Category: After Breaking Up, the Gentle Older Sister Went Crazy

Extra Chapter Two: If Timeline(Final)

The dim, old alley, with high walls blocking out the warm sun.

It was too quiet, prompting the head of discipline to say to Fu Jing beside her: “Jiang Siyi probably isn’t hiding here. We might as well go to the internet cafes to catch her.”

“We’ll definitely find her there.”

Fu Jing’s steps didn’t stop. Her intuition told her there was something odd about this place.

Sure enough, just as they were about to turn the corner into the depths of the alley, a noise came from within. Fu Jing raised an eyebrow and quickened her pace.

When Shen Shiwu’s figure slowly appeared in her field of vision, she was surprised but still remembered to be polite. She addressed her: “Miss Shen.”

The next second, she quickly reported: “Your sister skipped class again. She’s hiding well this time, we can’t find her anywhere.”

Even if she had complaints, the head of discipline wouldn’t dare express them in front of Shen Shiwu. She could only sigh: “Yes, we’ve wasted almost the whole morning.”

Compared to their anxiety and helplessness, the woman seemed much calmer. She casually made an excuse: “Xiao Si wasn’t feeling well today. She forgot to ask for leave and went home.”

The two teachers, who had checked the surveillance footage and personally witnessed Jiang Siyi scaling the school wall: “……”

They exchanged glances for a while, but in the end, neither dared to provoke this powerful figure. Fu Jing switched to a faint smile: “She’s already home. That’s good then, we were worried.”

The head of discipline, having lost her usual authority, nodded vigorously.

After a few words and sending them away, Shen Shiwu turned back into the depths of the alley. Having their long-awaited intimacy interrupted, she was in a foul mood and thus wanted to demand more—

Her footsteps stopped; it was empty in front of her.

Seeing the large stones and wooden barrels piled on top of each other on the ground, Shen Shiwu could easily imagine the girl taking advantage of the situation, using all available resources, and struggling to climb over the wall.

After a long while, she stood there and chuckled softly.

She never learns, she needs a lesson.

Having successfully escaped, Jiang Siyi dusted off her hands and expertly blended into the crowd. Although she looked relaxed, her knees ached faintly.

The alley wall was really too high, and she had been in a hurry. When she landed, she had scraped her skin on the ground.

But none of that mattered. As long as she didn’t have to see Shen Shiwu for the time being, she was satisfied—that woman had actually played her for so long!

The more Jiang Siyi thought about it, the angrier she became. While cursing the woman under her breath, she accidentally touched the corner of her mouth. The taste of blood made her hiss in pain.

She frowned, looking fierce.

Twenty minutes later, tired from walking, Jiang Siyi went back to find Auntie Chen. She sat in a corner, confirming that this spot was hidden and out of sight, and began chatting with the little girl.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Chen Yuan.”

Jiang Siyi repeated it softly and praised: “That’s a beautiful name.”

After some more small talk, the little girl suddenly asked: “Jiejie, where do you live? Can I come visit you sometime?”

Jiang Siyi hesitated. Seeing the girl’s crestfallen expression, she was about to speak when someone else answered for her.

“No, you can’t.”

The cold wind whipped Shen Shiwu’s black coat as she stood behind them, looking down at the little girl: “This jiejie is busy spending time with me, she doesn’t have time to play with others.”

Then, she turned and looked down at Jiang Siyi, as if waiting for her to speak.

Sitting on a low plastic stool, the girl could only tilt her head up with effort. Caught in the middle, she hesitated before finally speaking to Chen Yuan: “Don’t listen to her nonsense.”

Having been “scolded” by Shen Shiwu, the little girl’s eyes welled up with tears. She lowered her head, and upon hearing Jiang Siyi’s words, she whimpered and threw herself back into Jiang Siyi’s arms.

“Don’t cry, don’t cry,” Jiang Siyi patted her head, comforting her, “She’s a bad jiejie.”

“Don’t pay attention to her.”

Shen Shiwu stood by, watching the scene unfold, without saying a word.

After a while, Chen Yuan’s emotions stabilized, and she slowly lifted her head. Seeing this, Shen Shiwu reached out, as if to take her away.

But Jiang Siyi unhesitatingly slapped her hand away.

A clear sound rang out as she pulled the little girl back, using her expression as a warning, mouthing the words: “Don’t touch her.”

Surprisingly, Shen Shiwu actually stopped, her expression unchanging, still calm.

As time passed, the breakfast stall’s business picked up. Auntie Chen was busy making money and had no time to spare for them.

After comforting the little girl, Jiang Siyi still lingered, unwilling to leave. Seeing Shen Shiwu also pull up a chair and sit beside her, she deliberately kept her distance and even went to help sprinkle chopped green onions.

It wasn’t until noon that an exhausted Xiao Jiang finally crawled back to her chair.

“Not bad,” Shen Shiwu nodded, “When we get back, I can open a shop for you to play around with.”

“…Forget it.” She preferred writing.

The sunlight was a bit harsh, and Jiang Siyi shielded her eyes with her arm. Seeing this, the woman leaned over and blocked the sun for her.

Leaning in close, she whispered: “So, are you willing to go home with me now?”

Remembering the woman’s words about “school uniform play,” Jiang Siyi scoffed: “You might as well just ask directly…”

She mimicked Shen Shiwu’s tone: “Are you willing to go to bed with me?”

The woman pondered for a moment, as if finding it reasonable, then leaned close to her ear and added a few extra verbs.

Lifting a rock to drop it on her own foot, Jiang Siyi bit down on Shen Shiwu’s arm.

Hard.

Shen Shiwu didn’t mind at all, even asking: “Why did you stop?”

Jiang Siyi gritted her teeth, about to give her a piece of her mind, when Chen Yuan came running over: “Jiejie, have some candy.”

Noticing the person beside her quickly straighten up, Shen Shiwu suppressed a smile and lowered her raised arm. Then, she held out her hands to the little girl: “What about mine?”

Chen Yuan turned her head away, completely ignoring her.

Jiang Siyi took the lollipop and chuckled: “You’re asking for it.”

Even being mocked, Shen Shiwu wasn’t annoyed. She seized the opportunity and snatched the candy from Jiang Siyi’s hand as she was unwrapping it.

“Give it back.”

The woman had already stood up and was walking away, holding the lollipop, tauntingly waving it at Jiang Siyi.

The prey instantly took the bait.

Jiang Siyi quickly chased after her, shouting angrily: “You even steal candy. Shen Shiwu, are you even human?”

“That little girl likes you so much, just ask her for another one.”

Seeing that the woman was dodging the question, Jiang Siyi gritted her teeth and caught up to her. Looking up and aiming carefully, she snatched the candy back.

A crisp click sound.

Before Jiang Siyi could react, her wrist was already restrained.

Her cheeks were burning.

She widened her eyes in disbelief, lowering her voice: “In public, let go.”

Shen Shiwu held the other end of the leather restraint, but not only did she not comply, she even shook it.

“They’re all NPCs, what does it matter if they see?”

***

She was dragged back home again.

At the dinner table, Shen Shiwu said meaningfully: “Eat more.”

Rebelliousness surged through Jiang Siyi’s mind, and she pushed the porcelain bowl forward, huffing: “I’m full.”

The woman nodded: “Okay, don’t regret it.”

She had a feeling that tonight was going to be a disaster.

Jiang Siyi suddenly thought—perhaps staying here a few more days wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

So she planned to sneak back to her room.

Seeing that Shen Shiwu was still quietly eating, not even looking up, Jiang Siyi relaxed. Her steps up the stairs went from light to heavy, and she even slammed the door shut extra hard.

Lying on the soft bed, having not slept well for days, she almost fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Mustering the last of her energy, Jiang Siyi grabbed her pajamas and, still drowsy, entered the bathroom.

In the warm water, she gradually woke up. Just as she reached for the body wash, she encountered an unusual object. Jiang Siyi squinted, examining it closely. Upon recognizing it, her throat suddenly felt dry.

She tried to ignore it, but it kept popping up in her mind.

After a long internal struggle, as if possessed, Jiang Siyi placed the toy under the showerhead.

The pink ice cream was instantly covered in water droplets.

Her face red, she turned it on to the lowest setting and slowly began to relieve her tension.

Outside, after a knock on the door went unanswered, Shen Shiwu entered the room.

Moist steam was seeping out of the bathroom.

Extremely faint moans were muffled by the sound of running water, indicating that the person inside was trying to be discreet.

Shen Shiwu was a little surprised. She raised an eyebrow and asked in a deliberately loud voice: “Strange, what’s that sound?”

The noises in the bathroom noticeably diminished.

Of course, the woman wouldn’t let her off the hook so easily.

“Xiao Si,” she deliberately used her nickname, her tone turning more menacing, “Is that you making those noises?”

Only the sound of running water answered her.

Shen Shiwu clicked her tongue: “Why aren’t you answering? Are you not feeling well?”

Jiang Siyi finally spoke, her voice steady, showing no signs of distress: “You must be hearing things.”

“I’m taking a shower, I didn’t hear you earlier.”

“And I’m not feeling unwell.”

She answered all of Shen Shiwu’s questions in turn, clearly trying to get her to leave. But the woman pressed on: “Is that so? But I heard it very clearly.”

In the bathroom, Jiang Siyi was leaning against the wall, her face flushed. The ice cream continued to vibrate, tirelessly. She couldn’t help but grip the tile, the contrast between the cold and the heat making her mind go blank.

Trying to suppress her rapid breathing, she looked up, dazed, before answering the person outside: “You must, you must have heard wrong…”

But it was too late.

Not hearing a response, Shen Shiwu paused for a moment before pushing the door open.

A wave of heat hit her, causing her to squint. When her vision cleared, she felt as if her insides were on fire.

The girl’s school uniform was half-undone. Her normally pale skin was now flushed crimson. She was holding one leg up with her hand, clutching the wall tightly to avoid falling.

The relentlessly vibrating ice cream almost slipped to the floor as her whole body tensed.

Luckily, Shen Shiwu reacted quickly and caught it just in time. Her hand was now wet, and she looked at Jiang Siyi’s flushed face with amusement: “No wonder you ran so fast.”

“You couldn’t wait, could you?”

Jiang Siyi was so startled by her sudden appearance that her limbs went weak.

She slumped against the cold wall, wanting to curl up into a ball.

But Shen Shiwu scooped her up in one swift motion.

“What are you shy about?” The woman tilted her chin up. “You were having so much fun earlier.”

Seeing that Jiang Siyi was still looking down, she bit her collarbone, swallowing the water droplets on her skin along with it.

Several dark marks appeared.

Jiang Siyi held her head, biting her lip, trying to control her voice. But when the woman repositioned the toy, she whimpered: “Slow setting…”

Shen Shiwu sucked on her chin: “You’re being too naive.”

The vibrations started up again in her ear.

Feeling the intensity increase, Jiang Siyi let out a whimper, her words broken and fragmented. She cried out Shen Shiwu’s name over and over again, her voice full of tears.

“Shen Shiwu…”

In a daze, Jiang Siyi felt drained of all energy. She collapsed into the woman’s arms, her body still trembling uncontrollably.

Catching the complex emotions in the other’s eyes, Jiang Siyi pleaded softly: “It’s late, let’s go to bed.”

Shen Shiwu rejected her request with a simple gesture.

She kissed her lips and, in between breaths, commanded: “Lift it up.”

Jiang Siyi knew perfectly well what she meant but pretended to be clueless.

“Lift what?” Her voice was soft and weak, repeating her earlier words, “Let’s go to bed…”

“Be a good girl, Xiao Si.”

“Before we sleep, let jiejie… you a few times.”

In the end, Jiang Siyi had no choice but to comply. Unable to stand steadily on one foot, she clung to the woman’s arms, closing her eyes and drowning in a sea of pleasure, begging for mercy.

“Shen Shiwu.”

“I’m here, baby.”

This sudden endearment made Jiang Siyi bite her fingertip, arching her back in unbearable pleasure.

She had lost count of how many times this had been.

In the lingering afterglow, her eyes were moist as she breathed heavily. After a while, she shyly whispered for Shen Shiwu to call her that again.

When they finally left the bathroom, it was in complete disarray.

The school uniform was soaked through.

So Shen Shiwu naturally changed her into her own clothes.

***

“Ding-dong—Congratulations to both players for completing the game. You are now being connected back to the real world.”

Slowly opening her eyes, she found her surroundings surprisingly lively.

Xu Yuan yawned, also looking like she hadn’t slept well, and said to a clearly dazed Jiang Siyi: “Don’t just lie there, get up, we’re going on a team outing.”

Then she leaned in and whispered: “How was it? Pretty great, right? In every sense of the word.”

Noticing the other woman’s glare, Xu Yuan quickly retreated behind her girlfriend and began a blatant display of affection, completely disregarding the feelings of others.

Straightening up, Shen Shiwu simply picked her up. Whether it was due to the lingering effects of the game or from being thoroughly exhausted, Jiang Siyi’s legs gave way the moment her feet touched the ground, and she fell straight into Shen Shiwu’s arms.

“So eager to throw yourself at me,” Shen Shiwu whispered in her ear, “If you feel like it wasn’t enough, we can go a few more rounds tonight.”

Her legs were still weak, and hearing those words, Jiang Siyi angrily bit her arm again. After venting her frustration, she turned and walked away.

Shen Shiwu followed her with a few quick steps, looking at her retreating figure: “Classmate Jiang, slow down.”

Hearing this, Jiang Siyi walked even faster.

Xu Yuan called out loudly: “Hey, wait for us!”

Then she dragged her girlfriend and ran after them.

***

Lover, friends, everything was as it should be.

Sometimes, Jiang Siyi felt that youth had never truly ended.

—End of Side Stories—

Extra Chapter Two: If Timeline(4)

In winter, besides morning runs, what students hate most is assemblies.

The principal was giving a passionate speech on stage, while many below were dozing off. And Jiang Siyi, standing at the back of the formation, was clearly the sleepiest of them all.

A sudden increase in the volume of the speech startled her awake. Jiang Siyi yawned and was forced to applaud along with everyone else. When her vision finally cleared, she thought helplessly—

Absurd.

So it turns out that summer can turn into winter in just one night.

Perhaps the game program glitched again.

Jiang Siyi guessed, but she was too lazy to think about it. Her main task now was to accumulate enough points to return to the real world.

Fighting was too tiring and not a preferred option unless absolutely necessary.

As for dating, kissing, or even doing “exercise”… she rejected those out of hand.

The only option left was skipping class.

She stared into the void, lost in thought. After a while, her mind cleared, and she slowly formed a plan.

When the assembly ended, Xu Yuan wanted to walk back to the classroom with her. Seeing this NPC who was no different from a real person, Jiang Siyi casually made an excuse to send her away,

“I’m going to the vending machine to buy a bottle of water. You go ahead.”

Xu Yuan had no choice but to leave first.

Watching her back disappear into the crowd, Jiang Siyi walked in the opposite direction in the cold wind. She tightened her school uniform jacket, planning to hide near the back gate.

The students had already rushed back to the teaching building, and the entire field was empty except for a few administrators and teachers who were still discussing something behind the stage.

They were talking about important matters and didn’t notice the figure sneaking around behind them.

Just as she was about to change locations, someone tapped her on the shoulder.

The shock was no less than encountering a ghost late at night. Jiang Siyi took a few steps back before turning around. After seeing who it was, she calmed down, “Bao-jie, you scared me.”

Fu Jing coughed, her voice hoarse from a cold, “It’s the middle of winter, why aren’t you in the classroom?”

Jiang Siyi pretended to be profound, “Just came out for some air.”

“……”

She was silent for a moment, “Alright, hurry back to class.”

Then, as if remembering something, she suddenly said, “Happy birthday.”

Fu Jing, outside of class, was a caring parent figure. She remembered every student’s birthday and sometimes even gave blessings.

As the homeroom teacher for the senior class, she had been extremely busy lately. After saying that, she didn’t linger and turned back to the teaching building, busy with lesson preparation.

Jiang Siyi, who didn’t have a phone during her school days, estimated the timeline based on the other person’s words and continued with her plan to skip class.

Skipping one class could earn her twenty points, so skipping five classes in a row would easily get her through. As she walked, Jiang Siyi muttered to herself, “This is really low-effort…”

The back gate area was overgrown with weeds, and withered branches hung down, swaying in the cold wind. Jiang Siyi hid behind a tree, squatted for a while, got bored, and started to examine the familiar wall.

After a moment, she landed steadily on her feet. Dusting off her hands, Jiang Siyi leisurely walked towards the back street.

In the early morning, the air was filled with the smell of life. The warm sun shone down, and the chatter of vendors could be heard, making one feel relaxed.

Jiang Siyi, looking like a student, clearly didn’t fit in here. But having scaled the wall many times in the past, she had become familiar with everyone. An auntie selling baked cold noodles called out to her, “Xiao Jiang, skipping class to go to the internet cafe again?”

The smell made Jiang Siyi’s stomach growl. But she couldn’t find a single coin on her, so she kept her distance and replied, “Auntie Chen, I’m not going to the internet cafe today, just out for a stroll.”

“I see,” the auntie nodded and then asked, “Did you eat breakfast? I’ll give you a small portion of baked cold noodles.”

Faced with this situation, Jiang Siyi always felt awkward. She waved her hands, declining, “No, no, it’s fine.”

The auntie exclaimed, “It’s no big deal, just a small portion, it won’t cost me anything.”

She was already preparing the sauce as she spoke, “It’s my secret recipe, you can’t get it anywhere else. Here, have a smell, it’s delicious.”

A dozen minutes later, Jiang Siyi was sitting on the roadside, holding the baked cold noodles. She wasn’t cold anymore, feeling warm all over. There were no customers at the moment, so the auntie sat beside her, asking how it tasted.

It was a pleasant and harmonious scene until a scream suddenly pierced the sky. Auntie Chen, hearing the shrill cry, immediately stood up and ran towards a small alley nearby.

Jiang Siyi frowned, sensing that something was wrong, and followed closely behind.

The entrance to the alley was piled with garbage, and the walls were dirty and mottled. Auntie Chen rushed in, grabbed a worn-out broom, and quickly stood in front of a girl, “If you want protection money, go ask someone else. Don’t bother my daughter!”

The leader of the group was a thin man, like a stalk of sugarcane, with a cigarette he had probably stolen from a shop in his mouth. He was blowing smoke, “You set up your stall there every day, and you can’t even give me fifty yuan?”

“I don’t have a single yuan!”

“Bullshit,” the man spat on the ground, “I saw you selling quite a few portions of baked cold noodles this morning. Don’t try to fool me.”

Behind the sugarcane man were two younger lackeys, seemingly not very old. They cowered behind him, looking timid.

Jiang Siyi finished the last bite of her breakfast. She took out a tissue from her pocket to wipe her hands, her movements unhurried.

When the sugarcane man’s gaze turned to her, she looked back at him with undisguised disdain.

“Who are you?” After seeing Jiang Siyi’s face, his tone softened for a moment, but he quickly regained his fierceness, “Since you’re here, don’t be in a hurry to leave. You know the rules, fifty a month, and you won’t be bullied.”

Jiang Siyi laughed.

The sugarcane man, seeing the curve of her lips, felt his confidence was being undermined and insulted. He held the cigarette, about to speak, when Jiang Siyi slapped him across the face with the empty container.

It made quite a noise.

The three punks were instantly stunned.

The sugarcane man cursed under his breath and was about to kick the empty container away. But his first kick missed completely, and only on the second kick did he succeed, almost causing him to fall.

Not wanting to dirty her hands, Jiang Siyi looked around and reached out to Auntie Chen. The latter immediately understood and handed her the broom.
But she was worried, whispering, “Xiao Jiang, you should go. I can handle this myself.”

The small portion of baked cold noodles from earlier had been made bigger by the auntie, who had secretly added more ingredients. Jiang Siyi was full and energized, so dealing with these three was a piece of cake.

She stood in front of Auntie Chen and her daughter, instead telling them to leave. But they argued back and forth, neither willing to go first.

The sugarcane man, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, and recalling what had just happened, became even more enraged. He lunged at Jiang Siyi, holding the cigarette as if to burn her.

“Aow—” A scream, even more piercing than before.

The sugarcane man’s stomach was hit hard by the broom, causing him to stumble backward and fall against the wall. Jiang Siyi seized the opportunity to kick him in the back, raising a cloud of dust. Seeing him fall face-first to the ground, she pressed her advantage, stepping on his head.

The two lackeys were just there for show. They looked tough with their full-face tattoos, but they were even more useless than that Tie Niu guy from back then. Seeing their leader fall, they immediately fled, not daring to say a word.

The old-fashioned broom was made of bamboo, and Jiang Siyi accidentally got a splinter in her finger. Seeing a small amount of blood, she just rubbed it a few times, not thinking much of it, and then looked down and asked, “Had enough?”

The sugarcane man had a mouthful of dust, his limbs were pinned down, and he was in pain all over. He hesitated for a moment but still answered honestly, “Y-yes.”

Jiang Siyi sensed his reluctance and scoffed, “Seems like you’re still lying.”

“No, I’m not!” The man blurted out this time, without any hesitation, “I really mean it.”

Afraid that Jiang Siyi wouldn’t believe him, he started to beg for mercy.

During this time, Auntie Chen was dumbfounded. The scene was a bit bloody, so she covered her young daughter’s eyes, “Jiejie is driving away the bad guys for you.”

“I want to see!” The girl struggled.

Seeing Auntie Chen hesitate and then move her hand away, Jiang Siyi finally took her foot off him. The man scrambled up from the ground with all his might, bowed a few times to her, and then limped away.

The girl, who hadn’t seen the action, was slightly disappointed.
Jiang Siyi saw this, bent down to her eye level, and said, “Jiejie will show you next time.”

The sugarcane man, who hadn’t run far, “……”

The girl immediately beamed and nodded several times, unable to resist the urge to hug Jiang Siyi. But she felt that she was a bit dirty and stopped abruptly, her hands awkwardly hanging in the air.

She wrung her fingers, “Thank you, Jiejie.”

Noticing that her voice was getting softer, Jiang Siyi took the initiative to hug her. She patted her back comfortingly and then said, “You’re welcome.”

“Next time something like this happens, be sure to ask an adult for help, okay?”

“And stay close to your mom, don’t wander off.”

Seeing the girl nod obediently, Jiang Siyi slowly stood up and said to Auntie Chen, “The police station isn’t far from here. If those punks come back to cause trouble, you can report them.”

Although it was a game, even the code had a warmth to it. Like the baked cold noodles the other person had given her.

Auntie Chen repeatedly agreed, “Okay, thank you, Xiao Jiang.”

After the commotion, they went back to selling breakfast. Jiang Siyi was about to follow them out of the alley when she suddenly heard Fu Jing’s voice.

“Skipping class by climbing over the wall during the long break, this kid is really getting out of hand.”

Jiang Siyi, who had just taken a step out, quickly retreated. She swiftly moved back into the alley, acting like a scared turtle—

She had to skip five classes in a row, she couldn’t get caught.

The sound of footsteps on gravel was heavy and fragmented. Jiang Siyi heard the noise and continued to retreat further into the alley. But when she turned around, she saw that it was a dead end.

Jiang Siyi: “……”

Damn it, plan failed.

Giving up, she started to organize her words, trying to make her excuses sound more convincing.

The footsteps got closer, and in the dust, Jiang Siyi could sense that the person behind her had stopped. She forced a smile, turned around politely, “Teacher…”

But she found herself face to face with Shen Shiwu.

Seeing who it was, Jiang Siyi wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not. Because when she looked into the woman’s dark eyes, she felt a chill run down her spine.

It’s fine, this isn’t the real world.

Shen Shiwu has no memories, she’s no different from an NPC…

“You just turned eighteen and you’re already getting into fights?” The woman pulled her closer, greatly reducing the distance between them, and whispered, grinding her teeth slightly, “You’re naughty everywhere.”

When her gaze swept over the wound on Jiang Siyi’s hand, Shen Shiwu finally dropped all pretense. She stared at the other’s lips for a moment, then leaned down and bit them.

At the same time, two more sets of footsteps approached. The voices of Fu Jing and the dean of students reached her ears, and Jiang Siyi suddenly came to her senses, struggling even harder.

But all she got in return was a deeper, more painful bite on her lips.

“Don’t you want to go back?” Shen Shiwu’s fingertips circled her cheek, making her itch, “I’ll teach you the fastest way.”

She blew on the girl’s earlobe, then mischievously nibbled on it, her words muffled but each one striking deep, “Tonight, let’s play a school uniform game with Jiejie.”

Extra Chapter Two: If Timeline (3)

The sound of footsteps came down the wooden stairs again. The two walked out one after the other. Before leaving, Jiang Siyi didn’t forget to take the thin blanket and the two buckets of instant noodles she had hoarded.

After learning of Shen Shiwu’s identity, the boy was clearly flustered and uneasy. Afraid of being beaten by the owner’s wife, he quickly hid in the break room.

As they passed the exit, he could feel Jiang Siyi’s undisguised gaze on him.

The girl’s eyes were full of mockery, impatience, and… a barely concealed smugness.

He quickly lowered his head and quickened his pace, looking cowardly.

The temperature at night in summer wasn’t low, but mixed with rain, it was a different story. After going down the wooden stairs, they were in the open, with no eaves to shelter them.

Jiang Siyi was still looking back provocatively, not noticing that Shen Shiwu had already stopped. Only when she saw the boy run into the room did she turn her head back, the fierceness on her face not yet faded—

“Finally willing to look back?” Shen Shiwu smiled faintly.

Jiang Siyi was startled by the face so close to hers and instinctively wanted to brake. But a few seconds later, she pretended not to have stopped in time and fell into the woman’s arms.

“Oops,” Jiang Siyi feigned a sound, ignoring her previous words, and instead pretended to complain, “Why did you suddenly stop?”

“With the way you’re walking down the stairs, if I took a few more steps, I would have lost you.”

Jiang Siyi was holding all her belongings, and upon hearing this, she rubbed her nose and mumbled, “I wouldn’t have gotten lost…”

The rain was getting heavier.

Shen Shiwu saw her arms full and reached out to take everything.

Her arms empty, feeling light, Jiang Siyi was polite and casually thanked her.

But then Shen Shiwu raised her hand, and the blanket landed squarely on her head.

“Thank… what are you doing?”

“I can’t see the road.”

Shen Shiwu “oh’d”, as if she had just realized. She moved the blanket and draped it over the girl’s shoulders, seemingly thoughtful, “It’s raining hard, you’ll get cold.”

After being teased like this, Jiang Siyi’s hair was a mess, with two strands sticking up and three sticking down, looking quite comical.

She was fixing her hair when she saw Shen Shiwu turn her face away, as if to hide something. And there was still a hint of laughter in her voice, “Let’s go.”

……No matter what timeline, this person was still so infuriating.

The rain was indeed heavy, similar to that year. Speaking of which, Jiang Siyi secretly glanced at the umbrella held by the person next to her. Sure enough, it looked very familiar.

Today was only the 2nd.

It seemed that the “plot” had moved forward.

Carrying the chill with her, Jiang Siyi skillfully and habitually chose the passenger seat. Shen Shiwu didn’t react strangely, as if it were completely expected.

People tend to feel sleepy in a safe place. Plus, she had been sleeping on a creaky leather chair in the internet cafe for the past few days, not getting much rest.

So Jiang Siyi was on the verge of falling asleep.

Half-asleep, because she hadn’t gotten an answer earlier, she didn’t forget to ask again, “Shen Shiwu, do you really remember me or not—”

Drowsiness made her voice soft, and she unconsciously drawled.

“Or are you just pretending?”

This time, Shen Shiwu didn’t automatically filter out the question or play dumb. She nodded, “I remember. You’re Auntie Jiang’s daughter. My mother asked me to take care of you.”

As for the second half of her question… she took it as sleep-talking. And after a moment of silence, she added meaningfully, “Silly.”

“The only one who can take you home is me.”

Her breathing gradually evened out.

Unfortunately, Jiang Siyi had already drifted off to sleep before these words were spoken.

***

Other people who time-travel at least have a system or a main storyline. All she had were two buckets of instant noodles and a discounted blanket from the supermarket. Was this fair?

Perhaps her resentment was too deep. In her dream, someone… or maybe some ghost, started a conversation with her.

“Ding-dong— Game repair successful. System 005 is now at your service.”

A mechanical female voice mixed with DJ background music made it impossible to hear clearly. Jiang Siyi strained her ears and could only catch a string of numbers.

Why play this cheesy DJ music at a critical moment!

“Hello, guest 00931. We have detected significant fluctuations in your emotional state. Please calm down.”

Jiang Siyi was silent, “And then?”

“We apologize that you only received the system three days after your time-travel…”

“It’s five days.”

The system paused, “We apologize that you only received the system five days after your time-travel…”

Hearing this tone, Jiang Siyi suddenly said, “Xu Yuan.”

The other side instantly fell silent, like ants splashed with hot water.

“Why did I suddenly end up here? How do I go back to the original world?” Jiang Siyi seized the opportunity and threw out all her questions, “Also, is the person next to me the real Shen Shiwu?”

Xu Yuan, like an NPC with its mask ripped off, stopped pretending. She put her hands on her hips, “You insisted on participating in the beta test, saying you wanted to relive your youth. Who’s to blame!”

Afraid that this person would wake up the next second, Xu Yuan concisely explained, “The real deal, 100% authentic. As for whether she has her memories or not, that’s another story. You have to ask her yourself.”

“……”

“As for how to get back, my girlfriend said you have to complete…”

A wheel suddenly appeared in front of her. It was very sloppily made. You could tell at a glance that the game team was a makeshift crew.

“Here, spin it.”

The wheel spun a few times and slowly came to a stop. A line of text appeared:

Guest 00931 needs to accumulate 100 points to clear the game and return to the real world.

“Such bad luck, you got the highest one, 100 points.” Xu Yuan clicked her tongue, “But these tasks are totally tailored for you.”

“How’s that for thoughtful?”

Jiang Siyi twitched her mouth, “Excuse me… what are the last few tasks?”

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, my girlfriend developed an R-rated game.” After saying that, Xu Yuan pointedly repeated, “How’s that for thoughtful?”

Seeing the person’s silence, she continued, “Don’t worry, the game process is completely private. Besides the player, no one else…”

Jiang Siyi’s face was flushed, “Get lost.”

“Okay.”

A hand caressed her cheek, fingertips rubbing, seemingly checking her temperature. When Jiang Siyi opened her eyes, Shen Shiwu was leaning over, examining the pink on her face, very close.

Still affected by Xu Yuan’s words, Jiang Siyi shifted her gaze uncomfortably. Looking at the familiar ceiling, she realized that she was already lying on the bed in the bedroom.

She couldn’t have floated here.

She pinched her knuckles under the blanket, “Did you carry me upstairs?”

Shen Shiwu saw her expression, paused for a moment, and then nodded, “Yes.”

Then she asked, “Who were you telling to get lost just now?”

Since the person in front of her was the genuine Shen Shiwu, Jiang Siyi’s rebellious spirit flared up. She wasn’t afraid at all, “You.”

The woman wasn’t angry, but instead asked, “Why?”

“Because you don’t remember me.” Jiang Siyi lowered her eyes, looking sad.

“When I was little, I wore a mask and scared you, and I always pestered you for candy. Even after hundreds or thousands of years, Jiejie still remembers these things.”

Shen Shiwu said these words calmly, which sounded very reassuring. But Jiang Siyi buried her head in the blanket, trying to suffocate herself, “That’s not what I meant!”

She slowly revealed her eyes, her voice still muffled, “I meant…”

Our relationship.

Seeing Shen Shiwu’s slightly puzzled expression, waiting for her to continue, Jiang Siyi ultimately swallowed her words—she didn’t want to be sent to a mental hospital.

She had to work hard to complete the tasks, accumulate enough points, and return to the real world.

Noticing the girl’s hesitation, Shen Shiwu pulled the blanket down a little, “What were you going to say?”

It was already very late.

Jiang Siyi rubbed her stomach and mumbled, “I’m hungry.”

The aroma of simmering chicken soup wafted through the air. Seeing Shen Shiwu busy in the kitchen, Jiang Siyi, as usual, mostly lazed on the sofa, occasionally supervising by going to her side to wash some vegetables or cut some fruit.

Eleven o’clock, late at night.

At the internet cafe, Jiang Siyi hadn’t eaten dinner—she had no appetite for instant noodles. And late at night, the delivery fee was too expensive, she had to save money.

She felt that after this trip, she would definitely lose a few pounds when she returned.

“Go sit down,” Shen Shiwu held a bowl and chopsticks, filling it with rice, “Dinner’s ready.”

Jiang Siyi immediately obeyed.

Shen Shiwu rarely initiated conversation during meals, mostly it was Jiang Siyi chattering away. But this time was an exception.

The woman asked her, “Does it suit your taste?”

Jiang Siyi’s mind was full of “accumulating points.” Hearing this, she just nodded a couple of times in response.

Seeing her perfunctory attitude, Shen Shiwu quietly dropped a bombshell, “Our Xiao Si is going to take the college entrance exam next year, right?”

A familiar question.

Having made significant progress in her college entrance exam scores, even achieving excellent results, Jiang Siyi was full of confidence, “Yes.”

Shen Shiwu nodded thoughtfully, “Then starting tomorrow, you’ll do two sets of practice papers every day.”

“……”

She was already twenty-three, why did she have to do college entrance exam papers!

Jiang Siyi firmly refused, “No.”

Meeting Shen Shiwu’s gaze, she added in a low voice, “I have a part-time job.”

“No need.” The woman placed a piece of sparerib in her bowl, “I’ll provide for you.”

Jiang Siyi was momentarily dazed, almost getting caught up in it.

“Well, even if I don’t work part-time, I have things to do.” She frantically searched for an excuse in her mind, “Like, like…”

Shen Shiwu waited patiently for her to continue.

“Going out with friends.”

“Every day?”

“Of course,” Jiang Siyi, having finished her meal, put down her bowl and chopsticks and scoffed, “I’m very popular, you know.”

Glancing at the other’s eyes, she wrung her fingers. Although a bit nervous, she looked confident. “Don’t look at me like that. I have proof.”

She had expected Shen Shiwu to stop her, or at least give her an out. But Jiang Siyi had forgotten that this person, no matter where, always had a knack for being infuriating.

She had no choice but to shuffle over, pick up the backpack she had tossed in the corner, and slowly unzip it. As she peeked inside, Jiang Siyi’s eyes suddenly flickered, a bit of disbelief in them.

There really were “props”—several love letters neatly stacked inside. It looked like the owner had to return them according to class and name.

Jiang Siyi almost shoved the backpack in Shen Shiwu’s face.

“Here,” she said, shaking her head defiantly, “I wasn’t lying, right? Here’s the proof. See for yourself.”

When the other person didn’t speak, Jiang Siyi continued, “So, my whole summer is packed. After dealing with this one, I have to meet up with another. I have no time to do practice papers.”

To escape the sea of homework, she went as far as to portray herself as a heartbreaker.

It’s just a game, a virtual world. Jiang Siyi thought this to herself, but her words became even more outrageous, “It’s the age when one first falls in love, you know. These things are normal.”

To add credibility, she even made things up, “There’s this junior, very cute, has a soft, sweet voice, very good at acting spoiled. Should I say yes to her…”

The backpack was easily taken by Shen Shiwu. She calmly zipped it up, placed it on her right, and continued eating, “I’ll buy you a new one tomorrow.”

Jiang Siyi’s voice immediately softened.

She tried to subtly reach for the backpack strap, but the other person directly pinned her wrist to the table.

“Student Jiang.”

This form of address made the girl tremble.

“I think you should understand that as a senior high school student, you absolutely cannot date.”

Her tone didn’t sound too bad. Jiang Siyi relaxed and started her “escape the sea of homework” plan again, “I’m not dating, just going out with them.”

“Going out? Why not call it a date?” Even though there was a faint curve to her lips, her eyes were still. Shen Shiwu said this and casually tossed the backpack to the farthest corner.

Feeling the grip on her wrist tighten, Jiang Siyi finally relented. She whined, stating the truth, “I don’t want to do practice papers.”

“You’re taking the college entrance exam next year. There’s still time to catch up.”

“…I’ve already taken the college entrance exam.”

Seeing Shen Shiwu’s slightly surprised expression, Jiang Siyi, risking being sent to a mental hospital, continued, “I’m a player, not an NPC!”

After a long silence, Shen Shiwu released her wrist.

Leaning back in her chair, the woman seemed to sigh after much thought and beckoned to Jiang Siyi, “Come here, Xiao Si.”

Like she’s calling a dog.

Jiang Siyi reluctantly moved closer.

“Jiejie will take you for a check-up tomorrow, okay?”

“……”

“It won’t hurt, just a brain scan.” Shen Shiwu comforted her, trying to simplify the process.

Talking to a wall.

Get lost.

Jiang Siyi glared at this wall. After a failed attempt at communication, she wanted to go upstairs and back to her room to cool down. But before she could even move her legs, she was pulled into an embrace.

Although still angry, she smelled the familiar scent on the other person. After struggling a bit, Jiang Siyi gave in and buried her face in the woman’s neck.

Her back was gently patted, and a soft, soothing voice whispered in her ear.

Jiang Siyi suddenly thought—being treated like a mental patient didn’t seem so bad.

“Xiao Si, don’t be scared. Even if they find out you’re an idiot, Jiejie will stay with you.”

“……” Enough was enough.

After getting to her feet, Jiang Siyi muttered angrily as she went upstairs, “I’ll remember this. When I get back, I’ll make her pay double.”

Whom “her” referred to was obvious.

The sound of the door closing echoed.

After staring at the second floor for a while, the woman finally looked away.

She rested her chin on her hand, thinking to herself.

She’s riled up.

Need to coax her a bit before teasing her again.

Extra Chapter Two: If Timeline(2)

***

“I’m your future girlfriend.”

“The Third Hospital isn’t far from the business district. I can give you a free ride there.”

The Third People’s Hospital of Qinan City was famous for its psychiatric department.

Jiang Siyi nervously clutched her backpack straps, watching the familiar figure decisively leave. She wanted to follow, but she was afraid of being sent to a mental hospital.

As Shen Shiwu turned the corner and went down the elevator, Xu Yuan finally arrived, holding two ice cream cones. She handed one to Jiang Siyi: “Here, it’s on me.”

The other clearly wasn’t in the mood for ice cream and shook her head, declining. Xu Yuan, confused, followed her gaze and, combined with her earlier dramatic words, suddenly realized: “So you like older women?”

“But you can’t just hit on people like that. It’s good that she didn’t think you were crazy.”

Jiang Siyi’s mouth twitched, and she could only smile wryly.

It was the height of summer in June, and the weather was already scorching. The two weren’t going in the same direction. So they rode their electric scooters in opposite directions at the intersection.

Jiang Siyi didn’t go home.

According to the timeline, Li Nan’s company hadn’t been acquired yet, and he was still doing well. She hated the sight of that man.

So she parked her scooter in front of the neighboring villa without hesitation.

The gate was locked, and the owner seemed to be out.
Under the scorching sun, Jiang Siyi was organizing her words, preparing for the upcoming conversation with Shen Shiwu, when she suddenly felt dizzy.

Then her face turned pale, and she felt unsteady on her feet.

Oh no, she thought—her hypoglycemia was acting up.

The reason Jiang Siyi was able to offer candy to Yang Yi when she was about to faint was that she herself occasionally had the same problem.

Her stomach was empty. She had been asleep before the “time travel” and hadn’t eaten breakfast.
So it was normal for her condition to act up.

The last thing she thought before losing consciousness was:

She should have taken that ice cream.

The hospital bed was uncomfortable, and even turning over was difficult.

Half a bag of glucose was slowly infused, and Jiang Siyi felt much better. But she was still a little dazed, and she almost rolled off the bed with one movement.

Just as she was about to make close contact with the floor, a pair of hands caught her and helped her back to the center of the bed.

The familiar scent was like a switch in her brain.

Jiang Siyi immediately opened her eyes wide and stared at the person who had caught her.

Seeing her staring at her, Shen Shiwu asked, “Are you feeling better?”

Sensing that the other person was about to withdraw her hand, Jiang Siyi immediately hugged it like a koala. She moved quickly and even nuzzled her head against it, her voice muffled, “Not at all.”

Shen Shiwu paused, “Let go.”

“I won’t.”

If she moved any more, the needle would come out.

Looking at the girl’s slightly teary eyes. Helpless, Shen Shiwu stopped trying to pull away and, on a whim, let her hold her.

Successful, Jiang Siyi smirked to herself and pretended to casually try to get closer, but this time she was mercilessly held back.

A calm voice sounded, “If you want to get poked again, then keep moving.”

A blatant threat!

Jiang Siyi reluctantly lay back down.

But she still didn’t let go of her hand.

“When can I be discharged?” she changed the subject.

“After the infusion is finished.”

“Oh… Then can I go home with you?”

“You can.” Shen Shiwu actually smiled.

Jiang Siyi’s eyes lit up, “Really!”

“Yes, really,” the woman saw that her attention was diverted and took the opportunity to pull her hand away, “I live at the Third Hospital, you’re welcome to join me.”

A deathly silence.

Seeing her girlfriend’s feigned amnesia and refusal to acknowledge her, Jiang Siyi curled up. She rolled up in the thin hospital blanket, and after hearing the answer, she turned her head and remained silent.

Tears welled up and slid down her cheeks, cold and sticky. She strained her voice, speaking softly to herself, “Thank you for taking me to the hospital.”

“I won’t bother you anymore.”

She wiped away her tears with one hand, and under Shen Shiwu’s puzzled gaze, she suddenly gritted her teeth, “I hope you won’t regret it on July 3rd.”

After she was discharged, Shen Shiwu had someone send her electric scooter over, and then she left decisively, seeming to have no curiosity about these mysteries.

Seeing the Mercedes drive away, Jiang Siyi, homeless, could only get on her scooter and look for an internet cafe to spend the night.

When she reached into her pocket for the keys, her fingertips touched something strange. She took it out and saw that it was a piece of grape-flavored hard candy.

The packaging was identical to the one in her memory.

Jiang Siyi’s nose stung, and she unwrapped one and put it in her mouth.

The internet cafe was located in a deep alley, next to the second-hand shop where Jiang Siyi had bought a phone before. Familiar with the way, she parked her scooter and locked it, this time checking very carefully.

The wooden stairs creaked as she climbed them, and the paint was peeling off the walls. The owner’s wife, sitting at the front desk, heard the noise and knew someone was coming. Before she could even see anyone, she shouted, “Five yuan an hour, pick any computer, twenty-five for overnight.”

When Jiang Siyi got closer, the owner’s wife looked at her and said, “Oh, it’s you again.”
“Still overnight?”

“No,” Jiang Siyi took out her phone to pay, “I just don’t want to go home.”

The owner’s wife had a younger cousin who was always spouting nonsense and liked to butt into everything. He was sitting on a stool nearby, playing games. Hearing this, he wanted to mutter something under his breath, but the owner’s wife elbowed him.

“Turn around, pick a computer.”

After the person left, the owner’s wife kicked him again: “This girl is fierce, she could wreck our shop if she wanted to, she’s not afraid of anything. Don’t try anything with her, understand?”

The boy was busy playing games and didn’t really hear what she said, just mumbling a few “hmms” in response.

The internet cafe was cheap and not strictly regulated. So it was a mixed bag, with smoke curling everywhere. Jiang Siyi frowned, covered her mouth and nose, and walked to a quiet area.

After sitting down, Jiang Siyi didn’t even turn on the computer. She just stared at her blurry reflection in the black screen.

As she was spacing out, her pocket vibrated. She took out her phone and saw that it was a news notification, there were no other messages.

Feeling bored, she was about to turn off the screen when her gaze lingered on the headline.

—Major Business Shake-up, Just In, Li Group Announces Acquisition by Shen Family!

How could this be?

Jiang Siyi clicked on the news photo, zoomed in, and saw Li Nan standing at the podium during the press conference, bowing his head.

It was really him.

But… the timeline was completely off.

Still trying to process this, Jiang Siyi noticed another discrepancy. The reason she had to buy a second-hand phone back then was that her original phone had been stolen. So she had to save up to buy another one.

So during this time, she shouldn’t have a phone.

The cheap internet cafe didn’t have air conditioning, and even the fans were broken and unrepaired. Jiang Siyi felt hot and cold sweats alternately. After a while, she calmly accepted a fact—

She hadn’t traveled back in time, but had arrived in a parallel universe that was similar to, but different from, her original world.

This meant that on the night of July 3rd, Shen Shiwu might not necessarily follow Shen Yun’s wishes and pick her up.

A feeling of helplessness filled her mind.

Jiang Siyi wiped the sweat from her forehead, her heart pounding with fear.

……

The next few days at the internet cafe weren’t too bad.

Most of the time, she ate instant noodles and chicken feet sold at the front desk. When she got tired of that, she ordered cheap takeout. There was an apartment building nearby, and when she was bored, Jiang Siyi would go for a walk and chat with the elderly residents.

In short, she was just getting by.

The unexpected happened on the night of the 2nd.

At eight o’clock, it was completely dark, and it was raining lightly. The moonlight shone through the rusty window, creating a soft, gentle beauty.

At this time, everyone except those staying overnight had left. Although there was still the sound of keyboards clicking, Jiang Siyi had gradually gotten used to it after a few days.

She bought a blanket from the small supermarket next door and was planning to sleep in the chair as usual.

Although the owner’s wife was protective of her, it was still important to be cautious. So Jiang Siyi only slept lightly, easily awakened by the slightest noise.

Amidst the fragmented sounds, she heard someone walk past and scoff, “A homeless stray, who knows how long she’ll mooch off this place.”

This sarcastic tone could only belong to the owner’s wife’s cousin.

Since Shen Shiwu had stood up for her, no one had dared to call her a stray. The words “homeless stray” were something she hadn’t heard in many years.

The anger she had been suppressing during this time was finally ignited.

Jiang Siyi opened her eyes, threw off the blanket, and without a word, kicked the boy in the lower back from behind. Years had passed, and she was a bit rusty when it came to fighting, but dealing with this skinny guy was no problem.

The boy rolled on the ground in pain, yelling, “Are you crazy?”

“Ouch—it hurts, it hurts!”

Jiang Siyi stepped on his calf and just with a little pressure, the boy retreated, wriggling like a fish on land: “Sis, sis!”

The owner’s wife rushed out from the break room: “What are you yelling about in the middle of the night?”

When she saw the scene, she quickly told Jiang Siyi to stop… ahem, stop kicking.

“Sis, she’s a lunatic, she kicked me for no reason.” The boy cried, snot and tears running down his face. The owner’s wife, disgusted, moved away from him and started scolding him: “Did you run your mouth again?”

Jiang Siyi hadn’t expected her to scold her own brother. She watched the show and, in the meantime, repeated the boy’s words.

It was too noisy, and another overnight customer, who was playing games, was disturbed. He took off his headphones and yelled, “Can you be quiet?”

The owner’s wife apologized repeatedly and slapped the boy: “Go back to the break room.”

But the boy stood his ground, refusing to move. He said righteously, “Sis, what did I say wrong? She is a homeless stray…”

Jiang Siyi scoffed.

She rolled up her sleeves, ready to find a suitable tool—something that would do maximum damage but wouldn’t kill him.

Amidst the commotion, the sound of high heels on the shoddy wooden stairs suddenly rang out.

Tap, tap—

The sound of the footsteps suggested that the owner was in a hurry.

The headphones and computers were too expensive, she couldn’t afford to pay for them.

The dusty vase nearby seemed like a good option.

Jiang Siyi went to pick it up. The owner’s wife quickly stopped her: “Miss, let’s talk this out. My brother has a big mouth, but it’s not worth it.”

Besides being good at fighting, there was another reason why the owner’s wife didn’t dare to easily provoke her.

She knew whose daughter Jiang Siyi was.

Even though her family situation was complicated, in her mind, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse. So……

The owner’s wife pushed the boy’s head down: “Apologize to her.”

The customer, who had been watching the whole scene from the best seat in the house, lit another cigarette, blew out a smoke ring, and said, not caring about making things worse, “What’s there to apologize for? I think this girl is just too sensitive.”

Then he quit the game and started reading the news.

The feeling of being isolated and helpless. The twenty-three-year-old Jiang Siyi never expected that she would experience this again one day.

She held back her tears and asked coldly, “How am I being too sensitive?”

The sound of high heels stopped, meaning the person had stopped walking. A voice, damp with the rainy weather, sounded, cold and clear, “Apologize.”

At the same time, a news broadcast slowly came from the computer screen. The female announcer’s voice was clear and precise: “After acquiring and merging with the Li Group, the Shen family’s position is even more unshakeable. This brings us to a month ago, when the Shen family’s heiress suddenly returned to the country, perhaps it was for…”

For.

For what?

The customer didn’t know.

Because he discovered that the woman standing next to him looked exactly like the Shen family heiress. He was so scared that he dropped his cigarette, and he had no time to listen to the news.

“Didn’t you hear me clearly?”

“I said,” Shen Shiwu’s gaze swept over the boy, emphasizing each word, “apologize.”

The owner’s wife was fond of gossip about wealthy families and quickly recognized the extraordinary woman in front of her. Although she didn’t know why the other person would come to her run-down internet cafe, regardless, survival was paramount.

So in the next moment, two voices simultaneously said “I’m sorry” to Jiang Siyi.

She didn’t want to hear it.

At this moment, all she could see and think about was the sudden appearance of Shen Shiwu.

Cautiously approaching her, Jiang Siyi tentatively asked, “Do you… remember me?”

The call hadn’t ended yet, and Shen Yun’s voice came from the phone: “How is it, have you found Xiao Si?”

Shen Shiwu didn’t answer the girl first, but said into the phone, “I found her.”

“What’s she doing?”

Seeing that Jiang Siyi was frowning and glaring at her because she hadn’t responded to her immediately, Shen Shiwu touched the dampness at the corner of her eye with her fingertip, gently wiping it away, and then answered Shen Yun’s question.

“She’s glaring at me like a rabbit.”

Extra Chapter Two: If Timeline

***

The sound of pencils scratching on paper and pages turning filled her ears.

“—There are fifteen minutes left until the end of the exam. Students, please manage your time wisely.”

Jiang Siyi was woken up by this announcement.

Dazed, she raised her head and looked around. When her eyes met Fu Jing’s, who was sitting at the podium, her first reaction was:

She was dreaming again.

In the past few years, she often “dreamed back to high school,” even though she was already in her twenties, she was still trapped in her dreams, buried under a pile of math problems.

So scary.

So Jiang Siyi immediately lowered her head, chanting in her heart like a self-hypnosis, “Wake up, wake up…”

Half a piece of chalk flew over the heads of countless students and landed accurately on her arm.

Along with Fu Jing’s roar: “Jiang Siyi! How long are you going to sleep?”

She finally snapped back to reality.

Picking up the chalk, her fingertips were covered in white dust. Jiang Siyi stared at it blankly for a few seconds, then slowly raised her head and looked forward.

Fu Jing tapped her ever-present thermos cup on the podium, making a dull and harsh sound.

“Xu Yuan, don’t think you can get away with it. Where are you looking?”

“Ning Lan, cover your answer sheet properly.”

It was strangely real.

No matter how much she pinched herself, it was useless. And she was being stared at by Fu Jing’s sharp eyes. Jiang Siyi had no choice but to pick up her pen and start writing, something she hadn’t done in a long time.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam.

The last subject of the final exam was over, and the classroom instantly became noisy. The class representative was handing out summer homework. Amidst the commotion, the desks were soon piled high with various exercises.

“Bao-jie went to the office, quick, let’s run.” Xu Yuan saw the opportunity and rushed over in two or three steps, “A new ice cream shop opened in the business district, buy one get one free today, it’s a great deal…”

When she saw the girl quietly organizing her exam papers, she was surprised: “Are you sick?”

Jiang Siyi, who was acting on instinct, paused. After reacting, she immediately stood up, seeming to have something urgent to do: “No, I have to go home first.”

The situation was too unusual, she had to try to find Shen Shiwu.

Shen Shiwu……

Right.

What’s the date today?

“June 28th,” Xu Yuan saw her expression and muttered, “Oh no, she’s really lost it.”

“Which milk tea shop owes you wages? Let’s go, I’ll help you get justice today.”

Jiang Siyi sat back down.

She clearly remembered that the day she met Shen Shiwu was July 3rd.

In other words.

The “plot” hadn’t reached that point yet.

Under Xu Yuan’s worried gaze, Jiang Siyi let out a long sigh. Finally, she tossed the papers into her desk drawer and stood up: “Let’s go, time to collect some debts.”

***

Time travel had its pros and cons.

Right now, Jiang Siyi, having taken off her school uniform jacket, was here to seek her first “pro”—to settle the score with the shop manager again.

It was a workday, and the shop was unusually empty, with no customers at all. The employees were new and didn’t recognize Jiang Siyi. Seeing the two girls, they assumed they wanted to order:

“Hello, what would you like to drink?”

“Is your manager here today?”

The employee was taken aback, but still replied, “He’ll be here in the evening. What’s the matter?”

Jiang Siyi, with her school bag slung over one shoulder, was back to her old unruly self. She scoffed, “Yes, there’s a matter.”

“What time will he be here?”

“Around four or five… If you have something urgent, should I call him?”

The employee was very polite and didn’t treat them differently because they were students. Jiang Siyi calmed down a bit and nodded, “Please do.”

Ding dong.

Someone entered the shop.

Jiang Siyi turned her head and saw a middle-aged man, covered in fat, with a cigarette in his mouth, shouting into his phone, “Hello, I’m here, who’s looking for me?”

The moment their eyes met, the man said impatiently, “Why are you here again? I told you I’d pay you the month after next, don’t be so pushy.”

“Why don’t you just die and then pay me?” Jiang Siyi threw her school bag on the ground, rushed into the kitchen, and grabbed a fruit knife, “If I don’t see my three thousand five hundred yuan today,”

She sneered, “I suggest you buy some insurance.”

A blatant threat.

The manager was obviously a little flustered.

But he still put on a brave face: “Can’t you wait a few more months? The shop’s finances are tight right now, I can’t help it.”

“Can’t help it? You have money for drinking and smoking, but not for paying wages?” After saying that, Jiang Siyi tested the knife’s weight, felt it was too light, and went back in to get a cleaver.

As they were in a stalemate, someone suddenly stood up from a corner of the shop.

The footsteps were steady and light. Jiang Siyi was busy collecting her debt and didn’t notice at first. When she realized something was off behind her, the knife was easily taken from her hand.

A voice, all too familiar, fell from above. Jiang Siyi turned around abruptly.

“Little friend, it’s best not to play with knives.”

Hearing this term, the now-adult Jiang Siyi finally realized that this was directed at her.

“Shen…”

“You called my name?”

These words fell into Jiang Siyi’s ears, causing her to frown. “You don’t remember me?”

Seeing Shen Shiwu shake her head, Jiang Siyi’s legs went weak, and she almost collapsed—what kind of messed up place was this? Could someone please send her back!

“So, what happened between you two just now?” The woman asked, seeing her pale face.

After all, she was facing a familiar face and aura, and Jiang Siyi’s voice was tinged with grievance. She pointed at the manager: “He owes me wages!”

“I’ll definitely pay you the month after next, really.”

For some reason, Jiang Siyi felt that the man was afraid when facing Shen Shiwu. Hearing his response, she wanted to rush into the kitchen again to get a knife: “If you don’t pay me today, I’ll wreck your shop…”

Xu Yuan, beside her, also chimed in to support her: “No one will have a good time!”

It had been years since she had last been a “rebellious teenager,” but Jiang Siyi slipped back into the role with ease. After saying that, she immediately turned around, but before she could take a step—

Someone tapped her on the head.

Just as she was about to turn around and act out, Shen Shiwu blocked her path completely. As they faced each other, Jiang Siyi thought angrily.

Not only did she not help, but she’s also causing trouble. Even if they were strangers, this wasn’t how you act.

She started to get cold feet. “Get out of the way.”

Seeing that the person didn’t move, Jiang Siyi suddenly understood.

How evil.

They must be in cahoots.

But the next moment, Shen Shiwu suddenly scoffed, “Owes you wages.”

Then she reprimanded the middle-aged man, “As a manager, is this how you treat your employees?”

“N-no, there’s a reason. Business has been bad lately, and we’re having cash flow problems…”

“I see,” Shen Shiwu casually tossed the cleaver onto the table and nodded thoughtfully, “Alright, since there are already problems, let’s make things even worse.”

She smiled slightly, sending shivers down people’s spines.

“I’ll have the termination of investment contract drawn up and sent over by tomorrow afternoon.”

“!”

The manager panicked completely.

He clasped his hands together, begging sincerely, “I’ll pay the wages today, no, not today… right now!”

He quickly took out his phone and transferred the money to Jiang Siyi on the spot.

“The wages are three thousand five, I’ll add another five hundred, four thousand in total.” Then he turned to Shen Shiwu, “I’m sorry, President Shen, I swear this will never happen again. Please, be merciful and let me off this time.”

The man’s groveling was so comical that Jiang Siyi, after confirming she received the money, started to cover her mouth and snicker.

It was only when Shen Shiwu glanced at her that she composed herself a little.

“…Just laugh if you want to.”

Jiang Siyi sniffled, “Oh.”

Seeing that her expression had softened, the manager pleaded again, “President Shen…”

“Quiet,” Shen Shiwu clicked her tongue, “You’re so noisy.”

With the matter resolved, the woman turned to leave, leaving behind a decisive silhouette. But as she took a step, Jiang Siyi saw her chance and, imitating her, quickly blocked her path.

“Aren’t you even a little curious about how I know your name?”

Shen Shiwu said casually, “Many people know my name. Should I ask each of them one by one?”

“……”

Seeing that the other person was about to walk past her and out of the shop, Jiang Siyi, in a moment of desperation, shouted in front of everyone, “Shen Shiwu!”

The woman had no choice but to stop.

Seeing her turn her head in confusion, Jiang Siyi squeezed out a few tears and grabbed two tissues. She delicately dabbed her eyes, as if holding a fine silk handkerchief, and said softly, “You’ve been out playing long enough.”

“Remember… to come home often.”

Under the shocked gazes of everyone.

Shen Shiwu: “?”

Extra Chapter: Counterattacked and Then Suppressed Again

“You’re not allowed to sleep with me tonight.”

After being mocked like that, Jiang Siyi was angry and also a little hurt. Back at the hotel, without waiting for Shen Shiwu’s reaction, she said this fiercely.

The bedroom door was tightly shut, completely separating the two.

Jiang Siyi didn’t bother to further study related techniques. She grabbed her pajamas and headed to the bathroom, planning to go to bed early.

Halfway there, a light knock sounded on the door.

Jiang Siyi pretended not to care, but she secretly stopped. She raised her voice, aggressively: “What is it?”

“Open the door.”

“No, you sleep next door tonight,” Jiang Siyi said to the door, “My technique is too bad. If you lie down with me, you’ll be infected.”

After a moment of silence from Shen Shiwu outside the door: “I mean, your takeout is here.”

“……” She forgot about that.

“Oh,” Jiang Siyi felt a strange sense of guilt as if she had confessed without being interrogated. She turned back to the bathroom, saying, “Just leave it at the door.”

Seeing that this method didn’t work, Shen Shiwu looked around the living room, looking for tools like a hammer to dismantle the door.

But this thought only stayed in her mind for a few seconds before disappearing.

Forget it, she didn’t want to scare her.

Those extreme thoughts should be kept in check.

After a while, the takeout that Jiang Siyi had ordered in advance on the car finally arrived. Shen Shiwu took it, but instead of putting it at the bedroom door, she casually placed it on the entryway cabinet.

Stepping on the damp floor after her shower, Jiang Siyi quickly blow-dried her hair. When it was only half dry, she couldn’t wait to go out and get the takeout.

To prevent Shen Shiwu from “ambushing” her, she quietly opened the door a crack.

No one.

Jiang Siyi relaxed, but when she looked closely, her face instantly stiffened.

It was quiet outside, and not only was there no one, but her eel rice was also gone.

She had barely eaten anything at lunch because she was looking at the script, and in the afternoon, she was inexplicably dragged to the hospital. She had been relying on that cup of milk tea for most of the day.

She finally got her takeout, and it mysteriously disappeared.

It must have been hidden by that bastard.

Jiang Siyi was fuming, her eyes filled with resentment. Just as she was about to close the door and send a message to interrogate the other person, she finally caught sight of a corner of the takeout bag.

She locked onto the target and slowly moved towards the entryway.

Holding the takeout, just as she was about to sneak back into the room, the light in the living room suddenly went out.

The lights were turned off.

In the darkness, Jiang Siyi stood still. Her phone was in the bedroom, and her vision was completely blocked by the darkness. She couldn’t see the way and could only stand there.

She tried calling out, “Shen Shiwu?”

Her voice was swallowed, and a force covered the back of her head. A strong hand pressed down on her, and before she could react, the other person was already stealing her breath.

The attack was too fierce, and Jiang Siyi couldn’t resist, her legs going weak as she fell backward.

She fell into the trap.

She should have known better and eaten some bread instead of ordering takeout.

Regretting it in her heart, Jiang Siyi’s hands restlessly pushed against her. After not resisting for long, the person in front of her finally let go of her lips.

After her breathing calmed down, Jiang Siyi’s eyes were slightly red. Remembering how the other person had mocked her technique earlier in the day, she began to stubbornly walk along the wall in the pitch-black environment.

Bang—

She bumped into the door.

Jiang Siyi hissed in pain and slowly squatted down. Hearing the noise, Shen Shiwu immediately turned on the light.

“Are you okay?”

The other person still had her head down and didn’t answer.

It must have hurt quite a bit. Shen Shiwu blamed herself in her heart and wanted to get a towel to apply a cold compress. But before she could turn around, her clothes were pulled.

Jiang Siyi pretended to rub her forehead, aggrieved: “It’s all your fault.”

“It’s all my fault,” Shen Shiwu squatted down and rubbed it for her, “I’m sorry.”

Although the bump was indeed quite painful, the pain had already subsided at this moment. Hearing her tone, Jiang Siyi secretly smiled.

She’s feeling guilty now.

“I need compensation.” Jiang Siyi said righteously, not forgetting to squeeze out a few tears.

Having been with her for so long, how could Shen Shiwu not see through the emotions hidden in her eyes?

Her acting was still as bad as ever.

She sighed helplessly, but still agreed, “What do you want?”

Now was not the time to back down.

Jiang Siyi’s eyes were watery, her gaze moist: “You know what I want.”

The other person was leaning against the wall, looking pitiful. Her eyes were red, and the redness had spread to her cheeks and the tip of her nose.

In this state, she was full of desire.

Shen Shiwu finally hesitated.

Seeing her gradually curl up, she sighed: “Alright, you can.”

“I’ll satisfy you.”

***

When the scenes from the videos became reality, her heart beat uncontrollably, and Jiang Siyi felt like she was going to burn to death.

Even though she used to hate this term, at this moment, she still inexplicably let those two words slip from her throat.

“Jiejie.”

Shen Shiwu released her hands, her expression lazy, and slowly acknowledged the term, “Hmm.”

Sound had power, and it made her heart race.

Jiang Siyi’s insides were screaming, and she leaned in closer to her, infatuated. Then she kissed her.

Her kissing technique was inexperienced and clumsy, yet Shen Shiwu watched her closed eyes and shook her head in her heart—they had kissed so many times,

Silly.

So she turned her face away.

Suddenly interrupted, Jiang Siyi’s eyes were filled with a hazy dissatisfaction. Her voice was soft, “What’s wrong?”

“How do I usually kiss you?”

“…With your mouth.”

Shen Shiwu was silent, then simply said, “Open your mouth.”

In Jiang Siyi’s confused gaze, she sighed, “Jiejie will teach you.”

The leather whip was loose, circling her wrists, and could be easily broken with a slight movement. But Shen Shiwu, in order to make her happy, still wore it obediently.

Sensing that her breathing was uneven, she timely separated their lips. As she quietly tightened the whip a little, she asked, “Did you learn?”

Jiang Siyi was dizzy from the kiss.

She didn’t answer, but like an enraged rabbit, she impatiently kissed her again. Once raw, twice… although it wasn’t much better, there was still some improvement.

Amidst the sounds of their entanglement, Shen Shiwu’s lips curved slightly.

It was time to move things along.

Relying on the knowledge she had crammed that day, Jiang Siyi shifted her attack. Her pajamas were casually tossed aside, the large expanse of white skin was a powerful visual shock.

She felt like she was on fire.

“Are you stupid? Or… are you already done?” Shen Shiwu stared at her changing expression with interest, “Do you want Jiejie to take over?”

Her abilities were questioned again. Jiang Siyi first sealed her lips. Noticing that she was gradually closing her eyes, she then turned downwards.

So hot.

Jiang Siyi couldn’t help but retract her fingertips for a moment, but afraid of being discovered, she quickly pressed them back on. Following the video tutorial and Shen Shiwu’s usual methods, she slowly circled.

“Is this how… Jiejie usually… you?”

She mumbled the most explicit word, slurring it as if to skip over it. But because of this, the ambiguity between the words became even stronger.

Jiang Siyi gritted her teeth, “It hasn’t even started yet.”

“It hasn’t started yet,” Shen Shiwu teased her, “Jiejie is almost sleepy.”

These words were like a clap of thunder, igniting all the dissatisfaction and anger in Jiang Siyi’s heart. She bit Shen Shiwu’s neck in revenge, then withdrew her hand and changed her approach.

“You…”

Before Shen Shiwu could finish speaking, she watched her lower her head, and then, the only sound in the room was her own slightly disordered breathing.

Feeling something was off, Jiang Siyi chuckled and pressed her advantage. She raised her hand again, unexpectedly starting to coordinate.

“Xiao Si…” There was a subtle change in her voice that was hard to detect.

Jiang Siyi was too preoccupied to answer her, burying her head even lower.

The moment her legs bent, accompanied by a rapid and restrained gasp, Shen Shiwu frowned deeply.

The pillow was clutched, leaving several marks, making it look particularly prominent.

Jiang Siyi licked her lips contentedly, then went to kiss her knee.

“Jiejie, you taught me all of this,” she smiled faintly, “Tonight, it’s your turn to check the results.”

The night was still long.

She wanted to return all the things Shen Shiwu had done to her, many times over.

Just as she was about to continue, the person below her slowly sat up. She leaned against the headboard, her expression relaxed. With a gentle tug, the leather whip that Jiang Siyi had been fiddling with for a long time fell straight off.

Her hands free from the so-called restraint, Shen Shiwu slowly rubbed her fingertips.

Her lips were curved, her eyes still filled with pleasure, but her words were terrifying: “Our little Si, are you trying to stage a complete rebellion?”

Even though her face was flushed, just leaning there casually, the oppressive feeling was as strong as ever, invading her mind.

Jiang Siyi’s face was still wet, but she subconsciously wanted to escape.

Her waist was firmly held, and Shen Shiwu pulled her into her arms from behind.

“Where are you running off to? Didn’t you want Jiejie to check the results?”

The sheets were partially wet, and Jiang Siyi felt a chill on her legs, her confidence slightly returning. She nodded, “Y-yes.”

But feeling the heat on her neck, her voice gradually weakened, like a mosquito buzzing, “But I’m really hungry now, I want to eat something first…”

She really was a coward.

Shen Shiwu was quite satisfied with this.

“What, didn’t I just feed you?”

At these words, Jiang Siyi’s brain short-circuited. She had been looking forward to hearing these words, but now that she heard them, she was incredibly embarrassed.

After a long while, she finally found her voice, “If we do it a few more times, I should be full.”

Seeing the look in Jiang Siyi’s eyes after she finished speaking, Shen Shiwu’s heart itched.

Like a vampire, she bit the back of her neck. Seeing her familiar trembling, she deliberately said, “But Jiejie is also very hungry after being bullied by you, what should we do?”

“Shouldn’t Xiao Si offer some compensation?”

A sense of crisis spread.

But Jiang Siyi was pinned down and couldn’t move at all.

Her eyes were covered.

Her senses were heightened, and every part of her body became more sensitive.

Hearing Shen Shiwu open a drawer, Jiang Siyi had never been so flustered.

A buzzing sound started—

The other person held the object, playing with it. Her well-defined hands were very pleasing to the eye.

“Open up.”

Seeing that Jiang Siyi wasn’t cooperating, Shen Shiwu reprimanded her by patting her face, “Be good, or it will be worse.”

The other person finally moved.

A cold object touched her skin, and with a clear “click,” Jiang Siyi’s ankles were shackled.

Silver, shining, very beautiful.

She panicked completely and started to soften her tone, “Jiejie…”

“It’s no use, it’s too late.”

“This is your compensation to me, and also,” Shen Shiwu turned on the small toy, admiring its constant vibrating state, “my punishment for you.”

The true taking finally began.

Jiang Siyi’s vision was completely taken away. The black lace blindfold was mostly soaked with her physiological tears.

She couldn’t remember how many times this was.

Lost in a daze, Jiang Siyi’s expression was confused. She called out “Jiejie” over and over again, her voice sticky, with a hint of apology and a plea for favor.

“Won’t you dare to do it again?”

“No, I won’t,” Jiang Siyi tilted her neck up, rising and falling, clutching her shoulders, “Jiejie is the master, I will always listen to you, and I will never have rebellious thoughts again.”

Shen Shiwu increased her intensity, “Where did you learn that?”

Jiang Siyi trembled all over.

She stammered, “The video taught me.”

“Hmm, it’s quite effective as an aphrodisiac,” Shen Shiwu twirled her fingers, “We should do it more often.”

The bathroom light was motion-activated.

That night, it turned off and on, in an endless cycle.

Jiang Siyi was picked up when she was having trouble breathing. She heard the other person say, “Weren’t you hungry?”

“Jiejie will carry you to the living room to eat.”

As for whether it was to eat, or to do…

That remains to be seen.

Extra Chapter One: Failed Counterattack

Failed Counterattack (3)

***

Day seven, makeup room.

The atmosphere was unusually strange.

Jiang Siyi was fully armed, wearing a high-necked sweater and a cream-colored coat, completely covering herself. She felt the burning gazes of the two people beside her, and her eyes darted around nervously.

The marks on her wrists hadn’t completely faded.

She retracted her hands into her sleeves, trying to hide them.

It was warm in the room. Seeing this, Lin Yusheng asked her, “Are you planning to have a sauna in here?”

“…I’m not hot.”

As she spoke, she even put on her scarf.

Something was off.

Lin Yusheng saw the color on her face deepen, and after thinking for a moment, she understood.

Afraid that Jiang Siyi would die of embarrassment, she hesitated to speak. In the end, she just said to the makeup artist, “Put on some more concealer.”

The makeup artist used to be a shopping host. Hearing this, she picked up the concealer, swirled it to activate it, and replied, “Don’t worry, this one is very good. Even with just a small amount, it can completely cover any bite marks or hickeys.”

Her dormant sales memory was activated, and she almost couldn’t stop talking. The last sentence was: “Teacher Jiang, it’s okay if you two are a little intense. Look, isn’t it invisible in a second?”

Teacher Jiang: “……”

Such explicit wording and direct speech.

No wonder she could hear so much gossip.

Jiang Siyi, who finally took off her coat, looked at her collarbone in the mirror and dryly coughed a few times, “Y-yes.”

The awkward moment finally passed.

While waiting to go on stage, Lin Yusheng was called away to catch up with the director. Jiang Siyi didn’t like going to the public lounge, so she stayed in the makeup room, reading the script.

In the silence, Xiao Xuan pushed the door open and came in again.

After their last chat, the two had become more familiar. When she entered the room and saw no one else, she blurted out, “How did it go?”

Knowing what she was asking about, Jiang Siyi’s brow twitched.

She decided to play dumb first, “What?”

Xiao Xuan pulled up a chair and sat beside her. Then she asked expectantly, “Did you succeed or not?”

Jiang Siyi silently thought—I did.

Shen Shiwu said I turned the tables on her.

“You didn’t fail, did you…”

Hearing this, Jiang Siyi, whose pride was bigger than the sky, didn’t even blink, “How could I?”

She started to make up a story, “Counterattacking is easy, it’s a piece of cake.”

After confidently saying that, she turned her head and saw Xiao Xuan’s suspicious gaze.

Jiang Siyi: “……”

“Alright.” She sighed, trying to save face, “My technique wasn’t good, I need more practice.”

“I’ll try again next time.”

When she said the last four words, Jiang Siyi was almost gritting her teeth—she would not give up on being on top… ahem.

She would not give up on “servicing” Shen Shiwu!

***

Although she was overworked last night, after all, it was a live broadcast facing the whole country, Jiang Siyi still sat up straight, like a pine tree.

After sitting for three hours, the camera finally cut to another scene. The pine tree couldn’t hold on any longer and completely slouched.

There were twenty minutes of break time.

Thirsty, Jiang Siyi planned to go backstage to get some water. Halfway there, Lin Yusheng called her from behind, “Where are you going?”

“To get some water.”

“Oh, wait a little longer, your girlfriend ordered milk tea, it’ll be here soon.”

Hearing Shen Shiwu’s name, Jiang Siyi stopped and immediately turned around.

“She’s coming?”

Seeing her craning her neck to look for someone, Lin Yusheng shook her head, “She’s not coming, it was President Shen’s assistant who told me.”

“Oh…”

Shen Shiwu’s trip to Beicheng wasn’t just for fun. There was a real estate project in the West City District where a foreign partner was dissatisfied with the profit split and wanted to terminate the contract.

Although with her abilities, this matter wasn’t difficult to handle, the negotiation process still took some time.

So this morning, before Jiang Siyi even woke up, she was gone.

Whatever.

Work is important.

It’s fine as long as there’s milk tea.

Jiang Siyi thought to herself and went into the makeup room to rest. Soon, a group of delivery people came in.

It wasn’t uncommon for guests to treat others, but this was quite a spectacle.

Soon after, the most repeated phrases on the entire floor were: “Thank you, Teacher Jiang!”

“I wish you and your partner a long and happy life together~”

Jiang Siyi politely nodded and accepted the blessings.

And a sharp-eyed staff member, after thanking her, noticed her hand and suddenly said, “Teacher, why is your wrist red? Did you fall?”

She choked.

Jiang Siyi awkwardly laughed a few times and waved her hand, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. Maybe… it’s my hives acting up.”

The staff member was also a warm-hearted person.

The young girl had a loud voice. Jiang Siyi watched helplessly as she exclaimed, and then shouted to the surroundings, “Does anyone have allergy medicine?”

Jiang Siyi: “……”

“There’s no need to make such a fuss, I…”

“Did Teacher Jiang have an allergic reaction? Then we should go to the hospital immediately.” Rushing over, she saw the faint red marks on her wrist and became even more anxious, “You go with her, I’ll find a car.”

Half an hour later, at the city hospital.

There was nothing wrong with her, but everyone insisted on dragging her to the hospital. Jiang Siyi sat on a chair, calmly contemplating life.

Lin Yusheng was busy at the time. When she heard the news, her assistant was already at the hospital, about to register for her.

When the two met at the hospital, they stared at each other, silence filled with helplessness.

“Why are you alone? Where are those staff members?”

“They went back to work, it’s fine. I’m already here, might as well get a check-up. I’ll tell you the results later.”

“You could have just told the truth, why did you have to mention hives?”

“……”

Was the term “bondage play” something that could be said in broad daylight?

Just as she was about to tell her to inform the makeup artist that the concealer was useless, Lin Yusheng exclaimed, “Your partner is here.”

“At this hour, she should still be arguing with the foreign partner.”

Given that Lin Yusheng usually didn’t say nice things and often lied to her, and knowing that Shen Shiwu was busy with work today,

Jiang Siyi didn’t believe her at all and continued to play on her phone.

Lin Yusheng was at a loss for words. Finally, she cleared her throat and reminded her, “Stop looking at your counterattack knowledge, look up.”

Jiang Siyi’s ears burned, and she immediately covered the screen, turning her head and whispering in protest, “You saw wrong, who, who would look at that.”

Lin Yusheng shook her head, patiently advising her, “You should stop focusing on this. Based on my understanding of you, if you really want to counterattack, it might take forever.”

Little Jiang’s self-esteem was severely damaged.

She gritted her teeth, “Don’t look down on me.”

“I’m not looking down on you, just stating the facts.”

It wasn’t that Jiang Siyi seemed to be in a weak position.

It was that the person standing not far away had a really strong aura.

With just a few glances, her feminine charm radiated from within. The composure wrapped in a stable core was also fully displayed with self-confidence.

It was oppressive.

Lin Yusheng immediately looked away, planning to leave, but was stopped by the unwilling Jiang Siyi.

“Actually, I already succeeded in counterattacking.”

“?”

“Forget it, there’s no point in talking to a single person. You can go.”

Seeing that Shen Shiwu had already quietly walked up to them, Lin Yusheng wanted to say something, but in the end, she just hesitated, gave Jiang Siyi a complicated look, and left quickly.

If she went back now, the hives incident would be exposed. She didn’t want to keep up the lie, so she decided to just sit there for a while.

Sigh, she missed half a day of recording.

Her pay would definitely be reduced.

Jiang Siyi felt a little pained and looked down at her wrist, thinking angrily.

It’s all Shen Shiwu’s fault.

After being tied up all night, the marks were still faintly visible. Her skin was fair, making them even more obvious.

They really did look like allergy symptoms.

The hospital was noisy. Jiang Siyi looked around boredly, not seeing Shen Shiwu’s shadow at all.

Lin Yusheng really lied to her.

She clicked her tongue twice, picked up her phone, and started diligently studying techniques again.

It wasn’t appropriate to play videos in public, but the text version was harmless.

Although that was the case, Jiang Siyi still acted like a thief, looking up every two seconds to check if anyone was coming.

So vigilant, but she always forgot to look behind her.

Looking left and right, she really did resemble a rabbit sniffing around.

Shen Shiwu thought this, and reached out her hand.

The phone disappeared.

Having experienced so many theft cases, Jiang Siyi’s first reaction was—thieves are getting bolder these days.

“Give it back…” After the exclamation, a familiar face came into view. The second half of the sentence got stuck in her throat. Jiang Siyi opened her mouth, but didn’t make a sound for a moment.

Seeing the other person looking down, she knelt on the chair, almost pouncing on her.

Her head was held down.

Watching Shen Shiwu scroll through the screen, Jiang Siyi felt like she was going to heaven.

“Not bad, very practical for you.”

The woman calmly read all the study materials, and finally came to this conclusion.

“Just you wait,” Jiang Siyi snorted, swatting her hand away, “Karma’s a bitch, there will be a day when you beg for mercy.”

Shen Shiwu grabbed her wrist.

Looking at the red and purple marks on her fair skin, her possessiveness was satisfied, and at the same time, she asked, “Does it hurt? I’m sorry.”

Being tied up only restricted her movement. It didn’t really hurt.

But Jiang Siyi still acted aggrieved, “Of course.”

Seeing the concern in Shen Shiwu’s eyes, she pressed her advantage, “Look, the marks still haven’t completely faded. One here, two there, it looks scary.”

Her wrist was kissed.

The woman gently stroked it, “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”

Seeing her like this, Jiang Siyi was secretly delighted. She pouted, “Then swear that you’ll listen to me in bed from now on.”

Because she was afraid of being overheard, her voice trailed off at the end, getting close to the other person’s ear, her breath like a claw, tickling.

Shen Shiwu’s throat bobbed.

Then she nodded, “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

Very good.

Jiang Siyi quickly suppressed her smile, and slowly revealed her true purpose, “It just so happens that there’s no recording tomorrow.”

“Tonight,” she deliberately blew into her ear, “I want to… you.”

That word was intentionally emphasized.

Jiang Siyi imitated how the other person usually teased her, her fingers hooking her hair. She coaxed, “Give me a chance.”

“I’ll do a good job.”

In public, whether it’s a heterosexual or homosexual relationship, it’s not appropriate to be too intimate. After Jiang Siyi finished speaking, she created some distance, but still hooked her little finger, teasingly, swaying it back and forth.

Shen Shiwu didn’t answer immediately.

Seeing her drooping head, she helplessly said, “Xiao Si.”

“Hmm?”

Under such an intimate address, Shen Shiwu mercilessly uttered the most hurtful words.

She stroked Jiang Siyi’s chin, and said softly.

“If you’re not good at something, you should study more, don’t rush into practice, or…”

“I suggest you just give up struggling.”

“……”

Screw you.

Extra Chapter One: Failed Counterattack

Failed Counterattack (2)

***

In the romantic winter, the two embraced. The scene seemed warm, but who would have thought that the topic they were discussing at this moment was all about matters in bed.

The words “practical experience” were quite normal.

But falling into Jiang Siyi’s ears, they seemed to have a deeper meaning.

Her face flushed.

After a few seconds, she asked in a low voice, “You agree?”

Seeing the other person nod slowly and thoughtfully, Jiang Siyi was glad that she had done her homework during the day. Her blood was boiling, and her eyes were full of anticipation.

After returning to the hotel, Shen Shiwu went straight into the bathroom. She pushed Jiang Siyi, who was trying to sneak in, out by the shoulders, and then mercilessly dropped a sentence: “Save your energy.”

It was quite considerate of her.

As the door closed, Jiang Siyi said confidently, “Don’t worry.”

She was self-assured, “The one thing I don’t lack is energy.”

Watching the bathroom door close, Jiang Siyi quietly left the room and sat on the sofa in the living room, waiting for the delivery person.

Ten minutes later, the “tools” she bought arrived.

The store was having a promotion: buy three, get one small set free.

Looking at the pile of embarrassing things, Jiang Siyi admitted that she was starting to feel nervous.

In order not to make a fool of herself in bed later, she hid them all under the covers. Then she opened her phone, skillfully found the most hidden folder, and began to review.

In addition to videos, there were even text-based teaching methods.

Jiang Siyi studied them carefully, analyzing each sentence even more thoroughly than she did during morning readings in school.

“Foreplay should be thorough, first kissing and caressing, fingers circling around…”

The sound of water in the bathroom had stopped long ago.

But she was so engrossed that she didn’t even notice.

“Circling around the crevice, pressing and rubbing.”

Crevice? Could it be……

Encountering a blind spot in her knowledge, Jiang Siyi thought for a long time, and finally chose to understand by watching the video. After a moment, a faint moan came from the phone. She guiltily lowered the volume to the minimum.

She guessed right, it really was that place.

Usually, Shen Shiwu did all the work, and she just had to lie there and enjoy it. She didn’t have a particularly deep understanding of the “human anatomy.”

She guessed it right on the first try.

Jiang Siyi curled her lips, feeling that she was really talented.

With renewed confidence, she burrowed under the covers and began to study the few boxes of finger cots and the free gift.

The former was easy to use, just put them on your fingers. The latter…

She tore open the packaging of the small set, and was instantly shocked by the flashy things inside.

Small but complete.

This thing looked small, but it contained a lot of items.

A rolled-up leather whip.

Bunny ears and a fluffy tail.

And also.

A collar with a bell.

They were burning her hands.

Jiang Siyi almost threw the whole pile away.

The phone was only muted, the video of the two people was still playing. She picked it up, about to exit, when a notification from the delivery app suddenly appeared in the message box.

Following the notification, she saw that the shop owner had sent a very thoughtful message: “Hello, our shop is closing tomorrow, we’re going back to our hometown for the New Year. It’s the last day of the promotion, so we’re giving you a small set as a gift. Don’t worry, it’s a big brand, not a knockoff, and we’ve also included disinfectant.”

Jiang Siyi had noticed earlier that the set was the same brand as the finger cots. She blushed and replied, “Thank you, Happy New Year to you too.”

Shen Shiwu had come to Beicheng in a hurry and hadn’t packed much. So the shower gel, body lotion, etc., that she was using were all Jiang Siyi’s.

At this moment, she emerged from the bathroom, covered in a mist of water.

Seeing the lump on the bed still, seemingly doing something naughty, Shen Shiwu casually wiped her hair with a towel, deliberately making her steps very light.

Under the covers, Jiang Siyi was carefully picking up the collar and examining it.

Although this thing was very embarrassing, but… if Shen Shiwu were to wear it.

Just thinking about it was exciting.

Maybe she would even beg for mercy and call her “master.”

As she was mentally working out the plan, the “heavens” were suddenly lifted.

Seeing the light of day again, Jiang Siyi knew it was bad. She quickly hid the fun little toys behind her back.

This was a surprise, it couldn’t be revealed so easily.

Okay.

Actually, she was just too nervous.

Shen Shiwu had guessed many possibilities.

For example, Jiang Siyi was hiding under the covers reading fanfiction about them on Weibo, or she was watching videos to learn beforehand because she was afraid of being mocked.

But when the covers were lifted, the bed was covered with scattered adult toys.

This little rascal, she’s getting more and more creative.

“Are you… planning to set up a stall and sell things?” Shen Shiwu glanced behind her, her words full of meaning.

Hearing this teasing, she glared at her. Knowing she couldn’t hide it, she slowly shifted, about to introduce the pile of things, but felt it was too embarrassing,

You can’t back down now.

You’re supposed to be on top tonight.

She straightened up again.

“Not for sale, free to give away,” she responded quickly, “how about it, do you want to try?”

Shen Shiwu raised an eyebrow.

She pushed the items forward.

“Madam, which one would you like to try first? How about this one?” She pointed to the black collar. Seeing that the other person didn’t speak, she became bolder, “If you wear it, you’ll definitely look beautiful.”

Shen Shiwu smiled without a word.

She didn’t answer, but calmly went to blow-dry her hair.

Ignored, Jiang Siyi could only follow her angrily.

“I’ll help you blow-dry.” After getting out of bed, she reached out and took the hairdryer, then patted the edge of the bed, “Sit here.”

Shen Shiwu didn’t refuse and did as she was told.

There was a mirror in the bedroom, which perfectly reflected the two of them at this moment. Shen Shiwu looked at her in the mirror, serious and focused, a smile playing on her lips.

“Almost done.”

Jiang Siyi put the hairdryer back in its place, touched Shen Shiwu’s long hair to confirm, and then urged her, “Get up.”

The tools were still lying on the bed.

Shen Shiwu did as she wished, got up, and then sat in a different place.

On the single sofa in the bedroom.

Click.

The light went out, plunging them into darkness.

Hearing the footsteps getting closer, Shen Shiwu leaned back lazily, not forgetting to remind her, “Watch your step, don’t fall.”

Jiang Siyi felt that her abilities were being questioned, and immediately quickened her pace.

A pair of hands touched her waist. Feeling the other person about to untie her robe, Shen Shiwu, who had wanted to take the lead, raised her hand, but then put it down again.

Let’s humor her for a while.

Successfully undressed.

Smelling the familiar scent that belonged to her, Jiang Siyi’s throat tightened, and her head felt a little dizzy.

According to what was taught in the “textbook.”

First, kiss and caress.

Jiang Siyi leaned closer to Shen Shiwu, and her lips slowly covered hers… her cheek.

Feeling the other person’s mouth corners curve up, seemingly in disdain, she began to move downwards, placing several kisses on her neck.

You bit me the other day.

Karma’s a bitch, now you’ll taste it too.

It was like a small animal waving its paws, without any force, only making people itch.

Shen Shiwu let her bite her, and even stroked the back of her head, almost saying “take your time, no rush.”

Why isn’t she making any sound?

Jiang Siyi wondered to herself—could it be that her technique is bad?

Her jaw was almost numb when she finally stopped, and she poked Shen Shiwu’s cheek a little aggrievedly, “Are you about to fall asleep?”

“I’m wide awake.”

“Then why aren’t you making any sound?”

“Does Xiao Si want to hear?”

Only when Shen Shiwu called her by her nickname did Jiang Siyi get goosebumps. No one else could do that.

She softly replied, “I want to hear.”

Shen Shiwu coaxed, “Go get those things from the bed.”

It was time to get to the main event.

The bell jingled as Jiang Siyi gathered them in her arms, still asking for the other person’s opinion, “Which one do you like?”

Without the light, afraid that Shen Shiwu couldn’t see clearly, Jiang Siyi added, “There’s a collar, bunny ears and tail, and a leather, a leather whip.”

“Let’s skip the last one,” she threw it on the ground, “I can’t bear to hit you.”

“Then let’s go with the whip.”

“!”

Shen Shiwu beckoned to her, “Be a good girl, come here with the whip.”

While hiding under the covers, Jiang Siyi had already torn open two finger cots and hidden them in her palm. She hesitantly walked towards her, holding the whip.

She had disinfected everything earlier. So there was still a faint smell of alcohol on them.

“Give it to me,” Shen Shiwu reached out.

“No.” Jiang Siyi refused and directly kissed her lips.

This time the kiss was deep, with the sound of water, their tongues intertwined, as if trying to determine a winner.

After a long time, Jiang Siyi wanted to catch her breath. Just as they separated, she heard Shen Shiwu chuckle, “Tired?”

“How could I be?” Jiang Siyi gritted her teeth. After pulling open her half-open robe a little more, her right hand moved further down.

“I also have lace ones.”

She had intended to tease, but Shen Shiwu calmly nodded, “Yes, I’m wearing yours.”

Although she had done this before, this answer was too sudden, and Jiang Siyi’s head was a little muddled.

She felt hot all over.

The desire deep inside her was screaming.

“Shen Shiwu…” she murmured, “I want.”

“I want you.”

Feeling the hand becoming increasingly unruly, starting to circle, Shen Shiwu caressed her cheek. And Jiang Siyi started to complain again, “Why aren’t you making any sound?”

“Since Xiao Si wants to hear, then of course I have to satisfy you.”

Shen Shiwu easily snatched the whip from her, and in an instant, tied her hands together. The leather had already left faint red marks. Although it wasn’t uncomfortable, Jiang Siyi still struggled,

“You promised that I would be on top tonight, you can’t go back on your word.”

“I always keep my word,” Shen Shiwu held her waist, her fingers moved, and the silk robe on the other person instantly fell to the carpet.

“Hold onto my neck,” the other person coaxed in a low voice, “Don’t worry, you’ll be on top all night.”

In the second half of the night, all the “tools” Jiang Siyi bought were used on herself. When she was wearing bunny ears, forced to kneel on Shen Shiwu’s legs, gasping for breath, she thought in confusion—

She would never trust this person’s lies again.

“Didn’t you say it was too quiet, no sound?” Shen Shiwu put on two new finger cots, “Make the sounds yourself.”

The collar around her neck jingled constantly with the movement.

Jiang Siyi’s body trembled, wanting to escape, but she was firmly held by the person below her, easily pulled back into her embrace.

“Why are you running? This is all what you wanted.”

“Even if you faint, you have to endure it.”

The single sofa was no longer usable, it was soaking wet.

Shen Shiwu picked her up and placed her in front of the mirror.

“Lift higher.”

Amidst pleas for mercy, Shen Shiwu’s voice was laced with an irresistible firmness.

“Jiejie will help you put on the tail.”

Extra Chapter One: Failed Counterattack

Failed Counterattack (1)

***

Jiang Siyi’s work schedule was always different from others.

For example, right now, a few days before the first day of the Lunar New Year, she had to go to Beicheng to record a certain author’s gala.

Shen Shiwu didn’t come along.

The housekeeper had gone back to her hometown for the New Year, and someone had to stay home to take care of the rabbit.

The wind was cutting, and the chill was heavy.

After leaving the airport, a private car was already waiting. Getting into the car, Lin Yusheng glanced at her outfit. “You’re not worried about looking ugly in a coat anymore?”

Jiang Siyi was still the same as before, leaning back and falling asleep as soon as she sat down. Hearing this, she didn’t open her eyes and calmly said, “No choice, someone’s watching over me.”

At first glance, it sounded like a complaint.

But in reality…

Lin Yusheng, still single, snorted in annoyance.

“Alright, my little ancestor, you can sleep when we get back to the hotel. Let me first go over tomorrow’s schedule with you.” She enlarged the spreadsheet on her phone.

No response.

Turning her head, she saw that someone had already turned her face slightly and peacefully entered dreamland.

Over the years, Jiang Siyi’s habit of dozing off at any time had become the norm. Lin Yusheng understood the reason and was used to it—after all, she was ill, had insomnia at night, and it was normal to nap during the day.

But now, her illness had clearly improved significantly.

As she was wondering, Lin Yusheng suddenly caught sight of a few faint, bright red marks on her neck.

“…”
She gritted her teeth, contacted the makeup artist, and muttered under her breath, “You have a show tomorrow, could you have been a bit more restrained?”

The streets were decorated with lanterns.

The red shadows reflected in the alleys at night were extremely lively.

Jiang Siyi was slowly woken up by the noise.

She lifted her hand to pull back the curtain of the minivan, squinting to look outside. Most of the shops were closed, but there were still many people around.

She saw a couple holding sparklers, talking and laughing as they passed by.

The curtain fell again.

She slumped back in her seat.

Lin Yusheng saw that this Buddha had finally stirred and continued, “Arrive at seven tomorrow to get ready…”

The Buddha suddenly sighed.

Interrupted again, Lin Yusheng was full of resentment. “It’s New Year’s, why are you sighing?”

Jiang Siyi covered her face with her coat and mumbled, “I miss home.”

The timing of this trip was indeed tricky.

Lin Yusheng comforted her, “You’ll be free in two days, it won’t interfere with you spending New Year’s Eve with your girlfriend.”

Jiang Siyi was silent for a moment before lifting the coat and sighing again at the sky.

Lin Yusheng: “…”

Given her status in the industry, the show arranged for Jiang Siyi to stay in a presidential suite. With no one by her side, she fell asleep in loneliness. The next day, even before the alarm clock rang, she was staring at the ceiling wide awake.

Jiang Siyi was actually used to waking up early.

Recently, she had been forced by Shen Shiwu to correct her sleep schedule, except under special circumstances when she would sleep in until noon due to lack of energy. The rest of the time, there was no room for negotiation.

When Lin Yusheng sent a message asking her to open the door, Jiang Siyi was de-puffing her face. She was leisurely pacing around the room with a massager, looking relaxed.

“You’re always coming and going, sit down and rest for a while,” Lin Yusheng glanced at her neck and was speechless. After a few seconds of silence, Jiang Siyi became curious.

“Why aren’t you talking anymore?”

“When we get backstage later, don’t go anywhere else, go straight to the makeup room.”

“Oh…”

Jiang Siyi didn’t think much of it at first, until she sat in front of the mirror and saw the makeup artist dabbing powder on her neck…

Her face burned.

She had been so busy lately that she forgot about this. No wonder Lin Yusheng told her to rush straight to the makeup room. It seemed she was worried that covering the marks would take time and cause a delay in the recording.

“Huh, I haven’t put blush on you yet.” The makeup artist leaned in, noticed something, and then smiled, “Teacher, you don’t have to be embarrassed. I’ve been in this industry for years, I’ve seen everything.”

Jiang Siyi let out a dry laugh, her limbs a bit stiff.

At this moment, the door to the makeup room was slowly opened. Someone peeked inside, their movements a bit hesitant.

Thinking it was Lin Yusheng, Jiang Siyi was just about to ask her to buy a coffee to soothe her throat when she suddenly heard, “Teacher Jiang, long time no see.”

“Xiao Xuan?” Jiang Siyi saw who it was and smiled, “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve moved behind the scenes, I work here now.”

It’s not advisable to make large movements while getting makeup done. Jiang Siyi could only turn her eyeballs with difficulty. It was only when her contact lenses almost slipped out of place that she finally settled down.

After more than half an hour, the makeup was finally finished. The makeup artist had other work to do, so she left in a hurry.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

“Teacher Jiang, your girlfriend didn’t come with you?” Xiao Xuan asked.

Mentioning this, Jiang Siyi couldn’t help but recall the earlier scene. A faint blush appeared on her face again. She coughed a few times before saying, “No, she’s at home taking care of the pets.”

Once two married people start talking, it’s like there’s no end to it. Eventually, the conversation took a strange turn—

“Just a few days ago, I successfully counterattacked, I was feeling a little proud.”

The term “counterattack” was very unfamiliar to Jiang Siyi.

Trying to understand, she guessed, “You mean, you… to your partner…?”

Xiao Xuan nodded shyly.

If that’s the case, then couldn’t she also do the same to Shen Shiwu?

Xiao Xuan seemed to see through her thoughts, “If you’re thinking about counterattacking, remember to make sure you’re fully prepared, or else it’s easy to fail.”

Because of this, during the subsequent recording, Jiang Siyi almost spaced out. Fortunately, she was good at her job and quick to react, so she was able to adjust in time and quickly get rid of the indecent thoughts in her head.

During the break, she was hiding in the makeup room searching for study materials, her seriousness comparable to the final review before the college entrance exam.

In the hallway,

“What are you crouching here for? Trying to be like a rat?” She pushed open the door and was startled by the sneaky appearance of the girl, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

Jiang Siyi was startled by the sudden noise. She quickly turned off her phone, slowly stood up, and acted as if nothing had happened, “I was tired of sitting, so I squatted for a bit.”

Seeing the suspicious look in the other person’s eyes, she skillfully changed the subject, “Where’s my takeout? Did you get it?”

Lin Yusheng came in and placed the bag on the table, her gaze still fixed on her.

Jiang Siyi pretended to be calm and started eating her lunch.

“You weren’t having an affair, were you?” Lin Yusheng thought for a long time and finally came to this conclusion.

“…”

Jiang Siyi threw the takeout bag at her, “You’re spreading rumors, be careful I’ll sue you.”

“Come on,” Lin Yusheng said curiously, “then what were you hiding here for? Everyone else went to the lounge, only you’re being so special.”

“To touch up my makeup.”

“You need to crouch in a corner to touch up your makeup?”

Once Lin Yusheng’s curiosity was piqued, it was impossible to stop her. At this moment, Jiang Siyi regretted signing with her publishing house back then.

She smiled, “I wanted to.”

“Tch,” Lin Yusheng crossed her legs, “then I won’t ask next time.”

“…”

In the end, Jiang Siyi finally managed to shut her up with an extremely perfunctory answer. After the recording ended that day, she didn’t even wait for the private car, fearing that she would be questioned again.

After getting out of the taxi, the cold wind was biting.

She walked slowly, almost tying her scarf into a knot from the cold.

Realizing that she hadn’t had dinner yet, Jiang Siyi hesitated for a few seconds, thinking that she couldn’t go hungry no matter what, and turned to another street.

There weren’t many stalls, and only a few shops were still open.

Halfway through, she couldn’t stand the cold wind anymore and was about to go back to the hotel. But thinking about the long delivery time, Jiang Siyi finally entered a sushi restaurant.

The decor was exquisite, but perhaps due to the time, she was the only customer.

After ordering a set meal, Jiang Siyi, as usual, sat at a table by the window. It was actually quite lively outside. After all, Beicheng had many tourists, and even during the New Year, it was still crowded.

When she was abroad, she liked to find a random shop and sit by the window for an afternoon, watching the world go by. She still hadn’t changed this habit.

It was warm inside, and soon a layer of mist formed on the glass window.

The view was fragmented.

Jiang Siyi reached out and wiped away a part of it, making her vision clear again.

“Hello, this is the set meal you ordered, please enjoy.”

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Jiang Siyi retracted her hand and rubbed her damp fingertips together. After the waiter left, she took a bite of sushi, looked at the empty restaurant, and suddenly felt a little bored.

She was all alone.

She decided to send a message to Shen Shiwu.

“Are you busy? Take a look at the rabbit.”

The implication was that she wanted to video call.

The other person replied quickly, “I’m outside, busy with something.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Siyi unconsciously pouted. After replying with this word, she put her phone face down on the table and started eating.

The set meal came with a small portion of tonkotsu ramen. The broth was rich, and after drinking it, she felt warm all over. In addition, the heating in the restaurant was strong, so Jiang Siyi couldn’t help but take off her coat.

After finishing dinner, she didn’t rush to leave. Instead, she lay on the table and continued to look out the window.

The freshly wiped window had a layer of mist again.

Jiang Siyi reached out and, on a whim, wrote a few words on it—

“Hate busy people.”

Still feeling unsatisfied, she crossed out the last three words and changed them to a certain someone’s name.

“Hate Shen Shiwu.”

Picking up her phone and seeing that the other person hadn’t replied, Jiang Siyi almost gritted her teeth to pieces. She slumped back on the table, staring at the name, feeling increasingly angry.

She added stroke by stroke, “Just you wait, I’ll show you how I’ll ‘counter’ you.”

Snow fell silently.

Although it was a common sight in Beicheng, for Jiang Siyi, who was from the south, it was still a wonder.

However, due to the increase in snowfall in Qinan in recent years, she felt a little moved, but not much.

Judging by the time, it was about time to go back to the hotel to rest. Jiang Siyi was about to wipe all the words off the glass window—
when someone rapped on the window with their knuckles.

The crisp sound was like an echo of a heartbeat.

Jiang Siyi slowly blinked.

Shen Shiwu.

How could she suddenly appear here?

A surge of emotion pushed Jiang Siyi to want to run out of the store immediately, but her reason stopped her.

She had to get rid of the mess on the window first.

Click.

The woman stood in the snow, holding her phone in one hand, and took a picture of the “evidence.”

Jiang Siyi: “…”

Shen Shiwu admired the photo and her stunned expression, suppressed her smile, and began to decipher the words on the window.

Hate.

Shen Shiwu.

I’ll show you how I’ll ‘counter’ you.

When she saw the last sentence, she raised an eyebrow, and then she was tackled by a certain wishful-thinking rabbit.

Jiang Siyi hugged her, burying her head deeply, not lifting her face for the time being.

“‘Counter’ me?”

Hearing these two words, the girl seemed to have made up her mind, “Yes.”

She finally looked up, her voice full of coquettishness, “Let me try.”

Shen Shiwu brushed the snow from her hair.

Under the girl’s continuous pestering, the woman deliberately touched her cheek with her cold fingers.

“Sure,” she said meaningfully, “If you want to be on top of me, you can.”

“Let’s have some practical experience tonight.”

Chapter 87

User-san quickly changed her username and added her real name.

Seeing the once anonymous account now with a proper name and profile picture, Jiang Siyi felt a little strange.

“During those four years we were apart, why did you send me messages every day?” she suddenly asked, her voice low. “Weren’t you tired?”

“At first, it was because I missed you, then it became an obsession,” Shen Shiwu said, sighing wistfully, “I couldn’t help it.”

I couldn’t stop loving you.

I couldn’t help it.

Her fingers were intertwined with Jiang Siyi’s.

The woman who had left without a word, leaving her heartbroken and resentful, was now holding her hand.

She heard Shen Shiwu say, “I’ll never leave again.”

***

After going public with their relationship, Jiang Siyi avoided her phone for a while. One day, as she was enjoying a late morning sleep, she was rudely awakened by a ringing phone.

“Hello?”

“Jiang Siyi!”

That familiar voice…

She checked the caller ID—Fu Jing.

“Sister Bao?”

Fu Jing was grading papers in her office, her hand moving non-stop, the familiar sound of flipping pages bringing back memories, and Jiang Siyi’s heart tightened slightly.

“Yes, it’s me, your former homeroom teacher.”

Hearing the word “former,” Jiang Siyi relaxed and burrowed back under the covers.

She had graduated years ago.

“What’s up?”

“Well,” Fu Jing, sensing her sleepiness, quickly said, “the school’s anniversary celebration is the day after tomorrow, and we want you to give a speech.”

Jiang Siyi chuckled. “You don’t think I’m a rebellious teenager anymore?”

“None of us ever thought that,” Fu Jing said casually, “you were the one who thought that about yourself.”

Although it was a joke, Jiang Siyi was momentarily stunned.

Fu Jing, seeing her silence, asked, “Did you fall asleep again?”

“I’m awake,” Jiang Siyi rubbed her eyes, realizing she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, and sat up. “Okay, send me the details on WeChat.”

“Treating me like your assistant, huh, great author?”

“Ms. Fu,” Jiang Siyi said politely, enunciating each word, “please send me the schedule…”

“Okay, okay, stop with the formalities. I’ll send it to you after I’m done grading these papers.”

Jiang Siyi, now wide awake, ran her fingers through her hair, washed up, and went downstairs. Scooping up Eleven, she decided to take the rabbit to Shen Shiwu’s office.

***

Returning to her old high school felt like revisiting the past.

The weak winter sunlight barely provided any warmth, and Jiang Siyi shivered, wrapping her coat tighter.

Fu Jing walked beside her, surrounded by school leaders.

If this had been four years ago, she would have been intimidated.

Well, actually, she had been in similar situations before.

Like when she had been caught fighting.

“This is your senior, she’s very successful,” Fu Jing said, as they passed by a classroom, and several students poked their heads out.

“Hello, Senior!”

Jiang Siyi smiled and nodded. “Hello.”

“Good, you’ve matured a lot,” Fu Jing praised her, then leaned closer, as if about to gossip, “did you learn that from your girlfriend?”

Jiang Siyi’s steps faltered—although she had already graduated, being in this environment, she felt a strange sense of embarrassment, as if her “puppy love” had been exposed.

After a moment, she nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

Seeing her admit it, Fu Jing suddenly seemed to realize something and lowered her voice. “So… you’re dating your cousin?”

Remembering Shen Shiwu’s lie, Jiang Siyi hummed softly. “She’s not my cousin, we’re not even related, we barely knew each other when we were younger.”

While the school leaders were discussing the afternoon’s schedule, the two of them were happily chatting.

A few students passing by, seeing Fu Jing’s friendly demeanor, commented to each other, “This senior must have been a good student.”

“Yeah, probably a straight-A student, always getting awards.”

Jiang Siyi, hearing this, couldn’t help but think,

Not even close. Getting called to the office three times a month was more like it.

The anniversary celebration didn’t start until the afternoon.

So she was forced to have lunch with the school leaders.

Sitting in the cafeteria, looking at the food on her plate, Jiang Siyi picked up her chopsticks, took a few bites, and almost blurted out, “Just as bad as I remember.”

But seeing the expectant gazes of the school leaders, she forced the words down

And said with a smile, “The school’s food has improved, it’s much better than before.”

Hearing the successful graduate’s praise, everyone was relieved and started reminiscing about the past.

Only Fu Jing, seeing through her act, whispered, “You haven’t changed, still lying without even blinking.”

“…”

Time finally passed.

In the auditorium, the students were seated according to their classes, and Jiang Siyi was backstage, reviewing her speech. After a few seconds, she tossed the paper aside, thinking it was better to speak from the heart.

Fu Jing silently picked up the paper. “Just stick to the script, or I’m afraid you’ll scare the children.”

Jiang Siyi, who had been planning on pouring her heart out, was silent for a moment, then snatched the paper back.

While waiting, she sent Shen Shiwu a message.

“I’m about to go on stage, isn’t your girlfriend amazing?”

The reply came quickly.

Shen Shiwu always indulged her. “Mm-hmm, you’re the most amazing.”

Jiang Siyi’s spirits lifted, and she smiled smugly.

After a round of applause, hearing the host introduce her, she put away her phone, straightened her clothes, and walked onto the stage.

Hearing the clicking of her high heels against the stage, she suddenly felt a sense of nostalgia and a strange sense of unreality.

She had thought she would be nervous, but standing in the spotlight, facing the countless faces below, she was surprisingly calm.

“Hello, everyone, I’m Jiang Siyi, a graduate of No. 1 High School.”

Hearing her name, the students started whispering among themselves. The noise grew louder, only stopping when the head teacher scolded them.

“Today, I want to talk to you about the insecurities and anxieties of adolescence.”

This topic was like opening up her heart for Jiang Siyi. Because she had been like that once, insecure, uncertain, and self-loathing.

But before a wound could heal, it had to be cleaned.

So she chose to confront her past in this way.

Fu Jing, in the audience, watching her unexpected speech, smiled and shook her head.

Still the same as ever, doing whatever she wanted, no one could control her.

“I understand how you feel,” Jiang Siyi said, standing in the spotlight, a silver halo around her, her voice soft and gentle, “because my teenage years were also filled with anxiety.”

A brave student raised their hand and asked, “Senior, how did you overcome it?”

“Believe in yourself.”

Jiang Siyi, holding the microphone, took a few steps forward. “First, you need to have hope. Second, try talking to your parents or friends.”

“Don’t be like me, keeping everything bottled up inside,” she chuckled, “it only made my parents worry.”

A wave of laughter rippled through the audience.

The speech continued, the relaxed atmosphere encouraging the students to participate. The school leaders, sitting together, nodded in approval. “As expected of a great author, she’s a natural.”

In the back row, hidden in a secluded corner, a woman listened quietly. When Jiang Siyi mentioned “parents,” she smiled faintly.

“Okay, now it’s time for Q&A. Feel free to raise your hands and ask questions, there are small gifts for everyone after the session.”

Gifts?

Jiang Siyi was puzzled—she hadn’t prepared anything.

Just as she was wondering if it was the school’s doing, a student stood up and asked, “Senior, what are your thoughts on unrequited love?”

The question made the auditorium buzz with excitement. Understandable, after all, teenagers were always interested in this topic.

Jiang Siyi waved her hand, asking for silence. When the noise subsided, she said slowly, “Unrequited love is like a grape-flavored hard candy. Sweet and sour, and after a while, slightly bitter.”

“But the sweetness is still the dominant flavor.”

Seeing that the students were getting excited again, she added sternly, “Unrequited love is normal, but puppy love is not.”

Fu Jing, who had been about to rush onto the stage and cover Jiang Siyi’s mouth, sat back down. Then, as she moved, she noticed a figure in a secluded corner, a woman who stood out from the crowd.

Although the woman seemed aloof at first glance, upon closer inspection, she was smiling faintly.

As if she was proud.

Fu Jing clicked her tongue, wanting to tell Jiang Siyi: Your parent is here.

Another round of applause, even more enthusiastic this time. Jiang Siyi bowed and left the stage, heading backstage. Before disappearing completely, she glanced at the crowd, as if… looking back at her youth.

Finally, she had time to check her phone.

She sat down and immediately sent Shen Shiwu a message: “I’m done with my speech.”

The anniversary celebration had just begun, and after this segment, they were heading to the sports field. Seeing the students leaving the auditorium, Jiang Siyi followed.

Stepping outside, the cold air hit her.

She thought, If only Shen Shiwu were here.

Just then, someone shouted, “It’s snowing!”

Jiang Siyi, who had wanted to bury her face in her scarf, looked up. A snowflake landed on her eyelashes.

She realized that it had been snowing while she was giving her speech.

No wonder it was so cold.

Jiang Siyi stamped her feet, her white coat making her look like a grumpy little bunny.

Without Shen Shiwu, even the snow seemed less beautiful. She walked past the excited students, wanting to go back inside the building.

Just as she was about to escape into the warmth, someone gently tugged on her scarf.

Who was so inconsiderate?

Jiang Siyi turned around, annoyed, and came face to face with her girlfriend.

“Shen Shiwu, what are you doing here?”

Her eyes lit up, and seeing that no one was around, she rushed into Shen Shiwu’s arms. “It’s so cold…”

Shen Shiwu let her nuzzle against her chest. “As a parent, I came to see my student Jiang’s speech.”

The way she addressed her sent a thrill through Jiang Siyi.

She blushed and hid her face in Shen Shiwu’s embrace.

Suddenly, she felt something cold in her hand.

Looking down, she saw a familiar object.

“A snow rabbit?”

Jiang Siyi carefully held it in her hands, forgetting about the cold. She tilted her head. “You made this?”

Shen Shiwu looked away, her gaze fixed on the students in the distance. “I asked them for it.”

“Liar.”

Seeing her pout, Shen Shiwu, having teased her enough, finally admitted, “Mm-hmm, I made it.”

Jiang Siyi, satisfied, then asked worriedly, “Will it melt quickly this time?”

“No,” Shen Shiwu said, tightening her scarf around her neck, “I’ll keep it for you.”

“Just three rabbits, it’s not too many, I can handle it.”

Jiang Siyi understood what she meant. “Then we’ll be entangled forever.”

In the winter cold, Shen Shiwu’s voice was firm and gentle as she wiped away the snowflakes from Jiang Siyi’s face. “Okay, forever.”

The snow continued to fall.

Freezing, solidifying, endless.

Preserving their promise like a specimen.

Main Story —End—