Chapter 24: Rapid breathing accompanied by passionate words
The train conductor blew his whistle.
After hearing her words, Liu Chengxu burst into tears in disbelief.
"Silly girl." Su Zhiluo handed her another tissue and said, "I'm leaving. Take good care of yourself at home, and don't stay so thin. This is a task for you, and I need to see it through."
Liu Chengxu nodded, clutching a tissue, wanting to ask, "Can I hug you?"
She crumpled the tissue, trying hard to suppress her restless greed.
Su Zhiluo was the last to board the train, and it started moving as soon as she got in. She hesitated, paused, lowered her head slightly, and looked out the window. Liu Chengxu didn't stop; he continued to follow the departing train, moving silently along the platform.
Su Zhiluo didn't know if she could see it, so she waved towards the window.
Liu Chengxu couldn't keep up with the train's speed and stopped. Her eyes were full of disappointment as she waved vigorously in her direction.
In that instant, Su Zhilu almost wanted to go back against the flow of people, but was stopped by the train conductor next to her.
The train gradually accelerated, and Su Zhiluo found her seat. It was peak travel season, and tickets were hard to come by; she could only get a connecting ticket with a seat first and a berth second.
She sat down by the window, looked at the empty seat next to her, and felt a pang of sadness. She had no choice but to turn her head and look out the window.
Although it was early spring, the scenery outside the window still had the feel of winter, bleak and desolate, with hardly any greenery to be seen.
She rubbed her face and turned on her phone.
Liu Chengxu didn't send her a message, but Chang Ruyin did, saying that a set of clothes had sold out and asking if she wanted to restock.
Su Zhiluo looked at which set she had posted and replied: 【No need, take it down, warm spring is coming soon.】
During her time running the shop, she discovered a pattern in reality.
Actually, the late spring cold snap is harder to endure than the coldest days of winter. It's damp and cold, but consumer spending is very low during this season. Like the green plants buried in the soil, people always tell themselves to just bear with it, since the weather will warm up soon anyway.
The journey from Taipei to Guangzhou takes 22 hours, which is equivalent to the time it takes to travel from the depths of winter to the warmth of spring. Is this a short or long trip?
Su Zhiluo couldn't find the answer.
A wave of drowsiness suddenly washed over me.
Su Zhi rested her chin on her hand and typed: 【Have you gotten on the bus?】
Liu Chengxu had just found the waiting room; she wouldn't be able to board the train back for another hour.
She replied: 【Waiting.】
Su Zhiluo replied with an "Mm," and seeing that there were still no messages from the other end, she replied: [I'm going to sleep for a while.]
Liu Chengxu: [Okay.]
Liu Chengxu typed on the keyboard, back and forth, deleting the words "I love you".
She placed the tissue Su Zhiluo had given her on her lap, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles and folding it into a heart shape.
The tissue had a faint fragrance, different from Su Zhiluo's scent, but she thought it was her sister-in-law's natural fragrance, which smelled very nice.
Su Zhilu slept for an hour, and when she woke up, she texted Liu Chengxu to ask if she had gotten on the bus.
Liu Chengxu has already boarded the train. She expects to arrive home at 11:30. Su Zhiluo will be able to return to her sleeper berth after another two hours.
When Liu Chengxu returned home, she found everything empty. She felt a little sad and had no appetite, so she chatted with her friends.
Cha Baomei: [Did you cry when your sister-in-law passed away today?]
Liu Chengxu: [Why am I crying?]
Cha Baomei: [I sense you're really reluctant to part with your sister-in-law.]
Liu Chengxu: [My sister-in-law said I can come over to visit during the summer vacation.]
She sent a meme of someone holding a cigarette between their fingers and smoking it.
Cha Baomei: [Tch.]
That evening, Liu Chengxu sent Su Zhiluo a message, asking: "Are you tired?"
Su Zhiluo replied that it was alright.
It was eight o'clock in the evening, and it was completely dark. Su Zhiluo called Liu Chengxu for a video call. In the video, Liu Chengxu was lying on the bed, his eyes were red, and he was obviously very depressed. He was also tightly hugging her pillow.
During the call, Liu Chengxu did most of the talking, trying to find topics from all over the world. Su Zhiluo didn't say anything, just quietly responded to her.
Liu Cheng said, "I want to go to Guangzhou to eat delicious food. Meng Zhenyue and the others said that there are many delicious foods in Guangzhou. We haven't tried morning tea yet."
Su Zhiluo replied, "Okay, I'll check on my phone later."
Liu Chengxu kept bringing up the topic of Guangzhou's development. She didn't ask directly, but Su Zhiluo could tell that she was testing her to see if she really wanted her to go to Guangzhou.
This idea had been bothering Su Zhiluo for a while. At first, she didn't know and hesitated because there were many inconveniences for Liu Chengxu to go there. It wasn't until today that she finally made up her mind.
Liu Chengxu kept rambling on, "Once I get there, I can help you."
Su Zhilu hummed in agreement and said, "Summer vacation shouldn't be too busy."
Liu Chengxu rolled over, resting his chin on the pillow, and said sullenly, "Have you changed your mind?"
Su Zhiluo didn't speak.
Liu Chengxu became anxious: "Don't go back on your word! I can do anything. I can cook for you, do your laundry, and provide free college student labor. Why not take advantage of it?"
Su Zhiluo initially listened quietly. Liu Chengxu then spoke highly of her, and Su Zhiluo suddenly chuckled. Liu Chengxu looked at her, puzzled: "What's wrong?"
Su Zhiluo said, "Thinking back to when you were little, asking me for pocket money, hahaha."
She laughed out loud, and Liu Chengxu in her eyes laughed along with her, his gaze gentle.
At that time, Liu Chengxu had just started junior high school. Once, when Su Zhiluo was doing laundry, she offered to help her wash the clothes, and then subtly mentioned that her classmates had all eaten candied hawthorns.
Su Zhiluo immediately understood what she wanted to do, but pretended not to understand. By the time Liu Chengxu finished washing her clothes, his lips were already pouting so much they could practically hang an oil bottle on them.
Su Zhiluo said, "There's money in the basin under the bed. I usually put all the change I get from buying groceries in there. From now on, any extra money you get when you go grocery shopping is yours."
"Okay!" Liu Chengxu immediately went to get the money. She didn't rush to buy it. First, she helped hang up the clothes and ran out to buy a candied hawthorn. She didn't eat it all by herself and gave the two big ones to Su Zhiluo.
Liu Chengxu was still waiting for her sister-in-law's reply, feeling quite uncertain and afraid that things might change later.
Su Zhiluo said, "We'll see how you perform."
Seeing her anxious look, Su Zhiluo couldn't help but laugh.
She slept in the middle bunk, which was quite uncomfortable. The carriage swayed from time to time, and the two of them chatted intermittently for an hour and a half.
Su Zhiluo quite enjoyed listening to her talk; it wasn't annoying, and she would feel a sense of anticipation, realizing that life wasn't so dark after all, that it wasn't just about flowers blooming, but also attracting a bunch of fluttering butterflies.
After hanging up the phone, Su Zhiluo still couldn't fall asleep.
She randomly opened a novel and read a few chapters before realizing it was sent to her by Chang Ruyin. At first, she didn't understand it, but as she read on, she discovered it was about an older sister and her younger brother and sister-in-law having an affair, and there were also classic quotes. The beautiful older sister whispered in her ear: "You don't want him to lose his job, do you?"
Su Zhiluo: ? ? ? ?
Although the plot is bizarre, the novel is quite good overall.
She sent Liu Chengxu a message: 【I'm going to sleep.】
Liu Chengxu: [Okay.]
Su Zhiluo: [You're still awake?]
Liu Chengxu: [I'm playing games all night. If you need anything, just let me know. I'm always here.]
Su Zhiluo: [?]
Liu Chengxu: [I can't sleep either, I'll stay with you.]
Su Zhiluo's heart stirred slightly at that moment, a warmth spreading through her. She remembered what Liu Chengxu had said: if she deeply loved her sister, could she inherit her as her sister's only legacy?
At first, she found these words really strange; how could Liu Chengxu say such things? But sometimes, she felt that these words were inexplicably accurate.
Raising Liu Chengxu was initially very difficult; it felt like a burden suddenly dumped on her. But now the roles have reversed, and she is the one who worries about her, cares for her, and looks after her.
She just couldn't think about it too much, because if she did, she would easily cross the line and feel an indescribable bitterness in her heart.
Su Zhiluo reopened the novel and continued reading.
*
Seven o'clock in the morning.
Su Zhi landed in Guangzhou, and the train conductor came to inform her to prepare to disembark. Along with her came a message from Liu Chengxu: "I put an umbrella in my handbag; take it out if it rains."
No wonder the tote bag is so heavy.
It started raining, and she stood under the bus stop sign, her phone constantly vibrating.
Liu Chengxu: [Is it raining?]
Su Zhiluo: [Yes.]
The rain in Guangzhou today was quite interesting; unlike the torrential downpours in the north that stung your face, this rain changed its usual style, becoming soft and silky, like a pervasive mist.
Outside the station, pedestrians thronged, raising their hands above their heads to shield themselves from the rain.
Su Zhiluo held up an umbrella, revealing a smile that was different from the gloomy day.
Chang Ruyin came to pick her up at the station. Seeing her carrying so many bags, she couldn't help but admire her and said that it was good to have someone who cared about her. Her words were full of genuine envy.
Su Zhiluo silently gripped the umbrella in her hand.
She thought, "That's true."
Back in Guangzhou, Su Zhilu cleared out a batch of stock, and planned to clear out the rest through off-season clearance. The two of them took some time to move, and then went to the warehouse to inquire about prices.
Liu Chengxu calculated for her last time that she earned 80,000 yuan last year, and she and Chang Ruyin each contributed 60,000 yuan to invest. Taking advantage of the fact that spring is not yet a high-consumption season, Su Zhiluo enrolled in a class to learn fashion design.
She worked on orders during the day, and after dinner at six o'clock in the evening, she went to class. After two hours, Su Zhiluo also registered for adult education.
In April, Chang Ruyin told her that Yang Jie was coming to visit, which surprised Su Zhiluo. Over the past few months, she had occasionally overheard their conversations, but she had never asked how things had progressed.
Yang Jie was probably embarrassed, so she didn't come to their rented room and stayed at a hotel nearby first.
In truth, Su Zhiluo greatly envied Chang Ruyin—she was brave and dared to love boldly. If it were her, if Yang Jie had once liked Chang Ruyin but it didn't work out, she would never have any further involvement with Yang Jie. Even if she were moved, she would fiercely restrain herself and never reveal it.
Chang Ruyin said this: "Ji Hui won't wait for anyone. It's too difficult to meet a suitable person now. There may be no feelings at the beginning, but once they are cultivated, they will definitely love each other to death. Besides, feelings can develop over time."
She added a special note: "日 (rì) is used as a verb."
Su Zhilu felt like she was meeting her for the first time, staring at her blankly for a long time. Chang Ruyin said, "I feel that great love is far away from me. I'm just an ordinary person. My birth already shows that I'm not very lucky. I just want to find someone to live a good life with. She loves me, and I love her, regardless of worldly opinions. Do you understand?"
Su Zhilu walked silently, glancing at Chang Ruyin.
Chang Ruyin had specially permed her hair into small curls for today and made her face look white. Su Zhiluo reached out and wiped her eyebrows, saying, "Here, the face cream didn't melt."
"Oh dear, that was almost embarrassing."
Su Zhiluo rubbed her hands and said, "You should change into that white dress."
Chang Ruyin asked, "Is it pretty?"
Su Zhiluo said, "The impression will be very good."
Chang Ruyin ran upstairs quickly, her movements light and agile despite still wearing high heels.
Su Zhi waited for her downstairs, then strolled a few steps forward to the bus stop. The streetlights shone obliquely, outlining dappled shadows. She had once felt something similar to Chang Ruyin, dressing up elaborately to see someone, full of hope for a lifetime of happiness.
Chang Ruyin came out after changing her clothes and asked her, "How do I look?"
Su Zhiluo smiled and said, "It looks good."
"Shall we go then?"
Su Zhilu shook her head, "You go pick it up, I'll just ruin the atmosphere if I'm standing here."
"ah?"
Chang Ruyin may be a chatterbox, but she doesn't really understand the tricks of dating.
Chang Ruyin: "I'm embarrassed."
Su Zhiluo said, "Then you can buy a bouquet to cover your face."
Chang Ruyin thought this made sense.
The bus arrived, Chang Ruyin boarded and left, and Su Zhiluo waved to her.
Perhaps due to recent stress, Su Zhiluo often sits under the bus stop sign, lost in thought and daydreaming.
Now that she spends a lot of time online, Su Zhiluo really likes one particular saying.
You shouldn't meet someone too amazing when you're young.
Sometimes, when emotions surge up, she suddenly feels very sad.
In the past, when she was sad, she would think of Liu Jinhuan, of how good she had been to her, and of all the things she had done for her.
She doesn't dare to think about it now; she feels sorry for her.
The wind began to ruffle her hair again, and she carefully reached out to touch it, whispering to herself, "Is it you again?"
"I'm older than you now, I'm your older sister."
Will you grow up?
The bus arrived, and Su Zhiluo didn't know where it was going. She boarded, holding onto the handrail, when her phone vibrated. She took it out to check.
Liu Chengxu: [Night run, I'm exhausted.]
[Puppy waving hello.JPG]
[Raising the banner for Boss Su.JPG]
[Send a heart to your sister-in-law.JPG]
Su Zhiluo curled her lips into a smile.
She pondered what to say, then glanced out the car window and realized she was smiling.
Su Zhi landed and looked at the map, finding that it was relatively close to the Pearl River, so she took the subway there.
When she arrived at her destination, she made a voice call to Liu Chengxu. A series of low, suppressed breaths came through her earphones, making her ears feel slightly hot.
Su Zhiluo asked, "Are you running?"
Liu Chengxu, panting, said, "Ha... um."
Su Zhiluo asked, "Why did you run for so long? You used to only run at night. You should rest more and not run all the time, or you'll overtrain."
Liu Chengxu said, "I know, but there's nothing I can do. It's strange, before I only thought about you during the day, but now I miss you a lot at night too."
The rapid breathing combined with the passionate words made Su Zhiluo's ears burn. As if she had been burned, she reached out and took off her earphones.
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The puppy's inner thoughts: I need to be strong and healthy to live a good life with you!
I can't even imagine how much stamina that puppy has! [Exaggerated praise][Exaggerated praise][Exaggerated praise]
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