Chapter 33: Awkward Encounters and Unspoken Bonds

Su Yubai, hearing a noise at the door, turned, but saw only a half-open door, no one there.

Removing her earphones, she caught hurried footsteps fading, followed by a slam—the front door shut.

She looked away, put her earphones back on, and changed clothes.

Jiang Yule rushed home, checked a map, and found a subway station nearby, just two stops from HKU.

Quickly changing and packing her school essentials, she glanced at Su Yubai’s door as she left—no sign of it opening.

Heading to the subway, she messaged Su Yubai: [Sister Yubai, busy today, heading to school first.]

Quick reply: [Okay.]

On the subway, Su Yingying messaged: [Express should arrive soon~ Home?]

[Not home, maybe leave it at the door? Should be fine.]

[Doesn’t my sis live across from you?]
[Yeah, why?]

[Just wondering how you two get along~]

Flashing to certain scenes, Jiang Yule replied: [Alright.]

[Cool, no prying. Get ready for a surprise at home.]
[Thanks, Princess Yingying~~]

[Oh, I found out why my sis fought with Dad recently.]
[Why?]

[Heard she had a shot at becoming dean, in the evaluation phase, but she suddenly left for Hong Kong. Dad was pissed.]

Understandable—Su Kaihua, still just a vice-dean, hadn’t made dean yet.
His daughter, with her academic achievements, had a chance but ditched it.
No wonder he was restless.

Sure, Su Yubai’s rise to dean was inevitable, but why come to Hong Kong now, at this critical moment?

Just for a project with Professor Qiao?

At school, Jiang Yule found Ji Zizhen’s group office.

Spacious, well-equipped, with a tea room, it could fit 20 people working.

Several peers were there.
“Senior’s here~”
“Morning, Junior~”

“Morning, everyone~”

Ji Zizhen waved from a window desk.
“Junior, over here.”

Spotting an empty desk opposite, Jiang Yule asked, “Senior, I sit here?”

“Yup.”

“Sweet.”
She set up her laptop, mouse, and cup.

Catching Ji Zizhen waving, she walked over, seeing the embroidery she wanted.

Heart leaping, eyes curving, she said, “Thanks, Senior! How much? I’ll transfer.”

Ji Zizhen waved it off.
“My sister said it’s cheap, a welcome gift~”

No way she’d accept that.
Shaking her head, Jiang Yule said, “That’s too much. If you don’t charge, I won’t dare ask for help again.”

Seeing her resolve, Ji Zizhen relented.
“She said 500 HKD.”

So cheap?
Blinking, Jiang Yule asked, “Really?”

“Really, why would I lie?”

Grinning, she said, “Alright, send me the account number.”

After transferring, she admired the double-sided embroidery—stunning.

Thinking of Su Yubai, she recalled her paper, with only the final section left.

But if she finished it entirely, would Su Yubai think she was fishing for authorship?

After pondering, she sent the empirical, theoretical, and hypothesis sections.

[Sister Yubai, anything need tweaking?]

Opening her own paper, a green bubble popped up soon.

Su Yubai: [Got it, I’ll review and send back.]

So formal.
Her lashes flickered.

Near lunch, Ji Zizhen asked where she wanted to eat.

“Cafeteria.”

Too hot—cafeteria was easiest.

They ate light dishes.
Turning, Jiang Yule spotted a familiar figure.

Whipping back, she waited for Ji Zizhen.

Ji Zizhen, done, said softly, “Junior, isn’t that Professor Su?”

Without looking, Jiang Yule sat nearby.
“You must’ve misseen, Senior. Sit, let’s eat.”

Ji Zizhen sat, glancing again, then casually said, “Thought I saw her looking this way.”

Jiang Yule’s chopsticks shook, turning instantly, but Su Yubai was just eating, head down.

Not looking.

By afternoon, no courier call came.
Thinking her phone’s spam filter blocked it, she checked—it was off.

By 6 p.m., peers dispersed.

Grabbing the embroidery, she said bye to Ji Zizhen.

“How you getting home? Want a ride?”

Checking her phone, Jiang Yule smiled.
“No need, subway’s two stops.”

“Alright, I’ll drop you at the station—it’s on my way.”

“Thanks, Senior~”

At the station, Ji Zizhen reminded, “Don’t forget tomorrow night~”

“Won’t, thanks everyone!”

Ji Zizhen had announced it in the group, venue set.
She had to go.

Taking the subway, Jiang Yule grabbed takeout.

Still no courier call.

Out of the elevator, she checked her doorstep—nothing.

No package from Su Yingying.

At home, she set the embroidery down and called Su Yingying.

“Yingying, sure the package arrived?”

“Yep, says signed for.”

Seeing the screenshot, Jiang Yule confirmed it.

“Wrong address maybe?”

“No way. Maybe my sister signed for it?”

Very possible.

“Okay, I’ll check.”

She washed her hands, watched a variety show on her tablet, and ate.

Dinner took a while.
After the episode, she tossed the takeout box by the door.

Lingering at the entrance, she finally stepped out.

Facing Su Yubai’s closed door, she took a deep breath and rang the bell.

No answer.

Guessing she wasn’t home, Jiang Yule turned to leave when—click.

Turning, she saw Su Yubai in a bath towel, drying her hair, dripping wet.

Fresh from a shower, water trailed down her collarbone…
Jiang Yule snapped her gaze up.
“Sister Yubai.”

“Hm?”

Eyes darting, she stammered, “Uh, did you get a package?”

“Got it.”
Su Yubai turned inside.

Hesitant, Jiang Yule stood at the door.

“Not coming in?”
Su Yubai didn’t turn, voice soft.

Steeling herself, Jiang Yule slipped on slippers and followed.

Su Yubai sat on the sofa, slender fingers pointing to the coffee table.
“That one?”

Following her gaze, Jiang Yule saw a small, poorly packed package, one corner exposed.

Stepping closer, she froze, cheeks flaming, fingers trembling, dropping it.

“I-I didn’t know Yingying would send this,” she stammered.

Su Yubai glanced at it—damaged packaging revealing: “Spring Tide Toy, Ultimate Experience for Wife-Wife Life.”

Unfazed, she looked away.
“It’s fine.”

Mortified, Jiang Yule wanted to disappear.
“I’ll, uh, go now.”

“Mm.”

Rushing to the door, she heard—

“Leaving it here?”

Cringing, she darted back, snatched it, and slipped out.
“Bye, Sister Yubai.”

Su Yubai watched her, eyeing her crimson ears thoughtfully.

Click—the door shut.

Home, Jiang Yule tossed the package on the sofa.

Sprawling out, she groaned, “AHHHHHHH!”

Cheeks still burning.

Shaking, she called Su Yingying.

“Su Yingying!!”

“You ruined me!”

Feigning shock, Su Yingying said, “What happened?”

“Why’d you send this?!”

“We’re adults, don’t you have normal needs?~ It’s for that.”

“I don’t need it!”

“Then get a girlfriend~”

“Don’t dodge! You did this on purpose!”

Su Yingying played dumb.
“On purpose what?”

“Left it poorly packed—your sister saw it!”

“So what? She has needs too, she’d get it.”

“You! You did it on purpose!”

Checking the package, Jiang Yule saw Su Yubai’s number on it.

Su Yingying giggled.
“My bad, my bad, just wanted to spark something between you two.”

“Stop it.”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Changing topics, “How’re you spending your birthday? With my sis?”

A question Jiang Yule had been dreading.

“Tomorrow night’s with the group. Should I invite her?”

“Nah, you forgot—she hates birthdays.”

Jiang Yule recalled Su Yubai’s first birthday back with the Su family—grand, meant to make up for lost years, but she wasn’t happy, vanishing that day.

“Then I won’t invite her.”

“Yeah, she probably doesn’t know it’s your birthday.”

Plus, two awkward moments in one day.
Jiang Yule didn’t know how to face her.

Hanging up, her phone buzzed.

Su Yubai: [Come over.]