Her venomous gaze was like a dancer in red at midnight, a daughter-in-law buried alive by a cruel mother-in-law, a seductive corpse crawling from a grave toward her lover who had found someone new.
“No—”
“…”
“?”
Nothing happened. The startled bunny fell into a cool but soft embrace.
“Thank you, Na!” Yu Xiaoyao said softly, tears almost falling.
Then, “Thump!”
The bunny fell awkwardly to the ground.
“What are you doing! You’ve dirtied the bunny costume Jun Feng bought me!”
Yu Xiaoyao looked mischievously at Qin Na on the ground. “This is the consequence of hogging good things. I want a bunny costume too.”
“Yu Xiaoyao, you’re so hateful!”
“But still, thank you,” she silently said to herself.
…………
Weekend.
Yu Xiaoyao stood blankly under Song Chu’s teaching building, debating whether to go inside.
The cold war couldn’t continue. Her words the other day seemed excessive.
Suddenly, the building’s door burst open with a rush of people. Yu Xiaoyao was unable to dodge and was buried in the crowd. After squeezing through and wiping the sweat from her face, she saw—
In the distance, Song Chu appeared to notice Lin Yichen waiting nearby and ran toward her direction.
Lin Yichen broke into a beautiful smile.
He was in a good mood.
They whispered to each other.
The entrance of the teaching building was quiet after everyone had left.
Yu Xiaoying gave a self-deprecating laugh. Waiting for someone isn’t just standing aside to be noticed; while she pushed through the crowd, she ended up missing the person she was waiting for.
She turned around. Song Chu sensed something and turned her head.
“Xiaoyao!”
Yu Xiaoying stiffly turned her head. “Hi!”
The light in Lin Yichen’s eyes faded.
“Xiaoyao, you’re here!” Song Chu exclaimed, overjoyed.
“Yes! Hehe,” Yu Xiaoying laughed awkwardly.
“Let’s go,” Song Chu said excitedly.
“But, Yichen…” Yu Xiaoying reminded her carefully.
Song Chu turned red, looking apologetically at Lin Yichen, her mouth moving but saying nothing. He gripped her hand tightly, looking at them coldly.
After a long pause…
“It’s fine,” she said coldly.
Song Chu held her hand tighter. Yu Xiaoying smiled and said, “Then let’s send Yichen back!”
“No need!” Song Chu suddenly shouted.
“Okay…”
Lin Yichen’s response was barely a whisper. He stood frozen, and Yu Xiaoying stared at him in surprise, a complex expression flashing in Lin Yichen’s eyes.
Finally, Yu Xiaoying spoke, “So… let’s go.”
He held her hand so tightly that even in the chilly wind, their palms were sweating, making Yu Xiaoying feel her hand going numb and her heart aching. But Song Chu appeared not to notice, pulling her along aimlessly until night fell. The city was shrouded in a light fog, the red lights resembling seductive eyes against the black sky, as the dim street lamps lit up one by one, stretching their shadows.
Yu Xiaoying laughed, even as sorrow gripped her heart, finding it strange. Song Chu looked at her, his eyes filled with melancholy.
“Song Chu, why are you always so kind? You were afraid she would be lonely, afraid she would fall, afraid she had nowhere to live, afraid she couldn’t go to school, afraid she would be cold… So you took her in. You were also afraid I would get angry or overthink, so you hid it from me.”
“I was afraid of losing you!”
“Song Chu shouted.
“No, you’re not!” Yu Xiaoying shouted back, stunning Song Chu.
“If you were afraid, you wouldn’t have chosen to deceive me.” Yu Xiaoying raised her head, turned around, and said, “I’m sorry. I understand your feelings, but I can’t accept your kindness. I’m leaving now.”
“Xiaoying, why can’t you understand me?!”
“Because from the beginning, you put me in a position where I couldn’t understand.”
Song Chu was left in silence, questioning if it was all wrong from the start. He clenched his fist as he watched Yu Xiaoying leave, her departure especially decisive this time.
…
Cold mist drifted across her face. Yu Xiaoying felt cold, and with each step, she seemed to drift further from Song Chu yet closer to his complexity. She hugged her shoulders tightly, sensing that the peaceful days were numbered.
Winter had arrived.
…
Cold. Icy and snowy, a white expanse, nothing visible, damp and chilly. In her panic, a pair of crystal-clear hands gently rested on her shoulder.
“Jiran? Is it Jiran?” Yu Xiaoying cried, aware that she was dreaming.
“Jiran, why are you unhappy?” she asked, meeting his worried eyes as he gently wiped away her tears.
“You know, if your heart is cold, then my heaven is also winter.”
“Winter?”
Yu Xiaoying held his cold hand.
“Yes. My heaven is your mood. If your heart rains, my heaven becomes muddy. If you’re sad, my sky is a harsh winter. Only when you truly smile, my place becomes sunny. You know I love spring, right?” he said gently.
Yu Xiaoying nodded through her tears.
“Fool.” He smiled. “Be happy. You look ugly when you cry.”
“Jiran…”
“Remember, I want spring.”
“Remember.”
Yu Xiaoying reluctantly squeezed out a smile.
He laughed.
Sunshine blazed behind him.
Jiran, do you know? I miss you so much…
…
7:00
The phone alarm had been ringing for a while. Yu Xiaoying reluctantly stretched out her hand from under the covers to turn it off. Struggling to sit up, she felt her whole body ache and her throat burn.
She collapsed back down. Damn, she had caught a cold.
Yu Xiaoying sat on the bed, looking at the pile of tissues on the floor, feeling dejected. Weakly leaning against the headboard, she remembered the night’s dream and smiled slightly.
Heaven can have winter, just like love can catch a cold.
…
Head dizzy and heavy, her feet felt like lead.
Unknowingly, she arrived at Song Chu’s doorstep. Yu Xiaoying stood there in a daze, waiting for Song Chu to push open the door and smile like always.
Lin Yichen packed her belongings, feeling there was no reason to stay. Song Chu had been back for two days but hadn’t spoken to her, mostly pacing anxiously in the study.
She quietly passed by his study door, walked down the stairs, and gently gripped the doorknob.
“Where are you going?” Song Chu asked, standing at the stairs.
“I… going for a walk.” She lacked the courage to say goodbye.
“Going for a walk with so many things?” he frowned, approaching to take the bag.
“This… I” Lin Yichen clutched the bag tightly, her voice trembling, “I can’t keep bothering you anymore.”
“It’s not a bother.” He coldly snatched the bag.
“Why? You never understand,” she shouted softly, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t find a reason to stay here.”
Song Chu looked at her, pain in his eyes, holding the bag tightly.
Lin Yichen turned, opened the door, and felt as if everything was over. She trembled as she stepped outside; the light stung her eyes.
Tears flowed down.
“Goodbye, Chu. I’m sorry, I love you.”
Lin Yichen lifted her foot…
Suddenly—
A hand, cold yet firm, grabbed hers.
“Stay.”
“Chu!” Lin Yichen turned joyfully to look at him. “I’ll always owe you, right?”
She could no longer hold back, throwing herself into the chest she had longed for. Even if just for a moment, it was so happy.
Song Chu gently stroked her hair…
…
Yu Xiaoying stood there, cold. He was so close, yet so far that she could see nothing.
Tears flowed down.
…
Song Chu’s hand dropped. He saw Yu Xiaoying standing there, shocked and frozen. She had seen everything.
…
Yu Xiaoying faced him, and time stopped. So quiet it seemed you could hear blood flowing. She smiled.
…
She cried, then smiled again. Tears shimmered in the sunlight as she stood in the golden light, looking at him with a sad smile.
