Chapter 17: What Bad Habit

“Xiao Zhen, you need to become an outstanding violinist.”

Li Yunli said it, and so did Grandma. Ji Zhenshi had always firmly believed that those who truly understood her could grasp the unshakeable soul driving her pursuit of the violin.

Her soul burned for the violin, and her heart raced for Li Yunli.

“Ji Zhenshi, you’re so noisy.”

“Are you really a student at Beinan Music Academy? Why does it sound so awful to me?”

“Is it that I just don’t appreciate it?”

Ji Tingjun’s voice rang out from outside at just the right moment, cutting off Ji Zhenshi’s playing.

Ji Zhenshi slowly opened her eyes. The music stopped abruptly, and the hand drawing the bow across the strings clenched tight. The hand that had been steady until then began to tremble almost imperceptibly.

She was really going to lose it.

Extremely restrained, she forced down her emotions, set the violin aside, and swayed as she leaned against the desk by the window in her room. Her slender figure seemed like it might collapse at any moment.

She was so thin. So tall, yet so fragile, like a cicada’s wing that could be toppled with the slightest push.

Her clothes were starting to soak through completely. Grandma’s poor eyesight naturally couldn’t make it out, and it was only when Ji Zhenshi felt the bone-chilling cold again that she realized her outfit was utterly unwearable.

Strands of rain-dampened hair dripped water between the locks, but Grandma hadn’t noticed, and no one had cared how long Ji Zhenshi had been caught in the downpour on her way back.

She hadn’t had an umbrella—just a hat. How could that possibly keep the rain off?

“Ji Tingjun, why don’t you go out and eat and drink what you want now that you’re awake? Why stir up trouble with your sister when there’s nothing better to do?”

“Grandma, she was the one being too loud, okay? How are you still taking her side, you old hag? She comes back and starts making all this noise right away—it’s driving me crazy.”

“She’s practicing. Unlike you, who never focuses on anything proper.”

“Hey? Old hag, that’s so biased! Is Ji Zhenshi disturbing the peace not wrong?”

Life at home these days felt like sitting on pins and needles. Ji Zhenshi had countless times wanted to just up and leave over the past two days, but she’d forced herself to stay every time because Grandma was there.

She could ignore everyone else’s stares and crash Ji Tingjun’s welcome-back party, but she couldn’t make things that awkward in front of Grandma. In the end, the only one left quietly unhappy would be Grandma herself, saying nothing.

These past two days had been truly unbearable for Ji Zhenshi. Either Ji Tingjun was picking on her, or Yang Ying was in her ear with baseless accusations.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was stiff as ever. After the evening meal, Ji Zhenshi had holed up in Grandma’s room, chatting endlessly with her while knocking back quite a bit of alcohol.

“This is rice wine. Xiao Zhen, give it a taste—has Grandma’s skill slipped at all?”

“It’s good, but it feels a little light on flavor.”

“It’s fresh from the batch this year, so you’re the first to try it. But Xiao Zhen, you have to take care of yourself out there on your own. Don’t drink too much—it’s bad for a girl’s health, and even more dangerous outside.”

“My tolerance is pretty decent, and I don’t drink when I’m out, Grandma. Mostly, you need to watch your health too. Take your meds on time when I’m not home. Get out and walk around more. You can even come find me at school—I’ll show you around. Just give me a call.”

“Mm, our Xiao Zhen is such a good girl. If I had my way, I’d rather visit Yunli’s coffee shop when I have time. But I’m getting old and can’t find the place. I wonder how that child is doing lately—business treating her okay?”

“Her spot’s easy to find, and business has been good. She added online ordering through a mini-program lately, and the orders have really picked up. I’ll take you there sometime if you want—I go to Sister A-Yun’s coffee shop all the time.”

As she spoke, the special notification tone she’d set for Li Yunli chimed from her pocket.

For the past two days, she’d been waiting for that sound, and now it came right on cue. Ji Zhenshi set down her wine bottle, pulled out her phone, and opened the message.

—Xiao Zhen, I’m at the alley entrance. If it’s convenient, can you come out? I have something for you.

Li Yunli knew Ji Zhenshi hadn’t returned to school yet. No matter how tough it got, she’d stick around to celebrate Grandma’s birthday before leaving.

Ji Zhenshi’s eyes flashed at the sight of the message. The light in her gaze visibly brightened. She staggered to her feet. “Grandma, I’m heading out for a bit. I’ll be right back.”

She left those words behind and bolted out without a care.

“Ji Zhenshi, don’t rush!” Grandma called after her.

But the eager Ji Zhenshi just waved a hand, not even turning back to reply as she stumbled straight outside. Her mouth was split in a grin all the way to the nape of her neck.

Like a triumphant general.

Li Yunli stood in a conspicuous spot at the mouth of the alley, holding a cake box. She wore a loose, deep apricot silk blouse tucked into a fitted long skirt, low-heeled leather shoes completing the mild, unhurried look.

As if aiming for something more formal, she’d even put on light makeup today, her long hair softly curled—a rare vision of gentle beauty.

Her heart pounding tight, Ji Zhenshi hurried over and braced herself against the wall to catch her breath. “Sister A-Yun.”

Li Yunli spotted the unusual flush on Ji Zhenshi’s face at once and frowned slightly. The hand that had been holding her bag strap shifted to steady Ji Zhenshi’s unsteady steps.

“Been drinking?” Li Yunli mouthed.

Ji Zhenshi didn’t need to answer. Up close, the strong scent of alcohol was unmistakable.

Ji Zhenshi grinned and held up one finger for Li Yunli to see. “Just a little. Only a little.”

She still remembered Li Yunli’s warning to drink less, so her emphatic tone came out utterly unconvincing. The buzz swirled through her thoughts, lending her words a touch of defiance.

Li Yunli wouldn’t let her drink much, but she’d done it anyway—just to provoke her. Yesterday’s events had made Ji Zhenshi briefly forget how Li Yunli dealt with such things, and she was trying to claw back a bit of presence in this childish way.

“Xiao Zhen, you can’t sulk like this. I still want to explain yesterday properly. The person who lent me the money wasn’t him—to be precise, I didn’t borrow from anyone. It was a mutual benefit deal.” Li Yunli’s hands flew through the sign language, her urgency to clear things up matching her speed.

She didn’t want Ji Zhenshi pulling away from her. More than that, seeing her like this made Li Yunli a little angry.

She signed again: “So you drown your unhappiness in booze? You said you weren’t a kid—what kind of immature brat drinks until they’re dead drunk?”

Self-harm only creates a sense of revenge for those who care about you.

Ji Zhenshi nearly cried foul. Her foggy brain latched onto the vague memory of those few cans. “I’m not sulking over anything. Grandma and I were just chatting, got in the mood, and I had some. Besides, it was only a tiny bit—really, just a sip. Don’t you believe me?”

She dimly recalled crushing several cans while talking with Grandma, but those were beers—not enough to get her this sloshed. Ji Zhenshi puzzled over it herself.

Fake booze?

It looped back to trust again. They’d parted on bad terms yesterday over exactly that, and Li Yunli managed only a pained smile. “This has nothing to do with trust.”

“Oh, so what brings you here?” Ji Zhenshi realized she and Li Yunli were just talking in circles. She shook her head, shoving the mess from her mind.

She spread her arms for a hug, leaning her full weight into Li Yunli and nestling dependently into the crook of her neck, her hot breath spilling out. “Can’t stand steady. Need to lean on you.”

Li Yunli caught her. Looking closely now, Ji Zhenshi didn’t have that prickly edge from yesterday’s anger anymore. After a night, her fury seemed cooled. She’d even said she wasn’t sulking, her tone slipping back into its usual subtle wheedling as she asked why Li Yunli had come.

Li Yunli brushed the stray hairs from Ji Zhenshi’s brow bone and lifted the cake for her to see, her prepared words ready.

—Grandma’s birthday today. I couldn’t join you for dinner or wish her happy birthday in person like before, but I made a cake. Low sugar, suitable for seniors, tailored to her tastes. Hope she likes it. Happy birthday to her.

Li Yunli had anticipated Ji Zhenshi might still be mad and not patiently watch her sign, so she’d written it out on sticky notes beforehand.

Unexpectedly, Ji Zhenshi not only read it quietly but took several seconds before replying. “Oh, Grandma was thinking of you today too—mentioned you to me. But at this hour, she’s probably asleep. Want me to wake her? Mom and Dad are in their room, and my brother’s out carousing. If you want to see her, you could.”

Hearing Grandma was asleep, Li Yunli refused without hesitation. “No, don’t disturb her rest. Just take the cake in later. And pass on my apologies for not making it today. Hope she doesn’t mind. Happy birthday, and good health for many years.”

Ji Zhenshi’s arms stayed looped around Li Yunli’s neck, her lashes drooping. “Grandma won’t mind. She understands you—even supports your choice.”

Her tone was remarkably calm, her obedience almost eerie.

Had yesterday blown over already?

No—Li Yunli knew Ji Zhenshi’s temperament best. The more even-keeled she seemed, the stranger it felt.

Gazing down at the profile in her arms, skin like congealed cream, Li Yunli could feel Ji Zhenshi’s elevated temperature against her. “Xiao Zhen, are you drunk?”

This was an odd Ji Zhenshi—verging on mood swings, really.

Ji Zhenshi burrowed deeper into Li Yunli’s embrace. Within seconds, Li Yunli felt her chest dampen. Perhaps because the silk was so thin, she could vaguely sense Ji Zhenshi’s parted lips brushing her skin with each breath, teeth grazing her tender flesh.

It stung where the soft bites landed—Ji Zhenshi nipping unconsciously.

“I’m so sleepy.” Ji Zhenshi mumbled, inhaling the faint milky scent of Li Yunli’s skin. It comforted her completely, making her want to doze right there.

Li Yunli’s face heated, her pulse racing. She could confirm Ji Zhenshi was truly tipsy now—at least more so than when she’d been jutting her chin out to argue nonsense earlier.

What a bad habit—biting people.

Sober, Ji Zhenshi might play-fight with her, but never cross this line.

The faint pain was undeniable. Li Yunli couldn’t ignore it. She tilted Ji Zhenshi’s chin up, forcing her eyes open. “Find somewhere else to sleep. You can’t just stand here, right?”

Ji Zhenshi showed no sign of leaving. She squinted contentedly, even smacking her lips in satisfaction with her “bed.”

What a shamelessly persistent pest. Poor Li Yunli.