Just like that, Su Xu unexpectedly opened “Meteor.”
In that moment, the plot and highlight scenes of “Meteor” flashed through Tan Xingwei’s mind like a whirlwind.
The movie was about two sisters in a blended family. They were only in high school when their families merged. Because the younger sister’s father and the older sister’s mother got married and moved in together, the younger sister moved to the older sister’s city and attended the same high school.
At first, their relationship was distant. The turning point came one day at school when the younger sister discovered the older sister was being bullied. Upon asking, she learned the bullying had been going on for a long time. The younger sister, who had always had a fiery temper, dealt with the bullies for her sister. She stood on a desk and declared that this was her sister, and anyone who caused trouble for her would have to answer to her. Because of this, the two sisters’ bond deepened.
Later, through many small things—like climbing over the wall when they came home late, going to a music festival together, and watching a meteor shower on a mountain together—they gradually fell in love.
And then, gradually, their family found out.
A relationship like that was naturally torn apart. The younger sister, of course, was unwilling at first. She felt her love with her sister was stronger than gold and thought, “What do you foolish adults know?” But unexpectedly, the older sister told her, “I was just looking for something new. I don’t like you.”
The younger sister was heartbroken and went to live abroad with her mother. She was gone for six years, until her father passed away…
Tan Xingwei had seen this movie twice. The first time was after her college entrance exams, before she met Su Xu. She had watched it because of its reputation and only thought it was pretty good, a touching love story, and nothing more.
The second time was during university. Watching it then was like seeing a completely new film. She deeply felt the older sister’s secret crush and the younger sister’s heartache when she thought the older sister was straight. Sob, the acting was too good.
The movie opened on a rainy day. The first scene was the younger sister’s father’s death, which brought her back to the country for the funeral.
The beginning of the plot was rather subdued. The older sister and her mother were handling family affairs, while the younger sister knelt to the side as if she didn’t know her.
“What do you want to drink?” The movie’s color palette was dark, and the atmosphere was a bit dry. Su Xu said, “I bought oranges this afternoon. Want some orange juice?”
Tan Xingwei felt that making orange juice right now would be a bit of a hassle. She asked, “Is there anything else? Something we can drink right away.”
Su Xu said, “Coke and alcohol.”
If anyone else were sitting beside her right now, Tan Xingwei wouldn’t have hesitated to choose Coke. But this was Su Xu.
This was Su Xu, a lesbian. The movie playing was the lesbian film “Meteor.” Watching the movie with Su Xu was Tan Xingwei, a lesbian. And watching the movie with Tan Xingwei was her White Moonlight. With a setup like this, no one would choose Coke, right?
“Alcohol,” Tan Xingwei said. “What kind do you have?”
Su Xu asked, “What do you usually drink?”
Usually, Tan Xingwei didn’t drink.
Tan Xingwei: “Is there whatever I want to drink?”
Su Xu smiled. “Not exactly. I just wanted to know what you usually drink.” As she spoke, she stood up. “Do you remember drinking at my place before?”
Tan Xingwei: “I remember.”
Of course Tan Xingwei remembered. That was the first time she had ever had a drink in her life, and it was also the time she learned her alcohol tolerance was absolute garbage. Since then, she hadn’t dared to be reckless when drinking outside.
Tan Xingwei pressed pause. A moment later, Su Xu returned with two bottled drinks. “This is what we drank. Remember? You had the peach flavor back then.” Su Xu lifted the pink bottle in her left hand, then held up the one in her right. “This is a new flavor, mulberry.”
Tan Xingwei asked, “Did you buy these at the supermarket?”
Su Xu shook her head. “I got them from a friend. They don’t sell them in supermarkets.”
Tan Xingwei finally understood. After Su Xu went abroad, she had also wanted to have a drink for leisure, but she could never find the one Su Xu had given her. Nothing she could buy was satisfying.
Her tolerance was poor, and drinking was a painful experience, so she eventually gave up on that activity altogether.
Tan Xingwei asked, “Do you drink this too?”
Su Xu shook her head. “I don’t drink this.”
Tan Xingwei reached out with both hands and grabbed both bottles. “I want both.”
Su Xu raised an eyebrow. “Is your alcohol tolerance this good now?”
Tan Xingwei: “…”
She didn’t know if Su Xu’s comment about these two 300ml bottles of fruit wine, both under 5% alcohol, was a compliment or an insult.
But what could Tan Xingwei do? She could only say, “You can help me with what I can’t finish.”
Su Xu smiled. “Okay.”
Su Xu turned and went to the kitchen again. When she returned, she had a bottle of wine in her left hand and was holding three glasses by their rims with her right.
It’s hard to describe the circumstances under which one’s heart flutters. Often, it doesn’t require a magnificent background or vibrant colors; it’s just a very ordinary moment.
Just like Su Xu at this moment, with her curly hair down, a bottle in one hand and glasses in the other.
Su Xu, of course, was completely unaware. She even went so far as to give Tan Xingwei a smile. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Two of the three glasses were for Tan Xingwei. Su Xu placed them in front of her, then opened both bottles, pouring one flavor into each glass. After pouring Tan Xingwei’s, she poured one for herself as well.
Tan Xingwei chose the mulberry one first. Su Xu also picked up her glass, and they raised them and lightly clinked them in the air.
With a “clink,” Tan Xingwei pressed play.
The movie resumed with its Korean dialogue. By now, the funeral was over. The younger sister was leaning against a wall downstairs, smoking. The older sister came down to throw out the trash. Just as they were about to pass each other, the younger sister grabbed the older sister’s hand and asked her, “Was that little girl just now your child?” The older sister said no, she was her cousin’s daughter.
The younger sister smiled, let go of her hand, took a deep drag from her cigarette, and then said, “I thought the first news I’d receive from this family would be about you getting married.”
The older sister glanced at the cigarette in the younger sister’s hand and asked her, “Want a drink?”
It was during this process of drinking that their memories were pulled back to high school.
They were drinking in the movie, and they were drinking outside the movie.
The mulberry flavor was also good, a little tart. Tan Xingwei would watch a little, take a sip, put the glass down, then watch a little more, take another sip, and put it down again. Before long, the glass was empty.
“This one is good too,” Tan Xingwei commented.
Su Xu turned to glance at Tan Xingwei and smiled.
But she didn’t say anything.
Tan Xingwei was puzzled. “What are you smiling at?”
Su Xu shook her head and continued watching the movie.
The living room was once again filled with the Korean dialogue from the movie. The noisy bullies, the sobbing older sister, the domineering younger sister. After the school segment ended, the camera shifted to their home. The older sister was sitting on the floor, listening to the younger sister eloquently curse out each of the bullies. When the younger sister grew tired and stopped, they looked at each other and laughed together.
“When did you watch this?” Su Xu asked at that moment.
Tan Xingwei thought seriously for a moment. “My sophomore year, I think.”
Su Xu asked, “Did you watch it by yourself?”
Tan Xingwei said, “No.”
In the movie, the two sisters started doing homework together, going to and from school together, and riding the bus together. The scenes were very warm and happy, and so, very quickly, the movie’s first turning point arrived.
Because they went to a music festival in the next city, they stayed at a nearby hotel for the night. One big bed. It was the first time they slept together, the first time they held hands.
“Who did you watch it with?” Su Xu suddenly asked.
Several minutes had passed, and on top of that, Tan Xingwei had finished both glasses of wine. Her mind was a bit sluggish. “Watch what?”
Su Xu paused for a few seconds before continuing, “Who did you watch this movie with?”
It was a bit of a long story, so Tan Xingwei decided to keep it short. “A friend.”
After returning from the music festival, the atmosphere between the two sisters became strange. The older sister also suddenly started avoiding the younger one. The film’s technique made the older sister’s secret crush self-evident, using her evasive glances, secretly helping the younger sister with homework but not admitting it, and fleeing in alarm after accidental physical contact to show her struggle.
But with the younger sister’s personality, it was hard for the older sister to avoid her. The more the older sister acted this way, the more the younger sister would make things difficult for her, deliberately getting close, asking her to feed her fruit, asking her to help with homework, and wanting to sleep with her at night. Pestering her like this, the movie’s second turning point arrived.
For the first time, the older sister spoke loudly to the younger one. She said, “I think I’m strange, do you understand? I’m very strange.”
The younger sister said, “That’s great. I’m strange too.”
When Tan Xingwei saw this part, she thought there would be a kiss scene, but the movie’s design was also very reasonable. After all, they were still at home, and right then, their parents appeared.
From this point on, the atmosphere between them became subtle, occasionally ambiguous but always stopping just short.
Tan Xingwei’s state seemed to be following the movie’s. She also became subtle.
So dizzy.
The movie was only halfway through. Tan Xingwei lowered her gaze to the coffee table, where both bottles of wine were still half full, and took a long, deep breath.
“Big Sister Ah Xu.” Tan Xingwei turned her head.
Su Xu also turned her head. “Hm?”
Tan Xingwei blinked, opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. “What?” She thought carefully. “I forgot.”
Su Xu looked puzzled but had a hint of a smile. She tilted her head and looked into Tan Xingwei’s eyes. “Tan Xingxing.”
Tan Xingwei: “Hm?”
Su Xu glanced at the glasses and wine on the table, then turned her gaze back. “Are you okay?”
Tan Xingwei didn’t say she wasn’t, nor did she say she was.
She wasn’t sure what expression she was making, but Su Xu reached out.
Su Xu placed her hand on Tan Xingwei’s face, her palm touching Tan Xingwei’s cheek.
Perhaps because she had just been holding the cold wine glass, Su Xu’s hand was cool.
Just as Tan Xingwei felt this, she heard Su Xu say, “So hot.”
Tan Xingwei closed her eyes.
Her cheeks were indeed very hot, she knew. Not just her cheeks, but her neck and her body were all hot.
So she couldn’t help but crave that bit of coolness from Su Xu. She frowned slightly, then opened her eyes. Afraid that Su Xu would pull away, she shrugged her shoulders, gently trapping Su Xu’s hand between her cheek and shoulder.
Then she lifted her eyelids to look at Su Xu.
Su Xu seemed about to say something. Tan Xingwei saw her lips part slightly.
But she didn’t speak. She just stuck out the tip of her tongue, licked her lips, and pressed them together.
Tan Xingwei felt even dizzier, but she seemed to realize what she was doing. She relaxed her shoulders, released Su Xu’s hand, and turned back to watch the TV.
And what was playing in the movie at this moment? The famous, much-discussed, and repeatedly watched scene of them watching the meteor shower on the mountain had arrived.
Tan Xingwei had wanted to watch it with a clear head, but she didn’t know what was wrong with her. She took another sip of the mulberry-flavored drink.
But it didn’t seem to have much effect. She hugged a pillow and watched quietly, watching the older sister in the movie wake up in the middle of the night, wake the younger sister, and the two of them take a taxi up the mountain and sit on a rock.
The meteors soon arrived. On the screen, the two sisters made a wish under the vast night sky, then opened their eyes to look at each other. As they looked, they leaned in and kissed.
From here, the movie zoomed in for a close-up shot.
Tan Xingwei had seen this clip not just in the movie. She had seen it many times under the Weibo posts of various yuri bloggers and in all sorts of recommendations. It was a scene that couldn’t be more famous.
The kiss wasn’t long, less than five seconds. After it ended, Tan Xingwei felt herself swallow a mouthful of air.
She had never thought she would watch this scene with Su Xu.
Fueled by alcohol, Tan Xingwei could feel her heart pounding.
After this scene, the two sisters went home. That night, they slept sweetly together, holding hands and talking about the past.
“I remember what I was going to say now.” Perhaps trying to get over some awkwardness, Tan Xingwei hugged her pillow tighter.
Su Xu was just swallowing a sip of her drink. “What?”
“She—no, I mean, I…” Tan Xingwei wasn’t looking at the screen. She turned her head, tilted it to look at Su Xu, and found her words. “Big Sister Ah Xu, do you find me annoying?”
Su Xu looked a little puzzled. “Why would I find you annoying?”
“I’m always, I…” Tan Xingwei’s voice was low. “I’m hard to please. I want orange juice, I don’t want to take medicine, I want to eat your cooking, I stay over whenever I want.” Tan Xingwei said whatever came to mind, her head dizzy and her thoughts jumbled. She suddenly felt very sad. “And I even need two glasses to drink a little wine.”
Su Xu listened to whatever Tan Xingwei said. When Tan Xingwei finished, Su Xu was just smiling.
Tan Xingwei’s voice was low. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Su Xu propped her chin on one hand and looked at Tan Xingwei. “Do you know how cute you are?”
Tan Xingwei: “This is cute?”
Su Xu said slowly, “Cute.”
Tan Xingwei suddenly felt much better. “Really?”
Su Xu nodded, then continued, “I don’t find you annoying, not at all. You can do whatever you want in front of me. It’s all okay.”
Tan Xingwei pressed her lips together. “Really?”
Su Xu: “Really.”
Su Xu had also turned to her side now. She rested her elbow on the back of the sofa, the back of her hand cushioning the side of her cheek, and just looked at Tan Xingwei.
The light from the movie cast one shadow after another on her side profile—the shadow of her eyebrows, the shadow of her nose. At the end of the shadow of her nose’s tip were her lips, which had just touched wine.
“Do whatever I want?” She blinked lightly, repeating the phrase.
Su Xu looked at Tan Xingwei’s eyes, but her gaze seemed to drift a little lower. “Mhm.”
Tan Xingwei’s gaze also wavered a little. “Right now, too?”
Su Xu’s voice seemed to grow softer. “Yes.”
So soft it was as if she were right by Tan Xingwei’s ear.
Tan Xingwei blinked, then suddenly leaned over and planted a kiss on Su Xu’s cheek.
It was very quick. She moved in and back out swiftly, then sat up straight, clutching her pillow tightly, waiting for Su Xu’s reaction.
Su Xu was still leaning back as before. She seemed to tilt her head just a little, her eyes half-closed, the corners of her mouth slowly curving up as she looked into Tan Xingwei’s eyes.
Tan Xingwei only felt heat. Her head was so dizzy it felt like it was about to explode.
The next second, Tan Xingwei felt something cool on her cheek. Su Xu was touching her face.
Unlike last time, this time Su Xu only used the back of her fingers, maybe two, or perhaps three. Su Xu gently slid them down Tan Xingwei’s cheek.
When they reached her chin, Su Xu’s index finger applied some pressure.
It was clearly a move meant to tilt Tan Xingwei’s chin up, but just then, Su Xu’s hand left.
Tan Xingwei’s heart was left hanging in mid-air. She didn’t want that. She grabbed Su Xu’s hand.
Su Xu had a pair of eyes that Tan Xingwei adored, and at this moment, those eyes seemed to hold something else. They were glistening.
Su Xu had a pair of lips that Tan Xingwei adored. They were moist.
Overcome with emotion, her cheeks burning hot, Tan Xingwei tightened her grip on Su Xu’s hand, tilted her head slightly to bypass Su Xu’s nose, and pressed her lips against Su Xu’s.
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