Thirteen Wonders (ShíSānYāo) : Chapter 37 - One Tong Nine Tong
Chapter 37: One Tong Nine Tong
Zhou Yao dragged her suitcase behind her, heading nowhere else but straight to Chen Xuze’s door.
She knocked without saying a word. Seeing her through the peephole, Chen Xuze opened the door, took the backpack off her shoulder without asking a single question, and let her in.
Once inside, he finally asked, “Are you hungry? I’ll make you some porridge.”
Zhou Yao’s face still bore traces of tears. She looked exhausted and shook her head. “I’ll go wash up,” she said, heading straight for the bathroom.
By the time she came out, her bag had been neatly put away, and in his bedroom, a floor mat had already been laid beside the bed—thinner than the one in winter. If she had been in a better mood, she might have teased him about how experienced he was at this by now.
They lay down in silence, each in their own space. Neither of them fell asleep.
Zhou Yao stared at the ceiling. “Why aren’t you asking me anything?”
“Because I already know why,” Chen Xuze said, guessing easily. “You have your own convictions, and your mom has always been domineering. A disagreement over your college choices was bound to cause a conflict between you two. And—”
“And?”
“If it’s something you want to tell me, you’ll tell me. If you don’t want to talk about it, that means it hurts so much that you can’t even bring it up. In that case, I don’t want to hear it either, and I certainly won’t ask.”
Zhou Yao’s eyes grew misty as she held back the sting in her nose.
After a long pause, she finally said, “I want lean meat porridge in the morning.”
Chen Xuze agreed.
Zhou Yao turned to face his side, closing her swollen eyes. Though her heart was still heavy with sorrow, she quickly fell asleep. Chen Xuze also turned toward her. Just like last time, they lay face to face, separated by the bed and the floor mat, one high, one low.
Their steady breaths merged quietly into the night.
Under the moonlight, their hearts walked together along the long road of time, drawing closer and closer.
……
The next morning, Chen Xuze made porridge for Zhou Yao. She said, “I’ll make lunch.” He had no objections. As lunchtime approached, they avoided the Zhou family’s home by taking a different alley, heading to the supermarket to buy ingredients.
No one from the Zhou family came looking for her, but Chen Xuze received a call from Zhou Yao’s father. “Just think of Yaoyao staying at your place to clear her mind. If she does anything wrong, please bear with her. Thank you in advance,” he said with a sigh. “Let the two of them cool down before talking things over again.”
They were standing by the freezer section in the supermarket at the time. Chen Xuze agreed, while Zhou Yao pretended not to hear.
After picking out some vegetables and seasonings, Chen Xuze paid at the register. He carried the larger bags, and Zhou Yao carried the smaller ones as they walked home together.
They took an unfamiliar alley back, passing by some local residents. Many people recognized them as the city’s two top scorers in the college entrance exams. Elderly women sat in rocking chairs, leisurely fanning themselves as they chatted, watching the two of them pass by.
“These two make a good pair, growing up together and both being so capable.”
“Exactly! If my grandkids were even half as accomplished, I’d wake up laughing in my sleep!”
“Look at those two, each carrying a bag, walking side by side—oh my!” An elderly grandma chuckled, teasing without malice. “They look just like a young married couple!”
“......”
The aunts and grandmas spoke loudly, chatting among themselves, completely unaware that Zhou Yao and Chen Xuze had heard everything.
Chen Xuze noticed the faint blush on Zhou Yao’s face. “You heard that?”
“...Mm.”
“And you're not hiding against the wall this time?”
Zhou Yao retorted, “Why should I hide against the wall?”
Chen Xuze raised an eyebrow. “I remember a few years ago, when we went out to buy something together, someone made the same comment, and you got so embarrassed your face turned red. You immediately put distance between us and stuck to the wall while walking.”
Back then, they were only in ninth grade. How could she not blush at such teasing?
Zhou Yao shot back, “And weren’t you the same? You tripped on a cobblestone and nearly fell.”
“...” He frowned, unwilling to admit to such an unsteady moment. “That never happened.”
“It did.”
“It didn’t. You made it up.”
“You still dare to deny it? It definitely happened! Think carefully!” Zhou Yao glared at him.
The gentle breeze stirred, lifting the hem of her dress. She casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Chen Xuze watched her, then took two long strides, stepping over the cracks between the cobblestones. Suddenly, he lowered his head slightly and smiled. “Fine, it happened.”
Zhou Yao was caught off guard by his sudden smile. “What are you smiling at?”
“Nothing,” he said. “But what they said isn’t wrong.”
“What isn't wrong?”
“Look at us—each carrying a bag—” He lifted his hand slightly, and a real smile appeared on his usually composed face for the first time. Even his usually cold eyes softened with a slight curve. “Don’t we look like a young married couple?”
Zhou Yao was stunned for a moment. Her face reddened slightly. “Chen Xuze—”
“Watch where you’re going.” He frowned and scolded, giving her a sharp look—one that carried a certain authority. Then, he stepped ahead of her, not giving her a chance to respond.
When it was time to cook, the two of them were washing vegetables and preparing the meal when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
An elderly woman from the neighborhood peeked in. “Is Yaoyao here? Grandma has something to say to you.”
Zhou Yao put down what she was doing and stepped outside.
“You’ve always been such a good girl. How did you end up having such a fierce argument with your mother?” the old woman said. Zhou Yao realized that she was here to persuade her.
Zhou Yao pressed her lips together. “Grandma, I—”
“I know you’re a good girl. The most sensible child in this neighborhood—none of the others are as obedient as you. If only you were my own granddaughter, I’d be overjoyed.”
The old woman smiled warmly and spoke gently. “Your mother… she’s made mistakes, but ever since your brother passed away, she has stared at that incense burner every single day. We all tell her she shouldn’t, but what can we do? A child is a piece of their mother’s flesh. She didn’t get enough time with him, and it pains her deeply.”
“When your brother was still alive, you were just a little girl. He was very good to you. If he had lived, I imagine you two would have been very close siblings now.”
The old woman took Zhou Yao’s hand and said, “Your mother went too far, but don’t be so stubborn. Listen to Grandma, okay? Your mother has been crying at home, not even stepping outside. A few of us who are close to her went in to check, and that’s what we saw.”
“Yaoyao, my dear, you are also a piece of her flesh. If she was wrong, give her a chance to make it right, okay?”
Zhou Yao listened in silence for a long time. It wasn’t until someone from the old woman’s home came to call her that she finally patted Zhou Yao’s hand and left.
Back inside, Chen Xuze asked, “What was that about?”
“My mom’s messenger.”
She didn’t say much and continued washing the vegetables, clearly not as cheerful as before. As she worked, she pushed Chen Xuze aside. “Let me handle everything. You go to your room and read.”
“There’s no exam coming up. Why should I read?”
“Then don’t hover around here.”
She wore a stern expression, as if she were the mistress of the house scolding her own husband.
Chen Xuze knew her mind was in turmoil, but seeing her sulking face, he found it unexpectedly cute. He resisted the urge to pinch her cheek and obediently left the kitchen.
Zhou Yao was skilled at household chores—washing, chopping, and stir-frying came effortlessly to her. By the time the rice was fully cooked, filling the house with its aroma, two dishes and a soup were also ready.
She had no appetite, so she only served a bowl for Chen Xuze. “Finish it. No wasting food.”
Chen Xuze frowned. “What about you?”
“I’ll eat later. I’m a bit tired and want to lie down on the bamboo chair for a while.” She was indeed exhausted, but it was more due to the weight on her mind. Lifting the curtain, she went to the backyard.
Left alone at the table, Chen Xuze sighed and picked up his chopsticks, taking a bite.
—He froze mid-chew.
Two seconds later, he took another bite, then another. In no time, he had cleared the entire table, even finishing the soup without leaving a single drop.
Zhou Yao, feeling hungry, came back to find something to eat. When she saw the empty table, she stood there in shock for a long moment.
“You…”
Chen Xuze wiped his mouth with a napkin and said with a straight face, “I was a bit hungry, so I finished everything.”
He actually ate everything just because she told him to? How ridiculously obedient! Zhou Yao’s earlier frustration had already eased quite a bit, and now, with her mind clearer, she started internally complaining about his behavior.
“There are dumplings in the fridge. I’ll cook some for you,” he offered.
With no other choice, Zhou Yao nodded. Food was food—though at this moment, she doubted anything would have much flavor.
While Chen Xuze went to get the dumplings from the fridge, Zhou Yao stayed at the table, clearing the dishes. She noticed a single piece of king oyster mushroom with pork left on a plate. Still feeling a little sullen, she picked it up absentmindedly and popped it into her mouth—since the plates were already clean, she might as well finish the last bit, making everything thoroughly spotless.
But as soon as she chewed, she froze. Two bites in, she quickly swallowed and turned to Chen Xuze in surprise. “Why does this have no flavor at all?”
Standing by the fridge with a bag of dumplings in hand, he looked up. “What?”
She pointed at the plate. “The king oyster mushroom stir-fry—it has no taste at all.”
Suspicious, she grabbed a pair of chopsticks and dipped them into the remaining sauce on the plate. Both dishes were completely flavorless. Even the last bit of soup was as bland as water.
Realization dawned on her. She stared at Chen Xuze for a long moment, took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
“Why would you do this to yourself? If it was bad, you could’ve just said so. Why force yourself to eat it all?”
“Didn’t want to waste food,” he said simply, carrying the dumplings into the kitchen.
Zhou Yao followed him in. “It was completely tasteless—practically inedible! Yet you still ate so much, even finished a whole bowl of rice with it…”
“Alright, stop nagging.” He patted her on the head. “How many dumplings do you want?”
Zhou Yao was momentarily thrown off track. “Eighteen.”
“…Can you finish them?”
“If I can’t, you can have the rest.”
Chen Xuze gave her a helpless glance but didn’t argue.
Then, out of nowhere, Zhou Yao’s eyes turned red, and she suddenly lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
Startled, he stiffened. “What’s wrong now?”
She sobbed, holding onto him tightly, as if finally letting out all her grievances and frustrations.
“How can you be like this?”
She cried as she accused him, as if he were the one who had forgotten to season the food.
“You’re too good to me… You spoil me so much, always giving in to me. Even when I do something wrong, you never scold me. You never let anyone bully me. You’ve indulged me so much, you’ve made me into someone spoiled and selfish. They all say I have a good temper, but they don’t know how terrible I really am…”
“Who says you’re bad?” Chen Xuze reached out, resting a hand on her back as he held her in return. “Yaoyao is a very good girl.”
At that, Zhou Yao cried even harder, hiccuping between sobs.
“Only you…”
“Only you…”
“Only you would do this…”
Without asking for reasons, without distinguishing right from wrong, he always stood by her side, offering his unwavering support. If she was right, he had her back. If she was wrong, he bore the consequences with her.
He was a man of few words, always quiet and reserved. But over the years, she had learned to read his emotions in his eyes every single day.
In his gaze, there were always just four words for her: As long as you're happy.
As long as she was happy, nothing else mattered.
Just like that night when she didn’t want him involved in anything that might even remotely be considered wrong. She defended herself, and in the same way, he was willing to break his own skin and bones just to sever all malicious ties for her sake.
No one else in the world would ever do this for them.
She only had Chen Xuze, and Chen Xuze only had her.
Zhou Yao clung to him, crying her heart out, soaking his chest with her tears—but she didn’t care. His chest trembled slightly, and then she heard his voice: “Zhou Yao, tell me… we agreed not to date early, right?”
She paused for a moment. “Huh?... En.”
“Well, now we've both graduated. We're not high school students anymore, so it doesn’t count as early dating.”
She hadn't quite processed his words yet.
Chen Xuze pulled out a tissue and gently wiped her tear-streaked face. She blinked, her eyelashes still damp.
“You…”
“Last time, you bit my chin. This time, let me teach you—if you're going to bite, this is how you do it—”
Chen Xuze lifted her chin, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.
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