Going Home

That should be enough, right?

Say something harsh to her, refuse her outright, and she’d give up on the idea.

With a soft-hearted girl like that, she was like a lump of dough; poke her once and it would leave a dent, and she’d probably end up crying and leaving.

Hua Yu turned to pour herself a cup of tea, thinking she’d solved the problem.

Footsteps sounded behind her, and she assumed Wei Yin was slinking off in embarrassment.

The matter of changing jobs petered out; she’d probably start work on the previously agreed date.

Nurse her health back to normal, find her a new job.

Everything would be back on track.

Hua Yu lowered her head, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a fluffy little head.

Wait— a head?

Hua Yu whipped around.

Wei Yin was tugging at the corner of Hua Yu’s clothes, pulling twice.

“Do you need a live-in nanny?”

Hua Yu stared at her in disbelief.

Wei Yin lifted her face; the smile was gone, along with that almost ingratiating look. Calmly and evenly, she said, “I’ll pay off the debt with my wages. Room and board is enough.”

Hua Yu shifted, trying to pull her clothes free.

Wei Yin’s fingers tightened even more.

The fabric stretched between them.

Wei Yin went on, “I won’t cling to you. I’ll leave after I’ve paid off what I owe. Just count my debt based on my previous average salary; it’ll take exactly three months to pay everything off.”

Hua Yu pinched the bridge of her nose and said with a headache, “What if I refuse?”

Wei Yin bared her teeth. “Then I won’t be discharged.”

Hua Yu was speechless. “...You’re being shameless.”

Wei Yin blinked. “What makes you think otherwise? I’m exactly the type to roll around on the ground and make a fuss.”

Hua Yu: ...She really hadn’t noticed.

Maybe because Hua Yu had never treated Wei Yin in a way that forced her to act like this before, Wei Yin’s thick-skinned, head-on personality had never had a chance to show itself.

Hua Yu kept her expression cold and said nothing.

Wei Yin took that as acquiescence and nodded. “Then it’s settled.”

Hua Yu: ?? How had that become settled?

Wei Yin glanced at the clock on the wall. “There’s still half an hour until work ends. Go home for lunch; I’ll go with you.”

Before Hua Yu could say anything, Wei Yin let go, smoothed the fabric flat, and even patted it lightly. “Remember to finish the cake; Yang Cha and the others will put it on your tab.”

Hua Yu: ...

Wei Yin hummed as she walked off with her hands behind her back. Hua Yu stared after her for a long time, unable to say a word.

Was this really the Wei Yin she remembered—quiet and shy?

Hua Yu silently ate the cake, and the more she ate, the more choked up she felt.

By the time she packed up to go home and opened the office door, Wei Yin had already tidied up all her things and was waiting with a small parcel in hand.

She followed Hua Yu to the car, got into the passenger seat, buckled her seat belt, followed her into the elevator, went up to the seventh floor, and entered the apartment.

Hua Yu braced one arm against the door, blocking Wei Yin from going in front of her.

“You really have to come home with me?”

Five years after graduation, she had unexpectedly run into Wei Yin. Seeing that Wei Yin’s condition was serious, she had used every means possible to keep her in the hospital for treatment. Gland disease was a chronic illness that required lifelong management; she had finally brought Wei Yin’s declining indicators back up, and then, at the very end, had even found her a relatively easy job. She had thought she could bow out gracefully, but Wei Yin had latched onto her and insisted on working to repay her debt.

The veins at Hua Yu’s temple kept twitching. She was starting to regret bringing this person home.

She’d softened for a moment and hadn’t sent her back to the hospital; now it was even harder to drive her away... what kind of situation was this?

Wei Yin lifted the parcel. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

Nowhere else to go.

Before, she had rented a place.

If Hua Yu made Wei Yin leave now, she would only turn around and look for a hotel.

Half a month in the hospital with no friends visiting and no family at her side; after discharge, she still had nowhere to go and could only live in a hotel.

A moment of softness had turned into lasting softness.

Hua Yu let go, turned, and went inside, giving in. “There are disposable slippers at the door.”

Wei Yin said happily, “I have slippers.”

By the entryway was an oddly shaped shoe cabinet, overall resembling a high heel; there were many hollowed-out spaces in the middle, holding several different kinds of shoes.

The slippers were on the lower shelf.

Wei Yin took out her own slippers and two pairs of sneakers and arranged them neatly.

The living room was simply decorated; there was nothing extra in the house. A table was a table, a chair was a chair, a sofa was a sofa—clean and tidy, exactly the kind of place cleaning staff loved most.

Wei Yin silently gave herself a thumbs-up.

Hua Yu circled the place with a headache, then opened one of the bedroom doors. “This is the second bedroom. Someone lived here half a year ago; you’ll have to wait until I clean it...”

“I’ll do it myself.”

Wei Yin squeezed past Hua Yu.

She turned on the light, set down the parcel, and went to the bathroom to look for a rag and broom.

Hua Yu had just been about to say the bathroom was behind a hidden door when she saw Wei Yin somehow find it without hesitation, as if she had x-ray vision. When she came out, she was carrying a bucket stuffed with rags, face towels, a spray bottle, and all sorts of random cleaning supplies.

Her movements were brisk and efficient, perfectly in line with her professional standards.

Hua Yu went to the bedroom to change clothes, then came back to help her.

“There are new sheets and covers here,” Hua Yu said, holding a clean four-piece bedding set and a desk lamp. “The main light in the room is a little dim; put this by the bed. It’s better for your eyes.”

After speaking, she stood there with her hands spread for two minutes, not knowing what else to do.

Wei Yin pushed her away. “I’m going to mop now; you can go out.”

Seeing that Wei Yin was tidying up well enough, Hua Yu didn’t linger and went to the kitchen to cook.

She opened the refrigerator and found there wasn’t much food left: only six white mushrooms, a handful of pea shoots, and a porcelain bowl with leftover winter jujubes from last night.

Before, when she cooked for Wei Yin, she only ever bought enough for one day to make sure the ingredients were fresh. Knowing Wei Yin was being discharged today, she hadn’t bought groceries yesterday.

There was a supermarket downstairs. Hua Yu thought for two seconds, put on her coat, and went to buy groceries.

When she got home and opened the door, the smell of food hit her at once.

Hua Yu walked to the kitchen in surprise and saw Wei Yin carrying out two plates. Wei Yin looked up and smiled at her. “Lunch is ready.”

After living alone for so long, what did it feel like to have someone cook for you?

At any rate, Hua Yu couldn’t bring herself to keep a cold face at that moment.

“This is... an omelet?”

Wei Yin set the plates down. “Pea shoot and egg pancakes, plus a plate of pan-seared steak and white mushrooms.”

There wasn’t much food, and the portions were just right. Wei Yin said awkwardly, “There wasn’t much left in the fridge, so I only made these.”

The omelet was a golden yellow, fragrant and tender; the steak and mushrooms were paired just right, with meat and vegetables in balance and the nutrition nicely rounded out. The limited ingredients had been put together very well.

Hua Yu didn’t speak for a moment.

Wei Yin said softly, “My cooking is only average. The families I used to work for all had professional chefs; they didn’t need me... Anyway, it’s nowhere near as good as yours.”

As she spoke, Wei Yin caught sight of the groceries Hua Yu had set beside the fridge and startled. Stammering, she said, “Ah, you went out to buy groceries? Then I’ll make a few more dishes...”

Hua Yu stopped her. Her hand caught the sharp line of a wrist bone under her palm; it was thin and narrow. After a moment, she let go gently.

“No need,” Hua Yu said warmly. “This is enough.”

Wei Yin set Hua Yu’s portion down, then picked up her own plate and prepared to leave.

“Where are you going?” Hua Yu asked.

Wei Yin pointed toward the second bedroom. “Back to my room.”

Hua Yu asked, “Do you like eating alone?”

Wei Yin nodded, then shook her head.

What was this careful, tiptoeing attempt to shrink herself down, as if she were a servant who absolutely must not sit at the same table as her employer?

Was she doing it on purpose? Was she doing it on purpose? Was she doing it on purpose?

Yes. Absolutely on purpose.

Hua Yu stared at her and said helplessly, “Come here and eat with me.”

Wei Yin sat back down at the dining table.

The egg pancakes with pea shoots were delicious; Wei Yin said her cooking wasn’t good, but that sounded like modesty.

One bite was soft, savory, and deeply comforting.

Food really was a wonderful thing.

“I only pan-fried one steak,” Wei Yin said, glaring at the plate Hua Yu had pushed toward her. “I’m not eating it.”

Without looking up, Hua Yu ordered, “Finish it.”

Wei Yin said, “Okay.”

Once they had both finished lunch, Hua Yu wiped the corner of her mouth with a tissue and began speaking in a calmer tone.

“Since you’re already living here, I want to make some things clear to you in advance.”