The clothes she had kept in Xiaobao’s room had also been moved entirely back to the master bedroom on the second floor. Lin Sheng was using this method to warn her, if she didn’t return to sleep in the master bedroom, the consequences would only get more severe than this.
She clenched her fists, trembling all over with rage. Was she truly fated to never rid herself of Lin Sheng in this lifetime? Was she meant to live forever in this mire of helpless resistance?
During the night, Yu Keqing took a shower in the master bedroom’s bathroom. The door wasn’t locked, and Lin Sheng hadn’t come inside, but she had heard a commotion at the door just moments ago. It couldn’t have been anyone else but Lin Sheng. As for why she hadn’t come in, Yu Keqing was too drained to care. She was exhausted today and only wanted to rest early, unwilling to surmise what plot Lin Sheng was hatching now.
She put on her most conservative pajamas. She had purchased these herself. Lin Sheng had returned her phone, meaning she could finally use her own money. From head to toe, she wasn’t wearing a single thing belonging to Lin Sheng anymore. Cheap as they might be, or looked down upon by Lin Sheng as they were, they were bought with Yu Keqing’s own money, allowing her to wear them with peace of mind.
Working at Man’er’s shop provided her with a salary, and she had even been given shares of the dividends. Man’er had mentioned that the funds would be deposited directly into her card later on, which meant she would have more money. When the time came, she would find a small apartment outside and move out with Xiaobao.
Lin Sheng wasn’t in the room; she was out on the balcony smoking a cigarette. One strap of her slip dress had fallen off her shoulder, exposing a large swath of skin.
Yu Keqing immediately averted her gaze. Lowering her head, she lifted the blanket and occupied a tiny corner of the large bed. She curled herself into a ball on her side and closed her eyes to sleep.
She didn’t know when Lin Sheng came back inside. It wasn’t until the space beside her sank down that she jolted awake from her drowsiness. The scent of roses flooded her nose as Lin Sheng pulled her into an embrace from behind.
Just when she thought Lin Sheng was going to force her again, Lin Sheng merely nipped gently at her earlobe and said, “Go to sleep.”
Her heart pounded for a long while before her panic finally subsided. Perhaps because she was too exhausted, or perhaps because she had grown numb, she actually managed to fall asleep.
In the darkness, Lin Sheng opened her eyes, carefully tightening her hold on the softly breathing woman in her arms.
The next day, Yu Keqing stood before the mirror, looking at the hickey on her neck with a grim expression.
Lin Sheng!
Lin Sheng had woken up before her and had already left the house, having even dropped Xiaobao off at school.
The mark was too obvious. She used concealer three times to barely cover it up. Still feeling uneasy before heading out, she slapped a band-aid over it.
In truth, it would have been better not to apply one; putting it on now felt like a dead giveaway. The students all tacitly understood the situation, choosing to see it without speaking of it.
The fact that Teacher Yu was married and had a daughter in her first year of junior high was common knowledge among all the trainees. They simply had never met Teacher Yu’s spouse, nor did they know what line of work they were in.
However, seeing that Teacher Yu usually had a chauffeur driving her to and from work in a vehicle worth tens of millions, they could guess what kind of financial status her family held. It made sense. Teacher Yu was close friends with their boss, so people from the same social circle naturally shared similar backgrounds.
“Jingzhe, you’ve been staring at Teacher Yu all morning. What are you thinking about?” asked the trainee closest to Yang Jingzhe.
Snapping out of her daze, Yang Jingzhe looked down at the dough on her workstation, her mood somewhat despondent. “Nothing.”
Today, Teacher Yu was teaching them with the same patience and gentleness as yesterday, but Yang Jingzhe could keenly sense that Teacher Yu was deliberately keeping her distance. Teacher Yu would still answer her when she asked questions, but the vibe was entirely different from yesterday.
When lunchtime arrived, the trainees left in groups of twos and threes to eat at the little shops outside. While Yu Keqing was tidying up her things, Yang Jingzhe ran over holding an insulated lunchbox to strike up a conversation. Yu Keqing replied politely but kept the exchange brief.
Standing in place, Yang Jingzhe bit her lip and asked tentatively, “Teacher Yu, did I do something wrong?”
The shift in her attitude had clearly been picked up by the young girl. Looking into Yang Jingzhe’s anxious, careful eyes, Yu Keqing felt a faint, uncomfortable prick in her heart.
Setting her things down, she stepped forward a couple of paces, her voice softening. “No, Jingzhe, it’s not that you did anything wrong.” She paused, seemingly trying to figure out how to explain it before sighing. “It’s my own issue. These past couple of days… some things came up at home, and I haven’t been in the best mood. It might have shown on my face, but it’s absolutely not directed at you. Please don’t take it to heart.”
The trainees were here for a week-long training session. Looking at Yang Jingzhe, she said warmly, “I’ve watched your performance over the past two days. You’ve made great progress. You have a real knack for this. Keep up the good work, and you’ll be able to take on apprentices of your own in the future.”
Yang Jingzhe’s eyes lit up, the word ‘happiness’ practically written across her face. “Really? Teacher Yu, can I really do that?”
Yu Keqing nodded with a smile. Noticing the insulated container in her hand, she asked out of concern, “You brought your own lunch?”
The trainees were all staying uniformly at a hotel in standard rooms that didn’t have cooking facilities.
Flattered by the concern, Yang Jingzhe felt a bit shy and explained, “I didn’t stay at the hotel with the others. I’m staying at a friend’s place. Her house has a kitchen where I can cook. I make it at night, put it in the fridge, and bring it here the next day to heat up in the microwave. It saves some money on meals that way. Eating out costs at least a dozen yuan per meal, so every little bit saved counts. Cooking for myself is also healthier and cleaner.”
Yu Keqing’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer. At nineteen, an age where girls usually loved looking pretty and having fun, Yang Jingzhe was already budgeting carefully to get by. Her maturity was endearing enough to make her heart ache a little.
“Staying at a friend’s place is quite good, you can look out for each other. Is your friend’s place far? Is it convenient to commute back and forth every day?”
“Not far, not far at all! It’s only three stops by bus, very convenient.”
“That’s good,” infected by her earnest smile, Yu Keqing’s mood brightened considerably. “Go ahead and eat then. Have a quick nap after you finish. The afternoon dessert class starts at 2:30, so there’s still time.”
Acknowledging the advice, Yang Jingzhe extended a lighthearted invitation, “Teacher Yu, won’t you join me? I brought plenty of braised pork ribs.”
She was so enthusiastic that Yu Keqing found it a bit overwhelming. Waving her hand with a smile, she declined, “Thank you, but you go ahead. I have to go pick up my daughter from school in a bit.”
“Teacher Yu’s daughter must be so happy to have such a beautiful and gentle mother like you.”
Yu Keqing was already growing flustered by the compliments. Her fair cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, making her look exceptionally beautiful in her shyness.
Yang Jingzhe stared blankly at her, holding her bento box like a fool until Yu Keqing walked out, failing to snap out of it the entire time.
Teacher Yu is so beautiful. If only she weren’t married.
Yang Jingzhe felt a mix of excitement and melancholy. She was excited because Teacher Yu was exactly her type, but melancholy because Teacher Yu was already married with a daughter. Teacher Yu’s relationship with her spouse must be very good, right? Teacher Yu had even used a band-aid to cover up a hickey today.
What should I do? I’m getting a little jealous of Teacher Yu’s spouse.
Yang Jingzhe bit the tip of her finger, suddenly finding that the sweet and sour ribs didn’t taste as good anymore.
Today, the interaction between Yu Keqing and Yang Jingzhe in the shop was once again conveyed to Lin Sheng by the people monitoring them outside. Consequently, after the evening classes concluded, a car quietly tailed Yang Jingzhe.
The bus pulled over at the third stop. Yang Jingzhe got off with her backpack. She wore a baseball cap pulled down very low. Turning the corner at the intersection, she slipped into a low-profile black sedan parked by the roadside.
She collapsed into the back seat, looking thoroughly dejected.
The car silently pulled out of the parking space.
After a moment, the person in the front seat noticed the situation and said, “There’s a car tailing us from behind.”
Annoyed, Yang Jingzhe covered her face with her hat. “Lose them. It’s definitely someone my grandmother sent again.”
“What’s wrong with you? In a bad mood?”
“Bad, very bad.”
“Did your teacher scold you?”
“Teacher Yu is a gentle person, she never scolds me.”
“Then what on earth is it?”
“I like Teacher Yu, but she’s married.”
“Oh. Then snatch her away. It’s just marriage.”