That “Bad” Woman Next Door – Chapter 16

Just Wanted to See You.

“Cough—” Yuan Yue was successfully rendered speechless by her words. She looked away bashfully, not knowing how to reply.

Yu Xi knew she was deliberately avoiding the topic again, but she wasn’t annoyed, just gave a light laugh.

Silence fell between them.

“Are you really planning to lose weight?” Yu Xi broke the stalemate.

Yuan Yue seized the topic, saying as if chopping nails and slicing iron¹, “Of course I have to! I don’t want to get fat at all. My clothes don’t even look good on me now.” She tugged at the strained fabric across her chest, her expression vexed.

Yu Xi’s gaze followed her movement to the full swell of her chest. She only glanced at it for a moment before looking away to scrutinize the rest of her. Yuan Yue’s complexion wasn’t great today, and a couple of small pimples had popped up on her forehead, likely caused by the arrival of her great aunt². Her figure really wasn’t fat, just a little rounder than when they first met.

Her inspection complete, Yu Xi said to her in all seriousness, “Actually, I think you’re just right like this. You should eat a good breakfast, eat whatever you want however you want. You don’t need to deliberately diet.” As she spoke, she glanced at the pitiful little bits of fat Yuan Yue had carefully picked out and discarded in a bag.

Her little scheme exposed, Yuan Yue said, somewhat abashed, “But I want to be as thin as I was before. I don’t like flab.”

“If you think you have too much flab on your waist…” Yu Xi’s gaze fell to her waist. When she was sitting slumped over, her little paunch wasn’t obvious at all; one would have to lift her shirt to see any excess flesh. After a pause, she said, “If you want to slim your waist, you can’t sit for long periods of time. You need to exercise more. When you have nothing to do, go shopping, go for a run, things like that, and you’ll naturally slim down. It’s not good to always stay at home, either. I feel like your physical constitution is a bit poor.”

This last conclusion was a judgment Yu Xi made based on how frequently Yuan Yue had been getting sick recently.

Yuan Yue felt that what Yu Xi said was not without reason, but when it came to exercise, she made a pained face and said, “I’m not an active person. If I try to lose weight through exercise, I’ll definitely abandon it halfway through the road³.”

“Then, do you want me to help you?”

“How can you help?”

“By supervising you and helping you exercise, of course.” Seeing how Yuan Yue had mentioned losing weight time and again, speaking with such solemn oaths, yet wanted to beat the retreat drum⁴ the moment exercise was brought up, Yu Xi couldn’t help but chuckle. “Losing weight requires patience and perseverance. You should think it over carefully first. Once you’ve made up your mind, you can come find me anytime. I’d be more than happy to help you.”

“Okay…” Yuan Yue replied weakly.

When they were about finished eating, Yu Xi picked up her phone to check the time and said, “I have to head out.”

“Where are you going?” Yuan Yue sat up straight.

“To work.” Yu Xi gathered up her trash, glanced at Yuan Yue, and teased, “You think everyone’s like you? Doing nothing and getting paid just for staying home all day.”

Although Yu Xi was joking, her words made Yuan Yue feel a little guilty. She had indeed been constantly getting minor illnesses and staying home lately, so it was no wonder Yu Xi misunderstood. She felt she had to defend herself. “I don’t stay home every day, you know. I have to go check on the shop later.”

Thinking of her physical condition, Yu Xi asked, “Aren’t you on… that? Can your body handle it?”

Yuan Yue tilted her face up and said with a grin, “It’s all thanks to that bowl of sugar water you made last night, and the careful press… massage. I feel much better now. Besides, there’s nothing to do at home alone.”

Seeing that her energy had more or less returned, Yu Xi was relieved. “Alright. When are you leaving? Do you need me to wait for you?”

Yuan Yue hadn’t even changed since getting out of bed and still needed to put on makeup; it would take half an hour at the very least before she could leave. As much as she wanted to go with Yu Xi, she was too embarrassed to delay her for so long. She gave a sheepish laugh and said, “No need, you go ahead!”

Yu Xi checked the time again and didn’t press the issue. “Then I’ll get going. Bye-bye.”

“Hey, wait.” Yuan Yue tugged on her arm, taking the opportunity to inquire, “We’ve known each other for so long, and I still don’t know what you do for a living.”

“Me?” Yu Xi then remembered that she really hadn’t told her about her profession. Her gaze swept, intentionally or not, over Yuan Yue’s waist. After a moment’s thought, she said, deliberately being mysterious, “I specialize in helping you, and exercising with you.”

…

Even after Yu Xi had left, Yuan Yue still couldn’t figure out what exactly she did for work. The woman was always like this—so mysterious, impossible to fathom, yet that was precisely what made her so endlessly captivating.

Yuan Yue dawdled for an hour before finally heading out.

Her great aunt had tormented her until her face was the color of vegetables⁵, so she had to rely on meticulous grooming to conceal her listlessness. When she appeared at the entrance of the hot pot restaurant looking refreshed and vigorous, Xiao Min cried out with exaggeration, “Wow, Yueyue, you look so beautiful today!”

Yuan Yue’s mood lifted, and she asked Xiao Min, “How’s business today?”

Xiao Min shook her head. “It’s been average the last couple of days.”

Yuan Yue’s smile faded. “What’s going on?”

Xiao Min said, “Maybe because the Mid-Autumn Festival⁶ is almost here. A lot of people have gone home for the holiday.”

“The Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here?” Yuan Yue had no idea.

Xiao Min stared at her as if she’d seen a ghost. “You can’t be serious, Yueyue. Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival! The boss even gave each of us a box of mooncakes⁷ last night. The holiday starts tomorrow.”

Yuan Yue gave a nonchalant “Oh.” Prompted by Xiao Min, she finally remembered that yesterday, as she was about to head home with the fruit Yuan Xi had bought, Yuan Xi had told her the arrangements for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Her mind had been so preoccupied with getting back to see Yu Xi that it had slipped her mind in the blink of an eye.

She was used to being carefree and didn’t pay much mind to holidays like these. She asked Xiao Min, “Since you have the day off tomorrow, what are your plans?” She remembered that Xiao Min’s hometown was in another province, so going back for a three-day holiday wasn’t very practical.

Xiao Min heaved a sigh. “How else? We single dogs⁸ don’t have anyone to spend it with, so we just skip it!”

Yuan Yue was amused by her expression. “Alright, I won’t bother you anymore. Get back to work.” She needed to find Yuan Xi to discuss their holiday plans and had no time for more idle chatter.

Xiao Min suddenly stopped her. “I almost forgot, someone’s here to see you.”

“Who?”

Xiao Min gestured with her chin toward a table by the window. A woman with shoulder-length hair sat with her back to them, her shoulders looking very frail. “That’s her,” Xiao Min said. “She’s been waiting for you all morning. Hasn’t ordered anything and refuses to leave.”

She couldn’t tell who it was just from her back, so Yuan Yue walked toward the person by the window with suspicion. The person had her head lowered, looking at her phone, and didn’t react even when Yuan Yue was standing right behind her.

Yuan Yue cleared her throat. “Hello, I hear you were looking for me?”

The person’s back tensed visibly, and she slowly raised her head.

The moment their eyes met, Yuan Yue froze. “It’s you…”

The person shot to her feet. Her lips moved, a mixture of agitation and hesitation in her voice. “Yuan Yue, long time no see.”

Yuan Yue never in a million years expected the person waiting for her to be Sun Wenya.

Six years. To be meeting face-to-face again, this close, after so long… Although their relationship had long since grown distant, Yuan Yue still recognized her in a single glance. The Sun Wenya of today had shed the unripeness of her university days, but her delicate brows and eyes were still deeply etched into Yuan Yue’s memory.

It was all a bit sudden. Yuan Yue gave her an awkward smile. “Long time no see.”

After the pleasantries, they seemed unable to find any other words.

In person, Sun Wenya was not as forward as she had been on the phone. At her core, she was still a timid little woman, afraid of causing trouble. She bit her lip, her gaze timid as she looked at Yuan Yue, completely at a loss.

Yuan Yue couldn’t meet her gaze. She looked away, her tone stiff. “Sit.”

After they sat down, another kind of unspeakable awkwardness descended.

Their gazes were unsteady, yet both were unmistakably sizing the other up, their intentions clear as day.

Sun Wenya’s hands, hidden beneath the table, twisted together. “You’ve changed a lot over the years,” she said cautiously.

Back in university, Yuan Yue had been scrawny, but now she had inexplicably gained more than ten jin⁹, becoming a little pale chubster. Sun Wenya, on the other hand, hadn’t changed much. She was still soft and weak, looking as though she might snap with a single pinch.

Yuan Yue had no intention of reminiscing. Her gaze went over Sun Wenya’s head as she opened the door to see the mountain¹⁰, “Did you need something from me?”

The expression on Sun Wenya’s face stiffened. She lowered her voice. “Nothing in particular, I just… wanted to come see you.”

The answer was somewhat unexpected. Sun Wenya had been so unreasonably persistent on the phone, yet she was this easy to handle in person?

Yuan Yue didn’t dare let her guard down. She gave her a silent look.

That one look seemed to give Sun Wenya courage. She asked, “Where’s your girlfriend?”

“What girlfriend?” Yuan Yue froze, subconsciously glancing around. Fortunately, there were only a few people in the shop; otherwise, Sun Wenya’s words would have undoubtedly caused a scene.

Seeing her reaction, Sun Wenya asked in confusion, “You don’t have a girlfriend? Then who was that person at your place in the middle of the night?” Before Yuan Yue could answer, she added her own speculation, “You said you already had someone else in your heart… you weren’t just making that up to lie to me, were you?”

So she was talking about Yu Xi.

Yuan Yue had been ambiguous when she put Sun Wenya off on the phone, but she’d never said Yu Xi was her girlfriend! She hadn’t expected Sun Wenya to misunderstand, but she had no desire to explain. “Why would I lie to you? I do have someone I like now.”

The regrettable part was, when the person she liked had confessed to her, she had been unable to recognize a good thing when she saw it and had rejected her.

Involuntarily recalling Yu Xi’s confession from that day, Yuan Yue zoned out for a moment. She didn’t notice that the expression on Sun Wenya’s face had begun to look wrong.

Sun Wenya’s eyes were rimmed with red, as if she were about to burst into tears.

Yuan Yue was startled when she noticed. “You… what are you doing?”

Two streams of tears pattered down Sun Wenya’s face. She didn’t wipe them away, choking out, “Yuan Yue, are you really not going to give me even a single chance?”

Seeing Sun Wenya’s tears, Yuan Yue had initially been a little panicked, but her words instantly calmed her down. She looked at the weeping woman opposite her and felt only heart-weary, helpless, and speechless. Her attitude unconsciously turned cold. “Wenya, you’re already married. Is there any point in saying these things to me?”

Sun Wenya suddenly grabbed her hand from the tabletop, her words earnest. “If you’re willing, I…”

“Sorry, I’m not.” Yuan Yue pulled her hand away. “Wenya, you’re not a child anymore. Stop being so willful.”

Tears still stained Sun Wenya’s face as she stared at her, utterly crestfallen.

Yuan Yue stood up and lowered her voice, leaving her with a final shred of dignity and decency. “As an old friend, thank you for coming to see me. I have other things to attend to. If you’re hungry, I can treat you to a meal—the hot pot here is quite good. But please forgive me, I can’t keep you company any longer. Goodbye.”

“YUAN YUE!” Sun Wenya cried out, her expression indignant, as if accusing her of being heartless.

Yuan Yue knew she was being ruthless, but it was the only way. Ignoring Sun Wenya’s shouting, she left without a backward glance. She walked over to Xiao Min and said, “Xiao Min, go ask that Miss Sun by the window if she needs to order anything. Her meal is on the house.”

Xiao Min asked, full of gossip, “Yueyue, you know her?”

Yuan Yue lowered her eyes, saying nonchalantly, “A university classmate. We used to be roommates.”

“Oh, oh.” Xiao Min walked toward Sun Wenya, menu in hand.

As for whether Sun Wenya would appreciate the gesture, Yuan Yue had no desire to find out. Afraid that Sun Wenya would continue to pester her, she quickly gave her instructions and hurried into the back to find Yuan Xi.

After a full circuit of the place, she still hadn’t seen Yuan Xi. Someone told her Yuan Xi hadn’t come in today, so Yuan Yue had no choice but to call her.

When she brought up the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yuan Xi immediately let her have it, scolding her for being so thoughtless. They had clearly agreed beforehand to go back to their county town to visit their parents on the day of the festival.

These past few days, Yuan Yue’s mind had been completely occupied with how to get on better terms with Yu Xi. When one is warm and well-fed, lewd thoughts arise¹¹. She had to admit she’d been a bit out of line.

Yuan Xi rarely lectured her, so this time, Yuan Yue bore it in silence. When Yuan Xi seemed to be running out of steam, she said cheekily, “Are you at home right now? How about you wait for me to get there before you really chew me out?”

Yuan Xi retorted, “As if I have the time to scold you.”

Yuan Yue said with a cheeky grin, “Then I’ll come over to see Xiao Xi and Xiao Mi, that’s okay, right? It’s not busy at the shop anyway.”

Yuan Xi said irritably, “If you have time for that, you’d be better off going home to pack your luggage properly. We’re leaving first thing tomorrow morning. Don’t you dare forget again.”

Yuan Yue replied, “Okay, okay, I promise I won’t forget this time.”

After hanging up, Yuan Yue patted her butt¹² and prepared to leave. She suddenly remembered that Sun Wenya might still be there, so she quickly called Xiao Min. “Has that Miss Sun from earlier left yet?”

Xiao Min replied, “She’s already gone.”

Yuan Yue was completely relieved. She slung her purse over her shoulder and swaggered out. As she reached the entrance, Xiao Min stopped her. “Yueyue, what did you say to that Miss Sun? You made her cry so hard.”

How was it my fault??? Yuan Yue’s eyebrow twitched. “How hard did she cry?”

Xiao Min said, “Her face was all swollen from crying. It got so bad that other customers didn’t dare sit near her.”

Yuan Yue hadn’t expected Sun Wenya’s emotions to collapse so completely. She had always known she was prone to tears, but she figured people eventually grew up. That didn’t seem to have happened with Sun Wenya.

“Yueyue?” Xiao Min was eager for more gossip.

Yuan Yue snapped out of it. Unwilling to discuss it further, she changed the subject. “I’m heading out. Happy Mid-Autumn Festival in advance!”

She had arrived a bit late today, and the parking spots in front of the restaurant were long gone, so she’d had to park in a nearby underground garage. As she walked, she suddenly felt a discomfort in her lower—body. Enduring the pain, Yuan Yue slowly forced herself to keep walking.

By the time she reached the parking garage, Yuan Yue was completely disoriented. The place was huge, and she couldn’t find her car after searching for ages. Her new car didn’t have a locator installed yet. After wandering in a circle and still coming up empty, she suddenly spotted a familiar silver BMW.

This model really is flooding the streets¹³, she thought. You see them everywhere. She gave it a passing glance, but her eyes inadvertently fell on the license plate, and they instantly widened.

It looked like Yu Xi’s car!

After the blunder last time when she’d drunkenly gotten into the wrong car, Yuan Yue had made a point to memorize Yu Xi’s license plate number. Unsure if her eyes were deceiving her, she moved closer for another look and confirmed that it was, without a doubt, Yu Xi’s car.

Yu Xi’s car was parked here. Did that mean her workplace was somewhere nearby?

As if she’d made a grand discovery, Yuan Yue couldn’t even be bothered to find her own car anymore. She pulled out her phone and called Yu Xi.

Yu Xi was still worried about her condition. When she saw the call, she answered and asked anxiously, “Are you not feeling well again?”

Yuan Yue was quite touched. “No, no, I saw your car in the parking garage.”

Yu Xi paused. “Where are you?”

Yuan Yue gave her the location of the garage. “Our hot pot restaurant is right near here. Do you work nearby?”

Yu Xi gave her an address in return, and sure enough, it was close by! Yuan Yue was delighted. “I’m so bored. Can I come find you right now?”

“I’m at work. What are you coming to find me for?” Yu Xi’s voice was laced with a smile.

Her ears tingled as if they’d been caressed. Yuan Yue¹⁴ raised a hand to touch them and said in a small voice, “No reason, I just… wanted to see you. Can I?”

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