Waiting for You

A minute later, Yu Qingkong finally pulled away from Lin Wanzhao’s lips.

Lin Wanzhao was still completely immersed in the moment, unable to react, her heart still fluttering wildly in her chest.

“Why did you… suddenly kiss me?” Lin Wanzhao whispered, her fingers twisting the hem of her dress, her earlobes flushed red.

“Then, next time I want to do something, should I ask for your permission first?” Yu Qingkong asked.

“No,” Lin Wanzhao said, hurriedly grabbing the handle of the fitting room door. “Of course not. I… I’ll go see what this looks like on me.”

However, just as Lin Wanzhao pulled the door open, Yu Qingkong softly added from behind her, “It looks very beautiful.”

Lin Wanzhao looked back at her, a smile spreading across her lips. “Really?”

“Mhm.” Yu Qingkong nodded.

Lin Wanzhao tucked the comment into her heart, feeling sweet, and walked out the door. The moment she stepped out, several people nearby were immediately drawn to her, and one person even turned to ask the clerk if there was a size larger available.

Yu Qingkong stood to the side, arms crossed, watching Lin Wanzhao turn back and forth in front of the mirror, an involuntary smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

It was strange—in the past, she actually disliked shopping with others. Especially during the fitting room segments, she would usually sit to the side playing on her phone, too lazy to even offer an opinion, just hoping they would hurry up and buy something so they could leave. But now, she found that shopping with someone was a joy, and watching them try on clothes was a pleasure in its own right.

In the end, Lin Wanzhao bought five sets. After paying, the two grabbed lunch and headed to the airport.

After two hours of travel, they returned to Shengcheng at nearly five in the afternoon.

Yu Qingkong glanced out the window; the sky was hazy, the entire city draped in a layer of gray. Returning to this city, which felt entirely devoid of anything but modern density, after being in such a vibrant, sun-drenched place, felt like a jarring drop.

After getting off the plane and collecting their luggage, Yu Qingkong pulled her suitcase to her side in the parking lot and turned to look at Lin Wanzhao. “I have to head out now. I have plans with Ting-jie this evening.”

She had already stood them up a few times, and if she bailed again, she really wouldn’t be much of a friend.

Hearing this, Lin Wanzhao felt a pang of reluctance, but she nodded nonetheless. “Alright, you mentioned that before.”

In truth, she had been hoping to have dinner with Yu Qingkong. Time had passed too quickly; the holiday was over before she could even process it. She felt like they hadn’t spent enough time together, and she wished she could squeeze more time out of their days like a sponge. But she didn’t want to make Yu Qingkong feel like she was being too clingy.

“Be safe on your way,” Lin Wanzhao said, looking at her.

“Mhm,” Yu Qingkong nodded. After a moment, she looked at her again. “Come here.”

“Hmm?” Lin Wanzhao was stunned.

Yu Qingkong stepped forward, reached out to straighten Lin’s collar, adjusted her scarf, and then gazed steadily at her.

The moment Lin Wanzhao met her eyes, she felt her entire body heat up, as if she were no longer in the middle of winter.

Finally, Yu Qingkong lowered her head and quietly buttoned up the front of Lin’s coat for her.

“This coat looks better when it’s left open…” Lin Wanzhao looked down at her hands, saying softly.

“I know.” Yu Qingkong nodded, but her hands continued to fasten the buttons. Once finished, Lin Wanzhao looked as if she had been bundled into a large cocoon.

“It’s cold outside, so keep it buttoned. Your health is more important.” Yu Qingkong dropped her hands to her sides and gazed into Lin’s eyes.

“Oh…” Lin Wanzhao toyed with a button, smiled faintly, and added, “You’re actually quite caring.”

Yu Qingkong paused, then looked at her phone. “My car is here.”

“Alright,” Lin Wanzhao nodded. “See you tomorrow, then.”

“See you tomorrow.” Yu Qingkong nodded, watched her for a beat, then picked up her suitcase and walked toward a car.

Lin Wanzhao stayed standing there, waiting for Qi Jianfeng, who had said he would come to pick her up. However, he seemed to be stuck in traffic.

She watched Yu Qingkong’s slender, upright back, tightened her grip on her suitcase handle, and pressed her lips together.

She couldn’t quite explain what she liked about Yu Qingkong. She only knew that she truly wanted to stay by that person’s side forever, walking together, until they were old and gray.

Come to think of it, Yu Qingkong’s attitude toward her had shifted a little since before. Thinking of this, Lin Wanzhao felt a spark of happiness, and the smile on her face deepened.

Yu Qingkong arrived at her car, pulled the door open, and looked back toward Lin Wanzhao.

Looking over, she saw that Lin Wanzhao had already entered a car and closed the door.

Yu Qingkong turned, ducked her head, and sat into her own ride.

A few hundred meters into the drive, the driver chuckled, trying to make small talk. “The weather’s been so cold lately.”

“It has. Yancheng was lovely; it’s still sunny and bright there.” Yu Qingkong rested her left hand casually on her knee.

“Went there for vacation, did you?” the driver asked with a smile.

“Yes,” Yu Qingkong nodded.

“Did you go alone?” the driver asked.

Hearing this, Yu Qingkong’s jaw relaxed slightly, and her eyebrows arched. “No husband.”

“How can that be? You’re so pretty, how do you not have a husband? You look like you’re in your late twenties, right? Not married yet?” The driver chewed his gum as he spoke.

Yu Qingkong rubbed her head. “Who says a person has to get married?”

“Aiya, you new-age women, you’re just too progressive. Honestly, with everyone like you, I’m afraid the number of bachelors in our country will only keep growing. There are already more men than women…”

“So what? What does men not being able to find wives have to do with me?” Yu Qingkong felt a flash of irritation and furrowed her brows.

“Heh heh, of course it has to do with you. For the greater good, you have the responsibility to bear children for these men…”

Yu Qingkong curled her lip. She couldn’t be bothered to argue with someone like this; she knew his mindset was set in stone. No matter what she said, he wouldn’t understand and would only remain stubborn. She simply said, “Then I’m terribly sorry. Even if I were to date, I wouldn’t date men anyway. So, could you please stop talking about this? I don’t enjoy listening to it, thank you.”

The driver was stunned for a long while, staring blankly at the road ahead. After a long moment, he asked in disbelief, “You’re a lesbian?”

Yu Qingkong watched him from the backseat, her gaze darkening.

After a moment, she spoke. “If I am, then what?”

The driver could hear the coldness in her tone and sensed her displeasure. After catching a glimpse of her formidable expression in the rearview mirror, he scratched his head, shook it, and gave an awkward, sheepish laugh. “No, no, nothing at all.”

Finally, the topic died, and everything returned to silence. Yu Qingkong watched the dim, gloomy scenery outside, exhaled slowly, and closed her eyes.

Once home and having put her luggage away, Yu Qingkong washed her face in the bathroom. Drying her hands, she pulled at her collar and squinted at the marks Lin Wanzhao had left on her neck, a faint smile touching her lips.

She then went back out to meet Liu Ting and Lu Xiaoxiao for dinner.

It was an old-school Chinese restaurant, elegantly furnished with an antique feel—from the decor to the dishes, everything was quite refined.

When Yu Qingkong arrived, Liu Ting and Lu Xiaoxiao were already there.

“You made it?” Yu Qingkong sat down and set her bag to the side.

“Yes, we were just waiting for you.” Liu Ting looked at her, sipping her drink.

“The traffic was bad at this hour, sorry I’m late,” Yu Qingkong sighed, apologizing.

“It’s fine, we haven’t been here long. Here, take a look and order something.” Liu Ting passed the menu over.

“Alright, let me see.” Yu Qingkong opened the menu.

In the end, she added one dish, then began cleaning her cup and chopsticks and pouring tea.

After a sip, a thought occurred to her. She pulled out her phone and opened her chat window with Lin Wanzhao.

Because they had been together for the past few days, they hadn’t messaged each other in a while. The chat history was still from several days ago.

She hesitated, then typed out: “Are you home yet?”

She waited a minute, but there was no reply. She set the phone aside, though she couldn’t help but glance at it from time to time.

In the past, whenever she sent a message, Lin Wanzhao would reply almost at the speed of light, no matter the time. But this time, there was nothing for so long, and Yu Qingkong couldn’t help but furrow her brows.

That empty, hollow feeling washed over her again, making her restless and losing her appetite. Facing the dishes that had already been served, she barely touched her chopsticks.

Midway through, Yu Qingkong’s phone rang.

“Don’t look, it’s mine,” Lu Xiaoxiao said, waving her phone in the air and pointing outside. “I’m going to go take this call.”

“Oh,” Yu Qingkong nodded and put her phone back down. “The annoying thing about iPhones is that everyone has the same ringtone.”

“True. But are you waiting for someone? Why do you keep checking your phone?” Liu Ting watched Lu Xiaoxiao walk away, then set down her chopsticks and looked at Yu Qingkong, her gaze pregnant with meaning.

“No.” Yu Qingkong put her phone down and took a sip of tea.

“No? Do you think I’m blind? You’ve been staring at that phone the whole time and barely eating anything. Xiaoxiao and I have almost finished these two plates,” Liu Ting gestured to the taro steamed ribs and the steamed bass. “You love fish, why aren’t you eating?”

“I am eating,” Yu Qingkong said, reaching for a piece of fish.

“Right, if eating one bite counts,” Liu Ting smirked. “So, who are you waiting for? Little Wanzhao?”

“This place is a bit salty. I wonder how the soup is.” Yu Qingkong didn’t answer directly, simply grabbing a spoon to serve herself a bowl of corn and pork rib soup.

“Don’t change the subject. It really is her, isn’t it? Honestly, during that camping trip, I felt like something was going on between you two. Was I right? Hey, speaking of which, you two separated after the trip, how did… tsk tsk tsk, did you guys spark something while playing around on this latest trip?” Liu Ting always had sharp eyes.

Yu Qingkong suddenly choked, coughing and reaching for a tissue. She looked up at her. “What are you thinking? Who is she, who am I? How could I possibly spark anything with her? I was just there to take photos for her…”

“Right, she’s so rich, a little wealthy woman, hiring a master photographer should be a piece of cake for her. Why specifically pick you, an amateur?” Liu Ting was always blunt.

“She said she likes my style.” Yu Qingkong finally stopped coughing and felt a bit better, stirring her soup with her spoon.

“Is that so…” Liu Ting nodded, though deep down, she thought, I don’t believe a word of that.

“Yes.” Yu Qingkong glanced at her, then picked up a piece of rib and put it in her bowl.

After the meal, Yu Qingkong checked her phone again, but Lin Wanzhao still hadn’t replied.

She exhaled and sent another message: “If you’re home, let me know.”

Afterward, Yu Qingkong drove home.

Once home, she showered and washed her hair. After coming out, she checked her phone again. But on the other end of the network, Lin Wanzhao seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Yu Qingkong frowned, weighing the phone in her hand. She sighed, grabbed her camera, went to her desk, and turned on her computer.

She imported the RAW files, opened them in her software, and began carefully reviewing them, deleting the ones that weren’t good.

Lin Wanzhao had a natural foundation; her skin was nearly flawless. With her hourglass figure and long limbs, she barely needed any retouching. She just needed to tidy up a few stray, windswept hairs and adjust the color.

As she scrolled through the files, Yu Qingkong’s gaze fixed on a photo of Lin Wanzhao eating a strawberry. Red lips and white teeth, eyes slightly narrowed—she looked more tempting than the strawberry itself.

Looking at it, Yu Qingkong couldn’t help but recall what happened after that day, the memories surging deep from within her body.

She picked up her phone, gazing into the chat box with Lin Wanzhao, dazed.

Why aren’t you replying? Did you not see it, or do you just not want to reply?

She tapped her phone against the desk twice, set it down, brushed away the chaotic thoughts, and began officially editing the photos.

Before she knew it, two hours had passed. During a break for water, she glanced at the time in the bottom right corner—it was past eleven.

She set her cup down, unlocked her phone, and went back into the chat.

Deeply exhaling, she sent another message: “Where are you?”

After sending it, she took a steady breath, returned to her keyboard, and continued editing.

Once she checked her progress, she shut down the computer and stared quietly out the window. The night was deep, the street traffic had thinned out, and the sense of loneliness grew stronger.

Taking her phone, she climbed into bed, opened a game, adjusted her gear, and started a match.

Usually, she was fully immersed when gaming, enough to forget everything around her, but tonight, she was distracted, and the game felt flavorless.

Before she knew it, she was killed. Then, she died again. Even so, she had no urge to turn the game around; she just kept wondering why Lin Wanzhao hadn’t replied.

If she didn’t see it, what is she doing right now? If she did see it, what does not replying mean? Does she feel like she’s tired of me, so she doesn’t want to bother anymore? Does she want to become strangers?

Lost in these thoughts, Yu Qingkong was defeated again.

After that, she stopped playing. She turned off the lights, laid her hand across her forehead, and lay there quietly, eyes closed.

Past 1:00 AM.

Lin Wanzhao finished her party and returned home. After putting her phone on the charger, she went to the bathroom to shower.

Finally, wrapped in a bath towel, she returned to the bed, stroked the cat, Qiuqiu, who had jumped onto the bed with her, and picked up her phone to turn it on. After the carrier logo disappeared, three messages popped up on WeChat.

Looking closely, they were all from one person: Yu Qingkong.

Lin Wanzhao froze. She flipped to the first message and read down through them, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

She never expected Yu Qingkong to send her so many messages. Well, maybe not many, but for Lin Wanzhao, it was a lot! After all, Yu Qingkong rarely sent the first message unless there was a reason, and she certainly wouldn’t ask the same thing three times, clearly concerned about whether she’d gotten home safely.

Lin Wanzhao couldn’t help but laugh. She read the messages over and over, making sure she wasn’t seeing things.

After the joy faded, she checked the time and panicked.

It’s been so long since I received Yu Qingkong’s message, and I…

Lin Wanzhao quickly typed: “I’m here, I’m here! I’m back, I’m home. I was having too much fun with my friends tonight and didn’t pay attention to my phone, so the battery died, and I didn’t know. I didn’t see your messages, and I forgot my charger, so I just got home and plugged it in, and then I saw your messages…”

After sending it, she waited for a while, but there was no movement. She wondered if she should call.

But she hesitated, her finger hovering over the contacts. What if she’s already asleep? If I call now, wouldn’t I just wake her up? Yu Qingkong’s sleep quality isn’t great.

Just as she hesitated, a reply appeared on the screen: “Good that you’re home.”

“You’re still awake?” Lin Wanzhao was stunned, checking the time. It was nearly 2:00 AM.

“Still am,” Yu Qingkong replied.

“But don’t you usually sleep early? You always seem to get sleepy so fast. Why aren’t you asleep yet? Are you not tired?” Lin Wanzhao’s fingers flew across the screen, and she sent the message, lying in bed, waiting for a reply while petting Qiuqiu.

After a while, the screen lit up again. Lin Wanzhao picked it up immediately.

Yu Qingkong replied: “I’m tired, my eyes can barely stay open.”

Lin Wanzhao furrowed her brows and sighed. “Then why aren’t you sleeping? Is something bothering you?”

Just as Lin Wanzhao was furrowing her brow again, trying to figure out what was going on, the next message appeared.

“I was waiting for you.”