Chapter 29 – The Seventeen-Centimeter Distance

Wen Jialuo began picking up Xu Shiqi again.

Recently, they had been eating at different times, but this morning they sat at the same table. However, there were other people at the table, including Wen Yu.

Because of the pregnant woman and someone with a stomach ailment, breakfast was rich and nutritious. But Xu Shiqi couldn’t taste much. She kept her head down and avoided the gaze that occasionally fell on her. After a night, she was still deeply immersed in the fact that they might have mutual feelings. From the moment she got up and walked, her steps were uneven.

Some things are slow to come when you want them, causing restlessness; but when they arrive unexpectedly, they bring panic. This kind of sad indecisiveness made Xu Shiqi deeply resent herself and unable to face someone like her.

After breakfast, Wen Jialuo left first. Xu Shiqi tried to ignore her but still found her eyes following her a bit. But when she went out, the car in front of her had its door open.

Lowering her head, she saw the familiar face again. This time, Xu Shiqi did not refuse. She sat down and turned her head, still feeling dry in her eyes.

“Do you have to go to the shop today?” Wen Jialuo asked without starting the car.

Xu Shiqi turned her head.

Wen Jialuo’s fingers kept rubbing the steering wheel, her eyes slightly wandering, “I know a good café. Want to go there?”

“…Didn’t we just have breakfast?” The girl seemed a bit nervous, which immediately transmitted to Xu Shiqi. She was surprised, was this the same calm person who made her heart flutter last night?

“Oh.” Wen Jialuo responded softly, paused, and said, “Then where should we go?”

Xu Shiqi felt her mouth dry, “Just… take me to the shop.”

Wen Jialuo pursed her lips without speaking.

When the car stopped in front of the shop, Xu Shiqi couldn’t tell if the girl would get out of the car or what, but before she could guess, the car reversed and sped off.

Xu Shiqi stood there dumbfounded, her heart felt a rush of emotion almost simultaneously. But could she blame the girl? Yesterday she used an excuse to vent her emotions on the girl, but today she could not.

The fire flickered and died out, leaving not even ashes behind.

Did Wen Jialuo like her?

This question haunted Xu Shiqi all day. It gradually magnified in her mind until she couldn’t see any other problem, only recalling each of the girl’s intimate gestures and glances that she had ignored or pretended not to see.

So that was it. Her frustration came from this. Not only was she falling, but she hoped they would fall together. Yet, this only made her fall faster, almost to the point where her heart would skip out of rhythm at any moment.

Although she refused Wen Jialuo’s invitation in the morning, Xu Shiqi inexplicably hoped to see her walk in or hear the phone ring. But until the afternoon, all she saw was the appearance of their regular driver. Wearing heels and with a “clack clack” sound, the driver was startled, wondering why Miss Xu was so angry today, her face darkened.

Back at the old house, as soon as she entered her room, she heard Wen Baohua’s voice.

Opening the door, an apple appeared in front of her. Wen Baohua smiled, “To apologize to you.”

Xu Shiqi took the apple, a bit puzzled, “What for?”

“Jialuo said you only wear high heels, so she wanted to relax your feet, but I took that chance away.”

“She talks nonsense.” Xu Shiqi laughed and let her in.

Wen Baohua handed over a shoebox with her other hand, “This is the result of our shopping trip today. Just take it.”

Xu Shiqi opened the box, seeing a pair of shoes similar to the previous ones, but with hand-painted designs.

Wen Baohua pointed to the sunflower-like flowers resembling Van Gogh’s, “This is Jialuo’s day’s work. She’s too shy to deliver it herself, so I’m here instead.”

“She painted these herself?” Xu Shiqi was surprised, touching the flowers and imagining the girl clumsily painting. She held back a laugh…

“It’s really strange,” Wen Baohua tilted her head, “At first, I thought you two didn’t get along, but now you seem so close?”

“…Not really.” Xu Shiqi’s eyes flashed, biting into the apple and muttering, “Didn’t you notice I get along well with everyone in your family?”

“That’s true,” Wen Baohua sat down, “I should have brought you here earlier.”

Xu Shiqi was momentarily lost in thought, wondering if meeting Wen Jialuo earlier would have felt different.

After finishing the apple, Xu Shiqi put on the new shoes. She found it strange that even though Wen Jialuo never studied her shoes, she always bought the right size. She herself couldn’t do that. The new shoes were a bit stiff, rubbing her heels, but it didn’t affect her mood. Each step softened them.

Completely different from the previous pair of shoes. Maybe it was because of her changed state of mind.

She went to the old lady’s room with Wen Baohua. Wen Jialuo was already there. Her gaze immediately fell on Xu Shiqi’s feet, teasing slightly, “Wearing such ugly shoes?”

Xu Shiqi widened her eyes, “You dare to send me such ugly shoes and I can’t wear them?”

“Haha,” Wen Baohua laughed, “I thought you two were harmonious. How can you still argue?”

“Who’s arguing?”

“Who’s arguing?”

Both Xu Shiqi and Wen Jialuo spoke at the same time and then laughed.

Watching Wen Jialuo turn to speak softly to the old lady, Xu Shiqi’s heart gradually calmed down. The things that had troubled her for days were slowly disappearing, and she couldn’t stop them. What was this now? It wasn’t a state of love, yet it had the sweetness of love. She knew she wasn’t ready, but she seemed to be accepting it. Fortunately, the girl’s reactions were still natural, otherwise, she wouldn’t know how to handle it.

The old lady was also interested in Xu Shiqi’s shoes, asking her to come closer. Balancing on one leg was difficult, especially since someone had complained about her balance before. But when she wobbled, Wen Jialuo kindly reached out to support her. That hand clung like it had a magnetic force, refusing to leave any space. Xu Shiqi couldn’t pull her hand away, so she was held more and more tightly.

This isn’t me holding on, it’s you… Xu Shiqi was still struggling but didn’t realize her strength was waning, losing resistance.

Wen Baohua, who always slept early, left first. After the old lady fell asleep, Xu Shiqi and Wen Jialuo left the room. The latter stood in front of Xu Shiqi’s door again, not moving.

Xu Shiqi’s heart was racing. Once something is spoken aloud, it becomes impossible to hide. It seemed like Wen Jialuo had been more restrained before, but now she was as open as if breaking the last barrier, almost without reservation. Previously, she had vowed to wait in place, but now her actions were nothing short of aggressive. Xu Shiqi understood, yet she still opened the door and let her in.

Once inside, Wen Jialuo casually sat on the edge of the bed. “You do your thing, I’ll just sit here for a bit,” she said.

Xu Shiqi was speechless, but she didn’t pay her any mind, taking her clothes and going to shower. She hoped that by the time she returned, the girl would have gone back to her own room, yet she also hoped she hadn’t left. This conflicting feeling made Xu Shiqi reluctant to face her own emotions, tilting her head up under the shower spray, unable to wash away the chaos in her mind.

Wrapped in a cotton bathrobe, Xu Shiqi dried her hair before returning to her room. The room was dark when she opened the door, and she stood there for a moment before stepping inside, feeling a void.

The warmth of the room made her feel a little better.

But when she turned on the light and saw the figure sprawled on her bed, her heart was in turmoil.

She approached quietly, seeing Wen Jialuo’s face against the blanket, lying as if she had been asleep for a while. No matter how she looked, it was a body with no curves. Watching her, Xu Shiqi reflected on why she was so infatuated with this person. At first, maybe the feeling was just a little bit, so she struggled against it. But the more she struggled, the tighter it bound her, until she couldn’t breathe when she saw her, filled with nervousness and longing.

Xu Shiqi’s fingers itched; she wanted to measure every inch of this person, to know why she had tormented herself so much. She no longer believed it was because of a secret crush on a senior; she could vaguely guess the real reason.

“Jialuo…” Xu Shiqi leaned down, calling softly.

The girl slept soundly, unaware of the disturbance.

Xu Shiqi held her breath. She was so close, they could share breaths and scents. She kneeled beside Wen Jialuo, leaning closer, almost enclosing the girl in her arms.

Perhaps a stray hair brushed against Wen Jialuo’s cheek; she frowned slightly in her sleep and turned over, now facing up, perfectly displayed before Xu Shiqi.

Xu Shiqi wavered, wanting to retreat but her eyes betrayed her, fixed on that person.

A little lower and she could kiss her. Those lips were thin but gracefully curved.

Xu Shiqi felt the temperature rise slightly; she glanced at the air conditioner to dispel the tempting thoughts.

“Jialuo…” Xu Shiqi called her again.

The sleeping girl remained unmoved.

Xu Shiqi sank back, sitting on her legs, watching her quietly.

So close, so close… She still dared not think too deeply about what the girl wanted or didn’t want. These were decisions made long ago. But now, with things seeming to turn around, her heart still felt uneasy. She was a few years older than the girl, maybe that’s why she longed for things that she knew she couldn’t have.

If only they could always stay this close yet distant, Xu Shiqi leaned over again. The estimated distance between them was just seventeen centimeters.

But who can truly maintain a constant state of calm? Life is about coming together and parting, waxing and waning.

“Go back to your room,” Xu Shiqi said softly, sitting there dazed.

The girl did not move. After a long while, she turned over again, facing away.

Seeing her lie horizontally on the bed, Xu Shiqi felt helpless. This indeed seemed like a child’s trick. The girl, clad only in thin clothes, exposed her fragile self completely to Xu Shiqi. That once heart-fluttering collarbone, the impulse she had controlled not to kiss, and now the slightly curled back, like a fragile bow, revealed before her.

Xu Shiqi forced her eyes away from the bow, holding her breath, asking, “Do you want to stay here overnight?”

The girl responded by squirming under the blanket, then suddenly turning around again, pulling the blanket over herself.

Where was the girl who had mercilessly thrown her on the couch for the night?

Seeing the childish actions, Xu Shiqi couldn’t help but feel a softness in her heart.

There was a long sofa in the room, but she didn’t feel like compromising herself. Tilting her head, she thought it wasn’t the first time they shared a bed, and sharing a bed didn’t necessarily mean anything. She got up to turn off the light, then groped her way back to the bed.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, a breath of air wrapped around her, close to her ear. But that was all; the sly girl who had shamelessly stayed in her bed said nothing and made no further moves, as if everything before was just to achieve this distance.

Xu Shiqi stiffened, waiting, then gradually relaxed, to the point that she didn’t remember when she fell asleep. Only when she woke in the middle of the night, turning on the bedside lamp and seeing the sleeping girl next to her, did she feel a sense of unprecedented happiness.