Middle-aged Love Patch

The ZK9980 train glided out of the vacuum tube and slowly pulled into the station. Xu Youyuan tugged her suitcase along as she walked, but it kept veering stubbornly to one side. A quick inspection revealed one of the wheels had broken.

This suitcase had been with her for nearly a decade. Back when she bought it, it was expensive—she’d half-joked it would last a lifetime.

And truthfully, it had held up well. Nothing really lasts forever, though. Over the years, it had traveled with her to countless places, so it was only fitting it finally gave out. Still, she had to figure out how to haul it home now…

Unlike airports, the train station didn’t provide luggage carts. And her father, ever the doting parent, had stuffed her once-empty suitcase with two enormous Lipu taro roots—each weighing three pounds—along with supplements, a hand-knit sweater from her mother, a hefty bag of shiitake mushrooms, and two large boxes of tea leaves. Xu Yishu had wanted to pack even more, but Xu Youyuan had to firmly stop him.

In the end, the suitcase hadn’t closed easily—she had to sit on it while her father, red-faced, struggled to latch it shut.

Now, carrying this weighty embodiment of paternal love back into the crowded city, only for a wheel to break, felt like just another stroke of bad luck in Xu Youyuan’s life.

But really, how bad was it? Only one wheel was busted, not all four. Even if all four failed, she could still carry it herself.

With a defiant "bring it on" attitude, she wrestled the suitcase forward, constantly correcting its lopsided path, until she reached the taxi queue. Turning the corner, she nearly collapsed at the sight—a snaking, six-fold line of people, each segment stretching fifty meters long.

What in the world?

A ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍station attendant explained it was raining outside, taxis were scarce, and S6 Station was the busiest vacuum-tube hub. Everyone was stuck waiting.

Xu Youyuan pulled out her ride-hailing app, but after ten seconds, nothing. Glancing around, she saw everyone else doing the same, their screens displaying wait times of at least ten minutes—if they were lucky.

The transportation chaos was giving her a headache. Back when she traveled for work, company cars handled everything. She rarely used this taxi line and had no idea a little rain could cause such a mess.

The attendant barked into a walkie-talkie, coordinating with ground control as the crowd grew more restless. Some passengers started arguing with him.

"Taxis are on the way!" the attendant shouted. "Just hold on!"

Only two cabs arrived in half an hour. Unlicensed drivers circled, offering rides at outrageous prices. One quoted a thousand yuan for a three-kilometer trip.

"Are you kidding me? That’s daylight robbery!" the passenger snapped.

The driver smirked. "Suit yourself. See how long you wait!"

Already frustrated, the passenger grabbed the driver’s collar. "The hell’s your problem? I’ll wait if I want!"

A shove, a yell—then they were brawling right next to Xu Youyuan.

She’d been checking her phone when the scuffle erupted. By the time she looked up, a thick elbow was swinging straight for her right eye.

Half a meter away. Too late to dodge.

Her mind screamed one word: Damn!

Darkness. She braced for pain, but… nothing?

"With reflexes like that, you really thought you could go pro in esports?" A voice dripped amusement from above her.

Xu Youyuan turned. It was Shi Yue.

"Excuse me? I was plenty quick at your age," she shot back.

Shi Yue grinned. "My age? You’re barely older than me."

Eleven years. Practically a generation gap, Xu Youyuan thought but didn’t say—no point stating the obvious.

Shi Yue wore a long black coat over a lake-blue shirt, layered with a navy sweater. Her hair, now dyed back to black, spilled over a ginger cashmere scarf. She looked cozy. Smug, too.

They’d never stood this close in real life—close enough that Shi Yue’s arm was wrapped around her waist, the other steadying her elbow. Practically an embrace.

At this proximity, Xu Youyuan realized the kid was half a head taller. Not just leggy—genuinely tall.

Before she could speak, Shi Yue tensed, yanking her backward as the brawlers crashed toward them, locked in a tangle of curses.

Station police arrived with shields and batons, hauling the pair away. Order returned, and the queue resumed its patient shuffle.

"What are you doing here?" Xu Youyuan extricated herself and reached for her suitcase.

"Dropping off a coworker. It’s raining."

She noticed a man with a backpack—likely heading out on a trip—standing near Shi Yue. Past the divider, the parking lot led upstairs to departures.

Kun, witnessing everything, finally understood why he’d been exiled from home on this cold, wet night.

"Thanks for the ride, Boss! I’m off!" He vanished toward the escalators.

"Boss?" Xu Youyuan echoed.

"Yep. Bose. My English name. Easier for overseas folks to pronounce."

"How’s it spelled?"

"B-O-S-E. Bose."

"Isn’t that a guy’s name?"

"Wow, sexist much? It’s the twenty-first century."

Xu Youyuan smirked. Sure, kid. But the coworker story checked out.

A few more taxis trickled in, still hopelessly outnumbered by the stranded crowd.

Shi Yue grabbed the suitcase handle. "Heavy."

"What are you—?"

"Let’s go. I’ll drive you."

Normally, Xu Youyuan wasn’t one to hesitate. If it were Shi Ye or Cang Lu offering, she’d have jumped in the car already. Even a random colleague would’ve earned instant gratitude. But Shi Yue was different.

"What?" Shi Yue teased. "Afraid I’ll eat you alive?"

Xu Youyuan mirrored her smirk. "Sweetheart, I was devouring people back when you were still on formula."

"Ooh, still salty about that five-star review, huh?"

Xu Youyuan: "Using the same trick on me twice won't work."

"Are you a Saint of Athena or something?"

"...You've actually read that manga? How could someone your age have read it?"

"Of course I have. I read it at your place."

At Shi Yue's remark, Xu Youyuan remembered—back when Shi Yue was just a little kid, she often came to her house for tutoring. That must have been when she read the manga.

At the time, Xu Youyuan was in her fourth year of university, interning at SQUALL's branch office. The branch was close to home, so she still lived with her family. Shi Ye, on the other hand, worked in another city, far enough that she rarely came home, especially after getting a boyfriend. She only visited once every two or three months.

Shi Yue, then 11 years old, had just graduated elementary school. Her family recognized her talent and enrolled her in a private middle school’s advanced science and technology program.

The program was filled with countless prodigies, and the curriculum’s pace and depth were beyond anything a regular school could offer. Shi Yue, who had stood out among ordinary kids, quickly found herself struggling to keep up. By the end of her first semester, her grades had slipped below the top 20, and she even failed "Fundamentals of Programming Languages."

The Shi family had high expectations for her, so this setback hit them hard. Desperate for a solution, they thought of Shi Ye’s close friend, Xu Youyuan, who was often seen around the neighborhood.

Xu Youyuan had majored in software engineering and was interning at the renowned SQUALL—something the whole neighborhood knew about. At the Shi family’s request, Shi Ye approached her, and Xu Youyuan readily agreed:

"Sure, she can come. But even though it’s Xiao Yue, I’ll be strict. She should prepare herself."

Shi Yue did come, and Xu Youyuan tutored her on and off for two years. After Xu Youyuan transferred from the branch to the headquarters and left their hometown, the two rarely saw each other again—until now.

Many details from those tutoring sessions had faded from Xu Youyuan’s memory, but she remembered Shi Yue being both clever and well-behaved, with a keen interest in every physical book on her family’s shelves.

By the time Xu Youyuan was in her teens, physical books were already being replaced by e-books. People only bought them during online sales, more for the novelty than actual reading. By Shi Yue’s generation, 4D and holographic technology had begun emerging, making physical books even more obsolete. Shi Yue had grown up reading on ink-screen tablets—lightweight and eye-friendly, everyone’s preference.

So, the sight of Xu Youyuan’s entire wall lined with physical books fascinated Shi Yue. The collection wasn’t just Xu Youyuan’s; it also held many books from her parents’ childhood.

Xu Youyuan struck a deal with Shi Yue: she could read whatever she wanted, as long as she finished her assignments first.

Eager to explore those ancient paper treasures, Shi Yue studied diligently. Once her homework was done, she’d bury herself in books until late at night, only leaving reluctantly when her parents came to drag her home.

Now, hearing Shi Yue mention it, Xu Youyuan realized:

"So you weren’t actually that into studying—you just wanted to read the comics."

Shi Yue loaded her luggage into the car’s trunk, pausing as if she had something to say. But in the end, she stayed silent.

She had effortlessly handled the heavy suitcase—something Xu Youyuan had struggled to lift with both hands. The kid was surprisingly strong.

Then Xu Youyuan noticed a red mark on Shi Yue’s hand, looking fairly serious.

That earlier elbow strike—even if Shi Yue had dodged, she might not have avoided it completely.

Had she used her hand to shield Xu Youyuan instead?

"Have you eaten dinner yet?" Shi Yue asked from beside the car. "Hungry?"

Xu Youyuan kept her hands in her pockets, her gaze lingering on Shi Yue with a slightly different intensity.

As if afraid she’d refuse outright, Shi Yue quickly added, "I’m starving. Didn’t even have lunch."

"Why not?"

"Just the usual fate of a corporate drone. Any cravings?"

They got into the car, and Xu Youyuan said, "My treat. You pick."

"Oh? What’s the occasion?"

Xu Youyuan chuckled. "You’re my childhood friend’s little sister. I haven’t treated you to a proper meal since coming back. It’s only fair."

Shi Yue waved her reddened hand in front of her. "Because of this?"

"Half and half."

"And the other half?"

Xu Youyuan fell silent for a moment before answering seriously, "I accept your proposal."

"Huh?"

"That partnership thing. Unlocking achievements in Dark Box together, trading for a premium Caps account to reshape the universe."

Shi Yue tilted her head. "What made you change your mind?"

"Poverty breeds ingenuity."

"Your definition of ‘poverty’ seems a bit different from the idiom’s original meaning."

"Mm. Mine’s the literal, wallet-emptying kind."

Shi Yue couldn’t help laughing. "So treating me to dinner is about building partner synergy now?"

"Call it that if you want. Pick anywhere—budget’s 1000 per person."

"That generous? I’ve been living off work meals and have no idea what’s good. You decide."

Xu Youyuan shrugged. "Anything’s fine. I’m not picky."

"Easy to please."

Xu Youyuan shot her a murderous look. "I wonder how long you’ll keep pushing your luck."

Shi Yue blinked her big eyes, grinning sweetly as she cooed, "Sorry, sis. Don’t pull my tail~"

Xu Youyuan: "..."

She’d always thought the virtual character in the game was childish and flirty, while the real Shi Yue carried a mature, almost solemn air. It had been hard to reconcile the two.

But now it was clear—her old eyes had failed her. There was no difference. This was undeniably her.

Xu Youyuan finally understood why Shi Yue kept getting the upper hand. She knew Xu Youyuan, as a proper adult, wouldn’t stoop to petty retaliation. So she kept toeing the line, testing how far she could push before getting smacked.

Shi Yue pulled up the navigation and opened a restaurant review app. The city’s eateries appeared in order of distance and rating. She pointed at a Sichuan place. "How about this? A colleague mentioned it’s decent."

Xu Youyuan checked—300 per person, cheap, with a 4.5-star rating.

"Going easy on my wallet?"

"First team outing doesn’t need to be extravagant. We’ll fleece you after our first project’s done. This okay?"

"Sure, let’s go."

Shi Yue eased the car through the congested lanes toward the exit. By the time they reached the toll booth, they’d overstayed and had to pay the parking fee. Xu Youyuan scanned the QR code with her phone and settled it.

"Thanks for covering it. Expense that later." Shi Yue noticed her exiting the payment screen and asked, "Hey, should we make a work group chat?"

"Just the two of us. Do we need one?"

"Fair. Then let’s just—"

Shi Yue steered the wheel with one hand while handing her phone to Xu Youyuan with the other. "This car’s a total wreck—my dad passed it down to me after he was done with it. The self-driving system’s acting up, so I have to drive manually. The passcode’s 000712. Add yourself to my contacts for me."

Xu Youyuan held the phone, amused. The kid wanted her WeChat but made up some excuse about a work group. And she just handed over her phone like that, as if it weren’t something private.

Xu Youyuan valued personal privacy and had no habit of prying into others’ affairs. Even with someone else’s phone in hand, she made a point not to glance at anything she shouldn’t. After entering the passcode, she opened WeChat—plenty of unread messages flooded the screen, but she kept her eyes strictly on the task, adding herself as a contact before quickly exiting.

"Done?"

"Yeah."

The exchange felt oddly domestic, like an old married couple. As the car ascended to ground level, Xu Youyuan found herself wondering—was July 12th the little brat’s birthday? A Cancer, then. Not bad. They were the homebody type.