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It was the first time Jin Hanshuang found Shen Wenxin’s question hard to answer.

It was a very sharp and sensitive topic.

She hesitated before saying slowly, “That’s…a hard question to answer. A person’s sexual orientation is private. It’s not something we should pry into.”

Shen Wenxin, leaning against the sofa, smiled. “I thought the two of you were very familiar with each other.”

Jin Hanshuang also smiled. “You think we’re close?”

“Maybe?” Shen Wenxin continued, “Back when I was in school, the two of you used to sit and talk together all the time. Even now, whenever she sees you, she greets you so sweetly. It’s like she becomes an entirely different person around you.”

Back in her senior year of high school, she had already known that Jin Hanshuang and Lu Yunshu were well-acquainted.

After all, Jin Hanshuang had never tried to hide anything from her.

Whenever Jin Hanshuang came back from buying ice cream or some other little snack, she would sometimes tell Shen Wenxin, “I saw your classmate downstairs and I gave her one too.”

Shen Wenxin had never found it troublesome. What was the big deal? Clearly, her stepmother was just sharing some little things with that person surnamed Lu.

Her Shen family had wealth and power. Was she really going to be stingy over a single ice cream bar? It wasn’t like Jin Hanshuang never shared the same things with her.

Besides, that was just the kind of person her stepmother was.

Kind-hearted, sincere, and easy to get along with.

“We’ve gotten closer this year,” Jin Hanshuang admitted a little more honestly.

Shen Wenxin nodded. “I understand.”

Under the watchful eye of Shen Wenxin’s father, how could anyone in the Shen family associate with the Lu family?

Shen Wenxin didn’t care, but her father was very particular about this matter. Even the tiniest details couldn’t be exposed.

After Shen Wenxin graduated and took over the company, Jin Hanshuang had followed her back to the Shen family household.

Until now, it wouldn’t have been easy for Jin Hanshuang to interact with Lu Yunshu.

Back in the present, Shen Wenxin said, “So you’re close but you still don’t know her sexual orientation?”

Jin Hanshuang laughed. “Not that close.”

Shen Wenxin’s expression grew serious. “What if she really is gay? Who goes out of their way to hide their straightness?”

Jin Hanshuang was about to say, “Gay people don’t have to hide their sexual orientation either,” but then she quietly shut her mouth.

Not every gay person could be so open and fearless…

“Why are you suddenly so hung up on this?” Jin Hanshuang couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t tell me you think she likes you?”

Shen Wenxin fell silent. After a few seconds, she half-jokingly said, “If she keeps acting like this, I might get suspicious.”

Jin Hanshuang ruffled Shen Wenxin’s hair. “What? How could that be!”

Shen Wenxin said, “But she really is being weird. People don’t just go out of their way to be nice for no reason. I have to stay alert!”

“Why do you think so badly of her?” Jin Hanshuang said. “Isn’t she just trying to make peace with you? Wouldn’t it be nice to write off the past and have fewer enemies than friends?”

Jin Hanshuang looked down at her stepdaughter. “Or…are you deep down just totally unwilling to reconcile with her?”

Shen Wenxin rubbed her chin and thought for a while.

“I don’t know,” she finally said. “Whenever we meet, we can’t help but scorn each other. We’ve been like this for more than ten years. Now she suddenly changes up the script, saying she wants to make peace. It’s so strange. This Lu Yunshu…Tsk, she really isn’t normal.”

The insider surnamed Jin sat down next to Shen Wenxin and gently rubbed her back. “Then try to get used to it. I’ve always hoped that the two of you could become friends.”

Shen Wenxin said calmly, “We’ll see.”

She really didn’t know how to deal with this matter.

Maybe she needed time to adjust.

Or maybe, she just needed to wait until Lu Yunshu gave up and returned to “normal.”

Mortal enemies should be free from acting like decent human beings around each other.

Jin Hanshuang went out on an arcade date with Lu Yunshu.

Lu Yunshu leaned against the side of the claw machine, admiring her girlfriend’s serious expression.

She waited for the claw arm to fall before curving her mouth downward and asking incredulously, “Shen Wenxin thinks I like her?”

Was Shen Wenxin crazy?

How could Lu Yunshu possibly like her?!

This woman should hear herself talking crazy!

—The claw arm missed.

Jin Hanshuang stood up with a sorrowful look on her face.

But when she turned to see Lu Yunshu’s face, she was all smiles again.

She kissed her girlfriend on the cheek. “Don’t take it to heart. Wenxin was just joking around.”

Lu Yunshu thought this made sense.

It was obvious that the two of them could never like each other.

Not even if the heavens came down to ordain it.

Who would want to embrace their own nightmare?

Besides, she already had someone she liked, and that person was Jin Hanshuang!

“I don’t like this kind of joke,” Lu Yunshu complained as she wrapped her arms around Jin Hanshuang’s waist. “Besides, I already have someone I like.”

Jin Hanshuang’s smile deepened. “Aiya, she said it to me, not to you. Don’t take it so seriously~”

Lu Yunshu asked, “And what if she asks me?”

Jin Hanshuang said, “Then tell her you already like someone else.”

Lu Yunshu mimicked her teasing tone, “Then that’s what I’ll do.”

Jin Hanshuang pinched her cheek. “You little cutie.”

Jin Hanshuang turned back to the claw machine and pointed at a white puppy plushie. It was small enough to hang onto a keychain or a bag.

She said, “I must catch this puppy!”

“I want one too,” Lu Yunshu said.

“Alright, we’ll win two!” Jin Hanshuang rubbed her hands.

Lu Yunshu went back to leaning on the claw machine and staring at her girlfriend. Jin Hanshuang was brimming with energy, bright and cheerful.

So beautiful, so adorable.

Lu Yunshu liked her so much.

For Jin Hanshuang’s sake, she was willing to make another effort to settle her scores with the infuriating Shen Wenxin.

“Hanshuang.”

“Hmm?”

“Help me set up a meeting with Shen Wenxin in a few days.”

Click.

The claw arm fell.

Jin Hanshuang looked up at Lu Yunshu. “What are you trying to do?”

With one hand, Lu Yunshu gathered Jin Hanshuang’s long hair behind her, and with another, she began stroking her face. “Have a real face-to-face talk with her.”

Since she didn’t have much free time over the next few days, she would have to wait a while before she could put her plan into motion.

Jin Hanshuang raised her eyebrows slightly. “That’s fine. The two of you should sit down and have a good talk.” Then she turned back to the claw machine and found a little surprise waiting for her. “Ah! I got it!”

The white puppy plushie ended up in Lu Yunshu’s arms.

Her girlfriend’s first victory was safely in her hands.

By the end of the day, Jin Hanshuang had a whole bag full of puppy plushies.

Ever since she started dating Lu Yunshu, Jin Hanshuang couldn’t walk past a display full of puppy plushies without stopping. And today she was on fire. Her luck was abnormally good!

Even the heavens were telling her she should keep her puppy.

Hopefully, the heavens were also convincing her puppy and her daughter to get along.

A week later, Shen Wenxin once again stepped into Jin Hanshuang’s favorite café.

But this time, she didn’t head for the counter.

After scanning the room, she strode toward a quiet corner table.

She pulled out the chair, sat down calmly, and looked at the person across from her. “What did you want to see me for?”

Lu Yunshu was unbothered. “Do you want anything for a drink?”

Shen Wenxin ordered a cup of hot latte.

Lu Yunshu asked, “Do you want anything to eat?”

Shen Wenxin replied, “That’s enough. I didn’t come here to have afternoon tea with you.”

Lu Yunshu remained composed. “It’s my treat. You don’t want it?”

Shen Wenxin said indifferently, “In that case, sure.”

She had money, but this was Lu Yunshu.

If she could freeload off Lu Yunshu, that would be a win in her book!

A hot latte and dessert were placed in front of Shen Wenxin.

Shen Wenxin held the warm cup in her hands and got to the point. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“I want to discuss it with you again.”

“Discuss what?”

“What else could it be?”

Shen Wenxin didn’t answer.

Lu Yunshu’s expression was calm.

She spoke to Shen Wenxin seriously for the first time. “You and I both know that the feud between our families was about my father and your father. Now that they’re both gone, there’s no point in us continuing to antagonize each other.”

Shen Wenxin crossed her legs and took a sip of her latte. Even though she privately agreed, she didn’t say anything.

Lu Yunshu glanced at her. “Since you’re not saying anything, does that mean you’re letting me make the call on this?”

Shen Wenxin finally said, “I’m just curious, when did you come around? How did someone like you suddenly want to make peace with me?”

She rubbed her chin and began thinking aloud. “Last I recall, you were still brushing me off like I was nothing. And then suddenly, within a few months, you started scaring me with your weird behavior. There really wasn’t an inciting cause? Some turning point?”

“…”

“Your silence sounds like a yes.”

“…”

The surprisingly perceptive Shen Wenxin leisurely took another sip of her latte.

She raised her perfectly contoured eyebrows and said, “Go on, then. If you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to know whether you’re genuinely trying to reconcile or just pretending?”

Lu Yunshu pressed her lips together, looking a little troubled.

How was she supposed to explain her relationship with Jin Hanshuang at a time like this…?

She fell silent.

Seeing Lu Yunshu at a loss for words, Shen Wenxin suddenly had a thought. She leaned back slightly, her expression turning wary and hesitant as if facing a great enemy. “Lu Yunshu, don’t tell me…you like me?”

Lu Yunshu: “…?”

She asked Shen Wenxin a soul-crushing question: “Don’t you find these words disgusting, saying them out loud?”

Shen Wenxin burst out laughing. “As long as that’s not it.”

She believed Lu Yunshu.

With that reaction, there was absolutely no way it was romantic interest.

She leaned forward. “So, are you going to tell me, or should I continue guessing?”

“Stop guessing. I don’t want to hear your messy thoughts.” Lu Yunshu frowned, her face full of disdain. “You want to know? Fine—I’ll tell you.”

She had to give Shen Wenxin a reason, or else the woman would probably keep digging forever.

Shen Wenxin gestured gracefully for Lu Yunshu to continue. She lazily uncrossed her legs and crossed them again with one leg over the other.

Then she heard Lu Yunshu say, “I like your mom. I want to pursue her.”

Bang!

Shen Wenxin’s knee slammed into the table.

She saw stars—it hurt very much.

Shen Wenxin: “?”

Lu Yunshu, looking at the table: “?”

Shen Wenxin asked, “Are you serious?”

Lu Yunshu’s expression couldn’t be more serious. “What do you think?”

Shen Wenxin’s brain crashed instantly. Her internal CPU went up in flames, and all her processing programs fell into utter chaos.

Shen Wenxin said, “Are you sick? My dad is still alive!”

Lu Yunshu snapped back, “Are you sick? I meant your stepmom!”

Shen Wenxin: “…?”

Silence.

Then her expression shifted to one of utter shock.

“You are sick, that’s still my mom!”

The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:

President Shen’s murderous intent is growing.

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