BSS - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Deng Chuan was startled and gestured for Xu Wei to spit it out. Xu Wei covered her mouth, shook her head, chewed a few times, and swallowed it before grabbing her water glass to drink.

With two out of the three of them defeated, Deng Chuan was both curious and shocked. She unwrapped her chopsticks, picked up the third Lao Ma Chaoshou, and popped it into her mouth.

Xu Wei was too busy drinking water to stop her in time.

Even more overpowering than the spiciness was the numbness. After eating one, Deng Chuan completely understood why Xu Wei and Yang Jing had reacted so dramatically. She didn't cry, but she had to drink several sips of water to suppress the strange sensation in her mouth. Once she recovered, she found it somewhat acceptable. She wasn't afraid of spice, just not used to the numbing feeling.

Deng Chuan ended up eating the entire portion of Lao Ma Chaoshou. Yang Jing ate a spoonful of ice jelly on the side, which finally soothed her taste buds.

The Wanza Mian wasn't as extreme as the Lao Ma Chaoshou. The three of them managed to finish it with the help of the ice jelly. As for the spicy and numbing cold dish, they adopted a "participation is what counts" attitude, each trying a bite before putting it in the fridge.

Yang Jing felt like she hadn't eaten enough; she was full from drinking water. She leaned back on the sofa and lamented that they should have bought alcohol on their way up, earning a glare from Xu Wei.

Deng Chuan went to the restroom. With her out of the room, Yang Jing grew bolder. "Why are you glaring at me? Isn't Deng Chuan an adult? Why do you always have this mother hen mentality?"

Yang Jing coaxed, "She's already graduated. You should stop treating her like your student."

Xu Wei wasn't one to be easily swayed by others' words. She listened impassively, keeping an ear on the bathroom door. "It's my duty to take care of her. What does that have to do with whether she's my student or not?"

"How is it not related?" Yang Jing shot up and scooted next to Xu Wei. "You always have this psychological barrier because you constantly feel she's younger than you. Whether it's the age gap or the teacher-student relationship, you fundamentally see them as unequal relationships. Can a romantic relationship be unequal?"

Xu Wei smiled slightly. "That's a paradox."

Yang Jing disagreed. "Xu Wei, this mindset of yours will exhaust you."

Xu Wei was noncommittal. "I'm not tired. Don't talk about me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Let's talk about you. Leo has already emailed me asking about your itinerary. Can you please handle your ex-boyfriend?"

"He's crazy," Yang Jing said, rolling her eyes. "Just ignore him."

"So, what are your thoughts?"

"Me? Are you being serious? I think I need to figure out my orientation first."

Xu Wei tilted her head, asking with a hint of surprise, "What?"

"I'm not sure what I want yet. If I rush into marriage under these circumstances, wouldn't it be too late if I regret it later?"

"This matter..." Xu Wei chose her words carefully. "Isn't really about regret, is it?"

Yang Jing said frankly, "To be honest, I don't understand what love is. Whether it's with the same sex or the opposite sex, I just don't know. That's why it's even more important to be sure. When I was with Leo, it was just because I thought he looked cute carrying my bag when we went shopping."

"Right. But isn't he in Australia?"

"Exactly. I wanted to return to China, and he didn't. Our relationship at the time was never going to work out, so the thought of that made me feel incredibly relaxed. And so we dated."

Xu Wei commented, "You're so childish."

"I agree, but I also don't think there's a need to complicate things. What are the few worries of modern people? Survival, life, and love."

Her words made Xu Wei laugh. "That's so philosophical. It doesn't sound like something you'd say."

The bathroom door opened, and Deng Chuan walked out. Xu Wei stood up. "Time for bed. Just cover the things on the table; we can clean up tomorrow."

Yang Jing also stood up. As she passed Deng Chuan, she tried to touch her face, but Xu Wei slapped her hand away.

Before Xu Wei's hand could land, Yang Jing managed to pinch Deng Chuan's cheek again before quickly shutting her bedroom door.

Deng Chuan watched her retreating back, confused.

Xu Wei went back to their room first and started washing up at the sink. Deng Chuan went to the living room for a glass of water, then returned and closed the bedroom door. Only then did she feel the world become exceptionally quiet.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom; it was Xu Wei washing up. She walked a few steps closer and saw Xu Wei's slender, beautiful back.

She couldn't resist secretly capturing the moment with her phone.

Then she walked over and wrapped her arms around Xu Wei's waist from behind.

Xu Wei didn't turn around, continuing with her routine, occasionally glancing at their reflection in the mirror.

Deng Chuan didn't speak either, burying her face in Xu Wei's neck, affectionately nuzzling her warm, smooth skin. A faint fragrance lingered. After a while, she whispered, "I brought my camera. I'll take pictures of you two tomorrow."

She then asked, "What time are we heading out tomorrow?"

"We don't have any specific plans. We'll go out after we're well-rested."

Deng Chuan pressed close to Xu Wei's ear. "Does that mean we can stay up late?"

Xu Wei smiled and said in a serious tone, "No."

After Xu Wei finished washing up, she started walking out of the bathroom. Deng Chuan didn't let go, clinging to her as they walked to the bedside. Xu Wei didn't find her annoying. She turned around to face Deng Chuan, tilting her head up to look into her eyes.

Only a single bedside lamp was left on, casting a gentle, watery yellow glow. The shadow of the lamp stand fell on the bedsheets like the mottled shade of a tree.

They shared a late-night kiss by the bed. After holding each other quietly for a while, Xu Wei asked Deng Chuan, "Do you feel constrained with me?"

Deng Chuan looked at her and shook her head. "No..."

"Sometimes I feel that I've made our relationship too dull," Xu Wei said. "I'm not a very interesting person to begin with."

"Who said that?"

"..." Xu Wei fell silent, then said, "Anyway..."

"Being with you is wonderful. I'm very happy," Deng Chuan interrupted her. "I love you. You are the optimal solution for me."

That phrase struck a chord with Xu Wei. She wasn't used to bringing mathematical terms into her daily life, but now, the collision of two familiar things gave her a very strange feeling.

"Don't overthink it. You're just tired today," Deng Chuan said, stroking her hair comfortingly. "Let's sleep."

Xu Wei looked at Deng Chuan and kissed her lips lightly again. "Okay, let's sleep."

The two got under the covers. The air conditioner blew cool air as Deng Chuan hugged Xu Wei from behind, her body pressed against Xu Wei's lean shoulder blades. "Good night."

She knew Xu Wei wasn't asleep yet, so she added in a low voice, "I love you."

Xu Wei patted the hand resting on her waist and closed her eyes.

---

As expected, none of them woke up early the next day. It was almost noon, and Yang Jing still hadn't come knocking.

Both Xu Wei and Deng Chuan were good sleepers. They woke up in more or less the same position they had fallen asleep in. Neither had set an alarm, so they slept until they woke up naturally.

Deng Chuan woke up a little earlier than Xu Wei. The moment Xu Wei opened her eyes, she saw Deng Chuan sitting beside her, playing on her phone. Seeing that Xu Wei was awake, she leaned over and wiped the corner of her mouth with her finger. "Good morning."

The curtains weren't blackout curtains, so the room was brightly lit. Even the fine hairs on Xu Wei's ears were visible. Xu Wei wasn't fully awake yet, a hint of confusion still in her eyes. She felt Deng Chuan's hand pinch her ear and frowned slightly. "What time is it?"

"Eleven." Deng Chuan lay down, facing her. "What do you want to eat for lunch?"

It was too close. Xu Wei wasn't quite used to this kind of proximity right after waking up and shrank back a little. "...What time did you wake up? How are you so energetic?"

"Ten-thirty." It was rare to see Xu Wei in such a dazed state, and Deng Chuan couldn't resist reaching out to hug her. "Hugs."

"...Alright, alright." Xu Wei returned the hug, squeezing the back of the little friend's neck. "Stop being clingy."

She thought for a moment, then said, "Let's go out for lunch."

"Okay!" Deng Chuan sat up and ran to her suitcase to get her clothes. She glanced at Xu Wei, who was lying on her side watching her, but still felt too shy to change in front of her. After a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her clothes and ducked into the bathroom.

Xu Wei was amused by her actions. She checked her phone messages, replying to the important ones, then called Yang Jing to tell her to get up and go out for food before slowly getting out of bed herself.

When Deng Chuan came out after changing, Xu Wei was talking to Yang Jing outside. The moment she appeared, she was met with the scrutiny of both of them. Yang Jing sized her up and whispered something to Xu Wei.

Xu Wei told her to shut up.

Both Yang Jing and Xu Wei were pretty older sisters, and waiting for pretty older sisters to get ready was a long process. Xu Wei changed her clothes and put on makeup. Her lip gloss today was shimmery, and in the bright sunlight filling the room, it unconsciously drew Deng Chuan's gaze.

"Alright, let's go." Xu Wei didn't like carrying a bag, so she stuffed her lipstick, tissues, and other small items into Deng Chuan's crossbody bag and patted her.

The midday sun hung high in the sky, and there were few people in the residential complex. As they walked, Yang Jing lamented that the sunscreen she had applied seemed useless under such a scorching sun; even an umbrella didn't help.

The three of them took a taxi straight to a hot pot restaurant.

The restaurant was one Yang Jing had picked from a guide she'd prepared beforehand. It was lunchtime, so there was a wait. They sat down at the entrance and looked at the menu to order.

Yang Jing checked the reviews on Dianping and said to Xu Wei, "Maybe we should go buy some milk first. I'm afraid we'll embarrass ourselves in there."

The milk was to counteract the spiciness. Xu Wei thought about it and agreed it was a good idea. She told Yang Jing to wait there while she and Deng Chuan found a convenience store to buy milk.

Even at noon, Guanyinqiao was crowded. Deng Chuan carefully held the umbrella, leading Xu Wei toward the shade. Xu Wei linked her arm, focused on finding a convenience store.

The way they held each other seemed more intimate than typical best friends. The atmosphere between them was clearly different; they leaned in close when they spoke, and Xu Wei's body language showed a clear inclination toward her. Deng Chuan noticed someone looking at them but didn't look back.

In a place like this, where no one knew anyone, such gazes no longer mattered.

After buying the milk, they returned to find a table ready for them. When the waiter came to confirm their soup base and spice level, Yang Jing looked at the bubbling red pots around them and specifically requested "mildly spicy, very mildly spicy."

They even ordered soy milk for their drinks.

The soup base would get spicier as it simmered. Fortunately, they had bought milk beforehand and also ordered shaved ice. The oil dipping sauce also helped to alleviate some of the heat and spice. None of them were used to Sichuan peppercorns, so they fished them out before the pot even started boiling.

After lunch, Yang Jing was in high spirits and wanted to walk around the city center. Leaving the commercial district, they found the residential areas had excellent greenery. The shade of the trees blocked most of the harsh sun. On the balconies of the apartment buildings, laundry fluttered in the gentle afternoon breeze. Someone was selling watermelons by the roadside, a small green mountain piled on the back of a truck.

Watching Xu Wei and Yang Jing walk into that scene of tranquil, everyday life, Deng Chuan raised her camera.

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