In the early hours of the morning, Fu Junxue sent over three documents.
The first document contained photos and names of the group members. Including Wen Wanbing and Fu Junxue, there were seven in total, all women. Among them were Pepper and Solo, two other female diving instructors.
Underneath each photo, Fu Junxue had used solid stars to mark a friendship index. Pepper had five stars, while three others had three.
Under the photo of the last member, named Meng Xuran, only half a star was filled in. Fu Junxue had added a note: 【Some friendship, but not much.】
Because this note was so distinct from the others, Wen Wanbing’s gaze lingered there the longest. The girl looked to be about her age, with a classic oval face and soft features. She had a pair of deep, affectionate peach blossom eyes; she was very beautiful.
Did “not much friendship” imply that there was more of some other kind of feeling?
She is experienced, after all. Besides, this was only ever meant to be a time-limited contractual romance.
Wen Wanbing exhaled, forcing herself not to overthink, and continued reading.
The second document was the camping itinerary. It was meticulously planned down to every time slot, even accounting for potential emergencies and solutions. The third document listed the supplies needed, complete with purchase links and specific options for every item.
These three detailed documents eased Wen Wanbing’s anxiety about the invitation. For the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of excitement, staying awake until late before finally feeling sleepy.
That night, her dreams were finally free of bright red blood and pitch-black nights. There was no pale face or frail silhouette of her elder sister calling her name in a weeping voice.
In her dream, the lush greenery of the desert island teemed with life under the midsummer sun. There was the sound of frogs and the scent of flowers, and in the humid breeze, Fu Junxue’s soft voice called her Zhui-zhui.
At dawn, Wen Wanbing intended to tell He Xiuying about the camping trip over breakfast: “Mom, this week”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you something,” He Xiuying interrupted. “A few days ago, after the movie, Old Xu from Building 11 invited us to join a senior tour group. He messaged the group chat this morning saying the trip is confirmed. We’re going to neighboring Zhoushan from Friday to Sunday. See if you can take some time off, pause your diving lessons, and stay home to look after Xingxing. If not, I’ll decline.”
By the last sentence, He Xiuying’s tone had shifted from pleading to almost begging, like a child who had done something wrong, carrying a detectable sense of humility.
To allow Wen Wanbing to focus on working and earning money, He Xiuying spent nearly all her time on Wen Xing. She handled the drop-offs, the pick-ups, and accompanied her through every intervention session. Her own free time was pitifully scarce.
A mouthful of congee felt like a solid lump in Wen Wanbing’s throat, stuck halfway down.
She couldn’t selfishly refuse. She couldn’t bring herself to say that her own plans should take precedence over He Xiuying’s rare chance for a break. Swallowing the congee with effort, she forced a smile. “Sure. I’ll help you pack later. Don’t forget anything. Have a great time.”
He Xiuying let out a sigh of relief, a joyous smile spreading across her face. “Old Xu sent the travel guide in the group chat. I’ll forward it to you.”
“Okay,” Wen Wanbing replied.
The millet congee was thin, just the way she liked it, and the side dishes were He Xiuying’s homemade pickles, which were also her favorites. Yet, Wen Wanbing suddenly lost her appetite. She excused herself, took out the trash, and messaged Fu Junxue.
Glancing at her screen, she saw the screenshot Fu Junxue had sent earlier. “Screenshot for proof. No backing out,” Fu Junxue had said.
But in just one night, she was backing out.
As she stepped out of the elevator, Fu Junxue called. Wen Wanbing wasn’t wearing headphones, and with trash in one hand and an umbrella in the other amidst the rain, she had to set the bag down to answer.
“Hello?”
“What do you mean ‘Hello’? Don’t I have a name?”
Unlike the drowsy, nasal voice of previous mornings, Fu Junxue’s voice was crisp. It was a complaint, but it was wrapped in a smile.
Wen Wanbing, feeling guilty, corrected herself: “Fu Junxue.”
“That tone,” Fu Junxue huffed with amused exasperation. “Should I respond with ‘Present’?”
It was indeed a bit stiff. Wen Wanbing spoke again, softening her voice: “Sorry, I have to break our date.”
“Mm,” Fu Junxue hummed, her mood seemingly unaffected. “And the reason?”
Wen Wanbing explained her mother’s tour group plans. “Xingxing’s situation is special and she’s young. Someone needs to look after her.”
“I see,” Fu Junxue mused. “Why not bring Xingxing along? It might even help with her condition.”
Since Xingxing’s diagnosis, the furthest she had traveled was to Xuanwu Park. That trip had been a disaster because the crowds had made Wen Xing feel extremely insecure, and she had suffered an emotional breakdown. It was also the first time Wen Wanbing had seen her sister cry in total collapse.
“I’ve never taken her on a long trip,” Wen Wanbing said, taking a deep breath. “I can’t be sure if I can keep her emotions under control.”
“In that group list I sent, there’s a member named Qi Yue,” Fu Junxue replied. “She owns a diving project for children with autism in Shanghai, so she’s very experienced. How about this: consult Xingxing’s doctor and teacher first. I’ll also ask Qi Yue if she can help look after her.”
After work, Wen Wanbing’s leave for Friday was approved instantly. By lunch, Fu Junxue had forwarded a message from Qi Yue, who enthusiastically agreed to help.
With that, the scales in Wen Wanbing’s heart tipped. She reached out to the professionals.
Dr. Chen: 【Xingxing’s case is relatively mild. I suggest visiting quiet, scenic places. It broadens her horizons and helps her adapt to change. Fewer people means a lower chance of emotional triggers.】
Teacher Lin: 【Travel is fine, but prepare well. She is sensitive to sound, so bring earplugs and noise-canceling headphones. Prepare her tablet and reinforcers like toys or candy. For a desert island, the waves and sun might be sensory overload. Show her videos of the ocean and let her play with a bucket of sand at home first to adapt.】
Teacher Lin: 【If staying overnight, have her stay somewhere else once this week. Perhaps a hotel or a close friend’s house so she can get used to sleeping in a new environment.】
As Wen Wanbing prepared to leave the office restroom, she overheard colleagues gossiping about her “special treatment” and whether their boss, Ocean, liked her. She waited for them to leave, washed her face, and headed to her diving lesson.
After an hour of practice at the pool, Wen Wanbing surfaced, gasping for air.
“Why did you come up right after that flip?” Fu Junxue teased, surfacing beside her.
“I’m a bit tired.” Wen Wanbing climbed onto the edge of the pool. Fu Junxue swam over and sat beside her, their shoulders nearly touching.
“So, have you decided?” Fu Junxue asked. “Can you bring Xingxing?”
Wen Wanbing relayed the advice from the doctor and teacher. “I need to see how she adapts first. I feel like this will interfere too much with your plans, so maybe”
“Stay at my place,” Fu Junxue interrupted.
Wen Wanbing blinked, stunned.
“The teacher said a hotel or a close friend’s house, right? A hotel is too foreign for little Xingxing. If she stays at my place, she’ll have me there as a familiar face.”
Fu Junxue removed her goggles and shook out her wet hair. “Don’t worry about my plans. The camping isn’t the point; who I’m going with is.”
A drop of water fell onto Wen Wanbing’s hand. She curled her fingers instinctively.
Fu Junxue turned to meet her gaze. Her exquisite face was beaded with water, and her beautiful, damp eyes curved into a charming arc.
“Besides,” she added softly, “as your girlfriend, I should count as your closest friend, shouldn’t I?”