Song Chuyi had been playing Lego with Su Xijing just moments ago, but her crafting skills were truly limited. What she assembled was downright hideous, and Su Xijing couldn’t stand to watch. She wanted to help her build it.
Song Chuyi’s patience was also quite limited. With her lively and playful nature, she had no interest in something that required settling down to tinker with. She wanted to play with other toys instead.
Her eyes landed on the massive Hogwarts Castle Model in the corner of the room. She padded over in her slippers, her footsteps going slap slap.
Su Xijing saw her interest in the castle but worried she might ruin it. She had assembled part of it herself, while Rong Jin had finished the rest—it was essentially a gift from her auntie. So, Su Xijing wasn’t keen on letting Song Chuyi touch it.
The two got into a dispute. In the midst of shoving, Su Xijing used just a tiny bit more strength, causing Song Chuyi to stagger back two steps. With her abysmal sense of balance, she instantly toppled onto the castle.
The innocent castle model took the hit and collapsed with a crash in an instant.
Su Xijing: “……”
Song Chuyi: “……”
……
Half an hour later, Qu Yiling made Song Chuyi apologize again.
This time, Su Xijing didn’t forgive her. Instead, she huffed and turned her head away.
Qu Yiling felt that the two little beans shouldn’t be together for now, so she bid farewell to Su Qingqiu, taking the sniffling, tearful Song Chuyi with her.
Su Qingqiu saw the three of them off at the door.
Rong Jin wheeled over and said goodbye as well.
Rong Jin clicked her tongue.
It was a shame she still hadn’t gotten Song Limo’s autograph in the end.
What a pity.
Su Qingqiu saw off the guests and returned to the villa.
Su Xijing was heartbroken over the toppled Hogwarts Castle Model and felt extremely aggrieved. She looked at Su Qingqiu with teary eyes. “Mommy, Xixi’s castle fell down.”
Su Qingqiu glanced at Rong Jin.
Rong Jin immediately caught on and smiled warmly. “Xixi, Auntie will rebuild it for you, exactly like before. Don’t be sad.”
Su Xijing nodded, tears still in her eyes.
It had been a disastrous morning, so Su Qingqiu decided not to go to work. She’d drop Xixi off for afternoon class first, then head in.
It was already eleven o’clock.
Aunt Zhao was still cleaning upstairs, so Su Qingqiu rolled up her sleeves and went to make lunch.
Rong Jin and Su Xijing were in the playroom, slowly reassembling the half-collapsed model.
Rong Jin worked quickly. With her exceptional memory, she vividly recalled the assembly process from having built it once before and pieced it back together bit by bit.
Su Xijing handed her the blocks with her head down, then suddenly thought of something. “Auntie, did you copy the wrong answers for Weiwei?”
Rong Jin paused guiltily, her hands stopping mid-assembly.
A silent pause.
Was this her way of blaming her for copying the wrong answers for the girl with pigtails, which led to a fight and parents being called on the first day of school?
Rong Jin immediately bowed her head in apology. “Auntie was wrong.”
Su Xijing giggled. “Auntie, you’re so naughty.”
It seemed she wasn’t holding a grudge.
Rong Jin laughed too.
She liked this child’s personality. She appeared well-behaved and quiet, but was actually independent, opinionated, and very smart. It was rare for someone so young.
They got along well.
Rong Jin asked, “What if Weiwei ignores you from now on?”
Su Xijing tilted her head. “But Weiwei and I have always been like this. We fight easily when we meet, but we’re still good friends.”
Then she suddenly remembered something else. “No, Aunt Zhao once said that when we’re together, we fight easily, attack each other, and make each other uncomfortable. We’re supposed to be archenemies.”
Su Xijing nodded. “Yeah, just like Mommy and Auntie.”
Her own words confused her, and she said confusedly, “Archenemies and good friends—my relationship with Weiwei is so complicated. Sigh!”
She whispered, “But Weiwei is my only friend.”
Rong Jin: “……”
What a mess.
Su Xijing asked, “Auntie, are you and Mommy still archenemies?”
Rong Jin was silent for a moment before saying, “Probably not anymore.”
Back in those three years of high school, Su Qingqiu had been the most important person in her heart.
No matter what happened afterward, no one else had ever given her the same feeling.
Su Xijing said, “Xixi thinks so too. Mommy clearly likes Auntie so much—why did she have to be archenemies with her?”
If you like someone, shouldn’t you be good to them? It was such simple logic—even Xixi understood it.
She really couldn’t comprehend it.
Adult relationships were so complicated.
Su Xijing said happily, “If Auntie and Mommy aren’t archenemies anymore, that’s great!”
This was the umpteenth time Rong Jin had heard Su Xijing say her mom liked her.
Before, she’d felt unmoved, thinking it was impossible unless the skies fell.
But…
Why was Su Qingqiu taking care of her?
Her hands paused on the model as she stared at the castle in a daze.
She was starting to feel uncertain now.
It took Rong Jin and Su Xijing nearly an hour and a half to restore the damaged model.
Su Xijing exclaimed excitedly, “Auntie, you build so fast! You’re amazing!”
Rong Jin ruffled her hair, rubbed her legs that ached from sitting cross-legged too long, and slowly shifted back into her wheelchair.
Her legs were starting to itch amid the pain.
The bones were healing slowly.
Su Qingqiu finished cooking. The table held four dishes and a soup: sweet-and-sour spare ribs, sweet egg custard, chicken stewed with mushrooms, stir-fried pork with chili, and egg drop soup.
All simple home-cooked fare, tailored to everyone’s tastes.
Aunt Zhao served the rice and set the bowls on the table.
Su Xijing obediently climbed into her booster seat to eat, while Milk crouched quietly under the table, munching on cat food.
The family atmosphere was warm and harmonious.
Su Qingqiu picked a piece of sweet-and-sour spare rib for Su Xijing, glanced at Rong Jin, and said casually, “The Qu Family lives in Villa B District Building 2. Turn left from here, follow the path straight down, and you’re there in ten minutes.”
Rong Jin: “……Huh?”
She didn’t get what she meant.
Su Qingqiu glanced at her again, then looked away and continued eating. “Song Limo goes abroad occasionally, but mostly stays domestic. She does a couple of gigs now and then, otherwise she’s home. If you walk around the neighborhood more, you might run into her out for a stroll.”
Rong Jin: “……”
Now she understood.
So, she still wanted to help with the celebrity chasing.
Rong Jin chuckled. She watched those averted eyes—wanting to look but avoiding eye contact, reluctant and seeming annoyed, yet not actually angry. Awkwardly spilling it out anyway.
…
Wait.
Was she jealous?
It sounded absurd.
But that’s what it felt like.
Rong Jin was startled by her own thought.
The more she considered it, the more plausible it seemed.
She curved her lips and replied, “Okay, got it.”
But she no longer cared about any autograph.
Compared to that…
Su Qingqiu was far more interesting.
Su Qingqiu heard her agree and frowned.
Rong Jin chasing stars was her freedom, and Song Limo had indeed been a nationwide sensation back then, vanishing at her peak—many regretted it.
Wanting an autograph was normal.
Su Qingqiu took another sullen bite of rice, her teeth unconsciously nibbling the chopsticks, eyes downcast.
…But she still felt unhappy.
The table fell silent for a moment.
Su Xijing glanced at the two adults playing their “I want to look at you but won’t do it openly so I’ll sneak peeks” game again and pouted.
She had a small appetite and ate quickly. Soon, she finished, climbed down from her booster seat, scooped Milk from under the table, and ran off hugging it.
Milk, with milk stains still on its mouth, was suddenly lifted. “Meow?”
“Milk, let’s go play.”
Su Qingqiu called after her, “Only for a bit. You need to nap after, then go to class in the afternoon, or you’ll be sleepy during lessons.”
Xixi called back from afar, “Xixi knows!”
Aunt Zhao’s phone rang. Seeing it was Yang Wanwan, she excused herself and went to the kitchen to answer.
Now, only the two of them remained at the table.
Su Qingqiu hesitated, then said, “The Municipal Committee’s investment project—want to do it with me?”
Rong Jin looked up at her.
A month ago, they’d fought tooth and nail over it. The profit wasn’t the issue; Rong Jin had been determined to win it to connect with the Municipal Committee, pouring out over a dozen bid versions.
But her car accident let it fall into Su Qingqiu’s hands.
Rong Jin: “Together?”
Su Qingqiu: “Yeah. It’s about electronic chip development. Su Corporation leans traditional industries, not this cutting-edge field. Your Rong Optoelectronics is mature in chips, with patents too. If not for the accident, it should’ve been yours.”
Rong Jin fell silent.
It was true.
Su Qingqiu: “Finding another tech team would be a hassle. Better we collaborate—you provide the tech, I handle operations.”
Qu Corporation had always been mild-mannered in business circles, much like Qu Yiling’s temperament. They got along with other families; Rong Jin and Su Qingqiu had collaborated with her before.
Su Qingqiu thought, if so, why couldn’t they team up?
Their core businesses overlapped significantly.
They could join forces.
Rong Jin stayed quiet.
Su Qingqiu grew anxious, her fingers unconsciously tightening on her clothes.
She sneaked a glance with her peripheral vision, then quickly looked away.
Whenever she tried to take initiative to close the gap, she felt deeply uncomfortable.
No experience in this.
And afraid of rejection.
Su Qingqiu took a deep breath inwardly.
Be brave.
But if…
Rong Jin refused.
Just once.
She probably wouldn’t have the courage again.
Rong Jin still said nothing.
Su Qingqiu dropped her eyes to the floor patterns.
She said softly, “After all, I hold shares in Rong Corporation now. If we nail this project together, Rong’s stock will rise, and I can cash in too. Win-win for both.”
“What do you think?”
Su Qingqiu kept her head down, unaware that Rong Jin had been watching her eyes all along.
Rong Jin saw the hesitation, probing, expectation, confusion, even fear in them—all pieced into fragile glass, veiled by her lowered lashes.
If not looking closely, no one would notice.
She realized—this was how she’d always been.
She…
Who could refuse such a her?
Rong Jin agreed. “Okay, let’s collaborate.”
……
Aunt Zhao answered Yang Wanwan’s call in the kitchen. “Madam, what’s up?”
Yang Wanwan’s voice came through. “Aunt Zhao, ask Qingqiu if she can come home this weekend for dinner. I want to see her.”
Since Su Qingqiu married and moved out, even after divorce and having a child, she’d never returned to live.
As her mother, Yang Wanwan missed her and wanted her home more.
Aunt Zhao glanced at the two eating at the table and whispered, “Madam, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Miss Rong had a car accident abroad, injured her legs. She’s staying here now, and our miss has been taking care of her.”
Yang Wanwan fell silent for a long time.
She held her phone, staring out the window in a daze.
She knew Su Qingqiu very well and instantly understood what Su Qingqiu wanted to do.
If that was the case…
Outside the window stretched a garden. She gazed at the lush green foliage, tears flickering at the corners of her eyes.
She wiped her eyes and said in a low voice, “Then don’t tell Qingqiu that I asked her to come back for dinner. Find an excuse and see if you can leave for a while first, then come back after some time.”
Aunt Zhao was initially puzzled, but knowing Yang Wanwan’s thoughts, she quickly understood her meaning.
“Yes, Madam. I understand.”
