Offense - Chapter 12
Chapter 12
The range hood was off, only the exhaust fan on the wall rumbled. The room had a low ceiling, making it feel a bit cramped, and the light was dim without the lamp on. The exhaust fan's window faced the small alley, and from time to time, the sound of bicycle wheels rolling past could be heard. Some kid from the neighborhood was skipping their afternoon nap.
At the table, Zhou Yanqian had piled all the meat dishes in front of Lian Wan, while she herself faced the vegetable dishes, picking at her rice as if counting the grains.
She ate so little that Lian Wan felt too embarrassed to take any of the other food, resorting to eating plain white rice. After chewing for a while, she even found a faint sweetness in her mouth.
The food on the serving plates had barely been touched. Zhou Yanqian noticed and picked up a large pork rib, placing it in Lian Wan's bowl. "Eat more," she said. "Otherwise, it would take me a whole week to finish all this by myself."
Her relaxed way of speaking left Lian Wan in a daze, and she blurted out, "Then why did you make so much?" The moment the words were out, she wanted to bite her tongue off.
Watching Lian Wan attack the pork rib with a look of grim determination, the cold expression on her face vanished. It was as if a fog had lifted, and she became vivid and real right before her. Zhou Yanqian smiled faintly. "I was used to being busy. Now that I have free time, I just want to find things to do. I like to cook, but I can't eat that much. That's the one downside of living alone."
"Oh," Lian Wan replied, chiming in as if to make up for her blunder. "It's the same for me at home. I usually just make noodles."
"How do you usually make them?" The woman propped her chin on her hand and looked over with great interest.
"I fry two eggs, then boil water for the noodles, and add some greens."
"What about meat?"
"I'll buy some cooked meat on my way home."
"You don't stir-fry anything?"
"No."
"So you only eat noodles?"
"Pretty much."
"Such a routine arrangement."
"Yeah." Lian Wan tossed the bone she'd finished into the trash can by her feet. "I don't have the energy to do much. When I have free time, all I want to do is rest."
"How old are you this year?" Zhou Yanqian asked suddenly, looking thoughtful.
"Twenty-two."
She seemed to sigh. "So young, yet you live like such an old-timer."
Only a few mouthfuls of rice were left in her bowl. Lian Wan lifted it and mumbled, "It's too tiring."
The woman across from her said nothing more, simply picking up a large piece of braised pork and placing it in her bowl.
The portions were large, so even with Zhou Yanqian piling food onto her plate as if force-feeding a duck, more than half was left after they finished. Zhou Yanqian packed the leftovers into food containers one by one and put them in the nearby refrigerator. Lian Wan helped her clear the table, carrying the dishes to the sink.
Zhou Yanqian took out an apron and gestured for her to step aside.
"I'll help you," Lian Wan said. She had already washed her hands before the meal. She made a show of presenting her clean hands and forearms before proactively pulling on a pair of rubber gloves.
A hint of a smile touched the corners of the woman's eyes as she looked at her. She seemed to want to say something, her lips parting slightly, but in the end, she just lowered her head, held the apron open, and said softly, "Then turn around a little."
Lian Wan faced away from her and felt her hands circle her waist to tie the knot at her back.
The touch was extremely light, as if hovering in mid-air.
They were so close that Lian Wan could feel the soft, cool puff of breath on her neck. She realized then that Zhou Yanqian's body temperature ran low; the skin on her shoulder was as smooth and gentle as cool jade. Leaning in like this on a scorching summer day made one want to reach out and hold her tight.
-If she just lowered her head a little, she could kiss her forehead.
The thought leaped into her mind, and Lian Wan's back went rigid. She hardly dared to look down at her.
A few agonizing seconds passed. Zhou Yanqian let go. "All right."
She added jokingly, "Wash them well. I'll be right here supervising."
The supervision was just a joke, of course. While Lian Wan was washing the dishes, there seemed to be a knock at the door. Zhou Yanqian went to check and returned holding half a watermelon.
The water splashed noisily. Lian Wan turned her head for a look.
"My mom brought it over." Zhou Yanqian stood beside her, taking a dry cutting board from the dish rack and reaching for a knife. "It's still cool. Let's have some for dessert."
Using the sound of the running water as cover, Lian Wan didn't speak. She silently scrubbed the dishes in her hands. Even through the gloves, she felt the water flowing over the back of her hands, as if her drenched hands could never be wiped clean.
While they were eating the watermelon, she finally couldn't hold back any longer and voiced the question that had been nagging at her. "Do your parents live here too?"
After speaking, she stared at the woman across from her without blinking.
Zhou Yanqian was spitting watermelon seeds onto a napkin, her face half-covered. Everything she did seemed to have an effortless elegance. She didn't seem surprised by Lian Wan's question and simply said, "They retired and moved back a few years ago. They live nearby now."
But Lian Wan pressed, "Where?"
Zhou Yanqian named a place. It was near the alley from that morning.
"I go home to stay sometimes," she explained.
Lian Wan said, "Oh," and fell silent.
The watermelon was very sweet; whoever brought it must have chosen it carefully. But in her mouth, it tasted indescribably dry.
After they finished the watermelon, Lian Wan got up to leave. She had forgotten to park her truck in the shade, and now the driver's seat was as hot as a steamer. The sun was high in the sky, making Lian Wan feel dizzy. As she backed out, she saw in her rearview mirror that Zhou Yanqian was still standing in the same spot.
Her figure grew smaller and smaller in the distance until, with a turn, she disappeared from view.
All of a sudden, Lian Wan felt that she had never truly understood her.
As if to give her time to cool down, the two didn't see each other for the next few days.
On WeChat, Zhou Yanqian complained to Lian Wan that she still hadn't finished the braised pork from the other day and told Lian Wan to take some back to have with her noodles.
Lian Wan had originally agreed, but she was sent on a last-minute trip for a big job and had to stay in a hotel in the county for a few days.
It was the middle of the night when she returned, and the light in the hallway was broken again. Lian Wan's whole body felt like it was falling apart, and her head throbbed with a dull ache. After getting inside, she only had enough energy to change out of her dirty clothes before collapsing onto the bed and falling asleep without even showering.
She slept dreamlessly and woke up at noon. The deep sleep after her exhaustion hadn't been refreshing. Her head still ached dully. She got up to take a shower, only to find the water heater seemed to be broken too; it would ignite, but no hot water came out. Unable to contain her frustration, she cursed under her breath and put a kettle on to boil. While waiting for the water, she received a call from Zhou Yanqian.
Over the phone, the woman's voice was as composed and languid as ever, carrying what could even be described as a charming weariness. "Lian Wan, do you know how to get to the swimming pool in town?"
Lian Wan was tying up her hair, holding the phone between her shoulder and ear. She couldn't help but listen intently to the voice on the other end, though her reply was curt and cool. "I do."
"Is it far?" the voice on the phone asked.
"A fifteen-minute drive."
"I see." Zhou Yanqian's reply sounded a little disappointed by the distance. "All right, then. You're busy, I won't bother you."
Lian Wan finished tying her hair, and her headache seemed to ease a bit. Hearing her words, she couldn't help but soften and asked one more question, "What's wrong? Do you want to go?"
She added, "I'm back. I'm home now."
After saying that, she paused reservedly, waiting for the other's reaction.
She wasn't disappointed. The voice on the other end was indeed full of pleasant surprise. "Really? You're done with work?"
"Yeah, I have a few days off."
"Good. Get some rest." Lian Wan hoped she would ask something of her, something that would give her the courage to look her in the eye again. But Zhou Yanqian didn't mention the swimming pool again. Instead, she asked considerately, "You must be exhausted, right? I made some soup. Do you want some?"
"It's a new recipe I learned online, cordyceps flower and chicken soup. I restrained myself this time and didn't make too much. It's just enough for one meal."
"So? Are you coming?"
The water had boiled, but Lian Wan had no desire to get it. Zhou Yanqian's voice brought her a sense of belated comfort, more relaxing and effective than a hot shower would have been. She pressed her lips together, gazing at the shadows cast by the balcony railing. Without saying yes or no, she just asked, "Are you at the store now?"
"I am."
The person sitting on the edge of the bed hesitated, but finally couldn't hold back. She lowered her voice. "...I'll take a shower first, then I'll come find you. It's still too hot now. Later, when the sun isn't so strong, I'll take you to the swimming pool..."
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