Liu Yinuo’s home used a smart fingerprint lock, and even the corridor’s decor was unusually clear—the tiles reflected the image of the chandelier hanging overhead, giving off an air of splendid opulence.
It was the first time coming to a place of this caliber, even if it was just a classmate’s home, the young girl still appeared a bit nervous.
She placed her finger on the lock’s recognition area, and with a “ding” sound, the door automatically opened.
“All right, let’s go in.”
Back at home, Liu Yinuo’s face showed a relaxed smile. She turned her head to look at the girl beside her.
However, the other girl seemed uneasy.
“Um… Is it really okay? I’m really dirty…”
Seeing the girl’s timid reaction, Liu Yinuo found it a little funny.
“Aiya, it’s fine. Just come in, it’s not that particular.”
“But, what if I get it dirty…?”
“If it gets dirty, we’ll just clean up. Don’t overthink it, hurry up and come in.”
In the end, she was pulled in forcibly.
Even after entering, she didn’t dare to move, staying put at the doorway, carefully looking around.
“Um… should I change my shoes?”
“No need.”
“I… I’ll take off my coat, it’s dirty…”
“You can wait until you shower to take it off. Are you trying to make your cold worse by taking it off now?”
“Mm…”
Biting her lower lip, Ye Xingmian glanced about awkwardly, watching Liu Yinuo turn on the heater by the door. Waves of warm air quickly swept away the biting cold.
“Close the door.”
Ye Xingmian obediently closed the door.
“What are you standing there for? Come in!”
Forcing herself, the girl went inside.
Afraid of dirtying things and being disliked, she moved very carefully, trying not to touch anything.
Faced with the rare kindness she’d received, the girl treated it as delicately as a precious treasure.
She walked all the way to Liu Yinuo’s side, who was rummaging through something in the living room cabinet.
“Ah, found it.”
By now, the temperature in the living room had risen, the warm air enveloping the girls. Liu Yinuo, with an excited look, pulled out cold medicine and fever reducers from the cabinet. Just as she straightened up, her eyes met the tense girl’s gaze.
Liu Yinuo was momentarily stunned.
What an endearing face it was. Even though much of it was smudged with dust, a little ashen, and streaked with messy tear tracks, it couldn’t hide her soft, adorable air. The moment their eyes met—those crystal-flower-like beautiful eyes—Liu Yinuo felt as if “cuteness” had taken form, and all her care and affection surged up, making her want to pour all those feelings out to this flower-like girl, to make her smile, and let pain and despair vanish from her eyes forever.
In that instant, Liu Yinuo’s heart was in turmoil.
It wasn’t until the girl began to look puzzled, tilting her head, that she snapped back to her senses, coughed, and turned away.
“Class President… your face is red… Are you feeling unwell?”
Hesitantly voicing her concern, the girl’s gaze held a bit of worry.
“Ah? Oh, it’s nothing. The heater’s just a bit high, my face is getting a little hot from the air, I’ll turn it down in a minute.”
Feigning calm, she tried to justify herself, then poured the boiled water and picked up the fever reducer, raising her voice as she read the instructions.
“Cough… Fever reducer: one dose for adults and teenagers at a time, half a dose for children…”
As she spoke, she quietly felt her heart pounding fiercely.
Strange, what’s happening to me…
While tearing open the medicine and stirring it into a bowl, her eyes couldn’t help but glance aside.
“Uh, Ye… Ye, you don’t have to stand there, just find somewhere to sit.”
Her words snapped Ye Xingmian out of her daze, and the girl gave a slight smile.
“Okay, thank you, Class President.”
However, she didn’t go to sit on the sofa, nor did she find a chair. Instead, she wandered over to the living room’s window ledge, propped her face in her hands, and quietly gazed outside, lost in thought.
Liu Yinuo found it odd, so when the medicine was ready, she carried the bowl over to her.
“What are you daydreaming about?”
Setting the bowl down between them, she followed the girl’s gaze outside.
It was just after noon, the peak hour for school dismissal, and the road was much busier than when they’d arrived, vehicles coming and going non-stop. But thanks to the excellent soundproofing in the apartment, they couldn’t hear the chaotic honking and noise.
Being on a high floor, the huge windows offered a wide view—the whole bustling commercial street lay below. Aside from the pedestrians and the high-up scenery Liu Yinuo had long grown bored of, what caught her attention the most were the slowly falling snowflakes outside.
“Wow, it’s snowing.”
Liu Yinuo exclaimed in surprise, her eyes shining brighter than the snow itself.
“Mm.” In contrast, Ye Xingmian’s voice was somewhat muffled. Staring blankly out the window, a haze of gloom pressed in her gaze.
“It’s snowing… it’s beautiful.”
Whether it was detachment or sorrow, her lips curled into a bittersweet smile.
“Class President’s home is so big and beautiful too…”
Hearing the girl’s words, Liu Yinuo sensed that something was off. She frowned and turned her head.
“What’s wrong?”
Ye Xingmian turned her head as well, no longer looking outside, and gave her a small smile.
“It’s nothing, Class President.”
Liu Yinuo didn’t dwell on it after that reply.
“Then hurry and take your medicine.”
“Mm, okay, Class President.”
Obediently, the girl picked up the bowl and drank.
“Eh! Careful, it might be hot!”
Just as she was about to remind her that the water might not have cooled enough, she watched Ye Xingmian down the entire bowl in a few big gulps, leaving Liu Yinuo’s words hanging in the air.
After finishing, the girl put the bowl back and flashed her a smile.
“Class President, it’s not hot. It’s just right—warm and comforting.”
Watching the girl’s smile, Liu Yinuo unknowingly started to space out again.
When she finally snapped out of it, she hurriedly turned away, and under the girl’s gaze, awkwardly tried to justify herself.
“Ahem, how come I never noticed before—you’re actually quite good-looking!”
She all but fled back to the table to prepare the cold medicine and some anti-inflammatory pills.
“No… I’m not good-looking…”
“How could you not be? Look at your big, rosy eyes and that fair, delicate skin. And… and…”
Not knowing what was on the girl’s mind, watching her back, Liu Yinuo’s voice gradually faded.
In the end, it disappeared altogether.
In silence, she finished stirring the medicine and brought it back to the girl’s side. They exchanged no more words.
“Thank you, Class President.”
Once again, the well-behaved girl thanked her, drank the medicine, then placed the bowl back where it was. Liu Yinuo just watched her with a complicated gaze the whole time.
“Is there something weighing on your mind?”
“No.” She shook her head softly.
“…”
“…”
“Class President, aren’t you curious about why I hide that I’m actually a girl? The truth is simple: I suddenly became this way.”
“Suddenly…?”
“Mm. I feel like I’m a monster—neither one nor the other. I was afraid of drawing attention, so I kept hiding it.”
“I see…” Staring at the girl quietly looking out the window, Liu Yinuo tried to accept the fact. But perhaps due to a girl’s intuition, she still felt the other was hiding something from her.
“Oh right, your leg!” Only then did Liu Yinuo remember that, in her excitement to get home, she’d forgotten the girl’s injured leg. She’d been standing and walking for so long—it must’ve hurt, right? At that thought, guilt filled Liu Yinuo’s eyes.
“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Really…?”
Trying to find a topic, Liu Yinuo realized there was little they could talk about. Just as she was troubled by this, the girl beside her suddenly spoke.
“Class President, what will you do for lunch?”
“Uh, I’ll just order delivery. It’s not expensive, and it’ll arrive soon. What do you like to eat?”
Remembering this, she took her phone out of her pocket and opened a certain app with a yellow icon.
“Are there ingredients in the fridge? I’d like to make a meal for you as thanks.”
“Eh? There… there are, my mom just bought a bunch last night.”
“Mm. Class President, may I take a shower first?”
“O-of course! I’ll… I’ll go find you some clean clothes. We’re about the same size, so… you don’t mind, do you?”
“No, I don’t mind.”
“Then go to the bathroom first, I’ll go get you some clothes.”
Liu Yinuo hurried away.
Once she was sure Liu Yinuo had left, the girl suddenly collapsed to the ground, shutting her eyes.
Her legs still ached dully, but compared to the pain in her heart, it was nothing.
She still hadn’t been able to summon her courage. Her timid nature had once again overwhelmed her desire for friendship.
From the moment she stood before this door, she’d vaguely sensed that between her and her class president, there was a chasm that could not be crossed.
So, the girl lied—for fear that Liu Yinuo would mind her too much.