Chapter 26

Night had fallen, and everyone had gathered in small groups in the courtyard.

“Shuyang, is Jiang Lai still asleep?”

“Yes.”

Cheng Shuyang nodded, her voice soft. “Do you want me to go wake her?”

Director Zhang waved a hand. “No, no. It’s nothing urgent. Let her sleep a little longer. You’re sharing a room with her, so take good care of her.”

“I will, Director Zhang. Don’t worry.”

While Director Zhang was going over tomorrow’s schedule, Xu Zhiyi slipped quietly to Cheng Shuyang’s side and said with a pointed look, “There are so many people you could have roomed with. Why did you specifically choose Jiang Lai?”

“Do I need to explain myself to you?”

“I didn’t say you had to, but Cheng Shuyang, you really are... very hard to trust.”

Cheng Shuyang’s tone stayed light. “Do you even know how to take care of people? As far as I can tell, you don’t seem all that impressive in that department.”

Xu Zhiyi choked and couldn’t get a word out for a long moment.

Seeing her at a loss, Cheng Shuyang’s mood improved considerably. She handed her a cup of tea. “Drink more water and worry less. And as for some people, you’d better stop dwelling on them.”

Xu Zhiyi suddenly smiled and slowly leaned closer. She stopped beside Cheng Shuyang’s ear and whispered, “You know me. I like taking other people’s things best, especially yours.”

Cheng Shuyang remained unmoved. She took a sip of water and said nothing. Xu Zhiyi tapped her cup with a grin, looking every bit the friendly companion; no one could have guessed how tense the air between the two of them really was.

After the early arrangements were settled, Director Zhang called the meeting over. The younger ones, full of excitement, headed out in pairs to look at the sea; the others who didn’t want to join the fun all returned to their rooms to rest.

“Teacher Cheng, come look at the sea with us! I heard the sea here is especially beautiful at night!”

Cheng Shuyang shook her head, her expression warm. “I’m getting on in years, so I won’t join your excitement. Go on. The temperature by the sea drops at night, so remember to dress warmly and don’t catch a cold.”

“Okay, Teacher Cheng, get some rest early!”

The girls smiled and waved before running off excitedly. Watching their backs, Cheng Shuyang couldn’t help laughing helplessly; her eyes were full of nostalgia. “Being young is so nice. Everything you do has energy.”

A gust of wind swept past, and she frowned, pulling her shawl tighter around herself. She was also worried about Jiang Lai, who was alone upstairs, so she quickened her pace and prepared to head back to the room. But before she had even climbed a few steps, someone called out to her.

“Teacher Cheng.”

Seeing who it was, Cheng Shuyang’s smile faded a little. “Didn’t you go out to see the sea with Miss Lin? Why did you come back all of a sudden?”

“It’s a bit cold by the sea. I came back to get her a coat.”

A trace of helplessness flashed in the woman’s eyes. “Then hurry up and get it, and don’t keep that young lady waiting by the sea.”

“Wait!”

The man sounded a little anxious. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said softly, “Teacher Cheng, I just wanted to ask whether Jiang Lai is feeling any better?”

Cheng Shuyang stood on the stairs. “With me taking care of her, she’s much better.”

“You’re sharing a room with her, so I’m sorry to trouble you to keep an extra eye on her tonight. Every time she’s unwell, she keeps running a fever; it’s really hard on her.”

As he spoke, Qin Huaicheng took a box of fever medicine from his pocket and handed it over. Cheng Shuyang looked at him, then finally reached out and took it. “I’ll take good care of her. Don’t worry.”

After taking the medicine, she changed the subject. “Xiao Qin, as your senior, there are some things I have to tell you. If a man can’t even keep the most basic sense of decency, then he doesn’t deserve a girl’s liking.”

The man’s face went red, then white. He understood the warning in her words; she was simply telling him to stay away from Jiang Lai. He clenched his fists. “I’ll remember everything you said.”

“I know Mr. Qin is a smart man.”

Cheng Shuyang stood halfway up the stairs, looking down at him. “Since you’ve got the coat, go find the person you should be looking for.”

“Goodbye, Teacher Cheng.”

Qin Huaicheng tightened his grip on the coat and turned to leave through the courtyard gate. Cheng Shuyang stood where she was for a few seconds before slowly turning and walking away as well.

By the time Jiang Lai woke again, it was completely dark. The room was quiet and dim, with only a warm yellow lamp lit in the corner. Cheng Shuyang was sitting in a rocking chair nearby, reading a book, looking serene and untouched by time.

Jiang Lai shook her head, trying to clear it. The rustling sound drew the other woman’s attention. Cheng Shuyang looked up, adjusted the glasses on her face, and said softly, “You’re awake?”

“Mm.”

Still half-asleep, Jiang Lai was a little dazed; her eyes were only half open. “Aunt Cheng, why are you in my room?”

Cheng Shuyang put down the book and walked to the bedside, then crouched down and gently rested a hand on Jiang Lai’s forehead to check her temperature.

“Aunt Cheng, it’s a little cold...”

The sudden cool touch made Jiang Lai instinctively shrink back. Cheng Shuyang took her hand lightly, her gentle voice carrying a firmness that didn’t allow refusal. “Don’t move. I’ll be done soon...”

After a long while, the woman let out a breath of relief. “Good. No fever.”

Cheng Shuyang withdrew her hand, her eyes curved with a smile. “Hungry? Do you want something to eat?”

Jiang Lai nodded blankly. Cheng Shuyang reached over to the table beside her and picked up a bowl of congee that had already been prepared, then handed it to her. “I knew you’d be hungry when you woke up, so I made this in the kitchen especially for you. Eat it.”

Jiang Lai took the bowl, her voice a little hoarse. “What time is it now?”

“Quarter past eight; it’s not too late.”

“How long did I sleep?”

“Not that long; just the whole afternoon.”

Cheng Shuyang carefully tucked the blanket around her. “I thought you wouldn’t wake until after midnight, but you came to sooner than I expected. Still, thank you for letting me get a proper sleep tonight.”

“Why is it so quiet? Is everyone gone?”

“Yes, they all went out to look at the sea.”

Jiang Lai looked at her. “Why didn’t Aunt Cheng go with them? I remember... you like looking at the sea the most.”

Cheng Shuyang smiled. “I’m older now, so I won’t join those young people and make a fuss. Besides, aren’t you here? You were asleep alone in the room. If we all went out, what if something happened to you? I couldn’t relax.”

“It seems I delayed your time. I’m sorry.”

Jiang Lai lowered her head, her voice tinged with disappointment.

“You child.”

Cheng Shuyang rested a hand lightly on the top of her head. “Why do you always insist on carrying everything by yourself? Do you know that when you passed out this afternoon, you nearly scared me to death?”

“I made you worry.”

Cheng Shuyang frowned, deliberately stern. “All right, stop talking.”

When she saw that the girl still looked ready to speak, she simply pinched Jiang Lai’s cheek, a touch of helpless amusement surfacing in her eyes. “If you apologize one more time, I really will get angry.”

Jiang Lai said nothing, only nodded slightly.

Looking at how obedient she was, Cheng Shuyang’s eyes filled with tenderness.

Every time they had met lately, she had felt that Jiang Lai was keeping her at arm’s length. She had tried several times to probe gently, but Jiang Lai refused to say anything. Even Cheng Shuyang had grown a little helpless.

“It’s your first time filming a variety show, so don’t be nervous. Just relax.”

“Mm, I know.”

Jiang Lai’s tone was flat. “Aunt Cheng can rest assured. This is just work; I won’t bring personal feelings into it.”

That same indifferent tone again. Cheng Shuyang was burning with frustration, but her good upbringing wouldn’t let her lose her temper. She could only sit there, sulking as she tried to calm herself down.

“It’s getting late, Aunt Cheng... aren’t you going back to your own room to sleep?”

Even though she felt wronged and angry, Cheng Shuyang still kept her gentle, graceful demeanor. “Didn’t you read the lodging rules? We’re supposed to share one room.”

“I’m sorry; I forgot.”

Cheng Shuyang was already irritated, and the room was dark, so when she turned around she wasn’t careful and bumped into the table beside her.

Hearing Cheng Shuyang’s muffled groan, Jiang Lai immediately walked over, worry impossible to hide in her voice. “Aunt Cheng? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just bumped myself.”

Cheng Shuyang drew in a breath from the pain.

“Let me see.”

“No need...”

She struggled, but Jiang Lai firmly circled her ankle, her voice carrying a seriousness she rarely used. “Let me see.”

Gently, she lifted the hem of Cheng Shuyang’s skirt and saw a very obvious bruise on her ankle. She couldn’t help sighing. “Aunt Cheng, don’t you look where you’re going when you walk?”

“It was too dark in here, so I couldn’t see clearly. It was my fault; I’ve caused you trouble.”

“All right, just wait here. I’ll go get medicine.”

“Wait!”

Cheng Shuyang grabbed her sleeve. “Help me up first.”

“Can you manage on your own?”

“Yes. Just help me up.”

Jiang Lai supported her carefully and helped her hobble to the bed, her eyes full of remorse. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be like this...”

“All right.”

Cheng Shuyang tapped her nose. “It’s fine. You’ll be better tomorrow. It’s not a big deal.”

Seeing that Jiang Lai still seemed ready to blame herself, Cheng Shuyang stopped her in time. “Go get the medicine.”

Jiang Lai left the room. In an instant, only Cheng Shuyang remained. The tension she’d been holding all day finally eased. Exhausted, she collapsed onto the bed, and sleep came crashing over her at once. In the end, she couldn’t hold on any longer and drifted off in a daze.

By the time Jiang Lai came back to the room, the woman was already fast asleep. Holding the medicine, Jiang Lai walked quietly to the bedside, then half-squatted there and studied the woman’s face.

She reached out, her fingertips brushing lightly over the woman’s brow again and again, as if she were trying to sweep away every last worry for her.

At this moment, the pretense of indifference she usually wore had vanished without a trace. Only when the woman was asleep could those feelings of grievance finally spill out.

Sensing the intimacy in her movements, she withdrew her hand, yet left it suspended in the air, reluctant to pull it back completely.

If you knew I had those kinds of thoughts, you’d probably really stop talking to me...

With her head lowered, her voice was so soft it seemed it would scatter with the wind. Her fingers had gone white from gripping too tightly as she forced out a bitter smile.

Something seemed to be lodged in her throat. The thoughts she didn’t dare speak sat heavily in her heart, and in the end they only became a nearly inaudible sigh.

She gently pulled the blanket up over the woman, as if she were also covering the shameful, unspoken thoughts hidden deep inside her own heart.