I Just Want to Care About You

The sweltering heat bore down, yet Song Weishi felt as if she'd been plunged into an ice cellar. Those eyes—she knew them all too well. It was Xie Yi.

Song Weishi hadn't expected to run into Xie Yi here of all places. How had she gotten here? And why was she in this car?

The driver took a sip of water, then casually handed a phone to the person in the passenger seat.

"Tell her you're safe. You've been missing for so long—she's been waiting for you this whole time. At least now she's finally found you."

The woman's voice was young. Song Weishi discreetly studied the driver from the corner of her eye. She had a profile that bore some resemblance to Xie Yi's, but her features were softer.

The phone rang a couple of times before connecting. Xie Yi put it on speaker, and Xie Huiying's voice came through:

"Huiqing, did you pick up little Song?"

Xie Yi glanced back almost imperceptibly—so cautious that she didn't even turn her body. "Aunt, it's me."

There was a brief pause on the other end, then Xie Huiqing's delighted voice followed: "Xiao Yi? Is that you?"

Xie Yi hummed in confirmation, continuing, "Yes. I ran into Aunt on the way. She just picked me up, and we're heading back to the base now."

Beside her, Xie Huiqing added, "We've got her. We should be there in about twenty minutes."

"Good, good. Little Song, Huiqing is my younger sister, and Xiao Yi is the younger generation. I'll introduce you properly later."

Xie Huiqing turned back with a smile, nodding to Song Weishi. "Hello."

"Hello, Sister Huiqing." Song Weishi flashed a sweet smile, deliberately ignoring the eyes still fixed on her.

Only then did Song Weishi piece together the relationship from Xie Huiying's introduction. So she hadn't managed to escape Xie Yi's shadow at all—she'd simply run into her aunt along the way.

After the call ended, the car fell quiet again. Song Weishi clutched her backpack tightly. There was no use dwelling on it now; she'd have to take things one step at a time.

But Xie Yi's gaze remained locked on her. Xie Huiqing glanced between them a few times, sensing the tension in the air. She hadn't seen her niece—only a few years younger than herself—in a long time. The girl she remembered was always quiet, withdrawn, and taciturn, though her striking presence never failed to draw attention.

That personality of hers made her indifferent to most things. Apart from work, very little could hold her gaze for long. But right now, she'd been staring at the person in the back seat for quite a while.

Running into her on the way to find Xie Huiying had been a pleasant surprise. Xie Huiqing had gladly brought her along. She seemed the same as before—but then again, maybe not.

She asked half-jokingly, "What's the matter? Do you know little Song?"

Xie Yi's eyes flickered, and she finally looked away.

Xie Huiqing felt like the girl had been staring holes into Song Weishi just moments ago. The poor thing was sitting rigid as a board in the back, not even leaning against the seat.

Song Weishi only visibly relaxed once Xie Yi turned away. She felt like she was about to explode from tension, and had even considered jumping out of the car right then—throw away everything and start over from scratch.

For some reason, ever since the System had vanished, all her previous instincts had dulled. Her sense of danger had evaporated like mist.

No—staying put was the safest bet. Song Weishi sat still and obedient. Both women assumed she wouldn't answer the earlier question, but she spoke up: "I know her."

Xie Huiqing turned the steering wheel around a corner, glancing back at her with curiosity. "Little Song, were you two colleagues?"

From what she knew, Xie Yi didn't have many friends in her life—or rather, she couldn't be bothered to maintain relationships. The people she knew were almost all work-related, so that had been her natural assumption.

Song Weishi racked her brain for a response. She wanted to say 'enemies' and beg Xie Huiqing to let her off right then and there. Being stuck together like this made the whole world feel bleak.

"Haha, not really close."

At that, Xie Yi's beautiful eyes slid back to her, and she let out a heavy sigh. Song Weishi heard a cold laugh, and her hand unconsciously drifted toward the door handle. She really wanted to run away right now.

Xie Huiqing smiled and didn't press further. The energy between these two was off; she'd wait until they reached the base to figure it out.

The off-road vehicle cruised through the flat checkpoints, almost unimpeded. Security officers kept saluting Xie Huiqing as she passed. She acknowledged each with a nod.

Song Weishi didn't know much about this second-in-command of District One, but her authority seemed vast. Even under such strict quarantine protocols, she could summon people at will without restriction. It seemed Xie Huiying had undersold her connections.

They finally arrived at the District One quarantine facility. After passing security checks, Song Weishi grabbed her bag and practically fled the car. Xie Huiying and Sister Chen were waiting at the entrance, waving her over.

The little group reunited once more. A security officer came out and drove Xie Huiqing's car inside, while she walked in under an umbrella.

Song Weishi spotted the couple who'd been making a scene at the front of the line earlier. They were now huddled in a corner like a pair of frightened quails.

The security officer verifying identities saw the scene and understood most of what had happened.

The woman trembled as she looked at the people around her, greeting the one they called Chief Xie—only to realize it wasn't the man she'd been cozying up to outside.

The Xies were all tall, but even so, it was obvious this was a woman. She collapsed onto the ground, and the man beside her finally caught on too, desperately trying to haul her up.

Overwhelming fear and absurdity crashed down on them. Thinking back to their earlier arrogance, all that remained was endless panic and dread.

Once their identities were confirmed, the security officers who'd been standing by dragged them up. The woman finally snapped out of it and shrieked, "Impossible! How can Chief Xie be a woman?!"

Then what had all her compromises been for?

Who was that man? Why had he deceived her?

If she'd stopped to think, she'd have realized there's no such thing as a free lunch. Everything comes at a price. Not long after the heatwave hit, government functions collapsed, heatstroke killed people in droves, and others started profiting from the misery.

She just couldn't accept being duped. Her husband had turned a blind eye too. Both of them had lost themselves and their principles on the road to survival, all to scrape by for a sliver of hope.

They'd come this far—it was too late for regrets now. If she'd noticed something was off and admitted her mistake earlier, there might have been a chance. But greed had clouded her judgment and blinded them both. Now, all that awaited them was the harshest labor.

They screamed and shouted, refusing to believe Xie Huiqing was Chief Xie. From the very start, their intentions had been impure. If they'd actually managed to latch onto that connection, they'd only end up squeezing the common folk dry.

Everyone silently accepted their fate. These two deserved no sympathy—if the tables were turned, they'd be the first to kick others while they were down.

The security officers clamped their hands over their mouths. Xie Huiqing had already heard the full story on the way over, so she just waved a hand, not wanting to watch them struggle.

Sister Chen eagerly took Song Weishi's bag. "Little Song, we're finally safe this time. Once quarantine's over, where do you want to go? Why don't you stay with us? Sister Xie said Huiqing will help arrange jobs. We'll all have rooms in one suite—there's a spot saved just for you."

A pair of eyes still bore into her back. Song Weishi forced out a smile. "I was assigned to the Suo Harbor quarantine zone. I want to join the security team after I get out. Captain Chu hoped I'd stay there, working frontline missions."

The women perked up at that, crowding closer. "That job's pretty dangerous. Have you thought it through? Want us to ask around for you later?"

Meanwhile, Xie Huiqing, Xie Huiying, and Xie Yi had gone to the quarantine zone's meeting room.

The three of them caught up on recent events, and Xie Huiying filled Xie Huiqing in on running into Song Weishi on the road.

She'd stayed put at first—partly because she didn't want to relocate so soon, waiting for the heat to subside, and partly to see if Xie Yi would return. Xie Yi's communications had gone dark earlier than theirs, so she didn't know what had happened.

Staying was the best choice at the time, but eventually, she'd had to consider moving—and that was how she'd missed Xie Yi, who'd been heading toward her.

That was when Xie Huiqing went to find Xie Huiying, and on the way, she'd crossed paths with Xie Yi, who was making her way toward Huihai City. The three of them had reunited.

Xie Yi listened to the two of them talk, taking a sip of tea from the cup on the table. She didn't say much, idly toying with her long, slender fingers.

Song Weishi had left her nothing else. She'd vanished after that grocery store raid. Xie Yi had chased after her with the supplies Song Weishi had given her, but all traces of her disappeared completely in Donghu Town.

She'd been burning with rage and desperation. In the snow and ice, she'd felt a fire raging in her chest.

In all her years, this was the first time something had slipped so completely from her control.

Xie Yi had trudged methodically from the snowfields to the outskirts of Huihai City, where she'd met her aunt. She got in the car, heading back, reasoning that Song Weishi would also follow her survival instincts and eventually end up at Huihai City.

What she hadn't expected was how close they'd been all along. She'd been practically chasing Song Weishi's footsteps the entire way, yet never once caught sight of her.

At the thought, Xie Yi felt her sanity fray. Her usual calm composure had become a hindrance. She was irritable—though only slightly.

Her tangled thoughts made her fingers twist together in a knot. Both women noticed something was off with her. They exchanged a look, and Xie Huiying asked, "Xiao Yi, what's wrong?"

Xie Yi looked up. Her eyes were like a frozen lake in deep winter, an untouched wilderness on a snowy night.

"Nothing."

She gave them a brief rundown of her journey, leaving out the part about meeting Song Weishi and her secrets. All she said was that they'd traveled together for a while before accidentally getting separated.

Xie Huiying's face lit up with understanding. "What a coincidence," she said with a smile.

Xie Huiqing kept her head down, not calling out the subtle tension between those two. She had a feeling there was some private friction between them, but since neither seemed willing to talk about it, she didn't pry.

"Alright, big sis, I've arranged a place for you all to stay in the city. You can move in as soon as quarantine's over. Xiao Yi, what are your plans for now?"

Xie Yi: "I haven't decided yet."

Xie Huiqing nodded. "That's fine. Let me know when you do."

After the discussion, the two older women returned to their suite.

The family quarters were a bit unusual, with a shared common room. Song Weishi had been hiding in hers all day. Sister Chen and the others had called for her several times, but she'd pretended to be asleep each time, and managed to avoid them.

The room wasn't big—about the same as the nicer one she'd stayed in before. She pulled open the blinds, and the humid, stuffy air drifted in from outside. The security bars sealed away the view. Song Weishi leaned against the window for a while, letting the breeze soothe her until the heart-pounding unease finally faded.

Today's cart had refreshed. She opened it listlessly:

Maltesers 200g ×1

Chocolate 40g ×1

Strawberry Swiss Roll ×1

All sweets. Song Weishi popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth, and the restless anxiety in her chest eased a little.

It wasn't until late into the night that Sister Chen knocked worriedly on her door. "Little Song? You awake? Come out and have something to eat. I saved you some noodles—left them on the table out here."

Song Weishi had to respond. She couldn't just ignore their kindness. And hiding in her room forever wasn't a solution—she had to venture out eventually. Besides, Xie Yi probably wasn't out there anyway.

It had been so long; she must have gone to sleep by now. And eating only what she pulled from her space was getting stale. She needed something normal for a change.

She crept out into the hallway. The curfew here was later than most, but the lights were already off. Song Weishi's ostrich mentality made her scan the area until she was sure no one else was around, then turned on her flashlight and sat down at the table.

A bowl of steaming noodles sat there, topped with a braised egg and two baby bok choy. She picked up the chopsticks beside it and, flashlight in hand, wondered how to manage both.

Then she heard a soft click nearby. A small lamp on the table flickered on.

Song Weishi's hands twitched, and her chopsticks clattered into the bowl, splashing a bit of broth.

She whipped her head around, about to stand, and saw Xie Yi sitting right beside her.

Their eyes met. Her flashlight beam fell squarely on Xie Yi's face—lips pressed tight, gaze fixed on her, dark and unreadable.

A few long strands of hair fell over her collarbones, disappearing into the collar of her loose, dark gray long-sleeved shirt. The fabric hid her figure, but she looked even thinner than Song Weishi remembered, with delicate shoulders and an impossibly straight back.

Xie Yi was so beautiful she didn't look real. The warm lamplight painted her like a Monet painting, like a freeze-frame from a film—stunning enough to make it hard to look away.

"Why are you here?" Song Weishi retreated to the corner, her heart nearly hammering out of her chest.

"Why shouldn't I be here? Do you really dislike seeing me that much?"

"No, it's just... you were sitting there without a word. It's a bit startling."

Xie Yi rose from her seat and began to walk slowly toward her.

Song Weishi instinctively stepped back. "What are you doing? Don't come closer. Say whatever you need to from over there."

She had a bad feeling about Xie Yi approaching. Was she still nursing a grudge over Song Weishi's abrupt departure?

But she didn't think she'd done anything wrong. The two of them had entered that arrangement for mutual benefit. She hated the idea of someone holding her secrets, and besides, she'd only known this woman for a few days. And she was the female lead of this book, to boot. Wherever she went, danger followed—Song Weishi had learned that lesson firsthand.

Xie Yi actually stopped. Her tall, slender silhouette was half-swallowed by the darkness, hiding her expression.

"Sorry. I just wanted to ask—why did you disappear so suddenly back at the supermarket?"

Song Weishi gripped her flashlight nervously. Just as she'd expected—an interrogation. Her mind raced through the various answers she'd rehearsed. Should she say she'd gotten surrounded and escaped, planning to come back the next day? Or tell the truth—that she'd wanted to shake her off, make things clear, and never have to deal with her again?

She'd already helped Xie Yi out in the snow. Couldn't Xie Yi just keep her secret, call it even, and never contact her again? She didn't want to be near a time bomb.

While her thoughts waged war, Xie Yi spoke again: "You don't have to answer. I just wanted to ask if you're hurt. Are you okay?"

Song Weishi: ...

She wondered if she'd misheard. But actually, putting herself in Xie Yi's shoes, there was no real reason for her to be angry.

The woman was perceptive—perceptive enough that Song Weishi felt a twinge of guilt. But that twinge was quickly buried under her earlier unease.

She could learn to trust those who didn't know her secrets—people like Xie Huiying and Sister Chen. But Xie Yi? She'd never been able to trust her from the start. She couldn't read what was really going on behind those eyes.

It was like a blade hovering over her throat. The seed of distrust had been planted the very moment they met.

And Xie Yi was so capable. Song Weishi had no confidence she could win in a fight against her. That only made the unease worse.

Her whole body went rigid as she tried to read Xie Yi's face for any sign of deception.

Xie Yi wasn't good with people. Or rather, she'd spent her whole life alone—she'd never needed to learn how to connect with others.

She'd done a lot of thinking on the road. Images of Song Weishi's uneasy glances kept surfacing. Maybe her bluntness had scared the girl off.

She tried to mend things, but every word felt clumsy on her tongue. Under Song Weishi's unflinching stare, she turned her head away, the tips of her ears burning red beneath the fall of her black hair. Song Weishi found herself relaxing despite herself.

Xie Yi really was something. The author of this book must have doted on her—even in an apocalypse, she was written flawlessly perfect.

Song Weishi took a deep breath, pushed aside her earlier thoughts, and chose her words carefully.

"I'm fine." She lowered her voice. "Leaving like that was wrong of me. Sorry. It wasn't intentional."

Xie Yi turned back to look at her. The girl seemed a bit more at ease, though still clearly tense.

"But I did help you before. I hope you'll keep my secret."

"Of course." As if sensing the wariness in Song Weishi's voice, she explained, "I'm not that kind of person. No one else will ever know about you. I don't know what I did to make you think that of me, but I'm just... I just care about you..."

Song Weishi shook her head. "It's not your problem. I just don't do well with close relationships. And you don't really know me. If you truly care about me, then please—stay away from me."

She knew her words cut deep, but once they were out, there was no taking them back. This was the limit of what she could tolerate. Even knowing Xie Yi meant no harm, the thought of someone holding her secrets filled her with a terror she couldn't shake.

But to her surprise, Xie Yi only stepped back, returning to her original spot, watching her with a quiet, level gaze. "Is this better? Your noodles are getting cold. Eat first."

The girl was like a frightened cat, lashing out with her claws to keep others at bay. Xie Yi had never realized she was so disliked. Or maybe—she didn't know if 'disliked' was the right word, since the girl clearly just wanted her gone.

Song Weishi didn't refuse. She quietly set down her flashlight, took a seat, and lifted a strand of noodles into her mouth.

For some reason, homemade noodles just tasted better. She kept stealing glances at the woman sitting nearby. Xie Yi sat with her head bowed, seemingly uninterested in her. Only then did Song Weishi start eating in earnest.

She'd barely eaten all day. The stress had suppressed her hunger, but now that she was in front of food, she couldn't stop.

The taste of that earlier chocolate was long forgotten.

When she finished, Song Weishi moved to take her bowl to the sink, but Xie Yi spoke up from beside her: "Leave it. Aunt Chen will collect it later."

Song Weishi paused, then let go of the bowl.

Only after Song Weishi closed her door did Xie Yi turn her gaze back, picking up the bowl and chopsticks to wash.

The suite door cracked open, and several heads poked out, eyes gleaming with gossip.

"What's she doing?"

"Washing dishes. Doesn't the cafeteria have noodles? Why'd Xiao Yi make her own?"

"Beats me. The cafeteria noodles are decent enough. Haven't seen Xiao Yi in ages—when did she learn to cook?"

"You wouldn't know. She was a genius back home—cooking's a piece of cake for her."

A chorus of playful jeers rose at that. "That was years ago. A genius isn't good at everything."

The women murmured in agreement, craning their necks to watch Xie Yi wash the dishes, their voices barely above a whisper.

Xie Yi focused on rinsing the bowl and wiped her hands dry. The heads ducked back inside. Once she'd returned to her room, they popped out again.

Xie Huiying stood in the doorway, her gaze flitting back and forth between the two doors.

"What do you think they are to each other?"

---

Author's note: Xie Yi calls Xie Huiying: Aunt.

Song Weishi calls Xie Huiying: Sister.

Xie Yi: ...

Song Weishi: