The Remote Control: Xiao Xu, What Are You Doing?

When they were almost done eating, there was still one episode left of X Channel's hit soap opera. Since it was the best drama Liang Xiaoqing had seen in years, she didn't want to miss a single episode.

Jiang Xu could tell what she meant just by looking at her. She sat on the sofa, sinking softly into it, quietly watching Liang Xiaoqing without disturbing her TV time.

Commercial after commercial aired, and Liang Xiaoqing couldn't bear to change the channel. She set down her chopsticks and tried to get up from the floor. Jiang Xu's thoughts moved with her movements—when Liang Xiaoqing braced herself against the sofa's edge to stand, Jiang Xu got up faster than she did and steadied her arm.

Liang Xiaoqing turned her head to look at her, her eyes red and swollen. Jiang Xu found it rather unbelievable—the heart-wrenching love story on TV was acted out, and to grab viewers' attention, it added dramatic conflict on purpose.

Real pain, perhaps, was the numbing repetition of hopeless days?

At least, before this, that was how she had felt.

"Are you full?" Jiang Xu said, and Liang Xiaoqing leaned some of her body weight toward her, using her support.

"Ow... my leg fell asleep." Liang Xiaoqing's eyes and brows scrunched together, and she sat down on the sofa with Jiang Xu. Sitting cross-legged had its downsides.

Liang Xiaoqing half-reclined on the sofa, squinting as she pounded her leg.

Jiang Xu sat up straight, occupying only a sliver of the sofa's edge, watching her.

Liang Xiaoqing smiled. "What about you?"

"Hm?" Jiang Xu was caught off guard.

"Are you full? Was it too spicy? I noticed you didn't eat much."

"It's fine, Xiaoqing jie."

Jiang Xu sat up even straighter, her thin back stretching into a perfectly straight line.

Liang Xiaoqing pushed herself up with both hands on the sofa.

She moved a little closer to Jiang Xu.

"Jiang Xu."

Jiang Xu's heart skipped two beats. Liang Xiaoqing usually called her "Xiao Xu." Being addressed by her full name suggested something else was coming.

Jiang Xu stayed silent, only tilting her head down slightly like a fluffy little animal.

"Hahaha!"

Unexpectedly, Liang Xiaoqing burst out laughing. She tilted her head back up, and one hand reached out to pinch Jiang Xu's cheek. "Xiao Xu, why are you still so quiet?"

The flesh of her cheek was squeezed and kneaded. Jiang Xu's scare turned out to be a false alarm, and she didn't know how to react to such a sudden move—her first instinct was a flash of annoyance.

"Xiaoqing jie."

She mumbled the words.

Liang Xiaoqing seemed to be escalating things, pinching her other cheek too. "Xiao Xu, have you put on weight? Your face feels much nicer than before."

Had she pinched her face like this before, too? Jiang Xu tugged at Liang Xiaoqing's hand, but Liang Xiaoqing wouldn't let go. She stammered, "I—I haven't. I eat very little."

"Oh—so you haven't been eating properly." Liang Xiaoqing pretended to be upset, her eyes bright, leaning in close, brows curved, a smile tucked at the corners of her lips, like she was teasing a soft, powerless little creature. "Looks like you still need to eat with me, Xiao Xu. That way I can keep an eye on you."

Jiang Xu didn't want to trouble Liang Xiaoqing any more than she already had. Though it was nothing to Liang Xiaoqing, Jiang Xu knew that owing too many favors was never a good thing. She let Liang Xiaoqing pinch her cheeks, not daring to meet her directly caring gaze for too long, blinking and looking elsewhere, head drooping, losing the battle of presence from the start.

"I'll eat properly from now on." She muttered softly, then looked up to meet Liang Xiaoqing's eyes. "But I don't like it when you buy me meals like last time."

Liang Xiaoqing, who had been joking, let her smile fade. "...Xiao Xu, that's not what I meant. I..." She thought for a moment. "I won't do that again." Her gaze turned somewhat deep as she realized that was the exact look of utmost seriousness Jiang Xu gave her.

"But Xiao Xu, as a teacher, it's my duty to look out for my students. And I'm the one who brought you out of your home, so I have to take responsibility for you."

Jiang Xu didn't say anything more, but Liang Xiaoqing sighed.

She patted Jiang Xu's head. "Alright, from now on, I'll do whatever you want."

Jiang Xu nodded.

Maybe because she was a bit full, once Liang Xiaoqing sat down she didn't want to move, but the mess on the coffee table still needed her to clean up. Jiang Xu couldn't handle spicy food, so Liang Xiaoqing had eaten most of it—she made a mental note that Jiang Xu couldn't take much heat and shouldn't put too many chili peppers in future meals.

"Is your leg still numb?" Jiang Xu said out of nowhere.

Liang Xiaoqing was taken aback.

Jiang Xu hung her head, shoulders slightly hunched inward, both hands on her leg.

"Does this feel better?"

Jiang Xu scooted over, pressing lightly on her leg. It was a bit sore, but Jiang Xu's pressure wasn't strong—it was more ticklish than anything. Liang Xiaoqing dodged once but couldn't get away, holding back a laugh, not sure what Jiang Xu was up to this time.

"X-Xiao Xu..."

Jiang Xu ignored her. Liang Xiaoqing dodged again. "It tickles. Stop it."

"Xiaoqing jie." Jiang Xu suddenly said, "You can't sit on the floor anymore in the future. Sitting on the cold ground will make you sick." Her expression was dead serious.

Liang Xiaoqing was actually a bit intimidated. "...Oh."

Jiang Xu pressed a little harder. Maybe she'd hit the right spot, because Liang Xiaoqing stopped moving. She half-reclined on the sofa again, squinting, her slender brows lifting slightly, saying with a gratified tone, "Xiao Xu, if only you were my daughter."

She looked languid, her legs completely relaxed as she let Jiang Xu knead them. Then, thinking of something, she smiled. "How about this—I'll take you as my goddaughter. That way it's the same."

She sat up. "...Xiao Xu, we'll be spending more and more time together from now on. After this period, I feel like you're getting closer to me. I don't think I'll ever be this close to anyone else in my life..."

Liang Xiaoqing started rambling, saying things Jiang Xu couldn't quite understand—like why she lived alone, or why she'd suggest making her a daughter. Jiang Xu kept massaging Liang Xiaoqing's leg while quietly studying her.

Her as a mother... Jiang Xu thought of Wang Cai, a woman in her forties worn down by life, who couldn't even complain without checking her husband's mood. Skin covered in fine wrinkles, hands rough beyond what a woman's should be. In contrast, Liang Xiaoqing looked so young and beautiful.

Liang Xiaoqing was so young, she seemed like a peer. How could she be anything like her mother? A faint, secret dissatisfaction began to sprout in Jiang Xu's heart.

Even if she had no mother, she would never see Liang Xiaoqing as one.

A feeling she couldn't control welled up inside Jiang Xu.

"What are you thinking?" Liang Xiaoqing teased. "You're not actually thinking of being my daughter, are you? Then I'd be lucky."

Jiang Xu's cheeks flushed uncontrollably, and she protested quietly, "No."

Liang Xiaoqing laughed. "I'm just kidding."

Jiang Xu's face only grew hotter and redder.

Seeing this, Liang Xiaoqing stopped teasing the kid. Children's worlds were pure and innocent—a casual joke could be taken seriously.

Liang Xiaoqing turned her head toward the window. The window was shut tight. The old glass was dotted with traces of rain, droplets of water pattering down along the eaves.

Outside, wind and rain raged, pitch black. Nothing could be seen besides the raindrops reflected on the glass. The window pane faintly reflected the dim yellow lamplight and the figures seated on the sofa—her leg still being pressed by Jiang Xu.

Liang Xiaoqing looked a little desolate. She curled up, leaning into the sofa, seeming to drift toward sleep.

The wind outside seemed to howl, slamming against the window.

Liang Xiaoqing drew her legs in. Jiang Xu had already stopped pressing her leg. She thought to herself that winter really was coming.

While Liang Xiaoqing was dozing off, Jiang Xu quietly cleared the dishes, poured out the cold chicken soup—not a single sip had been taken—and washed the last bowl, drying it with a clean cloth before putting it in the cupboard. Finally, she cleaned the sink. The windows rattled loudly, and Jiang Xu had put on a turtleneck sweater—one of Liang Xiaoqing's—but she still felt cold.

She glanced outside, vaguely seeing the shadows of trees and slanting rain.

The weather had turned much colder, Jiang Xu thought absently—maybe this winter she wouldn't shiver like she used to.

Her gaze fell back to the countertop embedded with chipped tiles. It was kept very clean, and Jiang Xu was quite satisfied.

She dried her hands and left the kitchen. On the small sofa in the living room, Liang Xiaoqing was curled up.

The TV on the cabinet was still playing. After the ads ended, the screen went black for a moment, then resumed the unfinished soap opera. The camera cut, and the left side of the screen showed five years had passed. Due to some reason, the male lead would meet the female lead again.

Jiang Xu felt a sudden sense of unreality. What they called time was just a number. No matter how many times the male and female leads missed each other, they would always meet in the end. Jiang Xu didn't like watching these shows that stirred up emotions out of nowhere—the love stories on screen were far less real than a full stomach. Jiang Xu would never be trapped by such things.

But Liang Xiaoqing, who seemed almost all-powerful in front of her, was easily captivated by them.

Jiang Xu watched the screen for a couple of seconds, the camera right on the female lead's face.

Her hairstyle had changed with the plot, and for a moment, Jiang Xu saw the traces of five years passing on her face. But the story was dragging on boringly as ever. She had no interest, so she looked away and walked over to Liang Xiaoqing.

She was really sound asleep—even as she approached, there wasn't a stir. The TV chattered on, a bit noisy.

Jiang Xu scanned for the remote, but it wasn't anywhere in sight. She bent down to check the corners of the sofa. Since Liang Xiaoqing was lying on it, Jiang Xu had to nudge and shift her body from time to time.

It didn't take much effort before Jiang Xu spotted it.

The voices from the TV sounded especially loud in the quiet room. Liang Xiaoqing frowned, showing signs of waking, and turned over.

Jiang Xu moved quickly, leaning in, pressing her body against Liang Xiaoqing's to steady her. The remote was right by Liang Xiaoqing's head. Jiang Xu's brows were knit with determination and a stubborn refusal to fail, her thin body pressing lower and lower.

The gap filled with light grew narrower and narrower, her breathing closer and closer. Liang Xiaoqing looked even more serene in sleep, with a demeanor between maturity and youth—quiet, like a spotless, graceful lily that hadn't yet fully bloomed.

Their faces had never been this close before. A faint breath, carrying a sweet scent, brushed against Jiang Xu's face. Her shadow fell across Liang Xiaoqing's features. Liang Xiaoqing still had her eyes closed, with no sign of waking.

A thin, shallow breath grazed like a feather against her cheek. For reasons she couldn't understand, Jiang Xu felt inexplicably nervous. She swallowed, stretching her body to the maximum, reaching out to grab the remote. Liang Xiaoqing's breath fell on her neck again, a faint draft slipping into her collar.

Jiang Xu felt a tickle, and even her hand began to tremble. She wanted to scratch, but her other hand was braced on the sofa's edge, supporting her weight, so she had to pull her outstretched hand back. Then, unexpectedly, Liang Xiaoqing shifted again, half her body leaning off the sofa. Jiang Xu, who was supporting her, couldn't bear the weight any longer—her small frame was no match for Liang Xiaoqing's.

Jiang Xu bit her lower lip. Her withdrawn hand clutched her collar, finally blocking out that faint breath. But her body lost its balance entirely, tilting forward beyond control, her weight falling onto Liang Xiaoqing.

Jiang Xu's face flushed like a boiled shrimp, and she blamed herself for messing up.

"Mmm..." Liang Xiaoqing opened her eyes, her clear gaze reflecting Jiang Xu's flustered face. "Xiao Xu, what are you doing?"