Chapter 13: “Try It and You’ll Know” “How About It? Got Some Strength?”

“I swallowed a capital-S sour one, felt the edges of my heart start to calcify, and in the end, I could only deliberately give you a bag of chips so spicy it made you hiss and gasp.”

—

Xiang Yu finished speaking and fell silent, picking up her teacup and drinking gloomily with her head down, lost in her own thoughts.

Once everyone had taken their seats and started eating.

Xiao Ling actively picked food for Xiang Yu, and in no time, Xiang Yu’s bowl was piled high like a little mountain.

“Hey~ Xiao Ling only picks food for our Captain Xiang? I’m sitting right next to you—how come you don’t pick any for me?”

“Are you injured? If you were injured… I’d pick some for you too.”

With that, Xiao Ling ladled a bowl of soup and handed it to Xiang Yu.

“True, you’ve always been clingy with Captain Xiang. Back then, you were still in university, right? Running to the Police Station every day, refusing to leave until you saw her. Finally graduated and got assigned to the Household Registration Office—we’re in a different building from you over at the Criminal Police Team—but right at quitting time, there she was every day, bringing food to eat with Captain Xiang!”

“She was practically Captain Xiang’s little tail~”

“What’s that? Got a problem with it? Xiang Yu is my senior sister and my role model. Even my dad said I should learn more from her!”

The old bureau chief’s daughter was the Police Station’s little darling; everyone treated her like a kid sister. They all knew she was close with Xiang Yu, so there was no other meaning behind it—just making conversation, chatting casually.

Watching Xiao Ling pick food for Xiang Yu made Ren Sanliu, the actual host, feel a bit defeated. But what could she do? Start picking food for Xiang Yu with her chopsticks too?

Even if she didn’t mind competing with a young girl, was there even room left in Xiang Yu’s bowl?

Ren Sanliu picked up some greens from her bowl and took a shallow bite, not saying a word the whole time.

Once the topic died down, she set down her chopsticks, turned her head to glance at the little mountain of food in Xiang Yu’s bowl, then slowly shifted her gaze upward to Xiang Yu’s face. She was smiling, but her eyes held a deeper meaning—

In the process of growing up, old memories don’t just distort; when connected to the present, they’re judged as lost.

Couldn’t you coax a girl?

Couldn’t you say those sweet words?

What about your woodenness, your obliviousness, your single-minded devotion?

None of that. Because some people get liked just by existing.

—Are you like that, Xiang Yu?

Ren Sanliu said nothing and did nothing, but that look made Xiang Yu feel guilty inside… as if she’d done something shady and shameful.

Glancing at the food in her bowl… Xiang Yu lost all appetite. She shoveled down a few bites of plain rice, took a deep breath, and declared herself full.

After all, it wasn’t at Xiang Yu’s place, so no one lingered. Once the meal ended, they all got up to leave.

Xiao Ling was reluctant to part from Xiang Yu, but Xiang Yu showed no sign of wanting her to stay. Plus, with Ren Sanliu there as an eyesore, Xiao Ling figured this woman’s caliber was truly high. She’d watched Xiao Ling pick food for Xiang Yu the whole time without showing a hint of displeasure. Xiao Ling was young, raised in a sheltered environment where people always protected her. Though she didn’t act like a spoiled young miss, deep down she followed her own whims. How could she understand Ren Sanliu’s skill at masking her emotions?

She didn’t want to make herself unhappy, nor leave Xiang Yu with a bad impression of her as immature, so she left with the others.

Once everyone was gone, Xiang Yu immediately started clearing the table, dumping leftovers into the trash, stacking the bowls and dishes, and carrying them briskly to the kitchen.

“I’ll wash them.”

Ren Sanliu followed her in and reached for the apron, but Xiang Yu snatched it away—

“No need, I can do it. Having them all come over already made me feel bad enough.”

“Xiang Yu, are you being polite with me? Or are you like this with everyone?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

Ren Sanliu didn’t elaborate or argue further. Confirming Xiang Yu didn’t need help, she grabbed a bottle of iced water from the fridge and went to sit on the living room sofa to watch TV.

She hadn’t eaten well during that meal. Now, eyeing the bags of chips on the coffee table, her finger hovered indecisively for a while before selecting a spicier flavor. She munched on them while watching TV, the crisp crunch-crunch filling the air.

A comedy was playing on TV, but Ren Sanliu couldn’t muster a single smile—

Little tail?

Who was the real little tail?

She turned her head, glancing toward the person in the kitchen—

Heh…

Back then, Xiang Yu had been her tail. Now the tail had its own tail.

Times changed; things and people were different.

Xiang Yu turned on the faucet, the rushing water doing nothing to drown out her irritation. Her heart felt overgrown with wild grass, prickly and restless.

Some things only became apparent after living together. Xiang Yu knew Ren Sanliu could cook—she’d matured and become independent early on. But that was ages ago. Today’s Ren Sanliu was a polished female lawyer, a career woman standing on her own. Watching her bustle around the kitchen now… Xiang Yu just couldn’t get used to it; it felt off.

Ren Sanliu felt the same. She thought Xiang Yu had been forced to move in with her and must resent it deep down. This woman had achieved so much young, becoming Police Station captain, managing seven or eight people under her. Ren Sanliu dealt with cops sometimes for work, and they all had explosive tempers. She’d braced for Xiang Yu’s bad mood… but after actually living together, she discovered Xiang Yu was a bit hasty in temper but not explosive at all. On the contrary… she was incredibly attentive. Like that stormy night—she’d not only left the bedroom door open but turned on the light too, afraid Ren Sanliu wouldn’t notice, even knocking twice on the doorframe… and that deliberate cough…

Not a word spoken, but care shown in every action.

That’s how people were… Don’t listen to what they say; watch what they do.

By the time Xiang Yu finished washing the dishes, wiped down the stove, and came out, she saw Ren Sanliu on the sofa with chips on her lap, popping them into her mouth one by one. Glancing at the TV… even the host was rolling on the floor laughing, but this woman showed no amusement, her brows furrowed, face dark.

Xiang Yu stared at her face for a moment before shifting her gaze to the bag of chips on her lap.

She hadn’t eaten well during dinner either.

Ren Sanliu sensed the look and patted the empty spot beside her, then extended her arm toward Xiang Yu. No words, but the invitation was clear—come sit.

Xiang Yu lowered her eyes to that hand hovering in midair, palm up, lines clear and clean, fingers slender and graceful, stirring an invisible breeze.

She wondered if this woman really had that much strength—to hold her back with one hand?

“You sure?”

“Try it and you’ll know?”

With words like that, and Ren Sanliu’s tone brimming with confidence, Xiang Yu saw no point in the polite back-and-forth. If she fell… she’d just drag her down too.

Xiang Yu tilted her head, suddenly thrust her right hand forward, gripped Ren Sanliu’s raised hand, pressed down hard, and hopped forward on one foot to the sofa. Ren Sanliu, yanked by the sudden pressure, didn’t let go—instead, she held firm and pulled Xiang Yu steadily onto the sofa.

Once Xiang Yu sat steady, Ren Sanliu turned to her, raising a brow—

“How about it? Got some strength, huh?”

It sure did.

Years apart, and her strength had grown.

Xiang Yu tried to pull her hand back, but after a few tugs, Ren Sanliu wouldn’t release it… gripping tight, knuckles whitening.

“You haven’t said it yet… do I have strength or not?”