Early morning.
Morning light cut through the gaps in the old curtain, casting several slanted beams on the wall of the rental apartment.
Dust floated slowly in the rays.
When Yan Yu woke up, the first thing she felt was the familiar dull pain in her lower back.
This pain had been with her for so long that it had almost become part of her body.
She slowly opened her eyes, stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, and then let out a gentle sigh.
A new day.
The phone on the bedside table vibrated at that moment.
She picked up the phone.
The screen lit up, and a bank transfer notification popped up in the notification bar.
She tapped it open, and the number made her pause briefly.
+108,600.00 yuan
The transfer memo had only three simple words:
“Clothes money.”
Yan Yu stared at the series of numbers, and a slow smile curled at the corner of her mouth.
That dress that Jiang Muyun spilled red wine on—Su Qinghan not only fully compensated for it but also gave extra.
This was so like Su Qinghan—using money to draw clear boundaries, using money to make up for shortcomings, using money to maintain her lofty dignity.
But this time, it seemed a little different.
If it were the Su Qinghan of before, she would probably have sent an assistant with a check, or had her secretary make the transfer, with a memo like “Compensation”—such a businesslike word.
But now, she had made the transfer herself, written the memo herself, and even… given extra money.
Yan Yu lowered her gaze, her fingertips lightly brushing the screen.
Was she trying to express an apology?
In the only way she knew how?
She could do without the sentiment.
But the money?
She would accept it.
After confirming receipt, Yan Yu casually opened the banking app to check her balance.
With this transfer added, the savings in her account finally broke through 150,000 yuan.
Not much, but for her now, it was already a number that could bring a little peace of mind.
Next week was the day for her follow-up checkup.
Yan Yu subconsciously reached back and pressed her lower back.
She hoped the results this time would be better, hoped the doctor would say “improvement” instead of “status quo.”
She still needed more time, more money, more…
Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden notification sound in her mind.
[Ding!]
[Key Plot Node: “The Loving Stand-in at the Birthday Party” Acting Completed.]
[Comprehensive Plot Restoration Evaluation: 99 Points.]
[Evaluation Details: Host perfectly performed the role of “stand-in” at Jiang Muyun’s birthday banquet, highly aligning with the original character’s emotional logic and behavior patterns at this point. Especially commendable is the brief interaction with Dai Feng at the end of the banquet, which laid subtle groundwork for subsequent plot while remaining within the character’s behavioral framework.]
[Current Main Storyline Acting Progress: 24%]
[Reward Issued: Exquisite Culinary Art +10.]
[Note: This skill will allow the food you make to possess the power to reach people’s hearts. You can precisely blend flavors that awaken specific memories and touch deep emotions. Every dish will become an extension of language, telling the thoughts you cannot or have not spoken. Taste will become another form of expression for you.]
Yan Yu was startled for a moment, then let out a soft laugh.
Cooking skills?
This reward was quite interesting.
She used to cook before too, but her skill was average—she could make food edible, but it was certainly not delicious.
During the three years of dating Su Qinghan, she occasionally cooked.
After tasting it a few times, Su Qinghan said flatly,
“Don’t bother cooking anymore. I have a chef.”
Back then, she would just lower her head, softly say “Okay,” and then silently throw away the carefully prepared ingredients.
Looking back now, every time Yan Yu tied an apron and bustled in the kitchen, she hid a pitiful hope in her heart—that Su Qinghan would taste the little warmth in her clumsy feelings.
But Su Qinghan only ever tasted the flavor, never the feeling.
Or rather, she simply didn’t care whether Yan Yu had feelings at all.
Yan Yu shook her head, shaking those old images out of her mind.
She threw off the covers, moved slowly and carefully to the edge of the bed, and reached for the wheelchair resting by the bed.
The wheelchair was a common model, and some parts had started to make faint creaking sounds.
She sat down skillfully, adjusted her position, and pushed the wheelchair out of the bedroom.
In the living room, Ruo Xiaozhen was already up.
“Yan Yu, good morning!”
The girl’s energetic voice came from the kitchen.
“How are you feeling today?”
“I’m fine.”
Yan Yu replied with a smile, pushing the wheelchair to the dining table.
Ruo Xiaozhen came out of the kitchen carrying two plates, her short hair bouncing behind her.
She placed one of the plates in front of Yan Yu.
“Nutritious breakfast is here! Whole wheat bread, boiled egg, broccoli, and a glass of soy milk. The doctor said you need to supplement protein and vitamins!”
Yan Yu looked at the beautifully arranged food on the plate, feeling warmth in her heart.
“Thank you, you’ve worked hard.”
“It’s no trouble at all!”
Ruo Xiaozhen sat down across from her, took a bite of bread, her cheeks puffed out.
“I have to hurry to school after I finish, there’s an early class today. Sister Yan Yu, take your time eating. Leave the dishes for me to wash when I get back.”
“It’s okay, I’ll wash them,” Yan Yu said.
“No way, your hands will hurt,” Ruo Xiaozhen insisted.
“Oh, when I was doing laundry this morning, I saw the clothes you changed out of yesterday still in the laundry basket. Do you want me to throw them in the washing machine together later?”
Yan Yu thought for a moment.
“Mm, sorry for the trouble.”
“It’s no trouble!”
Ruo Xiaozhen quickly finished her breakfast, grabbed her bag.
“I’m off now! Sister Yan Yu, remember to take your medicine on time!”
“Be careful on the road.”
The door opened and closed, and the room fell quiet again.
Yan Yu ate her breakfast slowly.
The whole wheat bread was toasted just right, crispy on the edges and soft inside.
The boiled egg was also cooked perfectly, the yolk set but not too dry.
Ruo Xiaozhen was always so warm-hearted.
She was still a student who needed care herself, yet she managed Yan Yu’s life neatly and orderly.
After finishing the last bite of broccoli, Yan Yu picked up the soy milk and took small sips.
The sunlight had shifted again, now falling on her hands that rested on the table.
These hands had once been able to play the piano, to paint, and to make food that, while not delicious, was full of feeling.
Now, most of the time, they just rested quietly on her knees.
After finishing the soy milk, Yan Yu pushed the wheelchair to the sink, preparing to wash the dishes.
Ruo Xiaozhen didn’t let her wash them, but she couldn’t really wait for someone else to do everything.
She turned on the faucet, warm water rushed over the plates, and white bubbles slowly spread.
She washed very slowly, each movement cautious—not because her hands hurt, but because any sudden exertion could aggravate the pain in her lower back.
She rinsed the last plate clean and placed it in the drying rack.
Yan Yu dried her hands and pushed the wheelchair toward the balcony to get some fresh air.
Just then, a muffled clatter suddenly came from the balcony direction, like the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, followed by a suppressed gasp.
Yan Yu paused.
“Xiao Zhen?”
No response.
“Xiao Zhen?”
She raised her voice a little, turning the wheelchair toward the balcony.
“What’s wrong? Didn’t you go to school?”
Still no one answered.
Yan Yu’s heart tightened.
Ruo Xiaozhen had clearly said she was going to school earlier, so why was she still on the balcony?
The balcony was where she hung her clothes to dry.
So that sound just now was…