Chapter 77

There was a brief moment of silence in her ears, soon overwhelmed by a roaring buzz.

Her face burned hot, but in Li Yunli’s ears, only Yang Ying’s final words kept echoing endlessly.

Her fair cheeks quickly swelled up. Li Yunli’s head was knocked to the side by the slap, her eyes staring blankly ahead, though in reality, she was endlessly replaying Yang Ying’s last sentence to her.

She would ruin Xiao Zhen, right?

Just two people who loved each other being together—would she ruin Xiao Zhen too?

Li Yunli still couldn’t find the answer to these questions. She only knew that, at this moment, her heart hurt more than her face.

“Sister A-Yun?” Ji Zhenshi’s heart ached so much she didn’t know what to do. She hurriedly grabbed an ice pack from the fridge and pressed it to Li Yunli’s face. “I’ll talk to my mom later. She’s always been like this—you don’t need to take it to heart. She was just pent up with anger because I didn’t come home for New Year’s and wouldn’t pick up her calls, with nowhere to vent it. I’ll go back today and have a good talk with her. Sister A-Yun, don’t move for now. Ice it first, then apply some medicine.”

Ji Zhenshi desperately wanted to comfort Li Yunli, babbling incoherently in a frantic attempt to ease her pain, even just a little.

Li Yunli looked at Ji Zhenshi, who was burning with anxiety before her. The burning heat on her cheek had been numbed by the ice’s chill.

Tears welled in her eyes as Li Yunli forced a smile. “So it hurts like this for Xiao Zhen?”

When she had hit her that time, Ji Zhenshi must have felt this kind of pain too, right?

But back then, she had only stubbornly repeated over and over, “I only want you.”

A few strands of hair fell messily by Li Yunli’s cheek, scattered in a way that underscored her current disheveled state, tugging at the heart.

“What?” Ji Zhenshi looked at Li Yunli in confusion.

“Xiao Zhen, when I hit you that day, it hurt like this, didn’t it? And your heart hurt even more, right?” Li Yunli gently brushed Ji Zhenshi’s cheek. So Xiao Zhen must have been in so much pain back then.

Ji Zhenshi gritted her teeth, her heart twisting in agony. She pulled Li Yunli into her arms. “It doesn’t hurt. I don’t feel it anymore. I’m sorry—it’s my fault. I didn’t communicate well with my mom, and now she’s laid hands on you like this.”

Ji Zhenshi had wanted to talk to Yang Ying countless times, but because she could foresee what would happen, she’d kept waiting for the right moment. She never imagined it would end up like this.

Leaning into Ji Zhenshi’s embrace, Li Yunli slowly closed her eyes.

It didn’t seem to hurt so much anymore.

“Don’t be scared, Xiao Zhen. It doesn’t hurt me either. Actually, we could have imagined this moment happening much sooner, couldn’t we? We’ll face it together.”

This time, it was Li Yunli giving strength to Ji Zhenshi.

It was okay—just like Xiao Zhen had said, love would conquer all difficulties. They would face it together.

From the moment she’d agreed to start this relationship, Li Yunli had already mentally prepared herself for today. It was just…

It hurt more than she’d imagined, that conflicting of pain stabbing into her heart. Carrying the guilt from Yang Ying’s words about ruining Xiao Zhen, it weighed on her without giving her a chance to fight back.

Not only did it hurt more than expected, but the contradiction was more despairing than she’d pictured.

Was she ruining Xiao Zhen? Xiao Zhen was still so young, so naive about the world.

Ji Zhenshi’s eyelashes trembled slightly, a scalding tear sliding down. Her heart ached beyond measure. She could only keep patting Li Yunli’s back. “Lying to me again? How could it not hurt?”

The two could only draw a bit of warmth from their embrace.

It was so cold, but thankfully they could still hold each other—thankfully neither had let go of the other’s hand.

…

That very afternoon, Ji Zhenshi went back to find Yang Ying.

She was still furious about her hitting Li Yunli. There were words to say—fine, she could threaten all she wanted, but how could she resort to violence?

Just because she was the elder and they wouldn’t dare retaliate, did that mean she could do whatever she pleased?

Wasn’t that disrespectful in her old age?

Ji Zhenshi was fuming inside, hands shoved in her pockets, striding aggressively with wind in her step, practically kicking the door open.

Only Zhang Fenglan was home, sitting under the jujube tree listening to the radio. She hadn’t expected Ji Zhenshi to return so suddenly and was overjoyed, hurriedly pulling her inside. “Xiao Zhen, how come you’re back out of the blue? How was the trip with Yunli? When did you get back? Why didn’t you tell me? I was going to stop by the coffee shop to see her and bring her the New Year’s red envelope.”

Stumbling as Zhang Fenglan dragged her inside, Ji Zhenshi forced a smile, her peripheral vision scanning the room for Yang Ying. “Grandma, we got back yesterday. Sister A-Yun’s coffee shop opened today. Oh, right—where’s my mom? She’s not home? I have something to talk to her about.”

For once, the first thing she did upon coming home was seek out her mom.

Zhang Fenglan was a bit surprised. Seeing Ji Zhenshi’s dejected expression, her smile froze. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? Your mom went to work today—she’s not off yet at this hour.”

From Ji Zhenshi’s reaction, had Yang Ying already gone to find them right after they got back?

So quickly?

Ji Zhenshi shook her head, moving like a zombie. “Nothing. If she’s not home, I’ll head to the studio then. I have piano practice this afternoon—I’ll be late if I don’t go soon.”

She turned stiffly and stepped out the door, pausing as if only just remembering. “Oh, right—Grandma, is your hand pretty much healed now? Does it still hurt?”

She hadn’t forgotten to check on Zhang Fenglan’s condition. The only guilt she felt from not coming home for New Year’s was toward her grandma, who looked forward to those couple of days all year just to spend time with her—only for her to go off traveling instead.

“It’s fine now. The cast is off, and I don’t feel much. It’s healing well—don’t worry, Xiao Zhen.” Zhang Fenglan grabbed Ji Zhenshi’s backpack to stop her, pressing further. “Xiao Zhen, don’t go yet. Come here—I want to ask you something.”

Ji Zhenshi’s reaction was just too abnormal—lost and despondent, which was rare for her.

Xiao Zhen had always been so sunny. When had she ever been this glum, radiating gloom?

Something unusual must have happened.

And coming home first thing to find Yang Ying—Zhang Fenglan could easily connect the dots to her handiwork.

“Did your mom go find you? What did she say to you?”

“She said a lot.”

“How much is ‘a lot’?”

“Um…” Ji Zhenshi hesitated, unsure how to broach it. She sighed and decided not to hide it from her grandma. “Grandma, actually, Sister A-Yun and I have been together for a few months now. We’re seriously in love. I moved out of the company dorm a long time ago and went to live with her. Our relationship is great, and the trip went smoothly too.”

Zhang Fenglan nodded calmly, unsurprised by the news. “And? What does that have to do with your mom? Did you tell her about your relationship?”

“Grandma, how are you not shocked at all? What I mean is, Sister A-Yun and I are together—like, mutually in love, that kind of together. We went on the trip as lovers. Lovers, Grandma—you get it, right?” Ji Zhenshi’s pupils contracted, clearly noting her grandma’s composure.

There was no surprise as she had imagined. She thought Grandma would say something—whether in agreement or opposition. After all, Grandma had received a different education; if she couldn’t understand, it was only natural. She hadn’t expected anything anyway.

And yet, it was just this calm?

Ji Zhenshi felt puzzled. Could it be that after experiencing her mom’s ferocity, Grandma’s reaction now felt shocking to her?

Sure enough, her mom had scared her into a stress response. Grandma being even slightly calm felt abnormal to her, like an unexpected pleasant surprise.

Zhang Fenglan gave her shocked granddaughter a disdainful look, thinking she was sometimes a bit slow.

She couldn’t help but inwardly grumble: How on earth did Yunli fall for this little rascal?

Zhang Fenglan glanced at Ji Zhenshi with the air of someone experienced, slightly raising her chin. “Making a fuss over nothing. I’ve known for a long time. Did you two really think your little secrets would escape me? I’m old, but I’m not senile or clueless. You two! I’ve known all along.”

It had started when the two of them came to see her after she was injured—she’d noticed the signs then. Last time on video, they couldn’t even hide it anymore; they started getting all lovey-dovey right in front of her.

She just had presbyopia, not blindness. How could she possibly not see it?

“Oh.” Ji Zhenshi slapped her forehead. “Look at me, what a scatterbrain. I forgot you even entrusted me with something about Sister A-Yun. Grandma, sorry, I’m not in good shape today and didn’t think of it right away.”

So Grandma had seen through it long ago, and Grandma was blessing them!

This realization lifted a heavy weight off Ji Zhenshi’s chest. Even if no one else supported them, Grandma would bless them. That was enough.

“It’s fine, Xiao Zhen acts silly all the time. Tell Grandma, did your mom find out something? Or did you two tell her?” Zhang Fenglan grabbed the strap of Ji Zhenshi’s backpack to keep her from leaving, determined to get a clear explanation.

How are these two kids so silly? It’s obviously not the time to confront her mom right now.

Ji Zhenshi rubbed her temples, …

Li Yunli’s face was still swollen—not just swollen, but there were also bloody scratches on her cheek from Yang Ying’s sharp nails. The unmaskable wretchedness was heartbreakingly fragile, and Ji Zhenshi’s heart ached unbearably at the sight.

But Li Yunli held her back, not letting her go find Yang Ying, saying both sides should calm down first and then talk it out properly, and not letting her act on impulse.

She also used the excuse of going to the company to come back and find her mom.

What? Ji Zhenshi? You…

It must be Ji Zhenshi, the one who can’t hold back even on a video call and doesn’t avoid people when getting intimate.

This kid can’t hide a thing—even the slightest bit of happiness shows right on her face.

“Ah?” Ji Zhenshi opened her mouth. Why was Grandma’s focus so strange?

“It’s not that serious either. There are just still some marks on her face right now. We’d already applied medicine when I left, and they’ll be gone in a couple of days.”

The next second, Zhang Fenglan’s expression instantly turned serious. “How could this happen? Your mom really went too far—how could she hit you? And you, how are you so careless? She was already fuming because you didn’t come home for New Year, and right then she sees you—isn’t that just walking right into the line of fire? It’d be a wonder if she wasn’t mad.”

Ji Zhenshi was filled with regret, wishing she hadn’t chased Sister A-Yun around the shop demanding kisses. “I didn’t expect her to show up out of nowhere either. She hasn’t gone to the coffee shop in half a year or even a whole year—who knew she’d come today? Even if she was furious, she shouldn’t have laid hands on anyone, and if she needed to vent, she could’ve hit me. Why hit Sister A-Yun?”

It was nothing more than Li Yunli not wanting to argue with her, and Yang Ying being used to bullying her.

Li Yunli had long developed a peculiar habit: letting things go in one ear and out the other, turning a deaf ear to it all.

Zhang Fenglan looked at Ji Zhenshi’s angry expression, patted her head, and said, “Xiao Zhen, your mom’s personality isn’t suited for confrontation. You can’t keep clashing head-on with her like before—it’ll only backfire. Listen to Grandma: don’t be impulsive. Talk to her nicely, and I’ll back you up at home too.”

Ji Zhenshi’s face was full of worry, not comforted at all. “Grandma, when has Mom ever supported my choices? I feel like there’s no way we can sit down and have a proper talk anymore.”

Yang Ying’s attitude was too unyielding, leaving no room for discussion—she demanded a breakup right away.

Fortunately, Li Yunli was on the same side as her, and they would face these difficulties together.

They were both resolute enough.

“Xiao Zhen.” Zhang Fenglan sighed, earnestly advising her, “When two people are together, what matters most is the two of them. Others’ opinions are just for reference. Especially since you’re in a minority orientation—there’s a different view in every person’s eyes. It’s best if you get blessings, but if not, just love each other quietly. Especially in your situation with your mom—even if you chose a man, she’d nitpick endlessly, right?”

Everyone knew that unless it was someone Yang Ying personally picked, she’d never be satisfied no matter what.

But how could Ji Zhenshi, whom Yang Ying had chosen, possibly live up to her expectations?

Ji Zhenshi hung her head and obediently replied, “Oh, I know, but hearing her say those things with my own ears still makes me really sad.”

Zhang Fenglan looked at Ji Zhenshi with a face full of loving kindness, knowing she was in a bad mood, and patiently comforted her. “Xiao Zhen, if every choice is wrong anyway, then just follow your heart, do what you love, stick with it, ignore those voices, and live your own life. You and Yunli are both good kids—Grandma believes you two can understand and support each other for the rest of your lives.”

Ji Zhenshi hugged Zhang Fenglan with an adoring expression. “Grandma, you’re too wonderful. You don’t think we’re immoral or anything—you understand us. If only everyone were as understanding as you. Waaah, I’m so touched. Thank you, Grandma—your words are the best.”

Why, why could Grandma understand at her age, but her mom thought it was shameful?

“Silly child, it’s because Grandma loves you more than saving face. You and Yunli are both good kids.”

Zhang Fenglan had emphasized more than once that it hadn’t been easy for Ji Zhenshi and Li Yunli to get this far. Their love was a wonderful thing, and they cared for and understood each other.

She had originally worried that Xiao Zhen might meet someone bad in the future, and that someone as wonderful as Li Yunli might not find anyone who cherished her. Now, all was well—two big worries had been lifted from her heart at once.