Chapter 70
Having just showered, her skin still warm, Jiang Siyi stood by the window with a glass of water. The humid air seeped in through the cracks, mingling with the steam from the hot water.
She placed the glass on the table and checked her phone again, but there were still no new messages.
She sighed.
Shen Shiwu was truly a grudge-holder.
No matter how nicely she spoke, Shen Shiwu hadn’t replied. Jiang Siyi’s expression turned increasingly resentful.
If only Shen Shiwu were still as gentle as before.
Unfortunately, time wouldn’t turn back, and this was just wishful thinking. She sighed and decided to send one last message.
The last one for today.
Staring at the green chat bubbles on her screen, Jiang Siyi hesitated. After a moment, she decided to take a risk—
“Sister.”
She used to hate this form of address, feeling it created a distance between them.
But now, it was different, after all, sometimes they used it for role-playing…
Stop it.
If Shen Shiwu still ignored her this time, she would just go to sleep. Jiang Siyi thought.
Just as sleepiness began to creep in, her phone, which was on the pillow, vibrated.
“Not going to lesbian bars anymore?”
So, she was still angry. Jiang Siyi grabbed her phone, then thought,
Was she jealous?
If she was still jealous, didn’t that mean she still cared?
Jiang Siyi’s mood instantly brightened. She decided words weren’t enough, so she sent a voice message, then a video call request.
Shen Shiwu didn’t answer the video call, replying with a text message: “I’m taking a shower.”
Just showering, they had already slept together, what was there to be shy about?
Jiang Siyi’s thoughts were unrestrained.
She burrowed under the covers, her face flushed, and sent two words: “Let me see.”
Shen Shiwu was sitting in the bathtub, eyes closed. Hearing her phone vibrate, she reached for it, creating ripples in the water, and glanced at the screen.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips.
Let me see?
In your dreams.
Still annoyed, she tossed her phone back onto the side table, but it missed and clattered to the floor.
She didn’t bother picking it up and slid further down into the bathtub, the water almost covering her nose. She lifted her head slightly.
After all these years, Jiang Siyi was still an expert at infuriating her. One moment she was meticulously reporting her schedule, down to the details of what she had for lunch; the next, she was off to a lesbian bar.
Her talent for changing faces was truly remarkable.
A few strands of wet hair clung to the back of her neck, uncomfortable. Shen Shiwu frowned and sat up, water splashing onto the floor.
Her bare feet touched the cold tiles, but it did nothing to quench the fire in her heart.
Seeing Jiang Siyi’s messages, filled with apologies and attempts to appease her, a mischievous glint appeared in Shen Shiwu’s eyes.
After a moment, she granted Jiang Siyi’s wish and initiated a video call.
Jiang Siyi was almost asleep. Hearing the ringtone, she drowsily opened her eyes and, seeing the caller ID, immediately answered.
But the moment she saw what was on the screen, she almost gasped, instantly wide awake.
“You, you…” Jiang Siyi quickly covered herself with the blanket, only her slightly panicked eyes visible.
She was serious?
Actually showing her?
Shen Shiwu wasn’t shy or embarrassed at all. She even adjusted the camera, making sure Jiang Siyi had a clear view, the lens pointed at the mirror.
Her voice was calm, betraying no emotion: “Look.”
This was the first time Jiang Siyi had seen Shen Shiwu’s body so directly.
During their intimate moments, she had always been the one being dominated, her senses overwhelmed, too busy begging for mercy to even glance.
So beautiful.
Jiang Siyi’s heart pounded, and overwhelmed by shyness, she closed her eyes.
Just then, Shen Shiwu suddenly spoke, “I taught you before, it’s polite to reciprocate, isn’t it?”
Hearing the word “taught,” Jiang Siyi was thrown back to four years ago. She blinked, like a student in class, and replied, “Yes.”
Although Shen Shiwu’s expression was calm, Jiang Siyi could sense a hidden smile.
A mischievous one.
She clutched the blanket, feeling slightly nervous.
Hearing her reply, Shen Shiwu flipped the camera, the lens now pointed at the wall. Her voice was still neutral, giving nothing away. “Your turn.”
If only time machines existed.
The bathroom was steamy, the heat fogging up the mirror. Jiang Siyi sat in the bathtub, her face flushed.
Beside the tub was a small, transparent table with her phone on it. On the screen, Shen Shiwu watched her, chin resting on her hand.
“Why aren’t you washing?” the woman asked.
Jiang Siyi didn’t dare to be provocative anymore.
Her earlier words had come back to bite her, and she wanted to cry. Hearing the question, she still didn’t turn around. “I, I am.”
Shen Shiwu patiently watched her.
This was a bit much, even for their current relationship.
Shen Shiwu hadn’t wanted to do this, but Jiang Siyi had been too disobedient.
Without some punishment, she wouldn’t be able to let go of her anger.
Thinking this, she gritted her teeth slightly, her voice a little sharper. “Stand up.”
…
Even taking a bath could be turned into something like this.
Later that night, Jiang Siyi finally lay back in bed. She sighed, thinking that after all these years, Shen Shiwu had become even more…unhinged.
Whatever, she thought.
She wasn’t much better herself.
Still feeling flushed, her mouth dry, she got up, drank a large glass of water, then went back to sleep.
She slept soundly.
Because she had a beautiful dream—she dreamt that she and Shen Shiwu had gotten back together.
So, the next morning, the moment she woke up, Jiang Siyi rushed to the bathroom. She grumbled as she changed her clothes, her face flushed.
***
A few days later, the production officially wrapped up.
This was one of the few non-writing jobs Jiang Siyi had taken on in the past year. Everyone was excited about having a final celebratory dinner, and she agreed.
It was the same barbecue restaurant, Ah Yun being too stingy to afford anything fancier.
Jiang Siyi, seeing the familiar waiter as she entered, felt a pang of embarrassment. She discreetly hid among the others, keeping her head down.
Kong Yin wasn’t there.
She said she had to rush to another project and couldn’t make it, they could get together again next time. Everyone except Jiang Siyi expressed their disappointment and said goodbye.
While the others were being rowdy, Jiang Siyi was busy messaging Shen Shiwu. By the time she looked up, Kong Yin had already left.
“Hey, what do you want to drink?” Lin Yusheng asked, raising her voice to be heard over the noise.
“Grape juice.”
“Not drinking alcohol this time?”
Lin Yusheng didn’t know about the hospital incident; she just remembered that Jiang Siyi had been drinking last time. Jiang Siyi smiled and replied, “I’ve quit drinking.”
Alcohol was a scary thing.
Best to avoid it.
Lin Yusheng didn’t try to persuade her, after all, she had a flight back to London that afternoon.
The food and drinks arrived. As they chatted and laughed, Ah Yun raised her glass. “Everyone, good work this summer. We’re about to part ways, I hope we can meet again next time! Cheers!”
The clinking of glasses filled the air. Jiang Siyi finished her grape juice in one gulp, thinking that she could finally go back to Qinan and pursue Shen Shiwu in person.
The thought made her happy, and when she was happy, she could talk about anything. She grabbed Xiao Xuan’s arm and advised her to cherish her relationship and communicate openly with her girlfriend.
Xiao Xuan, bewildered, was subjected to half an hour of unsolicited relationship advice.
After Jiang Siyi’s impassioned speech, it was almost time to leave. They raised their glasses one last time, said their goodbyes, and parted ways.
Lin Yusheng went to the airport with Jiang Siyi.
“Great author, stop chasing after your new love interest and focus on writing. Try to finish the manuscript by the end of this month, okay?”
The car was stuffy without the AC. Jiang Siyi rolled down the window, the wind ruffling her hair, and closed her eyes for a moment. “I have to pursue her, I won’t finish the manuscript.”
Lin Yusheng almost punched her.
After going through security, Jiang Siyi finally had some peace and quiet. In the past, she would have been writing.
But people change.
She had something more important to do now—report to Shen Shiwu.
“Have you eaten yet? I have, we went to that barbecue restaurant.”
“I’m about to board, it’s a two-hour flight, I’ll land around four.”
“Shen Shiwu, do you want to pick me up?”
All that build-up, just for the last question. After sending the message, Jiang Siyi eagerly awaited a reply.
But the other person was cold and heartless: “I’ll eat later. Can’t pick you up, I have a meeting.”
Seriously?
Yesterday, she insisted on watching her shower, and today, she was acting like a stranger.
Jiang Siyi was furious.
Did she think she had no temper?
Thinking this, she turned off her phone screen, not even bothering to reply with an emoji, and closed her eyes, trying to rest.
But she was too annoyed to sleep. She spent the two-hour flight staring blankly at the ceiling.
Not having rested and still fuming, she looked haggard as she went to retrieve her luggage, her hair a mess.
The last time she had been here was when she had first returned to China.
Back then, she had had her assistant with her. Now, she scoffed inwardly, she was all alone, more pitiful than an empty-nester.
Her suitcase finally appeared.
Jiang Siyi took a few steps forward, bent down, and easily lifted it. The weight was nothing to her; after all, she had been the leader of her gang back in her fighting days.
Remembering her past exploits, a smile appeared on her lips. She placed the suitcase on the ground, grabbed the handle, and was about to leave when it was suddenly lifted.
What was going on?
Why was her suitcase flying?
Used to being hit on, Jiang Siyi thought it was someone asking for her contact information and blurted out, “Sorry.”
I don’t have WeChat.
But the next moment, she met Shen Shiwu’s gaze.
The woman was holding her white suitcase with one hand, her long hair cascading down her back, seemingly a little shorter than before. She asked calmly, “What mischief have you been up to?”
Jiang Siyi quickly swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Her expression changed instantly, and she let go of the suitcase handle.
“Sorry,” she repeated.
“I’m too weak to carry it. Thank you for helping me.”
Shen Shiwu stared at her for a few seconds, shaking her head inwardly.
Where did she learn that from?
Little green tea.
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