I've had a hectic week so while I am planning to release the next chapter of Frost this week, it probably won't be today. Hence, here are 5 chapters of With You, a Patreon exclusive for free.
Chapter 1
"Alright, it's time to go home. Thank you for staying late."
A feminine, small figure in an unwrinkled black suit bowed towards a group of people in well-kept uniforms of their own. Few had full black suits like hers, opting for black slacks and clean, white button-up shirts with a pin showcasing their hotel logo and their name and position.
A handful of individuals had a few differences, such as the cleaners wearing soft yet black slacks to make their jobs a bit easier, and chefs with their aprons still wrapped around their bodies. The restaurant staff and chefs all had embroidery instead of pins as there'd been a few occasions of pins falling into the food in previous years.
After a long bow, the woman stood straight and dispersed the employees with a single wave and a slight smile before turning to the staff room on her own.
As soon as the door closed shut she let out a sigh of relief and rubbed her shoulders while stretching her back and rolling her neck. Her body ached all over from the fourteen-hour workday and she'd only been able to take one break as she was the only manager on the floor, yet it wasn't in her job description. She was called in for an emergency but was normally in the marketing department.
She was also the only person in the office that knew how to run both hotel and restaurant, as she worked there part-time while in university and moved her way through the ranks. At this point… Was her boss trying to run her off the edge of a cliff?
"Fuck being a jack of all trades."
Her murmur disappeared in the silent room as she grabbed her purse from her temporary locker and threw on her coat before turning to leave as she checked her phone.
She clicked on the notification to her phone as she left the hotel from the room's entrance, into the second parking lot.
She had two messages, one from her older sister, Wei Lei, telling her that she missed the nightly call. She promptly responded that she'd just gotten off work, then glanced at the other notification.
Zhang Yuxi: [Wei Xinyi! You stood up another blind date, are you planning to be single for the rest of your life?]
Zhang Yuxi: [I'm at your apartment. Did you run away due to fear or are you working late?]
The two messages were sent five hours apart, the second one appearing only seven minutes prior, likely the moment when Wei Xinyi gathered the employees together.
Wei Xinyi tilted her head with a smile and typed back. [I told you not to set up blind dates for me, I just got off work. I'll be there in five.]
Zhang Yuxi responded immediately as if she'd been staring at her phone waiting. [Good. Mom made extra homemade noodles and crayfish so I'll feed you when you come home. Also, can you be a human and clean your kitchen? When's the last time you've checked for expired food?]
How could Wei Xinyi say that she forgot to clean the fridge because she only ordered takeout? There was no doubt in her mind that Zhang Yuxi would scold her and even offer to move in!
Wei Xinyi decided not to respond and continued her walk to the apartment, yet her face still donned a smile and her attitude had improved significantly.
Eight years ago she, Zhang Yuxi, Zhang Jing, and Li Hua had packed their bags and left their hometown, Hangzhou, against the wishes of her parents. Actually, if those three hadn't been standing behind her when she told her parents the news of going to Beijing for university… They definitely would have tied her to a chair!
Only she and Zhang Yuxi stayed in the city all these years, trying to forge a path into the future despite the high cost of living. Both of them were high-functioning workaholics that lived on opposite sides of the city so they only met each other in person every few months.
Wei Xinyi's apartment was only a short walk from the hotel so she didn't need to use public transit or purchase a car and after an exhaustedly long elevator wait, she opened her apartment on the twelfth floor.
Zhang Yuxi was in a half-seated position on the couch, her legs propped lazily along the cushions while her shoulders were supported by the arm of the couch. She was in the midst of fiddling with her phone when the door opened, and she glanced up with a large smile.
Her words spoke against the smile as she taunted. "You ran off to work to avoid a blind date? That's a new one."
Wei Xinyi chuckled and she dropped her purse on the dining room table, pointing out. "You told me you'd feed me, where's the food?"
The two girls stared at each other for a moment and Wei Xinyi pouted. If any of her coworkers or staff were able to see her expression, they would swear up and down that she'd been possessed. She was always cold, and blunt, and she wouldn't hold back her opinions or bend down to anyone else which contrasted her great and elegant appearance. If she hadn't had that personality, though, she wouldn't be where she was and she'd be walked over or looked down upon due to possessing the very same, alluring face.
Alas, only Zhang Yuxi was present and she couldn't hold a straight face for long, her mouth twitching for a few seconds before she burst out laughing.
"You - you look like a lost puppy! How can you pout when you're nearly thirty?"
Wei Xinyi's hands flew up defensively in the air. "When was twenty-six almost thirty? You're older by four months!"
The other only shook her head and waved her toward her room. "Go get changed while I heat everything. By the way, Mother's been cautious about health lately after her aunt passed, she booked us an appointment for tomorrow."
Wei Xinyi nodded and made her way to the room. There were only a few things that kept her from leaving her job. One of them was the fact that she got paid on time and made a bit above the standard average salary for her position and the other… No weekends.
Over the years she'd actually ignored the second part of her benefits unless she promised to visit Zhang Yuxi or her siblings flew in. She opted to sleep in on Saturdays and do work while watching dramas and movies in the background.
Of course, she got paid worthwhile overtime.
Sundays, she'd go shopping for necessities, run errands, and go to the gym. If it weren't for an overtime hour cap, she'd work on Sundays too.
A moment later, Wei Xinyi emerged with a pair of white and grey plaid pajamas and another pair of pink and white plaid ones for Zhang Yuxi, which she left on the arm of the couch.
Wei Xinyi leaned against the very same couch arm and observed her best friend's back as she hovered over the rarely used stove. Really, that stove should have Zhang Yuxi's name on it since she was the only person who used it.
Neither friend spoke but the air was significantly lighter than when she was home alone, and she couldn't help but admit that she'd missed Zhang Yuxi. They had been thick as thieves during their childhood, they even shared the same baths when they were toddlers as their parents raised them together.
They pretty much had four parents, Zhang Yuxi's and Wei Xinyi's since they were so close. Neither family left their doors locked but both girls had each other's keys hung on their key chains and a designated futon in their closets ready to be laid out for sleepovers.
Ironically, Zhang Yuxi was the calm one during their childhood and Wei Xinyi was the one being chased by their parents and scolded. When they were young, before they entered middle school, Wei Xinyi could convince Zhang Yuxi to be her partner in crime to take half of the heat off herself but eventually Zhang Yuxi would become the first to rat her out!
Little suck up.
It didn't change their friendship, though.
Zhang Yuxi tilted her head to the side and held up the chopsticks she'd been using to stir, a smirk on her face as she continued facing the stove. "Did you miss me that much? You can't keep your eyes off me, I understand I'm an unparalleled beauty but you're making me shy."
Wei Xinyi snorted. "Yes, yes, can't I admire it?"
Zhang Yuxi chuckled. "Where's my performance fee?"
"I'm broke."
"Bullshit, you work all the time and do nothing in your free time and you're saying you're broke?"
Zhang Yuxi spun around to glance at Wei Xinyi, who decided that the dark TV was the most interesting thing in her apartment as she avoided the gaze.
A moment later, Zhang Yuxi fixed her eyes on the stove again. "You're lying."
Wei Xinyi glanced back and waved her hand although the other couldn't see it. "I'm not really broke."
"I know." Zhang Yuxi grabbed a few dishes and poured the now steaming food out. "I'm feeding you, come here."
The dining table was laid, clean plates and bowls that Wei Xinyi had neglected in the past were put out for both people and they chatted as they ate.
"Have you heard about Li Hua lately?"
Wei Xinyi frowned, pulling a few noodles into a bowl as she inquired. "What about her?"
Zhang Yuxi followed her lead and gossiped. "Apparently she had another child, a boy, and named him Jue after your older brother."
It took the years of patience Wei Xinyi learned after dealing with greasy old men and snobbish customers to stop her from throwing her chopsticks across the room, but she couldn't stop herself from clenching them and cursing.
"Fuck. She's so bold! I can't believe her husband would let her do that, who names a baby after their ex?"
Li Hua had met Zhang Yuxi, Zhang Jing, and Wei Xinyi in middle school. Obviously, two were biological sisters and had known each other their entire life whereas Wei Xinyi was like their chosen sister. Li Hua was different than them in that way, but it didn't stop them from cherishing their friendship with her.
They didn't leave her out of anything and when they felt like they'd be excluding her, they wouldn't do that thing. Such as skipping a family vacation because Li Hua had to stay for summer school, avoiding going to cafes on their way to school, and no more last-minute sleepovers.
Perhaps they were too immature back then, but they didn't want Li Hua to feel like she wasn't part of their friendship so they kept themselves from doing a lot of things. They never resented her for this, but it only showed their effort.
When they were eighteen they had moved to Beijing together and rented an apartment with rent split four ways during their first year of university.
Everything had been going well until Li Hua disappeared with just a simple note left behind. "I'm quitting university and going abroad."
The worst part wasn't her abandoning them without paying the rent, nor was it the chaos that ensured afterward as they attempted to find more part-time work, it wasn't even the heartbreak that the friends felt when they couldn't contact her.
It was the fact that she didn't even dare to tell Wei Jue, her boyfriend, and Wei Xinyi's older brother by two years, that she was leaving. She never officially broke up with him, never gave him a reason, never answered his calls or gave closure, leaving the Wei family with a shattered twenty-year-old son.
Even worse… Only they knew that Wei Jue was going to propose to her a few weeks later.
Wei Xinyi shook her head. "Don't tell him."
With a frown, Zhang Yuxi held up her phone. "It's too late, he's the one who told my sister."
Wei Xinyi sighed and went back to eating. Wei Jue had eight years to heal and he hadn't said anything in recent years so she must have been too worried.
She wasn't the eldest sibling in this family - why does she need to worry?
Chapter 2
The rest of the night was filled with laughter, a few cans of beer, and cuddling up on the couch while indulging in a much-needed break while binge-watching a newly released drama they hadn't seen due to work.
Eventually, the two passed out in the living room. Wei Xinyi was lying on the floor, sprawled horizontally across a futon with one of her hands inches away from a can of beer. Zhang Yuxi had taken the honor of sleeping on the couch, one leg following the line of gravity to the floor while one of her arms lay across her face, blocking out the sun that brightened the apartment through the large balcony windows.
Wei Xinyi was the first to wake up, the late night and throbbing head doing nothing to deter her internal alarm clock as she rolled over and squinted her eyes open.
She stopped herself from groaning, mindful of the rouge leg that entered her vision and she spent a moment staring at the ceiling blankly, contemplating her existence.
This was a normal occurrence when Zhang Yuxi came over. As if they were making up for the lost time throughout the months apart, they'd chat about everything and everything. Guys, coworkers, family, old classmates, memories. Hell, even though Wei Yinxi didn't keep up to date with celebrities she was surprisingly well-informed thanks to Zhang Yuxi.
She had no idea how they had so much to talk about… They spoke through a video call at least once a week and sent messages during their breaks at work and after work!
Wei Xinyi brushed her disobedient, straight, long black hair out of her eyes and pushed herself off the ground with a grimace, her head throbbing. She made her way to the washroom and washed her face with her cleanser before applying her skincare routine.
By the time she'd put on moisturizer, Zhang Yuxi ran into the washroom and went straight to the toilet to throw up.
"Shit, are you okay?" Wei Xinyi went behind her, patting her back for a moment as Zhang Yuxi practically hugged the toilet with narrowed eyes.
After waiting for a few moments, the feeling passed and Zhang Yuxi pushed herself off the ground with a bold statement. "I'm never drinking again."
Wei Xinyi chuckled, walking out of the bathroom and preparing two glasses of water as Zhang Yuxi rushed to the sink to brush her teeth. She placed one of the glasses on the edge of the table closest to the washroom door and sipped her own water while leaning against the kitchen counter.
She waited until she couldn't hear the water anymore and retorted. "You say that every time… Should we start having a tea party instead?"
Although they'd spend half the night getting drunk off the wall, the two women were very similar in alcohol tolerance, and aside from mild hangovers, they'd rarely thrown up. Both of their careers required a lot of bowing to superiors with cups in their early twenties but they hardly drank in their personal life, instead wearing off the after-effects.
Zhang Yuxi emerged from the bathroom and Wei Xinyi pointed at the cup on the table, which the other swiftly grabbed before sighing lightly. "Well, we're both liars. You tell me you'll go to a blind date and find a man but you've stood up…" She counted on her fingers and her eyes widened. "Seven! I found you seven great men!"
Wei Xinyi complained. "I don't have time to date right now."
Zhang Yuxi frowned. "You're in your prime age right now. How many years has it been since you've dated?"
With a glance across the room, Wei Xinyi placed the half-full cup on the kitchen counter and began making her way to her bedroom. She ignored Zhang Yuxi's question and turned it back on the other. "How many years has it been since you've dated? You find yourself a man, I'll become your child's aunt and spoil them.
"Let's just adopt."
Wei Xinyi had already closed her door and began pulling off her pajamas when she heard the answer, she couldn't help but laugh as she thought of the scene. Two unmarried women with bustling careers taking care of a child.
It wouldn't be a horrible idea but she wasn't in the mood to have a child yet, despite being in her mid-twenties and mostly stable.
Besides, one of Zhang Yuxi's exes was vexed by their friendship and it would only stir unfounded rumors. Both females were straight as could be, but they were also closer than sisters and considered each other to be 'friend soul mates' as children. People who just clicked together naturally, understood one another at every turn and were the first to scold one another for bad decisions.
Without Zhang Yuxi's presence in her life, Wei Xinyi likely wouldn't have grown up from a rowdy troublemaker who didn't care about her grades. She'd likely be mooching off her parents or siblings, which they would have preferred her to do. The only clear answer she knew was that she wouldn't have made her way to university if Zhang Yuxi didn't drag her to the library to study so much in high school.
Truly, Wei Xinyi was the worst out of the three Wei children. Since her childhood, she'd been the tyrant of the house causing her parents, brother, and sister to worry greatly as she grew.
The worry began before she was even born as her mother had a difficult pregnancy and there was a chance that neither she nor her mother would make it. Then, she appeared as a premature baby and had to be locked up in the hospital for observation.
All appeared quite calm for the first year of her life until the unthinkable happened.
Her. First. Words.
In fact, this was her parent's own mistake. They trusted her uncle to babysit for them as their parents hadn't retired yet and they needed to take the twins to a birthday party for one of their distant relatives.
This uncle was notorious for being a chaotic teenager, he had parties all the time and even got himself a tattoo at the ripe age of eighteen. He'd calmed since coming back from being abroad, but this inexperienced yet fun uncle in his twenties decided to 'teach' Wei Xinyi a few English terms.
He spent a whole afternoon with her on his knee, both parties staring at one another as he coaxed the baby to say her first word, repeating it over and over until he dejectedly gave the baby back to her parents.
Three hours later the Wei family found themselves waiting in a line for the cashier, the baby in the cart boldly looking around, Wei Jue and Wei Lei holding onto their father's fingers as they wobbled about. Their mother had just engaged in a conversation with a neighbor when the baby suddenly screamed. "Shit!"
Wei Lei ecstatically pointed at the cart while her milky voice chimed. "Sister spoke!"
Wei Jue glanced at his younger sister in wonder and pulled away from his father's finger, trying to get closer to hear his sister.
The little outburst caught some attention and Wei Xinyi's parents looked at one another for a moment, thinking that they must have misheard. They hadn't had a chance to say anything before the baby started repeating and clapping her hands.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit!"
She continued repeating it until they were on the road back to their house and their parents were thoroughly explaining to their three children that it was a bad word not to be repeated.
Of course, Wei Xinyi continued repeating it for a few days, encouraging Wei Lei to influence her playmates and causing the three children to be banned from play dates for a few years.
Needless to say, their uncle wasn't allowed to be alone with the baby anymore.
Her life of troublemaking began at a young age and she often played pranks on her siblings and parents, ignored her studies in light of other, more interesting adventures, and ran around like a wild child with no leash.
It could be said that Wei Jue and Wei Lei had long been conditioned into a calm mindset, nothing could phase them anymore and they could be considered monks for their tolerance levels.
Though, Wei Xinyi became sensible in high school which caused her family to worry even more! What was wrong with this brat? Why was she suddenly sensible? Why did she apologize? Where are the pranks and when did she start studying? Did something serious happen to her… Was she traumatized?
She didn't grow any more thoughtful, though. She chose to go to a university in Beijing instead of staying in her hometown, Hangzhou where her parents and elder brother were and completely bypassing her sister in Shanghai.
Weren't there any options close to home?
How'd she get such a score on her entrance exam in the first place?
The only thing stopping the family of four from tying her down on the chair were the three sensible childhood best friends of Wei Xinyi who 'volunteered' to follow her to Beijing and 'babysit' her. Obviously, it was a pre-planned attack but they couldn't tear the four girls apart and sent them on the plane.
Afterward, Wei Xinyi would become a bit more sensible, causing her family to worry more! She immersed herself in school work, then she immersed herself in work... She would go home once a year during the holidays and call the family daily but that's it.
Zhang Yuxi was present through it all, guiding her to become a better person so she wouldn't worry her parents too much but they decided to stay due to the job opportunities.
Wei Xinyi sighed as she thought about her previous behavior and threw on a grey oversized hoodie and a pair of black leggings that she reserved for days she didn't need to go into the office. She didn't plan to go anywhere special or look nice for anyone today, so she ignored the makeup on her dresser and threw her hair up in a high ponytail before leaving her room.
Zhang Yuxi had already changed back into the clothes she wore the previous day and glanced up from her phone, twisting her head awkwardly from the couch. "You still kept that sweater?"
Wei Xinyi glanced down at the sweater and back at Zhang Yuxi with a raised brow. "Why wouldn't I? It's still comfortable."
Wei Xinyi turned to grab her phone from the dining table and Zhang Yuxi scoffed at the logo of their previous high school on the back of the sweater with the text. 'Wei Jue, Class of 2014.'
It was his own fault that it was so comfortable. She snatched it from him the year after he left for university as he had just stored it away with his old clothes, anyway. The immense betrayal she felt when the school stopped making sweaters for their graduating class could still be felt.
She wanted another one.
Wei Lei was smart enough to hide hers. She even went as far as to bring it with her when she left for Shanghai!
Speaking of… Wei Xinyi sighed as she read the messages she'd missed.
Boss: [We'll need you to stay late on Monday too, no need to work overtime on the weekend.]
Wei Jue: [Do you want another painting? The auction fell through.]
Wei Jue: [Why weren't you in the call last night?]
Wei Jue: [Fuck, some city girl started working at the coffee shop down the road - she's a beauty but she's so stuck up. She looked offended when I asked her to add more sugar.]
Ignoring her boss's messages since he never expected a reply anyway, she swiftly responded to her elder brother while her lip twitched: [No more room. Late night at work. Go to another shop.]
Chapter 3
The day passed quickly and Wei Xinyi soon found herself mindlessly scrolling through social media in the hospital's waiting room as she waited for her own blood test results to be revealed and Zhang Yuxi. The latter had an earlier appointment by fifteen minutes and had already been swept into the doctor's office like a child getting scolded by a principal.
Wei Xinyi found that the two managers who ran off and left her to handle the hotel and restaurant alone yesterday had been caught, brought back to the office, scolded, and made to go back to work from the work chat. Apparently, the two had fallen in love and thought that the company would fire them due to them being coworkers.
The other managers had already fled for approved vacations but they didn't know that and profusely sent their apologies to the team.
How they even had time to fall in love, Wei Xinyi couldn't answer that question. She only lurked through the chat for a few minutes before closing the app without joining in on the gossip.
A nurse approached her with a kind smile, her scrubs perfectly clean and ironed despite the rough workload she must be faced with. "Wei Xinyi?"
She nodded and pushed herself off the seat as she followed the nurse to the doctor's office. The space was simple, organized and only held a few chairs across the desk from the doctor. It was larger than her boss's office and yet it had less furniture in it, making it appear bright and open.
Moments after the nurse walked back into the hallway, the doctor entered. He was an older man, likely around her father's age with slightly greying hair and an inviting smile that filled your heart with warmth. He embodied the image that came when someone thought of 'doctor'.
He swiftly sat down behind the desk and introduced himself before pulling out her results and flicking through the pages. Eventually, he pushed his glasses up. "There's nothing wrong with your results."
That was it and she found herself being swept out of the room after a recommendation to book another appointment a year from now.
Wei Xinyi stared at the wall outside the office blankly for a moment before chuckling. It was as if she'd been the next customer in line at the gas station, pay and get out!
She shook her head with a slight smile and turned to make her journey back to the waiting room to see if Zhang Yuxi had been handed her results yet. She didn't think there was anything strange with how long she'd taken as Zhang Yuxi was a much more talkative person than she was, and she was the type to overthink and worry.
She should have been more perceptive.
Zhang Yuxi was waiting for her when she entered the room and stood up from her seat to meet her. "How was it?"
As the two friends began walking to the entrance of the hotel, Wei Xinyi sighed dramatically, holding Zhang Yuxi in suspense for a moment. Her lip threatened to give her away as it twitched.
Zhang Yuxi's heart dropped and she opened her mouth slightly in surprise. "It's that bad?"
Wei Xinyi cracked up at the reaction and pushed the doors open, immediately covering her eyes for a moment from the bright light. She turned to Zhang Yuxi with a teasing smile. "I'm joking, nothing's wrong with me. How were your results?"
Zhang Yuxi's shoulders relaxed after she heard the answer and she responded while glancing at the cars passing by. "Same."
Wei Xinyi should have paid closer attention to Zhang Yuxi at this moment. If she had, perhaps she would have noticed her eyebrows twitch slightly, a sign that she'd had since she was a child when she lied.
She should have noticed that Zhang Yuxi didn't pout or bicker about her trick.
Alas… She too was glancing at the cars that passed by.
She wasn't shocked to hear Zhang Yuxi's bloodwork was fine, the other was determined to cook for herself no matter how busy she was and even sent her videos of herself working out at the company gym on her breaks. Zhang Yuxi lived a relatively healthy lifestyle and despite the attempts to influence Wei Xinyi, that all ended when they rented their own apartments.
She was, however, a bit relieved about her own results. She was the complete opposite of Zhang Yuxi, eating takeout daily, drinking far too much coffee, and hardly working out. Hell, she was even smoking during her first few years of university until the two Zhang sisters kept stealing her packs of cigarettes and hiding them.
Realistically, the only reason she quit was due to her own pride. If she needed to keep buying replacement packs, she'd need to work more hours and it would impact her grades and by that point in her life, she was committed to being at the top of the class.
Zhang Yuxi glanced at her phone and sighed. "I should get going, I'll tell Mom about our results tonight so she stops worrying."
Wei Xinyi nodded with understanding, a bit disappointed that Zhang Yuxi left so early. Usually, they would have gone to a street vendor or a small restaurant while she was down, and Zhang Yuxi would normally spend two nights at her place.
The two left after that and life went on as normal for a month. Wei Xinyi absorbed herself into work and remembered to text her family when she worked overtime. The hotel decided to train a few people from the office and employees from the hotel to take over management if there was another issue, which Wei Xinyi recommended to the company after her break.
It wasn't that she hated doing it but when she returned to the office on Monday, she realized that she had a lot to catch up on and her boss even attempted to reprimand her for being behind her usual workload. How was that her fault? She couldn't stand for it.
She even found a quaint new coffee shop near her work that would deliver to nearby offices and she would swear up and down that they made the best iced teas.
Forty days after their doctor's appointment, Wei Xinyi's mundane world shattered with a single phone call.
It was a normal day, the sun was shining through the window of the office. The rest of the employees had fled to get full use of their lunch break and Wei Xinyi decided to look over the business plan she'd been working on while drinking coffee and eating a sandwich.
She had propped a leg up on her chair as she was alone and was about to continue eating when her phone started ringing. The phone was face up on her desk and her eyebrow raised - it was Wei Jue.
Her heart froze and she dropped her sandwich on the desk while her other hand shot out to pick up the phone. The siblings wouldn't call one another during the day unless it was an emergency, they all had busy professional lives and they would join a call after work anyway.
It was an unspoken rule. If they called during the workday, there was either a death or emergency.
Wei Xinyi abandoned her sandwich and coffee on her desk, grabbed her purse, and began to walk out of the office as she answered the phone with her heart racing. Before the phone even reached her ear, she could hear gut-wrenching sobs and someone screaming in the background.
She recognized the people in the background as Zhang Yuxi's parents and sister, her heart dropped as she pressed the call button for the elevator. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Wei Jue didn't answer immediately, instead, she could hear him trying to calm someone down in the background as the phone muffled for a moment. Wei Xinyi didn't speak anymore either, anxiously waiting for the elevator to arrive.
The elevator opened and a few of her coworkers walked around her to go back to the office and she rushed in, not forgetting to say. "I'm taking the day off, it's a family emergency."
She had no idea what was going on but all arrows led toward something happening in either her or Zhang Yuxi's family. One of the coworkers affirmed her statement with a nod and she closed the elevator doors.
On the other end of the phone, the background noise seemed to grow further away as her elder brother walked away from the chaos. Not hearing the rustling of clothes anymore, she repeated her question. "What's going on?"
Wei Jue's voice was as calm as the ocean before a storm but his tone was like that of coaxing her when she was upset as a child, something she hadn't heard in years. "Don't panic and go to the hospital."
Well, that didn't help. Wei Xinyi could feel her breath hitch as her voice came out small. "Which one? I'll book a plane ticket right now."
The options in her mind were going to either Shanghai for her sister and her husband, or Hangzhou for her or Zhang Yuxi's family.
"You don't need to book a ticket… Go to the local hospital."
The air in the elevator stilled as Wei Xinyi stared at the illuminated box atop the closed doors, informing her that she still had seven floors to descend before she reached the ground level. It took a moment for the statement to settle in her mind as Wei Jue let the silence linger.
Wei Lei and her brother-in-law were in Shanghai.
Wei Jue, her parents, Zhang Yuxi's parents, and Zhang Jing were in Hangzhou.
Only she and Zhang Yuxi were in Beijing.
Wei Xinyi's hand shook as she asked. "What happened to Zhang Yuxi?"
All the possibilities ran through her mind. Zhang Yuxi was in an accident. A fire broke out at Zhang Yuxi's apartment. Zhang Yuxi finally worked herself to the bone at work and fainted.
Wei Jue didn't answer her question. "I'll stay on the phone with you until you get here, I'm already waiting outside and there's an Uber outside your hotel."
True to his word, Wei Jue stayed on the phone with her and only hung up the phone when he saw her getting out of the Uber in front of him. He was standing against a pillar in front of the entrance, a vape in one hand and his phone in the other.
All three Wei siblings were conventionally attractive, gaining both attention and compliments from their neighbors as they grew up. Today, however, Wei Jue had obviously been pulled out of bed. His hair was a mess, he was wearing what seemed to be the first clothes he saw - a random pair of deep blue sweatpants and a gray crewneck.
His face was calm, his deep brown eyes filled with warmth, but the fact that he held a vape in his hands told a different story.
Wei Xinyi didn't have the time to hold a reunion with her elder brother or feel happy to see him in person for the first time since the holidays. She rushed across the road with worry clouding her heart and as she approached him she asked. "Stop worrying me, what happened?"
Wei Jue glanced at his little sister and shook his head. "She didn't tell you?"
Wei Xinyi wanted to curse at him for the first time since she turned eighteen but she held her tongue. If she knew, would she be standing here asking? Instead, she shook her head and his eyes filled with a mixture of shock and pity.
"Zhang Yuxi was diagnosed with cancer and the doctors think she'll pass soon."
Chapter 4
Wei Xinyi had never been an overly emotional person. Although she was a troublemaker and a small tyrant in her childhood, she hardly ever cried or made a fuss in lieu of fights. Perhaps, that made it harder for her family to understand why she was such a little tyrant.
On this day, however, Wei Xinyi broke.
As she stood in the parking lot of the hospital facing her brother, the world seemed to stop as she processed the new information. Flashes of memories from her childhood, teenage, and adult years ran through her mind as she took in those words.
She and Zhang Yuxi had known each other since they were babies since their parents lived only a few houses away from one another and their parents had become friends. Their mothers had met each other when they were pushing strollers around on their walks around the neighborhood when Wei Lei, Wei Jue, and Zhang Jing were just babies.
They kept passing each other for a few weeks before they decided to approach one another and when they introduced the two families together, their husbands realized they had a lot in common and became best friends.
Although neither of them remembered, Zhang Yuxi had even been present when she was born. It could be said that their friendship began just a few minutes after Wei Xinyi popped into this world when Mrs. Zhang came into the ward to greet her best friend with Zhang Yuxi strapped to her chest.
Hence, it was rare to think of a moment in Wei Xinyi's life when Zhang Yuxi wasn't present, nearby, or within a single call or text away. Her first steps - Zhang Yuxi was there shuffling over to her as their mothers cooed.
Zhang Yuxi held her hand on the way to their first day of kindergarten, she had even been present in their 'first day of school' pictures.
Zhang Yuxi was there when she fought with her siblings over the smallest things, like not being able to share a room with her twins.
Their first friends aside from the two of them… Zhang Yuxi was there and even supported Wei Xinyi to make new friends in her class who didn't need to be her own.
Her first crush, her first breakup, her first love, Zhang Yuxi both cheered her on and comforted her as she made sense of her feelings.
She was there through Wei Xinyi nearly burning down their kitchen in her attempts to learn how to cook, the horror show that was Wei Xinyi's first time trying to use makeup. Hell, she even supported Wei Xinyi's appalling fashion choices and bought her vibrant clothing when they both knew they were ugly.
When Wei Xinyi would go to take care of her grandmother, Zhang Yuxi was right behind her to help.
Zhang Yuxi helped correct her outlook on school, apply to colleges, and study.
When they were betrayed by their friend, instead of focusing on her feelings, Zhang Yuxi helped find a two-bedroom apartment for the three of them and boarded with Wei Xinyi until Zhang Jing went back home.
There wasn't a moment that Zhang Yuxi wasn't present in her life, these were only the monumental moments in her life but Wei Xinyi had far too many memories with her to narrow them down.
All these thoughts ran through her mind within a few moments of Wei Jue's words, only cut off by her phone falling from her hand and crashing against the concrete.
Wei Jue leaned to pick up the phone and as if the sound had summoned all her grief, tears silently fell from her face, a few rogue droplets falling to the ground.
Although he noticed the dark spots on the ground beneath his sister, Wei Jue knew better than to say anything. He only reached out and pulled her into a hug, not wanting her tear-stricken face to be seen by anyone including himself.
He also grew up with the Zhang sisters so he was sad too, but Wei Xinyi was the person attached at the hips with Zhang Yuxi. They were like chosen siblings.
A few minutes passed with Wei Xinyi silently soaking Wei Jue's sweater with her tears before she pulled away, not forgetting to rub her face onto the sweater to clean it.
She couldn't be weak. Not now, not when her best friend needs her. She can be weak later, she can cry all she wants later, but she can't be selfish right now. Those thoughts ran through her mind as she turned toward the entrance to the hospital, beckoning Wei Jue with her hand. "Take me to her."
Wei Jue carefully glanced over his sister for a moment before he nodded and showed her the way. The walk through the hospital was quick, but it felt like Wei Xinyi was walking across the world, inching closer and closer only to find that her destination never existed and she'd walked all that way for nothing.
She kept her head held high, though. If Zhang Yuxi saw her so distraught, wouldn't that empathetic little fool cry too?
The smell of sanitizer became stronger as the siblings walked further into the hospital, passing by doctors rushing to another patient and rooms full of people who could possibly die. Zhang Yuxi was one of those patients that would likely never be able to recover.
By the time they made it to the hall where Zhang Yuxi's room was and were able to see her parents speaking outside, Wei Xinyi had numbed her feelings.
Not only did she need to be strong for Zhang Yuxi, but for her parents, sister and her own family.
Wei Xinyi had finally become sensible and thoughtful.
Mrs. Zhang was the first to notice her and she broke away from her husband's grasp on her shoulder and shakily made her way to Wei Xinyi. Her eyes were full of hurt as she tried to hold herself tall, her voice filled with agony and betrayal as she asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"
Wei Xinyi didn't know that her heart could twist even further until this moment. She reached forward to help stabilize Mrs. Zhang and her voice almost came out in a whisper. "I didn't know, either. I just found out."
Mrs. Zhang dropped the arm she was about to use to push Wei Xinyi away and allowed her to hook her arm through hers as she digested the words. She had been prepared to smack some sense into Wei Xinyi only moments ago but the fact that no one knew… Tears reappeared on the elder's face as they approached her husband and daughter. "That brat wanted to die on her own!"
As they got closer to the family, Wei Xinyi was able to see into the hospital room where Zhang Yuxi was resting. Three doctors and two nurses crowded around the bundled-up Zhang Yuxi, she wasn't able to see her face from this angle but she could see the strings of chords running toward Zhang Yuxi's body.
She pulled her gaze away from the room and turned to Zhang Jing, who'd approached her to help her mother sit down on one of the seats in the hallway. Although Wei Jue told her she had cancer, she really didn't know anything more. "What did the doctor say?"
Zhang Jing made sure her mother would be comfortable before she turned to Wei Xinyi, a solemn expression coating her face though there were no tears. She had the same mindset as Wei Xinyi. "She's not doing great. They said that she refused to go through chemotherapy as she didn't want her last days feeling the symptoms, she said she didn't feel too ill at that time, more tired than anything. She's at stage four pancreatic cancer. They recommend letting her stay here so they can observe and step in…"
"She knew for a while, then?"
"Yeah. She passed out on the street so a couple ended up calling the ambulance and that's how we found out."
The doctors emerged from the room, a few of the nurses and doctors going their separate ways as two male doctors approached Zhang Yuxi's parents, who stood up with concern and were quickly told to sit back down. They had a quick conversation before leaving but allowed Zhang Yuxi to take visitors.
Wei Xinyi and Wei Jue decisively let Zhang Yuxi's family go in first and they sat in the now-empty chairs outside the ward. They could hear muffled sobs, a heated conversation, and pleading but they couldn't make out the words through the closed door.
She wanted to die on her own… Mrs. Zhang's words coursed through her veins and kept repeating in her mind as she came to terms with the fact that her best friend didn't want to worry anyone.
If they never found out… Wouldn't it have been lonely?
Wei Jue rested his arm on the back of the chair, wrapping around Wei Xinyi's shoulder to show his support. "Mom and Dad will be coming later. They didn't want to overwhelm the situation but they've been researching hospitals along with Wei Lei on the phone."
Wei Xinyi stared at the door that separated her from her best friend and leaned back into Wei Jue's warmth, not trusting her own voice.
He continued in a gentle tone. "She really didn't say anything?"
She shook her head and sighed. It's not like they haven't talked since the doctor's appointment - they spoke daily for the past forty days through either text or phone calls. In fact, Zhang Yuxi had become more talkative during this time!
She glanced down at her phone, then at Wei Jue before her gaze rested on the door again. Her voice was small as she asked. "Did they say how much… How much time does she have?"
There was a lingering silence in the air and Wei Jue glanced away from the door, his finger tapping against the chair. Wei Xinyi may have been upset but she wasn't dumb enough to ignore his tells and probed again before she received the answer.
"A month, maybe more."
A month. Wei Xinyi ran her hands through her hair, her head hanging over her knees as her feelings threatened to bubble over once more. She could hear the soft beats and hums of machines in the hospital, chaotic shouting somewhere down the hall, and footsteps of doctors rushing past.
She didn't want to be selfish in her emotions or make the day about her, but thinking of not being able to reach Zhang Yuxi in a text, call or bus ride simultaneously terrified her and broke her heart.
All the plans for the future slid through her fingertips. They would never be each other's maid of honor, godparents to their children, grow old together or get to spend holidays together again.
Her thoughts were interrupted as the door to the private room opened and the Zhang family piled out in low spirits and she noticed that they had long pulled themselves together and stopped sobbing. Zhang Jing still had an arm hooked around her mothers but they didn't make their way back to the seats.
Zhang Jing turned to the Wei siblings with a small smile and nodded toward the door. "We're going to get some necessities and set up in her apartment for now."
Just like that, the Zhang family walked away. Wei Xinyi quickly composed herself, pushed herself off the seat, and headed toward the hospital room while Wei Jue stayed where he was, pulling out his phone to give the two space.
Although he was close to Zhang Yuxi, he was nothing like Wei Xinyi. They had become more like acquaintances, or distant cousins who saw each other once in a while, especially after his heart was broken.
The door was already open when Wei Xinyi approached it. First, she saw the large, thick windows that spanned nearly half of the wall opposite the door, allowing sunlight to illuminate the room. She could see the bed from the corner of her eyes, but it took her a moment to glance over and when she did it took everything in her not to stumble.
It had only been forty days but Zhang Yuxi looked like she was already on her deathbed with sickly pale skin, dry and damaged hair, dark bags beneath her eyes and she also looked like she'd lost weight.
Zhang Yuxi only wearily smiled. "Are you mad that I kept it from you?"
Chapter 5
Wei Xinyi couldn't move. It's not that she didn't want to, gosh she wanted to, but her legs were locked in place as she stared at her lifelong best friend. She simultaneously wanted to run into her arms and run far away from her.
A tranquil silence enveloped the room, the only sounds being the hum and beeping of the machines, with neither friend saying anything and Zhang Yuxi seemed to understand the turmoil invading her mind.
She wanted to make trouble out of nothing, pick a fight with some random muscular passerby, and allow herself to be beaten up so that she could be placed in the same ward as Zhang Yuxi. Alas, her mind held her back - she knew she needed to stay as calm as the ocean.
Her feelings contradicted each other and she would be the first to admit that she was a bit of a mess at this moment.
If any of her coworkers passed by, they surely wouldn't be able to recognize her but instead, feel as if she were an alien invading her body. She didn't notice the tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she stared at Zhang Yuxi's deathly figure that seemed to rapidly deteriorate in the past month.
Still, despite the heartache, she couldn't find the strength to glance away. She engraved each inch of the other into her mind, afraid if she looked away she would disappear with a gust of wind.
A few moments, perhaps minutes, passed like so before Wei Xinyi found her strength and tilted her head with a forced smile. "Why would I be mad? It's not like you lied to me about such a big thing… Oh wait, that did happen."
Zhang Yuxi's eyes flickered as she held her hands up defensively. "Gosh, I'm even being scolded on my deathbed! My sister already did it."
"You deserve it." Wei Xinyi's legs suddenly remembered how to walk and led her to sit on the edge of the bed as she complained. "How couldn't you tell me? What about your family? What was running through that mind of yours?"
Zhang Yuxi laughed, breaking through the somber feeling of the sterile, white room. "Wouldn't you have dropped everything if you knew?"
Wei Xinyi was speechless for a moment. Of course, she would have dropped everything! "So what, isn't that what we're supposed to do? If I was in your position instead, wouldn't you take care of me? Ah, so heartless."
"You know I would… Oh, why didn't you go on the blind date I set last week?"
"I was busy. Is this the time to talk about that?"
Zhang Yuxi turned her head to gawk at her best friend, but was instead met with Wei Xinyi crossing her arms, attempting to appear serious with wet eyes and a pout. She burst out in laughter, her hands reaching to cover her face as she leaned forward.
Wei Xinyi's mouth twitched but she didn't change her expression or posture as she waited for the other's laughter to disperse before she interrogated again. "Why didn't you tell me something so big, huh? Why was I the last to find out?"
Silence filled the room as they both looked at each other for a few moments. Then, Zhang Yuxi tilted her head the slightest bit and fixed her gaze on the ceiling. "I couldn't bring myself to say it. I thought that this must be some sick joke at first, but then I continued to come in for tests and grew weaker and it set in. Then, I thought of everyone…"
Wei Xinyi grabbed her hand and rubbed her thumb in circles, something that the other did for her when she was comforting her over the death of her grandmother.
Zhang Yuxi squeezed her hand and continued, her eyes still focused on the ceiling as if it were a discovery she needed to study. "How could I tell my parents that their youngest daughter will leave this world before them? How could I bear to tell my sister that she'll be the one to take care of them when they're old? I'll be leaving you alone, too. They have each other, but you're a workaholic living so far from your family."
Wei Xinyi didn't say anything, she only continued rubbing the back of Zhang Yuxi's hand as the other spoke.
"Admitting that I'm dying means that I'm acknowledging that you'll be left alone in this city when I die. I won't be able to meet your future husband, go on double dates, comfort you when you're sad, go on the long-waited vacations we planned, try new food, or be the awesome aunt or godmother to your children."
Outside the room, Wei Jue had gotten up to consult with one of the doctors but had paused to listen to Zhang Yuxi's explanation. His face fell and he stumbled back as his wide eyes stared at the door.
The doctor had more or less finished so he continued down the hall, leaving Wei Jue to lean on the wall beside the doorway with his eyes shut and arms crossed.
Surprisingly, these words sobered her mind and Wei Xinyi waved her hand. "Stop worrying about others. I'm going to take off work and -"
"Don't do that, just come see me from time to time." Zhang Yuxi quickly refuted the unspoken words.
Wei Xinyi bit her bottom lip. "I'll quit."
"You'll be taken off the visitors list if you quit."
Wei Xinyi gawked at her best friend, speechless in the face of the threat. "Why?"
Zhang Yuxi's lip twitched. "There's no need, my family will be here during the day. Anyway, I won't be the reason you quit - do it after I die."
Although she said so, she didn't want her to quit. Just last week, Wei Xinyi expressed that she was being considered for a promotion to assistant marketing director instead of marketing manager, a step up from her current position.
Quitting before a promotion? How did her best friend grow to be so muddle-headed… She wasn't going to live long, where would she go to in a few months?
Did this girl want to be homeless?
Wei Xinyi wasn't the type to brag about her finances so she was under the impression that although Wei Xinyi was well off, she wasn't rich. Which… Wei Xinyi wouldn't consider herself rich, but she had enough savings to last her four years without working, and if she sold her apartment she'd have about six years.
It's not enough to retire on, but it's not like she was broke! She went to work all day and hardly left her apartment once off work so there wasn't anything to spend her money on and she hadn't touched the inheritance her grandmother left her yet.
Neither friend realized they misunderstood the other's intention, Wei Xinyi only stared at her with a puzzled expression for a while and ended up nodding.
Their conversation ended shortly after when Wei Jue entered the room to greet Zhang Yuxi and mention that the visitor hours were over.
The next month and a half flew past. Wei Xinyi worked hard to hold herself together for those around her even as she watched her best friend deteriorate in front of her eyes.
She, Zhang Yuxi's family, and her brother had begun a new routine during this time.
Zhang Yuxi's family would visit and stay with her from the morning to the evening.
Wei Jue would take care of buying groceries and cleaning Zhang Yuxi's apartment which her family was using.
Wei Xinyi would work until the evening when Wei Jue would be waiting in a rented car to bring her to the hospital. She would always walk out of the office one minute after her hours ended, not a moment more or less despite the pleading for overtime.
On days that Zhang Yuxi felt well enough to move around and had cautious permission from her doctors, she would be allowed to leave the hospital for a few hours with her family or the two Wei siblings.
On days when it was especially rough for Zhang Yuxi, everyone would gather around to make sure she was taken care of while watching dramas with her or reminiscing.
Wei Xinyi was scolded for not having a boyfriend, not taking the other on vacations, being too busy with work, not buying her ice cream, and not allowing her to drink alcohol. Gosh, she was scolded by Zhang Yuxi in this period more than her parents had done her entire life!
It was just after three in the afternoon when Wei Xinyi's phone blew up with notifications. Her hands which were busy typing had paused as she glanced down at the screen.
"When I die, prepare to be bombarded by notifications. Sorry for the spam in advance."
"What do you mean?"
"Ah, don't worry about it."
Wei Xinyi remembered that moment clearly. It was one week after Zhang Yuxi was admitted to the hospital but her health was a lot better than it was now, they'd gone to the park and Zhang Yuxi casually mentioned it. They were lying on the grass next to one another, gazing at the clouds and she had a brilliant smile on her face.
Little Suck Up: [43 New Messages]
Wei Jue: [1 New Message]
The chair Wei Xinyi had been sitting on had been pushed across the room as she abruptly stood, causing a few coworkers to jump at the sudden aggressive move. She snatched her phone off the table and stormed out of the room.
She could hear her boss shout out with concern, yet she ignored him. "Ah? Where are you going?"
For the second time, Wei Xinyi wished she could jump out of the window and land feet first and be fine as she waited for the elevator doors to open.
Although she'd been prepared for this moment, although she was rushing out of work in the middle of the day without leave… She couldn't look at the phone that was clenched so tightly in her hand.
She wanted to believe that Zhang Yuxi was only scaring her.
Maybe she was messaging her so much because she really wanted ice cream.
Wei Xinyi knew she was lying to herself. Zhang Yuxi had never sent more than seven texts in a row one after another like this.
Although it felt like years had passed, Wei Xinyi walked out of the building just a few minutes later and was met with the sight of her older brother leaning against the passenger door of his car with a somber expression.
He pushed himself off the car and opened the passenger door. "Let's go… I'll bring you home."
Wei Xinyi shook her head with a defeated smile. "Let's go to the hospital."
Wei Jue stared at her silently for a moment before looking down. "We're going home."