BSS - Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Their breaths mingled. At such a close distance, Deng Chuan met Xu Wei's clear eyes, which were both incredibly distinct and incredibly hazy. Time suddenly seemed to stretch on, and any words that came to her lips lost all meaning. An immense sense of happiness, like her heart was sinking, welled up inside her, as quiet as a coin landing softly on the ground.
Night had fallen, descending between them. Deng Chuan, her eyes open, lifted her chin and gave Xu Wei's lips an incredibly innocent touch.
It was an extremely slow touch, yet as profound as a single glance back.
Once their lips met, they didn't move. Deng Chuan didn't pull away, nor did she close her eyes. In a moment like this, the meeting of their gazes was a bond that could tie two people together more tightly than skin on skin.
A tingling numbness spread from the back of her head; it was Xu Wei, gently stroking her long hair.
They drew even closer.
The distance between them existed in name only.
The dim light in the room was even fainter than the cold, lonely starlight outside. At an hour when countless homes were filled with warmth and laughter, the dinner Xu Wei had brought back lay quietly on the floor, next to the trailing hem of her overcoat.
How could the connection between people be so wondrous, Deng Chuan wondered hazily in the deepening kiss. Loneliness was the normal state of life, and they were two independent individuals, yet she vowed to make her life inseparable from Xu Wei's. She was supposed to forge ahead fearlessly, yet she felt a sense of wistful loss. Her love was overflowing because of Xu Wei, yet her body at this very moment could not contain the entirety of her love, her longing, and her sentiment.
They were boundless in their love, yet constantly on edge.
Deng Chuan reached out and wrapped her arms around Xu Wei's slender back. She held on so tightly, as if Xu Wei would drift away if she loosened her grip. They were so close, yet their hearts were even closer than their bodies.
Both were stirred, and a small sigh escaped through their noses.
In the end, they didn't do anything more. Deng Chuan cupped Xu Wei's chin, gave her one last kiss, and then pulled back as if waking from a long dream. She wiped Xu Wei's lips with her thumb and whispered, "Is kissing like this… enough?"
Xu Wei patted her on the cheek, smiling as she pulled away. She picked up the takeout dinner from the floor and, with a click, switched on the lights in the room.
The sudden brightness made both of them squint. Xu Wei changed into her slippers and went inside. Just as she placed the food on the dining table, she saw Zhou Liu in the kitchen, standing on the counter and using his paw to catch the water dripping from the faucet.
His back looked particularly stout.
Someone must not have tightened the faucet properly. No wonder Zhou Liu hadn't come back to the room to sleep all night and hadn't reacted when he heard her come in earlier.
Xu Wei walked over and firmly turned the faucet off. Caught in the act, Zhou Liu stared at her blankly. Before he could react, he was half-lifted and shooed out of the kitchen.
Xu Wei changed into loose pajamas. When she came out of her room, Deng Chuan had already set out the bowls and chopsticks and was waiting for her at the table. Zhou Liu, who had just been kicked out of the kitchen, was now curled up on her lap, aggrieved and seeking affection. Deng Chuan was stroking his fur intermittently, but she immediately moved her hand when she saw Xu Wei emerge.
As expected, Xu Wei frowned the moment she saw Zhou Liu. "We're about to eat and you're still petting him. Your hand is covered in cat fur. Go wash it before you come back."
The little friend immediately put the cat down and scurried off to wash her hands. Over the sound of running water, she could faintly hear Teacher Xu outside, lecturing Zhou Liu.
After dinner, they took the trash out to the bin in the hallway and, on a whim, threw on their coats and went downstairs for a walk.
The weather was cold, and there were fewer people walking their dogs or strolling in the complex. Deng Chuan held Xu Wei's hand tightly as they wandered around the neighborhood and then headed outside. They picked out some strawberries from a roadside stall, drank hot coffee from a vending machine, and then headed back with the strawberries in hand.
In her palm, Xu Wei's hand was soft and slender. Deng Chuan carried the strawberries in one hand and held Xu Wei's with the other. Under the streetlight, she couldn't help but turn her head to look at her. Xu Wei's chin was tucked into a thick scarf, revealing only half of her fair, delicate face. Her eyes were bright, making her look very young.
She had found this scarf in Deng Chuan's suitcase and put it on before they left. Teacher Xu was always especially cute in these spontaneous little details. Deng Chuan hooked her fingers with Xu Wei's, swung their hands, and said softly, "Can we go for a walk tomorrow too?"
As she spoke, Deng Chuan stood under the streetlight and gently touched Xu Wei's lips again.
There were very few people passing by, but Xu Wei still struggled in a fluster. She looked into Deng Chuan's eyes, so close to her own, and felt a little guilty and sad about her own panic.
Under the streetlight, nothing could be hidden. Deng Chuan released Xu Wei's lips, took her hand, and continued walking in the direction of home.
A few days later, Teacher Xu's vacation officially began. At her reminder, Deng Chuan finally remembered to report in with her family. When her parents received her call, their attitude was exceptionally generous. "Go have fun, go have fun, you don't need to come home. We're on vacation in Sanya."
Deng Chuan asked in surprise, "You went on a trip and aren't home, why didn't you tell me?"
Her mom was righteously indignant. "It's your dad's and my wedding anniversary. He took special leave to be with me. If we told you, what would you come for?"
"…Fine." Deng Chuan was speechless. "Well, you two have fun then. Be safe, and let me know when you're back."
"Got it, don't worry." Tang Lijuan bid her a very cheerful farewell. "Thanks, baby… We're about to go scuba diving. Bye-bye, hanging up now."
Xu Wei had heard everything clearly from the side. Seeing the helpless look on Deng Chuan's face after she hung up, she smiled and pinched her cheek. "Don't be unhappy- adults need their own space too. Besides, we're going on a trip too, hmm? Give me a smile-"
Deng Chuan wrinkled her nose, leaned over to kiss Xu Wei's cheek, but the words that came out were, "On our anniversaries, we have to go on trips together too."
Caught off guard by the kiss, Xu Wei turned her head and saw Zhou Liu staring at them with wide, curious eyes. The tips of her ears grew hot, but she still answered the little friend's words with conviction, "Of course."
The two of them stayed home for a few days. The itinerary for their Harbin trip was finally set. After booking the flight and hotel, they began to pack their luggage in earnest.
By now, their things were all mixed together, so they only needed to bring one set of skincare products. Deng Chuan's skincare used to be bought by Tang Lijuan, but now she used Xu Wei's. Deng Chuan used her own so slowly that Tang Lijuan had recently found it strange and specifically asked if she had finished them, only to be met with a series of evasions from her dear daughter.
Xu Wei also packed all their changes of underwear. They didn't need to bring that many coats, as Xu Wei could wear Deng Chuan's, which were a bit roomier on her anyway. Deng Chuan had looked up travel guides and prepared thick thermal underwear, down coats, and stacks of heat packs. In addition, she also packed some simple medicines.
Zhou Liu watched them pack with curiosity, his little head turning to follow their footsteps.
He was getting in the way, so Deng Chuan moved him aside. As she placed things into the suitcase, she chatted with him idly. "Zhou Liu, what are we going to do? You have to stay at the pet hotel again."
Zhou Liu's little face fell, and he remained silent.
Hearing this, Xu Wei came over and stroked his head comfortingly. "It's okay." She had wanted to say, "We'll be back to get you soon," but thinking about their subsequent travel plans, and on the principle that one shouldn't lie, even to an animal, she guiltily remained silent as well.
Deng Chuan offered some very unconventional comfort. "It's fine. I saw you've gotten quite used to it there. Try to eat more, get your money's worth."
That was actually true. Zhou Liu had adapted exceptionally well to the pet boarding shop. The videos they sent every day showed him eating well and sleeping well, and he would play boisterously with the shop's resident cat and dog, almost forgetting to be homesick.
The person and the cat had a one-sided conversation for a while. Deng Chuan finished packing the last few small items and closed the suitcase. "All done."
She turned and gave the listless Zhou Liu a good scratch. "Alright, don't be sad." She planted a loud kiss on Zhou Liu's furry forehead. "We will definitely come back for you. Okay?"
Early the next morning, the two of them dragged their luggage, took a taxi, and dropped Zhou Liu off at their usual pet shop. The manager was a young man with long hair. He greeted Xu Wei familiarly when he saw her. "Miss Xu, so early today."
Xu Wei nodded at him with a polite smile. "We'll have to trouble you again this time."
A golden retriever that lived in the shop circled them, eagerly trying to nudge Zhou Liu's carrier with his nose.
"No trouble, no trouble at all." The man said, moving to take Zhou Liu from Deng Chuan's hands. Deng Chuan was about the same height as him. Her eyes, visible above her mask, met his directly, causing him to pause for a moment.
"Okay." After a few pleasantries, Xu Wei glanced at the time and gestured for Deng Chuan to hand Zhou Liu over. "We'll leave him in your care then."
"No problem, no problem." Deng Chuan hadn't said a word the entire time. Now, she reached out to hand over Zhou Liu, and their gazes inevitably met. Neither of them spoke.
It wasn't until they were out of the pet shop that Xu Wei glanced at the silent Deng Chuan and reached for her hand. "Why are you suddenly unhappy?"
"Why did that guy keep looking at your neck?"
"Oh-" Xu Wei dragged out the sound, not at all surprised. "Then what's the use of you scowling? If he looks at me a few times, you should just glare back at him."
Deng Chuan squeezed her hand as they walked toward the car. "I wanted to curse him out, but Zhou Liu is still in his care, so I couldn't provoke him."
"Well, if you just pull a long face, he won't know you're angry." Xu Wei turned to look at her, a hint of a smile in her eyes. "I didn't notice just now. If something like this happens again, you stand in front of me, got it?"
"Whether it's me, or anyone around you, or even yourself, when you encounter something like this, you have to stand up. Do you understand?"
Xu Wei swung her hand.
The little friend's voice was muffled. "I know."
Their flight was a little after ten in the morning, so they had plenty of time. They leisurely ate sandwiches and drank coffee for breakfast at the airport, then waited for their flight with a group of grandpas and grandmas with thick Northeastern accents. Xu Wei leaned on Deng Chuan's shoulder, listening to the conversations around them and smiling secretly.
There was no meal service on this flight, only a small carton of yogurt and a few packets of snacks. Xu Wei didn't like yogurt, so she pushed hers into Deng Chuan's hand and slept on her shoulder for a while.
The plane landed right at noon. The bright sun shone through the glass of the jet bridge, warming the passengers. But as they emerged from the airport's arrival level, the perceived temperature dropped sharply. The people waiting for taxis by the roadside were all dressed in down coats and cotton gloves. The two of them also put on their down coats, bundled up like round bears, and queued for a taxi to drop their luggage at the hotel.
Unlike in Beijing, unlike at home, in this completely unfamiliar place, both Deng Chuan and Xu Wei seemed to have shed some of their constraints. They leaned against each other in the taxi, whispering in each other's ears without restraint, watching the grayish-blue sky outside the window.
There were traces of melted snow on the roadside, and the people coming and going were all in a hurry. No longer afraid of being spotted by someone they knew, of being discovered, Deng Chuan sensed Xu Wei's relaxed state of mind. She felt just as relaxed as she put an arm around her shoulder, but along with the happiness, there was still a faint, hidden worry.
They leaned against each other so closely, so naturally that it seemed irrefutable to others- and of course, others couldn't refute it. But the kind of open and honest love stories that most people took for granted were, in their subconscious, a limited performance reserved only for unfamiliar places.
Perhaps, this was another kind of distance.
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