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Lu Yunshu, pursuing her?
She…her?
How could that be!
Jin Hanshuang clicked her tongue. “Du Mengying, you’re talking nonsense again.”
Du Mengying mimicked her. “Jin Hanshuang don’t tell me you’ve put no thoughts into it. If it were anyone else, wouldn’t you think they were pursuing you?”
Not just inviting her to dinner, but also giving her gifts, sending her home with hair ties… These were everyday gestures, but at the same time, they carried a subtle motive that was hard to explain.
Jin Hanshuang didn’t speak for a while.
Then she retorted, “You said it yourself—if it was anyone else.”
“Don’t dodge the question.”
“…”
Jin Hanshuang said, “Fine.”
Her tone was full of reluctance.
Truthfully, if it were anyone else, she would’ve seen it as romantic interest. These occasional flirtatious moments and close interactions—inviting her to dinner, giving her gifts, and showing up at the same gatherings—if it were anyone else, she would have been certain of it.
If it were anyone else…
“Sometimes I…” Her sentence trailed off.
After a moment, she supported her head with her hand, her brows furrowed.
“But it’s impossible. She has someone in her heart.”
Du Mengying didn’t understand. “Huh?”
At this point, Jin Hanshuang finally decided to lay down all her cards. “To be honest, she only came to me because she wanted me to be her ‘love mentor.’ She needed help pursuing a girl, someone who she’s liked for a very long time. So think about it. How could it possibly be me?”
Right, how could it be her? Someone who Lu Yunshu had barely interacted with in the past? She didn’t want to narcissistically impose herself on such a young woman, especially when that person was Shen Wenxin’s mortal enemy.
It sounded even more bizarre when she considered that this was her stepdaughter’s archnemesis they were talking about. Lu Yunshu, who considered herself Shen Wenxin’s number one hater, actually liked her, the stepmother? It was laughable.
“Oh?” Du Mengying gasped in surprise. “So that’s why she approached you?”
So, Lu Yunshu really did need something from Jin Hanshuang.
Du Mengying began to eat melon seeds.[1] “Who is it?”
“I don’t know,” Jin Hanshuang said.
“Huh? You don’t?”
“No.”
“Then how are you supposed to help her?”
“I just share some dating tips with her. She’s a quick learner.”
“Tsk…” Du Mengying narrowed her eyes. After a while, her mind opened.[2] “Do you think…Lu Yunshu made up a person to deceive you?”
Jin Hanshuang stared at her.
Du Mengying reasoned, “If not, why would she be flirting with you?”
Treating Jin Hanshuang to dinner, gifting her a beautiful pair of earrings, sending her home with a hair tie… Were all of these gestures really made in the name of gratitude?
“Consider this. Lu Yunshu has plenty of friends. She can ask any of those people to give her love advice, but she specifically came to you—her nemesis’ stepmother, a person who she barely knows. Wow, maybe she is after your heart, Mrs. Shen!”
“…” Jin Hanshuang was even more flabbergasted. “Watch less TV dramas.”
Then she turned her head to look out at the night view, pretending to block out Du Mengying’s wild imagination. But even though she mocked Du Mengying’s words, a small spark had already ignited in her heart. Doubt began to kindle, clearing the fog that clouded her mind. The little details she had purposefully ignored came back to haunt her, fanning the flames of suspicions.
She couldn’t help but think back to every moment she spent with Lu Yunshu. How Lu Yunshu had grabbed her at the party, pleading with her not to go. How Lu Yunshu had placed a candy in her hand, asking her not to forget her.
It really…felt like flirting.
But she had always thought very little of it before, never willing to let herself consider the possibility. After all, this was Lu Yunshu they were talking about it. How could it be? How could it be…
Jin Hanshuang began biting her fingernails, eyebrows creased. The candy hadn’t melted in her mouth yet, and the tangy orange flavor was becoming difficult to ignore. Her silence only deepened as she continued to reflect on the past.
Lu Yunshu always looked at her…so warmly.
She stopped biting her nails.
No way…
Had this kid really fallen for her?
What should she do? Should she ask directly?
But what if it was just a misunderstanding? How embarrassing would that be?
No, she couldn’t ask directly.
She needed to find another way.
[Fan Jia]: President Lu is so impressive, she actually managed to get her crush to comfort her first! @Lu Yunshu
[Fan Jia]: Aren’t you just over the moon?
After finishing her work, Lu Yunshu unlocked her phone. Seeing Fan Jia’s messages in the group chat, she couldn’t help but remember how Jin Hanshuang gently caressed her face. A warm, delicate feeling bloomed in her heart. Even the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
Smiling calmly, she typed a reply: [Yes, I’m thrilled.]
[Fan Jia]: Okay, okay, let’s skip ahead to the wedding!
[Xiao Fanfan]: Get married!
[Lu Yunshu]: Stop messing around.
As soon as the teasing subsided, her friends sobered.
[Xiao Fanfan]: So, when do you plan on confessing?
Their friend couldn’t keep lying to Jin Hanshuang forever. Since the atmosphere between them was so good right now, she might want to strike while the iron was still hot.
Lu Yunshu had thought about this.
Every day, every minute, every second, she wanted to confess to Jin Hanshuang. I like you. Can you like me too?
But there was a feud between their families, and on top of that, Jin Hanshuang was Shen Wenxin’s stepmother, so it was inappropriate to confess.
[Fan Jia]: But what if Jin Hanshuang is only treating Lu Yunshu so well because she thinks of her as a younger sister…
[Xiao Fanfan]: True…
Lu Yunshu silently read her friends’ thoughts.
She was also afraid that Jin Hanshuang only thought of her as a younger sister.
If Jin Hanshuang only had platonic feelings for her, a confession would come out of nowhere. Worse, it might create distance between them.
After all, she had only gotten close to Jin Hanshuang through a lie. Once that lie was exposed, could their relationship remain as harmonious as it was now?
Would Jin Hanshuang push her away? Would she…not like her?
Lu Yunshu removed her glasses, pressing the back of her hand against her eyes. Her crush was a secret with no future in sight. With slow, tired movements, she began messaging her temples. Forget it, it’s better to be cautious. Take things one step at a time.
The next day, Lu Yunshu asked Jin Hanshuang out again.
This time, Jin Hanshuang agreed.
Lu Yunshu drove to pick up Jin Hanshuang.
Jin Hanshuang hesitated before getting into the car.
Ten minutes later, the two of them were standing in a small niche gift shop, picking something to buy—for Lu Yunshu’s secret crush.
But mostly, it was Jin Hanshuang picking the gift, as Lu Yunshu trailed after her, watching her make the selections. Once again, Lu Yunshu said she didn’t know how to choose, so she placed her trust in her jiejie’s judgement.
Jin Hanshuang agreed, diligently playing the role of her love advisor.
After a while, Jin Hanshuang asked, “Did she contact you after yesterday?”
Lu Yunshu said, “Yeah, she asked to meet for dinner next time.”
Jin Hanshuang raised an eyebrow.
She remembered that she had indeed agreed to accompany Lu Yunshu in the future, though she wasn’t sure if they were talking about the same event.
Then Lu Yunshu asked, “Did you enjoy the party yesterday?”
Jin Hanshuang smiled. She put down what she was holding. “Yes, I did.”
Lu Yunshu continued, “What about the orange candy?”
Jin Hanshuang glanced at her. Then she turned back to look at the delicate trinkets, her lips curved. “I was so happy, I forgot.”
Afterward, she heard the person beside her say, “Jin Hanshuang, you’re heartless.”
She looked over at Lu Yunshu.
Wearing a serious expression, Lu Yunshu said, “You abandoned your friend for love.”
Jin Hanshuang blinked.
For some reason, she was affected by Lu Yunshu’s cuteness.
Unable to resist, she teased, “What should we do? Call the police to arrest me?”
Lu Yunshu nodded. “Yes. Arrest you and lock you up at home, so you can’t go out chasing beautiful women.”
Jin Hanshuang pretended to be surprised. “So cruel?”
Lu Yunshu smiled. “Yes.”
Jin Hanshuang said, “Is it because you haven’t found love yourself, so you don’t want jiejie to find love either?”
Lu Yunshu was very honest. “Yes.”
Jin Hanshuang stared at her for a while.
Then she asked, “Why?”
Why?
Was it what she suspected?
Or just another joke?
When Lu Yunshu heard the question, she was silent for a few seconds. After a while, she opened her mouth and said, “Because I’m…cruel?”
Her honesty evaporated in an instant.
Jin Hanshuang clicked her tongue. She reached out to pinch Lu Yunshu’s cheek. “Such a bad child. How can you be so mean?”
After her face was pinched, Lu Yunshu didn’t get annoyed or upset.
In fact, she was still smiling.
She said, “Yes, I’m very bad. Is Hanshuang angry?”
Jin Hanshuang replied, “Mhm. What are you going to do about it?”
Lu Yunshu said, “I will apologize to Hanshuang.”
Jin Hanshuang saw Lu Yunshu raise her hand.
At that moment, the wind chimes hanging in the shop began to jingle, as if someone softly brushed their fingers across or a summer breeze drifted in.
As the wind chimes softly played their tunes, Lu Yunshu took hold of Jin Hanshuang’s hand, pressing her cheek to Jin Hanshuang’s palm.
Underneath gold-rimmed glasses, Lu Yunshu’s eyes, a beautiful shade of brown, met Jin Hanshuang’s. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a murmur. “I’m sorry, jiejie. I was wrong. Don’t be angry, okay?”
Very gentle and obedient. So obedient that Jin Hanshuang suddenly realized—
Lu Yunshu really…liked her.
The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:
Happy Children’s Day[3]~
Little Classmate Lu is also very happy today, because jiejie touched her face.
[1] A Chinese slang for gossip.
[2] An expression for someone having a revelation, especially when it’s outside the box.
[3] A national holiday in China.
