Chapter 25 – Visiting the Mall

The next morning, as Xu Shiqi dragged herself out of bed, her mind was still full of questions. All her cleverness seemed to vanish in front of that girl, disappearing with a “whoosh”. She started by questioning if telling a lie was really necessary to change her current situation, to what change could a lie possibly bring, to why the girl suddenly thought she should lie, and finally to why the girl seemed so experienced in lying that it seemed like her lies had become prophetic truths.

Thinking too much gave her a headache. She was almost in a daze as she got dressed, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. Even when someone greeted her with a good morning, she just nodded absentmindedly.

When she finally realized that the person greeting her was the one who had caused her sleepless night, she glared at her, feeling an urge to grit her teeth.

The girl tilted her head with a concerned expression and asked, “What’s wrong? Did you not sleep well because you’re not used to the bed?”

Xu Shiqi laughed instead of getting angry, “I’m not some pampered princess. I can even sleep on a sofa.”

Wen Jialuo touched her nose, somewhat dejectedly, “Why do you still remember that? Fine, it was my fault, okay?”

“Hmph,” Xu Shiqi snorted coldly and stomped downstairs. But that annoying girl added, “Then how do you explain those dark circles under your eyes?” making her want to grab and bite her.

Xu Shiqi felt a bit ashamed as she realized she was the last one up in the old house. In winter, she had a hibernation-like instinct, making her senses dull and easy to fall asleep. Plus, she had a habit of sleeping in, not seeing the point in leaving a warm bed to shiver in the cold wind, even for exercise. People should follow the natural rhythms of nature: harvest in autumn, hibernate in winter, and a warm bed is perfect for hibernation.

However, she didn’t dare say these things out loud. The old lady was already up, sitting on the sofa downstairs reading a newspaper, and had even finished breakfast.

Wen Jialuo accompanied her for breakfast, saying she had already eaten once. This time, she just picked up a small piece of cake before stopping.

When they went out, it was already past eight. The weather was gloomy, so the old lady stayed indoors. A young maid arrived, probably a bit younger than them, with a slightly regional accent but good Mandarin and a cheerful disposition, making the old lady happy.

Before leaving, Xu Shiqi said goodbye to the old lady, who warmly held her hand and emphasized again how much she hoped she would get used to living there, reminding her granddaughter to drive carefully.

“Going back to the shop?” Wen Jialuo asked as they got into the car. Seeing Xu Shiqi nod, she continued, “Can’t your shop run without you?”

Xu Shiqi glared at her, “Of course it can, but my parents are always busy there. I can help lighten their load.”

Wen Jialuo said lightly, “Aren’t you afraid your mom will bring up blind dates again when she sees you?”

“I can’t avoid seeing my mom forever,” Xu Shiqi sighed, rubbing her temples. She glanced at the girl beside her; the dark-winged, tempting liar from last night was gone, replaced by someone not so unfamiliar in the daylight.

“Have you thought about what I said?” Wen Jialuo asked, glancing at her.

Xu Shiqi quickly turned her gaze outside the car, not having had time to think of a reply. “Hey, where are you taking the car?” she exclaimed.

This was obviously not the way to the shop.

“I’m not going to work today. I need to pick up some things from home, and I won’t be going back before the New Year,” Wen Jialuo said, as if it was the most natural thing.

“Then drop me off at the shop first, and you can go get your stuff,” Xu Shiqi said angrily, wanting to pinch her.

“I asked you earlier,” Wen Jialuo paused, “and you said the shop could run without you. Besides, it’s just one day,” she said, turning the steering wheel and driving out of the city.

Xu Shiqi fumed inwardly. She should have firmly asserted her freedom the first time she was led astray, instead of passively following the girl each time. Now, her unintended indulgence meant she was stuck in the same small space with someone she wanted to avoid. An unavoidable close distance with an insurmountable emotional distance.

Lost in her thoughts, the car’s destination was beyond her control. She fastened her seatbelt, watching the scenery pass by until she saw a distant yellowish slope. Sitting up, she vaguely remembered this was where the abandoned artificial lake was, the place she first visited with Wen Jialuo.

The memory of that night was not far off but somewhat blurred. She hadn’t anticipated the frequent interactions with the girl then, so she hadn’t taken it to heart. But now, recalling what the girl said that night, all those words spoken with a bitter tone, seemed so unreal.

“The current hurt is to prevent a bigger hurt,” Wen Jialuo’s words echoed in her mind, gradually revealing the possible truth behind the mystery that had kept her up all night. The suspicion was shocking; she couldn’t believe they both harbored the same secret, about to surface. The disbelief made her freeze, barely breathing.

That night they shared a bed, the struggle in Wen Jialuo’s eyes mirrored in her own. She feared she was wrong again but couldn’t suppress the surge of curiosity. As she hesitated, the car sped onto the highway, the slope nearly out of sight. Panicking, Xu Shiqi grabbed Wen Jialuo’s arm, calling her name.

“Wen Jialuo!”

The car swerved slightly, a short horn blaring as it passed.

Wen Jialuo shook off her hand, giving her a stern look, “What are you doing? Sit still! Don’t move!”

Xu Shiqi was pushed back into her seat, momentarily forgetting they were still in the car.

The girl’s stern gaze quickly sobered her. Heart pounding, she clenched her hands, biting her lip, wondering what she wanted to ask.

If the answer was not what she thought, then fine. But if it was, what then?

Hadn’t they agreed to experience all the scenery along the way? How could she think of stopping midway?

Breathing deeply, Xu Shiqi gradually calmed her turbulent emotions. Yes, she wouldn’t let any temptation disrupt her planned life, especially not this girl. No, particularly not this girl.

Whatever price was paid for making lies seem true was a testament to her determination. It showed their shared distrust of the world, and Xu Shiqi was no less determined. They shouldn’t mock each other for taking different paths but sharing the same mindset.

No matter her changing expression, Xu Shiqi knew Wen Jialuo wouldn’t notice. After riding with her often, she knew Wen Jialuo’s focus while driving. Sometimes she wouldn’t even notice if spoken to. After stopping her sudden movement, Wen Jialuo stayed silent, concentrating on driving until they exited the highway and entered the city, stopping at a red light. She finally glanced at her, “What happened to you earlier?”

Xu Shiqi smiled apologetically. “I suddenly remembered something urgent earlier. Sorry for distracting you while you were driving.”

Just as Wen Jialuo was about to speak, the light turned green, so she resumed driving. It wasn’t until they arrived at a shopping mall and found a parking spot that Wen Jialuo suddenly asked, “Do you know who was my driving instructor when I first learned to drive?”

Xu Shiqi shook her head, thinking that if it was at a driving school, wouldn’t it have been an instructor? But given her family’s situation, she probably didn’t need to go to a driving school to learn.

“It was my grandmother who was my instructor,” Wen Jialuo said, still sitting in the car with a slight smile on her face, showing no trace of the earlier sternness. “My grandmother said that way I wouldn’t get distracted. She also mentioned that if you’re in an accident, the driver will instinctively steer to protect themselves, but if there’s someone more important in the passenger seat, you’ll drive more carefully.” She glanced at Xu Shiqi, her gaze flickering before quickly lowering her eyes. She unbuckled her seatbelt and said softly, “Let’s get out.”

Xu Shiqi’s palms were sweaty as she got out of the car, feeling unsettled. When she looked at Wen Jialuo again, there were no hints or implications in her eyes, as if the previous flicker in her eyes was just a remnant of her road-induced suspicions.

Looking at the mall in front of her, Xu Shiqi asked in confusion, “Weren’t we going home to pack?”

“Since we won’t be coming back for a while, I thought we might as well buy some things,” Wen Jialuo said as she approached. “Let’s go in.”

Xu Shiqi had no choice but to follow her. The recent emotional rollercoaster made this experience much easier than the last one. Besides, the mall was warm and comfortable, and she didn’t feel cold at all.

Once inside, she realized that Wen Jialuo was wandering aimlessly. They looked around every floor, even checking out home appliances. It wasn’t until they passed a jewelry counter that Wen Jialuo stopped to carefully inquire about jade items, seemingly wanting to buy a jade bracelet for her grandmother. After checking a few counters, she finally selected one and, just as she was about to pay, pointed at a jade Buddha pendant in the display case and held it up to Xu Shiqi.

“What are you doing?” Xu Shiqi frowned and moved away.

Wen Jialuo didn’t answer but nodded in satisfaction before handing the pendant back to the salesperson. “I’ll take this one too.”

Xu Shiqi turned to look elsewhere. She had her eye on a jade ring with a Pixiu design, thinking it would look great on her father’s thumb, so she decided to buy it.

“I like that one,” Wen Jialuo suddenly said, pointing at a Buddha ring next to the Pixiu. Xu Shiqi glanced down and saw it was a smiling Maitreya Buddha. She shot a glare at Wen Jialuo, thinking, if you like it, why not buy it? I have limited funds, and getting the Pixiu is already stretching it. Weren’t you being so generous with your card earlier?

In the end, Xu Shiqi bought the Pixiu ring, but Wen Jialuo walked away quickly as if her feet were on fire.

Next, they played some games. Wen Jialuo was adept at shooting virtual opponents, her expression cold and focused. Xu Shiqi, following her to play a dancing game, felt overwhelmed and cursed her innocent high heels. Seeing the young teenagers around them, she quickly dragged Wen Jialuo away.

“I’m exhausted,” Xu Shiqi said, taking off her coat and looking around for a place to sit.

Wen Jialuo looked up and saw a movie poster on the upper floor. “Let’s go.”

Before she knew it, Xu Shiqi was being pulled upstairs to buy tickets, popcorn, and drinks. It wasn’t until they were seated in the theater that she finally exhaled and wondered why she was watching a movie with Wen Jialuo.

The theater darkened, and the movie began. Wen Jialuo offered her popcorn, but Xu Shiqi declined. “Thanks, but I don’t eat that,” she said, pushing it back. Popcorn could irritate her throat, and she valued her voice.

Unexpectedly, Wen Jialuo didn’t eat the popcorn either and just set it aside.

Xu Shiqi propped her elbow up and watched the screen. The slow plot and beautiful music made her eyelids droop. She hadn’t slept well last night and was feeling tired from earlier, so she drifted off to sleep.

Xu Shiqi woke up to the bright lights, her neck sore from sleeping in an awkward position. She rubbed it vigorously and then saw Wen Jialuo stretching her shoulders.

“Awake?” Wen Jialuo asked, looking at her. “You can really sleep.”

Xu Shiqi blushed, realizing she must have been resting on Wen Jialuo’s shoulder the whole time.

“Aren’t you going? I’m hungry!” Wen Jialuo stood up and headed out first.

Seeing Wen Jialuo’s annoyed expression, Xu Shiqi stuck out her tongue. Her head must have been too heavy, making that shoulder numb. As she got up, she picked up the discarded popcorn and unopened drink. She had no idea what the movie was about, but it must have been a romance since the air seemed to smell of love.

Walking out of the theater, she saw pairs of people everywhere, but in the crowd, there was a slim figure standing alone. Feeling the gaze, the girl turned her head and gave her an impatient look.

Xu Shiqi couldn’t look away but tried hard to. She moved slowly, feeling as if the distance between them, though not long, was an unbridgeable gap.

We aren’t meant to be each other’s destiny. We’ve already decided what kind of lives we want to lead…

After a late lunch, Xu Shiqi strictly monitored Wen Jialuo’s diet—no spicy food, no cold dishes, and so on. By the time they finished eating, it was already past four in the afternoon.

Wen Jialuo’s mood seemed better, and she insisted on dragging Xu Shiqi to explore a few more nearby malls. Xu Shiqi hadn’t expected the seemingly aloof girl to be such a dedicated shopper. Concerned for her feet, she quickly shook her head and dragged Wen Jialuo toward the parking lot.

“If you’re tired of walking, I can buy you a pair of shoes to change into,” Wen Jialuo said, understanding the situation.

“No, I’m just tired and want to go back,” Xu Shiqi quickly replied.

Wen Jialuo looked at her. “Didn’t you just take a nap…?” Seeing Xu Shiqi’s genuinely tired expression, she sighed, “Alright, let’s go back.”

Back at the house, Wen Jialuo packed her clothes quickly. Although the house had enough clothes, she still came by to pack. Once everything was secured, they set off again.

Xu Shiqi, worried about Wen Jialuo driving all day, played some music. She remembered how they used to chat while driving, but now it seemed they were talking less and less.

As Xu Shiqi listened to the soft music, her eyes began to droop again. She fought to stay awake, worried that the driver might be more exhausted.

Wen Jialuo noticed Xu Shiqi’s struggle to stay awake and smiled. “Go ahead and sleep. I’m used to driving like this. I’ll wake you when we get home.”

“Okay…” Xu Shiqi relaxed and slumped into her seat.

“How come I never noticed you were such a good sleeper before?” Wen Jialuo muttered.

Her words seemed to come from a distance as everything around became quiet. Xu Shiqi wanted to stay awake, but her eyes wouldn’t open. It felt like something soft was brushing against her face, like the gentle touch of spring willow branches, leaving a tender, fresh taste on her tongue.

What could be so wonderful in this cold winter…