Hidden Love
Han Yu Pin Yin: Cang Ai
Author: Jennifer
Source: AAE Village
Translators: TS~*

Xiang Ze waited for her at the lounge; she’s changing into her sport attire in the changing room.
Today is a beautiful day; it is a good day for some outdoor activities. There were many people at the club already
“Xue Zhang!” her voice drifted over
Turning back to have a look, he was captivated
Wearing her tennis attire, her slender and sexy legs are exposed. He stared at her in appreciation as she slowly walked up to him.

“What are you starring at?” She pulled his shirt sleeves gently and asked
His eyes shined with unmasked appreciation and warmth, making her feel shy. She blushed
“Obviously starring at you! You’re my girlfriend, if I’m not looking at you, who do you expect me to look at?” He replied as a matter of fact
“But… I’m having seconds thoughts on bringing you here today” He told her softly by her ear, he didn’t like the way other men are looking at her.
“In that case, Let’s leave now!” She hooked her arms round his and tried pulling him away playfully.
“Don’t try to be lazy!” he pinched her nose lightly and said
“Hey! The person who’s lazy should be you! You were late for 10 minutes today” She smiled and said
“Late? Who was the one who said she wanted to eat meat floss biscuit roll?”
He had to make a detour earlier that morning to get her the breakfast she wanted, he knew she liked meat floss biscuit roll.
“You’re…. The most caring and nice Xue Zhang in this world!” She smiled sweetly
“After hearing what you’ve just said, I wouldn’t even mind going to Antarctica / North Pole to get you the stuffs you want to eat again!”
“That wouldn’t do! If I have to wait that long….I might…. Just pass out from starvation” She smiled and said meekly
“I thought you would have said you couldn’t bare for me to leave or that you’ll miss me”
“You said that yourself”
“Are all woman are always so fickle minded and says things that imply something else?”

She smiled broadly and loving gave him a gentle boxed (as in boxing)
Xiang Ze caught her flying fist; “Wow, you’re really fierce” Although he said that but he felt happiness and joy. Sweetness swirled in his heart like honey
“You… always come here for tennis?” she only realised that he is a member of this club while on their way here just now.
“Sometimes I’ll get some friends over to have a game or two”
Xian Da and Yong Xi is both his tennis mate
“How about you? Do you play tennis?”
He had a hard time convincing her to go outdoors to exercise and play some sports, normally, her exercise regime would be to just go to the gym for a workout.
“Me? I haven’t touch the tennis racket for more than a year already.” She smiled, a little embarrassed
“Never mind! I’ll practice with you later and you’ll get the feel back again”
After signing for the rackets, they walked over to the court

“Xiang Ze!” Somebody shouted his name
Turning round to have a look; it’s Xian Da and Yong Xi as well, they are at the court beside theirs
“My colleagues. Let’s go over so day hello!”
She holding onto his hand lightly, she walked beside him towards them.
“The news anchor of MBS, Kim Xian Da and Liu Yong Xi. I’m sure they’re no stranger to you.”
“Both are well known people. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Zhen Shan Mei”
She smiled warmly and bowed
Xian Da’s friendly and warm smile is just like how he projects himself on television and as for Liu Yong Xi beside him, she gives people a sense of arrogance and coldness, just like how it was when she first met her in Xiang Ze’s office last time.

“Xiang Ze…..brought your girlfriend for a game tennis?” Xian Da looked at Xiang Ze and blinked outrageously, smiling happily
Xiang Ze smiled but did not reply, he comfortably puts his arm on Shan Mei’s shoulders as if to make an affirmation
“Miss Zhen…..Have we met before?” Xian Da asked suddenly
She smiled
“Uncle Xian Da, how can you forget? We were neighbours once.”
Only then did Xian Da recalled that when he was in university, they had lived next to his house, Gui Chen had always taken good care of to the boy who had come to the city on his to pursue his dreams.
“It’s really you Shan Mei; Girls at 18 really change a lot, the little girl who always cry has grown up to become a beautiful lady already, how would I dare to recognise you?”
That time, she was still in secondary school
“How’s your father?” Xian Da started to do catching up on their lives
“He is very well. Every time when he sees you on TV, he would always tell be about the stuffs from the past!”
“Okay, end of story! Don’t you dare tell them anything about my dark and dangerous past” Xian Da threatened, jokingly
His funny and pleading look made Xiang Ze and Yong Xi laughed out loud.
Xian Da was very excited and happy and decided the four of them should have a match
“Me and Xiang Ze will be a team then, we play well together since we compliment each other better, unlike you, who always fight with me for the tennis ball!” Yong Xi looked at Xian Da and said
Xiang Ze was taken a back for a moment; he looked at Shan Mei
“Yong Xi…” Xian Da crossed his eyebrows. This Yong Xi… really!
“Uncle Xian Da, we’ll be a team then but I must warn you first, I haven’t played fior a long time so please excuse my poor skills okay!”
She smiled and looked at Xiang Ze
Looking at her easy smile only then did Xiang Ze heave a sigh of relieve, He’s afraid that she’ll be upset by what Yong Xi has said.

Xiang Ze’s team started the serve. He and Yong Xi, they really compliment each others serve well, every ball that Yong Xi hit was hard and furious, she is taking the game seriously unlike Xian Da who always fool around the court and sometimes even knock into Shan Mei when they both tried to return the serve at the same time.  Shan Mei did not mind about the scores as it is after all just a game for leisure and some fun.

As expected, after a while, their team was badly tailing behind. Realising that Xiang Ze was playing below average to give them chance to do some catch up and the fact that their scores are really embarrassing; only then did Shan Mei played a little more seriously and earned some points for her team. Even then, they are still beaten by a large margin. In the first match, they lost badly.

“Not bad, you played well.” At half time, Xiang Ze smiled and told her
“Xiang Ze, it’s too obvious that you’re playing below average!” Yong Xi commented coldly
She’s a little embarrassed as well as a little angry
“Uncle Xian Da, let’s see if we ca win them in the next two rounds”
Yong Xi’s remarks made her feel challenged and roused her competitiveness
“Can we?”
Xian Da wasn’t confident on winning them. They had lost badly just now.
“Nothing is impossible. But you’ll have to suffer a little and listen to my instructions”
“No problem. I have never won a single match from them before. If we win, I’ll give you a treat” Xian Da said half jokingly
“It’s a deal then”
She smiled sweetly; she plans to win the next match

In the second match, she collected her light-hearted mood.
She totally became another person. Even Xian Da had an above average performance
Her focus and seriousness, the kind of killer confidence she projected; Xiang Ze has only seen it the first time they’ve met for business

Her serve was strong and sharp. Front and backhand, they were all accurate and fast. She even instructed Xian Da how to return the hits and position himself on the court. A few aces landed on the side of their court, making the kill. Yong Xi had a hard time keeping pace. Even if he were to play with her individually, he might not be able to win her, Xiang Ze thought. 

Yong Xi is tired, Xiang Ze sat with her for a chat
Shan Mei was still at the court practising some techniques with Xina Da

“You’ve changed a lot lately.” Yong Xi told him
“Really?”
“Yes, You’re happier and you smile more often now. You seemed to have become a changed man. Your father said that you’ve also returned home more often lately.”
He smiled
“Xiang Ze, is she the girl you mentioned last time?”
He smiled and nodded his head
“She is quite competitive”
Xiang Ze gave a broad smile. This is the first time he has seen her this way, the side of her where she is determined never to lose.       
“Where did you two met?”
“I met her in England the last time I went there for a holiday”
“I really envy her. How did she manage to melt your cold and hard heart and win your love?” Yong Xi said a little exasperatedly.
“I suppose its destiny!” he turned around to look at the girl laughing heartily in the court. A smile of happiness and contentment spread across his face.
“Xiang Ze, I’m happy for you. Truly happy for you”
“Thank You” He acknowledge her well wishes and nodded his head
“Perhaps now I can walk whole-heartedly towards another man” She looked at Xian Da’s back and commented

“So, you really hid your talents well, you even got yourself a disciple”
Looking at the retreating back of Xian Da and Yong Xi, he smiled and told her
She twitched her lips but did not reply
“When you played just now……..your killer instinct was really strong” Thinking of the way she looked in the court just now when they played, he was tickled
“The one who has killer instinct wasn’t me, it was your best and most compatible partner!”
She beamed at him

“You don’t mind Yong Xi, she’s always like that…..” Xiang Ze said
“It doesn’t make any difference which team I’m in since we do not ‘compliment’ each other anyways”
She purposely highlighted the word ‘compliment’
“Wow! Such a strong smell of sourness, are you jealous?”
He walked up beside her and pulled her close to have a good look at her
Whenever she gets jealous, he becomes so happy. It’s really maddening.
“Sorry, I only drink water and not vinegar”
She got out her bottled water and started drinking in big gulps
“Where’s my towel?” She searched everywhere but still couldn’t find her towel. Most probably she’s left it in the car
“Use mine then!” He took down the towel hanging around his neck and passed it to her
“No way! It’s all stinky with your sweat!” She pouted and pulled out her own kerchief
“Really, at this point in time you’re still so picky! If you catch a cold, don’t blame me for not helping you”
When she gets obstinate, no one can get thru her
 Xiang Ze shook his head to surrender and stood up

“Where are you going?” As she used her hand to wipe away her sweat she asked him
“To go buy you, my princess, a towel to wipe your sweat”
The nearest convenience store is almost 10 mins away, to go back and forth will take him about 20 mins
“Forget it, I’ll……just use your towel then” She finally compromised
His playing pitiful plot really worked, but of course it doesn’t work all the time
“You really troublesome sometimes!”
“It’s not like this is the first time you know it” she said
“Give me your bottle water” Xiang Ze reached over and grabbed her bottle
“For what?” She looked at him wide eyed
“I want to drink water” he said it commandingly
“Don’t you have your own?”
“I prefer to drink yours”
“What kind of rational is this?”
He grabbed her bottle and following where she last drank from, started drinking the water
“It’s really sweet and smells nice” he said
She understands what he’s smiling about already
“You’re too much!” She pouted and blushed

It was almost lunchtime; they walked hand in hand along the path and stop occasionally to watch others in their game of tennis

“When did you learn to play tennis?” He asked
“During my university days, I used to represent my faculty.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier, I almost embarrassed myself in front of you.” He said, swinging the tennis racket in his hands
“You played well. Didn’t your most compatible partner say that you’re playing below standard to let us win?”
“She…..used to be your girlfriend, right?” She looked at him and asked
“You can say that. It’s been a long time ago.” He looked at her straight in the eye and told her.
“The first time I saw her in your office, I’ve already guessed that she’s your girlfriend.”
“No wonder when I asked you to join us for dinner, you rejected and walked out without even looking back.” He smiled and said
“Well, I know how to give others space.”
“At that time, we aren’t together already. When I left for England to further my studies, we grew apart.”
“She seems to know you very well” She sounded jealous
“Really? Why do you think so?”
“Erm…a few times when we were together, she happen to call and you two talked about stuffs which normal/casual friends wouldn’t know about.”
“How do you define ‘stuffs normal friends wouldn’t know’” He found her questions and statements cute.
“Stuffs like your mother’s birthday! And your birthday!”
“Oh! So you’ve been eavesdropping on our conversations all these times.”
“No I did not! I just happen to be there!”
“Our family know each other’s very well. We grew up together.”
“So you’re both childhood sweethearts”
“Right, we are childhood chums” he said
“She’s very pretty and capable. Why did you two break up?”
“We were all very young, who would have known how to love and keep a relationship? We grew up together so naturally we became a couple. Then one day when I questioned myself, I realised that the feelings I have for her wasn’t love, I do not wish to hurt her.”

“She must have been very upset! She looks like someone who’s very ambitious.” Knotting her brows, she looked at him
“The thing about relationships is that it cannot be forced!” He put his arms on her shoulders and pulled her closed to his side.
“Uncle Xian Da seems to like her a lot, is he wooing her?”
‘Xian Da has always liked Yong Xi”
“I can feel that she still likes you” She told him she observation carefully
“Why do you feel that way?”
“Sixth sense!”
“But that is all history already! She likes someone else now!”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’m very sure.” He is confident with his answer
“Xue Zhang……”
“After so many questions, are you satisfied with the explanations? Are you still worried about your love rival?” He smiled happily at her and cut off her question
“People just want to know more about you what!” She pouted her lips and said sweetly
“Now…. My turn to ask you a question.”
“What?” She looked at him; wide eyed
“Miss Zhen Shan Mei, can you use your sixth sense to tell me how much I like you?” He pulls her close to his side and held her tightly, asking his question in earnest
“Oh…. Director Yin, This is a question whereby only you will know the answer best”
Pushing him away, she ran off quickly

How much does he like her? Is it higher than the bright sky or is it deeper than the dark blue sea?