Chapter 39

This old story wasn’t some secret that couldn’t be spoken of. Back then, Song Chu had been bold and unruly; she hadn’t gone after Lin Baixin quietly at all. On the contrary, she’d made a huge scene, even staging a public confession on the school sports field. Plenty of people had seen it with their own eyes, so Lin Qi wasn’t the only one who knew the inside story.

Lin Baixin’s so-called breakup with Song Chu had started then too. At first, if both sides had been willing to step back, they might still have remained friends. Back then, Lin Baixin had advised Song Chu to turn back before it was too late, not to keep wasting her energy on her, and because of their old feelings, she hadn’t wanted to make things too ugly. But Song Chu wouldn’t listen; she wouldn’t stop until she ran straight into a wall. In the end, Professor Shi had stepped in and forced Song Chu to go abroad immediately after graduating from university. After that, Lin Baixin had also switched to another mentor, and to this day her relationship with Professor Shi was still very strained.

Song Chu’s return to the country this time had been arranged by her father, Professor Song. Song Chu was an only child; as parents, they couldn’t possibly keep her abroad forever. Only after Lin Baixin had already graduated and left school for more than half a year did the couple finally agree to let Song Chu come back.

Lin Baixin’s recent phone calls and outings were also related to Song Chu’s return, but she wasn’t going to see Song Chu. It was Professor Shi who had asked to meet her. The couple couldn’t control their daughter and were worried the old incident might happen again, so they planned to start by approaching Lin Baixin. They hoped Lin Baixin would help them and put an end to Song Chu’s lingering feelings once and for all.

As for the more specific details, Lin Qi didn’t know much. She only had a rough idea of what was going on.

The reason Lin Qi had agreed to pass messages for Song Chu wasn’t because she was trying to be a good Samaritan. It was because Song Chu was a little obsessive and had already come looking for her several times. Besides, Professor Shi was also her teacher, and he had asked for her help too.

Professor Shi’s idea was simple: make Song Chu give up. As long as Song Chu truly gave up, none of those things would happen again, and the problem would naturally be solved.

The only person who could make Song Chu give up was Lin Baixin. It wouldn’t work if anyone else stepped in; no one was more effective than Lin Baixin.

That actually sounded like a pretty good plan, very workable.

Lin Qi quite agreed. As long as Lin Baixin was unwilling, there was no way this would stir up any trouble.

The only tricky part was that Lin Baixin herself didn’t want to meet Song Chu. To avoid her, she’d been heading out a lot lately, using deliveries as an excuse not to show up, afraid Song Chu would find her at the shop.

Yu Min listened with her eyes wide. She’d only ever seen stories like this on TV; in real life, they were rare. Lin Qi swatted her and warned her again and again, “Anyway, don’t go digging into this stuff. Your sister can handle it. Adults’ business is no place for kids to interfere.”

Yu Min’s attention was a little off to the side. “She came here looking for Sister Baixin?”

“Not yet,” Lin Qi said. “But if your sister keeps hiding, she’ll probably have to come here sooner or later. She’s still being pretty restrained right now; she’s afraid of upsetting your sister, so she doesn’t dare come.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve got a real headache over this. Sigh, it’s hard to deal with.”

“Then you shouldn’t get involved either.”

“I’d like not to, but unfortunately I can’t.”

Yu Min asked, “Why not?”

“You’re still young; even if I told you, you wouldn’t understand.” Lin Qi put on a grave expression.

“You tell me.”

“I owe them a favor.”

“What favor?”

It was a long story. In short, Lin Qi had once received help from the Song family, and since she liked sticking her nose into other people’s business, she figured she might as well help settle this early and avoid trouble later.

“These days, everything has to be based on mutual willingness. She can’t force your sister. As long as your sister stands her ground and refuses, it should be fine.” Lin Qi imagined the situation beautifully and felt it wasn’t a big problem at all; it was all small stuff.

Yu Min stayed silent, unconvinced.

“All right, stop worrying so much. I’m here; nothing’s going to happen.” Lin Qi made the promise, then changed tack and corrected Yu Min’s thinking. “You kids these days are just different from how we were before. Always thinking about ex-girlfriends and stuff, making up nonsense all day long. Don’t pay attention to that; study properly.”

Yu Min brushed away the hand that was about to rub the back of her head and explained, “You have a girlfriend too, don’t you? I thought Sister Baixin was the same.”

“What girlfriend?” Lin Qi refused to admit it.

Yu Min exposed her outright. “The bar owner from last time.”

Lin Qi said, “That was my ex. We already broke up.”

“When are you getting back together?”

“No idea. Probably not happening.”

Yu Min hit the nail on the head. “She dumped you again.”

Lin Qi’s tail had been stepped on; she jumped up and down. “What do you mean she dumped me? How could I let her dump me? We just had incompatible values. It didn’t work out.”

“Mm. She doesn’t want you.” Yu Min lifted her eyes, her bluntness merciless.

Lin Qi nearly went feral, wishing she could cover Yu Min’s mouth. She didn’t like hearing plain truths. Then Lin Baixin came out, saw Lin Qi looking so defeated, and asked in confusion, “Why do you look so down? Feeling unwell?”

“No.” Lin Qi was so choked up she almost burst, “I’m fine. Better than fine.”

Not understanding what was going on, Lin Baixin ignored her. Instead, she took Yu Min outside to buy coffee. With nothing to do for the moment, she insisted on making the trip herself.

Facing Lin Baixin, Yu Min acted as if she’d heard nothing and knew nothing. After the coffee was bought, she suddenly asked, “Where did you get that mousse cake last time? Can we buy it again today?”

The cake shop wasn’t nearby; it was on another street.

Of course they could buy it again. However much she wanted, they could get it. Lin Baixin said, “I’ll take you after work. You can pick whatever you want in the store.”

She got off work early before it was time. Lin Baixin really didn’t like staying in the shop lately; she’d rather drive Yu Min out to buy little cakes, and after that, take her for a walk in the park.

There were many pet owners walking dogs in the park, and next to it was a cat pet shop. Lin Baixin didn’t feel much toward small animals, but Yu Min rather liked them. She had never kept a pet from childhood to now, so seeing kittens and puppies was novel and fun.

Lin Baixin said, “Why don’t we get one?”

Yu Min was about to refuse without even thinking; school was busy enough already, and if she had to bring along a pet, that would be even more trouble. She was still living in Lin Baixin’s house now, and if the day came when she had to move out, it would probably be a struggle then.

She hesitated for a moment. The urge to refuse only flashed through her once; when she spoke, it turned into something else. “But I don’t have anywhere to keep one.”

Lin Baixin only asked, “Do you want one?”

Yu Min nodded honestly. She liked that soft little golden tabby, a small fluffy ball a little bigger than her palm.

“Yes.”

“Then buy one.”

“But...”

“It can stay at my place.” Seeing her hesitation, Lin Baixin made the decision for her. “If you want to raise one.”

Yu Min didn’t decide right away. She said she’d think about it after they got back, worried she wouldn’t be able to take good care of a pet. After all, it was a living thing; the responsibility felt rather heavy, and she needed two days to think it through carefully.

Deep down, of course Yu Min wanted to. Because if she kept one, she’d have an excuse to stay at Lin Baixin’s side a little longer. She understood very clearly that there would come a day when she still had to leave; she couldn’t keep clinging here forever. It wouldn’t be justified, and it wouldn’t be proper. They each had their own future; there was still a long road ahead.

Yu Min was conflicted. As she thought about it, what Lin Qi had said suddenly surged up one after another in her mind. Lin Baixin was straight... did that mean that if one day Lin Baixin changed her mind and no longer believed in staying single, she would, like most people, find someone to date or get married and be with someone else?

She probably would...

Yu Min was at a loss, unable to guess what the future might hold.

She was still under twenty, not yet at that stage of life, but perhaps because she had lived in a small county town for so many years, in her understanding and impression, people seemed to reach a certain age or stage and simply couldn’t avoid it. Even if they resisted, even if they struggled, in the end they would still choose the road most people took.

Would Lin Baixin be like that?

From Yu Min’s understanding of her, the odds were probably not.

And yet, even if she wasn’t, they would likely still separate in the future. Everyone had their own life; how could they stay together forever?

Right now, Lin Baixin was taking care of her, but she would grow up. She couldn’t stay forever in her teens. Once she grew up, she’d have no reason to remain.

Lin Baixin was different from her. They weren’t on the same path.

Thinking of this, Yu Min’s chest couldn’t help but feel tight and uncomfortable. Then, when she thought of Song Chu again... Lin Baixin respected her teachers so much, and Song Chu was a junior from the same school. By that logic, Yu Min and Song Chu were actually not all that different. Yet now Lin Baixin and Song Chu had already reached the point of no contact, hiding from each other all day long...

In her head, a battle between reason and emotion raged. At one moment, Yu Min felt relieved by Lin Baixin’s decisiveness and distance, afraid there might have been something between them. At another, by comparing herself to Song Chu, she couldn’t help worrying about her own position. Someday in the future, would Lin Baixin treat her the same way? Would she be an exception?

After thinking for a long time, Yu Min came to a conclusion:

The odds were very high that she wouldn’t.

At times relieved, at times uneasy, this see-sawing state of mind lasted until late at night. Yu Min was actually more troubled than the already burdened Lin Baixin. She couldn’t sleep, and by the time she got up early the next morning, she had two dark circles under her eyes and no energy at all.

Lin Baixin had just finished exercising and showered. When she came out and saw Yu Min looking so listless, she instinctively touched her face and forehead, worried she’d gotten sick again.

“I’m not sick. I’m fine,” Yu Min said, stifling a yawn and confessing, “I just couldn’t sleep last night. It was very late before I finally fell asleep.”

“Still upset about it?” Thinking she meant the pet, Lin Baixin was surprised. “I shouldn’t have taken you there. Look what happened.”

Yu Min didn’t dare tell her the truth; she didn’t have that courage. Her mind was a mess, so she turned around and went to wash her face to wake herself up.

But in Lin Baixin’s eyes, that wasn’t how it looked. Lin Baixin misunderstood and thought she was this tired because of that golden tabby, so that very day she went to the pet shop and brought the kitten home.

Yu Min received this gift after school. The fluffy little ball crawled to her feet, and she didn’t know what to do; it took most of the evening before she finally accepted reality.

Lin Baixin was thoughtful enough to say, “Just think of it as the two of us raising it together.”

Yu Min had her own little selfish thoughts. She stroked the kitten, held it in her arms, and rubbed it a few times. In a soft voice, she replied, “Mm. It’s yours too.”

Raising a cat was a big deal; at least for Yu Min it was. With something to do, her earlier worries were pushed aside, and she no longer fretted about it all day.

Because there was now a new member in the family, Lin Baixin stayed home more during the day. Better to hide at home than go outside, as long as she could avoid Song Chu.

But you could hide from the first day of the month and not the fifteenth. On Sunday, a friend organized a get-together. Lin Baixin took Yu Min along to attend. Before dinner, they’d been told who would be there, but once they arrived, Song Chu showed up unexpectedly; she and the others arrived around the same time, and of all things, they ran straight into each other.

“What a coincidence. Senior Lin is here too; I thought you weren’t coming.” Song Chu smiled and held out her hand toward Lin Baixin. Noticing Yu Min, whom she had never seen before, she asked Lin Baixin, “And this is?”