Chapter 50: “Qiu Yiran, Let Me Take You Out to Play.” Part 2

Li Wuhui’s eyes were large and alluring; the frames couldn’t hide her slightly upturned eye corners.

Instead, they gave her a contradictory air—restrained yet bold.

She didn’t know how long she stared.

When she snapped out of it, Qiu Yiran realized—

Li Wuhui had finished the call.

Under the warm desk lamp, she lazily propped her chin, watching her without speaking.

Who knew how long she’d been like that, or if she’d noticed Qiu Yiran staring.

“I…”

Qiu Yiran gathered her thoughts.

Avoiding her gaze, she stiffly touched her nose. “How come your glasses temple is crooked?”

A perfectly reasonable excuse.

After saying it,

Qiu Yiran glanced at Li Wuhui again and found her still watching the same way.

She hurriedly looked away, scratched her chin, making small talk. “Actually, crooked temples are easy to fix.”

“Watching that long just for my glasses temple?” Li Wuhui finally spoke, narrowing her eyes.

“Qiu Yiran, are you bored?”

“A bit, yeah.” Qiu Yiran admitted honestly. “Actually, I think I’m well enough to head out.”

Li Wuhui stared at her for a moment without replying right away.

“But it’s fine to be a bit more cautious.” Afraid that Li Wuhui would misunderstand and think she was saying this just to hurry up the divorce, Qiu Yiran explained again, “I don’t want to hold you back anymore either.”

Only then did Li Wuhui hum in acknowledgment.

“Take your temperature again before bed tonight. If it’s normal tomorrow, we’ll set off the day after.”

Qiu Yiran paused for half a beat before agreeing. “Okay.”

Li Wuhui said nothing more and lowered her head again to browse some information.

She had stayed in the room for so many days.

Just sleeping and eating.

With nothing else to do, Qiu Yiran was indeed feeling a bit bored.

But seeing how seriously Li Wuhui was preparing for the northern lights and showing no intention of discussing it with her, Qiu Yiran didn’t disturb her. Having just woken up, she wasn’t sleepy either.

She simply sat on the edge of the bed hugging the blanket, put away her crutches, and placed them neatly beside the bed.

Then she stared blankly out the window at the falling snow.

Time always passed quickly when one was lost in thought.

“Qiu Yiran.”

Snapped out of her daze, she suddenly heard Li Wuhui call her name.

She instinctively reached for the crutches beside her, then turned her head with some confusion.

“What’s up?”

She looked ready to stand at any moment.

Li Wuhui’s gaze lingered on the crutches for a few seconds before shifting away, back to her phone screen.

Somewhat casually, she brought it up. “Do you have any hobbies now?”

“Hobbies?”

Perhaps because she hadn’t heard the word in so long, Qiu Yiran’s first reaction was bewilderment.

Noticing Qiu Yiran’s reaction, Li Wuhui felt a pang in her nose and could barely continue, but she still tried to keep her tone casual. “I just see that you get bored whenever you’re idle.”

“It’s okay.” Qiu Yiran said, “Most of the time, I’ve had things to do, so hobbies…”

At that point, she trailed off.

She paused and thought about it seriously for a moment, then said,

“I don’t have any hobbies.”

Most of the time, she didn’t even have the energy to think, and there were so many places she couldn’t go—how could she have the energy to cultivate hobbies?

And this current period of time felt stolen—

Completely idle, not forcing herself to go out as a taxi driver, not needing to retouch paintings, not even anywhere hurting or sick…

It actually made her somewhat unaccustomed.

So when Li Wuhui asked her this question,

She answered honestly, then added by way of explanation, “Anyway, it’s normal for a thirty-year-old to have no hobbies.”

She gave Li Wuhui a friendly smile. “You carry on.”

And then—

Qiu Yiran went back to staring blankly.

Just like all those idle times back in Mang City—stuffy, numb, calm.

But safe.

No danger, and no trouble for others.

Qiu Yiran gazed at the white snow outside the window, as if willingly retreating back inside her protective bubble.

Until Li Wuhui suddenly said out of the blue, “Qiu Yiran, let me take you out to play.”

Qiu Yiran turned her face in astonishment.

Li Wuhui seemed to be pondering something as she slowly removed her crooked glasses.

The yellow lamplight spilled everywhere.

Like a transparent barrier between them.

She propped her face in her hand, her gaze locking tightly onto her, then gently repeated, “Let’s go play.”

“Where to?” Qiu Yiran thought she was joking.

“Anywhere to look around is fine.” With that, Li Wuhui stood up briskly.

She grabbed her coat.

Walked over.

Without ceremony, she peeled away the layers from Spring Bamboo Shoot Qiu Yiran one by one, carefully helping her into her coat and patiently telling her, “Haven’t you been cooped up for so long? Going out for a look should improve your mood.”

“But won’t it delay things later?” Qiu Yiran was a bit confused—why did Li Wuhui always want to go out like this? “What if I get sick again?”

As she spoke—

Li Wuhui had already zipped her down jacket up to her chin.

Qiu Yiran’s words were cut off, her throat nearly blocked too. She looked around in panic, left and right.

Like a landlubber about to dive with a hood on.

“Qiu Yiran.”

Li Wuhui fetched a hat and put it on her securely. “Didn’t your parents teach you?”

“What?”

The hat came down, and Qiu Yiran felt her head warm up considerably.

She was a few centimeters taller than her.

So as she straightened her sleep-mussed hair while putting on the hat,

She glanced down at her with drooping eyes. Her expression was softened by the warm yellow light, gaining a tenderness that didn’t belong to her.

“When you’re out playing, play properly.”

Qiu Yiran froze.

Next, Li Wuhui put earmuffs on her too, muffling the sounds of the world.

The only clear sense left was sight.

She saw Li Wuhui very close.

Her nose and eyelashes no more than five centimeters apart—any bigger movement and they’d brush.

She clenched her fingers tighter.

Before she could retreat,

Li Wuhui reached out in the next second, gently patting her earmuffs. Her red lips parted and closed, a faint smile in her eyes. “Don’t always think about random stuff, acting like an old lady in your thirties.”

–

Actually, Qiu Yiran felt that Li Wuhui had bundled her up just like an old lady.

But she still followed Li Wuhui out in a daze.

Probably considering her condition, and with Russia’s outdoor temperatures so low, Li Wuhui just led her left and right until they reached a bar playing music.

The music wasn’t too loud, and there weren’t too many people.

It was a place Li Wuhui had found on a social app—not garish with neon and alcohol, but with a bright, warm yellow light.

When they walked in, the band on stage was singing a local ballad. Many in the audience had taken off their coats, raising glasses in sweaters—the atmosphere that hit them was very warm.

“Sit for a bit first.”

Li Wuhui probably remembered she didn’t like noisy places. “If you’re uncomfortable, we’ll leave.”

“It’s not noisy.” Qiu Yiran said. “And I’m not uncomfortable.”

What she disliked were places where people bumped into each other constantly, with high population density.

This bar clearly wasn’t like that.

It was more like the place they’d gone to on the night they first met—lively, everyone’s faces flushed from drink, but not chaotic.

“Then find a seat first and sit down.”

Noticing that Qiu Yiran didn’t look uncomfortable, just curiously taking it all in, Li Wuhui relaxed a bit.

“I’ll order drinks and come over.”

“Okay.” Qiu Yiran nodded obediently.

She didn’t hesitate.

As soon as she said it, she was already awkwardly scanning the empty seats around, wondering where to go.

But the one who had suggested the division of labor seemed unable to fully let go.

After speaking, Li Wuhui didn’t turn to order right away. Instead, she stared at her for a moment, then suddenly pulled her hood back up. “On second thought, never mind.”

“What?” Qiu Yiran didn’t catch on.

“I’ll take you to find a seat first.”

Li Wuhui patiently tugged at her hat. “Then I’ll go order.”

There was a group ahead swaying to the music. She pulled her in front of herself, then used her arms to shield her from a distance, so she could weave through the faces different from theirs without suddenly bumping into anyone—

As if she were a fragile item with expensive insurance.

This closeness let Qiu Yiran almost feel Li Wuhui’s breath. She sniffed, the whole world filled with Li Wuhui’s scent. So the next second, she held her breath tightly.

“Actually, I can manage myself.”

She had already put on her prosthetic leg before leaving—not so cumbersome that she’d get knocked over in this crowd density.

She said that.

But the next second—

Someone in the crowded group ahead turned back and smiled at her.

She startled, nearly stumbling.

But she only bumped into Li Wuhui’s hand, her face burying sideways into it. Her nose brushed thick fabric, soft and carrying the scent of the woman.

Li Wuhui behind her chuckled softly.

Probably mocking her stubbornness, but she said nothing, just steadied her.

Qiu Yiran stood firm, lowering her head a bit embarrassed, then tried to stay calm. “Let’s hurry then.”

In the end, they found an empty spot far from the band, with not many people around.

Guests sitting this far out were probably like them—not fully enjoying the hustle.

Having successfully seated in a relatively safe spot, Qiu Yiran finally felt a bit more at ease.

But after Li Wuhui went to the bar to order—

She still glanced around left and right, fidgeting in her chair, seeming a tad uneasy.

At that moment, a blonde woman at the next table noticed her and cheerfully said “Hi.”

Qiu Yiran pursed her lips and gave a friendly smile back.

Then she noticed the blonde woman’s exposed waist.

Qiu Yiran silently zipped her jacket back up.

Fortunately, she was dressed thickly, with a cold-weather hat and earmuffs. Li Wuhui had even forced a down vest on her before they left.

She wondered if she looked like a bumpkin wearing a down jacket in a bar to others.

Thinking that, Qiu Yiran shrank her neck. It had indeed been a long time since she’d been to such a vibrant place.

Her gaze swept quickly over.

Everyone around exuded youthful energy…

Except her.

Qiu Yiran spaced out, protecting herself in her own safe way.

It was right then—

That the blonde woman who’d been watching her suddenly came over enthusiastically with a full glass of pink drink, placed it on her table, and chattered away in some language.

Qiu Yiran’s daze was interrupted.

She didn’t understand Russian.

But from the expression, the blonde woman seemed friendly—not like she was suddenly coming over to scold her.

So Qiu Yiran smiled back at her friendly too.

The blonde woman grinned even more brightly, chattering some more until someone called out. She waved reluctantly and returned to her seat.

But left the pink drink behind.