Chapter 4: The Notch

The polite pleasantries were interrupted by the little girl’s crisp voice as she shouted sweetly at Shi Sui, “Big Sis!”

Jiang Ruoning lowered her head and poked the little girl’s cheek. “Traitor. You just said you’d only like me.”

The little girl smiled sweetly and said to Jiang Ruoning, “Big Sis said she’d buy me treats.”

Jiang Ruoning tsked. “Bribed with just a little treat? I’ll take you to buy some too.”

The little girl’s face lit up with delight.

Seeing them about to leave, Shi Sui unconsciously followed with her footsteps. At the elevator door, Jiang Ruoning looked surprised. “Aren’t you going home?”

“Oh.” Shi Sui came back to her senses and glanced between Zhou Man and Jiang Ruoning. She said, “I’m going downstairs to buy something.”

Jiang Ruoning replied, “Perfect, we can go together then. It’s on the way.”

Shi Sui nodded. “Mm.”

Once in the elevator, she asked Jiang Ruoning, “What are you going to buy?”

Jiang Ruoning pulled the little girl close. “Some snacks for her.”

In the past, whenever she visited Zhou Man’s home, she always brought candy for Zhou Qi. But lately, Zhou Qi got toothaches from sweets, so Jiang Ruoning was taking her downstairs for other treats. Shi Sui watched the two of them exchanging glances and smiles, her expression softening as she asked Jiang Ruoning, “You and Senior have a good relationship?”

“You mean Sister Xiao Man?” Jiang Ruoning hummed thoughtfully. “Her law firm collaborates with our company.”

Of course, there were other reasons too.

But they weren’t close enough yet to share those private matters.

Jiang Ruoning glanced sideways at Shi Sui. “I heard from Sister Xiao Man that you lived abroad before?”

Shi Sui lowered her gaze and caught sight of Jiang Ruoning’s hand. Her fingers were elegantly boned, slender and long. Back then, she had always loved showing them off. “Look at these.”

Shi Sui wondered, “Look at what?”

Jiang Ruoning grinned mischievously. “Fingers made for topping.”

Shi Sui averted her eyes that evening, left whimpering beneath her.

She replied, “I went to university abroad.”

Jiang Ruoning nodded. “Why didn’t you stay there?”

Shi Sui said, “I like it better here.”

The elevator dinged as it reached the first floor. The two got out, with Jiang Ruoning holding Zhou Qi’s left hand. Zhou Qi naturally took Shi Sui’s hand. Shi Sui froze for a moment, then looked down. Jiang Ruoning said, “Xiao Guai, don’t just grab randomly.”

Shi Sui squeezed the little child’s hand—it was chubby and soft. She said, “It’s fine.”

Zhou Qi swung her body happily, clearly thrilled.

Shi Sui asked, “Her name is Xiao Guai?”

Jiang Ruoning smiled. “Yeah, her nickname. Her full name is Zhou Qi.”

Hearing Jiang Ruoning call her, Zhou Qi looked up and called out sweetly, “Big Sis.”

Jiang Ruoning pinched her cheek with her other hand, her eyes full of indulgence.

Shi Sui watched her.

A gentleness overflowed in her eyes.

When Shi Sui had left Shangjing, Zhou Qi hadn’t even gotten her nickname yet. Back then, Zhou Man and her husband had deliberated for three months over the name Zhou Qi, flipping through poetry, classics, and allusions until they settled on the character for “Qi,” meaning equal to the heavens. Jiang Ruoning had said, “Sounds nice. So what’s her nickname? Little Qi?”

Then they agonized for another three months.

The couple had brainstormed a string of round, pearl-like names, but in the end, it was Xiao Guai.

Shi Sui murmured softly, “Xiao Guai?”

Xiao Guai turned toward her, tilting her head up. Her big, round eyes were clear and pure, brimming with innocence. Her smile was sweet, and her voice even sweeter. “Big Sis.”

Shi Sui said, “What do you want to eat later? Big Sis will buy it for you.”

Xiao Guai hesitated, glancing at Jiang Ruoning beside her, not daring to speak.

Jiang Ruoning said, “She wants ice cream.”

Xiao Guai’s eyes lit up.

Jiang Ruoning added, “But she’ll get a toothache. She can’t have it.”

Xiao Guai pouted.

Shi Sui watched her change expressions and couldn’t help laughing. Xiao Guai, already sulking, got even unhappier at being laughed at. Her big round eyes blinked rapidly, welling up red as if she was about to cry. Jiang Ruoning quickly squatted down and scraped her nose. “How old are you? Still crying?”

Xiao Guai looked aggrieved, her lips pursed.

Watching her reminded Shi Sui of how Jiang Ruoning looked aggrieved too—pouting like that.

She also loved sulking.

Once, Jiang Ruoning had been playing a game on Shi Sui’s phone when a classmate sent a confession message. Jiang Ruoning huffily tossed the phone at her, turning away and ignoring her for ages. Shi Sui had been baffled, thinking she’d lost the game and was upset. Later, seeing the message, she was amused and asked, “You’re mad over this?”

“What do you mean ‘over this’?” Jiang Ruoning said indignantly. “You think I’m making a big deal out of nothing?”

Shi Sui hurriedly reassured her, “No, I just mean you don’t need to be upset. I don’t like her. I like you.”

Jiang Ruoning deflated like a punctured balloon.

Suddenly compliant.

She was easy to coax.

Xiao Guai was easy to coax too. Jiang Ruoning squatted to meet her eye level and whispered, “How about Big Sis buys you a small ice cream later, okay?”

“Okay!” Xiao Guai shouted loudly. Jiang Ruoning covered her mouth, and they slipped out like thieves.

Shi Sui followed behind the two.

There was a small supermarket right at the neighborhood entrance. The layout hadn’t changed much. Across the street was a mall; turning right out of the gates led to a row of breakfast shops, left to the supermarket.

They used to love sleeping in until nine or ten on weekend mornings, then holding hands as they went downstairs for breakfast. If they really didn’t want to go out, they’d order nearby delivery—Jiang Ruoning even had a curated list of the best options.

After eating, they’d head to the mall across the street for a movie. A two o’clock showing ended at four, then they’d take a car to meet Qin Zheng and Yun An for dinner, or go home for their own little world.

Back then, Shi Sui had thought that was her life for university and even after graduation.

But change often came in an instant…

“Big Sis.” A hand reached out and tugged Shi Sui. Xiao Guai looked up. “What are you looking at, Big Sis?”

Shi Sui met her gaze, then looked ahead at Jiang Ruoning waiting for them. “Nothing. Let’s go buy stuff.”

“Yay!” Xiao Guai jumped and ran to Jiang Ruoning in a few steps. One hand in each of theirs, they entered the supermarket. She dashed straight to the freezer. Jiang Ruoning stumbled after her. Worried she’d fall, Shi Sui reached out to steady her, but Jiang Ruoning bumped into her hand.

Jiang Ruoning immediately turned. “Sorry.”

Her tone was so earnest it felt distant.

Shi Sui withdrew her hand. “It’s fine.”

Jiang Ruoning pointed to the clear freezer case. “This one?”

Xiao Guai pointed to a medium-sized ice cream. Jiang Ruoning tilted her head gently against Xiao Guai’s and smiled. “We said a small one.”

Xiao Guai wheedled, “Big Sis~”

She hugged Jiang Ruoning’s arm and shook it, her eyes blinking so cutely it melted hearts. Jiang Ruoning couldn’t resist and gave in. “Fine, fine. Get it yourself.”

Shi Sui, standing beside her, said, “Didn’t you say she’d get a toothache?”

“It’s not that bad.” Jiang Ruoning seemed not to want Xiao Guai to hear, so she straightened up, leaned close to Shi Sui’s ear, and whispered. Shi Sui caught a faint whiff of perfume—not the scent she remembered. In her peripheral vision, Jiang Ruoning’s collarbone curved smoothly and evenly.

She was so thin.

Shi Sui had thought so the first moment she saw her at the airport—she looked even slimmer than on screen.

Up close now, the fragility was more apparent, like she was thin as paper.

Shi Sui lowered her eyes, hiding her emotions.

Xiao Guai pulled out a medium ice cream and grabbed one for Jiang Ruoning too. Jiang Ruoning waved it off and started to put it back, then turned to Shi Sui. “Want one?”

Shi Sui’s hand moved before her brain, taking the ice cream Jiang Ruoning offered. Jiang Ruoning didn’t notice, closing the freezer door. Shi Sui asked her, “Aren’t you having one?”

She remembered Jiang Ruoning loving snacks, especially spicy strips and ice cream—even in the dead of winter. Qin Zheng had said more than once, “You eat like that and don’t worry about stomach issues?”

“No worries,” Jiang Ruoning had sworn. “My stomach’s ironclad!”

Now, she shook her head. “Can’t eat it.”

Shi Sui recalled she was still on her period and pressed her lips together.

Xiao Guai piped up crisply, “Big Sis gets stomachaches from cold stuff.”

Jiang Ruoning ruffled her hair.

Shi Sui looked at Jiang Ruoning. “Stomachaches?”

Jiang Ruoning smiled. “I had anorexia for a while a few years back. Hurt my stomach. Can’t eat cold or spicy things now.”

Shi Sui froze for a second, blurting out, “When?”

Her question came too urgently, and Jiang Ruoning found it odd, glancing at her.

Shi Sui gripped the ice cream packaging, the chill seeping from her fingertips into her heart. Her face paled slightly. Jiang Ruoning thought for a moment. “Can’t remember exactly. Few years ago, I guess.”

Xiao Guai, impatient to eat, urged, “Big Sis…”

Jiang Ruoning pulled out her phone to scan and pay, then turned to Shi Sui. “Anything else you want?”

Shi Sui met her eyes.

Jiang Ruoning’s eyes reflected the shop lights, calm and serene. Those eyes that once crinkled into crescents at the sight of her now looked detached and cool. Shi Sui’s voice came out dry. “No.”

“Then we’ll pay together.” Jiang Ruoning told the shopkeeper, who scanned Xiao Guai’s ice cream twice before scanning Jiang Ruoning’s payment code.

Shi Sui looked down at the sound. “I was going to buy it for her.”

“It’s just one ice cream,” Jiang Ruoning said. “You can get her one next time.”

Shi Sui murmured agreement.

Jiang Ruoning led Xiao Guai out. There was a parasol outside with a resting table and benches on either side. Jiang Ruoning sat with Xiao Guai on the bench and said softly, “Don’t tell Mom when we get home, okay?”

Xiao Guai raised her hand in a solemn oath. “I absolutely won’t tell Mommy.”

Jiang Ruoning laughed, watching Xiao Guai unwrap it. She couldn’t resist. “Let Big Sis have a lick, okay?”

Xiao Guai turned to look at her, blinking.

Jiang Ruoning held up a finger. “Just one lick.”

Before Xiao Guai could respond, Shi Sui offered her ice cream. Jiang Ruoning turned. Shi Sui said, “I haven’t eaten mine yet.”

Jiang Ruoning pushed her hand back. “I’ll eat Xiao Guai’s.”

Only then did Xiao Guai reluctantly offer hers. Jiang Ruoning, who had promised just a lick, flashed her white teeth and bit off half. Xiao Guai stared dumbly at her now-half-gone ice cream. Shi Sui, helpless, offered hers to Xiao Guai. Xiao Guai glanced at Jiang Ruoning’s face and, seeing no objection, swapped with Shi Sui.

Jiang Ruoning hadn’t objected because her mouth was too cold; her tongue numb, she couldn’t speak. By the time she could…

Shi Sui and Xiao Guai had already swapped.

Jiang Ruoning swallowed the icy chill in her throat and said awkwardly to Shi Sui, “I bit into this one. Want me to take it?”

Shi Sui glanced at her, then at the ice cream. “It’s fine.”

With that, she licked it.

Right at the notch where Jiang Ruoning had bitten.