Captivating Beauty 107p1

Chapter 107 p1

The car windows were closed, the sunlight streaming through the glass, illuminating Xu Jinnan’s pale face, her expression tense.

“What are you doing here?” Shen Shu asked, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, not looking at Xu Jinnan.

“I came to take you home,” Xu Jinnan replied softly.

Shen Shu turned to her, her voice cold. “We’re divorced.”

The words, so calm and indifferent, made Xu Jinnan’s heart ache. She took a deep breath, about to speak, when Shen Shu continued, “Weren’t you afraid of your sensitivity? Why aren’t you afraid now?”

Xu Jinnan’s lips tightened. “Shu Shu, are you hurt?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper, her concern for Shen Shu overriding her own pain.

Shen Shu’s gaze flickered over the faint bruises on Xu Jinnan’s wrists, visible beneath the cuffs of her long sleeves, then she looked away, suppressing the sudden ache in her chest. “Even if I am, it’s none of your business.”

Xu Jinnan’s fingers clenched, turning white.

“You haven’t answered my question,” Shen Shu said.

“I went to the hospital this morning…” Xu Jinnan began, then told Shen Shu about her conversation with Professor Qin.

Shen Shu’s worry eased slightly, hearing the news, but her voice remained cold. “So, now that you’re better, you decided to come back? Like nothing ever happened?” she asked, her tone sharp.

The closed windows and the lack of air circulation made the car feel stuffy, the silence amplifying the tension between them.

Xu Jinnan had rehearsed this conversation countless times in her mind, preparing for Shen Shu’s anger, her accusations, but her coldness, her indifference, still stung, her carefully constructed composure crumbling.

“No, that’s not why I’m here. I realized I was wrong,” she said, her voice soft. “Shu Shu, I’m sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have made that decision alone, leaving you to deal with everything.”

Shen Shu looked away, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery. “There’s no need for apologies. Let’s just find a time to finalize the divorce,” she said, her voice flat.

Xu Jinnan’s heart sank.

Even with a signed divorce agreement, they still had to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to finalize it.

She had imagined this moment countless times, their final parting, the official end of their marriage.

But she had never been able to picture it clearly, the thought of it always bringing tears to her eyes.

And now, Shen Shu was saying the words aloud, her voice cold and indifferent, a finality that made Xu Jinnan’s heart ache.

“But we’re… permanently marked,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Shen Shu didn’t look at her. “It can be removed. It’s painful, but it’s not fatal,” she replied calmly.

“And you might be… pregnant.”

“That’s not your concern. I can handle it,” Shen Shu said, her voice still cold. “If you’re worried about… taking responsibility, or the possibility of a child… there’s no need.”

Xu Jinnan’s vision blurred, the sunlight suddenly too bright, and she couldn’t even see Shen Shu clearly, the words caught in her throat, unable to speak.

“Xu Jinnan, are you hurting?” Shen Shu asked, her gaze fixed on Xu Jinnan’s face.

“Yes,” Xu Jinnan whispered, her voice hoarse.

Seeing the tears welling up in Shen Shu’s eyes, she knew Shen Shu was being deliberately cruel, her words a mirror of Xu Jinnan’s own coldness, her indifference, the pain of seeing the divorce agreement, the unanswered messages, the empty apartment.

“Shu Shu, I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Shen Shu brushed away her hand, her tears flowing freely now.

Xu Jinnan couldn’t bear it any longer, pulling Shen Shu into a hug, her hand gently stroking her hair. “I was wrong. I hurt you, and I’m sorry. Shu Shu, please forgive me,” she pleaded, her fingers tangling in Shen Shu’s soft hair, her cheek resting against her head, feeling the warmth of Shen Shu’s tears against her neck.

Her own eyes filled with tears. “I regret it. I regret it so much. I was so stupid,” she whispered, her voice breaking. She had thought she was protecting Shen Shu, but she had only hurt her.

Shen Shu pushed her away. “I wasn’t afraid of the danger, or the potential damage to my career. Xu Jinnan, I was afraid of giving you my heart, only to be abandoned,” she said, her voice trembling, her tears flowing freely now, her sobs shaking her body. “I thought our love was stronger than this, that you would trust me, that you would have faith in us, but you didn’t. You chose the most cruel way to hurt me, and what hurts even more is that you actually… considered leaving me. You wanted a divorce.”

Xu Jinnan’s own tears flowed freely now, and she reached for Shen Shu’s hand. “Hit me. Take out your anger on me,” she pleaded.

Shen Shu pulled her hand away, her sobs intensifying.

Xu Jinnan pulled her back into her arms, her hand gently stroking Shen Shu’s back, her heart aching.

“I know I was wrong… wifey, let’s not get divorced. Let’s just… be together,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

They held each other, their bodies trembling with sobs, their tears mingling.

After a while, Shen Shu’s voice, hoarse and broken, whispered, “Will you ever do this again?”

“Never,” Xu Jinnan replied, her arms tightening around Shen Shu. She would never hurt her again.

“Xu Jinnan, do you know how painful it is to remove a permanent mark?”

Xu Jinnan gently cupped Shen Shu’s face in her hands, wiping away her tears. “I do,” she whispered. “When you said you would have it removed, my heart ached. I was terrified.” She had heard that even with anesthesia, the pain could last for days.

Even knowing Shen Shu’s words had been meant to hurt her, the thought of it, the image of Shen Shu enduring such pain, was unbearable.

“Next time, I won’t forgive you, even if you beg me,” Shen Shu said, her voice still slightly hoarse.

Xu Jinnan’s heart lurched. “There won’t be a next time,” she whispered, her gaze fixed on Shen Shu’s face, her thumb gently caressing her cheek. “Not even in death.”

She leaned in, her lips finding Shen Shu’s, the kiss soft and tender at first, then deepening, their bodies moving closer, their arms entwined.

Shen Shu’s heart pounded, her body relaxing against Xu Jinnan’s, her own desire flaring.

Xu Jinnan pulled away slightly, her voice husky. “Wifey, let’s go home.”

—

As they got out of the car at Xingcheng International, Xu Jinnan noticed a flash of light from across the street and realized it was a paparazzo with a camera.

She was about to confront them when Shen Shu stopped her. “Let it go,” she said.

It was a cool, damp evening, the wind rustling the leaves of the trees lining the street, and Xu Jinnan, pulling Shen Shu’s coat tighter around her, asked, “Why?”

Shen Shu’s arm snaked around her neck, pulling her closer, her lips finding Xu Jinnan’s in a soft, lingering kiss.

“Let them take pictures,” she murmured, a playful glint in her eyes, her usual coldness replaced by a captivating allure.

Xu Jinnan, her gaze softening, her heart melting, whispered, “As you wish.”

She took Shen Shu’s hand and they walked towards the building, their fingers intertwined.

—

Inside the apartment, before even taking off their shoes, Xu Jinnan leaned in, her lips finding Shen Shu’s, their bodies close, the sound of their heels clicking against the floor as they moved together, like a slow, intimate dance.

After a brief pause, Shen Shu’s hand gently grasped Xu Jinnan’s wrist, her voice soft. “We should… reapply the ointment later…”

“Where did you learn that?” Xu Jinnan asked, her voice husky, her lips brushing against Shen Shu’s ear. “Bringing handcuffs to a… reconciliation? You planned this, didn’t you?”

“I did,” Shen Shu admitted, her voice a soft murmur.

She had known Xu Jinnan would be hesitant, afraid of hurting her, so she had taken matters into her own hands.

And the alcohol had also been a deliberate choice, though she didn’t tell Xu Jinnan that.

“After talking to Professor Qin, I thought, if I can’t be close to you, then I’ll make this… our last time. Even if it means… hurting,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She had made her decision before coming to find Xu Jinnan.

“I just wanted you to know that even if we can’t be together, I still want to be… connected to you.”

“Xu Jinnan, don’t ever leave me again,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Xu Jinnan, looking into Shen Shu’s tear-filled eyes, her heart aching with a mixture of love, guilt, and regret, gently kissed her eyelids.

“Never again,” she whispered, then lifted Shen Shu into her arms and carried her to the bathroom.

.

An hour later, she carried Shen Shu, wrapped in a towel, back to the bedroom, her hair still damp, a few droplets of water clinging to the delicate skin of her collarbone, the faint red marks a reminder of their earlier passion.

“Where are you going?” Shen Shu asked as Xu Jinnan turned to leave.

“Just a moment,” Xu Jinnan replied, then returned a few minutes later, a small, black box in her hand.

She knelt down in front of Shen Shu, opening the box, and looked up at her, her eyes serious. “Shu Shu, will you marry me?”

They were already married, but it had been Shen Shu and the original Xu Jinnan, and then there was the divorce…

So, this proposal was different.

This was her proposal, a promise, a new beginning.

Shen Shu, understanding her intention, her eyes widening slightly in surprise, then a playful smile touching her lips, nudged Xu Jinnan’s shoulder with her foot. “Xu Jinnan, is this how you propose? You’re not being very sincere, are you?”

Xu Jinnan’s gaze lingered on Shen Shu’s ankle, the silver anklet she had given her sparkling in the dim light, then she looked up at Shen Shu, her voice soft and sincere. “I thought about it a lot, but everything felt… insufficient. And I couldn’t wait any longer… Shu Shu, if you like flowers, I’ll plant you a garden. If you like shrimp, I’ll peel them for you for the rest of our lives. If you like reading, I’ll read with you. We’ll go to the beach in the summer, and I’ll warm your feet in the winter…”

“You can manage our finances, and I’ll always put you first, no matter what. I’ll never leave you again. I’ll never hurt you again.”

“I love you,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I love you so much.”

Shen Shu’s eyes glistened with tears as she looked at the ring, the diamond sparkling in the soft light.

“But it’s not very romantic,” she said, her voice teasing.

Xu Jinnan’s lips curved downwards; she knew it wasn’t romantic, but after hearing Shen Shu’s words in the car, seeing her tears, she had felt a desperate need to reassure her, to prove her love.

She loved Shen Shu, but she hadn’t been good enough.

She had to do something, anything.

“Then… I…” she began, her hand reaching for the ring, then stopping, a sudden wave of self-doubt, a fear of rejection. Everyone wanted a romantic proposal.

She should have planned this better.

Shen Shu’s hand, pale and slender, reached out and took the ring. “But I’ll accept it anyway,” she said, her voice soft, her eyes meeting Xu Jinnan’s, a playful glint in their depths. “Seriously, can’t you even put on a ring properly?”

Xu Jinnan’s own eyes reddened, and she chuckled, gently taking Shen Shu’s hand and sliding the ring onto her finger, then, lifting her hand to her lips, kissed it softly.

“Wifey…” she murmured.

“Yes?” Shen Shu replied, her gaze fixed on Xu Jinnan’s lips as they brushed against her finger.

Xu Jinnan’s tongue traced the outline of Shen Shu’s finger. “So, should we discuss… the other matter now?” she asked, her voice husky.

The sound of rain against the window, the cool breeze drifting in through the slightly open window, the delicate branches of the rosebush trembling slightly in the wind…

“I love you,” Shen Shu whispered.

“Say that again,” Xu Jinnan murmured, her voice barely audible above the rain.

“I love you,” Shen Shu repeated.

In the darkness, her hand reached out, her fingers gently tracing the damp skin of Xu Jinnan’s arm. “Are you saying that now because you love me, or because…”

Xu Jinnan’s breath hitched. “You’re accusing me? You know that’s not true,” she said, her voice slightly strained.

“Not true what?”

Xu Jinnan’s lips found Shen Shu’s, her voice a soft murmur against her mouth. “I love you. I love your eyes, your nose, your lips, your collarbone… everything about you. I love doing… everything with you… As long as it’s you, I love it.”

Shen Shu’s arms tightened around Xu Jinnan’s waist. “Xu Jinnan,” she whispered, “I love you too.”

That night, as winter approached, a spring rain fell, the soft patter against the windows a gentle lullaby.

–

The next morning, the weather was still gloomy, the sun hidden behind a thick layer of clouds, only occasionally peeking through.

Xu Jinnan went to the Special Ward to see Lu Yun.

Shen Shu accompanied her, but she waited outside while Xu Jinnan went in alone.

Li Lan had said the other Xu family members had confessed, but Lu Yun had remained silent, her demeanor strangely detached, her responses vague and evasive, only reacting when Xu Jinnan’s name was mentioned.

She had asked to see her.

Li Lan had asked Xu Jinnan if she wanted to see her.

Xu Jinnan hadn’t, but she had also felt a pull, a lingering sense of… obligation, a remnant of the original Xu Jinnan’s emotions.

It had been faint, almost imperceptible, but still there.

She had decided to see Lu Yun, to offer both of them a sense of closure.

The last time she had been here, it had been to see Xu Li.

Lu Yun sat across from her, separated by the thick glass partition, and after a long silence, she picked up the phone.

“Nannan, have you eaten yet?” she asked, her voice soft, her gaze fixed on Xu Jinnan’s face, a strange intensity in her eyes.

Xu Jinnan didn’t reply, feeling a sudden unease.

Lu Yun, seemingly not bothered by her silence, continued talking, her voice a soft murmur, the words a stream of memories, a nostalgic recounting of Xu Jinnan’s childhood.

“I remember when you were little, you loved to be in the kitchen. You would always tug at my skirt while I was cooking, asking to help. So, I would give you a small stool and let you wash the vegetables. You were only three, barely able to stand on the stool, so I would hold you steady.”

“The first time I took your picture, you cried when you saw it. I held you and asked why you were crying. You said it was because Mommy wasn’t in the photo.”

“I took you to the garden to see the flowers, and you pricked your finger on a rose thorn while trying to pick one for me. I pulled out all the rose bushes that day.”

“You always followed me around, everywhere I went. You said I was your favorite person in the world. But then… one day, you changed.”

“Your eyes changed,” she said, her gaze hardening as she looked at Xu Jinnan. “Sometimes, I don’t even recognize you as my daughter.”

“Are you even my daughter?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Xu Jinnan wasn’t surprised; it would have been strange if Lu Yun hadn’t questioned it.

She met Lu Yun’s gaze, her own voice cold and steady. “Did you ever see me as your daughter? When you put that powder in my favorite pumpkin pie, did you ever think of me as your daughter?”

Lu Yun’s face paled. “You… you…”

“Of course I’m not your daughter,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice flat, watching as Lu Yun’s eyes widened in shock. “You killed your daughter a long time ago.”

When she had pushed that child into the hands of a monster.

When she had drugged her, afraid of her remembering.

When she had tormented her, her words like poison.

When she had turned a blind eye to Xu Tao’s abuse, becoming his accomplice.

…

The original Xu Jinnan had already died.

Lu Yun’s composure shattered, and she stood up, her eyes blazing with anger. “It wasn’t intentional! I didn’t mean to push you away! It was you! You changed! You looked at me like a stranger! You scared me… you scared me! I drugged you because I was afraid you would hate me! Nannan, you were my only hope!”

“But you still betrayed me! Nannan, you betrayed your mother!”

The officers in the room restrained her.

Xu Jinnan, her hand still on the phone, heard Lu Yun’s desperate cry, “My Nannan would never betray me! You’re not my daughter! Give me back my daughter!”

She looked at Lu Yun coldly, then hung up.

As she left the room, she felt strangely calm, almost detached, as if this wasn’t just the end of her relationship with Lu Yun.

It was the end of the original Xu Jinnan’s relationship with her mother as well.

Li Lan had said that based on this world’s legal system, Lu Yun would likely receive a life sentence.

Perhaps this was their last meeting.

She checked the time. 11:30 a.m.

Shen Shu was waiting for her in the car.

She had a meeting at the studio later that afternoon, and she had planned to talk to Li Lan, then have lunch with Shen Shu.

But as she approached Li Lan’s office, she saw Li Lan talking to Shen Shu.

As she walked over, Li Lan glanced at her, then said, “Alright, you two should go now.”

Xu Jinnan: “…?”

Li Lan smiled faintly, not explaining, and returned to her office.

Xu Jinnan took Shen Shu’s hand and they left, ignoring the curious glances from the other officers.

“What were you talking about?” Xu Jinnan asked as they got into the car.

“I’m not telling you,” Shen Shu replied, her voice playful.

“Huh?”

Shen Shu, finding her confusion endearing, smiled faintly. “You’re cute, Xu Jinnan.”

Xu Jinnan: “…”

She didn’t understand the sudden compliment.

She gently caressed Shen Shu’s hand with her thumb. “Tell me. I’m curious.”

“About… that day in the car, on the way to Qucheng…,” Shen Shu began, then stopped as Xu Jinnan’s hand covered her mouth.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice soft, feeling Shen Shu’s warm breath against her palm, her gaze lingering on Shen Shu’s smiling eyes. “Let’s go get some lunch.”

As she removed her hand, Shen Shu said, “You cried.”

Xu Jinnan: “…”

“Nannan, how did you cry? I want to know,” Shen Shu asked, her voice teasing.

Xu Jinnan, amused by her playfulness, sighed. “You’ve seen me cry before.”

Shen Shu thought about it. She had.

She gently squeezed Xu Jinnan’s fingers, then leaned closer, her lips brushing against Xu Jinnan’s ear. “I’ve even seen you cry in bed,” she whispered.

Xu Jinnan: “…” What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t control it.

Her face warmed slightly, and she buckled Shen Shu’s seatbelt, her lips curving into a smile. “You’re becoming quite the… minx. Teacher Xu didn’t teach you these things.”

“Teacher Xu is too modest. I’ve learned quite a few things,” Shen Shu retorted.

Xu Jinnan chuckled, gently pinching Shen Shu’s waist, then whispered something in her ear that made her earlobes turn bright red.

“You’re annoying. Let’s go eat,” Shen Shu muttered, pushing her away playfully.

Xu Jinnan, satisfied, kissed her softly, then started the car.

–