Purely Accidental - Chapter 57
Chapter 57
Xu Jingshu could sense Pei Youshan's dependence on her, like a glistening honeyed fruit—once you've tasted its sweetness, letting go becomes impossible.
Yet her true identity was a ticking time bomb between them, its detonation timing unknown.
She still hadn't devised the perfect way to confess, helplessly watching this secret grow heavier with each passing day of deepening affection.
The amber sensor light flickered off abruptly, leaving the foyer bathed in chilly silence.
The light in Xu Jingshu's eyes dimmed instantly.
She couldn't keep deceiving her.
Her lips parted, but no words came—only silence enveloping her like a shroud.
Chu Shimiao feared rejection from her.
Didn't she equally dread being rejected by Pei Youshan?
"Ding-dong—"
The doorbell's chime startled them both.
They blinked at each other, mutual confusion reflected in their eyes.
—Who could it be at this hour?
Pei Youshan peered through the peephole and froze.
—Pei Lanqing!
She bristled like a startled cat, defenses instantly raised.
If Pei Lanqing discovered she'd skipped meeting Xu Jingshu only to keep a lover, who knew what her mother might do to her sweetheart!
She moved to hide Xu Jingshu again, hand already gripping her arm, before realization struck.
They weren't illicit lovers anymore—this was her girlfriend now.
Why was her mind still stuck months in the past?
She smacked her forehead in self-reproach.
Xu Jingshu: "?"
What was happening?
Who was outside?
Before she could inquire, Pei Youshan's grip slid down to clasp her hand, eyes shining. "No need to hide this time."
"I want to properly introduce you to my mom."
She loved her—loved her enough to envision countless seasons together, holding hands openly before the world.
And she believed Pei Lanqing would accept them, because her girlfriend was every bit Xu Jingshu's equal!
Xu Jingshu's eyes widened slightly, unprepared as Pei Youshan swung the door open.
In that instant, her feet seemed rooted to the floor.
The door's movement stretched into slow motion.
Each second amplified the tension.
Like a condemned prisoner awaiting the executioner's blade, never knowing when it would fall.
The door revealed an elegant woman. "Mom," Pei Youshan greeted sweetly.
Squeezing her beloved's hand, she beamed, ready to proudly present her girlfriend.
This time, her judgment wouldn't fail her!
Then Pei Lanqing's eyebrows arched in surprise at the figure behind her. "Oh, Jingshu, it's you."
Pei Youshan stiffened.
Jing...shu?
"...Aunt Pei."
The voice behind her confirmed.
Pei Youshan's eyes flew open as she mechanically turned her head.
Jingshu...
The only "Jingshu" Pei Lanqing knew was—
The world seemed to shatter.
The familiar face before her morphed into a stranger's.
Words failed her. She refused to let those three syllables take shape in her mind.
Yet Pei Lanqing's voice mercilessly anchored the devastating truth: "What brings you here? Visiting our Youshan?"
"Glad you've become friends after we couldn't matchmake you romantically."
—The genuine Xu Jingshu.
Pei Youshan's mind blanked.
Her grip slackened, hand slipping from Xu Jingshu's like a withered blossom.
How?
How could it be Xu Jingshu?
Why would Xu Jingshu willingly be her secret lover?
Why would she—
...
She'd been fooled all this time!
Instead of embarrassment, white-hot fury erupted, threatening to incinerate reason.
Restrained only by Pei Lanqing's presence, she avoided Xu Jingshu's pleading gaze and turned to her mother.
The disappointment, anger, and hurt in Pei Youshan's eyes pierced Xu Jingshu like icy arrows.
First time seeing her kitten angry—
And she was the cause.
Guilt flooded Xu Jingshu, yet relief followed.
Better this abrupt revelation than endless agonizing over confession.
Pei Lanqing had unwittingly helped.
No more secrets between them now.
As long as Pei Youshan stayed...
Pei Youshan refused to look back, voice hardened: "Why'd you come, Mom?"
Pei Lanqing clicked her tongue at the mood shift. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Pei Youshan muttered woodenly.
With outsiders present, Pei Lanqing dropped it. "Your grandfather won the seniors' tai chi sword competition. Wants you home to celebrate."
Xu Jingshu's attention briefly diverted.
Pei Songwen, once a titan of industry for whom billion-dollar deals were trivial, now delighted by a minor tai chi trophy...
She glanced at Pei Youshan's rigid back.
—Adorableness was clearly hereditary.
Mention of her doting grandfather slightly softened Pei Youshan, who seized the escape from Xu Jingshu's presence. "Let's go congratulate him."
Then Pei Lanqing proposed: "Jingshu should join us. The old man enjoys company."
Xu Jingshu agreed instantly: "I'd be honored."
Pei Youshan: "..."
—Thanks, Mom.
...
Pei Songwen resided modestly in Lin'an Community's retirement enclave, where elderly residents organized leisurely activities, banishing loneliness.
The door opened to reveal a sprightly silver-haired gentleman.
"My Shanshan grows prettier each visit!" He beamed, drawing her close. "Soon you'll outshine your mother!"
Noticing Xu Jingshu: "And this is...?"
"Xu Jingshu," Pei Lanqing introduced. "Xu Yingru's eldest."
Xu Jingshu offered respectful greetings.
The patriarch welcomed her warmly, though Pei Youshan pointedly avoided her gaze.
"..."
Were it not for the Peis, Xu Jingshu suspected Pei Youshan would've fled Jiang City by freight train already.
—Poetic justice indeed.
Fuming, Pei Youshan ignored Xu Jingshu entirely.
Countless opportunities to come clean—all wasted.
Why?
Was deceiving her that entertaining?!
She gulped water aggressively, feeling her emotions had been toyed with, reducing her to a joke.
Xu Jingshu approached. "Shanshan, I'm sorry."
Pei Youshan set the glass down sharply. "Grandpa, let me help cook."
"..."
Rare rebuff for Xu Jingshu.
Undeterred, she followed into the kitchen.
"I'll assist too."
Pei Lanqing excused herself: "I'll be in the study."
Pei Songwen assigned them simple washing tasks. "Use the balcony—lovely view there."
Pei Youshan: "..."
Previously, the universe conspired to keep them apart when she craved closeness.
Now it thrust them together when she wanted distance.
She glared at Xu Jingshu's vegetables.
—The heavens loved opposing her!
Seated on tiny stools at the balcony basin, Pei Youshan attacked the greens with violent scrubbing.
Oblivious to both scenery and the hair slipping into her face.
"Shanshan." Xu Jingshu tried.
Silence.
Persistent calling earned no response.
Xu Jingshu edged closer, deploying puppy-dog eyes: "Are you discarding me?"
"Hah."
Pei Youshan finally spoke—with venom. "How could I possibly 'discard' the illustrious President Xu?"
Such sharpness from the usually gentle kitten.
All her fault.
Xu Jingshu pleaded earnestly: "Forgive me this once. I swear never again."
"Forgive?" Pei Youshan whirled on her. "Did you always know who I was?"
No denial came.
"Since when?"
A pause. "...The day Aunt Pei gave you my number."
Pei Youshan's bitter laugh held disbelief. The betrayal ran deeper than imagined.
How stupid she'd been.
Falling for Xu Jingshu while being played for a fool—what a cosmic joke!
She resumed brutalizing vegetables, fearing further questions might induce cardiac arrest.
Xu Jingshu recognized the severity—this wasn't ordinary anger.
Fail to appease, and she'd lose her wife.
Pei Youshan snapped another celery stalk, oblivious to her hair dipping toward the water.
Slender fingers gently gathered the stray locks.
"Let me tie this for you."
"..."
Pei Youshan defiantly shook her hair loose, scooching away with her stool and vegetables.
Xu Jingshu followed.
They engaged in absurd stool-shuffling until Pei Youshan hit the window ledge.
"Must you crowd me with this entire balcony available?"
"Yes." Xu Jingshu deadpanned with faux solemnity. "Preventing your freight train escape is critical."
Pei Youshan: "..."
Just end the world already.
As Xu Jingshu opened her mouth again, Pei Youshan raised a hand. "Don't."
"More conversation might kill me at twenty-five."
Xu Jingshu: "..."
Surely not that dire...
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