Entangled Threads *ON HOLD*

Chapter 3

       "JiaLi, are you done?" YiYu comes in with a couple of knocks on the open door.

        "Yes." She shyly replies, avoiding eye contact.

        "Then let's go." He lightly smiles and points the way.

        Opening the sleek black car door, she sits in the passenger seat while he places her stuff in the trunk. The drive back to the city is quiet, but to JiaLi, the sound of her breathing is deafening, so she tries to hold her breath. Her face turns red as a result.

       "JiaLi, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" YiYu asks, noticing her obvious lack of comfort. She shakes her head quickly in denial.

       "It's nothing."

        "Really?" YiYu leans in closely, checking her forehead for temperature. Since she seemingly has no fever, he decides it's probably because she's been in the car too long. While YiYu checks her health, JiaLi's heart is ready to burst. Too close. "Since you're fine, let's go."

        "En." JiaLi agrees since she's sure that her face is as red as a monkey's butt. Snapping out of her distraction, JiaLi finally notices YiYu lean in even more as he goes to press the seatbelt off of her.

        His ear is near her chest leaving JiaLi hoping he doesn't hear the loud beating of her heart. The few seconds felt like forever when he finally gets out of the car. JiaLi leaps out right after.

        "You can stay in this room. I just moved in so it's pretty bare. You can decorate to your liking." YiYu explains. JaiLi stands there, a little confused.

        "I'll be living here? But I live in the dorms."

        "Did CuiXiu not tell you? She promised your vacancy to someone in exchange for help with finishing schoolwork you missed. Since my apartment is close by your university, she asked me to let you stay here." It is at this moment that JiaLi realizes what CuiXiu has done. JiaLi now has to stay with her long-time crush in the same apartment and she is freaky out inside but her exterior remains calm, somewhat.

        "Are you really fine? Do you want to go to the hospital?" YiYu hands her a cup of water. JiaLi quickly accepts it.

        "It's nothing. I'm just feeling a little warm. Water is all I need." She smiles widely then proceeds to gulp down the glass only to start coughing from drinking too fast.

        "Slow down, no one's going to fight with you for it." He chuckles softly at her awkwardness. "If you're worried about living together, don't worry. I won't invade your privacy."

        "En." JiaLi nods. That's not the problem here!

        With no choice but to temporarily live there, JiaLi starts to move her things into the room. The doorbell rings and CuiXiu walks in with boxes of JiaLi's things.

        "I have personally come to deliver your things." CuiXiu beams. JiaLi just stands in front of her new room with her arms crossed and her eyebrow raised.

         "CuiXiu, explain." She demands of her long-time friend.

        "Ah yo! Don't be like that! I'm only trying to help."

        "CuiXiu, you've changed. You never bother with this kind of thing before. What happened?" JiaLi narrows her eyes, staring at CuiXiu. She gets a smile in reply.

        "Well, you never cared about dating and neither did I, but things are different now. We can now legally be family. So, how far have you gone with 5 ge? Let me tell you, he's been abroad too long, so he can be slower than other people in this aspect. Don't be too hasty. JiaYou!("good luck/fighting")".

        "Hou CuiXiu!" JiaLi exclaims. Noticing it's time to go, CuiXiu quickly dashes away and out of the door.

        "5 ge, I'll come visit another time!" She yells as she runs.

        "Be careful on your way back." He cautions her, then YiYu walks up to JiaLi. "Sorry, you had to deal with her for so many years."

         "It's no problem, I'm used to it now."

        "Do you need any help?" YiYu motions to the boxes on the floor.

        "There's no need, I can do it myself." JiaLi quickly picks up a box and turns to go into her room only to carelessly trip on the corner of another box. "AH!"

        "Watch out!" YiYu swiftly grabs JiaLi arm with one hand and hold the box in the other resulting in JiaLi spinning around and falling into his embrace. With her ear on his chest, she can hear his steady heartbeat beneath and wishing that he couldn't hear how fast hers is beating. She slowly raises her head, with upturned eyes she looks at his.

        "Are you alright?" His gentle voice tickles her eardrums. "JiaLi?"

        "Th-Thank you." JiaLi stutters out, coming out of her short trance. She grabs the box out of his hands.

        "Be more careful next time, or else you'll end up hurting yourself." He warns her while patting her head softly.

        "En, I know." She then quickly proceeds to retreat into her room with the box, leaving YiYu outside. 

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Sorry it took so long, I've been so busy with assignments and studying. <(_ _)> 

But chapter 3 is finally here! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°