Captivating Beauty 129

Chapter 129: Epilogue (End of the Novel)

Jealousy.

It was Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu’s seventh wedding anniversary.

Xu Jinnan was 32, Shen Shu 33.

They had been invited to appear on a popular talk show, Couple’s Corner, the host having met Shen Shu a few times before.

They were both at home when the host called.

The living room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

“Let me check my schedule. I’ve been quite busy lately,” Shen Shu said, glancing at Xu Jinnan, who was sitting on the sofa, seemingly engrossed in her phone, not even looking at her.

Shen Shu, her voice cool and slightly distant, continued, “You can contact her directly. I don’t know if she’s… available.” Her tone and the slight pause between “she” and “available” were a subtle dig at Xu Jinnan.

Xu Jinnan, hearing the emphasis, looked up, her gaze meeting Shen Shu’s for a brief moment.

Shen Shu: “…”

After hanging up, she turned to Xu Jinnan, her voice tight. “Xu Jinnan, are you ever going to let this go?”

“Yes,” Xu Jinnan replied calmly, not looking up from her phone.

Shen Shu’s throat tightened. “I really was busy! I didn’t mean to stand you up!”

“Right. Forgot all about me, too busy chatting with that young actor,” Xu Jinnan retorted, her voice laced with sarcasm. “The life of a famous actress, I understand.”

“Do you have to be so difficult?” Shen Shu asked, her voice rising slightly.

Xu Jinnan’s anger, which had been simmering beneath the surface, now flared. She knew she shouldn’t say anything, that it was best to let things cool down, but the words, sharp and barbed, escaped before she could stop them.

After all these years, she still hadn’t learned to control her temper, her emotions always getting the better of her, especially around Shen Shu.

She would calm down eventually.

She would forget about being stood up, about waiting for three hours outside the studio, hungry and alone, only to find Shen Shu laughing and chatting with a young actor, his wrist adorned with the custom-made bracelet Shen Shu had given him.

“Let’s… discuss this later, when we’ve both calmed down,” she said, her voice tight.

It was their seventh anniversary, and Shen Shu wondered if this was the infamous seven-year itch. They had been arguing more frequently lately, about everything and nothing.

She felt like she was becoming easier to appease, while Xu Jinnan was becoming more and more difficult.

This was their third day of cold war – or rather, a lukewarm war, as Xu Jinnan still prepared her breakfast every morning, the porridge and pastries a silent offering.

But she barely spoke to Shen Shu.

Shen Shu had apologized, had explained herself, had even tried to… cajole her, but Xu Jinnan remained unmoved.

Shen Shu was tired of it. She wanted to let it go, but seeing Xu Jinnan sitting on the sofa, her expression cold and distant, her silence a heavy weight in the room, she couldn’t shake the feeling of… disconnection, a strange emptiness in the spacious apartment.

She missed their old apartment, the small, cozy space where they had first lived together, the sofa just big enough for the two of them, the thin walls that allowed them to hear each other’s movements, even when they were fighting, the doors closed, their separate silences a fragile barrier.

Xu Jinnan, noticing Shen Shu stand up, her gaze flickering towards her, her phone still in her hand, though she didn’t register the content, her attention focused solely on Shen Shu, sighed softly as Shen Shu left the room.

She rubbed her chest, trying to quell the tightness, the lingering resentment. She didn’t want Shen Shu to be upset, but the memory of that night, the long wait, the disappointment, the sight of Shen Shu laughing and chatting with another woman…

It still stung.

But she hadn’t meant to start a fight.

Xu Jinnan had agreed to appear on Couple’s Corner.

Shen Shu had been surprised, knowing Xu Jinnan hated these kinds of public appearances, the forced smiles and polite conversations, the pretense of it all, especially when they were fighting.

Twenty minutes until the show started.

They were in the makeup room, the tense silence between them palpable, the makeup artists and assistants exchanging uneasy glances.

Had they had a fight?

This interview is going to be awkward.

It’s fine. Most couples who come here are fighting. They’ll be fine once the cameras are rolling.

True. They’re all actors, after all.

“Are you two ready? It’s almost time,” a staff member called out.

Xu Jinnan stood up, her movements brisk and efficient, her expression carefully neutral.

Shen Shu followed, her own demeanor calm and composed, then, just as she stood up, the makeup artist, moving aside, accidentally knocked against a hot hair straightener, and Xu Jinnan, her eyes widening, instinctively reached out, pulling Shen Shu closer, shielding her from the falling appliance.

“Be careful!” she exclaimed, her voice sharp, the sudden coldness a stark contrast to her earlier polite demeanor.

The makeup artist and the other staff members froze, startled by her outburst.

Shen Shu, pulling away from Xu Jinnan’s embrace, took her hand, her voice full of concern. “Are you okay? Did you get burned?”

Xu Jinnan looked down at Shen Shu’s hand, her palm warm against hers, the familiar scent of her pheromones, a sweet, intoxicating fragrance, a welcome contrast to the artificial scents of the makeup room.

She gently squeezed Shen Shu’s hand, her fingers interlaced with hers, her heart warming at the touch, the earlier coldness melting away.

Shen Shu’s own heart skipped a beat, Xu Jinnan’s instinctive protectiveness a reassuring sign, a flicker of hope amidst the darkness of their recent disagreements.

She reassured the makeup artist, who was profusely apologizing, and Xu Jinnan, seeing that Shen Shu was unharmed, simply nodded, telling her to be more careful.

The word “interview” sounded too formal, too serious.

Xu Jinnan had seen previous episodes of the show; it was more of a casual conversation about their relationship.

“Ms. Xu, can you tell us three of your wife’s habits?” the host asked.

“She likes to read before bed, she never dries her hair after showering, she always walks on the left side of the hallway, she needs salad dressing with her breakfast, she always waters the plants as soon as she gets home, and she calls me by my full name when she’s either very happy or very angry…” Xu Jinnan said, her voice warm and affectionate, the words flowing easily, a litany of small, intimate details.

The host’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “Now, Shu Shu, can you tell us three of Ms. Xu’s flaws?”

Shen Shu looked at Xu Jinnan, her heart melting.

“Flaws? She didn’t have any before,” she said, her voice soft, then paused, a playful smile playing on her lips. “Now…”

The conversation continued.

“You two are known for your… affectionate displays, both on and offline. But there have been some rumors, some accusations of… pretense. What do you say to that?” the host asked. “Ms. Xu, why don’t you go first?”

Xu Jinnan thought for a moment. “It’s not entirely untrue. We do… perform sometimes,” she said, her words making the host pause, the production team wondering if this was going to be one of those interviews, the kind that went viral for all the wrong reasons.

Only Shen Shu’s expression remained calm, her composure a thin veil over her churning emotions.

Because Xu Jinnan was still holding her hand, her thumb gently caressing Shen Shu’s palm, a subtle, intimate gesture that made Shen Shu’s heart race, even after seven years of marriage.

“Like just now, before the show started, we were actually… having a little disagreement. Despite it being Valentine’s Day, we weren’t even planning on celebrating together,” Xu Jinnan continued, her voice a playful whisper.

The host’s eyes lit up. “Tell us more!”

“It’s nothing serious. Seven years of marriage, busy schedules, not enough time together… it creates some… insecurities,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice now serious, her words carefully chosen.

“Especially with her line of work, all those temptations… I get a little… jealous,” she added, her tone light and self-deprecating, making the audience laugh.

“I sometimes feel like… I’m not that important to her anymore,” she finished, glancing at Shen Shu.

Shen Shu’s fingers tightened around Xu Jinnan’s, her lips pressing together. “That’s not true,” she said softly. She knew she had been the one at fault, having been so busy she had forgotten about their dinner plans, distracted by a conversation with a young actor, a fan who had asked for her autograph, nothing more.

She had explained herself, had apologized, but Xu Jinnan was still upset, her patience wearing thin, their silent cold war dragging on. It was Shen Shu’s fault.

She had been feeling guilty, thinking Xu Jinnan had changed, that she wasn’t as forgiving as before, but now, hearing her words, seeing the vulnerability in her eyes, she understood.

She had apologized, had explained, had even tried to appease her.

But she had forgotten something.

Three simple words she hadn’t said in a long time.

Three words Xu Jinnan used so easily, so freely.

“I love you,” she said, her voice soft, her gaze meeting Xu Jinnan’s. “How can you not be important? We’re… we’re supposed to spend the rest of our lives together,” she added, her voice slightly unsteady, her earlobes flushing pink, unused to such public displays of affection.

Xu Jinnan’s earlier gloom lifted, her heart warming at Shen Shu’s words, the three simple words, “I love you,” a balm to her wounded soul.

A faint smile touched her lips, remembering the host’s earlier question about her flaws.

Shen Shu had said she didn’t have any.

Her smile widened.

“So, you two have reconciled on our show? Looks like you’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day together after all,” the host said, her voice full of amusement.

Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu looked at each other, their hands still clasped together.

How could I ever think she was difficult to appease? Shen Shu thought. She’s so easy.

“Then you’ll have to think of something special to do tonight,” the host said.

“Not necessarily,” Shen Shu replied, glancing at Xu Jinnan, a playful glint in her eyes. “She said she wasn’t planning on celebrating with me…”

Xu Jinnan, unable to demonstrate her affection appropriately in such a public setting, simply smiled, her eyes promising a more private celebration later.

<End>