To Covet (GL) - Chapter 86

Stepping back into this house after more than half a month, I habitually scanned the environment, finding it both familiar and strange.

Nothing had changed.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, the few people who were chatting fell silent instantly.

“You’re here?” Shi Yunya didn’t even look up. “Sit down and eat.”

I greeted her, moved a chair, and sat a little closer to Yu Zhouwan.

Shi Yunya and Yu Hanyang both looked up at us simultaneously, then went back to scrolling through their phones as if nothing had happened.

“Remember to check if you have everything—your documents and the exchanged cash. Keep them somewhere you can always see and reach them.”

“I checked, I have everything,” Yu Zhouwan replied. “I’ve contacted Professor Sheng. I’ll stay at her place for a few days after I land, and then look for an apartment to rent.”

“Mhm,” Shi Yunya replied perfunctorily. “I’ll drive you.”

“Aren’t you very busy with the company lately?”

“I can spare half a day; it won’t hurt,” she replied. “Your dad is coming too, to help with the luggage.”

“Actually, there isn’t much to carry.”

…

While I picked at the rice in my bowl with one hand, I retracted my other hand under the table and quietly reached toward Yu Zhouwan. I happened to touch her fingertips and immediately tried to pull back, but she grabbed my hand and placed it on her thigh.

In my peripheral vision, I saw her profile very close to me. Her expression hadn’t changed at all; she continued to listen to her parents’ nag about precautions, her eyelashes like birds perched on a branch, occasionally fluttering their wings. I tried to withdraw my hand, but she gripped it even tighter.

“Wanwan, have you considered changing your major?”

“Forget it. Anyway, it’s your own time you’re wasting; no one will regret it for you when the time comes.”

Hearing Shi Yunya yield for the first time in a confrontation over a decision, I couldn’t help but turn to look at Yu Zhouwan. She remained silent, calmly dealing with the criticism.

“If you need money, just ask me or your mom. We’ll send it to you. After all, it’s not appropriate to trouble others with money matters, especially Professor Sheng. Even though your mom is on good terms with her, it’s a matter of saving face,” Yu Hanyang didn’t miss the chance to chime in with advice.

“Of course, most importantly, Yu Zhouwan, remember this: I told you I’m sending you abroad to study to broaden your horizons and gain experience, not to let you pick up bad habits of spending money like others, and certainly not to let you forget basic rules of conduct,” Shi Yunya laid down the final judgment.

“I know.”

Yu Zhouwan agreed without hesitation. I wondered if she had even processed what Shi Yunya specifically said.

“At least one video call a week.” It wasn’t a request; she was commanding Yu Zhouwan. “You must answer when I call. You aren’t allowed to leave a message unreplied for more than three hours, understand?”

“Okay.”

“Remember to tell me your return date for winter and summer breaks in advance. I’ll buy the tickets for you.”

I slipped into my room. There were no signs that my things had been touched. The only addition was a sketchbook tucked under the books at the head of the bed, sandwiched between many draft papers and test papers. If I hadn’t remembered the classified placement of every book, I wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

I closed the door and was just about to open the sketchbook when I felt a sudden resistance.

“Nannan,” Yu Hanyang lowered his voice intentionally. “I want to discuss something with you.”

“Mhm?” I pushed the door open slightly, leaving a gap about the width of a palm. “Go ahead.”

“Can you let me in to talk?”

“Go to the study.”

“That person is in the study,” he frowned. “It’s just between us; don’t let her hear.”

I stood by the door, unmoving. Yu Hanyang made a prayer gesture with his hands, pleading. I pretended not to see it. “Just say it here. I’m tired. I have to get up early tomorrow to take Sister to the airport.”

“Um, your mother’s things… did you bring them here?”

“No,” I said. “They’re all at the old house.”

“Next time you have a break, let’s go back together. I’ll drive you.”

I disliked how he talked around the point. I asked directly:

“Are you looking for something?”

“No, I mean, I’ll help you organize them.”

“No need, I’ve already sorted them out.”

Strange. It’s been a year, and now he suddenly thinks about organizing things?

“Then… did all of her things stay there?”

I frowned with displeasure. After the funeral, he couldn’t wait to flee as far as possible. When my uncle and grandmother wanted to talk to him privately, he had already sped off. Why was he suddenly so concerned about Yang Chun’s belongings now?

“Are you looking for something?”

“It’s not exactly a thing,” he took another step forward. I leaned against the door to keep him out. He looked a bit anxious. “Your mother left a sum of money for you. Have you touched it?”

“What money? I’ve never heard of it,” I denied flatly. “When we closed her accounts, all the cards were handled. There was only two hundred yuan in total.”

“That’s impossible…” He scratched his head. “Nannan, it’s not that Dad wants your money. After all, your mom left that for you, and you’ll have a lot of expenses starting university soon. Since you don’t know about it… then that money is just going to waste? It’s a few hundred thousand…”

“No one told me.”

I knew nothing about this. I didn’t believe my grandmother or uncle would pocket it secretly, but if Yu Hanyang was telling the truth… where did all that money go?

“How do you know she had hundreds of thousands?”

“How would I know? It was just…”

Shi Yunya walked out of the study and gave him a suggestive look. Yu Hanyang immediately turned and followed her.

I leaned against the study door for a while but heard nothing. I shrunk back into my room to process the news Yu Hanyang had revealed.

If Yang Chun really had such a large sum of money, where would she hide it? Besides, she was always someone who spent money as soon as she had it. A balance of hundreds of thousands must have been given by someone else.

It couldn’t be Shi Yunya… I couldn’t help but guess randomly at all possible people, planning to ask Lu Xiaoting if she knew anything when I had the chance.

After washing up, I read for a bit. When it was time to sleep, I lay in bed tossing and turning.

Buzz. The phone I had forgotten between the pages of my book suddenly vibrated.

“Asleep?” Yu Zhouwan asked.

Since knowing that Shi Yunya would monitor her phone periodically, we had tacitly reduced the frequency of messaging on virtual networks, even skipping basic greetings. Although Yu Zhouwan had taught me to use Telegram, she could find me immediately when needed without much communication.

“No, can’t sleep.”

“What are you doing then?”

“Lying down, can’t sleep,” I replied. “Watching the videos and photos I took of Sister before, thinking about the scenes of us doing it.”

No new message came for a long time. I was preparing to settle down and sleep since I had to get up early, when I suddenly heard the door behind me open. Light footsteps approached gradually, and then a hand landed behind my ear, brushing my messy hair aside.

“Keyi,” she whispered near my ear. “Keyi?”

I struggled to pretend I was already asleep because her breath tickling my ear made me want to move, and resisting that was a real test of willpower.

“Asleep?” she murmured to herself, lifting the quilt and slipping in.

The bed was a bit narrow. She gave me a shove to make some room. She turned off the bedside lamp. Before she could let out a long sigh of relief, she was suddenly pinned to the bed by a pair of hands around her waist in the dark.

“Mm…” Yu Zhouwan was startled by this sudden predatory move. She instinctively grabbed my shoulders so she wouldn’t slide off the bed. Hearing my laughter in the dark, she became exasperated and bit my hand.

“Hiss—it hurts!” I shivered.

Yu Zhouwan was startled and hurried to turn on the light, only to see a faint tooth mark on my hand that was almost invisible.

And the mischievous smirk of success on my face.

“No way! I didn’t bite hard.”

“After doing it with me so many times, Sister doesn’t know I’m really afraid of pain?” I propped my hands on the sheets, trapping her in the corner, and kissed her lips. “Be gentler next time.”

“Not sleeping?” Yu Zhouwan asked me.

“I’m not sleepy. I can’t sleep at all. My head is full of things; it’s a mess. I can’t sleep, and besides, you’re not sleeping either?”

“I’m a bit nervous,” she rested her head on my shoulder. “Before, I only went abroad to play for a while. This time I’m really staying for a long time. I have to adapt to a new life, interact with strangers who speak different languages. It’ll take a long time to adjust.”

“When will you come back next time?”

Yu Zhouwan shook her head.

“Want to sleep with me? I want to spend more time with you.” I took Yu Zhouwan’s hand.

“Want to watch a movie with me?”

“What kind?” I burrowed into her arms.

“Something I like.”