Copycat - Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

◎Her Tears◎

In the room.

After the maid left, Wen Jiao opened the refrigerator to see what was in the cold storage. Because no one had lived here for a long time, when Ren Jinggen had furnished the place, he only bought toiletries with a long shelf life and didn’t prepare any fresh fruits or vegetables. Wen Jiao held the carton of milk, her slender neck tilted slightly forward, checking the expiration dates of the food.

Zhou Ziyan was staring at her.

Small animals often have sharp instincts, as this is the only way for them to survive in the sight of fierce beasts. Zhou Ziyan grew up in a complex and intertwined family, and her sensitive personality and keen sixth sense were her greatest survival tools. Zhou Ziyan stood next to Wen Jiao, staring into her indifferent eyes. That almost prophetic intuition once again flashed in her mind. When they first met, Zhou Ziyan had a premonition of her extraordinary nature. It was a strong premonition that she knew the person in front of her would fly to a higher and wider sky, and not just be confined to a small world. But now, she felt that something subtle had changed in the other person. It was like a crane with a broken wing resting in soil that didn’t belong to it. Zhou Ziyan didn’t know why this change had occurred.

Wen Jiao threw away the expired food in the refrigerator. The huge double-door refrigerator was empty. There was nothing to cook with. The only unexpired food was instant noodles. Having lived together for three years, Wen Jiao probably knew Zhou Ziyan’s eating habits, which were extremely picky. If she dared to cook instant noodles for her today, Zhou Ziyan would probably end up in the hospital the next day. Wen Jiao was considering whether to call the maid back to specifically cook a meal when she suddenly felt Zhou Ziyan’s complex gaze. She turned to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Ziyan shook her head like a rattle drum. “Nothing.”

“The only places open at this hour are small restaurants that use a lot of oil and salt.” Wen Jiao took out her phone to check the supermarket’s business hours, thinking about whether she could go buy some vegetables now. “I’m afraid you won’t be used to it.”

“I really can!” “I want to try your hometown’s specialties.”

At Zhou Ziyan’s insistence, the two of them went out to eat after all. The snow fell on the branches, buildings, and ground, forming a thick, white blanket. Under the night sky, the two figures walked side by side, letting the frost and snow fall on their thin down jackets. Zhou Ziyan cupped a snowflake that had fallen, her tone surprised. “So there’s this kind of snow.” It occasionally snowed in City A, but the snowflakes would melt as soon as they hit the ground, so there was rarely any accumulation of snow. This was the first time Zhou Ziyan had seen such a magnificent snowfall. Everything was pure white, but it didn’t feel desolate. People in thick cotton coats were sitting around charcoal grills on both sides of the street. Green beer bottles were stuck in the snow, and a snowplow was parked at the end of the street. The smell of barbecue wafted from a distance.

“Grumble…”

Zhou Ziyan’s stomach rumbled shamelessly. Wen Jiao looked at Zhou Ziyan, whose cheeks were flushed. She smiled apologetically. “I left in such a hurry that I haven’t eaten all day.” Wen Jiao saw her swollen eyelids and didn’t say anything. She chose a barbecue restaurant that was relatively clean inside and led her in.

After ordering, she said, “I’m going to buy some things.” “Okay,” Zhou Ziyan nodded obediently. Wen Jiao left.

Zhou Ziyan sat in the store, bored, poking at the lard on the grill with tongs. The owner of the barbecue restaurant came over and added charcoal for her. The indoor glass window was covered in a layer of frost, and she could only see the deep blue of the night. Someone outside the door was laughing happily and slapping their thighs. The owner of the barbecue restaurant was a gentle-looking middle-aged woman with a kind smile. Seeing that she was alone, she took the initiative to talk to her. “Little girl, are you Wen’s friend?” Zhou Ziyan nodded. “Yeah.” The owner smiled. “I rarely see Wen Jiao with anyone. This is her first time eating at my place. She usually eats out, always just grabbing a bite at the school cafeteria.” Zhou Ziyan was stunned. “Ah? The first time? Then how do you…” know her name, and even where Wen Jiao likes to eat?

The owner understood what she meant and raised an eyebrow. “You’re not from around here, are you, little girl?” “Are you Wen Jiao’s classmate from A University?” Zhou Ziyan nodded. “You don’t know, do you? K County is a small place. Some people might not know the name of a certain leader, but absolutely no one doesn’t know Wen Jiao.” The owner looked proud. “We’ve only had one top science student in K County for all these years. She’s not just the top student in the city, but also the top student in Province B.” “Wen Jiao’s name is still on a red banner at the very top of the honor roll at the Experimental High School. It’s been there for more than three years and hasn’t been changed.”

Zhou Ziyan’s mouth dropped open in shock. This was the first time she had heard this. She knew Wen Jiao got into A University through the college entrance exam, but she didn’t know she was the top science student in Province B that year. After the competition, there was only half a year left to prepare for the exam. Wen Jiao…

“You’re Wen Jiao’s friend, and this is Wen Jiao’s first time eating at our place.” The owner waved the rag in her hand with a flourish. “I’ll waive the bill for you!” “But don’t tell Wen Jiao. Just say you’ve already paid.” The owner subconsciously lowered her voice. “Before, when Wen Jiao went out to eat, the restaurant owner recognized her and refused to take the money. In the end, that child stuffed the money into the waiter’s hand and ran away.” “What’s the point of that child being so polite to us, right?”

Zhou Ziyan: …

With what she knew of Wen Jiao’s personality, she could understand why Wen Jiao didn’t like to eat out.

“Creak.”

The door of the barbecue restaurant was pushed open from the outside. Wen Jiao walked in, carrying a green plastic bag with an ice pack, a mercury thermometer, and a box of cold medicine inside. When the owner saw her come in, she guiltily picked up a broom and swept at a spot that had no dust. As she bent over to sweep the floor, her eyes met Zhou Ziyan’s. The owner winked at Zhou Ziyan, the implication obvious.

Zhou Ziyan: …

Wen Jiao sat down and took the ice pack out of the bag, handing it to Zhou Ziyan. Zhou Ziyan raised her eyelids, which were swollen like a crab’s. Wen Jiao’s expression looked the same as usual, but her words were filled with concern. “Ice it.” After saying that, she paused, and her tone was faintly comforting, although it sounded very stiff. “Whatever happened, it will pass.”

“…Mhm.” Zhou Ziyan held the ice pack to her eyes. Although the ice pack was cold, she felt her eye sockets burning, and tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks. The broken porcelain pieces, the family’s exploitation, the helplessness after her financial resources were cut off, the luxury goods that were forced to be sold. Frame after frame of memories flashed through her mind, turning into the bitter tears of the present.

Wen Jiao was quiet and spoke little. Her personality was a little cold, but she wasn’t indifferent. She saw every little detail, she just chose not to say anything. Zhou Ziyan knew, she had known from the beginning.

“Why are you crying?”

Wen Jiao handed her a clean tissue, but the girl’s tears fell into her palm. The tears were scalding hot. The tears soaked the tissue in her hand, spreading to the edges of the paper. For the first time, Wen Jiao felt a sense of helplessness. She had never comforted anyone before, and she was rarely the one people confided in. She could only try her best to imitate what she remembered others saying. Wen Jiao knew that Zhou Ziyan loved taking beautiful photos and posting them on her Moments for only her to see. No matter where she traveled during the holidays, she would take all kinds of photos, as if to record every moment of her life.

Wen Jiao tried to comfort her. “If you cry until your eyes are swollen, you won’t be able to take beautiful pictures tomorrow.” Zhou Ziyan cried even harder.

In the end, the owner packed up two boxes of cooked meat for the two of them to take away. Before they left, Wen Jiao wanted to pay, but the owner looked at Zhou Ziyan with a smile and just said, “Your friend already paid.” Wen Jiao didn’t doubt the owner’s words.

The two of them returned to the residential area. When they got home, Zhou Ziyan’s emotions finally calmed down. Wen Jiao forced her to wash her eyes with cold water. As they were walking together, Zhou Ziyan’s steps were wobbly, and she almost fell. Wen Jiao quickly went up and helped her, only to find that her forearm was frighteningly hot. Wen Jiao frowned. “You have a fever.” Zhou Ziyan looked up, dazed, with wet streaks on her face. “Huh?” Wen Jiao sighed and wiped her face with a towel.

Zhou Ziyan was like a well-behaved kitten, letting Wen Jiao do whatever she wanted, and obediently lying on the bed as her master told her to. Wen Jiao stood next to her, staring at the mercury thermometer with a serious expression. After seeing the numbers on it, she didn’t hesitate to mix the fever medicine with hot water. Zhou Ziyan obediently drank it. She happily admired Wen Jiao’s beautiful face up close for a while. Unbeknownst to her, her eyelids started to droop.

Her phone in her pocket vibrated. Wen Jiao opened her unread messages. It was from Wen Yilian. She was about to reply when her phone rang. Someone was calling her. She wanted to go to the balcony to answer the call. As soon as she took a step forward, a pair of hot hands grabbed her. It was Zhou Ziyan. Wen Jiao was stunned for a moment and looked at the person who was already sound asleep.

“Don’t go,” she said. A thin layer of cold sweat seeped out from the back of Zhou Ziyan’s hand, indicating that the fever medicine was working. She was already in a deep sleep, just talking in her sleep. It was reasonable to leave now. Wen Jiao lowered her eyes to look at the girl’s delicate eyelashes, which were still stained with crystal tears. She was breathing evenly and sleeping soundly. Even the sudden ringing of the phone didn’t wake her up. She suddenly remembered that Zhou Ziyan had come on a midnight train and had been traveling all the way. She had dragged her to the mall, to hotels, and to eat. Zhou Ziyan hadn’t rested for a minute.

“Don’t go, Wen Jiao.”

She saw those pale lips, a result of being sick, moving up and down. When she heard her name, Wen Jiao was stunned for a long time. The girl in her sleep repeatedly and softly murmured her name. Wen Jiao didn’t answer the phone. She sat by Zhou Ziyan’s bed, letting her hold her hand, their palms clasped together. It wasn’t until the middle of the night, when Zhou Ziyan’s temperature had dropped and her hand had relaxed its grip from being in a deep sleep, that Wen Jiao let go of her hand, stood up, tucked her in, and left the bedroom.