Unbearable - Chapter 34

Chapter 34: “Jiejie.”

 

The night was thick, and the wind swept a few fallen leaves across the ground, dragging out a long, low rustling sound.

 

The light inside the house was framed sharply by the door and windows, casting square-edged shadows on the ground between them.

 

“Why… why are you back so early?”

 

Yu Wei’s voice was taut—whether from nervousness or the cold, it trembled slightly.

 

“I went early today.” Yu Wei turned to lock the door. It was only when she reached the center of the courtyard that she noticed Yu Wei still holding her pajamas in her arms. Her ears were faintly red, hidden in the darkness. She pressed her lips together, then parted them. “Did you just wake up?”

 

She had assumed Yu Wei had already taken her shower and changed after seeing the message.

 

Yu Wei nodded, “Why don’t you go first…”

 

“You go ahead and shower. I’ll go back and change.” Yu Wei cut her off, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked into the room, the door curtain jingling noisily behind her.

 

Yu Wei bit her lip, turned around, and entered the bathroom hugging her clothes.

 

The bathroom was small. A few bottles sat on a red plastic stool in the corner. Yu Wei picked them up and glanced at them—everything was there, and nearly full.

 

As if barely used.

 

The faucet was turned at an angle. Following Yu Wei’s instructions on the note, Yu Wei opened it and stepped back. Water gushed from the showerhead, splashing coldly against her shin.

 

After a few minutes, the water reached a comfortable temperature.

 

Yu Wei stood under the water with her head tilted back. Droplets streamed down from her forehead, forming a veil over her face. The warmth enveloped her mouth and nose like a mask.

 

Cough—

 

Someone coughed lightly in the courtyard. Footsteps approached, then stopped.

 

Yu Wei opened her mouth to breathe, gasping silently as she stared toward the courtyard wall, wide-eyed.

 

The water soaked her hair until it clung to her shoulders like silk.

 

“…Yu Wei?” she called softly.

 

As soon as the words left her lips, she heard Yu Wei’s cool, awkward voice from outside the courtyard wall, tinged with urgency: “What’s wrong?”

 

Yu Wei exhaled in relief, but before she could speak again, Yu Wei’s voice grew closer. Normally terse and cold, now it was oddly soft and awkward: “Don’t be scared. I’m right outside.”

 

Her voice, muffled by the thin wall, blended with the wind outside and the water inside. It was hushed—like the whisper of night.

 

Yu Wei gave a quiet “Mm.”

 

She hadn’t been scared. But knowing Yu Wei was waiting outside made her feel strangely flustered. She wasn’t sure if it was the fact that Yu Wei worried she’d be afraid, or just the awkwardness of showering while someone waited outside.

 

She couldn’t say. But back at the old villa, the bathroom had only been separated from Yu Wei’s room by a wall too.

 

Now, it was the courtyard—trees, flowers, and a small table under the tree. With Yu Wei.

 

Yu Wei quickly washed up and changed into the pajamas Yu Wei had prepared—an oversized white T-shirt and shorts. The cotton fabric was soft and comfortable, better than the ones she had bought online.

 

There was a faint lemon scent—fresh and pleasant.

 

“I’m done.” Yu Wei came out holding her wet dress, looking around the dark courtyard.

 

No one?

 

Yu Wei stood up from under a tree.

 

She watched Yu Wei, who stood shyly at the bathroom door holding her dress. Her damp hair was faintly illuminated by the warm light from the bathroom behind her—like a melting snowman.

 

The loose-fitting clothes made her look even smaller. A blush tinged her eyes, and her gaze was unfocused and dazed.

 

Yu Wei took another step forward.

 

“The hairdryer is in the bathroom,” she said. “You can take it into the room.”

 

Yu Wei had seen the hairdryer. She blinked, her blurry vision landing on the figure walking from the dark into the light. She bit her lip and turned back to fetch the hairdryer from the wall.

 

As she headed for the room, Yu Wei passed her, holding her own clothes, the two brushing past each other.

 

Yu Wei walked up the steps and glanced back at Yu Wei standing at the bathroom door.

 

Her heart clenched.

 

So tightly.

 

Yu Wei lowered her head and rushed into the room. The bead curtain clattered noisily, like falling rain.

 

The door next door cracked open. The old lady stepped out, wrapped in a coat and holding a flashlight, sweeping its beam around the courtyard until it landed on Yu Wei, who stood there in a daze.

 

“What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” she asked.

 

“Taking a shower.” Yu Wei raised a hand to block the light. Once it moved away, she asked, “Did I wake you?”

 

“Old people sleep light. I was worried it might rain and wondered if anything was still left out in the yard,” the old woman muttered. “Didn’t Xiao Wei just shower?”

 

Yu Wei hummed.

 

“Why didn’t you two shower together? You’re both girls—it’d save the waiting.”

 

Yu Wei stood at the door. The thick humidity of the bathroom rushed out, drenching her.

 

“…No way.” Yu Wei, rarely at a loss for words, mumbled.

 

“You kids and your fussiness,” the old woman waved her hand, turned back inside, and shut the door.

 

Yu Wei also turned and entered the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

 

The familiar scent of body wash filled the air. But today, for some reason, it was mixed with something else—something much nicer.

 

Yu Wei inhaled deeply, and her expression immediately darkened.

 

Pervert—

 

The window was slightly ajar. A cold wind rushed in and swept away the warm, fragrant air.

 

Yu Wei took a quick shower in the chill.

 

She stood in the courtyard for a while before heading back into the room.

 

Yu Wei had already dried her hair and was sitting against the bed, reading the same book as before. Her hair draped gently over her shoulders, soft as a painting.

 

Yu Wei couldn’t help but soften her movements, but Yu Wei still looked up the moment she entered. Their eyes met. She pressed her lips together lightly.

 

“Not sleeping yet?”

 

Yu Wei asked.

 

“I am,” Yu Wei replied, though still holding the book. Her gaze dropped to Yu Wei’s dripping hair. “The hairdryer’s over there.”

 

She sat up and pointed to the desk.

 

The extension cord that had been under the desk was now on top. Yu Wei had moved it. When Yu Wei first came in, she saw it right away and remembered the time she tried to turn on the fan and hadn’t plugged it in.

 

Yu Wei made a soft sound and walked over to get the hairdryer.

 

Yu Wei set the book aside and pulled out her phone, pretending to scroll aimlessly.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she waited until Yu Wei’s hair looked dry before lying down, still holding her phone.

 

“Stop playing,” Yu Wei said, turning off the hairdryer. “Go to sleep.”

 

Yu Wei looked up at her fluffy, dry hair—so dark and shiny—and lowered her eyes with a soft “Okay.”

 

She wasn’t new to sleeping in this bed. She should be used to it by now.

 

Yu Wei lay on her side, facing the wall, sneaking glances at Yu Wei.

 

She was wearing the same set of pajamas—the only difference was the tiny embroidery on the collar. Hers was a daisy, while Yu Wei’s had a little bee.

 

She made a mental note to look it up tomorrow and buy a set too. They were really comfortable.

 

Yu Wei watched the way the wind stirred Yu Wei’s loose shirt, the fabric billowing lightly at her waist.

 

Yu Wei sat on the edge of the bed, then lay down.

 

Yu Wei immediately closed her eyes.

 

But she couldn’t sleep—maybe because of the nap earlier. Lying with her eyes closed made every sound seem louder.

 

Yu Wei reached up. Click. Darkness.

 

Yu Wei’s eyelids fluttered but didn’t open. She whispered, “Move in a little.”

 

“I already am.”

 

Yu Wei whispered back.

 

It felt like turning off the lights had some kind of magic. Both of them kept their voices down.

 

But she hadn’t moved at all.

 

Yu Wei pressed her lips together. Yu Wei had slept against the edge at noon too—but this was night. They’d be sleeping for hours. What if she fell off?

 

“Come closer to me.”

 

Too embarrassed to say she was afraid of falling, Yu Wei scooted closer to the wall herself.

 

After a while, Yu Wei softly responded and shifted inward. In the pitch black, her face flushed hot.

 

Her heart pounded in her chest.

 

Now’s not the time for romance. Yu Wei repeated it over and over in her head. With her connection to the Yu family… with Yu Wei still being their daughter… they were practically half-sisters.

 

Yu Wei was innocent. She didn’t understand anything. She couldn’t—she shouldn’t.

 

Just wait. At least until she leaves the Yu family.

 

“Jiejie.”

 

Yu Wei’s voice was low, her cool fingers lightly tugging at Yu Wei’s sleeve.

 

“…What is it?” All of Yu Wei’s inner warnings shattered into pieces. She turned her face toward her.

 

They were too close.

 

So close that even in the darkness, she could see Yu Wei’s tightly shut eyes, her slightly bitten lips.

 

Yu Wei had already let go of her sleeve.

 

Yu Wei glanced down and scooted a bit toward the middle, lying properly.

 

Their arms brushed—cool, then quickly pulled away.

 

“That dress… it wasn’t too tight because of you. I insisted on wearing it. It wasn’t your fault.”

 

Yu Wei hesitated, then said, “You didn’t pull too hard.”

 

Yu Wei froze and turned to look at her again.

 

Yu Wei still hadn’t opened her eyes, just spoke softly—like she was talking to herself, but for Yu Wei to hear.

 

She couldn’t see Yu Wei’s face clearly in the dark.

 

“It’s okay,” Yu Wei said. “I’ll buy you a new one next time.”

 

Yu Wei bit her lip and smiled silently. Two pretty dimples appeared at the corners of her lips.

 

“Alright, let’s sleep.”

 

Whether she believed her or not, her voice was soft: “Goodnight.”

 

Yu Wei paused, then quietly replied.

 

After a few seconds, Yu Wei stared into the darkness and murmured, “If you’re not asleep, why are you talking with your eyes closed?”

 

It wasn’t a habit. Yu Wei only had one friend—Cheng Miao. She didn’t sleep with others often.

 

And it wasn’t because she didn’t want to see her.

 

So why?

 

The sound of breathing paused for a few seconds, then quickened.

 

Yu Wei hadn’t fallen asleep.

 

After a while, Yu Wei figured she’d pretend to be asleep and not answer. So she decided to do the same and shut her eyes.

 

“…My eyes… they’re not pretty,” Yu Wei said softly.

 

Too pale. If there was even a little light, her paper-white skin and vampire-like eyes would scare Yu Wei.

 

Yu Wei’s eyes snapped open.

 

“How could that be?”

 

She was shocked. “They’re beautiful. Like gemstones.”

 

Yu Wei pressed her lips together.

 

After a few seconds, she asked cautiously, “Really?”

 

She didn’t believe it. Yu Wei was probably just trying to make her feel better.

 

Yu Wei was already trying so hard—teaching her skating, offering to buy her shoes and dresses. Trying to be a good jiejie.

 

“Yes! Really!” Yu Wei said firmly. “Open your eyes.”

 

Yu Wei kept them shut. “I’m already asleep.”

 

Yu Wei: “…”

 

In the end, she didn’t open her eyes.

 

Having a big sister was a rare thing. Yu Wei thought, I have to protect her. I can’t scare her away.

 

Yu Wei felt both frustrated and sad.

 

Eventually, she drifted off—falling into some strange, blurry dream…