Chapter 38
The rabbit was wearing a collar with a pendant.
After closing the door, Jiang Siyi looked down and noticed a small piece of paper tucked inside the clear, hollow pendant.
Opening it, she read the words written on it—
Deleted my Weibo account, don’t ignore me.
Jiang Siyi stared at the note, realizing that Shen Shiwu was trying to appease her.
Perhaps it had been too long since she had felt this way, she stood there for a while, lost in thought, until the rabbit in her arms started nibbling on her hair.
“Don’t bite.” Jiang Siyi pulled her hair away, muttering softly, “Just like your owner… always biting…”
Shen Shiwu was still outside, examining the lock, wondering if she should just break the door down.
But before she could even take a closer look, the door clicked open.
Jiang Siyi peeked out, her face expressionless, holding the rabbit out to her. “Here.”
Shen Shiwu didn’t take it immediately. She petted the rabbit and then asked, “Not angry anymore?”
Jiang Siyi, watching her movements, was reminded of the phrase “catching a rabbit.”
A shiver ran down her spine, and she quickly put the rabbit in Shen Shiwu’s arms. “Since you’ve deleted your account, we’ll let it go.”
She acted magnanimous, adding, “Actually, you only needed to unfollow me, there was no need to delete your account.”
“Following you was the only purpose of that account.”
“Since you don’t allow it, then deleting it is fine too.”
Jiang Siyi brushed a few rabbit hairs off her clothes, her skin itching. She sniffed, pretending to be calm and indifferent. “Oh…”
Seeing that her face was starting to flush again, she asked, while inwardly cursing herself, “Is there anything else? I want to rest.”
The wind ruffled Shen Shiwu’s hair, a smile playing on her lips. “Yes, there is one more thing.”
She feigned distress. “I just suddenly forgot, can I come in and sit down for a bit while I try to remember?”
Jiang Siyi felt that after all these years, not only had Shen Shiwu’s personality changed drastically, but her ability to lie had also improved considerably.
She smiled. “No.”
What kind of logic was that, letting her ex into her apartment?
Shen Shiwu nodded. “Okay, I just remembered.”
“…Tell me.”
The woman’s long hair cascaded down her shoulders, the familiar scent filling Jiang Siyi’s senses, and she couldn’t help but inhale, her thoughts drifting back to the past.
She composed herself and urged, “Tell me.”
Shen Shiwu looked at her. “You said last night you would give me a favor. That still stands, right?”
Jiang Siyi wasn’t one to go back on her word. She replied, “Yes.”
The woman nodded thoughtfully.
She petted the rabbit in her arms and said slowly, “Come home with me.”
The word “home” wasn’t exactly unfamiliar. After all, Shen Shiwu had mentioned it on the night they met at the bar. But it had been years since she had actually lived at Shen Shiwu’s house.
Jiang Siyi’s long eyelashes covered half her eyes.
After a long moment, she finally found her voice. “I only have one home, and that’s the one you’re looking at right now.”
Shen Shiwu’s expression darkened.
She said flatly, “I don’t care how many homes you have, but today, you’re coming with me.”
Jiang Siyi frowned. “I told you, I won’t agree to anything relationship-related.”
“Is this considered relationship-related?” Shen Shiwu leaned closer. “Then, the fact that your editor stayed at your place a few days ago, does that mean she likes you, or vice versa?”
Jiang Siyi was rarely speechless.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out, so she simply turned her head away. “Anyway, no.”
It had been a while since she had acted so childishly, and she felt a little awkward.
Jiang Siyi’s gaze flickered, thinking it wasn’t so bad to act spoiled occasionally.
But Shen Shiwu wasn’t buying it anymore. Or rather, she was no longer indulging her in this aspect.
She gritted her teeth. “Are you sure?”
Those three words seemed like a final warning.
Jiang Siyi felt a chill run down her spine, her palms starting to sweat. She rubbed her fingers together, then pretended to be calm. “Yes.”
Shen Shiwu chuckled softly.
Just as Jiang Siyi was about to close the door, Shen Shiwu stopped her, pushing it open.
The rabbit in her arms jumped to the ground and started playing by itself.
Jiang Siyi had often marveled at Shen Shiwu’s strength during her teenage years, and now she was even more surprised.
In the end, she gave up.
“Shen Shiwu, even if I do move in with you, we’re not getting back together.” Jiang Siyi’s tone was firm—she didn’t want to experience the loneliness and despair of that stormy night again.
Not getting back together?
The woman’s eyes darkened, and she sneered inwardly.
Then I’ll keep you locked up forever.
No matter what it takes, I won’t let you escape again.
“We don’t have to get back together,” Shen Shiwu said sincerely. “Just pure friendship, nothing more.”
An important step in catching a rabbit—making it lower its guard.
Jiang Siyi continued to argue, “I spent a fortune on this apartment, I can’t just move out.”
“Oh, alright,” the woman said agreeably, “then I’ll move in.”
“…”
That night, Jiang Siyi lay in bed, wide awake. She got up, parted the curtains slightly, and looked at the courtyard house opposite hers, seeing that the lights were still on.
Shen Shiwu never slept with the lights on, and she always drew the curtains at night.
Did she do this on purpose, knowing I would be watching?
No, no, no.
Who’s watching?
Jiang Siyi quickly closed the curtains and started pacing around her room.
After countless rounds, she finally calmed down and sat on the edge of her bed.
The world outside was quiet, the only sound being the occasional flapping of birds’ wings.
But Jiang Siyi’s mind was in turmoil.
She sighed and lay down on her bed.
—She was really moving back to that villa tomorrow, what was she going to do?
Moving back.
Jiang Siyi smiled bitterly, realizing something.
So, subconsciously, she still considered that place her home.
For many years, whenever she couldn’t sleep, she would turn on her computer and write. Tonight was no exception.
She had only written part of her new manuscript.
Now, she placed her hands on the keyboard and continued the story.
[One day in late July, she was about to revisit a familiar place, but the past was difficult to rekindle, and she knew she couldn’t allow herself to fall again… so she planned to run away, as far away as possible.]
Having written until four in the morning, Jiang Siyi slept until four in the afternoon the next day, her head buried under the covers.
She woke up with a dizzy head, seeing the soft glow of sunset outside the window, realizing it was already evening.
Getting out of bed to wash up, she was about to go out for food.
When she opened the door, she came face to face with Shen Shiwu.
She didn’t know how long the other woman had been waiting. Jiang Siyi’s breath hitched, remembering yesterday’s incident, and instinctively tried to retreat.
But Shen Shiwu stopped her.
Jiang Siyi thought she must have had some martial arts training.
“Finished packing?” Shen Shiwu seemed to be in a good mood today, her tone cheerful. “Need any help?”
Jiang Siyi stood at the doorway for a while, then, seeing that she couldn’t avoid it, she compromised. “I’ll pack later.”
“What about now?” The other woman seemed to be in a hurry, eager to take her home.
Jiang Siyi smiled. “I’m hungry, I need to eat.”
What was it like to eat a meal cooked by your ex-girlfriend after years of separation?
Miss Jiang had the right to answer—So hungry, I could eat three bowls.
Six dishes and a soup were served, and Shen Shiwu took off her apron. “There aren’t many ingredients left in the fridge, just make do with this.”
Smelling the delicious aroma, Jiang Siyi straightened her back, pretending to be unaffected by the food.
But hearing Shen Shiwu’s words, she almost retorted, “You call this ‘making do’?”
“Eat.” Seeing that she wasn’t moving her chopsticks, Shen Shiwu handed her a spoon. “You’ll need energy to move.”
Jiang Siyi knew she had an ulterior motive.
But her stomach was rumbling embarrassingly, so she closed her eyes, steeled her resolve, and started eating.
Shen Shiwu’s courtyard house was strikingly similar to hers, both in layout and decoration, almost identical.
So, after finishing her meal, Jiang Siyi, rubbing her full stomach, sat in a daze, almost instinctively turning to go upstairs to her room to sleep.
Realizing this was Shen Shiwu’s territory, she sat back down. The next second, she felt a soft touch at her feet, as if a creature was nearby.
Looking down, she saw the rabbit nibbling on her pants.
…Like owner, like pet.
She bent down, picked up the rabbit, and poked its cheek, admonishing it gently. “Don’t learn your owner’s bad habit of biting everything.”
“It’s not a good habit, you have to change.”
As she rambled on, Jiang Siyi didn’t notice someone approaching from behind. The expensive Persian carpet muffled the footsteps, and Shen Shiwu heard everything she said.
The rabbit, not liking being lectured, quickly hopped away. Its owner, however, enjoyed it.
So, when Jiang Siyi was startled by her, her hands gripping the back of the chair, Shen Shiwu asked, “Why did you stop?”
“…Weren’t you in the kitchen? When did you come over?”
“Just now.”
Jiang Siyi started wondering how long “just now” was.
Whether in the past or now, Shen Shiwu always helped her when she was confused.
This time was no exception.
“Just now means I heard everything you said.” Shen Shiwu tapped her head lightly. “So,”
“Why do you think biting is a bad habit?”
Jiang Siyi regretted eating this meal.
She decided to control her mouth next time, not commenting on anything, whether it was about animals or people.
She composed herself and said seriously, “Is biting… a good habit?”
Shen Shiwu, staring at the subtle changes in the girl’s expression, suddenly felt a surge of playfulness.
She leaned closer. “Let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“When I bite you, do you feel uncomfortable?”
Jiang Siyi knew she was up to no good, but she hadn’t expected such a straightforward question. She tried to maintain her composure, but her face still flushed slightly.
“Is it appropriate to say this to your ex-girlfriend?”
“Mm, it’s not very appropriate.”
Shen Shiwu admitted, then added, “Then let’s become current girlfriends.”
In the past, Jiang Siyi often participated in school debate competitions, rarely losing.
She had always thought she wouldn’t be out-argued, until she met Shen Shiwu again.
It seemed she had finally met her match.
If I can’t win with words, I can still run.
Jiang Siyi stood up, about to escape, but Shen Shiwu pushed her back down.
Shen Shiwu’s voice, like a siren’s call, drew closer. “So, did it feel good?”
Jiang Siyi was silent for a moment, then, throwing caution to the wind, she blurted out, “Yes, it felt good, very good, are you satisfied now?”
“Mm, so anything that makes you feel good is a good habit.”
Her voice was laced with laughter, and she added, “Like…”
When Jiang Siyi heard those two words, her mind short-circuited.
Finally, she gritted her teeth. “Can you shut up?”
“There are many ways to shut me up, kissing me is one of them.” Shen Shiwu twirled a strand of her hair. “Want to try?”
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