Bullying The Sister-In-Law - Chapter 20.2

Meng Zhengyue replied, “You’re spending the New Year alone, aren’t you? I was worried you might not be used to it, so I came to check on you.”

The disappointment on Liu Chengxu’s face flashed by. She smiled and said, “I’m not dead.”

“That’s unlucky to say.” Meng Zhengyue shivered as she entered. Last winter was colder than this one, but Liu Chengxu’s home was colder this year than last.

Their small stove wasn’t even lit. Meng Zhengyue placed her umbrella in the corner and asked, “Are you cosplaying Chang’e?”

Liu Chengxu didn’t understand. “Can you stop talking like Cha Baomei?”

Meng Zhengyue commented, “It’s like the Guanghan Palace.”

Since Liu Chengxu was alone at home, she felt indifferent to everything and was very neglectful of self-care. Meng Zhengyue was clearly more experienced. Accustomed to living alone, she went to light the stove, then took the umbrella out to buy groceries, suggesting they make hotpot.

Meng Zhengyue maintained Liu Chengxu’s composure, helping to fill the time that was otherwise only filled with pain.

If the Liu Chengxu of many years later were to look back, the one who wasn’t nourished by love was indeed withering and fading. She even harbored a malicious thought: to freeze herself to death this winter, believing Su Zhiluo would then feel heartache for her.

She maintained a surface layer of strength every day, knowing she was fragile, not as strong as her sister. She was more like a child, loving to cling to Su Zhiluo, begging her for love. Mostly, it was Su Zhiluo who sheltered her from the wind and rain.

But…

She had to keep up the pretense; otherwise, she would be completely useless.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Chang Ruyin bought fruit and snacks to visit Liu Chengxu and told her about her plans to go to Guangzhou. Liu Chengxu hadn’t been aware of their arrangements.

As Chang Ruyin spoke, she listened quietly, eyes lowered. When Chang Ruyin finished, she asked, “When are you leaving?”

Chang Ruyin had always felt she didn’t get along with Liu Chengxu. Liu Chengxu was taciturn. She wondered how Su Zhiluo ever thought this younger sister was well-behaved.

Chang Ruyin felt cold standing next to her. She stated the time and then offered, “Shall I take you out to eat?”

Liu Chengxu replied, “No need.”

Chang Ruyin felt uncomfortable standing there. She put down the gifts she was holding. As she walked down the stairs, she looked back and saw Liu Chengxu’s eyes were red.

Chang Ruyin was staying in the factory-provided dormitory. She had to move out once she submitted her resignation.

She had managed to get a ticket for the fifth day of the Lunar New Year and was leaving quite early. She thought Liu Chengxu was just asking politely, but on the day, she resigned from the factory, she came out and saw Liu Chengxu on an electric bicycle with a large box on the back seat.

Chang Ruyin walked over and asked, “What are you doing?”

Liu Chengxu said, “Things I prepared for my sister-in-law. Please take them to her.”

Chang Ruyin opened the box and looked inside. It contained chili sauce, chopped chili, and some spicy sauces.

Su Zhiluo loved strong flavors and spicy food. Food in Guangzhou was relatively mild, and even if you bought chili at the supermarket, you’d find it had little heat, almost like a regional specialty.

Chang Ruyin was speechless for a moment. She began to understand a little why Su Zhiluo had always taken care of her; she received love from Liu Chengxu. Chang Ruyin was from Jiangxi and could eat very spicy food. Once, she casually mentioned it when sending money home, and her family simply told her to buy it herself if she wanted it, completely ignoring her need.

Liu Chengxu said, “If you can’t carry it, I can take it to the train station.”

Chang Ruyin replied, “Yang Jie is taking me to the station.”

Liu Chengxu asked, “What time?”

The train wasn’t rush hour and wasn’t too urgent, departing at 11:30 AM.

Liu Chengxu left right after speaking. Chang Ruyin held the box, watching her retreating figure, filled with an indescribable feeling.

Yang Jie came over and saw her staring blankly at the box. After asking a couple of questions and learning the answer, Yang Jie’s mood was equally complicated. She said, “She still does things like this?”

“She used to be quite good at taking care of Zhiluo, always cooking different meals for her, right?”

As Chang Ruyin placed the items in the trunk, she checked them again. Besides the chili sauce, there were other foods Su Zhiluo loved.

After putting everything away, Chang Ruyin turned her head to Yang Jie. “By the way, I have a question for you. Do you still like Zhiluo?”

Yang Jie was silent at first, then shook her head. She closed the trunk. “Not as persistent or as consistent as Liu Chengxu.”

Yang Jie overturned her initial perception. Liu Chengxu’s affection wasn’t just the impulsiveness and infatuation of an eighteen-year-old.

To simply attribute Liu Chengxu’s devotion to youthful recklessness would be to vastly underestimate the depth of her feelings. She wasn’t loving Su Zhiluo merely with the fervor of youth. Rather, she had unequivocally offered up her entire heart. When affection runs deep, it transcends the measure of age and worldly norms, pertaining only to the soul’s most fundamental stirrings.

Chang Ruyin adjusted her scarf, looking very serious. She said, “In that case, you should consider me. I used to be straight, but now I’m not so straight. You’re a good person. Why don’t you see how you feel about me?”

Yang Jie froze, staring at her with wide eyes, clearly startled.

Chang Ruyin’s personality was not as steady as Su Zhiluo’s; she couldn’t hide her thoughts. She did whatever she wanted, like resigning and going to Guangzhou. Su Zhiluo had been hesitant to let her come at first, worried about instability and not making money. Chang Ruyin assured her it was fine; she had savings of 200,000 yuan, and Su Zhiluo could use her money if she ran short.

Chang Ruyin said, “I’m serious. Let’s try dating, okay? I’m not afraid of losing face, nor am I afraid of what others might say. If you think I’m suitable, then let’s be a couple.”

Afterward, Chang Ruyin took the train, traveling south from the cold north. The snow outside the window gradually thinned until it completely disappeared.

All her suitcases were stowed under the bed, except for Liu Chengxu’s box, which was placed next to the bed. She was afraid of slighting Liu Chengxu’s affection and felt the box was precious and shouldn’t be bumped.

She arrived the next noon. Su Zhiluo picked her up at the new two-bedroom apartment they rented. The space was much more spacious than before. Su Zhiluo let Chang Ruyin settle in first, while she slowly packed her things to move over.

The apartment had been cleaned beforehand, so Chang Ruyin could move in. She placed her things in the living room, and Su Zhiluo helped her unpack, putting the contents of the box into the refrigerator. “This arrived just in time. The food I’ve been eating here is so bland. The chili here isn’t spicy at all.”

Chang Ruyin said, “This was meant for you.”

Su Zhiluo thought she had bought it specially and said, “That’s so thoughtful, such a big box.”

Chang Ruyin corrected her, “Liu Chengxu made this for you when she heard I was coming over. She specifically asked me to bring it to you.”

Su Zhiluo’s grip on the chili jar tightened. She maintained the posture of opening the refrigerator for a long moment before putting the chili inside.

No wonder Liu Chengxu hadn’t mentioned coming over for the winter break. She was probably at home cutting chili peppers and making all sorts of preparations, intending to let Su Zhiluo eat them when she returned.

She hadn’t dared to ask on New Year’s Eve:

Did you already prepare the reunion dinner and wait for me?

Su Zhiluo listened quietly as Chang Ruyin described meeting Liu Chengxu, saying she looked so beautiful, tall and slender, and still so quiet.

Su Zhiluo put the items into the refrigerator one by one.

Pickled chili beans, green chili sauce, red chili sauce, fried beef sauce, marinated duck parts, fermented tofu, fried tofu, fried dumplings…

No wonder she hadn’t come for the winter break. She had been at home preparing these things.

Chang Ruyin said, “Your Chengxu’s hands are really skillful, making so many things, thinking of you not being able to eat spicy food here.”

Chang Ruyin folded her clothes and noticed Su Zhiluo’s silence. She turned her head to look and saw that Su Zhiluo’s eyes were very red.

Su Zhiluo slowly crouched down, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. Chang Ruyin was about to go over and comfort her when she heard Su Zhiluo say with a shaky voice, “It’s fine… you can continue to pack.”

Chang Ruyin tapped the hanger with her finger but couldn’t hold back. She walked over and hugged Su Zhiluo, patting her. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Cry if you need to. I’m here.”

Su Zhiluo crouched for a while. She then stood up and went back to her room. Chang Ruyin thought she would go over to comfort her later. Just as she finished hanging up the clothes, she saw Su Zhiluo dragging a box out. Su Zhiluo said, “I’ll video call you over the next few days to teach you.”

In the afternoon.

Liu Chengxu was in the living room, eating a freshly fried egg pancake while reviewing her course materials.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

A ray of sunlight unexpectedly pierced her eyes. She subconsciously turned her head and saw Su Zhiluo standing at the door with a suitcase, travel-worn, as if she had stepped out of a dream.

The light rested gently on her shoulder. Her hair and shoulders still held un-melted snow particles, and her breath condensed into white mist in the air.

Liu Chengxu thought distractedly:

Love is so strange. First, it makes you overthink, turning into unrealistic fantasies, then it makes you hallucinate, feeling as if you are together all the time, and finally, it turns the most unreal scene into a tangible reality.

Liu Chengxu continued with her design work.

She occasionally checked the backend to see if any customers had inquired.

No customers.

She opened her message thread with Su Zhiluo and wrote down a dialogue, as she used to do. She revised it repeatedly, feeling the love was still too fervent. She then deleted it all in one go. She didn’t send everything to Su Zhiluo; after all, love that was too deep was a burden on Su Zhiluo, and Su Zhiluo would cry if she felt too sad.

She couldn’t just focus on venting her affection without considering Su Zhiluo’s feelings.

Soon.

She heard a very light, trembling voice.

Su Zhiluo’s voice was hoarse. She called out, “I’m back.”