Chapter 11

Yu Nianyi looked at Xi Yu’s solemn expression. For more than ten seconds, they held each other’s gaze. Xi Yu’s face never changed, and her eyes remained calm and steady.

Yu Nianyi curved her lips, her gaze sly as a fox. “There’s one part of this painting I’m most satisfied with—the hardest part, and my favorite part too. Sister Xi Yu, you didn’t notice it?”

Xi Yu said nothing and didn’t look back at the painting.

Under Xi Yu’s impassive gaze, Yu Nianyi slowly moved to the right side of the canvas, then turned back, her eyes bright and her expression lively. “It’s you, Sister Xi Yu.”

Xi Yu stared at Yu Nianyi’s face, watching her arched brows and bright eyes, her golden hair soft and dazzling, her smile especially radiant.

She gave a quiet hum, unsurprised. After a long while, her brows and eyes lowered, hiding the flicker that had flashed through them.

“Just that?” Yu Nianyi sighed in disappointment. She strode up to Xi Yu, bit her lower lip, and said pitifully, “I thought you’d be really happy if you knew.”

“When we met tonight, you seemed a little unhappy. Maybe I was wrong. But I still hope you can be happy.”

Xi Yu stood perfectly still. Yu Nianyi blocked the window, which had been fairly clear and bright, and the whole room seemed to close in, narrow and oppressive.

Her gaze shifted, and she pressed her lips together.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for the painting. I’m very happy.”

Yu Nianyi’s eyes lit up. Her lowered head snapped up, and the smile on her face grew even more genuine, losing the teasing edge she usually wore.

“I’ve been working on this for a long time, so don’t worry,” Yu Nianyi said, the corners of her lips lifting as a faint flush rose in her cheeks. “In a few days, I’ll definitely work hard to paint it in a way I’m satisfied with!”

Xi Yu nodded and looked at Yu Nianyi for a long time before reminding her, “Don’t stay up late. It’s bad for your health.”

Yu Nianyi froze mid-motion. Then she immediately burst out laughing, unconsciously edging closer to Xi Yu as she laughed. “Is Sister Xi Yu worried about me?”

“If you say that, then of course I’ll sleep properly. It’ll just slow down my progress a little, and I’ll be a bit anxious.”

Xi Yu paused. “It’s fine.”

Yu Nianyi’s eyes curved. “It’s fine?”

Xi Yu pressed her lips together and silently glanced at Yu Nianyi, saying nothing.

In the cramped room meant for only the two of them, one stood there like a green pine, her gaze resting on the other. The other, a golden-haired girl, was bright and lively, gesturing as she laughed, her voice filling the narrow space that held only the two of them.

-

At eleven the next morning, Yu Nianyi dragged herself out of bed. Her phone was ringing like it had no regard for its own life; annoyed, she rolled over and squinted at the caller ID.

The words “Xi Yao” blazed across the screen. She frowned, swiped with her thumb, and answered.

“If you hadn’t replied to my messages, I figured you didn’t have class this morning! It’s already this late, and you’re still asleep?” Xi Yao shouted without the slightest concern for having woken Yu Nianyi.

Yu Nianyi propped herself up on one hand and swept the mess of hair on her head back with the other. “What is it? Something up?”

“Tsk, listen to yourself. Have you started the job I gave you yet?”

Yu Nianyi’s brow twitched, and her tone turned a little gritted. “I’d advise you to show some manners when you’re asking someone for a favor. Anyone who didn’t know better would think I was the one begging you to paint for me.”

Xi Yao laughed loudly and shot back, “Have you forgotten how you were begging me when you asked about my sister?”

Yu Nianyi: “……”

“Stop talking. Get yourself together and come out for lunch. I’m right across from the school; let’s eat together.”

Yu Nianyi gave an “oh,” hung up, went to wash up, and then left in yesterday’s clothes.

Outside the neighborhood, there weren’t many people on the street yet; most students still hadn’t finished class.

Xi Yao was waiting in front of the breakfast shop they’d been to before. By now, the sign that had once advertised fried dough sticks and buns had already been replaced with various lunch noodles.

Xi Yao waved at Yu Nianyi, and Yu Nianyi walked over. Then she saw Xi Yao looking at her with a gossip-hungry expression.

“I’ve got to say, this is a little surprising. I didn’t expect you to still be in contact with my sister.” Xi Yao bumped Yu Nianyi’s shoulder and said slyly, “You had a pretty good time with my sister last night, didn’t you?”

Yu Nianyi lifted a brow, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. “You found out that fast?”

“Of course. My parents were waiting to interrogate someone last night, but they didn’t see you.” Xi Yao muttered, “She even went back specially to apologize to my parents, saying my sister still had other things to do, and that she’d been taken away by some unfamiliar blonde woman. I just thought about it a little and knew it was you.”

“You’re pretty impressive too, knowing my sister’s schedule and all.”

Yu Nianyi waved it off. “Pure coincidence. Last night Yang Shuyu asked me to help move some things, then said she’d treat me to dinner. But when I walked into the restaurant, I ran into Sister Xi Yu eating with a man.”

“What a coincidence.” Xi Yao sighed, then laughed. “Just imagining that scene makes it feel so dramatic.”

Yu Nianyi sighed and said nothing. Feeling a little hungry, she walked with Xi Yao for several hundred meters before they finally found a place Xi Yao was satisfied with.

The Hong Kong-style tea restaurant was one of the nicer-looking places nearby, and plenty of students came here to take photos.

Xi Yao and Yu Nianyi chose a relatively spacious table and scanned the code to order.

“Did Sister Xi Yu act any different after she went back?” Yu Nianyi asked Xi Yao while ordering.

Xi Yao sat across from her, typing as she smiled. Only after hearing Yu Nianyi’s question did she belatedly look up. “Nope. Same old her—few words, serious, not funny at all. Boring.”

“And after explaining things to my parents last night, she left overnight.”

“She left?”

“Yeah, went back to her own place. She said it’s closer to the company and more convenient for work.”

Yu Nianyi closed her phone, rested her chin on her hand, and said nothing more.

Xi Yao had apparently been flirting recently with some pretty younger girl she’d mentioned; her Moments was full of posts about where they’d gone together, and the atmosphere seemed pretty good.

Yu Nianyi thought back to Xi Yu’s expression and demeanor from last night. Although it had only been their third meeting, they could no longer be considered strangers; she could clearly feel that they’d grown much closer.

Before long, the food arrived. The two of them had ordered fried rice and snacks, and once everything was served, the table was completely full.

It was already noon, and more and more university students were coming in from outside; quite a few of them came in to eat.

“Earlier you were worrying about my sister. Did something happen between you and my sister last night?” Xi Yao asked suddenly after eating for a while.

Yu Nianyi smiled. Under Xi Yao’s increasingly curious gaze, she finally spoke. “I painted a landscape with your sister in it. I showed it to her yesterday, and she said she really liked it.”

Xi Yao froze, then looked suspiciously at Yu Nianyi’s face, which was smiling with obvious smugness. “My sister would say she likes something? You must’ve dreamed that.”

Yu Nianyi clicked her tongue. Thinking back on yesterday’s atmosphere, she summarized, “Something like that. I think our relationship is pretty good now; at the moment, it’s developing in the direction I want.”

Xi Yao nodded. This time, she didn’t poke holes in Yu Nianyi’s words and said, “Then I’ll wish you every success and all your wishes coming true.”

Yu Nianyi looked at her suspiciously. “Why are you suddenly being so sweet this time?”

Xi Yao’s lips curved into a wide smile; she lifted her phone from the table, its screen lit with a chat window. “I learned from my little sister.”

After lunch, Yu Nianyi and Xi Yao had nothing to do. Yu Nianyi didn’t go home; instead, she went straight to the school exhibition hall to take a look. Recently, there happened to be an art exhibition jointly showing works from the Chinese painting and oil painting departments; it was open that day.

There weren’t many people at noon; only one girl was sitting at the entrance.

The two of them started from the entrance and browsed from right to left; first were the landscape oil paintings, then the fine-detail flower-and-bird works from the Chinese painting department.

Xi Yao was a second-year Chinese painting major, and these third-year works were meaningful to her. Along the way, she chatted enthusiastically with Yu Nianyi and also took quite a few photos of students’ work.

Just as they were nearing the end, Yu Nianyi spotted someone familiar.

Their gazes met in the air; Yu Nianyi smiled politely and took the initiative to walk over.

“What a coincidence. We meet again,” Song An Ning said with a smile.

Xi Yao studied the expressions on their faces; her gaze finally landed on Song An Ning’s face.

Song An Ning’s short hair brushed her shoulders, and her features were rather striking. Even under Xi Yao’s scrutiny, she showed no discomfort, greeting her openly and naturally.

Xi Yao didn’t know this person. Since the day she and Yu Nianyi met through the app, they’d become pretty good friends. After that, their circles of friends had basically come to know each other; this person, however, was an exception.

“I saw your painting. It was very delicate; I looked at it for a long time,” Yu Nianyi said.

Song An Ning’s brows lifted in delight. She stepped forward, her eyes brightening too. “Thank you. I even thought this painting wasn’t especially good. After your praise, my confidence shot right up!”

Yu Nianyi smiled and turned back to look at Xi Yao.

Xi Yao was stunned for a second, then suddenly tugged at Yu Nianyi and said, “By the way, didn’t you still need to go to our studio? It’s getting late; let’s go.”

“So soon?” The smile on Song An Ning’s face faded a little, disappointment showing. “I was just saying it’s noon now; we could go eat together.”

Yu Nianyi waved it off and followed Xi Yao toward the entrance. “Sorry. I’ll treat you next time when I have time.”

After leaving the exhibition, the two walked side by side down the stairs.

Xi Yao grinned. “Who was that? I don’t think I’ve seen her before.”

“She’s from the Chinese painting program in the art department. I met her during freshman military training, and we chatted for a bit,” Yu Nianyi said, taking out her phone to check the time. It was almost one o’clock; there was still an hour left.

“Chatted for a bit?” Xi Yao looked thoroughly interested in the gossip. “Chatted until she still has feelings for you?”

Yu Nianyi: “……”

“Don’t say things like that that make people misunderstand. It makes us sound like we really have something going on.”

Xi Yao laughed loudly; after teasing her a few more times, she said nothing else.

In the afternoon, Yu Nianyi attended class as usual. Although she could occasionally feel Yang Shuyu’s gaze on her, after class Yang Shuyu left and didn’t come over again.

The tension in Yu Nianyi’s chest loosened a little. She grabbed a bite in the cafeteria, then went straight home.