PANT - Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Two words slammed into Shi Ning’s mind as she watched the scene unfold before her.
Dumb. Founded.
Everything happening now was beyond her expectations and outside the realm of her thoughts.
Su Tianxue’s appearance.
Fei Yue’s apology.
Fei Yue and Su Tianxue appearing together…
What in the world was all this?
Shi Ning wanted to ask, but she knew this wasn’t a good time for questions.
Because Su Tianxue had already walked up to Shen Qingtang.
Shi Ning had never seen Su Tianxue like this before.
In the past, even when she was angry, she could maintain her composure, looking like a frozen lake that would never reveal the roiling fury beneath its surface.
But today, Su Tianxue’s anger was written all over her face.
Seeing her stride quickly toward Shen Qingtang, alarms blared in Shi Ning’s own mind.
A sharp, piercing siren wailed wildly in her head.
Although it was clear Su Tianxue wasn’t angry at her right now, the thought of what Su Tianxue had just said made her realize her own time for suffering would come soon enough.
Shi Ning thought to herself that if this were an anime, a ring of burning flames would be blazing behind Su Tianxue right now.
Those burning flames would outline her figure, and the powerful aura bursting forth was almost enough to knock Shi Ning back.
Shen Qingtang probably sensed Su Tianxue’s fury as well.
It seemed this was also the first time she had seen Su Tianxue like this. As Su Tianxue walked toward her, her legs instinctively went weak, and with a thud, her knees hit the floor.
Shen Qingtang was kneeling on the ground.
…...
Was that even an option?
Looking at Shen Qingtang’s state, Shi Ning could hardly bear to watch.
For a moment, she even began to suspect that Shen Qingtang had some sort of strange fetish.
The next second, her suspicion was confirmed.
Seeing Su Tianxue like this, Shen Qingtang showed no fear. Instead, she looked somewhat excited.
She tilted her head up to look at Su Tianxue, her gaze seemingly measuring her personal goddess.
Su Tianxue lifted her foot and stomped on Shen Qingtang’s shoulder.
The force was so great that Shen Qingtang stumbled backward, catching herself with her hands on the floor to keep from falling completely.
There was no anger or humiliation in her eyes. In fact, the sound Shen Qingtang made wasn’t one of pain, but a subtly… suggestive moan.
Seeing that Su Tianxue was about to press down even harder on Shen Qingtang’s shoulder, Shi Ning quickly cried out to stop her. “Don’t!”
Holding her pose, Su Tianxue turned her head to glance at Shi Ning.
She tilted her head slightly, as if to say: You have a problem with this?
…...
Shi Ning was speechless.
Faced with this version of Su Tianxue, even Shi Ning couldn’t find any words of rebuttal.
Right.
When this woman, Su Tianxue, got angry, she was truly terrifying. It was as if she would burn to ashes anything and anyone around her that tried to stop her.
At this moment, Shi Ning realized just how lenient Su Tianxue had been with her in the past. She also understood that Su Tianxue’s previous displays of anger were nothing more than a sprinkle of water—all thunder and no rain.
This was the truly serious moment.
Normally, Su Tianxue was supposed to be an ice cube.
But even an ice cube could apparently catch fire.
And at a time like this, it could start a fierce blaze.
Shi Ning bowed slightly and made a “please, go ahead” gesture.
She felt it was best not to interfere in Su Tianxue’s business for now.
Otherwise, later… when her wife came to settle the score with her, the old issue wouldn’t be resolved, and a new one would be added to her tab.
Seeing Shi Ning quiet down and say no more, Su Tianxue turned back to Shen Qingtang.
She lifted her foot, the heel of her shoe grinding viciously into Shen Qingtang’s shoulder, as if about to crush her shoulder blade.
Hearing Shen Qingtang’s pleased moans, a flash of disgust crossed Su Tianxue’s eyes. But it was precisely this disgust that seemed to activate something hidden within Shen Qingtang.
She suddenly grabbed Su Tianxue’s pant leg. Su Tianxue pulled back, and the fabric slipped through Shen Qingtang’s fingers.
So she wrapped her arms around Su Tianxue’s calf instead. On reflex, Su Tianxue kicked Shen Qingtang over.
This time, Shen Qingtang fell solidly to the ground.
She crawled forward a few steps and looked up at Su Tianxue. “Don’t hate me, Su Tianxue. You can’t hate me.”
“Anyone in this world can hate me, but not you. Su Tianxue, you can’t.”
A chill ran down Su Tianxue’s spine. Her eyes were devoid of any ripples, leaving only cold indifference.
Shen Qingtang pleaded, “Say something. Su Tianxue, say something.”
“Don’t just stay silent.”
Scold her, hate her, anything.
Just not silence.
Seeing Shen Qingtang like this, Su Tianxue’s eyes were filled with an indifference that was like the embers left after a fire.
Su Tianxue spoke with a hint of pity. “Shen Qingtang, I don’t hate you.”
Hearing this, a relieved smile appeared on Shen Qingtang’s face. “I knew it, I knew it.”
Su Tianxue said softly, “Shen Qingtang, I have no feelings for you now. And I don’t care why you’ve become like this. I just want to tell you, from now on, stay far away from my life.”
“I am not your possession, nor do I need you to plan my life for me or judge what kind of—friends—I need.”
Shen Qingtang struggled to speak. “But I—”
Su Tianxue was a very polite person. Normally, she wouldn’t interrupt someone while they were speaking.
But now, she couldn’t stand to hear another word from Shen Qingtang.
“Shen Qingtang, if you had even a shred of respect for me, you would know that every word I’ve said to you before was carefully considered and will not be swayed.”
Su Tianxue stood there. From Shen Qingtang’s perspective, she was like a jade statue, high and mighty.
In her eyes, Shen Qingtang truly couldn’t see any extraneous emotion.
There was none of the love she hoped for, nor any of the irresolvable hatred.
This made Shen Qingtang’s heart sink violently.
As if plummeting into an endless abyss.
Even now, all she could see in Su Tianxue’s eyes was rationality.
Only rationality.
Su Tianxue was speaking. “Shen Qingtang, you say you want to be my friend, but everything you’ve done has pushed me in the opposite direction of your life.”
People on different paths can’t walk together.
This was something Su Tianxue had known since high school.
She didn’t understand why Shen Qingtang had never understood this.
Shen Qingtang started to laugh.
Her laughter was filled with mockery and despair.
“Su Tianxue, how can you still be so calm at a time like this?”
She couldn’t even glimpse a single trace of breakdown or nervousness in her.
“Don’t you know by now that from the very beginning, what I wanted was never to be your friend?”
Su Tianxue didn’t speak.
But in her silence, Shen Qingtang already knew the answer.
She let out a desperate laugh. Perhaps because she was so agitated, her body trembled as she laughed.
“Su Tianxue, you knew.”
“You knew all along.”
She had thought Su Tianxue had never seen it.
So, it turned out she knew everything.
For Shen Qingtang, this was an unacceptable and insurmountable blow.
Every word Su Tianxue had said, past and present, was like the text on her death sentence. Each character transformed into a sharp little knife, carving thousands of wounds on her body, each one cutting to the bone, deep into her flesh, causing all the blood within to pour out.
Shen Qingtang had nearly descended into madness. She shrieked in disbelief.
The sound was piercing, like the final cry of some desperate, monstrous beast.
By now, anyone could see that Shen Qingtang was no longer mentally stable.
Fei Yue took a step forward, and with a swift chop of her hand, knocked Shen Qingtang unconscious.
Su Tianxue was silent for a moment, then asked, “Is she on drugs?”
Fei Yue nodded. “She should be.”
Seeing the two of them engaged in a tacit question-and-answer, Shi Ning felt a pang of displeasure.
She cleared her throat lightly, signaling her continued presence.
Su Tianxue completely ignored her.
Fei Yue picked up her phone. Before long, a group of people came up, dressed in black suits. Anyone who didn’t know better would think they were filming The Matrix.
Fei Yue intended to take Shen Qingtang away.
Seeing this, Shi Ning tried to stop her.
“Miss Fei, what is the meaning of this?”
Although Fei Yue seemed to have reached some sort of agreement with Su Tianxue, Shi Ning knew nothing about it.
She hadn’t completely let down her guard around Fei Yue.
No matter what, Fei Yue was still Shen Qingtang’s fiancée in name.
If she just watched her take the person away now—
Shi Ning’s expression darkened.
Fei Yue saw this but offered no explanation.
Su Tianxue reached out and grabbed Shi Ning’s hand. “Let her go.”
Shi Ning was incredulous. “Wife?”
Su Tianxue: “Hm?”
Fine.
Under Su Tianxue’s gaze, Shi Ning, though unwilling, didn’t press the matter further.
But the little question mark in her mind grew bigger and bigger.
Since when did her wife get so familiar with Fei Yue?
A thousand thoughts raced through Shi Ning’s mind, but she remained standing there, watching as Fei Yue had her people take Shen Qingtang away.
Facing Shi Ning’s scorching gaze, Fei Yue felt as if her back was about to be burned through by her stare.
Fei Yue continued to act as if nothing had happened and left.
She glanced at Shen Qingtang, who was being carried over someone’s shoulder.
Right.
She would let Shen Qingtang know that there weren’t many people left in this world who dared to deceive her. The reason was that everyone who had ever deceived her ended up meeting a miserable fate.
Fei Yue’s departure provided a quiet environment for Su Tianxue and Shi Ning to talk.
Now, only the two of them were left in the space.
The air fell silent.
The flames that had been burning behind Su Tianxue just moments ago seemed to have cooled in an instant. The fire turned to ice, which then fell, scattering fine shards all over the floor.
They rolled to Shi Ning’s feet.
Forcing her to notice the decidedly abnormal silence.
In the silence, Su Tianxue said nothing.
In the end, it was Shi Ning who couldn’t take it anymore.
She pondered for a moment, then looked at Su Tianxue and asked, “Wife, when did you and Fei Yue get so close?”
She was cautious, but her words carried a hint of sourness.
Hmph.
Just now, Shi Ning had seen a kind of latent understanding between Su Tianxue and Fei Yue. What was that about?
A mutual appreciation between two ice cubes, or a telepathic connection?
Faced with Shi Ning’s question, Su Tianxue didn’t rush to answer.
She walked over to the sofa and sat down, crossing her legs. She looked at Shi Ning, her eyes full of challenge, and said, “Then when did you and Shen Qingtang get so close?”
Able to meet with Shen Qingtang in her own home without her knowledge.
What kind of relationship was that?
Su Tianxue’s question left Shi Ning completely choked up.
Her train of thought was broken, and the conversational logic she had just prepared was now useless.
Shi Ning silently grabbed a chair and sat down opposite Su Tianxue.
The scene looked as if she were a criminal being interrogated.
Shi Ning moved the chair an inch closer to Su Tianxue and began to explain, “No, Wife, listen to me. I’m not close to her at all. She just showed up here on her own today.”
Shi Ning looked at Su Tianxue with puppy-dog eyes, her gaze filled with pleading and sincerity. “Wife, please believe me.”
“How could I possibly be close to her?”
Shen Qingtang wasn’t even a normal person, okay?
Although Shi Ning herself couldn’t always be considered normal, compared to Shen Qingtang, she was at least still human.
How could a human and a non-human be discussed in the same breath!
Shi Ning argued forcefully, “Shen Qingtang is my love rival. Why would I get close to her?”
She’d have to be crazy!
Seeing Shi Ning so proactively confessing, Su Tianxue seemed to believe her explanation. She lifted her cool chin slightly, indicating that she understood Shi Ning’s words.
Seeing this, Shi Ning asked cautiously, “Wife, so, have I made things clear about me and Shen Qingtang?”
Su Tianxue hummed in response, looking very cold.
Seeing her like this, the breath Shi Ning was about to let out in relief was completely swallowed back down.
…...
She’s still angry!
What was Su Tianxue angry about?
Su Tianxue looked at Shi Ning and asked softly, “Is there anything you want to ask me?”
Shi Ning hadn’t expected that, as someone currently facing interrogation, she would actually have the right to ask Su Tianxue questions.
She cleared her throat. In truth, she still only had one question in her mind—what was the deal with Su Tianxue and Fei Yue?
She asked this question on a whim, then continued, “Also, Wife, how did you know I was here? Weren’t you supposed to be having dinner with people from the university? And what’s going on with Fei Yue and Shen Qingtang? What does she plan to do by taking Shen Qingtang away?”
Seeing Shi Ning tormented by curiosity and questions, Su Tianxue’s lips curled into a smile.
Su Tianxue: “You want to know the answers?”
Shi Ning nodded obediently.
Su Tianxue let out a light laugh. “Shi Ning, how does it feel to be kept in the dark, knowing nothing at all?”
Hearing this, Shi Ning’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Su Tianxue.
At this moment, she knew the time for Su Tianxue to settle the score with her had finally arrived.
In a situation like this, admitting fault and bowing one’s head first was definitely the right move.
Her attitude had to be sincere, and her confession had to be clear.
Shi Ning felt that if someone placed a durian in front of her, she would kneel on it immediately.
“Wife, let me explain.”
Su Tianxue: “Hm?”
She was smiling, but the smile was so cold it made Shi Ning’s heart feel a little cold too.
Su Tianxue: “You want to explain to me now?”
Shi Ning: “……”
This damn feeling of impending doom was genuinely making her a little scared.
Su Tianxue: “Where were you earlier?”
Shi Ning dropped to the ground with a thud, her knees hitting the floor a bit too hard.
Su Tianxue quickly stood up, walked over, brought a chair, and squatted beside her. She pushed aside Shi Ning’s hands to check the condition of her knees.
There was a hint of anxiety in Su Tianxue’s voice. “Did you fall? Are you crazy? Why are you kneeling?”
“Are you hurt?”
Shi Ning didn’t say anything, so Su Tianxue held her calf and slowly rolled up her pant leg. Her knee was a little red and the skin was broken.
“Does it hurt?” Su Tianxue asked.
Shi Ning lowered her head and hummed in agreement.
Su Tianxue leaned closer and gently blew on the wound.
Her breath was soft, like a light, fluffy cloud brushing over Shi Ning’s injury.
Watching Su Tianxue do this, a phrase popped into Shi Ning’s head.
There, there, let big sister kiss it better, make the pain go away.
Shi Ning was amused by her own association. She wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t.
She had to keep a straight face.
Following Shi Ning’s directions, Su Tianxue found the first-aid kit and treated Shi Ning’s wound with the iodine swabs and ointment inside.
It wasn’t serious at all.
But Su Tianxue seemed very worried.
Just moments ago, when she had kicked Shen Qingtang, she had shown such unhesitating resolve.
Su Tianxue asked, “Does it still hurt?”
Shi Ning nodded pitifully. Her voice lacked its usual strength, sounding weak and a little miserable. “It hurts,” she said.
Su Tianxue frowned slightly. “It shouldn’t.”
The wound really wasn’t that serious.
Su Tianxue glanced at Shi Ning, reached out, and pressed on her wound. “Does this hurt?”
Shi Ning sucked in a sharp breath and cried out in pain, “Wife, Wife, what are you doing?”
Su Tianxue sneered. “Done pretending?”
She knew it!
Su Tianxue: “The self-pity trick?”
Seeing her ploy exposed, Shi Ning gave a bitter smile. She grabbed the wrist of Su Tianxue, who was about to stand up. “Wife~”
Su Tianxue: “Still acting?”
Shi Ning: “I’m not.”
Su Tianxue: “Then why are you acting so pitiful?”
Shi Ning: “I’m scared.”
Shi Ning told the truth. “Wife, don’t go, okay?”
“I know I shouldn’t have done this.”
A gentle breeze blew into the room, coming from behind Shi Ning, lifting her long hair. The strands floated with an endless softness.
“I should have discussed things with you when they came up.”
Su Tianxue was unmoved. She lowered her gaze. “Is that so?”
Shi Ning explained earnestly, “Really, Wife. I shouldn’t have kept everything from you.”
Su Tianxue: “Mm.”
Shi Ning: “I… I was wrong.”
Su Tianxue raised an eyebrow. “You weren’t wrong.”
Su Tianxue: “You hid everything and told me nothing. You weren’t wrong.”
Shi Ning quickly interjected, “No, no, I was really wrong.”
Su Tianxue said lightly, “You just wanted to protect me, to carry everything on your own. What did you do wrong?”
Shi Ning hadn’t expected Su Tianxue to be so unconventional.
She immediately said seriously, “Wife, don’t argue with me. I was really wrong. I shouldn’t have done this. When things happen, I should learn to discuss them with you, instead of—”
Su Tianxue finished her sentence for her.
“Instead of hiding things from me and using your own judgment to guess my reaction. Shi Ning, you should put me on an equal footing. When problems arise, you should communicate with me, not keep everything from me. I’m not the kind of woman who stands behind you. Do you understand what I mean?”
Shi Ning nodded repeatedly, listening obediently. “I understand, I understand. My wife is so amazing and so smart. Next time I run into a problem, I should discuss it with my wife and learn from her brilliant mind! I will never deceive you again!”
Su Tianxue’s eyelids lifted. “So, tell me, is there anything else you’re hiding from me right now?”
Shi Ning: “……”
Su Tianxue: “When did you start suspecting Shen Qingtang?”
Shi Ning: “Um, it was that day we had dinner with her.”
Su Tianxue sneered. “The first time you saw her?”
Shi Ning’s gaze darted around. “Because when W was arrested before, I felt that Wang Yue didn’t seem like W. Later, I went to visit Wang Yue, and from her, I learned about the cicada shedding its skin, which made me even more certain that W was someone else.”
“You went to visit her?”
It’s over.
Shi Ning thought.
She was really digging her own grave with every word.
She felt like every word she said was tap-dancing on Su Tianxue’s last nerve.
She stopped talking, lowered her head, and apologized to Su Tianxue once more. “Wife, I’m sorry.”
Su Tianxue said coldly, “What do you have to be sorry to me for?”
“So you were thinking about all these things every day while you were preparing for the bar exam?”
Shi Ning’s fingers twisted together. If you drizzled a little syrup on them, they could probably be stirred into a delicious malt candy.
Shi Ning: “I was just eager to find the truth.”
Su Tianxue: “Doing all this by yourself, very proud of yourself?”
“Do you find it exciting, adventurous? Do you feel like a hero now, carrying everything on your shoulders?”
Su Tianxue’s tone was laced with anger and frustration.
Shi Ning glanced at her and tentatively asked, “Wife, are you worried about me?”
Su Tianxue: “What do you think?”
Su Tianxue: “If I hadn’t shown up today, what would you have done? What if it wasn’t just Shen Qingtang who came to corner you at home today, but a group of people? What would you have done then?”
“You really think you’re Superman.”
“Don’t you know Superman is dead?”
Su Tianxue was so angry her head was about to explode.
Holding it in until now was a feat of its own.
Hearing her words, Shi Ning hadn’t realized Su Tianxue would be this worried and scared for her. She took a step forward, reached out, and pulled Su Tianxue into her arms. She repeated her apologies over and over, patting Su Tianxue’s back as if to dispel her anxiety and fear.
She could completely understand Su Tianxue’s emotions right now.
If their roles were reversed, if she were the one kept in the dark and learned that Su Tianxue had faced danger all alone, she would be worried too.
Her shoulder felt a little damp. Shi Ning froze.
She spoke with hesitation. “Wife, are you crying?”
She wanted to turn and cup Su Tianxue’s face, but Su Tianxue forcefully pushed her head back.
Shi Ning smiled helplessly.
She knew Su Tianxue was doing this because she didn’t want to expose her vulnerability to her.
Su Tianxue was crying.
Crying for her.
Painful bubbles rose in Shi Ning’s heart. She felt a tightness in her chest.
She had made the person she cherished most shed tears.
Shi Ning sighed softly. “Su Tianxue, from now on, no matter what happens, I will communicate and discuss it with you. I won’t go on adventures alone anymore, nor will I be arrogant enough to think I can solve every problem and protect you.”
If Su Tianxue hadn’t come today.
Shi Ning probably would have really told Su Tianxue she wanted to break up under Shen Qingtang’s threat.
And then what?
Then, after the matter was over, she would have to chase after Su Tianxue every day to explain.
That her words weren’t sincere.
That only her love was sincere.
But if it had really come to that, the damage from her lies would have already been done to Su Tianxue.
It would have been irreversible.
No one can make a scar disappear completely.
No one.
Everything done afterward would just be papering over the cracks.
Shi Ning’s heart pounded for a moment, and she felt a wave of retroactive fear.
Su Tianxue said in a muffled voice, “Shi Ning, I don’t need your protection.”
“What I want is to walk side by side.”
She had never been some little white rabbit to be protected behind someone’s back.
She could have gotten out of the Maoyue Club on her own.
She had her own ways of solving problems.
Shi Ning nodded, stroking Su Tianxue’s long hair. Sensing that her emotions had calmed down a lot, she carefully and tentatively asked, “So, Wife, can I know what the situation is with you and Fei Yue?”
Shi Ning felt that if she didn’t get this cleared up today, she probably wouldn’t be able to rest in peace even in her coffin.
Su Tianxue pushed Shi Ning away and lowered her head to wipe the corners of her eyes.
When she looked up, her eyes were glistening, and the corners were tinged with red. It was obvious she had been crying.
But since Su Tianxue didn’t want anyone to know, Shi Ning would pretend she hadn’t noticed anything.
Su Tianxue began to speak slowly. “Actually, I noticed something was off with you a long time ago.”
Shi Ning: “Huh?”
Su Tianxue: “When you were studying for the exam, you seemed to have something on your mind.”
Shi Ning: “Then why didn’t you ask me?”
Su Tianxue: “You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t want to disturb your studies.”
Hearing this, Shi Ning thought to herself that there was probably another possibility.
From that time on, Su Tianxue had already been preparing to settle the score with her later.
Su Tianxue: “Last time you went to Fei Yue’s banquet, didn’t you run into Mo Lingyuan?”
Shi Ning was startled. “What do you mean? Did Mo Lingyuan tip you off?”
Su Tianxue frowned slightly. “Watch your wording.”
Tip her off?
She was merely finding out her wife’s whereabouts from someone else.
It was reasonable and legal.
Did that require being “tipped off”?
It was perfectly aboveboard, thank you very much!
Shi Ning corrected herself. “Mo Lingyuan… she told you about this?”
Su Tianxue: “Mm.”
Shi Ning was a little nervous. “Did she tell you anything else?”
Su Tianxue: “Anything else?”
Her tone paused. “You have other things you’re hiding from me.”
Shi Ning subconsciously wanted to say no.
But then she remembered the promise she had just made to Su Tianxue. She took a deep breath and resolved to confess. “There is one thing, but, Wife, I might need to prepare a little before I can tell you.”
This matter was a bit too outrageous.
She was afraid that if she just blurted it out, Su Tianxue would think… well, given Su Tianxue’s passion for scientific research, she might just slice her up for study.
“Can you finish telling me about you and Fei Yue first?” Shi Ning suggested.
Su Tianxue: “She told me you and Fei Yue were discussing business. I didn’t care at first, but then I thought about it and found it strange. I looked up Fei Yue’s information. Given your personality, you wouldn’t be keen on attending such gatherings, let alone socializing with Fei Yue. I asked Mo Lingyuan for Ye Wanlan’s contact information. And, well, Ye Wanlan told me what you were doing.”
…...
?????
Shi Ning: “...So you knew all along?”
If Ye Wanlan had spilled the beans to Su Tianxue…
Then didn’t that mean Su Tianxue knew everything about her investigation into W?
She had no secrets left at all.
Su Tianxue raised an eyebrow but didn’t speak.
Shi Ning thought for a moment. “But that still doesn’t explain your relationship with Fei Yue.”
Su Tianxue: “Are you jealous?”
Shi Ning: “...A little. Is that not allowed?”
She raised her hand, making a tiny gesture with her index finger and thumb.
You know, the “I’ve lost the entire Korean market” gesture.
Su Tianxue reached out and pushed her hand down. “Don’t be jealous over nothing.”
Shi Ning: “Hmph!”
Su Tianxue: “Of course I couldn’t contact Fei Yue directly. But have you forgotten that I’ve been watching Wanxing’s show?”
A flash of inspiration struck Shi Ning, and a name popped into her head.
“Fei Xuzhi!!”
In the information Ye Wanlan had shown her about Fei Yue, Fei Xuzhi was mentioned.
Fei Yue’s younger sister.
The file said she was participating in a variety talent show.
And that show was the one Su Wanxing was currently on.
Shi Ning: “...That works too?”
Su Tianxue chuckled. “So, I kept sending messages to Su Wanxing, but she didn’t reply. When I saw her reply to your Moments post, I talked to her about it.”
Shi Ning remembered.
At the time, she had even deliberately given Su Wanxing and Su Tianxue space for a sisterly heart-to-heart.
Little did she know…
It was her wife setting a trap for her behind her back!
Hmph!
“Wanxing went and asked. Luckily, no manipulation was needed at all. Fei Xuzhi doesn’t like Shen Qingtang, so as soon as Wanxing asked, she told her everything about why Shen Qingtang was with her sister.”
“And then came the most coincidental part.”
Shi Ning finished the thought. “Su Wanxing was actually the one who saved Fei Yue back then.”
After all the twists and turns, Su Wanxing still found out about it.
Su Tianxue nodded. “Yes. So Shen Qingtang’s lie fell apart on its own. Fei Yue contacted me proactively and told me what Shen Qingtang was planning to do using her power.”
“And that’s why I was able to show up.”
Because of Fei Yue’s defection, all of Shen Qingtang’s plans had turned to dust, and Su Tianxue knew all about them.
After finishing her explanation, Su Tianxue suddenly realized something was off.
“How did you know about Wanxing and Fei Yue?”
No matter how she thought about it, Shi Ning shouldn’t have known about this.
Unless—
“Did Wanxing tell you?”
But Su Tianxue felt that was a rather unlikely guess.
Although the relationship between Su Wanxing and Shi Ning had eased, and Su Wanxing was grateful to her, they probably hadn’t reached the point where they could confide in each other about such things, right?
After all, even she, her biological sister, knew very little about it.
Shi Ning squeezed Su Tianxue’s hand and looked into her eyes. “I know because it’s related to my other secret.”
Su Tianxue had a feeling that what Shi Ning was about to say might be very important.
She pressed her lips together, then stood up after a moment.
“Wait a second,” Su Tianxue said.
Shi Ning: “Huh?”
Su Tianxue: “I need a drink of water first.”
For some reason, Su Tianxue was a little nervous.
Shi Ning chuckled and got Su Tianxue a glass of water, then quietly watched her finish it, took the glass from her, and placed it on the table.
Su Tianxue took a deep breath and looked at Shi Ning. “You can speak now.”
Shi Ning hesitated. “So I’m telling you?”
Seeing her like this, Su Tianxue suddenly felt less nervous.
…...
Su Tianxue: “Are you going to say it or not?”
Shi Ning said helplessly, “I’ll talk, I’ll talk. Wasn’t I just about to confess?”
“Actually, Su Tianxue, I’m not from this world.”
Su Tianxue was calm. “What do you mean? A parallel universe?”
Shi Ning explained, “Not exactly, I’m not sure either. In short, I didn’t originally belong here. I’m from another world, um, a world without ABO secondary genders, only men and women.”
Su Tianxue mused, “The gender issues that arise wouldn’t be any fewer.”
Shi Ning: “That’s right.”
“In that world, I was a lawyer.”
Su Tianxue: “……”
Su Tianxue: “Are the laws in the two worlds the same?”
Shi Ning: “Similar, but pretty much.”
No wonder.
No wonder Shi Ning was always able to casually mention legal articles from the first time they met. No wonder Shi Ning passed the bar exam so easily.
Su Tianxue: “In your world, was there a Su Wanxing too? Is that how you knew about her?”
Shi Ning shook her head.
“In my world, you and Su Wanxing were people in a storybook.”
What specific book, what kind of story.
Shi Ning felt it was necessary to keep that from Su Tianxue.
After all, the fact that her younger sister was the female lead of that kind of novel might be too much of a shock for Su Tianxue.
At the same time, Shi Ning was afraid this would trigger Su Tianxue’s doubts about the reality of her world, so she quickly added, “But I’ve never treated you just as characters in a book. To me, you are all real.”
Su Tianxue quickly sorted out the logic and pressed, “Then, what about the Shi Ning of this world?”
Shi Ning recounted her memories.
Su Tianxue fell into deep thought.
Shi Ning watched her, afraid to disturb her, but also curious. She asked cautiously, “Wife, what are you thinking about?”
“I’m thinking about the trigger mechanism for this event, and its correlation with the previous asteroid impact event. Do you remember what day it was when you came over?”
Shi Ning told Su Tianxue the date, and Su Tianxue committed it to memory.
Shi Ning observed Su Tianxue’s expression. “Wife, you… you don’t think I’m a monster, do you?”
Su Tianxue gave her a look as if she were an idiot.
“Is there such a stupid monster as you?”
Shi Ning: …#
“If I really am a person in a storybook, then, welcome to my story.” Su Tianxue smiled, tucking a stray strand of Shi Ning’s hair behind her ear. “But this isn’t a fairy tale, and I’m not a princess.”
Shi Ning leaned in and kissed Su Tianxue’s lips. “But you’re my wife.”
Su Tianxue hummed in agreement, then asked, “So on the day we first met, you were dressed like that because that’s how you were dressed before you transmigrated?”
Hearing this question, Shi Ning suddenly had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, the next second, Su Tianxue asked.
“If I hadn’t shown up, or if you hadn’t transmigrated, who were you planning to meet that day?”
Shi Ning swallowed hard and explained, “Wife, that was when I was young and foolish.”
Su Tianxue: “It’s only been a few days. Are you old now?”
Shi Ning: “...The past is in the past. I’ve already turned from my evil ways and returned to you.”
Shi Ning’s voice grew quieter.
Su Tianxue chuckled. “Alright, I’m not trying to settle scores with you.”
The beginning for both of them wasn’t exactly innocent.
But to have come this far was an unexpected romance.
Su Tianxue: “Are you sure there’s nothing else you’re hiding from me?”
Shi Ning nodded. “Positive, absolutely, and definitely!”
Su Tianxue pointed a finger. “Then, what’s that?”
The box containing the wedding dress was sitting squarely by the door.
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