Chapter 15: Zhu Jin

Meanwhile, Chu Susu was waiting for Xu Jiao’s message, but there was no reply for a long time. The “The other party is typing…” status had been showing in the chat box for quite a while, yet she hadn’t received a single word.

But she didn’t pay it much mind, as she still had some work emails to respond to—although foreign companies had more humane systems with less overtime, emails and other messages still needed timely handling, even after hours.

About half an hour later, Chu Susu finally got Xu Jiao’s reply—a short voice message.

She tapped it open, and an unfamiliar voice came through. “I’m Xu Jiao’s friend. She’s had too much to drink and keeps mumbling your name. Can you come pick her up?”

The background was noisy, clearly some bar or similar place.

Chu Susu didn’t even reply and just tossed her phone aside.

She had a car, so going out wasn’t much trouble, but the key was that she and Xu Jiao were just casual acquaintances, not even at the flirting stage. She had no interest in entertaining such little schemes.

After all, who knew if she was really drunk or just using it as an excuse to get her out.

Pipi perked up at any mention of “going out,” and sure enough, after hearing that voice message, it nimbly hopped onto the sofa and rubbed against her.

Chu Susu smiled and stroked its little head, saying softly, “Taking Mama out for a walk tires me out enough. Too lazy to go fetch someone else.”

Pipi drooped its head dejectedly.

Not long after, her phone buzzed again. Thinking it was still Xu Jiao, she picked it up with some impatience, only to find it was someone else.

Qiao Qian: “Saw this at the bar.”

With a picture attached.

Under the dim yellow lights, a figure in a skirt sat alone at the table, a barely touched glass of alcohol in front of her. Her long hair covered the side of her face, revealing only a delicate nose tip and eyelashes, looking gentle and serene.

Qiao Qian: “She looks familiar. Check if she’s that girl you hit on before.”

It was Han Xuan, of course.

Chu Susu got straight to the point: “Address.”

Qiao Qian sent a location pin: “It really is her? Come find me now, and you can stage a ‘chance encounter.'”

Chu Susu raised an eyebrow.

There weren’t many LGBTQ+ spots in the Imperial Capital, so she had a vague impression. If she remembered right, this place… seemed to be a lesbian bar.

What was Han Xuan doing at a lesbian bar? Could it be… Well, whatever the case, she’d go take a look.

“Twenty minutes. Keep an eye on her for me. Thanks.”

Originally planning to stay home and chill after dinner, she quickly grabbed a skirt and spent five minutes on light makeup.

Pipi trotted over in confusion, barking twice. Weren’t you just saying you weren’t going out?!

“Good boy.” Chu Susu picked up the little dog and planted a kiss. “Not taking you this time.”

Pipi bared its teeth and whined pitifully. How does someone flip faster than turning a page! The little dog was speechless.

While checking herself in the mirror, Chu Susu suddenly realized her completely different reactions to different people. She couldn’t even be bothered with Xu Jiao, but one look at Han Xuan’s photo had her springing up from the sofa like a carp.

She slowly crouched down, looking into Pipi’s eyes, muttering to herself whether it understood or not:

“In a way, I should thank Xu Jiao.”

Thanks to this control group showing up, it helped her realize just how interested she was in the little lamb.

“Are you by yourself?”

“Um… yes.”

The sudden approach startled Han Xuan a bit. She instinctively shrank back her shoulders, her whole face looking dazed and at a loss.

The newcomer was a girl with a wolf-tail short haircut, dressed coolly, her expression cautious and a bit shy. “I’ve been watching you from over there for a while. You look so cute… Want to have a drink together?”

Han Xuan nodded, then shook her head. “But I don’t drink, and I don’t know those drink names.”

“There are low-alcohol ones. I can teach you.”

“Then…”

Qiao Qian had been watching from the side for ages, growing anxious.

Han Xuan wasn’t the stunning beauty type, but she had a clean, refined look that easily stirred protective instincts. Especially sitting alone—someone approaching her was par for the course.

Qiao Qian hurriedly messaged Chu Susu: “Hurry up, or someone else will beat you to it.”

She even started live-streaming the situation: “Someone’s buying her a drink!”

“Bought the drinks!”

“She’s drinking now! Aaaah, hurry up!”

But no matter how much she urged, it was useless. Even at top speed, Chu Susu still needed time to get there.

By the time she finally arrived and found Qiao Qian, the latter awkwardly pointed: “There, see for yourself.”

The wolf-tail girl was already sitting with Han Xuan, drinking for a good while. Couldn’t hear what they were chatting about, but sticking around that long probably meant they were hitting it off.

“No rush.” Chu Susu was calm and composed, not panicking at all. She even borrowed Qiao Qian’s mirror to touch up her makeup. “Mirror.”

Arriving late didn’t mean she’d lose.

Over there, the wolf-tail girl chatted and drank with the girl opposite her, downing one sweet alcoholic drink after another. Unbeknownst to herself, a hint of restlessness emanated from within.

As a regular here, her tolerance was decent, but the girl she’d approached clearly wasn’t holding up well.

“…”

The wolf-tail girl said something, but got no response—just a dazed look back at her. So she asked, “Are you drunk?”

After asking, there was still no reply for a long time. Clearly, she wasn’t all that sober. Just as she reached out to steady her, another figure suddenly blocked her way.

“Why didn’t you wait for me and drink so much alone?”

Interrupted, the wolf-tail girl was annoyed. “Who are you…?”

The woman turned around—tall and slender, red lips and black hair, eyebrow slightly arched. “I’m here to pick up my friend.”

“How do I know you’re her friend?”

Chu Susu casually positioned herself between the wolf-tail girl and Han Xuan. Moments later, she heard a soft voice from behind: “Susu?”

Turning back, Han Xuan’s face was already flushed a thin red, like dusk blending into lake water, dyeing the whole pool pink. Even her dimples brimmed with intoxication.

“Susu…” she called again, eyes hazy.

Chu Susu shot the wolf-tail girl a “see?” look. Realizing they knew each other, the girl left reluctantly despite her unwillingness.

“Susu…”

Han Xuan seemed to struggle to keep her eyes open, but after much effort, they only blinked into slits, her voice tiny—she had to lean in to hear.

“Why… did you come?”

Chu Susu pulled a chair up beside her and smoothed her hair, patiently explaining, “I came here with a friend and just happened to run into you.”

“Oh.” Han Xuan nodded dazedly, her voice fading until Chu Susu could barely hear. “I thought… I thought…”

“Thought what?”

“That you came to find me…”

Chu Susu thought, That’s exactly why I came to find you.

She’d originally wanted to have a couple drinks with Han Xuan, but judging by how drunk she already was, no more for her.

“Why’d you come here?” Chu Susu leaned closer, eyeing Han Xuan’s collarbone flushed the same red as her cheeks, tempted to touch. “This is a lesbian bar. Are you a lesbian too?”

“Les… I…”

Oblivious to the proximity, Han Xuan struggled to speak, stammering for ages before clarifying: “I-I came here to sketch. So I won’t get hit on by guys like last time.”

As if afraid Chu Susu wouldn’t believe her, she proactively handed over the sketchbook in her lap. “Look.”

Every page depicted different scenes; the latest one was a sketch of this very place, with exquisite workmanship as always, proving Han Xuan wasn’t lying.

“But here, women will hit on you.”

“This… this is different…”

“How is it different? Does a woman hitting on you not count as being hit on?”

Han Xuan’s pupils lost focus for a moment. “No… It’s just…”

Her eyes held only Chu Susu, never shifting away.

“You can’t let your guard down anywhere—bad people are everywhere. Stay safe, okay?”

“Okay.”

A strand of Han Xuan’s bangs was sticking up, making her look both obedient and adorable. Unable to resist, Chu Susu reached to smooth it, but in that instant, her hand was suddenly grabbed and pressed to the feverish cheek.

The heat surprised her.

“So thirsty.” Han Xuan murmured, the boozy scent spilling from her lips almost palpable.

Her other hand reached thirstily for the half-finished glass, but grasped at air—Chu Susu had moved it away.

“No, you’ve had enough. You’re drunk.”

“I-I want more.” Her clear, sweet voice turned coquettish without thinking, calling her name. “Susu.”

With her favorite face and in her favorite soft whisper, Chu Susu felt the softest spot in her heart poked hard, nearly melting into that pool of spring water.

But her refusal remained gentle yet firm: “No, you’re drunk.”

Han Xuan hadn’t let go of her wrist since earlier, her fingers creeping upward bit by bit until her fingertips captured Chu Susu’s.

Her eyes rippled with enchanting waves. “Please…”

“You should go back.”

“I don’t want to go home.”

Chu Susu sighed. She spent a second pondering what to do next. If it were any other woman, they’d probably already be en route to a hotel by now. But no, it just had to be Han Xuan.

It just had to be this pitiful little thing who always stirred up guilt in her.

“I’ll take you back.”

As she supported Han Xuan while walking out, Qiao Qian nearby got the wrong idea. Thinking she and Han Xuan were heading to a hotel, she secretly gave her a thumbs-up.

Chu Susu shook her head. “I’m driving her home.”

Qiao Qian eyed the girl she was supporting—the one softly calling “Susu”—her gaze darting back and forth between them, utterly dumbfounded. “When did you turn into a bodhisattva?”

This girl had come to a lesbian bar; her orientation went without saying. Plus, Qiao Qian could see she wasn’t showing even a hint of rejection. It was clearly mutual interest. Wasn’t the chance for something to happen sky-high?

Chu Susu was at a loss for words, unsure how to explain her own mindset.

Truth be told, she felt like she’d become a bodhisattva herself—making a special trip just to send Han Xuan home, without doing a thing.

“Let’s go. Bye.”

The cool night breeze seemed to sober Han Xuan up a bit. By the time she settled into the passenger seat, the flush on her face had mostly faded. She leaned against the seat, eyes half-closed.

Chu Susu handed her a bottle of water to drink, then turned the car toward Jinxin Community.

It was nearly eleven, and the roads were clear. They arrived in about fifteen minutes. She glanced over and saw the cap she’d specially unscrewed for Han Xuan untouched.

The little lamb had the cap between her teeth, tilting her head to look at her.

“You’re home.” Chu Susu unbuckled her seatbelt. “Give me your access card. I’ll walk you in.”

Han Xuan kept her head tilted, saying nothing.

Chu Susu noticed she had no bag—didn’t know where she’d left it. She could’ve reached straight for the pocket on her skirt, but that would mean physical contact. She didn’t want to take advantage while Han Xuan was drunk.

“Hand over the access card.”

Chu Susu had never realized she could be this patient, coaxing her in every way to pull it out. “Otherwise, we’ll have to go to my place. Want to spend the night at my house?”

Han Xuan paused at that, blinking. Then a thin mist clouded her eyes, like gentle rain falling, stirring ripples.

“Okay,” she said softly. “Take me home.”