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Another month passed.
The rainy season lingered in July.
Inside her office, Lu Yunshu closed a work folder. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.
There was a light tapping at the window.
Lu Yunshu looked up.
Fat droplets splashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows. In the blink of an eye, a soft drizzle became a heavy downpour.
Lu Yunshu walked to the window and saw City A shrouded in rain, the cityscape becoming hazy under a current of raindrops. At this moment, the world felt unusually quiet.
She began to think of someone.
She wondered what that person was doing.
Was Jin Hanshuang watching the rain with her?
Was there the slightest chance she was thinking of her?
…Or had she met a new meimei?
That seemed unlikely.
Jin Hanshuang hadn’t mentioned any girlfriends.
So what was she doing right now?
Lu Yunshu turned to get her phone. She hesitated when she opened Jin Hanshuang’s chat window. She snapped a photo of the rain outside of the window and used it to start a conversation.
[It’s raining.]
A few minutes later, Jin Hanshuang replied.
[Yes, it’s raining again.]
[The weather’s been down lately. Be careful not to catch a cold.]
[Lu Yunshu]: Okay.
[Lu Yunshu]: You should take care of yourself too.
Jin Hanshuang responded “Mm” and said nothing else.
Once again, it was Lu Yunshu who took the initiative.
[If I get sick, I can act pitiful to the person I like?]
[Jin Hanshuang]: Of course.
[Jin Hanshuang]: You really know how to seize opportunities.
Lu Yunshu smiled.
Of course.
If she didn’t take her chances, her crush might be seduced by others.
[Lu Yunshu]: What are you doing?
After a while—
[Jin Hanshuang]: Making porridge for Wenxin.
[Jin Hanshuang]: She’s been sick for the past couple of days and lost her appetite. Poor thing.
Lu Yunshu was stunned.
So it turned out that Shen Wenxin was sick. No wonder Jin Hanshuang reminded her to take care of herself.
[Lu Yunshu]: Then I won’t bother you.
[Lu Yunshu]: Don’t work too hard.
Her fingers hovered over the screen.
[Lu Yunshu]: I hope she feels better soon.
A reluctant blessing from a sworn nemesis.
When Jin Hanshuang saw those six words, her eyes curved.
[Alright. Thank you, Yunshu.]
The conversation ended.
Feeling idle, Lu Yunshu opened her Moments feed.
She saw photos of Le You and Fan Jia on their latest trip.
She saw Xiao Fanfan complaining about an unreasonable client.
She saw that the jewelry designer who had crafted her custom-made earrings was returning to the country. The female designer had posted a simple update: [Getting ready to return to City A.]
There was a photo attached to the update. It was a shot of the designer in a light blue dress, arms spread wide to embrace the world. She had a bright, cheerful smile. The image of a passionate designer who loved life.
Seeing the post reminded Lu Yunshu of the crescent earrings she commissioned. She remembered Jin Hanshuang’s bright eyes when she saw the earrings for the first time. Even the corners of her lips had curved into a shy smile.
Perhaps she should collaborate with this designer for a second time.
Knock knock.
The sound of knuckles on the office door broke the silence.
Her secretary’s voice sounded from outside. “Ms. Lu, here are the documents you requested.”
Lu Yunshu came back to her senses. “Come in.”
She put away her phone and her messy thoughts.
She had business to attend to.
Meanwhile, a new comment appeared under the designer’s Moments feed.
[You’re finally coming back! We absolutely have to meet up!]
It was the social butterfly Qin Xiaoliu.
The porridge was done. Jin Hanshuang filled half a bowl and brought it out of the kitchen. Shen Wenxin was slouched on a sofa in the living room, surrounded by cushions and covered in a thin blanket draped over her lap. She blew her nose as she watched something on her tablet.
“Enough of that. It’s time to eat.”
Jin Hanshuang placed the porridge on the coffee table next to Shen Wenxin.
“It’s just half a bowl. Try to finish it. After eating, you still need to take your medicine.”
Shen Wenxin coughed. She obediently closed her tablet and sat up to eat.
Jin Hanshuang settled in across from her, peeling an apple.
After drinking a few spoonfuls of porridge, Shen Wenxin’s gaze fell on the apple slices Jin Hanshuang had cut. She picked up a slice and chewed it as she glanced at the rain outside the living room window. “It’s raining again…It’s nice staying inside on rainy days.”
“It’s even nicer when you’re not sick.” Jin Hanshuang pushed the plate of apple slices closer to Shen Wenxin. “Rest well and get better soon.”
Shen Wenxin grumbled, “Yes, I know.”
Jin Hanshuang patted her head. “Good girl~”
Afraid that Shen Wenxin would get bored, Jin Hanshuang stayed to chat with her. Somehow their conversation turned to Lu Yunshu.
Shen Wenxin brought it up first. “A while ago, I ran into Lu Yunshu in the parking lot. She suddenly called my name.”
“For what?” Jin Hanshuang’s curiosity was piqued.
“I don’t know. After she called my name, she told me it was nothing and left.” Shen Wenxin frowned at the spoon in her hand, her brows furrowed. After a moment, she shook her head. “Tsk, what a weird woman.”
Jin Hanshuang casually said, “Yunshu’s a nice person.”
Shen Wenxin asked, “You’re defending her?”
Jin Hanshuang smiled. “I defended you like this in front of her too.”
Shen Wenxin: “…”
She picked up a slice of apple and stuffed it in Jin Hanshuang’s mouth.
“Don’t wanna hear it. Don’t talk about her.”
Jin Hanshuang couldn’t help but laugh around the slice of apple Shen Wenxin had put in her vermouth. She thought about Lu Yunshu’s reaction when she defended Shen Wenxin in front of her and reached out to pat her stepdaughter’s head, a doting smile on her face. “You two…”
She continued, “Alright, hurry up and eat. Don’t let your parents worry.”
The rain continued pouring for several days before finally giving way to clear skies on Sunday.
Shen Wenxin had recovered from her cold, and Jin Hanshuang returned home.
Two days later, Qin Xiaoliu invited Jin Hanshuang to a party.
While Shen Wenxin was sick, her friends had refrained from inviting her out. They knew she had to take care of her stepdaughter. But now that the kid was better and the sun was shining, it was time to make up for lost fun!
Jin Hanshuang had no reason to refuse Miss Qin’s invitation.
She changed into a beautiful dress and her current favorite pair of earrings—the asymmetrical crescent moon tassels Lu Yunshu had gifted her.
Once dressed up, she looked radiant.
The party was being hosted at Qin Xiaoliu’s villa. Everyone invited was someone Qin Xiaoliu knew. They were all women—some lesbian, some straight. Qin Xiaoliu’s new girlfriend was also attending, along with the little friend who had asked for Jin Hanshuang’s WeChat at the karaoke bar. Some familiar faces.
But there were also guests Jin Hanshuang wasn’t acquainted with. For example, a certain designer. She was a friend of Qin Xiaoliu. Her full name was Qin Miaolin. She was not only beautiful and outgoing, but also highly talented. She was a professional jewelry designer who specialized in crafting custom pieces.
Jin Hanshuang had heard of her before, but they had never met.
At the moment, Jin Hanshuang was quietly sitting at the bar, sipping on a non-alcoholic drink. She didn’t feel like socializing much recently. Her thoughts drifted back to Lu Yunshu and that mysterious sentence: I can’t keep it from you forever.
It was such an ordinary statement, but it weighed on her mind like a puzzle fitted with a missing piece. What was Lu Yunshu trying to say?
She felt someone tap on her shoulder.
She snapped out of her thoughts and turned to see Qin Xiaoliu.
Qin Xiaoliu asked, “Why are you sitting here all by yourself?”
Jin Hanshuang smiled. “Didn’t you put this chair here for me to sit?”
Qin Xiaoliu said, “I invited all these people so you could make friends and have fun together.”
Jin Hanshuang pointed at the crowd of women enthusiastically playing darts, especially the lively Ms. Du. “They’re having a blast. Look at those bright smiles.”
“You should join them.”
“Mm, no. I’m tired, taking a break.”
“Tired from taking care of Wenxin?”
“It’s not that. I haven’t been in the mood to make new friends recently. I just want to sit here and have a drink.”
“Wow~”
Jin Hanshuang said with exaggerated sincerity, “Ah, it’s just that fate hasn’t arrived yet~”
They chatted idly until Qin Xiaoliu was called away by her girlfriend.
A while later, Jin Hanshuang noticed Qin Miaolin walking toward her.
“Hello.”
Qin Miaolin sat on the high stool beside her.
“Mrs. Shen.”
Jin Hanshuang put down her wine glass. “Hello, Miss Qin.”
“You know me?” Qin Miaolin asked, curious.
“You know me,” Jin Hanshuang replied.
“Your earrings are beautiful. May I see them up close?” After making her request, Qin Miaolin smiled apologetically. “Sorry, that was a bit forward.”
From the moment she saw Jin Hanshuang, she had been captivated by her earrings. Unable to resist, she finally decided to approach her.
“It’s fine.” Jin Hanshuang took off her earrings and placed them in Qin Miaolin’s palm.
She watched as Qin Miaolin’s expression shifted from curiosity to realization, her face softening into a warm smile.
Qin Miaolin returned the earrings to Jin Hanshuang. She said with delight, “What a coincidence! I never expected to see this pair of earrings again.”
Jin Hanshuang asked, “It sounds like Miss Qin is familiar with this pair of earrings?”
“Of course,” Qin Miaolin said with confidence. “I designed them. There is only one pair in the world.”
Jin Hanshuang was stunned. These were the earrings Lu Yunshu had casually bought?!
She stared blankly at Qin Miaolin. The sounds around her seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the sound of Qin Miaolin’s voice.
“Miss Qin, are you absolutely sure these are your designs?”
Believe me, Mrs. Shen. A mother would never mistake her own child.”
“…Who was your client?”
“We can’t expose our customer information so casually. But since the gift is in your hands, you must know who it is. I believe you are very important to her.”
Qin Miaolin smiled mysteriously.
“My client was a perfectionist. These earrings have been crafted with meticulous attention to detail, from the initial design to the final polish. Every gem we used is of the finest quality. She said this gift was for a very important person.”
Jin Hanshuang heard Qin Miaolin’s voice say:
“Now, it seems clear—that person is you, Mrs. Shen.”
The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:
Hehe, it is suddenly revealed.
The next chapter will go premium. It will be released at midnight. Thank you all for supporting the official release~
