Lip Reading

“Do you… like me too?”

An Ruxin’s head was about to explode.

Even though her rational mind still suspected, “Maybe she’s just saying this to trick me into helping her,” the truth felt too perfect, too blissful… Bai Miaoqing had said she used to be awful, but An Ruxin didn’t care about that. What she cared about was the Bai Miaoqing she’d secretly loved in high school—that perfect version of her! In fact, the idea that Bai Miaoqing used to be terrible, wanted to change, and worked so hard to become that radiant, star-like girl on her own… didn’t that make her even more perfect?

Bai Miaoqing’s downfall now, and her cruel rejection after the college entrance exams, were all because of the ghost—Chen Anran—who’d haunted and possessed her! She had always liked An Ruxin; it was because of Ruxin’s care that she’d shown a hidden vulnerable side and grown to love her. And now, even to this day, she still liked her—just as An Ruxin still liked Bai Miaoqing!

It was overwhelming… a wave of joy so intense it nearly shattered her brain. She wanted to scream, yank out all her hair—she was that happy. An Ruxin hadn’t known she was even capable of feeling something so fierce. All that awkwardness she’d felt around Bai Miaoqing for years… none of that mattered anymore, right? As long as they could find a way to get rid of the ghost, Chen Anran, everything could go back to normal… This long, deep secret love could finally reach the best possible ending.

“I’ve always liked you! That’s not a lie! All these years, I’ve been watching over you!” Bai Miaoqing shouted too, eyes glistening with tears of excitement. “Ah… finally I can tell you, I’m so happy, I really, really like you!”

An Ruxin wanted to hug her, kiss her, or even just stare at her forever! The Bai Miaoqing she loved the most, that youthful face, would surely rise above her current haggard expression like a stone emerging from water…

But just then, she heard it.

Drip. Drip…

The sound of water droplets hitting the window glass.

An Ruxin slowly turned her head toward the hotel window.

“Ruxin? What’s wrong?”

“Miaoqing… you don’t see it?”

Why does she act like she can’t see anything… even though it’s right there?

This room was on the third floor, right? Outside was the city An Ruxin worked and lived in, the one she knew so well. That was still true, wasn’t it?

Then why could An Ruxin see droplets hitting the window over and over again… It wasn’t raining, yet the drops came faster, growing into a stream, dark green and inky black, slamming against the glass like a hand made of stagnant water, trying to break in and drown them both. The window groaned under the weight. At some point, the scene outside had turned into a murky green underwater world…

And then, a pale hand slowly pressed against the glass.

Black hair floated like seaweed in the water. Hidden among the thick strands was a faint, pale face.

It was Chen Anran.

She looked like a teenager—a child, really—her dress like the tail of a white fish. Her eyes were closed, her neck twisted and twisted—wasn’t she going to break it? Her cheek rested softly against the glass. Her lips moved, tiny bubbles rising from them…

What was she saying? There was no sound…

Unconsciously, An Ruxin walked closer to the window, her nose nearly pressed to the glass, staring into Chen Anran’s beautiful, bloodless face. Her own lips began to move, imitating the shape of Chen Anran’s mouth.

And just like that, she whispered the word Chen Anran silently mouthed:

“Liar.”

“—Ruxin!”

Bai Miaoqing’s cry snapped An Ruxin back to her senses. Her head ached unbearably… When she looked out the window again, there was nothing. Just warm sunlight shining over the city.

“What… just happened?” An Ruxin muttered.

“What did that mean?” Bai Miaoqing’s voice trembled behind her, full of panic. “You just said… ‘Liar.’ You suddenly ran over to the window and stared, and then said ‘Liar’? Why? You were so happy just now! Why did you say that? You promised, didn’t you? You said you’d trust me, didn’t you? You saw Chen Anran, didn’t you?! She talked to you, right?? That’s why you’re like this, isn’t it?!”

An Ruxin still felt dazed, but quickly calmed herself, soothing the increasingly distraught Bai Miaoqing: “I did see Chen Anran. I just wanted to know what she was saying, so I read her lips… Miaoqing, calm down a bit. You’re overreacting… of course I trust you.”

Of course she trusted… the most perfect version of the truth.

Of course she trusted the Bai Miaoqing she loved most.

“She clearly hates me! I’m the one she won’t leave alone! But she only lets you see her—because I like you. That’s why she wants to steal everything from me, make you doubt me, make you stay away from me!” The fury on Bai Miaoqing’s face faded, replaced by despair. “I know… I overreacted. But it’s always been like this. She’s always been this way. Without her, I had nothing. And now she wants me to have nothing again…She’s doing it again… Do you get it? To keep myself from going insane, I have to fail—I can’t get better, I can’t move on. I have to stay stuck forever. I finally… finally had you back, and now I’m being dragged back to hell. I’m falling apart, and I don’t know how to stop it… Please… forgive me.”

An Ruxin walked to her and gently held her hand. “It’s okay, Miaoqing. Don’t worry, I’ll fix it. I’ll find a way to fix everything. Then… everything will be alright.”

She said, “Miaoqing, I’ll help you… because I love you the most… I’ve always loved you… always had a crush on you…”

This overwhelming joy—so powerful it made her wish for a meteor to destroy the Earth just to freeze this moment forever—this secret crush…

No one but An Ruxin could possibly understand it. Even she wouldn’t have believed it, just a few days ago. Even the An Ruxin from a few days ago would find her current self unrecognizable.

These feelings, this rush of emotion in her heart—even if Bai Miaoqing truly did love her too—she would never fully understand.

But that didn’t matter.

It never did.

“If Chen Anran’s target is you, then just focus on protecting yourself,” An Ruxin said, her usually expressionless face now smiling slightly. “Miaoqing, just stay in the hotel and rest. Investigate if you want, make plans, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you… Ruxin.”

———

Leaving the hotel, An Ruxin returned to her car.

Since she had decided to help Bai Miaoqing, she needed to investigate—figure out why Chen Anran kept haunting her, and how to make her disappear for good.

In that case, the best place to start… was Chen Anran’s house.

Bai Miaoqing had never mentioned it, but that didn’t mean An Ruxin didn’t know the address.

First, back in high school, she often secretly flipped through Bai Miaoqing’s personal things—that’s how she learned her home address (even though Bai Miaoqing never invited friends over, An Ruxin was smug about being the only one who knew this, a smugness that helped her dig up that memory now).

Second, Bai Miaoqing had once said she and Chen Anran grew up together—as next-door neighbors.

With those two pieces of info, that was more than enough for An Ruxin to find Chen Anran’s old home.

“I’ll go in the morning, save some time.”

With that thought, An Ruxin started the car.