Chapter 19

“Shuangshuang, are you really sure you want to board?”

No. 1 High School gave students and their parents full freedom to choose when it came to dorm living.

The workload in freshman year wasn’t too heavy, so if a student truly didn’t want to board, they could simply commute.

But starting sophomore year, everyone had to live on campus unless they had a serious health issue.

Yu Xichi had never even considered the question. She’d never imagined Bai Shuangshuang would choose to board.

After Bai Shuangshuang made her intentions clear, Yu Xichi—who’d been feeling a bit drowsy—suddenly perked up.

Seeing the gentle yet resolute look in the girl’s eyes, she hesitated before trying to dissuade her once more. “Our house is close enough to No. 1 High School. If you’re worried about being late, Shuangshuang, Auntie’s gotten her driver’s license now. She can drive you back and forth. So why not think it over a little more before deciding on boarding?”

Bai Shuangshuang shook her head with a smile. “Sophomore year requires boarding anyway, doesn’t it? I figure if the study pressure ramps up by then and I’m just starting out with dorm life, I might not mesh well with my roommates. Better to get used to it early.”

Her reasoning was thorough. Yu Xichi mulled it over and realized she had a point, so she relented. “Yeah, you’re right about that. All right then—freshmen get one day off per week, right? I’ll come pick you up on Friday.”

“Okay. Good night, Auntie. I’m heading to bed.”

“Mm. Oh—does Shengsheng know yet?”

“Wait until I’ve left tomorrow, Auntie. You can tell her for me.”

Yu Xichi nodded. “Makes sense. If she found out tonight, the house would be in an uproar. Okay, off to bed with you, Shuangshuang. I’ll find a moment to tell her tomorrow. Good night.”

“Good night, Auntie.”

Yu Xichi closed the door, and her previously relaxed expression turned wistful. “Sigh. The kids are growing up so fast. It’s hard to keep them as inseparable as they were when they were little. If only they were the same age—they could’ve gone to school together. But now Shuangshuang’s in high school and Shengsheng’s only in junior high year 2. Once they get even older, do you think they’ll stop being as close as they used to be?”

Bai Bingyang chuckled and drew her into his arms. “They’re not overthinking things the way you are. You know Shengsheng’s personality better than anyone. Relax—she’s so tight with Shuangshuang right now, and with her temperament, even after they grow up, she won’t let herself drift apart from the people she cares about.”

Yu Xichi brightened at once. “You’re right. That’s what makes her feel like my real daughter—just like me. When she takes a liking to something, it’s for life.”

~~~

“You went to see Mom?”

Bai Shuangshuang had assumed Bai Tongsheng was already asleep. But the moment she slipped under the covers, Bai Tongsheng spoke up.

“Mm. You’re not asleep yet?”

“I am now. Good night.”

She didn’t ask why Bai Shuangshuang had gone to see Yu Xichi. It was probably something to do with starting school tomorrow.

“Mm. Good night.”

Bai Shuangshuang let out a quiet breath of relief. If Bai Tongsheng pressed her right then, she’d have been torn—confess outright or brush it off with a laugh?

She had a hunch that if she told Bai Tongsheng tonight, her boarding plans would fall apart.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over her, Bai Shuangshuang relaxed into the bed, ready for sleep.

But a moment later, another thought struck her. She called out tentatively. “A-Sheng? You asleep?”

Bai Tongsheng answered right away. From the sound of her voice, she’d been on the verge of drifting off. “No. What is it?”

Bai Shuangshuang gritted her teeth and blurted it out. “Now that I’m in high school and we’re both growing up… starting tomorrow, go back to sleeping in your own room, okay?”

The air around them grew heavier at her words. Even the warm nest of blankets seemed to seep with chill from Bai Tongsheng’s side.

Bai Shuangshuang shivered despite herself. She felt the covers lift—and the next instant, Bai Tongsheng leaned over, pinning her down beneath her body.

The room was pitch-black. She couldn’t make out Bai Tongsheng’s face, but she had the unnerving sensation of being pinned by a piercing, icy glare. Cold sweat prickled across her back.

On instinct, she pressed a hand against the body looming over her. “A-A-Sheng… I feel uncomfortable.”

This side of Bai Tongsheng filled her with a spine-tingling pressure.

But Bai Tongsheng seized her hand and pinned it to the side. She lowered her head until their noses were nearly touching, then said in a mocking tone, “Bai Shuangshuang. Grown up now, and you want to toss me aside?”

Bai Shuangshuang went still in mid-struggle. For the moment, she didn’t even register how intimate their position was. She explained in a rush, “I’m not tossing you aside, A-Sheng. I’m not.”

—She was only afraid that one day, she’d repeat the same mistake. If that day ever came, the one tossed aside would be her.

—Until then, she’d never once thought of tossing her aside.

Bai Tongsheng snorted dismissively at her explanation. “You’re not trying to ditch me, yet you’re saying we have to start sleeping separately tomorrow? Bai Shuangshuang, if this were you, would you even believe it yourself?”

Girls were different from boys. When sisters shared a close bond, bunking together in the same room was the most natural thing in the world for most families.

Bai Shuangshuang knew that all too well, so after a moment’s hesitation, she shared a sliver of her true feelings.

“I’m scared I’ll get too used to this. Then when I have to live in the dorms, I won’t be able to adjust right away on my own. So it’s better if we start sleeping apart now.”

She had no intention of laying all her cards on the table.

Bai Tongsheng’s expression softened at her words. She released the hand pinning her down, lifted her head a little, and reached out to stroke her hair, her voice coaxing and gentle. “It’s fine. That day hasn’t come yet. I’ll give you time to get used to it. Until then, we can keep things just the way they are.”

Bai Shuangshuang began, “A-Sheng, I feel like—”

A cool fingertip pressed against her parted lips, cutting her off with a low murmur right by her ear. “That’s enough. Now go to sleep.”

Warm, soft lips brushed her forehead, leaving behind a damp, featherlight kiss. “Good night.”

Bai Shuangshuang’s mind turned to utter chaos. Everything that had happened tonight seemed to spiral out of control the moment Bai Tongsheng had leaned over her—especially her heart, which now pounded wildly on the brink of total collapse.

She felt like a withered leaf adrift on a vast, lonely sea, with no horizon in sight and no place to call home.

~~~

“I’m heading out. I’ll bring you some sugar-roasted chestnuts tonight.”

Bai Shuangshuang’s heart gave a sharp twinge, and she called out without thinking. “A-Sheng.”

Bai Tongsheng turned back and caught the complicated look on her face. Realizing something, she walked over and pulled her into a quick hug, her voice laced with a hint of indulgent affection buried deep underneath. “If you can’t wait to see me, you can come find me at school after check-in. We’ll see each other tonight anyway—it’s not long at all.”

Bai Shuangshuang didn’t respond. Bai Tongsheng let her go. “Alright, I’m off then. See you tonight.”

Bai Shuangshuang clenched her fists and rasped out, “I’m sorry.”

Bai Tongsheng arched a brow, unsure what she was apologizing for, but a glance at the clock on the wall told her she couldn’t linger. “Whatever it is, we can talk tonight. I’m going now, or I’ll be late. Bye.”

Yu Xichi came up behind her, as if sensing the tangle of emotions inside her. She wrapped her in a gentle embrace and soothed her. “A-Sheng will understand. Auntie will explain everything to her tonight. Auntie knows you hate being apart from A-Sheng, Shuangshuang, but this separation is only temporary, isn’t it?”

Bai Shuangshuang nodded into her embrace and hugged her even tighter.

~~~

“Well then, Auntie will head out first. Your dorm has a phone, and you have Auntie and Uncle’s numbers memorized, right? If anything comes up, just give us a call anytime. As for the dorm situation, Auntie will talk to A-Sheng when she gets back. Don’t worry too much, Shuangshuang—A-Sheng’s grown up now. She’ll get it.”

“Mm. I understand.”

“Then Auntie’s off. I’ll pick you up on Friday. If you run into any trouble at school, go to a teacher first. If they can’t help, call Auntie. I’m always here for you, okay?”

“Got it.”

Bai Shuangshuang watched until her car vanished from sight, then turned and headed back to the dorm.

Her high school life this time around was almost identical to her previous one—same trajectory, same roommates. Back then, she and they had gotten along neither well nor poorly, mere polite acquaintances at best.

She wasn’t hoping for any deep friendships this lifetime. All she wanted was to get through these three years in peace.

There was an odd number of girls in her class, so with two to a desk, one would inevitably be left sitting alone.

Bai Shuangshuang remembered that in her previous life, it had been the tallest girl who’d drawn the short straw. This time was different, though. Before assigning seats, the homeroom teacher handled it democratically.

“If any of you would prefer to sit alone, please raise your hand.”

High school was a time when teenagers were at their most sensitive. To most of them, being singled out meant loneliness.

Bai Shuangshuang raised her hand and, unsurprisingly, drew a wave of sympathetic glances. She just smiled, unperturbed.

Once seats were assigned, she ended up in the last row by the window.

While the others chattered quietly with their new deskmates, she buried herself in her book, a quiet contentment settling over her.

~~~

By the time Bai Shuangshuang returned to the dorm, her roommates were already there.

They greeted her politely when they saw her.

She smiled and returned the greeting. One of the girls suddenly remembered something and said, “Oh, right, Shuangshuang—someone called for you earlier.”

Bai Shuangshuang thanked her and took the meal card to make a phone call.

It had to be Yu Xichi.

The call connected immediately. Before she could even ask, the voice on the other end spoke up in a rush.

“Shuangshuang, Shengsheng went to find you.”