STT – Chapter 17

Lu Zizheng, You Must Not Be Greedy

Lu Zizheng was lost in a reverie about Jiang Huaixi’s pink lips, almost tempted to lean in. But then she heard Jiang Huaixi let out a soft laugh, rustling as she rolled over to lie beside her.

Lu Zizheng opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Jiang Huaixi. Her black hair was spread across the pristine white snow, her pale face tinged with a faint flush. As if utterly exhausted, Jiang Huaixi had gently closed her eyes. Lu Zizheng could only see her thick, long eyelashes fluttering almost imperceptibly, her breathing heavy and rapid. At this moment, Lu Zizheng felt as though Jiang Huaixi were a xuenu¹ stepping out from a vast, boundless expanse of snow—noble, pure, yet fragile and moving.

            

Shifting her gaze downward, Lu Zizheng noticed that Jiang Huaixi’s clothes were covered in white. Under the glow of the lights, her black trousers showed uneven dark patches, likely soaked through.

Lu Zizheng was startled. She scrambled up, stood to her feet, and urged Jiang Huaixi, “Get up. Lying down like this, you’ll easily catch a cold.”

Jiang Huaixi slowly opened her eyes, her brow relaxing into a smile as she extended a hand. “My body is completely numb. Pull me up.”

            

Lu Zizheng was skeptical, but worried that Jiang Huaixi couldn’t handle lying there any longer, she had no choice but to reach out a hand to pull her up. The moment their hands clasped, Lu Zizheng’s heart felt as though it had been pricked by a needle—a sharp, distinct pain. She had thought her own hands were already so cold they had lost all sensation, yet she could still feel a bone-chilling cold radiating from Jiang Huaixi’s hand.

Anxious to get Jiang Huaixi up, Lu Zizheng pulled harder. However, Jiang Huaixi merely smiled up at her, remaining completely still. Lu Zizheng had no choice but to use both hands, pulling with all her might. But because she exerted too much force, her foot slipped and she stumbled backward.

Jiang Huaixi finally exerted some strength at that moment. She quickly grabbed Lu Zizheng’s hand just as it was about to slip, yanking her forward. With a soft thud, Lu Zizheng collapsed directly onto Jiang Huaixi. At the same time, Jiang Huaixi let out a painful groan.

            

With her head buried in Jiang Huaixi’s chest, Lu Zizheng’s mind went blank as her face burned fiercely. In her embarrassment and panic, she scrambled up and walked away, not daring to spare Jiang Huaixi another glance.

Even though Lu Zizheng had struggled to prop herself up with her hands during the fall to cushion the impact, having such a sensitive area struck still hurt Jiang Huaixi intensely. Jiang Huaixi knit her brows, feeling both cold and in pain. Yet, seeing Lu Zizheng scramble up and walk further and further away without a word, she didn’t even have the strength to call after her.

Lu Zizheng was deeply embarrassed and annoyed, thinking that Jiang Huaixi’s pain was entirely of her own making. If she hadn’t teased her to pull her up only to deliberately remain dead weight, how could she have slipped and fallen on top of her? And that soft sensation against her face just now… Oh, she couldn’t think about that anymore…

            

But after taking only a few steps, Lu Zizheng remembered the cold sensation against her face when she had fallen on Jiang Huaixi; it had been undeniably real. Her clothes were likely soaked through as well. Her heart sank, and her steps slowed.

No longer caring about anything else, Lu Zizheng turned back, hurried to Jiang Huaixi’s side, and crouched down. “Huaixi, stop playing around,” she said softly. “Get up quickly, take a hot bath, and change your clothes.”

Jiang Huaixi looked at her with burning eyes, the corners of her lips curving up once more as she said weakly, “I know you’ve always been jealous that my figure is better than yours, but you didn’t have to strike such a ruthless blow. Now I really can’t get up…”

            

For once, Lu Zizheng didn’t retort. Her already flushed face grew even redder. In silence, she wrapped an arm around Jiang Huaixi’s shoulders and helped her up.

Leaning on her, Jiang Huaixi struggled to stand up from the snow. She swayed almost imperceptibly, grasping Lu Zizheng’s arm to steady herself.

Jiang Huaixi was freezing; her movements were slow, and she walked with difficulty. Lu Zizheng supported her with both hands, unable to hide the worry in her eyes.

            

As they passed the snowmen they had built, Jiang Huaixi stopped and gestured for Lu Zizheng to pick up the bag.

Puzzled, Lu Zizheng squatted down, picked up the bag, and handed it to Jiang Huaixi. Moving her stiff fingers, Jiang Huaixi reached inside the bag and pulled out two round black beads, a carrot, and a small bracelet, gently giving Lu Zizheng’s snowman its facial features.

Lu Zizheng stared blankly at her actions, her expression turning disgruntled. So there clearly had been materials left after all!

            

Jiang Huaixi adjusted the nose of her own snowman, tweaking the curve of its mouth. Blinking, she said, “Xuebao feels absolutely hideous. It’s crying and asking when you’re going to give its eyes back.”

A smile appeared on Lu Zizheng’s face. She fished two black beads out of her pocket, carefully placed them back in their original spots, and turned the corners of its mouth upward. Instantly, Xuebao wore a cute, happy expression.

Satisfied, Lu Zizheng looked at the two snowmen, supported Jiang Huaixi, and urged, “Alright, satisfied? Let’s head inside quickly.”

            

Jiang Huaixi followed her inside. Just before entering, she glanced back. The bright lights of the courtyard went out one by one as they departed, leaving only the silver glow of the full moon. In the quiet, cold wind, the snowmen she and Lu Zizheng had built stood tall, hand in hand, smiling into the breeze…

The moment Jiang Huaixi stepped inside, a middle-aged woman around fifty years old hurried over, carrying two cups of hot milk. With an anxious expression, she handed them to Jiang Huaixi and Lu Zizheng, muttering, “Miss, you’ve finally come inside! I, Zhang Ma, was nearly scared to death. How could you stand such cold weather outside?”

Lu Zizheng accepted the milk and offered a soft thank you. She didn’t drink it immediately, instead studying Jiang Huaixi with a worried expression.

            

Jiang Huaixi, however, stared at the milk in Lu Zizheng’s hand. Her meaning could not have been clearer.

Lu Zizheng averted her gaze. Under Jiang Huaixi’s watchful eye, she drank the hot milk. As the warm liquid slid down, her body began to warm up.

Only then did Jiang Huaixi raise her cup and take small sips of her milk. Standing beside her, Zhang Ma said, “Miss, I’ve already drawn the hot bath. Go soak and warm yourself up.”

            

Jiang Huaixi put her cup back on the tray. Her gaze had just shifted toward Lu Zizheng when Zhang Ma quickly reassured her, “Oh, Miss, please don’t worry. I’ve also drawn a hot bath for Miss Lu, and her clothes and guest room are all ready.” Seeing that Jiang Huaixi remained unmoved, she turned and walked upstairs. “Miss Lu, please follow me…”

Jiang Huaixi had been worried that Lu Zizheng would be reluctant to stay the night, but Lu Zizheng showed no sign of displeasure. Following Zhang Ma upstairs, she comforted Jiang Huaixi: “I’m fine. Just take care of yourself.”

With a soft “Mm,” Jiang Huaixi turned and headed toward the bathroom on the first floor.

            

Lu Zizheng followed Zhang Ma to the second floor and entered the guest bathroom. Zhang Ma pointed to the clothes laid out nearby. “These clothes are brand new and have already been washed once. I didn’t know what style you’d prefer, Miss Lu, so please make do for now.”

Lu Zizheng smiled politely. “It’s no trouble at all. You’re too kind.”

Zhang Ma briefly explained how to use the bathroom amenities, then withdrew, urging Lu Zizheng to wash quickly and dispel the cold.

            

Lu Zizheng tested the water temperature. It was just right. Taking off her wristwatch, she set it on the vanity, undressed, and stepped into the water. Feeling her entire body relax, she let out a long, slow sigh of relief.

Perhaps because it was too comfortable, or because she was exhausted from playing around earlier, she grew drowsy shortly after settling into the bathtub. Closing her eyes slightly, she actually fell asleep.

By the time she woke up, the bathroom was filled with steam. The bathtub was fully automated, so the water remained as warm as before, but her skin had already begun to prune slightly. Lu Zizheng frowned, shook off her drowsiness, and pulled herself together to wash her hair and body thoroughly.

            

After draining the tub, she stood up, dressed, and stood before the vanity, taking the hairdryer hanging on the wall to dry her hair. Looking down, she saw the wristwatch Jiang Huaixi had given her lying quietly on the counter, its second hand ticking away, beat by beat…

Holding the hairdryer with one hand to blow-dry her hair, she instinctively began to trace on the mist-covered mirror with the other. First, a light fringe of slanting bangs, then the long, straight hair framing both sides, followed by a delicate and elegant oval face. Just as Jiang Huaixi’s outline was about to form, Lu Zizheng snapped out of her daze and wiped away all the mist with her palm.

The mirror revealed her reflection, a faint smile playing on her lips, but her eyes held a trace of bitterness.

            

Lowering the hairdryer with one hand, she gently ran her other hand through her hair, warning herself: Lu Zizheng, you must not be greedy.

Once her hair was dry, Lu Zizheng was still worried about Jiang Huaixi. Without fussing over minor details, she left the guest room in her pajamas, with a coat thrown over her shoulders and cotton slippers on her feet. Just as she stepped into the hallway, she saw the young female doctor named Jiang Wang coming out of the room directly opposite her, softly closing the door behind her.

Turning to see Lu Zizheng, Jiang Wang didn’t show any surprise. She merely looked at Lu Zizheng with an expressionless face, her eyes filled with scrutiny.

            

Lu Zizheng felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. She nodded politely to greet her, but as she went to pass her and head downstairs, Jiang Wang spoke up coolly, “Miss is fine. She took some medicine to prevent a cold and has gone to sleep. You don’t need to worry.” Her voice, just as cool as her expression, was devoid of any warmth. “Miss left instructions that if you aren’t comfortable sleeping here, I can drive you back.”

Lu Zizheng lowered her eyes slightly and declined in a soft voice, “No need to trouble yourself, Doctor Jiang.” Without seeing Jiang Huaixi with her own eyes, she couldn’t rest easy.

Jiang Wang nodded. “Then I’ll head back first.” As she walked downstairs, she added, “Miss had me prepare some cold-prevention medicine for you. Zhang Ma will bring it to your room shortly.” As she spoke, she turned back and gave Lu Zizheng a deep, lingering look.

            

Lu Zizheng couldn’t quite read her expression. It seemed to hold a mixture of envy, loneliness, and sorrow…

By the time Zhang Ma brought the medicine upstairs, Lu Zizheng was already in bed, leaning against the pillows. Seeing Zhang Ma knock and enter with a glass of water, Lu Zizheng hurriedly got out of bed, took the glass and the medicine with both hands, and thanked her warmly.

Zhang Ma stood by and watched her take the medicine, thinking that Lu Zizheng was indeed strikingly beautiful and possessed an exceptional temperament, looking very likable. Even so, she still felt a little disgruntled. Lu Zizheng was fine in every way, but why didn’t she know how to care for the Miss, even running wild with her like that?

            

Unaware of Zhang Ma’s internal grumbling, Lu Zizheng handed the empty glass back after swallowing the medicine and thanked her politely once more.

Zhang Ma looked as though she wanted to say something, and Lu Zizheng noticed her hesitation. In the end, however, Zhang Ma merely stamped her foot lightly and quietly withdrew with the glass. Some things were probably not her place to say. So be it, so be it.

Lu Zizheng turned off the light and lay in bed, thinking about the deep meaning in Jiang Wang’s eyes and Zhang Ma’s hesitation. She murmured “Jiang Bao” in her heart and let out a silent sigh.

            

If even outsiders cherished her so dearly, how much more must Father and Mother Jiang dote on her? For a wealthy and influential family like the Jiangs, ordinary people would likely fail to even catch their eye, let alone… let alone someone like her…

Lu Zizheng didn’t dare to follow that train of thought, knowing even better that she shouldn’t. Jiang Huaixi naturally deserved a better partner. If she could simply stand by her side as a friend, neither too close nor too far, accompanying her for a lifetime, it would already be an immense stroke of luck. She decided to put an end to her wandering thoughts, closed her eyes, and focused entirely on falling asleep.

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but in the distance, she seemed to hear the faint tolling of a clock, announcing that midnight had arrived. In her drowsy state, a thought drifted through Lu Zizheng’s mind: It’s December 26th…

            

And then, there was nothing more…

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