Trapped in Your Hands

CHAPTER 7: The Currency of Love

Jiejie asked me out this weekend. She said she’d come pick me up.

The moment I saw her message, my heart skipped a beat.

I reread it at least five times, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. What should I reply? A casual “Okay, see you then”? Or something playful, like “Are you sure you want to be seen with a little student like me?”

I wanted to sound cool. Collected. Like meeting her again wasn’t already the highlight of my entire week.

But before I could think too much, Jiejie sent another message.

Jiejie: "Little babe, don't make me wait too long, hmm?"

My face burned.

I bit my lip, trying to contain the ridiculous grin spreading across my face. This was dangerous—she was dangerous. How could a simple message feel like she was right there, whispering against my ear?

I forced myself to type a reply.

Me: "Of course not, Jiejie. I’ll be ready."

As soon as I sent it, I flopped back onto my bed, covering my face with my hands.

This was happening. She was coming to see me.

And for the first time in my life, I had no idea what to do with all these feelings.

It's D-day!

The room was quiet except for the faint rustling of pages as Jiejie read her book and the soft tapping of my fingers on the keyboard. The afternoon sun poured in lazily through the window, casting a golden glow over everything, wrapping the space in a warmth that made time slow down.

I was absorbed in checking my bank account, my lips pursed as I noted the dwindling balance. It wasn’t anything dire—just a temporary hiccup because of the school’s delayed stipend, but still, seeing that number shrink made me sigh.

Before I could dwell on it further, I felt a familiar presence behind me, a gentle warmth pressing against my back.

Jiejie’s arms slipped around my waist as she effortlessly lifted me off my chair and into her lap, her embrace snug yet unhurried, like she had all the time in the world just to hold me. Her chin rested lightly against my shoulder as she peeked at my laptop screen.

"You’re running out of money, Little babe."

Her voice was calm, but there was something else underneath—concern, maybe even a little disapproval.

I let out a small laugh, tilting my head to nuzzle against her cheek. "It’s just the school’s system acting up. The stipend is late this month, but it’ll be here soon. No big deal."

Jiejie hummed softly but didn’t say anything right away. Her fingers traced slow circles on my arm as if she were thinking about something.

"You don’t ask your parents for money anymore?" she finally asked.

I shook my head. "Nope. I’m 26. My PhD is fully funded, and the stipend covers everything—flights, living expenses. I don’t need to take money from them anymore."

Jiejie’s arms tightened around me slightly, and I felt her lips press lightly against my temple. "So independent, huh? Such a good girl."

Her words, her voice—everything about her made my heart ache in the best way possible.

She reached for her phone, typing something quickly before I could even question it.

I was about to log out of my bank account when she spoke again.

"Refresh the page, Little babe."

I hesitated but did as she asked.

The moment I saw the new balance, my breath caught. Several more digits appeared out of nowhere.

I blinked. "Wait… The school doesn’t give me this much. The system is really messed up—"

Jiejie laughed softly, a playful glint in her eyes. She reached out and flicked my nose with her finger.

Something clicked in my mind.

I quickly checked the transaction details, my stomach flipping when I saw the sender’s name.

It was her.

I turned to face her fully, eyes wide in disbelief. "Jiejie—no. I can’t take your money. I don’t need it. I’ll send it back—"

But before I could even move, she grabbed my hands, gently but firmly, and slid the mouse away. In one smooth motion, she logged me out.

I stared at her, stunned. She, on the other hand, looked perfectly at ease, her arms back around my waist as she hugged me closer.

"Tsk, Little babe, stop being so stubborn. Just take it."

I shook my head. "I really can’t. It’s too much—"

Jiejie sighed, her fingers brushing through my hair. "Look, when I’m old, you can take care of me, alright? For now, just focus on what you need to do. I don’t want you worrying about money. I want you to focus on your research, on your goals, on the things you love. Don’t let something as stupid as money hold you back."

I pressed my lips together. My chest felt tight, emotions swelling in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

She tilted her head, studying me, and then said, almost offhandedly, "Besides, my money is your money. There’s no ‘mine’ or ‘yours’ with us."

That was it.

That was when the dam broke.

I buried my face in her shoulder, wrapping my arms around her neck. My whole body trembled slightly as I tried so hard to hold back tears, but my voice betrayed me, coming out small and shaky.

"Thank you, Jiejie."

She stroked my back in soothing circles, as if she already knew I was struggling to keep it together.

"Silly Little babe," she murmured, holding me even closer.

From that day on, surprises kept appearing in my bank account—random deposits from Jiejie that she never mentioned but always acted clueless about when I confronted her.

And slowly, something in me changed.

Maybe, just maybe, true love wasn’t just about grand gestures or fiery passion.

Maybe it was about this. About someone who saw every unspoken need and filled it before you even had to ask. About someone who held you close and made sure you were never alone, never lacking, never afraid.

Maybe true love really could save the day.