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墨書 Inktalez
Liu Shuhan sat on the sofa, lost in thought.
She had spent the entire morning cleaning the floors, doing laundry, and dusting the furniture, completing all the chores she could think of. Now, she had nothing to do. The television was playing SpongeBob SquarePants, a show she had watched at least ten times that week, and Liu Shuhan could recite the plot by heart.
The bandage on her hand had been removed three days ago, and her injuries had mostly healed, but she still felt too embarrassed to tell Cheng Qiuyi that she wanted to leave.
Liu Shuhan had brought it up several times at the dinner table. Each time she mentioned that she was ready to return to work, Cheng Qiuyi would look hurt, her narrow phoenix eyes filled with a sense of grievance directed at Liu Shuhan. This made Liu Shuhan feel like a heartless person who abandoned someone, so she would bury her head in her bowl and fall silent.
However, continuing like this was not a solution. Her boss had already urged her several times, and if she didn't return to work soon, she might lose her job. Liu Shuhan stared at the television and secretly made up her mind; this time, no matter what, she couldn't give in!
"I'm back." While Liu Shuhan was lost in thought, Cheng Qiuyi arrived home.
Cheng Qiuyi kicked off her high heels and walked over to Liu Shuhan, resting her head against her shoulder with a sigh of exhaustion. "There's no place like home; this day has been exhausting."
The outdoor temperature was high, and a thin layer of sweat formed on Cheng Qiuyi's forehead, dampening Liu Shuhan's shoulder. Her curled eyelashes brushed against Liu Shuhan's neck like a feather lightly tickling her heart.
Liu Shuhan glanced at Cheng Qiuyi but found herself unable to voice her intentions.
Cheng Qiuyi's cheeks were slightly flushed as she closed her eyes, looking utterly worn out. Seeing this made Liu Shuhan's heart ache. Cheng Qiuyi was successful in her career, but she was still an ordinary person who could get tired, feel sad, and experience hardship. Liu Shuhan couldn't help but wonder how much suffering Cheng Qiuyi had endured all these years working alone outside without anyone to talk to.
"If you're tired, go lie down for a while. I'll make dinner; I'm preparing mung bean soup today. You can have a bowl later to cool off," Liu Shuhan said as she stood up to head for the kitchen but was stopped by Cheng Qiuyi wrapping her arms around her waist.
"Wooden girl, how wonderful it would be if you could always be by my side," Cheng Qiuyi murmured with her face buried in Liu Shuhan's waist.
Liu Shuhan's waist was soft; although she wasn't overweight, she didn't exercise much and had a thin layer of fat around her waist. With Cheng Qiuyi's head resting there, it felt like lying on a small cloud. Cheng Qiuyi nuzzled against Liu Shuhan's waist again and let out a satisfied sigh.
Liu Shuhan stroked her long hair and smiled. "I'm right here; why are you saying such silly things?"
She finished speaking, her nose feeling a bit sour. She did want to cling to Cheng Qiuyi for a lifetime, but Cheng Qiuyi was different; she had known since high school that Cheng Qiuyi was straight. Cheng Qiuyi would have a happy family in the future, with children and grandchildren around her, enjoying the joys of life. She couldn't ruin that for her.
Love is a mysterious thing. Liu Shuhan hadn't seen Cheng Qiuyi in nearly ten years, and she thought she had already let go of her feelings for her. But the moment she saw Cheng Qiuyi, all those memories surged back, leaving her defenseless.
Cheng Qiuyi already had someone she liked; she had said so herself. This time she came back for him.
"Stop messing around, it's already eleven-thirty. Do you still want to eat?" Liu Shuhan sniffed, trying hard to make her voice sound less shaky.
"I want braised fish."
"Okay."
"Sweet and sour ribs."
"Okay."
"Boiled shrimp."
"Okay."
"Coca-Cola chicken wings, stir-fried bitter melon with beef, braised pig ears, beer duck..."
Liu Shuhan listened as Cheng Qiuyi rattled off a list of dishes like a stand-up comedian, feeling helpless. "We can't finish all this food in three days! I'm telling you, no matter how much you eat this time, don't even think about dragging me out for a run with you."
Cheng Qiuyi had a habit of night running, often circling the neighborhood for dozens of laps. Ever since Liu Shuhan's injury had mostly healed, Cheng Qiuyi would drag her out to run every now and then. Liu Shuhan detested all forms of exercise; she would rather ride her little electric scooter just to buy soy sauce at the neighborhood entrance than go running. Being forced to run several times by Cheng Qiuyi was truly a bitter experience.
Cheng Qiuyi thought for a few seconds and compromised, "Then let's have braised fish and sweet and sour ribs, but use less sugar."
Liu Shuhan may not have many skills, but she loved cooking. When she first arrived, Cheng Qiuyi would eat only a small amount at each meal, claiming it was to maintain her figure. That was until Liu Shuhan made her first meal. The aroma wafting through the air made Cheng Qiuyi relent, and that day she devoured most of the dishes on the table, leaving Liu Shuhan astonished. Poor girl must have been holding back for so long.
So Liu Shuhan asked, "Aren't you trying to maintain your figure?"
That day, after finally having a satisfying meal, Cheng Qiuyi patted her belly and said contentedly, "It's fine. If necessary, I'll just run a couple of extra laps tonight."
Then Liu Shuhan was dragged downstairs to accompany Cheng Qiuyi for a run.
From that point on, things spiraled out of control; Cheng Qiuyi never starved herself again.
In the afternoon, with nothing to do, Cheng Qiuyi tidied up the table and lay on the lounge chair on the balcony scrolling through Weibo while Liu Shuhan went into her room to pack her things.
All good things must come to an end. She was a healthy person and couldn't keep relying on Cheng Qiuyi to support her; it was time to leave.
"Wood, I happen to be free this afternoon. How about we go watch a movie?" Cheng Qiuyi said while facing the screen.
Liu Shuhan was still in her room and didn't respond for a long time. Cheng Qiuyi guessed she hadn't heard and repeated herself, but still received no reply. Feeling puzzled, she pushed open Liu Shuhan's door. "Wood, what are you doing..." Her voice trailed off.
Cheng Qiuyi's smiling face suddenly darkened. In Liu Shuhan's room lay a small suitcase—one that Cheng Qiuyi had personally brought from her home the day Liu Shuhan got injured. At that moment, Liu Shuhan was stuffing her change of clothes into that small suitcase.
"What are you doing?" Cheng Qiuyi asked with a frown.
Liu Shuhan was busy and sweating profusely as she wiped her forehead. "Qiu Yi, there's something I've been wanting to tell you but haven't found the right opportunity. My injury has healed pretty well, and I've been staying at your place for quite some time now. If I don't go back to work at the Courier company soon, my boss will really fire me. So I'm packing up to say goodbye."
"No!" Cheng Qiuyi rejected without a second thought, only realizing something was off after the words left her mouth. She softened her tone and said, "You still have bruises on your back that haven't healed. You should rest for a few more days. I'll talk to your boss; it won't delay your work, okay?"
Liu Shuhan couldn't stand seeing Cheng Qiuyi feeling wronged. She stood there, torn, and after a long pause, she finally made a difficult decision. "If it really doesn't work out, even if the boss doesn't say anything, what will the other couriers think of me?"
"Qiu Yi, I know you just returned to the country and don’t have many friends, so it feels lonely. We've been friends for so many years; if you want someone to hang out with, just come find me. I will never turn you down as long as I'm free."
Cheng Qiuyi's eyes dimmed. "Mu Tou, are you also getting tired of me?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Liu Shuhan hurriedly defended herself, thinking how could she be tired of Cheng Qiuyi? She just wanted to cling to her twenty-four hours a day, fearing that Cheng Qiuyi would get annoyed.
"Will we still be in touch in the future? Will you deliberately avoid seeing me?"
Liu Shuhan shook her head vigorously. She wished for nothing more than for Cheng Qiuyi to come and hang out with her; how could she bear to refuse?
"Are you leaving today?"
"Yeah, I've already packed up and can leave soon."
"Let's go; I'll see you off." Cheng Qiuyi wearily pinched the bridge of her nose and took Liu Shuhan's small suitcase.
The atmosphere in the car was cold enough to freeze. Liu Shuhan knew Cheng Qiuyi was angry and curled up in the passenger seat corner, not daring to make a sound.
Cheng Qiuyi was indeed angry. She was frustrated that Liu Shuhan was such a stubborn blockhead. Hadn't she hinted clearly enough? This blockhead just chose to ignore it. Cheng Qiuyi really wanted to crack open Liu Shuhan's head and see if there was really only one track in there.
But when she glanced at Liu Shuhan in the rearview mirror, she suddenly burst into laughter.
Liu Shuhan curled up cautiously in the passenger seat, her whole body almost pressed against the window, looking both ridiculous and pitiful.
Cheng Qiuyi's anger subsided a little as she said seriously, "I'm just taking you home, not planning to sell you off. Is it really necessary to act like this?"
"You're... not angry anymore?" Liu Shuhan asked tentatively.
"How could I dare to be angry at you? You're so decisive, just up and leaving without a word."
Clearly, she was still upset! Liu Shuhan pouted and asked, "Is it too late for me to say something now?"
Cheng Qiuyi couldn't help but laugh. "You go ahead and say something first; after that, I'll consider it."
Liu Shuhan actually followed her advice, pouting and making "chirping" noises, which made Cheng Qiuyi laugh so hard she nearly lost control of the car. "Alright, alright, Liu Shuhan, you're really something... I'm driving here, so don't make me laugh too much or we'll end up in an accident."
Liu Shuhan grinned. "Qiu Yi, you laughed! That means you're not angry anymore, right?"
"You may not have learned many skills over the years, but you've certainly mastered the art of being sly," Cheng Qiuyi huffed, sighing. "Actually, I was in the wrong here; I was too selfish."
"The decision to stay or leave is in your hands; I shouldn't have pressured you to stay."
Hearing this made Liu Shuhan feel even guiltier.
Cheng Qiuyi's profile was beautiful, especially when she focused on the road ahead while driving. She looked stunning and composed—how should one put it? Yes, she exuded grace and confidence.
Liu Shuhan's thoughts shifted as she opened her phone camera and aimed it at Cheng Qiuyi's profile, snapping a quick picture.
"Beautiful Sister personally sent me home, I ask you, are you scared?"
Liu Shuhan opened her Weibo account and posted a photo of Cheng Qiuyi.
Liu Shuhan had a dedicated account that followed no one and had no fans, specifically for posting various beautiful women she collected in her daily life. After posting on Weibo, Liu Shuhan decided to splurge on a yearly membership and pinned Cheng Qiuyi's photo to the top, growing more delighted the longer she looked at it.
"We're here," Cheng Qiuyi said as she stepped on the brakes and turned to Liu Shuhan.
"Huh?" Liu Shuhan was still smiling at the photo and didn't catch what Cheng Qiuyi said.
"We've arrived, Silly Girl. If you're going to miss me, should I drive back?"
"No, no need, Qiu Yi. Thank you for taking care of me these days. Also, I'm really happy to see you again after so many years."
"I'm happy too." Cheng Qiuyi reached out and tucked Liu Shuhan's hair, which had been blown around by the window, behind her ear. "You're lucky to have met me."
Liu Shuhan felt warmth rise to her cheeks and shyly bid farewell to Cheng Qiuyi before returning to her small rental apartment.
After she got back, she noticed that her pinned Weibo post had received a like from a stranger.
This person also had a small account and only followed Liu Shuhan, with an empty homepage.
Just a zombie follower, Liu Shuhan thought nonchalantly as she blocked the user.
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