Chapter 12: Anger

Dinner was made by Yan Ningxi, and Ming You was responsible for the clean plate operation. The scab on her palm was almost ready to fall off, but Yan Ningxi still didn’t allow her to wash the dishes.

As night fell, a clap of thunder rumbled through the overcast sky. October’s weather changed in an instant.

Ming You lazily sprawled over the balcony railing, her arm stretched out to catch the fat raindrops pouring down.

She liked rainy days, but not ones with torrential downpours.

Yan Ningxi grabbed a tissue and walked up behind Ming You. She pulled back Ming You’s outstretched right hand and handed her the tissue. “Wipe it off. It’s the season change right now—temperatures fluctuate, and the day-night difference is big. Don’t catch a cold again.”

“My constitution isn’t that weak.” Ming You obediently wiped the rainwater from her palm and forearm. “Rain in this season isn’t cold.”

On impulse, Yan Ningxi lifted her own hand. Fat raindrops pelted her palm, and she carefully felt it—sure enough, it had the warm, wet sensation the girl had described.

Ming You turned and went back into the living room. She tossed the soiled tissue into the trash can, grabbed a few fresh ones, and as Yan Ningxi came inside, she took her hand and wiped her palm dry. “Don’t just lecture me—you need to take better care of your body too.”

Then she closed the floor-to-ceiling window. “Thunderstorms bring strong winds, and rain can blow in easily. Remember to close the bedroom window when you go to sleep tonight.”

So thoughtful.

Yan Ningxi mentally added another positive label to Ming You.

“It’s getting late. What time is your train?” Yan Ningxi hadn’t forgotten that today was the last day of the National Day holiday—classes started tomorrow, yet this girl showed no sign of heading back.

“Sister Yan, are you chasing me away?” Ming You replied unhurriedly, casually continuing to draw the curtains as if nothing was wrong.

“Don’t miss your train. You said holiday tickets are hard to get.”

“I won’t.” In fact, ever since Yan Ningxi had brought her back to the apartment that day, Ming You hadn’t even thought about buying a ticket, nor did she plan to return to school so soon. “Sister Yan, I’m thirsty.”

Yan Ningxi went into the kitchen and poured two glasses of boiled water. Before she could warn that it was hot, Ming You eagerly snatched one from her hand and gulped down more than half.

Sure enough, right after finishing, Ming You opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. “So hot.”

Yan Ningxi had poured the water herself, so she knew exactly how scalding it was. It wasn’t freshly boiled, but at least 70°C.

She immediately dragged Ming You to the bathroom, dumped out the hot water from her cup, filled it with cold water, and handed it to her. “Quick, swish some cold water in your mouth. Rinse it a few times.”

This wasn’t the first time she’d drunk water here, and she knew there was mineral water in the entryway cabinet and fridge that she could’ve used to temper the heat.

But because the girl had said she didn’t like cold drinks, Yan Ningxi had poured boiled water. They’d done the same in the hotel—mixing it to make warm water.

After rinsing with more than a dozen cups of cold water, the pain in Ming You’s mouth eased somewhat.

“How is it? Feeling better? Turn around, let me see.” As Yan Ningxi examined the burn on Ming You’s tongue, she suddenly turned and hurried out.

When she returned, she held mineral water from the fridge in both hands. She set one bottle on the sink. “Drink some iced water. Your throat hurts too, right? You’re studying broadcasting major—what if you damage your voice?”

She tried to twist open the bottle cap for Ming You, but condensation made it slick. The more hurried she got, the more it slipped from her grasp.

“If it’s damaged, so be it. There are so many majors in university, so many paths in life. It’s not like this is the only option.” Ming You didn’t take it seriously. She took the mineral water herself, twisted it open, and slowly drank it down.

The moment she’d drunk that cup of hot water, she’d already anticipated the possible consequences.

For this choice made without much deliberation, she didn’t think she couldn’t bear it. She even hoped for the worst outcome. That way, she’d have a legitimate reason to give up broadcasting and hosting, to escape her old life entirely—without it looking like she was running away out of sore losing.

“Ming You, this isn’t a game.” Yan Ningxi was truly angry.

Five minutes passed. Yan Ningxi watched her finish one bottle, then used the other for cooling. But how could she fully relax? This girl habitually masked things with nonchalance, brushing them off with breezy indifference.

“We have to see a doctor.” Yan Ningxi grabbed her phone and keys, pulling Ming You toward the door without allowing refusal.

“Umbrella, rain.” It was self-inflicted, but the pain in her throat and tongue was real. With her feet still inside the door, Ming You grabbed a white transparent auto-open umbrella from the wall hook. “Sister Yan, you’re still in slippers.”

“It’s raining outside—slippers are fine.”

Whether from urgency or anger, Yan Ningxi no longer cared about poise or appearance.

…

Downstairs, Yan Ningxi let the taller Ming You hold the umbrella.

Their bodies were close, but her heart felt distant from the girl. The chill of the nighttime downpour couldn’t compare to the cold spreading from her heart to her limbs.

The girl’s ruthlessness toward herself was something she hadn’t anticipated. The girl’s blatant scheme had her retreating step by step.

The rain was heavy, puddles formed on the road, and their feet sloshed through water. Both wore long pants, and the splashing rain quickly soaked their pant legs.

“Sister Yan.” Ming You spoke and immediately gripped the umbrella handle in pain.

“Don’t talk. Walk faster.” Yan Ningxi placed a hand on Ming You’s arm, urging her to quicken her pace.

Ming You winced too, but she still held back Yan Ningxi, shoved the umbrella into her hands, and crouched to roll up her pant legs. Then she did her own. “Wet pant cuffs sticking to your skin feels awful.”

Yan Ningxi was dazed, especially when Ming You’s fingers brushed her calf. She couldn’t describe the feeling.

Ming You was the first person besides her mother to bend down and roll up her pant legs for her. It had been so long since her mother had done that.

So long that she couldn’t even recall if her mother had said anything back then.

Independent and self-reliant, strong and self-sufficient—those were Yan Ningxi’s core traits. She’d never worried her parents much growing up, always the model child others envied, the study role model for the neighbor kids.

Besides her parents, she’d never gladly accepted care from anyone else, nor gone out of her way to care for another.

If she had to name someone, it would be her three undergrad roommates—especially Qi Xuexin, who hated tidying up. During grad school, to earn money, she’d spent most of her time tutoring and had no chance to make new friends.

After Ming You stood, she took back the umbrella and tilted it toward Yan Ningxi, shielding her from wind and rain. How could someone as observant as Yan Ningxi miss these details?

…

The community clinic was closed, but a small private one was still open. The doctor examined her and confirmed it was just a mild burn on her mouth and tongue.

“Judging by the redness, the throat burn isn’t severe, and the blistering on the roof of her mouth isn’t extensive. You handled it promptly—good job. Don’t worry, it won’t damage her vocal cords fundamentally. Rest her voice these next few days, speak less. Stick to liquids for meals, avoid spicy foods. Got any olive oil at home? Use a little to soothe the throat after getting back—it’ll help the swelling go down. Day-to-day, iced milk can ease the local pain too. Follow all that, plus take the meds and sprays on schedule, and she’ll be healed in three to five days.”

The doctor prescribed some oral meds and a spray for the roof of the mouth and tongue burns.

Yan Ningxi paid and packed the meds.

As they left the clinic, Ming You started to say she was fine, but a warning “speak less” glare from Yan Ningxi stopped her. Ming You could only open her mouth slightly, point to her tongue, and shake her head before opening the umbrella.

The rain had lightened.

Yan Ningxi naturally rested her hand on Ming You’s forearm, her demeanor a bit more intimate than on the way there. “Let’s hit the supermarket.”

Ten minutes later, Ming You held a bottle of olive oil. “We really have to drink this?”

“I trust the doctor.”

“…”

They waited downstairs for the elevator when a drenched large dog ran in from outside. It weighed at least fifty kilos and stood about 1.45 meters tall on its hind legs—a full-grown golden retriever.

Ming You wasn’t afraid of dogs. She sidestepped to look, only to get shaken all over with water unexpectedly. The golden retriever shook happily. Ming You closed her eyes and endured it, while Yan Ningxi perfectly dodged behind her.

“Ding.”

Yan Ningxi urged, “Elevator’s here. Let’s go.”

Ming You opened her umbrella to block the golden retriever. “You go first, so it doesn’t get your clothes dirty too.”

They entered one after the other. Ming You quickly closed the door on the golden retriever trying to follow, her face looking extremely unpleasant.

To avoid getting dirtier, she chose the unkind option.

Only the two of them in the elevator.

Neither spoke.

The girl stood a bit forward. Yan Ningxi stared blankly at her soaked left shoulder.

As the older one, realizing she was the one being cared for, Yan Ningxi felt a twinge of annoyance. She was indeed touched by the girl’s warm gestures in the rain, to the point of chiding herself.

Yan Ningxi opened the door and entered.

Ming You stood outside, her expression improved from the elevator. “I’m too dirty to come in. Sister Yan, just hand me my bag. I need to go.”

This time, she wasn’t retreating to advance—she was genuinely eager to get back to the hotel and change.

“Speak less.” Yan Ningxi rarely used such a commanding tone. “I see you’re not in a rush for the train. You can spare a few minutes—come in first. I’ll find clothes for you to change into.”

Not just anyone’s clothes would do. But the scent of Yan Ningxi, the smell of her clothes—Ming You could accept that.

Ming You entered and set the dripping umbrella on the balcony. A corner of the balcony had pooled rainwater; it wouldn’t dry anytime soon. She stood at the edge, letting the wind tousle her hair and the rain further soak her clothes.

Yan Ningxi rummaged and found a loose white T-shirt from last year and a pair of black jeans worn only once or twice. She held them up against herself.

When she came to the living room, she saw Ming You had already slung on her crossbody bag, clearly intending to leave without changing.

She shoved the clothes at her. “Change first, then go. Loose fit—you should be able to wear them.”

She was older than Ming You, and her daily wear favored fitted shirts, trousers, and skirts. Their builds differed slightly too, so styles and sizes didn’t match perfectly.

Ming You didn’t respond, her face showing an emotion Yan Ningxi couldn’t read.

“Want me to help?”

“No need.” Spurred by Yan Ningxi’s words, Ming You answered quickly and hugged the clothes as she headed to the bathroom to change.