Chapter 46: Who Is This Person? Part 1

The time rewound to the night before last, when Miao Zhu left Jinyuan with Mu Shanyi. Miao Ling couldn’t find her and called Sheng Xingran, who lied for Miao Zhu, making Miao Ling think they were enjoying some alone time. So when Miao Zhu got home, Miao Ling didn’t make a fuss.

But as Miao Zhu went upstairs to her room, Miao Ling followed reluctantly.

Miao Zhu stood in front of the gift cabinet and turned on the backlight inside. It was packed full of all sorts of presents.

Miao Ling blocked her path, her words laced with reproach: “It was a good thing A-Heng left early that day too, or you and Xingran would’ve been in big trouble. The elders were still there, and you two snuck off—that’s not proper.”

She poked Miao Zhu’s forehead with her fingertip, feigning anger: “You’re so under Xingran’s thumb. Whatever she says goes, and you just follow her around.”

Mu Shanyi had rushed to the airport for a business trip that morning and dropped Miao Zhu off at the Cloud City Symphony Orchestra on the way. Miao Zhu had been out of sorts all day, so as Miao Ling scolded her now, the words went in one ear and out the other.

“By the way, you haven’t seen that person again, right?” Miao Ling felt it necessary to give Miao Zhu another warning, just in case she lost her head again and ruined this hard-won happiness.

Miao Zhu said, “Yeah.”

“That’s right. From now on, focus on being with Xingran. This kind of improper thing stays between just you and me.”

“Okay.”

Satisfied, Miao Ling left. Miao Zhu opened the gift cabinet.

Over the years, Sheng Xingran had given her countless gifts.

Sheng Xingran often acted on whims, so her gifts were equally random—everything from expensive jewelry and luxury items to a stone she’d picked up on the beach, or air and soil she’d impulsively bottled up during their separate travels… Miao Zhu had kept them all in perfect condition.

It wasn’t until the new week began that Sheng Xingran contacted Miao Zhu. She’d been tied up with Li Zi and had no time for anything else, so she said nothing about the weekend that had just ended. Instead, she mentioned that there would be a meteor shower in a couple of days, and Tang Yuwen had invited them to her homestay up in the mountains, where the light pollution was low and the observation deck was perfect for stargazing.

“Do you want to go?” Sheng Xingran asked for Miao Zhu’s opinion.

Miao Zhu could tell Sheng Xingran was eager for the outing, so she went along with it: “Sure.”

“And Emma too. If Emma’s interested, she can come with us.”

“Did Wen Jie invite Emma too?”

Sheng Xingran said, “Not exactly, but close enough. Wen Jie said the more the merrier, and we can bring friends. Emma’s your best friend, right? You’d probably want to hang out with her.”

It was a very thoughtful way to put it. Miao Zhu switched the phone to her other ear: “I’m meeting Emma later. I can ask her then.”

Chuanming Film had settled the final payment for Emma’s last project, and the prepayment for Hidden in the Morning and Evening had arrived within a week of signing the contract. That evening, Emma was cooking dinner herself and had invited Miao Zhu over.

Tired of constant complaints from neighbors about noise, Emma had moved out of her old apartment complex and was now renting a mixed commercial-residential building. The soundproofing was so-so, but since the neighbors were either empty offices or vacant homestays, no one came knocking anymore.

It was Miao Zhu’s first time there. As soon as the door opened, she saw Angel sprawled out on its back in the living room, wriggling around.

Angel had an empty soda bottle in its mouth. As it twisted, the bottle bottom knocked against the floor with rhythmic “thuds,” while its floppy ears dragged across the surface like a grimy rag tapping a wooden fish.

“You said you were here, but it took forever to come up. I was worried you’d gotten the wrong place and was about to go down to meet you.” Emma took the flowers Miao Zhu had brought and pulled her inside. “My mom’s off on a trip, so no one’s around to interrupt our candlelit dinner.”

With a playful wink at Miao Zhu, Emma wore a simple plaid loungewear set tied with an apron. She’d taken out her lip ring, looking innocently domestic. Miao Zhu’s lips curved faintly as she bent down to change shoes—Emma had prepared a pair of cute fuzzy slippers. She slipped them on: “I waited a bit for the elevator downstairs.”

“Long wait, huh? It’s rush hour now, and there are several companies in this building.” Emma casually set the flowers on the entryway console. “That’s just how these apartments are—lots of people coming and going, but the location’s convenient. Plus, I’m not living alone, so it’s fine.”

The apartment’s AC was blasting heat. As Miao Zhu shrugged off her coat, she listened attentively to Emma’s renting tips, her clear eyes sparkling.

“So intense?” Emma blurted out of nowhere.

Miao Zhu asked, “What?”

Emma had only caught a glimpse of a dark red edge at first. Now she reached out, tugged Miao Zhu’s sweater collar down a couple of centimeters, and got a full view. She clicked her tongue several times: “Who did this? Mu Shanyi?” She couldn’t help but grimace. “So brazen. Doesn’t she care if Xingran finds out? You’ll be the one in a tough spot!”