Hidden Love
Han Yu Pin Yin: Cang Ai
Author: Jennifer
Source: AAE Village
Translators: Evie

Under the brilliantly illuminated sky, the star light yet appears gloomily for her.

She leisurely strolls around until the hospital front door.
To the left of her is the garden and to the right is a big carpark.
She looked over to the fountain at the centre of the garden, in front of it is a empty chair. She miss him.
He is not coming over tonight.
She is the one who asked him not to come.
Over the past few nights, XiangZhe will definitely come over to keep her accompany no matter how late he finish at work.
Although she is very happy to be able to see him every night , but it just hurt to see him rushing like this between office and hospital.

Her dad will be discharged from hospital in another 2 days time. Doctor said he is really lucky, because the accident was very serious. And he has only have some external wounds. She thinks that their guardian angels must have been watching over her dad and her all the time, and all the good deeds he have been doing must be in the god eyes.

Have he got off from work yet? Well, give him a call!
Thinking of him always complaining about no mobile phone in the hospital rule, she unconsciously smiled.
"Hello, This is Yin XiangZhe." His voice sound calm, should be off from work already.
"Xue Zhang, is me." The sweet sweet supple voice, touches the tender feelings which he has mind filled with, he could not express out how please he is everytime to listen to her voice.

Her father recovered very quick, she also once again returned back to the girl which that he is familiar with, the one that frequently have delightful smiling face.

"You have gotten off from work already?"
"Em..., Yes."
"Where are you now? Home already?"
"I'm.... at the company parking lot now, just about to goes home."
He listens to her voice, while looking at the C building where her father hospital ward at, and she is in that room, he miss her very much.

Although, he had already gave her his word that he will go home straight after work today, but uncounsiously, he just drove to the hospital again.
"Is uncle feeling better today?"
"Emm.... his appetite is very good already and doctor said he can discharged the day after tomorrow to go home." She sounds to be happy.
"Good to know that!"
"Xue Zhang, how's work today?"
"It's ok...Nothing much...."
"Really?" Suddenly, he heard her laughing.
For a while, it was total silent on the phone, what is she thinking? He ponders in his heart.

Suddenly someone have gently knocked his car window. He turns over to look, a smiling face that he is familiar with appears infront of him

"I though we have agrees that you not to to come over tonight, why are you still here?" She smiles.
"Got used to it!" He grasps his head.
"Used to it? So after my father left the hospital, you will still come over? It's already here, but yet still lie to me."
"I'm feared of being scolded by you."
"Since when I'm that fierce..." She tittered to smile.

Both of them walks along the footpath.
He often take a looks at her.
"Why looks at others like this?"
"I like to see that happy smiling face of you."
She has slightly dangled the head.
He thought they looked like have returned to the past, that kind along with the nature, at will feeling returned to between them.
"What I said that day, have gave you much.... pressure is it?
She lowers the head and did not reply him.
"I have been thinking, ... if you are not willing,... you could forget about it, just treat that.... I have not said anything to you at all..."He had said most insincerely thing to her.
He is unable to stop loving her, but he does not want her to be awkward, he just hopes her to be joyful back again.

Her heartbeat skips...
"Xue Zhang.... Actually I'm..."
She wants to tell him, actually that day she had gone to the park, she wanted wholeheartedly to walk to his side, has words on the tip of the tongue, but just don't know how also said it out.
He stares at her, in the heart has the deep anticipation, at this moment, he saw in her eye the feelings she had for him too.
Unexpectedly she just keep silence to return to him, and wished that she had never posted out the letter..........................

After SM’s father recovered from his illness, it seemed to ZX that he saw even less of her. The work on hand had piled up, and she could not get away from her work. For more than half a month, even her weekends and holidays were spent doing overtime. During this time, SM & XZ managed only to meet up for a few meals. Even then, XZ made sure he took her home early to rest. He could not bear to see her so tired.

One afternoon, XZ suddenly received a phone call from SM. It made him very happy. “Xue Zhang, are you free this Sunday afternoon?” It seems the children whom he played with at Olympic Park have missed him, and want to play ball with “Brother Xue Zhang”. He agreed to go, only because of her.

He cancelled a prior engagement with his friends, and turned up at Olympic Park at the appointed time. When he arrived, she was already there with a crowd of children. When the children saw him, they ran up up to welcome him with all sorts of comments and questions. SM just stood aside, laughing at the scene.

When he finally got rid of the children, XZ asked SM “Didn’t you say 10 o’clock? Why were you so early?”
“Aren’t you glad you got to sleep in?” SM replied breezily. On hearing her words, XZ felt a warmth steal into his heart.

“Why did you think of taking them out to play today?” XZ felt frustrated. His recent contact with SM had only been on the telephone, and then only in short conversations.
“Well, I had promised them this long ago, but never managed to find the time. Now that one stage of the project is completed, it was the perfect opportunity to get away and relax.” SM explained.
“How I envy them!” XZ said a little resentfully, “I only get to see you because of them”. He looked woefully at SM.
“I’m not like that!” SM’s face started to get a little red.
“How not? I’ve got a record of all those times you’ve rejected my advances….” XZ said with a heavy sigh, and a twinkle in his eye.

He spent the morning happily playing soccer with the children. As with the previous occasion, he also treated them all to McDonald’s for lunch. The gang of them were sitting on the benches having lunch, when little Zhao ? Guang came and sat at his side. With the courage of youth, he asked “Brother Xue Zhang, you like Sister San Mei very much, don’t you?” XZ smiled. “In that case, Sister San Mei must also like you?”
“I don’t really know….” XZ replied. He looked over to SM, and immediately felt a thread of emotion run through him.
“I’ll go ask her, then!” Zhao ? Guang ran towards SM before XZ could stop him. He whispered something in SM’s ear, and received a slap on his bottom in return.
How XZ wished life was so simple. If only he could have that same courage to go right up to SM and ask her. Even if the response is a slap on his bottom, at least it would take away this uncertainty in his heart……

At about 3pm, the crowd had dispersed. It was still early, and the sun was shining brightly. XZ drove her along the highway to enjoy the scenery. All along the way, SM silently looked out the window.
“when was the last time you basked in the sun like this?” He was eager to break the silence.
SM glared at him “How can you teach a child to say such things!”
He knew now she was out to set the record straight. “What did he say?” XZ was secretly smiling. He honestly did not teach the child anything at all.
“Don’t pretend!” SM pouted and turned away. XZ could see her embarrassed expression reflected in the window and had to smile. He loved that look!
“What are you smiling at?” SM pouted even more.
XZ just smiled and shook his head. He reached out to turn on the radio. Music floated around them, and a female singer was singing:
I haven’t slept at all in days
It’s been so long since we have talked
And I have been here many times
I just don’t know what I’m doing wrong

What can I do to make you love me
What can I do to make you care
What can to say to make you feel this
What can I do to get you there……..

The lyrics reflected what was in his heart. They were the very questions XZ was asking of himself. He thought about what he had to do to walk into her heart.

“The lyrics of this song are very meaningful” XZ looked at SM meaningfully
“Mm” SM agreed, nodding her head.
All the way, SM seemed preoccupied with her own thoughts, and did not say much.
XZ was torn between making small talk, and his fear of her asking to be taken home.

It was already evening when they arrived within the city. XZ felt the cinema tickets in his pocket, wondering if he should ask her.
“It’ve been a long time since we’ve been to the movies…” SM suddenly said.
“Do you want to see a movie?” XZ’s spirits rose. She must have received his telepathy. The gods were finally answering his prayers.
“Alright” SM nodded
“What about “The Four Feathers” ?”
SM smiled and nodded.

The queue outside the cinema was very long. XZ asked SM to wait for him in the café across the road. While waiting in the queue, he looked across at her in the café and felt happy. Even from this distance, she is able to bring him happiness.
His mobile phone rang. There was an SMS message. When he looked in at it, he realized it was SM who sent the message. The message filled him with pure joy. SM wrote: “Xue Zhang, I always wanted to let you know, I did go to Shi Min Park that day”

He couldn’t help himself. He left the queue in search of her. She was waiting at the street entrance, smiling at him. He stepped up his pace until he got her side. He looked into her eyes, and saw unfathomable love in them.
“Why aren’t you waiting in there?” XZ asked.
“I don’t want to be alone. I.. I want…. to be with you “ She looked into his eyes. This time, she’s not going to run away any more. SM has found the courage to face her love.
“It’s too cold outside” XZ smiled contentedly at her
“I can always use your jacket, unless…….you don’t want to lend it to me?” SM loved the smell of his jacket.
“What do you think?” He pulled her into his arms and held her tighly. It felt like this hug would last forever.

If you’re really in love, how can you hide it?

He had to queue again for the tickets, but who cares? With her by his side, he was willing to wait forever. He held her tightly in his arms all night, never letting her go.