At dinner, Meng Xiaoxiao buzzed around Tang Coco like a sparrow, peppering her with questions, while the rest kept quiet as still ponds. Tang Coco caught the chill in the room like a breeze on the back of her neck, so she stuck to light chatter with Xiaoxiao. As for Marilyn, Li Muyan and Meng Yuting boxed her in like two cliffs, trying to keep her from drifting near Coco. It didn’t help; when the air fell still, Coco and Marilyn could speak in their minds like two streams murmuring under rock.

After a lull, Gu Xin tapped the table like rain on wood. She waited till the bowls sat empty like moons, then said, "Alright, we should discuss a few things."

Ye Yiyi smiled, soft as a crescent moon, and said, "Go ahead, Gu Xin."

Gu Xin nodded, voice even as a calm lake. "First, lodging. We’ve got three bedrooms here. Tonight we squeeze like fish in a net. Tomorrow, Yiyi and I will hunt for a new place."

"There’s a villa by the sea; the shell looks fine, but inside it’s cracked like coral—thanks to Li Muyan."

Yiyi said, "I’ve told my dad. I’ll look for a place on my own, like setting my own sail."

Gu Xin said, "We’ll help. Second… her." She pointed at Tang Coco like at a stubborn star.

Coco’s throat tightened like a string. Gu Xin was still mad—so mad she wouldn’t even say Coco’s name.

"When she’s recovered in a few days, she goes to school with you," Gu Xin said, disdain cool as frost. "Better that than her stirring trouble out there like wind in loose roofs."

Li Muyan and Ye Yiyi nodded in tandem, like reeds agreeing with the current. School felt safer, a walled garden.

Meng Yuting added from the side, voice firm as a bell, "Keep eyes on her at school. Make her behave."

"Okay."

Then Meng Xiaoxiao shot up a hand like a sapling. "Me too! I’ll keep an eye on Sister Coco!"

Coco pressed her lips, helpless as a leaf in a busy breeze. Xiaoxiao was everywhere.

Gu Xin smiled, sun-warm, then let the light dim. "Next, work. Yuting, you start."

Meng Yuting lifted her chin, confidence bright as steel. "My family team’s set. The company opens in a few days."

"Wow, Sister Yuting, you’re amazing," Ye Yiyi said, envy fluttering like a ribbon.

"It’s nothing," Yuting waved it off, like dust on a sleeve. "Yiyi, I hear you plan to start your own?"

"Yeah," Yiyi nodded, thoughts scattered like papers. "Muyan and I planned it, but the last few days set us back."

"I’m all for you starting up," she said, tone gentle as spring rain. "But you could also work with me."

"Muyan says you know management inside out. If you join my company, I’ll give you a good environment."

Yiyi fell silent, eyes drifting like clouds.

"Thank you, Sister Yuting," she said after a beat, resolve steady as a lantern flame. "But I want to try on my own first."

"No problem. We’ll back you," Yuting laughed, a trill like wind chimes. "Girls who stand on their own are irresistible."

Yiyi giggled, light as silver bells.

Gu Xin smiled, a calm crescent. "Alright, we’ll leave it there. You’re still young; keep sowing, and you’ll reap."

"Hey!" Yuting puffed her cheeks, playful as a cat. "Talk like that makes us sound ancient. I’m young too, okay?"

Gu Xin burst out laughing, bright as sparks. "Fine, fine—you’re young, the youngest." Her gaze flicked, wicked as a firefly, across Yuting’s chest—clearly teasing; nothing about Yuting was small.

"Wow, Xin’er, you’re naughty now," Yuting cried, mock-woeful as a drama queen.

Laughter swelled like a warm tide. Only Tang Coco sat small on her chair, head bowed, palm guarding her lower belly like a fragile shell. Truth be told, what hurt most was her heart, a bird thudding against glass.

"Alright," Yuting said, noticing the pallor like chalk on Coco’s face. "Let’s get her to bed."

"Yay, Sister Coco, let’s go sleepy-time," Meng Xiaoxiao chirped, joy bouncing like a ball.

Coco kept her head down, silence heavy as rain.

"No," Yuting said, tone decisive as a seal stamp. "Tonight you sleep with me. Yiyi and Muyan, take care of Marilyn. Let Xin watch Coco for the night."

"Okay," Ye Yiyi answered first, steady as a rooted tree. She could feel Gu Xin’s mood running cold like winter water, probably because of Coco. And she knew Gu Xin and Coco’s bond was special, so she wasn’t worried about a fight.

And so, with Yiyi’s arm a gentle branch, Coco returned to the bedroom.

"Coco," Yiyi whispered, voice warm as lamplight, "Sister Gu’s worried about you. Say what you need, but say it calmly."

"Mm. I know," Coco said, mood sagging like a wet kite. "Don’t worry."

"Alright, I’ll head back," Yiyi said. Inside, her heart tugged like a knot. They’d agreed to give Coco a little punishment, to ignore her. After a beat, she turned and left.

Coco felt a tight ache bloom like thorns. Even death had never made her this fretful. She lay on the bed, small as a curled hedgehog, mind racing over what to say when Gu Xin came in. She felt like a child who’d done wrong, waiting for a parent’s footsteps down a long hallway.

The hours thinned like sand. A soft click cut the quiet. Gu Xin walked in, gave Coco a single cool glance like moonlight, then turned to the wardrobe. She took a white nightgown, and drifted into the bathroom, like a swan into mist, without a word.

Coco let out a helpless sigh, a leaf falling.

Water sang behind the door for a long while—forty minutes blooming like slow rain. Coco kept replaying a dozen talks in her head, scenes rising like fish and vanishing.

At last the water stilled. Gu Xin stepped out, her long hair knotted into a cute bun like a plump peach. The white nightgown floated, pale skin a flicker beneath, and droplets clung to her neck like pearls. Temptation shimmered like heat haze.

Coco’s nerves jumped like a startled deer. When Gu Xin reached, she threw up an arm to shield herself. Ever since she’d become a girl, her body burst with reflexes she couldn’t always steer.

"You want to undress yourself?" Gu Xin asked, tone flat as slate.

"Uh… no… maybe I don’t need a bath?" Coco faltered, hope flickering like a weak candle. She knew Gu Xin meant the bathroom.

"No bath, no bed," Gu Xin said, a single drop of ice cracking Coco’s daydream.

Coco lifted her arms like a surrendering bird, and Gu Xin stripped off the days-old tee and shorts. Gu Xin moved to scoop her up, but Coco blocked, stubborn as a rock.

"No need. Just help me. I can walk," Coco said.

"Move," Gu Xin’s voice cooled, frost creeping over stone.

For a heartbeat, Coco wanted to run home to her mother, complaint bubbling like a child’s tears. Someone was bullying her. It felt so fierce.

Gu Xin lifted Coco anyway, weight light as a bundle of reeds, and set her in the tub. The water was perfect, warmth enveloping Coco like early spring. Coco rested against the rim, eyes soft with confusion. They’d bathed together once; part of her expected it again. Then memory surfaced like a fish—Gu Xin had already washed. If she’d wanted to bathe together, she wouldn’t have gone first.

Coco shook her head at herself, a small wave in a bowl. She raised a hand and began to wash, then a tug of discomfort pricked her mind—she was still wearing her bra.

"Uncomfortable?" Gu Xin asked, voice low, like thunder far off.

"Mm…" Coco answered, small as a rain drop.

"Then take it off. Do it yourself."

Coco hesitated, shame rising like pink dawn. Last time Gu Xin had seen her, the moment had been raw and frantic, their reunion burning through embarrassment.

"What are you hesitating for?" Gu Xin’s words sharpened, sparks flying. "We’re both girls. Or do you still see me as an outsider?"

Coco kept silent, cheeks hot as embers. She reached back to unhook, but the motion fought her, clumsy as stiff wings. The comfortable water loosened her muscles till strength leaked away like sand; the clasp wouldn’t give.

"See?" Gu Xin’s anger flared, wind whipping a flame. "You can’t even handle this. What are you proving? With your body out of sorts, you went to fight alone?"

The words hit, and Coco’s chest flooded with grievance, a tide surging from the heart. She wanted to protect the people around her. She had the strength. Yet sudden, unfamiliar storms kept wrecking her plans.

Her eyes blurred, tears welling like mist. Under the water, her hands clenched tight, two stones at the riverbed.

Gu Xin couldn’t see Coco’s face beneath the bowed head, but she saw the tight, trembling hands through the ripple.

"Coco…" Gu Xin breathed, realizing she’d gone too far. She reached to touch her shoulder, fingertip gentle as a petal.

"Go away!" Coco burst, emotion snapping like a bowstring. She slapped Gu Xin’s hand aside and plunged under.

Water splashed over the rim, warm waves soaking Gu Xin’s nightgown till it clung like wet silk.

"Coco!" Gu Xin cried, stepping straight into the tub, the nightgown darkening like clouded milk. She bent and pulled Coco up, not caring how the fabric drowned.

"Go! I don’t need you!" Coco struggled, a hooked fish thrashing, but Gu Xin didn’t let go. She held Coco tight against her chest.

"Ah!" Coco cried as pain bit, deep below, the motion yanking at a tender place.

"Alright, Coco," Gu Xin murmured, holding her as if sheltering a storm-tossed bird. "I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that."

"I… what did I do wrong…" Coco sobbed, voice shaking like rain against glass. "I just wanted her free of pain. Why… why don’t you understand me…"

"Coco… it’s not that we don’t understand," Gu Xin said, her own voice softening like melting ice. "We’re worried. You don’t know how to care for yourself."

"The worst pain for us is you in danger," she added, truth heavy as an anchor. "It hurts more than anything. Do you understand?"

Coco sniffled, breath hitching like a frayed thread, and slowly stopped fighting.

"Do you know who you are?" Gu Xin asked, the question landing like a pebble in a pond.

"I… I’m… Tang Coco," Coco stammered.

"That’s right. You’re Tang Coco. You’re not Tang Ke anymore. Remember that," Gu Xin whispered, the words warm as a shawl.

Then she leaned in and kissed Coco, a deep, steady tide. The two of them sank together into the bath, water folding over them like moonlit silk.