Chapter 32: Taste the Sweetness of Apples

The girl on the balcony looked toward the nearby overpass with a touch of melancholy.

Once a car merges onto a congested overpass, its speed is no longer entirely its own to decide until it reaches the exit ramp. The car behind dictates the minimum speed, while the car in front determines the maximum. Shen Heli’s actions felt as if she were the car behind, slamming on the accelerator and forcing Shen Yuna to risk a rear-end collision with Xia Xing, who was driving in front.

Although her sister’s probing had made her more certain of her place in Xia Xing’s heart—a realization that brought a small sense of happiness—it also brought a greater sense of losing control as the speed increased. If she were to turn the steering wheel ever so slightly, she wasn’t sure if their relationship would spin out of control.

It was truly frustrating. What had been an ambiguous dance of mutual probing seemed to have been forced into a showdown by Shen Heli’s meddling.

While she felt a twinge of resentment looking at Shen Heli’s profile picture, Yuna couldn't truly bring herself to blame her sister. After all, Heli was only acting out of concern. But now, how was she supposed to face Xia Xing? She couldn't just face him as his girlfriend, could she? There hadn't even been a formal confession; that would be letting him off too easily.

And yet... since all of this had happened, why hadn't he reached out to explain? Was he not mentally prepared?

"Unnie, what is he doing right now?"

"Big Sister: So concerned about your boyfriend?"

"Big Sister: He’s in the conference room for a meeting. Why?"

So he was in a meeting. No wonder he hadn't contacted her yet. But... knowing Xia Xing, his mind must be a complete mess right now, too. He usually appeared thoughtful and attentive, but at his core, he was still in a tender, immature stage that required others to guide him.

Though this was her first time attempting to navigate a relationship with a boy, and she lacked experience, she was confident that having grown up in a happy family, she was more mature than him. If someone had to take the initiative at this critical juncture, why couldn't it be her?

Setting aside her sister’s teasing, Yuna typed into the chat:

"Can you lend me your work badge?"

***

After the long afternoon meeting, Xia Xing dragged his exhausted body back to his desk. Because he hadn't been able to focus on the sales management department’s breakdown of regional targets, the report he was supposed to submit to Shen Heli was still missing the necessary data. There was no help for it; he had to pull himself together and finish the work through overtime.

But Xia Xing knew full well that the root cause of his lack of focus was his unresolved relationship with Shen Yuna. The situation was simple in essence: because of Shen Heli’s interference, Xia Xing had acknowledged their relationship prematurely, and Yuna, upon learning of this, was likely waiting for his response.

He should have reached out to clarify things with her immediately. But to explain meant inevitably baring his feelings—was that considered a confession? Caught between the two, Xia Xing couldn't help but wonder if that would be too rash.

Yet, letting it drag on was not good for either of them; it only fueled their inner turmoil due to the uncertainty of the other's thoughts. He couldn't go on like this. As he walked toward the restroom, even though he still hadn't figured out how to explain everything, he dialed her number.

The call was answered quickly, and Yuna’s signature playful, cheerful voice came through the earpiece.

"Meeting over? Why are you calling me now?"

"How did you know I was just in a meeting? Team Leader Shen... did your sister tell you?"

"That’s right. I have a human probe now; every move you make in that office cannot escape my watchful eyes."

"Yuna is watching you."

Yuna’s tone was as if nothing had happened at all. But surely, she knew everything by now, didn't she?

He turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on his face. The biting chill instantly cleared his head. As his rationality returned, he knew it was time to be honest about his feelings.

"Today, with your sister..."

"Stop. I know what you want to say."

"Silly, we’ve known each other's hearts for a long time, haven't we?"

"So, if you aren't ready to face me yet... just go at your own pace. I’ll wait for you."

The sudden gentleness in her voice made Xia Xing’s eyes sting with unexpected moisture. Looking at himself in the mirror in silence, he realized that when it came to matters of the heart, he was even more immature than Yuna.

***

At the very least, when faced with an unexpected situation, he hadn't even managed to consider Yuna’s feelings. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dragged his feet until now, leaving her to endure the same inner turmoil and constant second-guessing.

"Why have you stopped talking? Our Xingcan isn't hiding away somewhere to shed a few tears, is he? I was just trying to comfort you, you don't have to be so moved."

"Y-you, stop slandering me."

Xia Xing rinsed his flushed cheeks with cold water again. He understood clearly that in this situation, it was Yuna who was patiently guiding him out of the maze. After just a few words of comfort and guidance from her, his internal anxiety, which had plagued him all afternoon, vanished, replaced by the confidence to continue their relationship.

But Yuna was being quite the rogue—didn't she know that acting this way made people grow dependent on her?

After taking several deep breaths, Xia Xing finally regained a tone he hoped sounded calm and sincere.

"Please give me some time to prepare. Starting things this way, without any clarity, isn't romantic at all."

"Romantic? Are you planning a grand confession?"

"I'm not sure. If I told you too early, it wouldn't have the right sense of ceremony."

Xia Xing returned to his desk. Afraid that under Yuna’s questioning he might reveal the plans forming in his mind, he tried to shift her focus by mentioning he still had work to do. But just then, Yuna’s voice came through the phone again.

"So our Xingcan cares so much about ceremony and romance?"

"I don't care *that* much... I just think there should be one."

"Then, when I see you, should I also prepare a gift that makes you feel that sense of ceremony and romance?"

In truth... being able to see Yuna was already the greatest gift in Xia Xing’s life.

Just as he was about to explain this over the phone, the voice on the other end suddenly gained a sense of reality, growing louder and clearer. Stunned, he turned his head and found himself locking eyes with a beaming Yuna.

"But what a pity, this time I only brought an apple."

"How about it? Do you want to taste the sweetness of an apple?"