She Adopted Me After My Biological Mother Passed Away - Chapter 29

Time continues to fast forward.

“What on earth do you see in that person???” Chi Yeyu was dumbfounded, her pitch reaching its absolute limit, her voice cracking at the end. Her hands were gripped tight, pinning the shoulders of the young girl who had just experienced her first awakening of love, as if she could dig more answers out of that stoic face.

According to Shi Shuxue’s description, that person had no advantages other than a decent face. Setting aside the fact that she was a chatterbox and loved to giggle foolishly, she clearly had something wrong with her head!

And what did “having a human touch” even mean?

Her child was so smart, how could she be so blind as to fall for such a weirdo?

Shi Shuxue felt her shoulders tighten under the grip. Unable to break free, her delicate brows furrowed: “I don’t know. It’s just… when she smiles, I forget what I was going to say next.”

She paused, her fingertips curling unconsciously. She lowered her head, her lips curving into a faint, helpless, yet gentle smile: “I’ve liked her for a long time.”

To Chi Yeyu, these words were nothing short of a bolt from the blue. Shi Shuxue’s behavior clearly wasn’t a childhood crush or a passing fancy, she was plainly in love, and it was a secret crush at that!

Remembering that the girl’s mother was also a deeply devoted soul ruined by a scumbag, Chi Yeyu nearly suffered a myocardial infarction. Her chest heaved heavily several times as she threw all her previous talk of being an “open-minded guardian” and “freedom in love” to the back of her mind. She spoke to her sternly: “Xiaoxue, put those feelings aside for now.”

Shi Shuxue was usually very obedient, but this time she didn’t agree immediately. After a moment of silence, she said: “No, I can’t let it go.”

“Shi Shuxue!” Chi Yeyu shouted her full name through gritted teeth.

Shi Shuxue slowly raised her head. Her eyes, as hard as obsidian, revealed a sense of determination and resolve. Though she didn’t say a word, she clearly communicated to Chi Yeyu that this was a settled matter, not to be questioned by anyone.

Stubborn. Shi Shuxue was far too stubborn.

Chi Yeyu’s eyes flickered. For a split second, she seemed to see the face of that woman from six years ago overlapping with Shi Shuxue’s. At eighteen, she had shouted at that woman who was drowning her sorrows in alcohol: Even without him, even without Zhao Qingyuan, you can still be happy! You’d be better off without him!

She couldn’t wake Shi Shuxue’s mother, Shi Xianyu, from her pain. Why did Shi Shuxue have to taste this bitterness of unrequited love all over again?

Shi Shuxue watched her silently, her hand resting on Chi Yeyu’s. Her fingers were slender, and her nails were a faint pinkish-white, like cherry blossom petals fallen on snow, clear and cold.

Chi Yeyu felt as if she had swallowed a whole sour plum, her teeth felt soft from the acidity, and a wave of frustration washed over her.

The two stared each other down for less than ten seconds before Chi Yeyu let go and looked away. “Fine, I really can’t do anything with you. Let’s go, let’s get out of the car first.”

Shi Shuxue rubbed the shoulders Chi Yeyu had squeezed. Her expression was unreadable as she opened the car door and followed her into the house.

Entering the new semester of the third year of high school (Grade 12), Shi Shuxue no longer had as much free time as before. Her evening self-study sessions were extended by half an hour, and she had to attend extra classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings. She only had half a day each week to go home and rest.

Chi Yeyu felt that the students nowadays were “curling” (competing) to death, everyone was studying like their lives depended on it, leaving no time for fun.

On the other hand, she felt a strange sense of relief. If Shi Shuxue was busy, she wouldn’t have the energy to develop her feelings. If they could just stall long enough, perhaps the sprout of the girl’s romance could be successfully strangled before graduation.

Because Shi Shuxue had so little time off, she mostly stayed with her maternal grandmother even during breaks. Chi Yeyu was also spinning like a top with work, barely seen in the villa all day.

It took several weeks for them to finally see each other. Shi Shuxue’s face had become sharper, and she had visibly lost a few pounds.

Chi Yeyu asked if she wanted to study abroad. Her English grades were good, so language wouldn’t be an issue, and Chi Yeyu could handle the rest. Shi Shuxue rejected the proposal without a second thought.

She just wanted to endure until the end of the National College Entrance Exam (Gaokao) and turn eighteen as soon as possible.

Days passed one by one. Autumn turned to winter, and a countdown to the Gaokao was drawn in chalk in the corner of the blackboard. Teachers were getting stricter, Shi Shuxue had fewer chances to sneak onto her phone, and her power bank wasn’t being used as much.

One Saturday after school, Shi Shuxue was rubbing her aching neck while walking toward the dormitory when Xu Qiaoli caught up to her, a book tucked under her arm. “Shen-Shen-Shen (God), there’s no teacher supervising the evening self-study tonight. Want to go out and play?”

Shi Shuxue was too tired to correct Xu Qiaoli’s strange nickname. Ignoring the first part, she asked: “Where to?”

“Over by the BCB Mall. Someone in our class is having a birthday today and throwing a party tonight. Let’s go grab a free meal,” Xu Qiaoli whispered excitedly.

“A large-scale truancy event?” Shi Shuxue asked.

“No one’s checking. People have been sneaking out on Sundays for the last two weeks. Don’t worry. And even if we get caught, it’s fine. Our studies are the priority now as long as we don’t make a huge mistake, they won’t suspend us. At most, they’ll just notify our parents unless your parents are really strict?”

Xu Qiaoli had some impression of Shi Shuxue’s guardian. She was young and fashionable, like an eye-catching celebrity, she seemed like the open-minded type.

Shi Shuxue suddenly realized she hadn’t contacted Chi Yeyu for several days. Usually, Chi Yeyu would harass her with a barrage of messages during work breaks, to the point where Shi Shuxue would put her on “Do Not Disturb.” But recently, Chi Yeyu had gone quiet. Shi Shuxue rarely initiated contact, and counting back, their last chat was actually on Monday.

How busy did one have to be to ignore her for a whole week?

She felt a bit annoyed. She shook her head and agreed to Xu Qiaoli’s invitation: “She doesn’t care about me. Let’s go, let’s leave now.”

Xu Qiaoli was overjoyed. She hadn’t expected the “Study God” to actually agree to go wild with her. “I’ll go put my books in the classroom, then we’ll head straight there. We don’t need to scan our faces at the east side gate.”

The two of them ducked their heads and snuck out of the school, running a good distance before Xu Qiaoli stopped, huffing and puffing. “Okay, okay, we’re safe. What time is it?”

She didn’t have her phone, only her meal card and some cash. Shi Shuxue always had her phone on her. She unlocked the screen and checked: “5:40 PM.”

“Then there’s still some time before the party starts. Come with me to the mall to pick out a gift for the birthday girl.”

“Okay, I’ll get one too,” Shi Shuxue said, then suddenly remembered to ask, “Who is the birthday girl?”

Then Xu Qiaoli gave an answer that, had Shi Shuxue known beforehand, she never would have agreed to: “Who else could it be? Your deskmate, Ci Cheng. Didn’t she take the afternoon off?”

Shi Shuxue’s expression shifted subtly. She turned around to go back the way they came: “I’m going back to class.”

Xu Qiaoli quickly grabbed the back of her collar, pulling her petite frame backward. “Don’t leave yet! Is your relationship really that bad? You’ve been deskmates for three months straight cherish the bond, friend.”

Xu Qiaoli naturally didn’t know what had happened between Shi Shuxue and Ci Cheng last year. Sitting a few rows back, she watched them brew an awkward atmosphere every day. They never spoke during breaks though their shoulders were close, it felt like the Mariana Trench lay between them.

Inviting Shi Shuxue to Ci Cheng’s party tonight was actually Ci Cheng’s idea. She likely wanted to reconcile but was too embarrassed to speak, so she asked Xu Qiaoli to bridge the gap.

Seeing Shi Shuxue silent, Xu Qiaoli struck while the iron was hot: “Ci Cheng is actually really looking forward to you being there. She specifically asked me after self-study last night. The Class Monitor… don’t look at how awkward and pretentious she can be, she’s not a bad person at heart, just a bit sharp-tongued. And! I saw a Livehouse performance listed near the shopping district last week. If you’re interested, I’ll go with you. Maybe we can still get tickets at the door.”

“A band performance? Which band?” Shi Shuxue asked.

Xu Qiaoli hadn’t expected her to actually be interested in bands. Sensing a chance, she said: “I didn’t catch the name. Let’s go check it out together.”

Shi Shuxue didn’t refuse again and nodded slightly.

However, when they reached the performance poster, Xu Qiaoli used Shi Shuxue’s phone to scan the QR code and found that the tickets had long been sold out. The show was starting tonight.

Xu Qiaoli had expected this. Feigning disappointment, she looked at Shi Shuxue: “No tickets left. We…”

“Let’s go to the mall,” Shi Shuxue said, staring fixedly at the four silhouetted figures on the poster before turning to leave.

Xu Qiaoli followed. “To the mall? For what?”

“To buy a gift, then find Ci Cheng. You know the location, right?”

Xu Qiaoli smiled happily: “Of course! It’s a restaurant nearby. She booked a private room. Not many people are going, just close friends.”

Close. Friends.

Shi Shuxue didn’t think her relationship with Ci Cheng was that good. Because of Qiao Zina’s actions last time, their already strained relationship had completely soured.

Perhaps resenting that Shi Shuxue had driven away one of her few friends, Ci Cheng hadn’t initiated a conversation in a long time. If Qiao Zina was there tonight, she’d probably have to fight her again. Truly seeking trouble.

The mall was crowded on a weekend evening. Xu Qiaoli bought some stationery at a gift shop, and Shi Shuxue picked up something from the same series next to it, a fountain pen. The nib was sharp, it could be a weapon in an emergency and a gift in a non-emergency.

After scanning the code to pay, as they walked back with their shopping bags, Shi Shuxue noticed an accessory shop near the mall exit. Conveniently, Xu Qiaoli said she needed to use the restroom, so Shi Shuxue went in for a quick look and bought a small item using Chi Yeyu’s card.

She rarely used this card and had to think for a moment to remember the password. In principle, she tried not to spend Chi Yeyu’s personal assets, but out of sheer irritation tonight, she swiped the card for the most expensive item.

Ci Cheng’s private room was on the first floor overlooking the lake. When the two of them walked in with matching gift bags, the people inside were laughing and playing; it was very lively. The warm lights overhead looked like shredded colored paper, falling across the arched ceiling.

“Happy Birthday, Monitor!” Xu Qiaoli hopped in first and gave Ci Cheng a big hug. The latter pulled away quickly after barely two seconds. Xu Qiaoli handed over the gift. Ci Cheng smiled, said thanks, and then her gaze froze on Shi Shuxue behind her.

Shi Shuxue walked in, scanning the room. She didn’t see Qiao Zina, and her combative mood faded.

She also handed the gift to Ci Cheng and nodded: “Happy Birthday.”

Ci Cheng was stunned, as if she hadn’t expected her to actually come, let alone bring a gift. She slowly took it, glancing at the bag. Her lips, covered in lipstick, moved: “…Is it a fountain pen? I happened to need one. Thank you, Shi Shuxue.”

“You’re welcome,” Shi Shuxue said. Xu Qiaoli had already moved inside to banter with the other classmates playing cards, but Shi Shuxue remained standing there.

Ci Cheng was wearing an orange dress today, her long hair braided into two pigtails draped over her chest. She twined her fingers in her hair, her speech visibly strained as if Chinese weren’t her first language: “Shi… I, I didn’t expect you to bring a gift. I thought you would.”

“It’s nothing. I’m leaving now.” Shi Shuxue had never taken her anger out on Ci Cheng. Her coldness toward her wasn’t intentional, she was like that with anyone she wasn’t close to neither hating nor liking them. Having delivered the gift, she turned to walk out with a steady pace.

Ci Cheng hesitated for a split second, missing the chance to grab her wrist, then hurried after her, her high heels clicking on the floor.

“Wait, Shi Shuxue! Stop for a second!” she called out.

Shi Shuxue actually stopped. Driven by inertia, Ci Cheng couldn’t brake in time and pitched forward. Shi Shuxue caught her instinctively, leaning against the wall for support and using her hands to brace Ci Cheng’s upper body, pulling her upright.

Ci Cheng steadied herself, backed up two steps in embarrassment, then leaned forward again as if afraid she’d run away, pinning Shi Shuxue against the wall.

“Shi Shuxue, I thought you hated me. Hated me enough to never want contact again. That’s why I didn’t expect you to really come and wish me a happy birthday. Since you came… did you… did you forgive me?”

Her voice was trembling too much, and the words came out broken. By contrast, the calm Shi Shuxue was almost cruelly composed. She asked curiously: “Why would I hate you?”

“Because last year… on your birthday, I hurt you. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have been cornered in that alley by Qiao Zina and the others… If only I had arrived earlier, if only I had noticed sooner…” The words Ci Cheng had held in for too long finally poured out, and as she spoke, her eyes shimmered with moisture, the rest of her words choked by a sob.

Shi Shuxue’s gaze landed on her long braids. She stated: “Qiao Zina already paid the price. You didn’t tell her to do it, does it have much to do with you?”

“Of course it does. If I hadn’t taken it upon myself to give you things, she wouldn’t have done that to you. The root of the problem is me.”

Shi Shuxue’s patience ran out, and she interrupted: “Then what do you want me to do? Shove the fountain pen in your mouth? Call three girls to corner you and beat you up? Ci Cheng, by your logic, your parents are quite guilty too. If they hadn’t given birth to you, you wouldn’t have given me anything, and Qiao Zina wouldn’t have come looking for trouble.”

Ci Cheng was left dazed by her words. She sniffled, wiped away a dried tear on her cheek, and a spark of hope appeared in her eyes: “You mean you never blamed me? Really?”

“No, you’re just imagining things,” Shi Shuxue said expressionlessly.

This time, Ci Cheng realized she was being sarcastic. She laughed through her tears: “Shi Shuxue, I’m sorry. For the Qiao Zina thing, and for how I’ve been lately. I’ve cut her off, I won’t have anything to do with her ever again.”

“Go back. Aren’t you the birthday girl? They’re waiting for you.”

Ci Cheng stared intently at her face, her eye makeup a bit smudged. She asked Shi Shuxue for a tissue, and the latter pulled a crumpled piece of toilet paper from her inner pocket. Ci Cheng took it and began to dab the tears from her eyes, wanting to fix her appearance before going back.

Outside, for some reason, it had been noisy for a while. The sound of voices was constant, and crowds were surging through the street like a receding tide, with occasional snatches of lingering discussion.

Shi Shuxue’s hand, which was pulling up her zipper, froze mid-air. Her ears were the first to catch the fragmented shouts…

“Chi Shen!! Don’t go!”

“Think about it again, why are you leaving the band?”

Those words felt like needles stabbing into her ears. Shi Shuxue’s blood turned cold, her fingertips went icy, and her phone slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the tiled floor.

Ci Cheng was still looking down, dabbing at some mascara stuck to her eyelid. She didn’t notice the tension. “Why is it so noisy out there?” she asked vaguely.

Shi Shuxue didn’t respond. She knelt to pick up her phone, her gaze moving from the ground up, past Ci Cheng’s shoulder, and pinning onto the street.

The crowd was flowing down the street. Amid the moving figures, several girls holding support banners surrounded a person in the center. That person was exceptionally tall with a distinguished aura, a few strands of hair falling diagonally across her forehead, covering half an eye, giving off a lazy, casual vibe.

“Chi Yeyu, is this really the last show? Why aren’t you performing anymore? You said Screaming Goldfish was the most important thing to you!” A fan’s voice drifted into her ears, thick with a sob.