Chapter 14

Returning to Sang Wan’s dorm, Yue Bai had just touched the graphic drawing tablet with her fingers when someone knocked on the door. Seeing that Sang Wan showed no intention of getting up to answer it, Yue Bai was about to stand when the door was pushed open from the outside.

“Truly rude,” the person who had opened the door tsked, leaning against the doorframe as she surveyed the two people inside the dorm.

Sang Wan exchanged a helpless glance with the girl standing behind the speaker before finally rising to her feet. “You barge in without my permission, and then you call me rude?”

“What else?” Zhou Qingyan spread her hands in a shrug. “Mo Mo and I came all the way from the west district just to see you. You don’t even come out to greet us, and you don’t open the door to welcome us. Isn’t that just rude?”

Sang Wan had no desire to argue with her further. “Got it. Next time you come, I’ll open the door early and wait for you.”

“That’s more like it.” Zhou Qingyan looked immensely pleased with herself.

Yue Bai gazed in delighted surprise at the two newcomers. “Senior Sister Zhou, Senior Sister Wen.”

Zhou Qingyan grinned as she took Wen Mo’s hand and stepped inside. She first craned her neck to peek at the sketch Yue Bai had base-coated, nodding in satisfaction. “Not bad. You’ve done a great job.”

Yue Bai’s cheeks flushed at the praise. She subtly glanced at the hidden layer beneath. Did Senior Sister Zhou just compliment her without even checking properly?

“Thank you for the praise, Senior Sister,” Yue Bai said.

Zhou Qingyan’s gaze shifted to Sang Wan, the teasing glint in her eyes growing even more pronounced.

“Why’d you come looking for me all of a sudden?” Sang Wan took a couple of steps forward to close the still-open door, then leaned casually against it.

Zhou Qingyan and Wen Mo exchanged a glance. The latter’s expression grew more serious as her peripheral vision swept over Yue Bai, who appeared to be earnestly painting but was actually observing them through the screen’s reflection. Wen Mo quickly schooled her features.

“Ah Wan, come out here with me for a moment,” Wen Mo said.

Yue Bai’s hand slipped, applying too much color. Feeling a pang of guilt, she hit undo and continued painting as if nothing had happened.

“Mm.” Sang Wan made a soft sound of acknowledgment and followed Wen Mo out to the balcony.

The glass door slid shut behind them, muffling the sounds from the room.

“What do you want to say?” Sang Wan stared unwaveringly at the cool-featured girl before her. The two had known each other since childhood, and though they’d spent a few years apart, their relationship remained solid.

“These past few days… have you been okay?” Wen Mo paused for several seconds. She knew a bit about Sang Wan’s situation, and a faint concern flickered in her eyes.

“Heh.” Sang Wan let out a light chuckle. She turned her gaze toward the interior of the dorm, where Yue Bai was slightly hunched over her work, painting intently, while Zhou Qingyan draped herself over the back of Yue Bai’s chair, admiring the screen. “Not bad at all.”

Hearing this, Wen Mo breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She followed Sang Wan’s line of sight. “Yan Yan and I never expected you’d pull Yue Bai into this.”

Sang Wan arched a brow. “It’s just an on-campus competition, nothing more.”

Wen Mo smiled, resting her arms on the balcony railing behind her. “Mm, it’s a little out of character for you. Since when do you take such good care of someone you’ve only known for a short time?”

“Wasn’t it you and Yan Yan who told me to look after her?” Sang Wan countered.

“Fair enough.” Wen Mo nodded noncommittally, then turned her head to meet Sang Wan’s eyes directly. “She’s got a pretty cheerful personality. It’d be good for you to have her around.”

Cheerful? Sang Wan let out a low laugh. Her junior seemed especially ill-at-ease every time they were together—where was this cheerfulness she’d supposedly missed?

Still…

“She does bring me some amusement,” Sang Wan said, her lips curving upward. “I’m quite interested in her.”

“Is that so?” Now it was Wen Mo’s turn to look surprised. Sang Wan might seem gentle on the surface, but when had she ever said something like that in private? Staring into those exceptionally clear eyes, Wen Mo quelled the impulse in her palm and repeated, “It’d be good to have her keep you company.”

With that, the two fell silent.

Zhou Qingyan and Wen Mo didn’t stay long before leaving.

“Little Yue Bai, next time Senior Sister will come see you alone,” Zhou Qingyan said before departing.

Yue Bai smiled and agreed.

“Sang Wan, see you later,” Wen Mo said with a nod.

“See you.”

The dorm fell quiet once more, filled only with the soft scratches of the stylus. Sang Wan hugged her tablet to her chest as she sorted through some documents. Her eyes flicked upward to check the time, and the corners of her mouth lifted in the faintest of smiles.

Time slipped by. Yue Bai finished about half the piece and stretched her neck, which had grown sore from hours of focus. Glancing at the time displayed at the bottom of her screen, she gasped.

Eleven thirty.

“It’s eleven thirty!” Yue Bai exclaimed, shooting to her feet with a screech of her chair against the floor.

Sang Wan lightly touched her ear before setting down her tablet and looking up. “Mm, eleven thirty.”

Yue Bai looked on the verge of tears. Her phone screen was bombarded with countless messages and missed calls—she’d had it on silent and hadn’t heard a thing.

“I’m done for. Curfew’s past,” she said, her face crumpling in dismay.

Amusement danced in Sang Wan’s eyes as she remarked offhandedly, “Curfew’s at eleven. You probably won’t make it back now.”

Yue Bai sighed. “I’ll go try anyway. Maybe the dorm auntie will let me in.”

“Mm, she might open the door. But she’ll probably give you a stern warning,” Sang Wan said unhurriedly, reclining in her chair.

“What am I supposed to do, Senior Sister?” Yue Bai wailed, on the brink of tears. “I have class tomorrow morning.”

Sang Wan rose and approached the computer. She examined Yue Bai’s painting, her eyes brimming with barely contained laughter. “Stay here tonight. Is that okay?”

Yue Bai’s expression froze for a moment. Incredulous, she ventured, “Is that… really okay?”

Sang Wan nodded gently. “After all, I invited you over. I can’t have my junior out on the streets, can I?”

Smiling, she pulled a set of pajamas and undergarments from the wardrobe. Her long, pale fingers trailed over the fabric as she said, “These are clean and unused. If you don’t mind…”

“I don’t mind at all!” Yue Bai rushed to say. She gratefully accepted the clothes from Sang Wan and dashed into the bathroom.

Watching her go, Sang Wan lowered her head with a soft chuckle, settling against the desk. Her phone screen lingered on a message from the contact labeled “Father,” which she deleted without a second thought.

A few seconds later, she opened her chat with Zhou Qingyan. “Thanks for sending over the junior. I like her a lot.”

“???” Zhou Qingyan replied.

“What do you mean by that?” Zhou Qingyan.

“The literal meaning,” Sang Wan said. She turned off the screen and tilted her head back. The stark white wall gleamed coldly under the light as she idly brushed her fingers across her cheek, feeling the warmth there.

Half an hour later, Yue Bai emerged, her damp hair wrapped up, looking somewhat awkward. “Senior Sister, do you have a hairdryer?”

Sang Wan hummed in affirmation. “It’s in the drawer of the desk behind you.”

Yue Bai fetched it obediently and moved aside to dry her hair.

Sang Wan fiddled with her phone, then grabbed a set of pajamas she rarely wore. Before entering the bathroom, she called out, “Remember to tell your roommates so they don’t worry.”

“Mm, okay.” Yue Bai replied. Senior Sister really was so thoughtful.

Sang Wan smiled to herself inwardly as she twisted the bathroom doorknob, leaving one thought unspoken: After all, I’ve seen your phone screen light up and go dark countless times.