The dormitory lights were piercingly bright, two stark white tubes dangling from the ceiling three feet above Fang Zhiyi’s head.
The other end of the line had gone silent. She continued her lingering, rebellious calls of that person’s name, her gaze fixed on the buzzing light tubes, which looked like two stiffened bones.
That’s how high-end cremations go: the body, covered in white cloth, is pushed into the furnace, and when it comes out, only a few large bones and a skull remain.
The sound of the furnace working was just like the electrical hum of those lights—barely audible at first, but gradually boring into the marrow of one’s brain like an insect, gnawing day and night.
Finally, a familiar voice came through the phone. Fang Zhiyi heard Fang Rulian say, “Fang Zhiyi, you’ve been drinking.”
It wasn’t a question, but a statement, delivered in a tone as flat as a weather report.
But Fang Zhiyi knew her—beneath that calm lay a suppressed fury. Bound perhaps by the setting or the distance, Fang Rulian was forced to push her emotions down, using the most restrained tone to deliver the most certain judgment.
Leaning against the side of the bed, gripping the low railing with one hand and holding her teetering phone with the other, Fang Zhiyi suddenly leaned in and gave a soft huff—like a tipsy cat enjoying a successful prank.
The fury on the other end seemed nearly uncontrollable as a cold, hard voice crackled through the screen: “Where are you? The dorm, or out?”
Intending to retaliate for Rulian’s past departures and heartless abandonment, Fang Zhiyi looked down, in no rush to answer.
The phone was on speaker. Others in the dorm, realizing it was a family member and sensing the anger on the other end, explained for fear of a misunderstanding: “Sister Fang, please don’t be mad. We’re just playing Truth or Dare in the dorm, we aren’t out…”
In her bedroom, Fang Rulian took a deep breath, her loose hair veiling her face as anger choked her throat.
Even if they were in the dorm, why was Fang Zhiyi drinking? She had explicitly told her not to.
Just as Fang Rulian opened her mouth to speak, a rustling sound came from the phone. Another girl’s lowered voice could be heard: “Fang Zhiyi, you’re supposed to call someone you like, why did you dial your family…”
The reprimand stuck in Rulian’s throat, colliding with her anger and making her nearly cough. Her temples throbbed as she thought: Is Fang Zhiyi drunk, or…
After a flurry of noisy movement, she heard Fang Zhiyi’s slurred, muddled voice: “Oh, oh… wrong number. I’ll re-dial…”
Fang Rulian blurted out, “Wait, Fang—”
Beep—
The call ended.
…
The Restless Night
Fang Rulian stared at the disconnected call screen, absolutely livid.
She slammed the phone onto the mattress, then immediately grabbed it back for fear it might slide onto the floor and break. Staring at the call log that lasted less than a minute, she punched her pillow hard.
What did Fang Zhiyi mean by this? Calling her in the middle of the night to harass her, only to say it was a “wrong number”?
Then who did she mean to call? Who was she re-dialing?
How old was she even!
She had just turned eighteen and already had someone she liked? Did she start crushing on them while she was still a minor? The exams were barely over, and she was already this desperate to confess? Was she planning to start a relationship?
Preposterous!
A student should act like a student! Why talk of love!
The window was half-open, and the sound of cars outside drifted in, as annoying as mosquitoes. Fang Rulian shut the window with a grim face.
The room fell silent, save for the tick-tock of the alarm clock. Fang Rulian sat cross-legged on the bed, her knee brushing the edge of the phone, her eyes scanning the dark screen every few seconds.
Ten minutes—she set a deadline in her mind.
If Fang Zhiyi called back before then, she could pretend she hadn’t heard the “wrong number” bit and might even grudgingly forgive her for drinking.
The ticking was too loud. Fang Rulian thought irritably: What a piece of junk clock, why hasn’t this old thing been phased out of the market? It’s so noisy, I’m taking the batteries out in a minute.
At the nine-minute mark, the phone rang.
Fang Rulian didn’t even check the caller ID. Her finger instinctively swiped to answer, her thumb pressed the speaker button, and she brought the phone to her ear.
She tilted her chin up, waiting in a haughty stance for Fang Zhiyi’s explanation.
“Hello? Is this Ms. Fang? I’ve finally reached you! I’m the account manager from XX Bank, and we’ve launched a new annual yield—”
“Get lost!” Fang Rulian hung up and slammed the phone face down on the nightstand, making the half-empty glass of water shake violently.
She glanced at it, got out of bed, and dumped the water in the bathroom. Her slippers slapped loudly against the floor. In the living room, Fang Hong didn’t even look up from her drama: “Who upset you now?”
Cold water rinsed over Rulian’s burning palm. When she looked up, she caught the gaze of the cold-faced woman in the mirror and suddenly realized something.
Should I be this angry?
The reflection lasted less than half a second. She tilted her head and sneered at the person in the mirror.
She thought righteously: Why shouldn’t I be?
Fang Zhiyi was the sister she raised. “The eldest sister is like a mother”; she had the right and duty to look after her. Fang Zhiyi was young and naive, like a greenhouse flower; she’d surely be tricked by some silver-tongued trash.
Leaving the bathroom, she walked toward the water dispenser with feigned nonchalance. “No one upset me. I’m just thirsty.” She then carried an empty cup back to her bedroom.
True to her word, she ripped the batteries out of the clattering clock and climbed back into bed.
Sleep was out of the question. She stared obsessively at the short call log. In a moment of distraction, she accidentally dialed the number, but luckily she was fast enough to cancel it before the first ring.
Fang Zhiyi just finished the Gaokao; it’s natural for her to relax. She has the graduation ceremony tomorrow.
Fang Rulian lay sprawled on the bed. It was hot, so she used the quilt as a mattress, pulling just a small corner over her navel. Her thin pajamas were damp with sweat, rising and falling with her breath.
Her heartbeat replaced the clock’s ticking, keeping her restless. After turning off the lights, she listened to the hum of the AC and thought unhappily: Who did Fang Zhiyi call afterward?
Fang Rulian had been through high school herself. She knew that a girl with good temperament, looks, and top-tier grades was always the “goddess” of the school. They were the subjects of love letters in desks and the “white moonlights” discussed at class reunions years later.
What kind of person a “white moonlight” would like, Rulian didn’t know.
She only knew that if Fang Zhiyi’s confession call actually went through, the probability of being accepted far outweighed rejection—and Fang Rulian would be furious.
Now was not the time for dating. Fang Zhiyi was too young, and the exam results weren’t even out yet. Anyway… Fang Rulian thought, if the worst came to pass, it was perfectly reasonable for her to play the role of the sister who breaks up the “mandarin ducks.”
It wasn’t because she had petty or harborable ulterior motives. Not at all.
…
The Graduation Ceremony
The graduation ceremony officially began at 10:00 AM, but the school had been bustling since 8:00 AM.
Fang Zhiyi had changed into her uniform dress. Just as she finished tying her hair, Fang Rulian called, saying the three of them had arrived outside the school and were looking for parking. She asked if Zhiyi had eaten and where they should meet.
Neither of them mentioned the phone call from the night before.
Zhiyi responded calmly, suggesting the bun shop across from the front gate bridge and telling them to call once they were at the gate so she could meet them.
“Wait, there’s a spot! That car is leaving, park there, Fang Rulian!” Fang Hong pointed from the passenger seat. “Zhiyi, we’re hanging up. Get ready, no rush. We’ll walk around the school ourselves. Dress up nicely, we’re taking photos today!”
Mu Yunshu leaned forward to guide her: “Careful, Xiao Lian… drive slowly. City spots are narrow, no rush, back in slowly… yes, there’s a car behind, wait a bit…”
Fang Rulian was actually a skilled driver, but in the eyes of her elders, she was just a novice who had recently got her license.
The car curved sharply and slotted perfectly into the space. Fang Rulian hopped out and pointed at the perfectly aligned tires: “Aunt Mu, see? I’m a great driver. Mom didn’t believe me!”
“Come get the flowers, Fang Rulian,” Fang Hong said, holding three bouquets. “The parking was fine, but a bit too cocky. Minus one point.”
“99 points left, keep it up!” Mu Yunshu patted her shoulder. “I’ll go get breakfast. Buns and soy milk for everyone?”
“Aunt Mu, I want fried dough sticks!” “I want meat buns!”
By the time they entered the school, it was crowded. Students in suits or white dresses were posing for photos with families.
They saw Fang Zhiyi at 8:30 AM.
She was in her crisp navy uniform, the jacket outlining her sharp shoulders, her white shirt buttoned to the top with a silver collar pin glinting in the sun. Below her knee-length plaid skirt, her legs looked exceptionally long.
“Xiao Yi, move a bit to the left. Yes, Aunt Mu, you too. Tilt toward me, lower the flowers so they don’t hide your faces.” Today, Fang Rulian was the designated photographer.
After several shots, Rulian looked at the beautiful girl in the photos and teased: “Fang Zhiyi looks so upright, if she pinned a party emblem on her chest, she could go film a ‘Youth University’ study video right now.”
“Turn up the brightness, I can’t see,” Fang Hong peered at the phone. “What study video?”
Fang Rulian: “…” When did ‘Youth University’ start? Does it exist this year? she wondered. “Never mind. I meant she looks like a top student.”
By 9:30 AM, it was time for the parents to find seats.
…
The Unwelcome Guest
In the stadium, the graduation was in full swing. Fang Rulian sat in the parent section, her eyes fixed on the “little poplar tree” that was Fang Zhiyi in the student section.
She watched Zhiyi talk to the girl next to her, drink water, take off her jacket, and look back at something and smile. Rulian tried to deduce who the secret “love interest” from the phone call might be.
Suddenly, Zhiyi stood up and walked toward the back with a classmate. Two boys followed them, looking nervous and glancing at Zhiyi repeatedly.
One boy took a deep breath, pumped himself up, and followed the girls out of the stadium.
Fang Rulian narrowed her eyes and stood up. “Where are you going?” Fang Hong asked. “Throwing away trash.”
Under the shade of the trees, the sunlight filtered through leaves like scattered gold.
Fang Zhiyi emerged from the restroom, unbuttoning her top collar and rolling up her sleeves to escape the heat. Her roommate, Zhang Xiaodie, followed her out. “Is the speech over?”
“Only point one,” Zhiyi replied. They walked to a stone table to rest.
Before they could catch their breath, two boys appeared. “Chen Ankang, what do you want?” Xiaodie frowned. “Not me, him,” the boy named Chen said, pushing his friend forward.
The second boy, Wang Yu, turned red. “Fang… classmate Fang, do you remember me? From the basketball game last year? I saw you clap for my three-pointer… I’ve wanted to say this for a long time.”
He pulled out a bouquet of flowers. Onlookers began to gather, sensing drama.
“Fang, I’ve liked you since tenth grade. You’re beautiful and smart… I only ever dared to peek at you in the halls. Now that we’re graduating, I don’t want any regrets.”
He knelt on one knee. “Will you consider dating me?”
The crowd began to chant “Accept him!”
“No,” Fang Zhiyi said, quiet but firm. “Why?” the boy asked, crushed. “At least give me a reason.” “No,” she repeated.
“I see. Thank you.” The boy pulled a green letter from the bouquet. He bowed deeply, holding the letter above his head. “You don’t have to take the flowers, but please take my letter. That’s my only request.”
Just as the hand was about to reach for it, the letter was snatched away.
“Your name is Wang Yu, right? Class 3-8,” a voice laced with a smile rang out. “Only one request? Making demands during a confession—how interesting.”
A stunning woman with long, wavy hair stood next to Zhiyi. With a sharp rip, she opened the envelope. “She doesn’t have time for this trash. I’ll read it for her.”
“Who are you?” the boy stammered. “Why are you opening my letter?”
“Her sister.”
Fang Rulian looked up coldly and began reading the flowery prose aloud with mock disgust. The boy, humiliated, grabbed his letter and fled, leaving the flowers behind.
…
The Confrontation
After the crowd dispersed, Fang Rulian kicked the abandoned roses. “What are you laughing at?” she snapped at Zhiyi. “Sister, you’re quite mean when you scold people.”
“It gets meaner,” Rulian muttered. She grabbed Zhiyi’s wrist and led her to a secluded alley behind the library.
“Were you going to accept that letter?” Rulian asked, trying to stay calm. “I was going to take it and throw it away without reading it,” Zhiyi said truthfully. “It’s faster.”
“People won’t see it that way. They see it as a chance.” Rulian leaned against a bench. “Either refuse to take it or throw it away in their face. Your ‘polite refusal’ is an ‘acceptance signal’ to some people.”
Zhiyi went quiet for a moment. “I understand.”
Rulian looked at her. “Now, let’s talk about last night. Look at your call log.” Zhiyi didn’t move.
Rulian leaned in, her voice low. “You called me, talked nonsense, and then said you ‘dialed the wrong number’ and meant to call the person you like. So… who did you call afterward?”
Zhiyi looked up. They were so close their noses almost touched. Rulian instinctively pulled back.
“I won’t tell,” Zhiyi said. “I’ll tell Aunt Mu you’re in a relationship.” “I’m an adult,” Zhiyi countered. “Why do you care so much, Sister? Did I wake you up?”
“I’m your sister. I’m worried you’ll be tricked.”
Zhiyi stared at her. “Fine. Let’s play a game. You ask a question, I ask a question. We must be honest.” “Fine,” Rulian agreed, already planning to cheat.
“Do you have someone you like, Sister?” Zhiyi asked. “Next question,” Rulian dodged.
Zhiyi frowned, then asked softly: “Does your sister like me?”
Fang Rulian’s brain short-circuited. She felt like she was hallucinating. Then, her defense mechanisms exploded.
“Are you sick, Fang Zhiyi! What are you talking about? Where did you learn this nonsense? I’m a good sister! I’m not a lesbian and I don’t have a sister complex! You’ve read too many novels, you’re crazy! Hahaha!”