Gathering

One thing was certain, at least: Yu Tiantian really did know her. At the very least, they weren’t strangers.

So where had Hua Yu fit into Yu Tiantian’s relationship with her?

Hua Yu didn’t like Yu Tiantian. Every time her name came up, there was always a reaction. Did that have anything to do with her?

Wei Yin idly but obsessively scrolled through Weibo, opening things and closing them again, trying to piece together the truth from the smallest clues.

And in the process, she found something new.

“Edit history?” Wei Yin opened every post she had made and went through them one by one.

There were a lot of fangirly Weibo posts. Most of them were sighs about how she’d met a beautiful older sister, how pretty the older sister was, and so on. Many had edit histories, which meant she had revised them several times after posting.

For example, 【The second floor of the library during exam week, the pretty girl by the corner of drinking fountain No. 3, so beautiful, so beautiful】 would later have the specific location deleted and be changed into something vague like 【Saw a beautiful girl at the library today】.

Probably after getting worked up, she’d calmed down again. Wei Yin blushed just reading them; she really had no self-respect back then. How beautiful could someone possibly be…

Wei Yin clicked through each one, and then suddenly noticed that one edit history included a photo.

It was a candid shot from behind. The other person was pouring water; her long hair hung down like seaweed, brushing her forearm. The hand holding the cup drew a clean, beautiful line from forearm to fingertips.

…She really was beautiful.

Then Wei Yin felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity from that back view.

She shot out of bed and knocked on Hua Yu’s door.

Hua Yu had already lain down. She yawned when she opened the door.

“What is it?” Hua Yu asked.

Wei Yin held up her phone and pointed at the person on the screen. “Is this you?”

Hua Yu took it and studied the picture for a while. “Mm, it’s me. This outfit was given to me by Aunt Sun; her daughter is a fashion designer.”

Hua Yu’s mother liked classical things and dressed in a style that leaned traditional. She preferred qipao and Chinese-style clothing. Hua Yu wasn’t really into that sort of thing; wearing a qipao to a banquet was one thing, but at the library she naturally dressed for comfort. Aunt Sun would have her daughter make clothes to Hua Yu’s measurements.

The styles were exquisite and the quality was good; Hua Yu wore each piece for quite a long time, so she remembered them all.

“But this was from many years ago,” Hua Yu said in confusion. “Where did you see the photo?”

She was still hanging around the library in this picture; her student days were already a very distant memory.

Wei Yin told the truth. “I took it.”

Hua Yu froze, then repeated, “You took it?”

Wei Yin didn’t mention Weibo; she only said she had found the photo on her phone.

“All right,” Hua Yu said, not thinking much of it. She had never minded being photographed, as long as no one was altering the pictures or violating her portrait or privacy rights. Not to mention the person who had taken it was Wei Yin. When they were close in university, Wei Yin had seemed to have a stubborn obsession with secretly taking pictures of her. Hua Yu said she’d already gotten used to it. “You can take whatever photos you want.”

No curiosity, no explanation; she just accepted it. That, oddly enough, made Wei Yin hesitate.

If the person in the photo was Hua Yu, then Wei Yin could almost be certain that all of her fangirly posts had been about one person: Hua Yu.

Given that, in her first year of university, Wei Yin had often helped carry out classmates who went into unexpected heats, and Hua Yu had been dragged down at school because of an omega’s heat and forced into one herself, Wei Yin had been the one to save her.

Guo Ai said she often saw Wei Yin and Hua Yu walking together in the second semester of their sophomore year. Guo Ai was a junior a year below her, which meant that by the end of her junior year at the latest, Wei Yin’s relationship with Hua Yu had already been very good.

And since the fangirl Weibo posts had been made in the first semester of sophomore year, the development between her and Hua Yu must have happened during that one year between the second semester of sophomore year and the first semester of junior year.

Sherlock Wei Yin gave herself a huge thumbs-up.

Then, comparing Yu Tiantian’s messages to her, which were concentrated in her senior year, it meant that between the two of them, Yu Tiantian was the latecomer.

It was just unclear what exactly this greasy latecomer had done.

Wei Yin tried probing. “On my Weibo, there’s someone called ‘Sweetie Not Confused.’ She often leaves these greasy little comments. Do you know her?”

“She commented on your posts?” Hua Yu’s expression darkened at once. She reached for her phone immediately. “When? Why didn’t I see them?”

Wei Yin said softly, “During my senior year.”

Hua Yu’s movement stalled. Sitting by the bed, she fell silent for a few seconds. “I thought it was recent.”

“Is she Yu Tiantian?” Wei Yin asked.

It was already very late. Hua Yu had worked all day; she hadn’t felt it earlier, but now a heavy wave of fatigue suddenly washed over her.

“Yes,” Hua Yu said coolly. She tilted her head slightly and looked at Wei Yin through the dim light, her voice unreadable. “You found her photos too?”

Wei Yin shook her head. “This is the first time I’ve found anything related to her on my phone. I’d never found any records connected to her before.”

Maybe it was the words “first time” and “never found” that pleased Hua Yu. She looked away and said nothing more.

It was easy to imagine that Wei Yin and Yu Tiantian had definitely fallen out at some point.

Wei Yin hadn’t had a good life these past years; if Yu Tiantian had even a shred of conscience, how could she have let Wei Yin end up like this?

Back then, she had claimed to be close with Wei Yin, as if the two of them were only a sheet of paper away from a window being pierced through. Yet at a banquet at the Yu family home, Yu Tiantian’s mother had held Hua Yu’s hand and pointed her toward the girl downstairs, saying that girl was Yu Tiantian’s girlfriend.

“They’re in the same major. At first, when Tiantian said she liked girls, I thought she was joking. I never expected her to bring a girl home so quickly.”

“What use is a girl? She doesn’t even have much of a family background. Still, her temperament is gentle and she won’t make trouble. If Tiantian likes her, then let her like her.”

Hua Yu and Yu Tiantian’s mother were standing on the second floor, while Yu Tiantian and Wei Yin stood arm in arm on the circular platform on the first floor. They were wearing dresses in matching tones; anyone could see they were a deeply affectionate little couple.

The moment Hua Yu saw Wei Yin, she heard nothing else.

She had wanted to rush downstairs to confirm it, but before she could move, the crowd below broke into loud teasing. Yu Tiantian wrapped an arm around Wei Yin’s waist and bent down to kiss her.

The distance was too far; Hua Yu could only see their overlapping silhouettes. Her vision blurred little by little until she could see nothing at all.

That day, Hua Yu heard the sound of her own heart breaking.

That kind of bitterness always felt melodramatic and self-loathing every time she brought it up. Hua Yu didn’t know what had happened between Yu Tiantian and Wei Yin afterward, and she didn’t want to hear about it from Wei Yin’s mouth.

As long as Yu Tiantian stayed away from Wei Yin now and in the future, and never appeared between them again.

“Go to sleep. Stop worrying about unimportant people,” Hua Yu said, returning to normal. Her tone was warm. “Don’t you still have to fire the kiln tomorrow? Stop looking at Weibo and get some rest early.”

Wei Yin mumbled an “oh” and turned away, still carrying a stomach full of confusion.

She still didn’t know why Yu Tiantian had been so greasy toward her, but at least she had gotten Hua Yu’s acknowledgment.

“Dr. Hua.”

Wei Yin suddenly called out. Hua Yu, who had been about to close the door, looked up. “Mm?”

Click.

Wei Yin raised her phone and froze the instant Hua Yu looked up in the frame.

The orange ceiling light in the corridor cast a warm glow over Hua Yu. She was wearing loose pajamas, her long hair falling around her shoulders; because of sleepiness, her expression looked lazy and soft.

Wei Yin sniffed. Mm, she had to be promising.

Hua Yu caught her sneaking a photo and, expressionless, lifted a hand to make a V-sign by her cheek.

Wei Yin: “Pfft.”

“I was taking it for Tao Tao,” Wei Yin insisted stubbornly. “But this one doesn’t work. Dr. Hua, your clothes are all out of order; that’s cheating.”

Hua Yu lowered her head to check the collar that hadn’t shifted even a millimeter, and the nightgown that fell to her knees. Then she shut the door. “Go to sleep.”

Wei Yin slipped back into her room, then added Hua Yu from the Weibo edit history and this new photo to her album.

After thinking it over, she created a new album, set a password, and moved the photos over. Yes, this was Hua Yu’s private album.

-

For many days in a row, Wei Yin and Hua Yu were busy with their own things. Wei Yin still got up early every morning to tidy the house and make breakfast.

Hua Yu ate lunch at the hospital; if she worked overtime at night, she ate in the cafeteria. If she didn’t work overtime, she’d tell Wei Yin in advance. The two of them didn’t disturb each other, yet everything was orderly and peaceful, the days passing in quiet stability.

“Tomorrow I’m off duty,” one night Hua Yu got off work early without telling Wei Yin. When she came in and saw Wei Yin sitting cross-legged on the floor in a daze, she asked, “What are you doing?”

A large bowl sat on the floor in front of Wei Yin, filled with hot water and the Chinese medicine that had been simmering earlier.

She was staring blankly at the medicine, looking distracted.

When she heard Hua Yu come in, she seemed like a stalled machine, slowly lifting her head to look at her.

“Psyching myself up,” Wei Yin said.

Hua Yu changed into her pajamas in the bedroom, then walked over and crouched down, handing Wei Yin a cushion. “The floor is cold.”

Wei Yin slowly shoved the cushion under her butt and sat properly, continuing to stare at the medicine in a daze.

“Is it too bitter?” Hua Yu thought for a moment. “Can’t drink it down?”

Wei Yin immediately scrunched up her whole face; clear resistance showed in her expression.

Hua Yu couldn’t help laughing. “How did you drink it these past few days?”

Wei Yin frowned. “I will drink it. Just… give me a little time.”

“There’s coptis in it,” Hua Yu said. “Where’s the Wangzai milk I bought you?”

Wei Yin looked gloomy. “In the fridge.”

“Go get it.”

Wei Yin obediently went to the fridge, took out the Wangzai milk, and handed it to Hua Yu.

Hua Yu didn’t take it; instead, she motioned for her to drink it herself. “Take a sip of medicine, then a sip of Wangzai. It’ll take away the bitterness.”

Wei Yin looked skeptical. “Really?”

She was so bitterly resentful because the medicine was so awful she couldn’t even manage two mouthfuls in a row. One sip was enough to trigger the conditioned reflex in her whole mouth, and the bitterness lingered without end, leaving a long aftertaste, wave after wave, like slow slicing torture; every sip required a long period of psychological preparation.

The medicine had finished steeping. Hua Yu poured it into a cup and took a tiny sip herself. “It is bitter. I’ll change the prescription for you next time.”

Wei Yin snatched the cup back, muttering, “Don’t tell Uncle and Aunt about this.”

Hua Yu smiled. “All right.”

Wei Yin held her breath, took a sip of medicine, and turned red all over.

Two gulps of Wangzai later, she could breathe normally again.

Continue: medicine, red hot; Wangzai…

One whole can of Wangzai with one whole packet of medicine; perfect.

Wei Yin finished her medicine-drinking mission, and her whole body instantly relaxed. She looked at Hua Yu and asked, “What did you say? Tomorrow you’re off duty?”

Hua Yu threw the used medicine bag and the empty can into the trash, then stood up and offered her hand. “Yes. Do you have any plans for tomorrow?”

Wei Yin took Hua Yu’s hand and stood up. Before she was fully steady, she broke into a smile. “No plans. I’ll just stay at home and take it as it comes.”

“What do you want for dinner?” Hua Yu asked with amusement.

Wei Yin thought about it. “You didn’t tell me in advance, so I was planning to eat the leftovers from lunch by myself.”

Hua Yu walked toward the fridge. “Let’s see those leftovers.”

Wei Yin had made herself fried rice at lunch; it had plenty of ingredients, but what was left was clearly only enough for one person.

“I’ll make you something fresh,” Wei Yin said, closing the fridge door in front of Hua Yu. “Don’t eat leftovers.”

Hua Yu rolled up her sleeves and pushed Wei Yin out. “No, I’m making it myself.”

“Aren’t you tired?” Wei Yin clung to the kitchen door and peeked at her.

Hua Yu didn’t look back; she was busy at the cutting board, answering only briefly. “No.”

Fair enough. Their cooking skills were about the same anyway, and Hua Yu’s own cooking would certainly suit her own taste better.

Wei Yin went to tidy up other things and take the dirty clothes to be washed.

During that time, her phone rang once. She didn’t check it and waited until everything was put away before looking.

“A private message?” Half an hour later, Wei Yin checked her phone. Someone had left her a private message on Weibo.

The message was from someone she followed back, Sweetie Not Confused.

【Hi, long time no see. Do you have time to have a meal together tomorrow?】

Wei Yin stared at the screen like an old man on the subway, then shifted back an inch.

Tomorrow Hua Yu was off duty; she didn’t have a shred of time.

She closed Weibo and hummed as she hung out the clothes. Half an hour later, a message came through on WeChat.

It was from the university class group. The class monitor tagged everyone, saying the class was having a reunion next week and setting up a poll to ask which day everyone was free.

Their major had a lot of students and many classes; the people in each small class still got along pretty well. Ever since Wei Yin lost her memory, people in the group had been sending occasional messages to chat.

A university class group that isn’t as dead quiet as a corpse after graduation can be considered genuinely close if people still show up to talk from time to time.

As soon as the class monitor sent the message, people started replying, and the chat flooded with messages.

【Nice, it’s been four years since graduation. We really should get together for a meal】

【Damn, I’m on a business trip next week!!】

【I’m studying for a master’s in Germany overseas, can’t make it back】

【Weren’t you abroad right after graduation? What master’s takes four years】

【The three years you studied in Germany will become the most unforgettable eight years of your six-year life. I fucking can’t graduate!】

【Hahahahaha】

Wei Yin opened the group members list; she hadn’t paid attention before, but now she suddenly remembered the private message from earlier. Yu Tiantian and she were in the same major; could they also be in the same class?

Sure enough, in the first row she saw a pink-toned avatar that matched Yu Tiantian’s Weibo profile picture.

Group member nickname: Yu Tiantian.

The class monitor tagged everyone again in the group: 【Forget the ones overseas or on business trips. The classmates in Q City absolutely have to come. Don’t make me go find each of you in private chat】

Wei Yin gripped her phone, her brows drawing tighter. Was this a coincidence?

In the kitchen, Hua Yu finished cooking and called her to eat.

Wei Yin composed her expression and sat down at the table, carrying a stomach full of tangled thoughts.

Before she even took her first bite, Hua Yu noticed.

Hua Yu snapped her fingers in front of Wei Yin’s face. “Hey. Look at me.”

Wei Yin raised her head with her chopsticks in hand.

Hua Yu took away her empty bowl. “There’s nothing in the bowl. What are you trying to pick up, air?”

Wei Yin lowered her head. “Oh.”

“What are you thinking about?” Hua Yu asked sharply. “You can even space out while eating.”

Wei Yin silently took out her phone, opened the class announcement, and placed it in front of Hua Yu.

“The class is having a reunion,” Wei Yin said.

Hua Yu took it and, without looking at it yet, asked casually, “Tomorrow?”

“No, next week.”

After reading it, Hua Yu gave a faint nod. “Fine, got it.”

Wei Yin blinked. “Got it?”

Did Hua Yu actually know that one of her classmates was Yu Tiantian?

Hua Yu definitely knew.

Wei Yin had clearly told her in the hospital to relax; she wouldn’t be meeting Yu Tiantian privately. Was Hua Yu not listening? Why was there no reaction?

She said she liked her, and she was practically about to meet the greasy woman already. Why was Hua Yu still making that expression, as if nothing was wrong?

Hua Yu put the bowl of rice in front of Wei Yin, then looked up and said calmly, “Mm, got it.”

She looked at Wei Yin and added, “You’re not allowed to go.”

TL Note:

old man on the subway (地铁老人看手机) = a Chinese meme for looking blankly confused at a phone message.