Chapter 49
The two of them sprang apart as if scalded, faces twisted in horror, recoiling from the person standing right in front of them as though she were some venomous snake or stinging insect.
Xu Chun clutched her chest in alarm, eyes round as saucers. “You shameless thing—taking advantage of me!”
Zheng Yanran’s mouth, which had just opened to launch into a full-scale tantrum, snapped shut mid-breath. “???” You stole my line! And you said it with such righteous indignation, too?
Before she could even start her unreasonable, tangled-up fuss, Xu Chun, on the exact same wavelength, nipped it in the bud, leaving her with a breath caught halfway that nearly choked her.
Zheng Yanran’s expression was a spectacular sight, suppressed by Xu Chun yet again. She jabbed a finger at Xu Chun, chest heaving. “You—you—you—” But after all those yous, nothing came out.
Finally she gave up in a huff and turned her gaze back to Jiang Banxia, who had dodged her at the first opportunity. Her little face turned all aggrieved, and in a flash those clear bright eyes welled with hurt and dejection. “Xiaxia, it’s been so long since we’ve seen each other—don’t you even miss me?”
“Do you hate me that much? You won’t even give me a single hug.” She couldn’t help sniffling, her voice taking on a tearful edge. “You were never like this before…”
Then her tone turned sharply, and she pointed straight at Xu Chun. “Is it her? Is it all because of this fox-spirit? Is that why you avoid me like the plague, why even breathing the same air as me disgusts you?!”
Jiang Banxia answered with a look utterly devoid of emotion. She couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge her; she turned and strode straight over to Zheng Jinchan and Qin Yao, posture neither haughty nor humble, her thin, frail back held perfectly straight. “President Zheng, President Qin, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”
A startling light shone in her dark eyes; her resolute expression carried a fierce, unshakable determination.
Zheng Jinchan, who had just wrapped up business and was thinking of stretching her legs before dinner, instinctively glanced at Qin Yao. If Qin Yao nodded, she’d happily sit a while longer and listen. She could call it overtime.
Qin Yao showed no surprise; it was as if she’d expected this all along. She gave a leisurely nod. “Come in.”
Seeing Jiang Banxia about to vanish from her sight, Zheng Yanran shot toward her like an arrow. “Xiaxia—” Before she could finish the syllable, Zheng Jinchan turned her head and snapped furiously, “Get back there and stay with Xu Chun!”
Zheng Yanran’s blissful expression and tone collapsed in an instant; her voice came out small and wounded. “Oh…”
Xu Chun watched her approach again and immediately tried to turn and flee. But Zheng Yanran was faster. In a few quick strides, she caught Xu Chun and grabbed her arm with unreasonable, domineering force, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Oh? And where do you think you’re going?”
“The moment I arrive, you’re already trying to leave? If you’re like this tomorrow too, I won’t come.”
The passive-aggressive tone made Xu Chun’s eyelid twitch violently. And it wasn’t over. Seeing Xu Chun’s look of utter despair, Zheng Yanran put on a wounded, sorrowful air. “If that’s your attitude, Sister, you might as well just ignore me outright, so no one thinks I’m making a fuss, pressing my warm face to someone’s cold backside…”
“Shut up.” Xu Chun had truly reached her limit and hissed at her in a low voice.
A beat of silence hung in the air, then Zheng Yanran’s voice rose again, even more pitiful and tearful: “Look at that—I say just a couple of words, and you scold me like this. If this goes on a few more days, who knows what’ll become of me…”
“Say one more word and see what happens.” Xu Chun turned her head and stared at her with a hostile expression. Zheng Yanran slammed on the brakes, hesitated a long moment, and ultimately didn’t dare test Xu Chun’s bottom line.
She pouted. “I was just joking with you. Why so petty?”
“Oh? I’m petty?” Xu Chun smiled faintly. “Miss Zheng is magnanimous. I don’t suppose she remembers the diamond she promised me just now?” She tilted her head with feigned innocence. “I remember it perfectly clearly. You said that as long as you saw Jiang Banxia, you’d give me a diamond.”
Zheng Yanran: “?”
“When did I ever say that? What I said was if Jiang Banxia showed up, you’d notify me, and then I’d buy you a diamond!”
Xu Chun was unmoved. “Then tell me—right now, with me standing here, are you looking at Jiang Banxia or not?”
Zheng Yanran: “…” Well, yes, I’m looking at her—but what does that have to do with you, Xu Chun?! I found my way here through my own spiritual connection with Jiang Banxia, thank you very much!
Zheng Yanran stayed frozen, her little face packed with schemes, the abacus beads in her head practically flying as she calculated. Seeing this, Xu Chun cleanly withdrew her arm and delivered her verdict: “You’re a sore loser.”
“Who says?!” Zheng Yanran was instantly like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “Who says I’m a sore loser! Fine, I’ll buy it! As if I can’t afford a few little trinkets!”
With that, she aggressively dragged Xu Chun toward the elevator, then into the parking garage to retrieve her beloved Cullinan. She drove Xu Chun to a large mall near Qin Group and waved her hand with grand magnanimity. “Pick whatever you want. There’s nothing in this world that Zheng Yanran can’t afford.”
She crossed her arms and eyed Xu Chun sideways. Hmph—just a single diamond? Zheng Yanran had plenty of money.
But before that thought could even finish crossing her mind, she saw Xu Chun’s eyes light up, her little hands rubbing together eagerly as she headed straight for the most high-end store, gratitude all over her face. “Thank you, Miss Zheng! You’re so generous!”
Zheng Yanran: “…” She suddenly had the illusion of having fallen into a wolf’s den.
Jewelry befitting a top-tier female star couldn’t possibly be cheap. By the time Xu Chun had browsed a dozen or so shops and finally selected a diamond-encrusted necklace after careful deliberation, Zheng Yanran felt the world go dark and nearly collapsed on the spot.
She’d known Xu Chun was black-hearted, but she hadn’t known she was this black-hearted!
That necklace, all told, had to cost tens of millions!
It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it, but… being fleeced by Xu Chun left her heart aching, unable to let it go.
Xu Chun had only been teasing Zheng Yanran, wanting to provoke her into shopping with her. She’d never intended for the other woman to actually pay. Now, seeing Zheng Yanran’s face shift through expressions like a color palette, she felt thoroughly, viciously pleased.
She told the clerk to wrap it up and pulled out her own bank card. “All right, stop looking like you’ve lost your husband and have to mourn him. I was joking.”
“I have an event in a few days and happen to need a necklace for decoration…”
“No way.” Zheng Yanran snapped back to herself and without hesitation pressed down on Xu Chun’s hand holding the card, her expression earnest. “I said I’d buy it for you, so I’ll buy it. Am I, Zheng Yanran, the kind of person who goes back on her word?!”
“No,” Xu Chun shook her head, unable to bear it. “But you look like you’re about to cry.”
Zheng Yanran’s eyes bulged. “Who says?! I, Zheng Yanran, am the most indestructible!”
With that, she waved her little hand and, with a heart full of anguish, paid for the jewelry priced in the eight figures. Xu Chun couldn’t stop her, so she accepted Zheng Yanran’s kindness with gratitude. “Miss Zheng, you really are a good person.”
“Good people always get what they wish for—a happy, harmonious marriage.”
Even blessed by Xu Chun’s wish that she and Jiang Banxia would come to a happy end, the mournful look on Zheng Yanran’s face barely improved. Xu Chun happily carried her purchase back to Qin Group, where she happened to run into Zheng Jinchan, Qin Yao, and Jiang Banxia, who had finished their discussion and were heading out together for dinner.
The group’s eyes first landed on Zheng Yanran’s about-to-cry expression, then on the conspicuous brand-name bag in Xu Chun’s hand. After Zheng Jinchan asked and got the full story, she was overcome with emotion. “I’ve never seen Yanran cry so bitterly.”
Even when her confession had been brutally rejected by Jiang Banxia, she hadn’t cried this hard.
Zheng Jinchan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly turned to Qin Yao as if she’d found a savior. “How about I leave Yanran with you for a few days to be reformed?”
Xu Chun: “?!” Please no!
But Zheng Yanran’s eyes lit up. Did that mean she could spend every day with Jiang Banxia from now on? She instantly forgot the pain of being fleeced for tens of millions, excitement written all over her face. “Yes! Yes!”
Xu Chun: “…”
Qin Yao’s deep eyes glanced at Xu Chun with a half-smile for a moment, and Xu Chun instantly shrank her neck guiltily. Qin Yao didn’t refuse Zheng Jinchan’s small request. “Fine.”
But then she looked at Xu Chun and added, “Let’s all have dinner together first. After we eat, come back to the office with me. I have a task to assign you.”
Whether it was Xu Chun’s imagination or not, she felt Qin Yao had bitten down hard on those words, laden with emotion.
Xu Chun very much wanted to refuse Qin Yao, but the thought that refusal might lead to an even worse fate made her nod in trepidation. Because of Qin Yao’s words, Xu Chun couldn’t even feel happy about getting a free necklace anymore.
Her mournful face instantly formed a stark contrast with Zheng Yanran’s, making one sigh that human joys and sorrows were truly not interconnected.
The restaurant was nearby, just a few steps away. Secretary Zhao had already reserved a private room with excellent privacy: spacious, bright, and opulently decorated, very suitable for business discussions.
Zheng Jinchan and Qin Yao each casually picked a seat, while Zheng Yanran followed Jiang Banxia like a shadow and sat beside her. Xu Chun thought about it and was about to sit far away next to Secretary Zhao, but Secretary Zhao respectfully “escorted” her to Qin Yao’s side.
Amid her conversation with Zheng Jinchan, Qin Yao spared a moment to give Xu Chun a sliver of attention, her voice pitched low. “Is sitting next to me such a hardship?”
She tilted her head toward Xu Chun’s ear, a few strands of black hair falling disobediently to brush against Xu Chun’s skin, tickling. Qin Yao was very close; her faint fragrance, combined with that husky voice, made Xu Chun’s scalp prickle. She was defenseless on the spot.
Not to mention that Qin Yao’s eye makeup today was deep and intense; those ink-black eyes stared straight at her, and Xu Chun nearly drowned in that focused gaze.
She shook her head reflexively. “No.” She steadied herself and whispered back, “I just thought Secretary Zhao is more professional than me and could help you better by your side.”
Qin Yao fell silent for a moment, then curved her lips. “You think I need someone else’s help for something this trivial?”
As if Qin Yao’s capabilities meant she didn’t need anyone.
Xu Chun choked, unsure how to respond. Fortunately, Qin Yao didn’t press; her eyes shifted, preparing to withdraw from her. “Behave tonight.”
She studied Xu Chun with leisure, something unreadable in her gaze. “Don’t go throwing yourself into someone’s arms and playing bosom friends again.”
Xu Chun’s expression stiffened slightly. She knew Qin Yao wouldn’t let this go easily! But that had nothing to do with her! It was Zheng Yanran, that menace, who was always reckless and causing trouble everywhere. Xu Chun had just been unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire.
Her little face went serious; strictly speaking, she was the victim here.
But Qin Yao didn’t seem to see it that way. She curled her red lips at Xu Chun with a half-smile, eyes narrowing lazily and lingeringly. “You know what the consequences will be if there’s a next time.”
That was a proper threat. Xu Chun stared back at her for a long moment, and for some reason, some wire in her brain crossed, she retorted stubbornly and bravely, “I’m neither kin nor acquaintance to you, Sister. You even have to manage this?”
“Neither kin nor acquaintance…” Qin Yao drew the words out, chewing over their meaning several times in her mind.
Xu Chun’s heart pounded in alarm; she wanted to slap herself. Keep your mouth shut! This could have been laughed off, but now she’d gone and made Qin Yao take it seriously—and if Qin Yao got serious, was there any way out for her?
“I see.” Qin Yao’s deep eyes blinked slightly; beneath that ascetic exterior burned a heat that seemed like it could screw a person to death. “May I interpret this as some kind of hint to me?”
Xu Chun: “…?!”
No, I didn’t, I was talking nonsense!
Sister, don’t misunderstand!!!
She was just about to open her mouth to explain when Zheng Jinchan spoke up, drawing Qin Yao’s attention away. Qin Yao watched Zheng Jinchan talk without moving, giving Xu Chun no chance to interject.
Xu Chun stared at Qin Yao’s sharply refined profile, her mouth tasting bitter.
Flustered, she picked up her chopsticks and took a few bites of appetizers, nearly losing the mood for dinner entirely. Her head was full of the illusion that she might be screwed to death by Qin Yao tonight.
She looked dazed, clearly not in a good state. Zheng Yanran painstakingly tore her eyes away from Jiang Banxia to glance at her, then leaned over, curious and gossipy. “What’s wrong with you? Seen a ghost?”
Xu Chun gave her an indescribable look. “Be a human being.”
Zheng Yanran went quiet, then tactfully rephrased: “Oh my God! Whatever terrible thing could have befallen this beautiful lady to leave her so dazed and absent-minded? As a helpful, gentle, kind living Lei Feng, I am willing to grudgingly lend a hand.”
It hadn’t been a big deal to begin with, but thanks to Zheng Yanran’s antics, everyone at the table turned to look, curiosity written all over their faces.
Xu Chun’s eyelid twitched violently. “Nothing.” She shoved a handful of sunflower seeds from who-knew-where into Zheng Yanran’s hand. “Have some seeds.”
If one handful of seeds couldn’t stop Zheng Yanran’s mouth, then two would—there had to be a way to keep her quiet.
Zheng Yanran had no interest in seeds; the more Xu Chun refused to say, the more interested she became. After some deliberation, she scooted her chair a tiny bit, about one centimeter, away from Jiang Banxia. “We’re sisters, aren’t we? If you hide even this from me, that’s hardly friendly.” She sighed with feigned disappointment. “I did give you a necklace today, after all.”
When Xu Chun still said nothing, she added, “I understand now. In your heart, I’m just a dispensable ATM, silly with money. I treat you as a friend, a sister, and you…”
“Fine.” Xu Chun truly couldn’t take it anymore and blurted out nonsense: “Tonight I’m going to randomly select one lucky person at this dinner table for a date.”
Zheng Yanran: “?!” I didn’t know you played that big!
Without thinking, she said, “You can’t pick Jiang Banxia.” A pause, then: “And don’t pick me either. Tonight I’m going to have a nice long catch-up with Jiang Banxia.” She thought a bit more. “My mom’s out too. She’s getting on in years; she can’t withstand your ruination.”
Xu Chun looked at her expressionlessly. “You’ve excluded everyone. What’s left for me to pick?”
“Auntie Qin.” Zheng Yanran grinned. “Isn’t she a person?”
Qin Yao’s peripheral gaze had already drifted over. Xu Chun: “She is…” She swore that if she dared say a single word otherwise, Qin Yao might genuinely stop being a person tonight.
That meal left Xu Chun utterly exhausted. When it ended, Zheng Jinchan called her driver to take her back to the office, and Jiang Banxia had to return to the Jiang family to begin her battle with the illegitimate children. Zheng Yanran, having finally latched onto Jiang Banxia, shamelessly tagged along. Secretary Zhao had long since been sent off by Qin Yao to somewhere unknown.
Now, in the vast private room, only Xu Chun and Qin Yao remained.
Xu Chun carefully slowed her breathing, terrified of provoking Qin Yao and displeasing her. In such extreme quiet, even her heartbeat seemed to grow faint.
She wished she could hide every trace of her breath, or better yet, vanish from Qin Yao’s sight entirely.
With someone as rational and calm as Qin Yao, who had suddenly become more talkative since last time and displayed her possessiveness openly and covertly, Xu Chun had a vague premonition: the other had slowly stripped her of the identity of Jiang Zhaolie’s fiancée and reclassified her as a normal target worth pursuing.
Qin Yao’s style wasn’t much different from Zheng Jinchan’s, equally decisive, equally vigorous. Women like them, successful in business, would surely stop at nothing once they set their sights on something until it was in their grasp.
And Qin Yao was clearly at that stage.
Except she could have been more decisive; perhaps out of consideration for Xu Chun’s feelings, she still indulged her mischief. Hunting while indulging, slowly, bit by bit, luring Xu Chun into her territory until she was utterly lost and couldn’t struggle free.
In some ways, Qin Yao had always been gentle and considerate.
For instance, Qin Yao now lifted her eyelids, her deep eyes settling quietly on Xu Chun. “Go close the door.”
Xu Chun blinked, not immediately understanding. Until Qin Yao spoke with a half-smile, “Or do you want someone to see everything?”
Xu Chun felt terrible on the spot. Reflexively, she moved her feet, each step exceedingly difficult. She dawdled like a snail, finally reaching the door, but couldn’t help thinking—if she ran away now… what would happen after?
The person behind her seemed to see through her thoughts at once. Qin Yao spoke unhurriedly, “You know what the consequences are if you run now.” Her voice carried a hint of laughter. “If you’re absolutely certain you can go the rest of your life without ever seeing me again…”
“I encourage you to try.”
Try and die, Xu Chun’s mouth twitched; she promptly buried that immature little idea deep in her heart.
She closed the door and fumbled with the lock. Xu Chun was racking her brains over how to deal with Qin Yao next when she turned around and a tall, slender dark figure crashed into her line of sight, nearly making her scream.
Qin Yao had silently come up behind her at some point. Just as Xu Chun opened her mouth to cry out, a kiss—gentle yet domineering—fell instantly.
The rapidly rising temperature around them, the scorching breath, the heavy grinding sensation passed between lips and teeth. Xu Chun couldn’t withstand any of it.
Qin Yao was simply too bewitching; every gesture, every movement of her whole being made the heart ripple and sink helplessly.
Xu Chun’s mind gradually went blank, and then Qin Yao stopped without warning. Her arm held Xu Chun tightly, her voice hoarse. “Are you afraid of me?”
She asked so earnestly that Xu Chun couldn’t ignore it. “…No.”
She didn’t know how to describe it. She wanted to get close to Qin Yao, but because they weren’t usually very familiar, and because of Qin Yao’s unapproachable, cold aura, Xu Chun always felt a little uneasy.
And perhaps the gap between the original novel’s portrayal of Qin Yao and the Qin Yao she’d come to know in reality was too vast; Xu Chun sometimes felt dazed, unsure which was the real her.
She wanted to draw near, yet feared it would end like things with Jiang Zhaolie, parting on bad terms.
On the surface, Jiang Zhaolie hadn’t caused her any harm, but in truth, a shadow had already formed in her heart without her realizing it. Qin Yao, after all, was someone so close to Jiang Zhaolie.
Sometimes when she looked at Qin Yao, love and fear mingled ceaselessly, leaving her hesitant to step forward.
She had lived through a lifetime of torment in her own book, then come here and endured Yu Sui’an and Jiang Zhaolie. The Xu Chun of now was like someone once bitten by a snake, fearful of ropes for ten years.
Her answer clearly lacked confidence. Qin Yao gently lifted her face, her deep eyes gazing straight at her as if to see into her heart. “Xu Chun.” She called her name softly. “You can trust me.”
“No matter when.”
The woman was too deeply affectionate in this moment; Xu Chun’s breathing grew unsteady, and at her reaction, Qin Yao’s throat rolled in response. Almost before any words could be spoken, Xu Chun was seized once more and thoroughly tasted.
Only when Xu Chun could barely stand did Qin Yao finally release her, restoring her usual cold, ascetic, aristocratic air. “It’s getting late. Let’s go.”
Xu Chun didn’t know whether that meant simply going back to the office, or that this place wasn’t private enough and they were relocating.
But the instant Xu Chun opened the door, before she could figure out the answer, Yu Sui’an, whom she hadn’t expected to meet, froze for a moment, then her eyes widened in delight, her tone brimming with joy. “Sister!”
Xu Chun paled in alarm and retreated a step, backing straight into Qin Yao’s embrace. Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!
Your sister just got disciplined by Qin Yao because of Zheng Yanran, so don’t come join the fun now!
TL Note:
fox-spirit (狐狸精) = a seductive woman who steals someone else's man; used here as an insult.
living Lei Feng (活雷锋) = a selfless, helpful person; Lei Feng is a cultural icon of altruism.
one bitten by a snake, fearful of ropes for ten years (一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳) = once traumatized, one becomes overly cautious.
Try and die (试试就逝世) = a pun on “try and see” (试试就试试); 逝世 means “pass away,” making it a humorous threat.