Previous | Table of Contents | Next
Jin Hanshuang withdrew her hand.
“If you feel uncomfortable, you should go home and sleep. Don’t come here to act pitiful.”
Then she ruthlessly kicked Lu Yunshu out of her home.
Lu Yunshu stood outside, mask in hand, looking like a lost puppy.
She should cling to Jin Hanshuang and refuse to leave.
But she didn’t dare push her luck.
She was afraid that Jin Hanshuang would get angry and really ignore her forever.
Still, she tried her best. “Hanshuang, can’t I stay a little longer? Just a little…”
“Not a chance.”
Jin Hanshuang’s caring and kind older sister persona had vanished. Now, she stood before Lu Yunshu as a ruthless and uncaring older woman.
“Hurry home.”
“Hanshuang…”
“Yes?”
A response laced with venom.
“Jiejie…”
“Tsk.”
Suddenly lacking in real threat.
“Then I’ll go home first. See you next time.”
Jin Hanshuang didn’t respond.
Lu Yunshu stood at her door, looking hopeful.
But no matter how hopeful she looked, there was no response.
This was what a ruthless and uncaring Hanshuang looked like.
But Lu Yunshu still wanted to try harder. She was afraid that, once she left, Jin Hanshuang would begin ignoring her again.
She gently took Jin Hanshuang’s hand.
“Hanshuang, stop avoiding me. Whatever happens, you can tell me what you’re thinking. Don’t just stay silent, okay?”
Jin Hanshuang: “…”
She wanted to say no, but Lu Yunshu’s pitiful expression stopped her.
Lu Yunshu really looked like a puppy about to be abandoned by its owner.
Her heart softened. Just a little.
“Go home quickly.”
“Promise me first.”
“…”
“Jiejie…”
“Fine, fine. I promise.”
Lu Yunshu’s face brightened, a dark cloud lifting. Her eyes curved. Suddenly, she was transformed from a pitiful puppy into a cheerful one.
“Hanshuang is the best.”
“…”
Jin Hanshuang said, “Stop flattering me and go home.”
Lu Yunshu squeezed her hand. “Let’s talk for a while?”
“Don’t push your luck.” Jin Hanshuang glared at her.
Lu Yunshu laughed. She had a beautiful and gentle laugh. Her laughter floated its way into Jin Hanshuang’s ears, leaving her speechless.
“…”
Her heart really was too soft—for Lu Yunshu.
No, this can’t go on.
She had to be tougher.
She remembered something important.
“Wait here.” Jin Hanshuang turned and walked back into the house. “Let me fetch your earrings.”
She might as well give them back while Lu Yunshu was here, saving another trip in the future. Jin Hanshuang didn’t want to keep such a precious thing in her home. It felt too ambiguous.
She hurried back to the dressing room, snatched the earrings, pocketed the hair tie, and gathered everything else she could think of that once belonged to Lu Yunshu.
Blame Lu Yunshu for appearing out of nowhere. Jin Hanshuang hadn’t had the time to sort through these items yet. She would grab what she can for now and deal with the leftovers later.
Carrying Lu Yunshu’s items, she walked to the door and opened it—
Empty.
Her eyes drifted to the elevator.
It was descending.
“…”
Who’s a quick runner now!
Lu Yunshu returned home quickly. It wasn’t all by choice. If it weren’t for Jin Hanshuang wanting to return her things, she might have shamelessly clung on to Jin Hanshuang’s front door a little longer.
After arriving home, she sent a quick message to Jin Hanshuang: [What’s given is yours.]
She tossed aside her mask and put on a new set of clothes. Then she washed her hands and face. When she returned to her phone, her expression was bright and cheerful. She was waiting for a message from the person she liked.
As long as Jin Hanshuang was willing to talk to her, she was happy.
[Jin Hanshuang]: You tricked me into accepting it.
[Lu Yunshu]: I didn’t trick you.
[Lu Yunshu]: Consider it my tuition fee.
[Jin Hanshuang]: ?
[Lu Yunshu]: Thank you for your knowledge, Teacher Jin.
[Lu Yunshu]: You are a great tutor. You deserve more gifts.
[Lu Yunshu]: What gift would Teacher Jin like next time?
Jin Hanshuang: “…”
So shameless.
How had she never noticed Lu Yunshu’s thick skin before?
Then again, only someone with a thick skin could come up with a secret crush to trick her.
She really underestimated Lu Yunshu!
Jin Hanshuang didn’t want to reply.
She didn’t know what to say.
Better not to say anything at all, she decided. All of her words were wasted on adding fuel to the fire. She couldn’t give this kid any more room to take advantage of her.
After she stopped replying, Lu Yunshu took the initiative to send another message.
A voice message.
Without much thought, Jin Hanshuang pressed on it and heard Lu Yunshu’s voice: “Hanshuang, I’m so happy.”
Happy about what?
She opened the second message: “You talked to me. You know I like you. Now, I can finally tell you how much I like you.
A third message arrived: “I like you, Jin Hanshuang.”
Then a fourth: “I like Jin Hanshuang.”
She pronounced each syllable with joy and sincerity, expressing the love that she had endured in silence for many years.
Lu Yunshu’s cold hadn’t fully healed. Her voice carried a slight nasal tone, her pitch low and deep. But somehow, it only made her voice more pleasant to listen to over messages.
Especially with the smile in her voice.
Genuine and heartfelt, full of contentment.
If she was happy just being able to freely express her love, then how long must she have endured before this…
Jin Hanshuang listened to all of Lu Yunshu’s messages for some unknown reason, only realizing later that she had stood in silence while Lu Yunshu’s voice played.
She thought Lu Yunshu’s voice sounded even better.
She couldn’t help thinking about it.
Jin Hanshuang: “…”
This time, she was stunned into silence by herself.
Perhaps because she wasn’t sure if Jin Hanshuang would listen to her voice messages, Lu Yunshu switched back to texting.
A new text message popped up: [Hanshuang, can you consider me?]
[Jin Hanshuang]: Stop talking, go to sleep.
She didn’t like that question.
She was avoiding it.
She couldn’t understand why.
Jin Hanshuang retreated again, no longer replying to Lu Yunshu’s messages.
Lu Yunshu looked at their chat log, which had abruptly ended. In the end, Jin Hanshuang still hadn’t said whether or not she’d give her a chance.
Her jiejie was a little hard to pursue.
Life went on.
Lu Yunshu hadn’t recovered from her cold. She still had to take her medicine every day.
Sometimes, her aunt and uncle would remind her on WeChat. Other times, she was so busy that she forgot to take her medicine.
Like today.
It was three in the afternoon when she closed her work folder and saw that the medicine she was supposed to take at noon was still sitting nearby.
“…”
Great, she forgot again.
She picked up a glass of water and prepared to make amends.
Then she paused, looking at her phone.
Jin Hanshuang’s words from that night echoed in her mind:
You haven’t recovered from your cold yet.
She had been concerned about her.
The next second, Lu Yunshu’s phone camera was aimed at the medicine on the table.
She opened Jin Hanshuang’s WeChat and sent a photo.
She pressed on the text box and typed: [Forgot to take my medicine.]
She thought for a moment and added another word.
Then she hit send: [Forgot to take my medicine again.]
Satisfied, she curled her lips and put down her phone. Then she took her medicine.
She wanted to appear a little pitiful in front of Jin Hanshuang.
She wanted to make Jin Hanshuang feel sorry for her.
Later, Jin Hanshuang saw the message.
She held her phone in her hand, calmly witnessing Lu Yunshu playing the pity card. She had to admit, Lu Yunshu was getting better at this. Her acting was becoming more skilled.
She had six points she wanted to make: [……]
Followed by a single word: [Eat.]
She didn’t know what else to say. At the same time, she couldn’t ignore the message.
Lu Yunshu was like Shen Wenxin in this respect. When they were sick, they had a habit of getting so busy they forgot to take their medicine.
Lu Yunshu hadn’t fully recovered yet. How could she forget to take her medicine? What if she got sick again?
Both these kids made people worry.
If it were Shen Wenxin, Jin Hanshuang would already be nagging her to take her medicine. But since it was Lu Yunshu, she bit her tongue.
Her heart couldn’t help but worry, but she had to hold back her concern.
Later, Lu Yunshu sent another voice message: “I took my medicine.”
Just four simple words, but she had to send a voice message.
Childish and greasy.
Jin Hanshuang didn’t reply.
But after dinner, she couldn’t help but open her WeChat and stare at Lu Yunshu’s profile.
It’s time to take your medicine, Lu Yunshu.
When you’re sick, you have to remember to take your medicine. Don’t forget.
“…”
Jin Hanshuang’s brows were furrowed so tightly her face wrinkled. She couldn’t post her random and unsolicited thoughts. It would only make their relationship worse.
Yet she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about Lu Yunshu’s face or her vulnerable appearance after she took off her mask. So pitiful…
Finally, she clicked on Lu Yunshu’s profile.
[Jin Hanshuang patted Lu Yunshu.]
There was no response.
That made sense. There were no notifications for patting someone on WeChat.
So she added another green message bubble: [.]
Great, she had done her duty. That should be enough of a reminder.
Lu Yunshu clicked on Jin Hanshuang’s message when she saw it.
Her phone vibrated.
[Jin Hanshuang patted Lu Yunshu.]
Then came a single dot, followed by nothing else, as if Jin Hanshuang had accidentally touched the screen.
Lu Yunshu: “?”
What did this mean?
[Lu Yunshu]: Is something wrong?
Jin Hanshuang didn’t reply.
Lu Yunshu wasn’t in a hurry. She scrolled through their chat history as she waited. When she saw the message she sent to Jin Hanshuang in the afternoon, she glanced at the current time and suddenly realized something.
She couldn’t help but smile.
She took a picture of the opened pills and glass of water on her table and sent it to Jin Hanshuang. Then she followed up with a voice message: [I took my medicine.]
Jin Hanshuang listened to the message but didn’t reply.
This time, she didn’t even start typing.
Just take the medicine, as for everything else…there’s need to say more.
Over the next few days, Lu Yunshu would always receive a pat from Jin Hanshuang, followed by a single dot, whenever it was time for her to take her medicine.
Lu Yunshu would obediently listen to Jin Hanshuang. Then she would snap a photo and send another message: [I took my medicine.]
She’d add a checkmark emoji as if they were completing a task together.
After she recovered from her cold, Lu Yunshu returned to their chat history. It went back and forth, with little verbal communication between them, but she was still very happy.
The person she liked showed concern for her.
Lu Yunshu sent a new voice message: “Hanshuang, I’ve finished taking my medicine, and I feel much better. Thank you for keeping an eye on me. Our Hanshuang is the best.”
As expected, Jin Hanshuang listened to all of Lu Yunshu’s voice messages. Lu Yunshu’s gentle voice brushed past her ears like a breeze, leaving her in silence. She slowly set down her phone and held her forehead in distress.
Jin Hanshuang, what on earth are you doing…?
The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:
Having an online romance with a puppy (just kidding).
Next update will be at midnight as well~
Good night~
The translator (AmEricaNo) has something to say:
Thank you for everyone’s kind comments in the last chapter. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story as much as I am!
i love their dynamic sm,,
Yes!! It’s gotten even better now that Lu Yunshu is openly pursuing Jin Hanshuang, haha.