‘Oh snow falls,’ Kris muttered as he looked up outside the flying staircases glass wall. From there he could see the frosted ice flew around as the freezing cold wind blew.

Sigh

This is so , when I need to go out and it HAD to have snow falls all over the place. .

“Xiao Fan, I’m sorry. I’m down with flu. I got to go and see doctor today. You take care of yourself okay? I already tell Mrs. Fung. Maybe she’ll get you my replacement, just call her. I’m sorry Xiao Fan. I never expected would be this bad”

That was message he received this morning. And to make it worse when he called his manager, Mrs. Fung simply said, he did not need any assistant for today since he had no major work.

‘All you got to do just come to office to discuss about the winter charity and I think someone from YOHO will come to see you,’ with that she hung up on him.

Another sigh

Kris opened the glass door of his apartment’s lobby; the snow fall is quite heavy. However—and still reluctantly—Kris opened the door and with heavy sigh he put his feet one after another. He tightened his coat and fixed the furry hoodie, frosted flakes would hit him when the wind blew to his direction hence he tended to walk in the innermost of the pedestrian line. It was okay to sometimes stop when he faced a building pillar or when other would about to in or out from buildings next to his walking line.

One question though, why did many people were still up to walk outside when the snow is heavy pouring?

They have too many reasons for that, just like you do, why did you walk outside then? His subconscious asked. Ah right. He mentally nodded as he stopped awhile when a granny walked out of the convenient store’s door with rather big bag of plastic groceries. He immediately held the door open for her.

‘Xiexie,’ she said and nodded in gratitude.

‘Buxie,’ Kris smiled and nodded as well.

He continued to walk down the pavement lane; the frosted flakes were still flying around as he looked up and breathed a visible air. So cold. Kris pocketed his both hands deep in his coat pocket.

Two more blocks, he mentally counted.

A cab drive passes him and there a thought to stop the vehicle but… no, it would need around fifteen minutes to arrive to the office since they need to drive around the block and back again. While he would need ten minutes at most by foot.

Mental note, should I looking for new apartment? Or new office? Maybe I should talk about this with Mrs. Fung later.

Kris crossed the empty road—he did not bother to find crossing line, yes, and a bad pedestrian indeed. Do not follow his example please—and crossed through the ground building and down to the other quite road. He only needed to walk to the end of the road and his office building was right in the end of the other side of the block; he could see the high levels windows already.

Phew!

Kris mentally cheered when finally he reached the lobby’s door. Almost everyone greet him when he entered the building, well, the perks of being popular hahaha. He returned the greeting though, even with smile or slight bow.

Headed straight to the elevator, Kris tapped the elevator button, despite today is actually already in Christmas Week but apparently there many workers have yet to have their holiday. Just like he himself? He mentally snorted with his own thought. I’m the boss, I can tell my staff to work or go on holiday!

Ding

His ride to 16^th floor arrived and he stepped in, there none around thus he would ride alone, just like usual.

Speaking about this, there strange habit of many of workers in this building, he did know either why most of the people in here was like giving him a special treatment, especially with elevator ride. It was rare moment where other workers willing to share ride with him, not that he mind though, it just… strange—sometimes, well most of the time—since he was not the big boss or whatsoever in here.

But I’m Xiaoye, he chuckled to himself.

The ride did not take long and as soon as he arrived to his office the meeting was ready. Wow, Mrs. Fung really did not waste a second huh? Meeting went faster than he expected, probably because everything was ready before his arrival or maybe because it only report about the final winter charity plan? He was not sure either. But after sometime of observing after the meeting ended and all of his staff exchanged—early—holiday greeting before the Christmas holiday and their office Christmas party at December 29^th.

‘It’s last day before our short holiday, so we prepare everything and make everything as fast as possible,’ Mrs. Fung said and it confirmed Kris’ theory about today’s meeting. ‘So don’t worry, the charity will go well and now, let just enjoy the holiday!’

‘I already suspect it,’ Kris laughed.

‘Well, can’t help,’ Mrs. Fung shrugged. ‘Will you back to Guangzhou?’

‘I think you forget that I don’t have holiday, there Mr. Six promo remember and yes I’m back at 23^rd for roadshow?’

‘Ah right, I’m sorry for that,’

‘It’s okay though, anyway my Mum will visit, so it isn’t a big deal.’

It was so unfortunate he might say but seeing his staff left the room with huge smile on their face, he felt everything was enough.

Soon it was only him left in the room, his schedule to meet with YOHO representative was pushed back by dinner meeting this evening. It was cool enough since he would not have filming schedule tonight.

Kris pushed himself up and checked up all the devices and make sure they were off before headed to the door and locked it.

The rain of frosted flakes was not stopping yet; Kris looked up once he was outside the building. His eyes landed on Starbucks café in the building across the road. Again, he did not bother to find crossing lane and simply run across the empty street and quickly pushed the glass door. The café is quiet. He looked around him as he walked to the counter.

He retreated back from the counter and looked for chair to sit while waiting for his order to come. Here he is now, sitting by the window in the corner most Starbucks, mindlessly watching the flying frosted flakes and not-so-fancy neighborhood. Kris tore his gaze back to the—still—quite café when he caught news on TV about official restriction and safety of going out. Then it made sense to him why the neighborhood was quite, aside of coldness and snowfalls it must be the official’s restriction.

Not long after, his order arrive and he was in deep contemplating about would he drink the coffee in the café or take it out but in the end he did not move his in an inch until his coffee was finish. Nodded to one of the staff that cleared his table, Kris headed to the door. The snows were still falling but not as heavy as sometime ago. For some moment, he was standing still in front of the café door, did not know where to go. Sometimes, being off schedule was confusing since he rarely went out randomly like this.

Finally he decided to go the opposite direction from where he came earlier, frankly, he had never explore the neighborhood and with the quite situation today, hopefully he would not bump into his fans or something. After sometimes of walking, he met the end of the block and he was about to take step further with delight face—well the end of the block was a small alley with second handed and vintage street market—and being Kris he was, of course he was more than happy upon seeing the things revealed before him. But just as he walked couple of steps, his eyes landed on little girl who was sitting behind small table. She was around 9 or 10 years old and had thick scarf around her neck but apparently it could not protect her much from the cold. Her cheeks were rosy and she breathed visible air from time to time. But her tiny hands—which covered by colorful and pretty nice (if he could compliment) knitted gloves—were fast crocheted those wools.

Without Kris realized, he stared at the little girl longer than he thought, absent mindedly he approached her.

‘Hey,’

The girl looked up and smiled widely;

‘Hello Gege, do you want to buy hand gloves?’ she momentarily left her crochet and looked at him with her sparkly and hopeful eyes.  

‘Do you make all of those?’ Kris asked as he pointed to the various gloves on her small table. The girl nodded. ‘They’re beautiful,’

‘Thank you, so—‘

‘What if I help you to sell them out?’ Kris proposed out of the blue.

‘Sorry?’

Kris could tell that she was taken aback with his unexpected proposal hence without explain more, Kris began to offer the handmade gloves to the street market visitor. Selling something was apparently not as easy as he thought since most of them barely look at the things he offered.

CU was not as hard as right now, he mentally noted. Sighing, Kris let himself straight and recall what he did during filming CU and put all his effort to sell the gloves.

‘I don’t think we can sell them if we keep sitting in here,’ Kris told.

‘I need to make those, I can’t walk around,’ she stated.

‘Err… I’m sorry, I forget to introduce myself, well, my name is Kris,’ he held out his hand for the girl to shake.

‘My name is Mimi,’

‘Well Mimi, lets do like this, you stay here and I’ll be the one who sell them out okay?’

Mimi looked at him skeptically, she remember that her sister never bored to tell him not no trust stranger but with Kris, there something about him that made Mimi wanted to trust him but… her doubt replaced almost immediately with frowned when she saw Kris gathered the gloves with his bare hands.

‘Gege, you don’t have gloves on!’

‘Oh this,’ Kris looked down at his hands, its cold, dammit. ‘It’s okay,’

Mimi disapprovingly shook her head and hurriedly stood up;

‘No, you can’t walk around with bare hands, it’s too cold,’ she said and took the black pair one and urge Kris to wear it. ‘Wear this and you can start selling the gloves Ge,’

***

Kris sighed when he pocketed the money, he just sell four pair of gloves. Nice job Kris! He patted his own shoulder before he started to approach a group of women. It took nearly couple of hours for him to sell all of the gloves but when he looked around he was almost in the end of the alley and Mimi was no longer in sight. With huge smile of satisfaction he made his step back only to stop by at coffee shop to buy Mimi a cup of hot chocolate. He could tell that Mimi sighed in relieve when she caught his glimpse, perhaps she thought I would run away with her gloves?

‘Hey, sorry take sometime to sell all of them,’ Kris said as he placed hot chocolate on her table.

‘Oh my God! You sell all of them? Like all??’ Mimi exclaimed in surprise, of course she was, Kris brought sixteen gloves and manage to sell all of them in mere two hours when she needed it almost a day.

‘Of course I did it and now, here I bought you hot chocolate. I bought it myself,’ he added when Mimi looked at him with questioning look and he took out the money out of his coat’s pocket and give those all to the girl.

‘You shouldn’t do that,’ she muttered.

‘Well, it’s cold and I think hot chocolate is good,’ Kris said as he casually sat down at the pavement floor, ignoring the fact it might dirtying his jeans. ‘When you finish the drink, I’ll walk you home,’

‘It’s okay Ge, I can go home by myself,’

‘You don’t have anything to sell anymore, just pack up and rest ok?’

‘Alright,’

***

Kris almost chocked his own saliva when Mimi opened the ‘house’ door. It was only a room with small bed and someone was occupying right now.

Mimi silently hushed him for his attempt to question her.

‘Jiejie is sleeping,’ she muttered softly but clear enough for Kris to hear it, she looked at her elder sister fondly before led Kris to go out of the room and sat down at the door entrance.

***

It was already 3 AM in the morning yet sleep had not visit Kris, perhaps it one of the after effect from his nonstop filming in the past five months or perhaps it because his unexpected encounter with Mimi this afternoon? No idea.

Mimi lived in under the head of church’ sympathy, he gave her and her sister place to stay even it just one small room in the back of the building. Her so called house was not even a half of his own room, there no living room, not even a kitchen.

She and her sister were kicked out from the hospital her sister’s was treated because she could not afford the fee and social fund decided to cut their aid too. That was cruel but…

Unfortunately he did not know what Mimi’s sister disease and how could he help her? An idea popped in his head and with huge grin he reached out his phone and pushed the speed dial and waited for the other line picked up the call.

‘I hope you’ve o’clock so you know what time it is,’ the line came in between growl and hoarse voice made Kris tried his best to suppress his laughter.

‘Oh yeah I have and it says 3 AM,’ Kris snickered.

‘God dammit Kris! Didn’t you know that I’m supposed to rest? I ain’t up for your game,’ Luhan grumbled.  

‘I know and that’s why I turn to you—‘

‘I swear Kris—‘

‘I need a favor and the information is already in your inbox, the better if by this morning it already sitting in my inbox.’

‘You motherer it barely hours!’ Luhan yelled over the line, clearly mad at him, much to his ignorance though.

‘Trust me, it just simple. I owe you big time mate, I’m hung up now, get back your to sleep,’ Kris laughed and he could imagine that his friend was fuming in anger.

Unexpectedly, after the call, Kris finally find himself drowsy and he gladly to call it the day.

***

It had been days after his meeting with Mimi and unfortunately Kris could not visit the girl again due to his busy promotional schedules. And today here he was right now, strolling around his office block under his thick coat once Mr. Six premiere event ended, much to his delight since the event changed the time for two hours earlier from its initial schedule.

With big smile planted on his face, Kris pushed the door one of big store.

‘Welcome Mr. Wu,’ the store manager greeted him.

‘Sorry I’m late,’ Kris slightly bowed as he apologized for being late from their appointment.

‘It’s okay Sir, we know that you’re busy. So, this way Sir.’ The manager led him the way and one of the staff pulled a red box and placed it onto the counter.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Kris commented when he looked inside the box.

‘It is Sir,’ the staff agreed, ‘she must be very happy to received the present,’

‘I hope so,’ Kris smiled.

And yes, Kris hoped she would be happy to receive it and not to mention the trench coat was indeed beautiful and at once his remembered how Mimi admired the coat from the glass window.

***

Kris furrowed when he realized Mimi was no longer in his side, was he walked to fast? He turned around only to find the girl stood in front of store window.

‘Hey,’ Kris nudged the girl.

‘Beautiful,’ Mimi smiled. ‘Jiejie would be very pretty wearing that,’

‘Red is always pretty though,’ Kris said.

Mimi nodded and with last smile she resumed her walk.

‘Do you like the coat?’ Kris asked, both of them were about to grab dinner before Kris walked Mimi home.

‘Nah, that coat was made not for people like me,’ Mimi shrugged.

***

Kris sighed when he spotted Mimi was still sitting in her usual spot.

‘Hey, it’s Christmas Eve, why did you still here?’

Mimi looked up and smiled brightly when she saw Kris.

‘And why are you here too Gege?’

‘Because I know you’ll be here, come on get your things and we go home.’

‘No, I can’t,’ Mimi shook her head. ‘Business is good I can’t miss it,’

Kris sighed and started to gather her belonging despite her protest. Soon both of them were inside Kris car and Mimi would not stop saying about how rich Kris was. While he only watch the girl in amusement. And it did not take long for them to reach Mimi’s house.

‘Oh by the way,’ Kris said and he reached out the box from the back seat. ‘Merry Christmas,’ he said as he handed the red box to the girl who hesitantly received it. ‘Open it,’ Kris ordered.

Gingerly Mimi open it and her eyes widened and jaw dropped. She could not say a word and only look at the box and Kris one to another.

‘It’s… it’s…’

‘Christmas present for you,’ Kris smiled and added, ‘you said your Jiejie will look pretty with that coat,’

‘Oh my God! Gege thank you very much!’ Mimi cried and hugged Kris and abandoned the fact that the box toppled over her lap.

***

Snow started to fall again, in one of the busy street of Beijing, Kris drove his car and enjoying the city night view. Christmas feels were present almost in every city’s corner and from his driver seat, Kris could see Christmas tree from every window in people’s living room and in here, in the Beijing downtown there huge Christmas tree and many people wearing Santa’s costume busily walking to and fro entertaining visitors—and most of them are kids.

Meanwhile in her house, Mimi and her Jiejie have their first ever Christmas Eve dinner after their endless happy cry. They will soon move to the new house, Mimi will resume her school and her Jiejie will send to the hospital again soon to complete her treatment.

From afar he spotted Luhan’s poster ad with Puma and Meilishuo stood side by side, he immediately remember, there one person he needed to thanks for today. Because without Luhan, Mimi and her Jiejie could not receive their big present, a better life. Luhan was the one who sent people to do Mimi background check including her Jiejie's disease.

‘Lu,’ Kris called when Luhan picked up the call from the other line. ‘Thanks for the present, they’re really happy. Merry Christmas Eve,’

Tonight, under the blessing Christmas, at least there two people wishing the joyful Christmas would last ahead of their new hope for the better life.

 

‘Mum, I’m home,’ Kris called as he opened the door.

‘Merry Christmas Eve Fanfan,’

~FIN~

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!!!

I hope everyone have joyful and peaceful Christmas!

ps: Kris is now in Shenzhen for Mr. Six roadshow, he's not in Beijing like in my fic hehehe