I Woke Up And My Girlfriend Was Gone - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Shen Qingzi immediately withdrew her hand from Zuo Yin’s forehead upon hearing the voice.

She smoothed her skirt slightly and walked toward the door with her usual grace and composure.

Zhou Lin was standing there, draped in her silk shawl, one hand propping open the door while the other waved a greeting. “A-Zi, may I come in?”

“Is Yuqing settled?” Shen Qingzi asked.

“Mm.” Zhou Lin nodded, her freshly touched-up lips still shimmering with a moist sheen.

Shen Qingzi stepped aside to let her in. “Come in.”

Zhou Lin entered and asked, “How are you? You drank so much with Yuqing; is your stomach acting up?”

Shen Qingzi shook her head. “I’m fine. I didn’t drink that much.”

Zhou Lin didn’t believe her. She pulled a small bottle of medicine from her pocket and pushed it toward Shen Qingzi. “Better take this just in case.”

Shen Qingzi looked at the bottle and smiled. “You have a way of being thoughtful that no one else can match.”

“Well, knowing you two were going to drink today, I prepared anti-hangover meds and stomach medicine. Otherwise, I’d be stuck taking care of two people in the middle of the night, which would be a real headache.” As she spoke, Zhou Lin poured a glass of warm water for her.

The small white tablets sat quietly in Shen Qingzi’s palm. She looked at Zhou Lin and asked, “What about the anti-hangover medicine?”

Zhou Lin calmly pushed the water closer. “Take the stomach medicine first. Do you think I wouldn’t give you the other? But the anti-hangover meds conflict with the stomach medicine, so skip those for now.”

“Alright.” Shen Qingzi nodded and swallowed the pills with a gulp of water.

The uncoated tablets released a dry bitterness the moment they touched her tongue, but Shen Qingzi didn’t flinch. She simply washed the taste down her throat and into her stomach.

Once Zhou Lin saw her take the medicine, she placed the anti-hangover pills on the table and added, “You really should start looking after yourself. Winter is coming soon.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Shen Qingzi replied.

Dissatisfied with her casual tone, Zhou Lin pressed further. “You say that every time, and yet, what happens? You end up falling seriously ill every winter. If you keep acting reckless like you did today, you’ll be in the hospital before winter even arrives.”

“A-Lin, I only had two bottles of beer. Don’t make it sound like I was risking my life,” Shen Qingzi countered dismissively.

Zhou Lin pursed her lips and held up three fingers. “Three bottles.”

“Two and a half.” Shen Qingzi reached out and playfully bent Zhou Lin’s middle finger down.

Zhou Lin opened her mouth to argue, but seeing the rare flash of mischievousness in Shen Qingzi’s eyes, her anger evaporated instantly. This uncharacteristic streak of playfulness was like her bent finger—out of place, yet undeniably endearing.

Zhou Lin sighed. “I give up. I can’t win with you.”

Seeing that the lecture was over, Shen Qingzi turned serious and promised, “I’ll truly take care of myself this time, I promise.”

“My peace of mind is secondary,” Zhou Lin said. “Professor Shen and his wife are getting older, and you’re their only daughter. You should think of their peace of mind, too. All those family matters happen in the winter; if you get sick again, you won’t be able to hide it from them.”

The night breeze brushed through the locust trees outside the window, making a rustling sound that seemed to sweep across the flower-covered walls and through Shen Qingzi’s heart.

Shen Qingzi nodded heavily, trying to maintain a light tone. “Mm. It’s Xiao Yue’s birthday in a few days. I have to take my parents to see her.”

“Exactly. If Xiao Yue knew you were being this wild today, she’d definitely be angry,” Zhou Lin added. “Surely Xiao Yue is more important than your precious student?”

Shen Qingzi didn’t answer. She rubbed the half-butterfly on her finger, her eyes filled with an unspeakable bitterness.

The midnight neon lights of the distant city were reflected in the glass panes, making the already thin night feel even more desolate. Looking at Shen Qingzi’s silhouette framed against the window, Zhou Lin felt an overwhelming urge to hold her.

Whether it was the alcohol talking or just an excuse, Zhou Lin—driven by a hidden desire—reached out without warning and wrapped her arms around Shen Qingzi’s waist.

As her hands pressed against that slender, delicate waist, Zhou Lin felt a surge of unprecedented satisfaction. She wondered if she had been this bold in years past, would their relationship be closer than it was now?

But the fantasy didn’t last. Shen Qingzi raised her hands and pushed Zhou Lin away, shattering the illusion.

“Zhou Lin,” Shen Qingzi said, her voice a warning. It remained steady, but the usual softness had been replaced by a chill.

“I… I just wanted to comfort you,” Zhou Lin said awkwardly, withdrawing her hands and pretending she meant nothing more.

A flash of suspicion crossed Shen Qingzi’s eyes, but unwilling to overthink a friendship, she stood up. “It’s late. Go check on Yuqing and get some rest.”

Zhou Lin felt a pang of anxiety. Seeing Shen Qingzi about to leave, she instinctively called out, “A-Zi.”

“Yes?” Shen Qingzi stopped and looked back.

The room fell silent for a moment. Shen Qingzi waited patiently for her to continue, but Zhou Lin didn’t know what to say. She feared her actions today would create a distance between them, and she feared that if she spoke her heart, they couldn’t even remain friends.

Suddenly, a phone began to vibrate violently in the open bedroom. Zuo Yin’s phone had gone off at the perfect moment.

Shen Qingzi looked toward the bedroom. Zhou Lin took the chance to stand up. “I’ll be going then.”

“Alright.” Shen Qingzi didn’t see her out. As the door closed, she walked into the bedroom to find the phone.

The vibration was loud, causing the tension Zuo Yin’s forehead to return. Shen Qingzi found the phone in the pocket of Zuo Yin’s jacket, which was draped over the nightstand.

On the cracked screen, a distorted name jumped out: Yuan Yuan.

Shen Qingzi swiped the screen to answer. “Hello?”

“Xiao Yin! Where are you? Why haven’t you been picking up? The Student Union just did a room check, and we couldn’t cover for you—you’ve been marked down!” Yuan Yuan didn’t even check who was on the line; she just blurted out everything that had happened in the dorm.

Shen Qingzi frowned. “Marked down? Is it serious?”

Startled by the unfamiliar female voice, Yuan Yuan stammered, “You’re… you’re not Xiao Yin?”

“I’m sorry, Zuo Yin is drunk and asleep. I am her teacher, Shen Qingzi.”

“!” Yuan Yuan’s jaw dropped. “Sh-Shen… Miss Shen, hello!”

“Hello,” Shen Qingzi said, cutting past the pleasantries. “What are the consequences of being marked down?”

“Since it’s the first check after military training, being caught staying out overnight leads to a public criticism and a formal demerit. It means she loses all eligibility for scholarships or excellence awards this year,” Yuan Yuan explained anxiously. “Miss Shen, these things are very important to our Xiao Yin. You might not know, but she’s always short on…”

“I know.” Shen Qingzi interrupted her. She leaned against the window, looking toward the distant mountains. The moonlight made her look exceptionally calm.

Yuan Yuan bit her lip and pleaded cautiously, “Then, could you perhaps…” She figured that as the daughter of Dean Shen, Shen Qingzi could easily handle such a small matter.

Shen Qingzi nodded. “Mm. You don’t need to worry about this.”

“Really? Thank you so much, Miss Shen! Zuo Yin is so lucky to have a teacher like you! I’m thanking you on her behalf!” Yuan Yuan bowed to the empty air on her balcony.

Shen Qingzi’s brow twitched slightly. “It’s our Xiao Yin who is lucky to have a friend like you.”

“You flatter me,” Yuan Yuan whispered.

“It’s late. Go to sleep.”

“You too, Miss Shen. I’ll leave this in your hands.”

Shen Qingzi’s eyes shifted slightly as she added, “There’s no need to tell her about this. I don’t want her to worry.”

“Understood! Thank you again!”

Shen Qingzi gave a simple “Mm” and hung up.

“Our Xiao Yin…”

Shen Qingzi tapped the fragile screen, softly repeating the affectionate name Yuan Yuan had used. She looked toward the bed. Despite the vibrating phone, Zuo Yin was still sleeping soundly. Without her usual icy defiance, her flushed face looked completely harmless.

It seems our Xiao Yin is quite popular, Shen Qingzi thought, leaning back into her chair with a hint of tipsy languor. Some people claim a few bottles of beer don’t affect them, but in truth, she was a little drunk herself.

…

The next morning, the first light of dawn was faint. The sun was still lazily hanging at the foot of the mountains, and the world was silent.

In the dim room, Zuo Yin frowned and struggled out of a muddled dream, her eyes snapping open. Before she could tell if she was awake or still dreaming, a massive headache hit her. Her temples throbbed as if her head were being split open.

Pressing her temples, she used the sliver of light from the window to scan the unfamiliar room. Before she could even feel relieved to have escaped the nightmare, her heart jumped. She threw back the covers.

Her clothes were on. Her body didn’t ache. It seemed she had just been plain drunk. It makes sense; it was a group party, nothing like what happened in Dunhuang could have happened here.

Zuo Yin breathed a long sigh of relief. She stepped onto the soft carpet and walked out of the bedroom barefoot.

The small living room was dark, draped in a haze that could have been moonlight or dawn. A breeze blew in, carrying the faint, crisp scent of mint that swirled around Zuo Yin’s fingertips.

She looked toward the scent and saw Shen Qingzi standing on the balcony behind the closed glass doors.

A slender cigarette was held between her fingers.