Chapter 7: Bottom Pair

The door opened and closed again before Yan Ningxi finally snapped back to her senses. Had she really just been “educated” by a girl so much younger than herself?

The emotional rollercoaster Ming You had put her on left Yan Ningxi unable to relax. She hurried to the door to call out to her, but just as her hand touched the doorknob, urgent knocking rang out.

The sudden “knock, knock, knock” made Yan Ningxi think Ming You had come back. But the rhythm was erratic—chaotic and frantic, with real force behind it. It didn’t match Ming You’s style at all.

Sure enough, when she opened the door, the person who appeared before her wasn’t Ming You.

Qi Xuexin barreled in like a whirlwind, dragging Ming You along with her.

“Yan Huahua, I gotta say, you move fast! You’ve already brought the little girl home,” Qi Xuexin grumbled as she dumped her things on the shoe cabinet. She tugged Ming You forward with a sly grin. “Caught you red-handed. Let’s see you talk your way out of this one.”

Half a minute earlier, Ming You had been waiting for the elevator when she bumped right into Qi Xuexin. Ming You didn’t recognize her, but Qi Xuexin clearly spotted her instantly.

Just as Ming You hit the button for the first floor, Qi Xuexin whipped around and yelled, “Little Darling!” Then, with nimble moves, she yanked Ming You out of the elevator and hauled her straight toward Yan Ningxi’s apartment.

All the while, she chattered, “The old iron tree blooms in silence—a miracle of the world! Little Darling, you can’t rush off. You’re the eyewitness; we have to chat inside.”

Only one woman had ever called her “Little Darling”—that night at the bar. Ming You’s memory was sharp. Amused, she let Qi Xuexin drag her back the way she’d come.

Hearing “Yan Huahua” right in front of Ming You stirred a long-forgotten shame in Yan Ningxi’s heart, turning the tips of her ears red.

“Watch your words.”

“Ah? Pfft, pfft—slip of the tongue!” Qi Xuexin’s gaze never left Ming You. “Such a pretty little girl. How old are you?”

“She’s a student at No. 3 Middle School,” Yan Ningxi shut that down quickly, dreading Qi Xuexin’s filter-free mouth.

Qi Xuexin: !!!

She dropped Ming You’s hand like it was a ticking time bomb.

Ming You understood the situation in a flash and switched back to her perfect-student mode, bowing deeply. “So you’re also a teacher at No. 3 Middle School, beautiful big sis. If I may speak frankly, I think you look better in your nightclub glam—way more charming and seductive.”

Qi Xuexin: !!!

She bolted a few steps away, turning her back to Ming You and clapping her hands over her face. “Classmate, I got the wrong person. Wait—no, you did! I’m not a teacher! Definitely not from No. 3 Middle School!”

This was a major social suicide moment. Ming You couldn’t help but let a faint smile grace her lips.

The cloud over her heart lifted a bit. With Yan Ningxi staring right at her, Ming You seized the opportunity to leave. “I won’t interrupt Sister Yan and her friend. I’m off.” Then she called out a little louder, “Oh, and beautiful teacher big sis—I’m an alum. My name’s Ming You.”

The subtext was clear: they wouldn’t run into each other at school, so there was no need for any teacher-student awkwardness.

Once she was out of the neighborhood, Ming You posted that morning’s noodle picture to her Space feed, captioning it 【Delectable Beauty】.

Every post and picture on her Space was visible to only one person. There were never any likes or comments. Still, she had kept it up for two years.

She pulled up her WeChat chats and scrolled to a new contact: Jiang Lai.

【Ming You: Jiang, got time tomorrow?】
【Jiang Lai: Yes!】
【Ming You: I saw news about that new viral bookstore on Ancient Street last month. Wanna check it out with me?】
【Jiang Lai: Absolutely!】
【Ming You: Cool. Meet at the bookstore door at ten?】
【Jiang Lai: Yup yup! See you tomorrow!】

…

Qi Xuexin was a regular at the apartment and knew Yan Ningxi’s routine cold. She rarely missed her, so she usually skipped calling ahead.

Texting in advance often got her blocked at the door anyway.

The kitchen sink held unwashed bowls and dishes—the volume of which screamed “a girl had dinner here.”

Yan Ningxi tied on her apron. “Have some fruit first to settle your nerves. Give me a second.”

Qi Xuexin leaned against the kitchen doorframe holding a fruit platter. “Yan Huahua, when do I get to mooch dinner without having to do the dishes like her?”

“When your arm snaps.”

“…” Qi Xuexin nearly choked on her dragon fruit. “Favoring beauty over your friends! But seriously, are you going for the nurturing route?”

“What does that mean?” Yan Ningxi was untested in love and clueless about the lingo.

“Nurturing… never mind. She’s fresh-faced, polite, and quick-witted—a prime prospect for nurturing.”

Spelling it out might jinx things. Qi Xuexin just wanted Yan Ningxi to finally have a romantic breakthrough; how long it lasted was a problem for another day.

From university classmates and roommates to now coworkers, they were both teachers at the same school in Huai’an City—one in the high school division, the other in the junior high division.

Qi Xuexin was two or three months older. They had been classmates and roommates at Normal University. Yan Ningxi went on to finish her master’s, while Qi Xuexin tapped out after her bachelor’s.

Qi Xuexin figured out her orientation in junior high, had a shaky first love in high school, and got her second girlfriend three months into her freshman year—boldly confessing to her roommates.

Whether she was playful or just made bad picks, her romances always soured quickly.

In her working years, Qi Xuexin flitted through flings, chasing bodily bliss. She had no interest in hearts and feelings from others.

By contrast, Yan Ningxi seemed straight out of a xianxia story—like an emotionless Dao cultivator.

This rare bud in the mortal world? Qi Xuexin was savoring every detail.

Yan Ningxi finished her kitchen duties and came into the living room to find the fruit platter emptied by Qi Xuexin. When she reached for it, she was yanked onto the sofa, her shoulder pinned.

“Qi Xuexin!”

“Shh—we’re tight, so don’t get weird. I just want to check—did she leave any marks on you?”

Before her hands could even wander, the battle-hardened Qi Xuexin clocked the hickey on her neck and was struck dumb.

Well, it seemed her sister was a bottom, just like her. A perfect “bottom-bottom” match.

Qi Xuexin had been a top with her first love and her second girlfriend. The pursuit, the spoiling, the sweet-talking—it was all soul-draining. Afterward, she just wanted to lie flat on her back.

Yan Ningxi fixed her collar and kicked her out. “You’ve scarfed down the fruit and caused enough chaos—go home. I have things to do tomorrow.”

She said she had stuff to do, and she meant it.

Qi Xuexin flashed a placating grin. “Don’t be angry! This is a business call, too.” She pulled a file from her bag. “Scan this person’s details. If you’re keen, I’ll send you their WeChat.”

“Mm. I’ll review it and reply.” Yan Ningxi’s heart, however, was a wreck.

Qi Xuexin’s mouth was relentless—even at the door, she poked her head back in to say, “Yan Huahua, you’re 26 now. Being in love isn’t embarrassing.”

…

Excited for her date with her senpai, Jiang Lai had been buzzing all night. She chose her outfit carefully: a sweet, British-style plaid skirt suit, subtle makeup, and her bobbed black hair amplifying her cute, baby-faced features.

At the bookstore door, Jiang Lai waved. “Ming You-senpai, over here! You’re perfectly on time; the crowd is still light.”

Ming You, dressed casually in a white t-shirt and jeans, passed her a milk tea. “Are we hunting for classics or cram books?”

“Just before the break, Teacher He recommended some extracurricular reading. This is perfect.” Jiang Lai cradled the tea and glanced at the logo. “Thanks, senpai—this shop is really viral. On opening day, my pals and I had to queue for half an hour.”

“It’s a hype tactic. It fades fast—see, there’s no line today.” Ming You had a sweet tooth but balked at waits longer than ten minutes; the empty queue had sealed the deal for her.

They walked in side-by-side. The interior was a designer’s dream, with tiered wooden spiral stairs and mirrors on the ceiling and walls.

“Go grab your books; I’ll wander around. WeChat me when you’re ready.”

“Got it, senpai,” Jiang Lai nodded.

Browsing solo, Ming You skimmed a book titled 100 Things to Do with a Lover. The urge to buy it hit her, but the risk of Jiang Lai seeing it made her put it down.

She dropped it.

Over an hour later, they were having lunch at a tea restaurant.

After they ordered, Ming You nursed a passion fruit juice and started her intelligence gathering. “How many classes are in the senior year now?”

“Fifteen.”

“One shy of our year. Have there been any demo or open Chinese lessons lately?”

“Nope. Our grade has a drama competition next month, so we’re tweaking scripts for National Day,” Jiang Lai answered directly.

Ming You’s interest perked. “Activities in senior year? That’s impressive.” Then she said, “Jiang Lai.”

“Senpai?”

“Relax—I’m just asking about school stuff. The thing is, Teacher Yan is my cousin. She’s newish and doesn’t have many friends. She’s tightest with Teacher He in her group, but Teacher He is married—her family comes first. So, could you tip me off about Sister Yan’s school stuff when you can? No secrets: the highs, the lows, her joys, her gripes… so I can either share in them or support her. She bottles everything up, and it bugs me.”

As proof, she flashed her WeChat, showing her pinned chat with Yan Ningxi. “This is ours. I’m not fibbing.”

Jiang Lai didn’t have Teacher Yan’s WeChat, but she recognized the avatar and name. She also remembered Teacher He asking Yan Ningxi to watch over Ming You at her wedding. The story was solid.

“Mm, I trust you. It’s a deal. Am I your mole? Or a spy?”

“A kind messenger,” Ming You tweaked. “And if you ever need a favor, just ask me.”

Jiang Lai twisted her fingers together and mumbled, “I do have a favor. I love your voice, senpai. Could you record a line for me to use as an alarm?”

Ming You smiled inwardly. “Which line?”

Jiang Lai typed shyly on her phone: 【Jiang classmate, do your best today.】

“Mm, ‘Jiang classmate—do your best.’ I can record it soon. You’re not in a rush, are you?”

“N-no.”

Ming You took a sip of her drink. “Is Teacher Yan popular at school? Is she the fierce type?”

“Teacher Yan?” Jiang Lai pondered. “Teacher He is more familiar to us. For instance, she smiles softly, and her neutral face is welcoming. It’s weird—Teacher Yan looks gentler on the surface, with that ghost of a smile, but there’s no joy in it. When she frowns, her aura is crushing—it’s really intimidating. Teacher He is softer and more approachable, so the brats in class test her more. Uh, most of my classmates sort of agree. Her private tag is ‘Yan Goddess.’ We rarely piss her off.”

“Teacher He,” Ming You paused, “does she still cry because of student antics?”

The lunch rush peaked, and patrons poured in.

At their two-person table, they were only about seventy centimeters apart, but this was the first question Jiang Lai missed.

She leaned in, batting her eyes. “Senpai, could you say that again? It’s so noisy—I missed it.”

“Never mind. Let’s eat.”

Yan Ningxi didn’t get the whole weekend off. Her original work schedule for the day was from three to five in the afternoon, but last night she had taken a job introduced by Qi Xuexin, and the client had scheduled it from seven to nine at night.

At nine-thirty, when she returned to her doorstep, she was slightly startled by the person leaning against the wall.

“Ming You?”

The girl was hugging her knees with her head buried in them. Yan Ningxi thought she had fallen asleep and gently patted her shoulder. “Are you looking for me?”

There was still no response.

Yan Ningxi squatted down too and unexpectedly met the girl’s hazy gaze.

“Sister Yan…” Her voice was terribly hoarse.

Detecting something wrong, Yan Ningxi touched the girl’s face and then her forehead. Her temperature was higher than normal. “If you’re sick, why didn’t you go to the hospital? Why didn’t you call me? There’s a community clinic just outside the neighborhood. Let’s go get you checked out first. If it’s serious, we can go to a big hospital.”

“I’m not going. I’m not sick. I’m just a little cold and dizzy,” Ming You said firmly.

Yan Ningxi didn’t have much strength, and with Ming You refusing to cooperate, she couldn’t pull her up. Annoyed, she said, “Give me your family’s phone number.”

The girl bit her lower lip to clear her head and managed to force out some tears. “My parents are divorced. They each have their own new families, with their own elders and children to look after. Which family’s number do you want?”

Seeing the girl’s dim expression, Yan Ningxi’s gaze flickered slightly, but she made no further move.

Ming You gave a bitter smile and, using a retreat-to-advance tactic, pulled out her hotel room card. “Sister Yan, we only met by chance. We’re not even friends, so you really have no reason to care about my life or death. Can you just do me one last favor and send me back to the hotel?”