“Sister Qingshuang,” Xu Youzhi said, approaching her.
Li Qingshuang looked up. “How did you know I was here?”
“You come here every time you’re feeling sentimental,” Xu Youzhi replied with a shrug.
Li Qingshuang blushed, feeling as though her inner thoughts had been laid bare.
“I know you care about Sister Yuanyuan,” Xu Youzhi continued. “But she’s in the middle of a passionate romance right now, and she’s so stubborn that eight horses couldn’t pull her back. You should stop worrying yourself sick over her.” Xu Youzhi was no fool; she knew exactly what Li Qingshuang’s true feelings for Kuang Yuan were.
She was also the only person who knew about Li Qingshuang’s sexual orientation.
However, she also knew that Li Qingshuang could never truly be with Kuang Yuan. For one, Kuang Yuan’s heart belonged to someone else; for another, the two of them were simply fundamentally different.
At the mention of Kuang Yuan, Li Qingshuang’s heart was stung, and her nose began to prickle with tears. “Xiao Yang was our high school classmate. Just because he was handsome and had good grades, he had countless girlfriends over those three years. How could she not know about his reputation? I just…”
“But every time she starts dating, you change,” Xu Youzhi interrupted, her tone firm. “You either argue with her constantly, or your mood hits rock bottom whenever you see her acting all lovey-dovey with Xiao Yang. You’re supposed to be a bright, cheerful girl, but you let Kuang Yuan pull your emotions around on a leash. You’ll only get better if you stay away from her.”
Xu Youzhi took Li Qingshuang’s hand, offering her silent support.
She wasn’t blind. She could see that Kuang Yuan likely didn’t care much for Li Qingshuang. Kuang Yuan was comfortable accepting Li Qingshuang’s hard-earned money from part-time jobs, yet whenever Li Qingshuang was on the verge of cutting ties, Kuang Yuan would return with a flattering smile to comfort her. It was clear Kuang Yuan felt there was still something to be gained from the relationship, leading Li Qingshuang on just enough to keep her close.
Li Qingshuang’s happiness and sadness were entirely tied to her. Her emotions were being manipulated beyond her control.
Though Xu Youzhi was also friends with Kuang Yuan, she had kept these observations to herself—until now. Because her bond with Li Qingshuang was deeper, she finally spoke the truth.
Li Qingshuang knew it too. She stammered, unable to find a rebuttal. “I… I still can’t leave her…”
“It’s not about leaving her forever,” Xu Youzhi said. “Perhaps once you stop loving her, you’ll see things more clearly.”
A Maybach was parked at the entrance. Jiang Ruoxun watched as a luxury car ahead of them drove away.
The sound of the car door opening signaled Xu Youzhi’s return. She sat down, her eyes glued to her phone as if she were in the middle of a deep conversation.
“Aren’t you going to chat longer with your friend?” Jiang Ruoxun asked with a smile, glancing at the phone.
“She seems to have figured some things out,” Xu Youzhi replied. “She’s going to a bar to clear her head.”
“Don’t you want to go to the bar, Zhizhi?”
“I went once. I didn’t like it—it was loud and chaotic, and…” Xu Youzhi thought back to the decadent scene of people dancing together and felt a wave of discomfort. She never wanted to go back. “Have you ever been, Sister?” she asked.
“I haven’t,” Jiang Ruoxun replied. She shared Xu Youzhi’s sentiment.
“I knew you wouldn’t be the type,” Xu Youzhi said, her eyebrows lifting in a proud grin as she tapped away at her screen.
Jiang Ruoxun watched her. “Who are you chatting with, Zhizhi?”
“Oh,” Xu Youzhi said. “My friend’s aunt. The lady you met last time.”
Jiang Ruoxun gave an understanding “Oh,” though her grip tightened slightly.
Li Wuyi had invited Xu Youzhi to go shopping for the first time. Xu Youzhi was debating whether to agree. On one hand, finals were approaching and her course load was heavy; on the other, she really wanted to spend time with Jiang Ruoxun.
Her free time was dwindling. Maybe she could do both today?
“Sister?” Xu Youzhi said suddenly. “How about you go back first? I’m going to meet Auntie Li in a little bit.”
“Hmm?” Jiang Ruoxun was still wearing sunglasses, hiding the flicker of emotion in her eyes. “I see. Well, I don’t have anything else to do. How about I drop you off?”
“You have nothing to do?” Xu Youzhi murmured.
“That’s right. I was actually planning to go to a dog cafe. You mentioned you used to work at one, so I wanted you to take me,” Jiang Ruoxun said with a faint smile.
Xu Youzhi pursed her lips. Jiang Ruoxun had only reached out because she was lonely and needed company, and Xu Youzhi had promised to be there. Now, she was planning to abandon her for another invitation.
Although she enjoyed talking to Li Wuyi, she didn’t have any pressing troubles to discuss lately. However, she still couldn’t bring herself to reject Li Wuyi.
Just as she was about to message Li Wuyi to confirm, a reply popped up.
Sorry, Zhizhi. — Something suddenly came up at work and I have to take care of it. Let’s go out another time. — I’m really sorry.
“It’s okay, Auntie,” Xu Youzhi typed back.
She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Jiang Ruoxun with a smile. “Sister, I’m not going anymore. Shall we go to the dog cafe instead?”
“Sure,” Jiang Ruoxun replied. “Let me go home and change first.”
As Xu Youzhi nodded, her phone tilted, allowing Jiang Ruoxun to catch a glimpse of the messages.
So that’s how it is, Jiang Ruoxun thought to herself.
They soon arrived at Magnolia Garden. As they entered the building, Jiang Ruoxun kept a firm hold on Xu Youzhi’s hand.
Inside the elevator, a person entered with a Corgi. The dog obediently sat down, looking up at the two tall women. Suddenly, it began nuzzling against Jiang Ruoxun’s leg.
The owner scolded the dog, telling it not to startle them.
Jiang Ruoxun wasn’t afraid at all. “Cute,” she said softly.
“What a cute little dog,” Xu Youzhi echoed.
Jiang Ruoxun’s eyes turned toward her, brightening with a smile. You are quite cute too, she thought.
When the doors opened, Jiang Ruoxun led Xu Youzhi out. The Corgi’s owner stared after them, then looked down at their dog, feeling that the interaction had been strangely intense.
“I’ll take you to play with some Corgis later,” Xu Youzhi said excitedly.
“Alright,” Jiang Ruoxun agreed readily. “There’s no rush to pet dogs. I’ll have plenty of opportunities.”
Xu Youzhi nodded, but her heart skipped a beat. Plenty of opportunities? What did that mean? Jiang Ruoxun didn’t have a dog at home.
“Are you coming to my place?”
“Yes.”
However, Jiang Ruoxun didn’t open the door. Instead, she took Xu Youzhi’s hand and lifted her finger.
Xu Youzhi flinched slightly. “Sister, what are you doing?”
“Registering your fingerprint. That way, you can come into my home whenever you like.”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll steal something?” Xu Youzhi joked, though her cheeks flushed red. She felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of happiness at being so trusted.
Jiang Ruoxun smiled dotingly. “I’m not afraid. In fact, I’d prefer if you snuck into my room in the middle of the night to steal something—just so I could catch you and give you a spanking.”
Jiang Ruoxun spoke so softly that Xu Youzhi couldn’t quite catch the words, but she found the tone of her voice incredibly pleasant.
Soon, the fingerprint was registered.
Just then, the elevator doors opened again. Wang Qiuhua stepped out and froze when she saw the two of them holding hands. Her expression darkened.
“Mom,” Xu Youzhi called out, feeling like a student caught in a forbidden romance by her teacher.
“Hello, Auntie,” Jiang Ruoxun greeted her politely.
Wang Qiuhua gave her a cold glance and walked into their home without saying a word.
“I’m sorry, Sister,” Xu Youzhi said worriedly. “My mom might just be in a bad mood. She didn’t mean to ignore you.”
“It’s fine.”
“Could you wait a moment? I need to go check on her.”
“Of course.”
Wang Qiuhua was in the kitchen washing vegetables. Xu Youzhi snuck in and hugged her from behind. “Mom!” she chirped.
Wang Qiuhua jumped. “You scared me, child!”
“What’s wrong?” Xu Youzhi laughed for a moment before asking, “Did something happen at work?”
“How long have you known her?”
“Who?”
“You know who!” Wang Qiuhua snapped.
Xu Youzhi realized who she meant, though she didn’t know her mother had discovered Jiang Ruoxun’s identity. “The sister next door? We’ve been in touch since we moved in.”
“I told you to deliver those lychees, but I didn’t mean for you to give them to her!” Wang Qiuhua suddenly exploded, her voice much louder than usual.
Xu Youzhi was bewildered. “What do you mean?”
“That woman is from the entertainment industry. Who knows how many men she’s involved with? And… and they say she’s a mistress who breaks up marriages! Why is a good girl like you associating with someone like that?”
Xu Youzhi had heard the rumors about Jiang Ruoxun being a “gold-digger” or a “mistress.” But she didn’t care if they were true or false. From her own experience, Jiang Ruoxun was a woman of high character. She couldn’t imagine her debasing herself for someone else.
Besides, Jiang Ruoxun was gentle and kind to her. She shouldn’t look down on her based on gossip.
“How do you know she’s a mistress? Maybe she’s being slandered.”
“Even if she isn’t, the ‘gold-digger’ part must be true. If a woman wants to make it in entertainment, she must have a ‘sugar daddy’ backing her. With looks like hers, I don’t believe for a second that…”
“Mom!” Xu Youzhi’s voice turned stern. “Please respect women who work in the entertainment industry. You assume a female celebrity only becomes famous because of a benefactor? That’s no different from saying a woman only becomes an executive by sleeping her way to the top. You shouldn’t insult a hardworking woman like that. Not every celebrity has a ‘sugar daddy,’ and I believe she wouldn’t do such a thing.”
“Has that woman brainwashed you?” Wang Qiuhua asked, her face full of grief. She grabbed Xu Youzhi’s head and shook it gently but firmly.
“Mom!” Xu Youzhi hissed in pain. Her mother hadn’t had much education and couldn’t see past her narrow views. Since Wang Qiuhua was convinced, Jiang Ruoxun was a “bad woman,” she wouldn’t listen to reason.
“What has she given you that makes you defend her like this?” Wang Qiuhua couldn’t understand. The “good girl” she had raised was now close friends with a woman she considered dangerous. She felt a sense of utter failure.
“You’ve always monitored who I date and who I hang out with,” Xu Youzhi said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I listened to you. I didn’t date, I didn’t hang out with the wrong crowd, and I didn’t even have a smartphone until college. I’m an adult now. Am I not allowed to have my own friends?”
Feeling wronged and overwhelmed, Xu Youzhi ignored her mother’s protests and ran out.
Jiang Ruoxun poured herself a glass of water, wondering what the two were discussing.
Are they fighting?
She smiled faintly. Could someone as pure as Xu Youzhi even handle an argument? She probably was being scolded to tears by her mother right now.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, there was a knock on the door. Xu Youzhi stepped inside.
“Sister, can I come in?” she asked softly.
Jiang Ruoxun turned and saw that Xu Youzhi’s eyes were red. She really had been crying.
Jiang Ruoxun’s heart tightened. Part of her felt vindicated in her guess, but she immediately pulled the girl into a hug.
“Sister,” Xu Youzhi whispered into her shoulder, “what my mom said isn’t true. You are a good person.”