Chapter 69
On Qixi Festival, a refreshing rain fell.
The production team unexpectedly gave everyone a day off.
Ah Yun sent a message in the work group chat: “On this beautiful day, everyone, enjoy your free time!”
Jiang Siyi, woken up by her alarm, saw this message the moment she opened her eyes.
She mumbled, “Why didn’t you tell us earlier…” then pulled the covers over her head and went back to sleep.
The rain continued, a steady, rhythmic pitter-patter.
Perhaps it was the soothing sound of rain, but Jiang Siyi didn’t wake up until noon.
These past few days, she had been persistently messaging Shen Shiwu, and although there hadn’t been much progress, their relationship had at least thawed slightly.
Keep going, Little Jiang.
Just a little longer, and she would have both the woman and the rabbit.
Speaking of the rabbit, she missed Eleven.
So, after ordering takeout, Jiang Siyi sent Shen Shiwu her usual harassing messages.
Shen Shiwu was in a meeting, scolding her employees.
Seeing her phone light up, her expression softened slightly.
“Before two o’clock this afternoon, submit the revised marketing report, or you’re fired,” she said ruthlessly.
The employee quickly nodded. “Yes, Boss.”
She had been busy with work lately, only sleeping four or five hours a day, her mood constantly sour—except when she received messages from Jiang Siyi.
“Are you there? Show me the rabbit.”
Along with a GIF of a rabbit rolling around.
Shen Shiwu suppressed a smile, the coldness surrounding her melting slightly. But her reply was still aloof. “I’m at the office.”
Jiang Siyi, eating her takeout, feeling slightly pathetic, replied with an “Okay.”
She poked at her rice, her appetite gone, then saw another message. Shen Shiwu: “I’ll show you when I get home tonight.”
Heh, woman.
Jiang Siyi’s spirits lifted, feeling smug.
So she had softened after all.
She pretended to be reserved. “Wouldn’t that be too much trouble?”
Shen Shiwu, seeing the message: “…”
“Then don’t look.”
No!
Jiang Siyi instantly regretted her words, wanting to slap herself. She quickly retracted the message.
“Sorry, wrong person,” she added as an excuse.
Shen Shiwu didn’t reply, probably busy with work. Jiang Siyi continued eating, and after she was half-full, she wanted to find something to do.
She should go out for a walk.
As she left the hotel, she sent Shen Shiwu a voice message: “I just finished lunch, the team has the day off, so I’m going for a walk.”
“So many couples around, I’m so lonely.”
Jiang Siyi had perfected the art of playing the victim card. At first, she had thought it wouldn’t work, but now…
It was surprisingly effective.
“You’re the one who went out, whose fault is that?” Shen Shiwu replied.
Jiang Siyi pouted. “Yours.”
She started making excuses. “It’s all your fault for not getting back together with me, that’s why I’m so lonely, so it’s all your fault.”
Shen Shiwu’s lips curved into a smile, imagining Jiang Siyi’s pouting face.
Cute, she would tease her a little longer.
“Whose fault was it that we broke up in the first place?”
“That, that was a misunderstanding,” Jiang Siyi said, playing the victim, “and do you think I was happy after we broke up?”
“I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I woke up in pain every day, and cried myself to sleep every night.” Jiang Siyi almost started singing, then cleared her throat and pretended nothing had happened.
“Really? That sad?”
“Of course.”
Shen Shiwu hummed thoughtfully, then opened Weibo.
Looking at Jiang Siyi’s post from last night, she chuckled softly. “Little liar.”
***
Qixi Festival was indeed not a good day to go out.
Jiang Siyi was thirsty and wanted to buy some fruit tea, but the shop was so crowded that even a fly couldn’t get out.
Her lips twitched, and she turned and left.
She missed Shen Shiwu.
She always missed her, but even more so now.
She pouted and continued walking, feeling dejected. Suddenly, someone called out from behind, “Jiang Siyi!”
That familiar voice…
As expected, turning around, she saw Lin Yusheng standing there, hands on her hips, slightly breathless. “Why are you walking so fast? I almost couldn’t catch up.”
“You too, couldn’t stand being alone?” Jiang Siyi asked.
“Couldn’t stand being bored in the hotel,” Lin Yusheng said, grabbing her arm and pulling her along, “come on, I’ll take you somewhere fun.”
Being dragged into a lesbian bar, Jiang Siyi immediately wanted to leave. Lin Yusheng clicked her tongue. “Scared?”
It wasn’t that she was scared, she just didn’t want Shen Shiwu to find out—although Shen Shiwu was far away in Qinan.
“It’s just a bar, what’s there to be scared of?” Jiang Siyi scoffed. “I just…”
“Just what? Let’s stay here for a bit, kill some time, then have dinner and go back to the hotel.” Lin Yusheng spoke quickly. “Just another day gone. Do you want to go out and watch other people be lovey-dovey?”
The music inside was loud, making Jiang Siyi’s head buzz. After hesitating for a while, she agreed, but said she wouldn’t drink.
They sat at the bar, and Lin Yusheng ordered two drinks. A Long Island Iced Tea for herself, and a low-alcohol Tequila…
Just as she was about to speak, Jiang Siyi said firmly, “I’m not drinking.”
Lin Yusheng: “…”
Sitting at the bar, the bartenders would occasionally come over and chat. Lin Yusheng could talk to anyone, making the silent Jiang Siyi beside her seem even more aloof.
“Yes, this lady is single,” Lin Yusheng said, nudging Jiang Siyi and addressing the bartender with the red hair.
Jiang Siyi denied with a smile, “Not exactly single.”
The bartender, thinking she was joking, was about to say something when Jiang Siyi continued, “Still seeing my ex.”
Her tone was so matter-of-fact that both Lin Yusheng and the bartender were stunned, thinking they had misheard. Lin Yusheng’s mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something, but hesitant. The bartender chuckled awkwardly and left.
Jiang Siyi played with her hair, continuing to space out, and Lin Yusheng leaned closer, surprised. “You’re two-timing?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“Weren’t you the one who said you had a new love interest?” Lin Yusheng’s memory for gossip was excellent. “Seeing your ex while having a new love interest, tsk, tsk, tsk, Ms. Jiang, you’re quite the player.”
Jiang Siyi, feeling guilty, tried to explain, but no matter how she phrased it, it didn’t sound right. She simply said, “Actually… my new love interest is my ex.”
Seeing Lin Yusheng’s puzzled expression, she added confidently, “Enemies can become lovers, why can’t exes become new love interests?”
Lin Yusheng was speechless.
After a moment of silence, she could only say, “You’re truly bound to your ex… new love interest for life.”
Jiang Siyi finally stopped playing with her hair.
She blinked, her voice soft amidst the noise. “Mm-hmm, not bad.”
A few minutes later, her “new love interest” unexpectedly sent her a message. The lights in the bar flickered, changing colors, and Jiang Siyi squinted at her phone screen.
“Went home for a bit.” A simple message.
A few seconds later, another message: “Want to see the rabbit?”
Jiang Siyi quickly replied: “Yes!”
She had thought Shen Shiwu would send her a few pictures, but after waiting for a while, her phone vibrated.
Something wasn’t right.
It was a video call.
Jiang Siyi stood up abruptly. Like a fugitive about to be arrested, she panicked, looking around for a quiet place, then, giving up, she rushed out of the bar.
Lin Yusheng, startled, grabbed her arm. “What are you doing?”
Jiang Siyi swatted her hand away and left without looking back, thinking she had to hurry, or she wouldn’t be able to answer the call.
Half a minute later, seeing that the video call wasn’t being answered, Shen Shiwu finished her tea in one gulp. The tea was bitter, and she pursed her lips, ending the call.
Not answering? What is she doing?
Eleven, in her lap, was fidgeting restlessly, just like Jiang Siyi during class. It hopped off the sofa and started exploring the house.
Shen Shiwu stood up and picked it up.
She petted its head. “Don’t run away, Mommy wants to see you.”
Jiang Siyi squatted down in a quiet corner of the street, the occasional pedestrian passing by. She was breathless from running, and after catching her breath, she called Shen Shiwu back.
It had been a while since she had last seen Shen Shiwu.
Thinking this, her heart started to race.
The moment the call connected, Jiang Siyi’s eyes widened.
Shen Shiwu was wearing a white shirt, her long hair cascading down one shoulder. A few buttons were undone, revealing her collarbone and part of her shoulder, her pale skin glowing in the light.
Little Jiang swallowed nervously.
She quickly looked away and said, “Where’s the rabbit?”
The camera moved down, and Eleven was being held in Shen Shiwu’s arms. As if sensing its other mommy on the screen, it started pawing at the phone.
Jiang Siyi, seeing its frantic movements, called out, “Eleven.”
The rabbit immediately sat still, its nose twitching.
“It looks much fatter, did you give it extra food?”
“No, just the normal amount.”
“You might have a different understanding of the word ‘normal.’ You also fed me like a pig before…” Jiang Siyi muttered.
“Really? You also fed me quite a lot,” Shen Shiwu said casually, scratching the rabbit’s chin.
“When did I ever feed you?” Jiang Siyi hadn’t realized the double entendre yet. “Weren’t you always the one feeding me…”
She froze.
Shen Shiwu was still playing with the rabbit, her long, slender fingers catching Jiang Siyi’s eye, and her face flushed.
And Shen Shiwu, seeing her sudden silence, asked, “What’s wrong?”
The air was damp and cool after the rain.
The breeze brushed against Jiang Siyi’s face, but it couldn’t dispel the heat in her cheeks.
She discreetly moved the camera, not wanting Shen Shiwu to see her blushing. But Shen Shiwu, never considerate, loved to tease her.
“Not speaking means you don’t want to see the rabbit anymore?”
Jiang Siyi moved her face back into view. She had been squatting for too long, her legs numb, so she stood up.
“I want to see it.” Just as she finished speaking, she heard the clicking of high heels approaching.
Lin Yusheng, having finally found her, stood there with her hands on her hips and asked, “We agreed to hang out at the bar, why did you run off by yourself?”
Jiang Siyi: “…”
She quickly muted the microphone.
Lin Yusheng continued, lamenting the money she had spent, “I didn’t even finish my drinks…”
She finally realized something was wrong and asked, “Who are you talking to?”
“My new love interest,” Jiang Siyi gritted out, her eyes narrowed.
Lin Yusheng chuckled nervously. “Is, is that so? Oh, that camphor tree looks nice, I’ll go take a closer look.”
Then, afraid of being stabbed, she quickly ran away.
Jiang Siyi, gritting her teeth, looked back at her phone, only to see an empty screen.
The rabbit was gone, and so was Shen Shiwu.
The next second,
The video call ended.
Leave a Reply