Fall - Chapter 15

Bo Wanzhao thought she had misheard.

 

Yue Can mused that if Zhong Ran knew she was not only attending tutoring sessions but had even asked for extra sessions, she would undoubtedly complain that something was amiss. In truth, Yue Can also felt that something was off about herself…

 

“If I do well on the college entrance exam, I’ll have more money for my graduation trip,” Yue Can explained, twirling a pen in her hand.

 

After listening to her explanation, Bo Wanzhao replied, “Okay, I have time.”

 

“Mm,” Yue Can responded. Even if she hadn’t offered the explanation, Bo Wanzhao likely wouldn’t have pressed for more details. Bo Wanzhao’s approach to things was always measured, never revealing too much of her own thoughts and never prying into others’ affairs.

 

Such excessive restraint could be a form of aloofness.

 

Perhaps influenced by the academic powerhouse beside her, combined with the positive feedback she’d received on her grades over the past two months, Yue Can found studying less painful. Unlike the winter break, when a day of studying felt like agonizing imprisonment, now she could sit at her desk for an entire day without noticing the time passing.

 

And just like that, dusk fell unnoticed once more.

 

As dinnertime approached, Bo Wanzhao asked, “What do you want to eat tonight?”

 

Yue Can lazily stretched her stiff neck, rubbing it with a languid tone, “Anything you’re having is fine.”

 

Bo Wanzhao paused, then asked again, “Is there anything you’re craving?”

 

“You’re cooking?” Yue Can asked.

 

“Yeah,” Bo Wanzhao replied.

 

The kitchen in their rented apartment was cramped, barely enough room to turn around, but it sufficed for daily needs. For a long time, Bo Wanzhao had cooked her own meals, but after her mother moved out, she mostly ate out or at the school cafeteria. Living alone, it was easier to grab something quick than to shop and cook for herself.

 

There was a small fresh produce store just outside the neighborhood, making grocery shopping convenient. Yue Can tagged along, saying she was just there for the free meal and didn’t mind what they ate.

 

Bo Wanzhao casually picked out some fresh ingredients, just enough for a meal for two.

 

As they walked back, the sky had turned a deep, raven-blue, the prelude to nightfall. Darkness was silently swallowing the light, a feeling Bo Wanzhao found particularly oppressive.

 

In the alley, Yue Can encountered a “familiar face” and greeted her with amusement, “Dirty Bun!”

 

The calico cat paused and responded with a meow, already accustomed to the nickname.

 

Yue Can had a special bond with this little calico. The cat was intelligent and affectionate, always rubbing against Yue Can’s shoes whenever they met on the street.

 

Love me, love my cat. After rubbing against Yue Can, Dirty Bun would also rub against Bo Wanzhao standing nearby.

 

Yue Can glanced at Bo Wanzhao’s indifferent reaction and sighed in admiration. How can anyone resist a cat’s affection? she wondered. Maybe Bo Wanzhao can only “resist” my affection…

 

With a magician’s flourish, Yue Can pulled a small bag of cat treats from her pocket, crouched down, and began feeding the adorable creature.

 

Bo Wanzhao noticed. “You carry those around with you?”

 

“Yep, just in case I get mugged,” Yue Can replied, looking up with an invitation. “Want to feed her?”

 

Bo Wanzhao lowered her gaze and shook her head.

 

Undeterred by the rejection, Yue Can continued feeding her cat, thoroughly enjoying herself.

 

Bo Wanzhao sometimes suspected that Yue Can’s insistence on coming to her place for tutoring was simply because she had taken a liking to the stray cats in the alley.

 

As they returned, they ran into Granny Zhou, their neighbor. “Going to buy groceries for dinner?”

 

“Yes,” Bo Wanzhao replied with a smile. “Are you feeling better now?”

 

“Much better. Being cooped up in the hospital was so stifling.” Granny Zhou, who had been hospitalized for a while, was meeting Yue Can for the first time. Her kind smile widened as she asked, “Who’s this young lady?”

 

Yue Can glanced at Bo Wanzhao, curious how she would introduce her.

 

“My younger sister,” Bo Wanzhao said casually.

 

This was the first time Yue Can had heard Bo Wanzhao refer to her as her sister. It seemed that whether Yue Can called her “elder sister” or not, Bo Wanzhao would always treat her like a younger sister. She really does indulge me unconditionally, Yue Can thought.

 

“Hello, Granny Zhou,” Yue Can greeted with a smile.

 

“Oh, you’re such a sweet girl! I didn’t know Wanzhao had a younger sister. Both of you are so beautiful…” Granny Zhou looked at Bo Wanzhao with a hint of pity in her eyes and sighed, “It’s good you have someone to keep you company.”

 

Bo Wanzhao politely smiled and moved on.

 

From the old woman’s words, it was clear that Bo Wanzhao had always been alone.

 

The ground floor of the building was poorly lit, growing darker even faster than the outside. Bo Wanzhao switched on the lights, walked to the small kitchen, and washed her hands to prepare dinner.

 

Yue Can followed her in, wanting to help.

 

“Go back out,” Bo Wanzhao said. “I’ll be done soon.”

 

“I know how to wash vegetables,” Yue Can replied.

 

Bo Wanzhao let her stay.

 

The cramped kitchen barely accommodated two people. Yue Can washed vegetable leaves one by one at the sink while Bo Wanzhao stood beside her, chopping vegetables with practiced, efficient movements. Yue Can noticed Bo Wanzhao’s sleeves were rolled up, revealing her wrists and forearms, which were crisscrossed with scars.

 

In the blink of an eye, Bo Wanzhao had finished chopping the vegetables. Catching Yue Can’s gaze in her peripheral vision, she asked, “What’s so interesting about that?”

 

“Your hands…” Yue Can blurted out before realizing Bo Wanzhao was a woman shrouded in secrets and fiercely protective of her privacy. She trailed off mid-sentence.

 

“Childhood accidents,” Bo Wanzhao replied casually, dismissing the topic with a wave of her hand. She glanced at the leaf Yue Can was holding. “Is that clean yet?”

 

“Not yet… I’ll wash it again.”

 

Bo Wanzhao let Yue Can take her time washing the vegetables while she started cooking. In no time at all, a plate of stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers was ready. Yue Can sped up a bit, handing over the washed greens.

 

Working together, they had dinner ready in under half an hour. By the time the dishes were on the table, the rice had just finished steaming. The meal consisted of stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers and stir-fried mushrooms with greens—simple, home-style dishes.

 

Yue Can, usually a picky eater, had no complaints about this meal. After a few bites, she asked Bo Wanzhao curiously, “Is there anything you’re not good at?”

 

Even your cooking is this delicious? You’re practically omnipotent.

 

“Is that a compliment?” Bo Wanzhao slowly brought a mouthful of rice to her lips, watching Yue Can eat heartily, seemingly enjoying the meal.

 

“Yes,” Yue Can replied honestly, never one for flattery. “It’s really good.”

 

“Then eat more,” Bo Wanzhao said.

 

Yue Can cheekily countered, “Shouldn’t you say ‘Come over more often’?”

 

Bo Wanzhao gave her a silent look.

 

Yue Can grinned playfully. “You don’t want me here?”

 

Her lighthearted laughter filled the air. Bo Wanzhao realized Yue Can was genuinely easy to please, finding joy in the smallest things.

 

Yue Can was indeed fond of laughter, and her presence filled the rental apartment with more joy and laughter.

 

At first, Bo Wanzhao struggled to adjust to this change, as if the apartment’s atmosphere should always be somber and oppressive. But as Yue Can visited more frequently, she gradually grew accustomed to it.

 

Yue Can informed Tan Ming about the evening tutoring sessions. Tan Ming, who was away on a business trip and overwhelmed with work, was nearly moved to tears upon learning that her precious daughter was studying diligently without needing any supervision.

 

The evenings were spent working through problems and explaining concepts. After studying from morning till late at night, Yue Can couldn’t sustain such intense diligence and gradually grew weary and drowsy.

 

Noticing her eyelids drooping, Bo Wanzhao said, “We’ll stop here for today. Go home and rest.”

 

Yue Can didn’t push herself further and decided to retreat gracefully. A phone call came in, and she answered it casually. It was Sister Tang, the driver who usually picked her up, explaining that her child was sick and she couldn’t come.

 

“…It’s okay, don’t worry about it. I’ll get home myself,” Yue Can said before hanging up.

 

Bo Wanzhao asked, “No one’s picking you up?”

 

Yue Can replied, “Sister Tang has something urgent at home and can’t make it.”

 

“I’ll take you home. It’s getting late.”

 

It was a quarter past ten, not exactly late.

 

But Yue Can knew Bo Wanzhao would never let her go home alone. If Bo Wanzhao took her home and then returned, it would be midnight. Yue Can imagined the dark alley outside, with its sparse streetlights—the atmosphere was straight out of a horror movie. What if something dangerous happened…?

 

Yue Can’s imagination ran wild, and the mere thought sent shivers down her spine.

 

“Or… I could just stay here,” Yue Can suggested, glancing at the pitch-black window. “I have to come back tomorrow anyway.”

 

“That works too,” Bo Wanzhao murmured. She recalled Yue Can’s previous overnight stay. She had assumed Yue Can would never return after that first time, but now… Yue Can had become a regular visitor.

 

This second time staying over, Yue Can felt much more at ease. Her toiletries from last time were still here, making things convenient.

 

Just like before, Yue Can showered first. After she finished, Bo Wanzhao took her pajamas and entered the bathroom.

 

The bathroom was still warm and steamy, filled with the lingering scent of bath gel.

 

Bo Wanzhao stood under the shower, letting the hot water wash away her fatigue. The scars on her body weren’t limited to the ones on her arms; many had healed physically but remained etched in her heart forever.

 

After showering, as she stepped out of the bathroom, she heard Yue Can’s frantic voice from the bedroom:

 

“Bo Wanzhao, you you you need to come here right now!”

 

Assuming something serious had happened, Bo Wanzhao hurried into the bedroom.

 

Yue Can pointed frantically at the windowsill. “There’s a bug!”

 

Bo Wanzhao stared blankly.

 

She grabbed a few tissues, walked to the windowsill, trapped the tiny insect, and swiftly tossed it into the trash can—all in one smooth motion.

 

Yue Can watched, giving her a thumbs-up in admiration. With utmost seriousness, she declared, “You can tell at a glance that you’re destined for great things.”

 

Bo Wanzhao sighed in exasperation.

 

With the bug dealt with, the two stood facing each other, staring for a moment before inexplicably bursting into laughter.

 

At that moment, Yue Can finally believed Bo Wanzhao’s words from that day—that she didn’t find her annoying.

 

“Time for bed,” Yue Can said, burrowing under the covers and consciously taking up only the right half of the bed.

 

Bo Wanzhao washed her hands and climbed into bed, closing her eyes and hoping she wouldn’t suffer from insomnia tonight.

 

Yue Can, mentally exhausted from a day of intense work, fell asleep within minutes of turning off the light. Her vivid imagination conjured a dream where the insect on the windowsill transformed into a vengeful alien. Clinging to Bo Wanzhao’s arm as if it were a lifeline, she kept pleading, “Bo Wanzhao, kill it! Kill it, and I’ll call you ‘Sister’…”

 

Barely had Bo Wanzhao closed her eyes when she felt the person beside her roll over and tightly grip her arm.

 

She whispered, “Asleep?”

 

The other woman didn’t respond, simply pressing closer against her arm.

 

This casual physical contact only heightened Bo Wanzhao’s anxiety. She had once consulted a psychiatrist at the sanatorium about her intense craving for skin-to-skin contact, which even affected her mood. Dr. Xu had suggested it was likely rooted in past psychological trauma…

 

Yue Can’s grip tightened.

 

Bo Wanzhao reached out to pull away, her rational mind urging her to maintain distance. But she hesitated, ultimately letting Yue Can remain close, allowing the warmth and sensation to seep into her skin, bringing a sliver of emotional comfort.

 

Yue Can, with her easygoing nature and ability to sleep anywhere, enjoyed another restful night.

 

She wasn’t in the habit of setting alarms; at home, Aunt Hu always woke her up. When she opened her eyes, she had no idea what time it was, but the warmth in her arms felt comforting. She blinked sleepily and glanced down at Bo Wanzhao’s sleeping face, so close she could almost touch it. For a moment, she thought she was still dreaming.

 

She stared at Bo Wanzhao’s face for several seconds before it finally dawned on her: this wasn’t a dream. Bo Wanzhao was still holding her, her arm wrapped around Yue Can’s waist, showing no signs of waking.

 

Yue Can instantly snapped awake. Even in her wildest dreams, she couldn’t have imagined Bo Wanzhao holding someone so intimately in her sleep.

 

She continued to study Bo Wanzhao’s face. In all the years she had known her, she had never seen this side of her—completely unfamiliar, utterly devoid of the usual aloofness that kept everyone at arm’s length.

 

Bo Wanzhao’s brow furrowed slightly. Yue Can thought she was about to wake up, but she didn’t. Instead, she noticed Bo Wanzhao’s body trembling faintly, as if she were having a nightmare.

 

Yue Can turned sideways and gently stroked Bo Wanzhao’s back with her palm, trying to comfort her. It seemed to work.

 

Bo Wanzhao instinctively pressed closer, seeking warmth and deepening the embrace, which brought her both sleep and emotional stability.

 

Yue Can froze for a moment, deciding not to wake her. Instead, she let Bo Wanzhao continue holding her. Perhaps she was being presumptuous, but she felt Bo Wanzhao might need the embrace.

 

She knew Bo Wanzhao was strong, but even the strongest person would feel pain when wounded. Though she didn’t know Bo Wanzhao well, she was certain that beneath her serene facade lay a body riddled with scars.

 

As they held each other, Yue Can remained composed until Bo Wanzhao tilted her head and pressed her face against Yue Can’s neck. Her faint, warm breath brushed against Yue Can’s delicate skin, and the arm around her waist tightened.

 

A deep embrace, both tender and possessive.

 

Yue Can’s cheeks flushed slightly. You can know a person’s face but not their heart, she thought. She always acts like she doesn’t care about anyone, but she’s actually this clingy?