Chapter 7
428words
She would always rush to clear the dishes and address me warmly.
We were becoming increasingly close.
But some subtle things always made me feel uncomfortable.
During weekend hotpot, I put a plate of tripe into the pot as usual, which was both Yuri's and my favorite.
Just as I was about to put it in the spicy broth, Serena gently held my wrist:
"His stomach isn't good."
She turned to Yuri and said softly: "Didn't you have a stomachache again last week during your night shift? You should have the clear broth instead."
Yuri smiled and swallowed the tripe she handed to him.
My hand holding the chopsticks paused.
I recalled our college days when he would always accompany me to eat the spiciest street food outside the campus gate, sweating profusely but still smiling and saying how satisfying it was.
Now, this cousin who had only been around for a short while seemed more concerned about his health than I was.
In the evening, Yuri was taking a call on the balcony.
Serena helped me peel an orange while saying softly:
"I heard that they're going to promote someone to Deputy Director in Yuri's department."
I froze. Yuri had never mentioned this to me.
"How do you know?"
She hesitated momentarily, then quickly added: "The other day he was on the phone with someone, and I happened to be nearby and overheard it."
She spoke naturally, but something felt off to me.
The most humiliating moment came one day at the shopping mall.
The three of us were browsing the baby products section when a sales assistant enthusiastically approached us:
"Sir, Madam, you might want to look at this stroller. We're having a special promotion now, it's quite a good deal."
Yuri cleared his throat softly, giving me a slightly embarrassed glance.
In that moment, standing behind them, watching the sales assistant enthusiastically introducing products to them, I felt like a complete stranger who just happened to be there.
Serena apologized to me afterward: "I'm sorry, I was just afraid... afraid people would mock me."
I thought perhaps she was simply desperate for family connection, which explained her unusual dependence on Yuri.
A pregnant woman abandoned by her husband needed that bit of warmth for support.
But the inexplicable frustration in my heart was snowballing.
Every time I saw her naturally serving soup to Yuri, reminding him to add clothes, or even remembering all his dietary habits, I could only silently swallow my words.
