Chapter 58 Part 2

Bai Yuqiao pursed her lips, nodded, held the cup with one hand and supported the bottom with the other.

“So, Little Kou will be back by Wednesday at the latest.”

Bai Yuqiao set the cup down lightly and nodded.

“Hmm.” Gao Wenlan sat up straight, crossed her hands to prop her chin. “Then how about when she returns, I treat Little Kou to a meal.”

Bai Yuqiao’s eyelashes trembled. She raised her gaze, frowning slightly at Gao Wenlan.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand.”

Gao Wenlan smiled immediately. “Since I promised you and Xiaochu, I naturally won’t tell her yet. I’m just curious. I heard you two have been very close since childhood. The new apartment you rented—is it near the studio where she’s studying painting?”

Bai Yuqiao lowered her eyes for two seconds, then looked up and nodded with a smile again.

Gao Wenlan took a sip from her teacup and fell silent for a moment.

“Yuqiao, to tell you the truth, I really wanted to understand you quickly—your past, your present, even your future. I wanted to make up for all these years in every way possible. Of course, I also fully understood that you were reluctant to leave your former home.”

She paused, then said, “We can take all this slowly. It’s just that Xiaochu is far away in Zhejiang, busy with business, and I wanted another channel to understand you.” As she spoke, her eyes seemed to glisten with moisture. “Treating Little Kou to a meal has no other meaning. Just think of it as your leader checking in on you all. Is that okay?”

The final day of the Joint Entrance Exam.

Red banners fluttered in the wind, bearing the words—“Where the heart leads, dreams shall follow!”

Cameras flashed “click-click” at the crowd of examinees.

When Bai Kou emerged, she still carried that enormous art portfolio on her shoulder, as if headed to climb Mount Everest, with a streak of paint still smeared on her face. Her expression was not bright.

It was Monday, so Lu Tongtong had no choice but to return to Heyan first.

Only Yang Wanxi waited outside the exam hall.

Bai Kou walked right up to her. Under Yang Wanxi’s puzzled gaze, Bai Kou’s forehead went “duang” against Yang Wanxi’s shoulder.

“Sigh! My colors are done for, Yang Kuikui!”

Yang Wanxi was just about to speak when a very soft ringtone sounded.

Bai Kou immediately straightened up. Right in front of Yang Wanxi, she fumbled frantically for a bit before answering the call, her face lighting up with joy the instant she connected: “Pei Yue! You didn’t reply to my messages, so I thought you were asleep!”

“…” Yang Wanxi took the bag off Bai Kou’s shoulder, rolled up her sleeve, and led her to the curb nearby.

“Sigh, I don’t know what happened while painting today—it was just awful—”

Red police lights flashed all around. Pei Yue had a dark red bloodstain from her face to her chin, and her clothes and pants were torn.

At the moment of the accident, Pei Yue had just received the message from Bai Kou and was about to tap it open when everything spun around her in an instant.

Only now, having recovered a bit, could she call Bai Kou back.

“…Why does your voice sound a bit strange?” The background noise on Bai Kou’s end was loud, making her question a little muffled.

“…No.” Pei Yue swallowed. “I almost fell asleep. Too tired.”

“Ah.” Bai Kou paused for a second. “Did I wake you up then? Sorry…”

Seeing Zhou Xiao point at her and then a police officer walk toward her, Pei Yue quickly said, “Yeah, I want to sleep now. I’ll hang up.”

“Oh…” Bai Kou said, “Okay, good nig—”

Good night hadn’t even finished.

Pei Yue had already ended the call.

“That was quick.” Even Yang Wanxi was surprised. “I thought you’d chat for at least an hour.”

“…” Bai Kou stared at the dark screen, her heart sinking heavily. She didn’t reply.

In the week after the Joint Entrance Exam ended and back at the studio, the students who only cared about the Joint Entrance Exam and not the school exam began packing up to leave.

Qiu Miaoran, who just wanted to scrape by with a score, was among them.

Bai Kou sat slumped in a chair, watching Qiu Miaoran pack her luggage, feeling a bit sentimental.

“Fushun is so far away. Will we meet again?”

“Of course!” Qiu Miaoran laughed. “Transportation is so advanced now! Come to Fushun to play! I’ll treat you to a big feast!”

Bai Kou then smiled. “No, you’re my lifesaver. I should treat you to a big feast!”

“Hey-ho!” Qiu Miaoran hugged a bedding bundle down without looking back. “Fine! Then I’ll be the tour guide! You all come play later! Bai Kou foots the bill!”

Jin and Tang Baini nearby couldn’t help but laugh.

“Good.”

“OK!”

In the corridor of an antique-style restaurant.

Bai Kou held one arm around Bai Yuqiao and dazedly looked up around her. “Inviting employees to eat in such a luxurious place—worthy of a big company!”

After entering the room, even the usually outgoing Bai Kou felt a bit restrained under the golden glow of the lights.

She was also very afraid of leaving a bad impression on her sister’s boss, so she behaved especially properly.

Gao Wenlan walked up to Bai Kou proactively and extended a hand. “Hello, you’re Little Kou, right?”

“Manager Gao, hello.” Bai Kou hurriedly clasped it with both hands, inwardly lamenting, ‘Aiya, why am I stuttering?’

“Come, sit.” Gao Wenlan glanced at Bai Yuqiao, then lightly put an arm around Bai Kou’s shoulders. “I’ve often heard Yuqiao mention her little sister at the company.”

That evening at home, Bai Kou told Yang Wanxi, “Manager Gao was really thoughtful. She even asked if Sis has any allergies, what she likes to eat, and—”

Nonsense.

Your sis is her own daughter. Of course she’s thoughtful.

Yang Wanxi silently picked up the McDonald’s paper cup, stuck in the straw, sipped cola, and glanced sidelong at Bai Yuqiao, whose face remained unchanged.

“By the way.” Bai Kou had just picked up a french fry but put it down, saying very solemnly, “Sis, Yang Kuikui, the Joint Entrance Exam just ended, and there’s still some time before the school exam. Can I make a small request?”

Bai Yuqiao looked at Bai Kou’s face.

Yang Wanxi picked up a french fry with her head down. “Let’s hear it?”

“I—” Bai Kou exhaled. “I’m really too worried about Pei Yue, but I have so little time to use my phone that I can’t properly check on her.”

“…” The french fry halfway in Yang Wanxi’s mouth lost its flavor. She slowly straightened up, turned her face away, tongue rolling in her cheek, then pulled out a tissue, wrapped the french fry, and tossed it in the trash.

“I can really control myself now. I just don’t want to lose contact with her every day.”

Bai Kou glanced at Yang Wanxi, whose expression had lost control, then at Bai Yuqiao, who actually held the final say on confiscating the phone. “Sis, so, can you give my phone back?”

Bang.

Yang Wanxi got up alone and went into the bathroom. She turned on the faucet and quickly splashed her face with water a few times.

Calm. Calm. Calm.

She turned off the water. Through the door, she heard Bai Kou’s voice brighten happily outside: “Thank you, Sis! You’re the best! Mwah mwah mwah!”

…Ha, Yang Wanxi, that’s why you can’t be her big sister. She leaned against the glass door, chin raised, deciding to wait until her heart fully calmed before going out.

After handing back the phone, Bai Yuqiao didn’t sit back on the stool. Instead, she silently walked to the sofa and sat behind Bai Kou, casually glancing over her shoulder at the phone screen from the height difference.

Bai Kou quickly edited a long message but hadn’t sent it when she suddenly received a message from Pei Yue after two days.

【Bai Kou, I have some words I want to say to you. Let’s chat once you get your phone back.】

“No problem, I’ll handle my little sisters’ matters well. Mm, rest assured.”

In the quiet living room, only the light from the dining area was on. Pei Ying sat upright and agreed to whatever the other side said.

“That’s great. Ying ah, back then we sent your little sister abroad but not you, and it forced you to settle for a normal teachers’ college. Mom has always—”

“Mom, no need to mention it. Ancient history. As long as we’re all doing well now, that’s fine.” Pei Ying interrupted, got up to fetch her car keys. “Have Little Sis wait. I’ll drive over tonight.”

Bang.

Pei Ying closed the car door and received a call from her daughter.

“Mom, are you resting?”

“No, something came up. About to drive out.” Pei Ying turned on speakerphone and buckled her seatbelt. “What’s up?”

“…” Pei Yue sniffed on the phone but said nothing.

“Crying?” Pei Ying unbuckled. “What happened?”

Bai Kou sat in her room with her hands dangling, sealed in place like wax, utterly motionless.

Yang Wanxi had composed herself, thinking that earlier she’d ignored Bai Kou completely and been too harsh. She fiddled around and made a plate of candied oranges to bring to Bai Kou.

The door was ajar. She was about to push it open.

Suddenly, Bai Kou slumped onto the table. Her back began to heave with sobs, muffled whimpers escaping.

“…” Yang Wanxi’s mouth fell open in surprise. She glanced at the phone flat on the table, stepped back, and slowly closed the door.

Early the next morning, Yang Wanxi waited at Bai Kou’s door with a bag of soy milk.

The door stirred.

She quickly walked to the dining table. “Up? Soy milk today.”

“Mm…” Even that one sound revealed how hoarse Bai Kou’s voice was.

“What’s wrong? Fight with your dear Pei Yue?” Yang Wanxi asked casually.

“…” Bai Kou closed the bathroom door, silent.

Yang Wanxi sat, arms crossed, waiting for her to come out. Then her gaze followed this panda with swollen eyes from crying: “Need me to boil a couple hot eggs for you to take?”

“What for?” Bai Kou’s throat sounded like it held a slice of hell.

Yang Wanxi waved a hand in front of her eyes. “To roll on those puppy-love eyes of yours.”

“No more puppy love.” Bai Kou drank her soy milk with her head down.

“Hm?” Yang Wanxi hadn’t expected that answer. “What do you mean?”

Bai Kou shook her head, refusing to say more. She barely ate two bites of breakfast before standing. “Full. I’m off.”

“Oh…” Yang Wanxi watched her leave in confusion.

Ding-dong.

After the call, Pei Yue had sat listlessly from morning till evening when she heard roommate Zhou Xiao return.

She stood, facing the door.

“Yo!” Zhou Xiao dodged back a bit. “Why no lights? You scared me!”

“Power outage this afternoon.” Pei Yue said calmly. “I turned off all the lights.”

“Oh.” Zhou Xiao turned on the light, walked into the living room, glanced casually at Pei Yue. “Were you watching a movie at home this afternoon?” Eyes so swollen.

“Ah, yeah, watched a really touching movie.” Pei Yue said.

“Oh.” Zhou Xiao took two steps, then remembered and turned back. “But didn’t you say there was a power outage this afternoon?”

“Ah.” Pei Yue was like a glitched robot, repeating, “Right, power outage.”

Zhou Xiao pursed her lips, closed her just-about-to-open bedroom door, and walked to Pei Yue. “Looks like… tonight you need to drown your sorrows again?”

Bai Kou couldn’t focus on painting anything that day.

Her class assignment scored a dismal sixth tier.

She listened to the teacher’s utterly baffled criticism, listlessly thinking, I’ll just be sad for today.

Just one day.

As she left the teaching building, snow suddenly began to fall in Beijing.

Bai Kou reached out to catch some. She’d originally planned to take photos of Beijing’s snow for you this year.

She walked toward the school gate and spotted far off a figure in a white long down jacket standing under a light, dusted by the continuous fine snow.

Puzzled, Bai Kou walked closer and closer. That person also walked toward her, magically popping open a red umbrella.

It was Yang Kuikui after all. Once she saw clearly, Bai Kou thought this in her heart.

“Why bring such a red umbrella? Like filming a movie.” Bai Kou forced a smile and said.

Yang Wanxi said nothing. She stared straight at Bai Kou’s eyes, laughter nearly spilling over, then first patted the snow off the top of Bai Kou’s head before brushing it from her scarf.

“Bright colors help strengthen memory.”

Yang Wanxi’s icy fingertips poked her cheek and said, “So of course I hope you remember today forever.”