Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 134

Confidence and Security

After dinner, Yan Xi and Anzhi stayed at the Yan Family Old Residence for a little while longer. When Yan Xi calmly announced that they were heading back to her apartment, Yan Yidong grumbled, “Your Eldest Brother is finally home for a day, yet you won’t even stay to chat with me a bit longer.”

Without a change in expression, Yan Xi replied, “There’s nothing to say.”

            

Ever since he was transferred to Beicheng, Yan Yidong had paid close attention to her. Since his last attempt to bring up her marriage had provoked her annoyance, he knew better than to push too hard. His little sister was no longer young, and he couldn’t meddle too much. However, the idea of her remaining single for the rest of her life was completely unacceptable in his eyes. Unable to say this directly, he could only shoot furtive glances at his wife.

Xiao Yutong caught his look, but she simply turned to Yan Xi and said, “Alright, you two head back then. It’s getting late, so drive safely.”

Yan Yidong froze. He could hardly undermine his wife. Only after Yan Xi and Anzhi had stepped out the door did he speak up: “What’s wrong with you? What happened to our unspoken understanding? Didn’t I ask you to talk some sense into Xiao Wu and get her to meet the person I set up for tomorrow?”

            

Xiao Yutong said casually, “No need. Didn’t you notice that Xiao Wu seems a bit different lately?”

Yan Yidong was baffled. “Different how?”

Xiao Yutong rolled her eyes at him. “Her whole energy is different lately. She’s in a relationship.”

            

Yan Yidong was thrilled at first, but then feared it was too good to be true. “Really?”

“Whether it’s true or not, you’ll find out in time. You’re a grown man, yet you’re obsessed with playing matchmaker all day. Aren’t you being incredibly nosy?”

Yan Yidong was so choked with irritation he could barely catch his breath.

            

Yan Xi drove Anzhi back to the apartment. Earlier at the old residence, the two of them hadn’t had any time alone. And after last night, they were even more hesitant to exchange too many glances—at least Anzhi was. She was terrified that if she looked too long, she wouldn’t be able to resist stepping forward to hug and kiss her.

Yet, now that they were home, she suddenly lost her nerve. Heading up to the second floor, she felt a wave of exhaustion and collapsed onto the sofa. Yan Xi walked into the bedroom, presumably to change.

They hadn’t spoken much in the car either, sharing only a few subtle, tender gestures.

            

Anzhi felt a little nervous. She didn’t know what two people who had just been intimate were supposed to say to each other. Did they need to talk about last night?

The moment the thought crossed her mind, her face burned. What would they even say? Ask if she had done well?

Anzhi covered her eyes. She knew next to nothing; Yan Xi had guided her through the entire thing.

            

So, what was there to talk about?

When Yan Xi walked out and met her gaze, a sudden, mutual awkwardness fell over them.

Anzhi realized she wasn’t the only one feeling shy.

            

Yan Xi stood by the bedroom door, now dressed in comfortable loungewear. Her shimmering, liquid eyes watched Anzhi quietly.

From their glances to their actions, there was a touch of ambiguous strangeness between them, a strange warmth. Yet they also felt that nothing needed to be said—they both already understood.

After a moment, Anzhi’s dimples flashed as she reached out her arms toward Yan Xi. Yan Xi let out a soft chuckle, stepped forward, and pulled her into an embrace.

            

After bathing, Anzhi curled up on the bed with her laptop to reply to emails. Yan Xi sat beside her, reading a book. The bedroom was bathed in a peaceful silence.

With the new semester just around the corner, she needed to coordinate with her research group and her advisor. She rested her head against Yan Xi’s shoulder as she typed away.

Yan Xi set her book down, looked down at her, and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her closer to make her more comfortable.

            

Anzhi wore a loose, pale pink coral fleece nightdress that Yan Xi had bought for her. It featured ruffled cuffs and a ruffled hem, with a ribbon tied into a bow at the chest, from which two fluffy, round pom-poms dangled.

A soft, cuddly pink little rabbit.

She was entirely focused, typing out specialized English terminology that Yan Xi couldn’t begin to understand, her dimples sinking deep into her cheeks. It looked exactly like when she used to do her homework so diligently as a child.

            

A spot deep in Yan Xi’s heart softened unbelievably, brimming with tender affection.

Though focused on typing, Anzhi worried that resting her head for too long would make Yan Xi’s shoulder sore. She sat up to lean against the plush pillows at the headboard, and instead draped her legs across Yan Xi’s lap, continuing to type. Perhaps because the position was so comfortable and relaxed, she even wriggled her toes a little.

The corners of Yan Xi’s mouth curled upward. She reached out and squeezed Anzhi’s foot.

            

Anzhi let out a soft mumble, her dimples deepening as she kept typing.

The girl’s feet were dainty, fair, and slightly cool to the touch. Yan Xi caressed one of them and asked, “Are your feet cold without socks?”

Anzhi shook her head. She smiled, wiggling her toes, and whispered, “That tickles…”

            

As she pulled her feet back, her nightdress slid up, exposing a stretch of her pale calf.

Yan Xi’s gaze darkened slightly. A woman’s legs were more slender and smooth than a man’s, and even among women, no two pairs were the same. She had never noticed before, but the girl’s legs looked as if they had been carved from milk-white soap. Hidden beneath the hem of her nightdress, they only made her yearn to explore further.

Yan Xi’s cheeks warmed. Her psychological barrier wasn’t the general kind of hesitation between two women that Liu Yiyi had suggested; rather, it was born from the unique, deep bond she shared with Anzhi.

            

Anzhi set her laptop aside and threw herself forward to hug her affectionately.

Yan Xi held her close. “Finished?”

Anzhi grinned and planted a kiss on her. “All finished. I want kisses.”

            

This little rabbit was becoming more clingy by the day, constantly asking for kisses—and she was only getting more endearing.

They drew close, kissing until they were both breathless. Anzhi pressed her forehead against Yan Xi’s cheek, utterly content as she inhaled deeply at Yan Xi’s collar.

A soft, cute little rabbit seeking affection.

            

Yan Xi tilted her head down to kiss her again.

The little rabbit Taotao clutched at her collar, curling up in her arms and nuzzling against her. Then, she stealthily slid her hand under the hem of Yan Xi’s shirt.

Yan Xi caught her wandering hand. A faint, mock-scolding blush bloomed on her face as she stared at her. Anzhi’s dimples showed as her face turned a deep rose, gazing back with a look full of bashful adoration.

            

Yan Xi brushed her nose against Anzhi’s and pulled her hand out, whispering, “…My period just started…”

She spoke with difficulty, her lowered eyelashes trembling with embarrassment. Anzhi’s face flushed a sudden, brilliant red, and she bit her lower lip. “I know… I saw the tampons in the bathroom cabinet.”

The blush on Yan Xi’s face spread rapidly, and she fell silent. Anzhi fell silent too.

            

Then, Anzhi burst into giggles. She absolutely loved seeing Yan Xi like this—shy, flustered, and unable to hide it. How could her Yiyi be so incredibly adorable!

Anzhi hugged her tightly, planting several quick pecks on her cheeks.

Yan Xi was still thoroughly embarrassed, but she didn’t pull away. After a moment, she gently stroked Anzhi’s soft, tender cheek. “Alright, let’s go to sleep.”

            

Anzhi murmured in agreement, and they settled down. The room was cozy and warm, and Yan Xi’s embrace was warm and soft. Just like always, she gently stroked Anzhi’s hair to lull her to sleep.

Anzhi blinked sleepily, a deep, heavy sense of happiness washing over her.

She would be returning to the United States in a few days. Even though they’d soon be separated by a vast ocean once more, she didn’t feel distressed, nor did Yan Xi show any reluctance. From Liu Yiyi, Anzhi had learned that Yan Xi and her ex had broken up because of going abroad, so at least she didn’t have to worry about this.

            

She knew Yan Xi still had her reservations, but that was fine. She was more than willing to wait. After last night, she had more than enough confidence.

Wrapped in Yan Xi’s arms, Anzhi soon drifted off to sleep.

The remaining days flew by. During the day, Yan Xi went to work, and at noon, Anzhi would go find her for lunch. Sometimes they’d go shopping, catch a movie, or head to the supermarket to buy groceries.

            

Yan Xi’s culinary skills were still no match for Anzhi’s, so she’d play the helper by her side. They were like conjoined twins—sometimes quiet, sometimes talking for hours. Even the most mundane things were filled with sweet, deep affection when they did them together.

A few days later, Anzhi reluctantly headed back to the United States.

She returned to Boston. This historic yet modern city had plummeted to minus ten-odd degrees¹ Celsius this winter. While the temperature itself wasn’t much different from Beicheng’s, the blizzards were far worse—at their peak, the snow drifts reached up to a person’s knees.

            

During her first few days back, she was struggling with jet lag while facing a demanding research schedule. After staying up for two consecutive nights, she inadvertently caught a cold.

It wasn’t severe at first—just some sneezing and a stuffy nose—so she didn’t call or video chat. Besides, with the year coming to an end, Yan Xi was incredibly busy as well.

Yet, by the day of New Year’s Eve back in China, her symptoms had taken a turn for the worse. She was shivering with chills, her head felt heavy, and her limbs went weak.

            

Forcing herself to get through a video call with her family, she immediately collapsed onto her bed the second it ended.

A short while later, Yan Xi requested a private video call, but Anzhi declined it.

“Are you not feeling well? Your complexion looked a bit off,” Yan Xi sent a voice message to ask.

            

“It’s nothing, I’m just tired,” Anzhi typed back with difficulty, touching her forehead. She was definitely running a fever.

She felt miserable. When people are sick, their negative emotions tend to spike. With the festive, joyous atmosphere of the Spring Festival wrapping up everyone back home, she didn’t want to spoil the mood. Bundled in her quilt, Anzhi felt down for a little while before falling asleep.

The next morning, she woke up still looking exceptionally pale. She had a headache, chills, and a sore throat. She called her advisor to ask for a day off, then reached out to a girl living on her dormitory floor to ask if she could pick up some medicine for her.

            

A new student, a half-Chinese, half-Japanese girl who’d recently moved into the dormitory, saw how awful she looked and kindly brought back a bowl of porridge for her.

After eating the porridge and taking the medicine, Anzhi pulled the covers over her head and went back to sleep.

She lost track of how long she slept, but she still felt terrible upon waking. The medicine from her dormitory mate didn’t seem to be working. Anzhi was at a loss; she didn’t even dare to take a shower. She checked her phone; she hadn’t contacted Yan Xi all day, and Yan Xi hadn’t messaged her either.

            

At this, Anzhi felt even more aggrieved. She sniffled a few times, then told herself not to be so childish. Having no appetite, she forced down a few sips of water and buried herself back under the blankets.

This sleep lasted until the following afternoon. Waking up in a daze, she finally couldn’t stand going without a shower any longer. She dragged herself to the bathroom to give herself a sponge bath and change into clean clothes.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

            

The moment she opened the door, Anzhi froze in place, then immediately threw herself forward to embrace the person standing there.

Yan Xi looked slightly worn out, but the smile on her lips was still thick with tenderness. A small suitcase stood by her leg.

A chaotic mix of shock, joy, and sorrow swelled in Anzhi’s chest. “Why did you come?” she asked, her voice soft and trembling.

            

Yan Xi walked into the room, keeping her arm around her as she carefully studied her face. “How could I leave you to spend the New Year all alone? Besides, you looked so pale on the call…”

“But, how did you…” Yan Xi was supposed to be completely swamped before the New Year, and finding a direct flight during the holiday rush was next to impossible.

“Mmh, it wasn’t too bad. I had to transfer flights,” Yan Xi murmured. She frowned slightly and pressed her hand against Anzhi’s forehead. “You really are sick…”

            

Anzhi’s nose stung, and her vision instantly blurred with tears as a sob caught in her throat.

“Alright, darling, don’t cry. I’m here.”

Yan Xi’s unique scent enveloped her completely. From Yan Xi, there flowed an inexhaustible, comforting warmth that always gave her a profound sense of security.

            

Anzhi buried her face deep in Yan Xi’s embrace.

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The author has something to say:

Thank you all for your continuous support. Old Deng is not very good with words, but you little angels have always cared for and protected me. Thank you.

            

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