A Young Woman's Heart

"Hmm—uh-hey-ya—!" Mo Xueyao picked up the fast food on the bedside table. It was something she bought for Li Wanyan yesterday, but she hadn't eaten it for various reasons, and she probably wouldn't be able to eat it today either. "I'll go ask the nurse if there's anything I can heat up. It feels a bit wasteful to just throw it away."

"Okay...uh..."

"Do you need to go to the toilet?"

"Ah."

"Just say it directly, Wanyan gets shy too."

Li Wanyan gave her a reproachful look: "Do you think I'm shameless in Yaoyao's eyes?"

"Well, I always felt that Wanyan was very strong-willed and wouldn't feel shy or afraid at all, right?"

"..." Li Wanyan sighed helplessly. She smiled, but hesitated to speak.

"Okay, hurry up and go. I'm at the door. Call me if you need anything."

"Ah."

After everything was settled, Mo Xueyao took the lunchbox and left, leaving the ward feeling deserted.

When she returned, she was with her mother.

Good morning, godmother.

"Okay, Yan Yan, just lie there and relax. Are you hungry now?"

"Fortunately."

"Eat when you're hungry. I made you some egg porridge as the doctor recommended, but I didn't add much salt, so it might be a little bland," her mother said, placing another insulated lunchbox on the bedside table and picking up the one she had brought yesterday.

"Thank you, godmother."

"Don't be so polite. I've already treated you like my daughter. Isn't it a mother's duty to take care of her daughter?" The mother, who usually expressed her emotions very reservedly, was unusually frank today. "Yaoyao, did you sleep well last night? Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"No need, let's rest today and spend another day with Wanyan. She has to go back to school tomorrow." Mo Xueyao picked up the fast food she had asked the nurse to heat up in the microwave and ate it in small bites. "Isn't Wanyan hungry?"

"A little."

"Pfft, haha, are you getting hungry because you see me eating?"

"Perhaps?" Li Wanyan, unusually playful, blinked gently. "Will Yaoyao feed me?"

"Okay, um, wait until I finish eating..."

When her mother came, she didn't just bring breakfast. She also called the nurse to check on Li Wanyan's condition carefully. Then she changed the bandages and medications, and only left after confirming that the wound had stabilized and improved.

Before leaving, she stood at the door, one hand on the doorframe, and gently asked, "What would you like to eat for lunch?"

"Ah, stir-fried pork with chili peppers!"

"Do you want to eat separately from Yan Yan?" The mother said sarcastically, but actually she was just complaining about Mo Xueyao and thought it would be too much trouble to make a separate meal for her.

"No! Can't you make me a separate serving?"

"Dream on."

"Who's the real daughter anyway!" Mo Xueyao shouted. "Fine, fine, just do it yourself then, why are you asking me?"

"I can bring you some snacks."

"Ah, then I want to eat the pork floss bread sold by Grandma Jin!"

"Okay, I'll bring it to you. Would you like some milk?"

"I want to drink!"

"Then you must take good care of Yan Yan."

"No problem, I'll take care of you even if you don't say so!" Mo Xueyao patted her already somewhat ample chest and picked up the insulated lunchbox next to her. "Here, Wanyan, let me feed you breakfast."

"it is good."

"Open your mouth, ah—" Mo Xueyao scooped up a spoonful of egg porridge with a spoon, just like feeding a child, and deliberately blew on it to cool it down before bringing it to her mouth.

Li Wanyan couldn't help but laugh at her; this was the first time Mo Xueyao had ever seen her laugh so heartily.

……

Chapter 103 A Person's Journey to School

"Wanyan... what time is it..." Mo Xueyao asked in a dreamlike voice, her eyelids feeling as heavy as lead.

However, after waiting for a long time, there was still no response.

Until the alarm clock, which had been set long ago, rang, it started dancing on the bedside table.

"Hmm..." Mo Xueyao groggily reached out her hand, fumbled in the cold air for a while, and then slapped it down.

The alarm clock, however, did not turn off and continued to vibrate in her palm.

"Ah... um!" Perhaps the few days of holiday had made her sense of time a little blurry, and it wasn't until now that she remembered that today was a school day.

"clatter."

This time, the alarm clock was finally turned off.

Mo Xueyao was jolted awake by the wind and sat up with renewed energy.

The window was closed last night, but it's wide open now, and the autumn wind keeps blowing into the room, bringing a touch of autumn desolation.

She then remembered that Li Wanyan was still in the ward, and for some reason, she felt a little envious.

"Ah, that's great, Wanyan doesn't have to go to school." Mo Xueyao muttered as she got out of bed.

In late autumn, she could no longer wear the thin summer school uniform, so she put on the autumn school uniform, and her original over-the-knee socks were replaced with black pantyhose.

Stockings are truly magical to her; they look so thin, yet they provide warmth similar to pants.

It definitely won't work in the north, but it's enough in the south—even in the coldest winter in the south, fleece-lined leggings can be used, as long as you don't stand outdoors in the cold wind for too long.

Now, her mother has to get up early to open the fruit shop. Sometimes, Mo Xueyao and Li Wanyan have just set off when her mother arrives.

So the house is now empty, but there is still some warmth left on the doorknob, so she has obviously been gone for a while.

I've gotten used to having someone live with me so intimately; I've gotten used to someone waking me up every morning; I've gotten used to someone doing things for me, even bringing me breakfast...

The quietness of the house made Mo Xueyao feel very uncomfortable.

Thinking about it carefully, Li Wanyan usually takes care of her like an older sister, and she doesn't have to do many things herself.

—Mo Xueyao thought to herself as she slowly ate her white porridge after washing up.

Stepping outside, the cold wind that blew in her face made her face stiffen. She blew warm air into her palms, rubbed her face, and then got on her bicycle.

"The feeling of late autumn..."

Even the clouds in the sky were bluish-green, making it impossible to feel any warmth at all.

It was still early, and there weren't many people or cars on the streets.

Mo Xueyao blanked out her mind and rode on, not thinking about anything. Luckily, there were no complicated traffic situations, otherwise she probably would have crashed into someone.

Time flew by in this relaxed state, and when she arrived at the school gate, she was even a little surprised that she had arrived at the school so quickly, even though she felt like she had just left home.

The security guard sat by the door, taking a sip of hot tea and then a bite of a steamed bun, the juice inside slowly dripping down his hand.

Although these aren't soup dumplings, they're very juicy. It's just that you have to walk a block further to buy them. Many students at Yukong High School will go out of their way to buy these delicious meat buns.

That steamed bun shop seemed to only sell meat buns; Mo Xueyao remembered eating there once or twice…

"Hey, good morning!" The security guard greeted him cheerfully, dispelling the bleakness and loneliness of autumn. His loud voice would probably make even the autumn maiden shyly hide away. "Hey? Where's the other one? He comes with you every day, why isn't he here today?"

"Uh... I'm sick."

"Oh, it's really easy to catch a cold or fever in autumn. Take care of yourself and drink plenty of hot water." The security guard took another sip of hot tea. "I also caught a cold during the National Day holiday, but I got better in two days, hey."

"Then you are in good health."

"Yeah, I didn't take any medicine, I just drank a little wine and took a nap."

“Then your healing method is probably something others can’t learn…” Mo Xueyao shook her head helplessly.

Just as she was about to push her cart into the underground parking garage, she remembered something and asked the uncle, "By the way, uncle, do you have the key to classroom 408?"

"Yes, what's wrong? Didn't you bring your keys?"

"Um, right..." Mo Xueyao slapped her forehead awkwardly. Li Wanyan usually opened the door, so she hadn't remembered this at all. Anyway, as long as she arrived at school in the morning, the door would definitely be open.

So much so that she didn't even think about it at the time and didn't ask where the classroom key was.

"Here, remember to return it later." The uncle handed her a large bunch of keys. Judging from the labels, the keys to all the classrooms on the fourth floor should be here.

"Thanks." She waved, quickly parked her car, and then dashed upstairs.

At the classroom door, Mr. Xue leaned against the window, one hand on the windowsill, flipping through a novel with a yellow cover.

The font of the book title is very simple, but the name is quite novel: "Leaping into the Void".

The original author's name was followed by parentheses with the words 'Soviet Union'.

"Xiaoxue, so early."

"Yes, I'm a little early today." Mr. Xue looked up and smiled gently. "Where's Li Wanyan?"

"She... is sick."

"Oh." Mr. Xue nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

Mo Xueyao was rummaging through the keys to her classroom, making a clattering sound as she ran through the large bunch of metal objects. She casually asked, "What book is this?"

"Science fiction is rather old."

"I know, it's from the Soviet era."

"Hmm, but the ideas inside are still very interesting." Mr. Xue chuckled and closed the book, because Mo Xueyao had finally found the key and opened the door.

It had been almost half a month since they last came to the classroom. The air inside was stuffy and suffocating. Mo Xueyao and Mr. Xue consciously opened all the windows to let fresh air into the room.

"Is she running a fever?" Mr. Xue suddenly asked again, referring, of course, to Li Wanyan.

"Um... I'm in the hospital."

"Is it that serious?"