Fall - Chapter 7

Yue Can woke up at the unusually early hour of nine. Opening her eyes, she found herself alone in the bedroom. She slowly made her way out and saw Bo Wanzhao sitting at the dining table, typing on her laptop as if writing something.

Bo Wanzhao glanced up, catching Yue Can’s sleepy gaze. They exchanged a wordless look.

Yue Can went to the bathroom to wash up and get ready.

Bo Wanzhao paused her work and stepped out for a moment.

When Yue Can emerged, dressed and refreshed, she bumped into Bo Wanzhao returning with two bags of breakfast, clearly having just gone out to buy them.

“Breakfast,” Bo Wanzhao said, placing the bags on the table before quickly turning her attention back to her laptop screen.

Yue Can pulled out a chair and sat down across from Bo Wanzhao. She looked down at the dumplings and soy milk. “Aren’t you eating?”

“I already ate,” Bo Wanzhao replied. For her, a cup of coffee often sufficed for breakfast, and sometimes even lunch.

So this breakfast was specifically for Yue Can. Sipping her soy milk, Yue Can said, “Thank you.”

Bo Wanzhao continued typing intermittently. “Hmm?”

“For the breakfast, and for letting me stay,” Yue Can added, taking another bite of a dumpling.

Bo Wanzhao remained silent, offering no further comment. Only after Yue Can finished eating did she ask, “When are you planning to go back?”

Yue Can still didn’t feel like going home. She asked Bo Wanzhao, “Can I stay here a little longer?”

Bo Wanzhao, hearing this, casually replied, “Mm.”

Yue Can didn’t know where else to go. Her closest friends were Zhong Ran and Luo Yang. Zhong Ran had gone to her grandmother’s house today, and Luo Yang, being the diligent student type, was busy cramming for the college entrance exams.

With nothing else to do, and perhaps influenced by Bo Wanzhao’s academic aura, Yue Can spontaneously picked up her phone and started practicing exam questions. The grueling winter break tutoring hadn’t been in vain; her accuracy on multiple-choice questions shot up, giving her a small sense of accomplishment.

Bo Wanzhao glanced at Yue Can, surprised to see her proactively studying. She figured Yue Can’s enthusiasm would fade quickly, and she’d get bored and leave soon.

But…

Yue Can shamelessly stayed until noon.

“Bo Wanzhao,” Yue Can called out.

Bo Wanzhao, distracted while editing her thesis, replied absently, “What?”

“What’s your address here? I want to order takeout.”

Noticing it was lunchtime, Bo Wanzhao looked up. Yue Can clearly had no intention of leaving. She gave Yue Can the address.

A few minutes later, Yue Can submitted the order. “I ordered for you too. We can eat together later.”

Bo Wanzhao looked at her, then reluctantly asked, “How much do I owe you?”

Yue Can understood the unspoken meaning behind those words. “You let me stay and even bought me breakfast. What’s wrong with me treating you to takeout?”

If she really wanted to keep score, Yue Can owed Bo Wanzhao far too many favors already.

For lunch, Yue Can ordered two curry rice bowls from a highly-rated restaurant known for its delicious flavors. She didn’t bother asking Bo Wanzhao what she wanted, knowing she’d simply say, “Anything is fine.”

The delivery arrived ten minutes late. The delivery driver explained that the alley was too difficult to navigate, with its winding twists and turns. Fortunately, the restaurant’s insulation measures were excellent, and the food arrived still warm.

One bowl contained teriyak chicken thigh, the other crispy fried pork cutlet, accompanied by two small bowls of daily soup.

It was the perfect season for curry—warm and comforting. Even though it was takeout, the presentation was surprisingly elegant, the steaming bowls radiating an enticing aroma.

“Which one do you want?” Yue Can asked.

Bo Wanzhao casually took the bowl closest to her.

The bowl beside Yue Can held the fried pork cutlet, perfectly crispy and fragrant.

Bo Wanzhao took small bites of the warm rice, her only requirement for food being that it filled her stomach. As she ate, she noticed Yue Can placing a piece of pork cutlet into her bowl.

“Try this,” Yue Can said, deftly snatching a large chunk of chicken thigh from Bo Wanzhao’s bowl in a swift, precise motion.

Bo Wanzhao found Yue Can’s behavior childish and said, “If you want to eat it, just take it. No need to exchange.”

Yue Can mumbled, “Then I’d be taking advantage of you.”

Bo Wanzhao replied calmly, “I’ll let you.”

Yue Can suddenly fell silent, her mind wandering down a decidedly impure path. This conversation sounds so suggestive… But Bo Wanzhao seemed completely oblivious to any double entendre. Well, she does look like someone who’s renounced all earthly desires. Her mind must be filled with nothing but proper thoughts.

“Eat it while it’s hot,” Yue Can urged. “It won’t taste as good when it’s cold.” As a seasoned foodie, she couldn’t bear to see someone mistreat good food.

Under Yue Can’s watchful gaze, Bo Wanzhao reluctantly picked up the pork chop and took a bite. Crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside, it was indeed delicious.

Yue Can continued to “guide” her: “It’s also good with curry.”

Bo Wanzhao tried it again, perhaps for the first time truly savoring the flavor of food. It was good.

“How is it? Pretty good, right?” Yue Can pressed, eager for her culinary taste to be validated.

Bo Wanzhao nodded.

Seeing Bo Wanzhao’s characteristically indifferent reaction, Yue Can finally accepted it: So there really are people in this world who don’t love good food.

As the two women ate lunch, they occasionally exchanged trivial remarks. For the first time, a hint of warmth permeated the air of the cramped room. In the past, this confined space had known only hysterical suffocation and boundless solitude…

Bo Wanzhao’s mind drifted slightly.

Yue Can noticed. “What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

Bo Wanzhao snapped back to attention, looking at the person before her. “No,” she murmured.

The ground floor was damp and prone to bacterial growth, so Bo Wanzhao usually disposed of trash immediately. Yue Can, feeling full after the meal, wanted to walk off the excess energy and joined her.

The rain had cleared, and sunlight flooded the alley, a stark contrast to the gloomy darkness of the previous night.

Yue Can glanced at the street sign: “Wutong Alley.” It was likely named for the numerous phoenix trees planted along the lane. Their lush branches filtered the sunlight, casting dappled patterns that resembled daytime stars.

With the good weather, stray cats emerged to bask in the sun. The bolder ones sprawled right on the roadside, exposing their fluffy bellies and squinting contentedly.

Yue Can loved small animals, but because Tan Ming was allergic to fur, they had never been able to keep pets at home. She could only indulge her fondness for them outside. Fortunately, she had a “catnip” constitution, and kittens would automatically cling to her legs.

“Meow—” A clingy calico kitten blocked her path, meowing and begging for food.

Yue Can crouched down and gently stroked the kitten’s head. “I don’t have any food today, but I’ll bring some next time, okay?”

The kitten loved having its chin scratched, tilting its head up and nuzzling her hand in contentment.

Yue Can was utterly charmed, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. Her delicate features and bright eyes shone even more when she smiled, like pools of clear spring water sparkling in the sun.

One advantage of being carefree was that bad moods never lingered long. Yue Can was exactly like that. After enjoying a delicious curry meal and cuddling with the kitten, she was back to her cheerful self.

Bo Wanzhao stood nearby, her gaze drifting down to Yue Can’s sunlit face, radiating unrestrained joy and boundless vitality.

She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

Thanks to the heavy rain the night before, the sunlight lingered briefly at her residence.

“You can’t keep spoiling her like this. Look at her—she’s becoming more and more outrageous. She just decides not to come home whenever she feels like it.”

“If you’re so good at discipline, why don’t you do more of it?”

“Isn’t that what I’m discussing with you?”

Yue Can didn’t return home until evening. As soon as she opened the door, she overheard her parents discussing their “grand plan” to discipline her. She had anticipated this, knowing she’d face a lecture upon her return. Still, she didn’t regret her outburst the previous night. She needed to vent her emotions; otherwise, she’d suffocate from holding them in.

That evening, the three family members gathered around the dinner table, but the atmosphere was tense.

Yue Chengtuo sighed, but he knew he had to speak up. “Yue Can, running off without a word yesterday—do you realize how worried your mother and I were?”

“Really?” Yue Can retorted, her talent for provocation unmatched. “I thought you’d both forgotten you even had a daughter.”

“…!”

Yue Chengtuo’s expression grew even colder.

“Still angry?” Tan Ming asked patiently, knowing her rebellious daughter responded better to gentle persuasion than harsh words. “We promised you last time but didn’t follow through. That was our fault, and it won’t happen again. But you need to stop being so impulsive too. Running out alone at night is dangerous.”

“You’re still coddling her? Look at your temper now,” Yue Chengtuo snapped, turning to Yue Can to scold her. “You’re becoming more and more like your mother…”

Tan Ming bristled at the remark. “Yue Chengtuo, what’s that supposed to mean? Say what you want directly instead of being so passive-aggressive.”

“Am I wrong? You’ve spoiled her rotten, indulging her every whim since she was a child.”

“Spoiled her? Is she just my daughter? Don’t you have any part in this?” Tan Ming retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’re hilarious. You’re supposed to be her father—when have you ever taken responsibility for her? Have you even attended a single parent-teacher conference? You, the absentee parent, have the nerve to criticize me?”

“Why bring your work stress home?”

“Stick to the point! Why are you dragging company matters into this?”

Yue Can sighed inwardly. Her parents were at it again, but at least the argument had successfully shifted, sparing her from being the target. After finishing her meal, she quietly retreated upstairs, put on her headphones, and immersed herself in music, seeking a moment of peace from the world.

Jung was a company co-founded by Tan Ming and Yue Chengtuo. As the company grew, their disagreements over strategic decisions escalated into frequent clashes.

Tan Ming and Yue Chengtuo hadn’t married out of deep affection but rather because their circumstances aligned. In the early days of their marriage, they had managed to keep their arguments away from their daughter. But as time wore on, the constant bickering, both major and minor, eroded their restraint. They had considered divorce, but the complexities of dividing their assets made it too difficult to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. So they muddled through, their relationship now resembling that of colleagues more than spouses.

Yue Can had long grown accustomed to their dynamic. Having witnessed her parents’ failed marriage firsthand, she had long ago embraced a fundamental truth: love should never be compromised. Otherwise, it was better to live out one’s days in solitude.

Another Saturday evening arrived, and Tan Ming and Yue Chengtuo were once again locked in a relentless argument over company matters.

Because her parents, both entrepreneurs, were constantly arguing at home, Yue Can gradually grew tired of returning. Staying there felt both irritating and suffocating.

When she didn’t want to be home, she inexplicably thought of Bo Wanzhao…

After a moment’s hesitation, she picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message:

Yue Can: I’ll come to your place for weekend tutoring from now on. Is that okay?

Bo Wanzhao saw the message half an hour later. She was at a convenience store buying a dry bun for dinner. She replied with a simple question: Why?

Yue Can responded immediately:

– I don’t want to be home.

– I’ll explain the situation to my mom.

Bo Wanzhao guessed she was arguing with her family again…

After a long wait without a reply, Yue Can rested her cheek in her hand, thinking Bo Wanzhao probably wasn’t keen on the idea. After all, she was someone who fiercely guarded her personal space…

Taking her in that one night had been purely due to exceptional circumstances.

With this in mind, Yue Can typed out a message: “Just a thought. No worries if it’s inconvenient.” She was about to hit send when she saw Bo Wanzhao’s reply:

Okay.