Chapter 159: Companionship
Ye Zhiyun stayed until Yu Linna fell asleep, her presence a comforting warmth. Yu Linna didn’t know when she drifted off, only that she slept soundly, undisturbed, until around eight in the evening, when she woke briefly to get something to eat, her stomach still cramping, then returned to bed.
Having taken a leave of absence from school, she decided to skip classes the next day as well.
She slept until eight the following morning, the pain in her abdomen slightly less intense but still present, a persistent throbbing ache. She applied a new heating pad, made some hot water, and curled up in bed, clutching the warm mug, planning to spend the day resting. The pain made it difficult to even walk.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Yu Linna reluctantly put down her mug and, clutching her stomach, went to answer the door.
She froze, surprised to see Ye Zhiyun standing there, a bag of groceries in hand, clearly prepared to take care of her.
“Zhiyun? Shouldn’t you be at school?”
“I took the day off.”
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“It’s fine. I’ll still be at the top of the class, whether I attend or not.”
Well, that was the confidence of a top student.
Yu Linna was the same, often skipping classes yet still maintaining her top ranking, a source of both admiration and frustration for her teachers, especially her homeroom teacher, who couldn’t control her.
“You never take care of yourself. Come on, lie down. I brought you some ginger tea. I knew you wouldn’t bother, so I took care of it.”
Ye Zhiyun led her back to bed, making her ginger tea. Though Yu Linna didn’t enjoy the taste, she couldn’t refuse Ye Zhiyun’s insistent gaze and obediently drank it.
Being cared for wasn’t so bad. She was used to taking care of herself, but having someone look after her… it felt nice.
“Nana, how old were you when you first got your period?”
Yu Linna paused, trying to remember.
“Fourteen, I think.”
“Was it painful?”
“Excruciating! I thought I was dying!”
“Then why don’t you take better care of yourself? Knowing it would be painful, why would you do this to yourself?”
“…”
Was she being lectured?
Apparently so.
Yu Linna couldn’t argue. She had known the consequences, yet she had ignored them, pushing herself too hard. And now, she was paying the price.
But she hadn’t had a choice. She had a deadline to meet, her novel about to be published. She had to use drastic measures. She didn’t want to pull all-nighters.
“I’ll stay with you today. Someone has to look after you. And don’t do this again.”
Ye Zhiyun’s tone, though scolding, was laced with concern. She wouldn’t have been so patient with anyone else.
Yu Linna’s heart warmed, despite the lecture. She knew Ye Zhiyun cared about her, and she was grateful, another debt added to the growing list.
Ye Zhiyun spent the morning looking after her, chatting, enjoying her company. She hadn’t spent much time with Yu Linna since she moved out, her absence leaving a void. Being here, with Yu Linna, felt right.
As long as Yu Linna was by her side, everything felt right.
“Nana, how have you been?”
“Pretty good. I have a stable job now, a steady income. I don’t have to struggle like before. I think I’ve found the right career path.”
“That’s good.”
Ye Zhiyun recalled the scene at the train station, Yu Linna’s despair, her desire to end her life, the pain in her eyes, the hopelessness.
After so long, Yu Linna had rediscovered her dream, becoming a novelist, achieving success. Ye Zhiyun was happy for her, happy that she had found her purpose.
Though it had cost her a dear friend.
But she had also gained a new one, Ye Zhiyun.
“I’m going to buy some groceries. How about I make you lunch?”
“It’s okay, I can do it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Don’t underestimate me! I can still cook! Look, I’ll even stand up to show you… Ouch! Owww! It hurts!”
“Just lie down. You can barely stand. I’ll make lunch. It’s been a while since I cooked. I hope I haven’t lost my touch.”
Ye Zhiyun left to buy groceries, taking the keys with her.
The refrigerator was empty. Without groceries, Yu Linna would have resorted to instant noodles, which Ye Zhiyun had confiscated. It was a good opportunity for her to cook, to revisit her culinary skills, hoping they hadn’t deteriorated too much.
A young lady like her, shopping for groceries, cooking for someone else… it was almost unbelievable. She couldn’t let her brother find out; he would never let her live it down.
She bought a few ingredients and headed back.
But when she opened the door, she was greeted by an unexpected sight…
A woman was sitting in the living room, Yu Linna beside her, looking downcast. The woman’s aura was imposing, almost intimidating. Seeing Ye Zhiyun, she paused, a flicker of recognition in her eyes, then surprise.
“Mrs. Yu…? No… you’re too young…”
Ye Zhiyun almost dropped her groceries, the scene unfolding before her completely unexpected. She had just gone grocery shopping; how had things changed so drastically?
It all started when she left…
…
After Ye Zhiyun left, Yu Linna, bored and still in pain, was scrolling through her phone in bed. She was feeling better than yesterday, just needing a few days of rest to recover.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Yu Linna was puzzled; Ye Zhiyun had taken the keys. She reluctantly left the warmth of her bed, grabbing a small pillow, and went to answer the door.
And then she froze, her face a kaleidoscope of emotions. It wasn’t Ye Zhiyun; it was her homeroom teacher, Li Lexuan.
“Teacher…”
Yu Linna stood there, speechless.
Li Lexuan, seeing her student in pajamas, clutching a pillow, if it weren’t for her pale face, would have assumed she was skipping school to sleep in.
“Teacher, what are you doing here…?”
“I’m here for the home visit, as scheduled.”
“But my home isn’t…”
“I was going to visit your old address, but I heard you moved. I managed to find your new place. So, here I am. And you… why didn’t you fill in your phone number and your parents’ contact information? Do you know how difficult it was to find you?”
Li Lexuan’s frustration was evident. Of all her students, Yu Linna was the most difficult to manage, even refusing to provide her contact information.
Though undeniably intelligent, she was also incredibly stubborn.
She often skipped classes, finally settling down this semester, only to disappear again for a week.
Every day in senior year was precious!
“Teacher, I…”
“Your new place is quite nice, much better than your previous… cramped apartment. It seems you’re doing well.”
“…”
Yu Linna, unable to respond, invited her teacher in, making her tea.
Seeing her pale face and unsteady gait, Li Lexuan, concerned, asked, “Are you feeling okay? Did you see a doctor?”
“I’m fine… it’s just… my period…”
“…”
She had thought it was something serious, but it was just period cramps?
Though not life-threatening, period cramps could be incredibly painful, varying in intensity from mild discomfort to debilitating pain.
Li Lexuan understood.
“You didn’t have to take a whole week off for that. Periods don’t last a week. And you’ve never taken time off for this before. What were you doing? Working another part-time job?”
“No! No! No! No!!!”
In a way, she had been working, skipping school to earn money.
But if her teacher found out, she would be furious.
Her homeroom teacher disapproved of her working while studying. Last time, Ye Zhiyun’s presence had helped smooth things over, but now, living in a much nicer apartment, it was clear her financial situation had improved. Working at a time like this, so close to the gaokao… she would be asking for trouble.
“Linna, be honest. Your parents aren’t here, are they?”
“…I don’t have parents.”
“They’re both away, right?”
Li Lexuan, not grasping the full meaning of her words, simply assumed they were out of town. Yu Linna had always been secretive about her family, never providing any contact information. And no one ever attended parent-teacher meetings.
Were her parents that busy?
Suddenly, the door opened, and Ye Zhiyun entered, her keys jingling. Seeing Li Lexuan, she almost dropped her groceries.
“Mrs. Yu…? No… you’re too young…”
And that was how it happened.
Li Lexuan couldn’t believe it. Ye Zhiyun had just walked in, looking much younger than before, barely twenty, not thirty as she had initially assumed.
Her face fell, a dawning realization forming in her mind. Something wasn’t right.
