Chapter 7: 007
After settling the job situation, Qi SiJia’s congestion eased slightly.
She opened the curtains, letting sunlight stream through the floor-to-ceiling windows, dispelling the gloom.
Big Orange was eating his kibble, one piece at a time. He had a habit of hoarding. Sunlight warmed his sparse fur, and he occasionally looked up, letting out a contented meow.
Like his owner, he was in a good mood.
Qi SiJia got up, took her cold medicine, and opened her bedroom door. The kitchen was to the left of the entrance.
The apartment in the development area was old, with mold spots appearing in the corners.
The kitchen range hood was ancient and worn, rattling precariously.
It had broken down once, and Qi SiJia had rigged it with a wire, miraculously keeping it running for a year.
This apartment was Qi SiJia’s inheritance from her grandmother. She’d lived here for years, never moving.
When Qi Jun was starting his business and Wei YunFang was busy with lawsuits, neither had time for Qi SiJia, so she lived with her grandmother.
The old woman was cheerful and resourceful, a well-known landlady in the area, owning an entire building. She was always happy, and the tenants downstairs often invited her to play mahjong. She didn’t care about winning or losing, often deliberately losing a few hands to let the tenants win.
But whenever she played, she took Qi SiJia along. In the summer heat, the mahjong tiles clicked rhythmically.
“Three Bamboos!”
“Woohoo, I win!”
Surrounded by laughter, Qi SiJia would sit on a small stool, eating popsicles, her hair neatly braided by her grandmother, adorned with butterfly hair clips.
Her grandmother would often turn to her, her face crinkling with a smile, and ask, “JiaJia, are you hungry? Grandma will make you something to eat.”
“Are you cold? Put on a jacket.”
…
Most of her childhood affection came from these moments, so even though the apartment was no longer suitable, Qi SiJia refused to move, despite the several houses offered by Qi Jun and Wei YunFang.
The kitchen cabinets were yellowing, despite Qi SiJia’s recent cleaning attempts. She took out noodles and eggs.
Heating oil in a pan, she added chopped green onions, garlic, and chili peppers, stir-frying until fragrant.
She poured leftover pork rib soup from the fridge into the pan, brought it to a boil, added the noodles and enoki mushrooms, poached an egg, and finished with a drizzle of sesame oil.
A bowl of pork rib noodles, garnished with green onions, was ready in ten minutes. Qi SiJia, rarely going out and with simple needs, was self-sufficient and had become incredibly skilled in various domestic tasks.
Even Ye QianQian was often impressed by her resourcefulness: “Qi SiJia, why don’t you date me?”
“We have the same sexual orientation, we know each other well, no need to worry about compatibility. You’re skilled in so many things, you have beautiful long hands, you’re still a virgin, your hands haven’t touched anyone, they’re clean and pretty, no need to worry about anything in bed. Plus, you have the aloof, abstinent look I like. And I understand your social anxiety, so you don’t have to worry about me dumping you. We’re close friends, we see each other all the time. So, what do you think…?”
“Not suitable,” Qi SiJia refused without hesitation.
“Why?” Ye QianQian asked defiant “What era are we in? You still believe in not dating friends?”
Pressed for an answer, Qi SiJia said calmly, “I’ve slept with someone before. My hands aren’t clean anymore. I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed in bed.”
This always dampened Ye QianQian’s enthusiasm. She clicked her tongue, “Who was it? That first love I never got to meet?”
Qi SiJia didn’t confirm or deny.
Ye QianQian took it as a tacit agreement, cursing, “Damn, a flower defiled by cow dung.”
“Did you tell your later girlfriends about this?”
Qi SiJia nodded seriously: “Of course. Disclosing personal information is the foundation of any relationship. And they all said they didn’t mind.”
“Fuck,” Ye QianQian sighed, exasperated, “JiaJia, do you know what that means? No one who truly loves you would be so magnanimous after hearing you slept with someone else. Like me… ugh.”
“Anyway, are you sure they weren’t just interested in a casual relationship?”
Qi SiJia: …
Ye QianQian was great, except for her tendency to criticize Qi SiJia’s girlfriends.
Qi SiJia ignored it. She wasn’t easily swayed. With her social anxiety, finding a partner was difficult. She also had some insecurities about herself. When someone suitable pursued her, she would list her issues, explaining the risks. But every girlfriend seemed unconcerned.
When Qi SiJia mentioned her social anxiety, her exes would usually stare at her face, dreamily saying, “So what? I’m not shy, that’s enough.”
With such apparent acceptance, how could she doubt their sincerity?
“Trust is the foundation of any relationship,” according to Interpersonal Communication.
Qi SiJia quoted this to Ye QianQian, who gave a sardonic smile, looking at her as if she were a lost cause.
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