Unbearable - Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Yu Wei: “That’s all?”
“Don’t worry.” Yu Jingcheng sat at the dining table and called to her. “Your mom’s been emotionally unstable these past two days. It’s better to let them have some time alone.”
Yu Wei snapped back to her senses, walked over to the table with steady, practiced steps, and sat down.
Yu Jingcheng asked, “How’s your injury?”
Yu Wei paused, holding her chopsticks. “Not serious. Just a bit of scraped skin.”
“Mhm.” Yu Jingcheng glanced at her casually. “Wear your glasses properly, and there’s no need to hide everything from your mom.”
The words she had intended to confess stopped on her lips. For some reason, the image of Yu Wei leaning under the tree in the courtyard folding paper in the afternoon surfaced in her mind.
She lowered her head and murmured, “Mm,” silently agreeing.
Yu Jingcheng looked at this composed, well-mannered child with furrowed brows.
He suddenly stared at her, frowning. “You and Yu Wei…”
He stopped mid-sentence.
“I know,” Yu Wei said. “She’s your and Mom’s biological daughter.”
She stated it plainly, without a ripple of emotion.
Yu Jingcheng looked at her in surprise. Her excessively pale face was as calm and gentle as always, so much so that it calmed others just by looking.
She didn’t hide, nor did she ask for confirmation.
So Yu Jingcheng didn’t bother asking her how she found out—that kind of empty question was pointless.
After a few minutes of silence, Yu Jingcheng finally said, “You’re our child, too. Your mom and I haven’t paid enough attention to you before, only because of work. Don’t overthink it.”
Yu Wei curved her lips into a small smile, her dimples showing as she shook her head. “Of course not.”
Her expression didn’t look fake.
She was happy—moderately so, just right.
“How is she doing at school?”
Yu Wei looked down slightly. “We move quickly. She’s only been here two days, so she may not be caught up yet. But she’s very serious and works hard. It shouldn’t be difficult for her to catch up.”
Yu Jingcheng nodded, then looked at her. “Help tutor her. I heard your school has a class placement test? She can’t fall out of Class A.”
It was the first time he’d expressed concern over grades, and Yu Wei was momentarily stunned.
“Is that a problem?”
Yu Wei snapped back and shook her head. “No problem.”
Silence fell again.
Then Yu Wei suddenly asked, “Do you need us to change names back?”
She didn’t look at Yu Jingcheng. Her eyes stung so badly she couldn’t lift her head. She shifted her gaze to the side, trying to maintain composure.
The question caught Yu Jingcheng off guard. He paused for a few seconds before replying, “That’s not necessary.”
Not long after, Ding Qing came downstairs. Her eyes were red and damp, and she was clearly caught between agitation and restraint.
She stormed toward Yu Jingcheng.
Seeing the two had something to talk about, Yu Wei got up, excused herself, left the dining room, and went upstairs. Only once her vision was completely cut off did she lean against the wall and breathe out, dragging her injured leg up the stairs in a limp, sorry state.
The air was thick with the smell of medicine.
At her door, she saw Yu Wei waiting for her across the hall.
The door behind Yu Wei was open. The light from her room cast over her, and the medicinal scent wafted from inside.
Leaning against the wall, Yu Wei apologized, “Sorry.”
Her voice trembled slightly.
“You got hurt because of me. What are you apologizing for?” Yu Wei frowned and said in a low, awkward voice. “It was my fault earlier. I wasn’t in the right state of mind.”
Yu Wei rested her shoulder against the doorframe, slightly slouched like someone casually unwinding from fatigue.
But her breathing was labored. If you looked closely, her injured leg beneath her pants was trembling.
“It’s fine…” she started but had no more words. She took off her glasses. “Mom’s been a little sensitive lately, so I didn’t want her to know about today. But I didn’t expect she’d smell the medicine and think it was you…”
“She’s just sensitive?” Yu Wei asked.
Yu Wei was momentarily stunned. She looked up at her, her eyes reflecting the light.
Yu Wei asked again, “So you insisted on going back to school this afternoon because of that too?”
Yu Wei pressed her lips together and looked away.
She had messaged Li Yu in the afternoon to ask who would be picking her up, and Li Yu said there were no arrangements.
So originally, Ding Qing was supposed to pick her up. If she had arrived first and seen Yu Wei returning alone without Yu Wei, she would’ve needed an excuse.
“I just didn’t want to cause trouble,” Yu Wei said softly. “Don’t be scared. She cares about you. She won’t hurt you.”
Yu Wei frowned tightly at her pale, exhausted face, lips pressed into a line, withholding any judgment.
“Medicine.”
She reached out.
Only then did Yu Wei notice she was holding a small bag.
“I still have some in my room. Leave these with you for now.” Yu Wei paused briefly, eyes apologetic. Her voice was soft and delicate. “She’ll probably come find you again tomorrow. Thank you for covering for me.”
She gave a slight nod. The long, pale lashes on her eyes were damp—whether from sweat or tears—and shimmered faintly under the warm light.
Yu Wei pressed her lips together, clenching her jaw.
Yu Wei turned to open her bedroom door, but hearing the plastic rustle behind her, she turned back and gently asked, “What’s wrong?”
Yu Wei’s gaze dropped to her wrist, which had faint red bruises under her sleeve.
“Think more about yourself.”
Yu Wei was stunned, then smiled at her with curved eyes. “Mm, thank you.”
Yu Wei shut her door and leaned against it.
Thank you? It should be her saying thanks.
She looked down at the medicine in her hand and tossed it on the desk in frustration.
Yu Wei took off her jacket, sat on the bed, and pulled out the medicine bottle from her drawer to examine her injuries.
Lifting her pant leg above the knee, the swelling and bruises were worse than earlier.
The originally scabbed-over wounds had reopened from rubbing against her pants. Bl00d oozed slowly and thickly from the clustered cuts and purple bruises.
The cotton swab shook in her hand as she dabbed.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket.
She sprayed on the antiseptic. The sting made her bite down hard, and a muffled groan escaped as she leaned against the headboard to catch her breath.
She pulled out her phone.
Cheng Miao: Little Yu came to get your backpack this afternoon!
Cheng Miao: And your homework!!
Cheng Miao: I heard she got in the car with you!!!
Cheng Miao: [Image]
Cheng Miao: Are you there are you there are you there are you there
Cheng Miao: [Image]
Cheng Miao: Someone caught her fighting, what the hell??
Cheng Miao: She’s trending online now, WTF
Cheng Miao: Babe, were you two together this afternoon? What the hell is going on? I’m losing it!
Just as Yu Wei was about to reply, a voice call request popped up.
“You finally picked up, baby, I’m dying here.” Cheng Miao was wailing. “Did you see the photo? It was taken so close, and it only shows Yu hitting someone. Her dad’s people probably released it then dipped. No context, no backstory. That trending post has no likes, comments, or retweets—clearly bought!”
She ranted for a while, then asked seriously, “So Little Yu went to get your homework this afternoon—were you with her?”
Yu Wei glanced at her door and explained how they were blocked by thugs.
“Sh1t!” Cheng Miao cursed. “We’ll find those bastards and break their fingers! Are you okay? Seriously?”
“I’m okay.” Yu Wei comforted her, then said, “Don’t tell anyone else about this yet.”
After hanging up, Yu Wei sighed, downloaded the app, and checked the trending topic. There weren’t many comments—just a few accounts stirring things up. Yu Wei’s fans and general viewers hadn’t caught on yet.
She hesitated a bit, gripping her phone and walking to the door, only to turn back.
Yu Wei’s trending topic—she must’ve seen it herself by now.
Or maybe not. Yu Wei didn’t seem like the type to care about that stuff.
If she hadn’t noticed, would it affect her? She was an athlete, after all…
Yu Wei opened the door and stood in front of Yu Wei’s room, lips pursed, already regretting it.
Their relationship wasn’t close enough for her to bring this up…
“Taking a walk out here?”
The voice came from behind—cool and indifferent.
Yu Wei froze and turned to look.
Yu Wei’s door was wide open. She hadn’t come out, still standing inside, her gaze landing on Yu Wei’s injured calf.
“Come in.”
Yu Wei clenched her hand, about to refuse, but Yu Wei had already turned back inside. The door was still open, revealing a room bathed in soft pink.
After a moment of hesitation, Yu Wei stepped in.
The AC was set very low; the chill hit hard. Yu Wei hesitated by the desk, unsure how to start.
She didn’t even walk into the room properly, standing stiffly beside the desk and shivering.
Was it really that cold?
Yu Wei glanced over, picked up the remote, and pressed a button.
The air vents closed with a soft click.
“Someone took photos of us being harassed by those thugs this afternoon,” Yu Wei said, frowning. “But they only caught the moment you hit someone—and they bought a trending spot for it.”
She looked up at Yu Wei—only to see her calmly spinning a pen at her desk.
The pen spun from thumb to ring finger before being caught. She looked up, unfazed.
Yu Wei opened her mouth, then closed it.
Yu Wei: “That’s all?”
Yu Wei wanted to flee. “…Aren’t you going to explain?”
She looked down slightly—and saw the open book in front of Yu Wei. Flight of the Diligent Beginner, Chapter One.
Some of the questions were already answered.
Yu Wei’s hand slid up and casually covered the page, her slender fingers partly revealing elegant cursive.
“No need to explain. I hit someone.” She closed the book. “Any problems?”
Yu Wei: “…”
When she left Yu Wei’s room, she was still in a daze. Did Yu Wei just admit she hit someone? So the photo was real?
…Was it?
She had been there the whole time, yet suddenly wasn’t sure…
Back in her room, she checked her phone, still flooded with Cheng Miao’s messages. She didn’t even know where to start.
…: Do you still have the notes I sent you?
Cheng Miao: Of course!
Cheng Miao: Treasures of human civilization. I read them three times a day!
Nonsense.
…: Want to send them to Yu Wei?
Cheng Miao: ???
Cheng Miao: ??? I mean, I’d love to, but how?
Cheng Miao: We’re just ordinary one-sided cyber mother-daughter acquaintances
Cheng Miao: She doesn’t even have public social accounts, sob
Cheng Miao: You two rode in the same car! Just send them yourself!
Cheng Miao: Am I part of some weird roleplay between you two??
…: …Don’t be ridiculous.
Yu Wei didn’t save a digital version. She didn’t need the basics herself.
Shaking off her thoughts, she pulled out a notebook to copy them down.
Then came a knock at the door—urgent but restrained.
“Little Wei, Mommy brought you some water and fruit.”
Ding Qing’s voice was gentle.
A minute or two later, a door opened.
Yu Wei’s voice came through the wall and door—cold and emotionless. “Thank you.”
The door closed again quickly. Ding Qing didn’t seem to go in. She stood outside a while before walking away.
Yu Wei curled up in her chair, dazed.
Ding Qing came back several more times. Each time, Yu Wei opened the door to receive the items, then shut it again.
The last time, she sounded irritated, her voice low and strained. “Didn’t you and Yu Jingcheng want me to study well and retire early to work for the Yu family? How am I supposed to study with you coming back and forth like this?”
The door slammed.
Yu Wei heard Ding Qing’s choked sobs.
Night returned to stillness. After a long time, Yu Wei heard the door open again. She checked the time—it was already 11:30 PM.
She jumped up and opened her bedroom door.
Yu Wei was wearing the same tracksuit as last night, backpack slung over her shoulder. She looked back at the sound.
The hallway sensor lights turned on.
Yu Wei instinctively hid the notebook behind her back.
“Wait—I’ll just…”
“No need.” Yu Wei cut her off.
Yu Wei paused, then nodded. “Okay.”
Yu Wei didn’t move.
After a few seconds, she turned and walked downstairs.
Downstairs, Ding Qing asked anxiously, Yu Jingcheng tried to calm her, and in the end, they decided to take Yu Wei to the rink together.
In less than two minutes, the car left the courtyard.