, hurry up before another man takes her away. Don't regret it later."

"Shut up!" Xi Zixiao yelled, ending the call abruptly. He got dressed and stormed out.

Xi Ziqian returned from work at midnight to find Xi Zixiao shivering outside his door. He pointed to the apartment across the hall and then at Xi Zixiao. "Forgot your key?" As soon as he opened the door, Xi Zixiao rushed in, jumping onto his bed and wrapping himself in the blanket.

"I'll be crashing here tonight."

"Did you take Yao Si home?" Xi Ziqian asked as he loosened his tie and removed his coat.

"If I had taken her home, I wouldn't need to crash here. She took over my bed, and I couldn't move her."

Xi Ziqian paused, looking at Xi Zixiao like he was an alien. "The sun didn’t rise in the west today, did it? You, Xi Zixiao, letting a woman take over your bed instead of tossing her on the floor? And she’s still there?"

Xi Zixiao stammered, "I... I've always been gentle with women. Even if it's a dumb goose."

"Really?" Xi Ziqian adjusted his glasses, his sharp gaze making Xi Zixiao avoid eye contact. He pulled the blanket up to his chest, feigning exhaustion. But Xi Ziqian showed no mercy, pulling the blanket away.

"Sorry, I've never shared a bed with anyone since childhood," Xi Ziqian shrugged, ignoring Xi Zixiao's angry glare.

"Hey, Xi Ziqian, don't be so excessive. I'm your cousin. Haven't you ever slept with a woman?"

"Are you a woman? If not, the couch is yours. I don't have any special preferences."

"Damn it, I'm your cousin."

"That's the problem. Haven't you heard? Little girls are all about forbidden love these days. If your bed is taken, call one of your many admirers like YoYo or CoCo and get a hotel room. Don’t tell me you’ve reformed."

"Not worth arguing with you." Xi Zixiao grumbled, taking the blanket to the couch. He muttered about Xi Ziqian's lack of brotherly love. Watching him, Xi Ziqian couldn't help but shake his head, wondering who the real older cousin was.

Yao Si woke up to find herself in an unfamiliar room, wrapped in a blanket with all her clothes still on. She sighed in relief. The room's decor was mostly white and gray, suggesting it was a man's bedroom. She remembered Fei Ying had handed her to Xi Ziqian. Could this be his room?

She got out of bed and felt something under her foot. Moving it aside, she saw two condoms. "Oh my god!" She blushed furiously, worrying that Xi Ziqian might think she was easy. This was all Fei Ying's fault.

"Hey, dumb goose, what are you doing on the floor?" Xi Zixiao stretched his sore neck, feeling the onset of a cold after a night on the couch. He couldn't believe Xi Ziqian had been so heartless.

"What are you doing here?"

He collapsed onto the bed, enjoying the comfort. Breathing in, he realized the room smelled like her. "This is my place. What do you think? You thought it was Ziqian? He dumped you on me. Be grateful I didn't leave you on the street."

"Who cares." Yao Si threw a pillow at him. Why did it have to be him? And worse, he saw the condoms in her bag. She’d rather leave than face his sharp tongue. But now she had a problem: where were her shoes? She searched the entire apartment and only found one high heel under the bed.

"Hey, where's my other shoe?"

"How should I know? You were wearing them."

Talking to him was pointless. She grabbed her bag from the nightstand and called Fei Ying. "Hey, Aunt Fei, I'm at Xi Zixiao's. My shoe is missing. Can you pick me up? What? Too busy? Want Xi Zixiao to buy me new ones? You’re meeting a handsome guy? Hey, that's heartless! Fine, come on... Hello? Hello?" Fei Ying had hung up, leaving Yao Si frustrated.

With no one else to turn to, she looked at Xi Zixiao and walked over to poke him. "Hey, my shoe got lost here. You owe me a new pair. Don’t tell me the great CEO of Xi Group can’t afford a pair of shoes."

"I'll pay," he said, finally looking up with a wicked grin, "but first, what’s this?" He pulled out a white bra. Yao Si’s face turned crimson.

That was the bra she had been wearing. She turned away, feeling herself. She was indeed braless. Did she take it off in her sleep because it was uncomfortable? She grabbed it from him and ran to the bathroom, hearing his laughter outside.

"Hey, dumb goose, check if anything else is missing so I can pay for it all. Ha!"

"Go to hell!"

To avoid further embarrassment, Yao Si decided to leave Xi Zixiao’s apartment barefoot. Her luck wasn’t all bad; she ran into Xi Ziqian as she stepped outside.

Seeing her barefoot, he guessed it had something to do with Xi Zixiao. "You're going home like this?"

"What else can I do?"

"Maybe we can stop at a convenience store for some slippers." She slapped her forehead, realizing she had no money.

"What’s wrong?"

"I’m broke!" she admitted, embarrassed. Xi Ziqian chuckled.

"Let's go, dumb goose. I'll drive you."

"Why are you calling me that too?" She laughed, feeling like she was back in high school, a time full of sunshine, youth, and hope.

Walking behind him, she often marveled at how time quietly changed people. Yet, Xi Ziqian seemed unchanged, still gentle and soft-spoken, his smile comforting and calming her restless heart. "Hey, dumb goose, don't you want me to pay for it? Even if it’s your underwear..." Xi Zixiao shouted from his apartment, intending to tease her more. But as he saw the elevator doors closing with her gazing fondly at Xi Ziqian, his smile faded. He stood at the door for a long time before tossing her white high heel into the hallway and slamming the door shut.

Yao Si hummed a tune as she opened the door, only to be pulled inside by Fei Ying. "Spring is here, and you're already acting up?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb. Your smile is brighter than the flowers outside. Don’t think I didn’t see Xi Ziqian drop you off. Tell me, how far did you get?"

Yao Si rolled her eyes. How far? She and Xi Ziqian were just classmates, not even friends. Fei Ying poked her forehead in frustration at her lack of ambition.