Why don’t you ask if I’m doing okay?
The sinking night was boundless, surging in.
It was now past three in the morning. Xing Yue lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Her calf rested on the ice silk blanket, sliding back and forth frequently.
Perhaps it was because her age was catching up to her, but she often felt lonely. And this loneliness, temporarily relieved last night with Bu Yao, only made the solitude that followed harder to bear.
She sighed silently, got out of bed, and drank a glass of ice water. Her back against the fridge, she slid down to the floor, sitting with her knees bent.
Perhaps… she should find a woman with decent conditions and get married…
Xing Yue thought, feeling lonely.
The most urgent matter at hand was still to deal with this little troublemaker Bu Yao first. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be in the right state of mind to go on blind dates.
The next day, Xing Yue didn’t drive her own car out. Uncharacteristically, she took the subway to work. Although her little bit of wealth was probably beneath the Eldest Miss Bu’s notice, it was hard to guarantee Bu Yao might try to take revenge and leave her with nothing. Better to keep a low profile for now.
During this special period, taking the subway gave Xing Yue a relative sense of security.
Right now was peak rush hour. Squeezed among the crowd in the subway, she regretted not wearing flats. She couldn’t even stand steadily and couldn’t help but grow irritable.
The train stopped at a station. Xing Yue’s body instinctively lurched forward from inertia. As it happened, the person standing in front of her was getting off at this stop and went along with the crowd. The people behind her pushing to get off crowded her further. With no support point, she stumbled two steps straight and bumped into someone’s back.
“Sorry…” The words came out subconsciously from Xing Yue.
What met her eyes was a head of fluffy, curly red hair in a high ponytail. The hair was stunningly gorgeous, like the orange-red cloud trails left by a plane streaking across the sky at sunset.
Xing Yue’s eyes lit up. The woman before her had her back to her. She was wearing a white linen vintage-style shirt on top, with a rattan-blue mamian skirt on the bottom. Black-gold-thread camellia flowers were embroidered on the skirt’s surface, perfectly displaying her waist-to-hip ratio.
From her angle, the woman had a thin back and straight waist, her neck and shoulders slender and creamy white. This back view was already stunning enough. Such a poised and elegant little lady.
After looking briefly for two seconds, Xing Yue secretly exclaimed in admiration within her heart. The woman before her suddenly turned around. When she saw that face, both familiar and strange, her expression became a complex mix.
“…”
Bu Yao was originally not as tall as Xing Yue, and today Xing Yue was wearing high heels, making Bu Yao even shorter in comparison. She slightly lifted her gaze: “It’s fine.”
Xing Yue awkwardly grabbed a nearby handrail, feeling a bit disoriented. Why was Bu Yao here? She actually bumped into Bu Yao on the subway? This was definitely orchestrated by the Eldest Miss Bu. Deliberate. A conspiracy!
Having been apart for ten years, it was only normal not to recognize her just from the back. But recalling how highly she had secretly praised Bu Yao in her heart just moments ago, Xing Yue felt a bit disgruntled inside. Had she known that back view was Bu Yao, she wouldn’t have thought that way at all.
Bu Yao’s image in her heart was that of a hot-tempered, arrogant, willful Eldest Miss, occasionally an evil woman, a very hateful little troublemaker, a drama queen, a little devil.
“How is Uncle Li’s health?” Xing Yue made small talk.
In her impression, the Bu household had dedicated chauffeurs. But Bu Yao’s temper was bad, and many servants in the Bu household were afraid of her. So when Bu Yao traveled at home, more often than not, Butler Li was the one driving.
Xing Yue thought maybe Uncle Li was sick, and Bu Yao wouldn’t let others chauffeur her and wasn’t willing to drive herself, which was why she came to take the subway.
Hearing that question, Bu Yao slightly turned her face and said softly: “Why don’t you ask if I’m okay?”
Xing Yue really couldn’t stand Bu Yao in this state. Tilting her head to look at you, like a little puppy, speaking in that tone. As if her small talk, showing concern for a butler over her, a woman she’d just mated with the previous night, was a great injustice to Bu Yao.
The Bu Yao in her impression should be like this: staring at her, shouting: “You’re not allowed to care about others! What do other people matter to you? Bitch! Not allowed to ask! Not allowed to mention!”
The words Bu Yao had said to her the most—
Not allowed! Not permitted! Cannot! Won’t give!
She didn’t know what link in the chain had gone wrong. Ten years was enough to completely change a person. But she truly couldn’t stand it. She always felt the Eldest Miss Bu was plotting something, just waiting for her to fall into the trap.
“Miss Bu, are you feeling better?” Xing Yue followed along with the topic.
Official, polite, not much more sincere than the casual small talk just now.
Bu Yao suddenly raised her hand, her index finger adjusting the frameless glasses on Xing Yue. The bump earlier had knocked the glasses askew. She straightened them out. The movement was natural.
Such an intimate gesture. Someone who didn’t know better would think they were a wife and wife of over ten years.
Xing Yue’s expression became even more unnaturally stiff.
The train stopped at another station. People came and went. Bu Yao took the opportunity to step half a pace forward. She didn’t touch Xing Yue, just maintained a slight distance, very proper.
She pinched the hem of Xing Yue’s top at the waist, speaking in a tone others couldn’t hear, shyly, quietly: “Not too well. The ointment doesn’t seem to work on me. It’s very itchy. I can’t touch hot water now.”
Fire Snakes carry their own heat source. Their body temperature is naturally higher than other snakes, and by nature, they love heat. Not being able to soak in hot water was still very uncomfortable.
Allergic skin hurts more and itches more when it touches hot water.
Xing Yue’s voice was low, filled with guilt: “I’m sorry…”
She hadn’t known Bu Yao had a latex allergy. Although she was unaware, however you looked at it, it was still her fault. She didn’t make any excuses. Her apology was very sincere.
To satisfy her own amusement, she had even specifically bought finger cots with ring-like textures. This kind had greater friction… She was truly damned!!!
Suddenly, a heat source pressed comfortingly against her chest. Bu Yao’s forehead rested on her chest as she pleaded: “Xing Yue, could you take me to the hospital?”
