Don’t Even Think About It - Chapter 2

Going to bed without washing up made waking up feel absolutely miserable.

Qiao Yan couldn’t be bothered with much else, she scrambled downstairs in that same oversized top, shut the door, and turned straight into the bathroom to clean herself up.

It was still early, not even 8:30 AM, so there was time for a soak.

Staring into the full-length mirror for a while, Qiao Yan took the opportunity to fiercely despise Zhou Xiyun in her heart. Then, discovering a faint, lingering mark of intimacy on her left collarbone, she cursed her own lack of spine even more.

Alcohol truly ruins everything. Two glasses of “yellow soup” down the hatch and she didn’t even know her own last name, she’d done something utterly humiliating.

Qiao Yan couldn’t help but reach out to touch her collarbone, muttering a few insults at Zhou Xiyun.

That wicked creature. Usually, in front of the elders, she acted so dignified and refined, almost like some ethereal immortal who didn’t eat human food but in private, she had a completely different face. You really couldn’t tell.

Qiao Yan tilted her chin, stretching her neck left and right, wishing she could wipe the mark away instantly. However, it was futile, the harder she rubbed, the redder it got, making the mark even more prominent. She pursed her lips in annoyance, then suddenly hissed, drawing in a sharp breath.

Her mouth was a bit red and the skin was broken.

Moving closer to take a careful look, Qiao Yan couldn’t control the heat rising in her face. She followed it up by cursing Zhou Xiyun again, thoroughly “giving her regards” to every part of that person’s existence.

The bath took about twenty minutes, and blowing her hair and applying light makeup took another half hour. By the time she had changed into fresh clothes, it was already 9:30 AM.

During this time, Qiao Yan took a call to report yesterday’s “progress” to her mother, Xu Ziqing.

Picking up Zhou Xiyun from the banquet last night had been Ms. Xu’s idea. However, Ms. Xu’s original words were, “Drop Xiyun off at home on your way.” Qiao Yan, being dead drunk, had misinterpreted the message. She only understood the first half and ended up bringing the woman back to her own home instead.

Xu Ziqing had called to ask about Zhou Xiyun’s whereabouts. Knowing Qiao Yan was unreliable, she suspected she hadn’t actually sent her home.

Qiao Yan was too embarrassed to explain the specific details of the previous night. Since she couldn’t hide everything, she could only vaguely state that she had kept Zhou Xiyun for the night, while breathing not a word about the rest.

Xu Ziqing didn’t suspect a thing and casually asked, “Is Xiyun still there?”

Qiao Yan replied truthfully while drying her hair with a towel, “No, she left early.”

Xu Ziqing was quite concerned about Zhou Xiyun. “What time did she leave?”

How could Qiao Yan remember clearly? She gave a perfunctory answer: “Around eight, I think.”

Ms. Xu continued to nag, mentioning that since Zhou Xiyun had just returned to the country, Qiao Yan must make sure to get along well with her.

In the eyes of the elders, Qiao Yan and Zhou Xiyun shared a “childhood sweetheart” kind of friendship. After all, they grew up together, lived in the same courtyard, and were even in the same class throughout elementary and middle school. Their bond should have been as close as sisters.

Xu Ziqing added, “If you’re free next week, come back for dinner. Our families should get together.”

Qiao Yan wasn’t interested. “We’ll see.”

“It just so happens your Auntie Zhou is back from her business trip, it’s rare to catch her these days,” Xu Ziqing said softly. “She brought local specialties for our family again, and she even bought a gift specifically for you. Come back quickly to get it.”

Qiao Yan didn’t want to brush off her mother, but she truly didn’t want to go back. After a moment of thought, she used an “urgent matter” as an excuse to hang up. “I’ve been busy lately, lots of things going on. I’ll try my best for next week. Alright, I have to go out now. Rong Yin is at the shop alone and can’t manage. I need to head over immediately.”

Xu Ziqing called out through the phone, but before she could finish, she was met with a “beep-beep” dial tone.

Qiao Yan quickly shoved her phone into her bag, found her car keys, and hurried downstairs.

She really had no fondness for Zhou Xiyun. Their relationship was far worse than the elders imagined. To sit peacefully at a table and share a meal? Not a chance.

It was an impossible feat, one that likely wouldn’t be realized in this lifetime.

Ice three feet thick isn’t formed by one day of cold. The rift between Qiao Yan and Zhou Xiyun had started back when they were still in diapers. Over the years, they had never seen eye to eye, they looked down on one another and were, quite literally, mutually disgusted.

From the moment she gained consciousness, Zhou Xiyun was the “Chosen One,” the hope of the Zhou family. She was the quintessential “neighbor’s child” in the courtyard, always ranking first in school, winning prizes in any random competition, and achieving well-rounded development without even trying. She was the standard “Beauty Scholar.”

Qiao Yan was the opposite. She was “born gifted” in her own way, mischievous as soon as she could walk. If she wasn’t beaten for three days, she’d be up on the roof peeling off tiles. Her grades were mediocre, consistently placing her at the tail end of the class.

Because they lived in the same place and went to the same school, they had been “comparison subjects” for years. Every time Ms. Xu got angry and hit Qiao Yan, the opening line was always, “Look at Xiyun!” Even the teachers in class would praise Zhou Xiyun and then mention “a select few students” in the same breath.

That “select few students” (Qiao Yan) only got into the experimental class because her ancestors’ graves must have been smoking with luck, her actual ability was lacking, and she was always dragging the class average down.

Beyond that, they had countless daily frictions.

For instance, Qiao Yan loved causing trouble. She was too rebellious during her teenage years and was constantly in a mess, occasionally getting the innocent Zhou Xiyun punished along with her.

For instance, Zhou Xiyun had snitched to Ms. Xu, ruining Qiao Yan’s almost-successful puppy love, which resulted in Qiao Yan remaining single through college without receiving a single love letter.

And for instance, during their senior year of high school, Qiao Yan, wanting revenge, used the excuse of “tutoring” to stay over at the Zhou house every night just to torment Zhou Xiyun. Zhou Xiyun was so angry she wanted to strangle Qiao Yan and wished she could kick her out of A-City forever.

Different paths make for poor company. In such an environment, hostility became the natural state of things.

Qiao Yan resented being the foil and looked down on Zhou Xiyun’s aloofness, calling it “pretentious.” Zhou Xiyun, likewise, disliked Qiao Yan’s behavior, loathing her delinquency and deliberate provocations, finding her utterly annoying.

Both sides harbored deep resentment, neither willing to yield an inch.

In short, the contrast created the gap. To be close sisters was a fantasy, the fact that they didn’t bicker every time they met was already a sign of mutual restraint.

Although they had seen each other less frequently in recent years, it was only because Zhou Xiyun had gone abroad to study. Their paths rarely crossed, which avoided unnecessary conflict.

Qiao Yan still couldn’t stand Zhou Xiyun, especially since she’d hear various rumors about her every few days, how Goddess Zhou won another award, attended an important event, or received several job offers.