Apology: Come Sleep Over?

That night.

The gentle but firm voice was still echoing in her ears. Jiang Xu lay in bed, tossing and turning, but sleep wouldn't come. Fragments of Liang Xiaoqing's "No, I won't" reverberated in her mind.

If someone else had said something like that, she probably wouldn't have believed it so easily. But with Liang Xiaoqing, just a single word was enough for Jiang Xu to remember it clearly, as if she'd been given a solemn promise.

Jiang Xu couldn't sleep, yet she wasn't particularly troubled by this minor annoyance. She just wasn't sleepy.

She lay on her side, hands pressed together beneath her cheek, sleeping peacefully, accustomed to keeping her eyes open in the dark, gazing at the lumpy quilt on the floor.

All of that day's emotions had been stirred by one person. Still young, she didn't fully understand it all, but Jiang Xu could finally trust someone unconditionally.

When she had worries, she could tell Liang Xiaoqing; when something happy happened, she could share it with her; when she didn't understand something, she could ask her. It was a strange feeling. On one hand, Liang Xiaoqing was her teacher, and she deliberately maintained a respectful distance; on the other, they were like family under the same roof. Only someone like family would embrace her so gently, comfort her like this.

Jiang Xu rubbed her head against the pillow. She had never experienced warmth before, and she felt like she and Liang Xiaoqing were like sisters—Liang Xiaoqing was older, but her way of thinking was completely different from the elders she'd known. If she ever made something of herself, the first person she'd repay would be Liang Xiaoqing.

Would Liang Xiaoqing still be here then, still holed up in this place teaching as always? Would she still be this softhearted?

Doing her best to help others as much as she could.

Back then, would there still be people like her who wanted to study but couldn't? Would Qing Middle still be this run-down? Would Wang Cai still be getting beaten and scolded by Jiang Daguo as usual? Would she still keep in touch with Wang Cai?

Or maybe Liang Xiaoqing would have left by then. Jiang Xu remembered Yang Man saying she was from elsewhere and probably wouldn't stay here long... What would Liang Xiaoqing be like by then?

Once Jiang Xu's thoughts started drifting, they went on endlessly, spreading out like a foggy day where she couldn't see the road ahead, standing at a fork in the path, hesitating, unsure which way to go.

The night was already deep, starlight filtering through the window into the room. Jiang Xu's eyelids were heavy, but her mind was oddly clear—the kind of sleeplessness where closing your eyes and lying still just doesn't work. She tossed and turned a few times restlessly, but afraid of disturbing Liang Xiaoqing, she kept her movements quiet.

Just as she looked toward Liang Xiaoqing again—

"Can't sleep?"

Liang Xiaoqing shifted, turning her body to face her. The bundled quilt moved slightly, and in the darkness, Jiang Xu seemed to see Liang Xiaoqing's eyes, glistening with a soft, clear light.

"Are you cold?" Liang Xiaoqing said, suddenly throwing off the covers and sitting up. "Want another blanket?"

"...No need."

Jiang Xu hastily sat up too. The person she'd been thinking about hadn't been asleep at all, but had been lying there quietly beside her, without making a sound—and Jiang Xu hadn't noticed. She felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm not cold." Even her gaze darted away as she spoke.

But in the darkness, with Liang Xiaoqing so far away, how could she possibly notice? Thinking that, Jiang Xu slowly relaxed.

Silence. They looked at each other.

Liang Xiaoqing stayed sitting up. "Oh."

"Sleep, then. We have to get up early tomorrow." She smoothed her blanket.

"Mm." Jiang Xu gave a muffled reply and closed her eyes, thinking to herself that she absolutely must not toss and turn anymore.

A moment later, Liang Xiaoqing still hadn't lain down. "Xiao Xu."

"Mm." Jiang Xu opened her eyes and saw Liang Xiaoqing lift the edge of her own blanket.

"Want to come over?"

Her silhouette in the dark looked thin, but the motion of lifting the quilt seemed like an embrace opened toward her. Jiang Xu's heart thumped wildly. She didn't say anything, but something about it drew her irresistibly. She slipped out of bed quietly, shivering as she left the warmth of her own covers.

She tucked in her chin, tiptoed over like a little cat, silent, and slipped into Liang Xiaoqing's blanket.

It was the same warm, familiar temperature. Jiang Xu lay down, and Liang Xiaoqing followed, her loose hair falling against Jiang Xu's chin.

Jiang Xu lay perfectly still on the bed, closing her eyes when the hair brushed against them, not bothering to push it away. Liang Xiaoqing bent over like before to tuck in the blanket around her, and warmth enveloped her more snugly.

The ticklish feeling of hair on her face faded, and Jiang Xu could only catch the last trace of it. She opened her eyes and watched Liang Xiaoqing lie down beside her, pulling the blanket back over herself.

It was a solid feeling, having someone lying next to her. She felt Liang Xiaoqing shift, turning onto her side to face her, seemingly looking at her. Steady, warm breaths fell against her cheek, one after another. Too close. Had they been this close last time too?

"You heard everything, didn't you..."

The abrupt words, but Jiang Xu understood them at once. She turned her body with small movements to face Liang Xiaoqing, her breath hitting Liang Xiaoqing's cheek, listening to her steady breathing. She felt herself drifting toward sleep.

So this was what was keeping Liang Xiaoqing up? Jiang Xu thought hazily. What did it matter? She'd already promised her, so what was there to worry about?

After all, to Jiang Xu, Liang Xiaoqing was someone who took promises seriously—she kept her word and never made promises lightly. That made her promises feel especially sincere.

Jiang Xu mumbled something softly. She really was getting drowsy. Strange—when she slept alone she couldn't fall asleep no matter what, but curled into Liang Xiaoqing's blanket, she was sleepy almost immediately.

She felt a light touch on her face, Liang Xiaoqing's fingers gently brushing her hair aside. Jiang Xu instinctively nuzzled her palm.

"Xiao Xu, I'm sorry you had to hear those words."

She heard the apologetic voice whisper softly by her ear. Being with Liang Xiaoqing, most of the time, was relaxing.

She hummed in response. The exhaustion of the whole day washed over her completely, and she sank into deep sleep. In the last moment before consciousness faded, she felt her head being lifted gently again, like last time, and she rested it there—it didn't strain her neck.

She moved closer to something warmer, something soft—an embrace, it must be. Jiang Xu's hands and feet were often cold, and she instinctively burrowed toward that source of warmth. A soft murmur reached her ear: "Sleep."

Like a voice from far away.

And so, Jiang Xu fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The days that followed were peaceful. Jiang Xu felt her relationship with Liang Xiaoqing had grown even closer. For instance, Liang Xiaoqing was always smiling at her these days. Sometimes in the morning she'd lie in bed a few extra minutes, and only when Jiang Xu urged her would she get up with a yawn. Sometimes Jiang Xu would crawl into Liang Xiaoqing's blanket, and Liang Xiaoqing never said a word.

Sleeping together was definitely warmer, especially as the weather turned colder. Jiang Xu noticed that Liang Xiaoqing no longer deliberately avoided physical contact with her like before—now their touches came naturally, and Liang Xiaoqing was willing to share things with her too.

On the walk home in the evenings, it wasn't just Jiang Xu talking; Liang Xiaoqing would also tell her amusing little stories from the day.

As for that incident, Liang Xiaoqing almost never mentioned it again, and Jiang Xu tacitly didn't bring it up either.

The only awkwardness came when they ran into Yang Man. Seeing Jiang Xu still with Liang Xiaoqing, Yang Man would look a bit embarrassed and greet Jiang Xu stiffly.

Or she'd make small talk with Liang Xiaoqing, the topic usually circling back to Jiang Xu's grades.

Yang Man had clearly changed her tone: "Sigh... this way isn't so bad, I guess. Maybe last time's score shocked Jiang Xu into action—she's been working hard lately, and her state is good. Since her parents haven't come looking for her in so long, maybe they've come to accept her going to school. You just have to work a little harder and look after her. If the leaders see how devoted you are, they might transfer you somewhere else. You're still young; you can't stay stuck in this little place forever..." Yang Man was someone who cared about personal gain, always thinking about her own interests in anything she did, but some things didn't have to be tied to profit.

At least she genuinely cared about Liang Xiaoqing.

Liang Xiaoqing was good-looking—not just among the students, but even among the teachers, she stood out. Her professional skills were a bit lacking, but she was young; ability could be cultivated over time. She had no scheming bone in her body, was down-to-earth, and never spoke ill of anyone.

In Yang Man's eyes, Liang Xiaoqing was perfect in every way except that she was too kind—almost to a fault. She needed to develop a bit more cunning. Besides, like Yang Man herself when she first arrived, Liang Xiaoqing was a teacher from elsewhere, alone with no family around, fighting her way through this place.

She was lucky, though, to have met her current husband, Wei Xingwen. He was a doctor at the county hospital, skilled, and the head of his department. Yang Man had settled down here, with a child about to start middle school. Over the years, she and Wei Xingwen had a loving marriage and a comfortable life.

Honestly, Yang Man didn't want Liang Xiaoqing to waste her youth here. A girl like her, developing in a big city, could probably find a better match.

She talked, and Liang Xiaoqing listened.

Liang Xiaoqing knew it was for her own good and never argued, even cracking a joke at Yang Man between grading papers: "These two days, Brother Wei's coming to pick you up again, right?"

Usually on weekends, Wei Xingwen would come to take Yang Man back to the county town. With final exams just two days away, he'd be coming again soon.

Every time Wei Xingwen came to pick her up was when Yang Man felt most proud. A four-wheeled car was far more impressive than a two-wheeled bicycle. In that era, cars weren't yet common, and the silvery-white car created a beautiful sight outside the school.

The envious female teachers would glare: "Yang Man's just so lucky..."

To that, Yang Man would only smile, enjoying their dirty looks.

It was the last evening study session before finals. Students were always a bit restless before exams, and every classroom was buzzing with noise.

The teachers understood. Tonight, it was Liang Xiaoqing's and Yang Man's turn to supervise. Yang Man was bored, so she pulled out a nail clipper and started trimming her nails.

She wore a trendy woolen skirt, sported fashionable waves in her hair, and had on light makeup. She pursed her lips and smiled: "Year-end, and your Brother Wei is busy too. He called and said I should head back myself..."

Liang Xiaoqing said, "I think Brother Wei will still come pick you up..."

"Like I care..." Yang Man raised an eyebrow, her porcelain face glowing with happiness.

Outside the window, the cold wind howled, rattling the glass. Winter was coming, and the air was damp and chilly. The trees outside seemed frosted over.

Yang Man had a hot water bottle on her lap, and Liang Xiaoqing sat beside her writing her work summary.

"Sss..." Yang Man hissed, shivering from the cold. She tucked the nail clipper into her bosom and hugged the hot water bottle on her lap, rubbing it. Her palms finally warmed up a bit.

The warm orange glow of the small heater reflected on Liang Xiaoqing's profile, her loose hair tinted with the warm light. She was dressed thinly and was slender, though she always joked that she wasn't actually skinny—just small-boned and a big eater. She looked thin, but she had meat on her bones.

"So cold." Yang Man nudged Liang Xiaoqing with her elbow. "It's freezing tonight. Why rush to write that now? Do it tomorrow. You don't even mind the exhaustion."

"Almost done."

Yang Man knew she couldn't talk her out of it, so she said, "Are you cold?"

"Not really." The knuckles gripping her pen were ringed red with cold, and her fingertips were pink too.

Qing Middle was an old building with no air conditioning. The office had only fans and electric heaters—fine in summer, but in winter, the heater alone left the room freezing.

On days this cold, moving around helped, but sitting still meant enduring the dry chill. At least closing the door helped a bit.

As she spoke, Liang Xiaoqing's breath misted in the air. In that brief moment, she suddenly realized Jiang Xu had been living with her for almost half a year now.

So it seemed her parents really had washed their hands of her.

The thing Liang Xiaoqing had worried about most dragged on indefinitely, until it no longer felt like a big deal to her.

Yang Man moved the small heater closer to Liang Xiaoqing: "Warm up, don't catch a cold."

Liang Xiaoqing thanked her.

Yang Man pressed on: "Xiaoqing, when you're out here on your own, you have to take care of your body. Otherwise, if you get sick and there's no one around, it's miserable. Dress warmer tomorrow—look how little you're wearing."

"I know, Sister Yang." Liang Xiaoqing smiled.

Yang Man patted her shoulder: "I'll go check on the class. You keep working."

"Okay." Liang Xiaoqing replied.

Yang Man's high heels clicked rhythmically on the floor. She hadn't even reached the door when—

BANG!

The door was shoved open violently. "Where's Liang Xiaoqing?!"

The newcomer was soaked with rain, his face weathered, his clothes and pants splattered with mud. His ferocious expression sent Yang Man stumbling into the wall beside her. The man scanned the room, spotted Liang Xiaoqing, and charged at her menacingly.

"Where's Jiang Xu?! Bring Jiang Xu out now!"

Jiang Daguo pounded the table, grabbed Liang Xiaoqing by the arm, and yanked her up.

"Smack!" A heavy slap landed across her face.

Yang Man, terrified, rushed over to pull her away: "Xiaoqing!"