Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 133
by Little PandaAn Interesting, Cute, and Compatible Soul
Before they had even taken more than a few sips of tea, Yu Shengnan’s words dropped like a bombshell.
Liu Yiyi swallowed nervously. “Is there a story there?”
Yan Xi looked at her as well, hoping she would go on.
Yu Shengnan smiled faintly, her eyes fixed on the tea in her cup. This was the scented tea Eldest Sister-in-law had brewed—steeped black tea bags mixed with coconut milk and finished with a touch of rock sugar. The steaming aroma of tea blended with the sweet scent of coconut milk; having a cup in the winter warmed a person to their very core.
Yu Shengnan was generous and easygoing, a popular woman who got along with everyone, yet she had never really had any close confidants.
After marrying Yan Yinan, she had been surprised to find how lovely his family was. She had felt an instinctive pull to draw closer to them; it was such a harmonious, joyful, and affectionate household.
“She was my classmate in junior high,” Yu Shengnan said. “We were placed in the same class in our first year. She was a petite, slender girl. Even after all these years, I still remember the first time I saw her. She was so fair-skinned, wearing a Donald Duck T-shirt. She was an excellent student, and we used to hang out all the time.”
“I didn’t think much of it at first, but then suddenly…” Yu Shengnan paused, the smile on her lips deepening with nostalgia as the memories flooded back. “I just started finding her so cute. Absolutely adorable.”
Liu Yiyi and Yan Xi were clearly captivated by her story and the tone of her voice. Liu Yiyi widened her eyes and urged her to continue.
“We were so young then, but I’d already made up my mind to go to the same high school and college as her. I was pretty foolish back then too, and eventually, I couldn’t hold it in anymore and confessed to her.” Yu Shengnan took a sip of her tea before continuing, “She rejected me.”
“Why?!” Liu Yiyi blurted out. Yan Xi patted her arm, gesturing for her to be patient.
“She had heart disease. Congenital, and very severe.” Tears seemed to glint in Yu Shengnan’s eyes.
“I didn’t know at first. After she rejected me, I even gave her the cold shoulder for a long time. It was only later that I found out… Sometimes she couldn’t even make it to class. So back then, what I did most was go to her house to bring her my notes, and then we’d study together.”
“Even with all that, her grades were still better than mine. Later, she had surgery, and her health improved a bit. We ended up going to the same high school, and that’s when we officially got together.”
“That period of time was truly happy. Her health was never great, but we studied together, and I kept encouraging her, wanting her to hold on so we could go to university together…”
Both Liu Yiyi and Yan Xi had already guessed the ending. A look of sorrow and pity crossed their faces. Yu Shengnan was such a strong, easygoing person; neither of them had ever seen her vulnerable side. In their minds, she was always smiling and cheerful no matter what.
“During our third year of high school, she really couldn’t hold on anymore. I stopped going to class and just stayed by her side to keep her company. She wasn’t able to take the gaokao, but I did. She passed away before summer break even started.”
Liu Yiyi’s eyes shimmered with tears as she listened. Yan Xi exhaled a long, deep sigh.
Yu Shengnan drained the rest of the tea in her cup. Only after a few seconds did she say, “I didn’t do well on the exam that year. I had to repeat a school year1 before I finally got into my dream university.”
“So, did you choose to become a doctor because of her?” Yan Xi asked softly.
Yu Shengnan shook her head, then nodded. “I’d always wanted to be a doctor, but… it was because of her that I chose surgery. Cardiothoracic surgery.”
“During all those years in medical school, I was the most hardworking one. I didn’t dare to date at all. Every time I felt like I couldn’t keep going, I would think of her. I never cried, not once, until the first time I performed surgery. My very first operation—I remember it lasted over six hours. As soon as I finished the surgery, I burst into tears.”
Yu Shengnan took a deep breath, her eyes rimmed with red. “It was only then that I realized just how much she had suffered…”
The three of them fell into silence for a moment.
Liu Yiyi dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “Then how did you end up… liking…”
Yan Xi also looked at her in confusion. “Liking my Third Brother?”
Yu Shengnan smiled. “For many years after she left, I didn’t have a steady partner. Men or women—it didn’t matter to me. To me, gender wasn’t the issue; it was the soul inside that was important. The problem is, souls that are cute, interesting, and compatible with yours are just too rare.”
“So Yan Yinan is, to you…” Liu Yiyi found it a bit hard to believe.
“Pfft—” Yu Shengnan burst out laughing. “He’s very cute! And every time I see him, I’m always in a great mood. He’s so simple and straightforward; being with him is completely effortless. He always finds a way to make me laugh.”
Yan Xi smiled as well. “Then I can put my mind at ease.”
“Does Yan Yinan know?” Liu Yiyi asked.
“He does. I told him when he proposed. Since some men might mind, I figured I should let him know.”
“My Third Brother wouldn’t mind. He truly loves you,” Yan Xi said with absolute certainty.
“Yes, he really didn’t mind. I told him that even though she is no longer around, she will always have a place in a corner of my heart. It doesn’t mean I don’t love him, but there are times in life when I will miss her.”
“Wow, you’re so romantic,” Liu Yiyi sighed with admiration.
“Do you know what he said to me?” Yu Shengnan ran a hand through her hair, her lips curving into a wide grin. “He said that was totally fine, since he also needs some time in his life to watch adult videos…”
“Pffthahaha!” Liu Yiyi dissolved into laughter, while Yan Xi let out a series of soft chuckles.
“See? Isn’t he adorable?” Yu Shengnan laughed.
Liu Yiyi tutted. “Who would have thought? Yan Yinan is truly a lucky guy.”
Only when you truly love someone do you find their every move adorable, making you smile genuinely from the bottom of your heart.
Yan Xi smiled and added, “My Third Brother is indeed very fortunate. He used to be a bit unreliable, but after meeting you, his life is complete.”
Yu Shengnan tilted her head to look at Yan Xi, teasing, “You’re quite fortunate yourself…”
Liu Yiyi joined in with Yu Shengnan. “Exactly! Yan Xiao Wu, don’t be such an old conservative. When you weren’t in a relationship, we couldn’t really tease you about it, but now you’re different! Tell us, when did you two officially get together? Spill some details! You had me worried to death a while ago.”
Yan Xi fell silent for two seconds before replying, “We’re just together. Don’t you dare run off and gossip to Taotao.”
“Fine, if you don’t want me to gossip, that’s fine, but at least spill a little more!” Liu Yiyi grumbled sourly.
She turned to Yu Shengnan and said, “I’m telling you, I used to worry this woman would end up a nun. Now that she has finally managed to snag a young girl, shouldn’t she share some details with us?”
Hearing “snagged a young girl” made Yan Xi look incredibly embarrassed. “You two are way too nosy…”
“Alright, just answer one question then.” With their years of close friendship, Liu Yiyi knew Yan Xi was reserved yet deeply passionate down inside, so she went straight for the question she was most curious about. “Just tell us—do you have any mental barriers?”
Yan Xi knew how bold and direct Liu Yiyi could be. From her earlier “zoning theory” chat, the deeper implication of this question was blindingly obvious.
She lowered her head, trying to think of how to put it. The passionate scenes of her and Anzhi in bed the night before flashed through her mind once more.
“Auntie…”
“You’re so beautiful…”
“I want to be with you forever…”
The girl’s sweet, whispered murmurs still echoed in her ears.
Yan Xi curved her slender, pale fingers, gently tracing the smooth rim of her cup.
She had never been an active participant when it came to romance, and her high standards for partners meant she would rather remain single than settle. Over time, she had seemingly lost the ability to love, and she had long since resolved to live out her life alone.
“I’m not like you two,” Yan Xi began. “I’ve never loved anyone so deeply before. Although I’ve been in relationships, once the feelings faded, I felt no lingering attachment. In the eyes of my exes, I was probably a selfish, cold-blooded person. In love, my instinct has always been to avoid any kind of risk. But when it comes to Taotao, I can easily throw all my principles out the window for her.”
Watching her grow up, the huge age gap, being of the same sex, and a long-distance relationship across different countries…
These were all hurdles, and there would likely be many more problems and uncertainties between them that even she couldn’t foresee.
If, in a few years, Taotao grew up a bit more and stopped loving her, then “forever” would be nothing but a beautiful, fragile promise.
Yet, Yan Xi simply couldn’t help but fall for her. The moment she saw Taotao’s face, a surging tide of tender, overwhelming passion would rise in her heart, pushing all risks to the back of her mind.
“Oh…” Liu Yiyi covered her face and groaned, rubbing her arms. “I’ve got goosebumps all over.”
“It really is a bit mushy,” Yu Shengnan agreed with a nod.
Yan Xi lowered her head, her lips curving into a smile. Once she had taken the first step, it seemed there was nothing she couldn’t share. “Cough… To say I don’t feel any guilt would be a lie. She’s still so young…”
“I remember Anzhi was born in the Year of the Rabbit, so she must be twenty-two by now?” Yu Shengnan turned her head to ask Liu Yiyi.
Liu Yiyi nodded, agreeing in a deadpan tone. “Exactly. She’s twenty-two and a half. How is that ‘so young’?”
“Cough, cough… you two…” A faint blush crept onto Yan Xi’s cheeks. “No, it’s just… cough.” She paused, then continued, “Kissing her is fine, but when I try to go further… I keep remembering what she looked like as a child…”
Last night in bed, the sweet kisses, the soft body, and those repeated, soft whispers of “Auntie…”
It would’ve been fine if she didn’t call her “Auntie”—not that she disliked Taotao calling her that.
But how was she supposed to explain that feeling of bashful torment mixed with a secret, forbidden thrill…
The kind of trembling that ran through her entire body and mind…
The flush on Yan Xi’s face deepened. She bit her lower lip slightly and let out a sigh. Then, suddenly realizing what she had just said, she abruptly looked up at them.
Liu Yiyi was staring at her as if she’d seen a ghost, her hand clamped over her mouth, while Yu Shengnan pressed her lips together, trying to hold back her laughter.
Suddenly, Liu Yiyi shrieked, “Ahhhhh! Yan Xiao Wu, you shameless woman! I can’t believe you’re actually agonizing over this…”
Yan Xi: “…”
Yu Shengnan did her best to hold back her laughter. “Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Just…” She burst out laughing. “…let nature take its course.”
Liu Yiyi was still shouting, “You’re actually agonizing over how to devour little Anzhi! She’s still so young—you’re an absolute beast!”
Yan Xi felt her head throb as her face burned with heat. Letting out a long, helpless sigh, she covered her face with her hands.
Yu Shengnan doubled over with laughter.
0 Comments