Starlight Has No Past

Chapter 47 Part 2

On her way home, Ye Qiao noticed that the snow on the ground had already melted. There were only occasional holdouts left on the bare tree stumps by the roadside.
Ye Qiao looked up to the sky and breathed in the chilly, deep winter air. The scarf on her neck was about to slip down her shoulder and she was too lazy to pull her hands out of her pockets so she stiffened her neck in the hopes that would hold the scarf in place.
Despite her efforts, the scarf fell down anyways. She had no choice but to pull her hands out-- --
A hand reached over from behind to scoop the scarf up for her, then tightly wrapped it around her neck. The sleeve of the black coat smelled of cedarwood. It was from the cologne that she had specifically picked for him.

Ye Qiao turned around and found Zhou Tingsheng right behind her. He had just finished shopping, the hand carrying the shopping bags had reddish knuckles from the cold air. He used his other hand to tie the scarf into a knot and smiled at her. It was a familiar smile, yet so awkward at the same time.

Zhou Tingsheng had noticed for several days that Ye Qiao would go out for almost the whole day and come back exhausted. He asked around and learned that she had started to go to the gym. Though she looked tired afterwards, she looked much healthier than before. Zhou Tingsheng gazed at her shocked expression as if they hadn’t seen each other for years, amused but also upset at the same time: “Do you have to be this surprised to see me? Where have you been for the past few days?”

Zhou Tingsheng sounded quite casual, but Ye Qiao felt that he was just putting on a facade. His warm smile and the act of pulling her hair to the back of her ear, everything felt like it was a false act.
It seemed to her that she had been put under a spell. Ever since she had gone to see Ruan Feiyan, she could no longer comfortably face Zhou Tingsheng. She forced sound from her throat: “The gym.”

Zhou Tingsheng walked side by side with her back to their building and pushed the elevator button for her. Both of them entered the elevator together. He asked: “How’s exercise going for you?”
“It’s alright.”
“Is the coach a man or a woman? Has he taken advantage of you?”
He knew very well that there must be some bodily contact when a coach tried to correct the student’s posture. He had turned his frustration from not seeing her the past few days into jealousy. He stared at her, waiting for her answer.

Ye Qiao replied with a stone face: “It’s a woman.”
Zhou Tingsheng held her waist, now sore from working out, and squeezed: “Really?”
It certainly wasn’t true. Ye Qiao hastily bent down trying to avoid his hands and couldn’t keep the lie going: “It’s a white lie which you don’t want to believe.”

When the elevator arrived at their floor, Zhou Tingsheng wouldn’t let her go back to her own apartment. He grabbed her arm and dragged her in the opposite direction. Ye Qiao called out: “What are you doing-- --”
Zhou Tingsheng didn’t bother to go into his apartment. He pushed Ye Qiao against the wall in the hallway. Putting his forehead against hers, he gave a deep sigh: “I miss you very much.”
Ye Qiao tried to move her lips but didn’t know what to say.

Zhou Tingsheng calmed himself: “I know you need time to digest everything, to give yourself time to think it over. But can you not avoid me like this?” Ye Qiao listened with a serious face. He continued: “It’s like a husband and wife in separation.”
Ye Qiao suddenly turned her face to the side and chuckled.