Chapter 14

That night, the bustling streets were unusually lively.

By the time Jiang Lai got back to the guesthouse, it was already evening. The living room was empty; only Gu Xizhou was in the kitchen, busy with something.

“Xizhou?”

“Mm?”

Hearing her voice, Gu Xizhou turned around. When she saw that it was Jiang Lai, the tension in her face eased at once.

“Why is it so quiet in the living room today?”

Jiang Lai walked over and reached out to help with the ingredients in her hands. Gu Xizhou only sighed, clearly in a low mood. “You weren’t on set this afternoon, so you didn’t see it... Sis and Teacher Xu got into a fight with Teacher Cheng.”

“A fight? Why would they fight?”

Gu Xizhou shrugged. “I don’t know either.”

“Aunt Cheng is such a gentle person. If she really lost her temper, then Teacher Xu must have done something wrong to make her mad.”

As soon as Gu Xizhou heard that, she became a little unhappy. “But I saw it clearly. Teacher Xu didn’t really do anything to her; she just said a few words to Teacher Cheng.”

“Why are you getting mad now? I’m just guessing, that’s all!”

Jiang Lai pressed a hand to her forehead helplessly. The two of them were both feeling a little drained. Two seniors had argued; what were juniors like them supposed to do?

After a while of silence, Jiang Lai glanced at the nearly bare table and asked, “What are you making for dinner? Do you need my help?”

“We were going to have hot pot, but now..."

“I’ll go buy some things. I need to pick up a few other things anyway.”

As they were talking, light footsteps sounded on the stairs. They turned and saw Cheng Shuyang’s figure gradually come into view.

Seeing Jiang Lai, Cheng Shuyang paused, then forced out a smile. Her voice was hoarse. “A-Lai, when did you get back?”

“I just got back. Not long ago.”

Seeing how worn Cheng Shuyang looked, Jiang Lai felt a pang of concern; her voice softened without her meaning to. “I need to go out and buy something. Is there anything you want me to bring back, Aunt Cheng?”

Cheng Shuyang lowered her eyes. “I’ll go with you. It’ll just be troublesome if you have to wait for me.”

“It’s fine. Take your time, Aunt Cheng. I’ll wait for you.”

It was about ten minutes before Cheng Shuyang slowly came downstairs. Jiang Lai picked up the bag in her hand and called to Gu Xizhou, “Xizhou, we’re heading out. If anything comes up, call me anytime.”

“Okay. Be careful on the way.”

After they left, the two of them walked toward the supermarket. Jiang Lai carefully watched Cheng Shuyang’s expression, but the other woman suddenly looked back at her. Their eyes met, and Jiang Lai’s ears immediately turned red; she quickly turned her head away, looking flustered.

The corners of Cheng Shuyang’s lips lifted slightly. “What are you looking at?”

Jiang Lai’s gaze darted around. “I-I’m looking at the scenery!”

“You’re clearly looking at me. Why lie?”

The girl lowered her head and nervously twisted her fingers.

“Every time you see me, you seem to blush. Am I really that scary?”

“No, it’s just that I’m afraid you’ll think I’m being rude and get angry.”

Jiang Lai’s voice grew softer and softer, because she could clearly feel that Cheng Shuyang’s mood was a little low; she seemed... unhappy.

“I won’t. I won’t lose my temper with you.”

They passed a convenience store, and Jiang Lai’s eyes lit up. “Aunt Cheng, wait for me here for a moment. I’ll be right back.”

With that, Jiang Lai jogged into the convenience store. Watching the girl’s retreating figure, the smile Cheng Shuyang had been holding slowly faded. Leaning back against the chair, she gave off an indescribable loneliness.

The moment Jiang Lai stepped back outside, she saw Cheng Shuyang sitting alone on the chair with her head lowered, her expression hidden. Something seized at her heart, and she could almost not breathe.

She pressed her lips together, then slowly walked over and crouched in front of Cheng Shuyang. Her voice was restrained. “Aunt Cheng...”

Cheng Shuyang looked up; a flash of many emotions crossed her eyes, but only for an instant. Then she returned to the familiar Cheng Shuyang, gentle and polite to everyone else, yet unusually distant, as though no one could ever truly step into her heart.

Seeing the crease between her brows, Jiang Lai reflexively reached out as if to smooth it away. Only halfway through the motion did she realize how improper it was; she could only awkwardly draw her hand back. Her voice was muffled. “Aunt Cheng...”

Cheng Shuyang lowered her head and looked at the top of the girl’s fluffy hair. She sighed, forcing herself to calm the turmoil in her heart, and touched the crown of Jiang Lai’s head. “Mm. What is it?”

“Are you unhappy?”

The girl looked up at her, her gaze as clear as a deer’s. Cheng Shuyang closed her eyes and lightly covered Jiang Lai’s eyes with her hand. “Jiang Lai, don’t look at me like that.”

Jiang Lai gently pulled Cheng Shuyang’s hand down and, along the way, slipped something into her palm.

“What is this...?”

“Candy. It’ll make you happy when you eat it.”

Jiang Lai slowly stood up. “I know actors like you all pay close attention to your weight, but every now and then it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to live by the standard answer to everything, do you?”

Cheng Shuyang tightened her fingers around the brightly colored candy in her palm, but said nothing.

“Let’s go buy things. If we don’t, Xizhou’s probably going to get angry.”

Looking at the hand extended toward her, Cheng Shuyang hesitated for a long moment before gently taking it. The two of them walked side by side along the sidewalk. Jiang Lai naturally guided Cheng Shuyang to the inside and walked on the outer edge.

“Sometimes I really wonder whether you and Wanwan are actually good friends.”

Jiang Lai gave a low laugh. “Why would you say that?”

“I know my own daughter. Wanwan is usually carefree and unrestrained, not bothered by little details, but you’re different. You’re measured in everything you do, very composed. It makes it easy for people to like you.”

“I didn’t expect Aunt Cheng to rate me so highly.”

Jiang Lai’s eyes curved with a smile. “I’m older than Wanwan, so of course I’ve seen more than she has.”

Cheng Shuyang looked at her, her beautiful eyes filling with emotions that seemed impossible to count. “Only by a few years, though..."

Jiang Lai seemed unwilling to talk much on this subject and casually said a few words before changing the topic.

Once they reached the supermarket, Jiang Lai very consciously moved all the heavy items to her own side. Just as she saw Cheng Shuyang pick up a bunch of greens and try to put them in the cart, she immediately stopped her. “Aunt Cheng!”

“What is it?”

Rarely, Jiang Lai’s face reddened. Her voice stumbled a little. “It’s just that..."

“Hm?”

“I don’t like eating this..."

Like a child who had done something wrong, Jiang Lai lowered her head gloomily and didn’t dare look at her. Suddenly, a pair of gentle hands came to rest on the back of hers.

“If you don’t like it, then we won’t buy it.”

“Really? You won’t think I’m being picky?”

“Of course not. Everyone has things they don’t like. You have every right to refuse.”

Only then did Jiang Lai nod hard. “Thank you, Aunt Cheng!”

After wandering around for about half an hour, the two paid and left the supermarket. But the weather was unkind; a light drizzle had begun to fall.

“No way... is this really my luck?”

“It’s fine. Since it’s not raining very hard yet, we can walk back a bit faster. Otherwise, we’ll be soaked in no time.”

A passing car splashed up a spray of water. Just as it was about to hit Cheng Shuyang, Jiang Lai reacted quickly and pulled the woman into her arms, shielding her tightly.

The floral scent drifting from the girl’s body made it far too easy to sink into it. Cheng Shuyang clenched the corner of Jiang Lai’s clothes and quietly closed her eyes.

Jiang Lai shot the driver a hard glare, then carefully looked down at the person in her arms. “Aunt Cheng, are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Cheng Shuyang shook her head and looked at the hem of the girl’s skirt. “Your clothes are dirty.”

“It’s fine. It’s just one piece of clothing; I can wash it when we get back and still wear it. But you—are you really okay?”

After getting a positive answer, Jiang Lai finally let out a breath of relief. She shifted all the bags into one hand and held out the other in front of Cheng Shuyang. “Let me hold your hand. Otherwise, I really won’t be able to relax.”

Cheng Shuyang looked at her but didn’t move.

Jiang Lai felt a little embarrassed and was about to pull her hand back. “Sorry...”

Before she could finish, Cheng Shuyang had already taken her hand. Her palm was very hot, so hot that Jiang Lai felt as if her own face were about to burn.

They didn’t walk far before they returned to the guesthouse. Hearing the noise, Gu Xizhou immediately ran out and took the bags from Jiang Lai’s hands, muttering nonstop, “You’re finally back. If you’d been any later, I would’ve starved to death. You two go change first; I’ll tidy up and call the others. We’ll eat in a bit.”

Jiang Lai smiled and agreed, then turned and said gently, “Aunt Cheng, remember to come downstairs for dinner later.”

“Okay.”

Watching Cheng Shuyang’s figure gradually disappear, Jiang Lai suddenly felt a tight ache in her chest. She clenched her fist, then called out very loudly, “Cheng Shuyang!”

“Mm?”

Cheng Shuyang turned back in disbelief, as if she couldn’t believe Jiang Lai had called her.

Behind her, the girl was smiling brightly; her eyes seemed to hold a whole sea of stars, shining brilliantly.

“Cheng Shuyang, I hope you’re happy. I hope you’re always happy!”

Author’s Note:

Jiang Lai: “I hope my Aunt Cheng can be happy forever, and smile forever!”