To Sweep Across Like Wildfire - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

My heart was racing so fast, a rhythmic thump-thump-thump echoing in my chest, making my eardrums vibrate along with it.

Could Shen Qingruo hear it?

Meng Chi’s mind grew muddled for a moment, and she lost track of what she was saying. “Um… it feels very… novel.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she felt they were inappropriate. How could someone’s home be “novel”? It sounded a bit disrespectful. She didn’t mean it that way and hurried to explain: “No… I mean… it’s just my first time coming here, I find it very…”

She struggled to find the right adjective.

Her hand was gently grasped by a slightly cool palm. The other woman let out a soft laugh and said, “I know. My place is just upstairs.”

Meng Chi’s cheeks heated up. She took a quiet breath, trying to steady her surging emotions.

In this old apartment building, there was a manual iron gate outside the security door, covered in patches of rust that betrayed its age. The entryway sat between the two doors. Shen Qingruo took out a pair of new slippers from inside and placed them at Meng Chi’s feet. After eyeballing the size, she said, “They look about right; wear these. I haven’t had many visitors over the years, so I’m not in the habit of keeping extra sets. These were actually brought over by Xie Zhen last time, but she never wore them—she used a different pair.”

Meng Chi caught the key phrase: Not many people have visited Shen Qingruo’s home over the years.

This didn’t seem to fit the “social butterfly” persona. Given how flirtatious and practiced she usually was, one would assume she brought people home frequently.

That thought was immediately overridden by a much more powerful realization: Does that mean I am one of the few people she has ever brought home?

Shen Qingruo entered the code into the smart lock and pushed the door open. Under the warm yellow glow of the lights was a cozy two-bedroom apartment, full of the atmosphere of daily life. But just as she had said, things hadn’t been fully tidied up. An open suitcase lay in the living room, topped with scattered personal items… including black lace, which Meng Chi recognized from the bed earlier.

Shen Qingruo leaned down to close the suitcase. “The place is a bit messy… alright, it was never that clean to begin with. I’m not fond of cleaning. Should we just go get a hotel room instead?”

“No,” Meng Chi said, curiously scanning her surroundings. “I think it’s quite nice.”

It was different from what she had imagined. Even standing here, it felt surreal—this was Shen Qingruo’s home. Humans often imbue the concept of “home” with beautiful meanings. It is a harbor for the weary, a place to shed one’s guard or cry freely. it carries a piece of a person’s soul.

Though she had spent some time with Shen Qingruo, Meng Chi felt she still didn’t truly understand her. Sometimes Shen was like the wind—unpredictable and shrouded in mystery. Entering her home felt like a chance to know her better.

Shen Qingruo remarked, “What’s wrong? Never seen a house this small before?”

“No,” Meng Chi replied. “Can I take a tour?”

This kid, Shen thought. Talking like she’s in a museum of curiosities, even using the word ‘tour.’

Shen Qingruo replied, “Go ahead and ‘tour,’ but I’m charging for tickets.” If she didn’t charge admission, she’d be doing a disservice to the girl’s choice of vocabulary.

Meng Chi immediately pulled out her phone. “How much?”

Shen Qingruo was only joking; she reached out to cover the phone screen. “I say I want money and you just give it? You’re like a walking ATM.” She then added earnestly, “Your family must have spent a fortune raising you.”

“Come on,” Shen said, emphasizing the word. “Let me give you a ‘tour’.”

“First, we have Ruoruo’s study. Ruoruo usually reads and works here. She’s very diligent, often working until one or two in the morning. But you won’t see that today because this Ruoruo is busy giving you a tour, and I don’t have a spare clone for you to photograph.” Shen Qingruo pushed open a door with mock gravity. One entire wall was lined with bookshelves, packed from top to bottom.

Meng Chi stared at the shelves. “Are all these books yours?”

Shen Qingruo, busy improvising her commentary, almost forgot her persona. She nearly tripped over her words and muttered vaguely, “Not all of them. Some were left behind by… clients.”

“One of your clients studied Computer Science?” Meng Chi noticed several textbooks related to programming and hardware.

Shen Qingruo replied, “You’ve heard the phrase ‘when beauty fades, love withers,’ right? You’ve also studied that ancient poem, The Song of the Pipa Player. There’s a line: ‘Her doorstep became lonely, with few horses and carriages visiting…'”

She continued, “In our line of work, we eat ‘youth rice.’ You can’t do it forever. I just wanted to learn a few extra skills to support myself later.”

Meng Chi was stunned. “That’s quite a significant career pivot.”

“It’s alright,” Shen said, quickly closing the study door to prevent Meng Chi from spotting more inconsistencies. “I have a colleague who switched to shot put. Now that is a pivot.”

Meng Chi: “…” Her brain was still stuck on the poem. From a lonely doorstep to throwing shot puts?

Shen Qingruo pushed open another door. “And now for the main event: Ruoruo’s bedroom. It might look like any other bedroom, but to Ruoruo, it’s special. Especially this large, soft bed. It has supported Ruoruo’s exhausted body and depleted soul through countless days and nights… Whenever she is tired from work, she thinks of this bed and works even harder just to lie on it sooner…”

Switching to a sales pitch tone, she added, “A person spends nearly half their life in bed, so owning a comfortable one is vital. I paid a fortune to ship this from abroad; the postage alone could have bought half another bed. You should try it later—I guarantee you won’t want to leave.”

Meng Chi: “…Okay.”

Feeling she was being too dull compared to Shen’s long speech, and trying to match her style, Meng Chi added, “Do I have to pay extra to lie on it?”

Shen Qingruo was in high spirits now. She naturally rested a hand on Meng Chi’s shoulder. “What are you thinking? Of course you have to pay extra. I’m running a business here, not an IKEA showroom. But because of our relationship, I’ll give you a ‘friend’ discount: 5% off.”

Meng Chi: “…”

Fine. She really couldn’t out-talk Shen Qingruo. Was she really in “that” business? Meng Chi felt she belonged in a comedy troupe instead.

“A few more steps and you’ll see the brand-new, never-used-to-stay-clean kitchen. Ruoruo is too busy to cook… And this bathroom—don’t look at how small it is; it’s actually the place that best reflects the height of the soul. It’s a melting pot of philosophical thought. Every day while showering, I spend a little time wondering: there are so many rich people in the world, why can’t I be one of them?”

Shen Qingruo seemed immersed in her narration, but snapped back to reality. “Who’s showering first, you or me?”

Seeing Meng Chi looking dazed, she teased, “The shower is free. Think of it as a trial run—after all, you’re allowed to test appliances for a few days before buying. We’re doing ‘big business’ here, after all.” She winked. “Unless you want to shower together? Wow, you’re so bad.”

Meng Chi coughed. “You go first.”

“Give me your phone,” Shen said, reaching out.

Meng Chi handed it over without hesitation. Shen tapped away at the screen and handed it back. “The Wi-Fi is connected. The password is the first letters of the pinyin for ‘The white sun sets behind the mountains, and the Yellow River flows into the sea.'”

“I feel gross, I’m going to wash up first,” Shen said. “There are drinks in the fridge and snacks in the cabinet under the TV, though I haven’t restocked in a while. Check the dates before you eat anything.”

…

Once Shen Qingruo finished and the steam in the bathroom had cleared, Meng Chi went in. She immediately spotted the perfume bottle on the sink. After her shower, she couldn’t resist picking it up and spraying a bit on her wrist. She lowered her head to sniff it—it was indeed Shen Qingruo’s signature scent. She had been looking for this brand, so she took the opportunity to memorize the English keywords on the label to search for it online later.

When Meng Chi stepped out, Shen Qingruo was sitting cross-legged on the sofa with her laptop, her long fingers flying across the keyboard with a rapid clack-clack-clack.

Meng Chi sat quietly opposite her and pulled out her tablet to draw. Occasionally, she looked up at Shen. It still felt magical to be in her home. The version of herself that first met Shen Qingruo would never have guessed their relationship would evolve like this.

Suddenly, a thought struck her. She had been searching for a story to serialize as a webcomic… Why not serialize their story?

A wave of inspiration hit her. She immediately opened a mind map and began drafting a framework. Two hours later, she had written a five-thousand-word outline.

Shen Qingruo, who often forgot to stay hydrated, had set an alarm for water. When it went off, she reached for her glass while continuing to type, her eyes never leaving the screen. After taking a sip, she looked up toward Meng Chi.

The girl was clutching her tablet, the white light reflecting off her face, making her eyes shimmer. She looked… excited? Had she gone into a trance from studying too hard?

Shen set her laptop aside, poured a glass of water, and walked over to hand it to her. “Don’t overdo the studying. Take a break and have some water.”

Caught up in her work, Meng Chi hadn’t heard her approaching. She took the glass and guiltily turned off the tablet screen. “Mhm.”

As Shen Qingruo turned to leave, she paused. She brushed a finger against her nose and said with a smile, “You smell like my perfume.”