Yu Nuo’s mind went blank as she froze in place, her eyes widening suddenly. Her head lowered slightly, with strands of hair falling beside her cheek, covering half her face.
Chen Yuzheng softly finished speaking, then tilted his head and blew a gentle breath near her ear.
Because of his words, Yu Nuo unconsciously glanced down.
After a delayed reaction of several seconds, she took a sharp but barely noticeable breath. Like being electrocuted, she frantically stepped back. The space was tight and her leg got caught, causing her to fall back into the chair.
Her intense reaction seemed to amuse Chen Yuzheng.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he silently laughed.
The memory of their recent kiss resurfaced in her mind.
Yu Nuo could barely think straight. It felt like a million little creatures were jumping around inside her, making her heart race unbearably fast. After falling into the chair, she remained frozen like someone had pressed pause – not moving, not speaking, not even daring to look up at his expression.
They were the only ones left in the train car. The driver glanced back and called out: “What are you two doing? Hurry and get off.”
Yu Nuo finally moved.
Her head lifted up like a malfunctioning machine, jerking up bit by bit to face him helplessly. As if the words were difficult to say, each word jumped from her mouth: “Are… you done?”
Chen Yuzheng silently replied: “Not yet.”
Yu Nuo asked with difficulty: “Then… what should we do?”
Seeing they were still sitting in their seats not moving, the driver seemed about to come check on them. “What… what are you doing? Why aren’t you leaving?”
Yu Nuo’s heart tightened.
Chen Yuzheng responded normally, “It’s nothing, we’re leaving right now.”
Seeing Chen Yuzheng stand up, Yu Nuo also stood and got off the train.
Fortunately it was dark outside, and Ultraman and Killer had already walked far ahead joking around. She followed behind him quietly like an ostrich, shoulders hunched and head down.
Chen Yuzheng drove her home. The whole way, no matter how much he tried to tease her, Yu Nuo didn’t say a single word.
When the car stopped at the familiar building, Yu Nuo unbuckled her seatbelt and softly said goodbye to Chen Yuzheng: “I’m going now, good luck with training.”
Chen Yuzheng nodded.
She sat there a moment longer, picked up her bag and opened the car door when he suddenly called out to her.
Yu Nuo turned around.
He hinted to her: “Not going to pay the fare?”
Yu Nuo: “……..?”
Chen Yuzheng’s gaze lowered, gesturing at his tattoo.
She instantly understood and her face turned bright red. She hurriedly got out of the car and stood outside, stammering: “N-next time.”
Without waiting for his reaction, she quickly slammed the car door shut.
Even after getting home, her heart was still pounding like melted Pop Rocks.
Yu Nuo went to pour a glass of water to calm herself down.
Her phone buzzed and she picked it up.
Conquer: “Next time you can only leave after a kiss”
Yu Nuo: “………”
—
It was nearly July and summer had fully arrived in Shanghai. The sky was blazing white, heat waves rolled through, and the sounds of insects and cicadas drove people crazy.
Yu Nuo’s right eyelid had been twitching since she woke up that morning.
She ate lunch feeling uneasy when her phone rang.
It was a call from Yu Jiang.
He hadn’t called her in a very long time.
Yu Nuo had an ominous feeling as she answered. Yu Jiang’s voice was flat as he said two sentences.
After hanging up, Yu Nuo stood frozen in place.
After sitting on the couch for over ten minutes, she picked up her phone and sent a message to Yu Ge.
Yu Nuo: “Brother, Grandma passed away. Dad wants us to come.”
Going into her bedroom, Yu Nuo opened the wardrobe to find a black dress.
She noticed something and her hand paused. Lost in thought, she slowly picked up the handmade cloth doll from the corner of the wardrobe. It had been a very long time – the floral print dress on the doll had faded, one of the black bead eyes was missing, and you could barely make out its smile.
This used to be Yu Nuo’s most treasured toy, handmade by her grandmother.
…
…
In the afternoon, Yu Ge drove over to pick her up.
They drove in silence until reaching the funeral home address Yu Jiang had sent. Even though it was midsummer, this place carried a cold chill that made one shiver involuntarily.
Yu Jiang and Sun Erlan were talking with Second Aunt.
Noticing them enter, Sun Erlan paused mid-sentence.
Second Aunt approached first and said to Yu Ge: “Xiao Ge, haven’t seen you in a long time.”
Yu Ge directly ignored the other two and nodded at Second Aunt, asking: “Where’s Grandma?”
Second Aunt’s eyes were red and swollen, clearly she had just been crying. She sighed and pointed them in the right direction.
Grandma lay with her eyes closed, hands crossed in front of her, already dressed and changed into burial clothes.
They stood separated by a layer of glass.
Yu Nuo bent down and gently placed the white calla lilies she was carrying to the side. When she stood up, she felt a bit dazed.
In Yu Nuo’s memory, over all these years, Grandma and Second Aunt were among the very few elders in this family who cared about her and Yu Ge.
Back then when Jiang Li found out about Yu Jiang’s affair, she went to confront Grandma.
Grandma tried to mediate for a long time, but ultimately couldn’t reach an agreement. In anger, Jiang Li left the country, abandoning Yu Ge and Yu Nuo. What was once a complete family split apart. Because of this, Grandma never warmed up to Sun Erlan.
After Yu Jiang divorced and remarried, Grandma moved back to their hometown. Once when she visited after the remarriage, she saw Yu Ge and Yu Nuo coming home from school wearing tattered old sweaters. She was so heartbroken she nearly cried and had a huge fight with Yu Jiang and Sun Erlan.
Unfortunately the elderly woman was getting on in years and didn’t have the ability to raise two school-aged children by herself. The night before returning to her hometown, Grandma secretly slipped them several hundred yuan.
After Yu Ge started earning money as a pro player, he took Yu Nuo and moved out, basically cutting off contact with Yu Jiang. Though he was busy, he would often make time to bring Yu Nuo to visit Grandma and chat with her.
The last time they saw Grandma was half a year ago when she and Yu Ge went back to their hometown to visit.
Grandfather had passed away early, leaving Grandma living alone. At the time, Grandma seemed healthy and energetic. They spent the afternoon chatting with her.
The elderly woman’s words revealed hints of loneliness.
Yu Ge brought up several times that Grandma should move to the city with them, saying “I bought my own house, Yu Nuo and I can take care of you.”
Grandma waved her hand, looking at them kindly: “You’re so busy every day, and Nuo Nuo still has to study. I’m already so old, how could I trouble you young ones.”
That evening after dinner, as they were leaving, Yu Nuo turned back to look at Grandma one last time. She sat alone on a small stool by the door, with a yellow mutt circling around her feet.
Yu Nuo never imagined that would be the last time she saw her.
Yu Nuo had always yearned deeply for family affection. In elementary school, what she envied most was classmates whose parents came to pick them up. Whether it was Jiang Li or Yu Jiang, she held onto some hope, but as time passed and she felt more and more like an outsider in this family, she gradually lost that hope.
Growing up, only Grandma had given her and Yu Ge what little warmth they received.
But she hadn’t done anything in return, hadn’t gotten the chance to show filial piety to Grandma. She didn’t even get to say goodbye before Grandma was gone.
Yu Nuo’s eyes turned red as she lowered her head to hide it, wiping away tears.
—
Direct relatives had to keep vigil for the deceased for three days before cremation. Yu Ge took leave from OG. Yu Nuo only went home to sleep for 2-3 hours, dozing in a chair when tired. The two of them stayed constantly in the funeral hall.
Yu Jiang was busy with work and could only stop by briefly before rushing off again. On the third evening, Sun Erlan brought Yu Zhijiang who had just finished school to keep vigil.
The child didn’t understand life and death. Being forcibly brought to pay respects, he stubbornly wanted to leave and wouldn’t stop crying.
Yu Ge who was dozing nearby frowned at being woken by the screaming.
Sun Erlan comforted him for a while, “Be good, Mommy will buy you candy later.”
A funeral home worker came over to discuss the cremation arrangements for a few days later.
Yu Nuo was exhausted from staying up multiple nights. She knelt on a cushion lighting candles and burning paper offerings in the fire pit beside her.
Hearing movement, she looked up to see Yu Zhijiang climbing onto the altar, reaching for Grandma’s memorial photo.
“Don’t touch that!”
Yu Nuo called out, anxiously trying to stand up from the ground to pull him down.
Her knees were numb from kneeling so long and she was unsteady.
Yu Zhijiang was startled by her shout and stopped moving to look at her.
“Come down,” Yu Nuo urgently pulled at his arm. Neither of them had stable footing and Yu Zhijiang swayed before falling from the altar.
Yu Nuo was frightened and instinctively tried to break his fall with her body.
Yu Zhijiang fell onto Yu Nuo, his head hitting the corner of a table with a thud.
A few seconds later, he burst into piercing cries.
The crying immediately drew Sun Erlan’s attention. Her pupils constricted as she rushed over and crouched down, “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Yu Zhijiang clutched his forehead.
Sun Erlan anxiously shoved aside the helpless Yu Nuo and quickly pulled down Yu Zhijiang’s hands.
Blood slowly trickled down his face from his temple. Sun Erlan nearly fainted at the sight.
What followed was chaos as Yu Ge also got up to check the situation.
Sun Erlan held Yu Zhijiang and screamed: “Quick, call a car! We need to go to the hospital!”
—
An hour later, Yu Jiang rushed to the hospital after receiving the news and grabbed a nurse asking: “How’s my son?”
The nurse removed her mask and casually replied: “It’s nothing serious. The child hit his forehead but didn’t injure his eye. Just needs a few stitches.”
Yu Zhijiang was crying inside about the pain.
Yu Jiang relaxed but frowned asking: “How did he end up needing stitches at the hospital?”
Yu Nuo sat exhausted on a bench and softly apologized: “He was climbing up to grab Grandma’s photo. I pulled him down and he accidentally fell.”
Before Yu Jiang could speak, Sun Erlan who had been silent exploded: “Accidentally?? You call that an accident?? You saw him reaching for the photo – couldn’t you have just talked to him nicely? He’s only a child! What does he know?? You did it on purpose, didn’t you? Do you know if he had hit his eye, his whole life would have been ruined? Could you make up for that?”
Yu Nuo couldn’t lift her head and apologized again: “I’m sorry.”
“What good is sorry?”
Sun Erlan’s expression twisted as she pointed at Yu Nuo: “If anything really happened to my son, don’t expect to have a good life ever again.”
Yu Ge couldn’t stand watching anymore and blocked Yu Nuo behind him, impatiently saying: “Are you done?”
Sun Erlan trembled with anger, still cursing as she raised her hand to slap Yu Ge.
He caught her wrist.
Yu Ge threw off Sun Erlan’s hand, “I advise you not to act crazy with me. I don’t have a good temper either.”
Yu Jiang steadied Sun Erlan, saying disapprovingly: “Is that how you talk to your aunt? She’s still your elder.”
Hearing this, Yu Ge laughed coldly: “Her? She’s worthy?”
The commotion outside was so loud even the doctor came out to mediate: “Alright, family members please don’t make a scene here. The child will be done with stitches soon. It’s nothing serious, stop arguing.”
They stood in a stalemate for a moment.
Sun Erlan continued cursing and complaining.
Yu Jiang impatiently yelled at her, “You shut up too.”
Yu Zhijiang came out after getting his stitches. Tired from crying, he was being comforted in Sun Erlan’s arms. Yu Jiang also put away his anger to comfort him, “Alright, stop crying. Dad will take you to get something good to eat later.”
A warm family of three.
Yu Nuo stood watching for a while before saying: “Dad, Auntie, we’ll head out first.”
Sun Erlan ignored her.
Yu Ge pulled her along, telling Yu Jiang: “I already paid the medical bills. Grandma has passed away, you don’t need to look for me in the future, and don’t look for Yu Nuo either.”
Before leaving, Yu Ge paused. Smiling, he said word by word: “Seeing your happy family makes me sick.”
—
Leaving the hospital, Yu Ge drove Yu Nuo home.
Stopping at the entrance of her complex, Yu Ge turned to look at her: “I’m heading back to the base. Get some good sleep when you’re home. Don’t worry about anything else.”
Yu Nuo slowly unbuckled her seatbelt, silently nodding as she opened the car door.
He wanted to say something more but moved his lips without speaking.
…
…
The rain had been falling since morning. Yu Nuo was completely exhausted.
Earlier when trying to catch Yu Zhijiang’s fall, she had scraped up her arms and legs quite badly. Yu Nuo was tired both mentally and physically. She didn’t have the energy to properly treat her wounds, just casually wiping them with some medical cotton.
But whenever she closed her eyes, all she could see was Grandma’s memorial photo, Sun Erlan’s angry shouts, and Yu Zhijiang’s blood.
Half-asleep and half-awake, Yu Nuo had several nightmares before finally waking up fully, unable to fall back asleep. She lay in bed spacing out for a while before reaching out to check her phone charging beside her.
These past few days she had been keeping vigil for Grandma and barely had time to chat with Chen Yuzheng. At 3-4AM, she wasn’t sure if he was asleep yet.
Yu Nuo tentatively sent him a message.
Chen Yuzheng replied very quickly.
Conquer: “Just finished practice matches. Why aren’t you asleep?”
Yu Nuo: “Woke up”
Conquer: “What time is it to be waking up?”
Yu Nuo: “Can’t sleep anymore…”
He called her.
Yu Nuo sat up in bed, turned on the bedside lamp, answered the phone and put it to her ear, softly saying hello.
There was the sound of a door sliding on his end. Chen Yuzheng seemed to walk to a quiet place before asking: “Are you okay?”
Yu Nuo traced the pattern on the lampshade, responding with a small “mm” after a moment.
He seemed to sense something and asked: “What’s wrong?”
Yu Nuo finally said after a long pause: “It’s nothing, just feeling a bit tired.”
“Didn’t rest well?”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Then why are you tired?”
Yu Nuo didn’t respond.
He didn’t hang up either. For a while, they just quietly listened to each other’s breathing.
After some time, Chen Yuzheng asked: “You haven’t cried, have you?”
Though feeling down, Yu Nuo still laughed slightly, “No.”
She checked the time and said softly: “It’s so late, you should go sleep first. I’m fine.”
Chen Yuzheng: “You’re at home?”
“Mm.”
“Then I’m going to sleep. Call me if anything happens.”
Yu Nuo agreed: “Okay.”
After hanging up, Yu Nuo lay back down, hugging the doll and staring blankly at a spot in the air.
Chen Yuzheng seemed to have some kind of magical power. Just hearing his voice made Yu Nuo feel like she’d been pulled from the depths of the ocean to the surface. The suffocating feeling from the past few days retreated, allowing her a moment to breathe.
After some time, her phone buzzed again. Yu Nuo picked it up to look.
Conquer: “Are you asleep yet?”
Yu Nuo: “Not yet”
Conquer: “I’m downstairs at your place”
…
…
A crack of thunder sounded outside as the rain grew heavier. Yu Nuo casually threw on a jacket, changed her shoes and went down.
The motion sensor lights in the stairwell lit up as she pushed open the glass door.
When she saw Chen Yuzheng, Yu Nuo frowned and jogged over to him.
He was soaked from head to toe, his clothes clinging to his body with water dripping from his chin. Yu Nuo asked worriedly, “Why did you come?”
“Wanted to see you.”
Yu Nuo was speechless.
He leaned against the wall pillar, initially wanting to touch her but realizing he was wet all over, he stopped himself.
“How did you get here? Didn’t you bring an umbrella?”
“Drove here,” Chen Yuzheng said carelessly. “No umbrella in the car.”
After standing for a while, Yu Nuo worried he’d catch a cold and pulled his hand, “Let’s go up first.”
“Are you alone at home?”
Yu Nuo made a sound of agreement.
Chen Yuzheng said seriously, still playing hard to get: “I wasn’t planning to go up. Just came to check on you before leaving.”
Yu Nuo choked up for a moment before urgently saying: “No way, you’re completely soaked like this. You’ll catch a cold.”
Yu Nuo led Chen Yuzheng inside. While pressing the elevator button, she looked at his drenched state with concern: “If you didn’t have an umbrella, you could have called me. I would have come to get you. Why did you walk in the rain?”
After getting home, Yu Nuo ran to Yu Ge’s room to find a set of clothes for Chen Yuzheng and turned on the hot water in the bathroom, “Quick, go take a shower.”
…
…
The steady sound of water came from the bathroom as Yu Nuo sat waiting on the living room couch.
About ten minutes later, the door clicked.
Yu Nuo turned her head.
Chen Yuzheng stood in the doorway with the soft yellow bathroom light behind him, holding a white towel as he shook the water from his black hair. Seeing her staring at him, he asked, “How is it?”
Yu Nuo stood up: “Hm?”
“Do I look handsome in your brother’s clothes?”
Yu Ge’s t-shirt fit him surprisingly well. Yu Nuo laughed and handed him the hair dryer: “Handsome.”
Chen Yuzheng asked again: “So who wears it better – your brother or me?”
She knew he was deliberately teasing her. After a pause she said: “You look better.”
Chen Yuzheng dried his hair halfway before sitting down next to Yu Nuo.
She caught a whiff of familiar shower gel scent and her heart stirred. Suddenly remembering something, Yu Nuo started to get up, “I’ll go make you some ginger tea.”
Chen Yuzheng pulled her back, “I don’t drink that stuff.”
They sat for a while before Chen Yuzheng spoke up, “Tell me.”
She was confused: “Tell you what?”
“What happened today – is it still about your grandmother?”
Yu Nuo shook her head.
When she didn’t speak, he waited patiently.
“Today I…” Yu Nuo wasn’t sure if she should tell him, “I accidentally sent my little brother to the hospital. His forehead got cut.”
“You have a little brother?”
“Mm, he’s my stepmother’s son.”
Chen Yuzheng noticed the injury on her arm and pulled it over to look, “How did you get this?”
“Just fell accidentally.”
“Your stepbrother did this?” Chen Yuzheng frowned, “Does it hurt?”
Seeing his concern, Yu Nuo reassured him: “It’s fine, doesn’t hurt anymore.”
…
…
After another quiet moment, she turned to look at him and carefully asked: “Chen Yuzheng, can I hug you?”
“Go ahead.”
Getting his approval, Yu Nuo moved closer, opened her arms and hugged him tightly.
His body temperature was high, the warmth seeping through the thin t-shirt. Yu Nuo found herself craving it and unconsciously tightened her arms around his waist.
Chen Yuzheng seemed to stiffen for a moment.
Feeling him move slightly, she asked quietly, “Can I hold you a bit longer?”
He made a sound of agreement.
Hearing this, Yu Nuo closed her eyes and contentedly absorbed his warmth.
—
When she next woke up, Yu Nuo felt somewhat disoriented about what time it was. The humidifier by the bed slowly released mist. She gathered her thoughts and realized she was lying in bed.
Last night she had been hugging Chen Yuzheng and must have fallen asleep from exhaustion at some point. Chen Yuzheng probably carried her to her room after.
Thinking of Chen Yuzheng, Yu Nuo instantly became alert.
She didn’t know if he had left yet.
She threw off the covers and got out of bed, put on slippers, and opened the door.
The living room curtains weren’t closed. The rain that had stopped during the night had started up again, mixed with howling wind. Outside, the early morning sky was a grayish blue, the light not very bright.
Yu Nuo walked over softly and crouched down beside Chen Yuzheng.
Being tall with long legs, Chen Yuzheng looked somewhat cramped lying on the living room couch, seeming unsettled even in his sleep.
She touched his hand that was hanging down – his fingers were ice cold.
Yu Nuo went to her bedroom to get a blanket and covered him with it.
She sighed, not daring to make any noise as she crouched beside Chen Yuzheng. At this height it was perfect – Yu Nuo rested her chin in her hands and carefully studied his sleeping face.
His head was slightly tilted to the side, his breathing steady, black eyelashes resting peacefully closed. Her gaze lingered as she looked at him for a long while more. Yu Nuo stood up, planning to go out and buy breakfast.
After putting the keys from the coffee table in her pocket and walking to the door, she looked back at Chen Yuzheng one more time.
She hesitated for a few seconds before turning around and walking back to the couch.
She bent down slightly, hovering as she looked at him. After staying still for a minute or two to confirm Chen Yuzheng was still sleeping.
Yu Nuo couldn’t help herself. Holding her breath, she closed her eyes and placed a light kiss on his cheek.
After kissing him, she had just started to straighten up.
Chen Yuzheng’s hand suddenly lifted to hook around Yu Nuo’s neck, holding her in place.
Yu Nuo was startled and couldn’t move when she tried to get up, “You’re awake?”
Chen Yuzheng didn’t sound like someone who had just woken up at all. His voice was husky with a hint of laughter: “This won’t do.”
He pulled at her.
Yu Nuo was completely unprepared and stumbled onto him. Chen Yuzheng smoothly turned over, his knee pinning her as he pressed Yu Nuo underneath him, demanding: “What’s this, taking advantage of me while I’m sleeping?”
The blanket was a mess as Yu Nuo lay on it feeling dazed.
Her vision darkened as he completely enclosed her.
Chen Yuzheng propped himself up with one hand beside her ear, lowering his head to nuzzle her face with his nose, “Sister keeps running away after kissing me. How can my body handle it?”
Before he could finish speaking.
Yu Nuo suddenly lifted herself up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
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