“Wow…” Qi Yaoyao was stunned by Xu Zhi’s proactive response. A strange sense of novelty and excitement surfaced in her heart. She touched Xu Zhi’s scorching cheek and said, “Xu Zhizhi, you’re acting like a kitten right now, rubbing against me.”
Xu Zhi could barely register Qi Yaoyao’s words. She vaguely heard what the other party was saying but couldn’t understand, only subconsciously expressing her feeling: “My head is so heavy.”
“Mhm! Don’t worry, I’ll take you to the hospital right away.”
Xu Zhi had stayed up all night enduring the cold air and fell ill without realizing it.
After struggling through the entire day, her temperature had soared to a frightening 40 degrees Celsius ($40^circtext{C}$).
Qi Yaoyao’s family doctor put Xu Zhi on an anti-inflammatory IV drip and left a fever patch and thermometer, recording the time for medication change and needle removal.
Xu Zhi was delirious from the fever, lying unconscious on the medical room bed.
Qi Yaoyao sat beside her, eating pineapple.
“Oh no, her brain wasn’t smart to begin with, now she won’t be burnt stupid, will she?” Qi Yaoyao muttered. After eating a few slices of fruit, she got up and reached out to touch Xu Zhi’s forehead.
It was still very hot. Worried, she rang the bell for the nurse to change Xu Zhi’s fever patch.
Forty minutes later, the first bottle of medication was finished.
The nurse changed the medication for Xu Zhi on time.
Qi Yaoyao sat there for over half an hour, bored. She propped up her face and looked at Xu Zhi.
Previously, they had met at the bar, separated by the counter.
Last night in the changing room was their closest encounter.
Thinking of last night, Qi Yaoyao’s heart rate was inexplicably erratic. That’s strange. Why did my heart pound and my face feel flushed when I faced Xu Zhi last night?
Could my sexual orientation be like Julie’s, where I like girls?
No, I’ve never felt this way about any other girl before!
After a flurry of chaotic thoughts, Qi Yaoyao sighed audibly and stared at Xu Zhi’s flushed face—Does Xu Zhi actually want to be friends with me?
People who look this good should definitely hang out together!
She wouldn’t mind that Xu Zhi was poor, a bookworm, and terrible at sweet-talking.
“Sister Zhizhi, your eyelashes are so long,” Qi Yaoyao whispered, as if afraid of waking Xu Zhi. Yet, she reached out her finger to flick the long, sparse eyelashes, then slid it down the straight nose, and landed on her mouth.
Xu Zhi had absolutely no reaction.
Seeing this, Qi Yaoyao grew bolder. She casually pressed Xu Zhi’s lips gently with her finger.
Xu Zhi was feverish and disoriented in reality, light-headed and weak, and her dream was equally bizarre.
She seemed to be riding her bicycle, carrying Qi Yaoyao on the back seat. They rode towards the sunset, feeling as if they had arrived at a dazzling bar.
But there was none of the noise or clamor of a bar around them.
Qi Yaoyao ordered a cocktail from her, and her cherry lips sparkled, her eyes bright. After drinking, she clung to Xu Zhi, refusing to let go, and asked her coquettishly for her WeChat ID.
Driven by an uncanny impulse, Xu Zhi gave it to her directly.
Qi Yaoyao was overjoyed. She looked up and said, “Sister Zhizhi, lean down!”
Xu Zhi didn’t understand, but still cooperated and lowered her head. The next moment, she saw those bright, beautiful eyes swiftly moving closer.
Immediately afterward, soft, cool lips pressed onto hers.
Qi Yaoyao’s eyes widened in surprise!
What is Xu Zhi doing?
Why did she open her mouth???
Qi Yaoyao instantly looked at Xu Zhi’s face, only to see her still deeply unconscious.
A moist, burning hot tongue tip pushed out from her lips.
Qi Yaoyao felt something slick and didn’t react at first. When she realized what it was, she was so startled that she leaped back in pure innocence, quickly retracting her hand!
She clutched her retracted wrist, her heart pounding wildly.
Looking at Xu Zhi, then at Xu Zhi’s lips, Qi Yaoyao finally ran away, her face flushing red.
The IV drip still had a long way to go.
Xu Zhi continued to sleep soundly in a daze.
Qi Yaoyao came and went, leaving and returning, several times.
As the high fever receded, Xu Zhi’s dream slowly began to make sense, and finally the dream disappeared, giving way to a peaceful sleep.
When she opened her eyes, Xu Zhi saw the white ceiling of a patient room.
But the air didn’t smell like disinfectant.
It smelled like various fruits, cake, and… a subtle chemical scent.
Xu Zhi turned her head and saw Qi Yaoyao sitting not far from her position. Leaning forward, she was concentrating on drawing on a small table—a cartoon panda on a nail surface.
Xu Zhi tried to speak, but her mouth was parched. She cleared her throat.
Qi Yaoyao glanced up at Xu Zhi mid-drawing.
She initially thought Xu Zhi was just reacting in her sleep as before, but this time, their eyes met—Xu Zhi was awake.
“Oh, Zhizhi, you’re awake!!” Qi Yaoyao was delighted. She immediately put down her manicure brush tools and held up her hand for Xu Zhi to see. “What do you think of me baking a design like this at the nail salon?”
Xu Zhi looked and said, “It’s quite cute.”
“Hehe, that’s good. Wait for me to take a picture first~” Qi Yaoyao happily took a sample photo with her phone, wiped it off with a tissue, and then came to the bedside to ask Xu Zhi, “Xu Zhizhi, how are you feeling? Are you better?”
Xu Zhi assessed herself and said, “Much better.”
Xu Zhi asked, “Where is this?”
“My home medical room,” Qi Yaoyao said. “You were burning up at school. Going to the hospital means lining up, registering, and seeing a doctor—it’s too much trouble, so I just had the driver bring you to my house.”
Xu Zhi: “Thank you.”
Xu Zhi saw that she still had the needle in the back of her hand and was receiving the IV drip. There was about half a bag of solution left.
Qi Yaoyao noticed her gaze and said, “This is the last bag.”
Then she asked, “Zhizhi, why did you have such a high fever? Didn’t you know you were sick? Did you stay up late doing test papers last night?”
Xu Zhi’s lips moved. She couldn’t answer any of the three questions.
“Ah, I guessed it?” Qi Yaoyao saw through Xu Zhi’s reaction and felt depressed. She said, “I told you that you can ask me for help with questions you can’t solve. Is your pride really that strong? It’s not embarrassing to ask me.”
Xu Zhi said in a slightly hoarse voice, “It is because of you.”
Qi Yaoyao looked confused. “Huh??”
Xu Zhi looked at her face.
She seemed to be wearing a little makeup, but it was very light, only discernible from the curled eyelashes, eyeliner, and rosy lips.
This young lady was naturally beautiful anyway, and she looked good with or without makeup.
Xu Zhi certainly wouldn’t say that the previous night’s incident in the changing room and the subsequent video chat led to an outrageous dream while sleeping, causing her to be unable to sleep again.
She asked Qi Yaoyao, “Are your eyes better?”
Qi Yaoyao pouted unhappily. “What, did you really want me to go blind?”
Xu Zhi didn’t want to joke like that. Frowning, she said, “Stop talking nonsense.”
“Hmph~!” Qi Yaoyao snorted but then smiled slightly. She looked at Xu Zhi and suddenly couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Xu Zhi’s cheek.
Xu Zhi felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She flinched back, looking at Qi Yaoyao warily. “What are you doing?”
Qi Yaoyao wasn’t angry that Xu Zhi recoiled; she was surprised. “Wow! Xu Zhizhi, were you really out of your mind from the fever back at school? When I touched you then, you didn’t just not dodge, you actively rubbed against my hand!”
Xu Zhi immediately denied it. “How is that possible?”
“How is it not possible? You really deny everything once it’s over. I should have taken a video for evidence.” Qi Yaoyao’s expression was vivid as she spoke, and she looked at Xu Zhi, intentionally saying, “Xu Zhizhi, you were just like a little kitten rubbing against my palm~~”
Xu Zhi had no recollection of this. Seeing Qi Yaoyao state it so confidently, her brows furrowed.
She couldn’t imagine what kind of scene that would have been.
Qi Yaoyao grew more smug and arrogant. Propping up her face, she said, “It looks like I can’t call you Xu Zhizhi anymore. I should call you Xu Kitty.”
Xu Zhi didn’t want to continue the embarrassing topic. She turned to look out the window of the room.
It had already gotten dark.
Xu Zhi immediately asked Qi Yaoyao, “What time is it now?”
Qi Yaoyao checked her phone and exclaimed, “It’s so late, already 7:30 PM!”
Xu Zhi tried to recall but found that she was indeed missing some memories.
She asked Qi Yaoyao, “Where is my bicycle?”
“Lost it.”
“Lost it?!?”
“Yeah. Your bicycle can’t even fold, and it wouldn’t fit in the trunk.” Qi Yaoyao looked innocent and spoke with self-assurance. “Such a broken bicycle, just forget it. I’ll buy you a new one!”
Hearing this, Xu Zhi felt her headache, which had just subsided, was about to return.
“Where did you lose it?”
“Right at your school.”
Xu Zhi immediately felt relieved. Then it’s not ‘lost,’ at least. She could still retrieve it when she went back to school tomorrow; it should have been pushed back to the bike shed by the security guard.
Qi Yaoyao stole a glance at Xu Zhi’s expression.
It didn’t look very good.
Qi Yaoyao thought for a moment, got up, grabbed the gray-white backpack from the sofa chair, and said to Xu Zhi, “But I kept your bag safe for you. I didn’t rummage through it; I fully respect your privacy~”
Xu Zhi didn’t have anything private in her bag.
It contained only test papers to be done at home, study materials, and supplementary reading books.
“After you finish the drip, have dinner at my place before you go back,” Qi Yaoyao said, placing the bag on Xu Zhi’s bedside table and sitting down. “My mother rarely comes home for dinner; she’s very busy. Oh, right… my family is quite rich. Don’t be too shocked later~”
Xu Zhi already knew this young lady was rich.
Xu Zhi said, “Thank you, but I’ll eat at home. My mother prepares dinner for me every day, and she’ll worry if I don’t eat it.”
Qi Yaoyao was quick to adapt. “Then I’ll eat at your place too!”
Xu Zhi: “…” Does she have to eat with me?
Qi Yaoyao seemed to sense the meaning of Xu Zhi’s silence and stated commandingly, “A life-saving grace should be repaid a hundredfold. I saved you today, shouldn’t you repay me?”
Before Xu Zhi could answer, Qi Yaoyao continued aggressively, “Are you going to be an ungrateful person? Besides, you were supposed to treat me to dinner today anyway! You stood me up!”
Xu Zhi remained silent, then still said, “I’ll treat you to dinner at a restaurant next time.”
Qi Yaoyao questioned in confusion, “Why?!”
“Because…” Xu Zhi couldn’t come up with a reason. She didn’t think she was feeling inferior.
She had long known that Qi Yaoyao’s family background must be outstanding.
Even without seeing this room, which was larger than the two-bedroom apartment they rented, even without hearing Qi Yaoyao admit that her family was “quite rich.”
Xu Zhi was more inclined to attribute it to them being unfamiliar with each other.
Yes, we are not familiar.
She couldn’t just bring a stranger home.
Xu Zhi: “No reason. I was wrong today. Next time, I’ll book a restaurant and pick you up.”
Seeing that her mind was made up and non-negotiable, Qi Yaoyao didn’t want to argue over such a trivial matter. Pouting slightly, she said, “As you wish.”
The IV fluid was almost finished.
Without needing a bell, medical staff arrived punctually to remove the needle for Xu Zhi.
The movement was gentle and precise.
“Please press for five minutes.”
“Okay, thank you.” Xu Zhi pressed down, watching the nurse collect the IV drip and dispose of it in the medical waste bin, then expertly fold and put away the hanging hook above the bed.
Qi Yaoyao asked, “Can you get out of bed yourself?”
Xu Zhi retracted her gaze. “Yes.”
Getting off the bed, Xu Zhi realized this was hardly a simple patient room.
On a side table were pastries, snacks, fresh fruit, and prepared fruit platters.
Qi Yaoyao followed her gaze, walked straight over, picked up two bright red strawberries, removed the slightly curled leaves, and handed them to Xu Zhi. “Replenish your body’s moisture!”
Xu Zhi looked at her fingers. “You just painted your nails.”
“Oh right, I forgot.” Qi Yaoyao said, “Then take them yourself,” and was about to throw the two strawberries away.
But she didn’t succeed.
Xu Zhi quickly grabbed her wrist.
Although her fever was gone, Xu Zhi was still warm, and a lingering moist sweat was on her palm.
Qi Yaoyao’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat when Xu Zhi gripped her so closely.
She looked back at Xu Zhi. “What is it?”
Xu Zhi: “Don’t waste them. Just wash them, and you can eat them.”
After saying that, she took the two strawberries from Qi Yaoyao’s hand and turned to enter the bathroom.
It wasn’t until she heard the sound of Xu Zhi washing the strawberries that Qi Yaoyao reacted. She pinched and rubbed the wrist that had been gripped, whispered “Oh,” and her earlobes quietly flushed red.
Xu Zhi came out after washing the strawberries and saw Qi Yaoyao standing meekly at the door, holding a whole basket of fresh large strawberries. “Take this home with you. You and your mom can eat them~”
Xu Zhi: “Thank you, but no need.”
Qi Yaoyao’s bright, beautiful eyes widened instantly. “Why? Do you prefer pineapple instead?”
Xu Zhi: … Where did that conclusion come from?
Xu Zhi took a bite of one of the two washed strawberries she was holding. The sweet and slightly sour juice, and the unique fragrance of the strawberry, instantly filled her taste buds.
She offered the other one to Qi Yaoyao’s mouth.
In the past, Qi Yaoyao would never have eaten fruit that had just been washed and still had water on it, much less one held by someone else. But at that moment, she subconsciously opened her mouth.
After feeding her, Xu Zhi ate the remaining half and said, “These strawberries are naturally ripened; they’re hard to transport and can easily get bruised.”
Qi Yaoyao said “Oh” after finishing it, but quickly reacted. “That’s okay! Our family driver drives very steadily!”
Qi Yaoyao said, stuffing the basket of strawberries into Xu Zhi’s hand. She then went to the table to pick and choose, suddenly remembering something. She opened a small refrigerator and took out two cold boxes of Black Forest cake and one box of mousse. “The pastry chef just made these and delivered them. They’re still fresh. Take them back to eat with your aunt too.”
Xu Zhi shook her head. “Really, no need.”
“It’ll be wasted if you don’t eat them. Didn’t you say ‘don’t waste them’?” Qi Yaoyao said, then remembered something else. “Oh, right, I’ll ask the pastry chef to send two large takeaway boxes over. There’s a lot more cake here.”
Seeing Qi Yaoyao being so decisive, Xu Zhi could only say, “Don’t bring any more. Let’s eat them now.”
Qi Yaoyao clapped her hands happily upon hearing this. “Deal! Let’s go outside and eat!!”
The elaborate streetlights shone like daylight on the cobblestone-patterned paving stones.
The surrounding greenery was so lush and dense it felt like being in a forest.
The pavilion was located amid the long corridor and waterside structure. Lights glowed from the clear water below, and fat, multi-colored koi leisurely swam around, occasionally passing beneath the stone bridge with lotus leaves.
Because of the high density of plants, the night wind at this time was not hot.
Xu Zhi sat with her back straight.
This small pavilion definitely did not look like a public area in a residential community, as there was not a single idle person around.
Not far away stood a brightly lit, large fusion-style villa.
Could that be this young lady’s home?
This was far more than “quite rich.”
What kind of person did I get myself involved with?
Qi Yaoyao noticed Xu Zhi’s expression seemed off and asked, “Zhizhi, are you really feeling better?”
“Yes,” Xu Zhi retracted her gaze. She ate the cake in a few bites and said, “I just sweated a lot and feel uncomfortable.”
After eating the cake, she should leave.
Qi Yaoyao, however, said, “Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ll take you to take a shower and change clothes! You don’t want to get a cold right after your fever breaks. Come on, come on, I’ll take you.”
Xu Zhi refused: “It’s fine, I’ll wash up when I get home.”
“It’ll take a long time to get home! Are you going to be covered in cold sweat all the way?”
“My home is very close to here.”
“Nonsense.” Qi Yaoyao retorted angrily, “You don’t even know where my house is, how do you know our homes are close? Why are you so wishy-washy? The hot water at my place isn’t poisonous, and you’re still so reluctant. I can even let you use the new body wash I just got; it’s great! And it smells really good!”
Body wash?
Catching the keyword, a red alarm instantly went off in Xu Zhi’s mind.
“No need.” Xu Zhi stood up and said, “You’ve helped me enough. I’m going back now, thank you.”
Qi Yaoyao also stood up, pointing angrily at Xu Zhi. “Either you walk home by yourself now, or you follow me upstairs obediently, take a shower, and then I’ll have the driver take you back! You choose!!”
Xu Zhi felt a profound sense of helplessness rise within her. She closed her eyes briefly.
A wise man submits to circumstances.
Although she didn’t think Qi Yaoyao would truly make her walk.
Xu Zhi turned to look at her. “Where do I wash up?”
Having achieved her goal, Qi Yaoyao was instantly satisfied. Her tone and attitude changed, and she said cheerfully, “Of course, in my bedroom! Did you want to go back to the medical room to wash? Let’s go, let’s go! I’ll take you!”
Xu Zhi was not wrong.
Qi Yaoyao lived in this splendid, palatial villa garden that looked like an exhibition hall.
The land was incredibly expensive.
The price of that small pavilion alone was enough to buy the two-bedroom apartment Xu Zhi and her mother were currently renting. One could imagine the staggering cost of the entire villa garden.
Xu Zhi followed behind Qi Yaoyao. She quickly accepted the reality.
From shock to calm, and finally, numbness.
No wonder she was always fixated on ringing the bell.
Ringing the bell once wasn’t even enough money for one of her desserts.
Being rich truly allows you to be willful.
But what does that have to do with me?
Qi Yaoyao led Xu Zhi to her bedroom bathroom and taught her how to use the various smart appliances inside.
Qi Yaoyao: “Or do you want a hot bath? Although I never let anyone use my bathtub, I can make an exception for you today. Should I have the maid come up and run a hot bath with essential oils and petals?”
Xu Zhi stopped her. “No need. I just need to rinse off the sweat.”
Qi Yaoyao: “Alright then. This is the body wash, this is the body lotion. Do you want a shower cap?”
“Mm.”
Qi Yaoyao looked up slightly at Xu Zhi, who was taller than her, and suddenly asked with some expectation, “What color clothes do you like to wear? I have everything in my walk-in closet!”
Xu Zhi just wanted a quick resolution. “Anything is fine.”
“Great! You go ahead and wash up~ I’ll go find you an outfit~”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome!”
Seeing Qi Yaoyao finally leave, Xu Zhi closed the door.
Looking around the bathroom, which was much larger than her entire bedroom, Xu Zhi felt lost for a moment, but then she sighed and strode toward the shower area.
The heating fan was already on.
Xu Zhi removed her wrist watch, tore off the bandage from the IV drip, then took off her clothes, tied up her long hair, and covered it with a shower cap.
When she turned on the hot water, the temperature was perfectly comfortable.
Covered in clammy cold sweat, Xu Zhi let out an unconscious sigh of enjoyment as the warm water washed over her from head to toe.
But she quickly sobered up and pumped out some body wash.
The movement was too natural.
When a familiar faint scent appeared in her nostrils, Xu Zhi’s heart instantly pounded with alarm. She realized—she had smelled this exact scent on Qi Yaoyao before!
Thinking of the culprit who had caused her restless night, her all-nighter, and her high fever—the previous night’s incident.
Xu Zhi immediately turned the water up high to wash off the body wash foam.
Just then, Xu Zhi heard a sound outside—”Zhizhi, I’m coming in, okay?”
Xu Zhi’s heart jumped.
She is taking a shower.
Is this something you can just walk in on???
Qi Yaoyao considered herself quite polite. After speaking, she opened the bathroom door and walked towards the shower area with the change of clothes.
The white mist was steaming.
Qi Yaoyao saw Xu Zhi standing naked under the showerhead, being rinsed by the trickling hot water.
Xu Zhi’s body proportions were excellent: long legs and a very slim waist.
Qi Yaoyao only saw these parts because all the other critical areas… were blocked by a school jacket Xu Zhi was using, which was now soaking wet.
Qi Yaoyao looked innocent, as if walking in was perfectly normal. She held the clothes and said to Xu Zhi, “I’m putting the clothes here for you. I picked out a few outfits. Wear whichever one you like.”
Xu Zhi held the jacket tightly, not moving. “Thank you.”
Qi Yaoyao wasn’t genuinely trying to take advantage of her. She didn’t linger. She waved goodbye to Xu Zhi and left.
As Qi Yaoyao left, Xu Zhi felt an internal fire flare up, hotter than the running water. She felt a surge of anger at being casually offended.
But she was also uncertain.
Was this considered normal for Qi Yaoyao?
Of course, this is NOT normal for Qi Yaoyao!!!
The moment Qi Yaoyao left the bathroom, she rushed to her large bed and rolled around. She hugged a pillow, tossing and turning excitedly, then calmed down to recall Xu Zhi’s half-covered state.
It was steamy hot in there.
If Xu Zhi had been open and natural about it, it would have been fine.
But being half-hidden like that made it feel incredibly tantalizing!!!
Before, she thought Xu Zhi looked good in her bartender uniform.
Now it seems.
She looks even better without clothes!!!
Stop.
Qi Yaoyao frowned, sat up hugging the pillow, and reflected deeply—Wait, why do I feel like a pervert, a little freak, in this state?
Xu Zhi turned off the shower after only a few minutes and used the towel to dry herself.
Qi Yaoyao had prepared three changes of clothes, but all three were dresses.
A short skirt, cute and sexy style.
A long slip dress, intellectual and ladylike style.
And a white camisole paired with a half-length skirt, the most normal style.
Xu Zhi looked at herself in the mirror after dressing.
She looked truly unfamiliar.
It had been a long time since she wore a skirt…
The moment Qi Yaoyao heard the bathroom door open, she immediately dropped the pillow and ran over.
Xu Zhi wore the camisole and half-length skirt. Her long hair was down. Her exquisite features conveyed a cold emotion, making her look like a mature, self-contained, low-desire girl-next-door.
Wow!!
The result is better than expected!!
Qi Yaoyao: “Zhizhi, wait a second!”
Xu Zhi was puzzled.
Qi Yaoyao quickly ran off and then ran back, holding her phone, finding various angles to take pictures of Xu Zhi.
Xu Zhi: “…”
“Come on, Sister Zhizhi, look at me!”
Although Xu Zhi was silently annoyed, she still cooperated and turned to look at Qi Yaoyao.
Qi Yaoyao said, “Don’t look at me, look at the camera!”
Xu Zhi raised her eyelids slightly and looked at the camera lens.
Qi Yaoyao, looking through the phone, met Xu Zhi’s gaze, was struck by a powerful feeling, and almost forgot to press the shutter button.
After taking the photos, Qi Yaoyao excitedly showed them to Xu Zhi like a treasure. “Look, Zhizhi, you’re so photogenic!”
Xu Zhi glanced at them.
She only felt awkward and unfamiliar wearing the skirt.
She frowned slightly but offered no comment.
Qi Yaoyao wanted to say more, but before the words came out, she sniffed her nose and leaned in to smell Xu Zhi.
Xu Zhi subtly stepped back half a pace. “What are you doing?”
Qi Yaoyao said, “You used the body wash, right? Why does that scent smell even better on you? Zhizhi, smell mine…” She then actively pulled up her sleeve for Xu Zhi to smell.
Xu Zhi had never met anyone so forward. She was internally backing away a mile, but outwardly remained calm, saying, “No, you smell good too.”
Qi Yaoyao’s eyes were bright. “Really?”
Xu Zhi: “Mm. I’ve showered. Can I go back now?”
“Mm-hmm!” Qi Yaoyao immediately escorted Xu Zhi downstairs, then said reluctantly, “Zhizhi, are you really not staying for dinner? If you leave, I’ll be eating alone.”
Xu Zhi only said, “See you tomorrow.”
Seeing that her mind was set, Qi Yaoyao could only say, “…Alright then, see you tomorrow.” She then ran off to instruct the driver to be careful on the road and ensure safety.
When Xu Zhi climbed the stairs, unlocked the door, and entered her apartment, she felt like she had just survived the Nine-Nine-Eighty-One Trials.
She let out a long breath.
She first went into the bedroom to change out of the skirt and camisole, then put the strawberries in the refrigerator, heated up her dinner in the microwave, and finally took her damp school jacket to the sink to scrub with soap.
After hanging up the uniform to dry, she went back inside to eat dinner, then returned to the bedroom.
Her bag was casually tossed on the desk.
Xu Zhi was mentally and physically exhausted. She closed her eyes and lay straight back on the bed.
A moment later, she remembered something. She opened her eyes, picked up her phone, and opened WeChat.
Hu Xiaohua had sent her a few messages, which she hadn’t seen because her phone was silenced.
Xu Zhi replied to let her know she was safe.
Just then, a notification popped up: YaoYao had sent a WeChat message.
Xu Zhi exited the chat with Hu Xiaohua and clicked into Qi Yaoyao’s.
YaoYao: [Sister Zhizhi~~~]
Although Xu Zhi knew this young lady probably didn’t have anything serious to talk about, she still clicked the input box to reply.
Xu Zhi: [?]
YaoYao: [I was looking at the pictures just now, and I realized your shoulders are so broad! Look, you actually have right-angle shoulders! Shoulders like that look so good in formal dresses, and you’re so tall!!]
Xu Zhi looked at the photos of herself that the other party sent one after another, unsure how to respond.
YaoYao: [Shoulders like that must feel very safe to lean on!!]
Xu Zhi: [……]
YaoYao: [?]
YaoYao: [??]
YaoYao: [Xu Zhizhi, what’s with that attitude?? Don’t think just because you were sick, you can be so perfunctory with my messages!!]
Xu Zhi wasn’t being perfunctory; she genuinely didn’t know how to handle this young lady’s seemingly always overflowing emotions and tangential topics.
After much thought, Xu Zhi replied with—
[.]
Seeing Xu Zhi reply again with just a punctuation mark, Qi Yaoyao finally exploded.
YaoYao: [Xu Kitty, you jerk!! Are you denying everything once you get home???!]
Xu Zhi: [Jerk?]
YaoYao: [Don’t play dumb with me! I told you this afternoon—I waited for you for so long after school, but you were happily chatting with another girl and feeding her pineapple!!]
Xu Zhi was running a high fever at the time, and that memory was very hazy, but one thing she was sure of.
Xu Zhi: [It was fresh fruit, wasn’t it?]
YaoYao: [IS THAT THE POINT!!!!]
Xu Zhi looked at the line of exclamation points that nearly spilled off the screen, sighed inwardly, and typed.
Xu Zhi: [Then what is the point?]
YaoYao: [You are being perfunctory with me!!! When you were at my house, it was “thank you” one after another. You were super patient, super gentle, and super cooperative with me, but as soon as you got home, you changed your face!! You only reply with one punctuation mark!!]
Xu Zhi had a headache. She typed a reply.
Xu Zhi: [My mistake, I shouldn’t be perfunctory. How should I reply?]
YaoYao: [You need to agree with me and say everything I say is right! If you really don’t know how to reply, just repeat what I said, and add some affirmative adjectives before or after it!]
Xu Zhi read this sentence several times, then scrolled up the chat history.
She replied to Qi Yaoyao.
Xu Zhi: [I don’t know if my shoulders are broad or not, but since you say so, they must be quite broad.]
Qi Yaoyao just raised her eyebrows.
The next moment, she saw Xu Zhi reply again.
Xu Zhi: [They should also feel very safe to lean on.]
Qi Yaoyao: “…”
Even so, why does it still feel like she’s being perfunctory?
But it’s an improvement.
Qi Yaoyao huffed twice. The matter was settled. She sent a new message to Xu Zhi.
YaoYao: [Zhizhi, have you eaten dinner?]
Xu Zhi: [Yes.]
Qi Yaoyao waited for a moment, and when no follow-up message came, she typed angrily.
YaoYao: [Why didn’t you ask if I’ve eaten?]
Xu Zhi was compliant.
Xu Zhi: [Have you eaten?]
Qi Yaoyao: [It’s nine o’clock, of course I have!]
The topic might have ended there.
Xu Zhi didn’t know how to continue, and the other party didn’t seem to be insisting anymore.
Xu Zhi was about to put down her phone when it vibrated again.
YaoYao: [KnowKnow, let me ask you a question, answer honestly.]
Xu Zhi first typed a question mark, then remembered something and moved the cursor to add two more words.
Xu Zhi: [What?]
YaoYao: [Who was that girl who ate your fresh fruit this afternoon?]
Xu Zhi wanted to correct her again that it was a fruit, but held back, answering only the key question.
Xu Zhi: [Hu Xiaohua, my deskmate.]
YaoYao: [Oh~~~]
Xu Zhi saw “The other party is typing” displayed at the top of the chat box, then it displayed “typing” again after a pause.
She waited, not putting down her phone.
Two or three minutes later, Xu Zhi finally received the message that the young lady seemed to have struggled to send—
YaoYao: [Was she the girl who made you change your WeChat profile picture to the kitten emoji??]
Xu Zhi was a little surprised. She looked down and typed.
Xu Zhi: [How did you know?]
YaoYao: [I knew it!!!!]
YaoYao: [Jerk! Xu Zha-zha (Xu Scum-scum)!!!]
Xu Zhi: ?
Xu Zhi was completely confused. She typed to ask, but then canceled.
Forget it, too tiring…
The thought process of a rich young lady was simply too baffling. She would be better off doing a few more test papers and practicing questions.
After completing one test paper, Xu Zhi heard the sound of the door opening outside.
She checked the time: 9:30 PM.
Xu Zhi got up to look.
“Zhizhi—Mom’s back.” Zhou Weixiang put down her bag and was bending over to take off her high heels.
Xu Zhi saw that her mother seemed to be in a good mood and felt happy too. She was about to ask something when a dazzling light flashed.
After the light faded, Xu Zhi saw that her mother had stood up, and a beautiful diamond necklace was resting against her fair, slender neck.
Xu Zhi was slightly stunned at the sight. The hand hanging by her side slowly clenched.
This was a new necklace.
Her mother had never worn it before.
In fact, most of her mother’s previous jewelry had been sold off to repay debts, leaving only one gold bracelet, one necklace, and one ring.
And because they didn’t quite fit, being a little loose, she didn’t usually wear them.
The reason they didn’t fit, her mother said, was that she was heavier when her father bought the jewelry and only lost weight after giving birth to Xu Zhi.
This set of jewelry was precious in meaning, so even though it had been ill-fitting for a long time, she hadn’t intended to sell it.
“Zhizhi, why are you standing there without a sound, you scared me.”
Xu Zhi snapped out of it, immediately concealing her emotions. She said, “A friend gave me a box of strawberries. They’re in the fridge. Do you want to eat some now, Mom?”
Zhou Weixiang smiled and said, “If your friend gave them to you, why didn’t you eat them all yourself and bring the rest home?”
“Couldn’t finish them.” Xu Zhi said, “I ate a lot; I only brought the leftovers home.”
“Which friend?”
Xu Zhi said naturally, “The one who called to ask a question last night.”
“Oh.” Zhou Weixiang’s eyes curved into a smile. She picked up her bag and said, “Alright, Mom was just wanting some strawberries.”
There was almost a whole box of strawberries in the refrigerator.
Zhou Weixiang only needed a glance to know that her daughter’s claim of eating a lot was a lie, but such good-natured lies often occurred between mother and daughter, and she wouldn’t expose it.
Zhou Weixiang took out the strawberries and said, “Zhizhi, will you keep Mom company and eat a few more?”
Xu Zhi was planning to fish for information, so she agreed readily. “Mm.”
Zhou Weixiang drained the water from the strawberries and placed them on the table, patiently removing the leaves one by one. “These strawberries are very fresh, naturally ripened.”
“Mm,” Xu Zhi also recognized them.
She had learned to easily distinguish between force-ripened, artificially ripened, and naturally ripened strawberries under her mother’s guidance when she was little.
“Wow, so sweet!” Zhou Weixiang’s eyes lit up after eating one. She picked the largest one and offered it to her daughter. “Zhizhi, you try some too.”
Although Xu Zhi reached out to take it, she still said, “I really have eaten some.”
“You can always eat more, they’re delicious~” Zhou Weixiang ate another strawberry and said, “This whole basket must not have been cheap.”
“Probably not.” Xu Zhi was not interested in discussing strawberries. She looked at her mother, tossed aside her prepared questions, and asked directly, “Mom, you seem to be in a very good mood tonight. Is there something good that happened?”
The smile on Zhou Weixiang’s face paused slightly, but she quickly continued as if nothing happened. She lowered her eyes and said, “Something good did happen. A student I taught got a great result. I’m very happy for her.”
Xu Zhi remembered the circled date on the calendar. She said, “The midterm exams haven’t arrived yet, have they?”
“They haven’t, but there was a competition. The results for the competition came out.”
“Oh. Then…”
Zhou Weixiang asked, “What?”
Xu Zhi met her mother’s confused eyes and ultimately didn’t ask the question. Her gaze quickly moved past the necklace, not lingering for half a second.
Xu Zhi thought: Then could this necklace have been a gift from the “student parent” who drives the Bentley?
After eating the strawberries, Zhou Weixiang warmed a glass of milk for her daughter.
Xu Zhi said good night to her and carried the warm milk into her bedroom.
After closing the door, Xu Zhi opened her phone. The phone number she had memorized that day immediately flashed in her mind.
Xu Zhi tried to dial, typing half of the number before deleting it.
No, I can’t use my own phone to call; it’s too easy to expose myself.
Xu Zhi returned to her desk, sat down, finished the test paper she hadn’t completed earlier, and then closed the window.
She had just recovered from a serious illness; she needed to be careful.
She planned to go to bed early.
But just as she lay down, her phone lit up again.
YaoYao: [Xu Zha-zha, a chance for you to turn over a new leaf and be a better person has appeared. Do you want to take it?]
Although Xu Zhi didn’t know when she needed to “be a better person,” she had already grasped the correct way to chat with this young lady.
She turned to her side and typed.
Xu Zhi: [Yes.]
Qi Yaoyao sent the profile picture she had just drawn on her iPad to Xu Zhi, and typed.
YaoYao: [Change your WeChat profile picture to this!]
Xu Zhi clicked on it. It was a cartoon bamboo, dripping with greenness.
She didn’t ask why; she changed it immediately.
Profile pictures were meaningless to Xu Zhi.
After changing it, she was about to send a message back to Qi Yaoyao, but the next moment, Xu Zhi noticed that Qi Yaoyao’s profile picture had also changed.
From her original beautiful selfie, it had become a round cartoon panda hugging a piece of bamboo and chewing on it.
Xu Zhi looked back at her own profile picture and only then noticed there were several chubby panda paws on the green bamboo.
What does this mean?
Taking control? Or that I can’t escape her grasp?
YaoYao: [Hehe!!! Xu Zhizhi, you are not allowed to change the profile picture without my permission!!!]
Xu Zhi: [Okay.]
Qi Yaoyao was triumphant and quickly typed again.
YaoYao: [Are you asleep? You need to remember you’re sick and can’t stay up late anymore, Xu KnowKnow. Do you Know it?]
Xu Zhi: [Know it.]
Mhm, training is clearly useful. See? Xu Zhi is being very cooperative now!
Qi Yaoyao was extremely satisfied. She typed.
YaoYao: [OK, good night!!]
Xu Zhi: [Good night.]
After saying good night, Xu Zhi turned off the light and went to sleep.
After saying good night, Qi Yaoyao, however, was lying on the bed with a face mask on and her legs crossed, happily rolling around and admiring the perfectly matched profile pictures on the left and right of the chat interface.
Hmph!
No matter what kind of little “green tea” she is, no one is going to steal Xu Zhizhi from me!