Little Duckling - Chapter 19

But I can’t repay you for anything.

It was five in the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set outside the window.

As a “We’re here!” notification popped up on Jian Xin’s phone, Zheng Xinyue and Jiang Lan burst into the hospital room, pushing an electric wheelchair decorated with red flowers.

Ignoring the others in the room, they slammed the door shut behind them, clapped their hands, and without a moment’s hesitation or preamble, launched into the birthday song from Haidilao.

Jian Xin was startled by the sudden commotion. Still dazed, she was half-carried, half-lifted onto the wheelchair amidst a chorus of “Say Bye~Bye!” and “Say Hi~Hi!” The two women, their eyes sparkling with joy, wheeled her toward the underground parking garage.

Yao Wenqian, looking like she’d just witnessed something extraordinary, followed behind with Yan Lu for quite a while, until they reached Zheng Xinyue’s car. Then she couldn’t help but ask, “Is it Sister Jian Xin’s birthday today? I didn’t prepare a gift…”

Jian Xin burst into a mix of laughter and tears. “No, they’re just teasing me!”

“Huh?” Yao Wenqian looked confused.

“The day you hit me was actually my birthday…” Jian Xin sighed. “They’re just reminding me.”

“Huh?” Yao Wenqian still didn’t seem to understand.

Jian Xin thought for a moment, then cleared her throat, rolled her eyes, and curled her lips into a smirk, mimicking Yue Someone’s usual slightly disdainful and strangely sarcastic tone. “Oh dear, I wonder who got so drunk on their birthday that they ran out onto the main road in the middle of the night and ended up in the hospital for over half a month?”

Yao Wenqian: “Yeah, who was that?”

Jiang Lan: “Who could it possibly be?”

Jian Xin: “It was me, okay? It was me!”

Listening to their sarcastic banter, Yao Wenqian couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

But as she laughed, she suddenly realized something—Jian Xin had ended up in the hospital because Yao Wenqian had hit her. Laughing at a time like this seemed incredibly insensitive!

For a brief moment, the smile on Yao Wenqian’s face froze.

But after a quick mental calculation, she raised a clever index finger, thinking she had smoothly changed the subject.

Yao Wenqian: “So your birthday is August 28th, right?”

Yan Lu corrected her: “The 27th. You hit her after midnight.”

“Oh right, it was past midnight!” Yao Wenqian exclaimed, suddenly realizing. “As expected of my cousin—you remember everything so clearly!”

Yan Lu: “……”

Jian Xin couldn’t help but cough lightly twice.

Yao Wenqian, completely bewildered, fell silent.

Though I didn’t know the exact reason, the atmosphere suddenly became incredibly awkward. I must have said something wrong—I need to be more careful with my words in the future!

Thankfully, the awkwardness lasted only a couple of seconds. Zheng Xinyue, leaning against the car door, suddenly turned her gaze to Yan Lu.

Their eyes met, and Zheng Xinyue smiled politely, saying casually, “Speaking of which, it’s been a while since I’ve seen Jian Xin drink so much. The last time was probably back in our junior year of college.”

Yan Lu: “Is that so?”

Zheng Xinyue nodded. “I should have stopped her then. She was drinking her sorrows, and it ended up costing you both a lot of time and money for over half a month.”

Jian Xin: “Um, Zheng Xinyue…”

What’s with the hidden meaning in her words?!

Yan Lu smiled. “As long as she’s okay, that’s all that matters.”

“Exactly,” Zheng Xinyue chuckled. “Are you and your cousin free? Let’s grab dinner together.”

Yao Wenqian: “Sure…”

Yan Lu: “I’m a bit busy today.”

Yao Wenqian paused, her tone becoming slightly strained. “Okay… I still have a lot of drafts to finish.”

“Oh, no worries! We can reschedule another time.” Zheng Xinyue’s smile didn’t falter as she turned to say, “Let’s go, Lanlan. Let’s take Jian Xin out for dinner.”

Jiang Lan nodded, helped Jian Xin into the back seat, quickly folded the wheelchair into the trunk, and then circled around to the other side to get in.

As the car pulled away, Yao Wenqian waved goodbye to Jian Xin, her eyes filled with reluctance. “Let’s watch dramas together again soon! I have memberships on all the streaming platforms—just ask me for my account info whenever you need it!”

Jian Xin nodded eagerly. “Okay!”

“See you later, Sister Jian Xin!” Yao Wenqian called out.

“See you, see you!” Jian Xin waved back with a smile, her peripheral vision catching Yan Lu’s indifferent expression beside her. A subtle, indescribable feeling stirred in her heart.

Only after the car had disappeared down the road did Jian Xin finally mutter, “Yuezi, what was with all those loaded remarks earlier? What was that about?”

Zheng Xinyue glanced at Jian Xin through the rearview mirror. “What else could it be? I was helping you out!”

“Helping me with what? How were you helping me?” Jian Xin blurted out, instinctively leaning forward. Realizing this was a habit she’d picked up during her time as a “Duck,” she quickly straightened her posture. “What did those comments even accomplish?”

“They were obviously helping you pursue her,” Zheng Xinyue replied.

Jiang Lan nodded in agreement, echoing, “Obviously helping you pursue her!”

“Wait…” Jian Xin’s eyes widened. “Who—who are you talking about? Who’s pursuing her?!”

“Lanlan, look, she’s getting flustered,” Zheng Xinyue remarked.

Jiang Lan nodded earnestly. “So flustered, so flustered!”

Jian Xin: “……”

Was she rushing things? Where did they get that idea?

She was simply stating facts!

Honestly, given Yan Lu’s cold and dismissive attitude toward her, she would never have bothered to chase after her if it weren’t for the supernatural events plaguing her.

But some things were too bizarre to explain clearly.

Fine, she thought. If I can’t make them understand anyway, why waste my breath arguing?

Jian Xin sighed, tilted her head against the car window, and closed her eyes.

The car swayed gently, lulling Jian Xin into a drowsy state. When she opened her eyes again, they had already arrived at the restaurant where they had reserved a private room the previous day.

Considering Jian Xin’s recent dietary restrictions, Zheng Xinyue and Jiang Lan had spent the previous night agonizing over their group chat, finally settling on a milk-broth sliced fish dish.

In addition to the sliced fish and various side dishes, they also ordered a radish and pork rib soup.

Shortly after the three women settled into their seats, Chen Yuan rushed in, looking flustered.

With everyone present and the food served, Zheng Xinyue cleared her throat, picked up her half-full glass of orange juice, stood up from her chair, and dramatically announced the evening’s dinner.

“White Broth Fish—light, non-irritating, high in protein, and low in fat!”

“Clear Radish and Pork Rib Soup—perfect for replenishing calcium and helping Xinzi’s fractured bones heal properly!”

“And this—the star of our dinner tonight, right here in my hand—freshly squeezed orange juice!”

“Don’t ask why it’s the star!” Zheng Xinyue said, taking a small sip of the orange juice. Closing her eyes as if slightly tipsy, she continued, “Just know it’s healthy, safe, and a million times better than alcohol!”

With that, she raised her hands slightly in a “let’s begin” gesture.

Jiang Lan and Chen Yuan immediately applauded enthusiastically.

“Okay, okay, I really know I was wrong!” Jian Xin pleaded, torn between laughter and tears. “If you keep this up, you’ll crush my knee before the car even had a chance!”

“Then let’s just eat!” Zheng Xinyue declared, picking up her chopsticks and taking the first bite.

Throughout the meal, everyone worried about Jian Xin’s difficulty reaching for food with her injured leg. They continuously passed dishes of fish and vegetables into her bowl, ensuring she had plenty to eat.

As the four of them ate, they chatted about continuing to make music together in the future.

Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened. They had ordered too much food, and everyone was stuffed.

They kept saying, “Let’s not waste it, there’s not much left,” as if they had made a solemn vow to finish every last bite. Yet, after much deliberation, the first thing each person did upon picking up their chopsticks again was to transfer food to someone else’s bowl.

Jian Xin, with her right leg still in a cast and her hands not very nimble, was the least able to resist. Naturally, she became the biggest loser in this round of mutual food-passing.

To be honest, Jian Xin couldn’t even remember the last time she had enjoyed a proper meal with her friends like this.

Looking at the smiles on their faces, she felt a little dazed.

The car accident seemed to have violently thrust her from a world where she was suffocating into another realm—one both unfamiliar and strangely familiar.

In this realm, she had never given up on music. No matter how tough life got, they had always stuck together, finding ways to make money through their shared passion.

Yan Lu hadn’t severed all ties with her either, vanishing without a trace…

Of course, these were just illusions born from her dazed state.

All the unhappiness was already in the past.

But thankfully, she was still young, with the chance and courage to start over!

Things were bound to get better!

Thinking this, Jian Xin suddenly slapped the table, instantly drawing the attention of the three others.

“I’ve almost finished handling all the handover matters at the company. Director Niu, in a rare moment of conscience, discussed it with his superiors and said that once the handover is confirmed complete, they’ll let me leave early—no need to wait the full month!”

As soon as Jian Xin finished speaking, cheers and applause erupted around her.

“I’m not done yet,” Jian Xin said, making a “quiet” gesture before continuing. “These past few years have been so tough. I often wondered how much longer I’d have to endure this miserable life! But thankfully, it’s all over now. To celebrate my rebirth, I won’t be eating this bowl you’ve all piled for me!”

“How can you say that?”

“Xinzi! Wasting food is shameful!”

“Finish it! Finish it! Finish everything!”

The three of them cheered loudly, Jian Xin shaking her head repeatedly.

I’m not listening! I’m not listening! It’s just gibberish!

That night, they gathered around the table, chatting animatedly until past ten o’clock.

If the fish restaurant hadn’t closed, they probably would have talked for hours longer.

Before parting, they insisted on walking Jian Xin home, nagging her repeatedly until she yawned incessantly. Only then did they finally disperse.

Silence settled over the room. Jian Xin gazed at the familiar surroundings, feeling strangely as if she had returned from another world.

On the night she was hit by the car, she had been too drunk to even turn off the air conditioner before leaving.

The days of switching between being human and a duck had completely muddled her mind. It wasn’t until five days later, lying in the hospital bed, that she remembered. She immediately asked Zheng Xinyue to check on it.

Zheng Xinyue proved to be remarkably thorough. Not only did she turn off the air conditioner, but she also locked all the open windows.

It had been raining heavily these past few days, and the window area had taken quite a beating.

Regardless, she was finally home!

Being home felt wonderful, even though her current condition made everything inconvenient.

After a somewhat arduous wash-up, Jian Xin collapsed onto her bed like a dead fish. She tossed her phone aside, letting it randomly play tracks from the Fallen Jade Branch OST collection.

Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, as if she were pondering countless things without being able to grasp a single coherent thread.

She seemed to be wondering:

Where will I wake up tomorrow?

Could this soul-swapping with a duck be related to the hospital’s feng shui?

If I sleep somewhere else, will I stop shifting back and forth?

She also seemed to be thinking:

I have Yan Lu’s contact information now, but when will I find another reason to reach out?

She kept feeling like she should be hearing the hourly chime of an old-fashioned grandfather clock.

Dong! The sound reverberated in her ears, as if striking the crown of her head.

Finally, she began to consider:

Since I’m stuck recovering anyway, why not look up all of Yan Lu’s works and read them?

Of course, this idea had nothing to do with Yan Lu herself. Jian Xin simply found the author’s style quite to her taste!

As her chaotic thoughts swirled, drowsiness gradually crept in.

Half-asleep, Jian Xin squinted at her phone and set a timer for the music to stop playing.

Then, finally at peace, she closed her eyes and drifted off.

Ever since Yan Lu’s school uniform had been vandalized with graffiti, Jian Xin made it a habit to ask her every Saturday if there was anything she needed help washing at home.

The school dormitory building didn’t provide hot water. Students who wanted hot water had to purchase hot water tickets, bring their own thermos, and walk across the sports field to the hot water room near the cafeteria.

Jian Xin had heard that a thermos of hot water was both scarce and heavy. Even if you carried two thermoses daily, after accounting for morning and evening washing, it would barely be enough to wash small items like underwear and socks.

The school’s bathhouse was only open on weekends and charged by the hour, with large items like bedding and outerwear prohibited from being washed there.

Generally, students with the means would take larger items like bedsheets, duvet covers, and outerwear home to wash on weekends.

However, in addition to local boarding students, the school also housed many students from distant counties who could only return home during monthly breaks due to the long travel distance.

These students had to pay to use the laundry service on the first floor of the dormitory building to wash their clothes.

Someone had mentioned that Yan Lu rarely even bought hot water tickets.

In the dead of winter, washing everything with cold water? Just the thought made Jian Xin shiver.

Without hesitation, she patted her chest and volunteered her beloved mother for a task she didn’t need to do.

“Mom, Mom, Mom! My dearest, kindest, best Mom in the world!”

“Yan Lu’s family is really struggling. She can’t even afford her meal cards for breakfast and dinner, you know that!”

“You’re so gentle, beautiful, kind, and generous. You wouldn’t want to see a girl your daughter’s age washing all this stuff in cold water every weekend, would you?!”

“It’s so—cruel! Heartless! Sinful!!!”

Faced with her daughter’s pleading, Huang He replied, “I work hard enough at my job, and raising you is even harder. At least my boss pays me, but you cost me money every week. It’s bad enough your grades never improve, but now you’re trying to give me extra work?”

Jian Xin: “Ugh…”

Huang He: “Fine, she’s just a poor kid.”

“Yes, yes!” Jian Xin nodded eagerly, her eyes shining with anticipation. “So…?”

Huang He: “So, twenty yuan each time, deducted from your allowance.”

Jian Xin: “……”

Hmph, playing the ‘mother-daughter business transaction’ card!

“Fine, deduct it!” Jian Xin declared loudly. “I’ll just cut back on snacks each week—consider it a diet!”

Huang He watched her daughter’s stubborn expression and ruffled her hair. “Nosy little girl.”

“Yan Lu’s situation isn’t just ‘nosy’!” Jian Xin muttered, pursing her lips. “She’s my best friend.”

Of course I’ll help a good friend if I can. What kind of friend would I be otherwise?

Speaking of which, since starting high school, they had six days of classes each week, and even had to return to school by 7 PM on Sundays for evening self-study.

The schedule sounded grueling, but time actually flew by.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, the end of the semester had arrived.

With final exams just a week away, Jian Xin found herself feeling a little reluctant for it to end.

Throughout her three years of junior high, Jian Xin had devoured countless extracurricular books.

Though she never actively bought them, Jian Xin had read every novel that circulated among her classmates—even the ones with covers so worn they were practically falling apart, regardless of genre or subject matter.

Beyond the commercially available books, some classmates wrote their own stories for fun, which she also read whenever she was bored out of her mind.

She considered herself a seasoned reader, capable of distinguishing a good novel from a bad one.

Yan Lu’s novels were undeniably excellent!

Jian Xin was certain that even without the “desk-mate bias,” Yan Lu’s stories would still captivate her.

She loved the thrill of following daily updates, not only discussing plot developments with the author but occasionally coaxing out a spoiler or two.

Unfortunately, the semester was drawing to a close. Once winter break began, she wouldn’t see any new updates for a long time.

The thought made the cafeteria food taste bland.

“You might not believe this,” she said, twirling her chopsticks, “but after a lifetime of schooling, this is the first time I’m actually dreading winter break.”

Yan Lu was silent for a moment before nodding and murmuring, “Me too.”

Jian Xin couldn’t help but ask, “I don’t want vacation because I’ll miss your updates. Why don’t you want vacation?”

Yan Lu didn’t answer, focusing on eating her rice.

Jian Xin persisted, “Is it because you’ll miss me, your only reader?”

Yan Lu hesitated, then said, “Maybe.”

“What do you mean ‘maybe’?” Jian Xin pouted, poking at the lion’s head meatball in her bowl with her chopsticks, looking slightly disappointed.

She mashed the perfectly good meatball into a mush. Yan Lu watched from the side, the corners of her mouth curving upward slightly.

Jian Xin caught the faint smile instantly and burst out laughing. “You’re smiling! You were teasing me! You do miss me, your only reader! I was right!”

Yan Lu didn’t reply, only pressed her lips together and stuffed a piece of fried potato into Jian Xin’s mouth. “Just eat your food!”

Jian Xin swallowed quickly. “You’d better write a lot during winter break! Don’t slack off just because no one’s nagging you!”

“Mm-hmm,” Yan Lu murmured, burying her face in her bowl.

After dinner, the two girls huddled together, braving the biting wind as they returned to the classroom.

Jian Xin immediately pulled out her earphones, untangled the twisted wires, and slipped one bud into Yan Lu’s right ear.

Clear Band had just released a new album, and several songs resonated deeply with Jian Xin. She had already shared them with Yan Lu during lunch break, but she couldn’t resist playing them again.

Jian Xin firmly believed that good music should be listened to with the lyrics in sight, to truly grasp the soul hidden within the melody.

So, with one earbud each, they leaned close, almost touching heads, intently watching the lyrics scroll across the MP4 screen as the music played.

With about ten minutes left before evening self-study began, classmates gradually returned to the classroom, and the noise level steadily rose.

Jian Xin glanced at the time and quietly put away the MP4.

“It’s getting too noisy. We’ll listen again later.”

“Mm,” Yan Lu nodded, instinctively reaching into her desk drawer.

Her expression flickered with confusion, then her brow furrowed. She leaned back slightly and began rummaging through her backpack.

“What’s wrong?” Jian Xin asked, leaning closer.

Yan Lu didn’t answer, her frown deepening as she continued searching.

After a long moment, she finally looked up and whispered, “My novel is gone.”

“Not even in your backpack?” Jian Xin’s words were barely out of her mouth when she saw the anxiety in Yan Lu’s eyes.

Jian Xin froze for a moment, then quickly reassured her, “Don’t worry, maybe I forgot to return it after reading it. Let me check…”

As Jian Xin rummaged through her stack of books, she desperately tried to recall—had Yan Lu brought her novel to the cafeteria today?

Just then, a loud banging on the podium echoed through the classroom.

“Quiet down, everyone!”

It was Wang Xiaofeng, standing at the podium, loudly demanding everyone’s attention.

In the next moment, he pulled a pale green notebook from the podium drawer.

Jian Xin clenched her teeth.

“Breaking news! We have a literary genius in our class! A true novelist!” Wang Xiaofeng announced dramatically, flipping open the notebook and reading aloud with exaggerated flair:

“Winter~ Night~ Summer~ Solstice~!”

“—Prologue!”

“Lin Xiaoshuang’s world! Only an endless winter night!”

“The scorching afternoon sun! The campus’s boisterous clamor! A summer she can never belong to!”

“Wang Xiaofeng!” Yan Lu leaped to her feet and charged toward the podium.

“Ouch!” Wang Xiaofeng yelped, jumping off the podium and darting in the opposite direction.

As he fled, he continued reading aloud:

“That day, a scorching wind slammed into her face! Striking the deepest fears in her heart!”

“She spread her wings! But terrified, she curled up and wept…”

More and more eyes turned toward him, and his voice grew louder.

“Many years later! Lin Xiaoshuang still wondered!”

“If Li Xia hadn’t shielded her from the scorching! blinding! sun on the rooftop that day!!!”

“She might have truly become that bird that flies only once in its lifetime!!!”

“Wang Xiaofeng!” Yan Lu couldn’t catch up to him, nearly bursting into tears as she repeatedly shouted, “Give it back!”

“So, from that moment on! she vowed to herself!” Wang Xiaofeng’s voice boomed, his tone increasingly dramatic. “If she could get close to Li! Xia!! she would willingly! give up! flying~~~”

“Give it back!! Wang Xiaofeng!!!”

“Hey, Yan Lu, don’t get so worked up! Think I’m reading too slowly, missing the point? I’ll get to the good part right now! …Ah, here it is!” Wang Xiaofeng cleared his throat and read aloud, “The sunlight was so blinding, yet Lin Xiaoshuang couldn’t help but open her eyes, gazing at the girl who had extended a hand toward her! Her shoulder-length hair framed a face with a gentle smile in her eyes. Though the recent military training had tanned her skin dark, it couldn’t diminish the exquisite beauty of her features!”

“Her name is Li Xia, Xia as in summer!”

“Lin Xiaoshuang knew she shouldn’t get close to her! Yet, inexplicably, a foolish hope bloomed in her heart!”

“No one knew her secret feelings! To Li Xia, she was forever a mute cicada, longing to approach but always retreating in fear—fvck!”

Wang Xiaofeng’s voice cut off abruptly.

Jian Xin had circled behind him unnoticed and delivered a powerful kick to his backside. He lost his balance, stumbled, and crashed into the corner of a nearby desk, wincing in pain.

“Is this funny, Wang Xiaofeng?!” Jian Xin demanded, her actions belying her words. She grabbed a nearby bottle of soda and swung it at him. “Keep running away! Go on, keep running!”

The classroom erupted in applause, the students reveling in the spectacle.

The classmate whose soda had been taken stared blankly. “My Mirinda…”

“I’ll get you a new one later!” Jian Xin snapped. Before she could finish, Wang Xiaofeng shoved the bottle aside with force.

Yan Lu chased after them, reaching for her notebook, but she couldn’t reach it. Frustration welled up, her eyes reddening with urgency.

“Jian Xin, are you out of your mind?!” Wang Xiaofeng snarled, waving the notebook high in the air. “You know this stuff can’t see the light of day, don’t you? Feeling guilty?”

“What’s wrong with it?!” Jian Xin retorted, her voice even louder than his. “Haven’t you ever seen a classmate write a novel?! If others can do it, why can’t you?!”

As if I’d lose a shouting match to him! she thought. Did he think my three years of vocal training were for nothing?

“Writing novels? Sure, I’ve seen that. But lesbian novels? That’s a rare find!” Wang Xiaofeng grinned, his laughter grating. “Yan Lu, what’s the relationship between this Li Xia and Qi Xia?”

Yan Lu’s hand, reaching for the notebook, froze. A flicker of anger flashed in her eyes.

“Why do they both have ‘Xia’ in their names? And why do they both have shoulder-length hair?” Wang Xiaofeng pressed, his tone mocking. “I heard you two share a dorm room. Are you secretly in love with Qi Xia?”

“Wang Xiaofeng, stop spreading lies!” Zhang Danya stood up angrily. “She’s writing a novel! What does Qi Xia have to do with it?!”

“Doesn’t this all add up? Shoulder-length hair, a name with ‘Xia’ in it, good social skills—” Wang Xiaofeng glanced down at Yan Lu, grinning mischievously. “Hey, weren’t you Qi Xia’s desk partner at first? You even chose your new seat yourself. Oh, I get it now—you ran away out of cowardice! Right?”

Yan Lu was about to deny it when a tearful voice rang out from across the room.

“That’s not me! It’s not… You’re lying! Who would want to be liked by her?!” Qi Xia sobbed, burying her face in her arms and collapsing onto her desk in tears.

Several students rushed over to comfort her.

“Wang Xiaofeng, you made Qi Xia cry! Apologize right now!”

“Yeah, apologize!”

Jian Xin opened her mouth, hesitating for a moment.

In that brief pause, she noticed Yan Lu had somehow grabbed a compass. A barely suppressed, destructive urge burned in Yan Lu’s reddened eyes.

Jian Xin’s heart tightened. She frantically twisted open the cap of her soda bottle and splashed the contents onto Wang Xiaofeng.

“Fvck!” Wang Xiaofeng leaped back a full step.

“My Mirinda—!”

“She said she’d buy you a new one,” the nearby desk partner whispered.

During the standoff, Jian Xin reached out and pulled Yan Lu to her side, subtly snatching the compass from her hand. She pointed it forward, her voice sharp with anger. “My patience is wearing thin. Give it back!”

Yan Lu: “Jian Xin…”

Wang Xiaofeng clenched his fists. “You think I won’t hit you?”

Jian Xin tensed for a moment, but she gritted her teeth, straightened her back, and glared at him, shouting, “Come on, then! Do you think I’m afraid of you, Wang Haonan?”

As soon as she finished speaking, someone nearby asked, “What’s a ‘Wang Haonan’?”

A classmate earnestly explained, “Once, when Wang Xiaofeng and Jian Xin were arguing, he said, ‘A real man doesn’t fight with women.'”

Their voices weren’t loud, but everyone within earshot couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Wang Xiaofeng’s face suddenly turned deathly pale, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He was frozen, unable to move forward or back.

At that moment, the bell rang for Evening Self-Study.

“Enough!” The class monitor slammed his hand on the desk and stood up, his tone impatient. “Wang Xiaofeng, is bullying female classmates fun for you?”

“Bullying female classmates?” Wang Xiaofeng retorted, clearly indignant. “Who threw the first punch? Everyone saw it! I didn’t even retaliate!”

“Evening Self-Study has begun! Return to your seats!” the class monitor barked again.

Wang Xiaofeng gritted his teeth and turned to leave, but Jian Xin grabbed him by the collar.

“Give it back!” Jian Xin said, taking a deep breath. “Apologize to Yan Lu and Qi Xia too!”

Wang Xiaofeng took several deep breaths, then suddenly jumped up and shouted, “I’m your grandpa! I’ll apologize to your ancestors’ graves!” He violently tore the notebook in his hand in half.

For a split second, the entire class fell silent.

After a long moment of silence, Jian Xin, her whole body trembling uncontrollably, kicked out with her leg!

A series of colorful Chinese curses erupted as the classroom descended into chaos.

The surrounding students either watched the spectacle or tried to break up the fight.

Half an hour later, three students stood in a row in the homeroom teacher’s office, each with a distinct expression.

Yan Lu stared down at the torn notebook on the desk.

Jian Xin wore a look of annoyance, occasionally rolling her eyes at Wang Xiaofeng beside her.

Wang Xiaofeng was soaked in sticky, sugary soda, his pants covered in muddy footprints. His defiance burned even stronger than Jian Xin’s.

Teacher Li: “All three of you, bring your parents in tomorrow.”

“The fight was between Wang Xiaofeng and me,” Jian Xin protested. “What does Yan Lu have to do with it?”

“She’s writing novels and neglecting her studies, but her situation isn’t as serious as yours. You don’t need to worry about her,” Teacher Li said, looking at Jian Xin with earnest concern. “Your fight could result in a serious punishment, even a demerit. Do you understand? I want to see your parents tomorrow. Anyone who fails to bring a parent will stand at the back of the classroom during my lessons.”

“Teacher Li, if I hadn’t intervened and made a scene today, would Yan Lu have just had to endure his bullying?” Jian Xin raised her head, her voice clear and resolute. “I was helping a classmate. Even if my mom comes tomorrow, I absolutely won’t apologize!”

“I didn’t hit anyone!” Wang Xiaofeng retorted.

“You wanted to, though! You just got stopped!” Jian Xin scoffed, immediately bringing up past grievances. “Teacher Li, this isn’t the first time Wang Xiaofeng has bullied Yan Lu. Remember when he drew a crying face on her uniform with markers? I was the one who took it home and washed it!”

“Didn’t you draw on my backpack too?” Wang Xiaofeng countered.

“That’s only because you started it!”

“Class Eight is a team. We shouldn’t be at each other’s throats like this,” Teacher Li said, taking a deep breath. “Wang Xiaofeng, write a thousand-word self-criticism and submit it to me before evening self-study tomorrow.”

Wang Xiaofeng: “Why doesn’t she have to write one too?!”

“Everyone, go back to self-study,” Teacher Li sighed, rubbing his temples. “Next time there’s a fight, you’ll both get disciplinary points.”

Wang Xiaofeng rolled his eyes and stormed out of the office.

Yan Lu stood motionless, as if wanting to say something to the homeroom teacher.

Jian Xin tugged at her sleeve and led her out.

On the way back to the classroom, she pointed at the sky outside the corridor. “Look! The moon’s already over there!”

Yan Lu: “……”

Seeing her friend’s unhappiness, Jian Xin patted her chest with a smile. “Don’t worry! I have a brand-new notebook in my bag. You can use that for now. I’ll get your original one back later, and we can just tape it together!”

“How will you get it back?”

“Easy! I’ll sneak it back when Lao Li isn’t around.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t…”

“Whenever my friends’ extracurricular books got confiscated, I’d always find a way to sneak them back,” Jian Xin said confidently, drawing on her experience. “Teachers usually don’t bother investigating—they need proof, after all. Who would be foolish enough to steal something back and leave it in the classroom for the teacher to find?”

“Don’t worry. It’s almost the end of the semester anyway,” she added with a knowing smile. “Trust me, by the time finals roll around, teachers’ offices are always missing a lot of the things they confiscated from the class. Even if they’re really angry, they’ll probably forget all about it after winter break.”

“It doesn’t really matter if we get it back or not,” Yan Lu said, lowering her head and walking toward the classroom. “No one else would read it anyway, so there’s no need to take the risk.”

Jian Xin froze for a moment before hurrying after her. “What do you mean it doesn’t matter? I wanted to read it again!”

Yan Lu suddenly stopped and turned to look at Jian Xin.

“What’s wrong?” Jian Xin asked.

“You almost got beaten up today…” Yan Lu said.

“But I didn’t, right? I’m popular—someone stopped him for me.”

Yan Lu fell silent.

Jian Xin pursed her lips, shrugged, and spread her hands. “Even if no one had stopped him, so what? I kicked him enough times anyway—I wouldn’t have lost out.”

Yan Lu frowned and remained silent for a long moment before whispering, “Thank you for standing up for me again.”

Jian Xin waved her hand dismissively with a smile. “If I can’t stand to watch, I’ll step in. Isn’t that what anyone should do?”

Yan Lu smiled faintly, her tone flat. “But everyone except you can stand to watch.”

“Uh…”

“Qi Xia cried because Wang Xiaofeng said I liked her. She was so humiliated…” Yan Lu said. “Being liked by me must be something shameful.”

“How could that be…”

“Everyone was saying, ‘Wang Xiaofeng, you made Qi Xia cry! Apologize now!'” Yan Lu’s voice was barely audible. “But even though there were so many people in the class, not a single one would say, ‘Wang Xiaofeng, you made Yan Lu cry! Apologize to her!'”

“Only you would tell him to apologize to me,” Yan Lu said, a faint smile playing on her lips.

That’s enough, she thought.

Even if she never received that apology.

Even though the apology wasn’t solely for her sake, Jian Xin still tried her best to comfort Yan Lu.

But—

“You’ve always taken such good care of me, but I can’t repay you at all,” Yan Lu said, her lashes lowered.

Jian Xin considered this for a moment, then smiled nonchalantly. “Then just owe me for now. Your novels are exceptionally well-written; you’re bound to become a famous author someday.”

“Just remember: ‘If I strike it rich, don’t forget me.’ When that day comes, just take care of me then, okay?” As she spoke, she reached behind Yan Lu and gently squeezed her thin shoulders.

The touch made Yan Lu instinctively twitch her neck.

She heard Jian Xin whisper in her ear, her voice full of laughter, “As long as we remain lifelong friends, we don’t need to worry about owing each other anything!”

The word “lifelong” rolled off Jian Xin’s tongue so easily, Yan Lu didn’t know whether to believe it.

All she knew was that the moon hung high in the sky that night.

One glance upward, and she couldn’t help but entertain too many unrealistic fantasies.

Perhaps because she hadn’t slept at home in so long, Jian Xin enjoyed a rare dreamless night, sleeping soundly and comfortably.

In her hazy state between sleep and wakefulness, a gentle voice seemed to whisper in her ear.

Typically, when such a voice sounded in this liminal state, there was an eighty percent chance her soul had been kidnapped by some duck again.

Jian Xin squeezed her eyes shut, instinctively hunching her shoulders in a futile attempt to escape.

But the next moment, the familiar voice grew clearer.

“Cauliflower, Cauliflower…”

…Looks like there’s no escaping this.

“Didn’t we agree last night that I’d take you for a swim in the river today?” Yan Lu squatted beside the duck nest, hugging her knees to her chest, and gently poked at the Call Duck’s white br3ast. “If you keep huddling here and refuse to move, I won’t take you when the sun gets too hot.”

Xin Xin came bounding over, whimpering and barking, and nudged the duck’s head, which was tucked against its chest, with her short legs, urging it to move.

…Here we go again.

The familiar but incomprehensible dog language, and that sensation of being tapped on the head by a dog’s paw.

Jian Xin didn’t even need to open her eyes to know she had transformed into a duck again.

In this world, things often become second nature after repeated exposure. Once you’ve done something enough times, it becomes as routine as eating or drinking.

She flapped her wings, glared fiercely, and leaped up with a loud “Quack!” Sticking her neck forward, she launched a counterattack against Xin Xin.

Unfortunately, the Corgi had extensive combat experience against ducks. After a half-hearted struggle, the duck reluctantly surrendered, just as she always did.

“Alright, Cauliflower, let’s go swimming in the river!”

Jian Xin tilted her head in confusion.

Swimming in the river? Was this some kind of regular reward for ducks?

Cauliflower might enjoy it, but she wasn’t interested, and even felt a little scared.

The river and the bathtub were definitely not the same thing!

Ugh! I really don’t want to go!

To avoid the outing, the little duck tucked her wings behind her back, let out a defiant “Quack!”, and burrowed into the Corgi’s doghouse despite Yan Lu’s repeated urging.

Yan Lu crouched outside the doghouse, peering at the little duck inside. “You’re really not coming out? Then I’ll just take Xin Xin with me.”

“Quack—” No, no, not interested.

“You’re getting lazier and lazier,” Yan Lu said, poking Little Duck’s upturned tail. “Careful you don’t become a stay-at-home fatty and end up as someone’s dinner!”

Jian Xin flinched, shrinking further into the dog bed.

Normally, she just pets my chest, but now she’s poking my butt?

Humans really have no sense of boundaries when it comes to ducks!

Soon, Yan Lu leashed Xin Xin and took her downstairs as usual.

Jian Xin curled into a tiny ball inside Xin Xin’s small tent, closing her beady eyes for her morning nap.

Yan Lu had left the computer player running again. After some time, Zhang Huimei’s song “Can’t Get Over It” suddenly began playing.

Jian Xin jolted awake, her sleepiness instantly gone.

To be fair, the song wasn’t bad—it was actually quite good.

But back when she broke up with her ex, she had listened to it on repeat at least three hundred times. After years of avoiding it, hearing it suddenly at her ex’s house made her duck head ache uncontrollably!

I can’t take this anymore! Do I really have to listen to this whole song here?!

Jian Xin took a deep breath and, after much deliberation, couldn’t resist crawling out of her dog bed. She flapped her wings and landed on the computer desk.

She raised her small, orange-yellow feet and tapped the spacebar twice to exit screensaver mode, intending to skip the song.

But the moment the screen lit up, a WeChat chat window appeared unobstructed before her.

The chat was scrolling, indicating that Yan Lu was currently replying to messages on her phone.

Lin Xiyu: You mentioned a talented friend who hasn’t had a good opportunity yet.

Lin Xiyu: Cloud Between Moons just wrapped up filming, right?

Lin Xiyu: I asked the Music Director about it last night.

Lin Xiyu: She said if it’s a recommendation from me, they’d be willing to give it a try.

Walk and Stop: Thank you for your help.

Lin Xiyu: You’re welcome!

Lin Xiyu: It was no trouble at all.

Lin Xiyu: But you know how it is with S+ productions—they always hire established names.

Lin Xiyu: For someone relatively unknown, even getting to contribute one OST track is a huge opportunity. So many people bid for these spots and fail.

Lin Xiyu: So the compensation will likely be symbolic at best.

Walk and Stop: I understand.

Lin Xiyu: Can I get your contact information?

Walk and Stop: Weibo Profile: Good Tired Music Studio

Walk and Stop: There’s someone named Jian Xin there.

Lin Xiyu: OK!

Walk and Stop: Don’t mention my name.

Lin Xiyu: OKK!

Walk and Stop: Love You

Lin Xiyu: Love YouLove YouLove You

Their conversation ended there.

Little Duck sat at her keyboard, lost in thought.