I Woke Up And My Girlfriend Was Gone - Chapter 44

Chapter 44

As the New Year drew closer, the festive spirit on the streets grew stronger day by day.

Zuo Yin rode a bright yellow shared bike along the cycling lane. The winter wind turned her cheeks a soft red, and her bangs were pressed beneath her hat, revealing a pair of dark, brilliant eyes.

The first trial batch of pigments developed by Shen Lai and Xu Ji had been released, and Shen Qingzi had invited Zuo Yin to the studio to try them out. Pine and cypress trees were still weighed down by unthawed snow, lending a sense of winter’s gravity to Xiao Jinshan.

Zuo Yin arrived at the bottom of Shen Qingzi’s apartment building with practiced ease. Before she could even steady her bike, the building’s automatic door slid open. Through the light champagne-colored glass, Shen Qingzi stepped out, a classic white Chanel bag slung over her shoulder.

It seemed perfectly timed—or perhaps she had been waiting at the door for Zuo Yin for quite a while.

“Have you been waiting long?” Zuo Yin asked.

“No, I just came downstairs.” Shen Qingzi smiled and walked straight to the back of the bike. “Give me a ride.”

Zuo Yin glanced at the down jacket Shen Qingzi was wearing; the collar design didn’t look like it could withstand much wind. “It will be cold.”

“Here.” As if she had anticipated this, Shen Qingzi pulled a vibrant red scarf from another tote bag and wrapped it around her neck.

Shen Qingzi’s skin was naturally fair, and the red made her look radiant and breathtakingly beautiful. Zuo Yin felt that the classic descriptions of “vermilion lips and pearly teeth” fit the current Shen Qingzi perfectly.

“And yours.”

Just as Zuo Yin was lost in admiration, Shen Qingzi leaned toward her. Her fingers weren’t warm; they carried a slight chill as they brushed against Zuo Yin’s neck, settling something soft and scented with iris around her. Zuo Yin looked down to see a navy blue scarf.

The pattern was identical to the one Shen Qingzi was wearing.

“Seems my estimate was correct.” Shen Qingzi tidied the scarf for Zuo Yin while admiring her handiwork, her smile full of satisfaction.

“You knit these, Teacher?” Zuo Yin was quite surprised.

“Yes, I learned from my mother,” Shen Qingzi replied.

Zuo Yin touched the navy scarf. Whether it was the knitting pattern or the quality of the finish, it was more beautiful than anything found in a mall. Though Shen Qingzi spoke of it lightly, Zuo Yin knew she must have put a great deal of effort into knitting this matching pair.

At that thought, Zuo Yin’s heart felt as though it were coated in honey. She couldn’t help herself; she leaned in and pressed a kiss against Shen Qingzi’s lips. A cold breeze blew past, but Shen Qingzi’s face grew warm.

She tugged at Zuo Yin’s sleeve and reminded her, “Alright, if we’re late and Yuqing and the others show up, we’ll be caught. I ‘borrowed’ these pigments from my father in secret.”

“Mhm.” Zuo Yin nodded and started the bike.

Sitting behind her, Shen Qingzi felt a bit unsteady and placed her hands around Zuo Yin’s waist. Her hands were always warm, and Zuo Yin felt her heart skip a beat, racing faster. As the bike glided forward, out of Shen Qingzi’s sight, Zuo Yin’s lips curled upward. Feeling Shen Qingzi’s fingers against her waist, she had the thought for the first time: she wanted to hold onto this moment forever.

“What are you smiling at?” Shen Qingzi tilted her head; the rearview mirror had been reflecting Zuo Yin’s face.

“Ah? I’m not…” Zuo Yin hadn’t expected to be caught. She blinked and finally noticed Shen Qingzi’s gaze in the mirror. Meeting her eyes, Zuo Yin spoke the truth amidst the tenderness: “I just really want to stay in this moment.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she heard a light, melodic laugh from behind her.

“Me too,” Shen Qingzi’s soft voice drifted over. She closed her eyes and leaned lightly against Zuo Yin’s back, feeling the temperature of her fingertips and the rhythm of her heartbeat. Zuo Yin’s heart felt like it was bursting with joy; she felt weightless, surrounded by the gentleness Shen Qingzi reserved only for her.

…

The library was located on the east side of the studio, a red-brick building that looked like something out of a movie. Standing alone in winter, it had a touch of desolation, but in summer, green ivy would climb the red walls, creating a lush, beautiful sight.

It was Zuo Yin’s first time in this library. She expected it to be old and worn, but it was small yet perfectly formed. Passing through the silent, empty hall and looking at the beautiful, historic crystal chandelier overhead, she had a momentary illusion of traveling through time.

Shen Qingzi led her up the stairs and pushed open a heavy, beautifully carved mahogany door, revealing rows of vintage wooden bookshelves.

“After my father brought the pigments yesterday, he said he’d leave them in my studio. I was worried the others would see, so I had him hide them here,” Shen Qingzi said, a hint of childish mischief on her face.

“Aren’t you afraid Dean Shen hid them so well even you can’t find them?” Zuo Yin asked, following behind.

“Probably not. He told me he hid them over here… wasn’t it Row 13?” Shen Qingzi focused on her search while checking a photo Shen Lai had sent her.

Unknowingly, she quickened her pace, her graceful figure weaving through the staggered bookshelves. Zuo Yin nearly lost track of her. Sure enough, after turning a corner where Shen Qingzi should have been, the silhouette was gone.

Zuo Yin stood still and called out into the stacks, “Teacher?”

In the quiet library, even the sound of heels clicking on the floor had vanished. Zuo Yin’s heart sank. She had never been uncomfortable being alone in a strange place before. What she was uncomfortable with was the sudden disappearance of Shen Qingzi.

Heavy clouds blocked the sun, making the already cool library feel even colder. Zuo Yin began to panic. She stared at the seemingly endless shelves, her heart pounding as she searched in the direction she thought Shen Qingzi had gone.

No Shen Qingzi. No Shen Qingzi. Still no Shen Qingzi…

Zuo Yin’s brow furrowed. An indescribable sense of loneliness enveloped her, slowly consuming her. Suddenly, a force pulled her back. A familiar fragrance wafted over, and Zuo Yin was pulled into an embrace. Reality rushed back to her senses.

“Teacher?” Zuo Yin turned around sharply. Shen Qingzi was standing right beside her.

“It’s me.” Shen Qingzi was still smiling, but her eyes were full of apology. “I’m sorry, I was so eager to find the pigments.”

“It’s okay.” Zuo Yin shook her head, but the slight redness in the corners of her eyes betrayed her. She reached out and held Shen Qingzi in her arms for a long time. It was that warm, comfortable embrace; she realized she was becoming more and more addicted to the person who gave her this warmth.

A person who used to be so solitary and distant was now frantic with anxiety just because someone briefly disappeared. She even looked a little aggrieved.

“I thought you lost me.”

“Silly girl, how could I?” Shen Qingzi reached up to ruffle Zuo Yin’s hair. “Besides, you have your phone, don’t you? If you can’t find me, you can just call.”

Zuo Yin blinked unnaturally. She had forgotten.

“How did our Xiao Yin become so slow?” Shen Qingzi teased, pinching Zuo Yin’s cheek. Zuo Yin showed a rare bit of pouting temperament.

After a silence, Zuo Yin whispered, “Teacher.”

Suddenly, a draft blew through the hall, lifting the light blue curtains. Before Shen Qingzi could react, Zuo Yin took her hand and drew closer. The cold wall and warm hands met behind Shen Qingzi, the two extremes creating a tingling sensation through her body.

Seeing the faint flush rising on Shen Qingzi’s cheeks, Zuo Yin leaned into her ear and whispered, “I’m going to kiss you.”

The voice was like a siren’s call, echoing through Shen Qingzi’s mind and pinning her to the wall. She couldn’t resist, and she didn’t want to.

The sun peeked out from the clouds, hitting the library glass and reflecting a soft golden light, scattering sweetness across the floor. Those burning lips, carrying a mix of cool fragrance and heat, descended upon the pale pink, cherry-blossom lips. They kissed in the silent sanctuary created by the curtains. In that library scented with old paper, they stained the air with the heat of their love.

This time, Zuo Yin’s kiss was particularly dominant. Shen Qingzi retreated under the assault, led and mastered by her. It wasn’t until Shen Qingzi was breathless that Zuo Yin finally let her go.

“Who’s slow now?” Zuo Yin nipped lightly at Shen Qingzi’s earlobe.

“Not slow. Just becoming a troublemaker.” Shen Qingzi wrapped her arms around Zuo Yin’s waist and leaned in with doting eyes, pecking Zuo Yin’s lips twice more—partly as a reward, partly as a “punishment.”

Clatter!

The sound of a phone hitting the floor rang out with startling clarity in the silent library. Zuo Yin whipped her head toward the sound. Sun Yuqing was standing on the other side of the bookshelf, her face a mask of shock. At her feet lay the new phone she had just bought last week.