She checked the zipper, straightened the collar.
Then she carefully folded down the open flaps of the Lei Feng hat and buttoned them securely.
Qiu Yiran cooperated with her.
First, she lifted her chin to let her zip up, then realized and felt a bit awkward.
But she still reached out to smooth the hair peeking out from Li Wuhui’s scarf.
After that, Qiu Yiran looked her over carefully for a moment, then laboriously lifted her hand.
She helped her put on the hood.
Patted the dust that had stuck to her jacket somewhere.
Li Wuhui cooperated by turning in a circle so Qiu Yiran could brush off the dust, “Probably got it from parking earlier.”
“Be more careful next time.”
Qiu Yiran said with pursed lips, “After all, you’re a pretty famous model. Getting photographed like that would be embarrassing.”
The way she spoke was just like before.
It made Li Wuhui smile unconsciously, her tone lightening, “Got it.”
Qiu Yiran let out a “mm” and said nothing more, just slowly patted several times.
Then she curled her fingers back and met the gaze of Li Wuhui, who had turned around, saying a bit stiffly,
“All good.”
By then, Li Wuhui had inspected Qiu Yiran from head to toe and nodded too,
“Let’s go.”
But Qiu Yiran wasn’t quite satisfied.
She took a few steps and felt her face pulled tight, so she instinctively wanted to reach up and unbutton the Lei Feng hat.
Li Wuhui suddenly turned back and pointed at her,
“Don’t you dare.”
Qiu Yiran froze in fright.
Like a bear locked in place in the corridor, she even cooperatively raised her hands.
Only then did Li Wuhui cross her arms and lean against the wall, her eyes crinkling with laughter,
“Qiu Yiran, don’t think you can sneakily undo it behind my back.”
Like an order, like an order.
Yet with a rare touch of playfulness.
The caught bear, Qiu Yiran, helplessly lowered her hands, “Got it.”
They went downstairs.
They got into that blue-plated yellow taxi and headed toward the spot Qiu Yiran had seen on social media.
Driving at night, Li Wuhui was very careful, so she drove slowly. But perhaps because they were about to see the northern lights, her mood that night seemed particularly cheerful, her upturned eye corners squinting from time to time like a fox.
Until they hit a red light midway, Li Wuhui rarely remembered at that moment to worry about Qiu Yiran’s leg.
Then, as if struck by aftershock, she restrained the corners of her mouth, suddenly sat up a bit straighter, and calmly asked, “How’s your leg?”
“It’s fine.” Qiu Yiran didn’t want Li Wuhui to worry about her leg in her heart during this rare moment of pleasure, and emphasized, “Don’t worry. Tonight, I’ll take good care of myself.”
Li Wuhui gave her a strange look, lowered her head with a “Mm,” and didn’t say anything else.
After a pause.
She frowned slightly again, probably regretting bringing her out so late.
“Actually, we could go see it in a few days.”
Qiu Yiran looked at her hands resting on the steering wheel, then at her slightly tense side profile because of this matter, and smiled sadly.
“Today is a rare opportunity. If we see it, we’ll both be lucky afterward.”
Li Wuhui let out a “Mm,” said nothing else, but her expression turned poor because of it.
“I was a bit groggy from sleep just now.” After a while, when this matter should have passed by all rights, she spoke up again.
As if explaining to some god that would mete out punishment, “So I didn’t think about your leg still hurting.”
This wasn’t something that needed explaining at all. No one would blame her for it—not even Qiu Yiran cared that much herself.
Only Li Wuhui would blame herself for “neglecting” Qiu Yiran’s leg for even one second.
She would also feel regret over the brief pleasure born from forgetting it, as if after that accident happened, she no longer had the right to be happy.
And only then did Qiu Yiran sluggishly recall this fact.
Because these past few days, she had let herself lower her guard, accepted Li Wuhui’s kindness, and slightly loosened that taut line trailing behind her that kept her from drawing too close to Li Wuhui.
To the point that she had almost forgotten—similar things had happened many times before.
Ever since Qiu Yiran’s leg had been severed.
Li Wuhui no longer exercised her right to be happy alone or suffer alone. She didn’t dare reveal her own pain to add to Qiu Yiran’s suffering, nor did she dare to be happy behind Qiu Yiran’s back—as if feeling joy over some small thing was a betrayal of the Qiu Yiran who was still in pain.
She willingly let all of Qiu Yiran’s joys and sorrows parasitize her body, and time and again sliced herself open, endured the pain, to nourish these parasites akin to bottomless pits.
As if anyone else in the world could have the right to set aside the people around them and feel joy or pain just for themselves. Only Li Wuhui, who stayed by Qiu Yiran’s side, strictly forbade herself from doing so.
And Li Wuhui had never had any obligation to take responsibility for a Qiu Yiran like this.
“Anyway, we’re already out. We’re just here to see the Northern Lights.”
Qiu Yiran watched as Li Wuhui transitioned from that pure and brief pleasure just now to her current self-reproach and guilt, and felt an indescribable sadness in her heart.
“Li Wuhui, don’t overthink it. There’s no need to explain it to me at all.”
Li Wuhui didn’t speak at first, staring straight ahead at the pitch-black road, silent for a moment. It was unclear if her words had eased her any. “If you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable, you have to tell me right away.”
“I will.” Qiu Yiran let out a slight breath of relief. “And it’s not as uncomfortable as you think. Your medicines are all very effective, and I only got a little scrape anyway—it’s not serious.”
She knew very well—
Only if she agreed would Li Wuhui tonight be able to relax a little, truly feel pleasure from the appearance of the Northern Lights.
So before Li Wuhui could reply,
She mustered her courage again to emphasize, “I’ll take responsibility for my own matters.”
Realizing her tone was a bit forceful, she smiled at Li Wuhui.
“Tonight, you just need to happily watch the Northern Lights.”
After saying all that,
She didn’t want to stiffen the atmosphere because of this, much less miss the Northern Lights due to a confrontation, so she simply changed the subject. “It seems like we’re almost there.”
Li Wuhui parked the car and looked at her without speaking.
Qiu Yiran avoided her gaze.
As if to cover it up, she swiped through her phone and discovered that posts about the Northern Lights had increased on social media.
She relaxed a little. “People are still posting live updates now, so we should make it.”
“Then I’ll find a place to park first.” Li Wuhui finally withdrew her gaze. “Otherwise, with so many people later, we won’t be able to drive out.”
“Okay.” Qiu Yiran agreed.
But her attention focused back on the posts.
Until the car came to a steady stop.
She noticed Li Wuhui hadn’t gotten out and lifted her head in some puzzlement.
Li Wuhui still had both hands resting on the steering wheel and softly called her name. “Qiu Yiran.”
Qiu Yiran put away her phone. “What’s wrong?”
Li Wuhui turned her gaze to her, looked for a moment, then smiled lightly.
“You’re so eager for me to see the Northern Lights? More nervous about it than I am?”
What kind of question was this?
Qiu Yiran answered very earnestly without much thought. “Yeah, I hope so.”
Perhaps because it had been so long since she’d heard such a straightforward answer, Li Wuhui was instead stunned.
Qiu Yiran lowered her eyelashes a bit more.
When she raised her eyes again, she smiled very sincerely at Li Wuhui.
“I hope you can always do the things you want to do.”
This point had never changed.
With that said, Qiu Yiran lowered her head, wanting to unbuckle her seatbelt first. “Let’s get out.”
But she didn’t know if it was because she was wearing too many layers or what, but as she twisted around in the passenger seat, she still couldn’t press the seatbelt button.
The whole situation turned a bit awkward for her.
She pursed her lips, glanced up at Li Wuhui, then quickly withdrew her gaze and tried again on her own.
At that moment—
Li Wuhui, who had gone quiet because of her words just now, suddenly laughed.
As if she thought Qiu Yiran was clumsy, but she kindly pressed open the seatbelt for her anyway.
In the end, she couldn’t help but say, “For something this small, would asking me to help kill you?”
The seatbelt came loose.
Qiu Yiran’s whole body relaxed, and the taut string in her heart loosened a little too.
After thinking about it, she felt Li Wuhui was right. There was no need to push herself on something this minor.
So she relaxed a bit more. “Next time, next time I’ll ask you for help.”
Li Wuhui let out a “Mm,” her tone relaxing again. “No saying thanks.”
Qiu Yiran agreed with a bit more ease too. “Got it. I’ll just take a few more photos for you.”
She could even joke about this now.
Li Wuhui gave her a somewhat surprised look but ultimately said nothing, just lifted the corners of her mouth a little, nodded, and said very simply,
“Okay.”
–
The place they arrived at was still very dark, but after getting out of the car, tourists who had rushed over from various places to see the Northern Lights surrounded them. Every face that ran past brimmed with enthusiasm and excitement.
They hadn’t gone the wrong way.
Qiu Yiran had studied those posts for a bit and figured the Northern Lights were probably hidden behind that house in the distance.
Plus, many of the people getting out here were carrying gear as they ran in that direction.
“It should be right there.” Qiu Yiran leaned on her crutches and pointed toward that patch of sky faintly glowing red in the haze.
She had just applied medicine.
She hadn’t put on her prosthetic leg and had come out propped on her crutches. Fortunately, this stretch of road wasn’t long.
People rushed about around them—some making calls, some filming videos. Everyone’s faces were flushed red from the wind, brimming with vibrant emotions.
Perhaps infected by it, Qiu Yiran’s mood improved quite a bit.
Unknowingly, the corners of her mouth curved up.
“Very happy?”
As expected, Li Wuhui was always the first to notice her emotions.
“Yeah.” Qiu Yiran nodded. “Happy.”
“So happy even before seeing it?” Li Wuhui was clearly smiling herself, her brows and eyes relaxed a little.
“Yeah, happy.” Qiu Yiran didn’t refute.
Even though she couldn’t walk fast and couldn’t run to see the Northern Lights like the others, she would always be happy on the way to see them.
“Not hating the crowds now?” Li Wuhui threw out suddenly.
With the reminder,
