MTMIO Chapter 19

Chapter 19: A Compensatory Kiss

In the distance, thunder rumbled across the sky.

Lu You’s heart skipped a beat.

As if startled by the thunder, or perhaps because of those words.

What was that?

She had no answer, nor could she dig deep enough to find one.

Because the feeling at that moment was like a wisp of smoke swirling before her, light and airy. A gust of evening wind would scatter it without a trace, even the lingering scent of tobacco fading into the humid air, too faint to discern.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Lu You subconsciously took it out to check. It was a voice message from Chen Feifei.

Lu You immediately played it.

Chen Feifei’s voice came through the speaker: “I just realized I didn’t finish my thought in that last voice message. The goddess is picking you up, has she arrived yet?”

Lu You typed a reply: [Arrived]

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Yue Yunxi walk past her, heading towards the back.

Chen Feifei replied instantly: “It’s raining so hard now, you two should wait for it to lighten up before coming over. It’s not like it’s our turn yet anyway.”

Lu You replied with an “Okay” and turned to look in Yue Yunxi’s direction.

To the left of the store entrance stood a vending machine, its white lights swirling along the side, displaying the usual bottled water and drinks.

Yue Yunxi stopped in front of it, pressed the button for Coca-Cola, and saw through the glass that Lu You was approaching step by step.

With a “thunk,” the can fell into the retrieval slot.

Only when Lu You stopped beside her did Yue Yunxi bend down to retrieve it, asking in a gentle voice, fully knowing the answer, “What did Feifei say?”

Lu You’s gaze involuntarily followed her voice downward.

She saw the strap of the sundress slipping off her shoulder.

Lu You turned her head, looking at the vending machine, and repeated what Chen Feifei had said: “She said, let’s wait for the rain to get lighter before going over.”

Yue Yunxi straightened up, smoothing her hair, hooking the thin strap back into place with her fingertip. She looked at her sideways, her lips curving into a silent smile. “Are you looking to see what you want to drink?”

Cautious, with a hint of testing in her tone.

Lu You didn’t pick up on it. She rubbed the tip of her nose with her left hand and denied it, “No, just spacing out.”

Little Pinocchio.

Yue Yunxi lowered her thin eyelids, concealing the faint smile in her eyes. She popped open the tab of the Coke with one hand.

A very light “pop” sound, and the sweet, cloying aroma of Coke wafted out, countless bubbles seething in the small opening.

The cigarette clamped between her right fingers burned silently. Lu You watched the tip glow red with each breath, thinking, how strange, after Yue Yunxi lit the cigarette for her, she didn’t feel like smoking it anymore.

She extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray. The moment the ember was snuffed out, Lu You remembered the question Yue Yunxi had asked her when it was lit.

She still hadn’t answered it, and Yue Yunxi hadn’t pressed her. Maybe it was because the topic was diverted and she’d forgotten, or maybe it was just a casual question and she didn’t care about the answer.

Or perhaps, she assumed that she didn’t want to answer, and respected her wishes, so she didn’t bring it up again.

Her thoughts were shaped into wild cursive by the sound of the rain.

Yue Yunxi picked up the Coke can.

Water droplets condensed on the red can, and as it tilted, they trickled down the side to the fingertips holding it.

Traces of rainwater still lingered on that hand with its distinct knuckles.

Lu You’s throat tightened: “About that question just now…”

Yue Yunxi paused, turning to look at her.

“It’s just that I didn’t expect you to be the one coming, so I was a little surprised.” Lu You’s knuckles curled. “But I’m really happy that you came to pick me up.”

Her voice was like rising smoke, light and faint.

But Yue Yunxi’s mood was like ash carrying a spark, suddenly singed by those words.

Knowing that she was referring to the action, but interpreting it as a reflection on the person, knowing that anyone coming to pick her up would make Lu You happy, but taking it as if it was because of her.

A sip of Coke, taken off guard, bit at her tongue with its effervescent bubbles, swallowed hastily, the sweetness drowning her voice.

After a long, long time, Yue Yunxi squeezed out a soft “Mmm” from her throat, still filled with the lingering aftertaste.

A single syllable, hiding countless unspoken secrets in her heart.

–

When the rain subsided a little, the two of them went to the mall to meet up with the others, and it was just their turn.

Led by a server, they took their seats, and the hot pot bases were quickly brought to the table.

In the divided pot, one side held a delicious and mellow seafood broth, the other a fiery, volcanic-like spicy butter broth.

Wisps of hot steam filled the air, overflowing with aromas assaulting the taste buds.

Jian Yan Zhi had a small bucket of hair ties on hand, passing them out clockwise, and when it reached Lu You, it was the last one.

Glancing at Yue Yunxi’s long, flowing curly hair, Jian Yan Zhi leaned over the bucket to show Yue Yunxi, saying, “Yunxi-jie, do you have your own hair tie? The bucket’s empty now.”

“Let me see.”

Yue Yunxi lowered her head and rummaged through her bag, but couldn’t find one. Just as she was about to say never mind, she looked up and saw Lu You holding a black hair tie in front of her.

Following the hand as it withdrew, she looked over.

Lu You took out a pair of disposable chopsticks from the chopstick holder, removed one, and neatly put up her long hair into a low bun.

Her hands were often praised as nimble. The older residents of the neighborhood who knew that she had been playing the piano since she was a child would always add, “No wonder, she’s Grandma Lu’s granddaughter.”

Yue Yunxi thought and asked, “When are you taking Grandma for a checkup?”

Lu You replied, “Thursday.”

“Hey, Lu You, remember to tell me as soon as you’re done with the checkup,” Li Can said. “My grandma has been talking about it every day, asking me when she can meet her future bestie.”

Lu You smiled and said, “Okay.”

“Once the checkup is done and everything’s fine, we’ll discuss the travel plans,” Li Can exchanged seats with Chen Feifei, sitting next to Lu You. “Let me tell you, I took my grandma on a tour group before, and the experience was just awful.”

Lu You was pouring hot water into her bowl, intending to sterilize the utensils. Hearing this, she stopped what she was doing, turned to face Li Can, and listened intently to her complaining about her last terrible group tour experience.

She only spaced out once.

Because she caught sight of Yue Yunxi exchanging her sterilized bowl and plate with hers, and then picking up the water pitcher and refilling her cup.

Yue Yunxi’s actions were so natural and casual, as if she was just an older sister taking care of her younger sister.

Nothing special.

Especially since she poured water into everyone’s cups in the same direction.

Only Yun Zhu was flattered, exclaiming “Oh my,” with a meaningful smile.

Chen Feifei noticed and couldn’t help but say, “Why are you smiling so… obsequiously?”

Yun Zhu clicked her tongue, “Can’t you speak properly? This is called an auntie smile.”

Chen Feifei gave her a look of disgust, then seemed to realize something, glancing thoughtfully at Yue Yunxi, then at Lu You, who was still listening to Li Can, her brows furrowing.

The hot pot base began to bubble, and Li Can’s topic hadn’t ended yet.

Lu You was listening to her, so it wasn’t convenient to go get the dipping sauce.

So, taking advantage of a pause in Li Can’s speech, Yue Yunxi pretended to suddenly remember, interjecting, “By the way, Lizi, has your job at Nanquan University been confirmed?”

“It’s been confirmed. Once I settle down in Nanquan, we can all gather like this more often.”

Only then did Lu You excuse herself to go to the self-service condiment area to get a bowl of dipping sauce, and also grabbed a bowl of cherry tomatoes.

Returning to her seat, she placed the two small bowls on the table, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over her side, and discovered that Yue Yunxi was propping her head up with her right hand, her long hair still flowing freely, not tied up.

The hair tie that was supposed to tie her hair was still placed on the table.

Pressed down on by Yue Yunxi’s left index finger.

Rolling it around, the black hair tie would be hooked up, leaning crookedly against her finger bone.

A light release, and it would quickly move away, quietly lying back on the table.

The hair tie seemed to be neither too close nor too far, but it was entirely under her control.

Lu You was startled by the sudden thought that popped into her head, thinking, it must be because of Auntie Liu’s constant listening to CEO novels while working.

Pulling back her wandering thoughts, Lu You casually asked, “Aren’t you going to tie your hair up?”

Yue Yunxi’s fingertip paused, and she asked, seemingly very interested, “How do you use chopsticks to put up your hair?”

“I’ll teach you.”

“Okay.”

Yue Yunxi seemed to be very pleased, her response light and soft.

Lu You unconsciously rubbed her ear, handed the extra chopstick to Yue Yunxi, and then took out the chopstick from her own hair bun, teaching Yue Yunxi step by step.

It was strange, Yue Yunxi, who had an excellent learning ability, was completely clueless about putting up hair. Even after being taught twice, she was unable to put up her flowing hair.

The third attempt ended with a “snap”.

Lu You turned her head at the sound, seeing Yue Yunxi letting her hair down, pulling out the chopstick.

It had broken in half.

Yue Yunxi smiled helplessly, regretting, “Looks like I can’t put my hair up today.”

She put down the chopstick, and like before, pressed the hair tie with her fingertip, silently counting down, three, two, one…

Lu You leaned over and took out a new pair from the chopstick holder.

Immediately afterward, Yue Yunxi heard the reply she wanted.

But it wasn’t quite what she had imagined.

It wasn’t the kind of aloof, polite words, such as “Then let me help you.”

What Lu You said was, “Turn around.”

Coupled with her voice as light as a cloud, it had a heart-stirring, forceful quality.

Yue Yunxi’s heart skipped a beat, and the strength in her hand increased, the plastic decoration on the hair tie pressing painfully into her palm.

Before losing composure, she grabbed the hair tie and turned her back.

“It’s normal for it to break, sometimes even using hairpins will break,” Lu You reached out and gathered her almost waist-length hair, her voice and tone as gentle as coaxing, something she hadn’t realized herself. “If I hurt you, tell me.”

Her skin, chilled by the air conditioning, could clearly feel the warmth of her fingertips touching it, like a compensatory kiss.

Yue Yunxi’s entire back stiffened, and she replied, her voice tight, “Okay.”

“Yunxi.” Li Can asked, “I’ve been wanting to ask for a while, where did you get your hair done?”

Yun Zhu interjected, “She got it done in her mother’s womb.”

Jian Yan Zhi was the first to react, surprised, “Natural curls? It really looks like it’s permed, no, even perming wouldn’t get that look. The stylist would say it has to be blown out.”

Lu You could understand her surprise.

She had no shortage of friends with naturally curly hair, but none like Yue Yunxi’s, whose curls were so beautiful and obedient.

The strands of hair, like seaweed, wrapped around her hands, the faint fragrance enveloping her nose, evoking some memories.

Lu You remembered and said, “At the school I was at before I transferred, there used to be a senior with a head of very beautiful natural curls too, and then the new teacher thought she had permed her hair and wouldn’t let her into the school.”

Yue Yunxi’s lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, and her hand suddenly clenched, the plastic ornament on the hair tie digging painfully into her palm.

“That teacher’s sick!” Li Can said indignantly.

“Yeah, pretty sick,” Lu You didn’t say, but at the time, that teacher had said some very harsh things.

Zhong Mi asked, “And then? Was her hair cut? Did she get into the school?”

“It wasn’t cut, she got into the school just fine, and then at the Monday flag-raising ceremony, that teacher also apologized to her and made a self-criticism.”

“Wow! That’s great!” Zhong Mi clapped her hands happily.

Infected by her genuine joy, Lu You let out a soft chuckle from her nose, her hands not stopping, winding the dark hair around the pale bamboo chopstick, slowly and gently putting it up, the curve of her lips gradually lessening.

The lines of her back muscles, formed from years of playing the cello, were very beautiful, also setting off the fragility of her skin like thin paper.

As if a little force would leave a mark.

Lu You looked away, not wanting to look anymore: “Done.”

Yue Yunxi: “Thank you.”

Lu You’s hand paused as she lifted her teacup.

Why was she suddenly being so polite?

“Because I’m about to make an impolite request.”

Hearing Yue Yunxi’s answer, Lu You realized that she had spoken her internal exclamation out loud.

Yue Yunxi turned to her side, facing her, her eyebrows and eyes bearing a faint smile, adding a bit of enchanting beauty.

Lu You raised her eyebrows: “?”

“Can I come find you to put my hair up every day in the future?”

Yue Yunxi’s tone was light and airy, making it impossible to tell if she was serious or joking.

Especially when, at the end of her sentence, she slightly raised her curved eyelashes and looked over.

Their eyes met, and Lu You’s heart skipped a beat, and she was momentarily speechless.

Yue Yunxi turned away, laughing softly: “Don’t be nervous, I’m just teasing you.”

She took a cherry tomato from the bowl that Lu You had brought over, gently biting into it, unable to tell if it was sweet or sour.

Lu You stared at her, the bright lights from the ceiling pouring down, illuminating the red of the cherry tomato vividly, also illuminating the glistening water droplets on the plump flesh.

Water droplets touched her fingertips and lips.

Highlighting the jade-like tips of her fingers, and her delicate red lips.

Lu You lowered her eyes and exhaled slowly.

Just now, she wasn’t nervous.

But now, she was a little nervous.

Because she couldn’t tell if this sigh was for not having to answer, or for not having an answer.