Chapter 128: Side Story 14
Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu’s long-awaited camping and hot springs trip finally happened the month Shen Shu won Best Actress.
It wasn’t their first time at a hot springs resort; they had been there before with Cai Ying and Tong Jia, but this time, it was just the two of them, a rare opportunity for some alone time, their lives having been consumed by work and family since Shen Yujin’s arrival.
They had even had a minor disagreement a few days ago, a silent cold war sparked by Xu Jinnan’s new assistant.
With Tong Jia pregnant, and despite having a relatively easy pregnancy, Viola, worried about her, had taken two weeks off, increasing Xu Jinnan’s workload.
Not wanting to neglect her work, Xu Jinnan had hired a temporary assistant, a highly competent Beta, who, during a business dinner, had offered to take a few drinks for her.
However, the assistant’s alcohol tolerance had been low, and she had become slightly intoxicated, almost stumbling as they were leaving, and Xu Jinnan, out of concern, had steadied her.
The seemingly innocent gesture had been captured by a photographer, and the photo had quickly gone viral, fueling speculation about Xu Jinnan’s fidelity.
Shen Shu hadn’t said anything when Xu Jinnan returned home that night, her silence a cold, heavy weight in the apartment.
Xu Jinnan, frustrated by Shen Shu’s lack of trust, her refusal to even discuss it, hadn’t tried to appease her, her own pride wounded.
Then, in the middle of the night, she had woken up and, instinctively reaching for Shen Shu, had found the bed empty.
She had heard soft sobs coming from the balcony and had found Shen Shu there, alone in the darkness, her shoulders shaking.
Her heart had ached, and she had spent the rest of the night comforting Shen Shu, apologizing, reassuring her.
Now, holding Shen Shu’s hand, they walked up the mountain path towards the hot springs, a secluded, natural spring, privately owned and meticulously maintained, the open-air baths at the summit accessible only to VIP members with reservations.
“Are you tired?” Xu Jinnan asked, glancing at Shen Shu.
“No, the fresh air is invigorating,” Shen Shu replied, taking a deep breath.
Xu Jinnan smiled. “Our award-winning actress is always so busy,” she said, her voice teasing.
Shen Shu chuckled softly. “And CEO Xu isn’t?”
Xu Jinnan, pulling her closer, her arm circling Shen Shu’s waist, said, “Then we’re even, aren’t we?”
Shen Shu looked at her, her eyes softening. “I shouldn’t have been so cold with you, not talking to you, getting upset without even asking…” she began, her voice soft.
“Why are you apologizing?” Xu Jinnan asked, surprised. “Don’t say that. It makes me nervous.”
Shen Shu chuckled.
“You scared me,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice a mock-whisper.
Shen Shu, seeing no one around, gently pinched Xu Jinnan’s waist. “You’re annoying,” she murmured.
Xu Jinnan, wincing playfully, pulled away slightly. “I understand, wifey. Let’s not talk about that. Today is for us,” she said, her voice gentle. She had understood Shen Shu’s reaction, her jealousy and insecurity.
They had both been busy lately, their schedules increasingly demanding, sometimes going days without seeing each other.
And the photo of her with her assistant had surfaced during one of those periods of separation.
While Shen Shu knew it was nothing, seeing it, reading the comments online, had still been hurtful.
And Xu Jinnan hadn’t been there for her, hadn’t even tried to explain herself.
This trip was partly to make amends, to reconnect, to reassure Shen Shu of her love.
The hot springs were surrounded by artificial rocks and lush greenery, a large open space nearby designated for camping, a small villa offering additional amenities and accommodations.
A safety railing enclosed the summit, the design blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
They arrived a little after 6 p.m., the setting sun casting long shadows, the view from the summit breathtaking, the mountains and valleys below a tapestry of green and gold, a winding road snaking through the landscape like a silver ribbon.
They stood there for a moment, their lips meeting in a long, slow kiss, the warmth of the setting sun on their faces, their shadows intertwined on the ground below.
Xu Jinnan’s forehead rested against Shen Shu’s. “Let’s eat first. It’ll be even more beautiful later,” she whispered.
“Okay,” Shen Shu replied, her voice slightly breathless.
Xu Jinnan took her hand and led her towards the villa, a charming, rustic building with a large red string tree, a popular spot for couples to tie red ribbons, symbolizing their love and commitment, a tradition Xu Jinnan found slightly cheesy.
Shen Shu, however, glanced at it with interest, though she didn’t say anything.
They ordered dinner from the villa’s chef, their choices a silent reflection of their shared intimacy, Xu Jinnan ordering Shen Shu’s favorites, Shen Shu ordering Xu Jinnan’s.
Xu Jinnan, as usual, peeled a shrimp and placed it in Shen Shu’s bowl. “I saw some photos; there are fireflies here at night. We can go see them after dinner. It’s supposed to be beautiful,” she said.
“Nothing is more beautiful than you,” Shen Shu replied, her voice soft.
Xu Jinnan paused, her fingers still holding the peeled shrimp, then she raised an eyebrow, a playful smile on her lips. “Such sweet words, and we haven’t even started dinner yet. Are you trying to bribe me into peeling all these shrimp for you?”
Shen Shu chuckled. “Would you mind?”
“I would be delighted,” Xu Jinnan replied, placing the shrimp in Shen Shu’s bowl. “Here you go, my lady.”
Shen Shu’s lips curved into a smile, and just as they finished their meal and were about to leave for the hot springs, Shen Shu’s phone rang.
It was Tong Jia.
She knew they were here and wouldn’t call unless it was important.
“Hello?”
“Shu Shu, Xu Jinnan is trending again. She’s even more popular than you now,” Tong Jia said, her voice slightly frantic.
Shen Shu frowned. “What’s it about this time?”
“You should check it out. Some ridiculous rumor about Xu Jinnan being an Omega. It’s already climbing the ranks. I’ve asked my team to suppress it,” Tong Jia said.
They both opened Weibo.
In just a few minutes, three hashtags were trending:
#XuJinnanOmega
#XuCorpCEOFakingIt
#XuJinnanImpotent
Xu Jinnan, staring at the last one, thought, Where did they even come up with that?
She clicked on the trending topic, a video of a few people gossiping, their faces blurred.
“I heard it with my own ears. Xu Jinnan is an Omega. And I even paid for some inside information. She’s not just an Omega, she’s a dysfunctional Omega,” one of them said.
“Holy shit, so she’s… impotent?”
“That’s hilarious! But Shen Shu had a baby! So, it’s not hers? Whose is it then?”
“No, no, Shen Shu is still… pure. She adopted the child, remember? They’ve been visiting that orphanage a lot.”
“OMG, this is insane! Why didn’t you post this earlier? This was years ago!”
“I didn’t have the chance! Then I heard about Xu Jinnan’s powerful background, and I got scared. What if she found out? I decided it wasn’t worth the risk.”
The conversation, based on nothing but hearsay and speculation, had somehow ignited the internet, Shen Shu’s Weibo account flooded with comments and questions, the most liked one – That woman is dysfunctional! Run!
Xu Jinnan, touching her nose, glanced at Shen Shu, who was looking at her, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Why are you looking at me like that? You seem… amused,” she said.
Shen Shu’s eyes twinkled. “I’m just… curious. How did they find out… about your… ‘dysfunction’?”
Xu Jinnan: “?”
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze fixed on Shen Shu’s face for a moment, then she said, her voice a low murmur, “We’ll see about that.”
Shen Shu’s gaze flickered, a hint of nervousness in her eyes; she knew she couldn’t win against Xu Jinnan in… certain situations.
Xu Jinnan called Xu Yincheng, who, on vacation at the beach house, answered almost immediately.
“Ge,” she said, having grown accustomed to the term of endearment, her voice carrying a hint of the playful affection he always responded to.
“What is it, my dear meimei?” he asked, his voice warm and indulgent.
“Can you take care of something for me? Find the person who posted that… nonsense online. I’m on a date with my wife. I don’t have time for this,” she said, getting straight to the point.
“Oh, that. I’m already on it. Don’t worry about it. Go have fun,” he replied.
“You’re the best, ge. Truly amazing,” she said, her voice full of playful flattery.
“If you’re going to compliment me, at least sound sincere,” he retorted.
Xu Jinnan chuckled and hung up.
She had told him not to bother with online trolls before, and they had become bolder, their attacks more frequent, more vicious. But now, with Shen Shu involved, she couldn’t ignore them.
In her position, you either controlled the narrative, or you were controlled by it.
After dealing with the trending topic, she and Shen Shu left for the hot springs, Xu Jinnan in a deep red slip dress, Shen Shu in a black one.
When they arrived, there were no fireflies, much to Xu Jinnan’s disappointment.
“It’s fine. It’s still beautiful,” Shen Shu said, her voice soft.
Xu Jinnan looked at her, the dim lights surrounding the hot springs casting a warm glow on Shen Shu’s face, her features soft and ethereal.
She leaned in, her lips finding Shen Shu’s, the pent-up desire of the past few days a powerful, almost overwhelming force.
She lifted Shen Shu into her arms, carrying her towards the hot springs, their bodies close, their breaths mingling.
The lights around the hot springs were dim, the artificial rocks casting long shadows, the small, twinkling lights like stars in the night sky, the rising steam creating a mystical, dreamlike atmosphere.
Xu Jinnan gently placed Shen Shu on the edge of the pool.
There was a bottle of wine, and Shen Shu poured them each a glass. “Want some?” she asked, handing one to Xu Jinnan.
Xu Jinnan, already in the water, her body submerged up to her waist, chuckled. “How can I refuse, after you’ve already poured it?” she said, clinking her glass against Shen Shu’s.
Her gaze lingered on the “X” tattoo on Shen Shu’s collarbone, still visible even in the dim light.
She had once been jealous of that tattoo, thinking it was a symbol of Shen Shu’s past relationship with Xia Chun, her lips always finding it during their more intimate moments, Shen Shu never protesting.
But Shen Shu had explained that the “X” was also the initial of her grandmother’s last name, a tribute to the woman who had raised her, and a subconscious reminder of her own past, her connection to the Xu family, the little girl labeled X4.
It was a deeply personal symbol, and Shen Shu had tattooed it herself.
Then, she had said, “Now, this ‘X’ has a new meaning, because my wife is also an ‘X’.”
Xu Jinnan’s lips curved into a smile, her heart warming at the memory.
There was a plate of fruit – grapes, mangoes, and watermelon – on a nearby table.
As Shen Shu reached for her third glass of wine, Xu Jinnan gently caught her wrist. “Enough, wifey?” she asked, her voice a husky whisper.
Shen Shu put down her glass, her lips curving into a smile. “What do you think?”
“I think… that’s enough.”
Perhaps it was the secluded location, the open air, the quiet intimacy of the moment, but they were both feeling… unusually playful.
Xu Jinnan’s foot nudged Shen Shu’s playfully, pushing her slightly, then, as Shen Shu splashed her, she laughed, pulling Shen Shu closer.
The playful teasing had consequences, and by the time Xu Jinnan carried Shen Shu into the tent, Shen Shu’s face was flushed, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of laughter and tears.
Of course, Xu Jinnan hadn’t been idle during Shen Shu’s… playful splashing.
She held Shen Shu close, her voice a soft murmur against her ear. “There, there, wifey. Don’t cry. Didn’t we agree? No more tears. Look at you, all worked up, and now you’re crying again.”
Shen Shu’s tears subsided, her voice hoarse as she playfully pinched Xu Jinnan’s arm. “Shut up. You did that on purpose.”
“I did,” Xu Jinnan admitted, her teeth gently nipping at Shen Shu’s earlobe. “So, tell me, is your wife… capable, or not?” she whispered.
The next morning, Shen Shu posted on Weibo: You can call her an Omega, but you can’t say she’s not capable.
