An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The biggest downside of re-organizing classes was having to face new classmates and a new teacher.

Having to remember everyone’s names all over again was a disaster of epic proportions for Huang Xiaozhi, who had a terrible memory.

She even thought she could remember the names of every student in the sophomore year—of course, that was pure bragging.

It was a truly terrifying Wednesday.

Yu Zhong was an excellent high school in A City, bringing together a mix of students who earned their way in, those who got in through connections, and those who were just shoved in. You couldn’t imagine what they were capable of; there was nothing they couldn’t do.

…

In the morning.

Huang Xiaozhi, with a bag of steaming breakfast in one hand and her backpack in the other, rushed into the classroom just as the final second of the bell rang, bringing with her a gust of cool air.

She was secretly glad she was a few minutes earlier than their homeroom teacher, He Wei.

He Wei was one of the best teachers in A City, a model educator in the eyes of parents and highly popular with the students.

His management style was relaxed. As long as class wasn’t noisy, he usually turned a blind eye to things like tardiness, reading novels, or playing with small gadgets, as long as they weren’t caught by the Dean of Students, “Vice-Warden Yu” (a nickname the students secretly gave him).

Even the principal seemed to have no way of dealing with him.

Huang Xiaozhi put down her backpack and let out a long sigh of relief.

If she were in her old class, with a homeroom teacher like Tang Yuan, she would have already been chewed out. Even if she couldn’t make it to the top five, she’d have to stay in the top ten to feel at ease.

Being in He Wei’s class was simply bliss.

She boldly placed her breakfast bag on her desk, took out the corn dumplings inside, and took a bite eagerly. She was starving.

Unexpectedly, Yu Wen also walked in right on time.

This was a bit unusual. Huang Xiaozhi thought for a moment, she probably used to arrive early to maintain her “persona.”

Today, Yu Wen’s long black hair was loose. She used a small hairpin to clip back the stray strands on her left side, while the hair on her right side fell smoothly, highlighting her graceful profile.

She wore a fitted short-sleeved hoodie, which gave her a sharp, handsome look without losing her girlish softness.

Huang Xiaozhi had to admit she was captivated again. She looked down at her own loose hoodie and immediately felt she had lost in the style department.

Yu Wen walked over, put down her backpack, and a slight smile played on her lips as she looked at Huang Xiaozhi. “Morning, seatmate.” There was a hint of subtle playfulness in her tone that made Huang Xiaozhi’s heart skip a beat.

Huang Xiaozhi’s cheeks were puffed with dumplings as she mumbled, “Morning.” She swallowed her food and, out of politeness (and maybe a little desire to share), asked, “Want some corn dumplings, Yu Wen?”

Yu Wen, now sitting in her seat, clearly didn’t expect Huang Xiaozhi to offer. Her eyebrows raised slightly, and a genuine flicker of joy appeared in her eyes. “Sure. I didn’t get a chance to eat breakfast.” In reality, she had quickly eaten a piece of bread before leaving.

Huang Xiaozhi looked at the few remaining dumplings in the bag and decided to give the rest to Yu Wen. She was pretty full anyway. “I bought too many. You can have them all.” With that, she gently pushed the bag of dumplings over.

The bag, still warm, was pushed in front of Yu Wen.

She opened the bag and picked one up with her fingers. “Alright, I’ll take care of them.” She took a small bite. The sweet flavor of the corn spread in her mouth. It tasted good.

She rarely bought this kind of warm breakfast, usually settling for just bread and milk.

Huang Xiaozhi noticed this detail. “You don’t usually eat breakfast?” She turned her head, watching Yu Wen chew slowly.

Although her question was a little late, Yu Wen answered patiently, “I do, just bread and milk.”

“Ohhh,” Huang Xiaozhi drew out the sound. “I thought you didn’t eat. Skipping breakfast is bad for your health.” She said, turning away to reach for something in her desk drawer.

Yu Wen nodded, showing she understood.

…

A Friend’s Warning

A few days later, in the evening.

The late summer breeze carried a hint of early autumn chill, sweeping through the campus after school.

Huang Xiaozhi wrapped her school jacket tighter, leaning against a cold light pole by the school gate, her eyes scanning the crowd pouring out.

Su Li walked past her without recognizing her at first, only realizing who it was as she got closer.

“What’s wrong, my little Cherry?” Huang Xiaozhi’s face held her usual smile, but her eyes were searching. “Why have you been avoiding me these past few days?” She stared at Su Li, trying to find some clue on her face.

Su Li’s face didn’t have its usual smile. Her expression was unusually serious. “Can you stay away from Yu Wen?” Her tone was so grave it felt foreign to Huang Xiaozhi.

Huang Xiaozhi was speechless, not expecting this to be the reason.

Was Su Li upset because I became friends with Yu Wen? This had never happened before.

She just looked at Su Li in silence.

After saying this, Su Li immediately lowered her head, avoiding Huang Xiaozhi’s gaze.

They stood frozen, as if under a spell. The surrounding students were a noisy blur, but they were motionless, with only the wind rustling their hair.

It was Su Li who finally broke the silence. She looked up, her brows furrowed, her voice carrying a subtle tremble. “I don’t want you to get involved. Can you stay away from her? I’m really scared…”

“You have to give me a reason,” Huang Xiaozhi said, looking at Su Li, who couldn’t even speak properly. This wasn’t like her. There had to be a reason she was saying this.

This time, Su Li didn’t look away. She stared straight into Huang Xiaozhi’s eyes, saying each word carefully. “She’s doing something big. It’s not that she’s a bad person, but… if she fails, you could get dragged in, or even… get hurt.” Her eyes were incredibly serious, even pleading.

“Me?” Huang Xiaozhi was a little surprised. She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “I know you’re worried about me. And I know her identity is a little special. I… looked into it a bit. Don’t worry, I’ll protect myself.” She reached out and patted Su Li’s shoulder reassuringly. “It’s late. Hurry home. It’s not safe to stay out too late.”

Su Li didn’t say anything more. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Huang Xiaozhi, but she knew Huang Xiaozhi’s kindness all too well, and she had a vague sense that Huang Xiaozhi’s feelings for Yu Wen went beyond friendship.

But she didn’t dare ask. She just nodded and turned to leave, her silhouette long in the streetlight.

Huang Xiaozhi watched Su Li walk away, deep in thought.

Could what Yu Wen is doing really affect me? Su Li’s serious demeanor didn’t seem like a joke. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Su Li; as their mutual friend, she instinctively wanted to reconcile the situation.

Su Li was right. Sometimes she was too soft-hearted.

Sigh. A light sigh vanished in the cool evening breeze.

Huang Xiaozhi unlocked her front door with a key, greeted by the complete darkness and silence of her home.

It’s just me again… It’s okay. I can be just fine on my own. Wei Qingwen was on a business trip and would be gone for two weeks.

For the next two weeks, this spacious house would be hers alone.

It’s so lonely. There’s no one to talk to. Sigh.

…

Late-Night Chat and a Dream

Late at night.

She had only added Yu Wen on WeChat a few days ago. It was so slow to have waited until now.

Lying on her bed, Huang Xiaozhi idly scrolled through her phone and clicked on Yu Wen’s profile picture—a lazy-eyed little black cat. It was very cute. Then she clicked on Yu Wen’s Moments.

Wow—there was only one post. It was the photo Huang Xiaozhi had taken of her at the awards ceremony.

No caption, no music, just that perfectly captured photo.

Her WeChat name was just one character—”Wén.”

Did it have any special meaning? She couldn’t figure it out.

The background image for her Moments was a cigarette lying on an angle… now that completely exposed her.

They hadn’t even sent a single message to each other yet. Huang Xiaozhi thought for a moment and sent an emoji.

LittleZhi: Hello

There was no instant reply. After a while, a notification sound came.

Wen: Here.

LittleZhi: What are you doing?

Wen: Just finished laundry. What’s up?

LittleZhi: Oh—you’re so diligent.

Wen: I’ve always been diligent.

LittleZhi:Oh yeah? I never noticed.

Wen: You don’t live at my place. How would you know? Do you have X-ray vision?

LittleZhi: True. The person who marries our Miss Yu Wen in the future is going to be so lucky.

Wen: Why do you say that?

LittleZhi: Don’t you plan to get married when you’re older?

A long while passed.

Wen: I’m not getting married.

Huang Xiaozhi, who was lying on her stomach, froze. What did she mean by that? Is she a non-marriage advocate? A lesbian? Or does she only accept a man who moves into her family?

LittleZhi: Okay.

LittleZhi: Don’t you get lonely being at home by yourself?

Wen: No. It’s very quiet and free by myself.

LittleZhi: Oh… my mom’s on a business trip, and I’m so bored alone.

Wen: If you’re bored, you can come over.

LittleZhi: Really?

Wen: [Really.]

Wen: [You could even move in and live with me.]

Whoa! Huang Xiaozhi almost jumped off the bed. What did Yu Wen say? Move in? With her? Live together?

LittleZhi: [Huh? I don’t think that’s a good idea?]

Wen: [If you’re willing, you’re welcome. I have a spare room.]

LittleZhi: [No, no, that’s okay. I’ll come visit when I have time.]

Wen: [Okay.]

Wen: [I made some snow crisps. Do you want to come try some?]

LittleZhi: [Yeah! Wait for me! I’m coming right up!]

Wen: [Okay, just come straight in. The door’s unlocked.]

LittleZhi: [(OK)]

Huang Xiaozhi immediately turned off her phone, jumped out of bed, put on her slippers, grabbed a light jacket, and rushed out the door.

When there’s delicious food ready to eat, why not go? She absolutely couldn’t miss a chance to taste something delicious without having to make it herself!

At Yu Wen’s home.

Yu Wen waited at home, having tidied up the place specially for her. The cigarette pack and lighter were put away, and a faint scent of lavender filled the air.

The door was ajar.

Huang Xiaozhi gently pushed it open.

She was wearing a silk, low-cut camisole nightgown. The soft light outlined her beautiful shoulders and neck. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, with a few stray strands falling by her neck, giving her an effortless, unselfconscious sexiness.

Yu Wen’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before moving away. A subtle blush quietly crept up her ears.

She tried hard to suppress the strange feeling welling up inside her and kept a calm smile. “You’re here. The snow crisps are over there. You can try one.” She pointed to the neat, small, powdered squares on the coffee table.

Huang Xiaozhi nodded, picked one up, and put it in her mouth.

The crispy texture, mixed with the nutty aroma and the sweetness of the milk powder, instantly conquered her taste buds. “It’s so good!” Her eyes lit up, and she praised her generously. “You’re so good at this! You’re a great cook.”

Yu Wen nodded, a small smile on her lips. “I’m glad you like them.” She got up to grab a small bag. “Take some home with you.”

Huang Xiaozhi feigned refusal, but it didn’t work.

Yu Wen insisted on giving her a full bag of snow crisps. “Alright, thank you so much.” She was secretly thrilled. It was just a small snack; it didn’t matter.

While eating the snow crisps earlier, Huang Xiaozhi had unintentionally glanced at Yu Wen bending over to grab the bag. The tight hoodie subtly outlined her toned figure.

Ahhhhhh! A girl! She has the outline of abs! So cool! She looked down at herself, where she only had a vague hint of a six-pack… Sigh.

This was what it was like when you liked someone. You found them charismatic in everything they did, even just wearing loungewear at home.

…

They didn’t talk for long. Huang Xiaozhi’s attention was always involuntarily drawn to Yu Wen’s beautiful profile.

Yu Wen, on the other hand, remained restrained, trying to keep her gaze on other things.

The sight of two girls with such different styles but who were both so striking sitting together was truly too good to look away from.

On the way home.

Huang Xiaozhi walked briskly, holding a small bag of snow crisps.

Ah—it’s a gourmet treat! So delicious! Next time Yu Wen makes them, she had to ask her to make more. It was such a shame that someone with such great cooking skills lived alone.

If someone lived with her, wouldn’t they be nurtured and well-fed? Just thinking about it felt happy.

…

After getting home, Huang Xiaozhi tidied up quickly. Sleepiness washed over her; it had been a tiring day. She fell into a deep sleep.

…

The Dream

In her dream.

Huang Xiaozhi was lying on the bed in her silk nightgown.

In the darkness, a figure approached, bringing with it a familiar scent.

Soft lips unexpectedly pressed against hers.

Her body instantly froze. Who is it? Was she… being molested?

It felt like someone with long hair… could it be Yu Wen?

The person on top of her lifted their head, and a few strands of soft, long hair fell across Huang Xiaozhi’s chest.

Looking up from this angle, the Yu Wen in her dream had deep eyes with a usual lack of expression, and a hint of a familiar aggressiveness.

What were they… doing?

The air seemed to stand still. She couldn’t hear the rain outside the window, only the slightly hurried breathing of each other, intertwined.

Yu Wen’s warm breath brushed against Huang Xiaozhi’s cheek, bringing a subtle tickle.

Huang Xiaozhi instinctively lowered her eyelashes.

The person on top of her watched for a moment, then a light, feather-like kiss landed on her forehead.

It was very light, very precious.

Huang Xiaozhi didn’t look up, just kept her eyes lowered. It looked like they were closed, but they weren’t. She was too nervous to move.

Yu Wen’s kisses continued, as if she was treating a priceless treasure.

From her forehead, down her straight nose, to the tip of her small nose, each kiss was incredibly gentle, a cautious exploration.

Huang Xiaozhi’s eyelashes trembled uncontrollably. This was the first time she had been kissed like this in a dream (or her imagination). It felt both strange and wonderful.

Why was her breathing so heavy? Was it her own, or the other person’s?

After kissing the tip of her nose, Yu Wen stopped, seeming to feel Huang Xiaozhi’s rapid breaths.

A faint smile seemed to grace her lips. Then, a kiss landed on the corner of Huang Xiaozhi’s slightly pursed lips.

This time, Huang Xiaozhi really closed her eyes. She didn’t dare to watch anymore, having no idea what Yu Wen would do next.

But the dream was again unexpected.

Yu Wen didn’t kiss her lips. Instead, she followed the curve of her cheek downward, kissing her sensitive earlobe and the tip of her ear, then sliding down her chin and finally stopping on her slender neck.

Her lips rested on the large artery on the side of Huang Xiaozhi’s neck for a long time, as if feeling the rapid, strong pulsation beneath the skin—just as fast as her own heart was beating.

Then, the kisses continued downward, lingering on her delicate collarbone and rounded shoulders, gently sucking and kissing with an almost worshipful reverence, as if kissing her most beloved treasure.

No… no… A voice cried out in her heart.

Huang Xiaozhi suddenly reached out to push her away—

But her hands found nothing but empty air.

Yu Wen was gone.

How was that possible? She was just here… just a moment ago.

The sound of rain pattering against the window came from outside, sounding incredibly real. Huang Xiaozhi woke with a start, sitting up, her chest heaving.

She ran barefoot to the bathroom, turned on the light, and looked at her reflection in the mirror: wearing a camisole nightgown, with hazy eyes and flushed cheeks.

She… had a dream.

And it was a sensual one.

The protagonist was Yu Wen.

Her mind exploded with a “boom!” Why? Why would I have a dream like this? We’ve only known each other for less than a month!

Huang Xiaozhi propped herself up on the cold sink, her head lowered in frustration.

What on earth was she thinking?!

She turned on the faucet, scooped up cold water, and splashed it on her face, trying to quell the heat on her cheeks and the confusion in her heart.

Back in bed, she looked at the spot where the dream had taken place and covered her face. Ah… why did I have a dream like that? Why?

Sitting on her bed, Huang Xiaozhi was completely bewildered.

Have I already fallen for her so deeply? It can’t be, right? She picked up her phone and saw it was 3 a.m.

She angrily turned her phone off.

She lowered her head, not daring to re-examine the details of the dream. Those images… were too embarrassing.

But a more “rebellious” thought suddenly popped up: Tsk, why didn’t I kiss her more in the dream? What a great opportunity! I didn’t even take the initiative to kiss her. What a loss!

Tsk!

Time to sleep! She threw herself back into her pillow, trying to re-enter that romantic dream.

Unfortunately, she slept soundly and dreamlessly until 9:30 a.m.

It’s okay.

An Unexpected Day Off

It was Thursday morning.

It’s Thursday? Huang Xiaozhi rubbed her eyes. Last Thursday, she was still sharing novels with Yu Wen.

Well… now.

This Thursday, she wasn’t going to school. Why not? Just because she didn’t want to.

She was tired and wanted to rest.

Wei Qingwen had already requested leave for her several days in advance. She wasn’t going today, and nope, she didn’t plan to go on Friday either.

The sports meet was next week. Ugh… who even likes that killer sports meet? She had been forced to sign up for the women’s 800-meter. Just thinking about it made her legs feel weak.

Sigh— There was nothing she could do. She would just have to go. It wasn’t like she was completely terrible at it.

Awake, Huang Xiaozhi looked at the empty, silent house and fell into silence herself.

Why isn’t Mom back yet… She missed Wei Qingwen.

Mom—when are you coming back?

Just out of bed, Huang Xiaozhi was completely bare-faced. Her skin was clear, and she looked as pure as ever.

She tied her hair into a messy bun and slowly brushed her teeth, making herself feel fresh and clean.

Sitting on the soft sofa, Ah—so comfortable.

So comfortable that she felt sleepy again.

No, I can’t sleep anymore, or I’ll have insomnia tonight.

Maybe… I should go sleep on Yu Wen’s shoulder?

Ptooey! Ptooey! Huang Xiaozhi was startled by the sudden thought in her head, and her face flushed a little again.

As she was scrolling through her phone, she caught a glimpse of the almost-empty bag of snow crisps on the coffee table.

Ah… why does everything remind me of Yu Wen?

She felt she was almost possessed. She was probably going to be hopelessly lost to Yu Wen for the rest of her life.

Get rid of this terrifying love-addled brain, now!

…She couldn’t.

She just liked Yu Wen.

Even though she was thinking of her because of a small bag of snow crisps, she still thought of her. After all, this was her first crush (unrequited love)!

…

Huang Xiaozhi didn’t leave the house all day. Staying in was truly too comfortable.

If she could, she would love to lie around like this forever. Slack off, it was pretty good.

But on second thought, pure laziness was also a bit boring.

Huang Xiaozhi had a peculiar hobby—she liked watching anatomy videos. She had been curious about this kind of content since she was a child. Her family always said she would become an anatomist.

But she knew better. It was more of a way to satisfy her curiosity and pass the time. She found other things too simplistic.

She could watch anatomy videos all day. It satisfied her curiosity and she could learn some interesting facts.

She thought about her prominent family: Her maternal grandfather was the head of the Wei Corporation; her maternal grandmother was the dean of Lingfu Academy (a comprehensive institution of higher learning, where her Uncle Pei Dan was a professor in the School of Biological Research); her mother, Wei Qingwen, was the world-renowned “Most Beautiful Translator”; and her uncle was the global creative director for a top fashion brand in G City.

Then she thought about herself… Sigh. She thought to herself with a clear conscience, In a family like this, it’s normal for a “good-for-nothing” like me, who just wants to slack off, to exist, right?

…

Tomorrow was Friday. She could go mooch a meal off of her Uncle Pei Dan.

Oh right, it was also Professor Pei’s house.

She had two such wonderful uncles. How lucky.

What to do when Mom isn’t home and I’m too lazy to cook? Of course, go mooch off her uncles!

She decided to “surprise-call” her uncle tonight. It was settled!

The snow crisps on the table were almost gone. They were so good she couldn’t stop eating. She wanted to send a message to Yu Wen, but she was afraid of disturbing her in class.

So she decided to wait until lunchtime.

Yes! The timing is perfect!

But what she didn’t know was that Yu Wen hadn’t gone to school today either.

She was at home organizing the materials and photos she had collected. This would take an entire day, and she couldn’t wait until the weekend.

She was in a hurry.

Yu Wen was desperate for answers, for the whole truth.

She told herself, After this is over… she would make a decision.

She wanted to be clear with Huang Xiaozhi.

She wanted to live with her.

However, Huang Xiaozhi’s message from last night, “The person who marries our Miss Yu Wen in the future is going to be so lucky,” made Yu Wen think she was likely a straight girl with traditional ideas.

But what Yu Wen didn’t know was that Huang Xiaozhi’s thoughts were anything but “straight.”

On the contrary, Yu Wen’s words, “I’m not getting married,” and her proactive suggestion to “move in and live with me,” had ignited a huge spark of hope in Huang Xiaozhi’s heart. She felt she still had a chance!

She definitely had a chance.

So, who would be the first to confess to the other?

That was a great question worth waiting for.