Loving You in Silence - Chapter 8

“…”

Noticing Dai Ruyue’s utterly speechless expression, Meng Yihuai let out a “Tsk.” “It’s normal to be envious of me. After all, not everyone gets this kind of treatment.”

Dai Ruyue took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to curse, and looked closely. “It must be her first time making one; it looks a bit rough.”

“Sincerity is priceless,” Meng Yihuai countered.

Fed up with her smug attitude, Dai Ruyue changed the subject. “So, what are you planning to do with this ugly rabbit? I assume it’s meant to be hung on a bag. How about I hang it for you?”

Meng Yihuai walked out of the kitchen and took the “Tang-Tang Rabbit” from her hand, clutching it in her palm. “No need.”

Dai Ruyue: “…Why are you acting like I’m going to murder you?”

“I’m going to put it by my bedside and admire it every night before I go to sleep.” Meng Yihuai smiled.

Dai Ruyue felt a wave of nausea. “…Let’s skip dinner. I’ll take you to the hospital to register for a check-up first.”

Meng Yihuai sighed, looking at her like she was a pitiful person. “Enough, Yue. I know you’re dying of envy in your heart. This kind of sweetness is something your little sister across the ocean can’t give you.”

“…”

Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Dai Ruyue snatched a throw pillow and tossed it at her. “Will you stop showing off?!”

…

After finishing dinner at Meng Yihuai’s place, Dai Ruyue rubbed her stomach with a look of satisfaction. She had to admit, Meng Yihuai’s cooking was superb. Better than many restaurant chefs and she was skilled in both Western and Chinese cuisine.

If she weren’t already “taken,” she would have confessed to Meng Yihuai based on her face and cooking alone. Plus, she could temporarily overlook the personality flaws.

What a pity, what a pity. Dai Ruyue sighed silently.

After clearing the dishes, Dai Ruyue was staying the night. It wasn’t her first time, so she naturally grabbed her bag to go to the guest room. Meng Yihuai spoke up: “Wait a second.”

Dai Ruyue watched as she went into the guest room, tidied up for a bit, and came out clutching a set of bed linens. “I’ll change these for a new set for you in a moment.”

“I don’t mind. We’ve been besties for how many years? What’s mine is yours—don’t be a stranger.”

“No,” Meng Yihuai tilted her head. “These are the sheets Ms. Jiang slept on.”

Dai Ruyue’s smile froze. “…”

After a long silence, she spotted a flash of red among the linens Meng Yihuai was holding and immediately recognized it as Meng Yihuai’s red nightgown. “And what’s the deal with that?”

“Ms. Jiang left, so I’m sleeping in this room,” Meng Yihuai arched an eyebrow. “Any questions?”

“…”

Dai Ruyue rubbed her face. “No. As long as you’re happy.”

“The new linens are in the closet,” Meng Yihuai said as she walked toward the master bedroom. “Take them out and change them yourself.”

No matter how much Dai Ruyue was pampered and praised in the outside world, she frequently felt slighted by Meng Yihuai. Watching Meng Yihuai’s back, she whispered under her breath, “A petty person who puts romance over friendship.”

“Unless you’d rather go back and sleep at your own place?” Meng Yihuai looked back, arching an eyebrow.

“How could I?” Dai Ruyue flashed a perfect fake smile. “I love the air in Ms. Meng’s house the most.”

“…”

Back home, Jiang Zi showered and dried her hair. Wearing her pajamas, she sat cross-legged on her bed, scrolling through the photos in her camera one by one.

Jiang Manjing’s athletic talent was near zero. Aside from walking in a circle holding the sign at the opening ceremony, she basically had nothing to do with the actual sports events. Even so, Jiang Zi had quietly taken many photos of her.

Her fingertips flicked through the images: the brilliant moment of Jiang Manjing holding the sign, the leisure of her wandering around in her school uniform, and the tension of her holding water at the finish line ready to meet someone.

Jiang Zi planned to turn these photos into an album to show Jiang Qing when he was released from prison, so he wouldn’t feel he had missed his daughter’s growing years.

Before she knew it, she reached the last photo. It was the selfie of her and Meng Yihuai.

Jiang Zi’s gaze paused.

Jiang Zi rarely took selfies; it had been that way since she was small. Perhaps during her teenage years, her features hadn’t fully filled out, and her looks were merely passable. Coupled with the short hair she wore in high school, it had invisibly detracted from her beauty. It wasn’t until university and later her time abroad that someone suddenly said to her: “Classmate, you’re so beautiful. What brand of makeup do you use?”

Used to being a “nobody,” Jiang Zi didn’t react for a split second.

Even so, her sense of inferiority hadn’t faded, especially in the presence of a stunning beauty like Meng Yihuai. In the photo, the background was an empty grandstand. They were sitting on blue plastic chairs, leaning very close to one another. Compared to Jiang Zi’s expressionless face, the corners of Meng Yihuai’s lips were slightly curved, her eyes sparkling with a brilliant smile.

Jiang Zi stared at it for a while before transferring the photo to her phone.

As she hesitated over whether to send the photo to Meng Yihuai, a message arrived from Jiang Manjing. It answered Jiang Zi’s question from earlier that day, confirming that she had indeed been intentionally locked in a classroom before. However, she insisted that everything was fine now and that she knew how to take care of herself.

Jiang Zi lay on her bed, blinking at the ceiling.

She still remembered the scene when she picked up Jiang Manjing from Nanxin High School; the girl had stood alone at the school gate, indifferent and lonely. She also remembered, even longer ago, visiting Jiang Qing at the detention center. Her brother, once hailed as a “proud son of heaven,” had grown stubble on his chin, his eyes filled with gray defeat. His only hope was his plea for her to take good care of Jiang Manjing.

Though they were siblings, connected by blood, their bond had never been deep. They saw each other only a handful of times a year. Jiang Qing knew he was asking for the impossible, a form of moral kidnapping that forced a heavy burden onto someone else but he had no one to turn to but Jiang Zi.

After a long silence, Jiang Zi had said “okay.” Since she had made the promise, she had to keep it. Even if she couldn’t do it perfectly, she had to try her best.

Jiang Zi found Meng Yihuai’s chat window and clicked on the link to the official Beixu teacher recruitment post, reading it carefully. If she moved her job to Beixu, she could look after Jiang Manjing and she would be Meng Yihuai’s colleague.

The feeling of being Meng Yihuai’s colleague, it would probably be quite nice.

Jiang Zi rolled over on the bed. The moment she realized what she was thinking, she felt a pang of self-loathing. Are you even that close to Meng Yihuai? You’re already thinking about being colleagues? Whether she even wants to work with you is a different story.

“…”

National Day was approaching.

The No. 1 High School gave a full seven-day break, and Jiang Manjing moved back from the Qiao family home to stay with Jiang Zi. As soon as she walked in, she saw a pile of yarn and crochet hooks on the sofa. “When did we get this stuff?” she asked, puzzled.

Jiang Zi glanced over. “I used it a while back.”

It was obvious what the tools were for. Jiang Manjing imagined a cold-faced Jiang Zi crocheting dolls and felt a bit of a chill. “Auntie, are you using that needle to crochet, or to stab people?”

Jiang Zi: “…”

Jiang Zi noticed that after staying with the Qiaos for a while, the girl had become much more talkative and cheekier; before, she hadn’t even dared to speak loudly.

“It’s a gift for Teacher Meng,” Jiang Zi said.

Jiang Manjing’s eyes instantly turned meaningful.

Jiang Zi: “…”

Jiang Manjing had already added Meng Yihuai’s contact info. Hearing this, she took out her phone and messaged Meng Yihuai to confirm. After getting an affirmative reply, Jiang Manjing followed up: [Why is my Auntie knitting a doll for you?]

Meng Yihuai: [You ask too many questions, babe.]

Meng Yihuai: [By the way…]

Jiang Manjing sat up straight: [What is it, Teacher?]

Meng Yihuai: [Has your Auntie mentioned coming to work at Beixu?]

Jiang Manjing: [?]

Meng Yihuai: [Go ask her.]

The TV in the living room was on, playing a variety show. Jiang Zi sat on the sofa, seemingly using it only as background noise. She was wearing white pajamas, her long hair pinned up, her profile cool and serene.

Jiang Manjing finished washing the dishes slowly, a bit afraid to go over: [Teacher, why don’t you ask her yourself?]

A long pause.

Meng Yihuai: [Did I give you too little homework?]

Meng Yihuai: [/Smiling Cat Face/]

Jiang Manjing: “…”

One by one, they all bullied her. Life was too hard.

After procrastinating for a while, Jiang Manjing finally succumbed to the threat of homework. She closed her eyes and walked over with an air of “do or die.”

Jiang Zi glanced at her.

“Auntie, our school is hiring teachers recently. I heard you wanted to come?” Jiang Manjing asked cautiously.

“Who said I wanted to come?” Jiang Zi asked.

“I misspoke,” Jiang Manjing immediately backtracked. “I should say, have you thought about coming?”

“I’m considering it.” Jiang Zi paused. “Do you want me to go?”

“Of course,” Jiang Manjing said.

Jiang Zi gave a hum of acknowledgement, but said nothing more.

The recruitment notice for a physics teacher at Beixu was very clear about the benefits; the salary was significantly higher than at No. 1 High School. Considering all factors, it didn’t seem like something to agonize over.

Jiang Zi contacted Beixu HR and scheduled an interview during the National Day holiday. She went in with her resume. There were many applicants for various subjects, and the process was rigorous. The HR lady, a gentle and pleasant woman, led the candidates to an empty classroom to take a Mock National College Entrance Exam (Gaokao) paper. They were told to prepare for a mock teaching session after the written test.

Jiang Zi hadn’t even finished five multiple-choice questions when the HR lady called her out separately. The woman smiled. “Hello, Teacher Jiang. Principal Su has looked over your resume and decided to have a face-to-face chat with you first to understand your intentions.”

In the Principal’s office, Principal Su was smiling and approachable. He was very satisfied with her. Upon learning she was currently employed, he promised the school could help pay the contract breach fee and would try to meet her other requirements.

Principal Su personally stepped in to help her handle the resignation procedures. Fortunately, the leadership at No. 1 High School was reasonable, and the process went smoothly. When Jiang Zi packed her things to leave, “Iced Americano” (her colleague) looked at her longingly. “Come back and visit often.”

Jiang Zi nodded. “I will.”

Once the dust settled, on the Monday after the holiday, Beixu held its routine all-staff meeting.

Meng Yihuai took her pen and notebook and picked a seat toward the back of the meeting hall. It was still early, and many teachers hadn’t arrived yet. She rested her chin on her hand, eyes closed, drifting in a light doze.

At one point, she felt someone standing beside her. Too lazy to move, she kept her eyes shut, hoping the person would have enough sense not to bother her.

Jiang Zi looked around. The room was full of strangers; the only person she recognized was Meng Yihuai. Her social anxiety flared up. After hesitating for a moment, she gently poked Meng Yihuai with her fingertip.

Meng Yihuai didn’t move.

Jiang Zi whispered, “Teacher Meng.”

Meng Yihuai clicked her tongue and opened her eyes, meeting Jiang Zi’s face. She froze.

Jiang Zi asked calmly, “I’d like to sit next to you. Is that okay?”