Chapter 33: Night Road

Sudden—Jiang Ya had no room for else, instinct clutching Qi Yu’s clothes in front. Qi Yu forced back half a step—had held Jiang Ya’s hand—but as Jiang Ya fell into her, hands had nowhere to go—had to circle Jiang Ya’s back to steady them both.
After the flurry—finally stable.
Maybe the scene too startling—neither recovered—held in something like an embrace, neither letting go—staring stunned at each other.
This moment air seemed frozen for them alone.
Qi Yu looked at the person she had accidentally held—eyes wide, full of shock.
Night deep—this stretch had no streetlights, dim. Only faint moonlight on equally flustered silent Jiang Ya.
Her face inches away—less than a hand’s breadth—eyes could only meet—Qi Yu looked deep into Jiang Ya’s eyes—saw composure always maintained finally shattered—besides sudden surprise, a feeling Qi Yu could not read.
How to name that feeling?
Blurred. Hazy. Beyond words.
Like a feather brushed her heart—light—yet she could not stop a ripple of flutter.
Staring long—who blinked first unknown—then both woke as from a dream and separated fast. A passerby behind walked past—glanced perhaps on purpose perhaps not—
That glance added awkwardness to an already delicate silence.
But standing frozen was no way… After silence Qi Yu looked at Jiang Ya beside her still straightening clothes, slightly flustered, pressed lips, broke the awkwardness.
Looked at her—about to speak—cleared throat. “You okay? Didn’t twist your ankle?”
Jiang Ya heard, paused, looked up, eyes flickering. “No… lucky you were here—almost fell.”
Qi Yu saw her still dazed—fright not gone—sighed lightly. “I said put glasses on… no lights here—hard to see without them.”
“Not…” Jiang Ya shook head slightly, tucked hair back, eyes on ground, low voice. “Not that I couldn’t see—little dizzy…”
“Dizzy?” Qi Yu frowned, stared at her face. “Not fever?”
Jiang Ya: “No… maybe the drink… I always get a little dizzy after drinking… sleep it off at home.”
Voice low, broken—somehow soft.
Like this and still saying not drunk.
Less than three glasses though… worse tolerance than hers.
Qi Yu thought, looked down, laughed softly. Looked up at Jiang Ya’s confused face—reined in smile—looked at bus stop across the intersection—late night, empty.
Suggested to Jiang Ya: “Very dizzy? Bus stop ahead has seats—sit a while?”
Jiang Ya looked that way—no glasses, moderate myopia—squinted long while—nodded quietly.
Walked together—Qi Yu half a step slower, glanced occasionally—gait steady enough—heart eased.
……
Thought no talk would stiffen things. But the moment Jiang Ya sat at the stop she turned to Qi Yu.
“You know what?”
“Know what?” Qi Yu had glanced at phone—looked over.
Jiang Ya: “One night… off work… this road… here… at this stop I saw…”
Head tilted slightly—hair messy over half her face—features blurred still beautiful.
Voice vague: “Saw you… ah no—saw someone who looked a lot like you—didn’t see face… but felt like you.”
Qi Yu watched her—tone soft even she did not notice. “Felt like me? Then?”
“Then… I wanted to message you… tell you…”
“Then… why didn’t you?”
“Because…” Jiang Ya paused—stuck on the question.
Brows lightly knit—thinking hard—as if puzzled herself.
Qi Yu lost in her half-profile—until she suddenly turned, raised brow, smiled, shook head.
“Why not send… forgot.”
“Forgot that? You’ve got the best memory.” Qi Yu faint smile—eyes on her held more warmth.
Jiang Ya righteous: “Good memory… can’t remember everything… however capable I am… can’t do everything perfect…”
“People… aren’t perfect, right?”
Listening—half heartfelt sigh half drunken nonsense—Qi Yu frowned, looked deep a while.
“You’re really drunk.”
Jiang Ya: “No—I’m very clear-headed.”
“……” Qi Yu blank—then laughed. “Fine—not drunk—just dizzy, sleepy, don’t want to move, right?”
Jiang Ya’s head on the ad board behind, face turned to her—nodded seriously.
Qi Yu laughed again.
Did not know—tomorrow remembering—would she regret drinking at the shop. She had seen many drunk—mostly sleepy, some vomit, some like Tang Xuejun wild on wine… everything.
But Jiang Ya—contrast before and after this sharp—first time.
Contrast—but personality unchanged—mostly tone more childish. Thinking closer—like drunk she spoke truth—things she normally would not say from the heart.
Maybe this was the real her.
Qi Yu thought—she was the same herself.
Why the saying drown sorrows in wine?
Everyone’s armor heavy—when emotion buried with nowhere to go—borrow wine, a reason you can accept, peel armor off—drop guard against the world, drop all grudges, all unease… breathe a little in this sorrowful world.
Qi Yu looked at empty road ahead—passing cars reflected in dark pupils—fine light flickering bright and dim. How long before she came back—saw Jiang Ya beside also silent, staring at scenery.
Qi Yu parted lips—before words—Jiang Ya sneezed sudden.
“Ahem… wind’s strong.” Jiang Ya sniffed, slightly embarrassed glance at her, looked away, stood to go.
“Let’s back—it’s late.”
“Mm.”
Qi Yu behind her—quickened two steps abreast. Turned—slant gaze on Jiang Ya’s thin blouse.
At work Jiang Ya favored clean white shirts—Qi Yu had seen several times. Though weather warming lately—day-night gap big—one blouse not enough for night chill.
“Cold? Dressed so light?” Qi Yu looked several times—asked anyway.
Jiang Ya looked at her—instinct rubbed other arm—shook head. “A little—but fine… almost home.”
Qi Yu: “Now I know how you caught cold.”
Jiang Ya looked again.
Qi Yu sighed inside. “Nights lately cold—only teens—you wear just this… of course you get sick.”
Jiang Ya only looked, silent—Qi Yu asked, “What? Not true?”
“No… just… what you said… sounds like family…”
“Why?”
“Because they often… tell me lots… care about me.”
Care…
Hearing the word Qi Yu froze—blinked—quickly looked forward.
This stretch she walked often lately—could estimate time to apartment.
Looked down at her jacket—glance at thin figure beside—quiet sigh—jacket off swift.
“Wear mine.” Handed it over.
Stunned not taking—again: “Take it—still a way to walk—you’re sick—can’t stand wind—or worse—need leave from work.”
Jiang Ya hesitated—took it—about to put on—asked, “You give me yours—you not cold?”
“Not cold—looks thin but warm inside.”
“Oh…”
Jiang Ya nodded quietly—slipped on Qi Yu’s zip hoodie. Same size in theory—but Qi Yu liked loose, bought up—hoodie on Jiang Ya slightly baggy, frame thinner still.
When done Qi Yu looked a few extra beats—meant to keep lips tight—turning away still leaked a smile.
Jiang Ya puzzled. “Laughing at what?”
Qi Yu: “Nothing.”
Just… pretty cute.
“You suit this jacket.”
“Really?”
Jiang Ya believed—looked down at clothes—under Qi Yu’s gaze lifted sleeve, sniffed.
“You wear perfume?” Looked up.
“No. I don’t.” Qi Yu looked at her, smiled. “What smell on the clothes?”
“Yeah… faint fragrance… hard to describe…” Jiang Ya turned suddenly—eyes curved, face bright. “Maybe your scent… I like it a lot.”
Like it a lot… her scent?
Qi Yu stunned—Jiang Ya’s smile not falling—mind full of that playful “I like it a lot”…
Stared until Jiang Ya smiled back too—hurriedly looked away, eyes wandering forward, breathed deep.
Walk from café to apartment—Qi Yu had walked this many times lately.
Not long—alone at night she hurried. Tonight the road felt long—long enough each step beside her felt she could slow down.
Especially when—who moved first unknown—shoulders touching walking—road seemed farther still.
Moonlight over the whole street—wind gentle too—long night road—somewhere streetlights cast their shadows on ground—long, close together—like a silent embrace.