Little Duckling - Chapter 33

The bathtub was nearly full of hot water.

Yan Lu quietly crouched beside it, her hands gripping the rim as she watched Jian Xin test the water temperature with her fingers.

The ripples spreading from Jian Xin’s fingertips reflected in Yan Lu’s curious eyes.

Today was the sixth day of summer vacation after their first year of high school.

Yan Lu had been staying at Jian Xin’s house for a while, but this was the first time she’d used the bathtub.

Jian Xin usually preferred quick showers for convenience, but Yan Lu had always been intrigued by bathtubs. She’d only ever seen them on TV and, though curious, had never dared to ask to try one at Jian Xin’s house.

During dinner, Huang He announced she’d found a great deal on a family hot spring trip.

The two girls immediately lit up with excitement, their eyes brimming with anticipation.

However, after dinner, as Jian Xin was already browsing Taobao for swimsuits for Yan Lu, Huang He suddenly realized she’d misread the conditions. The discount was only for seniors aged 55 and over. The original price was too steep, and the location too far, so she decided it wasn’t worth the trouble.

Amid Jian Xin’s dramatic groans, Huang He calmly promised, “Next time, for sure.”

“It’s just a hot spring. It’s not a big deal…” Jian Xin muttered, propping her cheek with one hand as she sat before her computer, a look of disappointment on her face.

The Taobao page selling swimsuits remained open on the screen, the eagerly anticipated hot spring trip having already gone down the drain.

Yan Lu, sitting beside her, whispered, “It’s actually perfect. Now we don’t have to buy swimsuits. They’re so expensive anyway, and I haven’t earned much lately…”

“Oh, don’t worry!” Jian Xin replied, lowering her voice slightly. “The Taobao account is linked to my dad’s credit card. It’s not our money.”

Yan Lu opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated and remained silent.

Jian Xin sighed softly, closed the Taobao page, took a deep breath, and huffed dismissively, “So what if it’s just a hot spring? Soaking in hot water is the same thing! We have a bathtub at home, right?!”

“Huh?”

“Exactly the same! Exactly the same! The bathtub even has massage jets!” Jian Xin declared, then cheerfully dashed off to clean the bathtub.

She really just acts on a whim, Yan Lu thought.

Jian Xin’s bathtub was large, fan-shaped, and equipped with dual massage jets, fitting perfectly in the bathroom connected to her bedroom.

Technically, both of them could have soaked together, but Yan Lu seemed a little shy, so Jian Xin generously offered her the space.

In the end, Yan Lu hadn’t really wanted to soak in the hot spring. She had only hoped Yan Lu could experience it, thinking she might never have tried it before.

Now, the bathtub was full.

“All done!” Jian Xin said, straightening up and pointing to the buttons on the tub. “You can adjust the massage modes here—bubbles, jets, vibration. Try them all!”

Yan Lu blinked and looked up at Jian Xin.

“I’ve set the temperature to stay constant,” Jian Xin added. “You can soak as long as you like!”

“Okay!” Yan Lu replied.

“Then I’ll leave you to it?” Jian Xin asked.

“Mm-hmm!” Yan Lu nodded.

Jian Xin bounced out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

The hair towel and bath towel were a matching set, pale blue and neatly folded into perfect squares on the high shelf beside the tub.

Yan Lu slipped out of her nightgown and carefully lowered herself into the warm water, hugging her knees to her chest with a dazed expression.

None of this felt real.

Jian Xin’s world was filled with things Yan Lu had never owned, or even seen before: delicious snacks, refreshing drinks, beautiful stationery, and a large, spotless home that seemed capable of holding every kind of happiness.

Yan Lu couldn’t fathom how Jian Xin had managed to convince her uncle and aunt to take her in.

It was like… taking in a stray kitten.

Perhaps driven by kindness, but surely also after careful consideration. It couldn’t have been an easy decision.

Yet Uncle and Auntie said nothing.

They didn’t ask about her family background, nor why she had come home with Jian Xin. They simply told her that if she liked it here, she was welcome to come anytime and stay as long as she wanted.

And so, she stayed.

She no longer had to be alone in her empty dorm room, nor endure cold-water showers in the chilly dorm to save a few yuan.

Every weekend, Jian Xin brought her home.

The house had air conditioning, delicious meals, and meticulously cut fruit.

There were even pajamas, slippers, and clean toiletries specially prepared just for her.

Auntie had planted many flowers in the house, flowers whose names Yan Lu didn’t know.

When Uncle was home, he would either help with chores, watch TV, or use the computer.

He spoke little, didn’t smoke or drink, and the house never smelled of tobacco or alcohol, only the faint fragrance of flowers.

Yan Lu loved this atmosphere. It felt like escaping a cage, finally able to breathe freely.

Yet, deep down, Yan Lu couldn’t shake off her anxiety.

She feared making mistakes, saying the wrong thing, and being rejected or driven away.

Even more, she dreaded the thought of her prolonged absence angering the drunkard at home.

On the day of her final exams, Yan Lu hesitated for a long time before finally using Jian Xin’s phone to send a text message to her father.

In the message, she explained that she wanted to save the family some money by staying with a friend during the summer vacation and working part-time to earn her tuition and living expenses for the next semester.

The text message went unanswered, which didn’t surprise Yan Lu in the slightest. She took it as tacit approval.

Jian Xin’s home was wonderful, and her family was exceptionally kind, but Yan Lu still needed money to continue her education. She couldn’t bring herself to ask someone else’s parents for it.

So, just a few days into summer vacation, Yan Lu eagerly set out to find a job.

At first, Jian Xin accompanied her on her job hunts.

But they had no luck. Jian Xin, driven mad by the heat, fanned herself so vigorously that her small fan blurred into a phantom image.

They walked and rested, frequently ducking into roadside shops for air conditioning, ice cream, and overpriced cold drinks.

After three days, they hadn’t earned a single penny, but they had spent quite a bit.

Yan Lu couldn’t bear to continue this downward spiral. She tactfully suggested that Jian Xin stay home and enjoy herself.

Jian Xin pouted, sensing Yan Lu’s awkwardness, but silently nodded in agreement.

On the fourth day, Yan Lu left home alone early in the morning.

Her luck wasn’t bad. Clutching just two yuan for bus fare, she braved the scorching summer sun and found a milk tea shop about three kilometers from Jian Xin’s house that offered temporary work.

The hourly wage was eight yuan, with one meal provided and daily pay.

The manager, seeing her young age, didn’t assign her any complicated shifts, just the standard 8 AM to 4 PM schedule.

Yan Lu cherished this opportunity. She arrived early every day and even stayed a bit longer after her shift to help the replacement worker before leaving.

On the day she received her first paycheck, Yan Lu happily brought home two ice cream cones from the shop.

Since it wasn’t rush hour, the bus wasn’t crowded.

She carefully carried the ice cream cones all the way to Jian Xin.

Unfortunately, the heat had taken its toll. By the time Jian Xin reached out to take the cone, it had already melted considerably.

The refrigerator at home was always stocked with more ice cream than they could ever finish—some costing fifty cents a stick, others several yuan, with every flavor imaginable.

The ones Jian Xin had bought by the roadside during their job hunt a few days earlier were even more expensive.

Yan Lu suspected Jian Xin wouldn’t particularly like the ice cream she’d brought back from the shop, but she couldn’t resist bringing it for Jian Xin to try.

Jian Xin’s reaction when she received the ice cream was even more delighted than Yan Lu had imagined.

Even though the ice cream cost only two yuan and was already melting, Jian Xin showed no sign of disdain.

“Why would someone buy me ice cream with their first paycheck?” Jian Xin exclaimed happily, her eyes curving into crescent moons with laughter. “Yan Xiaolu, you’re too good to me!”

She declared it the best ice cream she’d ever tasted—so cheap yet so fragrant and sweet. It seemed it was time to start patronizing Yan Lu’s shop more often!

Yan Lu chuckled. “It’s three kilometers away. If you want some, I can just bring it back for you!”

“That’s not the same!” Jian Xin grinned. “I want to stand in front of you, watch you make it with your own hands, and then hand it to me personally!”

“I can’t talk now, I’m all sweaty. I need to take a shower!” Yan Lu said with a smile, turning around to grab her nightgown and head into the bathroom.

That afternoon, every time someone came home, Jian Xin would bounce to the door to greet them, excitedly announcing, “Yan Xiaolu treated me to ice cream with her salary today!”

Yan Lu stood at the bedroom doorway, watching Jian Xin’s smug expression, the corners of her eyes curving into a faint smile.

In this world, there was only one person who would tirelessly tell others about her insignificant acts of kindness, making it seem… as if she were truly a good person.

After dinner, Jian Xin lay on her stomach, kicking her legs in the air as she read the passage Yan Lu had written at her desk the night before.

She rolled over, propped her head on her hands, and asked curiously, “Did Li Xia finally lead Lin Xiaoshuang out of the eternally dark winter night?”

Yan Lu blinked, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Guess.”

Jian Xin: “Then they must have made it out!”

Yan Lu didn’t reply.

Did Li Xia finally lead Lin Xiaoshuang out of the eternally dark winter night?

Truthfully, she didn’t know.

But she thought, perhaps soon…

Lin Xiaoshuang was about to emerge from that lightless, icy wasteland.

Because she had firmly grasped her summer.

Winter was truly biting cold.

Jian Xin shivered as soon as she stepped outside.

Today was Wang Xiaofeng’s wedding banquet, and he had invited many old classmates, including their homeroom teacher.

She hadn’t wanted to go at all, as she wasn’t particularly close to anyone. But when her former roommates from Room 509 all decided to attend, saying they missed Lao Li and hadn’t seen their classmates in ages, she figured it would be good to catch up.

They even started chatting in their dormant dorm group chat—planning to find a cozy place for tea and conversation after the wedding, followed by a karaoke session later that night.

When the karaoke idea came up, everyone unanimously tagged Jian Xin.

Li Zhu: It’s been ages since we heard Jian Xin sing!

Yang Tian: Please, Jian Xiaoxin, give us a professional-grade auditory spectacle!

Shuangyi: Since you’re back for such a short time, why don’t we just book a karaoke room for the whole night?

Zhao Zhao Zhao Yiran: I’m in!

That evening, Jian Xin stared at the group chat for a long time, lost in thought. The more she considered it, the more she felt it would be impolite to refuse after her old friends had gone to such lengths to invite her.

So, reluctantly, she grudgingly gave Wang Xiaofeng a 200 yuan wedding gift.

At the banquet, the 509 crew sat at the same table, alongside a few unfamiliar faces that somehow seemed vaguely familiar.

Jian Xin didn’t recognize anyone, so she could only offer awkward but polite smiles whenever someone greeted her.

“Jian Xin, what happened to your leg?”

“Oh, this? I got hit by a car last summer.”

“Oh my! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was only hospitalized for half a month. It’s almost fully healed now…”

“Hey, I remember Yan Lu and you were really close. Is she coming today?”

“Uh… she’s not in Nanjiang.”

“She’s so famous now!”

“Yeah…”

“It would be great if she could make it. Our class produced a major author—we should bask in her glory!”

“Ahaha…”

Liang Shuangyi couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Wang Xiaofeng used to bully Yan Lu back in the day. Why would she come to his wedding? To crash the party and humiliate him?”

An unfamiliar classmate chimed in, “Don’t you think that’s a bit much? It’s been over a decade.”

Li Zhu countered, “Still, you have to admit, it has that satisfying ‘revenge fantasy’ vibe.”

Yang Tian nodded with a smile. “Exactly!”

Jian Xin couldn’t help but smile as she sent Yan Lu a message.

Picked Up a Heart: Wang Xiaofeng’s wedding is today. I came to check it out.

Yan Lu Er Qi: He actually managed to find a wife?

Picked Up a Heart: Right? I was surprised too!

Picked Up a Heart: I haven’t seen the bride yet, but Wang Xiaofeng has really changed. He’s wearing glasses now and actually looks like a decent person—not as punchable as he was in high school.

Picked Up a Heart: I heard he’s teaching junior high at Third High School now, something about computer science.

Yan Lu Er Qi: That’s good.

Picked Up a Heart: “That’s good”? I thought you’d still hold a grudge.

Yan Lu Er Qi: If you hadn’t mentioned him, I would have forgotten about him entirely.

Jian Xin paused, pursing her lips.

Picked Up a Heart: True, not everyone deserves to be remembered.

Picked Up a Heart: But seriously, isn’t life strange? Back then, I thought he’d end up as some second-rate street thug.

Yan Lu Er Qi: People change.

Picked Up a Heart: You’re right.

Jian Xin thought for a moment, then continued typing.

Picked Up a Heart: You’re really famous now! So many people have been asking about you.

Picked Up a Heart: Don’t worry, I just told them you’re not in Nanjiang.

Picked Up a Heart: After the banquet, Yang Tian and the others are planning to go for tea, then karaoke later.

Picked Up a Heart: It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other—everyone’s changed so much.

She told Yan Lu about many things.

For example, Yang Tian, Li Zhu, and Zhao Yiran were all living in Nanjiang now.

Li Zhu was an elementary school teacher, Zhao Yiran taught at the junior high level, and there was another girl at the table—someone Jian Xin recognized but couldn’t remember the name of—who was also a teacher.

The three of them huddled together, their conversation dominated by complaints about the school’s frustrating issues.

Yang Tian, meanwhile, had started an online original clothing store. Her designs were quite good, and the shop had gained a modest reputation. Jian Xin had bought several outfits from Yang Tian’s store before, impressed by the quality of the materials and craftsmanship.

As for Liang Shuangyi, she was now working in the Imperial Capital, where the pace of life was said to be terrifyingly fast. Rumor had it she was struggling to keep up and had been contemplating returning to Nanjiang for the past two years to find a low-stress job and “rot” there. After all, despite Nanjiang’s small size and relative poverty, the slower pace of life at least allowed one to breathe.

Jian Xin chattered on, while Yan Lu occasionally interjected with a brief response to show she was still listening.

Before long, the bride appeared, beaming radiantly, flanked by two beautiful bridesmaids.

Someone stepped up to the microphone and began reciting a lengthy, auspicious speech, occasionally interjecting with questions or playful jabs at the bride and groom.

Jian Xin glanced up a few times, and when she saw everyone around her clapping, she joined in.

Yan Lu had said that people change, and Jian Xin thought she was right.

Everyone was changing, and she was no exception.

In the past, she had thrived in bustling crowds, mingling effortlessly with the diverse personalities around her as naturally as breathing.

But now, she found herself struggling to adapt to such lively gatherings.

Clutching her phone, she fell into an inexplicable silence. It wasn’t until the banquet ended, and she carefully descended the stairs with her roommate’s help, leaning on her cane, that a gust of bone-chilling wind finally brought her a sense of relief.

Yang Tian hailed a cab and led her long-separated classmates to a quaint, antique-style teahouse.

They had barely settled in when someone brought up Yan Lu, their voices tinged with nostalgia and a hint of self-deprecating humor.

“Speaking of which, it’s been ages since we last saw Yan Lu… If I hadn’t spotted her photo on Lin Xiyu’s profile last year, I’d have thought she’d vanished off the face of the earth.”

“Now that she’s so famous, can we even afford to associate with her anymore?”

“I even bought one of her novels back then, completely unaware it was her! I wonder if I’ll ever get a chance to ask for a signed copy.”

“Jian Xin and Yan Lu used to be so close back then. They must still be in touch, right? We should get them together for a chat sometime! After all, they were roommates for three years!”

Jian Xin listened with a faint smile, replying casually, “Maybe when she’s less busy…”

No one ever knew we were together back then, she thought. And now, no one knows we’ve been apart for so long.

If Yan Lu and I can mend our rift, then we’ll all have a chance to see each other again.

With these thoughts, Jian Xin picked up her warm tea and casually asked, “How about we go to that skewers place near campus sometime?”

Liang Shuangyi looked surprised. “Is it still open?”

Jian Xin: “It should be. It was still open last year.”

Yang Tian nodded. “It is! Li Zhu and I went there recently.”

Liang Shuangyi: “Has the taste changed?”

Li Zhu shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. “The decor’s been updated. It’s not as much of a dive anymore.”

Zhao Yiran: “That’s great! Maybe we shouldn’t wait for Yan Lu. Let’s find a time to go ourselves first?”

“Why wait?” Liang Shuangyi suggested. “Let’s just have this for dinner tonight!”

“Great idea!” Yang Tian exclaimed.

And just like that, the group settled on their dinner plans, tossing ideas back and forth until they reached a consensus.

Afterward, they gathered around the tea table, chatting about everything and nothing.

When the conversation lulled, they’d stare blankly at the steam rising from the teapot, waiting for someone to bring up the next topic.

Someone complained about their greasy and inexplicably confident blind date, another recounted a bizarre and unlucky travel experience, and yet another shared a wild piece of gossip they’d heard from a friend of a friend of a friend.

Jian Xin listened for a long time before finally chiming in to vent about her grueling work life over the past few years, as well as her car accident and rehabilitation.

However, she omitted the part about reuniting with Yan Lu.

The others listened intently, first feeling indignant on her behalf, then giving her a thumbs-up for quitting her job. When she mentioned the drunk driving accident, they gasped in unison, quickly expressing relief that her injuries hadn’t been more severe.

As they talked, the day quietly faded into dusk.

When the first stomach rumbled, they laughed and hailed a taxi to a skewer restaurant near their school, rushing into the familiar place from their memories.

After eating their fill, they moved on to a nearby karaoke bar.

Around 8 PM, Jian Xin and Yan Lu texted, “We’re at the karaoke bar.”

Yan Lu quickly replied, “Your leg isn’t fully healed yet. Don’t drink.”

Jian Xin nodded at her phone, smiling as she replied, “I know!”

She then turned off her phone and, urged on by Yang Tian’s heavily reverberating voice, shuffled over to the song selection screen to find something to sing.

That night, they sang for hours at the karaoke bar, each of them acting wildly and crazily.

Perhaps because they had finally managed to briefly escape their monotonous routines, not letting loose would have felt like a betrayal of themselves.

As the lively gathering ended, everyone huddled against the wind, necks hunched, for one last round of idle chatter before parting ways.

Jian Xin’s taxi arrived first. As she got in, everyone waved goodbye.

“Text the group when you get home!”

“Okay!”

“Come out again sometime!”

“Sure thing!”

The car window rolled up, and the driver pulled away, heading in the direction of Jian Xin’s home.

After a night of wild partying, exhaustion washed over her the moment she settled into the seat. Yet she dared not fall asleep.

Taking a taxi alone late at night was inherently risky. Even with the ride-hailing app’s audio recording, she feared that if she drifted off, her soul might suddenly return to Jin City, preventing her from getting out at her destination.

So she slapped her cheeks, gazed out the window, and tried to stay awake by reading the names of shops along the way.

Streetlights flashed past in rapid succession, receding into the darkness.

She strained to keep her eyes open, but her consciousness grew increasingly hazy.

The car suddenly braked, startling Jian Xin awake. She jerked upright, only to realize it was just a red light.

After a brief hesitation, she lowered her head and opened Yan Lu’s private chat.

Picked Up a Heart: I’m on my way home, but taking a taxi alone is a bit scary.

Picked Up a Heart: If you’re still awake, could we do a voice call for a while?

Jian Xin knew Yan Lu was always awake at this hour.

Among writers like them, nine out of ten had nocturnal habits. For them, 1 AM was just the beginning of the night.

But after sending the message, she received no response for a long time.

Jian Xin bit her lip and silently burrowed deeper into her scarf.

Ah, this winter is so cold… just as cold as some people’s attitude toward me.

If only I’d worn more layers when I went out during the day.

Just as she was about to sigh and look for someone to voice call in the roommate group or band group, her phone suddenly rang with the default voice call ringtone.

She stared at Yan Lu’s profile picture on the voice call screen, a warmth spreading through her heart.

Maybe winter isn’t so cold after all!