Chi Qingya stared at her phone like a drowning person grasping for air, desperate for salvation to come from the screen.
The first person she thought of was Su Li. If it were Su Li, she was sure this current predicament could be resolved.
After all, Su Li had an exceptional ability to solve problems like this.
But as she picked up her phone, Chi Qingya’s gaze slowly dimmed.
Still no notification of Su Li’s friend request acceptance.
So much time had already passed…
It was as if Su Li didn’t care at all, as if this home didn’t matter to her.
A wave of disappointment washed over her heart, and Chi Qingya felt her throat tighten. When she swallowed, she could taste a faint bitterness, like holding a rusty coin in her mouth.
Her chest felt heavy and swollen, her breathing slow and strained, each inhale like dragging a lead weight that had gone numb.
Her whole being seemed soaked in murky glue, every sound muffled behind frosted glass, even her heartbeat reduced to a distant, dull thump.
She looked at their old chat history, her hand holding the phone trembling slightly.
Could it really be that she was the one at fault?
She thought doubtfully, her heart beginning to waver.
If she was wrong, an apology would fix it.
Apologizing was her specialty.
Most problems, at least the ones she faced now, could be resolved with an apology.
Her heart pounded, filled with nervous anticipation.
Looking around at the mess scattered about, so unlike when Su Li was here.
Maybe she really was wrong…
She had only been avoiding facing it all along, unwilling to confront it.
In truth, she knew she preferred the clean room when Su Li was around to this current state.
Even after the Auntie Cleaner tidied the room, her mood improved considerably.
And she slept much more soundly than before.
After hesitating for a long time, she forcibly suppressed the anxiety and unease inside, then sent a friend request to Su Li.
Once Su Li accepted, she could apologize, tell her so many things.
Then maybe even convince Su Li to come back home?
After sending the request, Chi Qingya leaned against the wall, her heart full of nervous anticipation as she waited for Su Li’s reply.
But after a long time, she checked her phone again and again, only to find Su Li still hadn’t accepted her request.
Her heart sank further into unease.
“No, Su Li is probably in class right now. Not checking her phone would be perfectly normal. Once class ends, if she sees my request, she’ll understand.”
“I’ve added Su Li as a friend. She has to see I’m making an effort, that I’m admitting my mistakes.”
“Her purpose is achieved—I can go back home now.”
Chi Qingya murmured to herself, the clothes drenched on her slumping body, clutching her phone nervously.
Still, after repeated checks, no notification of the friend request being accepted appeared.
By the clock, class should already be over.
She hesitated a moment before pulling up her sister group chat.
The messages still rested on the topic she had started yesterday; since she sent that message, no one had spoken a word all day.
A wave of disappointment crept over her.
Though she knew everyone was aware of her illness, no one had asked about it.
No one cared.
If… if this were before, Su Li would have poured her a cup of hot water, watched her take her medicine.
She might have even taken a leave together with her.
A feeling of loneliness settled in, and Chi Qingya’s fingers trembled over the keyboard. Suddenly, she felt so sad, so cold.
Though her eyes were dry and aching, no tears would come to wash away the pain.
Even when the Landlady had said such harsh words to her, she hadn’t cried out loud, only felt the sting of suffering.
She typed out “What is Su Li doing?” but never sent it.
If she asked that in the Sister Group, they’d probably laugh at her.
After all that talk about Su Li, she was still worried about her. They’d think she was pathetic.
In the end, she deleted the question and rewrote a new message, sending it out.
【Yasuyugongshang: Sisters, am I really such a terrible person?】
After sending the message, Chi Qingya stared at her phone, but no one replied.
She checked the time; class should have just ended.
Still, it was normal for her sisters to be out and about and unable to check their phones.
Or maybe they were all busy playing games.
Chi Qingya curled up in the corner against the wall, as if that would offer her some warmth.
Just as she was about to drift off, her phone vibrated with a new message.
It wasn’t Su Li accepting her request. Her mood fell again.
【Little Bear Gummy: Yaya, why would you think that? Just rest well when you’re sick and don’t overthink. You’re the best baby in the world】
【No Cilantro (Postgraduate Edition): Yeah, Yaya, what happened? Our Yaya wouldn’t make a mistake. It must be someone else who did. Did someone bully you, Yaya baby?】
【Strawberry Milkshake (Diet Edition): Yaya, stop overthinking. You’re the best! You treat us to takeout, bring us stuff, even save seats in class for us. Today when you weren’t there, we couldn’t find seats and had to reluctantly sit next to Su Li to listen to class, no phones allowed】
Seeing her sisters’ replies, Chi Qingya’s heart lightened a little.
So it wasn’t that they didn’t want to reply, but that sitting in the front row meant no phones.
But…
Why did reading that they sat together with Su Li make her feel so uneasy?
【Little Bear Gummy: Yaya, what really happened? Did someone bully you?】
Touched, Chi Qingya quickly replied.
【Yasuyugongshang: It’s nothing serious, just the Landlady came to scold me. That’s all.】
【Little Bear Gummy: Yaya, don’t pay her any mind. If it gets bad, we just won’t rent anymore. She’d be begging you by then. The place isn’t worth much now, and she can’t find anyone else to rent to. Doesn’t even know that the customer is king. She’s probably only good at collecting rent in her life】