That remark floated lightly, as if Sheng Shubai had only made it in passing.
Yet Shi Mengxi’s heart skipped a beat.
She instinctively lifted her gaze to meet Sheng Shubai’s, then hastily looked away. The woman’s eyes held such profound meaning, as if she had already pieced together the entire story.
But she had heard clearly—Lu Jia hadn’t revealed a single detail to her. How could she possibly…?
No, it couldn’t be.
Shi Mengxi barely managed to steady her mind. Professor Sheng’s words must have simply referred to her skipping class.
After finishing her wontons, Sheng Shubai deftly cleared the bowls and utensils from the table, washed them clean in the kitchen, bid them goodbye, and left through the door.
She acted entirely as if she weren’t a guest at all.
Even Lu Jia quietly ate her own bowl without finding anything improper about having Sheng Shubai wash the dishes.
Shi Mengxi looked at the neat and obedient little junior in front of her, dying to ask what exactly her relationship was with Professor Sheng.
Back at the college, she had occasionally seen the two of them together.
Lu Jia’s attitude toward Sheng Shubai was friendly, but only slightly more familiar than with others. Even holding hands didn’t prove anything.
Compared to that young professor from the neighboring department who was always glued to girls from the Literature College, Shi Mengxi’s imagination ran wild.
But seeing their private interactions now felt terribly off.
Hesitating, she spoke up. “Xiao Lu, are you… dating Professor Sheng?”
The topic was too sensitive. It was only because she had confessed her own hidden feelings to Lu Jia the night before, spilling her secret, that asking now didn’t feel too intrusive.
Lu Jia paused with her spoon, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. Her first instinct wasn’t to deny it.
She pondered for a few seconds without answering. Instead, she turned to Shi Mengxi. “Senior Sister, what is ‘liking’ someone?”
It was over.
Seeing Lu Jia’s expression, Shi Mengxi’s curiosity, which had been at seventy or eighty percent, shattered into full realization.
The dazed reaction of a heart moved yet unaware.
She had experienced it herself once—how could she not recognize it?
Shi Mengxi chose her words carefully, speaking slowly and deliberately under Lu Jia’s earnest, seeking gaze.
“‘Liking’ is wanting to get close to her.”
Lu Jia thought back seriously. She did want to get close to Sheng Shubai.
The woman’s hands were always a bit cool. With the weather turning colder, every time they met, Lu Jia would first take hold of Sheng Shubai’s hand, warming it with her own body heat.
Palm first clasping fingertips, then gradually enveloping the whole palm until they shared the same warmth.
“‘Thinking of her makes you happy, makes you smile without realizing it.'”
It was clearly Sheng Shubai’s interesting personality.
Lu Jia silently countered in her mind, though she knew her excuse didn’t hold water.
Being with the woman felt comfortable. Every few days, she’d tease her with a remark that was never offensive—Lu Jia just saw it as Sheng Shubai’s affectionate way of treating her.
Sheng Shubai had asked why she didn’t smile more often, unaware that Lu Jia smiled even less around others.
“‘Wanting to hug her.'”
Afterward, they always embraced for a little while, soothing each other’s lingering emotions.
The mature woman’s curves were exceptionally soft. Those two beautiful arcs pressed against her own, their heartbeats squeezing close—Lu Jia loved it.
Not only that, having grown used to being Sheng Shubai’s pillow when she slept, Lu Jia now navigated hugs with ease, effortlessly finding the most comfortable position in the woman’s arms.
“‘Wanting to use an intimate form of address.'”
Lu Jia thought this one didn’t quite fit. Off the bed, she always called her Miss Sheng.
The woman had suggested calling her “older sister” a few times early on, but Lu Jia hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it.
Later in Z City, “Shubai-jiejie” had been on the tip of her tongue. If Sheng Shubai had asked once more, she might have said it—but the woman hadn’t.
In the end, she still hadn’t called her “jiejie” off the bed.
So… it probably didn’t count as wanting an intimate address.
“‘Wanting to feel sorry for her.'”
Those simple four words made Lu Jia’s heart tremble.
She recalled many moments, the clearest from those days in Z City. Every time Sheng Shubai’s brows knit in distress, Lu Jia wanted to hug her.
Each time, the woman would compose herself and chat as usual. Lu Jia knew Sheng Shubai didn’t want others to see her vulnerable side, so she pretended not to notice and suppressed her own feelings to keep things normal.
But Lu Jia knew she was feeling sorry for her.
“‘Wanting—to kiss her.'” Shi Mengxi’s voice trailed off lightly as she averted her gaze awkwardly.
This one definitely fit.
Lu Jia unconsciously licked her lips, reminiscing about the feel of kissing Sheng Shubai.
She hadn’t kissed anyone else and wasn’t sure if the detailed psychological descriptions in novels and movies, down to every frame, were accurate.
Their first kiss had been initiated by Sheng Shubai, less than half an hour after they met.
Though the intent was to heighten the mood, the experience had been wonderful.
Lips and teeth entwining in gentle sucking kisses.
Even now, their kisses followed that style, from clumsy to proficient.
After nearly half a minute of savoring the memory of their last kiss, and seeing Shi Mengxi hadn’t continued, Lu Jia realized she had finished.
Five out of six points matched perfectly.
The one about the address, which Lu Jia was reluctant to admit, still counted as half a match in her mind.
It seemed… she did like her.
Liking the professor from the neighboring department—the rival her mentor disapproved of, her landlord and neighbor… and the person she had a contract with, her friends-with-benefits.
They had only known each other for a few months, yet unknowingly, Sheng Shubai had taken on so many roles in her life.
But what she liked was simply Sheng Shubai herself, nothing else.
Lu Jia thought of the new contract they had just signed.
She pursed her lips and looked up at Shi Mengxi.
The latter had been agonizing over her own failed crush moments ago and was now worrying about Lu Jia’s feelings too.
Her fingertips tightened around the spoon as Lu Jia said softly, “Senior Sister, there’s something… I want to ask you about.”
–
At C University’s College Building in the College of Fine Arts.
Rong Yi frowned at her restless sister sitting before her. “Xiaoyu, what’s wrong?”
That morning, she had received Lu Jia’s reply confirming that Shi Mengxi had stayed over at her place the night before, which finally put her mind at ease.
She planned to move out of the apartment in C University Faculty Apartments. Now… she was no longer suitable to live under the same roof as Shi Mengxi.
So late the night before, she had contacted her sister, who ran a studio out of town.
Rong Yi explained her intention: she wanted to borrow Rong Yu’s place for a while.
Rong Yu’s apartment wasn’t far from C University—it was one her family had specifically chosen for her after she turned eighteen, saying it was convenient for visiting her sister.
Originally, Rong Yi had planned for Rong Yu to mail the keys that day.
But by noon, her sister had shown up at her office in person, keys in hand, looking fresh as a daisy.
This was already the umpteenth time she had peered out the window. Rong Yi glanced out while asking, “Sis, hasn’t work started? Don’t the other professors need to come to their offices?”
“If it’s the one you’re asking about, she really doesn’t come to the College Building often.”
Rong Yi’s brows remained cold.
Who knew what grudge she had with Sheng Shubai from a past life.
Back when she was a junior, she and Sheng Shubai had been college roommates.
That year, Rong Yu was seventeen and, heartbroken after a breakup, boldly sneaked into a bar to drown her sorrows.
By the time Rong Yi saw the location in her social feed and rushed over, she found Sheng Shubai holding her sister, her posture and tone as flirtatious as could be.
In public, the woman’s lips nearly brushed Rong Yu’s as she said, “Thanks? So how do you want to thank your big sister?”
Her hand rested perfectly on Rong Yu’s waist.
Rong Yi nearly lost it right there, suppressing her icy rage to demand, “Have you gone mad? Xiaoyu is only seventeen—an underage girl, and you still go for it?!”
Fuming, she dragged her drunken sister, who slurred her words and clung to Sheng Shubai refusing to let go, back home by force.
But her little sister, four years younger, was hopeless, dazzled by that vixen’s looks.
From that night on, Rong Yi had pointed at Sheng Shubai in the college group photo, telling Rong Yu to memorize the face and stay as far away as possible.
She had forgotten her sister was a face-connoisseur. Staring at the photo, her eyes lit up, insisting she liked Sheng Shubai.
She even came to C University whenever she could, using visits to Rong Yi as an excuse to sneak peeks at the woman.
Already not fond of this roommate’s personality and ways, Rong Yi grew even colder toward Sheng Shubai afterward.
Soon, she moved out of the dorm to cut off any excuses.
From seventeen to twenty-two, when Rong Yu enrolled as an undergrad at C University, she paraded in front of Sheng Shubai every few days. Rejected openly and subtly multiple times, she still wouldn’t give up.
Rong Yi had nagged her endlessly, countless times, before finally giving up—she simply couldn’t control this wayward sister.
It wasn’t until Rong Yu went to grad school out of province and became more steady after two years of work that Rong Yi stopped hearing her mention Sheng Shubai.
Over the years, they had clashed several times over exhibitions, so Rong Yi couldn’t stand Sheng Shubai, and Sheng Shubai gave her no good looks either.
These past few months, thanks to Lu Jia and Sheng Family matters, their relationship had thawed slightly.
Now, with Rong Yu coming over and inquiring about that woman, how could Rong Yi not grow wary?
“Have you been in touch lately? Who initiated it?”
Rong Yu guiltily touched her nose.
Earlier that year, a friend’s younger sister wanted to apply to C University’s Watercolor Department.
She had meant to ask her big sister, but scrolling through her contacts, she spotted Sheng Shubai, whom she hadn’t messaged in years, and on a whim, sent her a message.
Using inquiries as a pretext, they occasionally chatted.
Rong Yu always initiated, but Sheng Shubai replied in detail.
Recently on a trip, Rong Yu had carefully selected a souvenir and mailed it to Sheng Shubai as a token of thanks for the bother.
Sheng Shubai accepted it and even asked for Rong Yu’s birthday to send her a gift in return.
Coincidentally, it was at the end of this month.
That was one reason Rong Yu had come in person.
Her studio wasn’t busy lately, and as the boss, she could give herself time off with no issue—maybe even get Sheng Shubai to deliver the birthday gift personally.
The other reason was her confusion over why Rong Yi, living comfortably in her apartment, suddenly wanted to stay at hers.
She had asked twice from noon until now, but Rong Yi dodged, saying only that she wanted a change of scenery.
Rong Yu didn’t get it—what was inconvenient?
Her sister had never been picky about living arrangements, and the C University faculty apartments were newly built a few years ago, with excellent conditions.
As far as she knew, a student lived with Rong Yi too, so she wasn’t lonely.
Had something happened?
Rong Yu ventured cautiously, “Sis, that student of yours—”
The moment her sister started speaking, Rong Yi stood abruptly and headed out.
Rong Yu’s words caught in her throat as she hurried to catch up. “Sis, wait for me. The cleaners haven’t finished over there yet.”
They hadn’t gone far when she slammed to a halt, nearly bumping into Rong Yi’s back.
About to ask why her sister had stopped so suddenly, her gaze froze. Over Rong Yi’s shoulder, she locked eyes with the woman approaching from the front.
“Xiaoyu?”
Sheng Shubai, bag in hand, had just turned the corner. “What a coincidence. How come you’re in C City?”
Rong Yu flashed a bright smile and stepped to the side, standing beside Rong Yi. “Sheng-jiejie, long time no see. The studio’s slow lately, so I came for a vacation and to visit my sister.”
Despite the subtle glare from her sister, Rong Yu kept smiling radiantly.
Sheng Shubai nodded. “Perfect timing. I was going to mail the printmaking piece to you, but now I can give it directly.”
It was the collectible Rong Yu had mentioned before—not terribly valuable, but with a rare technique.
“Thanks, Sheng-jiejie—”
Rong Yu took another step forward, grabbing Sheng Shubai’s hand and shaking it affectionately.
Rong Yi clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to yank her sister back.
Around the corner at the stairwell, Lu Jia stood quietly with her tablet in hand.
She had arrived at an inopportune moment, hearing the entire conversation from start to finish.
Including that form of address.
