Purely Accidental - Chapter 45
Chapter 45
Pei Youshan genuinely wanted to crawl through the internet cables right now to give Lin Feifei, this little naming genius, a loving knock on the head.
I asked you to help me figure out how to woo someone, and you came up with a new book title instead—is this appropriate?!
[Shao Xingcheng]: Lin Feifei, oh Lin Feifei, you truly are a little genius.
[Lin Feifei]: Too kind, too kind [shy.JPG]
[Pei Youshan]: ……
[Pei Youshan]: Comrade Lin Feifei, please answer seriously.
[Lin Feifei]: Comrade Pei Youshan, I’m also making this suggestion seriously for the sake of our little fortune.
[Lin Feifei]: Besides, who knows? Maybe once you write it, she’ll see it, understand your feelings from it, and your romantic wavelengths will finally align!
[Lin Feifei]: Wouldn’t that be a double harvest of love and career? Brilliant, just brilliant.
[Pei Youshan]: ……So I should make sure she knows I’m Mirror Inquires Autumn, is that it?
After painstakingly hiding her writing pseudonym, she’d strip it all away just to pursue love—did she seem like the kind of person who’d do something so foolish?
Pei Youshan let out a deep sigh, flopped onto the bed with her phone in hand, her face twisted in frustration as she pondered why her life was so bitter.
First, she fell for a hypocritical schemer after her wealth, and now, she’s fallen for a lover who’s made it explicitly clear she wouldn’t ever like her sugar mommy—both were loves that seemed doomed from the start.
Had she committed some grave sin in her past life? Otherwise, why would her romantic path in this life be so potholed, without even a single solid foothold!
She sighed again, her fingertips tapping the screen.
[Pei Youshan]: Sigh, feels like I’ve fallen for a woman with a heart of stone.
[Pei Youshan]: Or rather, a heart of stone only toward me.
Shao Xingcheng suddenly pointed out a key detail.
[Shao Xingcheng]: The things she’s done for you don’t seem like the actions of someone with a heart of stone.
Would someone with a heart of stone specially come over to take care of her when she was sick, cooking porridge and soup for her?
Would someone with a heart of stone go alone to a fireworks show just to livestream it for her when she couldn’t attend?
The answer was obvious.
Pei Youshan had an epiphany, hope instantly lighting up her eyes—only to be quickly extinguished.
What if… she was only doing it for the money?
After all, she had explicitly said she needed this job because you could never have enough money.
[Pei Youshan]: But she might just be treating me well because of the money.
After sending that message, Pei Youshan set her phone down and stared wordlessly at the ceiling, overwhelmed by melancholy.
Even if she wanted to keep her as a sugar baby for ten years now, the other woman probably wouldn’t agree…
A new message popped up in the group chat.
[Shao Xingcheng]: Don’t lose heart. Always look on the bright side—our Young Miss Pei is plenty popular herself, okay? What if she already likes you but just doesn’t dare say it?
[Shao Xingcheng]: Buck up. Test the waters first before surrendering so quickly.
[Lin Feifei]: I agree. Before things are set in stone, anything’s possible!
[Lin Feifei]: Go for it, Shanshan!!!
Pei Youshan found this deeply reasonable and suddenly felt encouraged.
Right, she couldn’t just lay down her arms without even trying.
There were countless "what ifs" in this world—maybe the heavens would generously grant her one?
She sat up, stroking her chin as she pondered how to test the waters. Recalling their interactions, she decided to bring up Xue Yingyue, the person her little lover seemed to care about, and probe verbally.
Love waited for no one. No time like the present—she immediately got out of bed.
"Xiao Jing!"
…
Xu Jingshu was on the phone with Xu Ge, discussing the latter’s encounter with Pei Youshan at the financial summit.
Xu Ge’s voice was cheerful over the line: "Forgot to mention this earlier, but I did my best to put in a good word for 'Xu Jingshu.'"
Xu Jingshu lazily lifted her eyelids, curiosity in her eyes. "What did you say?"
Xu Ge: "I said you’re devoted and a good person, and that if she was interested, she could give you a try."
"And then?" Xu Jingshu asked curiously.
"And then?" Xu Ge suddenly laughed. "And then she said you two weren’t compatible and that she believed you’d find someone suited to you—hahaha—"
Xu Jingshu: "……"
Silly cat.
The Xu Jingshu from the rumors isn’t compatible with you, but is this Xu Jingshu also incompatible?
Just as she was feeling vexed, Pei Youshan’s voice suddenly called out from behind her.
Xu Jingshu lowered her eyes. "Hanging up."
She stood to meet Pei Youshan. "What’s wrong?"
Pei Youshan said, "I’m hungry."
Just as Xu Jingshu was about to ask what she wanted to eat, she heard her say excitedly, "Let’s go out to Sister Xue’s restaurant for dinner!"
Xu Jingshu: "……"
She turned to glance outside.
The sun blazed, the heat oppressive, as if stepping out would evaporate them on the spot.
She said decisively, "Let’s eat at home. I’ll cook for you."
Oho! Pei Youshan thought gleefully. Is this jealousy? Doesn’t want me to see Sister Xue?
Pei Youshan raised an eyebrow, a little smug. "Why not go out?"
Xu Jingshu replied calmly, "Because it’s hot."
Pei Youshan: "……"
The excitement in her heart was instantly doused.
…Fine. That was an irrefutable reason.
Xu Jingshu had fully embraced her role as a personal chef, naturally opening the fridge to see what she could make.
After a quick scan, she listed the available ingredients. "Anything you’d like? If not, I’ll buy some groceries first."
Pei Youshan leaned against the fridge door, her eyes darting mischievously before she smiled. "Then make salted egg yolk broad beans."
Then she deliberately added, "Sister Xue’s restaurant has this dish. She made it for me last time—it was really delicious. I loved it."
After saying this, she stared unblinkingly with bright eyes, eagerly awaiting her reaction.
—Get jealous already! Tell me to stop mentioning her! Like me already!
But Xu Jingshu’s expression remained perfectly calm.
Salted egg yolk broad beans? She could make those too. Giving up easily wasn’t in her nature.
"Then that’s settled. You can wait outside—I’ll call you when it’s ready."
There was none of the expected jealousy or reaction. Everything was as tranquil as ever.
Pei Youshan sighed inwardly and reluctantly left the kitchen, sitting on the sofa to watch her back, feeling a little glum.
Did she really not have even a shred of affection for her? Were they truly impossible?
No.
They’d hugged, kissed, and slept together. The intimacy between them surpassed anyone else in their lives. With such a good starting point, she couldn’t give up so easily!
She’d try again later!
Xu Zhi enjoyed experimenting with various dishes, and Xu Jingshu had learned a lot from him, including this salted egg yolk broad bean dish. She just wasn’t sure if it would suit Pei Youshan’s taste.
After working in the kitchen for a while, she brought the food to the table and looked up to see Pei Youshan sprawled inelegantly on the sofa, her hands occasionally toying with her long, cascading hair like a cat’s paws.
She looked bored from waiting.
Xu Jingshu found this amusing. After washing and drying her hands, she walked over, bent down, and stroked her head. "Getting impatient?"
Pei Youshan sat up, looking at her from below, shaking her head slightly so her hair swayed. "Not at all."
"Is the food ready?"
So unreasonably adorable. Xu Jingshu sighed inwardly, unable to resist leaning down to kiss her lips. "Mm, it’s done."
The softness brushing her lips made Pei Youshan’s heart flutter. She couldn’t help grabbing Xu Jingshu’s elbows, tilting her face up to deepen the kiss.
But Xu Jingshu pressed her back onto the sofa, thoroughly claiming every bit of advantage from her lips.
Xu Jingshu’s low, gentle voice whispered by her ear, her fingertips leisurely tracing the delicate nape of Pei Youshan’s neck. "Eat first. Don’t stay hungry."
Pei Youshan nodded, using her grip to sit up, then let herself be led to the dining table.
She glanced at the food, then at Xu Jingshu, smiling secretly where she couldn’t see.
—Sorry, but she was about to start scheming!
Pei Youshan picked up her chopsticks and took a bite.
Truthfully, it was savory, delicious, and incredibly appetizing—flawless in every way.
But she couldn’t praise it now. She needed to make the other woman jealous.
"It’s good, but…"
She deployed the classic pivot word, and as expected, it instantly captured Xu Jingshu’s attention. Meeting those fox-like eyes, she slowly set down her chopsticks, her tone still gentle.
"Compared to Sister Xue’s, it’s just a tiny bit lacking. I still prefer hers."
Xu Jingshu narrowed her beautiful eyes.
This was the third time today the Ragdoll had mentioned Xue Yingyue…
Pei Youshan maintained her composure, though her heart was pounding nervously.
She wanted her to be jealous, to care, to respond.
Even the faintest glimmer of hope would be enough to fuel her courage to keep loving her.
She watched her lover intently as the other woman slowly set down her chopsticks and turned to her.
In that moment, anticipation and tension lodged her heart in her throat. She held her breath, afraid to miss a single word.
Then, she heard her speak: "Noted."
Pei Youshan blinked, then stared blankly. "???"
Xu Jingshu added, "I’ll strive to match Chef Xue’s skills. It’ll take time, though—I hope you can be patient."
Pei Youshan: "……"
That’s not what I meant???
She was stunned. This development and her lover’s ambition far exceeded her expectations!
So did she have feelings for her or not? How was she supposed to interpret this?!
After a long daze, she managed to stammer, "You… don’t mind me mentioning her anymore?"
"Hm?"
Xu Jingshu sensed something unusual. Propping her chin on her hand, she gazed at the bewildered Pei Youshan with a faint smile, a thread of hope in her heart.
"What does Miss Yue mean by that?"
Was it concern? Was it affection?
A signal that they could take the next step?
Otherwise, why would she care whether it bothered her?
Feeling the initiative slip from her grasp, Pei Youshan’s throat went dry. She licked her lips. "I-I just noticed you used to care about this, but today you don’t, so I got curious. That’s all…"
That’s all.
Xu Jingshu raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning.
In the past, she would’ve minded. But after learning Xue Yingyue was married, she’d crossed her off the list of rivals.
She trusted Pei Youshan wasn’t foolish enough to fall for a married woman.
"Didn’t Miss Yue already explain you have no interest in her? In that case, why would I mind?"
Pei Youshan: "……"
Another impeccable response.
But the more flawless it was, the thicker the fog before her eyes grew.
Did this person truly have any place for her in her heart?
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