BSS - Chapter 101

Chapter 101

The door was quiet, then opened quickly.

The person who opened it was a young man. His features bore a resemblance to Xu Wei's, except Xu Wei had double eyelids while he had single ones. The handsome combination made him look much gentler.

He was a head taller than Xu Wei. The moment the door opened, his gaze passed over her shoulder and almost immediately landed on Deng Chuan, who was standing by the elevator. Their eyes met for a fleeting, unsmiling moment.

The man quickly looked away. He lowered his head to speak to Xu Wei, his tone just as mild.

The two of them went inside. Not long after, Xu Wei came out carrying a bag of something. The man was still saying something to her, but Xu Wei looked a little impatient. Without another word, she closed the door in his face, turned, and walked past Deng Chuan to press the elevator button.

"What's wrong?" Deng Chuan asked, reaching for the bag in her hand.

Xu Wei placed the bag's handles in her hand. "It's nothing."

The bag was quite heavy. Deng Chuan placed it on her suitcase; it seemed to be filled with some kind of fruit.

After a pause, Xu Wei suddenly added, "That was my younger brother."

Deng Chuan nodded, turning to stare intently at her profile, listening with concentration. "You look so much alike. But he's not as good-looking as you."

The elevator arrived, and they stepped inside together. The surrounding mirrors reflected their figures standing side by side. Xu Wei's expression was very calm. "My brother… he's not a bad person, just lacks vision and ambition. He hasn't changed at all after all these years."

Xu Wei sighed softly, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "It's so draining every time I talk to him."

Deng Chuan frowned slightly but didn't press further. When Xu Wei received no response, she hooked a finger around the kid's hand, which had unknowingly clenched into a fist. Looking at her expression, Xu Wei actually smiled. "What's wrong?"

"Don't be upset."

"I'm not," Xu Wei immediately denied. She raised an eyebrow at Deng Chuan, her tone becoming light again. "I've gotten used to it over the years. I'm not upset. You, on the other hand, stop being so nervous… Why are you standing so far away from me? Did seeing my brother once turn you into a fool?"

So Deng Chuan shuffled in her direction, a little closer, then a little more, until their shoulders were pressed together, close enough for Xu Wei to hold her tightly.

"Me neither," she said in a small voice. "I'm not scared."

The two of them walked out of the residential complex again. Xu Wei probably hadn't held out much hope for staying at home, as she had booked their accommodations well in advance. They hailed a taxi and had the driver follow the navigation.

No one spoke in the car, only the sound of the navigation system. Deng Chuan reached out an arm and wrapped it around Xu Wei's shoulders. At this moment, she was her small pillar of support. Xu Wei leaned heavily against her shoulder, resting her head on the soft down coat, then reached out to hug her waist. The movement of her arm caused the fabric to rustle, a sound that brought a bit of life to the car's interior. The thick clothing gave the embrace an especially substantial feel. Xu Wei's gaze was lowered, and in her peripheral vision, she could see the faint rise and fall of Deng Chuan's Adam's apple, which looked particularly youthful in the dim light of the car.

Following the navigation, the car turned from the asphalt road onto a small side street. The world outside instantly grew dark, illuminated only by the car's headlights and a few scattered streetlamps.

The area looked like an old residential district that had yet to be demolished, with small alleys and rows of old houses. At the entrance to the alley stood a tall, massive banyan tree, its lush branches drooping down to the power lines strung across the utility poles.

The navigation led them to the mouth of an alley and announced that they had reached their destination. The driver, without a word, helped them unload their luggage. He didn't even ask for a good review before silently driving away.

Xu Wei led Deng Chuan inside. They arrived in front of a small building with a sign. She hadn't booked a hotel but a B&B, intentionally trying to make this trip a little more interesting.

The door on the first floor was open. The overall exterior and renovation of this building were much newer than the others nearby. Stepping over the high threshold, they entered a ground floor with a very minimalist decorative style: white curtains, bamboo lounge chairs, and a bamboo coffee table with a tea set on it. A black cat lay on the counter, lazily wagging its tail. A random photo taken here could easily be used as an illustration for a travel guide.

The B&B owner sat behind the counter. Xu Wei showed her booking confirmation, completed the check-in process, and smoothly received the door code. After registering them, the owner pointed to a box of colorful fruit on the table and asked something in the Chaoshan dialect.

Xu Wei smiled and replied before taking Deng Chuan upstairs.

She now had a translator's self-awareness and explained without waiting for Deng Chuan to ask, "The owner just asked if we wanted some Licorice Fruit. I said no thanks."

"What's Licorice Fruit?"

Xu Wei seemed stumped by the question. She bent down, keying in the code on the door, and smiled softly amidst the beeping sounds. "I can't really explain it… I'll buy you some later, okay?"

The door opened. Xu Wei went in first and turned on the light. Deng Chuan followed with the suitcase. With no one else around, she felt a rare sense of relaxation. She plopped down on the suitcase, stretching her legs languidly as she listened to Teacher Xu speak. "Take a shower first, change into clean clothes. Are you tired? If you are, we'll order takeout and I'll take you out tomorrow."

The kid listened without speaking, just nodding repeatedly. Her eyes were especially soft from fatigue. Then she held out her arms, asking for a hug.

Xu Wei fell into her embrace and stroked her hair. "Tired? Then you go shower first. I'll order takeout. It should be here by the time you're done."

Deng Chuan still remembered what she'd said. She rested her forehead against Xu Wei's collarbone and said in a low voice, "I want to eat that late-night snack you like the most."

"Okay."

"And Licorice Fruit."

"Okay."

Xu Wei good-naturedly let her lean on her, pinching the kid's ear as she gently negotiated, "Then rest for a bit and go shower, okay?"

"Mhm." Deng Chuan's voice was muffled in the down coat. She nodded, then added, "Let's shower together."

"Stop messing around."

A ripple finally appeared in Xu Wei's steady voice. Deng Chuan could feel her fingers were very cool as they pinched her ear firmly. "Be good and go shower. Don't think about such things."

Deng Chuan lifted her head and cupped the back of Xu Wei's head, pulling her closer. Xu Wei yielded, their noses touching, and then their lips met. The kid probably just wanted to comfort her, and herself, at first, but the kissing gradually became clingy and endless.

Xu Wei pinched the hand on her waist, pulled it away, and backed up a little. Staring into Deng Chuan's eyes, which were just inches away, she took a few short, quiet breaths before continuing, "Listen to me, go shower first." She looked directly at Deng Chuan, whose gaze held that pure focus that had first made her heart flutter. Xu Wei's heart trembled. She instinctively avoided that gaze, instead pressing her face against Deng Chuan's and leaning close to her ear to whisper secretively, "What's the rush… I'm all yours, I'm not going anywhere."

Deng Chuan's ears immediately turned red. She didn't quite process it at first, watching as Xu Wei pulled away and began to unpack her things. She remained stunned for a good while, until Xu Wei was about to start on the suitcase she was sitting on and patted her again. "Get up, go shower."

"Mhm." Deng Chuan stood up, pecked her on the lips one more time, then gathered her clothes and went into the bathroom.

The bathroom was exceptionally spacious, almost the size of a room. There was no heating in the south, and although the door and windows were tightly shut, Deng Chuan still felt cold after taking off her clothes. She turned the water on very hot; only the scalding water streaming over her body could ward off some of the chill. Without realizing it, she showered for a long time. So long that Xu Wei came to knock on her door. "Deng Chuan?"

Deng Chuan turned off the showerhead, and the surrounding air immediately became colder. She hurriedly dried herself off while answering, "I'm done!"

"Okay," Xu Wei replied, adding a reminder, "Remember to use body lotion."

Xu Wei was right. The takeout arrived just as Deng Chuan came out of the shower. The kid's pajama pants weren't on properly; one leg was rolled up, making them uneven and revealing a slender ankle. She had pulled a pure white sweatshirt on over her pajamas. Her hair was half-dry, which made her freshly washed face look exceptionally tender.

She still seemed to be radiating heat. When she walked over to sit next to Xu Wei, Xu Wei could smell the damp, watery scent on her.

The room also had a minimalist decor, dominated by bamboo furniture in a light color palette. A few cushions were laid on the floor around a small coffee table meant for a tea set. The large room was divided by a screen, separating the bed from the tea area. The suitcases stood upright in a corner.

Xu Wei was actually drinking tea. She hadn't been home in a long time, nor had she made tea for herself in a while. Her movements were a bit rusty, but she still went through the entire process in a proper, methodical way. Deng Chuan carefully picked up the tea she had brewed and took a sip. The cup was very small, and she could have finished the tea inside in one gulp. She couldn't tell if it was good or bad, so she just praised it earnestly, "It's delicious."

Xu Wei smiled and patted her head. "You can entertain yourself. Eat if you're hungry. I'm going to take a shower."

While Xu Wei was showering, Deng Chuan wandered around the room. She couldn't find the air conditioner remote, so she sat back down and fiddled with the tea set on the coffee table. The teapot, which had been so compliant in Xu Wei's hands, suddenly felt very awkward in hers. For the first time, Deng Chuan felt clumsy. Afraid of dropping it, she put it back in its place.

She waited anxiously until Xu Wei finally came out of the shower. The moment the bathroom door opened, the entire room filled with fragrance. The source of the fragrance herself walked over and sat down next to Deng Chuan. She fiddled with her freshly washed and dried long hair, loosely clipping it at the back of her head to reveal a slender, pale nape. "Why aren't you eating?"

Deng Chuan put down her tablet and smiled at her. "Waiting for you."

The tea set was moved to the floor, replaced by takeout containers. Xu Wei opened the lid, and a burst of steam and aroma immediately escaped.

"Guo Zhi," she said, smiling at Deng Chuan. "My favorite late-night snack."

She helped Deng Chuan pick out the cilantro garnish and gave it a few stirs. "Try it."

The braising sauce had thoroughly soaked the flat rice noodles made from rice slurry, giving them a rich, fragrant, and smooth texture. Inside were chopped braised large intestine, braised pork belly, braised quail eggs, and egg dumplings. It wasn't greasy at all, just incredibly fragrant. The soup was thickened with starch, and one mouthful slid down her throat and into her stomach, warming her entire body.

Deng Chuan ate the entire portion with single-minded focus, even drinking all the soup. Xu Wei hadn't expected her to eat so quickly and cleanly. Her chopsticks, holding a piece of meat, paused in mid-air before she offered it to Deng Chuan's mouth. "It's good, right?"

Deng Chuan chewed the meat and nodded vigorously.

"Here, Licorice Fruit." Xu Wei's chopsticks pointed to another open takeout container. "Perfect for after a meal."

Wax apple, green mango, pineapple, strawberry, orange, and watermelon were cut into small pieces and packed together. Deng Chuan thought it looked no different from the pre-cut fruit platters at a fruit shop. She took a bite of the wax apple. It was very fresh and sweeter than the wax apples she usually ate, with a faint, sweet aftertaste.

It was so delicious.

Deng Chuan tried a piece of everything and decided that the green mango was her favorite. It was crispy, and the combination of sourness and a sweet aftertaste was as captivating as a preserved plum.

The kid was visibly lost in the pleasure of eating. Watching her, Xu Wei's heart grew softer and softer.

The accumulated emotions were about to overflow from her heart, so she called her name softly, "Deng Chuan."

"Hey, I'm here."

Being watched by Deng Chuan's exceptionally focused gaze, Xu Wei was momentarily at a loss for words. She looked at her, her lips involuntarily curving into a gentle smile. "Eat more."

She thought of what her brother had said today and added a sentence in her mind.

Hurry up and grow up.

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