Chapter 43

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the bedroom window. Yue Bai rolled over, shifting direction to keep sleeping. Two seconds later, she shot upright, instinctively glancing at the spot beside her. The person who should have been sleeping there was gone.

Yue Bai stared blankly around the room. The spacious bedroom felt far more comfortable than her cramped dorm. She shook her head, her foggy thoughts gradually clearing.

Last night, she had confessed to Sang Wan, and they had gotten together. She had fallen asleep in Sang Wan’s arms. Yue Bai gazed around in wonder, hugging herself in disbelief.

The mere thought of Sang Wan turned Yue Bai’s fair cheeks bright red. Only then did she realize that she hadn’t seen Sang Wan since waking up.

“Senior Sister?” Yue Bai called out tentatively. The only response was the crisp ticking of the electronic clock in the silent air.

“Not here?” Yue Bai thumped the blanket in frustration, figuring Sang Wan must have gone to class. But why hadn’t she said anything before leaving?

A faint sourness welled up in Yue Bai’s chest. Irritated, she grabbed her phone. The lock screen showed two unread messages.

Were they from Senior Sister? She unlocked it eagerly and tapped them open.

The screen refreshed.

“Good morning, Little Bai. Senior Sister went to class.” —Sang Wan.

“Breakfast is on a tray in the bedroom. Don’t forget to eat it.” —Sang Wan.

The brief frustration melted away at those words. Yue Bai clutched her phone, a silly smile spreading across her lips that she couldn’t suppress. Her fingers danced lightly across the screen.

“Good morning, Senior Sister. I’m getting up to eat now.” —Yue Bai.

After sending it, she got out of bed, dressed, and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.

When she returned to the bedroom, her phone screen lit up with a new message from Sang Wan.

“Check if it’s still warm. If it’s cooled, heat it in the microwave.” —Sang Wan.

“Got it.” —Yue Bai.

On the desk sat a plated breakfast. Yue Bai touched it—it was still warm.

No need to heat it, then.

She wolfed it down in no time and washed the dish.

Perched on the edge of the bed, Yue Bai still couldn’t quite believe it. She and Sang Wan were together now, just like that.

Reflecting on all the little moments from the past, Yue Bai couldn’t pinpoint exactly when her feelings for Sang Wan had blossomed. All she could think of was last night—sniffling and crying in Sang Wan’s embrace.

How embarrassing. Why had she cried like that? Yue Bai groaned and flopped back onto the bed in annoyance.

“No, that’s not right.” She sat up again and opened her search app. “I remember it exists.”

Ten minutes later, her eyes sparkled as she jumped to her feet. A grand, idealistic plan took shape in her mind.

At noon, when class ended and Sang Wan opened the door, she was greeted by the sight of Yue Bai sitting in the living room, beaming with eager anticipation. Where was the shy girl from yesterday?

Talk about a quick change.

“Senior Sister.” Yue Bai trotted over lightly, took the bag from Sang Wan’s hand, and hung it on the hook by the entrance. Then she pulled Sang Wan toward the dining table. “I’ve made lunch. Come eat.”

Sang Wan raised an eyebrow, amused, letting herself be led into the living room and pressed into a chair.

She blinked at the plates of shredded potatoes and spicy stir-fried eggs. “This is the lunch you made?”

“Yeah.” Yue Bai nodded proudly, ladling a bowl of rice and handing it to her with expectant eyes. “Senior Sister, try it. I made it myself.”

Sang Wan’s lips curved into a smile. Obligingly, she picked up some shredded potatoes with her chopsticks, took a small bite, and under Yue Bai’s watchful gaze, pulled out a tissue to dab her mouth. “It’s delicious.”

Yue Bai plopped down opposite her, beaming as she took a bite herself. “Hehe, when I was little and my sister didn’t have time to cook, I’d make it myself.”

“But these are the only two dishes I know.” Yue Bai added sheepishly.

Sang Wan’s chewing slowed. She looked straight at Yue Bai. When Yue Bai mentioned her sister, Sang Wan’s heart clenched sharply, remembering what Zhou Qingyan had said long ago—that Yue Bai had grown up under her sister’s care. An inexplicable ache bloomed in her chest.

“It’s delicious,” Sang Wan said softly.

“Of course. These are my signature dishes. I’ll learn more later and cook them for you, Senior Sister.” Yue Bai piled some vegetables into Sang Wan’s bowl.

Sang Wan glanced down at her rice, smiling faintly. “Mm, sounds good.”

She wouldn’t dampen Yue Bai’s enthusiasm.

After lunch, Yue Bai cleared the dishes and took them to the kitchen to wash. Sang Wan leaned against the counter nearby, watching her.

“Class this afternoon?” Sang Wan asked, propping her elbow on the counter, her gaze on Yue Bai’s hands.

“The counselor’s class,” Yue Bai replied without looking up. “Art Appreciation.”

Sang Wan hummed in acknowledgment.

Yue Bai rinsed the last dishes and put them away, shaking water from her hands. “Does Senior Sister have class this afternoon?”

Sang Wan nodded. “One.”

She took Yue Bai’s hand, dried it off, then led her to the living room sofa.

Sitting face-to-face, Yue Bai’s composure from lunch crumbled again, her cheeks flushing.

“Don’t you want to hug me?” Sang Wan teased, twirling a stray lock of hair by Yue Bai’s ear.

“I do.” Following what she’d searched up, Yue Bai spread her arms and pulled Sang Wan into an embrace. As their warm bodies pressed together, she caught that same faint, comforting scent from their first tutoring session—the one that had wafted past when Sang Wan brushed by her.

Subtle. And so pleasant.

The hug lasted a full minute.

“What time did you get up this morning?” Sang Wan asked, releasing Yue Bai. She stood, shrugged off her light jacket, hung it up, and returned to the sofa.

“Eight-thirty,” Yue Bai answered honestly.

“Not too late.” Sang Wan sat back down. “You used to sleep until noon. I was worried you wouldn’t eat breakfast.”

“Hehe.” Yue Bai scooted closer. “What time did you get up, Senior Sister?”

“A little after six,” Sang Wan said.

“So early!” Yue Bai exclaimed.

“Mm. I went for a run, came back, made breakfast, then headed to class.” Sang Wan gazed tenderly at Yue Bai and removed her glasses, setting them on the coffee table.

“Oh.” Yue Bai figured she’d never match her Senior Sister’s discipline in this lifetime.

After a short rest, Sang Wan walked Yue Bai to the Art Building. She watched her head upstairs before turning toward the Music Education Building.

At noon, Yue Bai had texted Xu Nuo to bring the Art Appreciation textbook to class for her.

Xu Nuo was used to this by now and just asked routinely if Yue Bai was at Senior Sister Sang’s place.

Yue Bai settled into her usual spot in the center of the third row and skimmed the lesson content.

After the first half of the large lecture ended, Yue Bai fetched a cup of hot water from the drinking fountain at the far end of the hallway. On her way back, she spotted the counselor on her phone, talking to someone. Yue Bai glanced over and slipped into the classroom.

The second half began, and the counselor entered from outside, firing up a new PowerPoint slide to start lecturing.

When she reached the Venetian Painting School, a knock sounded at the door.

Startled by the noise, every eye in the room turned to the entrance.

Sang Wan stood there in a light brown trench coat, a gentle smile on her face. “Teacher.”

The counselor brightened at the sight of her. “So quick. Thanks for the trouble.”

As she spoke, she walked toward Sang Wan. Yue Bai saw Sang Wan’s lips move, but with the counselor already at the door, the words were too quiet to catch. She guessed it was something like “No problem.”

A moment later, the counselor returned to the lectern with a file in hand. Sang Wan followed her into the classroom and took a seat in the empty front row on the left.

“???” Yue Bai stared at Sang Wan in confusion. Sang Wan tilted her head at her.

The counselor, young and familiar with Sang Wan, joked, “This is a senior from the Music College, here to audit the class.”

Yue Bai’s curious gaze hadn’t left Sang Wan since she entered.

The counselor continued the lesson.

“Senior Sister, why are you here?” Yue Bai snuck a message to her.

Sang Wan glanced at her phone and typed back: “To keep you company in class.”

Yue Bai grinned ear to ear, still staring.

The counselor shot her a few looks, puzzled that her usually attentive student was zoning out. Curious, she followed Yue Bai’s line of sight to Sang Wan and teased, “Ahem, some students, stop staring at the senior the whole time. If you’re curious, you can ask for her contact info after class—instead of gawking during lecture.”

Yue Bai: “…”

She turned, catching a few guys behind her quickly averting their eyes. She frowned and glared at each one.

What are you looking at? Senior Sister is hers. She gave them all a thorough stare-down.

“Counselor, if we go ask, will Senior Sister give it to us?” a guy in the back row called out loudly.

Sang Wan glanced indifferently at him.

“Don’t interrupt. Pay attention,” the counselor laughed. “If you want her contact, figure it out after class. Don’t derail my lesson.”

Yue Bai smirked inwardly. She’d stick close to Senior Sister after class and see who dared ask.

With that thought, her eyes drifted back to Sang Wan. From her angle, she could only see Sang Wan’s profile and the elegant bridge of her nose.

Senior Sister is so beautiful. Yue Bai’s full attention was on her.

“Ahem.” The counselor cleared her throat a few times.

Yue Bai didn’t react.

Sang Wan noticed and looked over. Their eyes met in midair.

Yue Bai froze for a moment, then lowered her head like she’d been caught red-handed.

After a long pause, she looked up again. Sang Wan had already turned back around.

Her phone buzzed once in the hollow of her desk. Yue Bai fumbled for it and pulled it out—it was a message from Sang Wan.

“Good looking?” Sang Wan.

She’d been busted. Yue Bai’s ears flushed a little red.

“Good looking.” Yue Bai.

“Do you like it?”

“I like it.”

“I like you too.”

The grin tugging at Yue Bai’s lips grew even wider.

“Yue Bai.” The counselor couldn’t take it anymore. She had no idea what had gotten into this girl, who had been perfectly fine during the first period of class but was now sitting there like a total space case, grinning like an idiot the whole time. “Come on up here and name some representative figures of the Venetian Painting School.”

“…” Yue Bai jolted to her feet on reflex when her name was called. “Uh…”

Put on the spot so suddenly, her mind went completely blank.

“You don’t know?” the counselor prompted.

Yue Bai’s fingers drummed irregularly on the desk as she tried to steady her nerves. A moment later, two names surfaced in her mind. “Giorgione and Titian.”

Sang Wan arched a brow the instant Yue Bai spoke the names. Propping her chin on one hand, she twisted around to regard the still-standing girl with a playful glint in her eye.

“And what’s Giorgione’s most famous work?” Clearly, the counselor had no intention of letting her off the hook so easily.

But Yue Bai had her wits about her now. She answered promptly, “Sleeping Venus.”

“Mm. You can sit down.” The counselor nodded.

Yue Bai had barely dropped back into her seat when the edge of her phone screen lit up with a notification. She tapped it open: “Not paying attention in class? Teacher caught you, huh.”

Yue Bai glanced instinctively toward Sang Wan, only to meet the radiant smile blooming on her lips. Without looking, she hammered out a reply: “Beauty has led me astray.”

Sang Wan shot her a helpless look and gestured firmly for her to focus on the lesson.