An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 31

Chapter 31

When they left the house, Yu Wen was still in her coat, and Huang Xiaozhi had changed into a thin jacket. The wind was cool and biting lately, stirring up a few dead leaves.

Originally, Huang Xiaozhi had wanted her mom to drive them, but her mom flat-out refused, opting instead to give them money to take a taxi themselves.

Since her mom had gone that far, Huang Xiaozhi certainly wouldn’t insist. A taxi was fine; she had already paid them for it.

…

The two of them stood side-by-side at the apartment gate, the breeze tousling their hair. It brought a chill, but it was still bearable.

Huang Xiaozhi’s jacket had no pockets, which was frustrating.

She tucked one hand into her sleeve for warmth and let the other slide naturally into Yu Wen’s roomy coat pocket.

Yu Wen, who had both her hands in her pockets, flinched at the sudden invasion of cold fingertips. She turned her head and saw Huang Xiaozhi’s slightly innocent expression, and she couldn’t help but smile. “What’s wrong? Are your hands cold?” The curve of her mouth showed she understood.

Huang Xiaozhi pursed her lips and nodded. If I had pockets, would I need to sneak into someone else’s “house” for warmth?

Soon, the “invading” hand started exploring Yu Wen’s pocket. It found a hard cigarette pack and, without thinking, pulled it out. The lighter that came with it clattered to the ground.

She held the cigarette pack up in front of Yu Wen, her brows slightly furrowed. “You still smoke?” This time, Yu Wen didn’t evade or explain. She simply shook her head calmly, as if she had already anticipated this from Huang Xiaozhi.

“I rarely do,” she said truthfully. She was afraid that if she stayed with Huang Xiaozhi, she would smell the smoke and be disgusted by it.

Huang Xiaozhi stared intently into Yu Wen’s deep eyes, trying to find a flaw. She had said before that Yu Wen would lie, but her eyes wouldn’t.

After staring for a moment, she found no sign. She simply raised her eyebrow and bent down to pick up the lighter.

“The cigarettes and lighter will be with me for safekeeping. You’re not getting them back,” she said, her tone firm and leaving no room for argument.

She didn’t like the smell of smoke; even her own grandfather had quit.

Yu Wen gently rubbed the space under her nose with her index finger and agreed with a nod. “Okay.” Being bossed around by Huang Xiaozhi unexpectedly brought a secret sense of sweetness to her heart.

Huang Xiaozhi said nothing else, just tightened her grip on the cigarette pack and lighter, planning to find a trash can to get rid of them later.

She couldn’t imagine Yu Wen smoking. What would the studious academic, who was always holding a book, look like with a cigarette pinched between her fingers?

Curiosity was one thing, but she couldn’t ask Yu Wen to perform it for her on the spot.

She figured Yu Wen probably just smoked to relieve stress, not out of addiction. After all, living alone was not easy.

Yu Wen’s expression remained calm, but her heart was like a lake with a stone thrown into it, ripples spreading out in every direction.

Being disciplined by someone you cared for was a kind of comfort she couldn’t describe.

She seemed to be looking into the distance, but the corner of her eye was always fixed on Huang Xiaozhi.

Huang Xiaozhi played with the lighter out of boredom, her thumb pressing down with a click. The orange flame flickered to life and then went out instantly (don’t try this at home).

Even though it was daytime, the dancing flame briefly illuminated Huang Xiaozhi’s focused profile, casting a thin halo of light over it.

When she was done playing, she pocketed the lighter and turned to look at the composed Yu Wen, her voice uncharacteristically serious. “Listen to me, you need to smoke less when you’re alone, okay? Don’t you know smoking is bad for you?” She understood that quitting wasn’t easy and didn’t demand she stop completely. She just hoped she would smoke less, since she couldn’t be there to watch her all the time.

Yu Wen slowly turned her head, met her gaze, and a very faint but genuine smile appeared on her lips. “I’ll quit. It just needs some time.” If Huang Xiaozhi didn’t like it, she would naturally quit.

Huang Xiaozhi nodded, her gaze drifting to the swirling fallen leaves on the ground. She didn’t press the matter further.

When did Yu Wen start smoking? How much did she smoke? These questions about the past were a mystery to her.

…

The weather in A City today was gray and unpredictable.

As soon as their taxi entered the city center, it was immediately surrounded by a sea of people, and the traffic came to a near standstill. The air felt heavy, as if the sky were about to fall, yet the crowd outside was still overwhelming.

The two of them rolled down their windows to look out.

The people on the streets were dressed in all kinds of ways. There were students, tourists, and people whose clothing seemed ordinary but was made of extraordinary fabric. Others were dressed discreetly, but the expensive watches on their wrists gave away their wealth.

The center of A City was just like that, a massive market for fame and fortune.

Huang Xiaozhi’s mother, Wei Qingwen, had once warned her never to come here at night, as the prosperity after dark hid too many unpredictable dangers.

The same was true for Yu Wen, who was a complete homebody. Despite having lived in A City for so long, she had never been to many places and didn’t know the roads. However, her sense of direction was excellent, and she could remember a route after going through it just once.

…

The car finally arrived at its destination.

Huang Xiaozhi almost fled out the car door, taking a big gulp of fresh air.

The mix of smells in the car, combined with the stop-and-go traffic, had made her feel a little dizzy. The weekend crowds were truly terrifying.

Seeing this, Yu Wen quickly got out of the car. She gently patted Huang Xiaozhi’s back, her voice full of concern. “Are you carsick, Xiaozhi? Or do you feel unwell?” She had seemed fine before getting in the car, so it was most likely motion sickness or something she ate.

Huang Xiaozhi waved her hand, forcing a smile despite her discomfort. She gently patted Yu Wen’s shoulder. “I’m okay. A little carsick. I’ll be fine after a minute.” After riding in so many different cars, her mom’s was still the smoothest.

Yu Wen’s brow furrowed slightly. She had never been carsick and couldn’t understand the feeling, but seeing Huang Xiaozhi’s pale face made her anxious. “Should I get you a bottle of water? Or maybe some candy?” She couldn’t think of anything better to do at the moment.

Huang Xiaozhi, who had been clutching her chest and bracing her knees, paused and slowly turned her face to look at Yu Wen. Yu Wen also instinctively bent down, her eyes full of concern.

Huang Xiaozhi suddenly straightened up and pulled Yu Wen upright as well. The two of them were instantly face-to-face, so close that they could see themselves reflected in each other’s eyes. “A little carsickness is no big deal. It’s not going to kill me. Don’t be so nervous,” she said in a half-joking tone, trying to lighten the mood.

In truth, it was nothing serious.

Seeing Huang Xiaozhi’s earnest expression, Yu Wen realized she had overreacted.

She raised an eyebrow and didn’t look away, instead replying with a more focused gaze. “Oh, you’re right. I was just anxious. But if you really feel unwell, you have to tell me.” She admitted it with her words, but the worry in her heart didn’t disappear.

Seeing Yu Wen’s slightly flustered expression, as if she had just “short-circuited,” Huang Xiaozhi finally burst out laughing. She affectionately patted Yu Wen’s shoulders with both hands, then touched her face, her smile bright.

She leaned in close to Yu Wen’s ear, her warm breath caressing her. “How can you be so cute?” She said, then pulled Yu Wen’s hand without a word and started walking into the mall.

The moment Huang Xiaozhi leaned in to whisper, Yu Wen’s body went stiff.

This direct, “flirtatious” move caught her off guard. I’m being dragged along by someone?

Well, if I’m being dragged, then so be it.

That series of affectionate actions had been quite eye-catching in the crowd, but fortunately, neither of them cared about the attention.

Huang Xiaozhi thought she was already being bold and proactive enough, but little did she know that even more “exciting” things were yet to come.

…

The crowds in the mall were even denser than on the street. From above, the five-story space was packed with people like a colony of ants.

The two of them held hands tightly in the crowd, afraid of being separated.

If they got lost, trying to find each other in this sea of people would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

After pushing their way through for a while, they regretted their decision and gave up, choosing instead to find a random noodle shop outside for lunch. The popular restaurants in the mall were overflowing with people, and the two girls simply couldn’t get in.

Forget it. We can always take a day off and come back another time. Faced with such a crushing crowd, they both felt a little lost.

Sitting in the restaurant, Huang Xiaozhi looked at the time on her phone, and words just slipped out of her mouth. “Why don’t we… go to the library to read this afternoon?” The moment she said it, she wanted to bite her own tongue off.

Yu Wen, across from her, was visibly stunned. She clearly couldn’t believe Huang Xiaozhi would suggest that. “Sounds good. Reading is fine.” She didn’t mind. After all, the library was the place she frequented most in A City besides her home. When she got tired of being cooped up alone, she would go there to pass the time.

The words had been said, and the other person had agreed. It didn’t seem right to back out now.

Huang Xiaozhi wailed inwardly. How did one sentence turn our romantic afternoon into a trip to the sea of knowledge? Who understands the pain of saying something without thinking?!

She hesitated for a moment, then placed her phone face down on the table. “Then… why don’t you, the great student, tutor me while we’re at it?” Since she couldn’t avoid it, she might as well make the best of the situation.

In truth, her grades were not bad. She just wanted an excuse for Yu Wen to spend time going over problems with her.

Yu Wen seemed to see through her little scheme. She raised an eyebrow. “I’ll tutor you? Or why don’t you tutor me?” She said, leaning forward, her elbows on the table, her gaze playful as she locked onto Huang Xiaozhi.

The look in her eyes gave Huang Xiaozhi the strange illusion of being a prey being sized up.

She shook her head hastily, her voice involuntarily rising. “I’ll tutor you?! Are you kidding, top student? Do you really look like you need my tutoring?!” Yu Wen’s sudden closeness and the pressure that came with it made her mind short-circuit.

Seeing her startled reaction, Yu Wen relaxed and leaned back against her chair, her hand resting on her forehead, her eyes filled with an even deeper smile.

This person was so jumpy. You’d think she was the number one student in the whole grade.

She tilted her head, a mischievous curve on her lips. “I feel like I need tutoring in every subject. I’m sure Teacher Huang will help me, right?”

Hiss~ Why does that sound… weird? Is Yu Wen on something today? Huang Xiaozhi was a little overwhelmed. There were other people in the restaurant.

She propped her right elbow on the table, her fingers unconsciously scratching the back of her neck, her cheeks feeling hot. “Stop talking, top student… I’ll tutor you, okay?!” Now she was truly mortified.

In Yu Wen’s eyes, Huang Xiaozhi was a player who was terrible at the game but loved to play anyway.

Yu Wen just watched her antics, indulging her, and occasionally teasing her. She knew exactly how to play it, careful not to push too hard and make her cry.

Spending more time with Huang Xiaozhi, Yu Wen felt that the persistent gloom she carried had faded. It was as if she had been warmed by Huang Xiaozhi’s sunshine.

Everything seemed to be improving, which was exactly what she wanted. If she could take down the Zhang Corporation sooner, maybe…

Reality was always the cruelest slap in the face. How easy was it to shake the Zhang Corporation? It required evidence and, more importantly, power.

Right now, she was nowhere near strong enough. The only way was to keep getting stronger.

They each ordered a small bowl of beef noodles.

They weren’t very hungry, but they needed to eat lunch.

The plan was to eat the noodles, go to a bakery to buy some dry food and drinks, and then head to the library. As for paper and pens? They hadn’t planned on bringing any, figuring they would just talk through some key concepts.

What they would actually talk about, only the heavens knew.

Time was the most cunning thing. When you watched it, it moved as slow as a snail. But when you weren’t paying attention, it would fly by like lightning. It had no shame! Everything that defied her should be executed!

…

After they finished eating, they came out of the restaurant and planned to go buy bread and drinks while the lunch rush was dying down.

Huang Xiaozhi stood on her tiptoes, looking around. Her gaze swept over the many stores, but she couldn’t find a single bakery. All she saw were people’s heads bobbing in the crowd, and she felt a sense of despair.

Yu Wen was also searching, but she was suddenly bumped in the shoulder. She winced in pain, rubbing her left shoulder, her eyes still scanning the crowd.

The crowd was a chaotic, pushing mass of people. It was lively, but also frustrating.

Looking at the impenetrable scene, Huang Xiaozhi completely gave up.

She was still holding Yu Wen’s hand with her right hand. She turned her head and suggested, “Let’s just forget it. There are too many people! We’ll go to the library first and just grab something from a supermarket downstairs?” Her voice was a little irritated. She couldn’t understand why there were so many people today when it wasn’t even a holiday.

Yu Wen nodded helplessly. They couldn’t find anything, and they couldn’t push through the crowd anymore.

The two of them began to move toward the outskirts of the city center, trying to get away from the most congested area. Trying to get a taxi in the city center was a disaster; drivers couldn’t find passengers, and passengers couldn’t find cars.

Huang Xiaozhi pulled Yu Wen toward a landmark in a relatively less crowded direction. Yu Wen understood and followed obediently.

There were landmarks everywhere in the city center. They just needed to find a slightly more open spot. But this meant they had to walk against the flow of the crowd.

Pushing, shoving, being carried along against their will… If they didn’t push forward with all their might, they would be swallowed up completely.

Huang Xiaozhi was kicking herself for coming. If she had known it would be like this, she would have died rather than come here!

Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret. They could only bear the hot, stuffy air and the noise around them.

Huang Xiaozhi was already starting to feel a little suffocated.

Yu Wen, who was slightly taller than her and behind her, sensed her discomfort. Her arm naturally wrapped around Huang Xiaozhi’s shoulders, shielding her.

Huang Xiaozhi was startled by the sudden protection and recoiled slightly. When she turned and saw it was Yu Wen, her tense nerves relaxed, and a warm feeling rushed into her heart.

That arm was like a barrier, protecting her from most of the bumps.

They struggled for nearly half an hour before they were able to stumble to a set of stairs where the crowd was a little thinner.

Huang Xiaozhi was so tired that she slumped down, her hands propped on her knees, her eyes empty, as if her soul had been squeezed out of her body.

Yu Wen’s arm had shielded her well, and this made her affection for Yu Wen grow another notch.

Yu Wen stood beside her, looking at Huang Xiaozhi’s exhausted, listless expression, feeling a little helpless. This was certainly unexpected.

She asked the droopy person on the steps softly, “Should I call a taxi now? To the City Library?” It was the largest one in A City and a bit of a distance from the city center.

Huang Xiaozhi, on the ground, nodded feebly. She was parched and wanted nothing more than a big gulp of ice water.

The process of getting a taxi was just as agonizing. The map was a sea of red, and the drivers were stuck in traffic. They could only wait. After standing for a while, Yu Wen couldn’t take it anymore either. She sat down next to Huang Xiaozhi, her knees bent, and her chin resting on them. She quietly turned her face to watch Huang Xiaozhi.

“What are you thinking about? You seem distracted.” She easily caught Huang Xiaozhi’s absent-mindedness.

Huang Xiaozhi was indeed spacing out. It took her a few seconds to snap back. “Huh? Nothing… I just didn’t expect so many people. All our plans are ruined,” she said with a hint of dejection.

In comparison, Yu Wen seemed much calmer. “It can’t be helped. Just think of it as experiencing the crowd. For now, let’s just take things as they come and go with the flow, right?” Her tone was calm and soothing.

This made Huang Xiaozhi feel a sudden sense of relief. She nodded.

She was right. Although it was a terrible crush, she had at least experienced the “sea of humanity.” It was truly lively, and truly a squeeze.

Yu Wen stayed in that position, her gaze never leaving her.

Huang Xiaozhi started to feel a little shy under her stare. She reached out to cover Yu Wen’s eyes. “Don’t just stare at me all the time. Am I really that good-looking?”

With her vision blocked, Yu Wen’s mouth curved into a smile. Her voice came through her fingers. “You’re beautiful. I look because you’re beautiful. Who else would I look at?” Her tone was so natural, as if she were simply stating a fact.

Huang Xiaozhi’s heart skipped a beat. Could my thick skin actually feel shy?

She let go, and their gazes met.

In that moment, they both saw a sparkle in the other’s eyes, reflecting the subtle feeling of “more than friends, less than lovers” with perfect clarity.

They saw it clearly, but neither of them said it out loud.