The sky was just beginning to lighten with a fish-belly white. Chen Yiyi, who had slept poorly all night, stared at the empty bed on the other side.
Her eyes were full of disappointment and sadness. After a night of insomnia, dark circles had formed under them.
She clutched the white shirt that belonged to Cheng Yuexin, inhaling the lingering scent of her on the fabric, but it couldn’t dispel the doubt and loneliness in her heart.
On the fifteenth day of their acquaintance, Cheng Yuexin stayed out all night for the first time.
Like a traveler in the desert searching for water to quench their thirst, Chen Yiyi still wandered the vast sea of sand, following scattered clues to find her trail.
Unfortunately, the chat window on her phone still stopped at Cheng Yuexin’s last message from last night: “Twenty more minutes.”
Now, twenty sets of twenty minutes had passed.
Every call she could make had been made, and without exception, none were answered.
‘Yuexin… mm… why isn’t she back yet…’
A whispered complaint full of longing, carrying a girl’s obsession.
Her throat moved slightly. Chen Yiyi stared blankly at the phone screen as the minutes ticked by one by one.
Her nose buried in Cheng Yuexin’s shirt, as if without her scent, breathing itself became meaningless.
An unusual flush appeared on Chen Yiyi’s face, and her breathing grew deeper.
‘Yuexin…’
‘If you’ve had your fun outside, come back soon… I’ve been waiting for you…’
The corners of her eyes moistened slightly—a sign of rising emotions.
Her legs, clamped between the blankets, rubbed together. Strands of disheveled hair fell onto the shirt, as if embracing her.
But it was all just an illusion constructed by her mind.
No real warmth, no way to ease the craving and desire inside.
Her gaze fixed on that empty bed. Chen Yiyi wished she could run over and sleep in it.
If she had known earlier, she should have been braver.
She sat on the edge of the bed, put down the shirt.
Stopped the meaningless fantasies.
“Huff… huff… Cheng Yuexin, where did you go?”
Her eyes filled with grievance and coldness, her teeth clenched, her fists tightened.
Thinking of the pink-haired girl who had taken Cheng Yuexin away from her yesterday, the unfounded resentment pointed at that pink-haired face in her memory.
Why was Cheng Yuexin afraid of her, yet still chose to go with her?
There had to be something fishy.
Why did Gu Linxue call Cheng Yuexin her “wife”?
Were they dating?
No… no…
The tangled thoughts made Chen Yiyi hold her head and twist her face. The more she thought, the more terrified she became.
She was afraid that Cheng Yuexin had already been taken away by Gu Linxue.
Before their relationship had even begun, someone else was already at the finish line, savoring the spoils.
Was that right?
Yes, and no.
“Gu Linxue… huh.”
Chen Yiyi revealed a fierce smile that few had ever seen, cold and terrifying.
In her mind, she began to form a rough plan on how to deal with Gu Linxue.
At least she couldn’t be like a powerless husband, letting Cheng Yuexin be snatched away.
Even if they hadn’t shared a bed, they were still roommates.
And the first girl in all these years to make her heart flutter.
If she hadn’t taken that extra glance at her in the crowd that day, maybe she wouldn’t be feeling this emptiness, coldness, and loneliness now.
This kind of feeling.
The name of the illness is…
Creak… squeak…
The first ray of light streaming in from the balcony happened to fall on Cheng Yuexin.
Her white hair was a bit messy, as if she hadn’t had time to brush it.
Her clothes were in decent condition.
Her bright eyes were still clear and transparent, though a hint of fatigue had crept in.
The aroma of steamed buns kept drifting from the bag in Cheng Yuexin’s hand. Her gaze, full of confusion, fell on the girl sitting by the bed, whose face was dejected and cold.
One corner of the blanket seemed hastily stuffed with something.
The traveler had finally found the rare oasis in the desert, and her eyes lit up with joy.
Deep within the joy, there was reproach.
“Yiyi, you’re up so early? Usually I have to call you to wake you up, right?”
Chen Yiyi reached Cheng Yuexin in just a few steps. As soon as the door closed, Cheng Yuexin was backed against it by Chen Yiyi.
From Cheng Yuexin’s perspective, the girl’s expression didn’t look good, as if she hadn’t slept well all night.
“Big dummy, you didn’t come back last night, and you didn’t reply to my messages. I worried about you all night.”
Cheng Yuexin lowered her eyes apologetically.
“Uh…”
The lie she had already fabricated repeated itself in her mind.
Through Cheng Yuexin’s mouth, what happened last night turned into a different story.
“It was like this: last night Yue Qing asked me to sleep with her. I was about to come back, but she said she couldn’t sleep without her big sister, so in the end I went back to the hospital.”
“As for why you didn’t pick up, my phone actually ran out of battery while I was sleeping and turned off.”
Chen Yiyi frowned slightly, listening to her explanation. Seeing that she didn’t look guilty, she gave her a serious stare, her eyes darting around.
“So you stayed in the hospital with Yue Qing all night, and that’s why you didn’t come back?”
“Yeah, ouch…”
Cheng Yuexin took a light tap on the head from Chen Yiyi, then her cheeks were pinched and twisted gently.
“Honestly, you worried me to death. Can you at least let me know next time? Stupid Yuexin.”
Cheng Yuexin gave a placating smile and raised the breakfast bag in her hand.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Don’t be mad. I specially brought your favorite golden custard buns.”
Chen Yiyi crossed her arms in front of her and gave a cold snort.
“If it’s not [Wei Xin]’s custard bun, I won’t eat it.”
Cheng Yuexin quickly shook the bag, her apologetic expression unchanged.
“Of course it’s [Wei Xin]’s buns. I went specially to buy them. I happened to pass by.”
“Oh?”
Chen Yiyi’s brows furrowed slightly. Her eyes, beneath long lashes, concealed her inner joy.
“Then you really put your heart into it.”
“Of course. I know you like them, so I got up early to buy them. They’re still hot. Eat them while they’re hot.”
Finally, a smile appeared on Chen Yiyi’s face, and her posture relaxed.
“Hehe, then I’ll go wash up right away.”
“Sure.”
Watching Chen Yiyi’s cheerful retreating figure, Cheng Yuexin felt the stone hanging over her chest fall, and she let out a deep sigh.
At least this hurdle with Chen Yiyi was temporarily passed.
As for the consequences of disturbing Gu Linxue’s beauty sleep this morning, she didn’t know what would happen either.
‘Maybe it’s not as bad as I think, and I won’t have to be punished?’
‘Who told her to insist on holding me while she slept. It’s her own fault.’
‘Anyway, the transaction is done. I’ll pay back the money I owe her after I start working. I’ll just keep it in mind.‘
Carrying some unease, Cheng Yuexin put down the breakfast and sat down steadily at her desk to catch her breath.
She opened her phone and looked at the time.
Seven o’clock.
Military training started at seven thirty.
She needed to prepare in advance.
Taking the drying pole, she looked for her clothes on the balcony. She counted back and forth and always found one missing.
But the hanger was still there.
“Yiyi, did you see the shirt I hung out the day before yesterday? The white one.”
Chen Yiyi, brushing her teeth, saw through the mirror the girl frowning in confusion and explained softly with a guilty conscience.
“I didn’t see it. The wind was strong last night. Your shirt must have been blown off. One of my panties was blown away too.”
Chen Yiyi’s tone put all the blame on the evening breeze that had stolen the clothes.
(Night wind: Good sisters, you’re really good at making me take the blame. It’s rare to have a few good sisters…)
In the end, Cheng Yuexin was left with only an empty hanger and a light sigh.
“Oh well. I’ll buy another one later.”
Chen Yiyi nodded and said, “I’ll go with you. Let’s buy one in the evening. We agreed to eat at KFC at noon.”
Cheng Yuexin replied with understanding, “Got it. Then let’s head to the nearby mall in the evening.”
After Chen Yiyi finished washing up, Cheng Yuexin had already changed into her camouflage uniform.
As they ate breakfast, they each sat at their own desks.
Taking advantage of the moment when Cheng Yuexin was facing away, looking at her phone, Chen Yiyi folded the blanket while secretly hiding the shirt underneath.
Though shameful, please allow me to do this.
Because of this sense of transgression, Chen Yiyi felt an unusual pleasure.
Eating the bun Cheng Yuexin had bought, it tasted much more fragrant than the ones she had before.