Running away from the Love-Brain

Where's Shui Shui?

Chi Shui Shui: [Are you asleep?]

Cui Xijin had just neatly changed into her pajamas and was lying straight in bed under the covers when she received a WeChat message from Chi Buyu.

Thinking the sick Chi Buyu might need help:

[No, I'm not. What's up?]

Two seconds after sending the message, her phone screen popped up with a WeChat call.

Cui Xijin cleared her throat and, facing the empty room, said "Hello" to test her voice. Sounding normal, she pressed the answer button, ready to greet with another "Hello," but as soon as she lifted her eyes, she froze—

She was met with Chi Buyu's gaze on the phone screen.

?

Why is this a video call?

Cui Xijin tensed her jaw, held the phone further away, and kept a straight face as she said,

"What's up?"

Chi Buyu seemed to have been well-prepared for this video call.

She wore a pair of black-framed glasses, almost covering her whole face. Her hair seemed freshly washed—at least it looked soft and healthy in the video.

Feigning seriousness, Chi Buyu cleared her throat, smoothed her bangs, and muttered in a nasal voice,

"Well... I slept too much this afternoon and now I can't sleep tonight."

"Is your headache gone?"

Cui Xijin asked while awkwardly sitting up a little, leaning against the headboard. She stretched her hand towards the nightstand but noticed on the screen that her posture looked awkward.

So, she paused.

"Wait a minute."

She said this and suddenly covered the phone with her blanket. Through the receiver, she heard Chi Buyu slowly reply with an "Oh," and then quickly reached for her glasses on the nightstand—

She put them on, swiftly got out of bed, and walked over to the full-length mirror, checking her reflection. She adjusted her glasses, fixed her hair, and ensured her buttons were fastened all the way to the top...

After making sure everything was in order, she picked up the water cup by the bed and took a sip to moisten her throat and lips. Then, she sat properly on the bed, lifted the blanket, and picked up her phone again, calmly returning to the video—

Only to see Chi Buyu struggling to put eye drops in her eyes.

?

Cui Xijin didn't speak.

She watched as Chi Buyu tilted her head back with great effort, letting a drop fall from the bottle like it was a martyr meeting its fate. Chi Buyu scrunched her face but accidentally blinked, causing the drop to land on her eyelid and slide down.

Clearly, Chi Buyu was not skilled at putting in eye drops.

"You need to hold it a bit closer,"

Cui Xijin kindly suggested.

After a two-second delay, Chi Buyu stiffened on the other side, puffed out her cheeks like she was suddenly irritated, and threw the eye drops aside.

"I'm not doing it anymore!"

She gets mad so easily, even at the eye drops.

Cui Xijin chuckled. "It didn't do anything wrong."

Chi Buyu "hmphed," sat on the bed with her arms wrapped around her strawberry bear, resting her chin on it.