Yan Yu never expected that ever since she, in order to soothe Bai Yan’er’s somewhat paranoid personality, had said they would keep their boundary-crossing relationship “proceed in secret,” this younger sister had become like a vine finding a crack, seeping in at every opportunity and wrapping around her.
Fortunately, Bai Yan’er’s external behavior had indeed become much more low-key. She no longer approached without restraint like before at school, which saved Yan Yu a lot of trouble.
However, she soon understood what Bai Yan’er meant by “launching an attack on her.”
That was a frog-boiling-style infiltration.
Early in the morning, Ruo Xiaozhen pushed Yan Yu’s wheelchair to the bottom of the Multi-functional Teaching Building.
Morning sunlight spilled over the steps, stretching the shadows of the two people long and thin.
Ruo Xiaozhen bent down, tilted her head, and waved at Yan Yu. “Yan Yu, bye-bye! I’m going to class now. See you at lunch!”
“Okay.” Yan Yu smiled back as usual.
Ruo Xiaozhen skipped away, her curly hair bouncing behind her, quickly disappearing around the corner of the corridor.
Yan Yu withdrew her gaze, gripped the wheelchair rims with both hands, and skillfully turned the wheels, slowly rolling up the accessible ramp and into the teaching building.
At the end of the ramp was the elevator lobby. She pressed the call button, and the metal doors slid open silently. She wheeled into the elevator and reached out to press the button for the third floor.
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, a hand slipped through the gap, blocking them.
Yan Yu was slightly startled and instinctively looked up.
A female student walked in.
She was of medium to tall height, wearing a black cotton dress that reached just above her knees, with a light blue denim jacket over it, and white canvas shoes on her feet.
She wore a baseball cap pulled low, and a black mask over her face, leaving only her eyes visible.
This outfit… felt somehow familiar.
Yan Yu’s gaze lingered on the other person for an extra second. Just as she was about to look away, she heard a soft chuckle.
That voice.
As if a switch had been flipped, a name instantly surfaced in Yan Yu’s mind.
“Yan’er?”
“It’s me.”
Bai Yan’er reached up and took off the mask, revealing a smiling face.
She then lifted the baseball cap, and her long hair tumbled down, framing her crescent-moon-shaped eyes.
“Why are you dressed like this? I almost didn’t recognize you,” Yan Yu said.
“The sun is a bit strong,” Bai Yan’er squinted, her tone airy. “I don’t want to get sunburned.”
Yan Yu glanced at her but didn’t press further.
The elevator doors closed again, and the car slowly ascended.
Bai Yan’er stood next to Yan Yu’s wheelchair, her gaze fixed on Yan Yu’s profile, examining it carefully for a moment.
“Elder Sister’s skin never seems to tan,” her tone carried a hint of envy. “That’s nice.”
Yan Yu turned her face away. “My skin is too pale, not pretty. Your complexion has a bit of color, just right.”
“Hmm—” Bai Yan’er drew out the tone, as if seriously considering the words. “But I just like Elder Sister the way you are.”
As she spoke, she naturally moved behind the wheelchair and gripped the handles on the back.
“Elder Sister, can we sit together in class later?”
Yan Yu could feel the warmth of Bai Yan’er’s proximity on her back. She closed her eyes and could only nod.
Bai Yan’er smiled with satisfaction, straightened up, and stood properly again.
“It’s fortunate that I’m in the same class as Elder Sister, while your roommate is in a different major. Otherwise, that girl called Ruo Xiaozhen would have monopolized all your time.”
Yan Yu gave a wry smile. “It’s not that exaggerated. What do you mean, monopolize…”
“It is.”
Bai Yan’er’s voice came from above, firm in tone.
Yan Yu opened her mouth, wanting to say more, but at that moment, the elevator went ding and stopped.
The metal doors slid open, revealing the corridor on the third floor.
“Let’s go, Elder Sister.”
Bai Yan’er pushed the wheelchair and steadily exited the elevator.
They sat in the back row of the multi-functional classroom as usual. Bai Yan’er first pushed the wheelchair to the seat and locked it, then bent down, supporting Yan Yu’s arm with one hand and guarding her waist with the other, carefully transferring her from the wheelchair to the chair.
After Yan Yu was settled, Bai Yan’er sat down beside her.
She deliberately chose a corner seat, so Yan Yu had a wall on one side and her on the other.
The entire row of seats was empty, with no room for a third person.
Yan Yu noticed this little maneuver but said nothing.
The class bell rang.
The teacher on the podium turned on the projector and began explaining the new lesson.
Yan Yu opened her notebook, held her pen, and took notes stroke by stroke. Sunlight slanted in through the window, casting warm light spots on the desk. Chalk dust floated slowly in the beam.
Everything was calm and orderly.
Until her phone suddenly vibrated.
Yan Yu was startled and glanced down at the screen.
It was a message from Ruo Xiaozhen.
She muttered internally: ‘It’s class time, why is she sending messages? That girl Ruo Xiaozhen, she’s supposed to be in Chen Laotai’s notoriously strict professional class, yet she still finds time to chat with me.’
She hesitated for a moment, then, while the teacher turned to write on the blackboard, she stealthily tapped open the phone screen.
Ruo Xiaozhen: Yan Yu Yan Yu, did you know!!! Our school recently opened a new small cafeteria by the lake! It’s the small white building that was always empty before! The food there is cheap and delicious! And they have my absolute favorite spicy hot pot!!! Let’s go there for lunch, okay?
You could feel the excitement behind the string of exclamation marks even through the screen. Yan Yu couldn’t help but curl her lips.
Her preference for spicy hot pot was average. That stuff was too oily and spicy; her stomach might not handle it well.
But she didn’t want to spoil Ruo Xiaozhen’s fun. At worst, she could order clear broth for herself.
Yan Yu replied: okay.
After that, she added a cute emoji sticker, an animated GIF of a kitten nodding.
After sending the message, she was about to close her phone when she suddenly felt a gaze fall on her from the side.
That gaze was warm and focused, like an invisible thread extending from beside her, wrapping around the hand holding her phone.
Yan Yu slowly turned her head.
As expected.
Bai Yan’er was tilting her head and looking at her, her gaze slowly moving from Yan Yu’s phone screen to her face. Those beautiful eyes were slightly curved, like a cat watching its prey but not in a hurry to pounce.
“Elder Sister,” her voice was very soft, soft enough that only the two of them could hear, “Who were you just chatting with?”
“With Ruo Xiaozhen…”
Yan Yu’s fingers tightened slightly on the edge of the phone.
“What were you chatting about with her? Can you tell me?”
Yan Yu suddenly felt a hand cover her leg, gently touching her skin. Then, Bai Yan’er’s body slowly leaned in, her eyes staring unblinkingly at her.