Chapter 68: Disappearance

At noon, they got off the highway and ate lunch. Then the bus drove onto the winding mountain road. The closer they got to their destination, the more Ming You wanted to throw up.

Snowflakes began to drift from the sky.

“Gu Xirui, quick, look—is it snowing outside?” Lin Yiyang wiped the fogged-up window with a tissue.

As she moved, Gu Xirui, who had been dozing lightly right next to her, lost her support and tilted slightly to the right. She woke up. “What?”

Lin Yiyang turned back and caught Gu Xirui rubbing the corner of her eye. Like a pouting cat washing its face?

She unconsciously hugged the bottle in her arms tighter, but it was no longer warm, making a crunching sound. “We’re in the mountains now. It looks like it’s snowing.”

“Snow?”

Gu Xirui perked up at that and leaned toward the window too. Their faces were only a few centimeters apart. “Your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you. It’s not ‘like’—it’s really snowing outside, and pretty heavily too.”

The two of them watched the snow for a few minutes like that. Until Lin Yiyang mumbled, “Gu Xirui, the water’s gone cold.”

“If it’s cold, don’t hold onto it anymore.” There were no service areas, so she couldn’t do anything about the cold water. “Want me to stick a heating patch on you up front too?”

Lin Yiyang nodded.

After more than two hours of bumpy mountain roads, the bus with over thirty teachers and students finally arrived at their destination.

Ming You got off the bus and immediately clutched a big tree by the roadside. Her stomach churned, but she wanted to vomit and couldn’t. She hadn’t eaten breakfast or lunch.

“Drink some mineral water? Or coffee or milk tea?” Gu Xirui patted her back.

“Mineral water has no taste, milk tea’s too sweet. Personally, I think milk would work better.” Lin Yiyang handed over a carton of pure bottled milk. “To rinse the nausea from your mouth and stomach.”

“Thanks.” Ming You twisted off the cap and chugged it down.

“I’ll toss it.” Gu Xirui took the empty carton from her and threw it in the trash bin on the bus.

The snow had stopped, leaving a thin layer on the ground. Looking out, the trees of all sizes and heights were blanketed in white.

She saw snow again.

But this time, without Yan Ningxi by her side, Ming You had no heart for the scenery.

Everyone dragged their suitcases and, under the guidance of the township cultural department leaders, arrived at a guesthouse that had been booked in advance to check in.

Ming You and Gu Xirui shared a room. Lin Yiyang was left alone and got paired with a singleton girl from the same grade in the performance department.

The guesthouse conditions were indescribable.

The room was only about ten square meters, sparsely furnished with just two 1.2-meter beds separated by a nightstand. A 32-inch TV hung on the wall above a table and a single chair.

The walls were covered in dark yellow wallpaper, with peeling corners in places and stains in others. The floor tiles were light brown, with visible cracks on several. The windows had old green screens full of dusty cobwebs in the gaps.

Anyone with OCD or germaphobia probably couldn’t stay in there for even a second.

Fortunately, neither Ming You nor Gu Xirui were fussy or delicate. They had standards, but they could adapt. They’d already mentally prepared for the worst possible room conditions before coming.

But the most awful thing they hadn’t anticipated was the damp, musty air laced with something like foot odor.

“Xirui, do you smell something weird? Is it my nose acting up?”

“Your nose is fine. Good thing I brought air freshener.” Gu Xirui covered her mouth and nose with one hand, rummaged in her suitcase for a 60ml plastic bottle, and sprayed a few bursts in each corner. “White peach scent—smells way better now.”

“Gu Xirui!” Lin Yiyang suddenly appeared at the door and sniffed. “Why does your room smell so nice?”

“Of course it’s my secret weapon.” Gu Xirui sprayed toward the doorway.

Seeing the bottle in Gu Xirui’s hand, Lin Yiyang pursed her lips. “Spray me too. I’m about to be suffocated by the gross stench in my room.”

“Here, take it—but bring it back.”

“Stingy! It’s just a bottle of peach-scented air freshener. When we get back to school, I’ll give you ten!” With that arrogant huff, she snatched the spray and left.

Ming You sprawled on the bed. After hearing the bickering between the two young ladies, Gu Xirui and Lin Yiyang, she had a premonition that Miss Gu was about to be poached by Miss Lin.

“Teacher said assembly at 3:30?”

“Yeah, half an hour to go. You sleep first?”

Ming You felt too awful to even take off her jacket, let alone change pants or shoes. “I won’t set an alarm. Wake me when it’s time.”

Gu Xirui grabbed the AC remote and came to her bedside, pulling open the blanket wrapped around her. “Ming You, take off your clothes and shoes before lying down. I’ll turn on the AC—it has heat, so it won’t be cold in a bit.”

“Xirui, I really feel awful.” Ming You stayed put, face down. Her head and stomach both hurt.

“You still have to take them off. I’ll help.” Gu Xirui pulled off Ming You’s short boots and then her coat.

“Miss Gu, you must be an angel sent by God.” With Gu Xirui’s help, Ming You finally shed her heavy wool coat and lay in the center of the bed. Half-asleep, she heard a message notification. “Phone in my pocket, Miss Gu—I need my phone.”

“Here, your phone.” Gu Xirui fished the phone from the coat pocket and put it in Ming You’s hand, but she gripped it and fell asleep.

…

At Huai’an No.3 High School, after class, He Huan walked into the office and saw Yan Ningxi staring out the window. “New Year’s three-day holiday—are you going home, or staying at the apartment?”

Yan Ningxi snapped back and replied, “Going home tomorrow.” Then she picked up her phone and scrolled.

After sitting down, He Huan sent a message to the person across from her: 【Tonight’s high school division dinner—the director from the administrative office will be there too. Keep an eye out, stay as far from him as possible.】

【Aren’t you going?】 After typing, Yan Ningxi looked up at He Huan. They always sat together at these dinners.

He Huan smiled and spoke instead of typing. “Going back to Jiang Bin’s hometown with him. To avoid the morning rush hour jam tomorrow, we’re heading out tonight.”

“Safe travels.”

“Their hometown specialty, sauce-plated duck, is pretty famous. I tried it once and it was good. I’ll bring some back for you all to try.” He Huan’s “you all” didn’t mean the office colleagues—it specifically meant Yan Ningxi and Ming You.

Several seconds passed before Yan Ningxi softly said, “Thanks.”

【He Huan: The weekend before last, she apologized to me. Did you say something to her later?】

【Yan Ningxi: Yeah. Told her she doesn’t respect her teachers or show gratitude.】

【He Huan: She doesn’t like hearing that stuff.】

【Yan Ningxi: Life can’t always go exactly your way.】

Ever since Ming You stopped messaging her, her phone had gone quiet. But she checked it more often.

When they messaged every day, Ming You’s chat didn’t need pinning—it always popped up at the top anyway. Now that it was pinned, no new messages ever appeared.

Today was their first day delivering the performance to the countryside. Had Ming You arrived? How was the weather there? Was she settling in okay? Eating well?

Her source of info on Ming You had been Ming You herself. With Ming You “gone,” that source vanished too.

After that day, she felt like she’d hit another dead end. Sunday morning, she’d checked the garage before leaving. She checked it again when she returned in the afternoon.

When she didn’t see the car in the morning, she wondered if Ming You would come back in the afternoon.

When she saw it in the afternoon, she wondered if Ming You would leave that night. But no one was home waiting for her.

The first two days without contact from Ming You, her anxiety had her trying to send something, but she either couldn’t find the words or deleted until nothing was left.

After that, she just “froze up.”

She figured letting Ming You ignore her like this might be for the best. Ming You was so clever—she’d surely figure out her misunderstanding of Teacher He from their conversation.

Different paths leading to the same end.

Maybe this time, her goal of letting Ming You leave on her own would finally be achieved.

…

That evening, the high school division teachers’ dinner.

The “Director Zhang” He Huan mentioned was a divorced, single man in his forties. He had been the Chinese Language Teaching Research Group leader before Teacher Chen transferred in, and later got promoted to director of the administrative office.

He was capable at work, decisive, conservatively dressed, wore rimless glasses, always neat and proper… except his drinking habits weren’t great.

Not that they were terrible—it was just office gossip among the female teachers. He was a proper cultured man at school, but once he had a drink at dinners, his true colors showed.

His true colors meant taking the chance to pat female teachers’ hands, leaning in too close to shoulders and heads, giving earnest talks about work and sharing “experience.” Female teachers who went together looked out for each other and avoided him when possible.

Without He Huan to shield her, Yan Ningxi really did get targeted by Director Zhang. After a few rounds of drinks, he moved from the next table to hers—and sat right on her right.

“Teacher Yan, it’s been a while. Blink of an eye, you’ve been at No. 3 Middle School over two years now. Settling in okay? After leading your first class of students, you’ll be a homeroom teacher. I see you’re close with Teacher He. She’s lost her spark and edge these past few years—her teaching’s gotten routine.”

“Thanks for your concern, Director Zhang. I’ve learned a lot from Teacher He—it’s been invaluable.” Yan Ningxi replied.

“No, no, don’t sell yourself short. Don’t copy other teachers too much—have your own style. When you first came, Teacher Yan, you were full of fresh ideas. Not long ago, I read your lesson plan reform proposal. Out with the old, in with the new—I and the grade director both admire it.”

Yan Ningxi’s right hand had been on her lap. As Director Zhang’s hand reached over from beside her, she sensed it and lifted her glass instead.

She knew she couldn’t dodge it, so better to drink first. “Director Zhang, let me toast you. Thanks for your guidance.”

Seeing only a sip of red wine in her glass, Director Zhang waved it off. “A little sip won’t do. Teacher Yan, at dinners, toasts need a full glass to show sincerity.”

He picked an empty wonton bowl from the jumble of dishes, filled it with baijiu, then reached for the red wine as if to pour it for her. “Teacher Yan wouldn’t deny me a glass, right?”

That wonton bowl had been used by someone else. His casualness made Yan Ningxi frown.

Yan Ningxi slid her own glass forward. He poured until it was half full.

They clinked glasses.

Director Zhang downed his in one go.

Suppressing her discomfort, Yan Ningxi forced down her half glass too. Director Zhang even clapped. “Didn’t expect it, Teacher Yan—you can hold your liquor.”

“Excuse me, Director Zhang, I need to use the restroom and wash my hands.”

She’d deliberately spilled some while drinking, letting the red wine drip down her palm for him to see, giving her a smooth excuse to leave. She got up and took her handbag with her.

A third of the people in the private room had already left. She blended into the crowd and slipped out without needing to greet any leaders.

School-organized dinners were usually within three kilometers of campus. Yan Ningxi could walk back to her apartment in twenty or thirty minutes, or take a cab/bus in under ten—barely two stops.

After washing her hands in the restroom, she ran into Teacher Chen. “Teacher Yan leaving too?”

“Yeah.”

“Come with me.” Teacher Chen handed her the bag from her wrist. “I’ll use the restroom first—mind holding my bag? My son’s driving over. He can drop you off.”

Before she could refuse, Teacher Chen’s bag was in her hands. Was she trying to introduce her son to Ming You?

The two walked from the restroom toward the restaurant entrance. Persistent as ever, Director Zhang and the grade director came around another corner. Face flushed, Director Zhang grabbed Yan Ningxi’s arm. “Teacher Yan, Teacher Chen—I’m not in the Chinese group teaching anymore, but I have plenty of experience. If you need help or run into issues, come find me anytime…”

He gripped tight. Yan Ningxi twisted her arm twice but couldn’t shake free.

She couldn’t struggle too hard, or once word spread, it’d change the nature of things.

Teacher Chen reached out toward Director Zhang’s right hand—the one holding Yan Ningxi—her intent clear. “Then we’ll have to seek your advice often, Director Zhang.”

“Group Leader Chen, you’re too serious.” Director Zhang let go and shook hands with Teacher Chen instead. “You’re the senior here. It’s not about seeking advice; it’s just an exchange of ideas.”

Another group of people came up from behind Director Zhang and the others, and the few dispersed, each going their own way.

At the door, Teacher Chen called her son. Before the call connected, Yan Ningxi hurriedly said, “Thank you for your kindness, Teacher Chen. The apartment is only two or three kilometers from here; I want to walk a bit. Goodbye, Teacher Chen. Happy New Year to you and your family.”

She wanted to blow in the wind, to dispel the smoke and alcohol smell on her body, to blow away the stuffiness in her chest. She also wanted to walk this road, the one she had walked hand in hand with Ming You.

It was neither too early nor too late; the road was crowded with people. Some were family, some were friends, and some were lovers.

They walked with purpose, knowing where they were headed. But she was all alone, with no one to accompany her, no one waiting for her—wherever she went made no difference.

Every time someone brushed past her from behind, she couldn’t help but hope that the girl might suddenly appear again, sweetly calling out “Sister Yan” before running over to give her a big hug.

One hug would chase away all her unhappiness.

She missed Ming You. Very much.

When Ming You was not in her life, she was neither lonely nor bored. But after Ming You entered her life, she felt lonely and bored, and even more worried sick.

If she had known that was their last meeting, no matter how ruthless she was, she wouldn’t have been heartless enough to let her go without even saying “Take good care of yourself.” She had underestimated Ming You’s resolve. Though she thought it might be good to cut things off like this, deep down she believed Ming You would contact her again within a week.

This time, Ming You had figured it out.

That was why she no longer obsessed over Teacher He or let herself be deliberately deceived by her. Were they just going to part like this? She must have been dazzled by the night wind. Otherwise, why did her eyes sting so much?