Chapter 42

Wen Xihan hadn’t yet realized how much her focus had shifted. By the time she refocused, Ruan Xinyi had already stepped back, the decorative wrapping of the sunflowers rustling in her hands. That fleeting touch from before felt like nothing more than an illusion.

She took a sharp breath, lowered her head, and rubbed her fingertips together before reaching for the car door handle. “Ruan Xinyi, thank you…” for bringing me back.

“Sister…”

They spoke at the same time.

Wen Xihan pressed her lips together and gazed at Ruan Xinyi, signaling for her to continue.

Noticing how Wen Xihan deliberately ignored the brief kiss from earlier, Ruan Xinyi hid her disappointment. She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “Can you help me carry some things? I went back to my dorm today to pack, and the trunk is a bit full.”

In truth, the trunk wasn’t exactly overflowing, but for one person, it was a bit much—she would have to make several trips to get everything inside.

In Wen Xihan’s mind, Ruan Xinyi had always been the pampered young lady of the Ruan family—delicate, soft-bodied, and never having done any heavy lifting. So when Ruan Xinyi made this slightly unreasonable request, Wen Xihan only hesitated for two seconds before agreeing.

Even though she asked for help, Ruan Xinyi was too embarrassed to let Wen Xihan carry anything too heavy. She handed her only moderately sized items while she herself handled the bulkier ones. After a few trips, only one storage box remained in the trunk.

It was filled with academic books—by far the heaviest item.

Seeing Ruan Xinyi about to lift the storage box, Wen Xihan stepped forward to help.

With Wen Xihan’s assistance, Ruan Xinyi immediately felt the load lighten. She glanced at the few steps leading to the entrance and exchanged a look with Wen Xihan. Without speaking, they instinctively coordinated and carried the box up together.

Straightening up, Ruan Xinyi exhaled deeply and sincerely thanked Wen Xihan. “Thank you, Sister. If I were alone, I really wouldn’t have known what to do.”

Wen Xihan pressed her lips together and gave Ruan Xinyi a deep look. “Do you have anything left in the car?”

Balling one hand into a loose fist, Ruan Xinyi playfully knocked her waist as if stretching. She checked the trunk once more, retrieved the bouquet of sunflowers from the back seat, and then locked the car. In a few quick steps, she climbed the stairs. “That’s everything.”

Wen Xihan gave an almost imperceptible nod and bent down again to help carry the storage box into the elevator with Ruan Xinyi.

Before long, they reached the floor.

Wen Xihan helped carry the storage box to the apartment entrance.

Ruan Xinyi pressed her fingerprint to unlock the door. Without thinking, she nudged the box with her foot, causing its small wheels to spin and smoothly roll inside.

“…”

Wen Xihan stared at the storage box, her expression unreadable. After a few seconds, her gaze shifted to Ruan Xinyi. When they had been carrying the box earlier, she hadn’t exerted much force—the weight had been mostly on Ruan Xinyi’s side. And this box had wheels…

Yet Ruan Xinyi seemed oblivious, pushing the door open wider with a bright smile. “Thank you, Sister. Would you like to come in for some water?”

Wen Xihan withdrew her gaze and replied with an ambiguous, “That bottle of water… was left in the car.”

Ruan Xinyi laughed nonchalantly and became even more eager in her invitation. “It’s just a bottle of water. I’ll pour you a warm one.”

After a brief moment of consideration, Wen Xihan nodded and stepped inside. “I’ll trouble you, then.”

“It’s no trouble at all.” Ruan Xinyi said cheerfully. She bent down and, in just a few swift movements, pushed all the packed items into the guest room.

As Wen Xihan watched Ruan Xinyi’s smooth, efficient movements, her gaze lingered for two seconds on the exposed curve of her waist—particularly on the faintly visible, well-defined lines of her abdomen. Her eyes darkened slightly before she casually averted her gaze.

Perhaps she needed to redefine her impression of Ruan Xinyi’s “delicate and soft” nature.

That night, though the lights had been off, the sensation in her hands couldn’t have been wrong—this little troublemaker had abs.

After finishing, Ruan Xinyi washed her hands and walked toward the bar counter, asking with enthusiasm, “Sister, do you like milk?”

Wen Xihan’s eyes drifted to the vase in the living room, where the lisianthus flowers were already wilting. She answered flatly, “Occasionally.”

“I see.” Ruan Xinyi nodded thoughtfully. She took a carton of milk and placed it in the microwave to heat. Then, she retrieved two cocktail shakers from the cabinet. First, she poured in some cream and shook it until it was lightly whipped. Then, she mixed in the heated milk. Lastly, she grabbed some cheese foam and fructose from the fridge, shaking them together for a few minutes before finally pulling out a bottle of aged baijiu.

Estimating Wen Xihan’s taste preferences, Ruan Xinyi added a little baijiu to the mix, poured it into a specialized glass, and topped it with a layer of sweet and tangy cheese foam. She inserted a straw and slid the drink toward Wen Xihan. “Try it, Sister?”

“You made this yourself again?”

Wen Xihan sat on the high chair by the counter, rotating the glass in her hands, momentarily unsure whether to call this a milk tea or a cocktail.

The initial scent was strong with milk, carrying the distinctive savory aroma of cheese. After the milky notes faded, the aged baijiu’s mellow fragrance emerged. The two blended in the air, seemingly fermenting into something more complex and intriguing the longer she inhaled.

“Not exactly.” Ruan Xinyi poured herself a cup as well. Dissatisfied with the alcohol content, she added another small measure of baijiu, stirring it with a straw before explaining, “I once had a milk-based cocktail and modified it to suit my own taste.”

A glint of mischief flashed in her eyes as she added, “You’re the first to try it, Sister.”

Wen Xihan took a sip. The initial taste was dominated by creamy milk, followed by a smooth texture with a faint hint of alcohol. The combination of cheese’s salty sweetness made it seem like an ordinary milk cocktail at first, but as she swallowed, the aged baijiu’s deep aroma slowly unfurled, overtaking the milky notes and lingering on her palate.

“Not bad.” Wen Xihan gave her evaluation.

Ruan Xinyi bit her straw, her eyes curving with delight. “I’m glad you like it.”

“You really enjoy drinking?” Wen Xihan adjusted her straw slightly. Ruan Xinyi had added a generous amount of cheese foam to her drink, and where it met the liquid, some had begun to dissolve, making the flavor even richer and creamier.

"It can't really be called 'liking'." Ruan Xinyi pursed her lips, licking away the milky residue on them. "I just enjoy tinkering with these things."

"You could say it's a hobby."

Hearing Ruan Xinyi describe bartending as a hobby, Wen Xihan's eyes flashed with slight surprise. Her thin lips parted slightly as she spoke in a low voice, "I thought you liked drinking."

Wen Xihan recalled that Ruan Su was very fond of alcohol. Back when she stayed with the Ruan family, she often saw Ruan Su drinking red wine alone at night after returning from work.

At that time, Ruan Ruan was still young, and after running into her a few times, Ruan Su, afraid of setting a bad example, started taking her drinks to the study.

Wen Xihan had once assumed that Ruan Su truly enjoyed drinking. She had even asked her about it once. Even now, she still remembered Ruan Su's response:

"I don't like it. Alcohol isn't a good thing. But sometimes, it is."

Ruan Su didn't actually like drinking; she just liked the hazy, dizzy feeling that came with being drunk.

And that feeling—only alcohol could bring it.

Years later, when Wen Xihan was alone abroad, she gradually came to understand it, too.

"At first, one does not understand the song; upon hearing it again, one has already become part of it."

Ruan Xinyi chuckled softly. "I'm alright. I don't drink often. But having a little at night helps me sleep."

Wen Xihan nodded in agreement and finished the last sip in her glass. She stood up, ready to leave. "Thanks, I should head back now."

Ruan Xinyi got up to see her off. The light at the entrance cast a soft glow on her profile, making her look especially gentle. "Get some rest early, Sister."

"Mhm." One foot already inside, Wen Xihan didn't look back. Her tone remained distant and calm. "You too."

A smile spread uncontrollably across Ruan Xinyi's face as she warmly said, "Good night, Sister~"

The only response she received was the quiet sound of the door closing.

Feeling content, Ruan Xinyi tidied up the bar counter. She replaced the withered lisianthus in the vase with sunflowers. Just as she was about to grab her nightwear and head for a bath, her phone rang—the ringtone specifically set for her mother.

She quickly tossed her clothes onto the bed, grabbed her phone, and answered, "Hello, Mom~"

"Are you coming home tonight?"

Ruan Xinyi glanced at the time and instinctively replied, "I was planning to."

The next second, she immediately corrected herself, "Ah, sorry, Mom! I just had a bit to drink, so I can't drive. How about I come back tomorrow morning instead?"

Ruan Su let out a faint, unreadable "Mhm." After a brief pause, she added, "Then come back for breakfast tomorrow."

"Alright," Ruan Xinyi agreed quickly, but her mind was already racing, trying to decipher what her mother really meant.

Breakfast...

So, did that mean she wanted to eat her cooking?

It seemed that the chicken soup she had simmered that afternoon had made an impression.

Determined to keep up the effort, Ruan Xinyi got up extra early the next morning. Before Ruan Su woke up, she had already prepared a lavish breakfast.

She carefully set out seafood porridge, steamed shrimp dumplings, thin pancakes, cold-dressed seaweed, and about ten chicken soup wontons on the table.

Aunt Zhou and Uncle Cheng stood to the side, showering her with praise.

Feeling a little embarrassed, Ruan Xinyi untied her apron and softly told them, "I saved a portion of everything in the pot," before dashing upstairs to call Ruan Su for breakfast.

In the kitchen, Aunt Zhou handed a bowl and chopsticks to Uncle Cheng, then lowered her voice and curiously asked, "Old Cheng, do you think the young miss is in love?"

Hearing this, Uncle Cheng furrowed his brows and carefully recalled recent events. Then, with a heavy thud, he slammed his chopsticks down. Even his graying beard trembled with anger as he growled, "I'd like to see which blind fool dares to take our young miss! Never mind the miss herself—I'll be the first to break that scoundrel's legs!"

Aunt Zhou sighed meaningfully. "And what if the miss finds out?"

Uncle Cheng was momentarily speechless, then let out a cold snort. "If he's really a scoundrel, I'll still break his legs!"

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