Butterflies Fly Over Winter Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lingering Feelings

If you have time, you might as well go rest for a bit.

Chu Yiqi didn’t speak. She looked at Xi Ai, then went over to take the half-watermelon she had set aside.

Xi Ai glanced at her distractedly while fishing out the grapes. I won’t be responsible if you get hurt.

The person beside her still didn’t speak, but she suddenly felt that Xi Ai’s attitude was different from what she had imagined; it seemed to carry something she didn’t dare to be sure of.

In that moment, she remembered a distant dream.

Back then, Xi Ai was also like this, leisurely washing something nearby while she sliced fruit.

Xi Ai teased her half-seriously, I can’t afford for you to get hurt. Your fans would drown me.

Am I that useless? Chu Yiqi turned her head, and Xi Ai splashed water from her hands onto her.

Chu Yiqi put down the knife and immediately chased Xi Ai out, dripping with water.

Hey, do your fans know you’re this petty?

Do your fans know you’re this annoying? Chu Yiqi could clearly feel that Xi Ai wasn’t running seriously, so she quickly caught up and rubbed water all over her face.

They probably know; they roast me every time we meet.

Hey, can’t take a joke, can you? Xi Ai’s eyes sharpened. She grabbed Chu Yiqi’s hand, snatched the knife away, rinsed her hand, and then hurried to the entryway to find a band-aid.

When Xi Ai returned, Chu Yiqi was pressing down on her hand; the bleeding had mostly stopped. Xi Ai wiped away the blood around the wound, leaned down, and carefully applied the bandage while blowing on it.

The band-aid was clearly Xi Ai’s own, and she had specifically picked out a butterfly pattern from a pile of colorful ones.

What are you dazing off for? Xi Ai’s tone wasn’t exactly good, but it was mostly filled with worry.

Chu Yiqi lowered her eyes, her words lacking logic when she spoke: Xi Ai, you remember we broke up, right?

Xi Ai didn’t speak for a long time, turning to place the grapes on a porcelain plate.

Chu Yiqi regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. She stood there, one hand covering her wound.

She thought Xi Ai wouldn’t answer, but Xi Ai shook her hands dry and replied calmly, I know. I remember very clearly. But you wouldn’t treat a teammate like this, would you?

Chu Yiqi opened her mouth but didn’t know where to start.

Xi Ai sliced the watermelon methodically and said, Perhaps if you wanted to avoid suspicion, you shouldn’t have come in here.

Chu Yiqi learned quickly and retorted, Do you treat others like this?

…

Chu Yiqi added another sentence, almost like a cover-up: So why bother reminding me? Clearly, you can’t even let it go yourself.

Chu Yiqi’s eyes stung slightly. She seemed to want to say something, but though she opened her mouth several times, nothing came out.

Once Chu Yiqi left, Xi Ai also put down the knife and stood there staring at the kitchen doorway.

Why bother? I didn’t mean it like that… She shook her head and let out a breath.

Chu Yiqi left the kitchen but didn’t go back to sit in the living room. She went to find something and then returned.

Xi Ai didn’t look back, but hearing the footsteps approach, she was quite surprised. You’re back?

Just checking to make sure you aren’t sneaking food or poisoning mine.

Xi Ai suddenly laughed. What era is this? Poisoning is outdated. If it were me, I’d just arrange for some incompatible food combinations to cause food poisoning.

What’s wrong with this era? Poison is very effective.

Chu Yiqi, since we’ve broken up, can’t you treat me with a bit more impartiality? Xi Ai didn’t continue the banter and took the initiative to address the conflict.

Chu Yiqi paused, then said while brewing tea, How am I not?

You don’t treat others like this—so confrontational, covered in thorns. Xi Ai set the fruit aside and turned around, looking at Chu Yiqi with interest.

Then you’ll just have to bear with it, Movie Queen Xi. Chu Yiqi pursed her lips and finished her sentence, You taught me a long time ago: if you know it’s impossible, it’s better to make a clean break early on.

Xi Ai frowned, feeling that the current Chu Yiqi was different from before—particularly… prickly.

Do you know? Your current attitude makes it very easy for me to have a certain illusion.

Chu Yiqi suddenly understood the words Xi Ai hadn’t finished. Holding the teapot, she turned her head and said, You said it yourself—it’s an illusion.

Chu Yiqi actually regretted it again—regretted that she had to insist on winning this argument and came back to say a few more words.

Words that, rationally speaking, shouldn’t have been said.

Mu Rujin was perhaps right; she was very different from before, and very contradictory.

When the two went out, Yu Nianxi immediately noticed the change in Chu Yiqi and cried out, Heavens, baby, what happened to your hand?

I accidentally cut it, Chu Yiqi said slowly after putting down the plate.

Then I wouldn’t dare drink this tea. Shi Yunshan looked at the atmosphere between the two, which was even stranger than before, and quickly made a joke to shift the attention.

Xi Ai sat down and stopped looking at the script. In fact, she had only been pretending to read it from the start. Then I’ll have the first cup.

After some commotion, the Script Kill officially began, with Su Luojian acting as the DM.

Xi Ai looked at the few pages of the script and felt like laughing. What she could see was very simple: You are Jiang Qi. You originally had a happy family. Your mother was a businesswoman, and your father was a museum director. You had a boyfriend who, although from a poor background, was sincere and devoted to you. You lost your memory in a staged car accident.

No, “had a boyfriend”—could there be more than one? Could there also be a girlfriend?

No, I’m going crazy. What am I thinking about?

Before the follow-up could start, the doorbell interrupted them.

Yu Nianxi: …Seriously, can’t we just finish the game?

Save it. We can continue it during the group variety show. Meng Yike put her things away and patted Yu Nianxi.

Yu Nianxi quickly accepted reality. Fine, hotpot is more important. After all, it’s not easy to get the Movie Queen to treat me to hotpot.

Chu Yiqi watched the others go to get the delivery and went to the kitchen with Su Luojian to get bowls and chopsticks.

Su Luojian asked her in a low voice, What are you thinking?

Nothing. Anyway, she’ll be busy once the group variety show is over. Chu Yiqi didn’t need to ask to know that Su Luojian was worried about her and Xi Ai.

Su Luojian felt a bit frustrated on her behalf. She said, It’s fine if Xi Ai doesn’t know, but you went abroad indirectly because of her. Even a dog can see that Xi Ai can’t let go. Are you just going to leave it like this?

The person involved who had just heard Xi Ai’s stance: …

Sister Luo, my going abroad wasn’t entirely because of her. She doesn’t need to take that responsibility. And… Chu Yiqi didn’t finish. After a moment, she changed the subject. Forget it. You and your partner stay happy. Don’t worry so much, or you’ll get wrinkles.

And, she was doing well now, whether in her career or otherwise. Why should she drag Xi Ai down with all those past issues?

Fine, you… young people can solve your own problems.

You’re young too.

That’s different. There’s a generation gap—

Chu Yiqi smiled and said nothing more. Seeing Xi Ai enter the room, she said, Alright, let’s go.

Xi Ai returned and stared at a box of milk in distress. What she hated most was plain milk. Now, because Elder Xi found out she was getting hotpot delivered, he had intercepted the delivery midway and added a box of milk.

When Chu Yiqi came out, the first thing she saw wasn’t the hotpot, but the milk at the corner of the table, and then Xi Ai’s miserable expression.

Wow, doesn’t this place not do delivery? Yu Nianxi, who had just finished tidying up, looked at the hotpot and spoke to Xi Ai while helping.

Xi Ai spread her hands, her innocent tone carrying words that made one’s heart cold: Tell me, is there something in this world called ‘having connections’?

Your family’s place? Meng Yike asked hesitantly, remembering the scene of Xi Ai being caught at the door to take the milk.

No, a friend. I acted opposite him in the movie before last.

Isn’t that the one you won Movie Queen for? Nie Chuiying immediately picked up her tablet again upon returning. Whether intentionally or not, she said, Your CP was so popular a while ago. It’s a pity…

Yu Nianxi quickly leaned over. What happened? I didn’t see that.

For some reason, as soon as her CP with someone else was mentioned, Xi Ai subconsciously looked at Chu Yiqi.

Chu Yiqi’s expression did indeed look unnatural for a split second. She seemed curious, but she forcibly suppressed it.

Tsk, you really should go into acting too.

Xi Ai looked away and said coldly, The Super Topic was shut down. What else could have happened?

Huh?

Nie Chuiying finally found a chance to ask: Was it you?!

Who knows? Besides, you’re not a shipper, so why are you so anxious? Xi Ai changed the subject, a smile playing on her lips. It is a pity. Some of the photos were quite beautiful.

And some of the fanfiction was very well-written.

Chu Yiqi went completely silent and sat at the table. Xi Ai knew when to stop and specifically chose a seat directly opposite Chu Yiqi.

Meng Yike felt that as the leader, she shouldn’t just watch them be awkward, but… it was already good enough that the exes weren’t at each other’s throats.

Forget it, I’ll just pretend I don’t see or understand.

After everyone sat down, the first sentence came from Shi Yunshan: Split pot? No…

Shi Yunshan realized belatedly that today was different from other times in the past two years. She swallowed the rest of her sentence but still inevitably received glares from Xi Ai and the leader.

Xi Ai pulled out a tissue to place down and rotated the clear broth side toward Chu Yiqi.

Thank you.

Xi Ai didn’t respond. She picked up a plate of beef and, under everyone’s gaze, put it all into the clear broth side.

In fact, from the moment she saw Chu Yiqi, Xi Ai had been thinking: I didn’t do much while she was studying abroad, so why did she lose so much weight?

Xi Ai didn’t say anything after putting the beef in. She set the plate aside, not expecting any response; it didn’t matter.

She just wanted to do it. As for what feedback Chu Yiqi gave, that was her freedom.

On the other side, Chu Yiqi was stunned, but when she looked up at Xi Ai, it was more that she didn’t know how to meet Xi Ai’s gaze and didn’t dare to respond.

Meng Yike saw the undercurrents between the two but couldn’t quite figure it out, so she silently took out her phone and tagged Nie Chuiying in their small group chat.

@YingYingYing… why did you change your name back?

Nie Chuiying cut the line of text she was writing and replied first.

Mind your business.

Meng Yike’s message and the text Nie Chuiying pasted back jumped out almost simultaneously.

What’s going on with them? It’s so weird.

I’ve decided to write a fanfic. Old lovers meeting, lingering feelings, step-by-step testing, undercurrents flowing…

…

You CP-brained people…

Meng Yike put away her phone and said, Hey, did you see the group variety show is on the trending search?

Su Luojian wasn’t surprised. There was a pre-launch, after all. It’s not the first time we’ve been on the trending search.

Hahaha, we are, after all—a super popular group.

Enough, eat. All of you, stop looking at Weibo. And you, stop reading so much fanfiction. I didn’t say anything during the last variety show, but even if you read it, how did you manage to get caught on camera?

Nie Chuiying obediently put it down—guiltily. I didn’t expect her to film me instead of the stage. She was so far away, yet it was high-definition.

Alright, are we eating or not?

Eating, eating.

Xi Ai was a bit absent-minded throughout the meal. Perhaps the steam blurred her eyes, but she suddenly remembered a hotpot meal from a long time ago.

Actually, it wasn’t that long ago—only two years.

It happened to be a snowy day when she and Chu Yiqi were eating.

Try it. I ordered mild spicy this time and rinsed it in water.

The “mild spicy” part was true, but in reality, Xi Ai hadn’t rinsed it.

Chu Yiqi was skeptical but eventually reached out for a tissue from Xi Ai while eating a candy.

Having succeeded in her scheme, Xi Ai handed over the tissue and, before Chu Yiqi could pull her hand back, placed an open box into Chu Yiqi’s palm.

It was a ring. Not expensive, but beautiful. It was a style Chu Yiqi had glanced at a few extra times when they passed a jewelry store once.

Chu Yiqi froze, staring at the ring for a while. She didn’t speak, but she felt like laughing. Then she turned around and took a box out of her own bag.

It was the exact same style Xi Ai had chosen.

Xi Ai smirked. Does this count as being telepathic?

No.

Chu Yiqi added, It counts as a mutual exchange of rings.