Chapter 34

Jiang Congbi blinked, dazed. “Know what?”

Lin Yuewei made a show of refusing to say another word.

Jiang Congbi pinched her arm, started the car, and drove her back to her own place. It was the middle of the night; if she sent Lin Yuewei back to the Lin family home, she’d wake Lin Dad and Lin Mom instead.

Lin Yuewei closed her eyes, and before long, she was asleep in the car.

No one knew how long had passed. Jiang Congbi didn’t have the strength to carry her from the car into the house, so after parking, she shook Lin Yuewei’s shoulder a few times to wake her. “We’re home, we’re home. Wake up, hey.”

Lin Yuewei rolled her neck, opened her eyes, and glanced outside. After a yawn, she got out of the car.

Jiang Congbi followed her in.

Lin Yuewei couldn’t remember what happened after that. By the time she woke again, the sun was already high in the sky, and Jiang Congbi had somehow ended up squeezing her all the way to the edge of the bed. Lin Yuewei lifted a foot and kicked Jiang Congbi’s calf; Jiang Congbi rolled into the middle and took the blanket with her.

Lin Yuewei gave her butt a light slap, put on her shoes, and got out of bed.

Jiang Congbi let out a muffled whine.

Lin Yuewei took her phone downstairs. An auntie was cleaning on the first floor; when she saw Lin Yuewei come down, she stopped and asked, “Want some breakfast?”

“In a bit. I’m going to call my mom first.”

“Okay.”

The production team gave the contestants who had made their debut a week off, letting them go home and rest for a while. It also left time to discuss which company each contestant’s management contract would be signed with. They had said before that if a mentor had someone they liked, they could directly sign that person to their own studio.

For the contestants, these few days meant only waiting; worrying wouldn’t change anything.

“Do you think none of the mentors or the company making the show will want you?” Lin Mom persisted in feeding Lin Yuewei poison in her ear.

“Give it up,” Lin Yuewei said, one hand holding the phone, the other idly playing with the lace trim on her pajamas. “I finally got a week off. If you want me home, don’t say things like that. At least I’ve worked hard for months; I’ve been scolded how many times already? It can’t all have been for nothing. And don’t just talk about me; you’re my mom, so you got dragged in and scolded plenty too.”

“Then who was I getting scolded because of?”

Lin Yuewei grinned. “Because of me. That’s why I need to get that scolding back for you; we can’t let people insult you for nothing, right?”

Lin Mom said, “Forget it. The longer you stay in the industry, the more famous you get, the more people will scold you. You think your mom doesn’t know anything?”

Lin Yuewei flattered her with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Amazing, my dear old mom.”

“Old?”

“Then little mom?”

“Use the proper term.” Lin Mom sounded displeased.

“What’s wrong with you? Why so cranky all of a sudden?” Lin Yuewei could tell whether her mom was just being tsundere or was really angry; she paused.

“Nothing. Hurry home. You’ve been running wild outside for how long now?”

“I knew you missed me.”

Lin Mom said, “Hurry up. I’m cooking lunch myself. If you dare be late…”

Lin Yuewei said, “I wouldn’t dare. I’m heading back right now.”

Jiang Congbi was sleeping soundly on the bed when she heard a rustle beside her and opened her eyes to see Lin Yuewei’s back as she changed clothes. She grabbed her phone and looked; it was ten in the morning.

“Where are you going?” Jiang Congbi asked sleepily as she rolled over.

“My mom wants me home for lunch.”

“Take me with you.”

“……”

Jiang Congbi laughed. “Just kidding. I’m too lazy to get up. Where’s your wife?”

“How would I know?” Lin Yuewei thought to herself; probably off having a blissful life with her boyfriend.

“You really don’t care about her at all,” Jiang Congbi clicked her tongue.

“She doesn’t care about me either. We’re equally matched; why should I care about her?”

“Then what was she doing at the finale last night?”

Lin Yuewei connected the dots and immediately understood. Little did she know she was completely wrong. Still facing away from Jiang Congbi, she answered, “Wasn’t that you who invited her?” She just hadn’t expected the other party to bring her boyfriend along, ruining the plan on the spot. Lin Yuewei knew Jiang Congbi’s principles well enough; she never set her sights on anyone who already belonged to somebody.

“Where did you get that brainwashing packet from?” Jiang Congbi had been spending too much time in fan circles lately, and the first thing she said was fan jargon. She corrected herself. “Who told you I invited her?”

“I guessed.”

“She went there on her own. I just happened to run into her there,” Jiang Congbi clarified solemnly.

Lin Yuewei went “oh.” She had originally wanted to needle Jiang Congbi for having her granary plan fall through, but thinking that Jiang Congbi probably didn’t feel great either, she let it go. After changing clothes, she picked up her bag. “I’m going home. Remember to eat lunch, and call me if anything comes up.”

“Bye-bye.”

“Bye-bye.”

Jiang Congbi watched her back and couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe the two of them had misunderstood something. Before she could call after her again, it was too late; Jiang Congbi pulled the blanket over her head and went back to sleep.

***

Lin Yuewei drove home in the car from Jiang Congbi’s garage. The two of them often swapped cars; leaving a car at the other’s place was a common thing.

With both hands on the steering wheel, one of Lin Yuewei’s fingers tapped a steady rhythm. Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, but her expression was hidden deep; no one knew what she was thinking.

In the height of summer, the air inside the car and the air outside felt like two different worlds. Lin Yuewei rushed into the house as if she’d been burned by the sun, and before she even saw anyone, she was calling out, “Mom—”

Lin Mom heard her from far away and came out of the kitchen. Lin Yuewei threw herself into her arms.

“There’s oil all over my apron.”

“It’s fine.” Lin Yuewei clung to her and refused to let go. Middle-aged women needed to be coaxed; what was one measly apron? “If it gets dirty, I’ll buy you a new one.”

“You don’t get an allowance from the family anymore. What money are you using to buy it?”

“I’ve got ad fees.”

“What fees?”

“The money we get from filming commercials while recording the show. They give us a cut.”

“Your wings have really grown strong now,” Lin Mom said with a complicated sigh.

Lin Yuewei slipped out of her embrace and looked her in the eye. “Making money is a good thing. Why are you sighing? Sigh too much and you’ll get white hair.”

“I already have white hair,” Lin Mom said.

“Where? Let me see.” Lin Yuewei was a few centimeters taller than her mother. She tiptoed and looked over her head; sure enough, she found a strand of white hair. Lin Yuewei’s gaze darkened. She plucked it out and tossed it in the trash, then spread her hands. “What white hair? There isn’t any.”

Lin Mom tried to look in the trash can, but Lin Yuewei rolled up the garbage bag and, in a few quick steps, carried it out and threw it outside the door.

Lin Mom: “……”

“Is the food ready? Do you need me to help?” Lin Yuewei stretched her neck dramatically, changing the subject as she headed toward the kitchen.

“What can you do? You only know how to eat.” Lin Mom complained, but her face was beaming as she kept her there. “Wash those greens. Wash them clean, don’t leave any dirt.”

“Cut the tofu into cubes, chop the scallions into sections, and smash the garlic to set aside.”

“Can you cut meat? Cut it into shreds, rinse the beans too; we’ll make edamame stir-fried with shredded pork later.”

Lin Mom said Lin Yuewei only knew how to eat, but when it came to assigning tasks, she didn’t hold back at all. Lin Yuewei worked methodically too; because she wasn’t used to it, her movements were a little slower than most people’s.

“Anything else?” Lin Yuewei had almost finished processing all the ingredients. She used two tissues to wipe the sweat from her forehead, tossed them into the trash, and asked Lin Mom.

Lin Mom glanced over roughly; the cubes were cubes, the slices were slices, and she nodded with satisfaction. “No. Right, there’s a guest upstairs at home. Ask her whether she likes light or salty food.”

“A guest?” Lin Yuewei immediately sensed something was off. “What guest? Why would a guest be upstairs instead of sitting in the living room?”

“I had her go upstairs; it’s too hot downstairs,” Lin Mom said on the spot, making things up.

Lin Yuewei narrowed her eyes. “Who is it?”

Lin Mom said, “Aiya, if you go ask, won’t you know?”

Lin Yuewei had already guessed who it was. She shot Lin Mom a glare and headed out.

***

Gu Yanqiu received the call from Lin Mom while she was having breakfast.

“Auntie Ran?” Gu Yanqiu was a little surprised. Ever since Lin Yuewei went to participate in the show, Ran Qingqing had basically stopped contacting her. After Lin Yuewei and Gu Yanqiu got married, the help Ran Qingqing needed to provide had already mostly been provided, so with Lin Yuewei not around, she had no reason to keep contacting Gu Yanqiu.

“Are you free today?” Ran Qingqing asked.

Gu Yanqiu thought about the work piled up on her desk. “More or less. Not too busy.”

Ran Qingqing said, “Do you want to come over for lunch?”

“……” Gu Yanqiu didn’t know how to respond.

Ran Qingqing said, “Look at you two; you’ve been married for so long, and you haven’t even been to the Lin house once. If people find out, won’t they gossip and say you and Yuewei are not getting along?”

Marriage was about the title; whether the relationship was good or not, outsiders really couldn’t know that much. Gu Yanqiu was planning to politely refuse.

Ran Qingqing said, “Lin Yuewei just finished the competition, didn’t she? I’ll call her home too in a bit, and we can all have lunch together and clear up any rumors. What do you think?”

So Gu Yanqiu agreed.

Once she arrived at the Lin house, Ran Qingqing was very welcoming. She served tea and water, asked after her well-being, and then asked what Gu Yanqiu thought of Lin Yuewei. Gu Yanqiu knew that her mindset hadn’t changed; she was still trying to push her and Lin Yuewei together. Though Gu Yanqiu had developed feelings for Lin Yuewei, facing such an obvious matchmaking attempt still made her feel awkward, so she answered with a few stock phrases.

Seeing that she was impervious to persuasion, Ran Qingqing’s expression suddenly grew serious. “Yanqiu, let me tell you something honestly.”

“Go ahead,” Gu Yanqiu said respectfully.

Ran Qingqing said, “Actually, the reason I’m trying to match you and Lin Yuewei isn’t because I’ve got some matchmaker fantasy. I just want you to become the person she can rely on in the future. You’re a steady, good child; I can tell.”

“Auntie, you’re joking. Miss Lin is also a steady person with her own ideas; she probably wouldn’t like hearing that you want to find her someone to rely on.” Gu Yanqiu smiled politely. Far from liking it, Lin Yuewei might even quarrel with her mother.

Seeing that Gu Yanqiu had seen through her, Ran Qingqing didn’t feel awkward at all. She immediately said, “You’ve only spent a few days with her, and you understand her this well. Isn’t that proof enough that you’re fated?”

Gu Yanqiu’s mouth twitched.

She wanted to say this had nothing to do with fate, but it wasn’t proper to talk back to an elder, so she only smiled.

Ran Qingqing said, “Just try being together. Feelings can be cultivated. If they really can’t be cultivated, I won’t force it. Even though marriage is free now, and same-sex marriage was legalized in the last two years, a second marriage never sounds as good as a first one, does it?”

Gu Yanqiu said, “Ah.”

Ran Qingqing said, “So let’s aim for first marriage, all right?”

Gu Yanqiu looked at the hand Ran Qingqing was holding and said, “...That mainly depends on Miss Lin.”

Ran Qingqing lit up with delight. “You agree?”

Gu Yanqiu said awkwardly, “Auntie, that’s not what I meant.”

Ran Qingqing didn’t bother circling around with her. She asked directly, “Then have you agreed to try dating Lin Yuewei for a while?”

What else could Gu Yanqiu say? She could only nod lightly. On the surface, she looked reluctant; inside, she was secretly pleased. With Ran Qingqing’s matchmaking as an excuse, things would be much easier for her to do. Ran Qingqing’s eyes were full of love and pity as she looked at her, stroking the back of her hand over and over, which made Gu Yanqiu’s skin crawl.

Then Ran Qingqing called Lin Yuewei home in one phone call. When she heard the sound of a car horn outside, she sent Gu Yanqiu upstairs to hide. From upstairs, Gu Yanqiu saw everything: Lin Yuewei downstairs acting spoiled toward her mother, talking and laughing, every bit of it falling into view.

Watching Lin Yuewei throw herself into Ran Qingqing’s arms, rubbing against her and hugging her, a faint trace of envy rose in Gu Yanqiu’s heart. Last time Lin Yuewei hugged her once, she had panicked like anything and even ended up getting dragged online for it. If there were a next time, she definitely wouldn’t act like that.

***

Lin Yuewei stood at the spiral staircase landing and looked up, but she couldn’t see even a corner of Gu Yanqiu’s clothes. She lifted her foot and climbed the stairs one step at a time. Gu Yanqiu was standing outside the balcony on the second floor; hearing the sound of footsteps behind her, she swallowed twice and closed her eyes as she sped up the prayer beads in her hand.

“Miss Gu.” Lin Yuewei arched a brow as expected. She recognized that back at a glance.

Gu Yanqiu’s body gave a barely perceptible start; she slowly turned around, as if only then noticing her. She lowered her head slightly and greeted her politely, “Miss Lin, good morning.”

“Good morning.” Lin Yuewei couldn’t ignore the sudden lift in her mood.

The two shallow dimples at her cheeks dazzled Gu Yanqiu for a moment; Gu Yanqiu lowered her eyelids slightly.

Lin Yuewei walked over to her; their shoulders were an arm’s length apart as they looked out the window together. Lin Yuewei sighed. “My mom forced you to come here, didn’t she?”

The person who had been “forced” here didn’t say anything, so Lin Yuewei took it as a yes.

Thinking about it, why was she getting mad at Gu Yanqiu? They had no grudge between them, and they had long ago agreed that each would live her own life. So what if she had a boyfriend? Their agreement never said one side couldn’t date. Gu Yanqiu was fighting alone right now; having someone beside her to share the burden and help her out was best of all.

However…

Being cautious, Lin Yuewei asked, “The man who was with you last night… is he trustworthy?” She had wanted to say boyfriend, but realized she was at odds with that word and changed it.

Gu Yanqiu said, “Lin Zhi?”

“He’s called Lin Zhi?” Lin Yuewei thought; wow, he even has my surname.

Gu Yanqiu said, “Mm. He’s the person closest to me right now; he can be trusted.”

The person closest to me… Lin Yuewei savored those words on the tip of her tongue. Looking out into the distance, she said faintly, “That’s good.”

Gu Yanqiu felt her mood shift sharply, and her brows knit slightly.

Lin Yuewei lost interest in talking. The two of them fell silent for a long time before Gu Yanqiu picked the conversation back up. “I haven’t congratulated you on your debut yet.”

“It’s not too late to do it now.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“And your good friend debuted too; the two of you can look out for each other in the future.”

“Like you and Lin Zhi?” Lin Yuewei suddenly asked.

Gu Yanqiu opened her mouth, about to answer that those two things couldn’t even be compared; you’re her friend, Lin Zhi is my employee. But Lin Yuewei beat her to it: “Sorry, I said that wrong. Pretend you didn’t hear it.”

Gu Yanqiu: “……”

Every time Lin Yuewei and Gu Yanqiu spent less than three minutes together, Lin Yuewei’s mood would shift from cheerful to an inexplicable low she couldn’t even explain to herself. To pull herself out of that state, she finally remembered why she had come upstairs.

“My mom asked whether you like salty food or light food?”

“What do you like?”

“What I like has nothing to do with what you like. You’re the guest today; it’s not like I’m going to eat whatever you eat.”

“Mm.” Gu Yanqiu looked at her, a pair of eyes faintly flashing with dark light; without thinking, she answered.

“What did you say?” Lin Yuewei’s eyelid jumped, and she looked up.

Gu Yanqiu’s fingers at her side tightened slightly before relaxing. A shallow smile curled at her lips as she covered for herself. “The guest should follow the host’s lead.”

Lin Yuewei walked toward the staircase. “Don’t go around in circles with me; just say what you want, or my mom’s going to nag me again.”

“All right, then light food.”

“I like light food. You’re sure you didn’t copy me?”

“No.”

“Good. If I get nagged because of you, you’ll have to take full responsibility.”

“All right, I’ll take it.” Gu Yanqiu couldn’t help smiling. A trace of sweetness washed through her heart at Lin Yuewei’s casual intimacy.

Lin Yuewei turned back and met Gu Yanqiu’s calm face, the kind that looked ready to become a Buddha at any moment. Gu Yanqiu raised a brow, as if asking a question.

Lin Yuewei said, “Nothing.”

Why did she feel like Gu Yanqiu had been smiling pretty happily just now?

***

“Mom, Gu Yanqiu says she likes light food.”

Lin Mom was on guard against her and asked, “You didn’t even ask her, did you?” Lin Yuewei was very resistant to her matchmaking attempts; she had done all kinds of things behind her back.

Lin Yuewei knew it. She opened the kitchen door and made a “please” gesture. “Why don’t you ask her yourself, Your Ladyship?”

Lin Mom wiped her hands on her apron and went to ask Gu Yanqiu, who had already moved from upstairs to sit on the sofa. After confirming that Lin Yuewei’s answer was correct, she finally returned to the kitchen at ease.

Lin Yuewei covered her face and put on a performance of being even more wronged than Dou E, singing in a wildly off-key opera voice, “This is how a biological daughter gets treated, ohhh, truly a June snowfall!”

Lin Mom pointed at the door. “Go on, you’re not needed here. Get out and go date.”

“I’m not going.” Since the other woman already had someone, what was Lin Yuewei doing hanging around? Besides, she’d already said she wasn’t allowed to like her.

“Hey!” Lin Mom grabbed a spatula and chased Lin Yuewei out of the kitchen.

“Laughing at what?” Lin Yuewei flopped down on the other sofa in the living room and shot Gu Yanqiu a glare before pulling out her phone to scroll.

After Lin Mom finished cooking, she opened the door and called them to eat. She had only just gotten the words out when she saw the two of them occupying opposite ends of the sofa, each holding a phone, as if the River Chu and the Han River had been drawn between them.

Lin Mom: “……”

Lin Mom took a deep breath and shouted, “Eat! Lin Yuewei, come carry the dishes.”

Lin Yuewei tossed her phone aside. “Coming.”

Gu Yanqiu wanted to go to the kitchen to help, but Lin Mom, holding the kitchen down like a general, blocked her. Lin Yuewei carried out the soup bowl and chimed in, “You’re the guest; what kind of guest carries dishes? Sit still. My mom’s cooking isn’t anything special, and there aren’t many dishes anyway. They’ll be out soon enough. No need for you to help.”

“You little brat!” Lin Mom flicked her on the forehead with a knuckle. Lin Yuewei ducked, let out a yelp, and ran off.

Gu Yanqiu laughed softly.

The scene in front of her blurred and twisted; for a moment, it seemed to become another place entirely. Gu Mom stood at the kitchen door calling for thirteen-year-old Gu Yanqiu, who was curled up on the sofa, to come eat. Gu Huai gently helped her untie the apron strings at the back of her neck, and Gu Yanqiu would then run into the kitchen of her own accord to carry the dishes.

Gu Mom’s specialties were all homestyle dishes: edamame stir-fried with shredded pork, braised tofu, winter melon and pork rib soup, sweet-and-sour spareribs, and so on; a plate of green vegetables was always a must.

Gu Yanqiu blinked away the sudden heat gathering in her eyes and looked at the dining table before her. It was almost exactly the same.

Lin Mom said with emotion, “I used to go to your house as a guest, and your mother made these very dishes.”

Gu Yanqiu nodded, thinking, so that was it.

Lin Yuewei, standing nearby, felt subtly complicated. Wasn’t she supposed to be jealous of her own father? Did her mom really have such pure feelings for Madam Gu? She even remembered every dish she’d eaten there.

Lin Mom said she had been to the Gu house several times, but Gu Yanqiu had never once seen her there. “I wonder when Auntie Ran went? Why didn’t I ever see you?”

“In the summer; your mother said you had gone to your grandparents’ place.”

“I see.”

Lin Mom used serving chopsticks to give her a piece of edamame and said, “Your mother said you especially liked this dish. You could eat a whole plate in one meal.”

Gu Yanqiu immediately looked at Lin Yuewei. Lin Yuewei pulled herself out of her mess of thoughts and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Gu Yanqiu thought; she wouldn’t think I eat too much, would she?

Whether she did or not, Gu Yanqiu forcibly saved face for herself and said, “I used to be growing, so I ate quite a lot. I don’t anymore.”

Lin Mom looked regretful. “I was afraid you wouldn’t get enough, so I made an extra plate. There’s still more in the kitchen.”

Gu Yanqiu hurriedly said, “That’s enough, really.”

Lin Yuewei grinned on the side. “It’s fine, Mom. I can eat; whatever she can’t finish, I can eat.”

Lin Mom clicked her tongue. “What does this have to do with you? All you know how to do is eat.”

Gu Yanqiu heard a faint hiss in her heart and silently wondered if Lin Yuewei actually did like eating a little more. So Gu Yanqiu changed her tune. “My appetite changes quite a bit. When I can eat, I really can eat a lot.”

Lin Yuewei: “???”

Lin Mom: “???”

The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, both feeling that Gu Yanqiu’s words sounded somehow strange.

Gu Yanqiu had already run out of things to say, and her face was burning with embarrassment. She slid the prayer beads on her wrist upward and said, “Let’s eat. The food’s getting cold.”

Lin Mom kept serving Gu Yanqiu dishes and even urged Lin Yuewei to serve herself too. Lin Yuewei acted as if she didn’t see it, but Gu Yanqiu did give her a few bites from time to time, and naturally Lin Mom didn’t leave her out either; everyone was treated equally.

Halfway through the meal, Lin Yuewei remembered something. “Dad’s on another business trip?”

“Yep.”

“He’s been going out of town a lot lately,” Lin Yuewei remarked offhandedly.

“The company’s busy. Otherwise, who’s going to earn money for you to spend?” Lin Mom lowered her head and ate, so no one could see her expression.

“I can do it myself. I can support you in the future,” Lin Yuewei said optimistically.

“You can take care of yourself without worrying me, and that’ll already be enough. I’m not counting on you.”

“You’ll see later.” Lin Yuewei said it unhurriedly. She knew that in her parents’ eyes she would always be a child, and she didn’t argue with Lin Mom. Proving things with facts was the real way to do it.

Gu Yanqiu narrowed her eyes. Just now, when Lin Mom had lowered her head, she seemed to have seen a glimmer of moisture flash in her eyes before it vanished.

The three of them finished the meal in a fairly harmonious mood. Afterward, they divided up the work: Lin Yuewei was responsible for wiping the table and clearing the bowls and chopsticks; Lin Yuewei was responsible for washing the dishes and tidying the kitchen and handling all the follow-up work; Lin Mom and Gu Yanqiu were responsible for resting.

Lin Yuewei shouted for the family helper, only to receive the news that Lin Mom had specifically given the helper the day off.

Lin Yuewei resigned herself to fate and obeyed obediently.

She put the bowls and chopsticks into the dishwasher and started the cycle. At last everything was done. She stretched heavily, rolled her shoulders and waist, and walked out. Lin Mom and Gu Yanqiu were both on the sofa, and she naturally headed that way.

Given the current arrangement, Lin Mom and Gu Yanqiu were sitting on the same sofa, with Lin Mom closest to Lin Yuewei. The sofa Lin Yuewei usually sat on meant walking past them.

A calculating glint flashed in Lin Mom’s eyes.

The foot she had just stepped out with was suddenly tripped. Lin Yuewei’s body pitched forward uncontrollably; Gu Yanqiu only had to reach out to catch her, and she did. She even pulled Lin Yuewei down with her, and the two of them slammed onto the sofa together.

Their eyes met; their breathing was faintly audible.

Lin Yuewei didn’t have time to notice the pleasant sandalwood scent from Gu Yanqiu that she had once smelled in her dreams. She was thoroughly furious. Her mother’s method was far too underhanded.

“Mom, there has to be a limit to matchmaking,” Lin Yuewei said hotly, turning her head and addressing her mother directly. “She already has a boyfriend. Do you want me to be the other woman and steal someone else’s man?”

Lin Mom looked at Gu Yanqiu in shock. “You have a boyfriend?!”

Gu Yanqiu also blinked in shock. When had she ever had a boyfriend? How did she not know about it?

Lin Yuewei sensed something was wrong. She was still half-fallen into Gu Yanqiu’s arms, and Gu Yanqiu had one hand looped around her waist to keep her from sliding off. Lin Yuewei swallowed. This was… embarrassing.

She wanted to pull away, but Gu Yanqiu’s hand tightened slightly; her beautiful, deep eyes looked straight at her as she said seriously, “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

After a moment’s thought, Gu Yanqiu added, “...I also don’t have a girlfriend.”

Still feeling that wasn’t enough, she pressed her lips together and added the unnecessary clarification, “I’m single.”

Author’s note:

Gu Yanqiu: I’m single, come chase me already [wildly hinting]