Li Yue's Morning

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky...........”

The piano melody slowly diffused through the air, vanishing into the brilliance of the light shining outside the window. In the dim light of this late afternoon, a haggard woman lay in bed. She looked out the window—or rather, she was looking at the reflection of a young girl in the glass. Her eyes were filled with a tenderness that appeared both gentle and tinged with a faint, lingering sorrow.

The girl’s slender fingers brushed over the piano strings. Though it was a cheerful, beginner’s piece, it took on a touch of melancholy under her touch.

“I’m sorry... I can’t be your little star anymore...” A gentle, rasping voice emerged from the woman’s withered lips. Tear stains marked her cheeks, but they had already dried. I think her tears must have long since run dry.

The white-haired girl knelt by her bedside. She gripped the woman's hand tightly, murmuring words like “Don't go, please...” The figure of the girl playing the piano in the distance began to fade, and the entire room gradually dissolved into a blur of phantom images.

With a sudden snap, everything shattered completely, vanishing into the dust of the world. Only a girl remained, jolting awake. She reached out to grasp the stretch of air before her—an air named “delusion”—but it gave her nothing in return except for the slight chill of early spring.

“It’s dawn...” Li Yue covered one of her eyes. The piercing sunlight made her feel a slight discomfort along with waves of inexplicable fear. She adjusted her breathing, trying her best to appear composed.

She shook her hand, which had gone numb. It turned out that the sensation of being held tightly in the dream was merely her hand falling asleep under the weight of her own head and pillow...

“I’m so tired. I wish it would all just end one day.” Li Yue rotated her wrist and used her forearm to slam the alarm clock into silence. She began to awkwardly change into her school uniform. Recalling the nightmares of the past few days, she rubbed her eyes wearily.

In her dreams, she always saw that white room. The irreversible outcome of what happened there had made her who she was today. She also saw an entire sky the color of blood. She dreamed that her body was colossal, swimming through a black ocean while blood-dripping corpses fell continuously from the sky. Strangely, such a horrific scene didn't frighten her much; instead, it brought her a sense of profound sadness.

“Tch...” Li Yue splashed her face with cold water. The icy sensation gave her a bit of energy. She didn't like doing this; the doctor had told her such habits might cause facial paralysis and strongly advised against it. Unfortunately, Li Yue’s expressions were already sparse. Aside from smiling for judges, she could no longer smile naturally at anyone else.

She stepped out of the bathroom and glanced at the living room. That man wasn't home; it seemed he was busy with something important. She breathed a small sigh of relief; she could be more casual with breakfast now. She fried an egg for herself, bypassed the vegetable section of the fridge, and took two pieces of white bread that looked quite sweet, squeezing a complex array of condiments onto them.

If that man were home, breakfast would likely... always be those foul-tasting things that were only good for the body.

She meticulously cleaned up all traces of herself in the kitchen. She hooked a finger into the heel of her shoe; the white stockings she wore traced the beautiful lines of her legs, looking as if a pencil sketch had suddenly been outlined with a fine-tip pen, gaining a sense of three-dimensional beauty.

“Miss, did you sleep well last night?” Li Yue got into the car, her eyes instinctively drifting toward the window. The driver in the front seat asked a brief question. Li Yue gave her habitual “Mm” as a response, and a long silence followed. A good driver knew how to remain silent, keeping themselves as invisible as possible to provide the best service to the passenger.

“Miss, don't forget the lunch the master prepared.” The driver, wearing sunglasses, handed a lunch box to Li Yue and gave her a helpless smile.

“Can I throw it away?” Li Yue pursed her lips.

“As long as you aren't hungry at noon and don't have issues with the weekly weight measurement, that is your freedom. I don't know anything.” The driver, who had orange-red hair slicked back, gave a helpless shrug. Seeing Li Yue’s lack of desire for conversation in the rearview mirror, he maintained a professional silence.

The car arrived at the school gates. The man, whose face was clean-shaven, opened the door for Li Yue. Aside from knowing his surname was Chen, Li Yue knew nothing else about him.

He made a parting gesture to Li Yue, closed the car door, and sat back in the driver’s seat. This driver had worked for Li Yue for many years, but she had never tried to get to know him. She didn't even care about herself right now, so she had even less interest in others.

“Let it all burn... It’s just going from one hell to another anyway.” Li Yue opened the lunch box and took a peek. The sight of the oil-free, bland colors made her already battered appetite vanish completely.

“Is there any medication that helps with sleep... but there's a blood test and physical exam in two days... If I take things like sleeping pills, they’ll probably find out...” Li Yue shook her head. She was sleepy, yet she couldn't sleep.

“Do I look too gloomy like this...” Li Yue stood at the school gate, watching classmates walk by and smile at her. She forced out that practiced smile she always used for work. She hurried into the restroom and adjusted her appearance in the mirror. She didn't like makeup, but light makeup made her look more energetic and more beautiful.

The sound of a flushing toilet came from a nearby stall. A blue-haired girl stepped out, shaking her hair. She washed her hands while looking at Li Yue through the mirror.

Li Yue had intended to pack away her makeup kit, but upon seeing Clo, she instead continued to touch up her makeup at a leisurely pace.

“Why do you look so out of it? Nightmares?” Clo yawned and stretched, appearing both lazy and casual.

“Mm...” Li Yue snapped her makeup kit shut with a click and gave a small sigh.

“Perk up. I’ll treat you to something to eat at noon.”

“Huh?” A glimmer of light appeared in Li Yue’s eyes.