Chapter 48: Do You Know? Part 2

The two lines of dialogue sparked waves of laughter.

By then, the server had finished setting out the rice paper spring rolls. Each person had a celadon dish in front of them with two perfectly rolled spring rolls. Vibrant vegetables and pale shrimp peeked through the translucent rice paper, garnished with lime slices and mint leaves on the side—harmonious colors that looked more like exquisite handmade art than food.

Some took photos, some dipped and took a bite to savor. Sheng Xingran suddenly turned back and called, “Aunt Su, come here.”

Aunt Su came over promptly.

Sheng Xingran pointed at Miao Zhu’s dish. “Aunt Su, why did her dish have rose petals instead of mint leaves like ours?”

Miao Zhu lowered her eyes to her dish and heard Aunt Su behind her reply, “This guest is allergic to mint, so I had the kitchen replace the mint leaves.”

Sheng Xingran laughed. “I don’t think I ever told you she was allergic to mint, Aunt Su. How did you know?”

Emma had been immersed in joy over Angel’s rapid progress the second before, but now her vision went black. Hadn’t they just said to be low-key with Mu Shanyi? Was this a slip-up already? Had Mia come here with Mu Shanyi before, so the steward knew about her allergy?

“Longlong,” Sheng Xingran no longer looked at Aunt Su. She took Miao Zhu’s hand and asked curiously, “Isn’t that strange?”

Sheng Xingran’s question carried a laughing tone throughout. Her friends thought she was being lovesick, nitpicking even spring rolls for differences with Miao Zhu. Only Emma broke out in cold sweat.

Miao Zhu remained calm.

Sheng Xingran’s gaze slid down to Miao Zhu’s lips, those plump, moist red lips slowly parting.

Was Miao Zhu about to explain?

How would she explain?

Sheng Xingran sharply inhaled, and by the time she realized it, she had already pinched Miao Zhu’s hand hard on the back.

Miao Zhu felt the pain, and the words on the tip of her tongue turned into a soft exclamation. “Xingran.”

Sheng Xingran eased her grip. When she saw the rose petals instead of mint in Miao Zhu’s dish, her heart filled with betrayal-fueled resentment. It was hard not to imagine Mu Shanyi bringing Miao Zhu here alone.

Countless analyses and deductions, sleepless nights agonizing over the truth…

But when she was about to touch the answer, she chose to stop Miao Zhu from speaking.

What truth did she want to hear?

That Miao Zhu and Mu Shanyi had some filthy, immoral relationship—did she want that?

Her subconscious answered: She wasn’t ready at all. Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance, she didn’t want to hear that unbearable answer from Miao Zhu’s mouth. She couldn’t accept such a disgusting truth.

“It was Miss Tang who reminded me before the meal.” Aunt Su’s steady, crisp voice suddenly struck Sheng Xingran’s taut nerves.

Tang Yuwen was still wiping her hands. “What? Last time at my homestay during breakfast, didn’t you say Miao Zhu was allergic to mint?”

So that was it!

—What else could it be!?

Of course. Mu Shanyi was her sister, Miao Zhu her beloved fiancée—such proper relations. Why lose her mind and link them with the dirtiest words?

She deliberately borrowed Carp Moon Manor from Mu Shanyi, saying Miao Zhu wanted to soak with her, and Mu Shanyi lent it without hesitation. She deliberately invited Miao Zhu to Carp Moon Manor for hot springs, claiming it was Mu Shanyi’s idea, and Miao Zhu showed no hesitation—they were both so aboveboard. How much more proof did she need?

This mental torment finally ended. Sheng Xingran leaned back in her chair with relief, relaxed, and sincerely said, “Wen-jie, thanks to your thoughtfulness.”

Crisis averted, Emma could finally breathe freely.

But… had Wen-jie really talked to the steward about the allergy? Or was Wen-jie on her side?

She kept glancing at Tang Yuwen with sidelong looks until Tang Yuwen caught her.

“What?” Tang Yuwen asked with her eyes.

Of course Emma wouldn’t voice her thoughts. Blushing furiously, she buried her face in her dish and shoveled food.

Like Angel, Tang Yuwen shook her head with amusement.

After dinner, the friends went together to the hot springs on the back mountain. Sheng Xingran stayed in the guest room to soak in the private bath. Miao Zhu’s period hadn’t ended yet, so she wore a bathrobe and sat by the pool to keep her company.

“Xingran, what’s up with you today?” Miao Zhu gently stirred the hot spring water with her fingertip and proactively brought up the sensitive topic.

Sheng Xingran was once again convinced of Miao Zhu’s innocence. A guilty person wouldn’t walk into the trap.

Suspecting Miao Zhu was utterly ridiculous. They’d been inseparable since seven or eight, each other’s first loves, and would be together for life— just thinking about it made her happy!

Sheng Xingran’s heart warmed. She leaned her wet body against Miao Zhu’s knee and answered irrelevantly, “Longlong, are you happy?”

“Hm?”

“Being with me, engaged to me—are you happy?”

“Of course.” Incense filled the room, the lights warm and dim. Miao Zhu looked down as she spoke, a few loose strands brushing her cheeks, her brows and eyes full of tenderness and allure.

“I’m happy too, very happy.” Sheng Xingran lifted Miao Zhu’s hand and kissed its back, contentedly saying, “We have to be together forever and ever.”

More than a week passed after returning from Carp Moon Manor.

December in Cloud City was influenced by warm moist air currents, and temperatures clearly rose. That night, Cloud City University’s gymnasium was packed. The second School Anniversary Music Festival was underway.

Miao Zhu received Mu Shanyi’s message in the backstage of the performance. Invited by the academy, she and Jiang Jingjing performed as special guest duo in a double act.

Mu Shanyi sent a location share.