PANT - Chapter 27
Chapter 27
“Different people, different fates” was probably the most accurate description of Shi Ning and Zhu Yu at that moment.
One was enjoying herself in a hotel, while the other was sitting in awkward silence in the Su Family’s Old House.
The origin of all this awkwardness began when Zhu Yu, having just finished filming for her variety show, received a call from Shi Ning. Following her request and the address provided, she arrived at the Su family’s old house.
Zhu Yu wore a baseball cap and a black mask that covered most of her face. A beauty mark lay like a teardrop beneath one of her lovely eyes, but it was easily hidden when the brim of her cap was pulled low.
She had a hard time getting past the old man at the gate, who, seeing her attire, nearly mistook her for a criminal. Then, she went upstairs, stood before the Su family’s door, and bent down to lift the doormat, searching for the key.
Just as she found the key Shi Ning had wedged in a crack and stood up, an auntie who had just come back from taking out the trash saw her and let out a heaven-shattering scream.
“Help! Help! There’s a thief!”
Zhu Yu froze on the spot, completely dumbfounded.
This was a development she had not anticipated.
Although the auntie was getting on in years, she looked spirited and was clearly the type who took good care of herself. Now, she was suddenly shouting “Thief!” at the top of her lungs in the hallway, her voice piercing enough to break the sound barrier, with a hint of a dolphin’s shriek.
Even Zhu Yu, an actress who had debuted as an idol, couldn’t help but be impressed. She couldn’t hit a high note like that so easily herself.
With the key in hand, Zhu Yu quickly said to the auntie, “Ma’am, you’ve misunderstood. I’m really not a thief.”
The auntie looked at her, pointing a finger accusingly. Full of vigor and speaking without even pausing for breath, she yelled, “Look at you! Dressed like that, with a hat and a mask, all in black. If you’re not a thief, who is? Let me tell you, I may be over sixty, but my mind is still sharp! I’m as bright as a button! I know that no thief in this world would admit to being a thief, so you can stop trying to argue. Just wait for me to call someone to catch you!”
Zhu Yu felt truly helpless upon hearing this. She said, “Ma’am, you’ve really misunderstood. I have the key. How could I be a thief?”
She held out her hand, a set of old keys dangling from her fingertips. As she gently shook them, the keys clinked together, producing a crisp sound.
The auntie saw this, snorted coldly, and, remaining firm in her initial conviction, declared righteously, “I saw it just now. I saw everything. Young lady, you took those keys from under the doormat. Who knows, maybe you’ve been staking this place out for days, knowing this family hides their key there, and you planned to come steal things today when no one was home!”
Oh, heavens.
Zhu Yu felt like her pleas were falling on deaf ears.
She gave a wry smile. “Ma’am, you must watch a lot of television, don’t you?”
The auntie raised her head proudly. “Of course! Let me tell you, I learned all my thief-catching skills from TV dramas. I’m even watching that recent hit, what’s it called… Fanatical Pursuit. It has stalkers just like you, repeat offenders!”
Hearing this, an idea sparked in Zhu Yu’s mind.
She had no choice. To get out of this mess, she had to take a risk.
Rather than waiting for this auntie’s loud voice to attract a crowd and have her identity exposed in front of everyone, Zhu Yu decided it was better to reveal herself to this one person. So, she reached up, took off her black baseball cap, and then removed her black mask, revealing a fresh, cool-looking face.
She looked at the auntie and said helplessly, “Ma’am, look at me. How could someone like me be a thief?”
The auntie stared at her, silent for a long moment. Before she spoke, Zhu Yu was still smiling, as if encouraging her to speak the truth.
—That’s right, it’s her, the lead actress of Fanatical Pursuit, Zhu Yu.
But the auntie said, “So what if you’re good-looking? Does that mean good-looking people can’t be thieves?”
Zhu Yu was exasperated. “Ma’am, you don’t recognize me? Why don’t you take a closer look?”
As she said this, she was just short of shoving her face in front of the auntie’s and letting her have a feel.
The auntie shook her head. “Why should I know you? Who are you!”
Zhu Yu was truly at her wit’s end. “Ma’am, have you really been watching Fanatical Pursuit?”
At this, the auntie grew serious. “Young lady, you can question my thief-catching skills, but I will not allow you to question my passion for watching dramas. I’ve seen that show, and I love it. Especially the female lead with the short hair. Her acting is really good.”
Zhu Yu thought in despair: That female lead with the good acting is me.
In Fanatical Pursuit, she played a crazed policewoman who had been undercover for years, lost her partner, and was driven out of the force by villains.
Her appearance in the show was indeed quite different from her current look. She had long hair now. The show was filmed two years ago, and she had cut her hair short to fit the role. After two years of growing it out, her hair was long again. The drama had been held back for a long time before finally passing review and being broadcast.
So, it was understandable that the auntie didn’t recognize her.
Looking on the bright side, Zhu Yu felt this could be considered a recognition of her acting skills.
Wasn’t this what they called “plastic surgery-level acting”? An actress standing right in front of an elderly fan of her show, and the fan couldn’t even recognize her.
However, no matter how much she tried to find humor in the situation, she could see that she was truly stuck here today.
If more people showed up and this blew up, who knew what people online would say about her. If a rival took advantage of the situation and released a few malicious articles, many netizens who only read headlines would probably label her a thief.
Just as Zhu Yu was about to take out her phone and search for her own profile to show the auntie, the door behind her opened. After a creaking sound, Zhu Yu turned to see a girl standing barefoot behind the door. Her eyes were swollen from crying, like a rabbit’s, and still held a sheen of tears. She peeked her head out, her voice a little hoarse when she spoke. Zhu Yu guessed it was the aftereffect of crying herself out.
Could this be the kid Shi Ning asked me to look after?
Su Wanxing tightened her grip on the pole in her hand and asked nervously, “Can I help you?”
Su Wanxing had been alone in her room, lost in thought. After Shi Ning left, she had remained in the same position, curled up on the floor. The noise outside had startled her, and fearing something was wrong, she decided to check on the situation.
Peeking cautiously through the peephole, all she could see was a dark head blocking the view.
Because of the incident with Jiang Ningran, a new wave of fear washed over her. She had wanted to open the door directly, but instead, she detoured to the kitchen to find a knife, only to discover that all the kitchen knives were gone. A thought flashed through Su Wanxing’s mind: Could there be a thief in the house?!
Terrified and with no other choice, she grabbed a retractable clothes-drying pole leaning in the corner, held it tightly, and opened the door.
She had intended to shout and scare the person away. She even thought that if it was Jiang Ningran again, she would smash the pole over her head and kill that wicked person.
But strangely…
When she pushed the door open and asked her question, she looked up and saw her idol, Zhu Yu.
…Zhu Yu!
Why was Zhu Yu here?
The wooden pole in Su Wanxing’s hand fell to the floor with a clatter, rolling to a stop at Zhu Yu’s feet.
Looking at the wooden pole on the ground, Zhu Yu thought she was probably being attacked from both front and rear.
Seeing the little girl staring at her blankly, Zhu Yu felt numb.
To her surprise, Su Wanxing blinked and asked, “Why are you here?”
The auntie saw this and frowned. “You two know each other?”
Su Wanxing was about to say, no, to be precise, she knew Zhu Yu one-sidedly through the internet. But before she could, Zhu Yu spoke up. “Yes, Ma’am. You’ve really misunderstood. I was asked by a friend to come and check on this child today.”
Child…
Su Wanxing pressed her lips together, her face turning a little red.
Zhu Yu had her back to her as she spoke to the auntie.
Just like that, in that instant, being so close to the idol of her dreams and hearing her call her a child.
Su Wanxing felt like she was dreaming.
After waking from a despairing nightmare, she was now seeing her sun.
The auntie looked at Zhu Yu suspiciously, then turned to Su Wanxing and asked her, “Xiao Su, is this person really here to see you?”
In an old building with old neighbors, people who had lived in the same building for so many years more or less knew each other. The moment Su Wanxing opened the door and peeked her head out, the auntie had recognized her. Hearing the auntie’s question, Su Wanxing was a little unsure how to answer.
It was like a dream too beautiful to be real.
Her idol, Zhu Yu, would come to her doorstep to find her?
Zhu Yu turned to look at Su Wanxing.
She thought that if this little girl in front of her also said she didn’t know her, then she might have to re-evaluate her career level in the entertainment industry. People were calling her a top-tier star now, and her fans called themselves top-tier fans in online comment wars. Her online data and popularity were genuinely high… Zhu Yu had never doubted her fame before.
But now, it was one thing for the auntie not to recognize her, but if even this little girl didn’t know who she was, then she felt the “top-tier” part of her status was probably all fluff.
Meeting Zhu Yu’s gaze, Su Wanxing’s cheeks flushed. She spoke softly, nodding and saying in a hoarse voice, “Ma’am, I know her. She… she’s my friend.”
As she said this, Su Wanxing’s hands were clenched together, and she was silently asking God for forgiveness in her heart. What a sin, what a sin, I shouldn’t lie like this.
Being friends with Zhu Yu, how was that possible?
Hearing Su Wanxing’s words, the auntie finally understood. She was extremely embarrassed, letting out three loud laughs, wishing she could dig a hole and bury herself in it.
“Oh my, I’m telling you, I’m getting old. Oh dear, oh dear, this… that… what was I saying? Young lady, don’t blame me for misunderstanding you just now. I… I’m just a bit of a busybody, you know? I like to meddle. Don’t take it to heart.”
Zhu Yu smiled and shook her head. “It’s alright, Ma’am. If you’re busy, I’ll head inside now?”
“Yes, yes! Go on, have fun!”
The auntie waved her hand and scurried away. Seeing her hurry upstairs and nearly stumble, Zhu Yu instinctively reached out to help, but the auntie steadied herself as if by some miracle and continued to rush up. Watching her retreating back, Zhu Yu thought the auntie must have been truly embarrassed, otherwise she wouldn’t have run upstairs like a dog was chasing her.
The auntie felt so ashamed!
She ran up two flights of stairs, panting. Leaning on the railing, she wanted to tell her old friends about this, but when she opened WeChat, she saw a sticker pack her friend had sent under the extra-large font.
[The latest sticker pack of the female lead from Pursuit. Isn’t this one great?]
The auntie looked at the sticker pack, her expression suddenly turning grave.
The more she looked, the more she felt that the female lead looked just like that young lady from earlier. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? No, no. The auntie shook her head. The female lead was a big star, after all. Why would she come to an old neighborhood like theirs? And be friends with Xiao Su. Impossible, impossible. Her eyesight must be failing.
Shaking her head, the auntie sent a voice message to her old friends, complaining about how she had wrongly accused someone today, and continued up the stairs.
Once the auntie left, only she and Su Wanxing remained at the door.
Zhu Yu decided to introduce herself. Holding her baseball cap and mask, she gave Su Wanxing a gentle smile and said, “Hello, I’m Zhu Yu, a friend of Shi Ning’s. She’s busy right now and asked me to take care of you.”
Hearing Zhu Yu’s words, Su Wanxing was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered. When she heard that Shi Ning had asked Zhu Yu to come, she couldn’t help but feel a little more grateful toward Shi Ning, and at the same time, a little worried.
Su Wanxing asked nervously, “Um, Shi Ning, I mean, Jiejie Shi, she didn’t tell you anything, did she?”
Zhu Yu tilted her head. “Tell me what?”
Although she didn’t know what Su Wanxing was worried and nervous about, as if there was something she was afraid of her discovering, she explained gently, “She didn’t tell me anything, just asked me to come over. I had just finished filming a variety show nearby, so I came.”
“Go For It, Girls!?” Su Wanxing replied subconsciously.
Zhu Yu was a little surprised. “You know about it?”
Su Wanxing was too embarrassed to admit in front of Zhu Yu that she was a die-hard fan, one who mothered her from afar, screaming “My daughter is so beautiful!” on Weibo every day, and whose maternal love would occasionally curdle as she screamed “Husband, fuck me!” like a degenerate fan.
She decided to play the part of a casual fan.
Su Wanxing nodded. “I know. That show is very popular.”
But Zhu Yu thought, the show hasn’t even aired yet, it just started filming… never mind. She cleared her throat. “Um, little sister, if it’s convenient, could you let me in first?”
Standing in the hallway, Zhu Yu’s professional instincts made her a little nervous.
She always felt like a paparazzo could pop out from somewhere, take pictures, and post some nonsense online. Then, her fans would probably be furious. Zhu Yu didn’t want to cause trouble for her fans.
Hearing her, Su Wanxing quickly nodded and stepped aside, then bent down to get her a pair of slippers. Zhu Yu picked up the wooden clothes-drying pole that had rolled onto the floor and handed it to Su Wanxing. Holding the pole, Su Wanxing explained awkwardly, “I-I thought there was a thief in the house just now, so I was a little scared and grabbed this. I didn’t mean anything else.”
Seeing the little girl trying so hard to explain, Zhu Yu smiled. “It’s okay, I understand. It’s good to be cautious.”
Zhu Yu glanced at the slippers and asked apologetically, “If it’s convenient, do you have any shoe covers? I can just wear those.”
Su Wanxing then remembered that Zhu Yu was a bit of a germaphobe.
It was because of this that Zhu Yu was often criticized online by anti-fans for being arrogant. Someone had once revealed that Zhu Yu was extremely picky about hotels when she joined a film crew, demanding special treatment, and rarely ate the boxed lunches on set, instead bringing her own.
But Su Wanxing knew that although Zhu Yu was a germaphobe, she was always serious and dedicated no matter what situation she encountered during filming. Even for scenes that required her to get completely dirty or crawl through a manhole, she never refused, never used a stunt double, and always did it herself. Zhu Yu was picky about her personal life, but she was always serious and responsible when it came to her profession.
This was also why Su Wanxing liked her.
Su Wanxing quickly found some shoe covers and handed them to Zhu Yu. Zhu Yu put them over her sneakers, stepped on the doormat to make sure they were secure, and then walked into the room.
“May I sit on the sofa?” Zhu Yu asked politely.
Su Wanxing nodded. She quickly put the pole away, then nervously poured Zhu Yu a glass of water and got one for herself. Su Wanxing stood a little far from Zhu Yu, holding her glass and looking at her.
Because of Su Wanxing’s strange attitude, Zhu Yu also felt a little awkward and at a loss.
“You—”
They both spoke at the same time, and this momentary synchronicity made them both laugh.
Zhu Yu said, “You go first.”
Su Wanxing didn’t refuse and asked curiously, “You know Shi Ning?”
Zhu Yu nodded. “Yes, she’s my boss. In a way, we can be considered friends.”
“Huh?” Su Wanxing’s eyes widened, not expecting this development. She never knew Zhu Yu and Shi Ning were friends. She had been following Zhu Yu since her debut, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call herself a ten-year fan, but she had never heard about her being friends with Shi Ning.
Even in the “future” memories she had suddenly awakened, there was no plotline about Shi Ning and Zhu Yu being friends.
Su Wanxing was so curious.
She asked, “But, how did you become friends with Shi Ning?”
Hearing this, Zhu Yu chuckled. “Why can’t she and I be friends?”
Su Wanxing quickly explained, “I mean, you two don’t seem like you’re on the same path. She… Shi Ning seems a little bad.”
And Zhu Yu was good.
Zhu Yu took a sip of water, a gentle smile never leaving her face. Zhu Yu was wild on stage, but Su Wanxing never expected her to be so approachable and down-to-earth in private. She really hadn’t stanned the wrong person.
Zhu Yu looked at Su Wanxing and said, “Then I’ll take that as a compliment to me.”
“Oh, I forgot to ask, little one, what’s your name?”
Su Wanxing looked young for her age, even younger than she actually was. She had just started university, but she looked like a middle or high school student. This was why Zhu Yu addressed her that way.
“Su Wanxing,” she added, “as in, the stars in the night.”
Zhu Yu also said, “That’s a beautiful name. I’m Zhu, as in ‘to wish,’ and Yu, as in ‘islet.’”
Su Wanxing’s small voice sounded, “I know.”
“I know who you are.”
After saying this, Su Wanxing looked down at her toes.
Zhu Yu said, “Don’t be so nervous. When you’re nervous, I get a little embarrassed too.”
Hearing this, Su Wanxing nearly choked on her water. She quickly said, “I-I’m not nervous.”
Zhu Yu patted the dark-colored sofa. “Don’t just stand there, Wanxing. Oh, is it okay if I call you that?”
The tips of Su Wanxing’s ears turned red.
Hearing Zhu Yu speak to her like this, she couldn’t help but think of the times when she was deep in her fangirl phase, when she and her fan friends would collect all of Zhu Yu’s speaking clips and edit them into a special love confession, listening to it every day as her maternal love curdled.
She never thought that one day, she would hear Zhu Yu say her name in person.
If only Zhu Yu could call her ‘mom’ one day. That’s the dream of so many mom-fans!
Su Wanxing’s heart was pounding. With a nervous heart, she nodded.
“Come and sit.” Zhu Yu patted the sofa. “Really, don’t be nervous.” She actively created some distance from Su Wanxing, moving to the other end of the sofa.
Su Wanxing sat down, holding her water glass and saying nothing. Zhu Yu held her own glass and took a sip, feeling helpless inside. She thought about how usually, it was others who would try to find topics to talk about with her, trying hard to chat. Now, she was the one who had to find a topic to talk about with this little girl.
What a headache.
Zhu Yu took a sip of water, gently tapped the glass, and put it down. “So, how did you and Shi Ning meet?”
Su Wanxing quickly answered, “My… my older sister is her friend.”
“She’s been staying at our place for the past few days.”
Hearing this, Zhu Yu’s gossip-loving side flared up. She asked curiously, “Your older sister is her friend? May I ask what your sister’s name is?”
Su Wanxing: “Su Tianxue.”
“Su Tianxue?” Zhu Yu repeated the name, thinking for a moment. She hadn’t heard of this person in her circle, nor had she heard that Shi Ning had such a friend. Could she be her new girlfriend?
A flash of inspiration struck Zhu Yu, and she felt like she had just caught the mischievous tail of the truth. Was it possible? Perhaps the two of them couldn’t tell this kid the truth, so they lied, but in reality, Shi Ning and Su Wanxing’s sister, Su Tianxue, were already together.
After all, from what Su Wanxing said, Shi Ning was currently living with Su Tianxue.
But for as long as Zhu Yu had been friends with Shi Ning, she had never heard of her living with anyone.
Shi Ning kept her relationships and personal life very separate.
Perhaps no girl had ever even been to her home.
And now, Shi Ning was living with Su Tianxue? Their relationship must be unusual. Definitely more than just friends.
With this deduction, Zhu Yu felt she had grasped the essence of the matter. She really felt her manager shouldn’t have turned down those variety shows with mystery or murder-mystery elements for her. With a brain as sharp as hers, she could have shown off on the show and gained a wave of fans. Then, her fans could proudly tell others, “That’s Zhu Yu, my idol. She’s got a good head on her shoulders, she’s smart.”
While Zhu Yu was pondering the relationship between Su Tianxue and Shi Ning, Su Wanxing was also curious and wanted to ask Zhu Yu some questions, but then she realized she didn’t know how to address the woman in front of her.
Online, she could look at photos and videos of Zhu Yu and shout “baby girl,” “husband,” “wife,” basically anything she wanted. But now, seeing Zhu Yu in person, she couldn’t even get a peep out, not even her name.
She asked nervously, “Um, how should I address you?”
Zhu Yu smiled. “It’s fine, you can call me whatever you want. Just be casual. Call me Zhu Yu, or Zhu Jiejie, or something else, it’s all fine.”
She explained, “I’m not that scary. Don’t worry.”
Su Wanxing quickly shook her head, waving her hands in a fluster. “No, no, that’s not what I meant.”
“Zhu Jiejie.” Su Wanxing picked up a throw pillow from the sofa and hugged it, then stole a glance at Zhu Yu. It was so strange. Her miserable mood seemed to have been chased away by the sun after seeing her, the dark clouds gone, leaving only a clear sky.
Was this the power of an idol?
She looked at this woman who had previously only existed on her computer or phone screen and felt that this was probably the luckiest thing that had happened all day. She couldn’t help but feel a little more grateful to Shi Ning. Su Wanxing remembered that before the incident, they were just about to go find Zhu Yu.
“So, Zhu Jiejie,” Su Wanxing said softly, “how did you and Shi Ning become friends?”
Zhu Yu thought for a moment. “It just happened naturally.” She said, “Don’t be fooled by how unreliable and flighty Shi Ning seems all the time. When trouble comes, she’s definitely the first one to step up and take it on. So, I’m very lucky to be her friend.”
These words truly hit home for Su Wanxing.
In the incident with Jiang Ningran, it was indeed Shi Ning who had rushed in without hesitation to protect her and solve the problem.
Su Wanxing couldn’t help but think that perhaps she had been biased against Shi Ning because she had foreseen the future. Was it possible? That Shi Ning, like her, was not the person from the future. The Shi Ning in this world was not a scumbag at all, nor was she a bad person.
Could it even be possible that Shi Ning was not the same person as before at all?
Just as Su Wanxing was thinking this, Zhu Yu added, “But with her, being her friend is the best thing in the world. But you must never fall in love with her. If you fall for her, you’ll become the unluckiest person in the world.”
Gossiping was probably the fastest way to bring two people closer.
Su Wanxing was curious. “Why?”
Zhu Yu said, “Well, there was someone in our circle before who fell for Shi Ning at first sight and tried to pursue her. After a long chase, Shi Ning said she doesn’t do relationships. If the other person could accept maintaining a…” In front of a child, Zhu Yu felt she couldn’t continue. “Anyway, it was very messy.”
Zhu Yu reminded Su Wanxing, “With her, you can be her friend, but absolutely not her girlfriend.”
Su Wanxing: “…”
Uh.
The wave of speculation she had just had in her mind was instantly overturned by Su Wanxing.
As expected, Shi Ning was still the same Shi Ning.
A scumbag, plain and simple.
Seeing that they had gotten closer, Zhu Yu glanced at the time on her phone. “Alright, it’s almost dinner time. Are you hungry?”
Su Wanxing shook her head, but her stomach immediately betrayed her, growling loudly.
Zhu Yu smiled gently. “A young lady at your age is still growing. You need to eat on time.”
Su Wanxing really wanted to say that she was an adult and probably wouldn’t grow any taller.
But her attention was quickly drawn away by Zhu Yu’s next words.
Zhu Yu stood up. “Wanxing, you sit here. I’ll go cook.”
Su Wanxing’s mouth fell open in shock. “Zhu, Zhu Jiejie, you can cook?”
Zhu Yu raised an eyebrow. “Of course.” She was very confident in her cooking skills. “The boxed lunches I eat on set, when I have time, I make them myself and bring them.”
OMG.
After being a fan of Zhu Yu for so long, Su Wanxing never knew this.
“Do your fans know?”
Zhu Yu shook her head. “There’s no point in letting them know about something like this. What do you want to eat? I’ll see what’s in your fridge. If there’s not enough, I’ll buy more.”
Su Wanxing suddenly remembered, “Um, Zhu Jiejie, Shi Ning said she went to buy groceries. Should we wait for her to come back and eat together?”
Zhu Yu thought about her recent chat with Shi Ning and fell silent for a moment. “No need. By the way, she just told me that your sister has to work overtime at the research institute and might not be back until tomorrow, or maybe the day after.”
Hearing this, Su Wanxing let out a huge sigh of relief.
She was afraid her sister would come back and find out about what happened today.
She didn’t want her sister to know about these things.
She was afraid… afraid her sister would be disappointed.
Zhu Yu added, “Your sister isn’t coming back, and neither is Shi Ning. She’s going to keep your sister company at work.”
Su Wanxing was surprised. “She’s going to keep my sister company at work?”
“…She’s not going to cause trouble, is she?”
Hearing Su Wanxing’s suspicion of Shi Ning, Zhu Yu, being a bad friend, laughed without restraint. “You’re right. She’s unreliable.”
“So, if you need anything in the next two days, just call me, okay? I promised Shi Ning I’d take good care of you. So, Wanxing, don’t be polite with me.”
Su Wanxing’s tongue was practically tied in a knot. “Y-you mean you’re going to give me your phone number?”
“Of course, if you don’t mind us exchanging numbers.” Zhu Yu took a cucumber out of the fridge, preparing to make smashed cucumber salad. Seeing that there were also carrots and shredded pork, she decided to defrost them and make stir-fried carrots with pork. She asked Su Wanxing if she ate these dishes.
Su Wanxing was busy looking for her phone. When she turned around and saw the carrot in Zhu Yu’s hand, she fell silent. But the person who was going to cook carrots for her was Zhu Yu. Zhu Yu!!
For Zhu Yu, what was eating a carrot?
So, Su Wanxing replied with the resolve of a martyr, “I’ll eat it.”
Zhu Yu went to cook, while Su Wanxing searched for her phone in the living room. She turned the place upside down but couldn’t find it. Su Wanxing was shocked. Could her phone be lost?
Zhu Yu came over wearing an apron. “What’s wrong?”
Seeing her like this, Su Wanxing still felt a strong sense of unreality. Zhu Yu was in her house, cooking for her. And all of this was thanks to Shi Ning, whom she had disliked so much before.
OMG.
“Hmm?” Seeing Su Wanxing lost in thought and not answering, Zhu Yu asked worriedly, “Did something happen?”
Su Wanxing said in distress, “I think my phone is gone. I wanted to save your number.”
“That’s no problem,” Zhu Yu said. “I happened to record a voiceover for a show today, and the sponsor gave me a phone. I’ll give it to you.”
After saying that, she wiped her hands, walked over, opened the bag she had been carrying, and took out a small phone box. “Here you go.”
“I’m using this model now too. It’s pretty good. You can have it for now.”
Holding the phone box, Su Wanxing’s head was smoking.
Hers was pink, and Zhu Yu’s was blue.
Did this count as… count as a mother-daughter set?
Overcome with excitement, Su Wanxing’s tear-incontinence acted up, and tears started streaming down her face. This scared Zhu Yu. She panicked, “A-are you okay? If you don’t like this phone, it’s fine. We can pick another one online right now?”
Su Wanxing quickly shook her head. “I like it.” She clutched the phone box. “I like it. Thank you, Zhu Jiejie.”
She sniffled. “I’m just a little nervous. A little excited. Zhu Jiejie, you don’t have to worry about me. I just have this problem where I cry easily when I get emotional.” After she finished speaking, she cautiously looked up at Zhu Yu. Her wet eyes were bright, and her curled eyelashes were also damp. Su Wanxing gave a bitter smile. “I’m sorry, Zhu Jiejie, for making a fool of myself. I’m so useless, aren’t I?”
Crying at the drop of a hat, unable to even control her own tears.
No wonder she couldn’t see through someone like Jiang Ningran at all.
She was too stupid, and too useless.
Just as Su Wanxing was sinking into self-loathing, Zhu Yu reached out her hand. She didn’t wipe away Su Wanxing’s tears, but instead opened her palm next to her cheek, catching the small teardrop. Soon, a small pool of tears gathered in her palm.
Zhu Yu’s voice was gentle. “Wanxing, look. Because of your tears, I now have a small ocean in my palm.”
“Don’t talk about yourself like that. This isn’t useless at all. Sometimes when I’m filming, I want to cry but can’t. Su Wanxing, maybe this is your talent.” She took a tissue to wipe the tears from her palm, then wiped Su Wanxing’s tears. “Take it easy, okay?”
“If you really cry your eyes out, what am I going to do when Shi Ning comes back and settles the score with me?”
Faced with Zhu Yu’s gentleness, the darkness in Su Wanxing’s heart gradually faded. She nodded, seriously wiped away her tears, and clenched her fists. “Don’t worry, Zhu Jiejie, I won’t let her bully you!”
“I’ll help you cook!”
Su Wanxing regained her spirits.
Seeing her rally, Zhu Yu felt relieved. She remembered what Shi Ning had said, that this kid was a bit dumb. Now it seemed that although she was a bit dumb, she was also very innocent and cute.
After the meal was ready, Zhu Yu took a picture and sent it to Shi Ning.
Zhu Yu: Taking care of the kid as you asked.
Shi Ning had no time to look at messages. At that moment, she was in the hotel with Su Tianxue, lost in their passion, oblivious to the world.
By the time she saw the message, it was already the afternoon of the next day.
She woke up to find Su Tianxue gone from the room. The bed was neatly made, and the clothes and finger cots that had been scattered all over the floor were all cleaned up.
Shi Ning smiled wryly, thinking that Su Tianxue must have sobered up after the drug wore off and left.
She rolled over, picked up her phone, and glanced at it, not replying to Zhu Yu’s message. To lift her mood, which had just plummeted from heaven to hell, she casually played a song on her Bluetooth speaker. The song was called “Vortex.”
Shi Ning kept opening Su Tianxue’s WeChat, hesitating for a long time before sending her a message.
Shi Ning: You left?
Ding-dong.
Shi Ning heard a phone notification from outside the door. The next second, Su Tianxue swiped her key card and pushed the door open. She was carrying two bags of food.
Su Tianxue was puzzled. “You were looking for me?”
Shi Ning was stunned. “You didn’t leave?”
Su Tianxue was confused. “Why would I leave?”
Seeing her like this, another guess formed in Shi Ning’s mind. She asked cautiously, “Su Tianxue, do you still remember what happened between us?”
Shi Ning hadn’t forgotten that one of the side effects of the “Sleep for Three Days” drug was memory fragmentation. Just like with Su Wanxing. So, Su Tianxue seemed so normal, not angry, not scolding her…
So normal that it scared Shi Ning.
She was afraid that Su Tianxue had forgotten everything.
So only she remembered how they had kissed for the past two days, how they had been desperately entwined, how they had found pleasure together, how they had left special marks in every corner of this room.
Shi Ning looked up at Su Tianxue, nervously waiting for her answer.
In the hotel room, the curtains that had been tightly closed for a long time were finally drawn open. Sunlight streamed in through the glass, illuminating the floor. The table near the floor-to-ceiling window, where Su Tianxue and Shi Ning had been yesterday, was now wiped clean. When the sunlight hit it, it left a beautiful golden edge on the tabletop.
Su Tianxue placed the food she had bought on the table, looked up at Shi Ning, and called her, “Come and eat.”
Shi Ning obediently got out of bed. It was only when she was sitting opposite Su Tianxue that she realized being so obedient was not in her character.
She gave Su Tianxue a pointed look and pressed down on her hand as she was about to untie the plastic bag. “You haven’t answered my question.”
Su Tianxue slapped Shi Ning’s hand away and took out the congee, which was at the perfect temperature. Vegetable congee with salted duck egg, and a cup of sweet soy milk.
She arranged the food, opened a pair of disposable chopsticks, rubbed them together to remove any splinters, and after making sure they wouldn’t prick her, handed them to Shi Ning. “Eat.”
“Su Tianxue.” Shi Ning was getting a little anxious. “You—”
Su Tianxue gave her a cool glance. “By not answering, isn’t that an answer in itself?”
“Huh?”
Shi Ning, who was usually so articulate, was at a loss for how to respond to Su Tianxue for the first time.
She felt as if a wire in her brain had burned out from overheating, leaving her buzzing and unsure of what to do.
“What do you mean?” Shi Ning held the small bowl of congee in front of her and looked at Su Tianxue pitifully. “Can you be clearer, please?”
Su Tianxue knew that this person was good at playing pitiful.
She wasn’t like this in bed, where she looked like she wanted to swallow someone whole, bite by bite.
Su Tianxue calmly picked up the salted duck egg, rolled it on the table to crack the shell, and her beautiful fingers slowly peeled it off. Her tone was leisurely as she said, “How much clearer do you want me to be? To tell you that I remember everything we did these past two days… all the exercise, with perfect clarity, without forgetting a thing?”
Shi Ning could hear the hidden resentment in Su Tianxue’s seemingly calm words. But hearing this, the tension and gloom in her heart, the entanglement that had arisen for some unknown reason, suddenly dissipated.
A smile spread across her face. “That’s not a bad idea.”
Shi Ning returned to her usual confident and composed demeanor. She stuck the straw into the soy milk cup with a snap, stirred it, and said, “If there’s anything you’ve forgotten, I can help you remember.”
Su Tianxue glared at Shi Ning. “Thank you, but my memory is excellent.”
The smile on Shi Ning’s lips grew wider. “I’m very glad you remember.”
Su Tianxue felt a little flustered by her direct words. She lowered her head and took a sip of congee, but it only made her feel hotter.
Su Tianxue lowered her eyes, forcing herself to calm down, and then spoke to Shi Ning. “About this matter, I want to talk to you.”
Shi Ning bit on her straw and looked up at her. “Talk about what? Your feelings, my technique?”
Su Tianxue put down her small spoon. The spoon was a bit short and immediately sank into the congee. She paid it no mind and looked at Shi Ning calmly.
This Su Tianxue was completely different from the alluring woman who had been on top of her before she woke up, actively grinding her hips.
Ah, well.
When it came to flipping out and acting like a stranger the moment she was out of bed, Shi Ning felt that Su Tianxue would definitely stand out in a crowd and rank highly.
“I want to talk to you about what exactly happened.”
Su Tianxue had been suspicious about the reason behind this incident since she arrived at the club. She had been forced to stop thinking because of the drug and had been wild for two days, but now, she was calm. When she woke up in the morning, she was even able to fold the quilt and clean up the mess. She took a shower, looked at herself in the mirror, saw the marks all over her body, and forced herself to forget the images that were constantly swirling in her mind, like a wild fantasy, like the Big Bang, with atoms and particles scattering and then converging again, becoming stars of ecstatic pleasure, existing eternally in the universe.
She was fascinated by the romance of the universe, and strangely, when she was doing that kind of thing with Shi Ning, she could also think of the universe.
Every atom, every component in their bodies, all came from exploded stars in the universe. When they were entangled, when she entered, Su Tianxue would think that perhaps billions of years ago, they had existed on the same star.
That was why they could have this moment of desperate entanglement now.
The most primal reactions from her body felt as if a pair of void hands from the universe were pulling at Su Tianxue’s body, and the fire in her soul, constantly taking off, constantly expanding, twisting, then passing through the giant waves of the ocean, sinking into the sea, finding the remains of dinosaurs, passing through their long-gone eyes, heading to the center of the earth, then to the sundial of the sun, finally stopping in the spiral arms of the Milky Way, swept up by a sudden black hole, passing through the boundaries of time and space, reaching the singularity of the universe.
There, Shi Ning stood in the darkness, in the 13.8 billion years of time.
They kissed, embracing with hot desire.
They sighed, releasing their satisfaction.
Just like all celestial bodies do before they form.
There was a romance that was grand to the extreme.
Su Tianxue didn’t dislike it.
She even liked it a little.
But an astronomer would not only see the romance. Her rational mind was constantly reminding her that there was something strange about this matter.
So, while she went downstairs to buy some light food for Shi Ning and herself, Su Tianxue calmly thought about the cause and effect of the matter.
The conclusion she came to was that Shi Ning probably knew the truth.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have appeared in that place.
Faced with Su Tianxue’s rational questioning, Shi Ning couldn’t maintain her nonchalant attitude anymore. She adjusted her posture, put down the straw she was biting, and leaned back. She had sat in this chair yesterday, while Su Tianxue was in her lap, legs spread, hands on the table.
Her face had been filled with an uncontrollable flush of desire, and her desperately suppressed voice couldn’t hide the eroticism.
But today, Su Tianxue was sitting opposite her, back to her cold and stunning appearance, looking at her as if she were an insignificant stranger.
Shi Ning’s lips twitched. “However you want to talk, Su Tianxue, I’ll play along.”
Although she didn’t understand why Shi Ning’s attitude had suddenly changed, Su Tianxue clasped her hands and stared at Shi Ning. “I want to know the truth.”
Shi Ning tilted her head. “Such as?”
“Such as why someone would lie to me that he had kidnapped Su Wanxing and Jiang Ningran, and why you appeared there.”
On the way to the hotel, Shi Ning had already assured her that Su Wanxing was fine and had shown her the photo Zhu Yu had sent, confirming that Su Wanxing was happy at home. That was why Su Tianxue was asking this question.
Shi Ning shrugged. “If I said it was a coincidence, would you believe me?”
Su Tianxue: “What do you think?”
Shi Ning looked at Su Tianxue, her eyes cold, but the smile on her lips didn’t fade. “Are you suspecting me?”
Su Tianxue paused. “That’s not what I mean.”
“I trust your character and know you wouldn’t do something like this. It’s just that the timing of your appearance was too coincidental, and those bodyguards… I think you probably knew I was in trouble, so you rushed over. The key question is, how did you know I was in danger?”
Shi Ning felt a headache coming on.
This was a bit troublesome.
On one hand, she had promised Su Wanxing not to tell Su Tianxue about her being drugged and assaulted by Jiang Ningran.
On the other hand, there was Su Tianxue’s sharp and rational questioning. Seeing her determined to get to the bottom of it, Shi Ning knew that if she didn’t give her a complete answer, she would keep suspecting and asking.
If she told Su Tianxue that she had learned about this from Jiang Ningran, then Su Tianxue would inevitably find out about the thing Su Wanxing didn’t want her to know.
Ah, what a hassle.
This was why she hated making promises to people.
Su Tianxue noticed Shi Ning’s hesitation and frowned. “Shi Ning, what are you hiding?”
Shi Ning raised her hand and patted her head, saying in a troubled tone, “Su Tianxue, I didn’t want to tell you.”
“Actually, this is what happened.”
She lowered her hand and looked at Su Tianxue, her gaze direct and tinged with apology. “I have to apologize to you. This accident happened entirely because of me. You know, my status is quite special. The business world is ruthless, and there are always people who want to target me. My enemy found out about our relationship and thought… thought you were my wife. They wanted to use you to threaten me, but they didn’t expect you to be at work. They had no choice but to pretend to have kidnapped Jiang Ningran and Su Wanxing to lure you to the club.”
Su Tianxue pondered, tapping her fingers gently.
“But if it was a pretense, why did Jiang Ningran call me for help? And why was there her scream and another man’s voice on the phone?”
Hearing this, Shi Ning’s head buzzed.
Jiang Ningran, you piece of shit! sjajdioas!!!
Shi Ning: “There are many virtual number technologies now. Faking a number isn’t difficult, and voice data is easy to collect. It’s not hard to deceive someone. Su Tianxue, don’t forget, my enemy might not be that simple.”
Although Su Tianxue still had her doubts, based on the current situation and the information she had, the truth Shi Ning told was probably the one that best fit her logic.
Su Tianxue was a little worried. “So, has this enemy been dealt with?”
“Will that person strike again?”
Shi Ning saw the anxiety on her face, and her heart sank a little. She said calmly, “I’m sorry, I can’t give you my guarantee.”
Such a difficult enemy, a major business rival, dealt with in the two days she was making love? Let alone Su Tianxue, even she wouldn’t believe it.
Shi Ning thought that Su Tianxue was worried for Su Wanxing.
She could see that Su Tianxue wasn’t that concerned about her own safety, but from the way she was deceived by Jiang Ningran and was willing to rush in to find Su Wanxing for a mere possibility, Shi Ning knew that this sister was undoubtedly important to Su Tianxue.
She sighed softly. “Su Tianxue, I can move out for a while.”
“Under the current circumstances, it’s not very appropriate for me to continue living at your place.”
As she said this, Shi Ning felt her breathing become heavy.
But this was the best solution she could think of for the current situation.
It would allow her to finish acting out this drama with a nemesis, create some distance from Su Tianxue to sort out her own emotions, and also give Su Wanxing some space.
With her around, an outsider Alpha, and Su Wanxing’s future girlfriend in the plot… Su Wanxing had just been through all that. Shi Ning felt that continuing to live under the same roof with Su Wanxing would not be beneficial for her emotional state.
She hadn’t forgotten Su Wanxing’s instinctive rejection when she reached out to pull her.
Hearing Shi Ning’s words, Su Tianxue was stunned.
She had wanted to ask if she was hurt, if she was okay.
But she didn’t know how to start, and while she was still thinking, Shi Ning made this suggestion.
Su Tianxue’s expression didn’t change, but her heart twisted a little, and she couldn’t quite explain why.
She replied, seemingly indifferent, “Okay.”
“You can move out.”
On the way from the hotel to the Su family’s house, both of them were silent.
Not speaking often and not liking small talk was probably the most normal state for Su Tianxue, but for Shi Ning, it was extremely rare.
Su Tianxue discreetly stole a glance at Shi Ning. The woman was now in the driver’s seat in front of her, hands on the steering wheel. She couldn’t see her face clearly, nor any of her expressions. But her face, which was always smiling and full of ease and banter, seemed to carry a weight that Su Tianxue couldn’t understand.
Her gaze was fixed on the road ahead, with no intention of turning to look at Su Tianxue.
Su Tianxue withdrew her gaze and looked out the other window.
She and Shi Ning were clearly in the same car, yet it felt as if they were in separate worlds, not interfering with each other.
In fact, although Shi Ning looked so serious, her mind was on other things.
If she had known that Su Tianxue would flip out and act like a stranger after one night, and that she would show no hesitation in letting her move out, perhaps even feeling a little relieved, she would have bitten down hard on Su Tianxue’s gland. Although, an Alpha was destined not to be able to mark another Alpha. From a physiological ABO perspective, this meant that one Alpha was destined not to belong to another.
Biting her would be useless. Even if she did, this woman would probably just frown, grunt, and curse at her, “Are you a dog?”
Shi Ning even went so far as to direct a little play in her mind, imagining Su Tianxue’s reaction.
[Wow, this woman can finally leave.]
She would probably have such a thought, right?
Hmph.
A heartless person.
—Screech.
At a red light, Shi Ning stepped on the brake.
Su Tianxue raised her hand and gripped the safety handle.
Shi Ning glanced back at her and said the first words since they got in the car, “Sorry.”
She thought that her symptoms were already starting to get out of hand.
Her feelings for Su Tianxue should stop, just like the red light at the intersection in front of them. Stop without hesitation.
Otherwise, any further, just a little further, could lead to an irreversible mistake.
When one person wanted to possess another, Shi Ning knew that loneliness and jealousy would be born from it.
Moving out probably represented the red light in her heart, lighting up at just the right time.
The drive from the hotel to Su Tianxue’s home took about half an hour.
When Shi Ning’s Koenigsegg One:1 parked at the entrance of the old residential complex, passersby felt like their eyes were about to be blinded.
People kept turning their heads to look, discussing, “I’ve never seen this brand of car before. It looks so expensive.”
“It’s so cool. Daddy, will you buy me one when I grow up?” a three-year-old passing by said to his father, suddenly finding the toy car in his hands less appealing.
The auntie who was best at gossiping remarked with conviction, “Did someone’s house get demolished and they got a huge payout?”
Su Tianxue had never been the center of gossip, but unexpectedly, because of Shi Ning’s car, she became the center of public opinion.
It happened to be sunset. The sun was setting, leaving behind colors that could dye the entire sky red, and also sharing some with the people of the world. Shi Ning’s silver car body had a brilliant orange hue, and even her red hair complemented the evening clouds in the sky.
Su Tianxue opened the car door and followed the woman who was waiting for her by the side.
An auntie who knew her couldn’t resist coming over to say hello, but her eyes kept darting towards Su Tianxue, clearly revealing her intentions.
“Hey, the elder Su daughter, off work for the day?”
Su Tianxue was not good at making small talk, nor did she like it.
She gave a cold nod. She was the kind of aloof neighbor who wouldn’t say an extra word to people even after living in the same courtyard for a long time.
The auntie didn’t mind and quickly changed the subject, asking, “Who is this?”
Before Su Tianxue could answer, the word “family” was stuck in her throat, unsure if she should say it. Shi Ning smiled and said, “Ma’am, I’m her friend. I was just giving her a ride home.”
Hearing the word “friend,” the auntie’s old face bloomed into a smile.
Su Tianxue saw this familiar expression and thought, oh no.
As expected, she heard the auntie ask Shi Ning the three classic questions: “Young lady, are you married? Are you in a relationship? Do you have someone you like?”
Shi Ning was helpless. “Ma’am, you can’t just ask so many questions right away.”
“I have something to do, so I’ll be going now. We can chat properly next time we meet.”
You don’t hit a smiling face, and besides, Shi Ning’s words made the auntie feel comfortable.
The auntie felt it was a pity, but she couldn’t force her to stay, so she just waved goodbye.
Her old friend, who had just bought milk for her granddaughter, came over and, seeing their retreating backs, said in surprise, “Isn’t that the elder Su girl and her partner?”
“Huh?” The auntie was stunned. “What did you say?”
The old friend pointed at the two who were almost out of sight. “I’m talking about them.”
The auntie couldn’t believe it. “They’re a couple?”
The old friend nodded. “Yeah, last time we were playing cards, the elder Su girl said so herself.”
The auntie was puzzled. “But aren’t they both Alphas? And, when I just asked, that girl said she was just friends with the elder Su girl.”
The old friend gave her a meaningful look. “She says they’re friends, and you believe her?”
“How many young people these days use the word ‘friend’ as a cover? You old-fashioned thing, how do you not know anything?”
The two old friends’ chatter was carried far, far away by the wind.
Shi Ning and Su Tianxue, who had long since walked away, did not hear it.
As they were walking up the stairs together, Shi Ning suddenly spoke, “I’ll pack my things and leave in a bit.”
Su Tianxue didn’t know what to say, so she just managed a grunt in response.
Seeing her cold reaction, Shi Ning raised an eyebrow slightly and also replied, “Okay.”
When they reached the door, Su Tianxue took out her key to open it. The moment the door opened, the scene inside stunned her.
Her sister, Su Wanxing, was currently straddling a woman.
And this woman, Su Tianxue didn’t know, but she had seen her before.
She was the woman in the photo on her sister’s phone case, her lock screen, her wallpaper, and her computer screensaver.
What was her name again?
Oh, it seemed to be Zhu Yu.
Su Tianxue said calmly, “Su Wanxing, get up.”
Hearing this voice, Su Wanxing turned her head awkwardly, her neck moving as if it were a mechanical device, with a slight creaking sound.
She forced a smile. “Jie, you’re back.”
She glanced at the woman standing behind Su Tianxue, who peeked her head out and waved at her.
Right, Shi Ning was back too.
Zhu Yu lay peacefully under Su Wanxing. Seeing her old friend Shi Ning and Su Tianxue appear together, the fire of gossip in her heart was quietly burning.
“Get up,” Su Tianxue said again in a deep voice.
Su Wanxing immediately shot up from Zhu Yu’s waist.
She said in a fluster, “No, Jie, let me explain. It’s not what you think. Zhu Jiejie and I weren’t doing anything. We were just rehearsing a scene. She’s about to join a new film crew and just got the script. Since I have time and I’m also studying film, I thought I’d help her run lines. We… we weren’t doing anything.”
After listening to her sister, Su Tianxue grunted, “Why are you in such a hurry? I wasn’t thinking anything.”
She bent down to change her slippers.
It was at that moment, as she bent down, that Su Wanxing, who was standing beside her anxiously trying to explain, suddenly saw a red mark on the back of her neck, hidden by her clothes.
Like a hickey.
Su Wanxing froze.
“Jie,” she asked cautiously, “what’s on your neck?”
“My neck?” Su Tianxue put on her slippers, turned around suspiciously, and lifted her collar to take a look.
…How careless.
When she showered, she had checked all the marks on her body and covered up everything she could, thinking that Su Wanxing wouldn’t notice anything wrong.
She did this simply because she didn’t want Su Wanxing to see the strange marks on her body, ask questions, and then find out what had happened to her.
She was afraid Su Wanxing would overthink it, and also afraid that her innocent sister would blame herself.
She was even more unwilling to tell Su Wanxing about the danger Shi Ning had encountered, worried that Su Wanxing, who already disliked Shi Ning, would want to drive her away even more.
Although, Shi Ning herself had already proposed to move out.
From a rational point of view, Su Tianxue completely agreed with this. It was probably the most reasonable and safest choice. She was fine, but Su Wanxing, an Omega who had been pampered by her parents since childhood, didn’t know the dangers of the world and was easily deceived.
If Su Wanxing had been the one to encounter this that day… Su Tianxue couldn’t even imagine the consequences, and she wouldn’t have the face to face her grandmother in the afterlife.
But, it was strange.
There was another voice in her heart telling Su Tianxue that she was a little reluctant. Just a little, only a little bit reluctant.
Regarding this unexpected person who had suddenly appeared in her life, Su Tianxue, who had always walked a steady path she had set for herself and was never swayed by others, was actually starting to feel that the unexpected wasn’t so bad.
Just like the accidents that happen in the universe every moment, it always captured her thoughts, making her want to continue observing.
Seeing Su Tianxue’s silence, Shi Ning thought she didn’t know how to explain, so she casually made something up. “Oh, the screen window at your sister’s research institute is broken. She probably got bitten by a mosquito while working overtime last night.”
Su Wanxing was suspicious. “Are there mosquitoes that big?”
Zhu Yu also chimed in, “I’ve seen poisonous mosquitoes when I was filming in the wild. There are some that bite really hard.”
Hearing her idol’s words, Su Wanxing nodded. She said with concern, “Jie, should you bring some mosquito repellent next time you work overtime? Or I can buy you an electric mosquito swatter.”
Zhu Yu was very experienced in mosquito prevention. “I have a few particularly effective mosquito-repelling gadgets. Want me to recommend them to you?”
Seeing that their attention had been diverted by Shi Ning and they were now looking for mosquito-repelling gadgets, Su Tianxue said softly, “Thank you.”
Shi Ning put on her pink bunny-eared slippers. “You’re welcome.”
She said, “I made the mess, so I should clean it up. It’s only right.”
In the Su family’s living room, the four of them sat, the atmosphere so awkward it could have frozen over.
Su Tianxue glanced at the woman sitting on a small stool opposite the coffee table. “I wonder when Miss Zhu met my sister.”
Zhu Yu was a simple person and didn’t understand Shi Ning’s winking hints at all. She answered straightforwardly, “Not long ago, just two days ago. Shi Ning asked me to come over and take care of Wanxing.”
“Wanxing?” Su Tianxue was very sharp.
Su Wanxing tugged at her sister’s sleeve, a little embarrassed. “Jie, don’t be like this.”
Su Tianxue tilted her head. “Like what?”
Su Wanxing thought: Just like this!!
This whole scene made it seem like she was a child being scolded by her sister for dating too early. But she wasn’t even at an age where dating would be considered too early anymore! And… she wasn’t going to date Zhu Yu, how was that possible?
Su Wanxing explained, “Jiejie, Zhu Jiejie and I are just good friends. We get along well.”
Su Tianxue wouldn’t believe that for a second.
She was well aware of how obsessed her sister was with this Zhu Yu person.
Sometimes when she was reading at home and Su Wanxing was back for the holidays, locked in her bedroom, she could hear Su Wanxing’s screams even through several walls.
Shouting in her room, “Ahhh, Zhu Yu, Mommy loves you.”
Things like that.
“Haven’t you always liked—” Before Su Tianxue could finish, her sister stuffed a strawberry into her mouth, effectively shutting her up.
The sweet and sour taste exploded in Su Tianxue’s mouth.
Seeing this, she understood that her sister didn’t want her to say that.
Su Wanxing giggled, popped a strawberry into her own mouth, and said guiltily, “Right, right, I’ve always liked strawberries. Jiejie, try it. The ones Zhu Jiejie bought are delicious.”
Su Tianxue pinched the stem of the strawberry, looking for a trash can. Shi Ning opened her palm and held it out in front of her. Su Tianxue hesitated for a moment, then let go, and the green leaves fell into Shi Ning’s palm. She bent down and threw them into the trash can on the side.
Su Tianxue said softly, “Thank you.”
Seeing this, Zhu Yu smiled and asked gently, “Speaking of which, I still don’t know how you and Shi Ning met, Miss Su.”
Su Tianxue blinked and looked at Shi Ning.
For some reason, Shi Ning felt a chill run down her spine. She explained, “Zhu Yu and I are friends.”
Su Tianxue: “I know.”
Shi Ning: ?
Shi Ning: Then why are you looking at me?
Su Tianxue: “How did we meet?”
Hearing her question, Shi Ning understood. Su Tianxue wanted her to make up a lie. Su Tianxue was not good at lying; she was too direct. Making up a lie in front of so many people about how she and Shi Ning met would be a bit difficult for her.
She probably couldn’t do it.
So, obviously, this heavy responsibility fell on Shi Ning’s shoulders.
Zhu Yu remarked, “It seems Miss Su’s memory isn’t very good.”
Su Wanxing retorted, “Nonsense! My sister is super smart! She’s had a photographic memory since she was a child!”
Su Tianxue: “…”
Right, was it possible that she could disown this sister?
Amidst the silent undercurrents and power struggles, Shi Ning had already concocted a perfect lie. She said, “It’s not strange that I know her. I have a company under my name that develops equipment for astronomy enthusiasts. Su Tianxue happens to be an expert in this field, so I specifically sought her out for advice.”
Su Wanxing was suspicious. “Really?”
Su Tianxue nodded.
She wasn’t good at lying, but nodding without speaking was something she could do with great stability and persuasiveness.
Su Wanxing believed it, but Zhu Yu wasn’t completely convinced.
Su Wanxing was a young, naive fool, but she was not. Seeing the way Shi Ning treated Su Tianxue, something was off. However, she wasn’t someone who couldn’t read the room, so she didn’t press the matter further.
“Since we’re all friends, let’s have a toast.”
Zhu Yu took the lead, raising the small carton of Wang Zai Milk in her hand.
Su Wanxing was her biggest supporter, happily raising her milk carton as well.
Seeing her sister do it, Su Tianxue followed suit.
Shi Ning felt from the bottom of her heart that toasting with Wang Zai Milk was a bit childish, and she had rarely drunk it since she grew up. But if a big ice cube like Su Tianxue could raise a carton of Wang Zai Milk for a toast, why couldn’t she?
So, the four of them, like a bunch of kids, seriously clinked their red Wang Zai Milk cartons together.
Su Wanxing shouted excitedly, “Cheers!”
Shi Ning looked down at the milk carton in her hand, so small it was almost completely enveloped by her large hand. She fell silent, bit down on the straw, and finished it in one go.
Heh.
It was actually pretty good.
She said without hesitation, “This one’s finished. Can I get a refill?”
This milk was a bit addictive.
Zhu Yu got up to get her one. As Shi Ning was waiting, suddenly, her phone rang.
The caller was Ye Wanlan.
Shi Ning’s expression changed slightly. She said to Su Tianxue and Su Wanxing, “I need to take a work call,” and walked over to the balcony.
Su Tianxue watched her, thinking that she hadn’t heard Shi Ning receive any work calls these past few days. Even if she did, she rarely avoided her. Today… was a bit strange.
Su Wanxing had a premonition. The moment she saw Shi Ning’s expression change upon seeing the caller ID, she had a subtle feeling.
She felt that this call might be related to Jiang Ningran.
They say a woman’s sixth sense is very accurate, and they weren’t wrong. At least on the matter of this phone call, Su Wanxing had guessed correctly.
Ye Wanlan was indeed calling because of something related to Jiang Ningran.
“Wan’er Jiejie,” Shi Ning said.
Even though she was on the balcony and had gently pulled the glass door shut, anyone who listened carefully could still hear the faint sound of her voice.
Su Tianxue lowered her eyes.
It was the first time she had heard Shi Ning call someone so intimately, and willingly call them ‘jiejie’.
Thinking about the meaningless age comparison she and Shi Ning had had in bed, Su Tianxue picked up her Wang Zai Milk and took another sip.
On the other end of the line, Ye Wanlan’s voice was very gentle and calm, but the words she spoke were shocking enough.
She said, “Shi Ning, Jiang Ningran is dead.”
“After that day, we handed Jiang Ningran over to the police. Today, she was supposed to be transferred to the prosecutor. On the way, Jiang Ningran’s car was chased by several other cars. The police suspect someone was trying to rescue her. But, there was an accident. Not only did Jiang Ningran not escape, but the entire car she was in crashed into a fuel tanker and exploded on the spot.”
“She’s gone.”
Shi Ning frowned, glanced back at Su Wanxing, and walked a little closer to the railing, turning sideways so that the people in the room couldn’t see her expression. Her face was grave. “Jiang Ningran reaped what she sowed. But, someone tried to help her? The Jiang family?”
“We checked,” Ye Wanlan said. “It wasn’t the Jiang family.”
“The moment Jiang Ningran got into trouble, her parents disowned her.”
Ye Wanlan was a little worried. “I suspect that behind this…”
Shi Ning’s hand rested on the railing, tapping it lightly. “Yes, there must be someone else.”
“By the way, Wan’er Jiejie, what about that Maoyue Club?”
Ye Wanlan: “The relevant departments have been notified to conduct a sweep. This kind of illegal organization will definitely be shut down.”
Shi Ning: “What about the person in charge?”
Ye Wanlan: “We haven’t received any news yet. Progress is very slow. You know how it is with places like this, the waters run deep, and you don’t know what you’ll uncover. The relevant departments are still waiting for approval to proceed. Wait. Ning, you mean… you suspect this person in charge is related to Jiang Ningran?”
Shi Ning lowered her eyes. “Yes.”
Although the plot she knew didn’t mention the specific relationship between the Maoyue Club and Jiang Ningran, she knew that Jiang Ningran was closely associated with the club, not only as a regular but also receiving preferential treatment. To reach that level, she must have had some connection with the person in charge.
Moreover, for Jiang Ningran to be able to lure Su Tianxue to a place like that, she must have been confident of success there. From the warehouse, she must have been arranging things at the club through remote communication. Jiang Ningran was definitely not the person in charge of the Maoyue Club, so there was only one possibility: she could communicate directly with the highest-level person in charge.
From this, it could be judged that her relationship with the person in charge was unusual. The kind of person who would run such a bottomless club would likely have no legal bottom line either. Chasing a police car to snatch a criminal was something they would be capable of.
So, if they could find the person in charge of Maoyue, they might be able to find the person behind Jiang Ningran.
Ye Wanlan was also smart and immediately understood this. She reminded Shi Ning, “Anyway, Ning, I’m calling to tell you this not only to let you know about Jiang Ningran’s situation but also to remind you to be careful recently. If it’s not convenient outside, you can come home.”
“No matter who is behind this, they must be a lunatic. They might blame Jiang Ningran’s death on you. Ning, do you understand what I mean?”
“Don’t worry, Wan’er Jiejie.” Shi Ning chuckled. “If the other party is a lunatic, I’m not much better.”
“By the way, I’m coming back to stay tonight. Can you ask the butler to prepare my room?”
Hearing this, Ye Wanlan was a little delighted. “Really? Okay, okay. I’ll tell Godmother right away. She’ll be so happy to know. What time will you be back tonight? I’ll cook a big meal for you.”
Shi Ning: “Don’t go to so much trouble. I can just grab something to eat outside.”
Ye Wanlan chided her, “How can you say that? It’s the first time you and your wife are coming back. We have to show how important this is to us.”
Shi Ning understood that Ye Wanlan had probably misunderstood. She said, “It’s just me. Su Tianxue isn’t coming back.”
Ye Wanlan was silent for a moment, then asked, “You’ve only been married for a short time, and you’re already living separately?”
She didn’t understand.
Ye Wanlan probed, “I heard from the hotel that you didn’t leave the room for two days and two nights. How did it… did you bully her?”
Shi Ning was helpless. “Alright, Wan’er Jiejie, I’m hanging up.”
“I’ll message you before I head back.”
Ye Wanlan looked at the disconnected phone, her expression grave.
Could it be because… Ning can’t perform?
Ye Wanlan quickly picked up the phone. “Hello, Dr. Liu? Are you available to come to our house tonight to give Shi Ning a full-body check-up?”
“Finished?” Zhu Yu asked when Shi Ning returned, handing her a carton of Wang Zai Milk.
Shi Ning nodded. She distractedly tried to poke the straw into the carton but missed. Zhu Yu laughed at her. “What are you thinking about?”
Shi Ning shook her head. “Nothing.”
She reinserted the straw, drank it all in one go, and threw it into the trash can. She glanced at the trash bag; it was full and needed to be taken out.
Shi Ning suddenly spoke, “Zhu Yu.”
“Huh?” Zhu Yu was surprised that Shi Ning would suddenly call her name and looked up in surprise.
Shi Ning: “Let’s go. I’ll walk you downstairs.”
Zhu Yu: ? How did she suddenly get scheduled?
Su Wanxing: ? Leaving so soon?
At Shi Ning’s word, Zhu Yu got up and said goodbye to Su Tianxue and Su Wanxing. Su Wanxing was reluctant. “Wait, Zhu Jiejie, I’ll walk you out too.”
Su Tianxue didn’t like to join in the fun and didn’t have any particular feelings for Zhu Yu. She said goodbye and stayed at home.
The three of them walked downstairs, and Shi Ning spoke again, “Zhu Yu, wait for me in the car.”
She tossed the keys to Zhu Yu. Zhu Yu caught them with a jingle.
She glanced at Su Wanxing, waved at her, then pointed at her phone, meaning they would be in touch. Then she turned, pulled down her cap, and walked towards Shi Ning’s car.
Su Wanxing wanted to follow, but Shi Ning blocked her way. “Su Wanxing, I have something to tell you.”
Su Wanxing was stunned and looked up blankly, a little nervous from Shi Ning’s imposing manner. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing, just a small thing, but I think you need to know.”
Su Wanxing: “Huh?”
Shi Ning looked at Su Wanxing. The banyan tree behind her rustled in the evening breeze. Her soft words were carried over by the wind.
Shi Ning said, “Jiang Ningran, she’s dead.”
Su Wanxing’s pupils shrank. She took a step back, clutching her clothes. “You didn’t…”
Shi Ning was helpless. “What are you thinking?”
“She was arrested by the police and tried to escape. She had people intercept the car, but there was an accident along the way. A car crash, and she was gone on the spot.”
“Phew—”
Su Wanxing let out a sigh of relief.
Shi Ning’s tone was gentle. “I’m telling you this because I think that as her direct victim, you have a right to know. At the same time, I want to tell you, Su Wanxing, that her death has nothing to do with you. You don’t need to take this upon yourself, understand? She did something wrong, and it’s right that she should be punished by the law. As for what happened later, it’s just the wicked getting their comeuppance, a just desert.”
Su Wanxing hummed in agreement. She glanced at Shi Ning and felt that she wasn’t so bad after all.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “By the way, Jiejie Shi, you didn’t tell my sister about this, did you?”
“Tell you what?”
Hearing the voice, Shi Ning looked up, and Su Wanxing turned around in shock. Both of their gazes met Su Tianxue’s eyes, which were darker than the night.
Su Tianxue lifted the trash bag in her hand. “It’s time to take this out.”
“Jiejie.” Su Wanxing was extremely nervous.
Su Tianxue first walked around, threw the trash bag away, and then walked over to them. “You two are hiding something from me.”
Su Wanxing looked at Shi Ning for help, but Shi Ning’s eyes darted away.
Su Tianxue frowned. “Su Wanxing, don’t look at her. Look at me.”
“I—” Su Wanxing didn’t know what to do.
Su Tianxue had a gut feeling that these two were hiding something from her.
She had a bad premonition.
Su Wanxing couldn’t hold it in any longer. She suppressed her pain and said, “Yes, Jiejie, I’ve been hiding something from you.”
“Jiang Ningran is dead. The reason was a car crash involving a police car during a hijacking.”
Su Tianxue’s brows furrowed tightly. “How did she get arrested?”
Su Wanxing lowered her head, bit her lip, and mustered all her courage before finally saying, “Because she drugged me.”
Su Tianxue was stunned.
But Su Wanxing felt that it wasn’t as hard to say as she had imagined. For the past two days, whenever Zhu Yu wasn’t around and she was alone at home, she had thought about this over and over again. She always felt that it was something shameful, something she couldn’t talk about. But now, it seemed she could say it so directly.
It wasn’t her fault.
Why should she be ashamed?
She was just stating something bad that another person had done to her.
Su Wanxing raised her head, her small fists clenched, and looked at Su Tianxue seriously. “The day you went to work, she tried to force herself on me. Jiejie Shi stepped in and helped me. Then she checked the surveillance footage and found out that she had drugged me when she invited me for coffee.”
Su Tianxue felt like her head was about to explode.
She had so many questions, but the first thing she said was, “Then, are you okay?”
As soon as she said this, Su Wanxing’s tears began to fall uncontrollably, like a sudden downpour in July, fierce and without warning. She threw herself into Su Tianxue’s arms, finally finding a trustworthy and reliable embrace in which to pour out her grievances and pain.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Su Tianxue gently patted Su Wanxing’s back. “Jiejie knows, Jiejie knows. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you well.”
Su Wanxing shook her head. “No, it’s, it’s because I was stupid.”
Su Tianxue used her sleeve to wipe Su Wanxing’s tears. “Our Wanxing isn’t stupid at all.”
After Su Wanxing had cried for a long time and was starting to calm down, Su Tianxue began to ask the questions that had been bothering her.
“So, Jiang Ningran is an Alpha,” she asked.
Su Wanxing nodded.
A flash of lightning went through Su Tianxue’s mind. She looked up at Shi Ning. “Could it be, the day we went to the hotel?”
Shi Ning pressed her lips together. “Yes.”
……
Su Tianxue regretted it.
She should have gone straight upstairs that day, been a control-freak sister, or a shrew, and kicked the door open. Maybe then, she could have stopped the tragedy from beginning.
“So, you knew about this from the start.” This question was directed at Shi Ning.
Shi Ning nodded. “I knew.”
Not only did she know about this, but she had also hidden the matter of the threats and photos from Su Wanxing. Today, seeing that Su Wanxing had a new phone, Shi Ning was prepared to throw away the old one that had received the threatening messages.
Although the messages could be deleted, what if one day the phone suddenly glitched and restored the previously deleted messages?
Shi Ning had also asked Ye Wanlan to take care of all the secretly taken photos and videos of Su Wanxing. Jiang Ningran had stored them on her phone and hadn’t had time to upload them. They had also checked her computer and other devices when they went to her house, and there were no related files.
Phew.
This was something Shi Ning would probably never tell Su Wanxing.
Su Tianxue looked at Shi Ning with complicated emotions.
“Miss Shi, thank you.”
Hearing this form of address, Shi Ning frowned.
Su Tianxue added, “But Wanxing is my sister.”
Shi Ning laughed in anger. “Su Tianxue, what do you mean?”
Su Wanxing quickly said, “Jiejie, I was the one who asked Jiejie Shi not to tell you.”
Su Tianxue was taken aback. “Why?”
“Because… because…” Su Wanxing clutched Su Tianxue’s clothes, her head bowed. “I was scared.”
“Jiejie, I was afraid you would scold me. I was also afraid that after you found out, you would think I was stupid. Because you’ve always been so smart, smart since we were little. Only someone as stupid as me would fall for that, right?”
Shi Ning really wanted to say: No, your sister fell for it not long ago too.
But she kept her mouth shut.
Saying that would be asking for death.
Su Wanxing added, “Jiejie, I didn’t want you to think badly of me after you found out.”
Su Tianxue was extremely helpless. She wasn’t good at comforting people. After a long pause, she could only wipe Su Wanxing’s tears and say seriously, “I wouldn’t. I don’t.”
“You are very good.”
Seeing the deep sisterly bond between them, Shi Ning couldn’t get a word in.
Just then, Zhu Yu honked the horn.
The clear sound rang out, reminding Shi Ning that it was time for her to leave too.
She said goodbye to Su Tianxue and Su Wanxing.
Su Wanxing was confused. “Jiejie Shi, you’re moving out?”
Shi Ning laughed at her. “Yeah, isn’t that just what you wanted?”
“I…” Su Wanxing pressed her lips together, her heart in turmoil.
Actually, she didn’t hate Shi Ning that much anymore.
Su Tianxue was calmer than Su Wanxing. She looked up at her. “What about your things?”
Shi Ning said nonchalantly, “Just leave them. Throw away anything useless.”
“There’s not much anyway.”
Su Tianxue: “Wasteful.”
Shi Ning shrugged.
She was afraid that if she went upstairs again, she wouldn’t want to leave.
“Alright, bye.”
After saying goodbye, she ran towards her car. Her red figure flashed in the dark night, very eye-catching. The way she ran made Su Tianxue think for a moment that Shi Ning was going to leave her life just like that.
Their three-month marriage review period was not over yet.
But now, their cohabitation had ended.
Su Tianxue collected her thoughts, led Su Wanxing back, pushed the matter of Shi Ning to the back of her mind, and focused on her sister. “Wanxing, I hope you believe me.”
“No matter what happens, you will always be my most precious sister.”
Su Wanxing nodded, moved, then said cautiously, “So, Jiejie, I think I might have accidentally broken your astronomical telescope these past two days… Do you want to go back and check it?”
Su Tianxue: “…”
Su Wanxing quickly raised her hands in surrender. “You said it! No matter what happens! I’m your precious sister!!”
Su Tianxue watched Su Wanxing’s fleeing figure and shook her head.
Her phone dinged. Someone had sent her a message.
She picked it up and glanced at it.
Big Liar: Excuse me, Miss Su. I quite like those pink bunny-eared slippers. Could you give them to me? Also, I should have a newly bought piece of clothing delivered to your place. If it’s convenient, can I come and pick it up tomorrow?
Seeing the message, the corners of Su Tianxue’s lips curled up slightly. She cursed under her breath, “Liar.”
Didn’t you say to just deal with it however, that it was fine to throw it away?
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