Beautiful Woman, You Have Another Express Delivery! (GL) - Chapter 3

Liu Shuhan was staring blankly in the sofa.

She had spent the whole morning mopping the floor, washing clothes, and wiping down furniture, doing every chore she could find. Now, she had nothing to do. The TV was showing SpongeBob SquarePants, which she had watched no less than ten times this past week; Liu Shuhan could practically recite the plot backward.

The bandages on her hands had been removed three days ago, and most of her injuries were almost healed. But she just couldn’t bring herself to tell Cheng Qiuyi that she needed to leave.

Liu Shuhan had brought it up several times at the dinner table. Every time she mentioned that she could return to work, Cheng Qiuyi would look hurt, her long, narrow phoenix eyes gazing at her with a wronged expression. This made Liu Shuhan feel like a heartless scumbag who abandoned people after using them, so she would just bury her head in her bowl and sullenly shut up.

But this couldn’t go on forever. Her boss had called to rush her several times; if she didn’t go back to work soon, she might lose her job. Liu Shuhan stared at the TV, secretly steeling her resolve: this time, no matter what, she couldn’t give in!

“I’m home.” While Liu Shuhan was spacing out, Cheng Qiuyi arrived home.

Cheng Qiuyi kicked off her high heels and walked to Liu Shuhan, collapsing her head into Liu Shuhan’s shoulder blades, exhausted. “Home is the best. This day has been absolutely killing me.”

The outdoor temperature was high, and a thin layer of sweat formed on Cheng Qiuyi’s forehead. The dampness rubbed into Liu Shuhan’s shoulder hollow, and her curled eyelashes brushed against Liu Shuhan’s neck, like a feather gently tickling the tip of Liu Shuhan’s heart.

Liu Shuhan glanced sideways at Cheng Qiuyi, the farewell words stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

Cheng Qiuyi’s cheeks were slightly flushed, and she looked utterly exhausted with her eyes closed. Seeing her like this made Liu Shuhan feel a pang of sympathy. Cheng Qiuyi was successful and accomplished, but she was still an ordinary person—she got tired, she got sad, she got upset. Liu Shuhan didn’t know how much suffering she had endured fighting alone all these years, without even someone to talk to when she was wronged.

“If you’re tired, go lie down on the bed for a while. I’ll make dinner. I stewed some mung bean soup today; drink a bowl later to cool off,” Liu Shuhan said, getting up to go to the kitchen, but Cheng Qiuyi hugged her around the waist.

“Dead Wood, I wish you could stay by my side forever,” Cheng Qiuyi muffled, her face buried in Liu Shuhan’s waist.

Liu Shuhan’s waist was very soft. Although she wasn’t fat, she didn’t like to exercise, so there was a thin layer of fat around her waist. Cheng Qiuyi resting her head on her waist was like cushioning herself on a small ball of cotton. She rubbed her head against Liu Shuhan’s waist again, letting out a satisfied sigh.

Liu Shuhan stroked her long hair and smiled, “I am here, aren’t I? What silly things are you saying?”

She finished speaking and her nose stung. She did want to shamelessly cling to Cheng Qiuyi for the rest of her life, but Cheng Qiuyi was different from her. She had known since high school that Cheng Qiuyi was straight. Cheng Qiuyi would have a happy family, with children and grandchildren around her, enjoying domestic bliss. She couldn’t ruin that for her.

Emotions are strange things. Liu Shuhan hadn’t seen Cheng Qiuyi for nearly ten years, and she had thought she was over her feelings for her. But the moment she saw Cheng Qiuyi, all those past memories came flooding back, leaving her completely defenseless.

Cheng Qiuyi already had someone she liked; she had said so herself—she came back this time for him.

“Stop fooling around. It’s 11:30 now. Do you still want to eat?” Liu Shuhan sniffed, trying hard to keep her voice from trembling.

“I want to eat braised fish.”

“Okay.”

“Sweet and sour pork ribs.”

“Okay.”

“Blanched shrimp.”

“Okay.”

“Cola chicken wings, stir-fried bitter melon with beef, braised pig ears, beer duck…”

After listening to Cheng Qiuyi rattle off a string of dish names like a crosstalk comedian, Liu Shuhan was exasperated. “We can’t finish all these dishes in three days! I’m telling you, no matter how much you eat this time, don’t even think about dragging me out for a run with you.”

Cheng Qiuyi had a habit of night jogging. She liked to run ten-plus laps around the complex in the evening. Since Liu Shuhan’s injuries had mostly healed, Cheng Qiuyi would drag her out every few days to run a segment. Liu Shuhan hated all exercise and would prefer to drive her small electric scooter to the complex gate just to buy soy sauce. Being forcibly dragged out by Cheng Qiuyi a few times had been pure misery.

Cheng Qiuyi thought for a few seconds and compromised, “Then just the braised fish and sweet and sour pork ribs. Put less sugar.”

Liu Shuhan didn’t have many skills, but she loved to cook, and she was good at it. When she first arrived, Cheng Qiuyi ate portions similar to a kitten, calling it maintaining her figure. But after Liu Shuhan cooked her first meal, Cheng Qiuyi compromised the moment she smelled it. That day, she grunted and cleared most of the food on the table, leaving Liu Shuhan stunned. How long must this poor child have suppressed her appetite?

So Liu Shuhan asked, “Aren’t you trying to maintain your figure?”

Cheng Qiuyi had a rare satisfying meal that day. She patted her stomach and replied contentedly, “It’s fine. At most, I’ll run two extra laps tonight.”

And then Liu Shuhan was dragged downstairs to accompany the great beauty Cheng on her run.

Since then, it became unstoppable. In any case, Cheng Qiuyi never starved herself again after that.

In the afternoon, Cheng Qiuyi had nothing to do. After tidying up the table, she lay on the lounge chair on the balcony, scrolling through Weibo. Liu Shuhan went into her room to pack her luggage.

All good things must come to an end. She was a perfectly healthy person; she couldn’t rely on Cheng Qiuyi to support her forever. When it was time to leave, she had to go.

“Dead Wood, I happen to be free this afternoon. How about we go see a movie?” Cheng Qiuyi said, facing the screen.

Liu Shuhan was still in her room and didn’t respond for a long time. Cheng Qiuyi figured she hadn’t heard, so she repeated it. Still no response. Feeling strange, she pushed open Liu Shuhan’s bedroom door. “Dead Wood, what are you doing…” Her voice cut off abruptly.

The smile on Cheng Qiuyi’s face instantly turned dark. A small suitcase, which Cheng Qiuyi herself had fetched from Liu Shuhan’s home the day she was injured, was spread open on the floor. Liu Shuhan was currently stuffing her change of clothes into the small suitcase.

“What are you doing?” Cheng Qiuyi asked with a pulled face.

Liu Shuhan was sweating profusely from the effort. Wiping her forehead, she said, “Qiuyi, I’ve been meaning to tell you this, but I never had the right opportunity. My injuries are almost healed, and I’ve troubled you by staying at your house for so many days. If I don’t go back to the courier company soon, my boss will really fire me. So, I’m packing up and planning to say goodbye.”

“Absolutely not!” Cheng Qiuyi refused without even thinking. Realizing her tone was wrong, she softened her voice. “The bruises on your back haven’t gone down yet. Stay and rest a few more days. I’ll talk to your boss; it won’t affect your job, okay?”

Liu Shuhan couldn’t bear to see Cheng Qiuyi looking wronged. She stood there, torn, and finally made the difficult decision after a while. “I really can’t. Even if my boss doesn’t say anything, what will the other courier guys think of me?”

“Qiuyi, I know you just returned to the country and don’t have many friends and are lonely. We have so many years of friendship. If you want to find someone to hang out with, come find me anytime. As long as I’m free, I promise I won’t turn you down.”

Cheng Qiuyi’s eyes looked forlorn. “Dead Wood, are you tired of me too?”

“No! Absolutely not!” Liu Shuhan quickly defended herself. I would never get tired of you, she thought. I just want to cling to you 24 hours a day. I’m just afraid you’ll get tired of me.

“Then can we still keep in touch later? Will you deliberately avoid seeing me?”

Liu Shuhan shook her head like a rattle drum. She wished Cheng Qiuyi would ask her to hang out; how could she bear to refuse!

“Are you leaving today?”

“Yes, I’m done packing. I can leave right away.”

“Go then. I’ll drive you.” Cheng Qiuyi pinched the bridge of her nose tiredly and took Liu Shuhan’s small suitcase.

The atmosphere in the car was so cold it was almost solidified. Liu Shuhan knew Cheng Qiuyi was angry, so she shrank into the corner of the passenger seat, not daring to breathe loudly.

Cheng Qiuyi was indeed angry. She was furious that Liu Shuhan was truly an unyielding, dead piece of wood. Had her hints not been obvious enough? This piece of wood was just pretending not to see. Cheng Qiuyi really wanted to crack open Liu Shuhan’s head to see if there was truly only one brain cell inside.

But she glanced at Liu Shuhan in the rearview mirror and suddenly burst out laughing.

Liu Shuhan was cautiously huddled and curled up in the passenger seat, practically glued to the car window, looking both ridiculous and pitiful.

Cheng Qiuyi’s anger subsided a little. She straightened her expression and said, “I’m just driving you home, not kidnapping you to sell you. Do you need to be like that?”

“You… aren’t angry anymore?” Liu Shuhan asked tentatively.

“How dare I be angry with you? You are so decisive—leaving whenever you say, without even making a sound beforehand.”

This clearly meant she was still angry! Liu Shuhan pouted and said, “Is it too late for me to make a sound now?”

Cheng Qiuyi couldn’t hold back her smile. “Go ahead and make a sound. I’ll consider it after you’re done.”

Liu Shuhan actually did as she was told, pouting and making “zhi-zhi-zhi-zhi-zhi” noises, which made Cheng Qiuyi lean forward and backward with laughter. “Enough, enough. Liu Shuhan, oh, Liu Shuhan, you truly are something… I’m driving here, don’t make me laugh so hard. You’ll cause a car accident.”

Liu Shuhan also giggled. “Qiuyi, you smiled! Your smile means you’re not angry anymore, right?”

“You haven’t learned much else over the years, but you’ve certainly mastered the skill of being sly and getting away with things,” Cheng Qiuyi snorted, then sighed. “Actually, this is my fault. I was too selfish.”

“The decision to stay or leave is in your hands. I shouldn’t have blackmailed you into staying.”

Cheng Qiuyi saying this made Liu Shuhan feel even more guilty.

Cheng Qiuyi’s profile was very beautiful, especially the focused expression in her eyes while driving—it was stunning, yet also carried a sense of decisiveness. How should she describe it… Yes, heroic and valiant.

A thought struck Liu Shuhan. She opened her phone camera, pointed it at Cheng Qiuyi’s profile, and secretly snapped a picture.

“The beautiful Jie-jie personally drove me home. I ask you, are you scared!”

Liu Shuhan opened her private Weibo account and posted Cheng Qiuyi’s photo.

Liu Shuhan had a dedicated account with no followers and didn’t follow anyone, used only to post various beauties she collected daily. After posting the Weibo, she heartlessly bought an annual membership and pinned Cheng Qiuyi’s photo to the top. She grew happier the more she looked at the picture.

“We’re here.” Cheng Qiuyi stepped on the brake and turned to Liu Shuhan.

“Huh?” Liu Shuhan was happily gazing at the photo and didn’t hear what Cheng Qiuyi said clearly.

“We’re home, little fool. If you really can’t bear to part with me, should I drive back again?”

“No, no need. Qiuyi, thank you for taking care of me these past few days. Also, I’m really happy to see you again after all these years.”

“I’m happy too.” Cheng Qiuyi reached out and tucked Liu Shuhan’s hair, which had been messed up from leaning against the window, behind her ear. “Dead Wood, it’s my good luck to be able to meet you again.”

Heat rushed to Liu Shuhan’s face. She mumbled her farewell to Cheng Qiuyi and returned to her small rented room.

After getting back, she noticed that her pinned Weibo post had received a “like” from a stranger.

This person was also a small, private account, following only Liu Shuhan, and their homepage was completely empty.

A zombie follower, probably, Liu Shuhan thought dismissively, and casually blocked the user.