Chapter 37

Dinner dragged on until nearly midnight before everyone finally left together.

Jiang Lai was the last to stand up, silently clearing away the cluttered mess.

"A-Lai, I’ll help you."

Song Shiyuan smiled at her and rolled up her sleeves, ready to stay and clean up with her.

"No need. Go rest. Didn’t you say you’d get a headache the next day if you stayed up too late?"

"...You still remember that?"

"Of course."

The girl glanced at her, a little helpless. "Setting aside what happened before, we’ve known each other for so many years. I still remember a lot of your habits."

"So, we..."

Song Shiyuan bit her lip, just about to say something when Jiang Lai pushed her back into the room.

"There’s milk on the table. Remember to drink it."

"Just for me, or does everyone have some?"

Jiang Lai said nothing.

Her hand paused on the doorframe, as if she understood something.

"Good night, Jiang Lai."

The only answer she got was Jiang Lai turning her back on her.

The living room lights were already on. Jiang Lai quietly washed the stack of dishes in the sink.

Footsteps rustled behind her. Assuming one of them had come down for water, she said without looking up, "The kettle’s on the table behind me. Pour yourself some if you want."

The footsteps stopped abruptly. Instead of the reply she expected, a familiar figure came to a halt behind her.

"Why aren’t you asleep yet?"

A familiar voice.

She turned and saw that it was the woman; she smiled. "Oh, it’s you. I thought someone had come down for water."

The woman had thrown on a beige knit cardigan. Standing at the kitchen entrance, the warm yellow light cast a soft halo over her shoulders, and her voice carried the hoarseness of someone not fully awake yet.

She blinked, apology flashing across her face. "I’m sorry, Aunt Cheng. Was I too loud washing the dishes and woke you up?"

"How could that be?"

The woman walked toward her, her gaze lingering on the red marks on the back of her hand before drifting away. "I couldn’t sleep. I heard something in the kitchen, so I came down to look."

The girl’s hands moved even faster. "Then I’ll be quicker and try not to disturb your rest."

"I’ll help you. It’ll go faster that way. It’s already very late; you should be resting too."

"No, no."

She hurriedly stopped the woman. "Go back to sleep. There’s not much left. I’ll be done soon, so you don’t need to touch anything. Besides..."

She muttered softly, "With me here, how could I let you do this..."

"What?"

"Nothing."

She wiped the water from her hands. "There’s milk over there. I’ll heat some up for you; it’ll help you sleep."

"No need. I’ll do it myself."

Neither of them spoke after that, but the atmosphere was unexpectedly harmonious.

Jiang Lai washed the last dishcloth clean and hung it up. When she turned around, she almost ran into the woman.

"Careful."

The woman caught her in time, and the warmth of her palm seeped through the fabric into the girl’s body.

"Then, Aunt Cheng, I’ll head upstairs first?"

She took a few steps back.

The woman nodded. "All right."

Just as Jiang Lai reached the stairs, the woman suddenly called after her, "A-Lai, wait a moment."

She looked back in confusion.

"Come to my room in a little while."

"Okay... huh?"

Her response came a beat late, and even her voice stumbled. "Aunt Cheng, you... you’re sure?"

The woman was still standing at the kitchen entrance. Hearing that, she turned to look at her; the red flush on Jiang Lai’s ears made it obvious at a glance what she had misunderstood.

She couldn’t help wanting to tease her. "What, you’re afraid to come?"

"No... I’m not afraid."

Jiang Lai scratched the bridge of her nose. "I just... I’m worried it won’t look good if someone sees."

"You!"

The woman tapped her forehead, not quite hard. "What’s going on in that little head of yours all day?"

Jiang Lai really couldn’t figure out what the woman wanted with her.

"All right, you’ll know when the time comes."

The woman lifted her chin. "Be careful on the stairs; the light’s dim. Don’t fall again."

"Got it."

The sound of footsteps gradually faded. Only then did Jiang Lai dare lift her head. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of her chest, and her face was hot enough to fry an egg.

"It’s all Aunt Cheng’s fault, always saying things that make people misunderstand..."

She lingered at the door for a long time. Only after she’d finally worked up enough courage did she gently knock on the woman’s door. "Aunt Cheng, I’m here."

"Come in. The door’s unlocked."

The moment she opened the door, a familiar fragrance washed over her. The woman was leaning against the headboard reading, and the warm yellow light fell across the room, making it feel cozy and peaceful.

When she saw Jiang Lai come in, she patted the spot beside her. "Sit."

Jiang Lai sat down slowly, deliberately keeping a large distance from the woman.

The woman couldn’t help teasing her. "Why are you sitting so far away? I’m not going to eat you."

Only then did she relent and scoot a little closer.

Cheng Shuyang closed the book, turned to take something from the cabinet, then stood in front of her. "Give me your hand."

"Hm?"

Jiang Lai couldn’t figure out what she was doing, but she obediently held out her hand.

The woman crouched down and opened her palm.

That was when Jiang Lai finally saw it: a tube of burn ointment.

"Aunt Cheng..."

Her voice caught suddenly. "I didn’t even notice it myself."

The woman didn’t say anything. She just unscrewed the cap, gently took her hand, and brushed her fingertips over the burned patch of skin.

Jiang Lai couldn’t help flinching. "Aunt Cheng..."

The woman squeezed a bit of ointment onto her fingertip and carefully spread it over the wound, her movements so gentle they were unlike anything Jiang Lai had ever seen.

"How did this happen?"

Her voice was very soft when she asked.

"Probably got splashed by charcoal during the barbecue. It’s fine, though; I’m used to it."

She smiled lightly at the woman, pretending not to care.

The woman gave her a glare, but there was no real anger in it. "Can’t you treat yourself a little better? What if it leaves a scar, huh?"

"If it leaves a scar, it leaves a scar. No one likes me anyway."

She muttered it under her breath, not daring to let the woman hear.

The pressure on the wound suddenly increased. Jiang Lai hissed in pain and instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but the woman gripped it even tighter.

Annoyed, she looked up again. The instant she met the woman’s eyes, she froze.

"Aunt Cheng..."

The tenderness in the woman’s gaze had already faded. She frowned, her expression turning a little stern.

"If you’re hurt, you should treat it right away."

Her voice was lower than before, and her thumb pressed against the injured spot. "Your hand is already like this, and you still went to wash the dishes. Jiang Lai, do you really care that much about the rules?"

The girl was startled by that look; the dissatisfaction she’d just felt had long since been scared out of her. All she could do was answer timidly, "I thought it wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t think much of it."

The woman let go of her hand and held the ointment out to her. "Take it back. Apply it twice a day, morning and night. If you don’t even care about yourself, how can you expect anyone else to care about you?"

She took the ointment in silence, then mumbled, "Aunt Cheng, I know I was wrong. I won’t do it again."

"Aunt Cheng, there are some things I know you understand even if I don’t say them. I don’t want to ruin what we have. This is fine as it is, isn’t it?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

The woman had her back to her, and her tone gave nothing away.

"It’s late. Go back and rest."

She was clearly sending her away.

Jiang Lai’s hand was still suspended in the air.

The woman wasn’t far from her. If she made a little effort, she could pull her into her arms.

"Aunt Cheng, my hand hurts."

She put on an injured, pitiful tone, hoping to make the woman turn and look at her.

At those words, the woman’s figure paused almost imperceptibly before slowly turning back to face her.

"Where does it hurt?"

She took two steps toward Jiang Lai and reached out, ready to touch the hand.

Jiang Lai was secretly delighted, but her face only grew more aggrieved.

"Hold out your hand. Let me see."

She extended her hand, then took advantage of the woman’s momentary distraction to wrap both arms around her waist, pressing her cheek against the soft curve of her chest and abdomen. The scent of gardenias grew even richer; she couldn’t help tightening her hold, drawing the two of them closer.

The woman went rigid.

She lowered her head to look at the soft crown of the girl’s hair.

"You child, this isn’t proper. Let go, now."

"No. Anyway, I’ve never liked listening to other people."

She looked up at her, eyes bright.

"Are you angry? I won’t do this again. I’ll definitely take responsibility for my body from now on."

Silence stretched between them for a long time. Then the woman gave a faint sigh, and Jiang Lai felt the warmth of her palm settle on the top of her head.

"I’m not angry, and I’m not ignoring you."

The woman lifted a hand and smoothed down her hair.

Jiang Lai took the opportunity to rub against her a little more. "Then just now, when you turned your back on me and didn’t say anything or smile... pretend I was talking nonsense, okay?"

"What, I’m not allowed to be angry?"

"Of course you are."

She wickedly tickled the woman’s waist.

The woman’s breathing caught; in the next second, she accurately seized the hand causing trouble.

"Jiang Lai."

There was still a tremor lingering in her voice. "Are you asking for a beating?"

The girl was pinned in place and couldn’t move, but she was still smiling brightly. "Then hit me. I definitely won’t dodge."

The woman was left speechless by her shamelessness. Her hand on Jiang Lai’s head froze, and a look that was half laughter, half exasperation appeared in her eyes.

"Do you think I wouldn’t dare?"

"Then go ahead."

She knelt on the bed and took the woman’s hand, guiding it to her own face. Looking at her behavior, the woman ultimately couldn’t bring herself to do it and lowered her hand.

Jiang Lai seized the chance to grab her hand. "You can’t bear to."

"You’re awfully good at sweet-talking."

"Only with you."

"Jiang Lai, some things shouldn’t be said out loud."

As soon as she said that, the smile on Jiang Lai’s face visibly faded a little, but she still didn’t show it.

"It’s late, Aunt Cheng. I should go back and rest."

The woman didn’t answer, only gave a soft mm, and it was impossible to tell whether it was perfunctory or sincere.

She opened the door and glanced back at the woman’s figure.

"Wait."

The woman quickly walked over and handed her the milk from the table.

"This is..."

"Heated especially for you."

The corners of the woman’s lips curved. "Good night, A-Lai."

Author’s Note: