Bringing You Fish

The rain had fully stopped. Water still dripped from the eaves from time to time, striking a small hollow below where a bit of moss grew around the edges.

Yan Huan rested her chin in her hand and kept glancing at the phone lying quietly on the table. She sighed. She had just called, but the other side had been on another call. Call again?

No, better not... After all, her sister was always busy.

Irritated, she raked a hand through her hair and flopped face-down on the table, deflated.

Xu Nuoyi, her agent, was nearby touching up his makeup and fixing his hair. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Yan Huan lying there limp as a piece of sticky candy and asked in confusion, “Your sister seems really nice. She looks easy to get along with. What’s there to hesitate over just calling her?”

“Mm...” Yan Huan dragged the sound out while thinking seriously about it, but still couldn’t figure it out. “My sister’s very busy. I can’t bother her.”

“Didn’t you say she was coming here? She’s not at the company. Busy with what?” He leaned closer to the mirror and carefully lined his eyes.

Right!

Yan Huan sat up at once. The sudden movement startled Xu Nuoyi, and his eyeliner went crooked in a messy zigzag. “Ah! My two-hour makeup!”

Yan Huan ignored him and didn’t give herself time to think any longer. She dialed the number.

Nervous and hopeful, she waited by the phone. The ring went on and on, sounding clearer and clearer. Then she realized something and abruptly turned toward the doorway.

“Damn it, can you—” Xu Nuoyi was in the middle of shouting, his makeup already completely ruined, when he glanced at the two people at the door. “Can you take better care of yourself, really...”

The oppressive pressure from the two big bosses was unbearable.

Yan Huan hurriedly shoved on her shoes and ran up to Yan Yue, only to stop short. A little embarrassed, she called softly, “Sis.”

Then she turned to Ye Bai. “Uncle Ye.”

Ye Bai could only shake his head helplessly and remind her again, “I’ve said it already, no need to call me uncle. I’m only four years older than you. You’re making me sound old.”

Yan Huan stuck out her tongue ingratiatingly. She just liked calling him that.

Director Liu had originally been arranging for the crew to set up the tent. When he heard Yan Yue had arrived too, he dropped what he was doing and hurried over to greet her. Building rapport now would make it easier to ask for investment later, wouldn’t it?

After seeing them off, Qin Qingyan had planned to leave as well, only to run into Zhao Baishu, who had come in a hurry. He quickly stopped her.

“Uncle Zhao,” Qin Qingyan said.

“Ah, um... Qingyan, about what that brat Xiao Qian did, I know all about it. I already gave him a talking-to. He’s not a bad kid. If he ever caused you any trouble before, don’t take it to heart... If anything comes up, come to Uncle Zhao. We’ll be seeing each other often anyway,” Zhao Baishu said.

Qin Qingyan said nothing and listened quietly.

“Alright... that’s it. You go on and get busy.”

Watching Qin Qingyan walk away, Zhao Baishu suddenly remembered something important and hurried toward the film crew.

Qin Qingyan walked back alone. She tilted her head up and thought she saw a fine drizzle starting again. One drop, then another; the rain gradually grew heavier, yet she kept walking slowly. Suddenly, a sentence flashed through her mind, and almost as if possessed, she started to jog.

Cold rain and wind slammed into her face. She ran faster and faster, the corners of her eyes turning red; she couldn’t tell whether it was from the wind or something else.

Qin Qingyan stopped, gasping for breath. Tears mingled with the rain and slid down her cheeks.

She was a burden. She understood that simple truth very well. Her father, Qin Xun, didn’t want her; the Qin family relatives didn’t want her; and now even Jiang Granny was leaving.

She didn’t blame Jiang Granny. Jiang Granny had taken care of her for many years and treated her like a real granddaughter; she was already deeply grateful. She didn’t blame them for leaving, didn’t blame them for leaving her behind alone... It was just that she still couldn’t stop feeling miserable.

By the time the rain finally stopped, more than two hours had passed.

It was getting dark, and Qingyi Village lay shrouded in a hazy mist. A few columns of cooking smoke rose here and there, and the little village suddenly felt alive.

Yan Huan ran up and down the place and finally confirmed there was no extra room. Ye Bai could squeeze in for the night with Xu Nuoyi, but where was her own sister supposed to sleep?

She hesitated over it. When she reached the hall and saw Yan Yue still chatting at the door with Zhao Baishu and the others, she didn’t know what they were talking about, but they seemed to be getting along well; everyone wore smiles.

Although Yan Yue had her back to her and Yan Huan couldn’t see her face, in Yan Huan’s memory her sister had always been like this: forever smiling, forever approachable.

Yes, such a wonderful sister. But just like Xu Nuoyi said, why had she been so careful and timid?

Ye Bai looked over and spotted Yan Huan approaching. “What’s with the little girl? Why the long face? What’s bothering you?”

Seeing everyone look at her, Yan Huan felt awkward and quickly said, “Nothing. It’s just that there aren’t any rooms left here...”

Zhao Baishu froze. He clearly remembered that the actress’s room was separate, with a full-sized bed, and the one who came was her sister. How could there not be enough space?

But he didn’t ask; he only said, “That really was my oversight. Then...”

“It’s fine. I’ll sleep with Xiaohuan. No need to trouble the village secretary,” Yan Yue said with a smile.

Sleep together?

Yan Huan’s heart began pounding wildly. She had never once slept in the same bed as her sister, though... she very much wanted to.

That night, Yan Huan had already tidied the room early and washed up. Leaning against the headboard, she appeared to be playing with her phone, but her thoughts kept drifting toward Yan Yue.

Since childhood, Yan Yue had been her role model and had excelled at everything. Because of various reasons, the time they spent together had always been intermittent; at the shortest, they might see each other once every three or four days, and at the longest, one or two years, even three or four years.

The last time they had met was half a year ago.

Soon after, the sound of running water inside stopped, then came the hair dryer. After a while, the bedroom returned to silence.

Then footsteps drew closer and closer. When there was movement beside the bed, Yan Huan instantly tensed up and stiffly moved a little farther out, even though the bed was more than big enough.

Yan Yue noticed her little movements. She picked up her phone, replied to a few messages, then set it on the bedside table.

Seeing that, Yan Huan asked at just the right moment, “Sis, are you going to sleep?”

“Not yet. What time do you usually sleep?” Yan Yue turned slightly, her beautiful eyes carrying a warm smile.

Yan Huan immediately felt at a loss. She held her phone stiffly. Clearly she could answer easily over the phone, so why did she suddenly become so awkward once they were face-to-face?

“I usually go to bed late, around eleven or so.”

“It’s only a little after eight now. Do you still have things to do?”

Following Yan Yue’s gaze to the phone in her hand, Yan Huan quickly shook her head and put it aside.

“No, I’m free now. I don’t have anything to do.”

Yan Yue lay down and stared quietly at the ceiling. “If you’re free, how about we chat?”

The lights were turned off, and the room plunged into darkness. Everything around them became black. After a while, their eyes adjusted to the dark, and they could only make out vague shapes.

“How’s school?” Yan Yue asked.

“Pretty good. They all take good care of me. Every time I miss class because of filming, my teachers and classmates help me make up for it.” Yan Huan answered.

“Is filming tiring?”

“A little, but I really like it, so I don’t feel like it’s that tiring.”

“Take good care of yourself. Don’t wear yourself out.”

“Mm, I always remember that.”

Yan Yue didn’t know what else to say. Because of work, aside from the years they’d spent together when Yan Huan was little, their total time together across the rest of their lives might not even add up to a year. As a sister, she really wasn’t qualified.

After a moment of silence, Yan Huan spoke softly, “Sis, how long will you be staying this time?”

“I’ll leave tomorrow afternoon,” Yan Yue said.

“So soon?!” Yan Huan turned her head at once, surprised.

Usually they would at least stay another day or so. Why was it so rushed this time?

A soft laugh came from the other side. “I’m going home. I’ve handled everything on the foreign side. If nothing comes up later, I probably won’t go abroad again.”

So that was it.

Yan Huan’s mood shot from the ground straight back into the sky. Did that mean she would be able to see her sister anytime from now on?

Even though Yan Yue couldn’t see it, she could feel Yan Huan’s happiness.

“Come closer and sleep. Don’t fall off the bed,” Yan Yue said with a smile.

Unable to hide her joy, Yan Huan scooted much closer; between them there was only the width of one pillow. A faint, elegant scent drifted over, pleasingly fresh.

She lay straight on her back and stared at the blurred ceiling, wide awake.

Yan Yue turned onto her side and naturally pulled the blanket up for her, her voice gentle. “I’m your sister, not an outsider. You don’t need to be so reserved.”

Yan Huan gradually relaxed.

“Sleep. Good night.”

“Mm, okay. Good night, Sis.”

Early the next morning, before the sky had fully brightened, the temperature was still very low. Qin Qingyan carried a back basket and left early, walking alone to the fields and sitting down alone, waiting for the first rays of sunlight to break through.

It seemed like she had many things she ought to do, yet she didn’t know what those things were.

The sun rose, glaringly bright. The mist visibly parted into several straight paths. Blue mountains, green leaves; everything was washed in color.

The film crew gradually got to work. Everyone carried out their duties in an orderly manner. Once everything was ready, filming officially began. Yan Yue stood off to the side; it was also the first time she had watched someone act.

Her gaze stayed mostly on Yan Huan. Today, Yan Huan was completely different from the cautious look she had worn last night; she was confident, lively, and very cute.

Near noon, Zhao Baishu led a large group of villagers over at a brisk pace. After smiling greetings to everyone, he said to Director Liu, “Director, everyone’s here. There should be enough of us, right?”

Director Liu looked over and saw there were about twenty or thirty people. He nodded gratefully, then shouted to the villagers, “Thanks for your help, everyone. We’ve delayed your work, so we’ll only need you for about two hours. After it’s over, each of you will get an envelope with red money.”

The villagers widened their eyes and murmured among themselves, smiles spreading across their faces.

Qin Qingyan stood some distance away holding a live, wriggling fish. She paused for a moment, then, after spotting the person she was looking for, walked toward the film crew.

As she drew nearer, Yan Yue saw her too. A smile curved her lips as she looked at the fish in Qin Qingyan’s hand, and a guess flashed through her mind.

Soon, that guess was confirmed.

“Grandma asked me to bring it over,” Qin Qingyan said, extending the fish.

Yan Yue didn’t take it. Looking at the girl standing half a head shorter than her, she took a closer look at close range... then bent down a little more, drawing very near.

At their first meeting, what had first caught her attention were those eyes. In the director’s words, they were eyes with a story. Looking again today, carefully tracing over the girl’s features...

Before she could finish, the girl took half a step back and frowned at her, wariness and distance clear in her eyes.

Heh. Yan Yue curved her lips and straightened up. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re very pretty?”

At only sixteen or seventeen, she was already like this; in a few years, she would surely become a woman with real presence.

Seeing that Qin Qingyan didn’t answer, Yan Yue only smiled. The girl was still holding out the fish, and just as she was about to take it, the fish suddenly thrashed and struggled a few times; water splashed everywhere, and quite a bit of it soaked her gray overcoat.

At last, something different flickered across Qin Qingyan’s face; it was hard to tell whether it was apology or irritation. She grabbed the fish and smashed it hard against a stone on the ground. The fish stopped moving at once.

The girl quietly let out a breath of relief.

Yan Yue: “...”

When she took the fish, Yan Yue checked it from both sides as if confirming something for herself; in the end, she came to a conclusion: if it wasn’t dead, it had only half a breath left.