Chapter 33: This Doesn’t Deserve to Be Called Love

As she was deep in thought, the kitchen’s glass door slid open, revealing Yezhe’s figure.

“Yudong! Do you have an induction cooker at your place?”

His booming voice mixed with the roar of the range hood and drifted into the living room, bringing with it a waft of fragrance that made Liuyin, who was watching TV, swallow a mouthful of saliva.

“It’s in the cabinet right below the stove.”

Yudong leaned against the sofa. When she heard Yezhe’s voice, her gaze left the TV, and she shouted toward the kitchen in response.

“Oh, got it.”

With that, the metallic sound of the sliding wheels rang out.

After a brief bout of noise, only the sound of the TV remained.

…

“Jiejie, do you like Gege?”

While the two of them were watching TV, Liuyin suddenly asked Yudong, her eyes never leaving the screen.

“What?”

The question was like a bomb, making Yudong tremble all over.

She straightened up and glanced at Liuyin again, seeing that Liuyin was still staring at the TV. She thought she’d misheard.

But right after, Liuyin asked again.

“Jiejie, do you like Gege?”

This time, Liuyin turned around, her eyes fixed on Yudong’s shocked face, while Yudong felt a buzzing in her head, immediately plunging into a storm of thoughts…

Could it be that her casualness since they met was all an act? Was it just to lower my guard and find out my intentions, only to tell him and have Yezhe reject me?

No way…

Could it be she knows Yezhe doesn’t want to date?

How would that be… Yezhe has no reason to tell her something like that.

…

Could it be…

She asked on her own?

It must be…

“Heh heh…”

Yudong sneered coldly inside, her earlier doubts dissipating, replaced by contempt for Liuyin.

She looks so innocent… but she’s pretty cunning, huh…

I was planning to probe your intentions…

But you beat me to it…

“Eh? Liuyin, why did you want to ask that question?”

A “kind” smile lifted the corners of her mouth. Yudong’s eyes half-squinted, her gaze locked firmly on the innocent-looking girl before her.

“Because… I feel Jiejie cares a lot about Gege.”

Hearing this, Liuyin turned to look at Yudong, thought for a moment, and slowly replied.

“Oh? Why do you say that?”

At that answer, Yudong raised her eyebrows slightly, then forced herself to sound casual as she pressed on, the mix of vigilance and curiosity swelling in her heart.

She really wanted to hear what this “actor” could come up with.

“Mm… I noticed it when we were walking earlier…”

“At the time, I saw Gege was tired and wanted to help him, but I had no strength… then I saw Jiejie was helping Gege.”

“So I thought maybe Jiejie likes Gege, just like me.”

“I see…”

“Yes, because Gege is a very good person. Last time when I was sad, Gege came out and helped me, so Jiejie must like him.”

“Heehee, I like him too.”

After saying that, Liuyin let out two crisp laughs toward Yudong, then turned her attention back to the TV.

“Liuyin, how much do you like your Gege?”

Watching Liuyin’s back, Yudong’s expression had grown a touch colder than before, though her face still wore a smile.

“Mm… I want to always be with Gege.”

“Anything else?”

Yudong pressed on, her expression unchanged.

“Mm… I don’t know.”

Liuyin shook her head, a blank look on her face. She really couldn’t think of anything more.

…

That’s it?

Hearing Liuyin’s answer, Yudong’s guard completely dissipated, and she started mocking her own paranoia.

Clearly, she’s just a little kid saying she likes him, even claiming I like him the same way…

Comparing this childish affection to my feelings?

Isn’t that ridiculous?

Besides, my feelings aren’t so shallow…

No… it’s not just liking… it’s “love”.

My “love” isn’t just about being with him… What meaning is there in that kind of physical fondness? I want to win over his heart…

Not just his heart… everything! All of Yezhe—whether he dies, is disfigured, changes from his former gentle self, even if he hates me…

This love won’t change because of those worldly reasons. Forever!

Her mood, which had just improved, now plummeted. Yudong’s hand, resting on the sofa, had unconsciously balled into a fist.

Disgusting… so disgusting…

To have my feelings belittled like this…

Liuyin.

As I thought, I really do hate you…

…

As her mood grew more and more depressed, the kitchen glass door slid open again from the inside, the soft sound of metal rails breaking the silence of the living room.

“Yudong, come help out.”

“Yudong??”

“Oh, coming.”

Two calls pulled Yudong out of her emotional whirlpool. She released her clenched fist, her fingertips leaving shallow dents on the sofa.

She stood up, composed herself a bit, and walked quickly toward the kitchen.

“Help me plug in the induction cooker. I don’t know where the plug is.”

When she entered, Yezhe was holding a spatula, stirring the hotpot base.

Only, the gas stove was off, and the spices in the pot were just giving off a faint sizzle with the leftover heat.

“Mm… Why not just cook it all the way?”

Seeing Yezhe pouring water into the pot, Yudong couldn’t help but ask.

“Aren’t you the one who wants hotpot? If I cook it all, isn’t that just mala tang?”

“Oh… Mm…”

Her tight lips twitched a few times. Yudong wanted to force a smile, but the gloom in her heart lingered.

She just responded, then bent down to look for the plug under the dining table.

“All right, it’s plugged in.”

Yudong stood up, dusted off her hands, and let out a long sigh of relief.

“Liuyin, go wash your hands and get ready to eat!”

“Okay!”

“I’ll get the chopsticks.”

Yudong said, turning and heading for the dining utensil cabinet in the dining room.

“Thanks, just leave the vegetables here, I’ll bring them over in a minute.”

“Mm.”

As she spoke, Yezhe pulled two cloths from the sink, put them over the iron pot handles, and slowly carried the pot into the dining room, setting it on the induction cooker.

Yudong entered the kitchen, took out three pairs of wooden chopsticks from the chopstick rack, and was about to leave when the various dishes laid out on the cutting board caught her eye.

Seeming to remember something, she asked Yezhe, who was adjusting the induction cooker:

“By the way… did we forget the main course today?”

“Ah… we did…”

At this, Yezhe straightened, a slightly embarrassed look on his face.

“Then…”

Her words paused. Yudong slowly lowered her head, frowning as if deep in thought.

After a moment, she looked up at Yezhe and spoke clearly:

“It’s too late to steam rice now… There’s a bing shop near my place, want to go?”

“Is there? Then…”

Just as Yezhe was about to consider the suggestion, Yudong continued,

“Let’s go together? The roads around here are a bit tricky, you might get lost.”

“I happen to want to go out for a bit too… can you… come with me?”

Her tone grew softer and softer; the words sounded less like a suggestion and more like a plea. Yezhe had no reason to refuse.

“Mm… okay.”

“I’ll settle Liuyin in first, just wait for me.”

“Mm…”

Yudong responded softly. Watching his back, her fingers clenched into fists again, nails digging into her palm, but the pain stirred not the slightest ripple.

When Yezhe said that familiar name, an almost invisible bitterness appeared on Yudong’s face…

Liuyin, again…

“Liuyin, I’m going downstairs with your sister to buy something. We’ll be right back. Be good and watch TV, and don’t come into the kitchen.”

As he put on his shoes by the shoe cabinet, Yezhe said a few words to Yudong, while Liuyin just stared at the TV screen, not turning her head, and responded in her soft voice,

“Okay.”