Chapter 52: Bet

The entire evening felt like a youth movie. Because of the poor internet connection, the playback stuttered from time to time, but it continued after buffering.

There was a sour, bittersweet, sweet, and cloying taste to it.

The wine Gan Xun drank was very sweet going down, with a lingering aftertaste stronger than expected. Even with the wind blowing, her mind didn’t clear up.

She was still dizzy and very sleepy. After returning from the terrace, she no longer joined in the games.

She wasn’t sure if it was psychological, but everyone seemed very understanding, always looking at her with concern.

Zhao Chiyun had prepared her homework well and smoothly blended into the group.

She joined the group photo for the birthday song and ate the cake after Lan Xiaoxi cut it.

Her words weren’t too frequent, but she didn’t get stage fright. When she needed to speak at length, she had substance, and everyone reacted just like they did with Gan Xun.

They loved listening, but sometimes asked what she meant.

Zhao Chiyun thoughtfully rephrased it in simpler terms.

Because it was her period, she didn’t drink.

She was sober. The kiss with Gan Xun on the terrace, facing the wind, wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment impulse.

The night should have ended pleasantly. Though Gan Xun’s eyelids were almost too heavy to lift, she kept thinking about continuing that kiss after getting home.

But a small mishap happened at the end.

Before everyone dispersed, Lan Xiaoxi came to ask if Gan Xun felt unwell and wanted to talk to her aside.

She politely asked Zhao Chiyun’s permission.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Zhao Chiyun gracefully consented.

They didn’t talk for long—at least in Gan Xun’s hazy memory, it ended quickly.

Lan Xiaoxi called a car for them. Because Gan Xun felt unwell, she kept her eyes closed in the car, resting her head on the shoulder of the person next to her.

For a while, she didn’t think much about it and didn’t consider whose shoulder it was. It just felt too stiff and straight; it wasn’t comfortable to lean on.

Then, in some moment, her consciousness briefly sharpened, and her whole body went from hot to ice-cold.

She didn’t know how angry Zhao Chiyun would be.

In the end, she didn’t move. Just as she thought to lift her head, Zhao Chiyun’s shoulder softened, making it very comfortable to lean on.

She fell asleep again.

After getting home, she showered first, rigorously brushing her teeth and removing her makeup during that time. She admired herself for this—even drunk, she never lost her ability to take care of herself.

Afterward, she collapsed into bed and fell asleep.

When she woke up the next day, it was already past ten. Zhao Chiyun wasn’t beside her.

Gan Xun’s head hurt, stirring up a wave of irritability, and she secretly swore never to drink casually again.

She didn’t want to join games that required drinking anymore.

She hadn’t wanted to participate yesterday either, but since Zhao Chiyun didn’t know how to play, she pretended not to want to. If she pushed it off again, it would look bad.

Using Cui Can’s words when persuading her: at least one person from the family had to join.

When the first sip hit her tongue, she vulgarly felt it suited her mood at the time, and after that, she didn’t hold back.

Of course, it was also because her luck was terrible. She never drew the number she wanted. Every time she got greedy and tried to push her luck, she messed things up.

If she didn’t push, her modest chips wouldn’t lead to drinking penalties.

She leaned against the headboard, soothing her hungover body that was throwing a tantrum at her. She saw half a glass of water in her cup on the nightstand and remembered drinking it when her mouth felt dry in the night.

Though she had no clear memory, she was glad about pouring water before bed.

Because she’d learned early to take care of herself, she was always gentle with herself.

As she finished the half glass of water, her spirits improved a bit. Fragments flashed in her mind—dreams or real memories from blacking out after drinking, she wasn’t sure.

Last night on the way home, climbing the stairs, she realized how hard the steps in this complex were. They made her legs weak.

She muttered unhappily, saying she wanted to move out quickly.

She said she’d had enough of her current life.

Poor soundproofing, stairs to climb, everything far away.

No one responded to her complaints; behind her were only steady footsteps.

She found it strange, so she stopped, turned back, and asked Zhao Chiyun why she kept following below her.

Maybe the cheap hallway lights were to blame, but Zhao Chiyun’s poised and elegant face cracked for a moment, as if Gan Xun had spat at her.

Her voice remained calm: “I’m afraid you’ll fall.”

Gan Xun got picky: “Then you should hold me up as we walk. If you’re below me and I fall, I’ll just land on you, and you won’t be able to catch me.”

Zhao Chiyun said flatly: “You’re too high-maintenance.”

That description again.

Gan Xun stood two steps higher on the stairs, one hand braced on the peeling wall, the other on her hip—a streetwise posture Zhao Chiyun had never seen.

Gan Xun told her: “Living together means helping each other. Providing aid to others brings true happiness. Like how I help you—not for your status, and I don’t take your benefits.”

“This isn’t the Mirror Country. I’m not your subject. My asking for help isn’t putting on airs.”

Zhao Chiyun’s face darkened along with the hallway.

The next memory came after Gan Xun finished washing up.

Only when she lay in bed did she feel the spinning planet finally stop, so she closed her eyes and soon slept soundly.

Not long after, Zhao Chiyun patted her awake.

Zhao Chiyun lay on her pillow, nearly squeezing her off, and asked: “What did Lan Xiaoxi say to you just now?”

Gan Xun was half-asleep, with no data to retrieve in her mind. She said she forgot.

Zhao Chiyun continued: “Last time you said you didn’t like Lan Xiaoxi’s personality. Then whose do you like?”

This question was simpler. Gan Xun could think: “My own.”

She ticked off her virtues on her fingers, including “adaptable” and “helpful.”

Gan Xun couldn’t see clearly, but Zhao Chiyun seemed to smile—a cold one.

Not the same as the gentle smile when she kissed her on the terrace and paused midway.

Gan Xun had been kissed senseless, unaware of the world, and thought she was smiling because Gan Xun was pretty. She’d been secretly delighted.

Later, when Lan Xiaoxi called her aside for a private talk, she found out.

Because Gan Xun kept losing and went out again, a friend got worried and said they’d go check.

Cui Can said Gan Xun wouldn’t be upset, but her tolerance for alcohol was poor, so she might feel unwell.

Lan Xiaoxi told them to keep playing and went to check first.

At the terrace door, she saw that scene.

If she’d seen it alone, she wouldn’t have said anything.

But a friend came over too, saw it, and asked in surprise what was going on.

She didn’t want to hide it from Gan Xun, so she decided to explain.

She thought Gan Xun and Zhao Chiyun weren’t planning to come out, so they weren’t admitting their relationship. After apologizing, she said they wouldn’t gossip.

Gan Xun had nothing to say and just nodded to show she understood.

She didn’t know why Zhao Chiyun really kissed her then, or why she continued even after seeing someone appear.

But she had no intention of blaming her. She thought it was cool.

This kind of thing in modern times wasn’t even out of line. Zhao Chiyun adapted to local customs quickly.

She opened the bedroom door and first smelled ink in the air, then saw Zhao Chiyun, changed clothes with sleeves rolled up, writing.

Gan Xun saw she wasn’t wearing headphones and knew she’d heard her moving, so she asked if she’d eaten breakfast.

“I had oatmeal and milk.”

So Gan Xun went to the kitchen, made a bowl of oatmeal topped with iced yogurt and nuts.

She sat at the dining table, eating bite by bite, openly staring at Zhao Chiyun.

Zhao Chiyun finished writing the last character, set down the brush, and asked when they were moving.

Gan Xun was taken aback and said she’d contact an agent in the next couple of days to look at places and settle on one before work.

“You don’t need to come with me. It’s too hot. Wait until I’ve found a good one, then I’ll take you to see it.”

Zhao Chiyun nodded: “Since you don’t like it here, move soon.”

Gan Xun chewed. The cashews dipped in yogurt had a filling quality.

She said: “I was drunk last night. Don’t believe any nonsense I said.”

Zhao Chiyun’s gaze was calm: “I didn’t hear any nonsense.”

Gan Xun breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe it was a dream.

Zhao Chiyun added: “Every word was a gem. They deserve to be taken seriously.”

Gan Xun rubbed her face.

She walked over, squatted beside Zhao Chiyun’s chair, looked up, and said: “Last night, Lan Xiaoxi and her friend saw us kissing. There might’ve even been that colleague of yours, surnamed Hu.”

Zhao Chiyun asked calmly: “I was forward for a moment. Are you angry?”

“No, it’s fine. Do you have any concerns to handle?”

“I’m but a rootless drifter. What worries could I have?”

True enough. Compared to not being able to go home, coming out here was nothing.

Gan Xun probed: “So, you really saw them?”

“I didn’t see them.”

Zhao Chiyun said precisely: “I just caught a glimpse of shadows in my peripheral vision when we paused. I planned to separate then to avoid gossip.”

Right, right. So what happened after? Gan Xun conversed with her eyes.

“You hugged me tighter then, looking insatiable. I had to go along with it. After all, I’m not ignorant of mutual help.”

Did that happen?

Gan Xun dry-laughed twice, wanting to say it was impossible but not daring to.

Anyway, the process didn’t matter. The result was that she and Zhao Chiyun were thought to be dating.

Wait, was Zhao Chiyun being sarcastic?

Zhao Chiyun added: “Did Teacher Lan talk to you about that?”

“Yeah.”

“And?”

“Nothing else.”

Zhao Chiyun chuckled lightly, clearing the desk: “You don’t need to hide it from me.”

“Really, unless I forgot.” Gan Xun said.

Zhao Chiyun reminded her: “I saw her touch your forehead.”

Gan Xun thought: “Oh yeah, that happened. She said my face was really red. I said I was hot and short of breath. She asked if it was alcohol allergy or a cold, checked my temperature, said it was normal enough, and told me to go home and rest.”

Now she remembered it all.

She wiped her forehead.

“You brushed me off last night. I thought…”

Zhao Chiyun trailed off, without intent, just giving Gan Xun a look.

“She didn’t say anything mushy. Don’t worry.”

Gan Xun added casually: “You asked who I like if not her. I told you, I like ones like you. Not a lie.”

“You don’t need to keep her in mind. After last night, she won’t have ideas about me anymore. I’m not charming enough for that.”

Any normal person seeing someone they like kissing another would back off.

Zhao Chiyun paused, quieted for a moment, then stood.

Suddenly fierce: “Hmph, arrogant. Neither you nor her are in my eyes. What you like is none of my business.”

Gan Xun: “Yes, yes, we’re all commoners.”

Zhao Chiyun: “How dare I. Miss Gan Xun is adaptable, but pity this isn’t the Mirror Country. You’re not my subject.”

“That was drunk talk! I have terrible alcohol tolerance. Once after drinking too much, I claimed to be noble and upright while trash-talking Cui Can that she’d die without women. Cui Can ignored me for ages. I regretted it so much—my mouth is foul.”

Zhao Chiyun reluctantly forgave her: “Don’t drink anymore.”

“Mm-hm, quitting starting today.”

“You bullied me.”

Zhao Chiyun lodged her complaint.

Gan Xun said she absolutely wouldn’t dare and immediately performed a Mirror Country courtesy—no kneeling or kowtowing—bowing at the waist to apologize.

Zhao Chiyun said: “Rise.”

Gan Xun didn’t move.

Zhao Chiyun had to reach out to help her up, but was unceremoniously kissed on the hand by the very undignified Gan Xun. She yanked it back.

“You are outrageous.” She said, stern in tone but soft inside.

Gan Xun straightened up, smiling as she leaned closer.

She thought of her rotten luck—always losing bets, and pushing her luck only made it worse.

She prepared to stay silent, but her competitive streak flared.

She told Zhao Chiyun: “I’m afraid we can’t just be friends anymore.”