Solitary Toss of Tenderness

How many more six years can she wait?

The teacher’s apartment, newly built in recent years, is in good condition with three bedrooms and a living room. Almost all the single teachers in the school live there. As Jiang Huaixi climbed the stairs, she chose not to take the elevator, politely nodding to the many teachers she encountered going up and down.

Reluctantly trailing behind Jiang Huaixi, Lu Zizheng had lost the energy to question her intentions. She simply wished to settle things with Jiang Huaixi as soon as possible and never see her again.

Finally, on the left side of the sixth floor, Jiang Huaixi halted by a door. She took out her keys, stood to the side, and softly commanded Lu Zizheng, who was still standing on the last step of the staircase, “Come in.”

Lu Zizheng gripped the stair railing, keeping her head low, offering no response. Remembering Jiang Huaixi’s disdainful and frivolous tone during their first meeting, she couldn’t help but worry about Jiang Huaixi’s motives for bringing her inside.

However, Jiang Huaixi seemed to understand her concerns and turned back toward the apartment, saying, “Even if you suffer from delusions of being harmed, don’t mistake me for someone desperate. Remember to close the door when you come in.”

Lu Zizheng clenched the railing so tightly that it seemed as though she might bore a hole through it. She gritted her teeth, lifted her foot, and entered the apartment. Well, since it had come to this, she wanted to see what Jiang Huaixi had in mind.

After closing the door, Lu Zizheng hesitated before taking a step further inside. To her surprise, the apartment was unusually clean, with not a speck of dust on the floor. She glanced at the shoe cabinet in the entrance and found no spare slippers. She hesitated, wondering if it was acceptable to walk in with her shoes on.

Jiang Huaixi emerged from the inner room, carrying a tray. Seeing Lu Zizheng’s hesitation, she asked curiously, “Why are you standing there? Come in!”

Lu Zizheng lifted her foot again and inquired, “Should I change my shoes?” Even if Jiang Huaixi was impolite, Lu Zizheng couldn’t disregard basic manners like her.

However, Jiang Huaixi placed the tray on the coffee table, confidently sat back on the sofa, and smiled at Lu Zizheng, saying, “Now you’re being polite. No need to change; there are no spare slippers.”

Lu Zizheng let out a disdainful hum and walked up to Jiang Huaixi. It seemed that from the beginning, it was Jiang Huaixi who had been disrespectful to her. Now she was turning the tables. What was she up to?

Jiang Huaixi casually grabbed the remote control, switched on the television, and while changing channels, she invited Lu Zizheng, “Take a seat and let’s eat.”

Only then did Lu Zizheng notice the tray Jiang Huaixi had placed on the coffee table, containing a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, and a few side dishes. She looked at Jiang Huaixi incredulously and couldn’t help but frown, questioning her, “Did you call me here just to have a meal? If there’s something, why not explain it all at once?”

Jiang Huaixi raised her head, arched an eyebrow, and curled her lips in a half-smile that seemed both mocking and playful. “Well, what else did you expect? Why don’t you say everything at once so I can satisfy you?”

Unable to tolerate her condescending tone, even though it was clear that Jiang Huaixi was in the wrong from start to finish, Lu Zizheng couldn’t understand why she had the audacity to speak to her like that. Did wealthy people have different manners?

She turned to leave. “Sorry, I’m not hungry. Besides, I prefer the food from the cafeteria. You can enjoy it yourself, Miss Jiang.” The games of the wealthy were not ones Lu Zizheng could afford to play, nor did she have any interest in entertaining them.

However, from behind, Jiang Huaixi spoke coldly, “I’m afraid the cafeteria doesn’t have any food left now. Didn’t your mother teach you how to take care of yourself when you’re sick? Can sick people afford to eat only when they feel like it?”

Lu Zizheng’s hand was already on the doorknob, but she turned halfway to retort, “I don’t need Miss Jiang to worry about how my mother taught me. I’m also curious, is this how your mother taught you to interact and speak with others?”

Jiang Huaixi furrowed her pretty brows and coldly counter-questioned, “Is your superior upbringing teaching you to treat people who have helped you in this manner?”

Lu Zizheng couldn’t hold back any longer. She opened her backpack, took out her wallet, and emptied all the money onto the coffee table in front of Jiang Huaixi. If possible, she wanted to slap the money onto Jiang Huaixi’s face. “I don’t know how much medical expenses you’ve covered for me. If it’s not enough, just say it. I only hope that from now on, we settle our debts and never see each other again.”

Jiang Huaixi gazed at Lu Zizheng’s beautiful yet stern face, and in her eyes, Jiang Huaixi could clearly see the gleam of anger and disgust. Her eyes dimmed for a moment, but it was fleeting. She leaned back on the sofa, crossed her arms, and chuckled, “Do you think I need money? You’ve repaid the money, but not even a word of thanks. And now you want to settle our debts?”

Lu Zizheng took a deep breath and clenched her teeth. “Miss Jiang, thank you for what happened that day.”

Jiang Huaixi sat up straight, propping up her long legs, and remained composed. “Saying thank you is not enough; sincerity is shown through actions.” She extended her hand and gestured towards the food on the coffee table, saying, “Let me see your sincere gratitude.”

Lu Zizheng bit her lip, looked at Jiang Huaixi, hesitated for a moment, and finally let out a resigned sigh. She picked up the chopsticks, hoping that Jiang Huaixi would keep her word. She really didn’t want to see her again.

Lu Zizheng barely took a few bites of the meal when she thought it was enough. But Jiang Huaixi kept staring at her, unsatisfied, and pushed the soup towards her, indicating for her to drink it. Lu Zizheng reluctantly picked it up, as if making a decisive move, and drank it all in one go. Then she stared directly at Jiang Huaixi and asked, “Is my sincerity enough?”

However, Jiang Huaixi averted her gaze and looked at the television, asking, “Are you going home for New Year’s?”

Lu Zizheng found the topic to be a sudden jump and didn’t answer immediately.

Jiang Huaixi continued, oblivious to Lu Zizheng’s lack of response. “I’ve been wanting to visit your place recently. If you take me home, provide me with food and accommodation, and act as my tour guide, then maybe we can consider settling our debts.”

Lu Zizheng instantly rejected her without hesitation. “That’s impossible.”

Jiang Huaixi snapped off the TV with a click, and her deep, ancient pond-like black eyes stared at Lu Zizheng with a smirk. “I don’t think you’re someone who enjoys being indebted to others, especially not to someone as detestable as me.”

Lu Zizheng, infuriated yet finding it amusing, sneered, “So you know that I dislike you.”

Ignoring Lu Zizheng’s sarcasm, Jiang Huaixi hammered the final nail in the coffin, “Let’s consider it settled then. Arrange a time to let me know when I should come pick you up. I’ll drive, and we’ll go together.”

Lu Zizheng stood up, unwilling to look at Jiang Huaixi for another moment. She responded with silence, turned around, opened the door, and closed it. After shutting the door, she turned back, wishing she could kick it fiercely a few times. But considering the other residents on the floor, she refrained from doing so.

While descending the stairs, consumed by anger and thoughts on how to rid herself of Jiang Huaixi, Lu Zizheng inadvertently missed a step. Her body swayed, almost tumbling down.

Feeling exhausted, Lu Zizheng leaned against the railing while standing up. Unable to control her frustration, she angrily slapped the handrail, only to end up hurting her own hand. How could someone with such a noble and classical beauty carry herself like a shameless and boring scoundrel? That face, which initially captivated her, now made Lu Zizheng feel extremely irritated.

Of course, in the end, Lu Zizheng still compromised and took Jiang Huaixi home. She only hoped that they could truly settle their debts and send away this plague that had come knocking on her door. She knew there was no other way because she couldn’t defeat Jiang Huaixi.

Looking back on those times, Lu Zizheng found Jiang Huaixi’s behavior both exasperating and amusing. She was like an overly dramatic teenage girl.

Mama Lu was unaware of the history between Lu Zizheng and Jiang Huaixi. All she knew was that Lu Zizheng suddenly brought home a beautiful and polite girl, and in Lu Zizheng’s eyes, there was an unmistakable concern and admiration.

Mama Lu thought they had made enough dumplings and stopped. As she tidied up the remaining dough and filling, she said, “Zheng Zheng, why don’t you ask Huaixi when she’s free these days and invite her over? I remember she loved eating dumplings before, but unfortunately, circumstances didn’t allow me to make them for her again.”

Lu Zizheng jokingly replied to her mother, “Mom, don’t bother. Dumplings are everywhere. If she wants to eat them, she can find them anywhere in the city. She doesn’t have to come all the way here just for a meal.”

Mama Lu glared at Lu Zizheng reproachfully and said, “How can they be the same?”

Lu Zizheng touched her nose and smiled, choosing not to say anything.

After having dinner with her mother, with plenty of time remaining, Lu Zizheng sat on the couch and watched the New Year’s Eve concert with her mother. However, her thoughts gradually drifted towards Jiang Huaixi.

Upon careful recollection, Lu Zizheng realized that when Jiang Huaixi said she enjoyed her mother’s homemade dumplings that year, it didn’t seem like she was pretending. Later, when they went out to eat together, they ordered dumplings a few times. However, Jiang Huaixi would always lament that she missed her mom’s dumplings the most. After hastily eating a few, she would put down her chopsticks and eventually stopped ordering dumplings altogether.

A slight idea sparked in Lu Zizheng’s mind. She glanced at the time in the lower right corner of the TV—it was just eight o’clock, still early before Jiang Huaixi was supposed to come and pick her up. She stood up and said to her mother, “Mom, I suddenly feel like learning how to make dumplings. Can you give me the remaining dumpling wrappers and filling in the kitchen?”

Mama Lu looked at her in surprise and said, “Did the sun rise from the west?”

Lu Zizheng smiled without saying a word and went into the kitchen.

Imitating her mother’s actions, Lu Zizheng initially had a few mishaps where the filling was too much and the wrappers tore, or there was too little filling, leaving only empty wrappers. However, as she continued, her dumplings started to look presentable despite being slightly less attractive.

Lu Zizheng’s enthusiasm for dumpling making was evident, her face beaming with a smile. Mama Lu stood at the kitchen doorway, not sure how long she had been watching. A smile formed on her face too. Seeing that Lu Zizheng finished wrapping all the remaining dumplings, she finally spoke, “Are you going out later?”

Lu Zizheng was startled by her mother’s voice. “Mom, why do you walk so silently? Oh, I forgot to tell you. Yes, I’ll be going out later.”

Mama Lu walked over to Lu Zizheng and helped her tidy up the table. “You were lost in your thoughts, thinking about going out with Huaixi, right?”

Lu Zizheng glanced at her watch and realized it was already half-past nine, and it was time to go. She looked at the stove and found it a bit challenging. She decided to seek her mother’s help. “Mom, if I leave these dumplings I wrapped here, they won’t be good to eat after a while, and it would be a waste. Since I’m going out soon, why not cook them and let me bring some to Huaixi? That way, you won’t have to worry about it.”

Mama Lu looked at Lu Zizheng’s serious expression and found it amusing, but she didn’t expose her. “Hmm, it’s a good idea not to waste them. Then, you should cook them.”

Lu Zizheng shook her head. “Mom, you know I don’t know how to cook, and besides, Huaixi is very picky. If the taste of what I cook is not good, she definitely won’t like it. It’s better for you to handle it, Mom. I’ll go find a container to keep them warm.”

Mama Lu watched Lu Zizheng squatting down and rummaging through boxes and cabinets in search of a thermal container, and she smiled helplessly: Your cooking would probably make Huaixi ecstatic. She poured water into the pot and sighed. Silly child, when will you be able to put your mother’s worries to rest? When will you dare to let go of the past and bravely face your own heart? And as for Huaixi, how many more six years does she have to wait for someone like you?