29

Wen Yixin's expression froze momentarily, and her fingers hovered over the screen, unmoving, so that when the game ended, her score was only from the first two rounds she had guessed correctly.

She sighed, putting her phone away. "Next time, we can play together."

"You have my word," she added, trying to reassure Qin Ruan.

Qin Ruan bit her lip. "Sister Wen..."

Seeing the look on Qin Ruan's face, Wen Yixin shook her head and softly explained, "I'm not annoyed with you."

"It's just that our lemon tea is almost ready, so I was about to get it." As she spoke, she nodded slightly toward the screen in front of them.

The screen was displaying many order numbers, and theirs was about to be called.

Qin Ruan said nothing, her eyes lowering as she clenched her hands.

"Alright, you promised, Sister Wen. Don't forget," she said quietly.

Wen Yixin nodded, and when their number was called, she took the ticket from Qin Ruan's hand and went to get the lemon tea.

As Wen Yixin waited, she glanced back at Qin Ruan, her emotions mixed. She wondered if it might be better to maintain some distance between them—not to push her away, but just enough to avoid misunderstandings.

However, if Qin Ruan wasn't actually interested in her that way, pulling away suddenly might hurt her.

Wen Yixin remembered how pitiful Qin Ruan had looked earlier and frowned.

"Miss, your two lemon teas are ready," the shop assistant called out, snapping Wen Yixin back to reality.

"Thank you," she said, taking the drinks. She held one in each hand and placed one in front of Qin Ruan, still unable to fully sort out her thoughts.

"Drink up," she said, taking a sip from her own cup.

The cool drink seemed to ease the tension she felt.

Time passed in silence as they drank their lemon teas, neither speaking until the cups were nearly empty.

"Sister Wen, are we leaving now?" Qin Ruan asked softly.

Wen Yixin nodded. "Yes, it's about time."

She finished her drink, tossed the cup into the nearby trash, and instinctively reached out to hold Qin Ruan's hand as they left. However, before her hand could touch Qin Ruan, she quickly pulled it back, awkwardly rubbing her nose to cover the moment.

"Let's go," she said, her voice calm.

Qin Ruan stood still for a moment, watching Wen Yixin's subtle actions before averting her gaze.

"Alright."

Wen Yixin led the way, with Qin Ruan following closely behind.

At the dance studio, Wen Yixin looked up at the new sign hanging above the entrance. The name, which she had asked Qin Ruan to help come up with, brought a small smile to her lips.

She paused for a moment, then stepped inside.

The studio had been renovated, and Wen Yixin surveyed the room, her hand reaching out to test the barre. After a moment, she was satisfied and stepped back, lifting her leg to stretch against the barre.

She stretched for a while, feeling comfortable, before lowering her leg and stepping back, only to accidentally bump into someone.

Wen Yixin froze.

It took her a moment to realize that the person behind her was Qin Ruan.

Qin Ruan's hands gently rested on Wen Yixin's waist, her fingers lightly brushing against her as she spoke in a soft voice, "Be careful, Sister Wen."

"I'm fine," Wen Yixin replied, but she instinctively moved forward, trying to create some distance, mainly to avoid the hands on her waist.

However, as she moved, Qin Ruan followed, her hands still on Wen Yixin's waist.

Their reflections in the studio mirror showed their bodies close together, and Wen Yixin's gaze wavered. She looked at Qin Ruan through the mirror and asked quietly, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," Qin Ruan murmured, her voice muffled as she tightened her grip on Wen Yixin's waist. "It feels like you're suddenly distant from me, Sister Wen."

"It makes me feel uneasy."

"It makes me wonder if I did something wrong to make you act this way."

She was afraid Wen Yixin was starting to push her away, afraid that if this kept up, Wen Yixin would eventually leave her completely.

Wen Yixin felt the increasing pressure on her waist and noticed the underlying anxiety in Qin Ruan's voice, causing her to pause.

She softened her tone. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Wen Yixin turned around, finally unable to resist gently patting Qin Ruan's head, a brief touch before pulling back.

"Don't overthink it."

"Let's check out the other areas," she suggested, leading Qin Ruan to explore the rest of the studio.

Although she held Qin Ruan's wrist as they walked, her palm didn't fully connect with Qin Ruan's skin; she kept a light, tentative grip.

It was a far cry from the firm, close hold she used to have.

Qin Ruan noticed the difference but remained silent.

She figured she'd just have to take things slow. Her eyelashes fluttered as she gazed at Wen Yixin's back, then turned her wrist slightly to grab Wen Yixin's hand in return.

Wen Yixin paused for a moment, her fingers curling slightly before relaxing again. She didn't pull away, allowing Qin Ruan to hold her hand as they continued.

Later that night, around ten, Qin Ruan stared at her quiet phone, unable to resist calling Wen Yixin.

At that moment, Wen Yixin was lying in bed. It took her a few seconds to answer the call. "Hello?"

"Sister Wen, what are you doing?" Qin Ruan asked as she hugged the washed plush goose, pressing its head.

Wen Yixin responded slowly, "Not much, just getting ready to sleep."

"You're going to bed this early?" Qin Ruan muttered softly, her voice trailing off.

Wen Yixin hummed in agreement, not saying much else. For a while, the two were silent, with only the sound of their breathing passing through the phone.

After a few seconds, Wen Yixin broke the silence with a polite reminder. "You should try to sleep early too."

Qin Ruan's voice dropped, her eyes lowering. "I can't seem to fall asleep."

"Why not?" Wen Yixin asked instinctively.

As soon as she spoke, she pressed her lips together, a hint of regret crossing her face.

Remembering the events at the studio earlier, she worried that Qin Ruan might say something about her sudden coldness. Wen Yixin had managed to maintain her usual demeanor in the studio, but she wasn't sure how she'd respond over the phone.

Fortunately, Qin Ruan didn't mention it, only saying quietly, "I'm not sure."

"It just feels like my mind won't stop thinking, and I can't seem to calm down. It feels like I'm too wired."

After a moment of silence, Qin Ruan asked, "Do you have any melatonin or sleeping pills, Sister Wen?"

Wen Yixin stiffened. "I don't."

She had never needed those things, as she usually slept well. Even when she couldn't sleep, she avoided taking them, having heard that they could have side effects.

Thinking of Qin Ruan, Wen Yixin suggested, "How about trying some soothing, sleep-inducing music? Or maybe listen to an audiobook? Sometimes that helps me when I can't sleep."

Qin Ruan was quiet, pressing her chin against the plush goose she held.

"Listening to music makes it even harder for me to sleep," she replied.

"Then how about an audiobook?" Wen Yixin suggested.

"I don't know what to listen to," Qin Ruan responded slowly, then added, "Sister Wen, could you keep me company for a while? Maybe I'll fall asleep while we talk."

Wen Yixin hesitated, remaining silent for a few moments.

Her silence lasted so long that Qin Ruan began to fear she would refuse.

As she prepared herself for rejection, ready to say it was fine, Wen Yixin finally answered softly, "Alright."

Wen Yixin shifted onto her back, resigning herself to the conversation. It might be better to talk things out instead of avoiding Qin Ruan as if she were a threat. After all, she still wasn't sure of Qin Ruan's feelings, and it might be better to use this time to gauge her intentions.

With her mind a jumble of thoughts, Wen Yixin asked, "Qin Ruan, do you have someone you like?"

Qin Ruan froze, feeling her heart race as she replied slowly, "Not yet."

Wen Yixin unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, her tone softening as she asked, "Then what's your ideal type?"

Ideal type...

A figure began to take shape in Qin Ruan's mind, gradually becoming clearer from its initial blur.

She traced the features of the person in her mind, but all she said was, "I'm not sure."

"Maybe when I meet someone I like, I'll know."

"And you, Sister Wen? What's your ideal type?" Qin Ruan asked, her tone light.

Wen Yixin replied, "Me? I haven't thought about it."

She hadn't given it much thought, as she was content with how things were.

However, considering Qin Ruan's previous answer, Wen Yixin hesitated. It felt like she hadn't really gotten any useful information.

Wen Yixin shook her head, unsure of what else to ask. She turned onto her side, "Are you feeling sleepy now?"

"Not yet," Qin Ruan replied.

If anything, she felt more awake.

But there was no need to tell Wen Yixin that.

"Are you tired, Sister Wen? I feel bad keeping you up so late."

"If you think it's too much trouble, you don't have to stay on the phone with me. I can watch some TV until I get sleepy."

Hearing the first part of Qin Ruan's response, Wen Yixin had been ready to agree and say she was tired and wanted to sleep. But Qin Ruan's last words made her reconsider.

"I'm not that tired," Wen Yixin replied. "I just can't think of what to talk about right now."

As she spoke, her eyes landed on a book on her bedside table. An idea came to mind. "How about I read to you? I'll stay on the phone until you fall asleep."

Qin Ruan's lips curved into a smile, her bad mood from the day finally lifting.

She agreed, "Okay. Thank you, Sister Wen."

Wen Yixin paused for a moment before saying, "It's no trouble."

She set her phone down, switched to speaker mode, and picked up the book, flipping through it until she found a short story to read aloud.

Her voice was calm, gentle, and steady—perfect for lulling someone to sleep.

After finishing the first story, Wen Yixin, hearing the steady breathing on the other end, whispered, "Qin Ruan, are you asleep?"

"Not yet, but I'm getting sleepy," Qin Ruan murmured. "Could you read a little more?"

"Sure," Wen Yixin agreed, believing that Qin Ruan was close to falling asleep.

She estimated that Qin Ruan would be asleep in about half an hour.

But as Wen Yixin finished one story after another, growing drowsy herself, Qin Ruan's responses remained the same. She was always almost asleep but still wanted to hear more.

Wen Yixin lay on her side, her fingers gripping the book, her eyes half-closed as she murmured, "After this one, I'm going to sleep. I'm really tired."

"Okay," Qin Ruan quickly agreed. Hearing the weariness in Wen Yixin's voice, she didn't ask her to keep reading after this story.

Relieved, Wen Yixin continued reading, her voice soft and low. As she neared the end, her eyes slowly closed, and the book slipped from her hand, falling onto the bed.

Hearing a faint sound, Qin Ruan called out softly, "Sister Wen?"

There was no response, only the steady rhythm of Wen Yixin's breathing.

She was asleep.

Qin Ruan listened to the sound of her breathing, a smile spreading across her face. She placed her phone on the pillow beside her and closed her eyes.

Goodnight, Sister Wen.

The next morning, when Qin Ruan woke up, it seemed that Wen Yixin was still asleep, as there was no noise from the other end of the still-connected call.

She glanced at her phone and couldn't help but smile.

Cuddling her phone, Qin Ruan rolled around in bed, from the center to the edge. She gazed at the sunlight streaming through the curtains and got up to pull them open.

Facing the warm morning light, she felt a sense of peace.

Thinking of Wen Yixin, Qin Ruan turned and walked toward another part of the room.

On the other side, Wen Yixin woke up and instinctively reached for her phone. Seeing that the call was still ongoing, she was momentarily stunned.

Had she really stayed on the phone with Qin Ruan all night?

As she recalled the events of the previous night, Wen Yixin remembered reading aloud until she had fallen asleep. She realized that Qin Ruan hadn't hung up the call afterward.

She looked at her phone's critically low battery and turned to find her charger, intending to end the call.

Just as she was about to press the red button to hang up, a voice came through from the other end.

"Sister Wen, are you awake?"

Wen Yixin paused, surprised that Qin Ruan was already up and aware she was too.

"I just woke up," Wen Yixin replied.

"Have you been up for long?" she asked.

Qin Ruan answered, "Yes, I've been awake for a while."

"Pretty early."

Hearing the low battery warning, Wen Yixin said, "Qin Ruan, I'm going to hang up now. My phone's about to die, and I need to get ready for the day."

"Okay, but before you do, could you help me open the door?" Qin Ruan asked softly, standing in front of Wen Yixin's door.

"You're at my door?" Wen Yixin asked in surprise, sitting up straight in bed.