Chapter 97: Have We Drifted This Far Apart?

Ji Zhenshi’s brows furrowed with an indescribable hint of irritation as she looked at Li Yunli. “Let’s go. No point standing down here feeding the mosquitoes.”

Li Yunli was wearing a skirt, her porcelain-pale calves exposed to the night air. After standing under the trees for so long on a summer evening, she must have fed every mosquito in the vicinity. And yet, Li Yunli had waited there patiently, without moving a muscle.

Shaking her head, Ji Zhenshi walked ahead, sensing that something about Li Yunli had changed.

She had been so harsh last night, yet here Li Yunli was today, seeking her out?

The world had gone mad. She’d finally chased off one annoying person, but Li Yunli was no easy comfort either.

“No need to change shoes—just come on in.” Ji Zhenshi pushed open the rusty security door, tossed her backpack onto the sofa, and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. She set one on the table and twisted open the other, chugging more than half in one go. Wiping the glistening drops from her lips, she said coolly, “What do you want to talk about?”

Li Yunli flinched at her tone, staring at Ji Zhenshi in stunned silence.

Xiao Zhen felt so unfamiliar now.

Hearing her indifference over the phone was one thing, but facing it in person hit differently. Swallowing back her tears, Li Yunli handed over the bag in her hand. “Your birthday gift. I hope you like it.”

Only after handing it over did she have a chance to take in the sparse furnishings of the room. It was a tiny one-bedroom apartment—a single bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room where a third had been partitioned off into a kitchen.

The place felt lifeless, oppressively so. Aside from the TV cabinet crammed full of trophies, there was nothing else that clearly bore Ji Zhenshi’s personal touch.

It was little more than a bare-bones crash pad.

Li Yunli’s lips pressed into a tight line. She had thought Xiao Zhen had been doing well these past six months.

At least, the version of her that appeared on camera had been so radiant, brimming with talent and charm.

To think she was living in such dismal conditions?

She had driven Xiao Zhen away, leaving her to suffer here. Realizing this, Li Yunli pressed a hand to her chest, her breaths coming short and labored.

Ji Zhenshi hooked a finger into the bag’s handle, her lips curving in a shallow, mocking smile. “My birthday was yesterday. It’s already passed.”

It had arrived just in time yesterday—why wait until her hopes had crumbled to deliver it now? If that was the case, why give it at all today? At least then, it wouldn’t break her heart again, right?

What was Li Yunli thinking? Ji Zhenshi realized she couldn’t fathom it anymore.

Li Yunli smiled softly. “I remember. I didn’t forget your birthday. Even if it’s late, I still wanted to wish Xiao Zhen a happy birthday. You’re twenty-three now—you’ve grown up so much.”

Ji Zhenshi recalled how she’d sat in this very spot last night, stuffing noodles into her mouth while tears streamed down her face. Her heart hardened, and her words came out sharp. “Oh, right. I couldn’t waste all your good intentions. I’ve grown a lot, figured out a bunch of things—and I owe it all to you. Thanks for remembering my birthday, and for the longevity noodles and dinner last night. They were delicious. I like this gift too.”

She hadn’t even opened it yet, and already she was claiming to like it. Such obvious flattery.

Ji Zhenshi, how insincere were those words?

Li Yunli’s lips parted slightly, her soft voice cracking. “You haven’t even opened it.”

Ji Zhenshi glanced at the exquisitely wrapped bag. “I will.”

Five curt words, leaving no room for further conversation.

The heat was unbearable. Ji Zhenshi leaned casually against the fridge, her gaze lingering on Li Yunli with near-greedy intensity.

She was still so graceful and alluring, her mature poise lending her gentle features an irresistible pull. One look, and a person could drown in those spring-water depths.

No matter the circumstances, Li Yunli’s aura never failed to unlock Ji Zhenshi’s rawest emotions—making her fall hard, lost in that tender embrace.

She had changed, blossoming with even more mature allure.

Ji Zhenshi watched, swallowing unconsciously and covering it with a sip of water.

Li Yunli’s voice trembled faintly, clearly struggling under Ji Zhenshi’s coldness. “It’s that album by your favorite singer, personally signed. I hope you like it.”

She ended with the same phrase again, her attitude humbly submissive.

Ji Zhenshi’s brow furrowed tightly. “Okay.”

An awkward silence settled in. Li Yunli stood with Ji Zhenshi by the table near the door, not venturing further inside.

The air grew thick and stagnant. Li Yunli’s fingers unconsciously twisted the strap of her bag. “Did I wake you up last night with my call?”

She brought up the previous evening’s phone call, and both remembered those terse, unpleasant exchanges.

Thinking back made Ji Zhenshi uncomfortable; her gaze darted away, and she said nothing.

Seeing that Ji Zhenshi didn’t want to talk, Li Yunli explained, “I wanted to wish you happy birthday at the exact moment you were born. I didn’t realize you’d already gone to sleep. Sorry, Xiao Zhen. It was thoughtless of me.”

Ji Zhenshi had sounded so impatient when she picked up—like back when they first met. That distance felt too vast for Li Yunli.

It was a far cry from the playful, smiling Xiao Zhen who stuck by her side, and it had taken her a while to adjust. Even now, after all this time, it still gnawed at her. She hated this attitude.

“It didn’t wake me. I sleep well—wake up for a bit, and I’m out again.” Ji Zhenshi sidestepped Li Yunli, grabbed her backpack, and started packing for tomorrow’s business trip, acting as if Li Yunli’s presence meant little.

A faint trace of Ji Zhenshi’s signature light fragrance brushed past, but Li Yunli couldn’t hold onto it.

Her heart a tangle of emotions, Li Yunli suppressed them and asked gently, “That’s good, then. Packing for work tomorrow? Going on the trip with Teacher Tang?”

Ji Zhenshi gave a low hum, offering no details about where or what.

In the past, she would have spilled every little thing to Li Yunli without being asked. Now, it seemed pointless to share.

Of course, she hadn’t shared in a long time.

Ji Zhenshi opened her suitcase and packed while casually asking, “Is there anything else besides the gift?”

Li Yunli hesitated. “I wanted to say, last night wasn’t intentional. I just…”

But no excuse could change the fact that she’d been downstairs yesterday and hadn’t come up—even sending dinner via Shansong to avoid seeing her.

Luckily, Ji Zhenshi didn’t know that. Li Yunli felt a spark of relief.

“It’s fine. We’re not close anyway. I’m already happy you remembered my birthday. I’m not that greedy. Being greedy might leave you with nothing in the end, so you learn to be content and not expect too much. That’s one of the things I’ve picked up these past six months. Here’s to that.”

The insincere words, delivered in a flat tone, cut even deeper.

Li Yunli’s heart sank like a stone, her feelings plummeting beyond reach.

Right—they had no real relationship anymore.

She had said it herself, made the decision on her own.

Forcing a smile, Li Yunli said softly, “Xiao Zhen, have we grown this distant? You know I could never forget your birthday.”

And how was it greedy?

Their bond had long surpassed mere lovers. No matter how ugly the fights got, they each held a pure, untainted space in the other’s heart—a genuine, unpolluted affection.

“Oh.” Ji Zhenshi responded indifferently, turning her back to squat in front of the suitcase. Out of sight, she bit her lip hard to hide any hint of vulnerability.

People always seemed rushed when they were tense.

“You don’t want to talk to me, do you?” After so many curt replies, Li Yunli forced the words out.

It was like a door slammed shut, the key taken away—no matter how she knocked, no answer came.

Ji Zhenshi shook her head. “Of course not.”

“But we’ve been talking all this time, and you haven’t called me Sister A-Yun once. Xiao Zhen, you’re so cold to me.”

No full name, no nickname—it all felt so estranged, not even like ordinary friends.

Li Yunli’s anxious gaze met hers. After a long pause, she asked carefully, “So… has Xiao Zhen started dating someone?”

Because she was dating, she was distant. Because she was dating, she didn’t care about Li Yunli’s feelings. Because she was dating, she could flirt openly with others right in front of her.

Watching Ji Zhenshi get close to someone else as a true bystander made Li Yunli feel the agony viscerally—a torment every second.

Yet she had to pretend to be calm, or she’d anger Ji Zhenshi and lose even this chance to come upstairs alone.

It was all her own doing.

Ji Zhenshi froze, turning to see Li Yunli’s earnest expression. Suppressing her churning emotions, she forced out through gritted teeth, “Those aren’t connected, and you asked last night.”

Did she really need to ask when she knew the answer would be the same?

Li Yunli was acting so strangely. If she cared, why no contact these six months—no overlap in their lives? If she didn’t, why ask twice in less than a day?

Ji Zhenshi, are you dating anyone?

The question felt like an insult. Couldn’t Li Yunli see her feelings? How could she doubt her sincerity?

Li Yunli gave a bitter, soft laugh. “But you didn’t answer me.”

The stilted exchange dragged on; Ji Zhenshi clearly wanted to end it several times, but Li Yunli insisted on hearing it straight from her.

Ji Zhenshi’s mind was a mess, unable to read Li Yunli. She threw up her hands. “Why do you care so much if I’m dating? Are you trying to tell me that suggesting we split up to spare me heartache wasn’t actually a breakup—that even after separating, you’re still waiting for me?”

“I…”

“You’re so boring. Just keep being your noble, virtuous self. This isn’t fun. Are you enjoying messing with me?” Ji Zhenshi cut her off abruptly, exploding like a dragon roused. “Do you bully me because I like you? Can you just shove aside my secret crush that easily? I feel like a total joke. What’s the point of all this fighting with my family? Just to get humiliated by you over and over?”

Was she toying with her? Did she think Ji Zhenshi had no heart, felt no pain?

What did Li Yunli want?

A big part of Ji Zhenshi’s anger was self-directed. Li Yunli had split for her own good—and ultimately, wasn’t that because Ji Zhenshi wasn’t strong enough?

So she scrimped and saved, hustled for cash, but they were already apart.

A single tear fell without warning. Li Yunli reached instinctively for Ji Zhenshi but grasped only air.

She withdrew her hand dejectedly, teardrops clinging to her lashes, trembling lightly. “I’m sorry. I was too presumptuous. I’m no saint, and I wasn’t toying with you. Xiao Zhen, please don’t say that.”

Li Yunli had never looked at anyone with such abject humility. Ji Zhenshi could scarcely meet her eyes, jerking her gaze away and silently cursing herself.

How hopelessly soft she was—what argument could hold up now?

Ji Zhenshi gritted her teeth. “Don’t apologize. Don’t look at me like that. I don’t know what you want, but let’s just keep going the way you chose. I’m tired of being pushed away all the time.”

“I’ve figured it out too. It’s not about my mom—it’s you always using ‘for your own good’ as an excuse to shove me aside. Fine, you win. I was immature before. Who doesn’t cry and spout nonsense after a breakup? I’m not ashamed. It’s in the past—let it stay there. I’m doing fine like this. Really fine!”

Ji Zhenshi was really just warning herself.

The tension hung heavy for a long moment, Ji Zhenshi’s chest heaving with unresolved frustration. Glancing at Li Yunli’s tear-streaked face, pretty as pear blossoms in rain, she inwardly regretted her harsh words.

The conflict only made her more irritable. “Thanks for the gift.”

The hint to leave was unmistakable; Ji Zhenshi feared she’d lose control and say something even crueler.

Li Yunli hesitated, then said, “Xiao Zhen, I haven’t had dinner yet…”

She just wanted to stay a little longer.

The shift caught her off guard, deflating Ji Zhenshi’s anger like a punctured balloon. She couldn’t muster any more fury.

Why?

She’d been so nasty, snapping at her—yet Li Yunli could still gaze at her with those soft, watery eyes, her tone laced with unspoken grievance as she mentioned skipping dinner?

Ji Zhenshi wasn’t running a diner! Li Yunli wasn’t playing by the rules, and she couldn’t parry even a scrap of gentleness.

She couldn’t keep fighting. Ji Zhenshi waved her off. “I don’t cook, and I can’t order delivery here.”

Shouldn’t Li Yunli just leave if she was hungry? Did she expect Ji Zhenshi to whip up a meal?

The ridiculous thought made her glance at the half-empty case of instant noodles in the corner. Together over ramen? What a bizarre image.

“Xiao Zhen hasn’t eaten either, right? Can I borrow your kitchen for a bit?”

“Do whatever. I’m going to pack in my room.”

Ji Zhenshi fled to her bedroom like a scolded child, leaving Li Yunli alone to do as she pleased.

She was the one who’d been snarling, and now she was the one running.

Patting her chest, Ji Zhenshi half-suspected Li Yunli had been possessed.

After dawdling deliberately for ages, she finally emerged, expecting Li Yunli to have given up and left. To her surprise, she was still there.

Amid swirling steam, that graceful figure moved about, her cheeks flushed from the vapors, the rosy tint trailing down her neck like the lingering sweetness of a blooming rose.

She was cooking for her again, from scratch.

The warmth of home cooking rose because of her. The long-unused kitchen stirred to life at her presence. Even in this ramshackle space, her long skirt made her seem untouched by the grime, a vision of ethereal beauty.

Stray strands of hair fell loose, unattended. Ji Zhenshi watched in silence, her mind wandering restlessly.

Was Li Yunli deploying the beauty trap on her?

Whether she was or not, Ji Zhenshi’s heart had already surrendered, pathetically smitten.

She stood there who-knows-how-long before snapping out of it, realizing her gaze had been trapped in Li Yunli’s gentle allure. Clearing her throat awkwardly, she hovered at the kitchen doorway.

She said nothing, but Li Yunli heard and turned, her voice as warm as ever. “Go wash up. It’s just about ready.”

Ji Zhenshi had hidden away for so long, but youth and impatience wore her out against Li Yunli’s steady calm.

Perhaps feeling it was just the two of them in the apartment, Li Yunli shed her earlier unease and defenses downstairs. She simply savored the quiet joy of making dinner for Ji Zhenshi.

Some people truly loved cooking—not out of drudgery, but for the pure satisfaction of seeing a loved one savor the meal they’d prepared.