Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 62

Everyone in the World is Falling in Love

Once summer vacation was over, Anzhi started her second year of high school.​¹ Yan Xi had observed her for the entire break and hadn’t noticed anything unusual—at least, none of the signs of puppy love she’d been worried about. The only thing was that Anzhi was spending a bit more time on her phone.

For the nth time, Yan Xi reminded herself not to be too strict. It was normal for kids these days to date at this age. Besides, even though Anzhi was only fourteen, she was already in high school, and it couldn’t be more common for high schoolers to be in relationships.

            

Ever since Anzhi had started junior high and shot up in height, she had blossomed into a true beauty, and Yan Xi had felt an increasing sense of uncertainty and unease.

Yan Xi didn’t know if it was because she was getting older or because she’d grown so accustomed to Anzhi over the years, but she found their old dynamic from Anzhi’s childhood to be very comfortable. Perhaps it was too comfortable, which was why she was now wary of any danger that could disrupt that stability.

On one hand, she knew Anzhi had entered puberty; on the other, she wanted to remain in the same mode of interaction they’d had when Anzhi was a little girl. She often found herself staring at Anzhi’s smiling face for long stretches, marveling at how time had turned that little child into such a lovely young woman, feeling a mix of pride and a touch of loss.

            

How contradictory, Yan Xi thought, smiling with a hint of self-mockery.

Hadn’t her wish always been for Anzhi to grow up healthy and happy by her side? Whatever Anzhi liked, whatever she wanted to do, Yan Xi ought to support her.

Anzhi had recently grown another two centimetres and was now 162cm tall. She’d started by hopping in place like a little rabbit, insisting that Yan Xi mark her new height on the wall.

            

Yan Xi had been amused by her antics. She was still a child at heart.

“Barefoot. No cheating,” Yan Xi said, smiling as she held a marker pen.

Anzhi pouted, kicked off her slippers to reveal two small, fair feet, and stood against the wall, her dark, almond-shaped eyes looking up at her. Yan Xi pressed her lips together and walked over. She didn’t take off her own shoes—a pair of black-and-white gingham slides from Sam Edelman.​² Though the soles were only two or three centimetres thick, combined with her natural height, she was still a good half-head taller than Anzhi.

            

As she drew near, her scent enveloped Anzhi.

Anzhi’s body went rigid. She let their presences draw closer and closer, feeling more and more flustered.

Her gaze drifted slightly upward to Yan Xi’s lips. She wasn’t wearing any lipstick at home, and they had a natural sheen, like flower petals beaded with morning dew.

            

Anzhi’s eyes stung, and she didn’t dare look any closer. She pulled her gaze back, only for it to land on the rise and fall of Yan Xi’s chest. She was just wearing a simple white T-shirt, but the letters printed across the front were stretched taut over her curves.

Anzhi felt like she was losing control of her own eyes. Seeing Yan Xi every day wasn’t enough; sometimes she would secretly just stare into space, thinking of her. Before, when she looked at Yan Xi, she saw her as a whole person. Now, she found herself unconsciously staring at parts of her body—her lips, her eyes, her collarbones, her… chest…

Anzhi felt more and more like a pervert. She felt especially sleazy, and she hated herself for it.

            

She was afraid Yan Xi would notice, yet a hidden part of her hoped that Yan Xi might see something.

“Hm?” Yan Xi looked down at her, puzzled. She had already finished marking the wall, but Anzhi was still standing there, dazed and motionless.

Anzhi snapped back to her senses, looked away in embarrassment, and quickly changed the subject.

            

Yan Xi felt a little down. It was obvious Anzhi was deflecting. So, she was starting to have her own secrets now… While Anzhi had never been a chatterbox who shared every single thought, she had never dodged a topic with her before. And she used to act spoiled with her.

Yan Xi sighed internally. Oh, well. This is puberty… I guess a generation gap is starting to form between us.

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After the National Day holiday,​³ November arrived quickly. The weather was poor this year. Before the first snow could fall, a long spell of dreary, cold weather set in, biting and frigid.

            

But this month, the Yan Family Old Residence was celebrating a joyous occasion. It was Grandfather Yan’s 80th birthday. Unlike his usual low-key, family-only birthdays, the four Yan grandchildren wanted to throw him a proper birthday banquet. The banquet was held at the old residence. In addition to the family’s chefs, they had also invited two five-star chefs to help.

The guest list was long, including Grandfather Yan’s old army comrades and colleagues, Grandmother Yan’s former students, their friends, and the colleagues and friends of the Yan grandchildren.

They all gathered on the appointed weekend, creating a lively and bustling scene. The young people had a buffet on the first floor, while the second floor featured a health-conscious menu more suitable for the older guests. Guests moved between the two floors, greeting Grandfather and Grandmother Yan before mingling and catching up with one another.

            

Liu Yiyi was there, of course. But unlike her usual vibrant self, she seemed a bit listless and out of sorts.

“What’s wrong?” Yan Xi found a moment to walk over and ask.

“…Nothing. We just had a little fight.”

            

“Why?” Yan Xi was confused. Liu Yiyi often gave her updates on her dates with Yan Yixi, and from what she’d heard, things were going very well.

“It wasn’t really a fight… It was just me yelling while he listened. Then he took me home.”

“Okay, I admit… I was being a little unreasonable. But I feel like your Second Brother has something on his mind. He’s always so hot and cold… and he’s afraid to touch me… I mean, look at me! I’m gorgeous!”

            

“Ahem…” Yan Xi coughed a few times, signaling that she didn’t want to hear the more intimate details of their relationship.

“Okay, okay…” Liu Yiyi took a sip of her wine. “I’m going to go find him later and get things straight.”

Yan Xi smiled. “Let me know if there’s good news.”

            

Liu Yiyi shot her a playful glare. The two of them chatted and laughed as they picked out food from the buffet table.

Yan Yinan sidled over, greeting them with a wide grin.

“Hey, you didn’t bring a girlfriend?” Liu Yiyi was impressed by Yan Yinan. He’d gone through an eight-year combined bachelor’s-master’s-doctoral program in medicine and was now a resident doctor. He was already incredibly busy, yet he somehow managed to have a string of girlfriends with no downtime in between.

            

“Ah, we broke up ages ago!” Yan Yinan said, helping himself to some shellfish.

“Broke up again? Which department is your new nurse girlfriend from this time?”

“Hey, you’re wrong! I’ve been single for four months!”

            

“Oh?” Yan Xi and Liu Yiyi looked at him in unison.

Yan Yinan’s expression turned serious. “I’ve really found true love this time. She’s a new resident in cardiothoracic surgery. She’s completely different from any girl I’ve ever met.”

“Wait, don’t you always go for nurses? You’ve actually fallen for a doctor this time? What’s she like? Is she beautiful? Got a picture?”

            

“It’s not about that… It’s just…” Yan Yinan pulled out his phone to show them, his face glowing with a strange light. “I’ve never met a girl like her. So strong, so dazzling, so much presence, so…”

Curious, Yan Xi and Liu Yiyi glanced at the phone. It was a candid shot of a girl in a surgical cap, her face turned to the side as she spoke with another doctor.

She was nothing like the types Yan Yinan usually dated. She was plainly dressed and looked ordinary, though she carried herself with an air of confidence.

            

“You guys have no idea. We were observing a surgery. She was next to the attending physician the whole time. The patient was allergic to anesthesia and needed a coronary artery bypass graft. Basically, an impossible surgery. If you’re allergic to anesthesia, you can’t be anesthetized, so you can’t use a ventilator, right?”

Yan Xi and Liu Yiyi tried their best to follow his train of thought. “Then I heard she was the one who proposed to the hospital that they could use high thoracic epidural anesthesia…”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Liu Yiyi’s head was spinning.

            

“It’s a method that allows them to open the patient’s chest cavity while he’s fully awake, you get it?” Yan Yinan said. “You’ve seen the exact same case on Grey’s Anatomy, right?”​⁴

“I haven’t…” Yan Xi said with a frown.

“I don’t remember…” Liu Yiyi stared at the red-pulp dragon fruit in her hand, suddenly losing her appetite.

            

“Fine, fine, long story short, this kind of surgery is rare. Almost every doctor who wasn’t in surgery themselves came to observe. I was just watching her, the way she focused during the operation. The patient was terrified, obviously, but she was helping to comfort him while assisting the chief surgeon. She was calm and collected in the face of danger, unhurried, her skills were just… incredible… Tsk, tsk… a seven-hour surgery! Seven hours!”

“Ah, I’ve really found true love! I’m going to do my best to win her over!” Yan Yinan grinned, full of confidence.

“Xiao Wu, she’s going to be your Third Sister-in-law.”

            

Yan Xi was stunned.

Liu Yiyi’s jaw dropped.

Having delivered his grand declaration, Yan Yinan moved on to the next table.

            

“Hey, what was that all about? Is the sky raining red?​⁵ Is this something out of Arabian Nights?​⁶ The prodigal son returns?”​⁷ Liu Yiyi and Yan Xi stared after Yan Yinan’s retreating back, overcome with emotion.

Yan Xi covered her mouth and laughed softly.

“Yan Xiao Wu, you still have the nerve to laugh? Everyone in the world is falling in love, and what about you? Are you planning to become a nun?” Liu Yiyi poked her arm.

            

“Everyone…?”

“Look over there. Your Yan Xiao Pang has been stuck to little Anzhi for ages.”

Yan Xi followed her gaze and saw that it was true. The strapping young man, over 1.7 meters tall, was talking to the petite, fair-skinned girl with a cheeky grin.

            

Anzhi’s dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her small, porcelain-like face was scrunched up in a frown, trapped by him and unable to get away.

Liu Yiyi chuckled beside her. “Remember what I said before, that little Anzhi might become your family’s child bride?​⁸ Hahahaha, my prediction might just come true…”

As Yan Xi watched them, her brow furrowed.

            

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