After finishing breakfast at nine-thirty, Yan Ningxi took her laptop to the dining table to look at her lecture slides. Ming You on the sofa fidgeted restlessly.
“I’ll go buy some vegetables for lunch.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Ming You realized she had said something stupid. Yan Ningxi’s arms and legs were all injured—what cooking was there to do?
“No need.” Yan Ningxi was typing a message on her phone when she glanced at Ming You’s silly expression and couldn’t help but want to laugh.
Using retreat as advance, defense as offense—it seemed this step had been the right move. Rather than living in fear under the surveillance of that elusive bird, it was better to be the one in control, knowing both self and enemy.
“If you’re bored, help me with something first.”
Ming You shivered. Help? What could she possibly help Yan Ningxi with?
In the bedroom, Yan Ningxi used tape to seal a large cardboard box from the bookshelf. “That’s it. Help me put it on top of the wardrobe, carefully.”
The bookshelf was cherry wood-colored, no less than 1.8 meters tall and about 1.2 meters wide. The bottom half had four layers of drawers, while the top half had five layers of shelves almost filled with books. Once the box was removed, it left a large empty space again.
Ming You stood on a stool and could just reach the top of the wardrobe. “Putting the box up there is easy, but taking it down will be harder. Are you sure there’s nothing in here you’ll need?”
“Yes.”
This was Ming You’s first time stepping into Yan Ningxi’s bedroom. It matched the minimalist style of the living room, with no extra furniture or decorations.
The books on the shelf were quite varied. “Can I pick a book to read? If we get hungry later, we can order takeout, or if there’s a restaurant you really want to eat at, I can go buy it.”
“You can take any book from the shelf. The fourth layer has classics and essays.”
While picking a book, Ming You skimmed at super speed but didn’t see the copy of Faraway Rendezvous that she had given Yan Ningxi.
“Once you’ve picked a book, take the shawl too. You’re wearing short sleeves; you can drape it on if it gets cold.” Yan Ningxi pointed to a blue-and-red striped ethnic-style shawl hanging on the coat rack. “Don’t catch another cold. Frequent fevers aren’t good for the brain.”
“…” Had this woman undergone a complete personality change overnight?
She had only burned up once right in front of her—how did that become “frequent,” and how was it “not good for the brain”?
Feeling sullen, she picked an essay collection, ignored the big red-and-blue shawl, and silently walked out of the bedroom. As soon as she sat on the sofa, she suddenly remembered that day on the pedestrian street, the “harsh words” she had thrown back at Chen Rui.
Out of disgust for her mother, she had vented on the young and ignorant Ming Zihuan, calling him brainless—that had been too harsh. But she had clearly explained it all to Yan Ningxi afterward, so was all that explanation pointless?
The more Ming You thought about it, the angrier she got. Was Yan Ningxi suffering from that teacher habit of lecturing, trying to educate her on behalf of Chen Rui and her son?
“Pouting now?”
Yan Ningxi had the shawl draped over her arm as she walked up to the girl and carefully observed her eyebrows and eyes. Suddenly, she reached out.
The girl dodged backward, her brows furrowing into a “river” shape, her face full of wariness.
“Severe fevers without timely treatment can damage the brain, potentially harming brain cells and leading to convulsions or epilepsy. This isn’t alarmist talk; it’s based on scientific evidence.” As she spoke, she shook out the shawl and draped it over the girl’s legs. “Adult brains are fully developed, so the chance of fever-induced issues is low, but viral infections aren’t impossible. I’m saying all this to get you to take better care of your body.”
Ming You’s mind went blank. Was Yan Ningxi not on the same wavelength as her? Had she been petty in judging a noble character?
“Got it.”
Yan Ningxi moved her laptop back to the bedroom and worked at the vanity. Ming You read in the living room, having just turned thirty-some pages when a banging knock echoed from the door.
The rhythm felt somewhat familiar.
At the same time, Yan Ningxi’s voice came from the bedroom. “Ming You, get the door. It’s someone you know.”
…
Qi Xuexin lugged big and small plastic bags; even just from the garage elevator to the door left her panting like she had run a marathon. She dumped the bags at the entrance and darted inside as soon as the door opened. “Little Darling, bring in all the stuff at the door.”
She poured herself a glass of water to quench her thirst, then wailed as she went to check on the injured. “Yan Huahua, you finally thought of me on your own. I’m about to be moved to tears! Where are you hurt? Let me see… these arms and legs—won’t leave scars, right?”
“Don’t look. It didn’t hit my neck.” Learning her lesson, Yan Ningxi knew exactly what Qi Xuexin was staring at on her neck.
“Fine, fine, no, I get it. Injured means restraint, restraint.”
“…”
“Alright, you do your thing. I’ll go hang out with Little Darling for a bit.” Qi Xuexin had dated three girlfriends in total; the youngest and shortest was her first love, when they were both just 18—younger than Ming You even.
That morning, Yan Ningxi had sent her a concise message with Ming You’s basic info. A weekend sleeper who didn’t get up before noon, yet she had gotten all excited, dressed up, and rushed over by nine-something.
A girl like a flower, at the age of flowers—she had even made this old iron tree bloom, so she deserved proper care.
Ming You had just sorted and put away all the items when Qi Xuexin came out too.
Her phone was always on silent; calls and texts only vibrated, and apps had no vibrations or sounds. She had meant to check the time but saw Yan Ningxi’s message instead.
【Yan Ningxi: My friend Qi Xuexin teaches Chinese in the junior high department; also my college classmate. Loves women, currently single, gets hyper around people, super friendly with strangers, especially likes teasing young girls.】
Likes… teasing… Was this telling her to fend for herself?
“Little Darling…” Qi Xuexin’s shout startled the person reading the message so much that she nearly dropped her brand-new phone, bought less than ten days ago.
Lunch was whipped up by two young ladies who had never lifted a finger in the kitchen, following online recipes. Yan Ningxi inexplicably felt cheerful and didn’t guide them, letting the two freestyle.
Qi Xuexin fussed dramatically while Ming You stayed calm and collected. They bickered now and then over differences. Since Yan Ningxi had moved in, the apartment had never felt this lively and vibrant.
They made three dishes and a soup; presentation was poor, and even the basic tomato-scrambled-eggs was burnt. But Yan Ningxi ate without complaint.
“Yan Hua… Teacher, this… isn’t bad?” Qi Xuexin barely touched her own chopsticks.
“It’s good—pure handmade, no poison, and the thought behind it is priceless.” Yan Ningxi praised them both.
“I think it’s pretty good too.” Ming You scooped several spoonfuls of tomato-scrambled-eggs into her bowl and mixed it with rice. “Teacher Qi, next time add salt, not sugar.”
“Next time?! I don’t want a next time, sis—”
Yan Ningxi and Ming You both looked at the complainer, whose voice trailed off into mumbles. Finally, she scooped some tomato-scrambled-eggs into her own bowl too. “Next time I’ll be on dish duty; add as much salt as you want, salty enough to kill me and I’ll still eat it!”
“Teacher Qi.” Ming You added a small spoonful of rice to her bowl. “Don’t wait for next time—the dishes from today…”
“Kid, is that polite in front of your teacher?”
“Polite, but not excessively.”
“Pa!” Qi Xuexin slapped her chopsticks on the table in frustration.
“I’ll wash them.”
Qi Xuexin picked up her chopsticks again. “That’s more like it.” She picked a piece of bland twice-cooked pork for Ming You. “Eat more meat; it’ll help you grow.”
Yan Ningxi always spoke very little during meals.
Qi Xuexin knew her close friend valued every word like gold and didn’t push her. With Ming You there to tease, it was fine.
“I heard you’re studying art? Your school—sigh, your major anyway—must have tons of little beauties like you, right? Someday when sis has time, I’ll visit your school. Introduce me around?”
“I only have one friend; can’t introduce anyone.” Gu Xirui didn’t even know about her same-sex leanings. Not only others, but even Ming You herself wasn’t 100% sure her orientation was toward women.
She truly disliked and rejected men, but that didn’t mean she was born with desire for women.
He Huan was the only person she had ever relied on, and she had awakened Ming You to the possibility of emotions between women—not just friendship, but love too.
“Didn’t say you had to introduce friends.” Qi Xuexin’s eyes lit up. “How pretty is this friend of yours? Compared to you?”
“Sister Yan has seen the photo; ask her.” Ming You tossed the question to Yan Ningxi.
Yan Ningxi cooperatively took on the hot potato with a clever answer. “You can think of your first love.”
“Hah? Forget it, pretend I didn’t ask; no need to bring up the past, let’s drop it.” Her first love was Qi Xuexin’s first brutal failure on the emotional front, a big blow to her pride.
It wasn’t that the girl had tormented her; mostly, she felt her own dignity wounded. Recalling it was too cringeworthy.
…
After the meal, Ming You cleaned up to show off while Yan Ningxi had Qi Xuexin help change her dressings and apply medicine to the wounds.
“Little Darling, you done washing?” Qi Xuexin yelled at the top of her lungs while winking frantically. “Come grab some fruit to wash too.”
Ming You never did chores at home; it wasn’t her turn, and she didn’t want to anyway. At most, she’d tidy her own room. Strangely, today being bossed around by Qi Xuexin didn’t bother her at all.
Maybe it was Qi Xuexin’s naturally friendly personality dissolving the awkwardness. Or maybe her enthusiasm was contagious, giving endless energy for tasks.
The adaptable girl brought a fruit platter to the dining table, wiped her hands clean with tissue, and came to the sofa.
“Sister Yan, let me help you.” She took the cotton swab and ointment from Qi Xuexin, knelt down to apply medicine to Yan Ningxi’s knee. “Did the doctor prescribe any scar-removal cream?”
“No need; I’m not scar-prone. These minor injuries don’t call for it.”
“Better to apply it anyway. I’ll buy some this afternoon.” After tending to the knee and arm, Ming You helped Yan Ningxi stand. “Still hurt much?”
Yan Ningxi shook her head. “Nothing major; as long as it doesn’t get bumped, it doesn’t hurt much. The knee hurts more because of the joint stress.” She took hold of Ming You’s hand, once cut by the wine glass; the small wound had mostly faded.
Ming You understood and said, “I’m not scar-prone either. The palm doesn’t scar easily.”
“Sigh, sigh, sigh.” Three sighs in a row, and Qi Xuexin hugged a box of pineapple into the kitchen. “Don’t speak of improprieties; don’t look upon improprieties.”
