After Sang Xiao called Bian Yan and told her about their idea of going over to check on things, Bian Yan was incredibly surprised. Could Kuang Qingshang actually concern herself with “idle matters” like this?
First impressions are important. Bian Yan’s initial impression of Kuang was decent, but upon learning that she was going to marry Sang Xiao, that impression plummeted.
Most mothers-in-law look at their son-in-law and grow happier the more they look, but the more Bian Yan looked at Kuang Qingshang, the more flaws she found. She couldn’t view Sang Xiao’s marriage to Kuang Qingshang as lightly, calmly, or even as positively as Sang Xiao’s parents did, yet she had no way to change the reality of the situation. Ultimately, she could only incessantly criticize Kuang Qingshang while simultaneously hoping that Kuang Qingshang would be a good person, even though that hope felt very slim.
In addition to being surprised, Bian Yan was also hesitant. She didn’t want Sang Xiao and Kuang Qingshang to come over late at night, nor did she want Sang Xiao to owe Kuang Qingshang a favor because of this. But the recent tension and fear made her feel inexplicably relieved the moment she heard Sang Xiao say they were coming.
She was hoping Sang Xiao would come. When living alone, perhaps the thing one fears most is encountering this kind of situation.
Finally, Bian Yan obeyed her inner choice and instructed, “Be careful on the road.”
Sang Xiao replied, “Mhm, don’t worry.”
Sang Xiao and Kuang Qingshang quickly washed up, changed clothes, and got into the car. Sang Xiao looked at Kuang Qingshang: “Thank you for accompanying me.”
Sang Xiao was just as surprised as Bian Yan, as Kuang Qingshang didn’t seem like a warm-hearted person.
Kuang Qingshang was following the navigation while driving. She paused upon hearing this. Sang Xiao still treated her like an outsider, even feeling closer to Bian Yan.
She said, “Next time something like this happens, you can wake me up directly. We’re married.”
Sang Xiao understood her meaning: married people should face problems together; as the saying goes, husband and wife are one body, and the same applied to them as wives. “Mhm.”
It was a bit far to Bian Yan’s place. Sang Xiao had been energetic just a moment ago, but now she yawned. She had never been out and about in the middle of the night before.
Kuang Qingshang saw this and said, “Close your eyes and rest for a bit. I’ll call you when we arrive.”
Sang Xiao shook her head, ultimately staying awake. Kuang Qingshang was accompanying her; if she fell asleep, it would be too unethical.
When they arrived at Bian Yan’s residence, Bian Yan confirmed their identity repeatedly before opening the door and letting the two of them in. Bian Yan occasionally watched basketball games before and recognized Kuang Qingshang, but this was the first time she had seen her in person.
Kuang Qingshang was wearing a sweater and a beige overcoat. It was clearly a casual outfit, but someone with a good figure looked good in anything, mainly because of her height, which made Sang Xiao look tiny standing next to her.
“What’s the situation?” Sang Xiao asked. Kuang Qingshang was already observing the surroundings. Bian Yan’s place was an ordinary residential area.
“The property management came to look, but they didn’t find anyone. It’s too late to go door-to-door and ask. The surveillance cameras in the corridor are just for show; they don’t even know if the person was male or female,” Bian Yan’s complexion was very poor. This predicament, where she was exposed and the other party was hidden, made her feel like a lab rat in a cage, completely lacking any control.
Sang Xiao’s eyebrows also furrowed upon hearing this. She had hoped the property management would catch the pervert directly and hand the person over to the police, solving the problem fundamentally.
“It should be a man,” Kuang Qingshang suddenly interjected. Sang Xiao immediately rushed to her side and asked, “How can you tell?”
Bian Yan followed Kuang Qingshang’s gaze and saw traces of an unknown liquid on the dark security door. Her face turned pale with anger: “Damn, I don’t even want this door anymore.”
“What is it? Let me see,” Sang Xiao said, lowering her head to look. Kuang Qingshang immediately pulled her back: “It’s nothing nice.”
But Sang Xiao had already seen it: a sticky, hazy liquid. Her face flushed red. Someone actually did that to the door… She had seen news reports before about perverts with unique fetishes who liked to scare people, reaching a climax while listening to the victims’ screams and curses.
This kind of thing was actually real.
Sang Xiao felt like her horizons had been broadened. She also felt disgusted for Bian Yan and was incredibly worried. The fact that the property management hadn’t found the person meant that the pervert was likely a resident in this building, perhaps even a neighbor. The more this was the case, the more dangerous it was.
Bian Yan also had this thought. She suppressed her discomfort, brought out some fruit to offer, and complained while entertaining them, “I feel like the apartment itself is dirty now.”
Sang Xiao guessed, “Could it be the rich second-generation guy you mentioned who was chasing you?”
“It shouldn’t be; he doesn’t live here.”
“Maybe he secretly moved over?”
“Even more impossible. Rich second-generation guys prefer to spend money in a high-profile way, letting people actively cling to them. Why would a rich second-generation guy be willing to pursue someone secretly like this? And a pervert at that. They prefer to package themselves as gentlemen and won’t easily expose their true colors.” Because Kuang Qingshang was right there, Bian Yan didn’t say anything too excessive and was already being very restrained. Due to certain incidents, she had a huge prejudice against rich second-generation men.
Sang Xiao nodded: “That makes sense.”
Kuang Qingshang spoke: “Since he’s a pervert, you can’t infer his actions with common sense. Based on this person’s behavior, he should really enjoy bullying and intimidating the weak, liking the feeling of control. But he went quiet when he heard about calling the police, which means he’s very timid. In the end, that person is just a little mouse who only belongs in a dark corner.”
Sang Xiao caught a strange feeling in Kuang Qingshang’s words but couldn’t pinpoint what was strange. However, what Kuang Qingshang said made sense. She wasn’t a pervert herself, so how could she know what a pervert was thinking?
Kuang Qingshang said, “In any case, call the police first. It doesn’t matter if they catch him or not, at least it leaves a record, and maybe the person has a prior history. Besides, we have evidence here.”
By the time the police officers arrived to understand the situation, it was already around 2:30 AM.
Kuang Qingshang said, “You two go to sleep first. I’ll keep watch in the living room. I’ll notice if there’s any more movement.”
Bian Yan felt too embarrassed. She said, “I have a guest room. I tidied it up before you came, so you can sleep there.”
“No need. If you don’t mind, I’ll look around,” Kuang Qingshang glanced around the balcony area. Bian Yan understood her meaning. The thought that the person might have spied on her from across the way made her scalp tingle instantly.
Sang Xiao shuffled over to Kuang Qingshang’s side and asked, “Are you really not going to sleep?”
Kuang Qingshang: “Mhm, you two go to sleep.”
Sang Xiao couldn’t fight off her sleepiness. After lying down on the bed with Bian Yan, however, she couldn’t fall asleep. Thinking about Kuang Qingshang keeping watch outside made her feel conflicted. Bian Yan had prepared a blanket for Kuang Qingshang and thanked her, but the thought of potentially being watched still made her deeply uncomfortable.
“Go to sleep. Having Kuang Qingshang as a bodyguard is very reliable, and that pervert is such a coward. If he comes again, we’ll catch him.”
Sang Xiao’s words were somewhat relying on a powerful figure’s prestige. Bian Yan chuckled despite herself: “It seems you two have been getting along well recently.”
“Because Kuang Qingshang is leaving soon,” Sang Xiao whispered. Every time this happened, she found Kuang Qingshang very agreeable.
Bian Yan nodded, lying side-by-side with Sang Xiao, and sighed, “It’s been a long time since we’ve slept side-by-side like this, and whispered secrets so quietly.”
Sang Xiao agreed with an “Mhm.” She also felt nostalgic. To distract Bian Yan, she told her what Feng Shu had told her.
Bian Yan propped up her chin and analyzed: “The incident Kuang Qingshang experienced as a child must be that kidnapping case, right?”
Sang Xiao guessed, “It should be. I just don’t know what kind of bad thought popped into her mind. What kind of thought would make someone immediately go to the gym when they think of it?”
Bian Yan thought for a moment: “If she’s always going to the gym, it’s either to suppress a certain emotion or to vent a certain emotion. In general, what’s most compatible with the gym in TV and film is physical desire.”
Sang Xiao: “…”
It shouldn’t be that.
Kuang Qingshang didn’t look that lustful.
She concluded: “Although the more you know about Kuang Qingshang, the more perverted she seems, comparatively, I feel she’s still much more normal.”
There truly is no appreciation without comparison. Compared to a real pervert, Kuang Qingshang looked practically like a good person.
At least she didn’t get physical, nor did she wake people up in the middle of the night… Uh, Kuang Qingshang seemed to have done those things? Last time, Kuang Qingshang pressed down on her to wake her up. Plus, Kuang Qingshang was a woman, so she wouldn’t do that to the door. In short, she wasn’t that perverted.
Bian Yan really wanted to say more, but Kuang Qingshang herself was guarding the living room. She said, “You spend more time with her, so you have the final say. I won’t say any more, I just hope she really is a good person.”
“Mhm. By the way, Kuang Qingshang can’t hear what we just said, right?” Sang Xiao was a little worried. Otherwise, if she was caught thanking Kuang Qingshang and then secretly calling her a little pervert, it would be very embarrassing.
Bian Yan said, “She can’t hear. Unless she’s eavesdropping right outside the door.”
Only then did Sang Xiao feel relieved.
The two of them fell asleep with the hope that Kuang Qingshang was a good person. The next day, when Sang Xiao and Bian Yan got up, Kuang Qingshang still looked energetic.
Kuang Qingshang said, “No movement.”
Bian Yan scoffed, “She probably knew we called the police and didn’t dare to show up.”
Sang Xiao urged Kuang Qingshang, “You should hurry up and catch up on your sleep.”
Kuang Qingshang smiled lightly and said, “It’s okay. I’ll catch up when we get home.”
During breakfast, Bian Yan thanked them solemnly again: “Thank you both.”
Kuang Qingshang shook her head and then said, “Are you planning to move later? If you need to move, you can stay at our place while you look for a new apartment.”
Bian Yan did indeed plan to move. Regardless of why the person was targeting her, she absolutely didn’t want to live in fear anymore. She said, “I won’t trouble you with the move.”
Kuang Qingshang: “I’m leaving tomorrow. By then, Sang Xiao will be home alone.”
Sang Xiao chimed in, “Mhm, mhm.”
Bian Yan hesitated: “Then I apologize for the imposition.”
It was Bian Yan’s first time visiting the couple’s marital home; before, they had always met at the apartment.
After returning, Kuang Qingshang called Feng Shu and explained the situation there, giving an account of their sudden departure the previous night. Meanwhile, Sang Xiao and Bian Yan discussed the moving arrangements, the main priority being to find an apartment first.
Bian Yan said, “Luckily, I couldn’t afford to buy a place back then, so I can be so decisive about moving now. Otherwise, I really wouldn’t know how to choose. Just the thought of being in the same building as that pervert all the time makes me feel sick.”
Sang Xiao suggested, “Actually, you don’t need to look for a place. You can stay in my apartment! It’s still empty, and you can use the stuff however you like.”
Bian Yan said, “Sang Sang, thank you.”
Sang Xiao paused, then laughed: “It’s what I should do. We’re good friends.”
Bian Yan reached out and hugged her. Sang Xiao hadn’t expected Bian Yan to suddenly be so emotional. She gently patted Bian Yan’s back as if consoling a child: “It’s alright, it’s all over. That kind of thing won’t happen again.”
Only then did Bian Yan let go of Sang Xiao, but she ultimately declined Sang Xiao’s offer. Kuang Qingshang happened to pass by and stood to the side, quietly watching them. Sang Xiao felt inexplicably guilty.
She was just hugging a good friend, while Kuang Qingshang had probably hugged other people long ago.
Afterward, they continued to discuss finding an apartment. Kuang Qingshang went to catch up on sleep. The next day, Sang Xiao specially took half a day off to drive Kuang Qingshang to the airport. She always felt that Kuang Qingshang and the car were a bit mismatched, as the Beetle emphasized being small and cute.
Kuang Qingshang casually asked, “Your relationship with Bian Yan is very good, not like ordinary friends.”
Sang Xiao blurted out, “Because we’ve known each other since childhood.”
Kuang Qingshang was thoughtful, but Sang Xiao had no intention of continuing the conversation. Kuang Qingshang then asked, “Do you have some misunderstanding about me?”
Sang Xiao shook her head without thinking: “No. Haven’t you always been pretty true to your word? How could I possibly misunderstand.”
When she called Kuang Qingshang perverted, it was because some of Kuang Qingshang’s behaviors genuinely seemed perverted, and the more she understood, the more perverted she thought Kuang Qingshang was. In short, it was impossible for her to misunderstand.
Kuang Qingshang: “…”
She couldn’t tell if that was a compliment or an insult.
At the airport, Kuang Qingshang pulled her suitcase and waved to Sang Xiao: “I’m leaving then. If you run into trouble, you can go to Mom and Xiao Xun. Of course, coming to me is best.”
The same instructions as last time.
Sang Xiao nodded repeatedly: “Mhm, mhm.”
Go, go. Anyway, the next time they’d see each other would be during the New Year. Just the thought made her happy.
A springtime smile blossomed on Sang Xiao’s face, but Kuang Qingshang suddenly seemed to remember something and walked back towards her.
Sang Xiao froze. The next second, Kuang Qingshang hugged her tightly, stroking Sang Xiao’s hair, and whispered close to her ear: “Wife, wait for me to come back.”
Sang Xiao shivered abruptly.
Because Kuang Qingshang had just kissed her ear.
Ahhh, she truly was a pervert!