She Adopted Me After My Biological Mother Passed Away - Chapter 35

“Chi Yeyu, and me…”

In the past, Chi Yeyu would always reply to her messages at the first possible moment. Shi Shuxue didn’t know if she could still do that now, so she tapped her phone and typed a reply.

[Shi Shuxue: I don’t want a gift.]

[Annoying Adult: You don’t? Really? No, I have to prepare something for you even if you don’t want it. Think about it again?]

[Shi Shuxue: Then prepare whatever you are best at.]

[Annoying Adult: Okay, I get it. You want me to prepare a surprise but you’re too embarrassed to say it, right?]

[Annoying Adult: No problem!]

[Annoying Adult: animated sticker.jpg]

Shi Shuxue recalled the row of Chi Yeyu standees she had prepared last year. They were still sitting in the downstairs storage room. Before Li Lingling left, she went to the storage room to grab something and was startled by several of Chi Yeyu’s faces.

What kind of surprise could she prepare this year?

Actually, she wanted to give Chi Yeyu a surprise instead.

Shi Shuxue’s birthday was at the end of November, on a Wednesday.

Coincidentally, the school’s Music Club held a team building event that evening to celebrate the successful conclusion of their first campus performance since the “Club War” earlier this semester.

Most of those chatting and laughing at the table were sophomores and juniors. Shi Shuxue had been brought into the club by Xu Xiaoyu, but she didn’t take the initiative to integrate into the atmosphere. She sat there contentedly scrolling through her phone, occasionally picking up a few bites of food with her chopsticks.

The person sitting on her left was originally a senior girl, but she had been called back by her group leader to rush a deadline and left halfway through the meal.

The conversation at the table was lively. The club president, laughing and joking, came over to sit next to her. Seeing her head down looking at her phone, he asked, “What are you playing? You seem distracted.”

Shi Shuxue glanced at him and replied, “I’m waiting for a message.”

“Waiting for what message?”

Shi Shuxue didn’t speak, she stared peacefully at the time. It was five minutes until nine o’clock. The other members of the band had already sent their blessings and gifts, but Chi Yeyu, aside from that one birthday message at midnight this morning, hadn’t sent her anything.

Seeing that she didn’t reply, the club president talked to himself: “I don’t feel well. Can you accompany me outside to buy some medicine?”

“Why ask me?” Shi Shuxue asked.

“Those guys over there are playing hard. If I go over, I’ll just be forced to drink more. My stomach already feels bad.” The president rubbed his head, looking a bit dazed from the alcohol.

He thought Shi Shuxue would refuse and quickly thought of other excuses. Before he could voice them, the girl in front of him gave a slight nod and said, “Okay.”

He was overjoyed, feeling he had a chance.

The two of them walked out one after the other. Mysterious jeering came from behind them. The president scratched his head and said to Shi Shuxue, “Don’t mind them, they’re just like that.”

“What?” Shi Shuxue was immersed in her phone and didn’t realize what he was talking about.

He said dully, “Ah… nothing, it’s nothing.”

The restaurant they chose was near the school’s west gate. Shi Shuxue remembered a pharmacy across from the school gate and walked that way along the small path. The president initially followed behind her, then gradually moved to walk side by side with her, striking up a conversation: “Shi Shuxue, you’re so good at the bass. Did you learn it since you were a kid?”

Shi Shuxue said, “I started learning the year before last.”

“Really? Only two years? Then you’re too talented. I’ve seen your performances, they’re outstanding. I really want to perform on the same stage as you if I get the chance.”

“Oh.”

“I play the guitar, but I can also sing a bit. I’ve had some contact with bass, drums, and piano. My mom even forced me to learn the violin for a while when I was little to ‘cultivate my temperament,’ but I only want to pursue what I want to do.”

Shi Shuxue didn’t know why he suddenly started talking about himself, but she still responded, “Mm, impressive.”

“How about you? Have you played anything else?”

“Someone taught me the drums,” Shi Shuxue said.

“Wow, Shi Shuxue’s drumming! I haven’t heard it yet. Am I worthy of you performing for me?”

As soon as she touched the drums, she would think of Chi Yeyu. She didn’t want to play the drums in front of anyone at all. She asked in a flat tone, “Don’t you feel unwell?”

“Hahaha, isn’t it just that I feel much better since you came out to stroll with me!” The boy laughed awkwardly.

Shi Shuxue didn’t respond. She stepped away and led him to the pharmacy, asking the clerk, “He drank so much he broke his brain. What medicine should he take?”

After receiving several recommended medicines and walking to the checkout counter, the boy patted his pockets and suddenly realized that in his rush to get her out, he had forgotten his phone.

Few young people carry cash nowadays. Naturally, he had none on hand and couldn’t pay. Too embarrassed to ask the clerk for credit, he thought of an excuse to put the medicine back.

Shi Shuxue seemed to notice his predicament and asked the clerk, “Can I use WeChat?”

“Yes, I’ll scan you,” the clerk smiled.

Shi Shuxue pulled out her phone. The screen was still on the WeChat chat interface. It was past nine o’clock, and that “Annoying Adult” still hadn’t messaged her. The promised surprise was nowhere to be seen.

She felt a lump in her throat, a sense of bitterness she couldn’t explain. In a moment of impulse, she pulled a Black Card out of her pocket.

“I’ll swipe the card,” Shi Shuxue said expressionlessly.

That Black Card was given to her by Chi Yeyu a long time ago, its holders were either extremely wealthy or noble. She had resisted it at first and rarely used it, but later, after they became close, whenever Chi Yeyu made her unhappy, she would swipe the card for expenses, no longer considering what she owed.

The boy was utterly shocked when he saw the card, thinking for a moment he had misidentified it. Although Shi Shuxue occasionally wore branded goods, it only went as far as giving the impression of a well-off family. He had already checked. Shi Shuxue’s life was simple and monotonous, nothing like a socialite. How could she hold such a thing?

Thinking he was overthinking it, he secretly noted the card’s appearance, intending to check it online when he got back.

“I’m so sorry, I forgot my phone. I’ll transfer the money to you when I get back,” he said.

Shi Shuxue showed him the receipt: “145 yuan and 80 cents.”

“Okay, okay, I’ve got it,” he nodded repeatedly.

Stepping out of the pharmacy, a cold wind blew. Shi Shuxue put on her hood and zipped her jacket to the top, hiding her chin behind the collar.

The boy thought this was his chance. He unzipped his own jacket and was about to take it off for her. Shi Shuxue looked at the jacket being handed over and asked strangely, “Are you hot?”

“I’m not hot. I’m afraid you’re cold,” the boy said.

Shi Shuxue suddenly remembered that in the past when it was cold, Chi Yeyu would hold her to warm her hands, sometimes using her own warm face to rub against her frozen ears, her lips brushing against her skin and leaving a ticklish sensation.

Her expression darkened: “Keep it on yourself. I feel hot.”

The boy’s attempt at gallantry failed. He thought to himself that internet posts didn’t lie, a woman’s heart really is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. He obediently put his coat back on and found her looking up at the moon, standing quietly on the curb as if waiting for him.

His heart warmed, feeling he understood what it was like to be with a tsundere. That warmth turned into an impulse. He called Shi Shuxue’s name and pulled out a pre-prepared gift, saying to her, “Happy adulthood!”

Shi Shuxue paused for two seconds before turning her head. “How did you know it was my birthday?”

“On the day you joined the club, it was written in the resume you sent over,” he said.

Even on this cold day, his hand holding the gift was sweating. Inside was a heart-shaped chocolate he had made by hand. Once Shi Shuxue accepted it, he would persuade her to try a piece, every piece had a confession he had written tucked inside.

However, Shi Shuxue didn’t take it. She looked down at her phone, her eyelashes drooping. “Even you remember… why doesn’t she take it seriously?”

“Who?” The boy became alert. Shi Shuxue had been distracted all night; could it be related to the person she was talking about?

“Someone I care about a lot.” Shi Shuxue’s tone sounded a bit sad. Her dark pupils reflected the blue light of the phone screen, like the last candle in the dead of night that hadn’t gone out. The flame was torn and flickering in the wind, and “candle tears” began to fall.

The boy’s heart skipped a beat. “You!”

“She said I would be the only one for a lifetime, that she would always accompany me, stay by my side, and never miss a single birthday. She said she’d give me a surprise today, but it’s been 21 hours without a word.” Shi Shuxue crouched down, her voice getting lower and lower, almost blown away by the wind into the night sky.

It was the boy’s first time seeing her look so fragile. “Who is this person you’re talking about?”

“An annoying person.”

Even though it was a name engraved in her heart and recited a thousand times, when it reached her lips, only the word “annoying” remained.

She hated how seriously she had made those promises, making her a fool for believing them, she hated how she was being made to feel like a fragile, naive child right now, waiting in the cold wind until she could barely hold on and she hated herself even more for being worried to the point of madness while still stubbornly waiting for the other person to message first.

The wind seemed to grow colder, carrying the faint sound of distant footsteps.

A clear, pleasant voice came from afar, tinged with anxiety and worry: “Xiao Xue! Where does it hurt? What medicine did you buy at the pharmacy?”

A slender shadow approached from the distance. Shi Shuxue suddenly looked back, her willow-leaf eyes widening.

Under the streetlamp, Chi Yeyu appeared. Having not seen her for a year, she was visibly thinner. Her jawline had become sharper. The blue at the ends of her hair had faded, replaced by well-trimmed, high-layered black hair falling behind her shoulders. Her features were as they were before, yet her every movement exuded an extraordinary, untamed grace.

Was it the real Chi Yeyu? Or was it a dream?

After countless days and nights of separation and day after day of longing, in an instant, she couldn’t distinguish reality from dreams.

But the Chi Yeyu before her grew clearer as she approached. She didn’t become more hazy like in the dreams, she actually walked to a reachable distance and stopped in front of her.

Time seemed to press the pause button at this moment. The birds in the trees, the bustle of the snack street, and the confused looks of bystanders all faded into a blurry background.

Chi Yeyu’s expression was one of unconcealed worry as she reached out to touch Shi Shuxue’s forehead. “Why did you go buy medicine? Is it very bad? I’ll call a car and take you to the hospital.”

As gentle as always. When those clear eyes looked at her, they were filled to the brim, as if she were the only person left in the whole world.

Her fingertips were a bit cool. The moment they touched the skin of her forehead, Shi Shuxue gave an almost imperceptible shiver.

“She’s fine. I asked her to accompany me to buy medicine.” The boy, who had been standing there dazed, finally managed to interject.

Only then did Chi Yeyu notice him. She glanced at him, her expression unchanging, then turned back to ask Shi Shuxue three questions in a row: “You bought medicine for him? Who is he? Why is he here with you?”

“He’s the president of our university club. He wasn’t feeling well and asked me to accompany him to buy medicine,” Shi Shuxue said, her dark eyes locked onto her without blinking.

“You scared me to death. I thought you were sick.” Chi Yeyu lightly flicked her forehead and whispered, “Why is it that every time you swipe my card, it’s for someone else, hmm?”

Shi Shuxue instinctively covered her forehead and rubbed the spot. “Who told you to stay away for so long? You didn’t even say hello when you came back. I thought it was a dream.”

“Isn’t this supposed to be a surprise? I took the earliest flight and landed directly at the airport near you, rushing here to find you.” Chi Yeyu paused, then smiled. “So, you often dream about me?”

She was naturally beautiful. When she smiled with her eyes curved, she revealed a hint of playfulness. The upturned corners of her eyes and lips were particularly captivating.

Shi Shuxue lowered her head and punched her with a fist, ignoring her fake cry of “Ouch.” She said stubbornly, “This is your surprise? Who asked you to rush back?”

Chi Yeyu giggled and rubbed her two ears through the hood, saying affectionately, “Of course it’s more than just this. I also got you a bass, you’ll absolutely love it! By the way, don’t go back to the dorm tonight. I booked a room. Sleep with me, we can play all night!”

Shi Shuxue’s expression shifted slightly. She opened her mouth, and Chi Yeyu, seeing she was about to say something to refuse, quickly covered her mouth. She performed the “ostrich” act without any guilt, turning her head to the boy standing nearby: “Classmate, you go back first. I’ll see her off.”

The atmosphere between the two of them clearly left no room for anyone else. The boy awkwardly clutched the gift box, hesitated, and finally nodded. As he turned to leave, he couldn’t help but look back under the streetlamp, Chi Yeyu had taken off her trench coat and wrapped it around Shi Shuxue, even carefully tidying her hair. The intimate actions were performed with total naturalness.

“Don’t go back, don’t go back. We haven’t seen each other in a year; don’t you miss me?” Chi Yeyu began her familiar, persistent coaxing, detailing all the benefits of staying up all night with her.

Shi Shuxue seemed unmoved. “Haven’t I seen you on the phone?”

“How can that be the same? I finally finished my recovery and can finally touch you. How can a living person with a body temperature compare to a pixelated person on a screen?” Chi Yeyu reached out pitifully to grab her small hand, leading her to touch her own cheek.

Her skin was delicate and warm, even a bit hot, perhaps from running here. This heat seemed contagious, traveling along Shi Shuxue’s fingers to her own face. Her cheeks and even the roots of her ears became burning hot.

“I didn’t say no,” Shi Shuxue said in a low voice.

Chi Yeyu’s eyes lit up. “Great!”

She called a car to the hotel. On the way, Chi Yeyu’s mouth wouldn’t stop, asking this and that, determined to find out what Shi Shuxue ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. Shi Shuxue’s ears had been quiet for a long time, having not suffered such torment for a while, her head began to ache within fifteen minutes.

Seeing that she had stopped talking, Chi Yeyu also quieted down, resting her chin on her hand and staring at her profile in a daze.

Shi Shuxue’s black hair had grown down to her shoulder blades. The ends were cut neatly with a slight curve, smooth as black silk. She had a lot of hair, which made her face look even smaller and her neck look thin and straight.

Chi Yeyu casually picked up a strand, wound it around her finger a few times, and called out, “Xiao Xue.”

The latter turned to look at her. Outside the car window, the lights flickered. Her willow-leaf eyes blended into the darkness of the car, looking at people without much emotion, without a hint of coquetry, a clear coldness, like an exquisitely displayed doll in a shop window with eyes made of black glass.

“What is it?” she asked.

Chi Yeyu just liked her distant and detached manner. She gave a light laugh and showed her the ring on her hand. “I’ve been wearing it all along.”

Shi Shuxue blinked. “Do you like it?”

“I love it to death. Why would I wear it all the time if I didn’t?” Chi Yeyu said.

“Oh.”

“What? Just ‘oh’? Shouldn’t you praise me?” Chi Yeyu said dissatisfied. “You should throw yourself into my arms in a moment of emotion and say, ‘Sister Chi Yeyu, I love you so much! Thank you for treasuring my gift, and I really, really, really love the bass you gave me!'”

She intentionally put on a pretentious act, her tone strange, not quite coquettish, just annoying. In fact, while she was acting so theatrically, she was already prepared to be hit by Shi Shuxue, thinking of how to defend herself so it wouldn’t hurt too much.

Unexpectedly, Shi Shuxue didn’t hit her. Instead, she suddenly lunged forward, hugging her softly. The faint scent of shampoo flooded Chi Yeyu’s nose.

Shi Shuxue’s arms were thin and exceptionally soft. Chi Yeyu’s heart skipped a beat, and then she heard the girl say in a cool tone, “I don’t like it. I want something else.”

“What do you want?” Chi Yeyu was a bit surprised. It was rare for Shi Shuxue to actively ask for something.

After a few seconds of silence, Shi Shuxue’s chin rested on her shoulder. The hands wrapping around her tightened as she confirmed, “Chi Yeyu, will you satisfy whatever I want?”

“Of course! I’ll pluck the moon and the stars for you!” Chi Yeyu answered decisively.

“Good.” Shi Shuxue continued to hold her, her small face expressionless. She leaned close to her ear and whispered in a volume only the two of them could hear:

“Do it with me.”

Chi Yeyu: “Okay… wait, what???”