Chapter 31: Provoking
Wen Yu was numb to everything, including emotions. Perhaps due to her family background, she was different from her peers. She had no expectations for romance and even felt repulsed by those who pursued her. But with Ye Qizhen, she wanted to get close like never before.
“Now you’re shy.” She stared intently at Ye Qizhen’s face. If flirting with Ye Qizhen before was just a joke she found amusing, now, she couldn’t quite tell if she was joking… or if she really wanted to provoke her.
Ye Qizhen’s waist was stiff, and a few seconds seemed like an eternity. Her cheeks were still burning. She wanted to say something to Wen Yu, but when she opened her mouth, she didn’t know what to say. In the end, she only squeezed out an awkward and helpless smile.
Only then did Wen Yu straighten up with a smile and turn to walk back. Being messed with by Wen Yu like this, Ye Qizhen stared blankly at the slender back in front of her, her heart in chaos. If Wen Yu flirted with her like this again, she wouldn’t be able to control her improper thoughts.
“Relax,” Wen Yu reminded her again.
“Mn.” Ye Qizhen sat there not knowing where to look. Occasionally, she couldn’t help but glance in Wen Yu’s direction, but quickly turned away.
“If you don’t know where to look, you can look at me,” Wen Yu said, lifting her eyes for a glance, then lowering her head slightly to busy herself.
In the end, Ye Qizhen’s drifting gaze settled on Wen Yu’s face. Wen Yu was focused and serious when painting, which made her relax a little, not as flustered as before. But looking at Wen Yu’s lowered brows and eyes, her heart was still chaotic.
Wen Yu’s gaze shifted between the drawing paper and Ye Qizhen. Every time she looked up and saw Ye Qizhen also looking at her, she would smile involuntarily. “Tired?”
Ye Qizhen shook her head in a daze, completely captivated by Wen Yu in her focused state. After painting for so long, she remembered the expression thing. She realized belatedly, “So you saying you wanted a shy expression was teasing me?”
Wen Yu stopped her pen and asked Ye Qizhen leisurely instead, “Has anyone ever said you’re a bit silly?”
This smile explained everything. Ye Qizhen said grumpily, “Wen Yu.”
Wen Yu: “Mn?”
Ye Qizhen furrowed her brows and squeezed out three words: “You are annoying.”
Wen Yu lowered her head, smiling incessantly.
Ye Qizhen, however, zoned out watching her.
Nancheng was still cold at the end of March. At night, Ye Qizhen lay on her bed, wrapped tightly in her quilt. When she received the WeChat bombardment from Tang Tang, she was scrolling through Wen Yu’s photos, lost in thought. Flipping through her album tonight, she realized she had saved so many photos of Wen Yu on her phone.
Tang Tang sent a series of WeChat messages:
Do you have time tomorrow?
Come out and play.
I’ll invite that guy along too.
More people, more lively.
…
Listening to this, Ye Qizhen thought Tang Tang hadn’t given up on matchmaking yet. Wen Yu said she would take her to eat something delicious tomorrow, so she refused without thinking: No time tomorrow.
Tang Tang typed very fast, and soon sent a complaint: No time today, no time tomorrow. You’re a single dog, what are you busy with on weekends? Don’t you want to get off the single list? You can come out and meet him.
Ye Qizhen: I have an appointment to eat with someone.
Tang Tang didn’t quite believe it: Really? Who?
Ye Qizhen: Wen Yu.
Wen Yu again. Tang Tang heard Ye Qizhen mention Wen Yu frequently recently. Even at the birthday party last time, Ye Qizhen didn’t go to the second round of fun to accompany Wen Yu. Tang Tang: Can’t you just change the day?
Ye Qizhen: No, I promised her.
Ye Qizhen thought about it and added: Forget about that boy, I have no feelings for him.
After a while, Tang Tang: Have you ever had feelings for any boy? I’m starting to suspect you like girls.
Tang Tang said this unintentionally, but Ye Qizhen became sensitive reading it. She put the phone aside and buried her face in the soft pillow, as if inexplicably adding a worry to her heart.
She used to ask Tang Tang often: What does having feelings feel like?
Today…
She seemed to understand a little.
Zhao Lin knew Wen Yu was bringing a friend over for lunch, so she went to the supermarket early in the morning to buy a lot of fresh ingredients. She was busy in the kitchen all morning. Hearing the doorbell, she put down the freshly mixed dumpling filling.
Opening the door, Zhao Lin was all smiles. “You’re here.”
“Hello, Teacher Zhao.” Ye Qizhen was sweet-mouthed, and even sweeter when smiling. She only found out on the way here that Wen Yu was bringing her to a teacher’s house for dinner. Originally she felt a bit embarrassed, but Wen Yu said it was a teacher she had a very good relationship with.
“Don’t just stand there, come in.” Zhao Lin liked Ye Qizhen at first sight, smiling amiably. “Just come, why buy fruit? We have these at home.”
Entered the house.
Seeing Zhao Lin busy, Wen Yu said, “I’ll help.”
Zhao Lin: “Okay, give me a hand.”
Hearing the conversation between Wen Yu and Zhao Lin without any polite formalities, Ye Qizhen knew their relationship must be unusually close. But hearing Wen Yu wanted to help cook, she was still surprised. “You know how to cook?”
Wen Yu: “Mn, is it strange?”
It was strange. Last time she went to Wen Yu’s house, she didn’t see any kitchenware. Ye Qizhen didn’t think Wen Yu looked like someone who could cook, after all, Wen Yu didn’t eat much usually.
Zhao Lin glanced at the dumpling filling on the table and smiled from the side. “You wrap dumplings, the filling is just mixed.”
Wen Yu looked at Ye Qizhen. “Didn’t you say you could wrap dumplings? Join me.”
Ye Qizhen: “Okay.”
Zhao Lin was very casual, letting them do as they pleased.
After washing their hands, Wen Yu and Ye Qizhen sat side by side at the dining table, sleeves rolled up, and started working. The dumpling wrappers were already rolled out; just needed to fill and wrap.
Ye Qizhen had wrapped dumplings once at home before. It didn’t seem too difficult: put the filling in the wrapper, then seal the edges. After pinching one together with full concentration, she turned her head and found Wen Yu smiling at her, having already wrapped two.
“And you said you’d wrap dumplings for me to eat. You call this knowing how?” Wen Yu wanted to laugh seeing Ye Qizhen’s cautious dumpling-pinching technique.
“Isn’t this wrapped? Although a bit ugly.” Ye Qizhen opened her palm, stubbornly saving face. She originally thought she was at least better than Wen Yu, but unexpectedly Wen Yu was better than her.
Wen Yu held back her laughter. “I’ll teach you.”
Ye Qizhen started learning from Wen Yu instead. Watching Wen Yu’s hand movements, she couldn’t help asking curiously, “How are you so skilled?”
“Watched a lot and learned.” Wen Yu said while wrapping. “Teacher Zhao used to run an art studio in Beilin. I learned painting there since elementary school and went to her house for meals every few days.”
“Teacher Zhao is really nice,” Ye Qizhen whispered.
While Wen Yu was speaking, another dumpling was wrapped. “Learned it yet?”
Ye Qizhen was too busy listening to Wen Yu and forgot to watch. She looked at Wen Yu eagerly. “…Teach me again.”
After learning, Ye Qizhen naturally still couldn’t keep up with Wen Yu’s speed, so the large plate of dumplings was basically wrapped by Wen Yu. For the last wrapper, Ye Qizhen held her breath and concentrated, wanting to wrap a beautiful one as much as possible. After wrapping, she looked left and right, quite satisfied.
Seeing Ye Qizhen like this, Wen Yu secretly rubbed her flour-stained hand on Ye Qizhen’s cheek—childish and sudden.
Ye Qizhen reacted quickly leaning back, but still didn’t dodge it. She smiled disdainfully. “What are you doing?” Saying this, she also dipped some flour intending to smear it on Wen Yu’s face. However, she didn’t expect Wen Yu to just stare at her, motionless, letting her smudge her cheeks, drawing two white whiskers that completely ruined her image.
“Why didn’t you dodge?” Ye Qizhen stared at Wen Yu blankly.
“Letting you bully me, still not satisfied?”
Ye Qizhen didn’t answer. She pulled a tissue and gently wiped Wen Yu’s cheeks. Looking at Wen Yu, she pursed her lips and smiled for no reason, not even understanding why she suddenly smiled herself.
Wen Yu could never see enough of Ye Qizhen’s smile, especially when Ye Qizhen was this close to her, smiling only at her. “Want to eat dishes made by me?”
Ye Qizhen was very honest. “Want.”
Wen Yu went to the kitchen, giving Zhao Lin a break. Actually, she could cook some home-style dishes. She had helped Zhao Lin in the kitchen since she was very young; influenced by what she saw and heard, her level couldn’t be bad.
Zhao Lin and Ye Qizhen set the tableware on the dining table. Zhao Lin glanced at the kitchen and whispered to Ye Qizhen, “Can’t tell, right? Wen Yu’s cooking skills are very good; she could cook in elementary school.”
“Elementary school?” The expression on Ye Qizhen’s face was even more incredulous.
“Yes.” Zhao Lin thought of the past and sighed with emotion to Ye Qizhen. “Don’t look at her slightly arrogant temper, she’s actually very sensible, sensible since childhood. I watched her grow up. She used to learn painting under me. How old was she then? Seeing her often alone, I brought her home to eat with me. She wouldn’t make a sound, but every time she insisted on helping me wash vegetables and dishes. Couldn’t reach the sink, so she stood on a small stool.”
“Mn, I know she’s especially good.” Ye Qizhen felt even more heartache listening, heartache for the prejudice and misunderstanding Wen Yu suffered when she was clearly so good.
“You and she get along very well, right? I haven’t seen her bring a friend to eat at my place before.” Zhao Lin was originally worried about Wen Yu’s condition; she was the one who accompanied Wen Yu to check for depression back then. This year seemed much better than previous years.
“Mn.” Hearing Zhao Lin say this, Ye Qizhen beamed with joy.
Fragrance wafted from the kitchen. Ye Qizhen wandered into the kitchen. Wen Yu was making braised chicken chunks. While watching entranced, she thought: Anyone who knows Wen Yu a little more would like a girl like this, right? Yet so many people hate Wen Yu.
Wen Yu picked up a piece of chicken, waited for it to cool a bit, then stuffed it into Ye Qizhen’s mouth. “How is it?”
Ye Qizhen tasted it, nodded repeatedly, then gave a thumbs up. Wen Yu guessed that no matter how she cooked, Ye Qizhen would be supportive. “Bring a plate.”
…
At noon, Ye Qizhen accidentally ate too much. Wen Yu didn’t lie to her; Zhao Lin’s skills were at the level of a restaurant chef. After eating, the two specifically helped clean up before leaving.
The weather was very good today.
Wen Yu and Ye Qizhen didn’t return to school immediately but strolled in the park near the community to bask in the sun. When tired of walking, Ye Qizhen and Wen Yu found a bench to sit down.
Chatting, killing time.
“You don’t eat properly, yet you can cook so well.” Ye Qizhen still found it amazing.
“Those are two different things.” Wen Yu squinted slightly in the sunlight.
Ye Qizhen grasped the key point: “Still have to eat properly.”
Wen Yu smiled lazily. “Remembered.”
After sitting for a moment, Ye Qizhen’s WeChat rang two or three times. She picked up her phone and saw it was Tang Tang broadcasting her eating, drinking, and playing in real-time. She just glanced at it and didn’t reply.
Wen Yu quietly took it all in. When Ye Qizhen put away her phone, she looked at her and asked, “Someone asking you out? That boy from last time?”
Ye Qizhen looked back at Wen Yu, stared for a while, “No, I didn’t even add him.” She was surprised Wen Yu brought this up again.
Wen Yu looked at Ye Qizhen and said no more. Ye Qizhen also quietly looked at Wen Yu for a while. The early spring sunlight, accompanied by the fragrance of flowers and bird songs, sprinkled down, making people lazy.
On the weekend, many couples strolled together in the park. Ye Qizhen looked at the distant lawn. After deep thought, she turned her head to gaze at Wen Yu and said with a hearty smile as naturally as possible, “Even if I date, I will still accompany you.”
Tang Tang had said similar words to her when she got into a relationship; after all, time to accompany friends would decrease after dating. Thinking it over, she felt Wen Yu should care about this issue. She knew Wen Yu was also someone who feared loneliness deep down.
She wanted to reassure Wen Yu.
Wen Yu listened and was silent for a long time before she smiled and asked Ye Qizhen, “You want to date that much?”
Ye Qizhen was stunned. Wen Yu’s reaction was a bit different from what she imagined. At least when she heard Tang Tang say this back then, she didn’t react like Wen Yu. After a long delay, she explained, “The key point is the second half of the sentence…”
