Purely Accidental - Chapter 58
Chapter 58
After Pei Youshan declared she'd "die at twenty-five," she truly didn't exchange another word with Xu Jingshu.
She hurriedly finished her tasks and returned to the kitchen to report.
Pei Songwen casually inspected the vegetables she'd washed and noticed several damaged leaves. Curious, he asked, "Is something bothering you? Why take it out on the vegetables?"
Xu Jingshu happened to enter the kitchen just then. Hearing this, her gaze involuntarily drifted to Pei Youshan's slender, retreating figure.
Pei Youshan touched her hair. "No, nothing's wrong. I'm just clumsy and accidentally broke them..."
"Nonsense, you're not clumsy at all." Pei Songwen dried his hands and affectionately patted her head. "Our Shanshan is the most dexterous. Go sit down—Grandpa will call you when dinner's ready."
Pei Youshan looped her arm through his. "I'll stay and help you. I can't let you do all the work alone."
As a junior—and as someone who'd angered her girlfriend—Xu Jingshu naturally volunteered to stay and assist.
Pei Youshan instantly grew irritated. "President Xu is a guest. There's no need to trouble yourself."
Pei Songwen nodded in agreement, his tone gentle. "Indeed, you're our guest. Please wait outside—no need to busy yourself here."
"You're too kind, Mr. Pei. It's only right for a junior to help." Xu Jingshu rolled up her sleeves. "Besides, I can cook. I'd be happy to assist you. If you don't mind, I'd also like you to try my cooking."
Pei Songwen looked pleasantly surprised. "Oh? You can cook? Did you learn from your father? I've had his dishes before—he's quite skilled."
Pei Youshan frowned, puzzled.
How strange. Pei Lanqing and Xu Yingru had been rivals for years—when had their families ever interacted? And as Pei Lanqing's own father, how had he ended up eating a meal prepared by his daughter's nemesis's husband???
The older generation's connections were truly beyond her comprehension.
But her current mood didn't permit her to dwell on such matters. Seeing Xu Jingshu determined to stay, she bluntly said, "I can't cook. Since she can, let her help you. I'll go watch TV."
With that, she left.
Pei Songwen had never wanted his precious granddaughter to get covered in cooking fumes anyway, so he raised no objections.
Only Xu Jingshu knew the truth: Pei Youshan simply didn't want to see her.
Though she'd claimed she was going to watch TV, Pei Youshan instead slipped into a side bedroom the moment she left the kitchen, locking the door to sulk.
The day Pei Lanqing gave Xu Jingshu her phone number, Xu Jingshu had known her identity. So why hadn't she said anything then? Wasn't it just to stay by her side and watch her make a fool of herself?!
Making her feel awkward back then would have been far better than deliberately deceiving her for so long!
And to think Xu Jingshu had gone so far as to prepare two phone numbers just to mess with her!
Pei Youshan let out a bitter laugh.
—What had she ever done to deserve such elaborate scheming from Xu Jingshu?
Gradually, the smile faded from her lips, replaced by confusion clouding her eyes.
Once the anger passed, she began questioning every moment they'd spent together. In those honey-sweet days, how much had been real, and how much had been fake?
She even doubted whether Xu Jingshu had ever truly liked her.
If Xu Jingshu could deceive her for so long, what was stopping her from pretending to like her too?
Her current eagerness to apologize was just because she was in the wrong—to avoid an awkward situation between their families. It didn't necessarily mean she genuinely liked her...
But Pei Youshan had truly, sincerely liked her.
Liked her enough to want to lay all the world's beauty at her feet.
Liked her enough to proudly introduce her to Pei Lanqing.
But the more she liked her, the harder it became to tolerate deliberate, calculated deception.
Even harder to bear was giving her whole heart only to receive a dishonest lover in return.
She quietly lowered her gaze, staring at her fingertips.
The relationship she'd thought was equal, the gentle sweetheart she'd believed in—everything had changed. Nothing was the same anymore.
The first one had deceived her, and now this one had too.
Was she just not cut out for love in this lifetime?!
Silently, she picked up her phone and opened her chat history with "girlfriend." Every record was sweet and carefree, as if they'd both genuinely liked and cherished each other beyond doubt.
For a moment, her heart settled slightly.
Then, as if possessed, she opened her chat history with "Xu Jingshu," her fingers scrolling downward.
Today's messages, then three or four months ago—each word laid bare before her eyes, ruthlessly crushing the faint warmth that had just begun to rise in her heart.
She'd lied to "Xu Jingshu" about having a girlfriend, then dragged her "lover" into taking intimate photos just to put on a show for "Xu Jingshu"...
Oh, and she'd even told her "lover" that "Xu Jingshu" had a crush on her, saddling "Xu Jingshu" with some tragic unrequited love persona...
And then—of all the goddamn things—they turned out to be the same person!!!
Embarrassment awoke with a vengeance, crawling up every nerve ending before exploding in her brain, making her scalp tingle and her toes curl. Forget the Forbidden City or the Potala Palace—she could dig out the entire East African Rift Valley right now!
The thought of how much Xu Jingshu must have enjoyed herself, how hard she must have laughed at her antics, only fueled her humiliation and anger.
If this world had a supervillain, it was goddamn Xu Jingshu!
She hated her. She never wanted to see her again!!
After dinner, she'd make her leave—immediately, without delay!!!
Pei Lanqing emerged from the study, glanced at the closed bedroom door, then swept her eyes over the kitchen, noting her daughter's absence.
She knocked on the door and called out bluntly, "Pei Youshan, what are you holed up in there for?"
Pei Youshan opened the door with a sullen expression. "Nothing."
Pei Lanqing studied her face and found it eerily familiar—just like the last time she'd returned home after a breakup.
"Why that face?"
"Did someone scam you out of money and affection again?"
Pei Youshan: "..."
She couldn't deny it.
What Xu Jingshu had done was exactly that—scamming her out of money and affection!
Damn it, she wanted Xu Jingshu gone even more now!
......
Xu Jingshu won the elder's favor with her culinary skills.
Pei Songwen praised, "Excellent! Just as good as your father's cooking!"
Even Pei Lanqing had nothing but compliments.
Only Pei Youshan remained unmoved.
Young Miss Pei was furious right now. Even if Young Miss Xu cooked up an imperial feast, it wouldn't make a difference.
During the meal, when Xu Jingshu tried to serve her food, Pei Youshan saw it coming and subtly picked up her bowl to serve herself first.
Xu Jingshu could practically feel the "Xu Jingshu, keep away or face annihilation" aura radiating off her.
This wasn't just about wanting to become a passing stranger in her life out of embarrassment.
This was anger potent enough to make her "die at twenty-six."
Xu Jingshu knew she was at fault and accepted it without complaint.
Pei Lanqing observed their every move in silence.
......
After keeping the elder company, they prepared to leave since they had work the next day. Pei Songwen didn't press them to stay.
Pei Lanqing glanced at the two of them, offered a brief "Be safe," then got into her car and signaled the driver to depart.
Each returning to their own home.
And they truly did go their separate ways, because Pei Youshan issued an ultimatum: "I don't want to see you right now. Leave. Go pack your things from Hanbai Apartments yourself. Once you're done, send me a message, and I'll change the passcode."
Seeing her poised for a breakup, Xu Jingshu immediately grabbed her wrist, her tone pleading. "Shanshan—"
"Miss Xu!" Pei Youshan cut her off sharply. "Stop pestering me. Do you really think you haven't toyed with me enough?!"
Xu Jingshu defended herself, "I wasn't toying with you."
Pei Youshan's brows furrowed, her anger flaring. "Not toying with me? Then tell me—why did you hide the truth when you first found out who I was?"
To punish you for standing me up. To tease you.
—That answer, spoken now, would only pour gasoline on the fire!
Xu Jingshu pressed her lips together, tightening her grip on Pei Youshan's hand. For the first time, she felt truly at a loss, her words feeble. "Shanshan, it's not like that..."
"You can't even answer the question yourself. What else am I supposed to believe?" Pei Youshan found it increasingly absurd, her eyes reddening despite herself.
What kind of person had she fallen for all this time...?
There was no moon tonight, and the autumn wind was bitingly cold.
The atmosphere was heavy, thick with the weight of impending doom.
Pei Youshan turned her face away, holding back tears. "Whatever I might have done to offend you in the past, you've more than paid me back with interest by deceiving me for so long. We're even now."
She took a deep breath. "Leave. Let's part on good terms."
The phrase "part on good terms" struck Xu Jingshu like a thunderclap, leaving her stunned.
"No." She refused outright, pulling Pei Youshan into a tight embrace. "I was wrong. You can scold me, hit me—I deserve whatever you do to me. Just don't say 'part on good terms.'"
Her voice grew softer, more pleading. "Please..."
Never before had she sounded so humble, so vulnerable.
Had this been any day before today, Pei Youshan would have softened, would have forgiven her.
But not now. This absurd farce had eroded all her trust.
Xu Jingshu was no longer the lover she knew.
She was the Xu Jingshu from the rumors—a stranger she'd never truly met.
"Let it go, Xu Jingshu. I can't trust you anymore."
Pei Youshan raised her hand and, for the first time, pushed her away.
......
The next day, in the CEO's office at Blue Ocean Capital.
Xu Ge sat on the sofa, legs crossed, staring incredulously at the woman across from her. "You didn't go after her?"
Xu Jingshu shook her head, exhaling heavily. "She said if I followed her, she'd leave Jiang City immediately and make sure I never saw her again."
Xu Ge: "...This is more serious than I thought."
She stole a glance at Xu Jingshu's expression—despondent, lost, as if she'd accidentally torn a hole in the sky and had no idea how to fix it.
In all the years she'd known Xu Jingshu, this was the first time she'd seen her so visibly troubled by matters of the heart.
Such was the plight of the lovelorn...
"It's alright," Xu Ge consoled her. "At least Miss Pei is still in Jiang City, right?"
Xu Jingshu nodded slowly, mechanically.
Then she stood to fetch her phone.
"What are you doing?" Xu Ge asked.
"Texting her."
Xu Jingshu unlocked her screen.
"Until she's willing to talk to me again. Until she believes I truly like her."
Pei Youshan's distrust had extended even to her feelings.
That was the crux of the problem.
So whether it was checking in on her well-being or anything else—
If it meant Pei Youshan would respond, would give her another chance, she'd try it.
Xu Ge stood and patted her shoulder. "Hang in there, youngster. Such are the trials of love."
......
Pei Youshan had originally planned to barbecue at Shao Xingcheng's place with Lin Feifei and Shao Xingcheng today, but the sudden upheaval had ruined her mood entirely.
She sat blankly in the living room, silent and listless.
Lin Feifei and Shao Xingcheng exchanged glances before approaching to gently ask what was wrong. The next moment, Pei Youshan broke down in tears.
Fat teardrops plopped down one after another, each brimming with unspoken hurt and sorrow.
Lin Feifei and Shao Xingcheng were alarmed.
They handed her tissues as she cried and ranted, piecing together the gist of what had happened.
In summary: absurd!
The accidental sugar baby turning out to be the never-before-seen fiancée—could anything be more ridiculous?
They didn't even know which part to be more shocked by—every detail seemed crucial.
Shao Xingcheng, who'd previously thought his own misfortunes were unparalleled, now realized his experiences paled in comparison.
There was always someone worse off...
Pei Youshan wept as if her world had collapsed, her words fragmented between sobs.
"I—I liked her so much... How could she—how could she deceive me like this...?
"Breaking up hurts me too!
"But she—she toyed with me first... She must—must not have liked me at all... Waaah...
"Xu Jingshu is the worst! She lied to me! Waaah, I hate her so much—"
As her best friends, Lin Feifei and Shao Xingcheng naturally took her side, joining her in vilifying Xu Jingshu.
"She's heartless! She's inhuman!"
"Yeah, exactly! How could anyone deceive our precious Shanshan? She's the one with no conscience!"
"Look how upset she's made our darling. Here, wipe your tears."
Pei Youshan leaned against Lin Feifei's shoulder, crying pitifully, her reddened eyes tugging at their heartstrings.
Between sniffles, she declared, "I don't—don't want anything to do with her anymore..."
"Mhm," Lin Feifei agreed. "We'll ignore her. The world's full of beautiful women—we don't need her. There, there."
Pei Youshan let out a weak, kittenish "Mhm," continuing to shed tears miserably.
Eventually, Shao Xingcheng led her to the balcony, where they sat and gazed at the vast ocean view, distracting her enough to stop the tears.
She brushed aside the hair clinging to her cheeks, staring blankly at the endless sea. "The view from Sea-Sky Horizon is really... really nice..."
Shao Xingcheng smiled and ruffled her hair. "You're both welcome to stay here anytime."
Pei Youshan nodded.
......
Xu Jingshu now texted Pei Youshan daily as before—good mornings, good nights, shared scenery, updates on her in-game pet cat, and photos of meals she'd cooked.
Even if a single sliver of green onion accidentally fell into a dish, she'd send a picture of it.
Beyond that, she poured out heartfelt confessions, each word sincere and moving.
Yet there was no response.
No matter how much she scrolled, the chat log showed only her own messages.
Xu Jingshu refused to be discouraged.
Pei Youshan was still waiting for her message confirming she'd packed her belongings—until then, she wouldn't block her.
As long as she wasn't blocked, she'd keep texting until the end of time.
On the fifth day of her diligent messaging, Pei Youshan finally replied.
The burst of joy was indescribable—like the first glimpse of dawn after a long night.
She immediately set aside the documents in her hands and opened the message.
Only to find Pei Youshan had sent two letters.
—[TD]
Xu Jingshu: "..."
Classic Pei Youshan.
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