Drifting on a String - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Chen Piaopiao had a psychological flaw.

This was evident in the way that, if intimacy with Tao Jin could be scored, moving into Tao Jin's home was worth 10 points, while Tao Jin helping her roll a Peking duck wrap was worth 2. A psychologically sound person, after scoring 10 points, usually wouldn't care about those 2 points.

Or, as anyone who could do simple arithmetic would know, 10 - 2 = 8. Compared to Qi Mian, Chen Piaopiao still had an absolute leading advantage of 8 points.

Those 8 points were enough to give anyone confidence.

But Chen Piaopiao was different. She had to make up for those 2 points from the duck roll to feel secure.

That night at Tao Jin's place, she slept soundly. After her body relaxed from the narrow single bed, it was as if she were being held up by a vast cloud. Every pore in her body was telling her, Chen Piaopiao, this is a good thing. You have to hold on to it.

And then, enjoy it.

The next day was Saturday. Chen Piaopiao wasn't in the habit of sleeping in, so she got up early, made the bed, and then hand-washed the pajamas she'd worn. By the time she hung them up to dry, it was about 11 a.m. Tao Jin emerged from her bedroom, sipping a glass of warm water.

"Here." She handed the glass to Chen Piaopiao.

It was a suggestion that drinking warm water in the morning was good for one's health.

Chen Piaopiao held the glass. The rim carried the fresh scent from the corners of Tao Jin's lips after she had washed up. She wanted to read something more into Tao Jin's expression, but there was no evidence of anything.

Was Tao Jin someone without a strong sense of boundaries? That didn't seem right either.

After changing, the two of them headed to An University. The Peking duck restaurant was right at the school gate. The decor was average, and the air was thick with the greasy smell of stir-fried dishes, but it was cheap and good. Half a duck was only 49 yuan, so many An University students liked to come here for gatherings.

Chen Piaopiao found a seat by the window. A white tablecloth was pressed under a sheet of glass, with two cigarette burns in the corner. They discussed the menu and ordered half a duck, a plate of Kung Pao chicken, and West Lake beef soup. Tao Jin said that should be enough, as they couldn't eat much more.

Chen Piaopiao knew she was trying to save her money.

They chatted for a while with their faces propped in their hands. When the duck arrived, Tao Jin put on a pair of disposable gloves, then cocked an eyebrow at the slow-moving Chen Piaopiao, gesturing. "Gloves, next to the napkins."

"Oh." Chen Piaopiao was wondering under what circumstances Qi Mian had gotten Tao Jin to roll a duck wrap for her. Did she say she didn't know how? Or did she just directly ask her senior to help?

She cleared her throat, remembering how An Ran had imitated Qi Mian doing the same.

She hesitated.

Sunlight streamed in through the glass window, climbing up Tao Jin's face, while the shadows of trees fell on her shoulders, shifting with her movements. She carefully spread a pancake, picked up a piece of duck, dipped it in sweet bean sauce, then added a bit of cucumber and scallion. Putting down her chopsticks, she used two fingers to push and roll it up.

She was gentle even with the Peking duck, as if she were wrapping a gift for a long-lost lover.

Chen Piaopiao desperately wished that gift was for her.

Tao Jin finished rolling it and, seeing that she still hadn't moved, looked up at her. Her right hand loosely held the duck roll as she tilted her head thoughtfully. After three seconds of silence, she suddenly smiled.

Her gaze fell to the table, tapped it lightly, then meandered back to Chen Piaopiao's face. "Qi Mian told you we came here for Peking duck, didn't she?" she asked.

She hadn't spoken for a while, so her voice was slightly hoarse. Combined with her tactful words, it sounded rather meaningful.

Chen Piaopiao's heart was tugged once more. Whenever Tao Jin saw through her, her heart pounded the most violently.

So she clasped her hands, leaned closer to the table, and pursed her lips. "You guessed?"

"Guessed what?"

"She told me you rolled a duck wrap for her."

"Mm… does that have anything to do with you wanting to eat Peking duck with me?"

"Yes."

"What does it have to do with it?" This question was very soft.

Chen Piaopiao saw a slight movement in the center of Tao Jin's long, slender neck as she watched her quietly.

"I…" I want you to roll a duck wrap for me, too.

Chen Piaopiao felt her lips were a bit dry and habitually licked the inside of her cupid's bow.

Tao Jin didn't get her answer, but she smiled anyway, placing the duck roll in her hand onto Chen Piaopiao's plate. "It has scallions. Can you eat it?"

Her heart, which had been about to spin out of control, came to a screeching halt, as if a marionette had been dropped on stage.

Chen Piaopiao took a deep breath, leaned back slightly from the table, picked up her chopsticks, and tucked her hair behind her flushed ear with her other hand. "I can," she said in a small voice.

She wanted Tao Jin more and more. She wanted to rush over right now, wrap her arms around her neck, and swallow her tactful words, telling her that she didn't like it when Tao Jin was so attentive to others.

She fantasized about Tao Jin losing all composure under her control, then whispering that she would never do it again.

There it was again. Shameful fantasies, chewed on by Chen Piaopiao in between bites of Peking duck, while the subject of her thoughts sat across from her, cool and composed, bathed in the pure, white sunlight like an innocent fairy who knew nothing of the world.

After she finished one, another was promptly placed on her plate.

Chen Piaopiao looked up at Tao Jin. Tao Jin said nothing and continued rolling the next one.

"You're not eating?" Chen Piaopiao asked quietly.

"I actually," Tao Jin dipped the duck in sweet bean sauce, "don't like Peking duck."

She smiled faintly. "But I don't want to be a wet blanket by not touching my chopsticks, so when we have group dinners, I'll sometimes roll them for others."

She was explaining. Why? Chen Piaopiao narrowed her eyes, unable to quite figure it out.

But the next second, Tao Jin, with her eyes lowered, broadened her smile. While adding cucumber strips, she called her name softly, "Chen Piaopiao."

"Hm?"

"You treated me to Peking duck, we're sitting here, and I tell you I don't like it, yet you have no reaction at all?" Tao Jin laughed happily, as if she'd just told a very effective deadpan joke.

"So cute." Finally, she lowered her head, the last two words so quiet they seemed to have been pushed from the tip of her tongue.

The little fox always looked expressionless, but inside, her mind seemed to be racing.

This was the second time Tao Jin had called her cute to her face. Chen Piaopiao's ears grew hot again. She put down her chopsticks and reached out to tug at the disposable glove on Tao Jin's wrist, signaling for her to take it off. "Then you should have some of the Kung Pao chicken."

"Pfft." She heard Tao Jin let out a laugh.

Her gloved hand drew back to cover her nose.

"What are you laughing at…" Chen Piaopiao bit her lip, looking at her, and couldn't help but smile too.

That sentence had a rather thick hint of coquettishness. She was taken aback for a moment after it came out. Tao Jin, still smiling, reached to take off the glove. Chen Piaopiao raised her wrist to help her pull it off. The slightly sweaty glove was a bit sticky, and peeling it off from the base of her fingers was like peeling a fine water bamboo shoot.

Chen Piaopiao watched, transfixed, her mind wandering.

And Tao Jin, looking at her, lifted her hand slightly, and the pad of her index finger tapped the center of her palm.

"Don't space out. Hurry up and eat."

The food was getting cold.

This meal was magical. It started out quite awkwardly, but after they laughed, the two of them somehow became much more intimate. Chen Piaopiao rarely had such relaxed moments. Usually, she was observing, hiding, but Tao Jin's smiles and compliments made her lower her defenses again and again, telling her that these things were obstacles, burdens in a relationship.

After they were full, Tao Jin treated Chen Piaopiao to milk tea, and they went back to the dorm together, parting ways in the elevator.

The hot air from the electric fan was still circulating in the dorm. After enjoying the comfort of air conditioning, Chen Piaopiao felt a little restless. She sat down in her chair, and her thighs instantly stuck to the seat. As she shifted her position and opened her laptop, An Ran came in wearing a slip dress, raising her voice dramatically. "You're back?"

"Where'd you go last night? You just said you were staying out, but you didn't say where," An Ran said, kicking her washbasin under her desk. "Pulling an all-nighter?"

Qi Mian was woken up. She yanked her curtain open and cursed, "Are you sick or something? Kicking the basin again. Don't you know I'm sleeping?"

"Who knew you'd be sleeping in the middle of the day?" An Ran was bewildered.

"My curtain is drawn, can't you see?"

Chen Piaopiao remained perfectly composed amidst the argument, taking out her phone to send Tao Jin a WeChat message.

They had just parted, and she already missed her.

"My roommate is asking where I stayed last night. Can I say it was at your place?"

She waited for a reply. One second, two seconds, three seconds. Her heartbeat rose in tandem with her roommates' argument.

"You can," Tao Jin said.

Chen Piaopiao smiled, pursing her lips. After a thought, she typed again, "Actually."

"Hm?"

"I don't like that you rolled a duck wrap for Qi Mian."

"Hhhhhh."

First, Tao Jin laughed. The next message was: "I figured."

"You don't like her?" Tao Jin asked.

"No."

I like you.

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