Chapter 19: Waiting for You to Come Home

The plane landed two hours later.

Liu Chengxu arrived home by subway and bus in the evening. When she opened the door, a strong musty smell hit her, and then the scene in front of her gave her a heavy blow.

The floor was covered with mottled mold spots, and grayish-white fuzz grew on the corners of the wooden table.

Liu Chengxu stood frozen at the door for a full three minutes; she had cleaned the house carefully before leaving.

Aunt Zhang from next door came out when she heard the noise and said to her, "Oh, you're finally back! It's been raining for the past few days and it's so damp. Quickly check what's moldy in the house and take it out to air it out."

In the past, someone was always home, and any mold spots were cleaned up promptly. Liu Chengxu never expected that the house would get moldy in the height of summer.

The bedroom was in slightly better condition, like an isolated safe zone. She opened the window to ventilate the room and then noticed a hole in the bed sheet, clearly chewed by rats.

Liu Chengxu frowned, a strong feeling of nausea suddenly rising in his throat.

She stood frozen in place, the familiar feeling of helplessness enveloping her once more, so heavy it was hard to breathe. It seemed that no matter what she did, it would be useless.

She began to loathe every corner of the house—the cramped, damp, moldy, and with that lingering musty smell.

But this is "home".

She fetched water and began to wipe things down, thinking that as long as she tidied up the place, they could continue their warm and cozy life when Su Zhiluo returned.

She was busy until late at night, and the musty smell had seeped into her very being. She thought about just giving up, since Su Zhiluo wouldn't be back today, tomorrow, or the day after, but she still rode her electric scooter and rushed to the supermarket to buy air freshener before it closed.

Lying in bed at night, surrounded by the incessant chirping of insects, she unconsciously glanced once again at the empty space beneath the bed.

During her time in Guangzhou, she slept in bed every night. Sometimes her sister-in-law would lie down before her, and sometimes she would pour a glass of water by the bedside, then start checking for bugs, and finally look at her before lying down to sleep.

She kept staring, as if the next second, that familiar figure would be sleeping next to her, hugging a pillow.

After watching for a while, Liu Chengxu sat up cross-legged. She rested her chin on her hand and suddenly felt that she wasn't watching Su Zhiluo, but rather that fool from a long time ago, lying on the ground crying and saying that she would use money to kill Su Zhiluo when she got rich.

Su Zhiluo was really patient back then. No matter what she said, Su Zhiluo would just say "hmm". At night, Su Zhiluo would kick her, and she would be so angry that she wanted to curse. Then she realized that she was about to roll under Su Zhiluo's bed, so she covered her face and slowly rolled onto the sheets.

During the first year of living with Su Zhiluo, she cried all the time, both openly and secretly. Su Zhiluo would say, "There's no toilet paper at home, so wipe your tears with your hands after you're done crying."

Liu Cheng's thoughts.

Serves them right.

You deserve what you got for insulting Su Zhiluo back then; now that you've fallen for her.

But then I feel so sorry for "you".

Why did you have to fall for your sister-in-law?

I can't sleep.

Too many unspoken worries weighed on his mind, making him feel suffocated and uncomfortable. Liu Chengxu walked to the window, his fingertips gently stroking the succulents he had just watered. The thick leaves shimmered faintly in the moonlight.

Su Zhiluo must be awake too. She's gentle and kind to me, she must be worried about me.

That's really strange.

They both clearly cared about each other, but neither was willing to press the call button first.

The next day, Liu Chengxu started tidying up early in the morning, washing and cleaning the house, and airing it out. At three o'clock in the afternoon, he locked the door, picked up his bag, and went to school.

Sitting on the crowded subway, Liu Chengxu thought of something else. They were renting this apartment. Now that Su Zhiluo didn't come back often, and she herself mostly lived at school, they could easily cancel the lease and save some money.

Stepping out of the subway station, the blazing sun beat down relentlessly, its intense heat almost melting anyone. Yet, Liu Chengxu shivered, fearing that Su Zhiluo might consider terminating her lease.

If Su Zhiluo really terminates the lease, then there will be no home or ties between her and Su Zhiluo.

Their relationship was delicate to the point of being fragile. As long as she still called Su Zhiluo "sister-in-law," there would still be an unbreakable bond between them.

If this title is abandoned, Su Zhiluo will be like a drop of water merging into the ocean, and there will be no more connection between her and Su Zhiluo.

After that, school life was uneventful.

They attend classes during the day, go to the library at night, and when they don't have classes, the three of them take turns being customer service representatives.

As their online store business gradually got on track, merchants began sending them samples and asking them to take model photos. They were able to earn a stable income of three to four thousand yuan per month.

At the end of September, the school awarded scholarships. Liu Chengxu met all the requirements, and her class applied for a scholarship for her. She showed the application to Su Zhiluo.

Su Zhiluo sent her a red envelope.

That day, she logged into the shop and saw a huge red headline that read: "[Celebrating the shop owner's sister receiving the National Scholarship at University A! Orders placed this week will receive a discount.]"

Red background with lettering, brimming with ostentation.

Inside the shop, you can still see Su Zhilu's chat history.

Fans praised Su Zhiluo for being amazing.

Su Zhiluo replied: [Smiling face/Smiling face/Smiling face/Thank you all, she's always been amazing, Rose/]

Liu Cheng's thoughts.

Look at this person, she always cares so much about everything about you, she keeps all your affairs in her heart, she gets very excited about whatever you do, as if you have become her honor.

How could I forget her?

With the National Day holiday approaching, Liu Chengxu did not go to Guangzhou as promised. A secret expectation, uncontrollably growing within her, hoped that Su Zhiluo might invite her. She knew the hope was slim, but she still fantasized about Su Zhiluo sending her a message.

This thought is like a wildfire at the end of summer; knowing it will vanish in an instant, yet still yearning for that illusory warmth.

When October truly arrived, the embers of summer were finally and thoroughly soaked by the chill of autumn. The last spark of hope was extinguished.

Su Zhiluo didn't call her over, and Liu Chengxu pretended to be nonchalant, as if he had never expected it.

Meng Zhenyue and Cha Baomei both vaguely sensed that there seemed to be a problem between Liu Chengxu and her sister-in-law.

Liu Chengxu used to be very attached to her sister-in-law, especially during her freshman year of college. She would talk about "my sister-in-law" all the time, acting like a complete "sister-in-law's sweetheart." But now, she doesn't mention her sister-in-law at all.

Liu Chengxu has changed a lot too. She used to have a great personality, lively and cheerful, and would often crack a little joke. Now, she's inexplicably much more composed, with an unyielding melancholy in her eyes. At first, they thought it was just the sadness of unrequited love, but now it seems things are far more complicated than that.

During the seven-day National Day holiday, Liu Chengxu didn't say she wanted to go home; she stayed at school like the others, planning how to film.

The fourth day of the eighth lunar month is Su Zhiluo's birthday, which falls on October 2nd, the second day of the holiday. Liu Chengxu bought her sister-in-law some food and a gold necklace as a birthday gift.

She bought the necklace for 5200 yuan. The design of the necklace itself is nothing special, but she likes the small beads strung on it because she mistook it for a ring at first glance.

When Liu Chengxu called her that evening, he looked at his sister-in-law's neck. Su Zhiluo was wearing a small beaded pendant in the middle of her collarbone, and indeed, it really looked like a ring.

For Su Zhiluo, this necklace was far more than just an accessory.

In those years before the economy took off, gold itself carried a heavy weight. This was the first time Su Zhiluo had received gold jewelry, and she was somewhat at a loss the moment her fingertips touched it.

Su Zhiluo lowered her head uncomfortably, the gold necklace hanging around her neck, making her skin appear exceptionally fair. The pendant swayed gently with her movements, shimmering with tiny golden sparkles under the light.

"It must be very expensive, right?" she asked again softly.

Liu Chengxu shook his head and said that as long as it looks good, that's fine.

Su Zhiluo asked her how much it cost, and she only replied that it wasn't much.

Only after Su Zhiluo said "I like you" did Liu Chengxu raise his eyes and nod at her, his expression a mixture of a smile and something else.

Before the surprise had even subsided, there was a knock on the door.

Liu Chengxu also ordered a cake for her.

A warm feeling suddenly rose in Su Zhiluo's heart.

It left her somewhat at a loss. She felt that warmth was like the first snowflakes held in her hands; she both cherished its purity and beauty and feared that her own warmth would hasten its disappearance. So she hesitated, ultimately not daring to reach out and grasp it tightly, but simply letting the slightly sweet warmth silently seep into her heart and then quietly spread to every part of her body.

Su Zhiluo called Liu Chengxu again. Liu Chengxu answered. She was doing her homework, but she stopped writing. Su Zhiluo said, "I received the cake."

"Is it delicious?" Liu Cheng asked.

Su Zhiluo said, "Let's light the candles together."

The two were video chatting. Su Zhilu lit the candles, then closed her eyes and made a wish.

Afterwards, Su Zhiluo cut off a piece and said, "I'll order one for you too."

Liu Chengxu shook his head, indicating that he didn't need it. Su Zhiluo took a bite and found it quite delicious. Liu Chengxu asked, "Is it good?"

Su Zhiluo hummed in agreement.

Liu Chengxu asked again, "Do you like it?"

Su Zhiluo nodded, "I like it quite a bit."

Liu Chengxu said, "Then give me a kiss."

Su Zhiluo almost choked.

She coughed twice and hurriedly hung up the phone.

Liu Chengxu just looked at her without saying anything.

These words stirred up a storm in Su Zhiluo's heart.

Soon after, she received another message on her phone.

Liu Chengxu: [Happy Birthday ^3^]

Su Zhiluo was at a loss for what to do. She was panicked and scared, and her cheeks were still hot. She had eaten one piece of the cake that day and put it in the refrigerator. It took her three days to finish it.

The next few months passed smoothly for them. No illnesses or accidents occurred, their conversations became calm, and they were busy with shop matters, just like a boss and employees.

The two maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too distant, even more estranged than before. Whenever their relationship reached this point, Liu Chengxu would send some strange messages: "I miss you," "Love you, sister-in-law," "^3^."

As long as Su Zhiluo is a little more enthusiastic, Liu Chengxu will revert to his usual self and behave properly, refraining from overstepping the boundaries.

Every time Su Zhiluo saw these messages, her heart would skip a beat. It didn't hurt; it was more like being gently tickled on the tip of her heart, a tingling, itchy sensation spreading quietly through her heart along with the ambiguity between the lines.

Su Zhiluo wouldn't respond to these messages, but on several occasions when she had insomnia, she would take out the messages and scroll through them, her fingers lingering on certain parts of the messages for a few seconds.

Taipei has fully entered the depths of winter, and Guangzhou has followed suit, getting cold as well. One day, Su Zhiluo was working on orders late into the night when she received a message from Liu Chengxu.

Sister-in-law, does your leg still hurt? It's going to snow here, and I miss you so much. I still love you so much. You probably think I'm pathetic, that I'm being unreasonable, and that I'm always lying to you. But actually, I try my best every day. Today, I miss your warmth. How can I describe it? When I'm on the bus, I imagine you holding onto the handrail, and I'm talking to you. It's noisy around us, and you can't hear me, so you lean closer to listen. When we're walking and I look at the trees, I pretend to pluck a leaf, pretending you're behind me, and I try to look as beautiful and charming as possible.

Winter is here, it's cold, and I miss you so much.

Su Zhiluo never replied, but simply read each message over and over again.

Liu Chengxu didn't post regularly; he would post one or two messages very occasionally, like writing a diary. Su Zhiluo was allowed to peek at them.

Why not call it a love letter?

Because Su Zhiluo felt that love letters should be passionate and direct, repeatedly saying "I miss you" and "I want to be with you." But Liu Chengxu simply narrated calmly and recorded meticulously. She probably understood from the beginning that these words were destined to receive no reply.

Winters in Guangzhou aren't cold, but Su Zhiluo's knees still ached two or three times during the season. That familiar soreness clung to her joints, making her involuntarily think of her "home," where they always prepared plasters and hot water bottles before the weather changed.

The shop has always been doing well. After participating in several promotions, and with the winter getting colder, business has become even better. The variety of socks, sweaters, thermal underwear, and various coats and down jackets has increased. Sometimes, Su Zhiluo has to handle hundreds of packages a day. She can't keep up, so she asks the aunties in the neighborhood to help her.

Liu Chengxu was busy until the winter vacation started. Unlike the summer vacation, which has more days, the winter vacation was the first time he started cleaning the house and preparing for the New Year.

Express delivery services will stop very early before the Spring Festival, allowing shops to rest for a long time.

Liu Chengxu was waiting at home for his sister-in-law to return. It was Chinese New Year, after all; Su Zhiluo should definitely go home.

She waited and waited until New Year's Eve, but Su Zhiluo still didn't say she was coming back.

The prepared Spring Festival couplets and New Year flowers were quietly piled up in the corner of the living room, while the oranges and strawberries that my sister-in-law loved to eat emitted a sweet fragrance in the bedroom.

Liu Chengxu lay alone on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

She continued to harbor hopeless expectations, and still wanted to.

It's alright, Su Zhiluo will definitely come back after New Year's Eve.