Chapter 27

Xi Yu sent a message saying she’d be free after six.

There were still three hours left until their agreed time. Since this was their most formal meeting yet, Yu Nianyi wanted to dress up properly.

She deliberately put on especially delicate makeup. The earth-toned eyeshadow was versatile; it brightened her face, made her look more refined, and couldn’t go wrong. She also carefully covered the dark circles under her eyes, leaning close to the mirror and checking herself again and again. Only after making sure there wasn’t a flaw from any angle did she finally relax.

To make herself seem less like a student standing in front of Xi Yu, she tied her hair up neatly, thinking of Xi Yu’s usual style and arranging it into a fluffy low bun.

Fortunately, it wasn’t snowing today. From morning to night, the weather looked fairly warm.

Yu Nianyi took off her loungewear; in the mirror, her long, smooth shoulders and neck appeared. A thin black strap crossed tightly over her back, and the hollow at her waist showed faintly in the warm light.

She slipped on a beige shirt and buttoned it in front of the mirror, stopping only when the buttons just barely covered the pale, eye-catching curve of her chest, with only a corner of her black bra still visible. Satisfied, she finally lowered her hands.

Yu Nianyi couldn’t help smiling. She quickly pulled on a pair of light apricot trousers in the same color family; a black belt cinched her waist. The whole outfit was crisp and pale, clean and comfortable.

She checked herself in the mirror over and over, then finally nodded in satisfaction. She put on a black coat, and when she passed the wardrobe, she noticed the black-and-white checkered scarf in the gift box; on a whim, she took that too and wrapped it around her neck.

Xi Yu had said she’d be waiting for her at the entrance to Xiangyang Community, so Yu Nianyi left more than ten minutes early this time, hoping not to make Xi Yu wait again.

By then, the sun had disappeared behind thick clouds. The sky was gray and dim, as if it would turn dark soon.

Yu Nianyi went downstairs quickly and out of the community, scanning the area before letting out a quiet breath of relief. There were only a few figures on the street; she didn’t see the familiar car.

She set the long cardboard box in her hands on the ground and lowered her eyes to inspect it carefully. The painting was only dry on the surface; if it wasn’t handled properly, it could be damaged very easily.

A few days ago, she’d been too eager, all she could think about was finishing the painting quickly and giving it to Xi Yu, with a rather showy, credit-claiming sort of intent. But only after saying it aloud did she remember that it still needed to dry completely, which would take a long time.

These past two days, to help the surface dry faster, she’d kept the windows open all day. Fortunately, it hadn’t rained or snowed, so at least the surface had dried somewhat.

Yu Nianyi sighed inwardly, feeling she’d been far too impatient and looked far too unprofessional.

Beep—

A short honk sounded not far away. Yu Nianyi instinctively looked up and saw a black-and-gold Bentley slowly pull up by the roadside. Through the window, she could vaguely make out Xi Yu’s silhouette; at a short distance, Xi Yu was quietly watching this side.

Yu Nianyi waved and strode to the curb.

Xi Yu got out of the car, glanced Yu Nianyi over from head to toe, then lowered her eyes to the cardboard box in her hands.

Yu Nianyi curved her lips into a smile and looked at Xi Yu’s face, her eyes bright. “I didn’t make you wait this time.”

Xi Yu paused for a moment, then lifted her eyes to Yu Nianyi. Yu Nianyi was wrapped in the black-and-white checkered scarf Xi Yu had given her last time; the scarf almost covered most of her shoulders, gathering her face in the middle, her red lips bright and vivid.

Xi Yu nodded. “You’re not wearing much.”

Yu Nianyi shook her head at once, speaking familiarly. “It’s plenty. The scarf you gave me is very warm; I don’t feel cold at all.”

“I wrapped it this way on purpose so the painting wouldn’t get damaged.” Yu Nianyi continued, “It’s only dry on the surface. It’ll take several more months to dry completely. But I really wanted to give it to you, so I couldn’t wait any longer. I may need to trouble you, Xi Yu-jie. I know you’re busy with work, but it won’t be a problem; just keep it in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place...”

Yu Nianyi kept talking without stopping. Xi Yu said nothing; she stepped forward and took the painting, placing it in the car.

The corners of Xi Yu’s brows and eyes curved slightly, like winter thawing, carrying a faint warmth. She turned back. Yu Nianyi, still mid-sentence, stopped and looked at her fixedly.

“Get in the car,” Xi Yu said.

There were a lot of cars on the road; they’d hit the rush hour after work. Not long after setting off, they had to stop for quite a while.

Yu Nianyi chose a Chinese restaurant on Chunhua Road. She’d eaten there before; the dishes were clean and hygienic, and very much to Xi Yu’s taste. Most importantly, it wasn’t far away, and there were plenty of bars around it, making it one of the nearby places people often went to relax and have fun; it was very lively.

It took a full hour of driving before they reached their destination.

Luckily, Yu Nianyi had reserved a table in advance and told the waiter beforehand, so the two of them were led inside.

“The dishes here are all really delicious, and the atmosphere is great too,” Yu Nianyi said as they walked. “I heard Xi Yu-jie hasn’t been back in Jiayang for very long, so I figured you probably haven’t been here yet. That’s why I definitely wanted to bring you here to try it.”

The waiter led them into a private room, handed over the menu, poured tea, and then stood quietly to one side waiting.

The room was fifty square meters. In the center stood an eight-seat solid wood round table; beside a bookshelf stood a rubber plant as tall as a person. Through the window, they could clearly see passersby coming and going; lights shimmered outside, and the night scene carried a strong sense of everyday life.

Xi Yu lowered her head and looked through the menu page by page, then raised her head to the person beside her and asked, “Anything you can’t eat?”

Yu Nianyi sat right next to Xi Yu, and when she heard the question, she smiled with narrowed eyes and said softly, “Nope. Xi Yu-jie can order whatever you want.”

At the round wooden table, one and a half meters wide, the two of them sat close together and occupied less than two people’s width.

The waiter glanced up once, then lowered his head again and stared at the floor, then the ceiling—anywhere but at them.

Xi Yu ordered a few standard signature dishes, then handed the menu to Yu Nianyi. Yu Nianyi didn’t look at it again and casually passed it to the waiter.

“Please wait a moment. Call me anytime if you need anything.”

Xi Yu casually took off her black coat and placed it on the sofa behind her.

Today Xi Yu was wearing a slightly fitted dark gray thin top. The fabric was loose yet elastic, falling along her narrow waist and abdomen, followed by neat, sharp gray suit pants.

Yu Nianyi looked at her again and again, then followed her example and took off her own coat.

Xi Yu’s gaze swept over her in turn and landed on the pale, somewhat fragile line of her chest.

“Xi Yu-jie, do you like this outfit of mine?” Yu Nianyi walked forward slowly and stopped in front of Xi Yu, smiling brightly. “You’ve been looking at it for so long.”

Xi Yu withdrew her gaze and looked into Yu Nianyi’s smiling eyes.

They held each other’s gaze for a long while. Then Xi Yu suddenly lowered her head slightly, her upper body leaning closer. Yu Nianyi’s breath caught; the smile on her face stiffened for an instant. She stared blankly at the lips drawing nearer, at that faint-colored mole growing clearer and clearer, while a strange heat seemed to slip through the air.

The distance closed little by little until Xi Yu’s lips brushed past Yu Nianyi’s cheek from across the space; Xi Yu’s eyes shifted toward the table behind Yu Nianyi, and she reached out to press the remote.

Then the distance stretched back out, and she turned to sit on the sofa.

Within seconds, warm air rushed over them, and the faint chill from moments ago vanished completely.

Yu Nianyi stood there, unable to move for quite a while.

Xi Yu crossed her legs, rested her chin on one hand, and looked quietly at the person not far away on the floor; her voice was clear and distinct. “The clothes do look good.”

Yu Nianyi came back to her senses and once again met Xi Yu’s calm, deep-sea eyes, which held an unmistakable air of appraisal. She drew in a breath; her face flushed red at once, and heat burned at her ears for no reason. She glanced at the chair beside her leg, one hand hovering as she tried to pull it out.

Perhaps because she was too flustered, she accidentally tripped over her foot. She stumbled, steadied herself, then yanked the chair out with a sharp scrape and sat down in her own seat.

The gaze from behind was still impossible to ignore. Yu Nianyi straightened up, somehow feeling as though Xi Yu had made a fool of her.

The dishes were served quickly, and they did not disappoint. Xi Yu’s expression remained natural throughout, and she seemed to eat quite a lot. Though she didn’t smile, Yu Nianyi just felt that she was in a very good mood.

Even though she’d been a little embarrassed just now, that didn’t stop Yu Nianyi from teasing Xi Yu in the middle of the meal. That tiny bit of awkwardness was nowhere near enough to affect her.

“For the past two years, Xi Yao and I have eaten our way through every street and alley in Jiayang, including a lot of little hole-in-the-wall places. There are tons and tons of delicious spots. If Xi Yu-jie has time, I’d be very happy to be your dining companion.” Yu Nianyi paid the bill as she walked beside Xi Yu and spoke.

Xi Yu nodded. “If there’s a chance.”

“Then next time it’ll be the three of us, plus Luo Yiran. It’ll definitely be so lively.” Yu Nianyi’s lips curved up unconsciously as she immediately imagined the four of them sitting together for a meal, and even Xi Yao pretending to be demure in front of her older sister. Just thinking about it made her want to laugh.

It was already nine at night, yet plenty of people were still passing by and walking into the restaurant. The streets were crowded with people, most of them moving along hand in hand; it was quite noisy.

Yu Nianyi suddenly grabbed Xi Yu’s arm. Xi Yu turned back instinctively and saw her smiling brightly. “Xi Yu-jie, there are so many people right now; the roads must be jammed.”

“I’m stuffed. Since the weather’s nice, why don’t we take a walk together and digest a little?”

Xi Yu looked around, then said, “All right.”

The two of them turned right into a narrow street. Passersby came and went, brushing past them; it was easy to feel that this street was even livelier than the one outside.

Not far ahead, neon lights flashed, and pleasant singing drifted slowly into their ears.

Yu Nianyi pointed ahead and said, “There are a lot of little bars around here with really good singers. They’re very professional, and the atmosphere is great.”

Xi Yu gave a soft mm and looked quietly into the distance. “Do you and Xi Yao come here often too?”

Yu Nianyi’s steps faltered. She suddenly hesitated and stammered a little, glancing at Xi Yu before saying softly, “More or less. Xi Yao comes sometimes.”

Xi Yu said nothing; she only replied, “Okay.”

Yu Nianyi let out a soft breath, feeling vaguely awkward. It wasn’t just Xi Yao; back when she’d just started university, she’d often come here with girls she was flirting with. She’d come so many times it had become a habit, and she even knew which bar’s resident singer was a lesbian.

The deeper they went, the clearer the singing became. A faint smell of alcohol drifted through the air, and the noise of the crowd grew more distinct.