BSS - Chapter 100
Chapter 100
The plane flew through the clouds.
It got dark early in winter. Outside the porthole, it was pitch dark. There was no sunset glow to be seen, only the navigation lights on the wing flashing on and off, like traveling through a nascent, chaotic universe.
It was a three-seat row. Deng Chuan and Xu Wei sat in the two seats by the window. Xu Wei had taken a short nap earlier, and most of the fatigue from the journey had dissipated. She leaned quietly against Deng Chuan's shoulder, and the two of them silently watched the view outside the window together for a while. Then, Xu Wei reached out and straightened the mask on Deng Chuan's face, which had been knocked askew by her leaning.
The Little Friend gently nudged her fingers. The flesh of her cheek felt very soft through the mask. Her eyelashes drooped obediently, accentuating the bridge of her nose above the metal strip of the mask, making her look especially like a wolf cub that hadn't fully grown its teeth yet—innocently cute.
A laugh escaped from Xu Wei's nose.
Her favoritism was so obvious. The three-seat row had been completely divided into two parts. The person sitting by the aisle was probably happy to have their own space, currently reading a web novel on their phone.
Deng Chuan leaned close to her ear and asked softly, "Is it not too cold where you're from in the winter? I looked at the weather forecast, and it's all above zero."
"Mm." Xu Wei rubbed her ear; it was thin, foldable. "You still need to be careful. It's a damp cold there. Although you don't need to dress as warmly as we are now, it's very easy to catch a cold, and it takes a long time to get better."
Deng Chuan nodded, taking note. "It's fine, I brought some instant drink mix. I can drink some for prevention when we get there."
Xu Wei hummed again, giving the Little Friend's flushed earlobe an appreciative squeeze. "So thoughtful. You deserve praise."
Deng Chuan quietly scooted even closer.
The two of them leaned against each other, their breaths mingling at an extremely close distance. Not to mention, the plane hadn't reached the stratosphere yet, and only the emergency lights were on in the cabin, creating a dim, ambiguous atmosphere. The only light came from phone screens shining directly on people's faces. Everyone was looking at their phones, so no one paid attention to their intimate interaction.
Xu Wei leaned on Deng Chuan's shoulder, hugging her arm, and faintly brushed her lips against the ear she had just rubbed red.
The ticklish sensation on her ear made Deng Chuan shift restlessly. She fumbled for Xu Wei's hand, a warm palm covering hers, and then clasped it firmly.
They held hands for a long time, so long that Xu Wei's hand completely absorbed Deng Chuan's body heat. The warmth spread up her arm, rushing straight to her heart.
She responded to her gently, hooking the Little Friend's fingertip or catching her restless fingers.
No matter what, they didn't let go.
Separated by the armrest, their shoulders were practically pressed together.
Deng Chuan had a very independent personality. Even after they started dating, when they were out, it was always Xu Wei who initiated physical affection by leaning in. Deng Chuan's role was simply to receive all her closeness and reliance.
Their dynamic might have already been set. But in her heart, Deng Chuan actually enjoyed Xu Wei's closeness and reliance, and even felt a little smug about it. Xu Wei was someone who valued personal space, so those she accepted would often feel an even greater sense of happiness, having broken through her cool exterior to see the vibrant and bright person she was.
Deng Chuan always thought with the feeling of possessing the world's most secret treasure: Only I can see this.
With this thought, she squeezed her hand again.
The plane smoothly ascended to the stratosphere. Inside the cabin, bright yellow lights turned on, and the flight attendants began pushing carts to serve the meal. There were two choices, noodles or rice, and each person also got a small bread roll and a carton of yogurt.
Both of them had already had dinner, so they only asked for noodles and yogurt, declining the bread rolls, and requested two cups of hot water. The airplane food was mediocre, but the spaghetti with chili sauce was surprisingly appetizing. Xu Wei ate half and pushed the rest to Deng Chuan.
For a moment, the cabin was filled with the sound of tearing foil packaging. The air filled with aromas, and the mealtime was lively.
Deng Chuan first finished Xu Wei's leftover portion. The Little Friend had sauce on the corner of her mouth but was completely unaware as she twirled her noodles, then stuffed a large mouthful in, chewing cutely. Xu Wei deliberately didn't point it out, watching for a little longer before taking a napkin and leaning over to wipe it for her.
After the meal, the flight attendants collected the trash. Just as everyone was leisurely drinking their yogurt, the cabin lights dimmed again. The plane began its descent, preparing to land.
Outside the porthole, the navigation lights still flashed, but the feeling after having eaten and drunk was completely different from before.
Deng Chuan drank her yogurt, her throat moving with each swallow, and Xu Wei couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. Deng Chuan deliberately swallowed, and the cartilage of her throat, hidden beneath the skin, slid distinctly under Xu Wei's fingertips.
A curious experience.
Xu Wei didn't say anything. She didn't pull her hand back, still resting it on Deng Chuan's throat. She seemed to think about something seriously before saying, "You're too thin." As she spoke, she stroked Deng Chuan's neck again. "There's hardly any meat on you."
Deng Chuan thought she was fine as she was. She felt that Xu Wei was the one who was truly thin and ate so little. So she disapprovingly caught the hand that was roaming on her neck and said in a low voice, "You eat almost less than Zhou Liu, and you're talking about me."
Xu Wei laughed softly, a shallow, breathy sound accompanied by warm air puffing against Deng Chuan's ear. "How can I compare to him... If Zhou Liu keeps eating like this, I'll have to send him to lose weight. -It's all your fault, you always feed him so much."
That wasn't right. She herself was clearly the one who was softest when Zhou Liu begged for food. Deng Chuan didn't expose her, only agreeing, "Okay, when we get back, we'll hide the canned food and secretly give it to the cats outside. We won't give any to Zhou Liu."
Xu Wei hit her lightly. "Don't change the subject. I was talking about you, I'm serious... You really do seem to have lost weight recently. Pay more attention to yourself. Don't let your family come looking for me, asking how I let their daughter get so thin."
Her tone was very serious, as if she were genuinely worried about this.
Deng Chuan squeezed her hand. "I'll definitely be on my best behavior." She thought of her mom and laughed. "My mom probably won't come looking for you. She'd be thrilled that someone is taking care of me. Don't worry, if I lose weight, she'll only scold me, not you."
Hearing this, Xu Wei pushed the yogurt in her hand into Deng Chuan's. "Fine-then you drink this too."
The plane rumbled along. The two talked for a while longer, then fell silent, enjoying the intimacy of cuddling.
After an unknown amount of time, an announcement came over the broadcast that the plane was about to land. The view outside the porthole was no longer pitch black. As the plane circled and descended, the city lights gradually appeared. Deng Chuan looked down and could see a river running through it, lights twinkling on both banks. Further away, the dark surface of the sea was clearly distinct from the bright mainland.
Xu Wei also turned to look, remaining silent.
Every time she returned to her hometown, Xu Wei couldn't help but have complicated feelings. She was dazed for a moment, and when she came back to her senses, she felt Deng Chuan gently holding her hand.
She lowered her head and gave a smile as if to hide something, unsure what turbulent emotions and thoughts she was trying to conceal. Then she looked up, her gaze softening again. "Don't worry."
She leaned closer, resting her head on Deng Chuan's shoulder. "I still have to show you a good time."
The plane landed, jolting once as it touched down and taxied on the runway. A gentle and considerate voice came over the broadcast: "Ladies and gentlemen, the plane has now landed at Chaoshan Airport. The outside temperature is 3 degrees Celsius. The aircraft is still taxiing. For your safety..."
The passengers relaxed. The cabin began to fill with the sounds of phone notifications and calls, interspersed with conversations in the Chaoshan dialect. Their tones were uneven, as if they were shouting—on a flight to Chaoshan, most of the passengers were from Chaoshan.
Deng Chuan couldn't understand a single word. She looked at Xu Wei, who didn't seem to react, and secretly asked her, "What are they saying?"
"They're saying to pack up and get ready to leave." Xu Wei suppressed a laugh and squeezed the Little Friend's ear, telling her to get ready to retrieve her bag from the overhead compartment.
The bright cabin lights made the laughter in Xu Wei's eyes particularly obvious. As soon as they landed, Deng Chuan sensed a relaxation in Xu Wei's state, subtly different from how she was in other places. When a person returns to their familiar hometown and hears their familiar local dialect, they will always unconsciously relax, no matter what.
Deng Chuan couldn't help but smile too. She could barely contain her smugness again. She thought with a smile, perhaps she was also a reason for Xu Wei's relaxation. Because she was here, Xu Wei could completely let go.
Anyone would forgive a young person's triumphant smile in matters of love. Besides, she was purely happy for her lover.
The two got off the plane, walked through the jet bridge, and arrived at the baggage claim hall. The moment she stepped off the plane, Deng Chuan immediately felt the moisture in the air hit her face. Having just come from the dry north, even though it was winter, the south was much more humid. After collecting their luggage and going outside to get a taxi, Deng Chuan saw everyone wrapped tightly in their clothes. The wind was quite strong, scraping against the skin, a cold that seeped into the bones.
In the cold wind, Deng Chuan reached out and put an arm around Xu Wei. The taxi queue wasn't long, and a car soon pulled up. The half-open door blocked some of the wind. Deng Chuan let Xu Wei get in first, then helped the driver put the luggage in the trunk before getting into the back seat herself.
The driver struck up a conversation with them in accented Mandarin. "Where are you from? Here for a visit?"
Xu Wei replied in the Chaoshan dialect, and the driver's attitude immediately became much warmer. The two chatted idly in the Chaoshan dialect. Deng Chuan couldn't understand a word and could only stare eagerly at Xu Wei.
Xu Wei noticed Deng Chuan's gaze, secretly took her hand, and stopped chatting, focusing her attention on the Little Friend. "We'll go to my place first. Wait for me to make a call home. It won't be long."
It was now a little after nine, almost ten at night. Xu Wei watched Deng Chuan nod obediently, then helped tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled slightly and said, "Think about what you want for a late-night snack. We have a lot of delicious things here at night... How about I take you to eat my favorite late-night snack?"
Xu Wei's voice was light and gentle, completely different from the tone she used with the driver just now. Deng Chuan immediately felt the preferential treatment, and the bit of disappointment from not understanding the Chaoshan dialect was gently soothed away by Xu Wei. "Okay!" She thought for a moment, then took her hand and added, "I'll listen to you."
Xu Wei's home was quite far from the airport, about a forty-minute drive. Deng Chuan leaned against Xu Wei and replied to some messages she had received on the plane, and before she knew it, they had arrived.
After saying goodbye to the taxi driver, Deng Chuan pulled the luggage. Their clothes were still suited for Harbin's climate and seemed a bit exaggerated in the south. Even the security guard at the residential complex gave them a few glances, intentionally or not.
Xu Wei entered the gate code and they went into the complex. It looked like it had been built in recent years; the facilities were new, the landscaping was well-done, and it showed no signs of age.
Xu Wei led Deng Chuan upstairs, making a phone call while they waited for the elevator.
She spoke a few brief sentences.
Upstairs, the corridor served two apartments per floor. One of the doors had a shoe cabinet next to it with a pot of devil's ivy on top.
Xu Wei rang the doorbell of this apartment and turned back to Deng Chuan. "Wait for me a moment."
Deng Chuan pursed her lips nervously and nodded.
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