The Calm (or Hiding the Storm)

The cold wind whispered through the fallen maple leaves scattered along the marble walkway of the Chen family estate. Nestled in an upscale district, far from the city's bustling chaos.

Wei Chen returned home, his footsteps echoing in the grand entrance hall as he held a brown paper bag in one hand. The scent of spicy barbecue pork wafted from the bag, filling the air with warmth. The housekeeper hurried over, her eyes widening slightly in surprise as she reached out to take the bag from him.

"Today's food looks more special than usual," The housekeeper remarked with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Just barbecue pork," Wei Chen answered nonchalantly, brushing past her as he made his way up the marble stairs toward his bedroom on the second floor.

As he was about to take the first step, his mother's voice called out from the living room.

"Wei Chen! Perfect timing!"

He paused and looked up. In the cream-colored living room, Shen Shen sat beside his mother on the white leather sofa, surrounded by bright red cushions. Shen Shen turned to smile at him politely.

"Shen Shen brought some premium oolong tea for me, so I invited her to stay for dinner, dear," his mother said cheerfully, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she glanced at her son.

Shen Shen smiled and gracefully lifted her tea cup to sip, her demeanor calm and composed, betraying no discomfort. Wei Chen walked over and took a seat in the dark brown carved wooden chair beside the sofa. His father, engrossed in a book nearby, remained unaware of the subtle tension that had begun to fill the room.

"The dining table should be ready now. Let's go eat together. It's rare that we're all here at the same time,"

his mother invited, standing up and gesturing for everyone to join.

The dining room was warm with the orange glow of the crystal chandelier above. The table, laden with various Chinese dishes, gleamed under the soft light. The clink of chopsticks and the hum of quiet conversation filled the room as they began eating. His mother, with a satisfied smile, looked between Shen Shen and Wei Chen before speaking up.

"I'm not surprised by what Shen Shen told me earlier," she said, her voice carrying a knowing tone. "When she said you two are dating, I already noticed how well Shen Shen takes care of you, Wei Chen."

Wei Chen froze for a split second, his chopsticks hovering in midair as he glanced at Shen Shen. She remained unfazed, meeting his mother's gaze with calm eyes. He said nothing, neither confirming nor denying, his expression unreadable. It felt like a script he hadn't written but was forced to act out.

"This barbecue pork tastes amazing, where did you buy it, son?" his father chimed in, shifting the conversation. 

"A small restaurant. I stopped by on my way back from the office," Wei Chen replied casually, though inside, he felt an urge not to share too much about the place.

Shen Shen narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew well that Wei Chen wasn't the type to stop for food on his way home. Yet, she chose not to react, continuing the conversation with his mother, hiding her thoughts behind a polite smile.

***

After dinner, as everyone sipped tea in the warm, intimate dining room, Wei Chen's father nodded approvingly at the meal. Wei Chen glanced at his mother, who was still happily chatting with Shen Shen. His gaze shifted briefly over Shen Shen before he set down his tea cup and spoke, breaking the content silence.

"Shen Shen will be leaving soon. I'll drive her home myself."

His words hung in the air, abruptly silencing the table. Shen Shen blinked in surprise, caught off guard by this sudden decision. She hadn't even had the chance to speak yet. His mother turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow, her voice soft but tinged with disappointment.

"Oh, leaving already, dear?" she asked, her tone laced with surprise.

"Shen Shen has an early meeting tomorrow morning," Wei Chen answered for her, his voice calm and unwavering.

He didn't meet her eyes as he spoke, his tone clipped. There was an underlying tension in the way he avoided looking directly at her. It wasn't disgust—more a fear of seeing the expression of someone who had once been his refuge, someone who now seemed to be slipping away.

Shen Shen bit her lip, her grip tightening around her tea cup. She forced a smile, standing slowly and collecting her purse amidst the heavy silence.

"Yes, thank you for dinner," she said softly, her voice polite, before walking toward the door.

Wei Chen stood as well, addressing his parents. "I'll drive Shen Shen home first. I probably won't come back tonight."

His mother watched them thoughtfully. Something in her gaze shifted, as if she had noticed the subtle cracks in the surface that no one had dared mention.

Once in the car, Shen Shen turned to him, her voice sharp with tension.

"Are you kicking me out?"

Wei Chen started the engine, his face unreadable. "No, I just have something to discuss with you."

"If you're going to talk about what I told your mother, you don't need to say anything," Shen Shen replied immediately, her voice clipped as she turned her gaze out the windshield.

Wei Chen didn't glance at her, his focus on the road ahead. "So you know what I'm going to talk about?"

"I haven't told your mother anything yet. You made all the decisions yourself," she responded coldly.

"Because I had no choice," Wei Chen muttered, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

Shen Shen turned to look at him, her eyes searching his face. "You once said you didn't want anyone to know about us, but today you spoke about it as if nothing has changed. Even though I clearly told you I wanted to step back from this."

Her voice grew softer, quieter, as if she was speaking more to herself than to him. "Yes, I was the one who said I wouldn't reveal it. But I didn't think that staying quiet would make you pull away."

"I'm not pulling away because of revealing or not revealing," Wei Chen said firmly. "I'm pulling away because we're not in the place we once were. You're trying to hold onto something that's already slipping away."

Shen Shen turned her face toward the window, her hand pressed against the glass as if seeking comfort. Her lips trembled slightly as she whispered, "You want to reduce our relationship because you have another woman, don't you? You're using work as an excuse, aren't you?"

Wei Chen didn't answer. He just sighed heavily, his gaze on the road as the car moved forward.

Shen Shen inhaled deeply, collecting her emotions. "And what if I don't agree to end this so easily?"

"Shen Shen..." Wei Chen said her name, his voice strained. He opened his mouth to explain but fell silent. He knew that continuing the conversation would only make things harder. Shen Shen wasn't one to give up on anything easily, and he wasn't sure whether her feelings were born out of love or just a need to win.

"If you choose to remain silent again, I won't stay silent anymore," her voice trembled, a raw edge in her words.

The car's interior was filled with a tense silence, the only sounds coming from the hum of the engine and the faint passing streetlights. Neither of them spoke again, the weight of the moment settling between them like a shadow.