The communication with the landlord went more smoothly than expected.
The auntie, surnamed Li, was in her fifties, slightly plump, with eyes that crinkled when she smiled, giving her a kind and approachable face.
Upon hearing about Yan Yu’s situation, far from being disdainful, she sighed repeatedly. “Poor girl… all alone out here, and with a body in this state.”
She readily agreed to install handrails in the bathroom and even proactively suggested sawing off a small section of the door threshold to make it easier for the wheelchair to pass through.
“My son once injured his leg playing basketball and used a wheelchair for a few months. I know how it feels,” Auntie Li said while signing the contract. “If you need any help, just ask. A good neighbor is better than a distant relative!”
After signing the contract and paying the deposit and first month’s rent, the sky had completely darkened.
The streetlights in the old neighborhood flickered on one by one, casting a dim, yellowish glow on the concrete paths.
The evening breeze carried a hint of early spring chill.
“Finally done!” Ruo Xiaozhen let out a long sigh of relief, pushing Yan Yu’s wheelchair out of the building entrance, a relieved smile on her face. “That landlady is really nice. Yan Yu, we got lucky!”
Yan Yu gave a soft “Mhm,” her gaze falling on the distant, blurry silhouettes of trees.
Lucky?
Perhaps.
At the very least, she now had a place to live in peace.
No more worrying about being evicted at the end of the month, no more struggling up those old stairs in her wheelchair.
But the dull, constant ache in her chest, like a cloud that never disperses, was a constant reminder—this body wouldn’t hold out much longer.
“Come on, I’ll treat you to milk tea!” Ruo Xiaozhen’s voice pulled her back from her thoughts. “To celebrate finding our new home! I know a new place nearby, I hear it’s really good!”
Without waiting for Yan Yu’s answer, she was already pushing the wheelchair, heading briskly toward the neighborhood entrance.
The milk tea shop was small, decorated in the currently popular ‘ins’ style with warm yellow lighting and wooden tables and chairs.
The shop was nearly empty, with only two staff members busy behind the counter.
“One cheese strawberry, full sugar, no ice,” Ruo Xiaozhen leaned toward the counter, her voice chirpy. “Yan Yu, what do you want? Their signature is taro with pearls, want to try it?”
Yan Yu didn’t have a strong preference for sweets, but seeing the sparkle in Ruo Xiaozhen’s eyes, she nodded. “Okay, that one. Half sugar, hot.”
“Coming right up!” Ruo Xiaozhen paid and pushed Yan Yu to a seat by the window.
Outside the window was the street at the neighborhood entrance, with the occasional pedestrian passing by.
Across the street was a convenience store, lit by stark white lights.
The milk tea was ready quickly. Ruo Xiaozhen pushed the hot cup toward Yan Yu and cradled her own pink cheese strawberry, taking a big, satisfying sip.
“Mmm—so good!” She squinted her eyes, her cheeks puffing out slightly with contentment. “So much strawberry pulp, and the cheese is so rich! Yan Yu, try yours quickly!”
Yan Yu took the warm cup of taro with pearls.
The paper cup felt warm in her hands. She lowered her head and took a careful sip.
The taro paste was smooth, the pearls delightfully chewy. The half-sugar sweetness was just right, not too cloying. The warm liquid slid down her throat, temporarily dispelling the chill in her chest.
“Is it good?” Ruo Xiaozhen leaned in, watching her intently.
“Mhm, it’s good.” Yan Yu nodded, the corner of her mouth unconsciously curving into a small arc.
Ruo Xiaozhen stared at that smile for a moment, then her face blossomed into a wide grin. “See! I told you this place was good! We’ll come here often from now on!”
She settled back into her chair, cradling her milk tea, sipping it in small mouthfuls while chattering on about tomorrow’s moving plans—what needed packing, how to box things up, whether to call a car…
Yan Yu listened quietly, occasionally murmuring an “Mhm,” her gaze drifting to the flowing night outside the window.
For a moment, she almost forgot about all the unpleasantness.
Forgot Su Qinghan’s icy gaze, Jiang Muyun’s pitying sense of superiority, and this body on the verge of collapse at any moment.
It was just sitting here, drinking a cup of hot milk tea with her only friend, listening to her talk about mundane, warm plans.
It was nice.
If only it could stay like this forever.
“Oh, Yan Yu,” Ruo Xiaozhen suddenly remembered something, pulling her phone from her pocket. “Let me show you the reviews for this place, they’re super high! So many people recommend it…”
As she spoke, she unlocked the screen, her finger swiping across it.
The next second, her movements froze.
The smile on her face stiffened bit by bit, then slowly faded away.
It was replaced by an expression mixed with shock, anger, and disbelief.
Her eyes were glued to the phone screen, her lips pressed tightly together, her fingers gripping the phone so hard they turned slightly white.
“What’s wrong?” Yan Yu sensed something was off and asked softly.
Ruo Xiaozhen didn’t speak, just turned the phone screen toward her.
On the screen was the WeChat Moments interface.
The latest post was from Su Qinghan.
Posted ten minutes ago.
No caption, just a single photo.
In the photo, Su Qinghan and Jiang Muyun stood side by side in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of a high-end restaurant.
Outside the window, the city’s dazzling nightscape glittered with neon lights.
Su Qinghan in the photo seemed less stern than usual, a bit more relaxed.
She was slightly turned, her arm loosely encircling Jiang Muyun from behind—a protective stance.
And Jiang Muyun, wearing a beige silk dress, her long hair cascading softly over her shoulders.
She was looking up slightly, smiling gently and sweetly at the camera, her eyes seemingly filled with starlight.
The two were standing very close.
Close enough to almost feel each other’s warmth.
The photo was taken extremely well.
The lighting, composition, and atmosphere were all perfect. Anyone seeing it would think it was a picture of a perfectly matched, beautiful couple.
Below the photo, there was already a long string of likes and comments.
“Wow! Senior Su and Senior Jiang in the same frame! So beautiful!”
“This is what you call a match made in heaven!”
“Congratulations! Are you two dating now? That was fast!”
…
Those comments were like needles, piercing into Yan Yu’s eyes.
No, not into her eyes.
They were piercing into the remnants of the original host’s shattered heart.
Yan Yu’s fingers holding the milk tea cup tightened slightly.
The paper cup let out a faint, strained creak.
The familiar dull ache in her chest returned.
“What does she mean by this! She and Jiang Muyun aren’t even officially dating yet, are they?!” Ruo Xiaozhen finally found her voice, trembling with anger. “It’s only been a few days! Three days! She dumps you and immediately flaunts this with someone else? And posts it on Moments? Is she doing this on purpose? Is she deliberately posting this for you to see?!”
The angrier she got, the redder her face became. She snatched the phone back, jabbing her finger at the screen as if trying to poke a hole through the photo.
“What a scumbag! Too much! Yan Yu, don’t look! We won’t look!”
As she spoke, she was about to exit Moments.
“Zhenzhen,” Yan Yu suddenly spoke, her voice very soft, very calm.
Ruo Xiaozhen’s movements halted. She looked up at her.
Yan Yu’s face showed no expression. No anger, no sorrow, not even a trace of sadness.
She just looked quietly out the window, her gaze empty, as if seeing something very, very far away through the night.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“How could you possibly be fine!” Ruo Xiaozhen’s eyes reddened with urgency. “She treated you like this, you…”