The person beside her gradually breathed more steadily, and that reddened cheek became a little more gentle and lovely in sleep.
Dai Shiyuan carefully sat up and slowly pried open the fingers that were holding onto her wrist.
In the instant her fingertips were released, a hint of disappointment washed over her.
"Sister Yaxin, sleep well, everything will be alright." Dai Shiyuan whispered softly, leaning in to lightly touch the red lips, the force so light that it seemed like she hadn't kissed them at all.
But the softness of the lips reminded her that she had indeed made contact.
Dai Shiyuan pressed her fingers against her lips, silently laughing to herself, feeling a little better.
The sky outside had already brightened, and Dai Shiyuan glanced at the time - it was already 8 o'clock.
She quickly took a shower and, overcoming her embarrassment, washed her underwear as well.
After finishing everything, Dai Shiyuan hurried to school and began sleeping with her books open as soon as she sat down.
By the time she woke up, two morning classes had already passed.
"Shiyuan, are you okay? You don't look too good." Zuo Jia asked in a soft, concerned voice.
Dai Shiyuan shook her head, a smile appearing on her face. "I feel much better after taking a nap."
"Did you not sleep well last night?" Zuo Jia asked, puzzled.
Thinking of what happened last night, Dai Shiyuan's face turned red.
She quickly lowered her head to hide it and vaguely made up a reason to cover it up.
Dai Shiyuan should have gone back after the last class in the afternoon, but she hadn't figured out how to face Shan Yaxin yet, so she could only go to the cafeteria to eat and delay time.
"Zuo Jia, can I ask you a question?" Dai Shiyuan pursed her lips, a hint of difficulty on her face.
"Shiyuan, go ahead." Zuo Jia replied seriously.
Dai Shiyuan looked around and whispered, "After confessing and getting rejected, can you still be friends?"
"Well..." Zuo Jia blinked in confusion, unsure. "I think you can...actually, I'm not sure. Did you confess to someone and get rejected?"
"It's not me." Dai Shiyuan hurriedly shook her head, then realized her emotions were a bit agitated, and immediately calmed down, whispering, "It's a friend of mine..."
"Is it Sister Shan?" Zuo Jia asked naively.
Dai Shiyuan almost choked on her breath, her voice stuck in her throat for a moment before she finally managed to shake her head vigorously.
Zuo Jia didn't notice anything wrong and thought for a moment before saying seriously, "Shiyuan, do you want to ask other classmates who have been in relationships? Maybe they can give better advice."
"No, it's just a casual question." Dai Shiyuan quickly forced out a smile, denying the suggestion.
In fact, she already had an answer in her heart. She only spoke to Zuo Jia to vent and alleviate her inner concerns. She wasn't really at a loss.
After finishing lunch, Dai Shiyuan carried her backpack and went back.
Standing at the door, she hesitated for a long time before gathering the courage to open it and go inside.
"Big sister, you're back!" Shan Xiaoqing ran over happily and hugged Dai Shiyuan, looking up with a pitiful expression. "Sister went on a business trip and asked me to listen to Big sister."
"Business trip?" Dai Shiyuan's heart skipped a beat, her excited voice uncontrollable, and her chest suddenly felt stuffy.
She had imagined all kinds of situations that would happen when they met, but she never expected Shan Yaxin to suddenly leave.
Dai Shiyuan sat on the sofa, feeling a sense of loss and discomfort in her heart.
"Don't be sad, Big sister. Sister is only going on a business trip for a month," Shan Xiaoqing consoled sensibly.
The stuffiness in Dai Shiyuan's heart became even more severe, and she felt inexplicably aggrieved.
This business trip was clearly an excuse; Shan Yaxin was just avoiding her.
Why did Shan Yaxin coldly deal with this when she had not even evaded her?
Dai Shiyuan's nose became sour, and she pursed her lips to suppress the sourness in her heart.
"Sister has arranged everything, and there will be a housekeeper coming to cook for us every day. As long as we behave, Sister will come back early," Shan Xiaoqing happily said, her eyes full of hopeful expectations.
Dai Shiyuan smiled and reached out to touch Shan Xiaoqing's head, whispering, "When did your Sister leave?"
"She left a while ago, and Big sister came back soon after. If Big sister had come back earlier, she could have seen Sister," Shan Xiaoqing pouted in disappointment.
Dai Shiyuan felt a pain in her heart when she heard this.
If she hadn't eaten that lunch at school, she would have been able to see Shan Yaxin.
"Do you know where your Sister went on a business trip? Did she take the train or a plane?" Dai Shiyuan asked anxiously, her voice hoarse.
Shan Xiaoqing was a little scared and shook her head in confusion, her big eyes filled with fear.
Dai Shiyuan realized that she had become too emotional and quickly let go of her hand, "I'm sorry, I seem to have..."
She couldn't say the rest of her words, so she swallowed them.
"Sister said she's busy during this time and not to call her. She might be too busy to answer the phone," Shan Xiaoqing said cautiously.
Dai Shiyuan's heart tightened, and she forced a bitter smile and answered quietly.
She hoped that Shan Yaxin could move on and not cling to this relationship that had no future.
But when Shan Yaxin decided to distance herself from Dai Shiyuan, it was Dai Shiyuan who felt uncomfortable. Dai Shiyuan stood up, her eyes lifeless, and returned to her room to lie down.
Her mind was hazy and she couldn't fall asleep, with only images of Shan Yaxin confessing her love with red eyes filling her mind.
If she had agreed back then, would she still feel so sad and miserable now...
Dai Shiyuan closed her eyes and let the tears flow from the corners of her eyes.
Perhaps it was time for her to try to let go of this relationship over the past month.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's note: There will be no updates today, but I will write a little more tomorrow. Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution from 23:38:59 on July 19, 2021, to 22:51:37 on July 20, 2021.
Translator's note: Sigh... You can't forget her, for sure! I told myself the same thing before trying to let go, but what happened? I still think of them like an idiot.
TO BE CONTINUE...