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Shen Wenxin could hardly believe her ears.
Since last summer… They had been together since last summer?!
Fortunately, she no longer reacted as startled as she did in the past.
She raised her finger, pointing at Jin Hanshuang like a stern interrogator.
“Who was the pursuer?”
“Her.”
“So this person surnamed Lu is the type to act first and beg for forgiveness later, huh!”
She was still shocked.
Shen Wenxin rested her chin in her hand.
She frowned, thinking aloud, “So when she came to me wanting to make peace, it wasn’t to get my blessing to pursue you, it was to get me to accept that you two were already together?”
Jin Hanshuang nodded. “Yes.”
Shen Wenxin suddenly remembered something Lu Yunshu had said:
If I really wanted to snatch her away from you so badly, why would I bother concerning myself with your opinions as her daughter? Why would I sit here, trying to make peace, only to get a face full of your disdain.
She laughed.
She couldn’t tell if she was amused or furious.
“That person surnamed Lu is really something. She knew I wouldn’t approve, so she went for the next best thing and put on a show for me.”
Lu Yunshu was afraid that Shen Wenxin would be angry, so she lied and told her that she wanted to pursue Jin Hanshuang.
Who could be more thoughtful than Lu Yunshu!
Jin Hanshuang reached out and patted Shen Wenxin’s hand, trying to calm her down. “Take it easy, take it easy.”
“Mom.” Shen Wenxin looked at Jin Hanshuang. “How did you agree to her so quickly? Did you even try to resist?”
Jin Hanshuang said, “Yes.”
Shen Wenxin said, “And then?”
Jin Hanshuang explained, “It’s a pity to lose.”
Shen Wenxin: “…”
“Yunshu’s a clever child.” Jin Hanshuang stroked her daughter’s head. “When she first approached me, she didn’t confess right away. She said she wanted my help to pursue someone she had a crush on. I felt pity for her, so I agreed. I didn’t expect…”
Shen Wenxin caught the key detail. “Wait, she asked you to help her pursue someone?”
Jin Hanshuang inclined her head slightly.
Shen Wenxin continued, “And that person turned out to be you?”
Jin Hanshuang nodded again, helpless.
Shen Wenxin couldn’t help but laugh, as if someone had tickled her funny bone. “No way she has so many tricks…”
She and Jin Hanshuang had seriously underestimated Lu Yunshu.
They thought she was just a good girl who wouldn’t cause any trouble. As it turned out, she was full of schemes, each more cunning than the last.
And now she had completely played the two of them, mother and daughter both.
Jin Hanshuang was relieved to see Shen Wenxin laugh.
Laughter was good. Laughter meant things weren’t so bad in Shen Wenxin’s eyes to warrant a death sentence.
Shen Wenxin cleared her throat. Her laughter died away. “So you didn’t hold back either. You fell in love with her.”
Jin Hanshuang supported her cheek with one hand and pretended to be troubled. “Yeah. Love is really unreasonable. It just hits you out of nowhere.”
Shen Wenxin glared at her. “It’s unreasonable, sure. But did you ever think about the fact that she’s your daughter’s mortal enemy?”
Jin Hanshuang chuckled. “Of course. That’s why I didn’t agree to be with her for a long time.”
Shen Wenxin asked, “Then why did you agree in the end?”
Jin Hanshuang said, “Because love is unreasonable.”
Shen Wenxin: “…”
Jin Hanshuang added, “And because you don’t actually hate her that much.”
Shen Wenxin fell silent again.
This was a hard thing to respond to. Her feelings were complicated.
Jin Hanshuang spoke softly, sensing Shen Wenxin’s disquiet, “Wenxin, if you’re still upset, just yell at me. I admit it, I was dishonest.”
But seeing Jin Hanshuang so willing to be scolded, Shen Wenxin just shook her head. “Why would I scold you? You’re just dating Lu Yunshu, not betraying me or cutting ties with us. You’re still family. You’re still my stepmother. Aren’t you?”
Jin Hanshuang nodded without hesitation.
She reached up and gently stroked Shen Wenxin’s cheek.
Her gaze full of warmth, she said, “Of course, Wenxin is and will always be my precious family.”
Shen Wenxin was the one who had made her feel warm in this home.
Shen Wenxin had given her so much love.
She loved this child. She was willing to be her stepmom for life.
And she loved Lu Yunshu too.
That was a different kind of love, a kind of love that came with the hope of understanding each other’s existence.
For this reason, she selfishly hoped that Lu Yunshu and Shen Wenxin could reconcile.
In order for her to openly introduce Lu Yunshu as her girlfriend, Lu Yunshu and Shen Wenxin must step out from their fathers’ respective shadows.
At the end of the day, having more friends was always better than having more enemies.
Shen Wenxin’s heart slowly settled into a soft warmth.
She smiled helplessly. “You didn’t have to tell me any of this.”
Jin Hanshuang replied, “I know. But it wouldn’t have been right.” She shook her head. “Lying to you again, it’s not the right path forward.
“You’re my most precious family, and Yunshu is a good kid. The two of you have never truly hated each other, so I wanted you to know I care about her, and I hoped for your blessing.
“Yunshu hoped for that too.”
Shen Wenxin didn’t say anything.
Jin Hanshuang took Shen Wenxin’s hand. She leaned forward, her expression soft and fragile. “Wenxin, are you still mad at Mom?”
Shen Wenxin’s brows twitched. “No.”
Jin Hanshuang squeezed her hand. “Then…will you forgive Yunshu and me?”
Shen Wenxin didn’t respond.
Instead, she picked up a grape and put it in Jin Hanshuang’s hand.
“Eat.”
Seeing this, Jin Hanshuang didn’t pester her anymore.
She responded gently, “Okay, let’s eat.”
Mother and daughter snacked on grapes.
The carpet beneath them was soft, and the heat warmed their bones.
They chewed slowly, savoring each bite.
Time itself seemed to stretch, passing by so slowly it was almost visible.
After some time, Jin Hanshuang finally heard Shen Wenxin speak.
She said, “Mom, I just want you to be by me no matter what happens.
“Of course,” Jin Hanshuang replied. “You’re my child. I’ll always stand by you.”
Shen Wenxin’s expression eased.
She sighed. “I don’t want to admit it, but Lu Yunshu’s qualities are actually quite impressive. At the very least, she is not a bad person.”
Shen Wenxin had never particularly cared about her parents’ love affairs, but she had always hoped that they wouldn’t fall in love with the wrong person and be tricked or hurt by someone unworthy.
And now, the high-quality partner she hoped for had come in the form of Lu Yunshu.
Lu Yunshu loved Shen Wenxin’s stepmother so much that she was willing to swallow her pride and make the first move toward reconciliation with Shen Wenxin.
So what more could Shen Wenxin say?
How could Lu Yunshu, someone she knew like the back of her hand, not be a thousand times better than some random outsider?
As long as her stepmother was happy, that was enough.
And loathe as she was to admit it, it was true that she didn’t really hate Lu Yunshu.
Jin Hanshuang’s face lit with joy.
She reached out and pulled Shen Wenxin into a bear hug. “Aiya, I knew it. Our Wenxin is the best! She loves her mom the most! I’m so lucky to be your mom~”
Shen Wenxin swayed slightly in Jin Hanshuang’s arms.
She could feel Jin Hanshuang’s joy and warmth.
She felt happy too.
She said, “Thank you for becoming my family.”
Then, her tone shifted. “Give me Lu Yunshu’s contact information.”
Jin Hanshuang asked, “What are you planning to do?”
“There are some things I need to say to her. Remember to ask her to come over later.”
Jin Hanshuang raised an eyebrow.
She could guess what was on Shen Wenxin’s mind.
“No quarreling, okay? You two need to get along well.”
Shen Wenxin replied, “Don’t worry. Have we ever got into a fight?”
They had never actually gone to blows.
They were just professionals at veiled sarcasm.
Jin Hanshuang hesitantly gave Lu Yunshu’s contact information to Shen Wenxin.
There was a part of it that felt inevitable.
Because of her, they were bound to see each other often. It was only a matter of time before they added each other on messaging apps too.
At home, Lu Yunshu received a message from Jin Hanshuang.
Jin Hanshuang said that Shen Wenxin just learned they were together since last summer.
She also said that Lu Yunshu should come over. Shen Wenxin wanted to see her.
The first two sentences were normal. The last one…she didn’t understand.
Even so, Lu Yunshu accepted Shen Wenxin’s friend request.
In the empty chat box, Shen Wenxin suddenly sent a photo.
The image was crystal clear. Lu Yunshu didn’t even need to click to see what it was.
It was a hand with long and narrow fingers.
It would be beautiful, if it wasn’t flipping her off.
Lu Yunshu rested her chin in her hand, thinking: “…”
What should she say in reply?
She had no idea.
But she figured she should send something out of politeness.
So she replied with a photo of herself giving a thumbs-up.
Shen Wenxin: “…”
Jin Hanshuang came over to take a look.
She glanced over the two photos.
“…”
“You two are so childish.”
The next afternoon, Lu Yunshu arrived at Jin Hanshuang’s home.
Two months had passed since she’d last stepped into her girlfriend’s home, all for the sake of keeping up appearances.
Jin Hanshuang gently led her inside by hand. “Stay for dinner tonight.”
Lu Yunshu’s eyes curved. “Okay.”
She could finally eat at her girlfriend’s place again.
Someone was already in the living room.
—Shen Wenxin.
She was dressed neatly with a scarf wrapped around her neck, looking at her phone as if she was planning to go out.
Shen Wenxin slowly raised her head when she heard voices at the entrance.
Two mortal enemies locked eyes in the air.
Jin Hanshuang casually explained, “Wenxin just got back too.”
Lu Yunshu nodded. “I see.”
Her reaction was calm.
Then she continued looking at Shen Wenxin.
The air was filled with awkward tension.
Jin Hanshuang scratched the palm of Lu Yunshu’s hand.
Lu Yunshu, understanding her girlfriend’s message, took the initiative to break the ice.
She reached out, adjusted Shen Wenxin’s scarf, and gave it a gentle pat.
“Wenxin, it’s cold. Don’t get sick.”
“I have floor heating at home.”
“Can’t hurt to stay wrapped up.”
“…”
Shen Wenxin’s face was full of disdain.
She ripped off her scarf and tossed it onto the couch.
“Wenxin,” Jin Hanshuang called gently.
Shen Wenxin froze for a second, then took off her coat and threw it on the couch next to her scarf as if she’d meant to undress anyway, not because she was annoyed by her stepmother’s girlfriend.
She tidied her hair and adjusted her sweater, a half-smile on her face. “Lu Yunshu, so it turns out that you had a crush on my stepmother back when we were still in school? I really couldn’t have predicted it.”
“No worries,” Lu Yunshu replied considerately as if she were trying to comfort Shen Wenxin, “Hanshuang didn’t expect it either.”
Shen Wenxin’s smile widened. “I wasn’t looking for your pity.”
She continued, “I’m just curious. How did you hide it from your dad?
“Doesn’t he hate gays the most?”
The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:
What’s going on?
What in the world is going on?
The translator (AmEricaNo) has something to say:
Yay, we hit the bonus chapter goal on Ko-fi! Thank you to SirIanHewig and everyone else for donating. It wouldn’t be possible without you. 💜
Also, the previous chapter missed the scheduled time on Saturday for some reason (I’m gonna try to troubleshoot it now), so today we are blessed with a double upload. Please let me know if this happens again in the future!
