A Young Woman's Heart

"Boom!"

The door was slammed shut again, and the sound of the mother walking quickly back and forth in the room in her slippers could be heard from outside.

I washed the easy-to-wash clothes first, and soaked the rest to wash tomorrow.

In the morning, you should put the rice in the rice cooker to soak beforehand, and chop the vegetables in advance to save time when you get up.

"Oh dear, how busy tomorrow is." Her father always said this, and Mo Xueyao could even imagine his expression just by hearing his voice.

"Go! Smoke on the balcony! If you're not going to help, don't make things worse!"

The noise continued, and the house was always exceptionally busy at night.

Of course, that seems to only apply to mothers.

My father only treated the house as a place to sleep; he would basically go to bed as soon as he finished taking a shower.

Amidst the sounds of his mother bustling about, one could also faintly hear his snoring coming from the main room.

"Are you asleep?" Li Wanyan sat on the bed and put the plush bear she could hug to sleep to the side.

"Turn off the lights." Mo Xueyao squinted and yawned widely. "Seven days went by so fast. We agreed to go out and play, but we ended up sleeping in at home almost every day, wasting so much time."

"It's too late to regret it now."

"Couldn't it be allowed to stay for another seven days...?"

Li Wanyan shook her head with amusement: "Then what about studying?"

"Ugh—I'm so tired. I have to go to evening self-study again tomorrow."

"Click".

With a crisp click of the switch, darkness descended upon the room.

At first, I couldn't see anything clearly, but gradually, through the dim yellow light from the streetlights outside the window, I was able to see some of the night scenery again.

Mo Xueyao especially loves the night.

Because she felt that only at this time would the world fall into a dreamlike slumber.

Although the downtown area is still incredibly noisy.

"I haven't heard crickets chirping in so long."

"The weather is getting colder and colder, so she probably won't be making noise anymore." Li Wanyan slowly lay down on her pillow, spread the quilt out, and covered Mo Xueyao with a little bit of it.

There's no moon today either.

"That's normal."

Mo Xueyao lowered her legs off the wall, but seemed to find it uncomfortable to lie flat like that, so she put them back up.

If she were alone in a bed, she would definitely choose to sleep in a starfish position.

"Does Wanyan have any special memories of the night?"

"Hmm... One night I sneaked out and wandered around the streets from one o'clock in the morning until five o'clock in the morning, until it got light. Then I carried my schoolbag and went to school."

Mo Xueyao was surprised that Li Wanyan would do something so 'rebellious'. She tilted her head curiously and asked, "Why would you want to do this?"

"...I can't sleep at home."

"Oh, you're having trouble sleeping?"

“Hmm… I don’t feel safe.” Li Wanyan said honestly, then relaxed her brows and looked at Mo Xueyao, “That time, I wanted to find a place to sleep outside.”

"Prefer to sleep outside?"

"I don't want to go back."

“A home you don’t want to go back to can’t be called a home,” Mo Xueyao suddenly said, a statement that seemed to contain a philosophical meaning.

She lowered her legs again and tucked the plush bear toy between her thighs.

Now she seemed to feel much more comfortable, so she nodded in satisfaction and pulled the blanket up a little.

Autumn nights are still somewhat chilly.

"Where's Yaoyao?" Li Wanyan suddenly asked.

However, she fell asleep within seconds of pulling the covers over herself.

The only response Li Wanyan received was her even and gentle breathing.

……

(two)

"Zhengyang".

"what……?"

Have you ever been in a relationship?

"Uh, no, we don't have that."

"Oh."

Zuo Ziya tilted her head and stroked her long purple hair.

The two were sitting on a wooden bench, with a Ferris wheel behind them that was still slowly flashing its colorful lights even though it was closed.

This is the Children's Palace at night. Although the amusement facilities have stopped operating, you can still come in.

—Of course, we didn't go through the main entrance.

This place is as lively as it is during the day, and as deserted as it is at night.

In the vast children's palace, only the autumn wind echoed, accompanied by the occasional croaking of frogs from afar.

Zuo Ziya was wearing an amethyst pendant today. She leaned forward slightly, and the pendant swayed gently.

"You've talked about it?" Huang Zhengyang stared blankly at the sky, seemingly a little nervous.

The night, illuminated by colorful lights, was shrouded in a hazy mist.

Huang Zhengyang is off today, and this time he took the initiative to invite Zuo Ziya.

The other person seemed very happy.

In fact, Huang Zhengyang also had his own special ideas.

Although the other party is a young lady from a much higher social class than me, how can I know if I don't try to pursue her?

As for whether I truly love him... at least I have feelings for him right now.

He's not young anymore; perhaps he really should give it a try, even if he fails.

Huang Zhengyang was a cheerful young man, but when she was actually invited out and sat on the same bench with him, she felt somewhat lost and confused.

In the quiet night, I could feel the warmth of her body, and even the beating of her heart.

"I haven't either, not even once." Zuo Ziya tilted her head and looked at him earnestly.

"Why?" Huang Zhengyang asked curiously. "Although your family is very wealthy, and most people can't afford to associate with you, you should still have some men of the same social class around you, right?"

Upon hearing the words "too high to be associated with," Zuo Ziya's expression froze for a moment, revealing a smile that was both helpless and bitter: "Hmm... it is quite a lot."

"That is..."

She interrupted him: "Because I am a woman who cannot have children."

"Ah... oh..."

Huang Zhengyang suddenly realized.

He suddenly found courage from who-knows-where, cleared his throat forcefully, and asked loudly, "So, I say, how about we try being friends?"

"Aren't we considered to be not now?"

"I mean, the kind of friendship between a man and a woman."

"..." Zuo Ziya chuckled and looked at Huang Zhengyang with an admiring gaze, "You really are quite direct."

"I think it's better to be straightforward; too many roundabout ways just waste energy."

"Do you... just want to date me, or get married?" Zuo Ziya asked in the same straightforward way, but when she said this, her cheeks were slightly red, she stumbled a little, and her words were a little unclear.

"Of course it's marriage, uh, but you..."

"I have no family connection with them."

"oh oh--"

"Is it okay if I can't have children?"

Huang Zhengyang scratched his head and said honestly, "I don't know, but at least for now, it doesn't seem to matter..."

Zuo Ziya couldn't help but laugh. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand and turned her back: "But I'm sorry, I can't accept your confession right now."

"Ah." Huang Zhengyang rubbed his forehead awkwardly. "You contacted me a few times before, I thought..."

"A little, but it's too early. We have to take it slow." Zuo Ziya stared intently at the blue-purple light not far away, her tone unusually serious. "Girls should be reserved."

"Okay." Huang Zhengyang felt he had already succeeded, and he nodded with delight. "Well, then, take it slow?"

"I will be available every Wednesday or Sunday from now on."

Do you go out twice a week?

"No, it's just... I want you to manage your own time." Zuo Ziya noticed that Huang Zhengyang was tilting his head to look at her face, and she covered her cheek in a panic. "Anyway, that's it. It's getting late, let's go home first."

"it is good……"

"Take me home, it's not far from here."

"what?"

"Right by West Lake."

Huang Zhengyang never expected her family to be so rich. He looked at her with a shocked expression once again, suddenly feeling that it was already very strange that she would have feelings for him, as if it were a dream.

Surprisingly, there were few passersby by West Lake at night.

The shadows of the two people were stretched long by the streetlights.

Occasionally, a squirrel darts across the tree, clutching a pine cone, looking wary, as if it's storing up food for winter.