Early morning. Morning light cut through the gaps in the old curtain, casting several slanted beams on the wall of the rented room. Dust floated slowly in the light.
When Yan Yu woke up, the first thing she felt was the familiar dull ache in her lower back.
This pain had been with her for too long, so long it had almost become part of her body.
She slowly opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, then gently exhaled.
A new day.
Just then, her phone vibrated on the bedside table.
She picked it up, the screen lit up, and a bank transfer notification jumped into the notification bar. She tapped it open, and the number made her pause.
+￥108,600.00
The transfer note had only three words: “Clothes money.”
Yan Yu stared at the string of numbers, and a faint smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
That gown stained with red wine by Jiang Muyun—Su Qinghan not only fully compensated for it but also gave extra.
This was very Su Qinghan—drawing boundaries with money, making up for shortcomings with money, maintaining her lofty dignity with money.
But this time, it seemed a little different.
If it had been the Su Qinghan of the past, she would probably have sent an assistant to deliver a check, or asked her secretary to transfer the money, with the remark being something formal like “compensation.”
But now, she transferred it herself, wrote the note herself, and even… gave extra.
Yan Yu lowered her gaze, gently rubbing the screen with her fingertip.
‘Was she trying to apologize? In the only way she knows how?’
‘I don’t need her intentions. But the money, I’ll take it.’
After confirming the receipt, Yan Yu casually opened the bank app to check her balance.
With this transfer, her account balance finally broke through 150,000. Not much, but for her current situation, it was a number that brought some peace of mind.
The check-up was next week.
Yan Yu subconsciously reached back and pressed on her lower back.
‘I hope the results this time are better. I hope the doctor says “improvement” instead of “status quo.”’
She needed more time, more money, more…
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden chime in her mind.
[Ding!]
[Key plot node “The Devoted Substitute at the Birthday Party” completed.]
[Overall plot restoration evaluation: 99 points.]
[Evaluation details: Host perfectly performed as the “substitute” at Jiang Muyun’s birthday banquet, highly aligning with the original character’s emotional logic and behavior patterns at this point. Particularly noteworthy is the brief interaction with Dai Feng at the end of the banquet, which laid a subtle foreshadowing for subsequent plots without deviating from the character’s behavioral framework.]
[Current main storyline total progression: 24%]
[Reward issued: Exquisite Culinary Skill +10.]
[Note: This skill will allow the food you make to have the power to reach people’s hearts. You can precisely create flavors that awaken specific memories and touch deep emotions. Every dish will become an extension of words, telling what you cannot or have not spoken. Flavor will become another form of your expression.]
Yan Yu was stunned for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.
Culinary skill?
This reward was quite interesting.
She used to cook before, but her level was ordinary—could cook, could eat, but definitely not delicious.
During the three years she was with Su Qinghan, she occasionally cooked. After tasting it a few times, Su Qinghan simply said, “Don’t do this anymore. I have a chef.”
Back then, she just lowered her head and softly answered, “Okay,” then silently poured away the carefully prepared ingredients.
Now thinking back, every time Yan Yu tied on an apron and busied herself in the kitchen, deep down she held a bit of pitiful hope—hoping that Su Qinghan could taste the little warmth hidden in her clumsy intentions.
But Su Qinghan only tasted the flavor, never the intention.
Or rather, she simply didn’t care whether Yan Yu had intentions or not.
Yan Yu shook her head, shaking off those old images from her mind.
She pushed aside the blanket, moved slowly and carefully to the edge of the bed, and reached for the wheelchair leaning against the bed.
The wheelchair was a standard model, with some parts starting to make faint creaking sounds.
She skillfully sat into it, adjusted her position, and wheeled herself out of the bedroom.
In the living room, Ruo Xiaozhen was already up.
“Good morning, Yan Yu!” The girl’s energetic voice came from the kitchen. “How are you feeling today?”
“Okay,” Yan Yu answered with a smile, wheeling herself to the dining table.
Ruo Xiaozhen came out of the kitchen carrying two plates, her short hair swaying back and forth as she walked.
She placed one plate in front of Yan Yu: “Nutritious breakfast is here! Whole wheat bread, boiled egg, broccoli, and a cup of soy milk. The doctor said you need protein and vitamins!”
Yan Yu looked at the neatly arranged food on the plate, feeling a warmth in her heart: “Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.”
“No trouble at all!” Ruo Xiaozhen sat down opposite, took a bite of bread, her cheeks puffed out. “I need to hurry to school after eating. I have an early class. Sister Yan Yu, take your time eating. Just leave the dishes. I’ll wash them when I get back.”
“It’s okay, I’ll wash them,” Yan Yu said.
“No way, your hands will hurt,” Ruo Xiaozhen insisted. “Oh, by the way, when I was washing clothes this morning, I saw the clothes you changed out of yesterday still in the laundry basket. I’ll throw them in the washing machine later?”
Yan Yu thought for a moment: “Mm, sorry for the trouble.”
“No trouble at all!” Ruo Xiaozhen quickly finished breakfast, grabbed her school bag, and said, “I’m heading out now! Sister Yan Yu, remember to take your medicine on time!”
“Be careful on the road.”
The door opened and closed, and the room fell silent again.
Yan Yu slowly ate her breakfast. The whole wheat bread was toasted just right, with a slight crunch on the edges and softness inside.
The boiled egg was also perfectly timed, the yolk firm but not dry.
Ruo Xiaozhen was always so warm-hearted. She herself was still a student who needed care, yet she managed Yan Yu’s life so well.
After finishing the last piece of broccoli, Yan Yu picked up the soy milk and took small sips. The sunlight shifted a little more, now falling on her hand resting on the table.
These hands used to be able to play piano, paint, and make food that, though not delicious, was full of heartfelt intention.
Now, most of the time, they just rested quietly on her knees.
After finishing the soy milk, Yan Yu wheeled herself to the sink to wash the dishes. Ruo Xiaozhen didn’t want her to, but she couldn’t really leave everything for others to do. She turned on the tap, warm water flowed over the plate, and white foam slowly spread.
She washed very slowly, every movement cautious. Not because her hands hurt, but because any sudden force could affect her lower back.
When the last plate was rinsed clean and placed in the dish rack, Yan Yu dried her hands and wheeled herself to the balcony to get some air.
Just then, a sudden dull crash came from the balcony, like something heavy falling, followed by a suppressed gasp.
Yan Yu paused: “Xiao Zhen?”
No response.
“Xiao Zhen?” She raised her voice a little, turning the wheelchair toward the balcony. “What’s wrong? Didn’t you go to school?”
Still no answer.
Yan Yu’s heart tightened. Ruo Xiaozhen had clearly said she was going to school. Why would she still be on the balcony?
The balcony was where her clothes were hung to dry. So what was that sound…?