Going abroad to study alone was already challenging, and the first three months in America were particularly terrifying for her.
She had never cooked—although she had brought a large Tatung rice cooker across the ocean at everyone’s request, following the tradition of international students, but not knowing how to use it, what was the point? She had never done laundry and didn’t know not to wash dark and light clothes together, so during those first months, she went out every day wearing clothes that were unbearable to look at.
Trivial matters frustrated her. She wanted to call home to complain but couldn’t tolerate appearing weak; she wanted to seek help through her sister’s connections but wouldn’t allow herself to show vulnerability.
She gritted her teeth and pushed through, watching Yu Jingwei’s leisurely demeanor every day. She was an excellent cook, making dumplings, cooking porridge, kneading dough to make xiaolongbao in front of her, brewing authentic Taiwanese beef soup—the aroma was almost harassment—but she never offered her a single bite.
She was so angry she could gnash her teeth, swearing that one day she would be better than her!
Until one day, when she realized the shared kitchen hadn’t produced its usual fragrant Taiwanese aroma for several days and discovered her roommate lying in bed, nearly molding away.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, taking the initiative to care.
She turned away.
“What happened?”
She still ignored her.
Qing Yan’s temper flared. “Speak! If you don’t, I swear I’ll never be nice again. Whatever you cook, I’ll snatch and eat completely, leaving all the dishes for you to wash!”
A very faint voice emerged from the pillow. “He was unfaithful.”
“Who?”
“My boyfriend. We agreed that I’d study abroad on a scholarship, he’d take the TOEFL in Taiwan, and once he got into a school, he’d come find me. We promised to love each other forever, just enduring a short year before reuniting. But less than a hundred days after I left, he changed his heart…”
Hearing this, she was furious.
Qing Yan pulled her up. “Why are you crying here? Dump this kind of man.”
“But I love him…”
