Chapter 174: End of the Month
“Brother, I’m back!”
Su Xi pushed open the door and kicked off her black leather shoes with her feet. Her small feet, wrapped in milky white socks, deliberately stepped on the floor twice, getting a little dusty. She bent down to get a replacement pair of slippers, but she suddenly noticed a few faint lip prints on the black surface of her shoes.
“Why are you so noisy again? The soundproofing here is not good. I was told off by the people upstairs last time. You never learn.” Su Yu came out of the kitchen, his hands still wet.
The girl looked up and grinned goofily at him. She slowly stood up and kicked the small leather shoes at her feet, the heels facing Su Yu. Her baby-faced face looked innocent and cute when she smiled, very likable.
Her voice was soft and sweet, like a strawberry-flavored marshmallow. She didn’t mind that Su Yu’s hands had just been washed. She coquettishly pulled Su Yu’s arm and shook it.
“I missed you, brother. I was so bored at home alone. Look… I even bought a few books to read.”
Su Xi held up the books she had just been holding in her arms for him to see. They were a few novels, all well-known classics. Teachers would often recommend these books as extracurricular reading. Many people had read them when they were young, but Su Xi seemed to have not.
Su Yu didn’t say anything. He noticed that when Su Xi was squatting just now, her feet, which were hidden under her skirt, were wearing white short socks and were stepping on the cold floor. He had told her many times, but the girl still wouldn’t listen. She even deliberately went against him and said that he was as nagging as an old woman.
“Didn’t I tell you before? Don’t walk barefoot on the floor. And… I’ve been back for a week, and the house is in such a mess. Is that how a girl should be?”
“You’re being fierce with me as soon as we meet… pfft. I just wanted to see you quickly, brother.” Su Xi pouted, her expression pitiful, her eyes starting to get watery.
“Stop being cheeky. I bought some apples and put them on the coffee table. You can eat some if you’re hungry.”
Su Yu had long since gotten used to the girl’s unreliability. The oil in the pot was about to get hot, and he turned and hurried back to the kitchen.
Su Xi kept her smile for a few seconds. It wasn’t until Su Yu was out of sight that she slowly bent down and wiped the lip prints from the surface of her shoes with a tissue.
She stared at the shiny black leather shoes in her hand, the smile on her face sinking into a sinister gloom. The girl’s shrill screams once again swirled and raged in her mind, her body collapsing to the ground like a livestock waiting to be slaughtered.
Su Xi put the leather shoes neatly in the shoe cabinet, holding the bag behind her in her arms. When she passed the living room, Su Yu was still busy in the kitchen. The fragrance of scrambled eggs with tomatoes wafted out from the flipping of the spatula.
She smelled the sweet and sour scent that lingered at the tip of her nose. The boy’s gentle profile became blurry in the water vapor that rose from the frying oil. Her gaze was a little dazed, as if it had turned into ice and condensed in the air. A deep sense of happiness made her heart flutter.
The mundane things of life… was the life she had once fantasized about. It had been so far away from her before.
…
Su Yu walked into the master bedroom and locked the door behind him.
She walked to the side of the bed and squatted down. She first swept away some of the clutter that was pushed under the bed, then pulled out a few cardboard boxes full of books. A black leather suitcase suddenly appeared in the deepest part of the bed.
Her movements were very careful. She slowly pulled the leather suitcase out from under the dark bed. The pure black leather suitcase, which was covered with a thin layer of dust, was completely exposed to the light. The suitcase had two locks, an iron lock she had privately customized, and the combination lock that came with the suitcase.
Su Xi had always carried the key with her. She opened the two locks one by one, then pressed her finger on the button. Without hesitation, she pressed it down.
Click.
The leather suitcase popped open, and the stale air immediately rushed out from the gradually opening gap. The white incandescent light cast a bright light. The large leather suitcase was empty. Layers of blood-red velvet covered the entire bottom of the suitcase. In the center of the velvet, there was a very shallow and slender depression.
Su Xi took the dagger from her bag. She had disinfected it with alcohol in a deserted roadside restroom. The sharp blade gleamed with a cold, silver light, its surface etched with intricate, obscure patterns. She placed the knife inside the leather suitcase, and it fit perfectly into the depression.
She ran her fingertips along the edge of the blade, a faint smile on her lips, as if she were looking forward to something. At that time, she would use this dagger.
Su Xi carefully closed the lid of the suitcase, pushed it back, and then re-covered it. Su Yu had the key to the room, but he rarely went through Su Xi’s things, let alone the leather suitcase hidden behind the clutter under the bed.
Su Xi smoothed the light hair that was hanging down her forehead and walked to the desk. She picked up the pen that had rolled on the desk and crossed out today’s date on the calendar.
She looked at the calendar, which was crossed out with dates, and suppressed the throbbing in her heart. She breathed out a cloud of hot mist. The trembling tip of her pen crossed out the dates one by one, and finally stopped at the last day of this month… the thirti. She gently drew a circle, but it was as if she had used a great deal of strength. Her whole body went limp, and she had to hold on to the desk to barely support herself.
Soon… it’s almost here.
“Su Xi, come out and eat.”
The call from her ear passed through the closed door and still clearly reached her ear. Su Xi opened the door and peeked out at Su Yu, who was putting the dishes on the table. She twitched her cute nose, her eyes full of admiration, like a little fangirl. “It smells so good… your cooking is so good, brother.”
Su Yu looked up at the cheeky Su Xi. “Wash your hands first, then use your chopsticks.”
“Hmph, a cold brother is not likable.”
…
“I asked Auntie Fang. She told me about a few good hospitals…”
“The hospitals she found? I don’t really want to…” Su Xi lowered her head and took a few bites of rice, her tone sullen. “I don’t want her to take care of me.”
“Auntie Fang has found a lot of acquaintances. She wanted you to see a doctor again before, but you were always unwilling. This is a rare opportunity. Only when you’re well… can your life get back on track.”
“Then… will you go with me, brother? I don’t like hospitals… I’m scared.”
“Okay, I’ll go with you then.” Su Yu smiled and agreed. The girl had actually agreed so readily, which was beyond his expectations. “Then when are you planning to…”
“Let’s go at the end of this month.”
“Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
“Hehe… I want to tell you something, brother.”
Su Xi suddenly changed the subject. She bit her chopsticks and looked at Su Yu with a smile. “I suddenly want to find a boyfriend.”
“A boyfriend?” Su Yu glanced at the smile on the girl’s lips and lowered his gaze again. “That’s good. A relationship might be a good thing for you. But it’s better to think it over carefully.”
His voice was flat, without any fluctuation.
Su Xi inexplicably felt a little sad. So Zhiyan didn’t like her.
“I still want to ask you a question, brother.” Su Xi gritted her teeth, as if she had made a big decision. “Do you want to know what kind of boy I like, brother…”
“By the way… did you take your medicine today?”
Su Yu suddenly interrupted Su Xi. He realized that something was wrong. “I’m sorry. What did you just ask me?”
But Su Xi swallowed her words, a sour taste in her mouth. She smiled and shook her head.
“Nothing. I’ll take my medicine after I finish eating. I won’t forget. Thank you for your concern, brother.”
