Chapter 17: Ruxu
You Ruxu was always mindful of her image in public. Her personality dictated that she wouldn’t do anything out of line, so Zhou Tianzui hadn’t expected her to make such a “sudden move.” Although, when they first got together, there had been similar moments, fleeting and brief.
There were times when You Ruxu would wait for her in the car, working while she waited. When Zhou Tianzui finished work and got into the car, You Ruxu wouldn’t even notice. She would sit beside You Ruxu, quietly, and just look at her.
You Ruxu would turn her head slightly, a hint of surprise in her voice: “When did you finish work?”
The upward lilt of her voice was pleasant. Zhou Tianzui would say, “Half an hour ago.”
“I didn’t notice.” You Ruxu would say, “Why didn’t you call me?”
Zhou Tianzui would lie: “I did, you didn’t hear me.”
“Sorry.” You Ruxu would say seriously, “I probably wasn’t paying attention.”
Zhou Tianzui would ask, “Just sorry?”
“I…” You Ruxu would clutch the printed documents, look around, then suddenly lean over and kiss her on the cheek. One time, they were almost caught by a colleague, and You Ruxu pushed her away. After that, she never initiated any intimacy in public.
Zhou Tianzui was lost in thought. You Ruxu had already answered the phone.
“Yes, I know, I’ll be at the station at nine tomorrow morning.” You Ruxu said, “Schedule the interview with CCTV first, I’ll go to the police station later.”
“Didn’t Chen Xiang tell you?” You Ruxu said, “I’m interviewing Mr. Zhao.”
“There’s very little information about him right now.”
He was the head of the fireworks factory, yet after such a major incident, there was no news about him. Currently, the internet was almost entirely focused on attacking Zhang Xiaojie, and the attention was on Chen Mo, as if someone had deliberately pushed these two into the spotlight, while Mr. Zhao, who should be the one giving an explanation, remained silent.
It was very unusual.
You Ruxu scheduled the interview for tomorrow at noon, using lunchtime to ask more questions. Shi Qi really didn’t know. She asked, “Interviewing Mr. Zhao?”
You Ruxu said, “Yes.”
Shi Qi didn’t seem as opposed as before. Although very few people online were mentioning Mr. Zhao, and a report about him might not generate much interest, she trusted You Ruxu. You Ruxu wouldn’t do anything pointless. She said, “Alright, I understand, you go ahead.”
You Ruxu said, “Thank you, Boss.”
Her eyes curved into crescents, her smile dazzlingly beautiful. When she lowered her eyes, the lines of her profile were sharp and refined. Zhou Tianzui didn’t drive, just leaned back in her seat, seemingly waiting for You Ruxu to finish the call, but her gaze lingered on You Ruxu’s profile, unable to look away.
The warmth on her cheek and lips, soft, fragrant.
The beef soup with vinegar that Zhou Tianzui had just drunk now tasted a little sweet. She pursed her lips and heard You Ruxu say, “Okay, then that’s settled, I’ll hang up now.”
Putting down her phone, You Ruxu looked at Zhou Tianzui and asked, “Aren’t we leaving?”
Zhou Tianzui glanced at her, started the car, and drove away from the hospital. You Ruxu leaned back against the seat, a look of exhaustion on her face. She always maintained a capable and polished image in public, only revealing this side of herself in private. Zhou Tianzui suppressed the urge to tease her and took a thin blanket from the back seat, offering it to You Ruxu.
You Ruxu had already fallen asleep.
Zhou Tianzui held the blanket out for a few seconds, but no one took it. She turned her head and saw You Ruxu sleeping with her eyes closed. She had done a live broadcast today, so her makeup was still intact, her features perfectly sculpted. Zhou Tianzui pulled over to the side of the road and covered You Ruxu with the blanket. Her expression was complex. She rested one hand on the window, her chin on her hand, and turned to look at You Ruxu intently.
Their meeting hadn’t been dramatic. An ordinary day, an ordinary encounter. It was only after they got to know each other that their shared identity as women made their relationship seem both ordinary and extraordinary.
Falling for someone could happen in an instant, but the choices that followed were difficult.
She had hesitated, wavered, tossed and turned. Then, she saw You Ruxu lying on an emergency bed, being wheeled into the hospital. One moment she was messaging her, saying, I just finished work, and the next, she was lying in the emergency room, her life uncertain.
The choice, at that moment, didn’t seem so difficult anymore.
She chose to be honest with herself.
But she had overestimated herself.
Zhou Tianzui gripped the steering wheel, her gaze lingering on You Ruxu. Her eyes were tired, a faint redness around them. She closed her eyes, feeling the dampness on her cheeks.
A message notification sounded on her phone. She instinctively turned it off, but her grip loosened, and the phone slipped from her hand, landing on her lap. She picked it up, turned off the sound, all in one smooth motion, without waking You Ruxu. She was still sound asleep.
Only after this instinctive action did Zhou Tianzui laugh self-deprecatingly.
Laughing at her own wishful thinking.
She thought the wall she had built could block everything, but You Ruxu only needed to take a small initiative, a single kiss, and her defenses crumbled. You Ruxu didn’t even need to do anything, just lying beside her was enough to throw her into turmoil.
Zhou Tianzui shook her head, smiling, and looked out the window at the dark night dotted with streetlights, twinkling like stars.
Her phone lit up again. This time, it wasn’t a message, but a call. Zhou Tianzui frowned and answered. It was the director: “Get back to the hospital!”
The tone was angry. Zhou Tianzui pursed her lips and said, “Okay.”
She hung up and saw You Ruxu opening her eyes, looking at her: “What’s wrong?”
Her voice was soft just after waking up, not as clear as usual. Zhou Tianzui said, “I have to go back to the hospital, something came up.”
You Ruxu nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around her, and said, “You go ahead, I’ll wait for you in the car.”
She wanted to sleep a little longer. Zhou Tianzui, seeing this, turned on the car’s heater, turned the car around, and drove back to the hospital. She didn’t turn off the engine before leaving, the headlights remaining on.
You Ruxu was truly exhausted. She didn’t notice when Zhou Tianzui left. The car doors automatically locked after a while, enclosing her in the small but warm space, filled with Zhou Tianzui’s scent.
It made her feel safe.
She dreamt again. In the dream, she and Zhou Tianzui were having dinner together. It was their second month together, Zhou Tianzui had just returned from a business trip, and they met at a restaurant near the hospital. She ordered a bowl of beef soup, slowly breaking the sesame cakes, looking at her phone. Zhou Tianzui messaged: “I’m here.”
Looking up, Zhou Tianzui, wearing a light blue jacket, was standing in front of her. After sitting down, she took a sip of soup and said, “It’s delicious.”
“Do you want another bowl?” Seeing that Zhou Tianzui had unknowingly finished her bowl, she asked. Zhou Tianzui shook her head. She always had a small appetite and couldn’t eat too much. Zhou Tianzui took over the task of breaking the cakes. She lowered her head, added half a spoonful of vinegar, stirred it, and talked about things happening at the station while eating.
They chatted casually, only about trivial work matters, when they heard someone nearby say, “Who is this? Who is this Tiantian?”
The man instantly panicked, his tone changing, “She’s a friend, that’s just her nickname!”
“You even call her by her nickname? You two must be close!” The woman’s voice was filled with displeasure and anger. The two argued and left. She took a sip of the sour soup and asked Zhou Tianzui, “Do you have a nickname?”
“Me?” Zhou Tianzui said, “I don’t.”
She paused, then asked, “Do you?”
“I—” She hesitated for a few seconds, then said, “I do.”
She told Zhou Tianzui, “My nickname is A Ran.”
Zhou Tianzui lowered her eyes, her tone unchanged: “Why A Ran?”
“I don’t know.” She smiled at Zhou Tianzui. “My mom has always called me that.”
Zhou Tianzui said, “I see.” She lowered her head slightly, her eyes hidden by her long eyelashes. Zhou Tianzui looked at her and said, “I’ll call you that from now on too.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, the beef soup she loved so much became difficult to swallow.
She lowered her head.
Didn’t respond.
Her phone ringing startled You Ruxu awake. She sat up. She was alone in the car. The phone kept ringing. You Ruxu looked down; it was her mother.
She picked up the phone, rubbed her temples, and answered: “Mom.”
“Ruxu, it’s Mom.” The woman’s voice was exceptionally gentle and soft. You Ruxu sat up straight and hummed in acknowledgement. The woman said, “Have you called your father recently?”
You Ruxu said, “I called him a while ago.”
“You don’t know your father’s angry, do you?” The woman said, “He saw the news a while ago, he knows you’re working as a reporter again. He’s worried about you, and angry. Didn’t he call you?”
You Ruxu said, “No.”
The woman said, “Then call him when you have time. You know his temper, he’s worried about you but too embarrassed to say it. He keeps asking me about you every day.”
You Ruxu said, “I understand, thank you, Mom.”
“Then, Ruxu, when are you coming home?” The woman said, “It’ll be getting cold soon, come home and get some clothes.”
You Ruxu said, “Mm, I have a few days off after this news story.”
“That’s good.” The woman said, “Take care of yourself. Are you still sharing an apartment with that Dr. Zhou? Are you causing her any trouble? Should Mom find you a new place?”
“No need, Mom.” You Ruxu said, “She’s very nice. Living together, we can help each other.”
The woman agreed: “That’s true, it’s not easy being alone. I’m relieved that you have someone to help you. Next time you come home, if Dr. Zhou is free, invite her over. She’s always taking care of you, we should thank her.”
You Ruxu’s face paled slightly. She said, “I know.” She lowered her eyes. “She’s always busy at the hospital. I’ll ask her when she’s free.”
The woman could only say, “Alright then, Mom won’t bother you anymore. Rest well, and don’t overwork yourself, okay?”
You Ruxu: “Mm, I know.”
After hanging up, You Ruxu turned to look at her reflection in the car window. People said she was like the bright moon, clear, pure, and unattainable, but no one knew the darkness she hid within.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes. Her phone vibrated.
She opened it.
It was a message from her mother.
[Ruxu, Mom sent you some seasonal fruits. I sent a lot, remember to give some to Dr. Zhou. We can’t always trouble her to take care of you.]
You Ruxu scrolled up. Her mother sent her messages every other day.
[Ruxu, the temperature dropped today, wear more clothes.]
[Ruxu, have you eaten?]
[Ruxu…]
She had replied to all of them. Now, seeing this newly arrived message, You Ruxu’s fingers pressed against the screen, her knuckles white. She replied: [I know, thank you, Mom.]
Mother: Dr. Zhou, thank you for taking care of our Xiao Xu.
Zhou Tianzui: Auntie, we “take care” of each other.
Leave a Reply