The Fragility of a Secret

Ultimately, Lin Wanzhao’s hands slowly relaxed, and she drifted back into a deep sleep.

Yu Qingkong let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. She rolled over to lie on her back, staring at the ceiling and taking slow, deep breaths to steady herself.

Just as she prepared to get up, Lin Wanzhao’s hand reached out again, settling across her waist and abdomen. The grip tightened inch by inch, and she felt the other woman’s head nuzzle softly against her shoulder blade.

A tingle of electricity spread across Yu Qingkong’s skin. She felt as though she were suffocating. She closed her eyes, her throat bobbing as she swallowed hard. She reached for Lin Wanzhao’s wrist to gently pull the hand away, but then she heard a soft, broken whimper:

“Mom…”

Yu Qingkong froze. She turned onto her side to look at her. Lin Wanzhao’s brow was furrowed in distress. A single tear escaped the corner of her eye, tracking down her temple, and her wet eyelashes were clumped together.

Yu Qingkong reached out, intending to brush the tear away, but Lin Wanzhao’s body began to shiver. She sniffled, her fingers clutching Yu Qingkong’s pajamas with desperate strength. She buried her face in the crook of Yu Qingkong’s neck, sobbing softly, “You’re so mean…”

Suddenly, Lin Wanzhao’s body gave a sharp jolt, and she woke up. The emotions from the dream were so vivid that even knowing it wasn’t real, she felt an unbearable tightness in her chest.

Realizing she was clinging to someone, Lin Wanzhao’s entire body went rigid. She slowly opened her eyes.

“Qingkong?” she whispered, stunned.

Yu Qingkong looked at her calmly. After a moment, she spoke. “I saw you fell asleep out there and brought you in. Then you started holding onto me like a vice.”

Lin Wanzhao stared at her, then immediately let go. She ran a hand through her hair, frowning in embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Yu Qingkong sat up, reached for a box of tissues on the nightstand, and handed one to her.

Lin Wanzhao took it with trembling fingers. “Thank you.”

“A nightmare?” Yu Qingkong asked after a pause.

Lin Wanzhao crumbled the tissue in her palm and shook her head, looking down.

“When did you actually get to sleep last night?”

“I don’t know. Last time I checked the clock, it was after 3:00 AM.” Lin Wanzhao dabbed at her nose, her voice regaining its steady tone.

“Still tired?”

Lin Wanzhao tilted her head slightly and shook it.

“Hungry?”

At this, Lin Wanzhao nodded. “A little.”

“I’ll go make breakfast then.” Yu Qingkong braced her hands on the mattress to stand up.

But then, Lin Wanzhao’s hand reached out, loosely encircling her wrist.

The sun had fully risen now. Slats of light filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in a hazy, fresh glow. Lin Wanzhao’s eyes looked like they were filled with morning dew—misty, fragile, and achingly beautiful.

“CEO Lin?” Yu Qingkong looked down at her wrist.

“It really was a nightmare. I feel… heavy. I want a hug.” Lin Wanzhao looked utterly piteous.

Remembering the way she had looked while crying in her sleep, Yu Qingkong let out a sigh. She reached out and pulled Lin Wanzhao into her arms, tucking her head against her shoulder.

Lin Wanzhao’s body was soft and warm. Holding her, Yu Qingkong felt a strange, dull ache in her own heart. She didn’t know how to comfort her, realizing how little she truly knew about the woman in her arms.

After a long moment, Lin Wanzhao sighed into her shoulder. Her voice was muffled and small. “Your hugs are so comfortable.”

Yu Qingkong’s body stiffened slightly. “Are they?”

“Mhm…” Lin Wanzhao murmured, her gaze fixed on Yu Qingkong’s earlobe.

“You…” Yu Qingkong started, then quickly changed the subject. “What do you want to eat?”

“I want those potato pancakes—the ones shredded into thin strips and fried until they’re crispy.”

“Anything else?” Yu Qingkong asked softly.

“I’ll eat whatever you make.”

“Alright. Sleep a bit longer. I’ll come wake you when it’s ready.” Yu Qingkong stood up quickly, breaking the embrace.

“You’re so good to me,” Lin Wanzhao said, watching her with a faint smile.

Yu Qingkong looked away awkwardly. “I’m going to the kitchen. Close your eyes and sleep.”

“Okay.” Lin Wanzhao watched her leave, then collapsed back onto the bed with a soft grin.

But then, the realization hit her: I cried in front of her. She saw me cry. She scrambled for a hand mirror on the nightstand.

God, I look hideous.

She face-planted back into the pillow, biting her lip. If only she could rewind her life and edit out the unglamorous parts.

******************************************

By 1:00 PM, the “sprained” ankle—which was a mix of real pain and clever acting—had recovered enough for them to head to the IMAX theater at a nearby mall.

Yu Qingkong bought two tickets for the 2:30 PM show. With half an hour to kill, they wandered aimlessly through the mall. They eventually stepped into a quirky boutique filled with everything from plushies to picture frames.

As Yu Qingkong flipped through a notebook, two girls nearby started chatting.

Girl A: “Did Chen Hao confess to you?”

Girl B: “Yeah, it’s so annoying. We were good friends, but now I have to cut him off. I don’t like him like that, so I can’t give him any hope, right?”

Listening to them, Lin Wanzhao’s brow twitched. She looked over at Yu Qingkong, who was currently poking a bobblehead skeleton. Every time she poked it, the skull rattled—it looked both ugly and silly.

“Would you do that, too?” Lin Wanzhao asked suddenly.

“Hmm?” Yu Qingkong put the toy down and followed Lin Wanzhao’s gaze to the back of the girl with the bobbed hair.

“They were just talking about a friend confessing. She’s choosing to give up the friendship. If a friend of yours confessed and you didn’t feel the same way, would you do that, too?”

Yu Qingkong didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

It was the answer Lin Wanzhao expected, yet her heart sank. She forced a smile. “That’s pretty cold-hearted, isn’t it?”

“It’s not about being cold,” Yu Qingkong said, picking up a skeleton to check the price. “I just think if you don’t like someone, the best thing to do is not give them hope. That way, you don’t waste their time. Right?”

“Rationally, sure. but emotionally… can you really be that heartless? If you were friends, you have memories together.” Lin Wanzhao crossed her arms.

“Even if it’s hard, you have to do it.” Yu Qingkong looked at her steadily.

“Oh… so, if I accidentally fell for you one day, would I be heading for a ‘crematorium’ too?” Lin Wanzhao joked, her voice light.

On the outside, Lin Wanzhao was as steady as an old dog. Inside, she was panicking.

Yu Qingkong froze, her grip tightening on the skeleton. She stared at the shelf, her brow furrowing deeply.

Seeing her reaction, Lin Wanzhao felt a wave of bitterness. She laughed at her own question to ease the tension. “What, are you already calculating how to phase me out of your life if that happened?”

Yu Qingkong hid her hands behind her back, her fingers clenching.

“So… would you, CEO Lin? Fall for me?” Yu Qingkong suddenly turned her head to look her in the eye.

The question hit Lin Wanzhao like a physical shock. Her mind went blank, her limbs feeling momentarily paralyzed.

“Hmm?” Yu Qingkong prompted.

Lin Wanzhao managed to regain her composure. She leaned in close, using her confidence as a shield. she reached out and hooked a finger under Yu Qingkong’s chin, looking at her from inches away. “Then, Miss Yu, are you afraid of being loved by me?”

The scent of Lin Wanzhao’s perfume filled the air. Yu Qingkong stared into her eyes, then down at her pink lips. Her heart gave an unexpected, violent thud.

Just then, a passerby accidentally bumped into Yu Qingkong, causing her to stumble forward, chest-to-chest against Lin Wanzhao.

Pressed against her, Lin Wanzhao could feel the intense heat radiating from Yu Qingkong. She tilted her head back, her voice as soft as water.

“Qingkong… why is your heart beating so fast?”