Chapter 53
Xu Jinnan followed Tong Jia into the hotel. Compared to her earlier trembling, Tong Jia seemed calmer now, though her eyes were red-rimmed, her lips pressed together, her short, silver-gray hair accentuating the pallor of her face.
“If it’s too painful, we don’t have to do this,” Xu Jinnan said.
“No,” Tong Jia replied firmly. “I need to see it with my own eyes before I can give up. You don’t understand what seven years means to me.”
Xu Jinnan fell silent, understanding the suffocating pain of betrayal after years of devotion, even though she hadn’t experienced it herself.
Normally, hotels wouldn’t disclose guest information or room numbers. Even with Qiao Rui’s phone number and ID memorized, Tong Jia couldn’t get past the front desk.
Then, Shen Shu messaged them, saying the hotel was owned by the Cai family and suggesting they contact Cai Ying.
Cai Ying’s response was immediate and explosive. [Screaming] I’m calling right now!!!! Xu Jinnan, you’re doing God’s work!!!! Destroy that cheating bitch!!!!*
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Within minutes, Cai Ying sent them the room number, along with the names of Qiao Rui and the other woman registered in the system.
She didn’t show Tong Jia the names.
The elevator ascended silently, the thick carpeting in the hallway muffling their footsteps. The corridor was quiet, almost deserted.
Xu Jinnan stopped Tong Jia from knocking directly.
Tong Jia, her mind reeling, understood. Qiao Rui wouldn’t open the door if she saw her.
The thought brought tears to her eyes. Everything had been fine just this morning. How had it come to this? She had never imagined confronting Qiao Rui like this.
They stepped aside and knocked softly.
“Who is it?” a voice called out. It wasn’t Qiao Rui.
Xu Jinnan didn’t reply, knocking again after a few seconds, then again, and finally, on the fourth knock, the door opened.
“Who is it? What the—” Qiao Rui’s words died in her throat.
She was wearing a bathrobe, hastily put on, the lapels loose, revealing several love bites on her neck and chest.
She quickly tightened the robe, her eyes meeting Tong Jia’s. “Jia…” she began.
“What’s taking so long?” a woman’s voice called out from inside the room.
Tong Jia bit her lip, tasting blood, and swallowed the rising tide of grief. Her face hardened as she pushed past Qiao Rui and strode into the room.
“Jia Jia!”
Xu Jinnan stood in the hallway, not wanting to intrude.
Then, she heard a scream.
“What are you doing?! Qiao Rui, aren’t you going to do anything?! Ah—”
“Jia Jia!”
A glass shattered on the floor inside the room.
“You’re crazy!” the other woman exclaimed, clutching her forehead, her face pale with shock.
In her anger, Tong Jia had thrown the nearest object, a glass, which, after Qiao Rui dodged it, had struck the woman behind her.
“Tong Jia! Calm down!” Qiao Rui exclaimed, afraid things would escalate. She reached for Tong Jia’s arm, but a hand gripped her shoulder.
She turned to see Xu Jinnan’s cold, sharp eyes.
Qiao Rui frowned. “CEO Xu? You came together?”
Xu Jinnan smiled faintly. “Does it matter?”
Qiao Rui’s face flushed as she turned to Tong Jia. “Jia Jia, let’s talk later,” she said, her voice as gentle as ever.
Tong Jia looked at her, tears streaming down her face. She slapped Qiao Rui. “Seven years, Qiao Rui! I could have trained a dog to be more loyal than you!”
—
Shen Shu pulled up in Xu Jinnan’s car.
Tong Jia sat in the back seat, her forehead resting against the window, her expression bleak.
She wasn’t crying anymore, but she looked even more heartbroken than before.
—
After dropping Tong Jia off, they watched as she began packing her things, as if trying to erase every trace of Qiao Rui from her apartment. She closed a suitcase, her hands gripping the handle tightly. “I’m fine. You can go now,” she said.
“We’ll stay for a bit,” Xu Jinnan said. “I went through all that trouble for you. Let me rest.”
Tong Jia didn’t reply, returning to the bedroom, as if searching for more remnants of her relationship with Qiao Rui.
Xu Jinnan, sensing her distress, called out, “Tong Jia.”
Tong Jia didn’t stop.
Shen Shu went after her, gently taking her hand. “Talk to us, or cry. It’s okay. We’re here for you,” she said softly.
Xu Jinnan looked at Shen Shu. While she claimed to be bad at comforting people, those simple words were more effective than anything Xu Jinnan could have said.
She remained silent.
Tong Jia pulled her hand away and sat down on the bed. “When she danced ‘White Birch Forest,’ she brought the character to life – a woman waiting faithfully for her lover’s return, her heart filled with longing. She stood on stage, tears in her eyes, on tiptoe, as if waiting beneath that white birch tree. At that moment, I thought, this woman must have experienced such heartbreak, such unrequited love. I wanted to protect her, to comfort her… to be the one she was waiting for.” She smiled faintly, glancing at the notebook in the trash can.
It was filled with the lyrics of “White Birch Forest.”
She had written them while pursuing Qiao Rui.
She silently came to the white birch forest,
Waiting longingly, day after day.
She said he was just lost in the distance,
That he would definitely return to this white birch forest.
…
Young people vanished in the white birch forest,
The long road nearing its end.
The girl’s hair had turned white.
“Seven years,” Tong Jia said, her voice laced with bitterness. “And I was the one waiting, like a fool.”
She said she wanted to be alone.
Xu Jinnan brought her a bottle of water, closed the door, and went out onto the small balcony.
Shen Shu was standing by the railing, the sky dark and heavy with rain clouds.
Xu Jinnan stood beside her. “What are you thinking about?”
“Seven years,” Shen Shu replied softly. “Why is a seven-year relationship so fragile? Seven years is a long time.” She rarely expressed such sentiments.
“After such a long time, shouldn’t you be afraid of losing it?” Xu Jinnan asked.
Shen Shu, abandoned as a child, adopted by the Shen family, and then losing her grandmother, had always been afraid of loss. Xu Jinnan’s heart ached for her.
She suddenly understood how Tong Jia must have felt, watching Qiao Rui dance.
“Some people are like that,” she said softly. “Others become complacent after receiving love, or perhaps their feelings fade over time, the novelty wearing off.”
Shen Shu looked at her. “Which type are you?”
“Me? The first type,” Xu Jinnan replied, meeting her gaze.
–
Xu Jinnan leaned against the balcony railing, her pale arms a stark contrast against the black paint, her voice casual yet sincere.
She was slightly shorter than Shen Shu, having leaned down.
Their eyes met, and Xu Jinnan smiled faintly. “Are you tired?”
“Not really.”
“Go sit down. Your foot just healed. Don’t stand for too long.”
Shen Shu looked at her for a moment. “Teacher Xu,” she said, a playful lilt in her voice, “aren’t you tired, worrying about everyone?”
Seeing her lighter mood, Xu Jinnan chuckled. “Teacher Shen, anyone would think you were jealous.”
Shen Shu paused.
Just then, Tong Jia’s anguished cry echoed from inside the apartment. “Qiao Rui! You bastard!”
They hurried inside to find Tong Jia holding an iPad, the screen brightly lit, displaying what looked like text messages.
“Why? How could this be? Qiao Rui…” she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief, then dropped the iPad, which clattered to the floor.
It was the one Tong Jia had bought for Qiao Rui a couple of years ago. The account was Qiao Rui’s, with messages synced and backed up. After upgrading to a new iPad, this one had been put away.
But the account hadn’t been logged out, and if Tong Jia hadn’t been feeling nostalgic and opened the old iPad, she would never have discovered her girlfriend’s betrayal.
For over two years, Qiao Rui had been exchanging explicit, even vulgar, messages with other women. From the content, it seemed many of them were her so-called “students.”
There were even mentions of threesomes and orgies.
Most of these women didn’t know Qiao Rui had a girlfriend, and those who did were mostly married…
Seeking thrills outside their own relationships.
It was disgusting.
Xu Jinnan had seen her fair share of depravity with the original Xu Jinnan, Chen Bo, and Han Fu, but Qiao Rui was just as bad, if not worse.
At least Chen Bo and the others were openly promiscuous. Qiao Rui’s deception made her even more repulsive.
Shen Shu picked up the iPad, turned it off, and handed Tong Jia a tissue, who then collapsed into her arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
Shen Shu gently patted her back.
She had only read one message thread.
Qiao Rui: [Meeting today, babe?]
Other Woman: [Won’t your girlfriend find out?]
Qiao Rui: [I told her I have a class. She usually doesn’t bother me when I’m teaching.]
Other Woman: [Then come over to my place.]
Shen Shu could imagine Tong Jia’s devastation.
—
Tong Jia drank a lot that night, finally passing out from the alcohol. Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu, not wanting to leave her alone, decided to stay.
After settling her in, they sat in the living room, idly watching TV.
A spy romance was playing on the ABO movie channel. The opening scene showed the protagonist, almost exposed, running through a dark alleyway.
During a thrilling shootout, she burst into a dilapidated room, interrupting an Omega woman who was changing her clothes.
—
Xu Jinnan was bored.
Halfway through the movie, she heard a soft sigh and turned to see Shen Shu asleep on the sofa, her head tilted slightly towards Xu Jinnan. The living room lights were off, only the flickering light from the TV illuminating her face, but it was enough to see her delicate features.
Her small face, every inch a work of art, was framed by soft, dark hair, tied back loosely, accentuating her elegant neck. She was wearing a soft, black knit sweater.
Normally, Xu Jinnan wouldn’t have noticed, but perhaps because of the late hour, her senses were heightened, especially her sense of smell.
Shen Shu’s sweet vanilla scent filled the air, wrapping around her like a gentle embrace.
It was intoxicating, more potent than any alcohol.
She realized Shen Shu’s pheromones were stronger than usual.
Was her heat cycle approaching? It wasn’t due yet…
Confused, she felt a familiar tingling in her scent gland.
Her fingers twitched, and she reached out—
Then stopped, her hand hovering inches from Shen Shu’s lips.
Shen Shu’s eyes fluttered open, her pupils reflecting the light from the TV, her gaze sleepy and unfocused.
This vulnerable side of Shen Shu was rare.
“Just fixing your hair,” Xu Jinnan mumbled, quickly withdrawing her hand and sitting up straight, as if nothing had happened.
Shen Shu’s gaze cleared. “Did you fix it?”
Xu Jinnan paused. “Yes,” she replied.
Shen Shu looked at her for a moment, then picked up her glass of water and took a sip. “Really? I didn’t feel anything.”
Xu Jinnan’s heart skipped a beat, her composure faltering. “You were asleep. How could you feel anything?”
“I wasn’t asleep,” Shen Shu said calmly.
Xu Jinnan: “…”
It had started raining around 10 p.m., and the soft patter against the windows, combined with the low volume of the TV, created a peaceful, almost intimate atmosphere.
“What were you doing just now?” Shen Shu asked, her voice soft.
Her mind, still slightly hazy from sleep, wasn’t fully engaged, simply seeking the answer to a question that had instinctively surfaced.
Xu Jinnan’s fingers curled, a strange nervousness washing over her under Shen Shu’s unwavering gaze.
Could she admit she had wanted to touch Shen Shu’s lips?
That she had been drawn in by her intoxicating pheromones?
Clearly not.
She sighed inwardly, looking at Shen Shu’s expectant expression. She couldn’t lie.
“I wanted to touch your face,” she admitted, telling a half-truth. She realized “touch” wasn’t the right word and considered changing it, but seeing Shen Shu’s expression, she decided against it.
It was like a game of chance, testing the waters, afraid of pushing too far and ruining the moment.
She instinctively felt Shen Shu wouldn’t be angry.
“Oh,” Shen Shu said, looking away. “I’m going to check on Tong Jia.”
She opened Tong Jia’s door. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, Tong Jia was fast asleep, tears staining her cheeks, the pillow damp. She must have been crying again.
Shen Shu couldn’t imagine how long she had cried alone.
They left the room.
It was late, past midnight.
Seeing Tong Jia’s state, they decided to stay.
It was a two-bedroom apartment, but besides the master bedroom, the living room and guest room were both small, and the guest room was filled with clutter. So, the sofa was their only option.
Xu Jinnan found a blanket and sat down on the edge of the sofa. “You can lie down,” she said. The sofa was only big enough for one person to sleep comfortably.
“You take the sofa. I’m fine,” Shen Shu replied, her tone leaving no room for argument.
“I’m a restless sleeper. This sofa isn’t big enough,” Xu Jinnan said, placing the blanket aside and moving closer to Shen Shu, her voice gentle. “How about this, next time, I get the sofa, okay?”
Shen Shu looked at her for a moment, then asked, “Xu Jinnan, are you this kind to everyone?”
“No,” Xu Jinnan replied without thinking, her response instinctive and honest.
—
The TV was off, and a dim hallway light created a peaceful, sleep-inducing atmosphere.
Shen Shu lay on the sofa, her feet a few inches from Xu Jinnan’s arm.
The only sound in the room was the intermittent drumming of rain against the windows.
Xu Jinnan leaned back against the sofa, her neck slightly tilted, her eyes closed. After a moment, she heard Shen Shu’s soft voice. “If you really want to…”
“…Hmm?”
“I’ll let you… touch me.”
Her voice was barely a whisper, the words unfamiliar on her tongue.
Xu Jinnan’s mind went blank, her heart pounding.
The soft murmur, against the backdrop of the rain, sent a shiver down her spine, a sweet, tingling sensation.
She knew any misinterpretation of those words would be inappropriate.
“I…” she began, then hesitated.
Refusing after Shen Shu had offered would be rude.
And Shen Shu probably thought she had some kind of secret fetish, enjoying stolen moments of intimacy.
Just a quick touch, and then she would drop it.
After all, being caught staring had been embarrassing enough.
“Then…”
Bang!
The sudden sound of Tong Jia’s door bursting open startled her, the words dying in her throat.
Xu Jinnan stood up and watched as Tong Jia stumbled out of her room, her eyes half-closed.
Seeing Shen Shu on the sofa, she pointed at her and started yelling. “Scum! Beast! Jerk!”
Xu Jinnan: “…” Who are you calling names?!
After finally getting Tong Jia back to bed, they returned to the sofa, the rain now beating against the windows, though it would likely subside soon.
They sat in silence, both exhausted after dealing with Tong Jia.
Neither of them mentioned what had almost happened earlier.
The rain gradually softened, waiting for the next downpour, or for the storm to pass.
—
Tong Jia went to stay at her parents’ house for a few days.
Qiao Rui’s betrayal had devastated her; she couldn’t even bear to say her name.
Xu Jinnan thought letting Qiao Rui off so easily was too lenient.
After seven years of devotion, of pouring her heart and soul into the relationship, even planning a proposal, Tong Jia deserved better. It was a waste of her love and affection.
Like stepping in mud, the feeling of disgust would linger.
If it were Xu Jinnan, she would make Qiao Rui regret her actions, make her fear women for the rest of her life.
But she wasn’t Tong Jia.
She couldn’t say anything more. The day Tong Jia left, she simply sent her a message: Let me know if you need anything.
—
Despite her heartbreak, Tong Jia only took two days off, arranging her work schedule meticulously.
And since Shen Shu hadn’t started filming her new drama yet, the studio’s routine remained unchanged.
Xu Jinnan, however, was busy with the North District project, working late every night, rarely having any free time. She would pick Shen Shu up in the evenings, leaving the rest to Tong Jia.
She could sense their relationship had improved since the motel incident.
—
Xu Jinnan arrived home after working late, the faint sound of a TV commercial reaching her ears before she even opened the door.
She entered the apartment. The scent of shower gel lingered in the air, the living room lights on, the TV playing, Shen Shu sitting on the sofa.
Xu Jinnan took a quick shower, and when she returned, a plate of diced mangoes was on the table.
She had eaten a late dinner and wasn’t hungry, but she took a piece with a toothpick and ate it.
Sweet and refreshing.
She sat down on the sofa.
The cushions dipped slightly beside her as Shen Shu turned to look at her.
Xu Jinnan was wearing the black slip dress she had bought, the satin robe loosely tied, the V-neck revealing a hint of skin.
Shen Shu’s eyes darkened, and she was suddenly transported back to that night at the Xu residence…
Xu Jinnan’s voice brought her back to reality.
“What did Cai Ying want?”
Cai Ying had sent a voice message in the group chat while Xu Jinnan was downstairs, specifically asking for her, but a call had interrupted her.
As Xu Jinnan looked up, Shen Shu had already looked away. “Your birthday is March 21st, right?” she asked.
Xu Jinnan paused, a piece of mango halfway to her mouth. “Yes, why?” It was actually the original Xu Jinnan’s birthday.
“Cai Ying asked.”
“Why?”
“She didn’t explain. Said she’ll message you later,” Shen Shu replied.
A few minutes later, Cai Ying tagged them both in the group chat.
Cai Ying: [@Shen Shu @Xu Jinnan Your birthdays are so compatible!]
Cai Ying: [One is 1121, the other 0321.]
Cai Ying: [A Scorpio and an Aries. A perfect match!]
Neither Xu Jinnan nor Shen Shu cared about astrology, so they didn’t understand.
Xu Jinnan stared at the two dates, side by side. Perhaps because of all the strange coincidences involving the Xu family, she didn’t think this was a coincidence either.
Xu Jinnan: [Why are you researching this?]
Cai Ying: [Writing a novel.]
Xu Jinnan: [Oh.]
Cai Ying: [That “oh” is very condescending!]
Cai Ying: [@Shen Shu Shu Shu, are you going to let her talk to me like that?]
Xu Jinnan: […Tattling on everything. Are you in kindergarten?]
Cai Ying: [Yes, I am! Sticks out tongue emoji]
Xu Jinnan put down her phone and looked at Shen Shu. “Is this child really your best friend?”
Just then, Cai Ying tagged Shen Shu again.
[@Shen Shu I’m preparing a unique birthday gift for you this year. You can start looking forward to it now.]
Shen Shu: [My birthday is still months away…]
Cai Ying: [That’s why I said start looking forward to it now! It’ll be better than anything Xu Jinnan can get you.]
Xu Jinnan: “…”
She didn’t even bother responding.
Then, she remembered something. “Haven’t you opened the wedding gift from my brother yet?” she asked, turning to Shen Shu.
Shen Shu said she hadn’t. The box had been sitting in the closet, forgotten until now.
They retrieved it from the bedroom.
The dark red box, tied with a lace ribbon, had gold trim around the edges, elegant and luxurious.
Inside, a black velvet box, encrusted with diamonds, held a miniature diorama of a theater scene, a woman in a red dress in the foreground, surrounded by other figures – a grotesque creature, a knight, and a poet holding a book.
“The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” Shen Shu said, her gaze fixed on the diorama, a distant look in her eyes. “The first play I starred in, in the drama club.”
The figures were made of clay, the level of detail suggesting a skilled hand.
“Looks like your brother’s colleague really is your former classmate,” Xu Jinnan commented.
Shen Shu stared at the female protagonist in the diorama, as if transported back in time.
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Esmeralda, stolen from her family as a child and raised by gypsies, captivated the hearts of many with her beauty – a wandering poet, a fickle knight, the deformed Quasimodo, and a lecherous archdeacon.
She fell in love with the knight who rescued her, but her love blinded her to his true nature.
She was kind, agreeing to marry the poet to save his life, forgiving Quasimodo for kidnapping her, but ultimately, she couldn’t escape her tragic fate.
Back then, Shen Shu had felt a connection to Esmeralda, whose life, surrounded by both good and evil, mirrored her own.
Perhaps one day, she too would meet a similar end, leaving behind nothing but a rosary and a small silk pouch.
“Do you know why I love acting?” she asked.
“Why?” Xu Jinnan asked, looking at her intently.
Shen Shu smiled faintly. “Because I can experience different lives,” she replied, her voice soft, her smile genuine.
But Xu Jinnan felt a pang of sadness.
Shen Shu didn’t dwell on it. She liked the gift. “Can I keep this?” she asked.
“Of course. It was meant for you,” Xu Jinnan replied, nodding.
—
They chatted for a while, and it was past 10 p.m.
The plate of mangoes was still mostly uneaten.
Shen Shu, who hadn’t eaten much either, picked up the plate, intending to throw away the leftover mango and wash the dish, when she remembered the photos Lin Wei had sent of Little Crescent Moon.
As she turned around, Xu Jinnan stood up, holding the gift box, and they bumped into each other.
Xu Jinnan instinctively protected the box, absorbing most of the impact, and the plate of mangoes tipped over, spilling onto her.
The mango slices slid down her dress, landing in the valley of her cleavage. Shen Shu’s gaze flickered downwards.
Xu Jinnan felt a chill as the cold mango juice trickled down her skin.
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