They slept until noon. Chang Xuyu's face was flushed and her heart raced from his body heat. She couldn't bear to lie there any longer. When she finally managed to sit up, she felt as if she'd just been pulled out of the water—drenched in sweat.
She didn't bother with anything else and headed straight to the bathroom. The sound of running water echoed for a good while before she emerged, fresh and clean. She let out a breath, feeling much better.
She really couldn't pity him anymore. How had she been so soft-hearted as to agree to sleep with him? Even though he was sick, he still had all his strength. Once he held her, he wouldn't let go. Chang Xuyu couldn't push him away, so she had to let him do as he pleased. Soon, drowsiness overwhelmed her, and her eyes slowly closed.
It was only after he fell asleep that she could break free and catch her breath.
Seeing Yi Zhuo's face growing redder, she dared not delay any longer. She changed clothes and went out.
The pharmacy was right downstairs in the complex. Chang Xuyu bought all the medicines listed on the prescription and was about to leave.
Suddenly, someone walked past her, entering the store and asking the owner for a bottle of cough syrup, accompanied by a few hoarse coughs.
It was a woman whose back was all too familiar—brownish-red long hair, always dressed in dark colors. It was Xu Jia.
Chang Xuyu pressed her lips together and furrowed her brows slightly.
Xu Jia wore a mask. She took the medicine and turned around, locking eyes with Chang Xuyu.
She paused, but had nothing to say to Chang Xuyu. Her expression was extremely complicated, but it was quickly replaced by disgust. She shot her a glance and prepared to leave.
"Teacher Xu!"
Chang Xuyu grabbed her.
Xu Jia clicked her tongue in annoyance and shook her off.
"What do you want?"
Chang Xuyu held on tight. When Xu Jia couldn't shake her off, she turned and snarled at her.
...
The two walked to a nearby coffee shop and sat down. Xu Jia coughed, looking at Chang Xuyu with disgust, knowing she was here to call her to account.
But she wasn't one to be easily bullied. Who told Chang Xuyu to team up with Jian Jiayue to mess with her? She was jobless now, her life a complete mess, and Chang Xuyu played a part in that. She had to stand up for herself!
Chang Xuyu pressed her lips together, her bright, watery eyes looking at her earnestly, full of regret.
"Teacher Xu, I think we should talk. Even if I didn't run into you today, I would have asked you to meet me tomorrow."
Chang Xuyu sighed.
Xu Jia let out a cold laugh, crossed her legs, leaned back, raised her eyebrows, and looked at her with disdain.
"What? Enemies meet, and you've come to beg for mercy? Let me tell you, Xu Jia is not someone you can just push around. Yes, I hate you, but I ask myself: I've helped you plenty, haven't I? And you? You hook up with the vice principal behind my back and target me? Chang Xuyu, do you have a conscience? Treating a friend like this—do you even have any real friends?"
Chang Xuyu frowned and tried to explain, but Xu Jia cut her off.
"I treated you like a friend. What did you treat me like?"
Xu Jia slammed her hand on the table, her voice rising with accusation and grievance, ending with a sob.
"Back when you were teaching color to the first class, you couldn't handle the basics because of your color blindness. Didn't I always substitute for you? Whenever there was something fun or pretty, you were the first person I thought of. And just because I asked you a few questions about what the first class could paint to improve their scores, you went and tattled to Jian Jiayue?"
"We're both teachers. I may be strict with students, but who doesn't want their students to get higher marks? You couldn't stand that?"
She never imagined that the normally quiet and well-behaved Chang Xuyu would be two-faced, betraying her trust.
She feared nothing more than being betrayed by someone she liked, because she always gave her all in a relationship. If betrayed, she'd be the one left to suffer the consequences. Rather than be humiliated in public, it was better to strike first. Since Chang Xuyu had treated her like this, she no longer needed to preserve their friendship.
Seeing Xu Jia pour out all her grievances like bitter water, Chang Xuyu looked at her with sympathy, pushed the freshly served matcha cake in front of her, and said softly, "Have some cake. It's matcha, your favorite."
They often used to go to the café next to the institution to buy little cakes. Xu Jia loved matcha ice cream cake, while Chang Xuyu preferred tiramisu and Black Forest.
Xu Jia looked at the cake, then at Chang Xuyu, stunned for a moment, but quickly regained her composure. She turned her head away. "I'm telling you, I won't delete the post. I don't care what's going on between you guys. I'm not deleting it."
She wanted to be ruthless for once.
"Go ahead, have some. I know you love it."
Chang Xuyu didn't give up, persistently pushing the cake toward her.
Xu Jia suddenly felt her eyes sting.
So many moments shared, day in and day out—they strolled through malls, saw new arrivals at their favorite brand stores, but couldn't bring themselves to spend half a month's salary on a dress or shirt. Instead, they'd buy two ice cream cones and sit together, chatting about funny things at the studio or complaining about students' so-so sketching and drawing assignments, vowing to give good demonstrations and corrections when they got back.
And they always ended up at that café on the first floor, buying two little cakes.
Xu Jia picked up a fork out of spite.
Salty tears mixed with the bitterness of matcha powder, eventually dissolved by the sweetness of the cream and ice cream.
She remembered often telling people the phrase "first bitter, then sweet" because she believed that as long as she worked hard and lived right, no matter how tough things got, she could get through it. One day, she would live the life she dreamed of as a child.
Seeing her like this, Chang Xuyu's heart ached.
"Teacher Xu, in your eyes, am I really that kind of person?"
She had explained her relationship with Jian Jiayue to Xu Jia many times, but Xu Jia was like possessed—she wouldn't listen to a word.
That was what hurt the most. Her good colleague at the studio actually believed she had bad character, that she would cozy up to a superior to bully a coworker.
Xu Jia was hurt. Wasn't Chang Xuyu hurt, too?
They were both sentimental people, but Chang Xuyu was calmer, while Xu Jia acted more on impulse.
"Then what am I supposed to think?"