Trapped in Your Hands

CHAPTER 8: The Happiest Day of A Week

This week felt unbearably slow.

Every morning, I was greeted by the sunshine on my way to the lab, and if my lab progress was good, I could finish just as the sun set. If the workload was heavier, then it was the moon that accompanied me home.

Research life was a little monotonous, a little exhausting, and sometimes a little lonely? But every single day, I counted down to the weekend—because weekends meant seeing Jiejie. These days, she was my motivation to wake up, the light pulling me through my routine. She was the only one who could make me smile like a fool when I spaced out, lost in thoughts of her.

It was a normal Friday night.

Jiejie called and said she was near my dorm.

I had originally planned to sleep early so that tomorrow would arrive faster, but the moment I heard her voice, all traces of drowsiness vanished. Heart pounding with excitement, I quickly packed a few clothes, grabbed my toiletries, and practically sprinted out the door to meet her. I even ran a little.

From a distance, I spotted her car, and my heart swelled with pure joy.

If you were to ask me what the happiest day of the week was, I would answer without hesitation—the day I got to see Jiejie.

As soon as she saw me running toward her, she stepped out and opened her arms wide.

"Slow down, Little babe."

"Jiejie!"

I launched myself into her embrace, and she pressed a warm kiss against my cheek.

"Get in, let's go."

We didn’t drive straight home. Instead, Jiejie took me on a late-night ride around the city. One hand on the steering wheel, the other intertwined with mine, fingers laced together, as if she never wanted to let go.

We watched the bright lights of skyscrapers blur past, the bustling crowds, the world moving on as if we had our own little bubble. When we reached the outskirts, she rolled down the windows, letting the cool night breeze run through our hair.

We talked about everything—big things, small things, insignificant things. I told her about my research setbacks, and she told me about her work struggles. We shared our silly thoughts, our quiet wishes. In those moments, I wished time would simply stop.

It was past eleven by the time we finally arrived home, her home.

"Let's wash up and sleep. Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you out for breakfast."

I nodded with a silly smile, my heart still warm from the night drive.

Just as I was about to grab my bag, she stopped me with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, by the way, Little babe, from now on, you don’t have to bring clothes or toiletries every time. Just wear mine, use mine. Or we can go shopping tomorrow and get some new things to keep here, okay?"

I couldn’t help but beam at her, nodding eagerly.

After a warm bath and brushing my teeth, Jiejie handed me one of her silky nightgowns. I slipped into it, feeling a bit self-conscious about how delicate and slightly revealing it was, but she just smiled and pulled me into bed beside her. Her bed was big, soft, and so incredibly comfortable—but what made it even better was her warmth beside me.

I always looked forward to weekends because weekends meant being wrapped up in Jiejie’s world. Five days in my dorm, two days in Jiejie’s home. That was more than enough to make me happy.

How did we spend our weekends together?

Jiejie would take me out for delicious food, we'd go shopping, attend workshops, or find little adventures to fill our time.

Every week was something new, something fun, something precious. Even the weekends we spent at home felt special—we’d curl up on the couch watching movies, stretch out on yoga mats, bake desserts, or cook meals together.

Now that I think about it, the reason I love spending time with Jiejie so much is because she is incredibly gentle. She draws people in effortlessly, making them feel safe, making them feel seen. In all this time together, I can't recall a single argument, a single fight. Every memory with her is filled with joy, pure and simple happiness.

I have always been a sensitive person, overly cautious in relationships, always afraid of hurting others, afraid of getting hurt myself. But with Jiejie, all those fears melted away. She was delicate and thoughtful, always considering my feelings before I could even voice them. She thought about me in ways I never thought about myself. With her, I didn’t have to worry about anything. She made sure I was always taken care of. But I still worried about her—not because she was fragile, but because I loved her. Just like she always thought of me, I wanted to think of her too.

Jiejie always spoke in that soft, gentle tone, never raising her voice, always looking at me with those deep, expressive eyes. And every time she did, I found myself powerless to resist her.

The weekend always seemed to slip away too fast.

One moment, I was stepping into the warmth of Jiejie’s embrace, and the next, I was already counting down the hours until I had to return to my dorm.

Sunday evening, we curled up in the living room, the soft glow of the lamp casting long shadows against the walls. I lay with my head resting on Jiejie’s lap, her fingers absentmindedly playing with my hair, tracing lazy patterns against my scalp. Every now and then, she would tuck a stray strand behind my ear, her touch gentle and lingering.

“Leaving so soon?” Her voice was soft, laced with an unmistakable tenderness.

I turned my head slightly, pressing my cheek against her thigh, reluctant to move. “Mmm… I have experiments tomorrow,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jiejie hummed in response, her fingers now brushing against my cheek, tracing the curve of my jaw. Her touch was slow, deliberate, as if memorizing every detail. Then, with a small smile tugging at her lips, she asked, “Why don’t you just move in with me, Little babe?”

My breath hitched.

For a moment, my mind went blank. My eyes widened slightly as I lifted my gaze to meet hers, searching for any hint of teasing—but there was none. Just the soft, steady warmth of her gaze, filled with something I couldn’t quite put into words.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. The thought of waking up every morning beside her, of coming home to her after long days in the lab, of never having to count down the minutes before saying goodbye again…

My heart pounded in my chest.

“Move in with you…?” I finally echoed, my voice barely steady.

Jiejie’s lips curled into a knowing smile. She tilted her head slightly, her fingers now tracing the corner of my lips.

“Yes,” she murmured, her eyes holding mine. “Stay with me, little babe.”

And just like that, my world tilted, my heart caught between the weight of longing and the uncertainty of what came next.