Su Li’s tone was incredibly calm, showing no change from how she usually spoke.
In her memories, it seemed the only time she could truly hear emotion in Su Li’s voice was when they had first met.
However, those memories felt incredibly distant to Chi Qingya now.
She could only recall those scenes over and over again, to the point where she eventually couldn’t tell if those beautiful moments were real or just something she had imagined.
Now, the coldness in Su Li’s tone and the distance in her voice dragged her back to reality.
In her many fantasies, Chi Qingya had imagined what it would be like after she and Su Li reconciled.
But at this moment, the fantasy shattered.
She was pulled back into the freezing reality.
Chi Qingya’s fingers jerked violently, her fingernails clicking against the metal of the fire hydrant with a soft clack.
The musty smell of the corridor suddenly became particularly pungent, as if someone had poured the soup from spoiled Delivery Food down her windpipe.
Because she had been so nervous about seeing Su Li earlier, she had subconsciously ignored the foul odors around her.
Now that the smell was hitting her full force, Chi Qingya slowly realized just how terrible the corridor smelled because of her.
Even though she hadn’t left the trash at the door for very long.
She stared at Su Li’s lips as they moved slightly while she spoke.
In a daze, she seemed to see the Cream Cake the other girl had brought over once before melting away, the sickly sweet cream hitting the ground drop by drop and turning into brown mold spots.
The beautiful scenes were crumbling before her eyes.
Su Li was real. But Su Li’s indifference was the cold reality.
Chi Qingya’s throat felt as if it were stuffed with soaked, overnight Rice. She opened her mouth, but even her breath tasted like rust.
“Su Li…”
Chi Qingya’s voice trembled slightly. She watched Su Li slowly back away, walking toward Bai Huizi.
The rustling sound of Su Li’s shoes brushing against the floor tiles as she retreated was more piercing than any school bell she had ever heard.
She realized that true heartbreak wasn’t the crisp sound of a breaking Bowl.
Instead, it was like the faint yellow stain left behind when a sticky note was peeled off the bottom of a bowl—a mark of glue that could never be wiped clean.
As she watched Su Li tuck a familiar strand of hair behind her ear, she finally understood that what stood between them wasn’t just a bowl of spilled Malatang.
It was that the corner of Su Li’s clothes, fluttering as she turned away, would never again stop for her.
Su Li no longer belonged to her. No one would wait for her forever.
Some relationships really were over once the chance was missed.
It wasn’t as if two friends could return to how they were just because an Apology had been made.
Reality was not a Book or a fairy tale. When a conflict occurred between two people, there was a high probability they would simply drift apart.
Chi Qingya stood frozen in place, unsure of what she could even do.
‘I think… I already apologized to Su Li before, right?’
But Su Li was unwilling to accept her Apology. Then again… there was no rule stating that others had to forgive just because an apology was given.
Chi Qingya didn’t know what else she could do to salvage her relationship with Su Li.
However, she didn’t want to just sit and wait for death; she didn’t want to watch her relationship with Su Li drift further away.
She wanted to know what others would do in this situation…
But Chi Qingya didn’t know who to ask.
‘If I ask my Sisterhood, maybe… maybe they won’t be able to answer my question in time?’
“What are you still doing standing here in a daze? Hurry up and clean up the corridor,” Bai Huizi said, wrapping her arm around Su Li’s as she looked at Chi Qingya.
“You aren’t expecting me to handle it for you, are you? Though, if you want me to handle it, I suggest you hurry up and pack your things to move out. It’ll save you from living here and affecting others over and over again.”
“Chi Qingya, you are just a Tenant. You didn’t really start thinking of this rented Room as your own Home, did you? Oh, right. If you really considered this place your home, you probably wouldn’t be this messy, would you? Or are you this messy in your own home too? Then again, it makes sense. If your Parents hadn’t spoiled you, you wouldn’t have turned out like this.”
Chi Qingya remained standing there, still not moving.
“Do I have to say it again? If you don’t clean the corridor, then go clean your room and get the hell out of my house.”
Hearing Bai Huizi’s words, Chi Qingya finally snapped out of it.
She looked at Su Li standing beside Bai Huizi, but Su Li wasn’t looking at her. Instead, her gaze remained fixed on Bai Huizi.
Su Li had always been like this. Her gaze never seemed to linger on people she didn’t care about.
“I understand. I just hope… I hope you can give me some time,” Chi Qingya said, her voice shaking.
She didn’t want to move away. Even if she couldn’t earn Su Li’s forgiveness, this place was the Home of Su Li.
This home held the beautiful memories shared between her and Su Li.
If she couldn’t even stay in this home, then the connection between her and Su Li would truly disappear forever.
Chi Qingya lowered her head and withdrew her gaze. She had to get the corridor perfectly clean.
She decided to do what she usually did and find an Auntie Cleaner to help with the cleaning.
She felt a bit apprehensive.
‘I just hope it’s not the same Auntie I hired before.’
Even though they were strangers, she didn’t know why that thought crossed her mind.
“Little Su Li, let’s go home.”
Bai Huizi looked at Chi Qingya and spoke again as they passed her.
“Don’t let me find out you’re slacking off on this. It’s not because I want to lecture you, but because you’ve caused me trouble, do you understand? Don’t keep pouting as if I owe you something. I only gave you a discount on Rent because you’re a Student. If you aren’t going to be grateful, the least you can do is not ruin my business.”
Bai Huizi’s words were incredibly harsh to Chi Qingya’s ears, but she didn’t have the heart to listen. She only heard that Bai Huizi was taking Su Li home.
Clearly… clearly, this was Su Li’s home.
Chi Qingya’s body trembled, but she couldn’t find the words to stop them.
She knew that the moment she spoke, she would be met with Su Li’s cold gaze.
Her opinions were already insignificant to Su Li and held no value whatsoever.
She didn’t even dare to look up at Su Li. She didn’t want to face that look again—the gaze Su Li used for a stranger.
They clearly weren’t supposed to be strangers…