Faintly warm light gradually crawled up the windowsill, passing through the thin mist on the window to caress the boy’s face. It illuminated the soft contours of his features as his breathing remained steady and faint.
When Yun Qianxin woke up, Gu Yu was still sleeping soundly in her arms. He was curled up, looking small and fragile, showing his most vulnerable side without any defenses.
She felt joy at the boy’s trust, yet she also blamed herself for her deceit and malice. At the same time, she desperately wished for time to stand still at this moment, hoping she could embrace her favorite person forever.
‘At least for now, Gu Yu belongs completely to her.’
It wasn’t too late. There was no need for force yet; there was still an opportunity to plot slowly. The young man’s voluntary and complete fall was what she truly wanted.
Yun Qianxin got out of bed, covered Gu Yu with the blanket, changed into suitable clothes, and went into the kitchen to start working on breakfast.
She cooked a pot of Red Rice Porridge, added two plates of shredded potatoes and shredded taro to accompany the porridge, and poured out a small dish of freshly bought diced radishes. It was a simple and warm breakfast, much like the quiet and peaceful times before her.
The boy had not woken up yet, appearing to have been quite drunk last night. Yun Qianxin went to the bedside and leaned down, getting closer to his face. She tucked a long strand of hair hanging by his cheek behind his ear and whispered softly into his ear, “Xiao Yu, it’s time to get up.”
“Mmh…”
Gu Yu’s consciousness slowly returned. He opened his bleary eyes and immediately saw Yun Qianxin leaning over to wake him. The sunlight framed the woman’s face, and the way she looked at him was as gentle as water.
“Qian — Sister Qianxin?!” Gu Yu sat up in a panic. Remembering his loss of composure from the previous night, he lowered his head in embarrassment like a child who had done something wrong. “Last night… I’m sorry. I think I drank too much. I must have caused you a lot of trouble.”
“It’s okay. Didn’t Sister encourage you to drink? Besides… a drunk Xiao Yu is very cute.”
Yun Qianxin patted his head, smiling with warmth and kindness. She acted mature and generous. “Hurry and get up. Breakfast is going to get cold.”
“Oh, okay.”
Yun Qianxin stood up and left. Gu Yu pulled back the covers, got out of bed, and found his school uniform jacket by the bedside. After putting it on, he walked out of the room.
Yun Qianxin had already served him a bowl of the steaming breakfast. Her care was as meticulous as ever, gradually pulling his life back onto the right track.
“Sister has to go on a business trip for a while,” Yun Qianxin said at the dining table while eating her porridge. “Can Xiao Yu help Sister look after the house?”
“No problem. Haven’t I been helping Sister Qianxin look after it for the past few years anyway?”
“Haha, that’s true. Thank you, Xiao Yu.” She took a sip of porridge and looked at Gu Yu with curved eyes. “Then, while Sister is away, Xiao Yu must take good care of himself. Eat well and stay warm.”
“Don’t worry, I will.”
“Good boy.”
A beautiful smile overflowed in Yun Qianxin’s eyes. she finished her porridge in small sips and waited for Gu Yu to finish. Once he had washed up, she drove him to school.
Today, they were a bit late. By the time he reached the classroom, most of the students were already there. Gu Yu sat in his seat, pulled out his homework to pass forward, and then put away his bag. He took out his Chinese Textbook and prepared for morning reading.
His gaze naturally drifted toward Luo Ming. The girl still looked a bit sickly, but her complexion was much better than yesterday. A rosy tint flushed her beautiful profile, making her look like the most beautiful Winter Plum in the dead of winter.
“Why are you so late today?” Luo Ming raised her book, taking the initiative to strike up a conversation.
Gu Yu thought about it and decided not to hide it. He said honestly, “Yesterday… I got drunk.”
“Drunk?”
Luo Ming put down the book in her hand and turned to look at him, appearing very concerned.
“Yeah. During dinner, Sister Qianxin brought out a bottle of wine, and I drank quite a bit.”
Gu Yu spoke plainly, not thinking much of it. He told Luo Ming purely out of the honesty one has for a good friend.
“You know how to drink, Gu Yu?”
“I didn’t before. I tried it yesterday, and it turns out my tolerance is surprisingly poor. I passed out after only three cups. I probably caused Sister Qianxin a lot of trouble.”
“Passed out… Yun Qianxin…”
Luo Ming muttered under her breath. The combination of those few words made her extremely dissatisfied, yet she had no outlet for her frustration. She could clearly feel her heart boiling with heat, wishing she could strip the boy bare right then and there to check if there were any marks from that woman on his body.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Yu saw that Luo Ming seemed dazed and waved his hand in front of her eyes.
“It’s nothing.”
Luo Ming turned away and lowered her head, letting her black hair cover her eyes to hide the overflow of ruthlessness and resentment. The paper in her hand was gradually crumpled.
She could see Yun Qianxin’s greed; it was the same brand of ugliness as her own. She just hadn’t expected the other woman to be so decisive, so… impatient, as to openly try to lure the boy into a trap.
‘Gu Yu likes me! Yun Qianxin, how could that woman!’
Morning reading began after a loud bell rang. The classroom filled with the noisy sound of students reading aloud. A few people took advantage of the stacks of books to sneak a nap. Luo Ming gritted her teeth, not contributing her voice to the reading.
The bowl of thin, watery rice porridge she’d had for breakfast had long since been digested. She felt a wave of hunger and thirst. Her breakfasts had always been even more neglected than Gu Yu’s; she had never truly addressed them.
She peeked at the boy’s thin profile, salivating. ‘He was her finest meal.’
She knew the boy wouldn’t come to confess. Even if he harbored a sincere and budding affection for her, his low self-esteem and reality would make him hesitate. Luo Ming should have been able to keep waiting for that reason; after all, no one could take him away.
But now it was different. The situation was getting worse, and she could no longer just sit by and do nothing.
Another crisp bell rang, interrupting the reading in the classroom. Luo Ming grabbed a few tissues, poked Gu Yu’s waist, and said softly, “Gu Yu, I need to go out.”
“Oh, okay.”
Gu Yu moved his chair forward. Luo Ming turned sideways to pass through the gap and walked out of the classroom. A few girls she was familiar with happened to be heading out as well, naturally walking over to her side to chat.
“Luo Ming, Luo Ming, are you still working this weekend? Do you want to come out and play?”
“I…” Luo Ming remembered the message the Boss had sent her last night about closing for the weekend and made a calculation in her mind. “I’m sorry, I still have things to do this weekend.”
“Working again? Luo Ming, don’t you ever give yourself any time to rest? Aren’t you afraid of exhausting yourself?”
“It’s not work. I have other things to do.”
“If you’re not working, you still won’t come out? There’s a dinner party this weekend; Zhao Xin is treating.”
“When did I say I was treating, you brat?”
Luo Ming smiled, not taking the girls’ teasing to heart. She wasn’t one to take advantage of such things anyway. “Then you guys have fun. I really have something important to do, so I can’t go.”
“Fine, fine. Take care of yourself and get some rest. I’m so jealous that you can work every day and still be first in the entire school. I wish I had your brain.”
“It’s not about being smart. I just… solved a few more problems.”