Yu Mingjiao hadn’t sustained any serious injuries, just a scrape on her forehead. After the nurse applied medicine and wrapped it in gauze, the two of them were free to go.
It was already the middle of the night by the time Cen Lingqiu took her home.
The night had been truly harrowing, and Cen Lingqiu felt exhausted. Seeing that Yu Mingjiao was all right, she offered some simple well-wishes and instructions.
“Be careful with your head when you sleep tonight. Don’t touch the wound.”
A layer of gauze was wrapped around Yu Mingjiao’s head, making her already gaunt face look even more frail. She looked at Cen Lingqiu calmly and hummed in acknowledgment.
Cen Lingqiu’s gaze swept over her for a few seconds, finding the situation incredible.
How had she suddenly become so normal again? For the past few days, she had been completely ignoring her.
Cen Lingqiu felt a strange sense of relief, like that of seeing a willful child finally become obedient.
It wasn’t her fault; Yu Mingjiao was simply too silent and mercurial. She could never keep up with the girl’s psychological trajectory.
“Rest well.”
Cen Lingqiu was truly tired today. She let out a yawn and patted Yu Mingjiao’s head soothingly. The hair felt so nice in her palm that she couldn’t resist stroking her long locks a few more times.
At first, Yu Mingjiao flinched away out of habit, but then she stopped.
“I’m leaving.”
Cen Lingqiu waved to her, opened the door, and left.
The living room fell silent. Yu Mingjiao touched the gauze on her forehead, her eyes merging with the pitch-black night, deep and inscrutable.
Cen Lingqiu was woken up early in the morning by a call from Zhang Li. On the other end, she anxiously asked, “Xiao Qiu, how is your younger brother? Mom got drunk yesterday, and I only heard from your dad this morning that something happened to Xiao Dong. How is he now?”
Cen Lingqiu got out of bed and walked to the living room. “I’ll go to the hospital to check on him later. You were drunk yesterday, so you should rest at home first.”
Only after getting her answer did Zhang Li hang up. Cen Lingqiu sighed, then helplessly got dressed and left the apartment.
As she was waiting for the elevator, she found Yu Mingjiao waiting there as well. Hearing the noise, Yu Mingjiao glanced over at her.
“Where are you going?” Cen Lingqiu asked, smoothly pushing her wheelchair into the elevator. “It’s the weekend, isn’t it? You were just in a car accident yesterday. Why aren’t you resting at home?”
Yu Mingjiao said flatly, “I have something to do.”
Cen Lingqiu was now terrified of Yu Mingjiao going out. The moment she was out of her sight, an accident would happen. She was genuinely afraid that Yu Mingjiao would be taken offline before the mission’s deadline.
“You’re alone?” Cen Lingqiu frowned slightly. “Is it something important? Are you going somewhere far away?”
She fired off a series of questions, but Yu Mingjiao answered none of them. Instead, she retorted in a flat tone, “Are you afraid I’ll die, just like yesterday?”
Cen Lingqiu didn’t beat around the bush. “Yes.”
Yu Mingjiao blinked. In the reflection on the elevator wall, she saw the dark circles under Cen Lingqiu’s eyes and her weary expression. She looked exhausted.
“I’m going to my mother’s grave,” Yu Mingjiao said suddenly.
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it. Why did she feel the need to report her plans to this woman?
Cen Lingqiu asked, “Which cemetery?”
Yu Mingjiao: “…The one in the western suburbs.”
“That’s quite far,” Cen Lingqiu said, searching on her phone’s map. “Can you get there by yourself?”
“Do you need me to take you? I’ll make a trip to the hospital and then come back for you. How does that sound?”
Yu Mingjiao was silent for a few seconds before shaking her head.
“I want to see my mother alone.”
Cen Lingqiu had always respected her wishes, so she thought of a compromise. “I’ll pick you up when you’re ready to come back.”
Yu Mingjiao didn’t refuse. “Suit yourself.”
So obedient.
Cen Lingqiu glanced at her.
As the elevator neared the first floor, Yu Mingjiao suddenly asked, “Are you going to the hospital to see him?”
Cen Lingqiu knew who she was talking about. “Yes.”
Yu Mingjiao’s tone was indifferent. “If something had happened to him, would you be angry with me?”
“That’s an illogical question,” Cen Lingqiu said, looking at the elevator doors. “You did nothing wrong in this matter. You don’t need to ask things like that.”
Yu Mingjiao gave an emotionless smile. “Is that so?”
The smile was mocking and bitter.
Her entire life had been filled with various mistakes, as if she were a vessel for “error” that anyone could condemn.
Did this woman even know what she was saying?
She was probably just spouting nonsense, too.
The elevator reached the first floor.
“I’ll head to that place as soon as I’m done at the hospital,” Cen Lingqiu said, patting her shoulder. “Wait for me.”
Yu Mingjiao wheeled herself out of the elevator without answering and left.
Although she hadn’t uttered a single word, Cen Lingqiu somehow heard an affirmative reply.
Today, Yu Mingjiao no longer seemed as distant and cold as she had been for the past few days. It was as if a thick, frozen lake had begun to thaw, allowing a glimpse of the spring water beneath.
So mercurial. It was quite cute.
When Cen Lingqiu arrived at the hospital and walked to the door of the private room, she could hear the Old Master sternly reprimanding Lin Dong again.
She pushed the door open.
Lin Dong was lying on the hospital bed, his head wrapped in gauze. His injuries were a bit more serious than Yu Mingjiao’s; he had a moderate concussion but no other major injuries. He just needed to be hospitalized for a while.
The Old Master was leaning on his cane, clearly furious. The original owner’s father stood to the side, constantly trying to console him.
The Old Master shot the original owner’s father a glare. “This is the consequence of you spoiling him rotten. You’ve raised a lovesick fool.”
Lin Dong remained silent. He only had a vague memory of yesterday’s events. He couldn’t hold his liquor; once he got drunk, he blacked out completely.
The Old Master pointed at Lin Dong. “You are forbidden from going to see that young lady again. If I find out you have, we’ve just opened a new branch in Africa. You can go there.”
Lin Dong clenched his fists, replying with great reluctance, “I understand.”
The Old Master then turned to Cen Lingqiu. “Qiuqiu, come outside with me.”
Cen Lingqiu followed the Old Master out of the hospital room.
The old man spoke earnestly. “Ah, Qiuqiu, your younger brother has wronged that young lady far too much. Ask her what she needs as compensation, and do your best to give it to her.”
Cen Lingqiu replied, “Grandpa, all that young lady wants is for Younger Brother to stop looking for her.”
The old man sighed. “It’s truly a sin. Why do you young people care so much about these messy emotions?”
“Ah, Qiuqiu, you’ve matured a great deal recently. In any case, please take good care of that young lady.”
“I will.”
The Old Master left, and the original owner’s father followed him out. Soon, only Lin Dong and Cen Lingqiu remained in the room.
Cen Lingqiu got straight to the point. “Don’t go looking for her anymore. She isn’t Ning Jia, after all. If you two are together, misfortune will always follow.”
Lin Dong stared out the window. “Big Sis, why have you suddenly started caring about her?”
Seeing that he was fixated on the question and that evasions wouldn’t work, Cen Lingqiu had no choice but to start spinning another tale.
“Because I’ve lost interest,” Cen Lingqiu said, crossing her arms and lying without batting an eye. “After thinking it over, I actually feel quite sorry for her.”
Lin Dong was aghast. “Since when did you grow a conscience?”
Cen Lingqiu: “…”
She really didn’t want to talk to the male lead.
“Grandpa has already warned you. If you have the guts, go ahead and defy him.” Cen Lingqiu picked up her bag. “Take care of that brain of yours. I’m leaving.”
Yu Mingjiao took a taxi to the cemetery.
Today was her mother’s birthday. Her memories of the woman were sparse; she could only recall glimpses of her mother’s numb and dejected expression.
Her mother had been a jewelry designer in life, one who could have had a brilliant career. But after giving birth to her, she developed postpartum depression. The difficult delivery also left her with chronic health problems, and in the end, she took her own life.
The woman hadn’t seemed to like her very much.
Yet, she had a memory of the woman smiling at her.
Yu Mingjiao didn’t know what to say to the woman. She always felt that her mother probably didn’t want to see her, so she never dared to say much.
She just remained there in silence, perfectly still.
Just before leaving, she finally spoke to the woman with the beautiful smile on the tombstone.
“I’m leaving now. I’ll be back next year.”
She pressed her lips together and called out very softly.
“Goodbye, Mom.”
Her voice was faint and timid, as if she were afraid of being overheard.
As she exited the cemetery, she saw Cen Lingqiu in the distance, leaning against a car with one hand in her pocket and the other holding her phone.
As if sensing her gaze, Cen Lingqiu looked up, then waved to her with a slight smile on her lips.
Strangely, some of Yu Mingjiao’s gloomy mood dissipated.
She went over, and Cen Lingqiu pulled a handful of candy from her pocket. “I just passed a supermarket and bought these.”
Yu Mingjiao realized that she truly loved candy.
In truth, Yu Mingjiao didn’t like candy. It was all too sweet; she preferred sour things.
In the end, she only took one piece.
“Just one?”
“Mhm.”
“If you want more, just ask.” Cen Lingqiu lifted her into the car. “It’s lunchtime. Is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then I’ll choose.”
“Suit yourself.”
Cen Lingqiu chose a restaurant with light Cantonese cuisine. Yu Mingjiao had a weak stomach and couldn’t eat anything too rich.
Once all the dishes had arrived, Cen Lingqiu actually sat down at the same table as Yu Mingjiao.
Back at the apartment, she would always leave after delivering the food, or she would just stand by the table, placing food on Yu Mingjiao’s plate.
In short, she would never eat with her.
Yu Mingjiao had thought Cen Lingqiu would eat with her this time, but in reality, Cen Lingqiu didn’t even pick up her chopsticks. She just continued to serve her food as usual.
Yu Mingjiao was highly sensitive; the slightest disturbance could make her paranoid and suspicious of everything.
She couldn’t help but wonder, did Cen Lingqiu find it disgusting to eat with her?
Yu Mingjiao slowly put rice in her mouth, her expression turning sullen.
Forget it. Whatever she does has nothing to do with me.
Yu Mingjiao suppressed that subtle, strange feeling in her heart. The indifference that had long taken root there buried this inexplicable emotion, and she didn’t pay it much mind.
Cen Lingqiu was completely oblivious to Yu Mingjiao’s emotional state.
Yu Mingjiao’s habit remained the same as always: she only ate the dishes placed directly in front of her.
Each hiding their own secrets, the two of them finished the meal in this manner.
After lunch, it was still early. Cen Lingqiu had the day off and nothing to do back at the apartment, so she decided to take Yu Mingjiao for a stroll.
“I’m not going,” Yu Mingjiao refused coldly. “I want to go back.”
“You shouldn’t always stay cooped up at home.” Cen Lingqiu truly sounded like a worried elder.
Yu Mingjiao was so young, yet aside from going to school, she almost never left the house.
“There’s a beach nearby. Let’s go take a look.” Cen Lingqiu ignored her protest and began pushing her wheelchair slowly forward.
Perhaps Yu Mingjiao had grown accustomed to Cen Lingqiu’s occasional selective hearing, for she did nothing but remain indifferent.
The closer they got to the sea, the more crowded it became, and all sorts of small stalls began to appear.
Cen Lingqiu was curious about all the different stalls and pushed Yu Mingjiao among them. In just ten short minutes, Yu Mingjiao’s lap was piled high with a random assortment of items.
There were small dolls, trinkets, and all kinds of exquisitely shaped little snacks.
Yu Mingjiao: “…”
She couldn’t take it anymore. “How many more things are you going to buy?”
Cen Lingqiu chuckled lightly. “It’s fine. Just think of them as things for you to play with.”
Yu Mingjiao sneered. “Am I a child?”
Cen Lingqiu’s lips curved into a smile as she stroked her hair.
As the two of them moved forward, a girl walking toward them accidentally bumped into Yu Mingjiao’s wheelchair. In an instant, everything piled in her lap fell to the ground.
“I’m so sorry, so sorry,” the girl said apologetically, quickly squatting down to help pick everything up.
Yu Mingjiao bent over, also intending to help, but Cen Lingqiu placed a hand on hers. “I’ll get it.”
The two of them quickly gathered up the fallen items.
The girl had sweet features and her hair was tied in two low buns, giving her a fresh and sweet aura. She was almost overly polite, her face full of apology as she kept repeating, “I’m really so sorry.”
Yu Mingjiao said flatly, “It’s fine.”
“What are you doing dawdling here?” The woman who spoke was stunningly beautiful but had a cold expression. She walked over without even glancing at Cen Lingqiu or Yu Mingjiao, her gaze fixed solely on the apologizing girl.
“I accidentally bumped into someone,” the girl said with an embarrassed smile, reaching out to tug on the woman’s clothes. “Let’s go.”
The woman casually sidestepped her touch, her expression cold, and walked straight past them.
The girl smiled and nodded at them before hurrying to catch up with the woman.
Cen Lingqiu’s eyes followed the girl’s retreating figure.
Yu Mingjiao noticed. “What is it? Do you know her?”
Cen Lingqiu shook her head. “No, I just think she’s cute.”
Her cuteness was one thing, but what truly drew Cen Lingqiu’s attention was that this seemingly innocent and adorable girl had the same lifeless look in her eyes as Yu Mingjiao.
It was too much of a contradiction.
“There are too many people here; it’s easy to get bumped,” Cen Lingqiu said, looking at the bustling crowd. “Let’s find a place to sit down. Your head still hasn’t healed, we don’t want you getting knocked again.”
She found a shady spot with fewer people for them to rest.
Yu Mingjiao kept her eyes downcast, fiddling with the pile of trinkets in her lap. The wind was strong near the sea, blowing her hair into a mess.
Cen Lingqiu tucked her hair behind her ear. Yu Mingjiao’s body instinctively stiffened for a moment. She raised a hand to her hair and frowned. “Don’t—”
Cen Lingqiu cut her off. “‘Don’t touch me.’ Is that what you were going to say?”
Yu Mingjiao was silent for a few seconds before speaking in a flat tone.
“Don’t touch me without my permission.”
Cen Lingqiu raised an eyebrow. “Oh? So that means I can touch you?”
Yu Mingjiao: “No.”
Cen Lingqiu’s eyes curved into a smile. She leaned closer to Yu Mingjiao and suddenly asked, “Are you still sulking?”
“What?”
“You’ve been avoiding me for the past few days and ignoring everything I say.” Cen Lingqiu finally asked the question that had been bothering her. “Is something making you unhappy?”
She noticed my mood a long time ago?
Yu Mingjiao squeezed the small teddy bear in her hand, her expression still gloomy and sullen. Faced with Cen Lingqiu’s question, she suddenly didn’t know how to respond.
Because even she didn’t know what she truly wanted.
Her emotions and her reason were hopelessly entangled, a mess that split her into two people. One deeply loathed Cen Lingqiu, while the other basked in her warmth.
She didn’t know why she had such convoluted feelings.
“…I’m not unhappy,” Yu Mingjiao said calmly.
Cen Lingqiu nodded. “That’s the best thing to hear.”
Then she seemed to remember something, and her tone grew serious. “In the future, stay far away from my brother. Don’t go near him.”
Yu Mingjiao’s gaze turned cold in an instant. She thought Cen Lingqiu was about to tell her she wasn’t worthy of being with Lin Dong. As expected, her true nature hadn’t changed; deep down, she was still mocking her.
Just as she was thinking this, Cen Lingqiu continued, “My brother is a lunatic. If he goes crazy on you again, I can’t guarantee I’ll be there in time to help you.”
Yu Mingjiao’s eyelids trembled.
When she didn’t get a reply, Cen Lingqiu leaned closer to her face. “Answer me.”
Yu Mingjiao: “…Oh.”
“It’s so hard to get more than a few words out of you,” Cen Lingqiu teased her casually. “When will you ever take the initiative to talk to me?”
Yu Mingjiao: “…”
Receiving only silence in response again, Cen Lingqiu couldn’t help but chuckle.
Yu Mingjiao’s temperament was odd and silent, but after spending so much time with her, Cen Lingqiu had actually come to find it somewhat amusing.
The treetops swayed, and the sea breeze, carrying the last vestiges of late summer’s heat, blew against their cheeks, cool and damp.
Neither Yu Mingjiao nor Cen Lingqiu spoke again, quietly enjoying the late summer breeze.
Yu Mingjiao rarely went out, spending most of her time holed up in her tomb-like room.
Like a rat that couldn’t bear the light of day, she was unable to go outside.
She glanced at Cen Lingqiu, who was sitting on the bench.
She sat with her legs crossed, her posture casual and languid, her expression serene and detached. When the wind blew, her long, fox-like eyes narrowed slightly. Sunlight filtered through the treetops, falling on her pale face and making her features appear hazy and dreamlike.
Yu Mingjiao took only a single glance before averting her eyes, fixing her gaze on the blue sea in the distance.
The sea breeze blew in.
It was a warm wind.
That night, after washing up, Cen Lingqiu took a file folder and knocked on Yu Mingjiao’s door.
Yu Mingjiao had just finished changing the gauze on her head when she heard the knock. She knew it was Cen Lingqiu again, but she had no idea why the woman would come looking for her so close to bedtime.
“Not asleep yet?” The door opened, and Cen Lingqiu walked into the living room. “I have something for you.”
“What is it?”
Cen Lingqiu handed her the file folder.
Yu Mingjiao didn’t take it.
“Open it and see,” Cen Lingqiu said, shaking the folder. “It’s not like it’s going to hurt you.”
Yu Mingjiao took it nonetheless.
She opened the folder. Inside was an exquisitely crafted invitation.
Yu Mingjiao glanced at it and realized it was an invitation to the x.r jewelry design competition.
She already knew about this competition and had thought about entering, but the registration requirements were geared toward the powerful and influential. Since she couldn’t participate, she had given up on the idea.
Yu Mingjiao raised her eyes. “What is the meaning of this?”
Cen Lingqiu leaned against the wall. “It means exactly what you think. The preliminary round is next week. Focus on healing up so you can take the test.”
“Why give this to me?” Yu Mingjiao couldn’t understand Cen Lingqiu’s intentions and said wearily, “It’s a waste of effort.”
Cen Lingqiu was unconcerned. “What’s the big deal? You’re going to win, aren’t you?”
“I’ll lose.”
Cen Lingqiu smiled. “Oh, but you will win.”
She walked over, leaned down close to her face, and said matter-of-factly, “Because you will win, it is meaningful. It is not a waste of effort.”
Yu Mingjiao’s pupils constricted for a moment, and then she scoffed.
“You certainly have a lot of confidence in me.”
Cen Lingqiu didn’t refute it. “Because you are Yu Mingjiao. Winning is only natural for you.”
Yu Mingjiao’s grip on the invitation tightened.
“The test is next Sunday, but I have to go to City A for work that day.” Cen Lingqiu looked slightly troubled. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it back in time to go with you.”
“And you’re so sure I’ll even go?”
“Mhm.” Cen Lingqiu’s expression was serene. “You’ll go. You have the ability.”
“Alright.” She straightened up. “It’s getting late. Time for bed.”
“See you tomorrow.”
After Cen Lingqiu left, Yu Mingjiao remained frozen, still clutching the invitation.
She had guessed correctly. She would indeed go.
She wanted to do the work her mother had loved.
She wanted to be acknowledged.
And the first person to acknowledge her was that woman.
To prepare for the upcoming competition, Yu Mingjiao spent every spare moment studying. She practiced with countless drafts and pored over books on gemstones late into the night.
She was so focused on the competition that she completely forgot she had a class project due.
She was in a group with An Wu, who was just as carefree and had also forgotten about the assignment while she was out having fun.
The deadline was the next morning, so Yu Mingjiao and An Wu had to pull an all-nighter in the library to finish it.
By the time they finally finished, it was already past eleven at night. The school library stayed open late, but at this hour, it was nearly empty.
“So tired, so tired,” An Wu moaned, collapsing onto the table. “I’m going to die.”
Yu Mingjiao was also exhausted, but she wasn’t used to showing it.
The two of them packed up their things and left the campus.
An Wu’s boyfriend was waiting for her outside.
“Mingjiao, let me give you a ride home. It’s so late,” An Wu said, worried for Yu Mingjiao’s safety.
Yu Mingjiao refused. “No, it’s fine. Someone is coming to pick me up.”
“Who? Your sister?”
No matter how many times Yu Mingjiao corrected An Wu about the fact that Cen Lingqiu wasn’t her sister, An Wu would just call her that again the next time. Yu Mingjiao had grown tired of correcting her and simply let it go.
“Mhm,” Yu Mingjiao nodded.
An Wu breathed a sigh of relief. “As long as she’s coming to get you, that’s fine. I’m going to head out then. I’m super tired.”
Yu Mingjiao gave a slight nod.
An Wu left.
At this hour, the streets were nearly empty, and it was difficult to hail a taxi.
After waiting for about ten minutes, Yu Mingjiao decided to just head back on her own.
She hadn’t been lying to An Wu when she said Cen Lingqiu would pick her up. The previous night, Cen Lingqiu had indeed said she would come get her.
It was just that she had been so busy with her project that she had forgotten. Cen Lingqiu didn’t have her contact information, so after waiting in vain, she must have left.
The streets were deserted, stretching out long and empty, lit only by the glow of one streetlight after another.
Yu Mingjiao was afraid of the dark. Even though the streetlights were on, the night was too deep and silent, and fear was inevitable.
Anyone would be afraid, walking alone on a long street in the dead of night.
Yu Mingjiao quickened her pace, but just then, a stray dog suddenly darted out.
Yu Mingjiao jumped in fright.
In truth, there were many things she was afraid of.
The dark, loneliness, dogs.
The scar on the small of her back was from a dog bite.
The stray was probably out foraging for food, as it was rummaging through a trash can.
Yu Mingjiao kept her distance, wanting only to get home quickly. But the little stray heard the sound of her wheelchair rolling across the pavement and started barking at her.
Yu Mingjiao froze, unable to move.
From behind her, she could faintly hear the sound of footsteps.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Yu Mingjiao’s nerves were stretched taut. The combination of the darkness and the stray dog was slowly chipping away at her already fragile mental state.
And then there were the footsteps behind her.
In the dead of night, approaching footsteps were hardly more comforting than the darkness itself.
The footsteps drew nearer and nearer, until finally, someone came to a stop right behind her.
A familiar, cool voice spoke.
“Didn’t we agree that you’d wait for me to come pick you up?”
Yu Mingjiao turned her head to look behind her.
Cen Lingqiu stood there, a smile on her face.
“Should I be wishing you a good evening?”
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