Chapter 2
Lin Qianqian didn’t like sour flavors, but Lu Yin did.
The orange lollipop had been unwrapped specifically for Lu Yin.
She had once searched online: Do deer like to eat sour things?
The results told her that red deer, sika deer, and giraffes all ate grass. Only Lu Yin liked sour things.
But her name, Lin Qianqian, meant a shallow field of grass.
So, she could reluctantly accept “deer eat grass” as an answer.
Lu Yin loved sour flavors and often ate Lin Qianqian’s leftovers.
To be precise, Lin Qianqian had forced her, unreasonably and stubbornly.
Everyone goes through a picky eating phase in childhood. Lin Qianqian didn’t like rice or vegetables, but when she offered her barely-touched bowl to Lu Yin, she would leave behind several tasty pieces of meat.
This way, it wouldn’t seem too shabby, and she could feel less guilty.
But in reality, she never succeeded.
“Sister, eat more meat.”
Lu Yin, seeing through her ruse, would pick out all the meat from her own bowl and then mimic Lin Qianqian’s bad habit.
The bowls would be swapped, and Lin Qianqian, instead of successfully feigning a lack of appetite, ended up losing all her meat.
But Lu Yin was still very thin now, even thinner than four years ago.
Lin Qianqian followed her out of the parking garage and into the elevator, realizing they weren’t going to their old home.
“Where am I staying?” Lin Qianqian asked, standing in the living room of the unfamiliar apartment, quickly scanning her surroundings.
It was a duplex apartment with a loft, quite spacious, and probably expensive to rent.
“There’s a spare bedroom. You can stay there temporarily,” Lu Yin said, inserting the key and opening the door. “We’ll find you another place once you’ve settled in.”
“Is this a rental?” Lin Qianqian thought about adding Lu Yin back on WeChat; transferring money would be much easier. “Let me pay you the rent.”
Their breakup had been messy, and she didn’t know how Lu Yin felt about the past. All she could do was try to make a good impression.
“I bought it. It was recently renovated, and I just moved in,” Lu Yin led her into the spare room. “See if you like it.”
“You don’t plan on me staying long-term,” Lin Qianqian stopped, staring into Lu Yin’s eyes.
“Right. So, no need for rent,” Lu Yin said. “If you’re not familiar with the area, I can help you find a place.”
Lin Qianqian’s mind raced, trying to devise a way to stay longer.
Unfortunately, she could only think of her childhood tactic—
Acting spoiled.
But that clearly wouldn’t work now, and would be incredibly awkward.
She was no longer the child who could cling to Lu Yin and beg. Their relationship wasn’t as close as before.
“Okay, I’ll stay here for now.”
Thinking too far ahead wasn’t Lin Qianqian’s style. Enjoying the present was her preferred way of life.
No one could predict the future. Being with Lu Yin for even one more day was enough. She’d worry about the rest later.
Lin Qianqian opened her suitcase, searching for something to sleep in, but found only winter undergarments.
The bulk of her clothes had been shipped back on the day she left. They were probably still at sea, or maybe in the air, and who knew when they would arrive.
She was incredibly lazy and disliked carrying too much luggage, feeling burdened. This suitcase was already her limit.
Besides, she knew it was summer in China, and Lu Yin couldn’t possibly be so stingy as to not let her borrow some clothes.
“Sister, could you please lend me some clothes? I really need pajamas!” Lin Qianqian clasped her hands together. “I’ll wash them for you when my clothes arrive. By hand!”
Wandering around the house in Lu Yin’s clothes was her favorite childhood pastime. Even when Lu Yin wasn’t home, it made her feel like she was there.
Lin Qianqian’s intentions were obvious. Lu Yin picked up the remote and adjusted the air conditioning. “I’ll get you some pajamas in a bit.”
Lu Yin agreed so readily that Lin Qianqian pushed her boundaries. “Sister, I’m a little hungry now.”
Lu Yin’s gaze fell on the bag of snacks. Before she could speak, Lin Qianqian continued, “Snacks aren’t filling. I want a hot meal, Chinese food!”
She emphasized “Chinese food,” desperately wanting to avoid congealed pasta and diarrhea-inducing sandwiches.
“I ate out before you arrived,” Lu Yin refused.
Lin Qianqian didn’t reply, angrily tossing her clothes onto the bed with exaggerated movements.
She wanted this woman to cook her a delicious three-dish meal with soup. She wanted it now.
Her mood had been sour since her flight arrived early, and she had spent the entire journey home trying to read Lu Yin’s expression, fearing she would be kicked out.
Yet, this woman remained impassive, completely unaware of her inner turmoil.
She rolled around on the bed, pulling the neatly folded quilt from the corner to cover her head, only to discover it wasn’t in a duvet cover. Her forceful tugging only resulted in a tangled mess.
Lin Qianqian’s nose tingled. She felt sorry for herself.
But Lu Yin clearly wasn’t going to comfort her, so she stood up to put the duvet cover on.
She located the zipper, inserted a corner of the quilt, and struggled for a long time, but the corners stubbornly refused to align.
“Let me show you,” Lu Yin offered, unexpectedly taking the mangled quilt from her.
She turned the duvet cover inside out, aligned two corners of the quilt, and with a few vigorous shakes, had it perfectly fitted in minutes.
“Sister, you’re so amazing!” Lin Qianqian gave her a thumbs-up, seizing every opportunity to ease the tension.
“Did you learn?” Lu Yin asked.
Lin Qianqian widened her eyes and nodded. “I learned!”
“Are you sure?” Lu Yin pressed.
“Of course?!” Lin Qianqian didn’t understand.
“Alright,” Lu Yin removed the freshly fitted duvet cover. “Now try it yourself.”
Lin Qianqian: “…”
This woman is crazy!
Wasn’t this deliberate torture?
“Can I just sleep with the quilt insert?” Lin Qianqian pleaded, her eyes wide with feigned helplessness. ‘Sister, please help me, I really can’t do it…’
“Didn’t you learn?” A hint of a smile finally touched Lu Yin’s lips. “Prove it to me.”
Honestly, Lin Qianqian hated the phrase “prove it to me.”
As a child, whenever she wanted something from Lu Yin, she had to offer something in return.
Like good grades, finishing a bowl full of vegetables, going to bed and waking up early for a period of time…
Whenever she tried to weasel out of it, Lu Yin would calmly say, “Prove it to me, or there’s no deal.”
Lin Qianqian couldn’t tell if Lu Yin was calm or so numb that she was amused by her antics.
She sat on the bed, calming her anger, and stared at Lu Yin’s face.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
Lu Yin broke the silence first. “Is there something on my face?”
Lin Qianqian ignored her.
In those brief three seconds, she had already forgiven Lu Yin in her heart.
But she wouldn’t admit to being coerced. Now, dependent on Lu Yin, she had to be mindful of her attitude, lest Lu Yin throw her and her luggage out.
She grabbed the corner of the quilt again, stubbornly using her clumsy method, silently wasting time putting on the duvet cover.
This was her silent rebellion, the only way she could rebel.
“Maybe you should just use the quilt insert,” the woman’s merciless voice came from behind. Lin Qianqian finally snapped, grabbing a nearby pillow and throwing it at Lu Yin.
Lu Yin caught the pillow and casually placed it on a nearby chair. “I’m serious. Otherwise, you’ll waste half an hour.”
She paused. “Or maybe an hour, or even longer.”
Lin Qianqian took a deep breath. If her friends abroad dared to provoke her like this, she wouldn’t have hesitated to use some made-up kung fu to scare them.
But her tricks were useless against Lu Yin. She couldn’t win, and would only end up frustrated.
“I’m going to take a shower!” Lin Qianqian shooed Lu Yin out of the room, vowing never to agree to let her help with the duvet cover again.
Lin Qianqian had always lived in cheap apartments abroad. Seeing the bathtub in the bathroom, she spent a while studying the buttons.
She couldn’t imagine the luxurious life Lu Yin had been living in China!
But there was no time for a bath tonight. She quickly showered and wrapped her wet hair in a towel.
The bathroom was fully stocked with toiletries. She rummaged through them, searching for Chinese labels.
Almost everything came in matching sets, making it difficult to distinguish between shampoo and shower gel until she squeezed them into her hand.
Out of the bathroom, she found the quilt neatly fitted and folded at the foot of the bed, with a set of pajamas placed in the center.
Lin Qianqian quickly changed into the pajamas, closed her suitcase, and pushed it into a corner by the bed.
The air conditioning was set to the perfect temperature, making the room incredibly comfortable. The earlier airport distress vanished instantly.
This tough-talking, soft-hearted woman.
She lifted the collar of the pajamas and sniffed, catching the faint scent of laundry detergent. Glancing at the clean and tidy bed, she felt completely at ease.
Lin Qianqian swaggered out of the bedroom, wanting to show off how well the pajamas fit.
She clumsily used her childish tactics to get Lu Yin’s attention, though the results were usually less than stellar.
But Lu Yin wasn’t there. Only the sounds of cooking and the aroma of fried rice came from the kitchen.
Her stomach rumbled. Lin Qianqian wanted to peek into the kitchen but felt shy. As she hesitated, she heard the clatter of a pan being set down.
Then, footsteps.
Lin Qianqian immediately turned to flee back to the bedroom, but Lu Yin called out.
“Lin Qian, come eat.”
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