Chapter 49
Taking care of a rabbit required immense patience and energy.
And Shen Shiwu, while excelling at this, also showed Jiang Siyi what love truly meant.
“Love, perhaps, is a remedy that can soothe all pain.”
Late at night, Jiang Siyi sat at her desk, typing these words. She was leaving for Beicheng to join the production team tomorrow, so she stretched, preparing to go to bed.
Looking at the empty bed, she felt a pang of resentment.
Xu Yuan had recently started an office romance and was constantly sharing the sweet details of her relationship, even sending pictures of them holding hands.
Jiang Siyi had almost blocked her.
Xu Yuan had asked, “Why would you block me? You’re not single, just go cuddle with your girlfriend.”
“Unlike me, my girlfriend is on a business trip, leaving me alone in my empty bed, shedding tears.”
“…”
Jiang Siyi wanted to say that she actually slept alone every night.
But she decided to keep quiet—if she said it out loud, Xu Yuan would tease her for weeks.
It was ten o’clock, and Shen Shiwu was probably getting ready for bed. Jiang Siyi paced around her room, staring at the floor, then, after hesitating for half a minute, she decided not to knock on the door next door.
Lying back in her cold bed, she played on her phone. And just then, Xu Yuan sent her another picture: “Sorry, my girlfriend is back from her business trip and brought me souvenirs.”
Clicking on the picture, she saw several boxes of flower cakes.
Jiang Siyi gritted her teeth, told Xu Yuan to shut up, then kicked her legs a few times in frustration.
Two minutes later, she was knocking on Shen Shiwu’s door, carrying her blanket and pillow.
Shen Shiwu, wearing her glasses, was still working. She looked surprised when she opened the door. “Not asleep yet?”
Her eyes flickered as she saw the blanket and pillow in Jiang Siyi’s arms, then, without asking any questions, she took them from her.
“Had a nightmare?”
Jiang Siyi touched her nose. “Mm-hmm.”
Shen Shiwu chuckled. “So, do you want to sleep with older sister?”
“No,” she said stubbornly, “I want to sleep with my girlfriend.”
Little Jiang paid a heavy price for those words that night. In the dimly lit room, her eyes were slightly red. “It’s hot… turn down the AC.”
“Be good, I’ll get the remote after this.”
Tears mixed with sweat streamed down Jiang Siyi’s face, and she couldn’t help but curse softly, which Shen Shiwu found incredibly endearing. “Louder.”
The next morning, her legs sore, Jiang Siyi woke up early. Turning to see the culprit sleeping soundly beside her, she angrily bit Shen Shiwu’s arm.
Shen Shiwu ruffled her hair. “So fierce so early in the morning.”
She opened her eyes and pulled her pajama top down slightly, revealing her collarbone. “Here, bite here.”
Jiang Siyi, after a moment of silence, turned away, her expression serious, and swallowed nervously. But a few seconds later, Shen Shiwu’s arm was around her waist.
“My wife is going on a business trip today, I’m a little sad.”
“…Oh.”
“My wife is so cold to me, I’m even sadder.”
“…”
Jiang Siyi really wanted to ask what had happened to her in the past four years, not only had she become shameless, but she was also clingier than a koala.
She thought for a moment, then asked, “Shen Shiwu.”
“Mm-hmm?”
“After we broke up, did you… date anyone else?”
The arm around her waist tightened, and Shen Shiwu buried her face in Jiang Siyi’s neck.
Her voice was muffled. “Does dating you in my dreams count?”
The Shen Shiwu from the past often avoided sleep. Because the moment she closed her eyes, all the happy and painful memories, of love and separation, would flood her dreams.
And when she woke up, whether joyful or sorrowful, it was all just a dream.
Jiang Siyi blinked slightly.
She turned and nuzzled closer to Shen Shiwu, her voice muffled. “It’s not a dream anymore.”
Like an adult comforting a child, she patted Shen Shiwu’s back. “Don’t be afraid.”
A soft chuckle vibrated against her ear.
Shen Shiwu replied, “Mm-hmm, I’m not afraid.”
***
As Jiang Siyi was packing, munching on a rice cake, contentedly standing aside doing nothing, Shen Shiwu finished packing her clothes and daily necessities, then went back to her own room and brought out a backpack.
Jiang Siyi pulled over a chair and sat down, about to say, “You go rest, I can do the rest myself,”
When she saw what Shen Shiwu was holding.
Time machines did exist.
A certain scent, a certain sound, an old object, could all transport someone back in time.
Back to the past.
“Why do you still have my backpack?” Jiang Siyi blurted out, momentarily stunned.
After the college entrance exam, like a prisoner released from jail, she had thrown everything away—she had actually wanted to sell them, having been used to being frugal, she felt it was a waste.
But she couldn’t find anyone to buy them, so she had thrown everything away, except for her backpack and pencil case.
“Its owner abandoned it, it looked so pitiful, so I kept it,” Shen Shiwu said, dusting the backpack, although it wasn’t dirty.
Actually, Jiang Siyi hadn’t taken much with her when she left four years ago.
The pretty dresses Shen Shiwu had bought her, the bag she had received as a graduation gift, the plushies she had won from the claw machines…
She had left everything behind in the empty house.
Even the jade bangle from Shen’s mother had been accidentally packed because she had been in such a hurry.
Back then, Jiang Siyi had been determined to sever all ties with the past.
“Who said I abandoned it?” She stood up and took the backpack, the marks from her fingers still visible on the straps.
“This is a testament to my youth, I wouldn’t throw this away.”
So, half an hour later, the long-forgotten backpack was once again put to use. Jiang Siyi watched as Shen Shiwu filled it with snacks, small cookies, potato chips, until it was bulging.
Jiang Siyi felt like she was back in high school.
“Stop it, that’s enough for me to eat for half a month.” She quickly stopped her. “I still need to eat proper meals.”
Shen Shiwu hefted the bag with one hand. “It’s not heavy.”
“…”
Was her strength comparable to hers?
The seventeen-year-old fighting expert, Little Jiang, would never have imagined that years later, a woman would be able to subdue her, in every way.
“That’s enough,” Jiang Siyi placed the backpack on top of her suitcase, then asked, “What time is our flight?”
She had wanted to book her own ticket, but Shen Shiwu had told her not to worry about it and focus on revising the script and writing.
“I couldn’t get any tickets, I’m driving you there.”
“?”
Shen Shiwu said matter-of-factly, “Doesn’t work start tomorrow? It’s only a few hours drive there and back.”
She added considerately, “It won’t affect your work.”
Scheming woman.
Jiang Siyi wanted to scold her, but she hesitated.
Whatever. She counted on her fingers, this trip would take at least two months, and Shen Shiwu was always busy, she wouldn’t be able to abandon her work and stay in Beicheng with her.
Which meant they were about to start a long-distance relationship.
Jiang Siyi sighed inwardly, then asked, “Don’t you have to go to the office and have your three daily meetings?”
Shen Shiwu, drinking her water, choked and chuckled.
“Just meetings, I can even abandon projects worth several villas in Beicheng, you think I care about these?”
Jiang Siyi missed the point and almost jumped out of her seat. “You abandoned projects worth millions? Are you crazy!?”
“…”
After lunch, they loaded their luggage into the car and set off for Beicheng.
Jiang Siyi couldn’t remember how many times she had been to Beicheng since returning to China. Looking at the familiar scenery outside the window, she volunteered, “How about I drive this time?”
Shen Shiwu knew she had a driver’s license, but still asked, pretending to be surprised, “You have a license?”
“Of course, I got it years ago.”
Seeing her eager expression, she said without hesitation, “Save your energy, we can go back home and you can use it in bed.”
Jiang Siyi gritted her teeth. “Get out.”
Shen Shiwu, seeing her sulking, finally relented and unbuckled her seatbelt. “Fine, you drive.”
Jiang Siyi swore she wasn’t a terrible driver, just a little rusty from not driving in a while. She explained this to Shen Shiwu, who nodded agreeably. “Mm-hmm, I believe you.”
“Just drive a little faster, or the cars behind us will catch up and beat us up.”
Hearing the sarcasm, Jiang Siyi, unusually, didn’t retort—because it was true, she couldn’t argue with that.
Reaching the first rest stop, she let out a long sigh and asked Shen Shiwu, “So, how was it? Pretty impressive, right?”
The woman, who had been staring straight ahead the entire time, finally relaxed. She chuckled helplessly. “You’re the most impressive.”
“So, do you want me to drive now?”
Jiang Siyi had been waiting for this, but she didn’t want to lose face. She pretended to think seriously. “Well… okay, since you’re so eager, I’ll reluctantly agree.”
Little Jiang, reluctantly relinquishing her driving duties, slept soundly for the next few hours. She only woke up when a familiar scent tickled her nose, catching Shen Shiwu trying to steal a kiss.
Her expression clearly said, I knew you were up to no good, making Shen Shiwu kiss her without hesitation.
Kong Yin’s rented recording studio was in a large building, next to a small company. There were many people outside, and Jiang Siyi quickly pulled away. “That’s enough.”
It wouldn’t be polite to continue.
Shen Shiwu returned to the driver’s seat. Holding Jiang Siyi’s hand, she asked, “You have so much luggage, should I drop you off at the hotel first?”
“No, although work hasn’t officially started yet, I need to go to the studio first.” Jiang Siyi patted her hand reassuringly. “My editor is already there, I’ll go to the hotel with her tonight.”
After a few seconds, Shen Shiwu nodded.
She unlocked the car doors and said softly, “Can I come up and take a look?”
The recording studio was on the thirteenth floor. Perhaps because the past few days had been too good, only now did Jiang Siyi truly feel the impending separation.
Their roles had reversed, and now she was the anxious one.
“Shen Shiwu.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t miss me too much,” Jiang Siyi played with Shen Shiwu’s fingers, “because I definitely won’t miss you…”
They were alone in the elevator, which was currently on the ninth floor.
Shen Shiwu’s mood, which hadn’t been great to begin with, darkened at those words. She chuckled softly and said suddenly, “Look up.”
As Jiang Siyi obediently looked up, Shen Shiwu, glancing at the security camera and shielding them from view, kissed her.
Kong Yin was waiting outside the elevator.
Thinking of working with Jiang Siyi for the next two months, she couldn’t suppress her smile.
The elevator doors opened.
“Ms. Jiang…”
She had just spoken when she froze, stunned by the scene before her.
Jiang Siyi, hearing her voice, panicked and tried to pull away from Shen Shiwu’s embrace, but the other woman deepened the kiss.
Shen Shiwu’s eyes were dark, and only after a few seconds did she finally let go.
Kong Yin took a few steps back, unsure whether to leave or not.
She pretended not to have seen anything and forced a smile. “Ms. Jiang, everyone is inside.”
And Ms. Jiang was mentally listing one hundred and eight ways to slaughter a pig.
She was led out of the elevator by Shen Shiwu, her lips still tingling. Just as she was about to speak, still embarrassed, Shen Shiwu spoke first. “Are you the chief planner?”
Kong Yin’s expression changed slightly. “No, I’m a voice actress, the planner is my friend.”
Jiang Siyi paused and said to Shen Shiwu, “You met her at the book signing before.”
“Really?” The woman’s voice was flat. “I don’t remember.”
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