Lady By The Pillow - Chapter 58

58 Gifts (1)

“So, what’s my gift?”

The three-bedroom, two-living-room space felt a bit empty for just two people. The smaller living room was set up as a dining area, and the crystal chandelier cast a warm, yellowish light that gave the food a soft, lustrous glow.

Across the table, two beautiful figures sat facing each other. Shi Qing rested her elbows on the table’s edge, and Wei Jiuyi poured apple juice from a newly opened bottle into two glasses, placing one in front of Shi Qing.

They didn’t delve any deeper into the question of whether what Wei Jiuyi wanted from Shi Qing was the same as what Fei Ying wanted.

They were actresses, and what they were better at than acting was pretending.

Regardless of whether Wei Jiuyi truly loved Shi Qing, in front of the cameras, the answer could only be “yes.” Off-camera, it could only be “no.” This was one of the most important clauses in the “business couple” agreement signed by the two companies.

Shi Qing kept telling Wei Jiuyi, “You don’t like me.” She hoped that if she said it enough, Wei Jiuyi would understand that what was more important than “not liking” was “not being able to like.”

Yes, she should understand.

She wasn’t sure if her hidden meaning had reached Wei Jiuyi. On one hand, Wei Jiuyi was so smart that she couldn’t possibly misunderstand. But on the other hand, given Wei Jiuyi’s stubborn nature, “understanding” didn’t necessarily mean she would “follow through.”

In fact, she might even do the opposite.

“Have some juice.”

Wei Jiuyi didn’t say anything else. She simply placed the room-temperature apple juice in front of her.

As she lowered her eyes, her gaze fell on the raised veins on Wei Jiuyi’s hand. The winding veins swelled on the surface of her skin like rivers, showing the resilience of a mature woman.

“Thank you.”

Shi Qing held the glass and took a small sip.

Wei Jiuyi had indeed grown up. Even compared to just two months ago, not to mention when they were together before. In the past, Wei Jiuyi would have argued with her, listing reasons why “I am not the same as Fei Ying.” She might have even gotten emotional and started a new argument.

But she didn’t just now.

She just silently poured a glass of apple juice, placed it in front of her, and didn’t argue at all.

This left Shi Qing in an awkward position, having thrown out a question that no one had picked up.

The warm chandelier cast a rich color on the apple juice, and the light from above created a shadow on the tulip-patterned tablecloth. Wei Jiuyi poured herself a glass of apple juice. Next to the bottom of her glass, the shadow of the curved liquid was also visible.

She looked at Shi Qing silently.

To be honest, if Shi Qing really did see her as the same kind of person as Fei Ying, as she had first suspected, she would have been angry. But Shi Qing had once again hinted that “you don’t like me.” She had long since become immune to such words.

It’s impossible.

A-Qing, it’s impossible.

I could never not love you.

Shi Qing had lost the composure of a senior. Her usual ease of mind seemed to have gotten stuck, and she had nothing to say. She just kept drinking her apple juice.

Wei Jiuyi didn’t want to see her so flustered, so she changed the subject and asked,

“Why aren’t Xiao Ya and the others back yet?”

When she mentioned Dong Ya and Zhang Yulan, Shi Qing also realized that they had left earlier than they did and should have arrived by now. Not to mention the long conversation she and Fei Ying had downstairs.

“I’ll give them a call.”

Shi Qing picked up her phone and found that Dong Ya had already sent a message half an hour ago.

Xiao Ya: Sister Qing, Yulan and I took the wrong highway exit. We have to go back at the next exit, so it’s a bit far. Don’t wait for us to eat.

Wei Jiuyi glanced at her phone and saw that Zhang Yulan hadn’t sent a message. She asked,

“What’s wrong?”

Shi Qing answered honestly. “They took the wrong highway exit. They might be a little late.”

Wei Jiuyi nodded. “No wonder. Yulan hasn’t sent a message. She’s probably driving.”

“Mhm, probably.”

“Are you hungry? Why don’t you eat first? The food will get cold.”

Shi Qing hesitated. “I’ll call them and ask. If they’re close, we can wait. The dinner was meant to thank all three of you for taking care of me recently. It’s not right to start without everyone here.”

With that, she dialed Dong Ya’s number.

On the other end, the two of them panicked when they saw the caller ID. Zhang Yulan couldn’t stay calm.

“What do we do? She’s calling! Didn’t you say they’d have a private moment together?”

Dong Ya was also getting anxious. “How was I supposed to know? I saw Teacher Wei chase after them so quickly. I thought there would be a big fight with Six-gourd, a whole love triangle scene. Who would have time to worry about us?”

Zhang Yulan guessed, “Maybe nothing happened, and Teacher Shi is having Six-gourd stay for dinner too?”

Dong Ya almost fainted. “What kind of horror story are you telling?! Sister Qing isn’t that kind of person!”

Zhang Yulan said, “But she is. Teacher Shi is the kind of person who can’t say no to people. What if Six-gourd was really shameless? Teacher Shi might have agreed.”

This speech almost made Dong Ya lose her breath.

“Zhang Yulan, your mouth is laced with poison!”

Zhang Yulan shivered from the yelling. “Well, I was just making a little guess…”

Dong Ya held the phone, took a few deep breaths to calm down, and finally slid the “answer” button.

“Hello, Sister Qing, what’s up?”

The sweetness in her voice was in stark contrast to how harshly she had just scolded Zhang Yulan.

Shi Qing’s gentle voice came from the other side.

“Xiao Ya, where are you now?”

Dong Ya had it on speakerphone and exchanged a glance with Zhang Yulan. She looked out the window at the still trees.

“Oh, we’re almost at the toll booth.”

Zhang Yulan quickly pressed the horn, as if on cue.

“Which toll booth?” Shi Qing asked.

“I didn’t pay attention. We’re just following the GPS,” Dong Ya said, unable to make up a name for the toll booth.

“Are you close then? Teacher Wei and I are waiting for you to eat.”

“Oh—you and Teacher Wei? So, Six—did Sister Fei leave?”

Dong Ya almost laughed. Zhang Yulan was already doing a happy dance in the driver’s seat.

“Mhm. She left,” Shi Qing said.

“That’s good. Oh, wait, I mean, that’s a shame. One person less, one pair of chopsticks less,” Dong Ya almost said what was really on her mind.

“Then send me a message when you’re close, and I’ll reheat the food.”

“You can reheat it now. We’ll be there in ten minutes after we get past the toll booth.”

“Okay, drive safe.”

“Okay, I’ll hang up now, Sis. We have to pay the toll soon, hehe!”

“Mhm, bye.”

“Bye~”

The call ended. The two in the front seats exchanged a look and cheered with their arms in the air.

“Oh yeah—”

“Woo hoo—”

Knock, knock!

Just as they were celebrating, someone knocked on the driver’s window. They turned their heads and saw—

A traffic cop.

“Hello. You can’t park here. Please show me your driver’s license.”

…

It was almost 8 p.m. when Dong Ya and Zhang Yulan finally arrived. The two of them came into the room, covered in sweat. To show how physically and mentally exhausted they were from the traffic and the wrong turn, they had run two full laps in the parking lot after getting out of the car until their every look and movement could convey the mental state and dramatic conflict of their characters.

“Oh my goodness, we’re finally here!”

Dong Ya, with less physical stamina, was out of breath after two laps. She quickly went upstairs with her exhausted look, her breathing still not back to normal.

“I’m so tired.”

Zhang Yulan followed behind, dragging Shi Qing’s small suitcase with one hand and holding a beautifully wrapped cardboard box in the other.

Shi Qing got up to meet them. “You must be exhausted.”

Zhang Yulan stepped back. “Teacher Shi, this is heavy. Your back just got better. Don’t carry it.”

Wei Jiuyi, seeing her chance, was a step ahead of Zhang Yulan.

“I’ll take it.”

Shi Qing looked at the things in their hands. The cloth bag in Dong Ya’s hand and the suitcase in Zhang Yulan’s were both her hospital belongings. But the cardboard box Wei Jiuyi was carrying was unfamiliar.

“What’s this?”

Wei Jiuyi held it out with both hands.

“A back massager, to celebrate you getting out of the hospital.”

Shi Qing was surprised. “You’ve already taken great care of me recently. You don’t need to give me anything else.”

Wei Jiuyi pushed it toward her. “I bought it to celebrate you getting discharged. I consulted several orthopedic doctors, and this back massager is the best. It also has a physical therapy function. I asked Dr. Lu to set up the parameters for you. Use it for 20 minutes a day, and it will help you recover faster.”

Zhang Yulan vouched for her artist. “That’s right, Teacher Shi. Our Sister Qi ran to several hospitals to buy this for you. It’s a gift from the heart, so please accept it.”

Dong Ya also chimed in, “Teacher Wei really has a heart, hehehe.”

With the three of them united, it would be rude for Shi Qing to refuse.

So she reached out to take it.

“Then, thank you, Teacher Wei.”

Dong Ya became the host, cueing the next part of the program.

“That’s right. Everyone in the same crew should look out for each other. It’s all about giving and receiving.”

When Dong Ya mentioned “giving and receiving,” Shi Qing was able to present the things she had prepared.

“Then please wait a moment. I have gifts for you too.”

She turned and went into the small guest room. She hadn’t had many physical therapy sessions in the past two days, so Dong Ya didn’t have to be at the hospital all the time. Sometimes, she would come to the new apartment to tidy up. The things she had bought were delivered to the new address, and Dong Ya had put them away in the room they planned to use as a storage room.

Wei Jiuyi was worried that the things would be heavy, so she went in with her to get them. There were three boxes in total.

Shi Qing, in order, picked up the top box. The moment she turned the box to face Zhang Yulan, she saw the other person’s eyes light up like a diamond.

“Yulan, I heard you really like this figurine. Is it from your game?”

Zhang Yulan let out a series of silly giggles, rubbing her hands on her clothes, completely wiping off the sweat in her palms.

“Hehehe! Teacher Shi, this, haha, this is a bit too valuable, hehehe…”

While saying it was too valuable, her hands were already excitedly caressing the outside of the box.

Shi Qing watched her with a growing smile in her eyes. It was probably the unique energy of youth.

“It’s not expensive. The most important thing is that you like it. You’ve brought so many tonics from home to help me recover so quickly. Thank you.”

Zhang Yulan licked her lips, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

“Oh, it’s what I should do. Then I won’t be shy. Thank you, Teacher Shi!”

She happily took the box, looking at the figurine through the clear plastic cover as if it had ninety-nine flowers growing on its head.

The second box was a bit thinner but wider, about the size of two tissue boxes side by side.

“This is for Xiao Ya.”

She said as she handed it to Dong Ya.

“Your watch broke last week, didn’t it? I bought you a new one. It’s the latest model and should be able to connect to your phone.”

Dong Ya’s eyes widened. “Sister, this must have been quite expensive.”

Shi Qing pushed it toward her. “It’s just a small token of my appreciation. You took such good care of me during my hospital stay. You must be exhausted.”

Dong Ya was thrilled. She unconsciously wiped the sweat from her palms on her clothes and took the gift with a laugh.

“Then I won’t be shy either. Thank you, Sister Qing!”

The last box was for Wei Jiuyi. But since she was holding the box, Shi Qing couldn’t hand it to her directly as she had with Dong Ya and Zhang Yulan.

The scene became tense. The two of them stood tall, with only a cardboard box between them, as if a solemn ceremony was about to take place. Especially with Dong Ya and Zhang Yulan watching, it felt like an awkward, low-budget wedding.

“Mmm…”

Wei Jiuyi placed the box in her hands, as if to restart the sacred ritual of “handing over the gift.”

“So, what’s my gift?”