Chapter 22
Lu Yin opened the door for Zhong Shiwu that evening.
Her refusal to meet had been ignored.
Zhong Shiwu arrived unannounced, carrying a bottle of wine and a box of pastries.
Lu Yin couldn’t very well turn her away, so she invited her in.
“Since you wouldn’t come to me, I had to come to you,” Zhong Shiwu said, looking around the apartment. “Nice place. Very you.”
She gestured towards the bottle. “Consider it a housewarming gift?”
Lu Yin gave a weak smile. “Thanks.”
“You’re my priority. Someone else has been begging to see me, but I turned her down,” Zhong Shiwu said, opening the wine and pouring two glasses.
“Are you finished with your work?” Lu Yin asked.
“Everything went smoothly,” Zhong Shiwu chuckled. “That’s why I rushed over here. I should have brought Yu Miao along. Then it would be two against one. Maybe we could straighten out those antlers of yours.”
“I’m doing fine,” Lu Yin ignored the joke, taking a sip of wine. It was stronger than she expected. She glanced at the label and set the glass down.
“No need to be so cautious. I just haven’t seen you in a while. I wanted to chat,” Zhong Shiwu saw through her defenses. “After all, Lu Sui considered me her sworn sister. I’m not just your friend and your doctor, I’m also your elder, aren’t I?”
Lu Yin gave a noncommittal smile. “Perhaps.”
“I chose this specifically. It’s quite good,” Zhong Shiwu refilled Lu Yin’s glass and opened the box of pastries. “Try one.”
Lu Yin took a bite. They were sour.
“Good?” Zhong Shiwu asked.
“Sour,” Lu Yin said. “But good.”
“I knew you liked sour things. Glad to see your taste hasn’t changed,” Zhong Shiwu said. “Some things never change.”
Lu Yin drained her glass, meeting Zhong Shiwu’s gaze. “People change.”
“Which is why we need a different approach to your treatment,” Zhong Shiwu said thoughtfully. “Like…desensitization?”
“I’m managing my life and my work just fine. I don’t need any further intervention,” Lu Yin rejected the suggestion.
“I visited a psychiatric hospital recently. Nine out of ten patients told me they weren’t sick. The tenth told me she checked herself in to escape a homicidal stalker.”
“Those are extreme examples. They don’t apply to me.”
Zhong Shiwu sensed Lu Yin’s resistance. “Have you considered what might happen after you send her away? Think about why you sent her abroad in the first place, and whether all the sacrifices you made for her were worth it.”
“Are you trying to guilt-trip me?” Lu Yin asked, a strange smile on her face.
“Yes,” Zhong Shiwu admitted readily. “As a doctor, when a patient refuses to cooperate, I have to resort to more…persuasive methods.”
“If you continue to be stubborn,” Zhong Shiwu’s smile vanished, “I have a diagnosis of delusional disorder ready to commit you. You’ll be the eleventh patient in that hospital.”
Lu Yin finished her second glass of wine, drinking quickly, trying to numb herself.
It was working. Her mind felt hazy, the conversation becoming disjointed.
They heard the sound of the door opening and looked up.
Lin Qianqian stood in the doorway, her smile faltering as Zhong Shiwu greeted her.
Lu Yin remained silent, watching Lin Qianqian retreat to her room and close the door.
“Avoidance is futile. You can’t even look at her,” Zhong Shiwu said bluntly. “I’m responsible for all my patients, especially you, Lu Sui’s daughter. Do you think I’ll stand by and watch you suffer the same fate?”
“Stop it,” Lu Yin said, staring at the table. “What do you want me to do?”
“Don’t make it sound like I’m forcing you,” Zhong Shiwu smiled again. “I’m just saying, you can follow your heart. I’ll find a solution, no matter how messy things get.”
Lu Yin’s lips trembled. She looked up at Zhong Shiwu. “Thank you, Doctor Zhong.”
“What for?” Zhong Shiwu sighed. “I just miss Lu Sui. And I care about you.”
She stood up to leave. “And I agree with you. We shouldn’t burden innocent people with our past mistakes. You don’t have to feel conflicted.”
Lu Yin saw her out, then lay down on the sofa, pulling a blanket over herself and closing her eyes.
She was always exhausted after talking to Zhong Shiwu.
Was it appropriate for a psychiatrist to constantly put her patients in difficult situations?
She thought it, but would never say it aloud.
She knew that deep down, despite her hesitation, she wanted to get better.
Lin Qianqian lay in bed, her exhaustion not translating into sleep.
That woman had been in their home. Things were progressing exactly as she had feared.
She couldn’t allow it.
Absolutely not!
The apartment’s thin walls offered little privacy. She could hear their conversation, the woman’s easy laughter.
They sounded comfortable with each other, their conversation flowing smoothly. Like they trusted each other.
She and Lu Yin used to be like that, even closer.
But that was the past, a painful memory now, the sweetness only amplifying the hurt.
Lin Qianqian’s eyes stung. She wanted to storm out and stake her claim, but she had no right.
She had come back to win Lu Yin back, not to watch her with someone else.
Tears streamed down her face.
She wasn’t even considered a sister anymore, let alone anything more.
Her mind drifted. When she finally came to, she didn’t know how much time had passed.
She glanced at her phone, her eyes puffy and sore.
Past midnight.
The apartment was silent.
The woman had either left or…
Lin Qianqian didn’t want to think about it.
She got out of bed, put on her slippers, and cautiously opened her door a crack.
A figure lay curled up on the sofa, uncovered.
Lin Qianqian walked over to look at the sleeping Lu Yin.
She knelt down for a closer look.
An empty wine bottle sat on the coffee table. Lin Qianqian checked the label. It was stronger than anything she would drink.
“You won’t let me drink outside, but you get drunk with another woman…” Lin Qianqian choked back a sob. “Are you asleep or just drunk…?”
Seeing Lu Yin frown, she immediately covered her mouth, afraid of waking her.
She studied Lu Yin’s face, so rarely at peace, finally seeing a flicker of vulnerability beneath the mask of indifference.
Lin Qianqian gently hugged her, then quickly pulled away.
“Sister, don’t leave me again…” she whispered, taking Lu Yin’s hand and leaning closer.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Lu Yin’s lips looked darker than usual.
Lin Qianqian remembered their kisses, every detail etched into her memory.
Lu Yin would cup her face, her kisses starting soft and tentative, then lingering.
Lin Qianqian would whimper in protest, and Lu Yin would chuckle, her kisses deepening, her tongue tracing Lin Qianqian’s lips, sending shivers down her spine. Lin Qianqian would bite back playfully.
The memories faded, leaving a sharp pang of sadness.
How had things gone so wrong?
Lin Qianqian pulled the blanket over Lu Yin, her hand resting on Lu Yin’s shoulder.
She wanted to kiss her.
If only Lu Yin wouldn’t wake up. Then she could indulge in her forbidden desires.
She was afraid Lu Yin would open her eyes, her gaze cold and distant.
Lin Qianqian licked her lips, her heart pounding in her ears.
She had promised herself she would be bold, that she wouldn’t hesitate.
Her rival was practically living here, and she was about to be kicked out.
If she didn’t act now, it would be too late.
Lin Qianqian bit her lip, her breath slowing.
She knelt closer, her hands on either side of the sofa, closing the distance between them.
Just a little closer. She could feel Lu Yin’s breath against her face.
Her eyes fluttered open, and in the soft light, she gently kissed Lu Yin’s lips.
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