Chapter 19

Shu Qingyou didn’t deceive her. She specially drove her to a decent restaurant in the city.

But this was the result just an hour after Lin Xu’s tearful lament. Her tear glands seemed activated by Shu Qingyou’s switch—simple words could crumble her defenses.

“You… how can you say such cruel things with that 36-degree mouth of yours?”

Lin Xu cried as she accused her, crumpling tissue after tissue into balls, her face a picture of pear blossoms bathed in rain.

She even wondered if Shu Qingyou had a heart of iron. She had already humbled herself to the dust, yet Shu Qingyou let her cry alone in numb silence.

Behind them, Shu Rong lost her playful mood due to Lin Xu’s sudden sobs. She stared blankly at her mom and the mean big sister.

The mean big sister’s tears were even more than hers. Shu Rong secretly felt happy—Mom was amazing at dealing with the mean big sister.

Finally, Shu Qingyou couldn’t resist the flood of sympathy. Besides, making a scene like an adult in front of her daughter was embarrassing.

She led Lin Xu to the bathroom and twisted on the faucet.

“Stop crying. Wash your face, and later I’ll take you out to eat.”

Lin Xu petulantly shook off the hand on her arm. The sound of running water didn’t mask her extreme dissatisfaction.

“You’re treating me like I’m three-year-old Shu Rong! I’m so mad I could burst, and you say you’ll take care of me until I recover my memories? You’re lying!”

“But last night, you really did recover your memories.”

As for Lin Xu’s shift back to her cheerful little puppy self that morning—a rollercoaster from one extreme to another—Shu Qingyou had no interest in appreciating it. She considered herself a normal person and couldn’t treat it with equanimity.

One way today, back to the irredeemable old self tomorrow—it wasn’t much different from split personality.

Lin Xu remembered none of it. Shu Qingyou reminded her not to waste water.

Lin Xu lowered her head, cupping warm water in her palms. The hot liquid splashed her cheeks, wetting the stray hairs on her forehead.

With her water-slicked face, she turned it into the pitiful expression of “You bullied me, so you have to take responsibility.”

“It doesn’t count. Today’s me is today’s me, yesterday’s me was yesterday’s me. No one can step into the same river twice.”

Her IQ was still intact. Shu Qingyou’s eyebrow twitched at this seemingly serious philosophical logic.

“Then I’m not me anymore either.”

Now it was Lin Xu’s turn to be stunned. Water droplets clung to her lashes, a few sticking together, sparkling.

“Yesterday’s me hadn’t yet thought of sending you home. Today’s me has changed her mind.”

“You’re jumping to conclusions based on your own perspective without considering me.”

Shu Qingyou was used to taking care of Lin Xu, treating her like a big child. She held a towel and gently wiped Lin Xu’s face with care.

“Don’t argue with me. I won’t change my decision just because you’re trying to please me.”

Did that mean Shu Qingyou was going to abandon her? The thought of never seeing Shu Qingyou again poured over her like a bucket of cold water.

Her mind buzzed in a daze. She urgently grabbed Shu Qingyou’s wrist and strode forward, pinning her against the bathroom wall.

Lin Xu didn’t dare use too much force, cushioning Shu Qingyou’s head with her palm. Her scorching breath matched her frantic mindset, desperate to stick to Shu Qingyou.

By coincidence, Lin Xu gripped right at Shu Qingyou’s old scar.

It hadn’t hurt for a long time ago, but psychological effects created phantom pain.

Now roughly handled by Lin Xu, she lowered her gaze, furrowed her brows, and ignored the dull ache from her wrist.

Inevitably, Shu Qingyou recalled how Lin Xu had torn off the Inhibitor Patch the night before. Her gaze lingered on Lin Xu’s neck.

The smooth skin revealed a small, pale Gland that was swelling, a layer of pink mist drifting from the opening.

Given Lin Xu’s eager impatience, the Gland showed signs of expansion, on the verge of secreting floral Pheromones.

“Shu-jie, tell me—did I do something super outrageous last night, so now you’re determined to chase me away without explanation?”

Lin Xu’s breath was scorching hot, her lowered voice sliding past Shu Qingyou’s ear, sending a tingling numbness to her eartip.

“No, you were perfectly normal.”

The lukewarm response irked Lin Xu.

“No way. I had a dream where I bullied you.”

Shu Qingyou was wary of their position. She looked down at her slippers, avoiding Lin Xu’s eyes.

This fool still hadn’t remembered. She said softly, “Dreams are the opposite of reality.”

“It’s real! Daydreams are the ones that are reversed.”

What could Shu Qingyou say, pinned against the wall?

Lin Xu felt a surge of hot frustration. She gripped Shu Qingyou’s jaw. Shu Qingyou didn’t resist, a trace of disdain flashing faintly in her eyes.

A quiet pang hit Lin Xu’s heart. Her eye corners burned red as she captured Shu Qingyou’s pretty cherry lips.

She pressed with restrained knuckles, but her thumb harbored mischief, rubbing the plump lower lip.

“Shu-jie, what exactly did I do? Please, don’t hide it from me.”

The past replayed. Lin Xu loved doing this—acting superior, viewing others as insignificant tools for her pleasure.

Lin Xu’s fingertips carried intense desire, signaling she wanted a kiss. Shu Qingyou knew it all too well.

How long before Lin Xu kissed her?

Her throat bobbed. Mist veiled Lin Xu’s eyes, sweet fragrance close at hand. Yet Shu Qingyou felt like a lost little boat, the distant lighthouse dimmed.

Time ticked by. Shu Rong grew worried. She stood outside the bathroom, the door locked tight.

She pawed at it with her little claws, knocking rhythmically, afraid to startle Mom.

Lin Xu snapped to. Her eyes red, she released her hold.

Shu Qingyou lifted her gaze, cold as an autumn night moon, devoid of emotion. Her usual warmth had vanished.

“Lin Xu, can you act a little more mature?”

Her lips pressed into a straight line. Lin Xu bit her teeth and said nothing. She yanked open the door. Shu Rong, clinging to it, tumbled onto Lin Xu’s leg.

Lin Xu glanced down and forced a smile. This little thing sure protected her mom.

“Don’t worry. Only your mom picks on me. Don’t get in the way.”

Afterward, Lin Xu swallowed her anger and sat in the passenger seat. Her cried-swollen eyes still expressed grievance.

Winter approached. The sky gradually turned leaden gray. The empty horizon echoed with birdsong, withered flowers and grass exposed.

Shu Qingyou remained silent. As they drove toward the city, Lin Xu couldn’t bear it.

Helpless and hurt, she muttered, “Are you taking me to the police station? Like that time you joked about selling me to your teacher.”

She hadn’t expected Lin Xu to hold a grudge over that little joke.

She didn’t reply directly. At the red light ahead, she patiently explained.

“First, I promised to take you to eat. Second, my teacher’s wife is a painter who occasionally uses girls like you as life models.”

Realizing it was a misunderstanding, Lin Xu said “oh” and continued accusing her righteously.

“Once your teacher figures out the reason, you’ll dump me.”

Was this meant to guilt her? Half right—she wasn’t dumping her; they would part ways eventually. Better to forget each other in the rivers and lakes sooner, for both their sakes.

“Are you afraid to face it alone, or…”

Lin Xu clammed up. Could she say she couldn’t bear to part? That she’d fallen in love at first sight, desperate to see Shu Qingyou’s face from waking to sleeping?

To stay mature, speak less—like Shu Qingyou. She zipped her lips, stubborn as a duck.

Shu Qingyou’s home wasn’t too far from the city. At the restaurant, she asked what Lin Xu wanted. But Lin Xu refused to open her mouth no matter what.

Shu Qingyou ordered for her. Shu Rong loved sweets; the strawberry mini cake arrived first. Her eyes lit up as she stuffed her cheeks contentedly.

Lin Xu glanced over. Just an ordinary cake—why devour it like that?

“How is Rongrong so skinny like a matchstick?”

“She’s a picky eater.”

It was clear Shu Qingyou cared meticulously for Shu Rong’s nutrition. Lin Xu thought, not just a daughter—if she had a pet, she’d splurge on its favorites.

Soon, fragrant meats and vibrant greens filled the table. Lin Xu was instantly drawn to the high-calorie American fried chicken and the complimentary ice cream scoop.

In three bites, the vanilla ice cream vanished into her stomach.

As for the fried chicken, Lin Xu held back a bit and asked coyly, “You and Rongrong aren’t eating any. Don’t you like it?”

Shu Qingyou chewed her vegetables slowly, swallowed, her gaze lingering on the sauce at Lin Xu’s lip corner.

“Don’t waste it. It’s all yours.”

Lin Xu hadn’t spoken, but when the menu showed the fried chicken picture, her eyes had paused there for two seconds.

With those words, Lin Xu devoured most of the food without guilt.

“Eat slower. We’re not competing with you.”

Shu Qingyou used a wet wipe to clean the grease from Lin Xu’s mouth. How strange— what kind of hard life had Lin Xu lived before?

Lin Xu froze. Shu Qingyou had done this natural gesture more than once. Her eyes lingered on the plastic gloves from the chicken.

Panic surged. Had Shu Qingyou been this intimate with her before?

Like ants on a hot pan, her face flushed and heart raced. She took the wipe, her voice shrinking.

“Shu-jie, I…”

“Hm?”

Shu Qingyou showed no more than friendliness.

“Nothing. I can do it myself.”

She wiped her lips dejectedly, sipped fragrant barley tea, and lost her appetite. She kept stealing glances at Shu Qingyou.

Timing it right, Shu Qingyou opened the navigation. The car still had some distance to go.

Noticing Lin Xu’s probing gaze, she said flatly, “Not full? If you want more, we can only get takeout.”

Shu Qingyou was neither cold nor warm toward her. Lin Xu didn’t press, shaking her head that she was full. Shu Qingyou casually asked about the bill.

Lin Xu, insecure about money, was extra sensitive—even suspecting if her upkeep was too costly, making Shu Qingyou want to ditch her.

Once amplified, she couldn’t help checking the price. Her heart sank halfway—this meal cost nearly two thousand.

Lin Xu instantly turned glum.

“Stomach upset?”

Buckling her seatbelt, Shu Qingyou turned to see Lin Xu pulling a face and clutching her belly.

“No, I was just thinking, Shu-jie, is your life always kinda tight, or do you just live frugally?”

The navigation beeped. Shu Qingyou replied naturally.

“If you’re worried about my finances, no need. At least I can afford Rongrong.”

During the year with Lin Xu, Lin Xu had helped pay off her debts. Shu Qingyou had sold some works through Lin Xu and her teacher’s connections, earning decent money.

She could easily afford the ten million severance. Initially, she thought if she spent it, their ties would sever completely.

Later, after the Marking surgery, the dependency ended. She proactively cut ties with the ten million, never touching it.

Why bring up the child? Lin Xu checked the phone map—not the way home.

“Are we meeting someone else?”

“A friend.”

For some reason, Lin Xu felt alert. “Who?”

“My ex-girlfriend.”