Friend(GL) 130

Chapter 130: Long Legs

You Ruxu returned to the conference hall and saw a familiar figure. She wasn’t surprised to see Zhou Tianzui, whose name was on the list of attendees. You Ruxu knew she would see her, she just hadn’t expected Zhou Tianzui to be sitting in her seat, as if—as if she was waiting for her.

A few memories surfaced.

During her last interview in Yuhai, Zhou Tianzui had also sat in her seat. A couple of times, You Ruxu had sat behind her, messaging her, but Zhou Tianzui, oblivious, had been looking down at her phone, a gentle smile on her face.

She had sat two rows behind, looking at Zhou Tianzui’s profile.

Just like now.

You Ruxu sat down and saw Zhou Tianzui glance at her watch, the red string bracelet and the peach pit beneath clearly visible. Han Shuang, beside her, said, “Oh, Dr. Zhou’s also wearing one of those.”

Zhou Tianzui, following her gaze, smiled faintly.

Han Shuang said, “My nephew has one too, my mom said it’s for good luck, is yours also for good luck, Dr. Zhou?”

“Me?” Zhou Tianzui looked down at the bracelet, “Not exactly for good luck.”

More like a couple’s item.

Han Shuang chuckled, “That’s true, you’re a grown woman, you don’t need good luck charms, it looks good on you though.”

Zhou Tianzui fidgeted with the peach pit, the carved initials brushing against her fingertip, calming her restless heart.

Why hadn’t You Ruxu returned yet?

Such a long chat.

What were they talking about?

Even running into Captain Zhou in Yuhai, really… From the corner of her eye, a figure. Zhou Tianzui turned around and saw You Ruxu sitting two rows behind, her hair cascading down her back, her face delicate and beautiful, her expression calm.

Zhou Tianzui’s heart skipped a beat, momentarily speechless.

You Ruxu stood up, walked over to her, and asked, “When did you arrive?”

Her tone was casual and indifferent, her voice clear and cool, no different from before. Zhou Tianzui stared at her. After their separation, she had imagined You Ruxu’s first words, perhaps an angry accusation, perhaps resentment, but not this calm indifference, as if they were just old friends meeting again, “When did you arrive?”

Zhou Tianzui’s eyes burned, a mixture of frustration and unshed tears. She turned away, not answering, and You Ruxu, seeing the redness in her eyes as she left, watched her go.

Han Shuang, curious, “What’s wrong with Dr. Zhou?”

You Ruxu shook her head: “I don’t know.”

Han Shuang said, “She was waiting for you, I thought she had something to ask you.”

But they hadn’t even spoken, and Zhou Tianzui hadn’t answered her question. Dr. Zhou wasn’t usually so impolite, “Did you two have a fight?”

You Ruxu said, “No.”

“That’s true,” Han Shuang said, “You’re not children anymore.”

You Ruxu sat beside her, thinking, they had been more childish than children when they were dating, arguing over trivial matters. She glanced at Zhou Tianzui, her figure slender, looking healthier than when she last saw her in Jindu, her complexion also better.

The meeting started ten minutes later, the director, deputy director, and department heads sitting in the front row. You Ruxu listened to the opening remarks, her gaze fixed on Zhou Tianzui.

She was here in Yuhai.

Did Yu Qiao know?

How could she have agreed?

You Ruxu looked down, slightly distracted, The first day’s sessions were short, ending before six o’clock. Han Shuang invited You Ruxu to dinner, but You Ruxu declined, saying she had to go back to the station to organize the materials, “No overworking!” Han Shuang said.

You Ruxu smiled, “I just started, there’s so much to do.”

Han Shuang nodded: “I understand, I’ll be going then, want a ride?”

You Ruxu said, “I drove.”

Han Shuang made an “okay” sign with her fingers, then walked over to Zhou Tianzui, whispering something. Zhou Tianzui tore a piece of paper from her notebook, wrote something on it, and handed it to her. Han Shuang smiled, “Thank you, Dr. Zhou.”

Zhou Tianzui nodded slightly.

You Ruxu continued organizing her things. When she looked up again, Zhou Tianzui was gone. She paused, a sudden emptiness in her heart. She quickly dismissed the feeling, packed her bag, and left the hall. At the entrance, she felt a weight lift from her shoulder. She turned around; Zhou Tianzui was standing beside her, having taken her bag.

“Is your shoulder better?” Zhou Tianzui asked. She had injured her arm and shoulder during the accident, making it difficult to carry anything. You Ruxu had forgotten after recovering, only now, reminded by Zhou Tianzui, did she feel a faint ache, “It’s fine now.”

Zhou Tianzui walked beside her, “And your pneumonia? Fully recovered?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes, did Chen Xiang tell you?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “We chatted a bit.”

You Ruxu felt a warmth spread through her, Zhou Tianzui wasn’t usually chatty, especially not with Chen Xiang, whom she wasn’t very close to. To bring up You Ruxu’s health, she must have made an effort.

She pursed her lips.

Zhou Tianzui, seeing her familiar reaction, the awkwardness from their earlier encounter dissipating, the tension easing slightly, asked, “Where are you staying?”

“At the same hotel as last time.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Room 1904.”

She looked at You Ruxu, “Want to come up for a bit?”

You Ruxu choked slightly, a blush creeping up her neck, “Maybe next time, I have to drop off the equipment at the station.”

Zhou Tianzui gave a small “oh” and walked with her to the car, “New car?”

You Ruxu nodded.

Zhou Tianzui asked, “When did you get it?”

You Ruxu said, “I picked it up yesterday.”

She opened the back door, placed the two bags on the seat, and looked at Zhou Tianzui, about to speak, when Zhou Tianzui said, “Take me for a drive?”

You Ruxu nodded, “Okay.”

Zhou Tianzui got into the passenger seat. The car was new, the plastic cover still on the seat, clearly unused. Zhou Tianzui’s mood improved slightly, “No one’s sat here before?”

You Ruxu said, “My parents and my aunt sat here yesterday, after I picked up the car.”

Zhou Tianzui gave a small “oh.”

You Ruxu continued, “I also gave Captain Zhou a ride this morning…”

“Focus on driving.” Zhou Tianzui said, “Don’t talk while driving.”

You Ruxu wanted to laugh.

She held back.

After a pause, she asked, “Does your mother know you’re in Yuhai?”

“No.” Zhou Tianzui said, “I ran away from home, snuck out.”

You Ruxu’s expression changed slightly. Zhou Tianzui quickly added, “Just kidding.”

Still so childish.

You Ruxu pursed her lips.

Zhou Tianzui looked at her and said, “My mom knows.”

You Ruxu nodded, “Oh.”

Zhou Tianzui inwardly analyzed the single syllable, finding a hundred different meanings in it. The car moved slowly, it was evening rush hour, the traffic heavy, the car stopping and starting intermittently. Neither of them spoke. Zhou Tianzui turned to look out the window, You Ruxu’s phone rang. She answered, it was Wu Xiulian.

“Xu Xu, are you off work yet?” Wu Xiulian asked. “Want to come home for dinner?”

You Ruxu said, “I’m out, Aunt, you go ahead.”

Wu Xiulian said, “You’re out? Where are you?”

“On Fengting Road.” You Ruxu said, and Wu Xiulian frowned, “Why are you on that road? Didn’t I tell you it gets very congested?”

You Ruxu gave a small “oh,” “I forgot.”

Wu Xiulian chuckled, “Well, you’ll remember after experiencing it once. Then I’ll be going home.”

You Ruxu said, “Okay.”

Wu Xiulian asked, “Coming home for dinner tonight?”

You Ruxu said, “Not tonight.”

Zhou Tianzui, beside her, glanced at You Ruxu, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, but she quickly looked away again. You Ruxu hung up, “It was my aunt.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I should have said hello.”

You Ruxu’s expression tensed, she looked away, “It’s okay.”

Zhou Tianzui commented, “This road is really congested.”

“A little.” You Ruxu said, “I haven’t been on this road since I came back.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “What do you want for dinner?”

The sudden change of topic caught You Ruxu off guard. She paused, then asked, “What do you want?”

A habitual question, always prioritizing Zhou Tianzui, perhaps even You Ruxu herself hadn’t realized it. Zhou Tianzui, holding her phone, said, “I’m not familiar with this area, I’ll eat whatever you’re having.”

You Ruxu said, “There’s a good noodle restaurant nearby.”

“There’s a noodle restaurant here too?” Zhou Tianzui asked, and You Ruxu chuckled, “There are noodle restaurants everywhere.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Is it very different from the one near the hospital?”

You Ruxu said, “Quite different.”

Zhou Tianzui asked, “Are you used to it?”

You Ruxu said, “You get used to it after a few times.”

Zhou Tianzui didn’t reply.

The car moved forward a little, and Zhou Tianzui couldn’t help but ask, “Really can get used to it?”

You Ruxu said, “Yes.”

Zhou Tianzui said, “I can’t.”

You Ruxu said, “Zhou Tianzui.”

Zhou Tianzui rolled down the window and closed her eyes, the evening breeze cold against her face, making her pale features even more stark under the streetlights. You Ruxu looked at her, the embers of suppressed emotions threatening to ignite.

A car horn blared behind them.

You Ruxu, returning to her senses, drove forward. After about half an hour, the traffic finally eased. They turned onto a side road, much less congested, and she sped up, the wind whistling through the open window.

Zhou Tianzui closed the window.

The streetlights flickered through the car, casting dancing shadows. There were no decorations or air fresheners inside, just the smell of leather. Zhou Tianzui shifted in her seat, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at You Ruxu driving.

You Ruxu sat up straight, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, the flickering streetlights not distracting her, her demeanor serious and focused, not even a glance in Zhou Tianzui’s direction.

Zhou Tianzui felt a surge of inexplicable anger, a growing frustration, as if rising from every vein in her body, threatening to consume her, and she heard You Ruxu say, “We’re here.”

She looked out the window, a row of restaurants, a small food street, You Ruxu parked the car, turned to her, and Zhou Tianzui followed her inside.

The restaurant was crowded, no empty tables. They shared a table with two students, she and You Ruxu sitting together, the two high school students opposite them, still in their uniforms, probably out for dinner before their evening self-study session, discussing their plans. Just as they sat down, You Ruxu’s phone rang. Zhou Tianzui, sitting close to her, saw the caller ID.

She scoffed.

You Ruxu glanced at her.

Zhou Tianzui said, “Answer it, it’s not polite to keep your friend waiting.” Her tone even, yet with a hint of sarcasm. You Ruxu looked at her. Zhou Tianzui continued, “Oh, and I have a question for her, ask her for me when you answer.”

You Ruxu said, “What question?”

Zhou Tianzui said, “Ask how tall she is.”

You Ruxu frowned, “How tall? Why do you want to know?”

“Just curious.” Zhou Tianzui said, “She seems to have long legs.”

You Ruxu: …

You Ruxu: You must have had good grades in school, didn’t you?
Zhou Tianzui: Why do you say that?
You Ruxu: You’re the master of sarcasm.
Zhou Tianzui: …