Chapter 97: A Night of Humiliation

Although I insisted persistently that I wouldn’t leave, Mi Cai remained unmoved. She coldly tossed out a “Whatever you want” and then fell silent.

I am a man of my word, so I wasn’t joking with Mi Cai. Immediately, I fetched a thick down jacket from the suitcase, wrapped it around myself, and sat in the hallway, determined to wait it out with Mi Cai. I absolutely refused to believe she would really let me sit there all night in the cold.

I sat in the hallway with great patience for nearly an hour, but gradually I began to feel desperate. The current trend indicated that Mi Cai, this cruel woman, genuinely intended to leave me to my fate in the hallway.

Thinking about how she was now sleeping comfortably under warm covers while I endured gusts of cold wind sweeping through the hallway made me feel increasingly frustrated and helpless. It seemed that getting along peacefully with this woman was always impossible. Today, I had just returned to Suzhou, and she had unreasonably slammed the door in my face. I really couldn’t understand why she treated me this way.

Frustrated, I wrapped myself in another thick layer, finally feeling somewhat warmer. The fatigue from a long day’s travel gradually made me drowsy.

Leaning against the corner, I fell asleep. Not knowing how long had passed, I felt someone nudging me. I opened my eyes groggily, and Mi Cai’s face gradually came into focus.

Looking surprised, she said, “You really didn’t leave?”

“Am I someone who goes back on their word?” I replied, trying to stand up, but my legs had gone completely numb and wouldn’t obey me.

Mi Cai looked at me without speaking.

“Can’t you be a little nicer to me? I just arrived in Suzhou, and you locked me outside! Honestly, I don’t see how you can act like this!”

Still frustrated, I grabbed another thick coat and wrapped myself in it. Finally, I felt a bit warmer. The fatigue from a long day’s travel gradually made me drowsy.

I fell asleep leaning against the corner. Not knowing how long had passed, I felt someone nudging me. I opened my eyes groggily, and Mi Cai’s face gradually came into focus.

Looking surprised, she said, “You really didn’t leave?”

“Am I someone who goes back on their word?” I replied, trying to stand up, but my legs had gone completely numb and wouldn’t obey me.

Mi Cai looked at me without speaking.

“Can’t you be a little nicer to me? I just arrived in Suzhou, and you locked me outside! Honestly, I don’t see how you can act like this!”

“Who told you not to stay in a hotel?”

“You say that so easily—hotels don’t cost money?”

“Then you shouldn’t fall asleep in the hallway either! If I hadn’t come out to check, you really would’ve slept here all night like an idiot!”

“Fine, be an idiot then. Anyway, I’ve never really lived with dignity in front of you… Just help me up first, my legs are numb.” I said, reaching my hand out to Mi Cai.

Mi Cai hesitated for a moment, then took my hand. Feeling the warmth and softness of her palm, I suddenly felt an inexplicable flutter in my heart. Struggling, Mi Cai said, “Zhao Yang, can’t you put in a little effort yourself? You’re putting all your weight on me—I can’t pull you up!”

Snapping out of my flustered state, I used my other hand to push off the ground and finally managed to get up with Mi Cai’s help.

I stomped my feet to restore the feeling, then said to Mi Cai, “Don’t tell me you’re still not going to let me in!”

Before Mi Cai could answer, I took a big step toward the door, intending to take a favorable position. If she dared to say no, I would lock her outside first.

My plan was brilliant, but I hadn’t realized my legs were still numb. One leg completely refused to support me, and I stumbled forward, landing flat on the ground.

Mi Cai let out a startled cry, making my embarrassment even worse. I hadn’t felt this humiliated in a long time, so I simply lay there motionless.

“Zhao Yang, are you okay?” Mi Cai gently poked me with her finger, asking cautiously.

“Not really… It hurts!”

Her tone turned somewhat tense. “Where did you fall on?”

“My face!” I answered briefly. Actually, it didn’t hurt that much—I just lost all my dignity!

Mi Cai came around to face me, squatted down, and looked at me from above while I kept my head buried, silent.

She poked my head again and asked, “Can you get up by yourself?”

I decided to play along and, with a couple of exaggerated groans, said, “Let me take a moment. I’m a bit dizzy… Why don’t you bring my luggage inside first?”

“Okay,” Mi Cai replied. Not seeing whether she actually did, I turned my head slightly, peeking through a small gap and sighing in relief as I saw Mi Cai indeed carry my guitar into the house first, then dragged my suitcase inside.

After Mi Cai brought all my luggage inside, I suddenly jumped up from the ground and walked into the house as if nothing had happened, sitting down casually on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other.

With her hands on her hips, Mi Cai frowned and asked, “A moment ago you were shouting in pain—how come you’re fine now?”

“Just have strong self-recovery ability!” I replied shamelessly, picking up a tangerine from the coffee table, peeling it, and starting to eat.

Mi Cai complained, “Self-recovery? You were definitely faking it just now!”

“Who was faking? I fell flat on the ground with a big thud—don’t you think that hurts? If you don’t believe me, go try it yourself!”

“Childish!”

“I am childish,” I said, then looked around. I noticed that this house, which I was even more familiar with than my own, still felt the same, except there were several winter-hardy plants added on the balcony.

I complimented Mi Cai, who was standing opposite me, saying, “You’ve done a great job decorating this place. It still keeps its original charm, and with the green plants, it looks much more lively!”

“This is my house, of course I’d put effort into it. Unlike some people who only know how to smoke inside and create carbon monoxide!”

I smiled nonchalantly and changed the subject. “Is there anything to eat? I’m hungry. I’d like to have some late-night snacks.”

“The rice and flour you left last time are still here. If you want to eat, go cook it yourself,” Mi Cai said, yawning and turning to head back to her room.

“Why don’t you join me later? I can cook some nourishing porridge. It’s good to eat something before sleep.”

“I’m already sleepy now. No need for nourishment.”

“Then just keep me company while I eat. I don’t want to be alone.”

Mi Cai ignored me and continued walking toward her room. Immediately, I got up and followed her inside.

“Why are you coming into my room?” Mi Cai noticed me behind her and asked cautiously.

I complained, “We’re so familiar with each other already. Can’t you stop being so tense all the time? I just want to borrow some bedding from you. It’s so cold outside—surely you wouldn’t make me sleep on a bamboo mat?”

Mi Cai’s expression softened slightly. “Aren’t you hungry? Go cook something first. I’ll make up the bed for you.”

This time, I looked at Mi Cai suspiciously. “You’re being so nice? You must be up to something again!”

“Then just sleep on the bamboo mat,” Mi Cai said, pushing me out of her room and preparing to shut the door.

Of course, I wouldn’t let her have her way. I pushed the door open and said, “I’m so smart, I know you can’t trick me. Go ahead and make the bed. I’ll go cook something.”

Mi Cai shot me a dissatisfied glance, then walked to the storage cabinet, took out a set of bedding, and holding it in her arms, headed toward the room I used to stay in.

…

While Mi Cai was tidying up the room for me, I washed the rice clean, added water, and threw in some red dates and lotus seeds.

While waiting for the porridge to cook, I went to the room where I would soon be staying, watching Mi Cai closely. After being tricked by her so many times, I had to remain vigilant.