That “Bad” Woman Next Door – Chapter 2

Oh, It’s You!

After getting the cold shoulder twice in a row, Yuan Yue was starting to feel a bit sour. She turned her head, her gaze following the BMW until the car disappeared from sight. But the next second, she let it go. The other woman probably just saw her as a stranger she was kindly helping out. Maybe she doesn’t even remember what I look like.

Yuan Yue got home, kicked off her killer high heels, ran over to turn on the AC, and collapsed limply onto the sofa, unwilling to get back up.

The hellish weather had made her so hot she felt dizzy and nauseous. Yuan Yue didn’t even eat dinner; she just grabbed a bottle of cold milk from the fridge, drank it down, took an early shower, and climbed into bed.

Just as she was about to turn off the light and go to sleep, the phone on her nightstand suddenly rang. Yuan Yue thought it was Yuan Xi calling, but she saw it was an unknown number.

She hung up without a second thought. Before she could even put the phone down, the same number called again.

A normal spam call probably wouldn’t be this persistent, Yuan Yue thought for a moment, then answered. “Hello?”

But there was no sound from the other end.

Yuan Yue glanced at the screen. The call was in progress. Just as she was wondering what was going on, a voice drifted leisurely from the phone. “Yuan Yue, it’s Wenya.”

Yuan Yue froze.

“Yuan Yue, is that you?” Getting no response, Sun Wenya grew anxious.

Her thoughts were pulled back by the sound of her name. Yuan Yue collected herself and said, forcing a calm tone, “Is there something you need?”

Yuan Yue didn’t ask how she got her contact information. Since the other woman had managed to find her shop to deliver the wedding invitation¹, then asking someone for her phone number wasn’t anything strange. What Yuan Yue found strange was that today was Sun Wenya’s wedding day. Shouldn’t she be celebrating at this hour? Why wasn’t this bride accompanying her dear hubby, and how could she possibly be in the mood to call her ex-girlfriend???

It was quiet on Sun Wenya’s end; there was none of the joyous atmosphere of a newlywed. Yuan Yue could even hear her breathing, a light and heavy rhythm beating against her eardrum.

It was an indescribable feeling. Yuan Yue didn’t feel the slightest bit of excitement receiving this call. She held her breath and heard Sun Wenya say softly, in a shattered-sounding voice, “Yuan Yue, I love you.”

If her eyes hadn’t been open, Yuan Yue would have suspected she was dreaming or hearing things. “What did you say?”

“I love you,” Sun Wenya said it again, clearer than before, and even more heartbreaking.

Yuan Yue shot up in bed, all traces of sleepiness chased away. “What kind of joke is this!”

Calling your ex-girlfriend on your wedding night to confess your love… what kind of showy operation² was that???* Yuan Yue even suspected Sun Wenya had lost a game and was playing a prank on her as a forfeit.

But Sun Wenya’s tone didn’t sound like she was joking. Her breathing quickened, and her voice took on a sorrowful edge. “I’m not joking. Yuan Yue, I love you. I can’t forget you at all.”

Yuan Yue: “…”

A series of such deep confessions… if this had been a few years ago, Yuan Yue’s heart would have fluttered long ago. But now the things were the same, but the people were not³, so what was the point of saying all this now?

Yuan Yue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She found it ironic, and also felt a sense of sorrow for herself. She was also a little angry and wanted to curse someone out. But on second thought, it was Sun Wenya’s happy wedding day. She really couldn’t bring herself to say such harsh words. She could only steady her emotions and say in a tone she thought was calm but was actually frigid, “But you still married someone else.”

“Yes, I married someone else… But Yuan Yue, I don’t love him! I don’t love him at all! My family forced me into this marriage, do you understand?!” Sun Wenya grew agitated, and with a hoarse voice and exhausted strength⁴, she cried out, “Yuan Yue, I’ve never forgotten you all these years. I realized I can’t accept anyone else. I still love you!”

So, Sun Wenya really did have her difficult circumstances for getting married?

But what did that have to do with her? If she had truly loved her, she shouldn’t have given up so easily back then.

Yuan Yue felt her heart slowly turn cold, freezing into shards of ice. She tried her best to remain rational and said unhurriedly, almost cruelly, “Is that so? Then I should thank you. Thank you for still loving me, for loving me yet abandoning me. But I stopped having feelings for you long ago.”

Yuan Yue threw the words out, heedless of the consequences, earning a sharp rebuttal from Sun Wenya. “I don’t believe you! If you really have no feelings for me, then why did you come today? Why did you come but not dare to see me? Yuan Yue, you’re lying!”

She went but didn’t dare to see her. Yuan Yue admitted that she had indeed chickened out then. When she received Sun Wenya’s wedding invitation, she had hesitated for a long time before deciding to go. As for why she wouldn’t see her… it had nothing to do with love. She just felt it was unfair.

Back then, she and Sun Wenya had pledged in all sincerity⁵ to be together. They had promised they wouldn’t marry other people for each other’s sake, promised they’d never be apart their whole lives. But now? In the end, Sun Wenya had lost to public opinion, compromising under pressure and marrying a man.

From the moment Sun Wenya abandoned their vows, Yuan Yue had decided to stop loving her.

“Wenya, do you think there’s any need for us to meet?” Yuan Yue sighed almost inaudibly. “We broke up six years ago. You were the one who abandoned me. Today, six years later, you’ve married another man, and on your wedding day, you suddenly call to tell me you love me. Don’t you think that’s ridiculous?”

“I…”

Yuan Yue’s head was spinning. She gave Sun Wenya no chance to speak, cutting her off cruelly. “Please don’t call me again. Since you’re married, just live a good life. I wish you happiness. Goodbye!”

After hanging up, Yuan Yue turned her phone off. She really couldn’t take it anymore. Her body slumped sideways onto the bed, and she closed her eyes, drifting into a muddled sleep.

Yuan Yue’s sleep was extremely fitful. She had a bunch of dreams that were at sixes and sevens⁶. In a state between dreaming and waking, she felt thirsty, but her body was limp and she couldn’t muster any strength. She struggled a few times, but her eyelids refused to open.

She didn’t know how long she’d slept. Yuan Yue was finally woken by a rhythmic, piercing noise. The sound was unbearable, like a power drill. And the noise was very close, as if it were coming from next door.

Yuan Yue broke out in goosebumps. She slowly crawled out of bed. Before she could even sit up straight, a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her ears were ringing, and combined with the torture of the drill from next door, she felt like her head was about to explode.

Maybe it was because she hadn’t eaten dinner last night; she was a bit hypoglycemic now.

Her stomach was as empty as anything, but Yuan Yue had no desire to eat at all. Instead, her mouth was dry and her body was feverish. She could only force herself out of bed despite the discomfort.

In the living room, Yuan Yue opened the fridge door, took out a bottle of ice water, and drank it all in one go. Finally, her thirst was quenched.

Unable to stand the piercing noise, Yuan Yue wanted to try and rest on the living room sofa. But as soon as she lay down, the annoying drilling sound started up again.

She could hear it so clearly even in the living room. Yuan Yue was certain the drilling was coming from next door.

It was impossible to sleep!

She struggled up from the sofa again. Yuan Yue changed her clothes, put on slippers, and went to the door. Following the source of the noise, she walked to the apartment next door. As she raised her hand to ring the doorbell, the door suddenly opened from the inside.

The person inside didn’t know someone was standing outside and let out a subconscious gasp, but in an instant, her expression returned to normal.

Yuan Yue was also startled. She had a bellyful of anger saved up to confront this neighbor. The curse words were on the tip of her tongue, but when she saw the neighbor’s face clearly, she swallowed them back down. “It’s you!”

Who would have thought that this neighbor was actually the cool beauty who gave her a ride yesterday!

Yesterday, when she saw Yu Xi’s car drive into the residential complex, Yuan Yue had guessed they might live in the same building. What she never would have imagined was that Yu Xi lived right next door. This yuanfen⁷ was too incredible!

Yu Xi was dressed differently today. Probably because she was at home, she was dressed more casually. Her wide-collared shirt revealed a long, beautiful neck and slender, sexy collarbones. Her long hair was loosely tied up. Her skin was clear, fair, and firm; she did not apply powder or kohl⁸ and was still so perfect and captivating. Yuan Yue realized she didn’t seem to like wearing makeup much. But her features were well-defined, with a three-dimensional quality like someone of mixed heritage. Even dressed casually, she was still so dazzling and beautiful.

Yuan Yue didn’t realize she was staring, but Yu Xi noticed her gaze.

Being stared at so intently was already a simple, home-cooked meal⁹ for Yu Xi. She didn’t feel the slightest bit of discomfort. Since Yuan Yue was looking at her, she simply looked back openly. This woman in front of her was quite pretty, especially her eyes, which were dewy and bright. It was just that she wasn’t wearing makeup today, and her face looked a bit tired and haggard.

After about half a minute of staring, Yuan Yue finally realized, a beat too late, that Yu Xi hadn’t said a word. She thought the other woman had forgotten her and hurriedly explained, “You don’t remember me? Yesterday at the 4S shop¹⁰, you’re the one who drove me to the subway station.”

How could I not remember. Yu Xi’s eyes shifted slightly. The corners of her mouth pulled into a slight curve, her attitude neither cold nor warm. “I know.”

Yuan Yue’s eyes lit up. She pointed inside the apartment and asked, “You live here too?” Although the question was rather redundant, Yuan Yue still wanted to confirm.

“Too?” Catching that bit of information, Yu Xi looked with interest at the woman before her who did not trim her borders¹¹. She gave a light laugh and said, “Mhm. I just moved in. I’m renovating.”

Yuan Yue had originally thought Yu Xi was a cool beauty who would not smile carelessly¹². Seeing her smile for the first time, even though it was a faint smile, she had to admit that this woman was even more captivating when she smiled. Especially those long, deep-set eyes; when they moved, it was as if they could hook a person’s soul…

The piercing sound of the drill came through the open door. Yuan Yue snapped out of her daze. She lowered her lashes to hide her momentary loss of composure. When she looked up again, her eyes were clear. She frowned and muttered under her breath, “You’re renovating this early in the morning?”

Yu Xi raised an eyebrow and said, “It’s almost noon. It’s not early anymore.”

“Ah, it’s noon?” Yuan Yue had slept herself silly. She had thought it was still early, which was why she’d stormed over to complain. She hadn’t expected to be the one who got the time wrong.

Her phone was still charging on the nightstand. Yuan Yue didn’t know what time it was. In her confusion, Yu Xi held a phone up in front of her.

Yuan Yue glanced at the lit screen. She scratched her head awkwardly and said, “Looks like I woke up late… Sorry about that. Well, you can get back to it then! I live right next door, so we’re neighbors from now on. We can keep in touch, you know, whenever.”

Yu Xi put her phone away. Her gaze swept over Yuan Yue’s face, and she gave an ‘mhm’ that was fine to have and fine not to have¹³ in response.

She was back to being the cool beauty who cherished words like gold¹⁴.

Yuan Yue remembered the awkwardness of hitching a ride yesterday and didn’t want to ask for a snub¹⁵. Her smile faded, and she said, “Well, I won’t disturb you then. Bye-bye.”

“Wait.” But as she turned, Yu Xi actually stopped her.

“Hm?” Yuan Yue turned back in surprise.

Yu Xi hadn’t changed her posture. Her deep-sea eyes stared unblinkingly at Yuan Yue’s face. She spoke hesitantly, “You look terrible.”

“Huh?” Yuan Yue tilted her head, looking at her in confusion.

“Sorry.”

Sorry for what?

Yuan Yue didn’t understand. She saw Yu Xi move, taking two steps forward and reaching a hand toward her without any warning.

She didn’t even have time to dodge. Yu Xi’s cool hand pressed against her forehead. Yuan Yue stared blankly at the woman who had suddenly approached her, her mouth agape, forgetting to speak.

Yu Xi’s lovely eyebrows knitted slightly. She said to the stunned Yuan Yue, “I think you have a fever.”

After the brief contact, Yuan Yue watched Yu Xi pull her hand back. Yuan Yue finally snapped out of her dumbstruck¹⁶ state and dazedly repeated the other woman’s words, “I have a fever?”

She quickly used the back of her own hand to check her forehead’s temperature, but she couldn’t feel anything.

From an arm’s length away, Yu Xi could feel the heat radiating from her body. She watched Yuan Yue touch her face, then her neck, trying to check her temperature, looking like the fever had made her silly. She said with a hint of helplessness, “Your hand is warm too, so you can’t feel the temperature difference when you use it to check. Haven’t you felt unwell at all?”

Yuan Yue shook her head, then nodded. She had felt unwell, but she’d thought it was an aftereffect of being in the sun. She’d been dizzy last night, and when the drill woke her up, her heart was vexed and her mind was in turmoil¹⁷, so she didn’t think much of it. If Yu Xi hadn’t pointed it out, she wouldn’t have even known she had a fever.

Something did seem to be wrong. Her head was spinning, her mind was fuzzy, and her body felt limp.

She didn’t know if it was just psychological, but Yuan Yue swayed, a bit unsteady on her feet. Seeing this, Yu Xi, quick of eye and swift of hand, steadied her.

Their bare skin touched over a large area. Yuan Yue sluggishly registered that her own body was indeed very hot. In contrast, Yu Xi’s body temperature was so comfortable—cool and refreshing, and she smelled nice… It made one want to get closer.

She was so dizzy she didn’t even know what she was thinking. Yu Xi’s urgent voice sounded in her ear, “Looks like you really do have a fever. Do you have any medicine at home?”

Yuan Yue hadn’t had a fever in ages. How would she have medicine at home? She shook her head.

Yu Xi frowned. Seeing how weak she looked, she had her lean against the wall and said, “Wait here.”

Wait for what? Before Yuan Yue could ask, Yu Xi had already turned and gone into her apartment.

In less than half a minute, Yu Xi came rushing out again.

Yu Xi was holding something. Yuan Yue saw that it was a digital thermometer and heard Yu Xi say, “My place is a mess. Let’s go to yours.”

“Oh.” Yuan Yue was like a baby who had suddenly lost the ability to think. She did whatever Yu Xi told her to do.

Yu Xi supported her.

Yuan Yue glanced at the spot where her fingers were gripping her, slightly lost in thought. Her fingers were so long, and so pretty.

It was just a fever; she didn’t really need help standing. But the feeling of Yu Xi’s skin against hers was too comfortable. Yuan Yue’s body desperately needed to cool down, so she didn’t stand on ceremony.

Yu Xi helped her to the living room and gave her the thermometer to take her temperature.

Thirty-eight degrees¹⁸. She really did have a fever.

“Take this medicine first.”

Yuan Yue stared at the fever reducer Yu Xi had produced from somewhere. She paused, took the pill, and was about to pop it in her mouth when her wrist was stopped. She looked over, confused.

Yu Xi looked at her as if she were an idiot. “How are you going to take that without water?”

Yuan Yue blinked and said, “I can take it without water.”

Yu Xi: “???” Has the fever really made this person stupid?

Yuan Yue pulled her hand free, put the pill in her mouth, and with one swallow, easily gulped it down.

Yu Xi probably hadn’t expected her to have such a “special skill,” and she watched, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

“Except for capsules, I usually dry-swallow pills. I don’t need to drink… cough!” Before she could finish, Yuan Yue started coughing. Her throat was too dry, and she was choking.

Yu Xi’s expression changed slightly. Her eyes scanned the room and quickly found the water dispenser. She went over and got her a cup of water.

Yuan Yue took the water she offered and gulped it down. The water temperature was just right. She drank it all in one go and finally felt better.

Wiping the excess water from her lips, she looked up and met Yu Xi’s slightly worried gaze. She paused.

She felt like she might have misunderstood Yu Xi. Before, she’d thought Yu Xi was a cool beauty who couldn’t be bothered with people. But seeing her offer a ride and give her medicine, it was clear she was a person who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside¹⁹.

Yuan Yue felt a bit ashamed. She cleared her throat and said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Yu Xi’s reply was still cool and detached.

A bit cold, yes, but Yuan Yue no longer held any prejudice against her. To put it plainly, Yu Xi’s eyes were truly beautiful. At first glance, they seemed like a frigid sea. But looking at them now, Yuan Yue somehow thought of a starry sky—mysterious, distant, enough to make a person fall in a second.

Yuan Yue gazed into her deep, captivating eyes and said softly, “My name is Yuan Yue. The ‘Yuan’²⁰ with the ‘earth’ radical on top, and the ‘Yue’²¹ from ‘pleasing to the ear’.”

The name didn’t have any profound meaning. Yuan Yue finished her simple and crude introduction and waited intently for the cool beauty’s response.

Yu Xi seemed to be picturing her name in her head. She clearly paused for a moment, then she said openly, “My name is Yu Xi.”

“Yuxi?” Yuan Yue pressed, “Which characters are those?”

The question seemed to stump Yu Xi. She frowned and thought for a long time, then suddenly grabbed Yuan Yue’s hand. With her slender finger, she wrote her name, stroke by stroke, on Yuan Yue’s palm. “These two characters.”

She wrote extremely slowly, and Yuan Yue understood. She just didn’t understand why it was necessary to write out two such simple characters by hand. I don’t look like I failed to graduate elementary school, do I???

Yu Xi let go of her hand, smiled a little sheepishly, and said, “Sorry, my handwriting is a bit ugly.”

Yuan Yue stared at her blankly. It doesn’t matter if your handwriting is ugly or not, she thought. Your smile is truly beautiful.

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