Chapter 17: The Discovery

Qi Huaiyu's two-bedroom apartment was spacious. She slept in the master bedroom, and the second bedroom served as a walk-in closet, piled high with out-of-season fashion, shoes, a box of damaged photography equipment, and numerous trial samples sent by brands.

Today, Qi Huaiyu left work on time, which was unusual for her. After driving home, she opened the door to the second bedroom. The air inside was cold and still, carrying the faint scent of dust.

She stood there for a moment, then pulled out her phone to book a cleaning service, but it was too late—all appointments were booked until the next day.

Qi Huaiyu stumbled in the dark, turned on the light, and surveyed the room. This storage space looked completely uninhabitable. After a moment's internal debate, she decided to tidy up herself.

She changed clothes, activated the robot vacuum to dust, and began folding the messy piles of clothes one by one. She also opened and sorted the long-neglected packages, categorizing them. Qi Huaiyu rarely had the time or energy for housework; even with regular cleaning services, Yuan Xi always found corners that needed tidying when she visited.

As she organized, Qi Huaiyu wondered if Yuan Xi saw her as a hopeless domestic incompetent. In the past, she hadn't cared to dwell on it, but now that Yuan Xi was coming to stay, she narrowed her eyes, certain that when Yuan Xi saw the chaotic room, she would give her that knowing look—the one that said, "I see everything, but I'll say nothing":

"Thank you, Elder Sister, for letting me stay in the storage room."

Qi Huaiyu tossed over her shoulder, "You take that room," and disappeared into the bathroom without looking back. The whir of a hairdryer soon filled the air.

Yuan Xi, intimately familiar with the apartment, carried her light suitcase to the end of the hallway and pushed open the door to the spare bedroom.

A desk lamp glowed on the nightstand, its walnut base and vintage design adding a touch of elegance. When Qi Huaiyu moved in, many of her self-media colleagues had sent lavish housewarming gifts. Apart from the mattress and wardrobe, she'd barely had to buy anything else.

This lamp, long unused, now served its purpose.

The room contained a double tatami bed and a wardrobe in pristine condition, its French retro style featuring arched, wavy-patterned glass doors. The floor was spotless, and a faint, clean scent hung in the air.

Yuan Xi felt a surge of gratitude. She stepped inside and closed the door. Though the bay window was still piled high with boxes, the room had clearly been cleaned in advance. The anxiety that had been weighing on her heart began to subside, and Xu Jiazhi's description of her daughter as "cold on the outside, warm on the inside" echoed in her mind.

Yuan Xi took a deep breath.

If only Qi Huaiyu weren't like this.

She had often wondered, if Qi Huaiyu truly disliked her so much, she wouldn't be so content with the warmth she found in the cracks between them.

A knock sounded at the door. Yuan Xi paused, then walked over and opened it. Qi Huaiyu had already dried her hair. She had just spent some time in the bathroom, meticulously applying a variety of lotions, serums, and essences in front of the mirror. Her skin now glowed faintly pink under the night light.

"New bedding set—" Qi Huaiyu turned and gestured toward the living room sofa, where two large shopping bags bearing the logo of a home goods brand were piled. "There's a dryer on the balcony and new toiletries in the bathroom."

She trailed off, suddenly feeling she was being too talkative. She turned away and added, "You know all this anyway."

Yuan Xi blinked, her eyelashes fluttering. "Mm, I do. Thanks, Elder Sister."

Qi Huaiyu felt a sudden pang in her chest at the softness in Yuan Xi's voice.

Ever since Yuan Xi came out to her, Qi Huaiyu had been browsing the internet and had come across discussions about the term "Elder Sister" in online communities. She had watched some videos and found them rather cringey, and she couldn't help but wonder if Yuan Xi also called her ex-girlfriend "Elder Sister." The mere thought sent a shiver down her spine.

"Yuan Xi."

"Hmm?"

"Wasn't your ex older than you? Did you call her 'Elder Sister' too?"

Yuan Xi's eyebrows rose slightly, completely caught off guard by Qi Huaiyu's train of thought. After a few seconds of silence, she relaxed her posture, leaning against the doorframe. Her voice sounded resigned. "You seem very interested in my early relationship."

Qi Huaiyu immediately denied it. "Of course not—"

"I've never called anyone else 'Elder Sister'."

Yuan Xi's eyes, like a deep black night sky, quietly settled on Qi Huaiyu's face. Having received the answer she sought, Qi Huaiyu instead felt flustered. She snorted coldly. "Whatever."

With that, she turned away from Yuan Xi's piercing gaze and returned to her room. The door clicked shut behind her. She ran a hand through her hair, feeling agitated.

She couldn't deny that she cared about Yuan Xi's relationship. But Qi Huaiyu didn't dare to examine the root of her feelings.

Yuan Xi was her sister, after all.

They were never close, but they had grown up in the same family. She attributed these lingering, suffocating emotions to the anxiety of an older sister.

After Qi Huaiyu returned to her room, Yuan Xi started washing the bedding set. It took some time to dry it. During that time, she packed her suitcase—her belongings were few, as she didn't plan to stay long. Once her things were organized, she took a shower and went to bed.

Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, Yuan Xi didn't feel out of place. In the darkness, she lay awake, her eyes wide open. So much had happened recently. Over the past year, her relationship with Qi Huaiyu had shifted. Her parents' pressure to marry was growing increasingly insistent, and her research career was on the cusp of its most crucial promotion.

Qi Huaiyu's question echoed in her mind: "How long can you keep running away?"

Yuan Xi stared at the ceiling, her expression tinged with numbness. She felt overwhelmed by a multitude of emotions, yet had no outlet for them. Instead, she spent her midnight hours licking her wounds in the dark.

She tossed and turned on the tatami mat for a while before finally drifting into a light sleep.

She dreamed of Qi Huaiyu again, but this time, it wasn't her back.

In the dream, Qi Huaiyu's face was close enough to touch. Yuan Xi called her name, her fingertip lightly tapping the hollow of Qi Huaiyu's collarbone in a teasing motion, lifting quickly. Qi Huaiyu's slightly upturned, alluring eyes held a warm, moist gleam. Yuan Xi reached out to grasp her wrist, but her hand closed on empty air.

Even in her daze, Yuan Xi knew it was a dream. For years, she had practiced detachment and self-restraint, her ability to conceal her feelings unmatched. She thought she had long since convinced herself.

Why now?

The next morning, Yuan Xi woke up and cleared her mind of the chaotic thoughts. It was just past seven o'clock. She rose and left the bedroom. The apartment was quiet. She had to go to the lab that morning. After washing up and getting dressed, she noticed Qi Huaiyu's refrigerator was completely empty.

Yuan Xi glanced at Qi Huaiyu's bedroom, deciding to go to school first and return at noon to buy some groceries.

Qi Huaiyu slept until noon, waking up groggily. She pulled the covers over her head and tossed and turned in bed for a while, vaguely catching the scent of coffee and hearing faint rustling sounds, which jolted her more fully awake.

Didn't Yuan Xi go to school?

Qi Huaiyu reached for her phone on the nightstand and squinted at the time. It was nearly one o'clock. She lingered for a while, scrolling through Little Blue Bird and hearting a few fan comments, before slowly getting out of bed.

Yuan Xi had bought some daily groceries from a nearby supermarket—mostly green vegetables and lean, high-protein meats—and neatly arranged them in the refrigerator. She tidied up the kitchen, which she hadn't used in a long time, and stood at the counter, grinding coffee beans.

Qi Huaiyu passed through the kitchen doorway without a word and slipped into the bathroom to take a shower.

Yuan Xi brewed the coffee, poured a cup, and silently placed it on the coffee table. She knew Qi Huaiyu's habits. The semi-automatic coffee machine required manual adjustments, and it took her a while to figure out how it worked.

When Qi Huaiyu finished her shower and came out, Yuan Xi was already preparing breakfast and brunch. She noticed the coffee on the coffee table and was slightly surprised. She hadn't used the coffee machine much since buying it; it was too complicated, and she hated having to clean it afterward. She'd always just ordered takeout at home.

Qi Huaiyu picked up the mug and took a sip. The flavor was rich, with dark chocolate notes lingering on her palate. Still groggy from sleep, she felt her mind gradually clear after downing half the mug.

Yuan Xi was quietly busy at the stove. Qi Huaiyu, mug in hand, drifted over and raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be at the lab today?" She remembered Yuan Xi mentioning that she had to be at the lab three days a week.

"I went this morning," Yuan Xi replied, her head bowed as she followed the steps to clean the coffee machine. "Is it good?" She had actually tried three times before giving it to Qi Huaiyu.

"Hmm, it's okay."

Qi Huaiyu took a breath. "What are you making?"

"Some simple breakfast, but..." Yuan Xi paused. "Do you have any plans today, Elder Sister?"

"Later tonight," Qi Huaiyu said. After finishing her coffee, she placed the mug in the sink, turned around, and then felt like she was leaving all the work for Yuan Xi. She returned to the sink and washed the mug.

They didn't talk much, but at least the atmosphere remained gentle and calm.

Just as Qi Huaiyu finished washing the mug, she suddenly heard a hiss behind her. The coffee machine's steam wand, perhaps due to being left on too long, had malfunctioned and suddenly activated. The steam was scalding hot, and Yuan Xi immediately yanked her hand back.

"Did you get burned?"

Qi Huaiyu rushed to Yuan Xi's side and quickly shut off the coffee machine. The steam wand let out a faint hiss and stopped steaming.

Yuan Xi had clearly burned her right hand. She was wearing a thin knitted sweater, and the steam had sprayed directly from the right side, leaving a red mark on the back of her hand and soaking the cuff of her sleeve.

Qi Huaiyu reached for her hand to examine it, but Yuan Xi stiffened for a moment and subtly dodged.

"It's nothing."

Qi Huaiyu paused, surprised by Yuan Xi's sudden awkwardness. Frowning, she reached for Yuan Xi's wrist. "Come here."

Qi Huaiyu wanted to pull Yuan Xi to the water pool to rinse off the cold water, but Yuan Xi stepped back, her eyelashes lowered, obscuring her emotions.

"I'm fine," she said.

A strange feeling surged within Qi Huaiyu. She felt Yuan Xi was avoiding her.

Why? She didn't understand, but Yuan Xi's current rejection inexplicably sparked a flicker of anger. She stepped forward, grabbed Yuan Xi's right wrist without warning, and pulled it to her face. Seeing the prominent red burn mark on the back of her hand, Qi Huaiyu's tone sharpened.

"You call this 'fine'?"

She dragged Yuan Xi to the water pool. Yuan Xi began to struggle, but her movements were weak. Qi Huaiyu forcibly pulled her arm to the edge of the pool, turned the faucet on full blast, and yanked up her sleeve—

When her eyes fell on Yuan Xi's exposed forearm, Qi Huaiyu's breath hitched as if someone had clamped a hand over her throat. She saw several gruesome scars, varying in depth and length, crisscrossing Yuan Xi's pale, slender forearm.

All her blood rushed to her head at once, sending tremors through her body. A roaring sound seemed to fill her eardrums.

What is this?

What am I seeing?