Chi Nuan let out a long sob.
The milk tea shop clerk nearby saw Gu Ningzi return with the wallet and smiled knowingly. “Your classmate was worried something might happen to you. Look, she was even calling 110.”
With that, she went back inside to prepare the milk teas they had ordered earlier.
Gu Ningzi awkwardly turned her head away. “I’m fine. You should check your wallet.”
Chi Nuan opened the wallet and pulled open the inner zipper. Her fingers touched a thin little photo inside.
Gu Ningzi was there, and so were her parents.
A sour ache burst forth in her heart. Chi Nuan took a breath, and tears streamed down her face.
“Hey, you…” Gu Ningzi looked at her at a loss.
Just then, Xu Dan’s call came in, and she shrieked at the top of her lungs. “Nuannuan, where are you? The dorm door is locked!”
Chi Nuan held back her sniffles and tried to speak calmly. “My Brother came to see me today, and we ate dinner late…”
Xu Dan, as straightforward as ever, didn’t pick up on anything unusual in Chi Nuan’s voice. “Oh. So you’re coming back tonight? Will you make it for morning self-study tomorrow?”
Chi Nuan: “…”
After hanging up, the phone showed it was already 9:30 past two minutes.
A night breeze blew, and Chi Nuan shivered.
The clerk called from inside the milk tea shop, “Red Tea Macchiato is ready! Are you drinking it here or taking it to go?”
…
Under the streetlight, Chi Nuan licked at the milk foam in small sips while Gu Ningzi took two sips through her straw. She asked, “You can’t get back to school?”
Chi Nuan nodded. Traces of her crying still lingered on her face—her eyes and nose were all red. Her ponytail hung loosely behind her head, and stray hairs swayed lightly in the night breeze.
She said, “I haven’t done my homework yet.”
Gu Ningzi: “…”
“Gu Ningzi,” Chi Nuan called her name. “I really owe you big time today. From PE class onward, I’ve been nothing but trouble. And just now…”
Gu Ningzi didn’t say anything.
“Thank you so much. I’m really grateful.”
Gu Ningzi: “Got it.”
They finished their milk teas, and Gu Ningzi tossed the cups into the trash bin. She turned to Chi Nuan. “Want to come to my place to do your homework?”
…
No. 1 Middle School was Yuncheng’s best high school, and the school district housing nearby was worth its weight in gold.
Gu Ningzi scanned her fingerprint and led Chi Nuan into the yard.
The standalone villa was completely dark inside.
They crossed the not-insubstantial courtyard, and Gu Ningzi opened the door, gesturing for Chi Nuan to come in.
The voice-activated lights flicked on, and the room’s heating rushed out eagerly.
Gu Ningzi kicked off her shoes and padded barefoot across the carpet, shrugging off her jacket as she went.
Chi Nuan peered around a bit awkwardly. “Aren’t your uncle and aunt home?”
Gu Ningzi turned on the floor lamp in the living room. A chubby little blue cat jumped down from the sofa and rubbed against her pant leg, meowing.
Gu Ningzi said, “I live alone.”
She walked over to the window and added some cat food to its bowl.
The blue cat wagged its tail and ate happily.
She lived alone? Then when she had a fever before, she must have taken care of herself? Chi Nuan felt a pang of regret—she should have asked more back then. Bringing it up now would seem hypocritical, so she asked instead, “Aren’t you scared living alone?”
Gu Ningzi said, “No.”
The house was very warm, so Chi Nuan took off her school uniform, revealing the white sweater underneath. It was still a bit hot, so she rolled up her sleeves.
Gu Ningzi looked away and said, “Want to do your homework first?”
Chi Nuan hummed in agreement.
Gu Ningzi led Chi Nuan into her room and pulled down the hanging lamp above the desk. Chi Nuan followed her in and found that Gu Ningzi’s room matched her personality perfectly—from the furniture tones to the bedsheet patterns, everything exuded a cool vibe.
Chi Nuan took out her homework from her bag and sprawled over the desk to start writing.
Gu Ningzi gathered her pajamas and went to take a shower.
“You’re not doing yours?” Chi Nuan asked.
Gu Ningzi didn’t reply.
“…” Fine. Chi Nuan nodded, and Gu Ningzi opened the door and left.
The blue cat, having eaten its fill, slipped through the door crack into the room. It crept lightly toward Chi Nuan, then leaped onto the desk via the chair.
Chi Nuan jumped in surprise but relaxed when she saw it was the cat. She reached out and stroked its fluffy head.
The blue cat wasn’t shy and purred contentedly from its throat, curling up on Chi Nuan’s backpack for a nap.
Chi Nuan wrote for a bit, then glanced at the round blue cat.
—So Gu Ningzi liked cats? At the thought, Chi Nuan’s lips curved up involuntarily. Gu Ningzi always seemed so cold, but she had such a kind heart. No wonder she liked these soft, clingy little things.
Chi Nuan was carefully playing with the blue cat’s whiskers using her pen when Gu Ningzi finished her shower and pushed the door open. She sat at the other side of the desk, looked at her phone, and asked Chi Nuan, “What time do you need to be at school tomorrow?”
Her hair wasn’t fully dry, and her pajama collar was a bit low, exposing her collarbone. Chi Nuan noticed a tiny mole on her right collarbone.
Chi Nuan replied, “…Before seven, for morning self-study.”
Gu Ningzi tapped a few words on her phone and asked, “What do you eat for breakfast?”
Chi Nuan said, “Anything’s fine. I’m not picky.”
The blue cat meowed and waddled over to Gu Ningzi’s hand, begging for pets. Gu Ningzi stroked it a few times and set her phone down.
Chi Nuan continued her homework as Gu Ningzi’s phone screen lit up.
The name “Spoon” flashed repeatedly on the screen.
