Chapter 34: Piercing Through Part 2

Ye Yu said, “Yeah, I just came from the recording studio.”

Qu Lele stepped aside to let the two of them into the private room.

Inside was a round table. On the seat to Jiang Ruoning’s left sat a brown bag, and the seat to her right was empty. Shi Sui prepared to walk over, but Ye Yu was already greeting Jiang Ruoning while heading that way.

Then she plopped down.

She didn’t forget to glance at Shi Sui, smiling provocatively. “No seats left. Sit next to me.”

The touch of emotion Shi Sui had just felt vanished instantly.

She gritted her teeth and sat down beside Ye Yu.

Ye Yu smiled at everyone. “Do I need to introduce myself?”

Shi Sui shot her a sideways glance.

The once taciturn Ye Yu had become sharp-tongued now.

Ye Yu said, “Seems like no need. We’re all old friends. Oh…” She looked at Jiang Ruoning, then at Shi Sui. “Actually, there is one new friend. Shi Sui, you should get to know her—Ruoning’s new friend.”

Jiang Ruoning tugged at Ye Yu’s sleeve.

She sensed Ye Yu was angry.

Angry about what?

Angry because Shi Sui had shown up?

But they’d already run into each other at her doorstep that day, and Ye Yu hadn’t been angry then. Why get mad today?

Ye Yu lowered her head, looking at Jiang Ruoning’s hand on her sleeve, and pursed her lips.

Zou Nian walked to Jiang Ruoning’s other side and sat down. She leaned in and asked, “Who’s this?”

Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft.

Just loud enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone perked up their ears. Shi Sui also tilted her head slightly, pretending not to care.

Jiang Ruoning hesitated. “An old friend.”

Old friend.

Shi Sui stared at the transparent glass in front of her.

She sat rigidly still.

Zou Nian nodded, then reached past Jiang Ruoning and Ye Yu toward Shi Sui with an outstretched hand. “Hi, I’m Zou Nian.”

Shi Sui looked at the hand.

The same one that had been holding Jiang Ruoning’s on the way here.

She grasped it and met Zou Nian’s gaze, her eyes deep. “Hi, Shi Sui.”

Zou Nian said, “Ruoning never mentioned you.”

Are you two that close? Does she mention every friend?

Sourness clogged Shi Sui’s throat, but she remained calm and composed. “I just got back to Shangjing.”

Zou Nian seemed very interested in her and pressed on. “Back to visit family? Or for work?”

Shi Sui said, “Work transfer.”

Zou Nian asked, “Leaving again?”

Shi Sui didn’t hesitate. “No.”

Zou Nian said, “Welcome. Shangjing’s a great place.”

Shi Sui glanced at Jiang Ruoning from the corner of her eye. “I know.”

Jiang Ruoning’s face turned ashen.

She’d made a mistake.

She shouldn’t have brought Zou Nian to cut Shi Sui off like this. How had things spiraled so out of control the moment they arrived?

Zou Nian didn’t cause this many issues when it was just the two of them.

Had she taken a liking to Shi Sui?

It wasn’t impossible.

The woman was the type who attracted admirers at first glance.

Jiang Ruoning rolled her eyes at Shi Sui.

Shi Sui was already full of bitterness, and catching that eye-roll only overturned the aged vinegar vat, souring her expression beyond control.

Qu Lele saw their conversation wind down and stood up. “Can we start serving the food now?”

Zhou Yueqing, wedged in the gap, chimed in, “Yeah, bring the food already.”

She was so excited.

Zhou Yueqing rubbed her hands together.

Qin Zheng, sitting beside her, live-reported to Yun An: [Battle’s intense.]

Though she couldn’t quite figure out why Jiang Ruoning had brought Zou Nian to the gathering, it was probably related to Shi Sui—likely to make her give up.

Or rather…

To make Shi Sui give up.

And then make herself give up too.

That’s why Jiang Ruoning had brought along a friend whose relationship wasn’t even confirmed to their get-together.

Yun An asked: [Fight broken out?]

Qin Zheng: …

She wanted to kick Yun An into a ditch.

Who was fighting whom?

Shi Sui and Jiang Ruoning?

Or Shi Sui and Zou Nian?

As if.

But Yun An’s sharp mind short-circuited at a time like this.

Qin Zheng gnashed her teeth and typed: [Fight’s on! I’ll fight you when I get back!]

Yun An: [Can I apply to come back now?]

Qin Zheng bit her tongue, hissing in pain. She turned off her phone, cheeks flushing red.

The dishes arrived quickly.

Qu Lele sat back down to host everyone, offering the restaurant’s best drinks. Jiang Ruoning found the table unbearably awkward. She poured herself a glass and was about to down it when she heard, “Hey!”

Jiang Ruoning froze mid-motion.

Shi Sui was watching her.

Qin Zheng was watching her.

Ye Yu was watching her too.

Jiang Ruoning’s pose with the glass grew even more awkward. Her toes curled against the floor.

Ye Yu took the glass from her hand and said to Zou Nian, “Her stomach can’t handle alcohol. Miss Zou, you’ll have to watch her when you two go out eating in the future.”

Jiang Ruoning watched as Ye Yu set the glass aside, then poured juice into a clean one and handed it to her.

Zou Nian even chimed in, “Thanks for the reminder, Miss Ye. I’ll keep an eye on her from now on.”

Shi Sui listened to the exchange, gripped her glass tightly, and downed it in one go.

Her face darkened.

Zhou Yueqing couldn’t resist nudging Qin Zheng with her elbow.

Qin Zheng met her excited gaze and fell silent.

Human joys and sorrows rarely aligned.

At least in this private room, everyone harbored their own thoughts.

Only Zhou Yueqing was enjoying the drama without a care.

Qin Zheng wasn’t as thrilled as Zhou Yueqing or as angry as Ye Yu. She couldn’t quite name the feeling.

Uncomfortable, yet oddly satisfying.

It was sick, contradictory.

Thinking back to how Shi Sui had left without a word, Qin Zheng grew angry. She’d said a thousand times that even if Shi Sui came back to apologize in person, she wouldn’t forgive her—not right away.

But now that she was here, seeing her slender, worn figure and the settled demeanor…

Qin Zheng couldn’t help wondering.

What had Shi Sui gone through all these years?

And then she thought of Yun An.

Yun An’s sudden departure back then, and the life-and-death trials she’d endured.

The belated pain crept out like ants from her bones.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

Qin Zheng thought it might be better if she’d lost her memory like Jiang Ruoning. Then she wouldn’t have to remember the past, could hate Shi Sui openly instead of this—unable to truly hate, yet unable to voice forgiveness.

Wow.

Jiang Ruoning’s amnesia had been the right call.

Qin Zheng downed a big gulp. Qu Lele saw no one touching the food, half the drinks already gone. Everyone except Jiang Ruoning and Zhou Yueqing was drowning their sorrows. Qu Lele leaned toward Zhou Yueqing and whispered, “Did I mess up by inviting Shi Sui?”

“Why not invite her?” Zhou Yueqing said. “She needed to come, to see how Ruoning’s had suitors all these years. Piss her off!”

Qu Lele: …

Crazy. They’d all drunk themselves crazy.

The scene nearly spiraled out of control.

Shi Sui drinking out of depression made sense, but why Qin Zheng?

And Ye Yu?

Qu Lele scratched her head, unable to figure it out. She sought help from Jin Man.

Half an hour later, Jin Man appeared at the private room door, face cold as she pushed it open. Qu Lele saw Ye Yu hadn’t reacted and called out, “Sister Man!”

Ye Yu jolted and turned. Seeing Jin Man standing there with a dark expression, she swallowed hard.

The alcohol went down her throat.

Jin Man smiled at her. “Throat feeling disposable now?”

The words dripped like poison. Ye Yu lied on instinct. “Sister Man, I haven’t been drinking.”

Jin Man: …

Everyone: …

Ye Yu’s habit of lying when drunk hadn’t changed.

Jin Man was so exasperated she laughed. She walked to Ye Yu and announced to the group, “I’ll take her back first.”

Ye Yu saw the displeasure in her eyes and didn’t dare speak. She stood without even grabbing her bag. Jin Man snatched it from behind her, tugged her arm, and half-carried the stumbling Ye Yu out of the room.

After Jin Man left, the private room fell quiet.

Too quiet.

Qu Lele scratched her head and asked Qin Zheng, “Did you drive?”

Qin Zheng said, “Yeah. Why?”

Qu Lele said, “I’ll drive you home later.”

With Qin Zheng this drunk, she couldn’t let her go alone.

What if something happened on the road? Yun An would kill her!

Qin Zheng pursed her lips, silent for a moment. “Got it.”

The awkward gathering ended there. Zhou Yueqing lingered in the room, complaining no one had eaten and she wasn’t full. She wasn’t leaving that night—planning to crash with Qu Lele. Qu Lele shoved a roasted chicken leg into her mouth and turned to ask Jiang Ruoning and Zou Nian.

Zou Nian said, “We…”

Jiang Ruoning said, “I’ll drive. I didn’t drink.”

Zou Nian’s cheeks were slightly flushed from the alcohol. She obediently handed over the keys. Jiang Ruoning helped her up. As they passed Shi Sui, she was leaning in, talking to Zhou Yueqing. No one knew what they said, but Zhou Yueqing looked shocked. “Really?”

Shi Sui seemed to be smiling.

Her head was bowed low; Jiang Ruoning couldn’t see her face clearly.

Qu Lele called, “Ruoning.”

Jiang Ruoning responded and left the room with Zou Nian.

When Qu Lele returned for her keys, she saw Zhou Yueqing with a bottle of red wine—the one Shi Sui had once stored with her. Zhou Yueqing popped it open with a cork. Qu Lele frowned. “You guys still drinking?”

Shi Sui turned. “One more glass.”

Qu Lele looked at her gloomy expression, emotions unreadable. Back then, seeing Shi Sui drink heavily, she could’ve called Jiang Ruoning.

Now…

She couldn’t.

Jiang Ruoning sat in the driver’s seat of the car—not her own, so she fumbled to get familiar with it, driving slowly. A faint alcoholic scent lingered inside. She cracked the window halfway and tilted her head to look at the restaurant’s logo, then up at the second-floor private room.

Zou Nian followed her gaze and glanced over. “Your friends are all pretty interesting.”

Jiang Ruoning snapped back and apologized. “Sorry about today…”

“I know.” Zou Nian said, “No worries, Ruoning. I actually had fun.”

Jiang Ruoning was puzzled. “Fun how?”

Zou Nian said, “Fun that it brought us closer.”

Jiang Ruoning gripped the steering wheel, her body inexplicably tense. She gave a dry laugh. “Lawyer Zou.”

Zou Nian said, “Call me Zou Nian. Don’t be so formal all the time. You’re too polite—it makes it hard for me to ask.”

Jiang Ruoning glanced sideways. “Ask what?”

Zou Nian said, “The one sitting next to Ye Yu today—Shi Sui, right?”

Jiang Ruoning’s hands tightened on the wheel, fingers clenching hard. She opened her mouth, managing only a faint sound. “Mm.”

Zou Nian said, “What does she do?”

Jiang Ruoning said, “Fashion.”

Zou Nian nodded. “Makes sense. She has great taste in clothes.”

Jiang Ruoning tried for a polite smile but failed, producing something awkward.

Zou Nian said, “She’s pretty attractive too.”

Jiang Ruoning inwardly fumed at Shi Sui.

See? Zou Nian had fallen for her!

Keep prying like that!

Zou Nian added, as if just realizing, “Oh, asking about her— you’re not mad, right?”

Jiang Ruoning feigned generosity. “Of course not. Why would I be mad?”

“Uh…” Zou Nian’s tone drew out. “Don’t you like her?”

Jiang Ruoning’s face changed drastically. Her whole body felt pierced by something sharp—aching and numb. She glanced in the rearview mirror—no cars behind—and yanked the wheel toward the curb, slamming the brakes. Inertia threw them forward, then the seatbelts yanked them back. Jiang Ruoning felt her heart hadn’t come back.

It was still pounding wildly from Zou Nian exposing her!