Chapter 74
That night, it was raining a little, a drizzling rain falling on her body. Qiao Xiaoxiao held out her hand for a while and said to Yuan Lu with a smile, “I’ll leave the rest to you. I’m going back to have hot pot first.”
As she spoke, she stepped on the wet ground and walked away quickly, her figure gradually melting into the hazy rain.
Yuan Lu: …
It was always like this.
Rain or shine.
As long as it was a rainy day, Qiao Xiaoxiao would go home to have hot pot with Chu Xinrou. It had become a habit.
After buying the vegetables, the moment Qiao Xiaoxiao entered the house, she started to chatter as she changed her shoes. “Hey, Jiejie, I heard that the wet market is going to be demolished. All the merchants are going to move out. I don’t know if it’s true that it will be rebuilt in the future…”
That market, she and her sister always went there. The vendors all knew her and would always give her the best price. Sometimes, they would even help her wash the vegetables on the spot, chatting as they picked them.
Even at the very beginning, the auntie who sold popsicles during her first summer vacation of high school would always pull her aside to chat for a few minutes.
Qiao Xiaoxiao had a warm heart. Seeing her sighing and saying, “I have no way out in the future. I’ll have to go home and be a housewife.”
Xiaoxiao had a flash of inspiration and gave the auntie Xiaohua’s phone number. “This little sister of mine, her dream is to open a grocery store, selling all kinds of snacks. You can cooperate. I see that your stock, you shouldn’t put it on clearance. You should ask.”
Xiaohua had been with her for two years, and her tuition was no longer a problem. She had even started to plan her own territory.
She was not a person with great desires and ambitions. Her dream was to be able to open a small grocery store.
Xiaoxiao had persuaded her, “The rent for the shops around the school is too high, and the competition is too great. At your age, you really don’t have any advantage. A grocery store doesn’t have to be offline. You can start online.”
That child Xiaohua was like that. She didn’t say a word after hearing her sister’s words, but she started to prepare when she got back.
Her little one-flower online store had been open for more than half a year. Business was lukewarm, but she was quite happy herself, running it with gusto.
The auntie had answered Xiaoxiao’s call and had said with a smile, “Xiaoxiao, you’re really amazing. I’ve watched you walk this path step by step. In the future, if you become the CEO of a listed company, remember to give your sister a hand.”
She didn’t know how to flatter people. These were all her heartfelt words.
Qiao Xiaoxiao smiled.
She didn’t have such great ambitions.
For Qingxin to reach its current scale was something her former self would never have dared to dream of.
She was already content.
…
Chu Xinrou held a glass with both hands, the warm touch transmitted through the glass. She was curled up in a corner of the sofa, her gaze vacant as she looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. The rain was weaving a fine net in the night, enveloping the whole world in a hazy water mist.
A hint of warmth came from her fingertips, and only then did she realize that her hands were already so cold they were numb. The steam from the glass rose, condensing into a fleeting white mist before her eyes. It turned out that when a person was extremely cold, even the warmth of a cup of hot water was like a stolen warmth.
“Are you hungry? I’ll go wash the vegetables right away.”
Qiao Xiaoxiao changed her shoes, washed her hands, and quickly went to the kitchen. Her sister usually had dinner early. It was almost seven now. She must be hungry.
Soon, the sound of pots and pans and running water came from the kitchen. Qiao Xiaoxiao was humming a little tune, clearly in a good mood.
“Jiejie, I’ve found a few smart students at school who can be part-time and whose conditions are not very good to come to Qingxin.”
“Before the New Year this year, I’m also preparing to hold an annual meeting for the studio, give out some red envelopes, and let everyone have some fun.”
“Now, ‘Love at First Sight’ is selling particularly well at the hotel. Chain hotels have already started to come to me. I’ve found that this industry is also quite competitive.”
“Oh… the most troublesome thing is that pirated and counterfeit products have already appeared online… I also have to recruit a few people who understand the law.”
…
Qiao Xiaoxiao’s mouth didn’t stop.
Just like usual.
But perhaps… in Chu Xinrou’s heart, it could never go back.
Her mind was full of the words Qiao Xiaoxiao had once said to her.
“Jiejie, will you leave me?”
“I won’t.”
“Then what if I do something wrong?”
“Then I’ll punish you.”
…
And the repeated mood swings that she had often thought were puberty.
And those inexplicable blushes and averted gazes…
Her heart was in a mess, stuffy, and painful.
The red oil in the copper pot was churning, and the rising steam, wrapped in the spicy aroma of Sichuan peppercorns, filled the air. The fresh green vegetables were a vibrant green, and the fatty beef rolls had an alluring sheen. The various ingredients looked particularly tempting under the warm yellow light. Qiao Xiaoxiao called Yang Feitang. “Sister Yang, are you coming over for a free meal?”
Yang Feitang said listlessly, “CEO Xue’s business is not doing well recently. She might go bankrupt. I have to go and take a look, to save the pitiful old woman.”
She would usually get angry at Xue Youyou for using her “position” to suppress her, and would sometimes even curse her to go bankrupt like herself.
But when she really saw CEO Xue in a sorry state, she was more anxious than anyone else.
Youyou was different from her. It was really not easy for her to get to where she was today.
She… her heart ached.
Qiao Xiaoxiao: ???
After hanging up the phone, Qiao Xiaoxiao was also a little worried. “Jiejie, do you think Sister Youyou is okay?”
Chu Xinrou shook her head and answered absent-mindedly, “It’s fine. They’re probably just flirting.”
The two of them were always like this, having a small fight every three days and a big fight every five days. At the beginning, they might have really gotten angry and hurt their feelings, but now it had become a way to add some fun to their relationship.
Qiao Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but be envious. “That’s so nice.”
Chu Xinrou’s chopsticks paused. She stared at Qiao Xiaoxiao and asked, “Why is it nice?”
This gaze was too serious, and it made Qiao Xiaoxiao stunned. She stared at her sister in a daze. “I… isn’t it very nice that Sister Youyou cares so much for Sister Yang?”
Chu Xinrou’s chopsticks gently stirred the baby cabbage in her bowl. The green leaves floated slightly in the clear soup. She lowered her eyelashes, her voice as soft as a sigh. “Their journey… has not been easy.”
The raindrops snaked down the glass outside the window. Two such outstanding women, both dragons among men, yet they had to be so cautious even when they were in love. So what if Xue Youyou was in a high position? Those unspoken public occasions, those tacit evasions and dodges, how much pressure had they endured?
“No matter how outstanding a person is…” Chu Xinrou looked up, her eyes reflecting the rising steam of the hot pot, “they can’t escape the secular gaze.”
Especially for a child with a bright and smooth future, this might be a fatal blow.
This time, Qiao Xiaoxiao clearly felt that something was off with her sister.
She put down her chopsticks, walked over to Chu Xinrou’s side, and slowly squatted down. “Jiejie, what’s wrong?”
In the past, in this kind of weather, Chu Xinrou would often be sad because she was thinking of her family.
This time, Xiaoxiao thought it was the same.
Chu Xinrou looked down at Qiao Xiaoxiao. Her eyes were full of worry and heartache, as clean and pure as usual.
Her chest suddenly tightened, as if she had been hit hard by a blunt object. The knuckles of her hand holding the chopsticks turned slightly white, a sourness rose in her nose, and a thousand words were stuck in her throat. After a long while, she finally managed to force a smile and said softly, “It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired today.”
“Then you should rest after you’ve eaten, okay?”
At times like this, her sister always liked to be quiet.
Xiaoxiao would either accompany her to paint for a while, or they would drink tea. Most of the time, she would just quietly stay by her sister’s side.
Today was no exception.
Chu Xinrou must have been really exhausted. She took a shower and, without even drying her hair, lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.
Qiao Xiaoxiao quickly cleared the dishes, took a shower, and came out wrapped in a towel. She didn’t even bother with herself and went to blow-dry Chu Xinrou’s hair first.
Chu Xinrou kept her eyes closed, feeling Xiaoxiao bustling around the room.
These scenes had been playing out for three years, almost without fail.
The humming of the hairdryer suddenly came closer. Chu Xinrou felt a pair of warm hands gently supporting the back of her neck, and then her whole being sank into a soft embrace. Xiaoxiao’s knees supported her weight just right, with a reassuring warmth.
“Jiejie, you sleep. I’ll blow-dry your hair for you,” Xiaoxiao’s voice was mixed with the warm wind, her fingers running through her hair, her movements skilled and gentle.
The hot air blew past her ears, carrying the faint scent of shampoo. But in this warm embrace, Chu Xinrou’s eyes gradually grew moist.
After Qiao Xiaoxiao had finished blow-drying Chu Xinrou’s hair, her fingertips naturally slid to Chu Xinrou’s temples. Her technique was very light, but it was very effective.
Her sister had a problem with migraines. It was usually when she had overworked her brain, or when something had upset her.
But what could have made her so down?
These past year, Qiao Xiaoxiao could clearly feel that the Chu family’s interference with Chu Xinrou had decreased a lot. Perhaps it was because the Second Miss had already firmly established herself in the boss’s position. She hadn’t been like this for a long time.
Then what was it because of?
Xiaoxiao had always been considerate and sensible with Chu Xinrou. She knew her sister’s personality. If she didn’t want to say much, she wouldn’t ask much.
After a while of massaging, Qiao Xiaoxiao felt that Chu Xinrou’s breathing was steady. She must have fallen asleep. She carefully placed her head on the pillow, tucked her in, turned on the night light by the bed, and turned off the main light.
After tidying everything up, Qiao Xiaoxiao tiptoed and closed the door as she left.
As the door was gently closed, Chu Xinrou opened her eyes, her gaze fixed on the small night light.
This was bought by Xiaoxiao.
It was something she had bought for herself after spending a long time at the lighting store in the second semester of her first year of high school.
When Chu Xinrou was in a bad mood, she liked to turn off all the lights. She was used to hiding in the dark, so that no one could see her sadness.
But once, at night, when she was going to the bathroom, she had accidentally sprained her ankle because it was too dark.
This had made Qiao Xiaoxiao’s heart ache. But she hadn’t blamed Chu Xinrou. Instead, the next day, she had specially not gone to work and had gone out to buy a lamp for her sister.
The warm yellow light was just right, enough to see the path at her feet, but not enough to see the moisture in her eyes.
Just like the gentleness Xiaoxiao gave, it always left a considerate amount of room.
…
It was just about to be eight o’clock.
Xiaoxiao couldn’t sleep. She was a little worried about her sister. Although Chu Xinrou had been down like this before, for some reason, this time, she always felt that something was off with her sister, and her heart was uneasy.
She took out the things that had happened during this period and carefully sorted them out, one by one, but still couldn’t find any problems.
After thinking for a long time, she prepared to have a video call with Nuonuo to see if she could get some information about the Second Miss or the Chu family from her.
It was also strange.
These past few years, Chu Fengyi’s personality had become more and more silent, her mood unpredictable. The people under her were all cautious and didn’t even dare to breathe loudly. But only Nuonuo dared to talk and laugh with her, just like when she was a child.
And Chu Fengyi had just indulged her.
Nuonuo’s call connected quickly. Before Qiao Xiaoxiao could speak, she first put a finger to her lips and made a “shh” gesture at her sister.
Soon, she signed again.
—Sister, I’m on a date.
As she spoke, the camera turned, and a mixed-race little girl with pigtails and a small schoolbag was eating a sweet cone with a smile. She didn’t turn back, one hand still holding Nuonuo’s little hand.
Qiao Xiaoxiao: …
This dog food was stuffed in so unexpectedly.
She also understood her sister’s meaning and said weakly, “If you have time, call me back.”
The humble old sister was online, begging for her sister’s pity.
Nuonuo signed again.
—I’m a little busy recently. If you have something to say, just send me a WeChat message.
After signing, she paused.
—Is it about Sister Chu again? Sister, you’re an adult. You have to look inward for some things, not always look for help from the outside.
Qiao Xiaoxiao: …
Why did she want to rush into the screen and slap Nuonuo so much?
The phone was hung up.
Qiao Xiaoxiao was still a little flustered. She sat for a while, walked to the easel, picked up a brush, and started to paint, one stroke at a time.
She didn’t sleep all night.
Chu Xinrou had gotten up at four in the morning. She was wrapped in a blanket and wanted to go to the rooftop to watch the stars for a while. When she walked into the living room, she saw the painting Xiaoxiao had drawn at a glance.
Her paintings had always been simple, direct, and realistic, not abstract.
In the picture, Xiaoxiao’s back as she vigorously pedaled her bicycle was full of vitality. On the back seat, Chu Xinrou was hugging her waist, her hair flying in the wind. Wildflowers were peeking out of the basket, and the hem of Chu Xinrou’s dress was fluttering in the wind. And the unconcealable smiles on their faces.
The whole painting seemed to be soaked in honey-colored sunlight. The golden cosmos were blooming by the roadside, and colorful butterflies were dancing after the wheels. Even the air seemed to be filled with the fragrance of flowers.
Those layers of warm-toned paint made the whole painting exude the warmth of having been sun-dried.
Even someone who didn’t know anything would feel happy just by looking at it.
But as Chu Xinrou looked at it, tears slid down the corners of her eyes.
