SWG Chapter 5
by VolareAfter passing several breakfast shops, Ruan Shengyi grew more and more silent.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t familiar with the area; clearly, she knew it even better than Ruan did. Ruan only knew the name of one of the shops and usually only bought from that one, never trying the others.
But Xiao Wenyu casually hooked a bun from each shop, buying from the beginning to the end, and then naturally settled down at the last one.
And to top it off, the shop owner even came over with a smile to bring them chopsticks, thoughtfully asking if they wanted anything else to eat and reminding them to refill their tea if it wasn’t enough.
Ruan Shengyi silently poked at her bun with a chopstick.
Then poked it again.
Xiao Wenyu: “If you keep poking it, you can soak it in the soup and turn it into paomo.”
Ruan Shengyi: “…”
Her unhappiness was too obvious, and the other person happened to be observant and attentive to her.
Xiao Wenyu took off her scarf and placed it aside, blowing on the steaming soymilk, and said softly, “These habits were developed during that time taking care of the household. I used to be like you, disliking these hypocritical things.”
Ruan Shengyi: “You seem to like talking about these things today.”
“What?”
“Family, marriage.”
“…”
The already slightly cool air became as silent as an ice cave. Ruan Shengyi looked up at the other person, who was propping her chin with one hand, seemingly lost in thought because of a single sentence.
A faint light shone from the other side, not very bright, so it was separated by a layer of haze, somewhat misty.
The silence lasted too long, long enough for Ruan Shengyi to feel a bit apologetic.
She said, “If the renovation smell in your place is too strong, you can stay at my place for a while. Our schedules are perfectly reversed.”
Xiao Wenyu smiled, although it wasn’t very clear, Ruan Shengyi still saw the bitterness at the corner of her lips, so thick it was about to overflow.
She wanted to say sorry, but Xiao Wenyu beat her to it, saying, “It is a bit strong, being isolated from the world for too long. I don’t even know how to chat anymore.”
She answered the previous question, but then threw out the next one.
Whenever it involved her own issues, she blatantly tossed the questions aside.
But Ruan Shengyi still had many things she wanted to ask.
Why did she get divorced? Why did she want to open a photo studio? What was that person like? Did she not support you working? And…
That night, why did she come back? Why did she say thank you?
But the current situation didn’t seem suitable to ask these questions. She didn’t have the right to, and Xiao Wenyu would definitely avoid them, dodging these probing questions.
Ruan Shengyi felt a little frustrated for the first time, but her intuition told her not to be impatient. These things needed to be done slowly. After all, their time as neighbors was still very long.
No need to rush.
The latter half of the meal was a bit silent. Xiao Wenyu seemed to deliberately leave a few buns to eat later. Ruan Shengyi glanced at her own and felt too embarrassed to say that she couldn’t finish them and that Xiao Wenyu could take them if she wanted.
But Xiao Wenyu took the initiative, asking Ruan Shengyi which bags she hadn’t touched, and then promptly transferred the corresponding amount of money to her. Afterwards, she combined the bags together, swinging them around on her hand.
Ruan Shengyi looked down at the Alipay transfer that had come through via her phone number, and an inexplicable urge to turn off phone number transfers arose. The uncomfortable feeling in her heart grew even more apparent.
On the way back, both of them fell into an awkward silence.
At the door, Ruan Shengyi handed back the black and white scarf, “Thank you for your scarf.”
“You’re welcome.” Xiao Wenyu took the scarf very politely, and then quickly folded it neatly and held it in her arms.
So skilled.
Ruan Shengyi wanted to ask her again, was this also a skill brought about by marriage?
She restrained herself, only smiled slightly, and turned to walk towards her shop.
Xiao Wenyu lowered her voice and said, “Sleep well.”
Ruan Shengyi replied with a “okay” gesture.
*
In the evening, Tonight Intoxicated opened.
Ruan Shengyi slept very well, she woke up around noon and lazily ate some instant noodles before passing out again, and woke again around 4 or 5.
She rubbed her head in a daze, hugging her blanket as she rolled to the window of the small attic, staring blankly at the light outside.
As she stared, her gaze shifted to the doorway of the shop across the street.
It was a bit far, and her eyes weren’t very good, so she could only vaguely see a figure walking out of the photo studio, seemingly holding her own photo.
It was probably taken quite well.
She clearly saw that person pause for a moment, which should have been enough time to take a picture and share it.
Besides, as a bar owner, she could tell whether someone was happy or sad.
Ruan Shengyi buried herself in the blanket, leaving only her eyes outside, watching through the crack in the window.
She watched for a long time, and no one else entered or exited the shop. Xiao Wenyu didn’t seem to have any intention of going out for a stroll. Bored, she simply tidied herself up and went downstairs.
Downstairs, the bartenders and servers were gathered together, heads close, whispering, seemingly talking about something.
Ruan Shengyi was silent for a moment, and seeing that the group didn’t notice her, she said coldly, “What are you doing?”
The crowd scattered like birds and beasts. Xie Yu couldn’t help patting her chest, saying, “You scared me to death, boss. If you scare me to death, you’ll lose a valuable bartender.”
“…” She’d rather not have one.
Ruan Shengyi took out her phone, “How much salary do I have to pay for a dismissal?”
“No, no, no.” Xie Yu rushed over and pressed down on her phone. “Boss, we’ve known each other for so many years, don’t be like this. It’s hard to find a job now, you know.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Ruan Shengyi sneered at her, her eyes casually glancing over and seeing the photo tightly held in her hand, and her breath tightened.
Xie Yu naturally noticed her change, chuckled, and retreated while saying with a smirk, “Boss, this was taken by Sister Xiao herself, and she even seriously photoshopped it for me, so…”
*Thwack.*
The wet cloth, with its undeniable force, landed directly on Xie Yu’s head. As everyone knows, a soaked cloth can even knock a person to the ground. Although Xie Yu didn’t fall, she leaned against the table, only her mouth still stubbornly muttering, “Dead woman, wait until I poison you today.”
Ruan Shengyi ignored her and looked at Ye Min, “You speak.”
Ye Min cleared her throat and said, “We found a new photo studio opening nearby on the group-buying site, and they had a promotion for ten-yuan four-color ID photos for the week before the opening, so we figured it was only ten yuan and we went.”
“We didn’t expect it to be that sister from that day. She looks so young. We originally didn’t plan to call her ‘sister,’ but she said she was thirty and we had to call her ‘sister.'”
Thirty?
Ruan Shengyi’s heart twisted slightly.
She didn’t even know how old Xiao Wenyu was, but these other people already knew so much about her?
Ruan Shengyi suppressed the little bit of bitterness in her heart and said, “Anything else?”
Ye Min: “Boss, Xiao is amazing at taking photos. Do you want to get a photo taken too? I think that group-buying package is still available.”
“No, she might not welcome me.”
She’s willing to share this information with everyone else, but not with her. What’s the point of going?
She will also be angry.
Xie Yu walked over with the cloth and rubed next to Ruan Shengyi, saying, “Boss, have you never been in love before?”
“… Duh.”
“Xiao Wenyu is single now. Since you were smitten that night, why aren’t you making a move now? What are you waiting for?” Xie Yu glared at her fiercely. “Are you waiting for a five-foot-four-inch sister to break into your house and fall in love with you at first sight?”
“…” She really wanted to fire this person.
Wait a minute.
Ruan Shengyi belatedly caught the key phrase. Her heart grew colder, and her voice even colder, “She’s single now?”
“Boss, didn’t you know? She’s divorced.”
“…”
Ruan Shengyi suddenly wanted to laugh.
She always thought she was special, able to hold onto the little secrets they didn’t want to tell the outside world. But it turned out that Xiao Wenyu had told a chatterbox about the divorce.
How could someone as smart as her not realize that if this talkative person knew everything, it would be the same as the whole street knowing.
So, she was never special, always just one of the crowd, right?
Xie Yu saw her spacing out and grew more anxious. “Boss, aren’t you smitten? Go for it! Now is your chance to strike while the iron is hot, boss?”
Ruan Shengyi walked towards the back room with her hands in her pockets, saying, “Who would care about someone they’ve only met once?”
“Met once? Didn’t you two have breakfast together?”
Ruan’s footsteps paused slightly, her voice even more sarcastic, “She probably dreamed it.”
So, they weren’t even ordinary friends. Her kindness was just a scarf handed out casually, maybe she didn’t even put any thought into it, just couldn’t bear to see it as a passerby.
How foolish of her to keep it in her heart.
How ridiculous.
Xie Yu walked over and took the cup from her hand, saying, “Boss, can you not take your anger out on the cups next time you’re unhappy?”
These cups aren’t cheap, and if you break another one, I’ll be working for free again today.
I really don’t know what’s wrong with her, taking her anger out on the cups whenever she’s unhappy.
Ye Min: “Boss, if you’re not feeling well, you might as well go back and rest tonight.”
Ruan Shengyi: “I’m fine.”
Xie Yu: “It’s not that she’s not feeling well physically, it’s that she’s not feeling well emotionally.”
She had to say it even under the icy and piercing gaze.
Xie Yu: “She’s just waiting for a five-foot-four-inch sister named Xiao Wenyu to break into her house and fall in love with her at first sight. Just like that night.”
She seemed to have discovered something, cried out in surprise, “Boss, you’re such a cold person, you’re not a bottom, are you?”
“… So speechless.”
Xie Yu: “If I were you, I would go over to help every day. That’s how you pursue someone!”
“…” Ruan Shengyi sneered lightly, “Who would care about her.”
“You don’t care, don’t leave. Are you going out?” Xie Yu leaned against the bar, cracking sunflower seeds and looking at her with a smile, but this person hadn’t even reached the door before turning back. She stood up straight, “Hey! Why are you back?”
It can’t be, her boss wouldn’t be this cowardly, would she?
Ruan Shengyi’s face was so cold it was about to drop icicles, squeezing out from between her teeth, “She’s closed.”