Chapter 36
Xu Jinnan shuddered inwardly, picturing reading Tipping the Velvet with Shen Shu, considering the book’s rather explicit content.
But looking at Shen Shu’s calm expression, she felt a twinge of guilt for her impure thoughts.
It wasn’t an erotic novel, nor a naive fairytale.
It was a work of art, exploring themes of female empowerment and sexual liberation in Victorian England, a society obsessed with pleasure and riddled with class struggles. It was a book of significant social value.
Xu Jinnan tried to elevate her thoughts, but Shen Shu’s unwavering gaze made her falter.
The book was innocent; she wasn’t.
If she actually sat down and read it with Shen Shu, surrounded by her intoxicating pheromones, she wouldn’t be able to focus.
She coughed, taking the book back and sitting down on the sofa. “We’re on different pages. I’ll read it first.”
Shen Shu’s lips curved into a faint smile as she lowered her gaze.
Xu Jinnan seemed complex, but she was actually quite predictable.
Shen Shu hadn’t seriously intended to read it together. She had simply wanted to see Xu Jinnan’s reaction. She had noticed a pattern in Xu Jinnan’s behavior – she would occasionally flirt, but if Shen Shu reciprocated, Xu Jinnan would back down, almost shyly.
Especially after the banquet, Xu Jinnan had been avoiding physical contact.
Her smile faded as she considered this.
Was Xu Jinnan still affected by that night? Unfortunately, besides the assault, Shen Shu couldn’t remember anything else. What had she done to Xu Jinnan?
Xu Jinnan opened the book, finding her page, and mentioned Cai Ying’s exam.
“She wants to find a tutor herself. I promised to go with her tomorrow,” Shen Shu said, picking up her phone.
“I’m free tomorrow afternoon. I can join you,” Xu Jinnan offered.
Shen Shu paused. “Okay.”
Xu Jinnan flipped through a few pages, trying to remember if she had said “join you” or “join you two.”
At 10:30 p.m., Cai Ying sent a good night message in the group chat, and Xu Jinnan began her nightly routine of locking the door and setting up her makeshift bed on the floor.
The entire process took less than a minute.
“I’m becoming quite proficient at this,” she commented dryly.
Shen Shu chuckled at her tone.
Xu Jinnan’s mood lifted at the sound of her laughter. Shen Shu rarely smiled, and she had never seen her laugh wholeheartedly.
Perhaps her gaze was too intense, because Shen Shu asked, “What?”
“You should smile more. It suits you,” Xu Jinnan replied, thinking, I hope you’ll always be this happy.
“Xu Jinnan, you’re incorrigible.”
Xu Jinnan: “…?”
I’m being unfairly accused, she thought.
She went to the bathroom, and when she returned, Shen Shu’s phone was lit up.
“You have a call. I put it on silent,” Shen Shu said.
Xu Jinnan picked up the phone, surprised to see “2B” on the caller ID. Why would Xu Li call so late?
She answered.
“You knew my brother was coming back, didn’t you? That’s why you dared to act up at home,” Xu Li accused.
Hearing the accusation, Xu Jinnan’s face darkened.
“Do you even know what happened that night?”
“What? Do you want me to spread the news about your tantrum, throwing things, and attacking Dad?”
“That’s what Xu Tao told you?” Xu Jinnan asked, a cold smile playing on her lips.
Hearing Xu Tao’s name, Shen Shu’s heart tightened. She sat up and looked at Xu Jinnan, who was standing near the bed. Their eyes met briefly, then Xu Jinnan turned and walked onto the balcony.
She didn’t want Shen Shu to get involved in this mess.
“Xu Jinnan, how dare you say Dad’s name! You’re becoming more and more disrespectful!” Xu Li continued ranting, mostly about Xu Jinnan’s supposed disrespect towards their father.
Xu Jinnan hung up. Clearly, Xu Li was completely unaware of what had actually happened that night, or perhaps she didn’t know the true nature of the man who played the role of a father in front of her, the monster lurking beneath the surface.
Even Xu Li had called to scold her, yet Xu Tao, besides that one phone call a few days ago, hadn’t contacted her.
She had expected him to do something, at least something similar to what Mr. Song had done to Song Ronghui.
But nothing. She couldn’t understand what he was thinking.
Lu Yun had sent a few messages, telling her not to worry and to take care of herself. If Xu Jinnan hadn’t witnessed it herself, she might have actually believed she was a good mother.
Then, she remembered Xu Li mentioning her brother.
Xu Yincheng, whom she had never met.
She didn’t remember much about him from the novel, as he hadn’t appeared much in the part she had read. But the original Xu Jinnan hadn’t disliked him.
He was one of the few contacts with a proper name.
And Xu Li’s first words had been strange, implying that Xu Yincheng was some kind of protector for the original Xu Jinnan. Xu Jinnan scoffed. If the original had truly had a protector, would she have ended up like this?
The entire Xu family was crazy. She didn’t have much hope for this brother.
She stood on the balcony, lost in thought, until the sliding door opened.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Shu asked, standing at the doorway.
Xu Jinnan looked at her, smiling faintly. “Miss Shen, I’ve noticed you’ve been quite concerned about me lately.” Specifically, the past two days.
Shen Shu: “…”
Seeing Xu Jinnan’s attempt to change the subject, she looked away. “It’s almost 11 p.m. Time for bed.”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Back in the bedroom, the bedside lamp cast a cool glow.
They lay down, Xu Jinnan putting her phone on silent and checking the stock market.
“What was my contact name before?” Shen Shu suddenly asked.
Xu Jinnan froze, remembering the original Xu Jinnan’s labeling system, and the near-exposure. “Just… your name. Why?” she asked, trying to sound casual.
“I saw your caller ID earlier and remembered…”
Xu Jinnan’s heart sank.
“?”
“It wasn’t just my name, was it?”
Shen Shu turned slightly, but she couldn’t see Xu Jinnan’s expression in the darkness.
“…Just your name. You must have been mistaken,” Xu Jinnan said.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Shen Shu didn’t say anything more, and after a few seconds of silence, Xu Jinnan relaxed slightly.
Xu Jinnan shifted restlessly on the floor, then sat up and checked her phone. It was past midnight.
She couldn’t sleep.
She carefully picked up the book from Shen Shu’s bedside table and went to the living room, sitting down on the sofa.
The air conditioning wasn’t on, and after a while, she started to feel hot. She exhaled, put down the book, and decided to take a shower.
When she returned from the bathroom, she saw Shen Shu sitting on the sofa, wearing a light blue silk pajama set, reading Tipping the Velvet.
“You’re still awake?”
Shen Shu glanced at her, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“Yes.”
She put down the book and started walking towards the bedroom, then stopped. “No, just read it during the day. It’s not good for your eyes.”
Xu Jinnan: “Huh?”
She realized what Shen Shu was implying. “I wasn’t… I didn’t…”
I’m just appreciating literature, just like you. Do you believe me?
Shen Shu definitely didn’t.
Considering her own thoughts while reading the book, Xu Jinnan gave up.
After Shen Shu went into the bedroom, Xu Jinnan picked up the book, finding the page marked with a bookmark.
It was a random page; she had a photographic memory and never used bookmarks.
After reading the page, Xu Jinnan understood Shen Shu’s assumption.
The next morning, Shen Shu left early. Cai Ying had a driver, so Xu Jinnan was the last to leave.
She had intended to go to the office, but a WeChat message redirected her to a cafe.
She spotted the woman in a crisp white shirt and formal trousers sitting by the window.
Xu Jinnan waved.
It was Li Lan, the director of the Rongcheng Special Ward.
Xu Jinnan had found her contact information while organizing the original Xu Jinnan’s phone. She was one of the few with a proper name, so she had made a note of it.
Li Lan had recently posted a promotional video of a training exercise at the Special Ward on her Moments feed.
That was how Xu Jinnan had been able to arrange Song Ronghui’s arrest.
People who worked in such specialized facilities were usually perceptive. Xu Jinnan wasn’t sure about the nature of the original Xu Jinnan’s relationship with Li Lan, so she waited for her to speak.
To her surprise, Li Lan’s tone was familiar.
“I have a meeting soon, so I’ll be brief. Is Xu Yincheng coming back soon?” As the waiter brought their coffee, Li Lan pushed the cappuccino towards Xu Jinnan. “If he contacts you, let me know immediately.”
Her tone suggested a sense of urgency, almost desperation.
Xu Jinnan deliberately slowed her speech. “Well…”
Li Lan’s voice turned cold. “Even if he’s rejecting me, I want to hear it from him directly.”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Ah, the pain of unrequited love.
She nodded, even though she had no idea about Xu Yincheng’s return, or even his current whereabouts.
Why did everyone assume she knew?
Li Lan checked her watch, taking a sip of coffee. “I haven’t heard any scandalous news about you lately. Keep it up. And remember to be a law-abiding citizen.” She straightened her collar. “Most importantly, pay your taxes. If you break the law, even your brother won’t be able to save you, let alone me.”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
She nodded, watching as Li Lan walked away.
She was slightly touched – she hadn’t expected to find someone so upright in the original Xu Jinnan’s circle.
But she hadn’t learned anything new about Xu Yincheng. What did he even do?
As she stood up to pay, the waiter informed her that the bill had been settled. As expected of someone from the state, she thought, impressed.
It was a little past 1 p.m. when Shen Shu received a message from Xu Jinnan asking for her location. She sent her location pin.
Xu Jinnan: [Why are you at the university?]
Shen Shu: [She heard there was an event and wanted to check it out.]
Xu Jinnan: [Did you find anyone?]
Shen Shu: [Almost.]
Cai Ying had contacted a few doctoral students with teaching experience in trade. Due to Cai Ying’s impulsive nature, they had arrived early, only to find it was just a lecture.
With only twenty minutes left before their scheduled meeting, they decided to wait at a nearby milk tea shop.
“Shu Shu, why don’t we walk around campus?” Cai Ying suggested.
Before Shen Shu could reply, her phone rang. It was a former colleague asking for advice.
“I’ll be right back,” Cai Ying said, stepping outside with her milk tea.
Two rows of sycamore trees lined the road leading to the university. The late August heat was still intense, and Cai Ying opened her bag under the shade of a tree, looking for a tissue.
It slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.
As she bent down to pick it up, a slender hand appeared in her vision. Cai Ying looked up, her eyes widening. “You’re the one from…”
“We meet again,” Han Wenling said, smiling faintly, handing her the tissue. “Are you a student here?”
Cai Ying took the tissue, shaking her head. “Are you a student?”
Han Wenling looked at her flushed face and leaned closer. “Do I look like one?”
“No…” Cai Ying felt a strange nervousness. “You look like a teacher.”
When Cai Ying returned, Shen Shu was about to call her.
“Let’s go. I found a tutor,” Cai Ying said, linking arms with Shen Shu. “Is your Xu Jinnan still coming?”
“You found someone?”
“Yes, but not from the original list. I met someone amazing, a professor at the university.” And she’s gorgeous. She didn’t say this last part aloud, but Shen Shu could tell.
“Did you even ask about her qualifications, her teaching experience, her area of expertise?”
“Of course I did!” Cai Ying insisted. “She even showed me pictures of her with the university president and other professors.”
“What’s her name? I’ll look into it,” Shen Shu said.
“She said she’ll contact me later with more details. I’m not in a hurry. Come on, don’t worry. You don’t think I’d be scammed, do you?”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m certain you were scammed,” Shen Shu said dryly.
Cai Ying: “…”
As Xu Jinnan waited at a red light, she saw a woman smoking in a black Maybach.
Han Wenling also noticed Xu Jinnan, and their eyes met briefly, both recognizing something in the other.
Han Wenling raised her hand in a slight gesture of acknowledgement.
While the banquet incident had been proven unrelated to the Han family, Xu Jinnan didn’t believe Han Wenling had been completely unaware. She had sensed a calculating coldness in her eyes, a dangerous quality.
The two cars passed each other.
After picking up Shen Shu, Xu Jinnan listened to her conversation with Cai Ying.
“She doesn’t even know the basics, and you gave her your contact information? How can I not worry?” Shen Shu asked, her voice slightly sharper than usual when she was annoyed.
Cai Ying, feeling pressured, blurted out, “Okay, okay! I didn’t actually want her as a tutor. I just want to date her!”
Xu Jinnan: “…I think you’re more likely to be the one being pursued.”
Cai Ying: “…”
Under Shen Shu’s stern gaze, Cai Ying promised to be careful and to inform her when she had more information about the tutor.
Xu Jinnan dropped Cai Ying off, then drove Shen Shu home.
“Still mad?” she asked, glancing at Shen Shu’s expression.
Shen Shu shook her head. “Just worried.”
Cai Ying was an adult; as a friend, she shouldn’t interfere too much.
Xu Jinnan turned off the car. “It’s not interfering too much. She’s naive.” She understood that Shen Shu, having lacked familial affection most of her life, cherished her relationship with Cai Ying.
She wondered where she ranked in Shen Shu’s heart now. The thought was fleeting.
Shen Shu chuckled at her words. “She’s been sheltered her whole life. The most malicious person she’s ever met was her ex-girlfriend.”
“I can understand that,” Xu Jinnan replied.
Shen Shu wanted to protect Cai Ying’s innocence.
Having experienced the ugliness of the world, she wanted to preserve that spark of naivete.
Xu Jinnan was about to suggest dinner when Shen Shu said, “Let’s go upstairs.”
Xu Jinnan paused, then nodded, understanding she meant they should go up together. They picked up a package at the front desk on their way up.
It was 6:30 p.m.
The refrigerator was almost empty, only frozen shrimp, so she made seafood noodles.
“Why did you give me all the shrimp?” Shen Shu asked, looking at her bowl.
“You like them, and there weren’t many,” Xu Jinnan replied, taking a bite of her egg. “How’s filming going?”
Shen Shu’s heart tightened. The images and words from those photos were like scars, impossible to erase. The current Xu Jinnan was kind and gentle, but she had also been through hell…
She lowered her gaze. “I have two more days of filming, then I’m done.” She placed a few shrimp in Xu Jinnan’s bowl.
“Xu Jinnan,” she said softly, “I’ll treat you better too.”
Xu Jinnan paused. After a moment, she said lightly, “You could have just said that earlier. A few shrimp and you’re already buttering me up. I should just open a shrimp farm.”
Shen Shu chuckled, the corners of her eyes crinkling, and Xu Jinnan smiled back.
“Looks like I should. You seem happy.”
Shen Shu took a piece of pickled vegetable. “You’re annoying,” she said, smiling.
Xu Jinnan’s heart skipped a beat.
So, Shen Shu had this side to her too.
Her playful tone was like a feather brushing against Xu Jinnan’s heart, where a seed of something was growing, a tingling sensation blooming within her.
A little after 7 p.m., Xu Jinnan remembered the locked box and was about to go get it when Shen Shu said, “Can you open that package we picked up earlier?”
Xu Jinnan went to the entrance and retrieved the package.
Inside was a black satin slip dress with delicate lace trim below the bust. The fabric felt soft and luxurious. Knowing it was from Shen Shu, Xu Jinnan’s hands felt warm as she held it.
“Where should I put this?”
“It’s for you. Try it on,” Shen Shu replied, her back to her as she poured a glass of water.
“For me?” Xu Jinnan asked, surprised.
Shen Shu didn’t turn around, her voice softer than usual, less cold. “Yes. You can return it if you don’t like it.”
Xu Jinnan went into the bathroom and stared at the dress for a moment, smiling. Why is she so shy about giving a gift?
She undressed and put on the dress.
After a moment, she called out, her voice slightly strained.
“Shu Shu, can you come here for a second?”
Shen Shu stood at the doorway. “Did you change?”
“No,” Xu Jinnan replied, opening the door and turning her back to Shen Shu, her bare back exposed. “It’s stuck…”
Shen Shu: “…”
She zipped up the dress effortlessly.
Their eyes met in the mirror.
“It really was stuck,” Xu Jinnan insisted, then coughed, looking at her reflection. “Don’t you think it’s a little… small in the chest area?”
“I got the smallest size,” Shen Shu replied calmly, looking away, not wanting to admit she wasn’t good at judging sizes. Xu Jinnan was very slender. “I didn’t think you were… well-endowed, so I didn’t ask.”
Xu Jinnan: “?”
Why don’t you take a closer look?
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