Yun Duoduo was covered in mud, and so was Huai Jian, but neither of them cared. They walked back home hand-in-hand, their laughter echoing along the path.
However, their pleasant mood was short-lived.
Just as they reached the gate, the Heiress was already there, blocking their way with a stiff, fake smile—looking as though she had come to apologize. But the moment her eyes dropped to their interlaced fingers, her expression shifted instantly. Her lips trembled for a long time before she managed to squeeze out: “Sister Huai, I’m so sorry about this afternoon. I shouldn’t have disturbed your rest.”
Duoduo wasn’t the pushover she used to be. With Huai Jian backing her up, she found her spine. She retorted sharply, “If you really wanted to apologize, you wouldn’t have followed us here. We’re about to go rest again.”
She put a heavy emphasis on the word “rest.”
Duoduo didn’t think twice about her choice of words, but beside her, Huai Jian’s face flushed a soft pink.
Holding hands and saying they were going to “rest” together… how could anyone not take that the wrong way?
Opposite them, the Heiress looked shocked. “You… the two of you?”
After being humiliated at lunch, the Heiress had called Director Zhang. The director, afraid of offending her, had let it slip that Duoduo had a powerful backer. He hadn’t named names, but looking at the scene now, it was clearly Huai Jian.
The Heiress bit her lip in jealousy, but she didn’t dare say another word. Huai Jian’s status was too high and her network too vast; if Huai Jian said the word, no amount of money could save the Heiress from being blacklisted. She mumbled one last “sorry” and scurried away.
Back at her own quarters, the Heiress grew more resentful. While Yun Jianghai was away, she pulled Wu Heyue aside. “Mom, Yun Duoduo is definitely being kept. Her ‘sugar mommy’ is Huai Jian! Two women… isn’t that just disgusting?”
Wu Heyue gasped. “Huai Jian is keeping her? With that plain, country-bumpkin look? What could Huai Jian possibly see in her?”
“I don’t get it either,” the Heiress grumbled. “But she definitely got onto this show because of Huai Jian. There’s no other way.”
Wu Heyue frowned. “If Huai Jian is protecting her, what if she digs up the ‘Golden Voice’ incident? Your father is currently infatuated with that old woman [Li Qinglian] again! We’ll be in a weak position.”
Yun Jianghai was a serial cheater; despite being married to Wu Heyue, he was always looking for something newer. Recently, he had even toyed with the idea of divorcing Wu Heyue for a young model. This was why Wu Heyue hated Li Qinglian—she couldn’t stand that Li Qinglian had found peace and elegance after the divorce while she was still struggling to keep a wandering husband.
The Heiress’s eyes flashed with a scheme. “I have a plan. We’re filming a variety show, right? The contracts say artists can’t release unauthorized info during filming. I’ll have my agent hire some internet trolls to smear Duoduo. If she tries to clarify, she breaks her contract. If she doesn’t, everyone will ‘know’ she’s being kept by a woman.”
Wu Heyue hesitated. “But what if Huai Jian finds out? If she targets us, your father won’t help.”
The Heiress brushed her hair back. “Mom, we take it one step at a time. People in showbiz are like Dad—they’re fickle and like pretty faces. I’ll find time to get close to Huai Jian myself. Who knows? Maybe she’ll take an interest in me instead.”
…
Back at the house, Duoduo was oblivious to the double meanings of her actions. She let go of Huai Jian’s hand and ran to the kitchen. “I’ll go boil some water so we can both wash up. Wait for me!”
Huai Jian stood in the courtyard, staring at her palm. Ever since they held hands, she felt like something fundamental had shifted.
During dinner, she found her eyes constantly drifting toward Duoduo. When Duoduo ate a carrot, Huai Jian thought: Why is she as cute as a rabbit? When Duoduo ate fish: She’s just like a clever little cat.
The more she thought, the more Huai Jian felt her head was going to explode. She kept her head down, eating quietly.
“Sister Huai, eat more vegetables!” Duoduo said, noticing her silence. “Is the food not to your taste?”
“No, it’s fine,” Huai Jian replied, picking up a piece of tofu. But as she put it in her mouth, she couldn’t stop the comparison: This tofu is soft… just like her hand.
For twenty-seven years, Huai Jian’s heart had been a quiet, dormant garden. Now, a simple hand-hold from Yun Duoduo was causing strange, vibrant flowers to bloom.
…
That night, Duoduo was the pillar of consideration. She tidied Huai Jian’s room again, smoothing the sheets and fluffing the pillows. “Sister, if you need anything, just call out. I’m right next door.”
“I’ll just read for a bit and then sleep,” Huai Jian replied.
Once the door was closed, Duoduo pulled out her phone. She hadn’t messaged “Anna” all day.
Duoduo: “Sister, are you there? I went fishing with Sister Huai today, but I forgot to take photos!”
“Anna”: “I’m here. Did you have fun?”
Duoduo: “So much fun! Sister Huai is so good—no ego at all. She doesn’t act like a big star. But, it would be even better if you were here too!”
Sitting on her bed, the “real” Huai Jian felt a strange dissatisfaction. She thought back to the afternoon.
“Anna”: “I heard from Huai Jian that you encountered a snake.” And that you held hands.
Duoduo: “I was just about to tell you! We found a patterned snake. It looked poisonous! Luckily we reacted fast.”
Huai Jian waited, but Duoduo didn’t mention the hand-holding. Her heart started thumping against her ribs. Hand-holding! Tell me about the hand-holding!
Duoduo: “We ran back together. Sister Huai is amazing, she shut my half-sister up so fast.”
Huai Jian felt a bit deflated. She looked at her own hand. It felt tingly, as if a small electric current were running through it. Was it just because I’ve always been independent and never had friends to hold hands with? Is that why my heart is racing?
She went to a search engine: “Why does my heart race when I hold someone’s hand?”
The results were all variations of the same answer: “You’re falling for them.”
Huai Jian’s eyes widened.
Duoduo: “Sister, are you still there? Sister Huai said she likes it here. When you’re done with work, you should rest here too. I’ll take you for crayfish and dragon fruit. What do you think?”
Separated only by a thin wall, Huai Jian suddenly wanted to see Duoduo’s face. She called out, “Yun Duoduo, can you come here for a second?”
“Coming!” Duoduo trotted over in her slippers, a bright smile on her face. Huai Jian looked at her and the word “sweet” popped into her mind. This is bad. If I stay here much longer, I’m going to lose my mind.
Duoduo touched her own face, feeling self-conscious under the gaze. “Is something wrong?”
“I… I need to use the restroom,” Huai Jian lied. “But it’s a bit dark outside and I can’t see well.”
Duoduo’s expression shifted to one of pure realization. Oh my god, Sister, you’re afraid of the dark! “I’ll turn on my phone light and go with you!”
Huai Jian felt mortified by her own excuse, but she followed Duoduo out. When they returned, Duoduo sat in Huai Jian’s room for a while, chatting, before heading back to her own bed to resume her chat with “Anna.”
Duoduo: “Sister Huai is so cute. She’s actually afraid of the dark!”
Huai Jian’s fingers paused over the screen.
“Anna”: “Cute?”
Duoduo: “Yeah! Sister, are you afraid of the dark too?”
“Anna”: “Yes.”
Duoduo: “You’re so cute too.”
“Anna”: “Then which of us is cuter?”
As soon as she hit send, Huai Jian froze.
What on earth am I doing?