Ye Yuhuan and Song Zhiqing didn’t sit on the bench for long before getting up to leave. The main reason was that they were both rather eye-catching, and people gradually started approaching them to chat, ruining the quiet mood.
The two strolled along the commercial street, surrounded by flashing neon lights. The massive billboards felt like some sort of prison made of light, both oppressive and exhilarating.
It was the weekend, so there were plenty of people coming and going. To avoid getting separated, Ye Yuhuan took Song Zhiqing’s hand.
But the weather was cold, and neither of them was wearing gloves. Their clasped hands, exposed to the air, quickly turned red from the chill. Ye Yuhuan thought for a moment and said to Song Zhiqing, “Put your hand in your pocket. I’ll hold your sleeve.”
Song Zhiqing glanced sideways at her without answering, but Ye Yuhuan sensed a hint of indignation in her eyes. Then, Song Zhiqing simply stuffed both their hands into her own coat pocket.
Ye Yuhuan’s fingertips stiffened. In the warm, narrow space, the touch of skin against skin was always exceptionally distinct. She could feel the rise and fall of every knuckle on Song Zhiqing’s well-proportioned fingers.
This is… too intimate, Ye Yuhuan thought.
However, seeing Song Zhiqing’s already crimson ears, Ye Yuhuan didn’t say anything more. She suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and let Song Zhiqing’s gentle pull guide her through the crowd.
They hadn’t decided on a specific destination. When they got up from the bench, Ye Yuhuan had simply said, “Let’s just walk for a bit.”
They passed one shop after another, one crowd after another, seemingly just walking for the sake of it.
With every turn, every acceleration and deceleration, the angle of their clasped hands changed. Ye Yuhuan felt they must have thoroughly familiarized themselves with each other’s hands by now.
Looking up, she saw a musical instrument store ahead. Ye Yuhuan stopped and pulled her hand out of Song Zhiqing’s pocket. Seeing Song Zhiqing’s confused gaze, she explained softly, “You said your performance for the New Year’s gala is singing while playing the guitar. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you play, so I’d kind of like to.”
Hearing this, Song Zhiqing wrinkled her nose with a look of disdain. If she was going to show off her talents to Ye Yuhuan, she certainly wasn’t going to do it in some random instrument shop on the street.
What if the equipment wasn’t good enough and she couldn’t perform to her full potential? How could she possibly sweep Ye Yuhuan off her feet then!
Song Zhiqing grabbed Ye Yuhuan’s hand and stuffed it back where it was, simultaneously striding toward the exit of the commercial street.
“You want to hear me play the guitar? Then why not just come to my house? I can play the guitar for you, and anything else you want to hear.”
“Assuming I know how, of course.”
“Hmm, my dear customer, would you like to request the piano, the drums, the guitar, or the flute?”
Song Zhiqing stole a glance at Ye Yuhuan’s expression. If none of those were to her liking, well, she would just have to pester Ye Yuhuan until she liked them.
Besides, when it comes to anything other than love, Ye Yuhuan always listens to me, hehe.
“Can I hear them all? I’d really like to,” Ye Yuhuan said, though she was a little worried it might tire Song Zhiqing out. Playing instruments was physically demanding, after all.
Song Zhiqing’s free hand quietly pumped a fist. “No problem. Today, Master Song is having a grand opening special.”
You think I can’t win you over after you hear my music? It wasn’t that Song Zhiqing was bragging, but honestly, the moments she felt most narcissistic were when she watched videos of her own performances.
How could such a charming person exist in this world?
Song “Narcissus” Zhiqing often muttered this to herself.
It was only after being dragged fifty meters away from the instrument store by a certain someone eager to show off her feathers that Ye Yuhuan belatedly realized: We’re going to Song Zhiqing’s house.
I’ve never been to her house before.
Noticing Ye Yuhuan’s prolonged silence, Song Zhiqing squeezed the hand she held in her own. Without slowing her pace, she asked discontentedly, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“I’m a little nervous. It’s my first time visiting a friend’s house.”
There it was again—that disarmingly direct way of speaking that made one’s heart flutter.
Song Zhiqing gently bit her lip. The cold December wind of the north couldn’t extinguish the fire in her heart. Her mind was retorting, It’s not like you’re meeting the parents, what’s there to be nervous about? But perhaps the cold wind did have some effect, because in the end, Song Zhiqing just offered a clumsy reassurance. “What’s there to be nervous about? There aren’t many people in my family.”
Ye Yuhuan tilted her head, recalling the time she met Song Chen. It seemed there really wasn’t anything to be nervous about.
They soon reached the spot where the Song family’s driver was parked. This time, it wasn’t Uncle Yu behind the wheel. Ye Yuhuan softly thanked the driver who opened the door for her and got in. Once inside the slightly warmer, enclosed space, their hands naturally parted. Ye Yuhuan gently clenched her fist.
She let out a sigh of relief.
I thought it had really gone numb.
As the scenery outside the window flew by, another thought occurred to Ye Yuhuan. “Is Ms. Gao at home right now?”
Song Zhiqing smiled smugly. “Of course. My mom said she’d spend this year with me.”
Ye Yuhuan knew about this, but she hadn’t expected that “spending time” meant Gao Yiren would be there for her daughter around the clock, turning down all work that couldn’t be done from home just to eat meals and chat with her high-school-aged daughter every day. She replied with a touch of emotion, “Ms. Gao really cares about you.”
After she spoke, she didn’t hear a reply from Song Zhiqing. Ye Yuhuan turned her head to see a girlish face tinged with melancholy. She didn’t understand why Song Zhiqing’s mood had changed so quickly; just a moment ago, she had been as happy as a blooming flower.
She reached out and tapped Song Zhiqing’s forehead, asking softly, “What’s wrong?”
Song Zhiqing heaved a long sigh and rested her head on Ye Yuhuan’s shoulder. “It’s just,” she said, a little unsettled, “having my mom by my side… I don’t think I’m as happy about it as I imagined I would be.”
When the things she had longed for finally came true, it felt like an adult playing with a child’s toy. There was happiness, but it wasn’t the kind of childhood glee that made you want to jump for joy. Diluted by time, Gao Yiren had given her a belated childhood. It was wonderful, of course, but it was still diluted.
Ye Yuhuan’s own experiences with her mother were warped and lacking, so she couldn’t offer any constructive advice. She shifted slightly to let Song Zhiqing lean more comfortably, then tried to console her. “Not being as happy as you imagined doesn’t mean you’re unhappy, right? As long as there’s even a little bit of extra happiness, that’s great.”
In Ye Yuhuan’s view, every extra bit of happiness was something to be grateful for.
Song Zhiqing hummed in agreement. The tangled mess in her heart had started to unravel slightly under Ye Yuhuan’s calm and gentle words. She thought that perhaps she should lower her expectations a little.
But even after coming to this realization, Song Zhiqing didn’t immediately lift her head from its comforting spot on Ye Yuhuan’s shoulder. Are you kidding? This was a total perk.
Alright, Song Zhiqing admitted it. She did have a tiny, tiny intention of using her unease to trade for some physical affection.
Ahem, just a tiny bit.
Ever since she’d become aware of her feelings, Song Zhiqing hadn’t dared to be as casually hands-on with Ye Yuhuan as before, always afraid she’d be found out. But she still craved that closeness. If you didn’t crave being close, could you really say you liked someone?
Since they were already this close, she might as well enjoy it for a little longer.
Song Zhiqing lazily nuzzled Ye Yuhuan’s neck and started to chat. “Didn’t you say you were a fan of my mom’s? You can have a good chat with her about your movie-watching experiences. My mom loves reading letters from her fans. If you talk to her about this, she’ll be absolutely thrilled.”
Song Zhiqing’s movements made Ye Yuhuan turn her face away awkwardly, but she still answered seriously, “Is that really okay? Wouldn’t it be a bother?”
At this, Song Zhiqing lifted her head from Ye Yuhuan’s neck. It was just a casual chat about a few movies; how could that possibly be a bother? Ye Yuhuan wasn’t the type to be overly polite for no reason, which meant there was only one explanation. Song Zhiqing stared into Ye Yuhuan’s eyes in shock. “Don’t tell me you’re my mom’s die-hard fan?”
“Not really,” Ye Yuhuan said, discreetly rubbing her neck, which suddenly felt a little itchy. “I’ve just watched every one of her films seriously.”
Song Zhiqing pressed on with great rigor, “Tell me, how many times have you rewatched them?”
Ye Yuhuan opened her mouth, feeling an inexplicable sense of embarrassment. She mumbled, “More than ten times, I guess.”
Song Zhiqing scoffed. “Ye Yuhuan, and you said you weren’t nice to me just because you like my mom.”
Hey, how did the topic get so twisted?
Ye Yuhuan was baffled. “That’s not the same thing. Didn’t I already explain it to you?”
“You didn’t mention you were my mom’s die-hard fan when you explained it,” Song Zhiqing nitpicked relentlessly.
The driver in the front seat was shocked into silence. Were young people these days this dramatic even when they were jealous?
Ye Yuhuan took a deep breath. No matter how many times it happened, she still felt a sense of bewildered helplessness when faced with Song Zhiqing in this state. She had always been a logical person and couldn’t comprehend Song Zhiqing’s dedication to sophistry.
However, she had finally accumulated some experience in dealing with it. “Let me put it this way. I’m very good to you because you were very good to me first. And you’re a very cute person, at least in my eyes. You’re also pretty. Although you don’t take your studies seriously, you’re very smart, loyal, and multi-talented. Most importantly, I’m always happy when I’m with you.”
“I think that when you meet someone like that, being good to them is the right thing to do.”
“With this explanation, you shouldn’t misunderstand anymore, right?”
Ye Yuhuan was wearing a white down jacket with a thick fur-lined hood. Her face was framed by the fur, her expression sincere yet helpless as she earnestly dealt with Song Zhiqing’s unreasonable antics.
The little person in Song Zhiqing’s heart was screaming wildly.
Ye Yuhuan!
She finally knows how to say nice things to coax me! Sob!
Outwardly, Song Zhiqing only gave a demure nod and a light cough before resting her head back in its original position. Ye Yuhuan let out a sigh of relief, only to have that same breath catch in her throat because of Song Zhiqing’s action.
Feeling the undeniable presence on her shoulder, Ye Yuhuan wondered, Is this also how good sisters interact?
The rest of the drive passed in silence.
When the car drove through the gates of the Song residence, Ye Yuhuan couldn’t help but feel a little nervous again. Song Zhiqing squeezed her hand and led her into the villa.
Since Song Zhiqing was usually the only one living there, the house’s decor was more youthful, simple, and bright. It wasn’t like the Shangguan residence, which wore its heritage in every corner. The moment Ye Yuhuan stepped inside, her nervousness lessened considerably.
The Song family must be an easy-going one.
Song Zhiqing had already messaged Gao Yiren from the car to let her know Ye Yuhuan was coming over. Naturally, Gao Yiren was also quite interested in the girl her daughter had a crush on.
The Song family didn’t have the habit of other upper-class families who would thoroughly investigate the background of their children’s potential partners. Based solely on her daughter’s descriptions and some of the talk at school, she was indeed a very nice girl.
When the girl was actually standing in front of her, Gao Yiren nodded in satisfaction. She looked like a good person, too.
Gao Yiren smiled and walked over to greet her, her voice gentle. “You must be the Xiao Ye our Qingqing is always talking about. Thank you so much for helping her improve her grades.”
At home, Gao Yiren was dressed casually, her long, beautiful hair tied up loosely. Her face, which time had treated kindly, was filled with a gentle and serene aura. It was truly hard to imagine that this was the internationally acclaimed Best Actress Gao, known for her aggressive acting style and striking looks.
Ye Yuhuan offered a reserved smile. She wasn’t very accustomed to such relaxed and amiable social situations. “Not at all. Song Zhiqing was willing to learn herself.”
Gao Yiren chuckled, seeing through Ye Yuhuan’s modesty. “I know my own daughter. If Xiao Ye weren’t watching over her, she’d be slacking off every other day.”
Song Zhiqing couldn’t listen anymore and quickly interrupted, “Mom, Ye Yuhuan is your fan! She loves your movies. Can you two talk about movies instead of me, please?”
What is Mom doing? She knows I like Ye Yuhuan. The least she could do is say a few nice things about me, but instead she’s mocking my shortcomings. Didn’t I show her the 《The Ultimate Guide to Wooing》? This is when she’s supposed to be praising me to the high heavens to be my wingman!
Little did she know that while Gao Yiren was fine watching her own daughter go after someone else, it didn’t mean she was magnanimous enough to help her pack her bags.
Song Zhiqing shot Gao Yiren a uselessly pointed look, then pushed Ye Yuhuan and her mother onto the living room sofa before dashing off to the music room to clean up the mess.
She absolutely could not let Ye Yuhuan see her music sheets. All her hard work these past few days would be for nothing.
Ye Yuhuan and Gao Yiren sat facing each other. At first, Ye Yuhuan was still a bit reserved, but Gao Yiren had spent years navigating the entertainment industry and had dealt with every kind of person imaginable. Having a nice chat with a high school girl—even a particularly smart one—was child’s play for her.
Their conversation flowed from movies to literature, and as they talked, they found it quite enjoyable. They both had a great interest in the destruction and restoration of the human psyche by modernism. Gao Yiren was truly surprised that a sixteen-year-old girl like Ye Yuhuan could have insights on such a profound topic. Thinking about the hints her daughter had dropped about Ye Yuhuan’s less-than-harmonious upbringing, she couldn’t help but feel a fondness for the talented, polite girl before her.
Qingqing really has good taste.
When Song Zhiqing finished cleaning up and returned to the living room, she saw the two of them getting along splendidly and froze in her tracks. She recognized every individual word coming out of their mouths, but when they were strung together, she had no idea what they were talking about.
What was going on? Had Ye Yuhuan assimilated her mother?
Her mom usually only ever shared secret, juicy gossip from the entertainment industry with her!
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