When The Snow Falls In Autumn Chapter 46

Chapter 46

In the evening in the old dormitory building in the West District, the light always retreats first.The setting sun was completely blocked by the high-rise buildings of the graduate student apartments to the east. Only a thin, golden-red afterglow struggled to leak in through the narrow gaps between the buildings, barely smearing on the mottled walls of the corridor, and soon dissipated into a dull gray-blue.

Ye Qiulan walked back from the boiler room carrying two hot water bottles.The hot water bottle with an iron shell is very heavy, and it falls even more when it is filled with water. The bottom of the pot hits the rough cement steps, making a hollow “clang, clink” sound.The voice-activated light in the corridor worked sometimes and not working. In the dim light, her shadow was stretched and shortened, like a clumsy and restless ghost.

Her mind was still in a mess, including the scene of the afternoon review meeting, the scrutinizing gazes of the teachers, Ling Xueqing’s calm response, her speechless embarrassment, and the sourness in the stairwell at the end that almost overwhelmed her… like a rewinding video, played over and over again.She tried to focus on the slippery steps under her feet and the heavy thermos in her hand, but with little success.

When she reached the corner of the third floor, she stopped and changed to a portable hot water bottle, her wrists were a little sore.At this moment, there was a sound of footsteps upstairs, walking slowly downstairs.

She didn’t pay too much attention, turned sideways, gave way to the side against the wall, and looked down at the tips of her canvas shoes that were stained with water.

The footsteps suddenly stopped as they approached her level.

Ye Qiulan raised his head subconsciously.

Ling Xueqing stood on the steps above, looking at her.She didn’t wear the crisp white shirt she wore in the afternoon, and changed into a light gray cotton long-sleeved shirt. The sleeves were rolled up casually to her elbows, revealing her clear forearms.The long dark hair was not tied up and hung loosely on her shoulders. The tips of her hair were slightly curled. She looked a little less sharp than usual and more soft at home.Her face looked a little too pale in the dim light, and her lips had lost their color. Only her eyes were still dark, with a hint of… fatigue?Or something else?

Ye Qiulan was stunned. He didn’t expect to meet Ling Xueqing here and at this time.The graduate student apartment is in the East District. Ling Xueqing almost never comes to the West District, especially this dormitory with old facilities and full of undergraduate students.

A few steps apart, the two looked at each other quietly for a few seconds.The corridor was extremely quiet, with only the faint sound of music coming from a dormitory in the distance and the sound of dripping faucet leaking in the water room.

Ling Xueqing first looked away, and her eyes fell on the two heavy thermos bottles in Ye Qiulan’s hands, and then looked at her fingers that were slightly red due to exertion.

“Fetch water?” She asked, her voice lower than usual, a little waxy as if she had just woken up, but it soon returned to its usual clarity.

“Yes.” Ye Qiulan nodded, his fingers tightened unconsciously, and the iron handle of the thermos bottle touched his palm, “The dormitory… the water heater is broken.”

Ling Xueqing said “hmm” but said nothing.She started walking down, not fast, even a little slow.When she reached the same step as Ye Qiulan, she stopped. The distance between the two was very close. Ye Qiulan could smell the refreshing cedar scent on her body. It seemed lighter than usual, mixed with a very light smell similar to traditional Chinese medicine or cooling oil.

“I’ll do it.” Ling Xueqing said, naturally reaching out and holding the handle of one of the thermos bottles.Her cold fingers touched the warm back of Ye Qiulan’s hand, causing Ye Qiulan to tremble slightly.

“No need…” Ye Qiulan subconsciously wanted to retract his hand, but Ling Xueqing had already used a little force to take the hot water bottle.The movement was very steady, but Ye Qiulan noticed that the moment he lifted the water bottle, Ling Xueqing’s brows frowned almost imperceptibly, and the knuckles of the fingers holding the handle turned slightly white.

She looks…unwell?The sourness and awkwardness in Ye Qiulan’s heart were quietly diluted by this discovery.

“Why… why are you here?” Ye Qiulan asked, his voice still a little dry.

“Looking for Teacher Zhao.” Ling Xueqing answered briefly, holding the thermos bottle, turned around and continued walking down, “He lives in the staff dormitory of this building, on the top floor.”

That’s it.Ye Qiulan remembered that Teacher Zhao seemed to live on the top floor of an old building in the West District.She quickly picked up the remaining thermos bottle and followed Ling Xueqing.

The two of them walked down the stairs in silence.Ling Xueqing’s steps were slower and lighter than usual, as if she was saving energy.The dim voice-activated lights lit up one by one as they followed, and then went out one after another. The light and shadow flickered between them.

When she reached the corner of the second floor, Ling Xueqing suddenly stopped, placed the thermos bottle gently on the ground, and held the wall next to her with her free hand.Her back arched slightly and her breathing seemed heavier.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Qiulan’s heart tightened and he took two steps to her side.

Ling Xueqing closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, there was a slight bloodshot under her eyes, and a thin layer of sweat oozed from her forehead.”It’s okay.” She said, her voice a little floating, “Maybe… a little low blood sugar.”

Hypoglycemia?Ye Qiulan looked at her pale face and slightly trembling fingertips, and the awkwardness in his heart was completely replaced by worry.She recalled that during the afternoon review meeting, Ling Xueqing had straightened her back and answered various questions. She didn’t take a break after it was over, and went to deal with other things…

“Have you…had dinner?” Ye Qiulan asked.

Ling Xueqing was silent for a moment and shook her head.She tried to lift the hot water bottle on the ground again, but her fingers seemed to have no strength and she failed to lift it the first time.

“Don’t move.” Ye Qiulan said immediately, his tone was so urgent that he didn’t even realize it.She also placed her thermos on the ground, then reached out and took the one in Ling Xueqing’s hand without any explanation.”Hold the wall first and take your time.”

Ling Xueqing didn’t insist anymore, and let go of her hand obediently. She leaned slightly against the cold wall, her eyes were lowered, and her long and dense eyelashes cast two small shadows under her eyes, covering the emotions in her eyes.Her breathing was still a little rapid, and her chest was rising and falling slightly.

Ye Qiulan looked at her rare fragile look, and something in his heart felt like he was being slightly pinched.Ling Xueqing, who was always calm and self-possessed, seemed to be omnipotent, but it turned out that there were times when she felt uncomfortable and needed to stop and relax.

The corridor became dark again, and the voice-activated lights went out.In the dim light, only the last bit of skylight outside the window outlined Ling Xueqing’s blurry and thin outline.The air was filled with the damp musty smell of the old house, and a hint of the bitter medicinal smell coming from Ling Xueqing’s body.

“Wait for me here.” Ye Qiulan said, his voice softened unconsciously, “My dormitory is on this floor, very close. I have candy there, and… biscuits.”

After she finished speaking, without waiting for Ling Xueqing’s response, she quickly walked towards her dormitory.She walked quickly, with only one thought in her mind – she needed sugar, or something else that could quickly replenish energy.

When she opened the dormitory door, her roommate was watching TV series on the computer at the table, wearing headphones, and didn’t notice her.Ye Qiulan went straight to his locker and started rummaging around.She remembered how many fruit candies were left last time she bought them, and a pack of unopened soda crackers… Found them!She grabbed a few fruit candies and the pack of biscuits in her hands, thought about it, picked up the clean mug on her desk, turned around and rushed out of the dormitory, forgetting to close the door.

When she ran back to the corner of the second floor, Ling Xueqing was still standing against the wall, her posture unchanged, except that her head hung lower, and her long dark hair fell down, covering most of her face.She slowly raised her head when she heard footsteps.

Ye Qiulan ran to her, his breath a little unsteady.She tore off the wrapper of the fruit candies and handed one over.”Hold this first.”

Ling Xueqing looked at the brightly colored cheap fruit candy in her hand, then at her face that was slightly red from running and her concerned eyes. She was silent for a second before reaching out and gently twisting the candy with her fingertips.Her fingertips were still cold, and when they brushed against Ye Qiulan’s warm palm, she felt a slight shiver.

Ling Xueqing took the candy into her mouth, and her cheeks bulged slightly.She lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes trembling.

Ye Qiulan tore open the package of biscuits again, took out a piece, and handed it to her.”Eat something, you’ll feel better.”

Ling Xueqing took the biscuit and chewed it slowly.Her eating appearance is still graceful, even at this time.Ye Qiulan stood in front of her, watching her eat, still holding the empty mug in his hand. He didn’t know what to say or do for a while.

The voice-activated light went out again.This time no one moved, letting the darkness fall.Only the sporadic lights from the building opposite the window and the dim light from the city in the distance provided little illumination through the windows of the stairwell.In the darkness, Ling Xueqing’s subtle chewing sounds and her slightly suppressed breathing could be heard more clearly.

After about two or three minutes, Ling Xueqing finished the piece of biscuit and sipped on the sugar for a while.She breathed a sigh of relief and seemed to feel better.

“Are you feeling better?” Ye Qiulan asked softly.

“Yes.” Ling Xueqing responded, her voice steadier than before, “Thank you.”

She reached out in the darkness and groped the wall, as if trying to find a light switch or just get her bearings.Ye Qiulan subconsciously reached out his hand to help her, and his fingertips touched the cold skin of her wrist.

Ling Xueqing’s movements paused.

Ye Qiulan also stiffened for a moment, and wanted to retract his fingers as if they were burned, but Ling Xueqing gently held his wrist with his backhand.The force was very light, with the coolness on her fingertips, but it made Ye Qiulan freeze in place, and the blood seemed to rush to the small piece of skin being held in an instant.

Darkness amplifies all perceptions.She could feel the delicateness and coolness of the skin on Ling Xuequing’s wrists, smell the clear and bitter scent on her body, and even hear her own suddenly accelerated heartbeat, beating like a drum in the silent corridor.

Ling Xueqing did not let go immediately.She just held it gently, and her thumb unconsciously and very slightly rubbed the soft skin on the inside of Ye Qiulan’s wrist.The touch was very light, like the brush of a feather, but it carried an indescribable, almost lustful meaning.

Time seems to have frozen.In the darkness, there were only the sounds of intertwined breathing and a disturbingly clear touch from his wrist.

After a few seconds, maybe longer, Ling Xueqing slowly let go of her hand.When her fingertips left, they took away the coolness of the skin, but left a hotter, lingering mark.

“Lamp.” Ling Xueqing whispered, her voice a little hoarse.

Ye Qiulan woke up from a dream and hurriedly stepped on the ground with his foot.The voice-activated light came on in response, and the dim light instantly filled the small corner, dispelling the heart-stopping darkness and ambiguity just now.

Ling Xueqing had stood up straight, her face still pale, but her eyes had returned to their usual calmness, as if the brief gaffe in the darkness had never happened.Only her slightly red ears revealed something unusual.

“Thermos, give me one,” she said, her tone returning to its usual simplicity.

Ye Qiulan did not refuse anymore and handed her the hot water bottle on the ground that Ling Xuequing had mentioned before.This time Ling Xueqing received it very steadily.

The two picked up the thermos bottle again and walked down the last flight of stairs one after another.No one said anything more.But the brief touch in the darkness just now, and the vague coolness and throbbing that remained on the skin of the wrist, were like the ripples caused by a stone thrown into a deep pool, spreading silently and in circles in the silent corridor and between the two people.

When I walked to the door on the first floor, it was completely dark outside.The street lights turned on, casting a halo of yellow light on the wet ground.

“Teacher Zhao is on the top floor, I can just go up by myself.” Ling Xueqing stopped, turned to Ye Qiulan and said, “Thank you for the candy and biscuits.”

“You’re welcome.” Ye Qiulan shook his head, hesitated, and then asked, “Are you…really okay? Do you want to take a rest?”

“It’s okay.” Ling Xueqing looked at her, her eyes looking a little soft under the street lights, “Go back quickly.”

After she finished speaking, she took the hot water bottle and turned around and walked into the side door leading to the staff dormitory on the top floor.The figure quickly disappeared into the dim stairwell.

Ye Qiulan stood there, looking at the closed door, and then looked down at his wrist.The touch and temperature of Ling Xueqing’s fingertips seemed to still remain there.

The evening breeze blew by, carrying the coolness of night dew.She slowly exhaled, picked up the remaining thermos bottle, and walked towards her dormitory building.The sour mess in my heart that had been lingering all afternoon quietly loosened up at some point, and was replaced by a more complex and elusive emotion, heavy, but with a hint of secret and faint sweetness, falling in my heart.