Hearing Shen Yu’s answer, Wen Xi’s heart raced violently for a moment. Coming back to her senses, she thought with annoyance that she had truly been mesmerized by Shen Yu, how could she have spoken her inner thoughts aloud?
Watching Wen Xi pretend she hadn’t heard a thing, Shen Yu appeared calm and unruffled on the surface, though the hand holding her chopsticks was trembling so much she could barely pick up any food.
Shen Yu smiled slightly and used the serving chopsticks to place food into Wen Xi’s bowl.
Looking at the food landing in her bowl, Wen Xi said dryly, “Thank you.”
Shen Yu accepted the gratitude. “Don’t overthink it.”
Shen Yu didn’t explain what she meant by those words, and Wen Xi didn’t ask.
Wen Xi didn’t lift her head; it felt as though something was stuck in her throat. “…Mm.”
Shen Yu looked at Wen Xi, who refused to meet her gaze. Her eyes were filled with an affection so intense it was inseparable, and she couldn’t bear to look away from her.
In her mind, she redrew the Wen Xi of ten years later, replacing the green, youthful girl in her memory with the elegant and poised woman of today.
Just don’t overthink what that sentence means, don’t treat it as a burden. Whatever caused you to have reservations, this time, just stay where you are and let me handle everything.
After finishing their morning tea, Shen Yu dropped Wen Xi off at the hotel. Since she was in a hurry to get to the film set, she could only watch her go upstairs.
Watching Wen Xi walk away without looking back, a helpless smile tugged at the corners of Shen Yu’s mouth.
She began calculating in her mind that it was time to buy a house in Wancheng, ideally close to Wen Xi’s home, or even in the same building if possible.
Wen Xi’s flight was booked for noon, just in time to have a meal on the plane.
She hadn’t booked an earlier flight because she felt everyone had been tired the past two days and should sleep in today.
The only reason she had woken up early herself was because she couldn’t sleep… though it was mostly because she had been anticipating a certain someone knocking on her door.
Wen Xi had finished packing most of her luggage last night, so she had nothing to do now that she was back. She found herself staring at the cake sitting on the table.
It was a light pink little cake, adorned with small, exquisite flowers.
She wasn’t a child anymore; why would Shen Yu send such a pink cake?
Wen Xi felt a slight itch in her heart.
Having looked at it enough, she put the cake in the mini-fridge, set an alarm for two hours, and climbed back into bed to catch up on sleep.
This time, she slept exceptionally soundly.
She revisited those first few memories of her and Shen Yu.
The Wen Xi of ten years ago wasn’t stupid. When she first met Shen Yu, she could tell that Shen Yu wasn’t as approachable as she appeared on the surface.
In truth, Wen Xi had been lost for a period of time. She felt that maintaining their current relationship was fine, occasionally greeting each other or secretly sending some small cookies was enough to make her satisfied.
But she simply wasn’t satisfied.
Fortunately, she hadn’t been.
Wen Xi carefully protected the cake Shen Yu had given her all the way until she boarded the plane and finally opened it.
Pu Tao, sitting beside her, let out a “wow” when she saw the cake. “So cute!”
“Yes, it is indeed cute,” Wen Xi said casually.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Pu Tao took out her phone and snapped a photo. “Such a beautiful cake deserves a photo for the memory.”
Wen Xi asked in confusion, “Why take a photo?”
Pu Tao sighed. “I’m taking a photo so I can search for the shop after we land. You should take one and post it on your Moments. Why not post one? Your Moments haven’t been updated in centuries!”
Slightly moved by her words, Wen Xi smiled. “Alright.”
She really didn’t enjoy posting on her Moments nowadays, mainly because she felt she had nothing to share.
Workdays were exhausting; she was busy from dawn till dusk. On her days off, she basically stayed in bed, unwilling to move, spending her time binge-watching shows while retouching photos on her tablet. It wasn’t that she loved working, but she felt something was missing if her hands weren’t busy.
She also had a few friends in the entertainment industry, actors or singers. When they were busy, they wouldn’t contact each other for days, and their occasional gatherings only happened once every few months.
Usually, she was too lazy to socialize. If someone messaged her, she replied; if no one messaged, she wouldn’t take the initiative to disturb them.
In short, her life was quite flat.
After landing, the group rushed back to the studio. The promotional photos they had just shot needed urgent processing without affecting the existing schedule. Wen Xi estimated she would have to work overtime.
Once in the office, Wen Xi opened her photo album, stared at the new photo she had recently taken for a few seconds, and then posted it to her Moments.
[T.T: A little cake.]
She posted it on her private account, so she wasn’t afraid of Shen Yu seeing it.
After posting, Wen Xi focused entirely on retouching photos. She worked straight until eight o’clock in the evening. Looking up, she saw several others were still working overtime.
The boxed lunch Pu Tao had left by the computer was untouched and had lost its warmth.
She didn’t really want to eat anymore. There was a microwave in the office, but she was too lazy to heat it up.
Mostly, once that wave of hunger passes, one doesn’t feel hungry anymore.
She closed the lunch box, planning to throw it away when she went downstairs.
She went out first to let the others off work; it wasn’t safe to go home too late.
Just as she finished speaking to them, her phone chimed with a notification.
[Yu Qiao: Finished work? I’m waiting for you downstairs.]
Wen Xi was stunned for a moment, then realized Yu Qiao likely wanted to talk to her.
[T.T: Finished. Coming down now.]
Wen Xi returned to her office to turn off the power and headed downstairs carrying the cold lunch box.
Yu Qiao’s car was temporarily parked below the office building. Fortunately, it was late at night and almost everyone had left, otherwise, there wouldn’t have been a spot.
Yu Qiao stood outside leaning against the car, a cigarette held in one hand.
Yu Qiao was tall, about 174cm, wearing a suit and looking very prominent standing by the road.
As soon as Wen Xi came downstairs, Yu Qiao saw her, and she also saw exactly what Wen Xi threw into the trash can.
The two spoke in unison.
Wen Xi: “Smoking again?”
Yu Qiao: “Is that your dinner?”
Yu Qiao tilted her head and smiled, stubbing out the cigarette. “Not smoking anymore. But you didn’t eat much for dinner; that made quite a loud sound when it hit the bottom.”
“Just a few hurried bites,” Wen Xi said with a smile. “Smoking is bad for your health.”
Yu Qiao stood up and opened the passenger door for Wen Xi. “Not eating dinner is bad for your stomach. Come on, get in the car. I’ll take you to eat something good.”
Wen Xi whispered under her breath, “Why does everyone love taking me…”
Yu Qiao was turning to get into the other side of the car at that moment and didn’t hear her.
On the way, both were preoccupied with their own thoughts and didn’t speak much.
Wen Xi looked up at Yu Qiao once, then lowered her eyes, her thoughts unknown.
Yu Qiao was of mixed heritage, with sharp features and a high nose bridge, yet she possessed an Oriental charm. With her hair tied in a high ponytail, she looked clean and capable; anyone seeing her on the street would likely take her for a model.
Wen Xi remembered back when they first met; Yu Qiao’s Mandarin was quite average, but now there was no trace of an accent.
Yu Qiao had made a last-minute reservation at a restaurant. There were no private rooms left, but a window seat wasn’t bad either.
The restaurant was by the sea, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the ocean.
The lighting inside was dim, with small lamps hanging over each table.
It was a good place for a conversation.
Regarding Shen Yu, Yu Qiao didn’t like talking about her with Wen Xi. Firstly, she felt she had no right to discuss Shen Yu in front of Wen Xi, and secondly… she felt it was undoubtedly like repeatedly scratching a scar on Wen Xi’s heart.
But as things stood, Yu Qiao felt they had to talk. Wen Xi was sometimes indecisive; perhaps after talking… Wen Xi would find her resolve.
After sitting down, Wen Xi went straight to the point: “Meeting her this time… was an accident.”
“I know,” Yu Qiao crossed her hands on the table, unable to hide her tension. “I know it was an accident, but you…”
Wen Xi interrupted her softly, “Hey, does Pu Tao tell you everything?”
Yu Qiao’s voice was low: “No, I took the initiative to ask. I asked her how you’ve been lately, and she said you took your medicine again, saying it might be because you ran into Shen Yu.”
Watching such a tall person like Yu Qiao look like they had done something wrong, Wen Xi felt a bit of a headache. “Sister, I know you’re concerned about me. In the future, if you want to know something, just ask me directly, okay? Can there really be secrets between us?”
Yu Qiao lowered her eyes. “Sorry.”
“I feel like because I met Shen Yu, your state of mind isn’t right either,” Wen Xi frowned slightly. “Really, there’s no need to be afraid. Shen Yu and I…”
“Do you want to get back together?” Yu Qiao rarely interrupted her. She looked up at the stunned Wen Xi. “She looks like she really wants to.”
Wen Xi’s breath hitched. “Get back together… for what? It’s been ten years since we broke up. I’m no longer the person I used to be; she probably wouldn’t even like me anymore.”
“What do they call it, a broken mirror joined together?” Yu Qiao flashed a smile that didn’t quite look right. “As long as she is willing and you are willing, getting back together is only a matter of time.”
“I don’t know. I thought she hated me; I treated her so badly.” Wen Xi looked toward her right hand for no reason. “Furthermore, things aren’t that simple.”
Yu Qiao’s lips moved, and finally, she spoke those words. “I didn’t want to tell you, but she’s been granted early release. She’ll be out of prison in five months.”
Both Wen Xi and Yu Qiao knew exactly who “she” was.
Wen Xi suddenly felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her whole body breaking into a cold sweat. She put her hands under the table, her left hand forcibly pressing down on her trembling right hand.
The nightmares of the past began to play in her mind again.
Wen Xi nearly lost her voice: “How could she be released early? No one notified me.”
“They said she behaved well inside, and with the Qin family constantly applying pressure, her sentence was reduced by a year,” Yu Qiao spoke with difficulty, unable to bear the look in Wen Xi’s eyes. “Although the Qin family has declined, she is their only child after all. By the time I got the news, it was already too late.”
“Since you can’t refuse Shen Yu’s approach, you might as well live well these few months, treating it as compensation for the past,” Yu Qiao said in a low voice. Every word she spoke felt like a knife cutting into her own heart. “I know you care about Shen Yu, you care about her reputation, but I… I think, before she gets out of prison, you should just be happy with Shen Yu. Once she’s out, we will focus on restraining her. At that time, if you want to separate from Shen Yu, you can.”
Yu Qiao really wanted to say, But I also care about you, and I don’t want to see you looking so miserable.
But that sentence wasn’t appropriate.
Wen Xi’s mind was currently blank, her reactions lagging. “What do you mean?”
“You understand what I mean, Wen Xi.” Yu Qiao closed her eyes slightly. “Everything I’ve said, you understand.”
A flash of bewilderment crossed Wen Xi’s eyes, mostly because the news Yu Qiao had just shared made it impossible for her to think clearly.
Wen Xi was silent for a long time. “Let me… think about it.”
“No rush,” Yu Qiao smiled stiffly. “Let’s eat first.”
Wen Xi murmured, “I also don’t want Shen Yu to know the truth about what happened back then. I want to keep it hidden for as long as I can.”
Yu Qiao stretched her stiff neck and nodded. “Okay.”