The Premeditated Seductress Childhood Friend - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Like A Girlfriend

Song Yixi’s heart was pounding.

She felt that Xu Qingyu wasn’t just teaching her as a neighborly older sister. It felt more… like a girlfriend.

She looked back at Xu Qingyu, who was leaning against her quietly and obediently. A sudden thought struck her: if one day Xu Qingyu became someone else’s girlfriend, would she also teach that person how to hold hands with such tenderness?

Not just holding hands, but kissing too.

And even…

Song Yixi didn’t dare think further. A voice deep inside was telling her that she didn’t want Xu Qingyu to be anyone else’s girlfriend.

That was the real reason behind her cold war with Xu Qingyu. She simply couldn’t stand the idea of Xu Qingyu dating.

She didn’t know if this possessiveness was right, so she didn’t dare tell Xu Qingyu. Instead, she could only sulk in secret, wondering if Xu Qingyu would ask her what was wrong. If she asked, Song Yixi would tell her.

Since they were kids, she felt like Xu Qingyu belonged to her.

During the Spring Festival when she was ten, Xu Qingyu’s parents had to leave for an emergency, so Xu Qingyu spent New Year’s at Song Yixi’s house. Some of Song Yixi’s classmates came over and, seeing Xu Qingyu sitting in her wheelchair—quiet, elegant, and beautiful—they found her fascinating and wanted to play with her.

Song Yixi refused. She didn’t want them playing with Xu Qingyu, so she made up excuses to send them all home.

When Xu Qingyu asked her why, Song Yixi had been too tongue-tied to explain, but Xu Qingyu understood anyway.

Song Yixi had forgotten most things from her childhood, but anything involving Xu Qingyu remained as clear as an old movie on replay, growing more vivid with every viewing.

Eight years had passed, yet she still remembered what Xu Qingyu told her: “If you want me to play only with you, there are better ways to express that.”

But she never said what those better ways were.

And Song Yixi never admitted that she wanted Xu Qingyu all to herself.

Now, she wanted Xu Qingyu to only teach her. But in the end, she had no right to say it out loud.

She led Xu Qingyu to the car, helped her buckle her seatbelt, and drove her home in silence. Xu Qingyu didn’t speak either; after being out in the wind, she wasn’t feeling well.

As soon as they got inside, Song Yixi poured her a glass of warm water. “Drink this, quickly.”

“Thank you.” Xu Qingyu took it and sat down weakly on the sofa. “I’m fine. You should go back and eat before it gets cold.”

She was referring to the snacks in Song Yixi’s hand.

Song Yixi had long since lost her appetite. She set the food down on the kitchen table and reached out to feel Xu Qingyu’s forehead. In the past, Xu Qingyu was so fragile that a single breeze could send her into a high fever—a modern-day Lin Daiyu.

“I’m really fine.” Xu Qingyu leaned her forehead into Song Yixi’s palm of her own accord.

It was cool. Song Yixi relaxed, but she also felt a bit startled. Lately, Xu Qingyu was being excessively submissive toward her. It made her feel out of her element.

“Good… as long as you’re okay.” She let go and took the empty glass from Xu Qingyu’s hand.

As Song Yixi walked toward the kitchen, Xu Qingyu pulled a folded blanket from the sofa and covered herself. “You can turn the AC down.”

The apartment had central air that stayed on all day, keeping the temperature at a constant 27°C (80°F). That temperature was perfect for Xu Qingyu, but unlike Song Yixi’s selfish roommate, she wouldn’t demand others sacrifice their comfort for hers. This was why she had chosen to move out and rent her own place.

She also knew that Song Yixi had always run hot; 27°C wasn’t nearly cool enough for her.

Song Yixi rinsed the glass and set it upside down to dry. She replied expressionless, “No need. I’m not hot.”

This was despite the fact that sweat was already starting to bead under her collar.

Unable to linger any longer, Song Yixi picked up the snacks from the table. “Since you’re okay, I’ll head back. Call me if you feel unwell.”

Xu Qingyu gave a soft “Mhm.”

Song Yixi changed her shoes and left. Stepping into the opposite apartment, she found Yu Wei already sitting at the coffee table eating. Before she even put the food down, Song Yixi kicked the AC from 22°C down to 16°C (60°F).

The moment the cold blast hit her face, she let out a long sigh of relief. “There’s no place like home.”

Yu Wei shot her a cold, sarcastic look. “Oh, look who decided to come back.”

“It was an emergency! My bad, my bad.” Song Yixi held up the snacks with both hands like an offering. “Please, Great One, forgive this lowly servant. Give me a chance to explain everything slowly.”

Yu Wei acted reluctant. “I’m thirsty.”

“Coming right up!” Song Yixi ran to the kitchen, poured two drinks, and sat down next to Yu Wei.

She talked as she ate. “I ran into Xu Qingyu. Her constitution is really weak and she can’t handle the wind, so I thought I should take her home first. I didn’t mean to ditch you at the snack street.”

Seeing her sincerity, Yu Wei didn’t hold a grudge. “Just how weak is her health? You were worried sick.”

“Well…” Song Yixi bit into a chicken leg, drifting into memory. “Ever since I can remember, she’s been on medication. She gets colds and fevers every few days, coughs if she walks too much, and used a wheelchair whenever possible. Even in the heat of summer, she’d have a thick blanket on…”

The list went on and on.

“She was very pitiful as a kid. Her parents were always busy with work and had no time for her. They hired a nanny to drive her to and from school, pushing her in a wheelchair. She couldn’t run or jump. She ate flavorless nutritional meals made at home; she didn’t even know what snacks tasted like.”

Yu Wei felt her heart ache listening to this. “In that case, going to school must have been risky. With people everywhere, it’s so easy to get bumped or catch a virus.”

Song Yixi bit her lip, her eyes turning slightly red. “Yeah. She didn’t go to school at first; they hired tutors. But she hated it. She said staying in a room all day would wither away what little life she had left.”

Song Yixi remembered clearly the sight of Xu Qingyu sitting lonely by the window. In the season when everything was blooming, Xu Qingyu would stare at the budding branches outside with eyes full of longing.

Back then, Song Yixi had crouched in front of her and promised: “Everything you don’t have, I’ll make up for you.”

Xu Qingyu had patted her head and said it wasn’t that easy. But she didn’t know that Song Yixi had actually done it.

Everything she couldn’t eat, Song Yixi tasted for her and told her the flavor. Because she couldn’t run or jump, Song Yixi joined the track team and ran for the both of them.

Yu Wei said, “I feel so bad for her. Med school is so stressful; won’t that affect her health?”

Song Yixi shook her head. “Probably not. She grew up surrounded by Chinese medicine; she knows it all like the back of her hand. She has a real gift for it.”

Despite her words, Song Yixi was still worried. She hadn’t actually asked Xu Qingyu how she’d been doing these past few years at university.

Thinking of this, Song Yixi became distracted. After eating quickly, she sent a message to Xu Qingyu: [Do you usually have a lot of classes?]

This message was worlds away from what she actually wanted to ask. After hitting send, Song Yixi immediately felt annoyed with herself.

Why is it so hard to just ask if she’s tired?

She leaned her head against the bathroom door, fidgeting restlessly.

A moment later, Xu Qingyu replied. Just two words:

Not tired.