Peaches and Plums Don’t Speak – Chapter 68
by Little PandaYouth Film
As if a gust of wind had blown through, snowflakes playfully slapped against her face.
Anzhi stared at her, stunned, thinking for a moment that she had misheard. But Xu Jia’er’s gaze was so earnest she couldn’t possibly ignore it.
Xu Jia’er slowly walked closer. Beneath her school uniform jacket, she wore a gray knit sweater that revealed her fair neck. Her hair had grown a little longer, and her bangs were slightly longer too, but they couldn’t hide her deep, ink-black eyes.
“I…” Anzhi’s thoughts short-circuited. She couldn’t find the words to respond.
“I’m sorry.” It was all Anzhi could say.
Xu Jia’er stopped in her tracks. She said nothing.
Anzhi lowered her head, feeling a little lost.
After a moment, Xu Jia’er spoke softly, “Is there someone else you like?”
Anzhi bit her lip, unsure if she should tell her the truth.
“It’s that ‘Auntie’ of yours, right? If I’m not mistaken.”
Anzhi’s head shot up. Xu Jia’er’s eyes were calm, her expression devoid of any displeasure. Her pupils were pure and deep, clearly reflecting Anzhi’s own image. It was a serious, sincere gaze.
“The way you look at her is obvious. You can’t fool anyone,” Xu Jia’er said.
Anzhi froze, replying instinctively, “Is it that obvious? Then, then…”
Can other people tell, too?
Xu Jia’er added, “The reason I can tell is because I pay too much attention to you. Maybe other people can tell, maybe not. After all…” She paused, her tone becoming meaningful. “She’s your aunt, isn’t she?”
Anzhi’s heart skipped a beat. She kept her lip caught between her teeth.
“We’re not related by blood,” she said in a low voice after a moment.
Xu Jia’er raised an eyebrow.
The snow seemed to be falling heavier and heavier, and the school’s sports field was gradually emptying. They stood leaning against a ping-pong table.
“Can you tell me about it?” Xu Jia’er was curious. The Little Class Monitor was not just cute and a little proud; she also seemed to have a mysterious side.
And she was always a loner. Now in their second year of high school, she had basically cemented her dominance in every exam. Not even Xu Jia’er could challenge her, except to compete in individual subjects. Xu Jia’er didn’t feel a shred of jealousy; in fact, she really liked that about the Little Class Monitor.
This was the girl she liked—the cutest, the most outstanding. But Xu Jia’er knew she didn’t like her back. She had to know why, and whether there was still any room for her to try. Giving up easily wasn’t her style.
Anzhi was quiet for a while before she said, “My parents had me out of wedlock and left me with my maternal grandfather. He passed away when I was five or six, and neither of my parents wanted to take me. She was the one who brought me home.”
As she spoke, Anzhi realized she no longer felt sad. It was as if she had grown up in an instant. Or perhaps it was that looking back, Yan Xi had been by her side through all the unpleasant days, always with her gentle gaze and smile.
She was no longer that little child who couldn’t find her way. She could now recount her past experiences with a fair amount of composure.
It was Xu Jia’er who was shaken. She had grown up in an environment full of love and freedom, where her parents treated her more like a dear friend. She had never imagined that parents who abandoned their children existed in this world; she thought that only happened in movies, TV shows, and books. Let alone that such a thing had actually happened to the girl she liked.
A sharp pain she had never felt before pierced her, as if her heart had been viciously wrung out.
“I was wondering why you two don’t look alike, and… your parents have never shown up… I’m sorry.” Xu Jia’er’s voice was also low and sincere.
Anzhi managed a small smile. “What are you apologizing for? It has nothing to do with you.” She fell silent. In other people’s eyes, it must be a hard thing to accept—being in love with the same-sex elder who raised you.
For a moment, Xu Jia’er didn’t know what to say either.
They stood side by side, quietly tilting their heads back to watch the snow-filled sky.
They remained that way until the first preparatory bell for the evening study session rang.
“I should go home.” Anzhi glanced at her phone and saw a message from Yan Xi, saying she would be home late tonight and asking Anzhi to message her when she got back.
Worried that Yan Xi might be concerned, Anzhi quickly sent a message saying she was already home.
“I’ll walk you home,” Xu Jia’er said, looking at her.
“No, it’s okay. I can take the bus myself.”
But Anzhi couldn’t win against Xu Jia’er, who was surprisingly insistent on seeing her home.
After leaving the school gates, they each bought a hand-grabbed pancake1 in a paper bag and ate as they walked. By the time they finished, the bus had arrived.
The bus wasn’t crowded. It was cold, and everyone was huddled in their seats. There were two seats side-by-side, and the two of them sat down in silence.
The Beicheng night was a brilliant stream of lights and traffic. Filtered through the falling snow, it lost some of its superficial glamour and took on a quieter, more artistic flavour.
“She doesn’t know, does she?” Xu Jia’er suddenly asked.
Anzhi shook her head.
“Right… Don’t blame me for saying this, but my intuition has always been sharp. I get the feeling she doesn’t like girls… and she’s so much older than you…”
Anzhi’s head drooped dejectedly.
Xu Jia’er couldn’t bear to continue. Her heart felt heavy and stifled.
They remained silent all the way to the bus stop near Anzhi’s residential community.
“You don’t have to get off… Hey…” After they got off, Xu Jia’er insisted on walking with her, all the way to the community entrance.
“You don’t have to. It’s just up ahead. Aren’t you taking the bus back?”
“There’s no bus from here to my place anyway. I’ll just call a Didi2 later,” Xu Jia’er said, a brilliant smile flashing across her face like a firework in the night sky, exceptionally dazzling.
Anzhi felt a little embarrassed. “I made you go so far out of your way…”
“I’m the one who insisted,” Xu Jia’er said. “Since we’re here, how could I not see you to your door? Let’s go.”
Anzhi had no choice but to walk with her. Xu Jia’er had long arms and legs and was much taller than her. Anzhi quickened her pace to catch up and led the way.
She felt a little guilty. Someone had confessed to her, she had rejected them, and they still went out of their way to take her home. Xu Jia’er… was actually such a gentle person. Anzhi hadn’t noticed this side of her before and stole a glance at her.
Xu Jia’er met her gaze from above, beaming. “Aren’t I handsome?”
Anzhi: “…” Still so vain.
The streetlights cast an orange glow in the bleak, cold wind. Their footsteps echoed, one after the other, and the light stretched their shadows long behind them. Xu Jia’er watched Anzhi shrink her neck into her collar and blow a puff of warm air into her hands.
She desperately wanted to take her hand, but she couldn’t.
An unprecedented sense of melancholy rose in her heart. See, Xu Jia’er? You’re usually so cool, but you still ended up falling for a girl who doesn’t like you back. And there’s not a single thing you can do about it.
Soon, they reached the entrance to the residential community. Xu Jia’er discreetly sized it up, and the gloom in her heart deepened. That woman really was a báifùměi3, huh. With such a large estate, she probably wouldn’t have to worry for the rest of her life. On top of that, she was stunningly beautiful with an exceptional air about her, and her conduct was impeccable.
The difference in their strengths was too vast.
“Xu Jia’er,” Anzhi called her name, her eyes serene. “Thank you for walking me back. And…” She paused. “About before…”
“I think…”
Xu Jia’er cut her off with a smile. “Don’t feel bad about it. Liking you is my business. Besides, I haven’t even given up yet.”
“But…” Anzhi’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Hey, don’t you think it’s pretty nice having me around? You have someone to listen to you, to chat with. From now on, if you’re ever unhappy about anything you can’t tell anyone else, you can tell me. Because I can completely understand how you feel.” Xu Jia’er was still smiling.
Anzhi bit her lip. “…You don’t have to do this.”
Xu Jia’er chuckled and reached out to pat her on the head. Anzhi watched as that brilliant smile appeared again. “That’s just how handsome I am!”
Anzhi watched with a storm of emotions as Xu Jia’er waved to her and got into the car.
A voice message from her arrived just then. “I’ll WeChat you when I get home. If you don’t go inside, I’ll think you like me!”
Anzhi lowered her head, deep in thought. For the moment, she couldn’t think of a solution, nor did she know how to refuse her without hurting her feelings.
There was always a faint sense of pity. After all, she also liked someone—someone who didn’t like her back.
She stared blankly as the car carrying Xu Jia’er drove away. Only when it was out of sight did she take out her access card and go inside.
Not far away, Yan Xi sat in her car, having seen the entire scene unfold. Though she was too far to hear what they were saying, it felt like watching a silent movie about youth.
But Anzhi had clearly told me she was already home…
Yan Xi raised a hand to her temple as if a headache was coming on and sighed softly.
She sat there for a long while, then decided to act as if she hadn’t seen a thing. She would just pretend she didn’t know.
Footnotes
- A popular Taiwanese street food, shǒuzhuābǐng (手抓饼) is a flaky, layered pancake that is often cooked with an egg and filled with various sauces and ingredients.
- Dīdī Chūxíng, often shortened to Didi, is a major Chinese ride-hailing company, similar to Uber or Grab.
- A popular Chinese internet slang term for the 'ideal' woman: bái (pale-skinned), fù (rich), and měi (beautiful).
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