19 THE SIMPLE THING TO DO

Xuan Tianmei had just finished a job at the studio. The makeup artiste peeked at her wristwatch, it was twenty minutes past 6.

Xuan Tianmei was aware they were more jobs later, but thankfully, the company gave those jobs out to freelance artists. She observed the mess she had made while working, then gave her assistant, Xiao Xin—who was licking her lollipop with excessive concentration—a canny stare.

She drew a deep breath and called out to her assistant. "Xiao Xin."

Xiao Xin snapped out of her lollipop daze and walked up to Xuan Tianmei, "Big sister."

"Can you help me clean up? I have to leave now."

"Oh! Do you have a date?"

"No, I don't. I'm having dinner with my brother."

"Aww. Your really cute brother whose number you won't give me."

Xuan Tianmei smiled and ignored the girl. Being a chatty person, it usually took Xiao Xin less than a minute to trap someone in a conversation they would much rather avoid.

Xuan Tianmei pulled her phone out of her purse and dialled Xuan Tianyi's number. It connected, but the person at the other end didn't pick up the call.

She rolled her eyes, packed her bags and made her way to the last floor of the building. She tried calling two more times. Still, Xuan Tianyi didn't pick up his phone.

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Xuan Tianmei was starting to lose her cool. What could he be doing that was so important he couldn't pick her call? Nothing came to her mind but the dirty business. Xuan Tianyi had told her he had something important to tell her, he wouldn't ignore her call unless he couldn't meet up anymore. The only reason he'd cancel dinner with her was if something unforeseen happened, or if he found himself a new fuck buddy. Since the second scenario seemed more likely than the first, her unpicked calls soured her facial expression.

As she clocked out at the reception, the receptionist exclaimed. "Aiya! You're the sister of that guy who was arrested this afternoon."

Xuan Tianmei was caught off-guard by this. She had heard people murmuring about an arrest, but had paid their rumours no mind. "What? No, I'm not."

The receptionist glared at her and continued, "You have the same last name and the same face. How can it be that you're not his sister?"

Xuan Tianmei furrowed her brows and asked, whispering the last three words. "Was this person's name Xuan Tianyi?"

"Of course, it was. Ai! Where are you hurrying off to?" The receptionist was dismayed. She was looking forward to knowing what happened.

Xuan Tianmei ran out of the building and paused. Worried and confused, she pulled out her phone and called Xuan Tianyi again. As expected, the call connected but wasn't answered on the other end.

"What's happening to your face?" Tan Yao, who had suddenly appeared beside her, asked her.

Seeing a familiar face, Xuan Tianmei's tense facial expression relaxed. "Did you know Xuan Tianyi was arrested?"

"What? No, I didn't. What happened?"

"I don't know," Xuan Tianmei answered with a crack in her voice. She was on the brink of tears.

Tan Yao frowned in sympathy and surprise. "Come with me. I'll take you to the police station on my motorcycle."

"Okay. Thank you." Xuan Tianmei replied and went with him to the car park, not minding at all that he had grabbed her hand and held onto it tightly.

***

After closing from the office, Hua Zhendan went right home. The food he ordered had been delivered in his absence. After taking his bath, he sat down to eat and found that he had no appetite.

He tried to read but couldn't concentrate. Then he tried to watch TV but couldn't focus either.

With a sigh of resignation, he retired to his bedroom, got on the bed and turned off the light.

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but his mind drifted to the afternoon and thoughts of Xuan Tianyi. He hadn't let his emotions clouded his judgement, he could be said to have done the right thing, couldn't he?

After tossing and turning around on his bed for what seemed like an eternity, he sat up and looked at his wristwatch. It was just 7:30 pm. If Xuan Tianyi hadn't misbehaved, in two hours, he would've done the photoshoot for The Men Issue and in less than forty-eight hours, would havee had his first pay of a thousand dollars. Double what the Coca-Cola Ad would pay Tan Yao. He had given him the better job, right?

He sure had and wouldn't let it weigh on his conscience. He went to the kitchen, drank some warm milk and went back to bed. Still, sleep evaded him.

What if Xuan Tianyi's room was too cold? What if the mattress wasn't soft enough? Or hard enough? Would he really send Xuan Tianyi to jail? That would be the right thing to do after all.

As Hua Zhendan hugged his blanket tighter, he wondered if the police had given Xuan Tianyi a blanket? What if they hadn't? How would Xuan Tianyi sleep without a blanket?

What if he couldn't eat the food? What if one of the policemen tried to **** him? What if someone hit him?

As these thoughts endlessly ran through Hua Zhendan's mind, he felt a teardrop from his eyes. He sat up and cleaned it with his thumb of his right hand.

Unwittingly, he broke into a small, uncontrollable sob. This was all his fault. He was just so jealous after Su Yang had shown him the picture of Xuan Tianyi kissing Tan Yao, he decided to punish him with that humiliating job.

When Xuan Tianyi didn't take the job, he had punished him again by having him arrested. He was supposed to be satisfied but all he felt was emptiness and despair.

He wanted to make Xuan Tianyi suffer but he couldn't bear the thought of him suffering either. Because the more Xuan Tianyi suffer, the more he suffered.

Hua Zhendan sighed.

He would rather Xuan Tianyi kissed a thousand more people than have him cold, hungry and lonely in jail. He would let him go and not hurt him. Perhaps, that way, he could hurt a little less.

At this thought, Hua Zhendan wiped the tears from his eyes and got up from his bed. Yes, he had made a resolve, he was going to let Xuan Tianyi go. Like, release him from prison, let him do whatever he wanted with his stupid life, and just focus on getting over him. Maybe then, he could go back to pretending he's stoic and unfeeling and maybe then, he would eventually stop hurting. It could all be that simple.