Chapter 49

Bai Kou accompanied Yang Wanxi to the emergency nurse station, where Yang Yingyun was answering a phone call while flipping through folders.

“No problem, Director. I’ll get someone to send it over right away.”

After hanging up, she smiled at the two children. “All done?”

“Mm.”

“Mm…” they responded in unison.

Bai Kou glanced at the person beside her, who smiled faintly, and her mood grew a bit complicated.

Just now, Yang Wanxi had said it was nothing, but as they walked over, they had been extremely quiet. Yang Wanxi walked without expression or a word, and Bai Kou surprisingly didn’t know what to say either.

Where exactly was the problem? Bai Kou truly couldn’t figure it out.

“Alright, you two go inside and sit down first.” With that, Yang Yingyun turned and walked away. “Xiao Zheng! Come here for a sec!”

In the break room, several plastic lunch boxes still sat unpacked on a long table.

“Bai Kou, you should head home.” Without even sitting down, Yang Wanxi turned to the person who had closed the door one step behind her.

“Huh?” Bai Kou froze. “Aren’t we still waiting for the report?”

“Mom’s here, that’s enough.” Yang Wanxi’s expression was extremely distant. “Thanks for today.”

Bai Kou frowned unpleasantly. What thanks? She wanted to correct Yang Wanxi’s wording, but seeing her lower her lashes in a very dejected look, she decided to let it go.

So she only said, “You got upset just because I took an ugly photo of you? And now you’re chasing me away.”

“…” Yang Wanxi looked up, gazed at her quietly for a few seconds, and said, “I’m not chasing you away. It’s me—I have something I need to think about alone. With you here, I might not be able to figure it out.”

“What is it?” Bai Kou took a step forward. “Can’t I help you think about it together?”

Yang Wanxi pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“It’s a worry that only I can digest on my own.”

Bai Kou left the hospital alone. With nothing else to do next, she decided to take the bus and slowly make her way home.

She plugged in her earphones and listened to music.

At first, after hearing Yang Wanxi’s words, she had felt a bit helpless. Only now did she ponder with a sense of loss why her relationship with Yang Wanxi, no matter how much they repaired it, could never return to how it was before.

Just then, the lyrics sang: “We are like separated by a layer of glass.”

This song had been shared by Yang Wanxi in the group chat not long ago, saying it was good.

“Glass…” Bai Kou leaned against the bus window glass and muttered to herself. “Sigh… Yang Kuikui… I can’t guess at all what you’re thinking right now…”

She was clearly so afraid of Yang Wanxi becoming the second “Lu Tongtong” in her life, and she had made plenty of efforts for that, even laying her heart bare for Yang Wanxi to see.

But in the end, it still didn’t work…

Was this what growing up was?

As she thought about it, Bai Kou felt that even the music in her earphones was making her uncomfortable.

She yanked off her earphones, sighed, and let the cold wind leaking through the window glass blow on her face.

After getting off the bus, Bai Kou thought for a moment and still sent another message to Yang Wanxi: 【Send me the report when it comes out too!】

【Okay.】 Yang Wanxi replied simply.

“Huh?”

Bai Kou arrived home and took out her key to open the door, but the door opened from inside first. Bai Yuqiao stood right in front of her.

She immediately pulled herself out of her earlier mood and felt very surprised. “Sis? Did you come back to check on Yang Kuikui?”

Bai Yuqiao shook her head and frowned: 【What’s wrong with her?】

“Oh, nothing much. Her stomach’s been hurting these past few days. Today she had a gastroscopy at the hospital.”

【How is she now?】 Bai Yuqiao looked a bit anxious. She reached out, about to grab the jacket draped on the sofa.

Bai Kou hurriedly said, “She’s fine now. She’s with Auntie Yang.”

As she entered, Bai Kou noticed her mom was also in the living room, but she was sitting there on the phone with a very serious expression, not even sparing a glance at the door.

Bai Kou looked puzzled at Bai Xiaochu for a moment when suddenly a hand wrapped around her shoulders from behind and directly led her toward the room.

【Have you packed your luggage for the trip?】 After entering and closing the door, Bai Yuqiao smiled faintly and asked about Bai Kou. 【Have you been in touch with her?】

“Mm.” Bai Kou finally smiled and said, “All packed.”

Bai Xiaochu and Bai Yuqiao took Bai Kou to the airport together.

She needed to fly to Shanghai first, then transfer to America.

Although she would meet up with Pei Yue after arriving in America, it was still her first time on such a long solo flight, so Bai Kou felt especially nervous.

Bai Yuqiao noticed Bai Kou’s unease.

She held Bai Kou’s hand. When Bai Kou looked at her, she mouthed slowly—

“Don’t worry.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Before departure, Bai Kou hugged her mom and sister separately.

Bai Yuqiao suddenly deepened the hug, making Bai Kou hum in satisfaction. She hugged back tightly and said, “Sis, when I get back, school will start soon, and then I’ll go to Beijing for training. I’ll come play with you every day—don’t find me annoying, okay.”

Bai Yuqiao released her, smiled, ruffled her hair, and nodded to say “okay.”

As she entered the security checkpoint, Bai Kou received a WeChat from Yang Wanxi: 【Just woke up. Forgot you’re leaving today. Don’t be mad I didn’t see you off.】

Hmph, she had just said last night that it was today—forgot already? Yeah right, she just overslept, plain and simple.

But Bai Kou was still quite happy to receive this message before takeoff. She replied: 【I am mad! But maybe it cancels out one time~】

【Cancels out?】 Yang Wanxi asked. 【With what?】

【That time you went to Hong Kong when we were little, I overslept too.】

Yang Wanxi took half a day to reply: 【Oh, that time. You have a good memory.】

【Hehe, thanks.】 Bai Kou replied with a smile.

Regarding the “awkwardness” between her and Yang Wanxi, after thinking it over, Bai Kou barely came to terms with it—maybe she had been trying too hard to hold on tight, so these past two years, whenever Yang Wanxi did anything even slightly different from before, she felt like the other had “changed.”

But how could people stay the same forever?

Bai Kou told herself not to be so obsessed with the past. She needed to be the best current version of Bai Kou, loving the current Yang Wanxi.

As the plane prepared for takeoff, Bai Kou messaged the person far across the ocean: 【Turning off my phone~】

When Bai Xiaochu and Bai Yuqiao drove back to Heyan, the plane Bai Kou was on gradually stabilized, the push-back sensation fading.

Listening to the light rustle of the person beside her turning book pages, Bai Kou gazed out the window at the layered clouds, a thousand emotions suddenly welling up in her heart.

Many years later, when Bai Kou brought up this trip to America in January 2013 of her own accord, she tilted her head and said, “Sigh, in that instant, I really felt like I’d grown up, no longer just a little kid…”

The person beside Bai Kou listened quietly as she finished, then turned her head to look at her without a word.

Bai Kou got no response and slightly raised her gaze.

The two locked eyes for a few seconds.

Then the other smiled and tapped her own lower lip.

Inviting Bai Kou to kiss her.

After consecutive transfers and flights, the plane pierced through the final layer of thunderstorm, lightning tearing across the window outside.

“That was so scary, Pei Yue…” Bai Kou walked beside the person she hadn’t seen in so long, still shaken. “I thought my first time abroad was going to be the end of me…”

Pei Yue pulled Bai Kou’s luggage and also held her wrist. She smiled for a bit before saying, “You make it sound so scary, now I’m afraid too.”

They exited the airport together and got into a taxi. Bai Kou gazed out the window at the reflective high-rises, feeling a mix of unfamiliarity and excited anticipation.

“Pei Yue, where are we going now…” Bai Kou turned to the right, but perhaps realizing the driver was a foreigner, she tensed up and subconsciously lowered her voice. “To your school?”

Pei Yue’s hair had apparently just been cut, falling in layers around her shoulders and arms. Before Bai Kou spoke, she had been looking down at her phone.

Hearing Bai Kou, she looked up with a smile. “Not to school. We’re going home.”

“Oh.” Bai Kou nodded, then asked after a moment, “Hey, that roommate of yours, that… Zhou Xiao? Is she home today?”

“Yeah, she bought a ton of food and said she’s welcoming you.”

The car stopped in front of a silver high-rise apartment building.

As Bai Kou was pulled inside, she glanced back. Dusk was falling, and the English signs across the street had just lit up with warm lights.

Normally, taking the elevator in Heyan felt like seconds to the door.

This time, Bai Kou quietly watched herself in the elevator’s reflective surface, Pei Yue beside her, and a few blond, blue-eyed foreigners. It felt like a century passed before the elevator finally reached the 37th floor.

“We’re here.” After saying that, Pei Yue took her hand again and led her out.

In this completely unfamiliar environment, Bai Kou turned back into that stunned little kid from her childhood. She watched Pei Yue enter the code and thought about meeting Pei Yue’s roommate soon. Unconsciously, she gripped Pei Yue’s hand tighter.

“Beep.”

Pei Yue’s movements suddenly stopped.

But the door didn’t unlock.

“Hm?” Bai Kou wondered inwardly when Pei Yue turned around and let go of the luggage she had been pulling.

“Bai Kou, can I hug—”

Before she finished, the door “beeped” and was pushed open from inside.

Pei Yue had introduced her on WeChat before: her roommate Zhou Xiao was a very straightforward Shandong girl who loved cooking and experimenting with all kinds of food, and often invited Pei Yue to eat together.

Along with the aroma of hotpot came Zhou Xiao’s enthusiastic hug: “Welcome!”

Bai Kou was hugged into a daze and only reacted after half a day. “H-Hi!”

In the living room, the furniture was mostly white-toned. An English talk show played on the TV, occasionally erupting in laughter. On the wooden dining table by the floor-to-ceiling window sat a young orange cat, staring at Bai Kou as if poised to flee at any moment.

“Her name’s Meat Floss,” Zhou Xiao said, arm around Bai Kou’s shoulders. “Four-month-old sister. She gets along great with Pei Yue—better than with me. Pei Yue—”

She turned and called out. “Come see if you can still pick up Meat Floss now. Let your friend hold and pet her!”

“No way.”

Amid two pairs of silently cheering gazes, Pei Yue straightened helplessly. “She’s still too timid. In a couple days, once she calms down.”

Zhou Xiao laughed. “Sigh, how did I end up raising such a socially anxious little cat.” She released Bai Kou’s shoulders. “You two watch some TV first. I’m almost done chopping the ingredients. Hotpot feast tonight!”

“Then let me help—”

“No, no need.” Zhou Xiao stopped her, then smiled sheepishly. “I have a tiny bit of standards for knife work. Pei Yue knows. Anyway, just sit, haha.”

“Oh, alright.” Bai Kou watched Zhou Xiao leave.

At that moment, Pei Yue lightly tugged Bai Kou’s finger. “Want to see my room?”

Pei Yue’s room was very tidy. To the right upon entering was a floor lamp and desk with a computer, notebook… and some English books.

To the left was a low cabinet for storing things, with very few items on it: a desk lamp, two photo frames. One had Pei Yue and Pei Ying; the other was a group photo with classmates from her city.

“Huh? Isn’t this the one I gave you that year for your MP3?” Bai Kou walked over in surprise, bent down, and peered through the dust cover at the shell-shaped little storage pouch inside.

“Yeah.” Pei Yue came over too, lifted the dust cover, and picked up the pouch. “It’s this one.”

The pouch moved away from in front of her eyes.

Bai Kou turned her head, staring thoughtfully at Pei Yue’s hand.

Slowly, she closed her fingers, gripping tight. Pei Yue’s chest rose and fell slightly for a moment…

Then she turned.

Without hesitation, she hugged Bai Kou.

Hugged her tight, and gripped tightly the thing Bai Kou had given her.

Pei Yue leaned on Bai Kou’s shoulder and finally bravely released all her longing.

“Bai Kou, I missed you so much,” she said softly.

Bai Kou was held tightly, clearly feeling the throbbing of two hearts.

Pei Yue’s breath by her ear seemed to grow heavier, and the fingertips Bai Kou rested on Pei Yue’s back also seemed to heat up.

Just then, Bai Kou heard Zhou Xiao knock on the door from outside.

“Friends! Time for hotpot!”

She came back to herself and naturally started to let go, about to end the embrace with Pei Yue.

But Pei Yue still held her firmly. Raising her voice slightly, the vibrations tickled Bai Kou’s eardrum: “Zhou Xiao—wait a sec—I’m changing clothes!”

“Oh—okay—”

Zhou Xiao’s footsteps receded.

Bai Kou felt bewildered. Then Pei Yue, who had said she was changing, lowered her head again, resting her face against Bai Kou’s neck.

“Hug me for ten more seconds.”