Chapter 59

After Yue Bai’s birthday, Sang Wan grew busy as well. With finals approaching, she not only had to prepare for her exams but also help handle Student Council business.

Yue Bai, meanwhile, was occupied with her illustrations. She wanted to finish all her assignments early during the times she couldn’t cling to Sang Wan, freeing up more opportunities to visit her.

On January tenth, A City welcomed its first major snowfall. Snowflakes swirled and danced through the air, and by the end of evening study hall, a pristine blanket had covered all of A University.

Yue Bai wrapped her pure white scarf tighter and huffed out a breath of warm air. “The snow’s really coming down.”

Xu Nuo rubbed her sore eyes beside her—too much screen time had left her vision blurry. “Even the layer of snow on the paths has melted from everyone trampling it.”

Water and ice mingled with each step, sending tiny droplets splashing.

Yue Bai rubbed her hands together. She had always run warm, her palms perpetually toasty.

She pulled out her phone and silently counted down the minutes. The very moment the clock struck 4:45, the video call chimed. “Senior Sister.”

Sang Wan propped her weary forehead with one hand, a gentle smile softening her tired eyes. Yue Bai’s voice eased some of her fatigue, and she shifted into a more comfortable position. “It’s snowing out there—roads will be slippery. Be careful on your walk.”

“Got it.” Yue Bai’s reply came bright and crisp. She noticed the familiar backdrop behind Sang Wan. “Is Senior Sister still at the Student Council office?”

“Mm. These past few days, everyone’s been rushing in to catch up on paperwork. I have to compile all the materials and summaries for the teachers, distribute notices to every class… and squeeze in some studying.” Sang Wan stifled a yawn behind her hand. “Are you on your way back now?”

“Mm-hm.” Yue Bai nodded and flipped the camera around. “Senior Sister, look—the snow’s so thick, the whole lawn is covered.”

“I see it.” Sang Wan adjusted her position again.

“Hey, Little Bai!”

A snowball traced a perfect arc through the air, smacking Yue Bai squarely in the chest. It burst on impact, sending flakes tumbling down her down jacket and leaving a dark wet stain.

Yue Bai looked up in a daze just as another snowball hurtled toward her. She twisted aside, dodging it by a hair.

“Hahaha, nice moves, Little Bai!” Chen Han hefted a fresh-packed snowball, then lobbed it at someone else.

“You guys sneak-attacked us!” Yue Bai’s competitive spark ignited. She scooped a handful of snow from the nearby lawn and hurled it at Zhao Yu, her first assailant.

The four of them erupted into joyful chaos, laughing and pelting each other with snow.

Yue Bai held her phone aloft in one hand, her laughter light and carefree.

From the other end of the call, Sang Wan listened through her Bluetooth earbuds. She couldn’t make out Yue Bai’s face clearly, but that soft, silvery giggle was enough to tug her own lips into a smile.

“Wow, who built that snowman?” Xu Nuo called out in delight.

Passersby paused to snap photos with their phones, and Yue Bai joined in.

Her palms throbbed with heat and ache after their impromptu snowball fight.

Only then did Yue Bai remember she was still on video with Sang Wan. She lifted her arm, but the screen had gone dark—Sang Wan must have ended the call first, though she couldn’t recall exactly when.

Two unread messages waited. Yue Bai tapped them open.

The first was a photo: the snowman from moments ago, a screenshot Sang Wan had taken. It was a bit off-center.

The second read: “Does this count as something we saw together?”

Yue Bai’s mouth split into a wide grin. “It does.”

She fired off her own photo of the snowman in reply.

She returned to the Teachers’ Apartment alone. These days, she had been getting back well before Sang Wan.

After her shower, Yue Bai spotted Sang Wan’s unwashed undergarments in the basin. Her gaze darkened for a moment. Then, after a brief hesitation, she picked up the basin.

Senior Sister had washed hers last time. It was only fair if she returned the favor.

She lay on the bed for a while after finishing the laundry, but suddenly a sharp cramp twisted through her lower abdomen, followed by a familiar warm trickle.

Yue Bai’s expression shifted. She checked the date on her phone—her period had arrived.

She dashed to the bathroom. Fortunately, she’d caught it in time; nothing had stained her clothes.

“Phew.” Yue Bai let out a relieved breath.

Back in bed, she felt drained all over—whether from her mind playing tricks or the natural response, her lower belly throbbed with heavy, pulling pain.

Cramps rarely bothered her, but if she got chilled, they hit hard.

With the sudden cold snap over the past couple of days, she’d probably taken a chill.

Yue Bai writhed on the bed, too drained to even touch her phone. She curled into a tight ball, knees drawn to her chest, arms wrapped around herself.

The pain built relentlessly, like blades slicing into her flesh. Her features contorted, cold sweat beading across her forehead.

In her haze, she felt on the verge of blacking out from the agony.

She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she vaguely registered the door opening.

“Little Bai.” Sang Wan shrugged off her coat and knelt on the bed beside her. She rubbed her hands vigorously until they warmed, then pressed them to Yue Bai’s forehead, her brows knitting. “No fever.”

It clicked then—the date. Sang Wan bit her tongue in annoyance. In her busyness, she’d completely forgotten.

Yue Bai had never suffered bad cramps before, so Sang Wan hadn’t prepared anything.

The room felt drafty and empty. Sang Wan flicked on the air conditioner. “Hang in there, Little Bai. Senior Sister’s going to make you some brown sugar water.”

They had some red sugar at home from before.

Cradling the steaming mug, Sang Wan gently helped Yue Bai sit up. “Little Bai, have a little.”

“Too hot.” Yue Bai turned her face away, her hands feebly pushing at the mug.

Sang Wan fetched a spoon from the kitchen, scooped up a bit, and blew on it carefully until it cooled. Then she fed it to Yue Bai.

“Tastes awful.” Yue Bai refused another sip.

After several futile tries, Sang Wan gave up.

She rummaged in the drawer for a heating patch, tore it open, and applied it to Yue Bai’s belly.

“Don’t touch my stomach.” Yue Bai mumbled, half-asleep as she pushed at Sang Wan’s hand.

Sang Wan pressed her lips together in helplessness and pulled back a little.

As the room warmed, Yue Bai drifted into a hazy sleep. Sang Wan waited until she settled, then slipped into the bathroom for a quick shower.

When she emerged, she noticed the basin of now-clean clothes. Her dangling hand twitched; a rare flush of shyness warmed her cheeks.

In the bedroom, Sang Wan still carried a chill on her skin. She didn’t dare slide straight under the covers for fear of waking Yue Bai.

Instead, she carefully lifted one edge of the blanket and eased half her body in, holding her breath. When Yue Bai didn’t stir, she slipped the rest in too.

“Cold,” Yue Bai mumbled.

Sang Wan’s heart sank.

“I’ll warm you up,” Yue Bai murmured next.

Sang Wan curved her lips in amusement. Even in pain, she was still thinking of her.

Sang Wan lay on her side at the bed’s edge, waiting until her body fully warmed before scooting closer to Yue Bai.

In sleep, Yue Bai’s features still twisted in discomfort, her lips pursed in a pout that made her look adorably mistreated.

Sang Wan’s heart ached for her. She pressed a tender kiss to Yue Bai’s forehead.

The next morning, Yue Bai had only hazy memories of the night before.

She vaguely recalled Sang Wan making her brown sugar water—and how she’d rejected it after one spoonful.

She also remembered the heating patch. Glancing down instinctively, she saw it had already been removed from her sleepshirt.

Yue Bai struggled out of bed. The pain had faded to a dull heaviness; nothing more.

“Still hurting?” Sang Wan stepped into the bedroom to wake her and paused, seeing Yue Bai already dressed.

“Not anymore.” Yue Bai flushed with embarrassment. “Sorry for the trouble last night, Senior Sister.”

“You dummy—why didn’t you call me right away?” Sang Wan closed the distance and ruffled her hair fondly.

“Go wash up. Breakfast is ready.”

“Mm.”

After breakfast, Sang Wan dropped Yue Bai off at the base of the Teaching Building. Still worried, she added, “Call me if the pain comes back.”

“I know, Senior Sister.” Yue Bai smiled.

Her cramps never lasted long; they always passed quickly.

“Mm.” Sang Wan opened her mouth for more but Yue Bai cut her off.

“If you don’t go now, you’ll be late.” Yue Bai grinned mischievously.

Yue Bai watched Sang Wan until she was out of sight, then lowered her gaze to her belly. The heating patch Senior Sister had applied that morning was still there.

“Senior Sister…” Yue Bai chuckled softly to herself and headed into the building.

Their hectic routine finally ended the day the exams wrapped up. Emerging from the exam hall, Yue Bai stretched her arms high overhead.

Her eyes landed on Sang Wan, casually leaning against the railing. Yue Bai smiled at her from afar.

“See you after the New Year, then,” she called to her roommates in farewell.

“See you!”

Sang Wan watched with a smile in her eyes as the bouncy figure skipped over and hooked an arm through hers. “Vacation time. When are you heading home?”

“Hm… probably not for a bit. When are you going, Senior Sister?” Yue Bai asked in return.

“Whenever works. We could go back to Home City together.” Sang Wan smiled. They were both from there, after all—traveling as a pair would be convenient.

“Sure!”

Back at the dorm, Yue Bai started packing her things.

“Move in with me full-time next semester,” Sang Wan said, following her inside. “You hardly ever stay here anyway.”

Ever since they’d gotten together, Yue Bai spent most nights at the Teachers’ Apartment. She only returned to the dorm during competitions or crunch-time studying.

Sang Wan hated those solitary nights.

“Mm, sounds good.” Yue Bai considered it and nodded.

And so, once Yue Bai had sorted the items she planned to take home, Sang Wan helped haul the rest to the Teachers’ Apartment.

Senior Sister seems awfully eager, Yue Bai thought with a bounce in her step.

Sang Wan’s family would pick them up for the trip home.

Yue Bai and Sang Wan sat in the back seat.

“Get some sleep.” Ignoring the driver’s slightly shocked glance in the rearview mirror, Sang Wan pulled Yue Bai into her arms. “It’s still early.”

“Mm.” Yue Bai nestled comfortably against her.

When she woke again, the scenery outside had grown familiar.

“Senior Sister, look! It’s Yuelan High School—that’s where I went to middle school.” Yue Bai pointed excitedly at the passing school gate.

“Mm, I see it.” Sang Wan turned her head with a smile.

Following the GPS and Yue Bai’s directions, she pulled up in front of a high-end residence. The building’s exterior was elegantly refined, surrounded by lush greenery.

“See you next year, Senior Sister.” Yue Bai hopped out, grabbed her luggage from the trunk, and waved cheerfully at the woman in the car.

“See you next year.” Sang Wan waved back with a smile.

The car slowly turned around.

No one noticed the window that had opened on one of the central floors. A woman stood there, quietly observing everything below.

Once Yue Bai’s figure had vanished completely from view, the last trace of a smile faded from Sang Wan’s face. The thought of the person waiting for her back home filled her with exhaustion.

Meanwhile, Yue Bai dragged her suitcase into the elevator and glanced down at her phone.

There was no signal inside.

She punched in the code on the door lock. With a soft ding, the door swung open.

The empty apartment was just as she had left it months ago. Yue Bai gave the place a quick once-over and curled her lip.

She left the suitcase by the door and collapsed onto the soft sofa.

“Guess who I am.” A pair of equally soft hands covered her eyes from behind.