Chapter 40 p2
Jiang Siyi was constantly worried that, unknowingly, she would revert back to her old self, becoming dependent on Shen Shiwu.
She had to leave.
No matter what, she wouldn’t stay with Shen Shiwu—getting back together with someone who had hurt her before was pathetic.
Jiang Siyi sighed and replied, “How did you know?”
The reply came quickly: “I read the news.”
The news?
The book signing was announced already?
Jiang Siyi searched for it, and this time, Shen Shiwu wasn’t lying.
Seeing the countless posts, she was impressed by the efficiency of the Beicheng staff.
She scrolled for a while, then replied, “Okay.”
“It’s on the same day, we can go and return together, how’s that?”
Just as Jiang Siyi was about to say “no way,” there was a knock on her door, and Shen Shiwu’s voice came through. “Ms. Jiang, I’m here to deliver some fruit.”
What a ridiculous form of address.
Jiang Siyi frowned, then went to open the door. “Can’t you just leave me alone at night?”
As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the woman standing before her in her pajamas, a few buttons undone.
She averted her gaze, took the plate of sliced mangoes, and was about to close the door. “You can go now, I’m going to bed.”
But Shen Shiwu wasn’t going anywhere.
She leaned against the doorframe, blocking Jiang Siyi, and said slowly, “So, have you thought about it?”
Jiang Siyi thought this woman was incredibly stubborn.
Her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she took a bite of mango. “My editor is also coming back that day, I’ll go with her.”
The last part seemed to displease Shen Shiwu.
She clicked her tongue, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.
After a few seconds, Shen Shiwu said calmly, “Do you want your editor to lose her job?”
Jiang Siyi’s eyes widened slowly.
The woman before her stepped closer, trapping her.
“Don’t…”
Her chin was tilted up, and she could barely speak, only managing a single word.
She looked into Shen Shiwu’s deep, dark eyes, a familiar feeling washing over her—that night in bed, Shen Shiwu had also controlled her like this, leaving her no room to escape.
“What did you say?” The woman’s voice was low, her intentions unreadable. “Say it again.”
Jiang Siyi’s face hurt from being pinched.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Knowing Shen Shiwu, it wasn’t impossible for her to do something like that. Although Lin Yusheng was motivated by money, she had helped her a lot over the years and was a competent editor.
Jiang Siyi whispered, “I’ll go with you.”
Shen Shiwu finally looked slightly appeased.
The pressure on Jiang Siyi’s face lessened, and Shen Shiwu leaned down, her lips close to the corner of her eye.
The kiss was light, softer than a raindrop.
It brushed away a teardrop, suppressing all other unspoken desires.
Jiang Siyi’s body stiffened, her heart pounding, and she flinched.
“You weren’t this scared before,” Shen Shiwu said, feeling her tremble, and gently patted her back.
Jiang Siyi felt embarrassed. “Who’s scared?”
She changed the subject. “What happened to ‘pure friendship’? Do friends kiss each other’s eyes?”
She straightened her back, her tone accusatory.
Shen Shiwu chuckled softly. “Why not?”
“Actually, I can kiss other places too. Would Ms. Jiang like to try?”
Jiang Siyi fell silent.
After thinking for a moment, she decided to put her escape plan into action—living with a crazy person was detrimental to her mental health.
Late at night, the corner of her eye still felt warm from the kiss. Jiang Siyi tossed and turned, then opened her phone and started searching for the most livable cities.
***
The Beicheng sun was scorching, making people hop and skip to avoid the heat.
The book signing was in the afternoon. Jiang Siyi, sitting in the car, clicked her tongue at the person beside her. “Aren’t you here on a business trip?”
Shen Shiwu wasn’t ashamed at all. “Yes.”
“Then why are you dragging me around sightseeing?”
They were at a red light, the traffic stopped, and Shen Shiwu handed her a small cake. “I saw you didn’t eat much for breakfast. I just bought this. You can leave it if you don’t want it.”
Jiang Siyi, seeing her quickly change the subject, hummed inwardly and glanced at the bag of pastries.
She hadn’t liked sweets since the breakup. Her casual mention of cutting down on sugar had become a reality.
“Still avoiding sugar?” Shen Shiwu asked, seeing her hesitation.
Jiang Siyi didn’t reply immediately, then, as if by some unknown force, she reached out and took the cake.
“Thank you,” she said.
The traffic started moving again. Shen Shiwu, hearing her words, chuckled softly. “You’re welcome, Ms. Jiang.”
“Do you have to call me that?” Jiang Siyi had long been annoyed by this form of address. She tore open the packaging of the plastic spoon and blurted out.
“If not this, should I continue calling you ‘student Jiang’?”
Jiang Siyi paused, her spoon hovering over the cake.
She took a bite, the sweetness suddenly making her feel uncomfortable. She pursed her lips, her emotions complex, and finally said, “Just call me by my name.”
Shen Shiwu nodded, her voice calm. “Okay.”
Everything felt familiar, the person, the car, and even the food—a bag of pastries. Jiang Siyi didn’t have a good memory; she used to struggle to memorize texts, but she remembered every detail of their relationship from four years ago.
She remembered it was a school day, the traffic just as congested as today, and Shen Shiwu had given her a bag of pastries and a cup of bubble tea.
Back then, the words she heard most often were… “student Jiang.”
“Jiang Siyi, we’re here, aren’t you getting out?” Her thoughts were interrupted, and Jiang Siyi snapped back to reality, speechless.
Shen Shiwu, seeing her hesitation, raised an eyebrow, teasing, “Have your studies made you lose your mind, student Jiang?”
A lump formed in her throat.
Jiang Siyi turned her head away, then lowered it, putting the barely-touched cake back into the bag.
She didn’t look up.
Shen Shiwu, sensing her change in mood, was about to coax her, then thought—So, even she feels sad when reminded of the past.
If she was still affected, didn’t that mean…
…Jiang Siyi still loved her?
Baseless assumptions were pointless, and Shen Shiwu quickly dismissed the thought.
Even if she didn’t, so what? She would just keep her locked up at home.
“Don’t cry.”
Jiang Siyi immediately bristled. “Who’s crying? I’m not crying.”
Shen Shiwu smiled helplessly. “Okay, you’re not crying.”
“How’s the cake?”
Jiang Siyi’s answers were usually noncommittal, a simple “it’s okay” to almost every question.
Now, she replied, “It’s okay.”
“Then feed me a bite.”
If Jiang Siyi had been feeling sad just moments ago, now she wanted to throw this scheming woman into the pile of pastries.
She smiled. “No.”
“Just one bite.”
“No.”
Shen Shiwu sighed and locked the car doors.
Jiang Siyi, hearing the click, discreetly moved away.
The parking lot was quite lively, with many people passing by. Although no one was paying attention to them, Jiang Siyi was still afraid of Shen Shiwu suddenly leaning closer.
Just like that night when she had kissed her eyes.
Shen Shiwu tapped the steering wheel, her long, slender fingers catching Jiang Siyi’s eye.
She looked away and said firmly, “Let me out of the car.”
Shen Shiwu wasn’t in a hurry.
She said slowly, as if casually, “What did I just say?”
Jiang Siyi: “…”
As she remained silent, she wondered what the Shen Shiwu from four years ago would think of her now, seeing her being treated like this.
She finally moved her hand.
Jiang Siyi was about to open another cake when Shen Shiwu stopped her. “Don’t waste food, I’ll eat yours.”
Could you be any more obvious?
Jiang Siyi opened the cake container, scooped a spoonful, and gestured for Shen Shiwu to come closer. “Here, eat.”
Shen Shiwu looked over and saw a pale hand holding a spoon, offered to her. Looking up, she met Jiang Siyi’s resigned gaze.
She smiled and leaned closer, taking the cake from the spoon. Meeting Jiang Siyi’s eyes, she licked the corner of her lips.
“Mm, very sweet.”
The scene…
…reminded Jiang Siyi of that night, the glistening moisture on Shen Shiwu’s lips…
“Cough, cough.” She suddenly started coughing.
Shen Shiwu patted her back and brushed her hair aside. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Jiang Siyi pretended to be blushing from coughing.
She thought her acting had improved considerably as she waved her hand dismissively. “I’m fine, I just choked.”
“Choked on air?”
“…Can’t I?”
Seeing that she was about to get angry again, Shen Shiwu stopped teasing her and said soothingly, “Of course you can, you’re always right.”
Jiang Siyi scoffed, thinking, That’s more like it.
“Can I get out of the car now?”
“Of course.”
“I’m not unreasonable.”
Shen Shiwu said this without a change in expression, making Jiang Siyi roll her eyes.
Finally breathing in the fresh air, Jiang Siyi felt much more relaxed. The parking lot was a grassy area, and while Shen Shiwu was still in the car, she playfully stepped on the soft ground.
Ah, I accidentally stepped on a bug.
A certain great author discreetly retracted her foot, feeling the sole of her shoe burning, and mumbled apologetically, “See you in the next life…”
Shen Shiwu leaned closer, hearing her sudden words, and chuckled. “What next life?”
“Who do you want to see in your next life?”
Her smile faded as she finished the sentence.
Jiang Siyi, hearing the two questions, felt like she was being interrogated and retorted, “It’s none of your business.”
Logically, it really wasn’t any of Shen Shiwu’s business, since they were exes. Even if Jiang Siyi decided to start a new relationship, Shen Shiwu had no right to interfere.
But Shen Shiwu gritted her teeth.
She wondered if she had spoiled Jiang Siyi too much in the past, leading to this situation.
It had started as a joke, but now they were both serious.
Especially Shen Shiwu.
She even called Jiang Siyi by her full name. “Jiang Siyi.”
“You know, I’m not as gentle as I used to be.”
“So,” the woman tapped her cheek lightly, “some things are better left unsaid, understand?”
Her tone wasn’t harsh, but the warning was clear.
Jiang Siyi lowered her eyes, not replying.
Sensing her silent defiance, Shen Shiwu leaned closer, her eyes filled with possessiveness and helplessness.
She whispered, “Xiao Si.”
Those two words hit Jiang Siyi like a meteor. Her body trembled, feeling like she was falling apart.
When her anxiety acted up, she would become a sweaty, shaking mess.
She didn’t want Shen Shiwu to see her like this, so she turned to run again.
Shen Shiwu caught her in a hug.
She sensed the girl’s distress, but she didn’t know the reason. Feeling her tremble, she was momentarily stunned.
The woman could only tighten her embrace, whispering in her ear, “Xiao Si, are you feeling unwell? I’m here, just breathe…”
A long time passed, so long that the passersby had glanced at them countless times, before Jiang Siyi finally calmed down.
Drenched in cold sweat, afraid of making Shen Shiwu uncomfortable, she weakly tried to pull away.
But Shen Shiwu didn’t let go. Instead, she gently stroked the back of Jiang Siyi’s head, her touch gentle, as if handling a fragile treasure.
“Xiao Si, you’re sick.”
As she said those words, a wave of sadness and bitterness washed over her.
Jiang Siyi leaned against her, silently sobbing.
This was the first time since their reunion that she hadn’t held back her tears in front of Shen Shiwu.
The sunlight was obscured by dark clouds, the surroundings turning gray, making the passersby grumble.
It looked like it was about to rain again.
Jiang Siyi huddled in Shen Shiwu’s embrace, her nose stinging, unable to speak.
Only when a raindrop landed on her shoulder did she finally find her voice, her lips moving soundlessly a few times, like a child learning to speak.
Finally, she sighed softly. “Yes, I’m sick.”
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