Unbearable - Chapter 9
Chapter 9: A Tug at the Heart
A pang of discomfort twisted in Yu Wei’s chest as she turned her face away, expressionless.
In the afternoon, a breeze finally stirred, slipping through the gaps between the low, densely packed self-built houses and brushing the treetops in the courtyard, rustling slightly as it passed.
Yu Wei stared at her phone for a long time before finally lifting it and sending a message.
Yu Wei sat beneath the tree reading. When she saw her put the phone away and visibly relax, she looked up, hesitating to speak.
Her eyes looked like a deer caught in the mist.
Yu Wei bit her lip and murmured, “I need to go back to school.”
“I already asked for leave,” Yu Wei frowned, then paused. “Can’t I take you home later?”
Yu Wei shook her head, uncharacteristically resisting.
Her soft voice was quiet and obedient. “I’ll go back myself.”
Inside the main house, Grandma was helping a regular pick out incense, discussing how long smokeless incense would burn. The monotonous chant from the electronic reciter played on, always the same tone, faintly audible from across the courtyard.
Time seemed to slow.
Yu Wei now somewhat understood the resistance Yu Wei had felt when moving into the Yu family’s home.
She rolled down her pant leg and stood up. “Stay and keep Grandma company. You can go back later.”
Yu Wei didn’t respond, face tight and blank as she got up, carried the chair back inside, slung her bag over her shoulder, and stepped into the yard to say goodbye.
“You’re leaving already?”
Grandma followed them out, standing in the yellowed doorway.
Yu Wei’s voice was calm, with no discernible emotion. “I’ll come visit you next time.”
“What’s there to visit? If you have things to do, go do them. Even getting some sleep is better than wasting time seeing me,” Grandma said stubbornly. “I don’t need you to visit. Just take care of yourself.”
Outside the gate, Yu Wei glanced back. Through the blurry haze, it looked like Grandma was still standing there in the doorway.
It was the first time she’d felt the bitter taste of being sent off. Foreign and a little sour.
“Go inside,” Yu Wei said. “I’ll explain to my mom.”
Yu Wei glanced at her. “What will you say?”
“…” Yu Wei thought for a few seconds. “That you left with a friend from skating. Maybe something came up.”
“I don’t have any skating friends.”
Yu Wei: “…”
It was just an excuse—why take it seriously?
“Then… you went to the library, or went skating.”
“Didn’t study. No ice to skate on.”
Yu Wei stared at her fingers twisting restlessly at her sides, her tone flat.
She really was hard to deal with—Yu Wei couldn’t make up anything else.
She pursed her lips and asked, “Then where do you go after school so early?”
Yu Wei didn’t answer.
Yu Wei hesitated, wanting to ask if she had come looking for her the night before. Her gaze flicked over, but she swallowed the question back down.
The taxi sped back to the school gate from the small alley. Yu Wei helped Yu Wei out and stood at the entrance. “We’re here. What now?”
“I need to grab my backpack and homework.”
Yu Wei gritted her teeth, jawline tight. “Fine, wait here.”
“I…”
“You’ll slow me down.”
Yu Wei’s long lashes lowered, catching the golden sunlight. “Thank you.”
Yu Wei frowned slightly, lips pressed into a firm line. “Wait.”
The last period was self-study. Near dismissal, the school campus was quiet and sparse.
The classroom was silent as always—dozens of students drifting between their textbooks and the smell of dinner from the cafeteria.
The back door creaked open. Everyone instinctively turned their heads.
All eyes watched as Yu Wei jogged in, breathing hard, backpack slung over one shoulder. She walked straight to Yu Wei’s desk, pulled out her backpack from beneath, paused, then grabbed her glasses from inside the desk as well.
She turned to Cheng Miao. “Is there homework?”
“Huh?” Cheng Miao was dazed. “Y-yeah.”
The moment she left, the classroom exploded.
“What the hell was that?”
“Was I hallucinating?”
“Are they that close?”
“Did she just come to get Study Goddess’s homework?”
Their whispers floated through the air and into Yu Wei’s ears.
She glanced at the heavy backpack in her hand and slung it over her other shoulder.
Outside, cars were slowly arriving at the school gates. Parents chatted in groups—it was getting livelier.
Yu Wei stood by the flowerbed, cradling a few books, eyes downcast. Her collar reached up to her nose, and her soft white hair was tucked into her oversized uniform.
So small.
The sunset cast a layer of orange atop her head like light on a snow-capped mountain.
Yu Wei walked toward her.
Just a blur, a shape moving vaguely in her direction, stopping in front of her.
Yu Wei offered a stack of newly purchased books. “Study materials.”
Yu Wei looked down.
The books were still wrapped in plastic, held by a pair of slender pale hands.
She could clearly see the title: Fundamentals Explained – Even Beginners Can Understand. In the corner, a bright yellow circle on a blue background read: Early Bird Edition.
Yu Wei’s temple twitched violently.
Did she really need something labeled early bird?
“The title’s just to catch attention,” Yu Wei nervously explained. “The practice problems are really good. They’re useful for you right now. I recommended them to Cheng Miao too. I use them myself.”
Yu Wei’s lips pressed into a deeper line.
She said nothing, took the books with one hand, and handed her glasses over with the other.
The plastic frame was still warm. The heat spread through Yu Wei’s fingers. She flinched slightly, then put them on.
“…Thank you.”
Yu Wei didn’t reply and simply reached out her hand.
Yu Wei flinched instinctively.
Yu Wei’s arm hung awkwardly in mid-air.
The school bell rang, the soft chime spreading through the entire campus. A piece of gentle music flowed through the loudspeakers to the outside world.
Parents waiting outside the gates instinctively looked in.
A distant burst of indistinct cheer exploded like fireworks, shattering the silence around them.
“I can carry it myself,” Yu Wei said softly.
She bit her lip and reached out. “Backpack.”
Her pale fingertips hovered, brushing against Yu Wei’s still-extended hand.
Yu Wei’s expression turned cold. Wordlessly, she handed over the bag, then glanced at the part of her leg hidden under the loose uniform pants.
Yu Wei slowly slung on the backpack, walking cautiously toward the road—every step firm and unwavering.
“I’ll hold you,” Yu Wei whispered.
Yu Wei shook her head.
She wanted to speak, but the pain made it impossible to open her mouth. She looked at Yu Wei with an apologetic gaze.
Flushed. Damp.
Something tugged sharply in Yu Wei’s chest again. She turned her head away, expression blank.
Li Yu arrived late. The car was parked far away. It took a few minutes for him to walk over.
Yu Wei opened the car door and stood to the side.
Yu Wei kept her head down and didn’t look over. She circled the rear of the car and got in on the other side. As she opened the door, her breath hitched, as if she inhaled sharply behind her high collar.
The two sat on opposite sides of the car in silence.
Li Yu glanced at them through the windshield, curious. “President Ding was supposed to come, but she wasn’t feeling well. She’s waiting at home.”
Yu Wei said nothing.
Yu Wei answered with a soft “Mm,” unzipping her jacket.
The sound was faint.
Yu Wei didn’t move, but her peripheral vision caught the flushed lower half of Yu Wei’s face. There were deep teeth marks on her lip, and her fingertips were rubbing at it, making it redder.
Traffic was heavy. By the time they got home, it was just getting dark.
They entered and changed their shoes.
Yu Wei’s legs trembled uncontrollably from pain.
She held onto the cabinet for support and looked up—only to see that Yu Wei hadn’t left. She was leaning against the opposite wall.
The space was small. Yu Wei’s gaze drifted aimlessly before landing on her. Her fingers gripped the cabinet so hard that the tips were white, bl00d pooling at the nails.
Her face was pale as if she’d faint, but when she looked up—she smiled.
Two shallow dimples appeared on her cottony cheeks.
Yu Wei frowned irritably. “Don’t…”
“We’re back!” Ding Qing’s overly cheerful voice echoed through the narrow hallway, drowning out Yu Wei’s already quiet words.
She shut her mouth and turned toward the living room.
Ding Qing came over to take her arm.
Yu Wei avoided it. “I’m going to do homework.”
Like she was running from danger.
“Why are you home so late? What were you doing?” Ding Qing’s tone was erratic. “From now on, I’ll pick you up myself.”
Yu Wei had already moved quickly out of reach.
Ding Qing chased her. “You’re avoiding me? How could you avoid your own mother?”
“Mom,” Yu Wei gently held her arm and whispered in her ear, “She’s not avoiding you. She’s just upstairs. You can bring her some water later.”
Ding Qing paused, eyes still on Yu Wei.
“There was a test today,” Yu Wei said softly. “We went to buy some books after school.”
“What books?”
Yu Wei told her the titles.
Ding Qing smiled at Yu Wei’s retreating figure, but her smile quickly vanished and her face hardened. “What books?”
Yu Wei patiently repeated the titles again.
Suddenly, Ding Qing grabbed her wrist and briskly walked over to Yu Wei, smiling sweetly. “Weiwei said you bought books. What did you get?”
Her smile was gentle, eyes brimming with eager concern.
Yu Wei had to jog to keep up, the pain shooting up her calf making her sweat.
She gasped, trying to control her spasming face muscles, and looked to Yu Wei.
Her voice stayed soft and even.
“Sis, Mom wants to see the books you bought.”
Yu Wei’s eyes sank deep into her sockets. Frowning, she unzipped her backpack, revealing a few unopened books.
Before she could pull them out, Ding Qing smiled, fine wrinkles spreading at the corners of her eyes.
“Good, good.” She let go of Yu Wei’s wrist, folding her hands neatly in front of her. “Good girl. Go study, then.”
Yu Wei didn’t move, eyes still on Yu Wei, who shook her head gently.
Yu Wei pressed her lips tightly and turned to go upstairs.
“Jingcheng, Lao Yu, come eat,” Ding Qing called out brightly.
Yu Jingcheng responded from the study and came out, bumping into Yu Wei at the stairs.
They passed one another, one going up, one going down.
Yu Wei followed Ding Qing toward the dining room as if nothing had happened.
Suddenly, Ding Qing sniffed the air and frowned. “What’s that medicine smell?”
Yu Wei’s heart sank. She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Ding Qing darted upstairs like a gust of wind. “Weiwei! Are you hurt?”
The footsteps stopped, followed by a string of questions.
Yu Wei turned to chase after her, but after just a few steps—Silence.
Complete silence.
She stood facing the stairs, looking up. The walls had just been repainted, picture frames hung at varying heights, and a small high window on the spiral staircase cast dim twilight.
Night descended. The bamboo forest behind the house rustled faintly.
Suddenly, Yu Wei’s leg hurt again—intensely so.