Chapter 31

For example, doing this and that with Xi Yu, then that and this, then this and that again.

The little videos she’d watched long ago came rushing back all at once, tangled up with Yu Nianyi’s increasingly shameless thoughts. Yu Nianyi quickly took the tissue Xi Yu handed her and wiped at her mouth in a fluster.

She lowered her head to glance at the tissue in her hand and saw that the light red lipstick had been wiped away completely; there wasn’t even a trace of lip cream left.

Xi Yu covered her fingertip with the tissue and wiped it clean in one motion, her eyes fixed steadily on Yu Nianyi, who looked a little embarrassed. Her gaze settled on the corner of Yu Nianyi’s lips. “Beside it.”

“Not your mouth.”

Yu Nianyi’s face heated instantly; even her ears were burning. She turned her face away, lowered her head, and stared blindly at the ground while pressing the tissue to the corner of her mouth again and again.

Why be sloppy at other times, and then get it right now?

When had Yu Nianyi ever made a fool of herself like this in front of the person she liked, and of all people, the difficult Xi Yu?

This was way too damaging to her image!

Yu Nianyi was screaming silently inside; in spirit, she had already died on the spot for a while now.

She held up her phone to her face; the screen faintly showed the outline of her features. She raised the tissue and wiped again, then checked once more before finally turning around to face Xi Yu.

Xi Yu was still standing where she’d been, hands in her coat pockets, her gaze seeming never to have shifted once.

Yu Nianyi’s eyelid twitched. Meeting Xi Yu’s eyes, she smiled and said, “Sister Xi Yu, is it gone now?”

Xi Yu said, “Yes.”

“That’s good. Thanks to Sister Xi Yu, otherwise I would’ve had to walk all the way back with this face, and that would’ve been so embarrassing.”

“It’s fine; it wasn’t obvious.”

“Not obvious? If it wasn’t obvious, Sister Xi Yu wouldn’t have spotted it at a glance.” Yu Nianyi stepped down from the stair and stood on the same level as Xi Yu. She looked at Xi Yu very intently, the corners of her lips always curved in a smile. “Sister Xi Yu is always so good at comforting people.”

Victory Road was in the center of Jiayang City; on weekends, the crowds were endless, and even after midnight the tall buildings still glittered brightly. Pedestrians and cars flowed past one after another on the streets. Most people were out in groups, and it was still lively.

Under the heavy black sky, snow suddenly began to drift down; each flake was distinct as it fell lightly and slowly.

Yu Nianyi stared at the snowflakes swirling in the air and suddenly thought of last week’s snowy night; she thought of Xi Yu’s expressionless face in the shadows, and of those especially calm, clear words.

“The snow today is beautiful,” Yu Nianyi said suddenly.

Xi Yu lifted her eyes slightly and glanced at the white snow, half falling and half suspended in the air.

The snowflakes kept spinning and dancing overhead, melting one after another before they could even touch the ground, warmed by the passing crowds.

“Mm.”

When they reached the car, Xi Yu told Yu Nianyi to sit in the passenger seat. The engine started at once, and the car headed toward Xiangyang Community.

It was obvious Yu Nianyi hadn’t drunk any alcohol; there wasn’t even a hint of a smell, let alone the exaggerated things Xi Yao had said to Xi Yu.

Xi Yu didn’t ask about Xi Yao again. The car moved stop and go; after twenty minutes, they had only covered a short distance.

Yu Nianyi looked out the window at the streetlights sliding past one after another.

She really wanted to ask Xi Yu out.

Just for tomorrow at noon; she could come up with some other random reason, as long as Xi Yu agreed.

Yu Nianyi felt sour and restless; the more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt.

Four minutes later, Yu Nianyi gradually recognized the familiar streets through the window. She composed herself for a few seconds, then suddenly said, “Sister Xi Yu, have you heard about that new restaurant on Heping Road lately?”

Xi Yu said, “No. Why?”

Yu Nianyi said, “That place is super popular. The food is really good, and it’s very affordable. The photos look especially appetizing too.”

“I saw some dishes online that seemed perfect for us, so I thought I’d definitely take Sister Xi Yu there to try them. There’ll happen to be fewer people tomorrow, so we can get a good seat.”

Yu Nianyi tilted her head to look at Xi Yu’s reaction; seeing that she didn’t have much of an expression and was just staring ahead at the road, Yu Nianyi asked again, “Tomorrow?”

“Yes, tomorrow is the best time.”

“It seems Xi Yao told you a lot about me.”

Yu Nianyi hummed in acknowledgment, then looked at Xi Yu’s profile with a smiling expression. “Because I’m very interested in Sister Xi Yu’s affairs.”

Seeing that Xi Yu still said nothing, Yu Nianyi asked once more, “So, can it be tomorrow?”

Xi Yu pressed her lips together. After a few seconds, she said, “There’s something at home tomorrow.”

“Is that so? What a pity.” Yu Nianyi paused, then said softly, “Is it something very important?”

Xi Yu didn’t answer. She turned on the left turn signal and waited for the green light.

She seemed unwilling to respond to Yu Nianyi at all.

Yu Nianyi withdrew her gaze, even her head drooping a little. The turn signal clicked softly inside the car; the red light soon turned green. After crossing this street and going a little farther, they would reach the community gate.

“It’s not important.” Xi Yu pulled the car over by the roadside and switched off the engine.

Yu Nianyi’s eyes lit up at once. “Then you—”

She paused, seeing Xi Yu turn her head and look back at her, as if waiting for her to continue. “Then can you not go?”

Yu Nianyi unconsciously straightened her back. Looking at Xi Yu in the dim light, the distance between the passenger and driver seats was very close; she could clearly see Xi Yu’s face and the direct, unguarded look in her eyes.

Xi Yu unfastened her seat belt and leaned back in the seat. Only after looking closely did one notice that her always-smooth brows and eyes seemed to curve with a faint trace of a smile. “I remember that before you create an oil painting, in order to extend the painting’s lifespan and reduce oil absorption, you usually apply a base layer to the canvas.”

Yu Nianyi froze for a moment and nodded instinctively.

“That process may be a little dull and tedious, but it’s an indispensable step; it determines the final effect of the work. Whether the painting is smooth, whether the colors are bright.”

Yu Nianyi looked at Xi Yu’s slightly narrowed eyes, lit by the streetlights, and watched as she opened them again, her gaze calm. “Although we’re not in the same major, the concepts are the same.”

“You can understand tomorrow’s matter that way too.”

Yu Nianyi’s eyes widened slightly. Her restless heart suddenly started beating again, slow and steady; she nodded, warmth rising to her ears.

Xi Yu looked at Yu Nianyi’s face through the dim light inside the car. Her back was slightly lifted off the seat as she sat obediently, her head tilted down a little. She blinked again and again, and the corners of her lips, freshly wiped to a pale pink, were clearly curved upward in a bright, dazzling smile.

After Yu Nianyi got out of the car, her heart still felt a little light and floating, and Xi Yu’s words kept looping over and over in her ears like the discovery of a whole new world.

Even when she lay in bed at night, pulling the covers over her face and then taking them off again, tossing and turning on the mattress, the warmth on her face still wouldn’t go away.

-

Main residence.

When Xi Yu stepped into the foyer, she happened to see Xi Huanian and Zhao Xiaolan neatly dressed and sitting properly in the living room. Classical music drifted all the way from inside to the doorway; their laughter was light and casual.

Xi Yao changed her shoes and headed straight for the living room. She plopped down brazenly into the redwood chair at the very end, saw the exquisitely arranged fruit platter on the table, reached out to take one, and stuffed it into her mouth on her own.

Zhao Xiaolan gave Xi Yao a mild glare but said nothing, her gaze landing directly on Xi Yu, who had just come in.

“You’re back too late. If your Uncle Chen’s family hadn’t been delayed by traffic and arrived at the last minute, who knows who’d have gotten here first,” Zhao Xiaolan said. “Your Aunt Kang has a very good impression of both of you today, so behave yourselves.”

Xi Yao tilted her head and looked at Zhao Xiaolan. “I’m not even the main character today; why are you worried? Don’t worry, for the sake of your two faces, I’ll definitely say as little as possible and be an invisible person.”

Zhao Xiaolan sighed and motioned for Xi Yu to sit beside her.

Xi Yao got up at once and ran upstairs.

“Talk more with Aunt Kang later. She always brings you up in front of me and asks how you’ve been lately. In front of her, you should act a little more gentle,” Zhao Xiaolan said.

Xi Yu pressed her lips together and said nothing.

Xi Huanian looked Xi Yu over from top to bottom. Seeing that she seemed to have come straight from the company, wearing a proper but not specially prepared suit, he frowned slightly. “Such an important day, and you didn’t even bother to dress up properly.”

Xi Yu said, “There was a lot going on over there.”

Zhao Xiaolan was about to say something else when the doorbell rang outside. Uncle Zhao went to open the door.

“I’m really sorry, sis; we’re late.” Before they even saw anyone, a cheerful voice came from the foyer. A woman with an easygoing air walked in at a measured pace; when she saw Zhao Xiaolan standing in the living room, her eyes lit up at once and she smiled. “It’s been so long. Sister, you look better and better.”

Zhao Xiaolan hurried forward a few steps, took Kang Qiuxia’s hand, and led her to sit down in a chair. “It’s all thanks to the supplements you bought me last time. After I finished them, my complexion really did get much better. You always pick such good things.”

Kang Qiuxia and Zhao Xiaolan had been friends for more than ten years. They had known each other since college and remained close through marriage and children; even the families on the husband’s side had become deeply connected. When Xi Yu and Xi Yao were young, they would often meet and build their relationship.

Xi Yu stood up in turn and greeted Kang Qiuxia with lowered eyes.

Kang Qiuxia smiled a little awkwardly, then looked up at Xi Yu standing before her. “Oh my, little Yu, you’re becoming more and more beautiful and composed.”

“A few days ago, my kid even said you all went skiing, and when they came back, Chen Ming couldn’t stop praising Xi Yu. She kept talking about how wonderful Sister Xi Yu was here and there; I’ve heard it so much my ears are almost callused.”

Xi Yu nodded and said softly, “Chen Ming is a very lively child; she’s pretty and adorable.”

Kang Qiuxia laughed and waved a hand. “If she hears you say that, her tail will shoot right up into the sky again.”

At that, Zhao Xiaolan laughed outright.

Just then, Chen Jingsheng entered the living room. He and Xi Huanian met eyes; both burst out laughing and exchanged greetings before heading together toward the study.

“Sister Xi Yu, long time no see.” Chen Ming ran up to Xi Yu and shook her arm. “You left in such a hurry last time that we didn’t get to spend any more time together properly. Finally we have a chance this time.”

“My brother started picking out what to wear from this morning. He’s been driving me crazy. Hurry up and tell him off.”

Chen Shuo walked in from the foyer and shot Chen Ming a feigned angry look. In a low voice, he said, “Don’t talk nonsense; that’s not true.”

“Now that you’re at Uncle Xi and Aunt Zhao’s place, shouldn’t you be a little quieter too?”