Chapter 136: One Thousand!

“I’m putting this in the refrigerator for you. You’ll definitely be hungry when you get up tomorrow, so just take it out and heat some up, then you can eat. And these as well, they’re all going in the refrigerator. Remember, don’t eat them cold—everything has to be warmed up first.”

“Mm, mm.”

Faced with Mu Nanqiu’s repeated reminders, Su Yao put on a look as if she’d completely understood everything, but in reality, she hadn’t remembered a thing. Mu Nanqiu saw the dazed expression on Su Yao’s face and knew right away, but she didn’t press the matter.

She went to the bathroom, filled some hot water, soaked the towel until it was soft, wrung it dry, and wiped Su Yao’s face and neck.

“Be good, Yaoyao, lie down and get to sleep early.”

“Okay!”

After nodding, Su Yao burrowed right into Mu Nanqiu’s arms again and didn’t move. Mu Nanqiu let out a sigh.

“If that’s how it is, Yaoyao, then you can’t blame me, okay~”

Hearing this, Su Yao lifted her head, only to see Mu Nanqiu grinning mischievously.

The next morning, Su Yao woke up in her own bed. She was still groggy, not quite clear on what had happened. The discomfort in her body had lightened a lot. She rubbed her temples to relieve the heaviness in her head.

……

Actually, she’d woken up because she was hungry.

Su Yao looked around at the all-too-familiar house, spacing out for a while.

She glanced down at the pajamas she was wearing… pajamas? Su Yao was a bit confused. She usually wore nightgowns to bed.

So what was going on?

Su Yao frowned tightly, trying to think it through. Then she suddenly recalled a strange dream: in the dream, Mu Nanqiu had come to her house, tenderly taking care of her while she was sick, even helping her change clothes and cleaning her up…?

“Huh?”

She suddenly kicked off the covers, jumped out of bed, hurriedly put on her slippers, and walked out to the living room.

In the trash bin, the packaging from the cold medicine lay quietly. Su Yao opened the refrigerator to see a bowl of white congee still inside, with about half a bowl left. Everything was just as it had been in her dream. It didn’t feel like a coincidence at all.

“Hahaha, this… this is real?”

A coincidence? How could it be a coincidence? Her memories were growing clearer and clearer. Yesterday, Mu Nanqiu really had come to her home, brought all those things, coaxed her into taking medicine, looked after her when she was sick, and even… even cleaned Su Yao’s body when she was too lazy to move!

“How could I be so lazy!!!”

Su Yao didn’t even dare imagine how much Mu Nanqiu had seen or touched. All she knew was that she’d thought it was just a dream—why? Because she couldn’t believe anyone would show up at her home, this sacred, inviolable space of her own, so she convinced herself it was all a dream?

She’d opened the door herself, and she’d let Mu Nanqiu in herself.

This was her own doing…

Su Yao squatted in the gap between the sofa and the coffee table, wishing she could dig three holes and lick one, then bury herself—she was just too ashamed. Because she remembered something even more embarrassing than being wiped down: her pad had been switched to a night-use one!

“How can this be? How can this be!”

Bλ…….

After the initial shame, Su Yao finally calmed down. She still didn’t know why she had both started her period and caught a cold yesterday, leaving her muddled and spiritless, with even her brain not working properly.

But none of that mattered anymore. What she had to think about now was—how was she supposed to face Mu Nanqiu?

Pretend nothing happened yesterday?

No, impossible. What happened had happened. No matter how she pretended, she’d slip up one day.

Thinking of how gentle yet forceful Mu Nanqiu had been yesterday, Su Yao couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter.

“Tsk, I’ll just take things one step at a time.”

Her mind was a mess, and besides, she was starving. She decided to replenish her energy first, so she heated up all the food Mu Nanqiu had brought yesterday, eating while blowing her nose. Only after finishing did she feel a little better.

Compared to yesterday, her appetite was much improved today. After eating everything, she was at least seventy percent full. Su Yao then mixed herself another dose of cold medicine, and while she was at it, took a painkiller too. Whether it was a cold or her period, neither would go away in a day; even with medicine, she’d have to tough it out for several days.

Fortunately, she was much better than yesterday—at least she was clear-headed, and her body didn’t ache so much anymore.

After resting for a bit and checking the time, she realized she didn’t have much left. She hurriedly changed her clothes, grabbed her books according to the schedule on her phone, went downstairs, and rode the bicycle she hadn’t used in ages to school.

After finding a spot and locking it up, Su Yao walked into the school, swiped her card at the gate, and headed straight for her first Class of the day. But halfway there, she suddenly slowed down.

Class had already started, and she was almost a full period late!

Su Yao thought, since she was already late, she might as well be late for the whole Class. After all, it was only a few minutes until the period ended. Going in now or skipping entirely wasn’t much different. As soon as she entered the building, a blast of cold air made Su Yao shrink into herself.

The long corridor was like a wind tunnel, funnelling the cold air and making Su Yao’s face feel icy.

Although it was slowly warming up, it was still February. In a little while, the late spring chill would set in, and it would be even colder than now. Lost in her thoughts, Su Yao didn’t notice someone coming out of an office.

Zhang Li spotted Su Yao walking slowly down the corridor and went over to call her.

Getting stopped by the class advisor out in the hallway was never a good thing—especially if you were skipping Class. Su Yao wanted to run, but reason kept her rooted in place.

She thought Zhang Li would scold her, but to her surprise, the teacher only asked:

“Why are you here?”

“Huh?”

Su Yao was startled, and seeing her reaction, Zhang Li quickly figured it out.

“Su Yao, Mu Nanqiu asked for sick leave on your behalf, said you have menstruation and a cold.”

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Uh… still a bit unwell, but much better than yesterday.” Su Yao scratched her head, embarrassed.

Zhang Li joked, half-serious.

“So, are you going back to Class, or are you going home to rest?”

“Uh?!”

Su Yao looked up at Zhang Li, but when their eyes met, she quickly looked away and lowered her head, silent.

There was no need to say her answer out loud. Zhang Li smiled helplessly.

“Then go rest a bit more. During your period, you really should rest.”

“Okay, then, goodbye, teacher?”

Su Yao was so surprised she almost cheered. She hadn’t expected Zhang Li to let her go home, so she looked up to confirm, and seeing Zhang Li nod, she became even happier and even smiled right in front of her.

“Thank you, teacher! Goodbye, teacher!”

Watching Su Yao run off in a hurry, Zhang Li shook her head and muttered to herself,

“Kids these days—just back from break, and already thinking about the next holiday.”

Wasn’t it just so? Zhang Li herself used to wish for summer vacation right after winter break. It was just a passing sigh.

Su Yao ran out of the school gate and rode her bicycle back home.

On the way, Su Yao stopped at a canteen, planning to order a bowl of fried noodles. But recalling Mu Nanqiu’s earnest instructions by her sickbed yesterday, she decided to eat something light and ordered a bowl of plain noodles, without any toppings.

Back home, she wanted to wash yesterday’s clothes—she’d sweat so much.

By the time she finished, it was almost ten o’clock.

After a full day of rest at home, Su Yao finally felt completely better. Her cold was gone, and her period was halfway over. After attending Class, Su Yao went to find Mu Nanqiu, and the two went out for lunch.

“Yaoyao.”

“Hmm?”

Just as she put down her bowl and chopsticks, Su Yao heard Mu Nanqiu’s voice beside her. She looked up, face flushing slightly. She really wanted to forget the hazy memories of that day, but no matter how fuzzy, she couldn’t forget them.

Looking at Mu Nanqiu, Su Yao cautiously asked,

“Um… Nanqiu, what is it?”

“Relax, it’s nothing major.”

Mu Nanqiu smiled gently. Her smile was warm, her tone unremarkable, but Su Yao still sensed that something was off.

Su Yao grew nervous, shrinking back a bit, instinctively putting up her guard.

“It’s just that I’ve been thinking…”

“Thinking what?”

“Thinking…”

“?”

“I want Yaoyao to live with me.”

“?!!”

Those words hit Su Yao’s mind like a thunderclap. She stared blankly at Mu Nanqiu’s bright smile, completely caught off guard by such a statement. How could she say something like that!

“I-I-I, you-you-you…”

Mu Nanqiu’s proposal left Su Yao so shocked she was stammering. She stared wide-eyed as Mu Nanqiu’s face drew closer and closer, and the gentle, soft sensation sent her heart pounding, her cheeks burning bright red.

After being kissed, Su Yao was thrown into complete chaos.

“You’re always home alone. If you get sick, there’s no one to take care of you. Why not just live with me? Wouldn’t that be better, Yaoyao?”

“……”

Su Yao still hesitated. Faced with Mu Nanqiu’s pressing nearness, she couldn’t give an answer so quickly. At that moment, Mu Nanqiu’s expression suddenly dropped, turning expressionless.

“Yaoyao?”

Mu Nanqiu leaned in, grabbed her waist, and pinched Su Yao’s chin, forcing Su Yao to look her in the eyes.

“How about this—let me move in with you. Isn’t your financial situation a bit tight? I’ll pay rent every month if I stay at your place. How about two thousand yuan?”

Su Yao thought for a while, then held up one finger. Mu Nanqiu didn’t understand at first, about to ask, when Su Yao spoke.

“One thousand!”

Mu Nanqiu was left speechless…

(The owed word count is complete. This month’s update reaches 93,000 words. orz)