Chapter 47

Lu Chenyu made a trip back to her old junior high school.

She had a great relationship with her junior high chemistry teacher. After explaining the situation, the teacher agreed to let her borrow the lab. Lu Chenyu prepared a small piece of beeswax and sandalwood essential oil as instructed in the book, then picked up some benzoin from town.

But she soon ran into a problem.

The book’s method for making the perfume oil required fresh flower petals. Little Sea Trench was in a remote mountainous area, and it was winter—flowers were extremely rare there.

Lu Chenyu spent the whole day lost in thought before she finally came up with a solution.

She helped Auntie Wang herd the cows next door for a few days and picked a wintersweet blossom from the older woman’s yard.

After tinkering in the lab for several days, Lu Chenyu finished making the perfume oil.

By the time she got home, it was already deep into the night.

Snow had begun falling outside at some point, huge flakes drifting down like goose feathers.

The wind howled, the power was out, and the temperature had plummeted.

Lu Chenyu lit a candle and sat at the table under its dim glow, head bowed in concentration as she worked the carving knife.

The table was littered with wood shavings and scraps. In her hand was a piece of pale poplar wood.

She chiseled a hidden cavity into the base of the nearly finished wooden carving, carefully dripped the perfume oil inside, and sealed it with a wooden plug.

–

Winter break flew by, and school was about to start again before they knew it.

On her last day in Little Sea Trench, Lu Chenyu took her sister to town to get a new hearing aid.

Her finances were limited right now; five thousand yuan could only buy a basic model that barely worked.

Lu Fuyan looked guilty. “Thank you, Sis.”

Lu Chenyu said, “The middle school entrance exam is coming up soon. You have to study hard.”

Lu Fuyan broke into a smile through her tears. “Sis, you sound just like Mom.”

Lu Chenyu pressed her lips together.

She didn’t agree with Ms. Song’s way of raising kids, but she and her mother saw eye to eye on one thing. In a family like theirs, studying was essential—studying was the only way to escape the mountains. That was what mattered most.

“If you run into those girls at school again…”

Lu Fuyan replied, “I know. I’ll avoid them as much as possible and not start any fights.”

Lu Chenyu said, “The best way is to tell a teacher. Settling things with fists will just make the conflicts worse.”

Lu Fuyan said, “Okay, okay, I get it.”

That afternoon, Ms. Song packed up a bunch of local specialties and told Lu Chenyu to share them with her roommates.

Lu Chenyu eyed the piles of yak meat jerky, milk candies, and yogurt candies, frowning as she said slowly, “It’s okay, we don’t need them.”

Ms. Song insisted, “You’re still young—you don’t get it! You need to build good relationships with your roommates so they’ll take care of you later.”

Lu Chenyu didn’t agree with Ms. Song’s words. She thought the approach was too calculating, but she couldn’t argue, so she accepted the local treats.

On the bus, Lu Chenyu instinctively gazed out the window.

Snowy mountains stretched endlessly. Through the vast white expanse, she suddenly spotted a vivid red figure standing on a hillside under the blue sky—her sister Lu Fuyan, with a yak beside her.

Lu Chenyu pushed open the window.

They had grown up in the mountains, so their eyesight was sharp. Lu Fuyan quickly spotted her and waved with a big smile, calling out, “Study hard out there, Sis! Eat a proper breakfast in the morning—don’t just drink milk, have some real food!”

The young girl’s voice carried on the wind.

Lu Chenyu’s eyes reflected that splash of red as she waved back vigorously.

She had always been the quiet type and didn’t like shouting the way her sister did. After one last glance at the figure on the hill, she closed the window.

Lu Chenyu’s eyes grew slightly red, but she held back her tears.

“What’s wrong?” the auntie sitting next to her teased with a smile. “Can’t bear to leave?”

Ms. Song, seated beside Lu Chenyu, joined in the ribbing. “You’ve been home for the whole break—she’s definitely reluctant. It’s so much fun in the mountains, and no studying either, right?”

After boarding the long-distance bus and enduring the bumpy six-plus-hour ride, they finally arrived in River City.

–

Everyone was suffering from vacation hangover on the first day back. The class was listless, no one in the mood to move.

Lu Chenyu’s backpack was stuffed with the local specialties from home.

She planned to eat them all herself in secret.

Even though Ms. Song had told her to share with her roommates, she felt too embarrassed.

River City’s climate was mild, nothing like the biting cold of Little Sea Trench. It was a clear, sunny day with warm air.

Lu Chenyu opened her new exercise book, about to start on some problems.

A girl suddenly burst in from outside, shouting excitedly, “Wen Feixi is treating us to snacks!”

“Oh my god, have you ever seen so many macarons?”

Wen Feixi had brought two tin boxes covered in English lettering from home, filled with neatly packaged macarons in soft pink, mint green, lemon yellow, and creamy white.

With over forty people in the class, there was only one per person.

The once-dead classroom filled with cheers and laughter. Some wailed about getting just one; others grumbled that the class was too big.

Lu Chenyu had never tried these before.

She got a wheat-flavored one. She took a bite, and the sweet flavor melted in her mouth—the crisp shell gave way to a soft center, sweet but not cloying.

She hadn’t eaten much for lunch, and she loved sweets anyway, so she polished it off in no time.

On the first day back, hardly anyone could focus on studying.

It was almost time for PE. When the bell rang, most of the class bolted.

Wen Feixi, sitting up front, turned around and gently placed something on Lu Chenyu’s desk.

Lu Chenyu froze. It was a brown macaron wrapped in oil paper.

“Isn’t this yours?”

Wen Feixi said, “For you. I can’t eat that many.”

Lu Chenyu popped the one from Wen Feixi into her mouth.

Caramel flavor.

Sweets put her in a good mood. Lu Chenyu’s eyes narrowed in delight as she savored it.

Wen Feixi said, “Come on, PE time.”

She started to leave, but Lu Chenyu suddenly reached out and tugged her clothes.

Wen Feixi turned back, bracing her hands on Lu Chenyu’s desk, a smile curving her lips. “What is it?”

She had hoped to walk to and from class with Lu Chenyu, but since Lu Chenyu didn’t want to, Wen Feixi had held back.

Now, hearing Lu Chenyu call her out of the blue made Wen Feixi’s heart race unexpectedly.

After a winter break apart, Lu Chenyu’s skin looked even fairer and more radiant. Her amber eyes seemed to glow, those sparkling peach-blossom eyes pure and clear.

She looked like a sprite fresh from the mountains.

Lu Chenyu opened her backpack and pulled out an insulated box.

She pressed her lips together, then opened it.

“I brought this from home… yak meat. It’s really good.”

The yak meat was sliced paper-thin and arranged in the box.

Wen Feixi dragged over a stool and sat beside Lu Chenyu, picking up a slice to taste right in front of her.

Each slice was evenly cut, almost translucent in the sunlight, with a faint smoky flavor.

“Thank you,” Wen Feixi said. “It’s delicious.”

She ate gracefully, lips never parting much, taking her time.

Lu Chenyu pressed her lips together. “I have some milk candies too…”

Wen Feixi laughed in surprise. “Huh? Did you bring a ton of specialties?”

Lu Chenyu’s ears turned red as she pulled out a big bag of milk candies from her backpack and handed them to Wen Feixi.

Of all the local treats from Little Sea Trench, these were the only ones she wanted to share with Wen Feixi.

Wen Feixi tucked the milk candies into her own bag, unwrapped one, and popped it in her mouth. “I love these.”

–

The two of them finished off all the remaining yak meat right there in the classroom.

By the time they reached the field, they were quite late.

The PE teacher spotted Wen Feixi among the stragglers but couldn’t say much. He just frowned and said, “Fall in.”

Lu Chenyu felt awkward, but Wen Feixi strolled calmly into line.

Warm-ups, then laps.

Tang Yimo asked, “What are we playing later? I haven’t exercised all break—I feel like a fragile high schooler now.”

For some reason, Wen Feixi had started feeling off earlier.

She worked out regularly; two laps around the field were nothing to her. But now, under the blazing sun, she felt short of breath.

“Volleyball?” Wen Feixi wiped sweat from her forehead.

Tang Yimo said, “Sure!”

Wen Feixi coughed dryly, her throat itchy. “Bring Lu Chenyu too.”

Tang Yimo cheered, “Yay!”

Then she froze in place, staring. “Wenwen, what’s wrong?!”

Wen Feixi’s face was unnaturally flushed, red patches blooming slowly across her skin. The rash spread like wildfire, soon creeping up her neck.

Once Tang Yimo shouted, everyone running laps turned to look.

It was clearly an allergic reaction. The PE teacher hurriedly had her taken to the infirmary.

Lu Chenyu panicked and rushed to the infirmary right after finishing her laps.

In the quiet infirmary room, Wen Feixi lay on the bed, eyes half-closed as she received an IV drip.

The doctor sat nearby, checking her blood pressure.

“It’s a beef allergy,” the doctor said.

Lu Chenyu twisted her fingers together, rooted to the spot.

The nurse quietly asked Wen Feixi if she felt chest tightness or had trouble breathing.

Lu Chenyu waited a long time before she found an opening to approach.

Wen Feixi frowned, enduring the painful, numb itch.

The bed dipped beside her.

Wen Feixi opened her eyes to see Lu Chenyu kneeling at the bedside, frowning at her.

“Are you okay?” Lu Chenyu asked.

Wen Feixi smiled, her voice hoarse. “I’m fine.”

Lu Chenyu’s eyes reddened. “…This is all my fault.”

She hadn’t known about Wen Feixi’s allergy; her memories of Wen Feixi’s tastes were from even earlier. She’d never imagined beef would be a trigger.

Flustered and at a loss, Lu Chenyu sat dazed by the bed. The room was so quiet she could hear the wall clock ticking.

Her hand grew warm. Wen Feixi had taken it, gently hooking her fingers.

Lu Chenyu leaned in quickly. “Do you want some water?”

Wen Feixi nodded.

Lu Chenyu fetched her a cup.

“It’s itchy…” Wen Feixi said.

“Don’t scratch,” Lu Chenyu replied.

She fanned Wen Feixi while applying an ice pack to her neck.

Wen Feixi gazed at the face so close to hers, her thoughts drifting far away.

She remembered that year in Little Sea Trench. The high altitude was so dry and the environment harsh that her delicate skin reacted on just the third day—a full-body rash.

It had panicked Lu Chenyu’s parents.

That night, alone in her room, she overheard the two adults outside discussing sending her back to River City.

“The Young Miss is some big boss’s daughter—what if something happens to her here?”

“Call President Wen. We’ll send the Young Miss back tomorrow.”

“Lulu, come here!” Ms. Song instructed Lu Chenyu. “The young miss is resting in her room. Don’t go disturb her or cause trouble, got it?”

“Your job is to keep her company when she’s in a good mood. She’s not feeling well and in a bad mood now—if you bother her and she complains to President Wen later, your scholarship next year is gone.”

Maybe the room’s soundproofing was poor, or maybe the illness sharpened her hearing.

Even with Ms. Song whispering, every word reached Wen Feixi’s ears clearly.

Wen Feixi lowered her eyes indifferently, hearing the hesitant “mm” from the country girl.

Late that night, she lay alone in the room, surrounded by silence.

Since her mother left, she’d always been on her own.

Her father loved her but wasn’t good at companionship. He raised and taught her with the most scientific, rigorous methods, so she learned to charge ahead solo—tucking away her need for softness, folding it neat as old clothes and stashing it in a drawer.

But Wen Feixi sometimes recalled long ago, when she was little and sick—her mom holding her, soothing her tenderly.

When had she last felt a warm embrace?

Wen Feixi couldn’t remember anymore.

Irritated, she frowned and reached back to scratch the rash, rubbing against the bed where she couldn’t reach.

The door creaked open.

A little girl with two braids, in just a thin short-sleeved shirt, tiptoed in and stopped by her bed.

Wen Feixi kept her eyes closed, curious what the girl would do.

A small, cool hand touched her forehead gently.

Then came a damp sensation as Lu Chenyu knelt by the bed, carefully dabbing a wet towel on the sweat at her neck.

Wen Feixi opened her eyes abruptly.

Lu Chenyu jumped, her hand trembling.

She whispered, “It’s okay, don’t be scared.”

Stunned, Wen Feixi watched the snow-pale girl kneeling there, her clear amber eyes earnest. “I’ve had rashes like this when I was little. It’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

Wen Feixi found it amusing—the girl looked even younger than her but was acting like a little adult.

It itched.

She reached to scratch.

Her wrist was held down. Lu Chenyu looked at her. “Don’t scratch.”

Then little Lu Chenyu mysteriously shared her family’s secret remedy for dry itchiness. Wen Feixi sat there in a daze as the girl gently wiped the itchy spots with the wet towel.

Gradually, the itch eased.

The doctor soon arrived, examined her, and changed the IV bag.

Just then, the bell rang, ending PE.

Chemistry followed PE, so Lu Chenyu had to head back to class.

She looked at Wen Feixi and said softly, “Rest well. I’ll share my notes with you later.”

Wen Feixi watched her, silent.

The lessons had been getting harder lately. Lu Chenyu felt her words sounded dismissive, so she added quietly, “I’ll tutor you.”