BSS - Chapter 118

Chapter 118

At seven in the morning, Deng Chuan opened her eyes.

Her eyes opened to a white ceiling. Deng Chuan stared blankly for a few seconds before realizing where she was. In her young body, just over three hours of sleep had been enough to soothe her nerves. She walked to the window, stretching her sore neck as she looked outside. The sky was a grayish-blue; the sun didn't seem to have peeked out over the small town yet. The flowering trees, streets, and houses were all shrouded in a thin layer of mist.

Deng Chuan actually had many things to do today; she could remember the long list without checking her memos. But at this very moment, there seemed to be very little she could do. With that thought, Deng Chuan simply sat cross-legged on the bay window. The surroundings were quiet, and she could faintly hear the sound of the gentle breeze rustling the wisteria on the wall.

The room wasn't large. It was a square space with dark wood flooring that showed no signs of use. The walls were also snow-white, with no marks from previous tenants hanging pictures or hammering nails. The wardrobe was embedded in the wall, and next to it was the door to the en-suite bathroom.

Everything was very ordinary. The biggest highlight was probably this bay window where Deng Chuan was now sitting cross-legged, a small, independent corner. As Deng Chuan gazed aimlessly out the window, she calculated in her head that if she bought a suitable blanket, she could spend long hours reading and studying here.

Of course, she had a blanket. The one she had gotten from Xu Wei's bed had also come with her to England. It was just that not everything was completely settled yet, so Deng Chuan treasured it, keeping it safely in her suitcase instead of taking it out to use.

And so, empty-handed, having done nothing after getting up, Deng Chuan sat on the somewhat hard bay window and initiated their first video call since parting ways with Teacher Xu.

Xu Wei had also just woken up from her afternoon nap. She sometimes rested in her school dormitory at noon. The school had just switched her to a single dorm room; it wasn't spacious, containing only a bed, and was just a place for occasional rest.

On the screen, Xu Wei was wrapped in a blanket, her face bare of makeup. A slender arm rested on the quilt. Her nightgown was a bit rumpled from sleep, the collar slightly open, revealing her bright, clear collarbones. Deng Chuan moved closer to look, thinking her face looked exceptionally fair and clean.

Seeing Deng Chuan, Xu Wei seemed a little dazed. She hugged the blanket and rolled over before whispering into the camera, "Good morning."

Deng Chuan hugged her knees and moved even closer to the camera. "Good afternoon."

Xu Wei stared at Deng Chuan without blinking, her brow furrowing slightly. With a nasal tone from just waking up, she said softly, "You have dark circles under your eyes."

Deng Chuan subconsciously touched her eyebrows, then smiled. "Sorry, I didn't do my skincare before bed last night." She added, "I was too tired and just fell asleep. Don't be mad, Teacher Xu."

Xu Wei was a person who lived a very refined life. This refinement was not only reflected in her external appearance but also in her skincare and diet. Although Deng Chuan had paid some attention to these things before, she hadn't been very serious about it, always relying on her youth and feeling it was unnecessary. After they got together, Xu Wei often lectured her about face masks and sunscreen.

Deng Chuan had once analyzed this issue with Xu Wei, saying that with Xu Wei's meticulous care and light diet, the age gap between them wouldn't look that big in the future. Maybe when Deng Chuan became an old lady, Xu Wei would still look just as young and beautiful. Hearing this, Xu Wei had interrupted the kid's wild fantasies: "Okay, I get it. Go get the face masks from the fridge so we can put them on together."

Perhaps there should have been a kiss. Deng Chuan would have lifted the covers, gotten out of bed, and rummaged through the fridge for the masks Xu Wei had stocked up on. Zhou Liu would also follow her eagerly, happily thinking she was going to the kitchen to open a can of food.

They both thought of Zhou Liu's foolish little antics at the same time and laughed. In their smiles, any sense of unfamiliarity brought on by distance and time vanished. Xu Wei asked Deng Chuan what she was doing now and how she had slept last night. Deng Chuan chattered on, telling her about her plans for the day and even enthusiastically sharing her ideas for decorating the bay window. The two of them talked for quite a while. Xu Wei sat up halfway in bed and rubbed her shoulders.

She frowned a little. "I don't know why, but my shoulders have been especially sore lately. Am I really getting old?"

The kid immediately said, "My shoulders are sore too! I'm getting old too."

Xu Wei stared at her, amused. "You sound so happy... That doesn't seem like a good thing."

Deng Chuan smiled sweetly, pushing aside the matter of her own sore shoulders. "Being the same as you is a good thing."

"Little fool."

Xu Wei said it lightly, but her eyes honestly revealed a smile she couldn't suppress. Deng Chuan loved to see her smile. She wrinkled her nose and said, "Teacher Xu doesn't have class this afternoon. What are you planning to do?"

Xu Wei leaned back against the headboard, looking over relaxedly. Her tone was still light and casual. "I have to work."

Deng Chuan pressed, "What work?"

"Grading homework and tests and writing lesson plans for little fools just like you."

"That's so tough," Deng Chuan said, not feeling jealous of the others Xu Wei referred to with the same term. She just smiled. "Teacher Xu works so hard."

Xu Wei hummed in agreement, then urged her, "Are you hungry? Aren't you going to eat breakfast?"

Deng Chuan said, "No rush. I'll go out for a walk later." She didn't know what else she had thought of, but she grinned, her face bright and sunny. "Should I take pictures for you?"

Xu Wei agreed. Her heart softened, and she couldn't help but smile. They talked for a while longer. Deng Chuan showed Xu Wei the entire room, washed up, and completed her entire morning skincare routine under Xu Wei's supervision. With a refreshed face, she changed into her outdoor clothes, put on a jacket, and pushed open the door.

The living room was silent. Deng Chuan consciously lightened her steps and carefully went out the door.

The apartment building was still quiet. Deng Chuan's footsteps seemed particularly loud. She entered the elevator, and the signal became weak. When she got out, she saw that Xu Wei was already dressed and ready, her phone set aside as she applied her lipstick.

The air was fresh, and some fallen leaves dotted the asphalt road. Deng Chuan walked along the road for a few steps and soon saw the supermarket sign Lao Lin had mentioned. Through her Bluetooth earphone, Xu Wei, having finished her makeup, was telling her she had to hang up. "I have to go to work. Can I keep you company later?"

Deng Chuan stopped and looked at her seriously. "Alright."

Xu Wei saw the high, azure sky in the background behind her. The feeling of being in a foreign country truly landed in her heart at that moment. She restrained herself, moved closer to look at the face on the screen, and softened her voice. "Be good... I'll call you as soon as I get off work."

Compared to the abstract concepts of age and time, the feeling of distance was far more profound for them. Most of the predictions and worries they had before getting together had proven to be unfounded. Staring at the video call record in her chat history, Xu Wei thought with self-amusement, so does this mean everything is going smoothly?

Teacher Xu successfully comforted herself in this way, composed herself, and turned to leave for work.

Deng Chuan's life as an exchange student was also proceeding very smoothly. She gradually acquired a bed frame, mattress, single sofa, study desk, rug, and even a floor lamp from online or second-hand groups. During the late nights when she was reviewing her school's materials and preparing for the start of the semester, she would turn on only this lamp, sink into the single sofa, and let the printed paper materials scatter all over the floor.

Correspondingly, she put in more effort than she had back home. The language, the learning model, the assessment methods—all required her to readjust and experience them anew. When Deng Chuan studied late into the night, it was precisely the time when Xu Wei was getting up for work in China. The two would have a late-night video call, seeing each other for a brief moment. Xu Wei would be elegantly eating a fried egg on her end, while Deng Chuan seriously flipped through materials and took notes.

After a short ten-plus minutes, the call would end. Xu Wei would leave for work, and Deng Chuan would go to the fridge to get a bottle of mineral water to wake herself up. The two were each busy in their own corners of the world.

Lao Lin also often stayed up late. Deng Chuan usually didn't see him during the day, but they frequently ran into each other in the kitchen late at night. Lao Lin had brought a full suitcase of instant noodles from China. He generously shared them, and Deng Chuan would stand by the pot cooking a portion for two, cracking in two eggs and adding some greens.

Xu Wei was helpless about her late nights but also understood that this was a necessary trial in a person's life. If you don't stay up late when you're young, when will you? Although Xu Wei always said Deng Chuan's reasoning was flawed, she still agreed with it in her heart.

Of course, there were many reasons why she wouldn't admit it verbally, but they both knew the main one.

Xu Wei's heart ached for her; she didn't want to see her suffer these hardships.

This realization was a very contradictory feeling for both of them.

A large part of Deng Chuan's motivation for enduring these hardships and making these efforts was for Xu Wei, but in doing so, she still made Xu Wei unhappy. How to balance her own desires with Xu Wei's concerns and affections was a necessary part of Deng Chuan's journey through life.

So her lover didn't just teach her how to love others.

Whenever Deng Chuan thought of this, she would sensuously call out "Teacher Xu" a few more times on the phone.

Xu Wei understood her struggles, so when she received Deng Chuan's morning calls, she no longer mentioned her staying up late. She just shared a few white noise playlists for sleep and peace of mind with her.

She preferred to talk about happy things with her kid. Occasionally, they would listen to music together. Deng Chuan would be too tired and would quickly fall asleep during these occasional breaks. Listening to her soft, light breathing on the other end, Xu Wei would always have the illusion that she was still by her side.

The disappointment that followed this illusion went without saying. But Xu Wei was very good at comforting herself. After meeting Deng Chuan, she had learned to be more content, so she often thought to herself:

It's a good thing she wasn't absent during these times in her life.

Whether it was hardship or struggle, they were not absent from each other's lives. Xu Wei felt this was the greatest fortune.

The days passed one by one, the weather gradually cooled, and a new autumn was about to arrive. Deng Chuan's academic life was going quite smoothly. She met with her advisor and, as an exchange student, got to know students in her year. They had a few formal dinners and quickly became familiar with each other.

Besides Lao Lin, she also made a few Chinese friends. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, they gathered at her place, joining Lao Lin's friends for a lively and happy time befitting young people.

The Mid-Autumn Festival in China came and went earlier than in the UK. So when a slightly tipsy Deng Chuan called Xu Wei, it was already a new day on the other side.

On the day off after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xu Wei leaned against the headboard, stroking the two cats nestled against her, giving them equal attention. Juzi had already stretched out his frame, showing the promising signs of a young adult cat.

It was living very well, so much so that its fur was glossy and smooth. Coupled with its very content posture leaning against Xu Wei, it made Deng Chuan a little envious.

Extremely envious, one might say.

And so, as she watched, the kid, emboldened by the alcohol, grew jealous. "...Why aren't you looking at me? I knew it, you treat them better than you treat me."

Xu Wei seemed to fall silent for a moment before raising her eyes to look at her. "Juzi seems to have been in heat these past few days."

Deng Chuan's mind went a little blank.

Without looking at her expression, Xu Wei lowered her head and stroked Juzi's head as he nudged against her. Her tone was quite calm. "I've contacted the vet. Once his heat cycle is over, I'm taking him to be neutered."

After finishing with that topic, as if remembering something, she slowly raised her head again and asked, "What were you saying just now?"

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