Chapter 42

“She’s not a good person,” Yu Min added. “And she’s not good to you either.”

When she said it, her voice wasn’t loud or soft, just clear enough for Lin Bai Xin to hear every word.

Yu Min had no grudge against Song Chu. In fact, the two of them had only met formally once so far. By rights, Yu Min shouldn’t have such a deep bias against her, let alone make a request that was hardly reasonable.

And yet Lin Bai Xin didn’t seem surprised at all. Calmer than Yu Min had expected, she didn’t ask why. She took the conversation seriously, which made Yu Min relax at once, and nodded. “Anything else?”

“No, just that,” Yu Min said.

Lin Bai Xin reflected on it. “So this time was my fault too. I really did upset you.”

Yu Min set the record straight. “It wasn’t because you upset me.”

It wasn’t because of Lin Qi, and it wasn’t because of Song Chu either. It wasn’t anyone’s fault; she was just feeling stifled and unhappy about those things.

Lin Bai Xin more or less understood. Whether it was because of her or not, she still promised, “I’ll pay more attention next time and try to avoid it.”

Her upper body couldn’t help leaning a little closer, while her lower body shifted outward. Yu Min explained, “I heard about you and her from other people, back when you were in college.”

Lin Bai Xin still didn’t seem surprised. She was very calm. “I know.”

“Did Sister Lin Qi tell you?” Yu Min blurted out, only to betray Lin Qi before her brain could catch up. Realizing her slip, she hurried to cover it up. “Ah—no, not Sister Lin Qi. I got it wrong. I just happened to hear it from someone else. It has nothing to do with her.”

There was no need for Lin Qi to tell Lin Bai Xin anything. Lin Bai Xin wasn’t blind. This one thing had been right in front of her these past few days, and ever since that dinner outing, Yu Min had been in a bad mood. Anyone with eyes could tell something was off. Lin Bai Xin might not have been certain, but it was impossible that she hadn’t noticed at all.

The way Yu Min rushed to hide it was so stupid, so clumsy. Her mouth couldn’t lie, and her whole body was flustered and disordered. Lin Bai Xin couldn’t help smiling; her gaze softened as it settled on Yu Min’s panicked face. “What else did Lin Qi say about me?”

Yu Min shook her head so hard she looked like a bobblehead. This time, she’d learned her lesson and didn’t blurt out nonsense. She kept quiet for a moment, then admitted honestly, “Nothing else. I’m not lying to you.”

“I don’t mind,” Lin Bai Xin said directly. “Relax a little. Don’t make it look like I’m interrogating you. It’s not that serious.”

Yu Min held on stubbornly. “I’m not nervous.”

“Then if you’re all tense like that, is it because the sofa’s uncomfortable?”

“A little.”

“Fine. We’ll change it another day and buy a new one. Then you can pick one you think is more comfortable.”

“……”

“Sit a little closer.” Lin Bai Xin’s tone was half command, half coaxing as she even patted the sofa. “Move any farther and you’ll be outside the room.”

Yu Min looked down. Lu Dagun had already sprawled out flat like a cat-shaped pancake, and he couldn’t even reach her anymore. The two of them had already pulled apart, let alone the distance between the two women; that was even greater.

She propped herself on the sofa and moved back.

Lu Dagun had been sleeping with his eyes closed. Feeling her movement, the little thing lazily stretched, wriggled to imitate Yu Min as he shifted too, then rolled over and lay on his back with his belly up, pawing at Yu Min’s leg.

“Next time, if anything happens, just tell me directly,” Lin Bai Xin said gently. “Don’t keep it bottled up.”

Yu Min caught Lu Dagun’s restless little paws as he fumbled around everywhere and answered, “I’ll try.”

“Clean up in a bit. I’ll take you somewhere later tonight.” Now that the serious talk was over, Lin Bai Xin changed the subject. “We need to go out.”

Yu Min was puzzled. “Where to?”

“You’ll know when we get there.” Lin Bai Xin kept it secret. “It’s not far. A ten-minute drive or so, and we’ll be there quickly. We won’t stay long.”

What could there be to do so late at night? Yu Min didn’t understand, but she still did as she was told. She changed clothes and took a shower ahead of time; otherwise, if they came back late, it would delay things again.

“Wear formal clothes,” Lin Bai Xin said. “I’ve prepared them for you. They’re in your dressing room.”

Kyoto was still rather cold at this time of year. Formal clothes weren’t as warm as a coat, but as long as they didn’t get out of the car on the way from home to their destination, they wouldn’t be cold en route.

Lin Bai Xin had prepared a light gray suit for Yu Min, tailor-made and fitting her perfectly. It fit better than anything Yu Min had bought for herself. She had never told Lin Bai Xin her clothing size, yet every time, Lin Bai Xin picked the right one for her; never too big, never too small, just right.

Her hair was simply pinned up a little, with Lin Bai Xin helping her. It didn’t need to be too complicated; it just had to look neat and tidy.

Lin Bai Xin herself wore a long dress. The dark green fabric fell smoothly; on her, it looked elegant without losing its sensuality. She wore only a pearl necklace and nothing else. Too much would have looked fussy and cumbersome.

“Who are we going to see?” Yu Min rarely saw Lin Bai Xin dress this formally—this was already very formal by her standards—so she immediately guessed there had to be someone important involved. Otherwise Lin Bai Xin wouldn’t have gone to this much trouble.

Lin Bai Xin said, “A guest. We’re not very familiar with each other.”

That meant the other person either had status or was some kind of unusual figure; in any case, it had to be a fairly formal occasion.

Yu Min had a rough idea now. She studied herself in the mirror a little more, afraid she’d end up embarrassing Lin Bai Xin.

“I’ll do it. Stand still and turn toward me.” Lin Bai Xin signaled to her, then smoothed the loose strands near Yu Min’s ears. Her fingertips brushed the edge of Yu Min’s ear, then slipped behind it.

Yu Min was sensitive. Feeling that soft touch, she almost jolted. She instinctively tried to turn her head, only to nearly fall into Lin Bai Xin’s palm the next second.

“Don’t move,” Lin Bai Xin said first. She lifted Yu Min’s chin and gave her a light, sheer makeup look. “It’ll be done in a moment. Hang in there.”

Yu Min’s cosmetics were only a few items, and those had been given to her by Li Xue Ting before. What she was using now was all Lin Bai Xin’s cosmetics, lipstick included.

Cosmetics were a pretty private thing, at least to Yu Min. When Lin Bai Xin used her own lipstick to color Yu Min’s lips, Yu Min’s pupils shrank and her eyes widened slightly. She wanted to stop Lin Bai Xin, but the useless thing was that the words wouldn’t come out. She couldn’t even open her mouth; she could only stare blankly as Lin Bai Xin applied the lipstick to her lips.

The lipstick didn’t have much of a scent, nor any particular taste, but maybe Yu Min was imagining it—or maybe it really was just her imagination. She kept feeling that the lipstick tasted a little sweet, so sweet that by the time Lin Bai Xin was almost done, it seemed to irritate her throat a bit. She swallowed unconsciously, and her pale, slender neck and throat moved with it.

It was only lipstick being applied; it wasn’t like she’d eaten it.

Yu Min’s mind was still fairly clear and rational. Fortunately, she was lucid enough to force herself to suppress those inappropriate little movements. She didn’t dare move, only stared dumbly at Lin Bai Xin.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lin Bai Xin really was as annoying as Lin Qi; she had to ask questions like this.

They were facing each other, and there was nothing else in front of them. If she wasn’t looking at Lin Bai Xin, what else could she look at?

Yu Min didn’t explain. She blinked, showing her confusion at both the question and Lin Bai Xin’s failure to understand it.

After a while, Lin Bai Xin seemed to realize it herself and spoke again, clarifying, “I didn’t mean why you’re looking at me. I meant you’re... staring so hard your eyes won’t even move. Forget it. Look if you want. It won’t wear a piece of flesh off.”

Only then did Yu Min realize she’d misunderstood.

She turned it over for two seconds, but still didn’t quite get it; her brain had rusted, her nerves had gone down the wrong path. She wanted to explain, but when Lin Bai Xin let go of her chin and she opened her mouth, what came out was a blunt, foolish question: “Am I not allowed to look?”

Lin Bai Xin said gently, “You can. Of course you can.” Then she smiled and suddenly touched the tip of Yu Min’s nose. “It’s done. Look. Now you can take a proper look.”

A moment later, Yu Min came to her senses and realized what she’d just said. She froze, stammered a few times, and for an instant completely forgot how to function. She’d dug the pit herself and jumped in on her own; well, now she couldn’t climb back out, so she could only awkwardly add, “Oh...”

They were going to a private club, a place owned by a friend of one of the shop’s customers. That person had invited a group of friends to play there tonight, and the invitation said guests could bring family members. Originally, it should have been Lin Bai Xin and Lin Qi going together, but Lin Qi had a date tonight, and Lin Bai Xin didn’t want to bring her anyway. So she brought Yu Min to show face and listen to the host’s concert.

The little girl should like this kind of occasion. Only on the way there did Lin Bai Xin tell Yu Min where they were going and who the host was. The host really was an important person—very wealthy, far richer than anyone Yu Min had ever met.

Yu Min was rather reserved. She had never attended this sort of event. Was this some sort of proper family banquet? She was confused and asked Lin Bai Xin, “What am I supposed to do?”

Lin Bai Xin said, “You don’t have to do anything. Just follow me.”

When they arrived, the butler came out to greet them. After getting out of the car, Yu Min stood there for a moment until Lin Bai Xin took her arm, and only then did she lift her feet and go inside.

Most of the others had brought partners with them; men and women alike. Someone like Lin Bai Xin, who brought a family member as accompaniment, was in the minority.

Only then did Yu Min truly get nervous. It wasn’t because she was afraid of the scene before her, but because of the warmth beside her. Lin Bai Xin stayed close to her all the way until they met the club’s owner inside; only then did Lin Bai Xin let go while chatting and exchanging pleasantries with others. But once the conversation was over, Lin Bai Xin hooked her arm through Yu Min’s again, and even held her hand partway through, taking her to meet all kinds of people.

Yu Min didn’t know anyone. Lin Bai Xin introduced each person to her one by one, and even took her to meet a teacher from X University—not from their own college, but the vice dean of another department.

The banquet had a fixed sequence of events, with a few ceremonial elements arranged by the host woven through it. Yu Min had really thought they were here to listen to a concert and had been looking forward to it. She’d heard of this sort of private family concert before, where the host would invite a few somewhat famous professionals to perform live. But she hadn’t expected they’d also have to dance after coming here. The moment the music started and Lin Bai Xin’s hand landed on her, Yu Min’s mind just short-circuited. She had no idea what was going on.

No wonder everyone else had brought a partner. No wonder Lin Bai Xin had brought her instead of someone else. In a setting like this, Lin Qi definitely wouldn’t have come. Yu Min was more appropriate than anyone else.

Yu Min wasn’t very good at this kind of dance. Zheng Qing had taught her before, but that was so long ago she’d forgotten it all. Now she couldn’t even step properly.

Lin Bai Xin led her through the entire dance. Yu Min stiffened and followed along. The feeling was even more intense than being shocked by electricity. Especially when her hand touched the small of Lin Bai Xin’s back; if she hadn’t quickly diverted her attention and desperately hypnotized herself, Yu Min would have exploded on the spot. She was practically overheating, clinging to Lin Bai Xin as if she were trapped in a steamer.

“You were staring at me so hard at home just now; why aren’t you looking now?” Lin Bai Xin was clearly doing it on purpose, leaning close to her ear to whisper.

If this went on, Yu Min really would be cooked through. Fortunately, a dance didn’t last that long. The moment the music ended, Yu Min felt as if she’d been saved. She let out a long sigh of relief.

“I’m that scary?” On the way back in the car, Lin Bai Xin was still laughing. “Fine, fine. I won’t do it next time. I won’t bring you along anymore, so you won’t be so upset.”

Yu Min kept tugging at her seat belt and didn’t look at Lin Bai Xin. “Next time I won’t go either. I absolutely won’t.”

“My fault. I thought you’d like it.” Lin Bai Xin’s attitude was impeccable. “Sorry; I didn’t understand properly.”

Yu Min’s hands were still numb. She couldn’t feel them; it wasn’t physical exactly, more like she couldn’t recover from it for a long time. She quietly flexed her fingers, then traced the seat beneath her for no real reason.

After a long while, Yu Min tried to make up for it. “I don’t actually hate that place. It was okay. Kind of like an exam... no, that’s not right. Exams are still harder.”

Lin Bai Xin said, “Exams aren’t pretty easy for you?”

“Not anymore,” Yu Min replied. “That was high school. College isn’t like that.”

Seeing how embarrassed she was, Lin Bai Xin naturally changed the subject and asked about Yu Min’s life at school lately.

When they got home, Yu Min still couldn’t sleep that night. The sensation of holding Lin Bai Xin still lingered in her palms and wouldn’t fade, and in fact seemed to be growing stronger and stronger.

The feeling was too vivid, so vivid that Yu Min couldn’t forget it even after pulling the blanket over herself, and she couldn’t kick these chaotic thoughts out of her head.

What occupied her mind before sleep followed her into her dreams at night.

It was Lin Bai Xin again... In the dream, Yu Min kept running. Lin Bai Xin didn’t chase after her, but what was eerie was that no matter how far Yu Min ran, after a while she would still end up back where she started, and Lin Bai Xin would be there waiting for her.

This dream was even more terrifying than the last one. This time, the dreamscape was even less under her control. Yu Min dreamed that she and Lin Bai Xin fell into the water together. They sank into it, but strangely, they didn’t drown; instead, they could breathe freely underwater. Lin Bai Xin swam toward her while she kept sinking, sinking, sinking, until Lin Bai Xin grabbed her. After that, she suddenly couldn’t breathe. Lin Bai Xin pulled her to her front, had her support her waist like she had that night, leaned close, and gave her air, saving her... Then they were on the ground again, back in this room. Yu Min didn’t dare struggle. Maybe she’d been so dazzled by the water she’d gone stupid; her brain had water in it. She began doing some outrageously bold things.

Lin Bai Xin didn’t push her away. She sat on Yu Min’s lap, leaned close to her ear, and her red lips parted as she softly said something to her.

...

She couldn’t hold her breath any longer. Just as she was about to suffocate to death, Yu Min finally opened her eyes and woke up. By then, the sky outside was just starting to brighten. She was wrapped from head to toe in the blanket, practically tied up like a cocoon.

No wonder she dreamed of drowning and not being able to breathe; in reality, she was nearly out of breath too.

After waking, the dream’s sensation faded quickly like a tide. This time, Yu Min wasn’t as frantic as before. The first time was unfamiliar, the second time familiar; this round, she was much calmer.

It was only 6:10. She got up and washed up.

When she went into the living room, she ran into Lin Bai Xin, who had already gotten up even earlier than her.

Yu Min remained quite steady. Her expression didn’t change as she went to get some hot water and waited to eat breakfast.

While rolling her lower back a little, Lin Bai Xin turned to her. “You had a dream?”

Yu Min’s hand stiffened, and her expression went blank with it. She played dumb and asked back, “Did I?”

“I heard you talking in your sleep.” Lin Bai Xin pointed toward Yu Min’s bedroom door. “This morning when I passed by your room, your door wasn’t closed. I heard you call my name.”

Yu Min immediately tried to deflect. “I don’t remember. I don’t think I dreamed anything. I probably didn’t.”

“You called my name.”

“...I’m not really sure.”

“I thought you were calling me, but it wasn’t.” Lin Bai Xin said, “You were dreaming.”

Yu Min refused to admit it, insisting she couldn’t remember and had no impression of it at all. She’d slept deeply last night; she only knew that she’d fallen asleep and couldn’t remember anything else.

“Maybe I did dream something. Maybe. But I can’t remember anything now.” She brushed it off; the excuse was actually fairly plausible.

Lin Bai Xin wasn’t trying to pry, just checking on her. She packed up breakfast and urged Yu Min to hurry up; it was time to leave.

“Right away. I’m getting my phone.” Yu Min answered at once and rushed back into the room.

The whole day after that was full of classes. There wasn’t even a moment to catch her breath from morning to afternoon; only at lunch could she finally rest a little.

Yu Min bought a cup of coffee. She didn’t feel in very good shape. She’d dreamed all night and needed caffeine during the day to perk herself up, otherwise she had no strength at all.

After coming out of the cafeteria, the class monitor once again clung to Yu Min and insisted she accompany her to the office to hand in some documents. She pulled Yu Min along, saying, “Come on, come on. Once I turn them in, I’ll treat you to something. You’re the best. If you don’t go with me, I’ll have to go alone. The counselor’s office is so far away; I don’t want to go by myself.”

Yu Min was soft-hearted; even though she didn’t want to go, she went along anyway.

Today the paperwork was submitted quickly. The counselor wasn’t in the office; they just had to leave the documents on the desk.

Yu Min waited for the class monitor on the first floor. Unluckily, by sheer “good fortune,” she ran into Song Chu again.

Song Chu had come to find her mother, Professor Shi. Seeing Yu Min downstairs, she suddenly remembered their last encounter. Smiling as she greeted Yu Min, she looked as if she’d just remembered something. “I knew it; I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before. What was your name again? Yu... you’re Student Yu, right? We met here last time too, didn’t we? What a coincidence. We ran into each other again.”

Yu Min had originally wanted to turn around and pretend to be blind, but she was half a step too late and couldn’t dodge in time. Since Song Chu had already come up to her, she couldn’t keep pretending not to see her and could only respond. “Yu Min. The ‘Min’ with the character for ‘door.’”

“Yes, right. You’re Little Min. I remember now.” Song Chu nodded as though she really knew nothing. “So you study at X University; you’re from this school. I didn’t even know. Are you here looking for someone? A teacher?”

“No.” Yu Min didn’t like chatting and answered briefly, “Waiting for someone.”

“What person?”

“A classmate.”

“Your classmate went upstairs?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Was she the one looking for a teacher?”

“Mm.”

“Which teacher?”

Song Chu was quite skilled at social niceties, always finding ways to keep the conversation going, with absolutely no sense of wrapping it up quickly. Only when Yu Min started to feel a little impatient did she finally cut to the chase and mention Lin Bai Xin. “And your sister? What has she been busy with lately?”

Yu Min answered stiffly, “I don’t know.”

Song Chu knew the two of them very well and said plainly, “Aren’t you living together?”

Yu Min had nearly said, It’s none of your business, but she hesitated. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the class monitor coming down the stairs and walking over, so she swallowed the words back.

“I have to go to class,” Yu Min said decisively. “We can talk next time.”

Song Chu remained standing there, watching them leave. Her gaze stayed fixed on Yu Min’s back. Once they were down the steps, Song Chu frowned, and her formerly warm expression gradually cooled.

A short distance away, the class monitor tugged at Yu Min’s sleeve. “Do you know that person?”

Yu Min nodded. “Sort of.”

“She’s still looking at you,” the class monitor said, as if she had eyes on the back of her head. She muttered softly, “Weird.”

Yu Min didn’t turn around and kept walking straight ahead. Only when they were almost at the lake did she slow down and glance back over her shoulder.

The person was no longer there; she had gone far away.

Yu Min felt repulsed by Song Chu’s appearance. On some subconscious level, she just didn’t like her, and the irritation from before rose up again.

But by the time she got annoyed, it was already too late. The next day, the class monitor quietly told her, “That person from yesterday, the one you know—I saw her again.”

At first Yu Min couldn’t remember who she meant. After a moment, she realized it was Song Chu.

“She turned out to be an employee at our school too,” the class monitor said. “I went to the administration building today and saw her again over there.”

Author’s note:

This chapter has red packets. Sorry to keep you waiting.