Chapter 24 Part 2

It was funny—someone who usually only drank whiskey could only have orange juice at home. If Wei Shuyu knew, she’d probably make a very exasperated face.

A faint shadow of her flashed through Jin Yizhu’s mind, and oddly, her heart calmed.

The pent-up anger with nowhere to vent vanished—whether truly dissolved or sunk to the depths, waiting for the next eruption.

“Yizhu is thoughtful,” He Tianhe nodded. “Don’t worry, Grandpa’s body is still strong!”

How could it not be? His daughter was a delicate, beautiful rose that needed a towering tree to shield her from the storms.

Had his granddaughter grown up, ready to gradually shoulder responsibilities?

He Tianhe looked at Jin Yizhu, meeting her gaze. His granddaughter wore a sweet Chanel outfit, even prettier and gentler than He Wanruo in her youth, but her eyes burned with a fire.

An unquenchable, unwilling fire.

He Tianhe suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Yizhu,” he said, “head back after dinner and rest well. Wear something more formal tomorrow.”

Jin Yizhu nodded. “Grandpa, don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”

This little princess dress was just her parents’ preference.

Quiet and gentle, pretty and refined—that was their demand for her.

But how could a woman meant to inherit the group be only obedient?

Jin Yizhu smiled slyly. It seemed Grandpa understood her intent.

What Mom couldn’t do, let her handle it. It was better than letting others devour everything.

After dinner, Jin Yizhu didn’t linger.

After half an hour of chit-chat with her grandfather, she stood to return to her apartment.

The courtyard was lush with greenery, the air exceptionally fresh—a perfect place to relax.

Yet Jin Yizhu’s chest was full of stale air; even after several deep breaths, it wouldn’t dissipate, leaving her heart even more stifled.

She hadn’t minded such days before.

After all, she had just been like a walking corpse—eating, drinking, playing, studying, working. Whatever she wanted, she could buy tomorrow. No pain, no real happiness.

When emptiness and boredom struck, a drink solved it. If not, calling friends to party always worked.

But when had she started feeling unsatisfied with this life?

Before she even left the courtyard, Jin Yizhu had already gripped her phone.

A faint shadow floated in her heart. Perhaps on that rainy night, at the entrance of the Grand Theatre, she had glanced one more time at Wei Shuyu and was pulled into another world.

She couldn’t help but explore it, couldn’t help but want it… a world that made her heart itch.

“Hey?” Wei Shuyu’s voice sounded in the earphones, carrying a faint drowsiness. “Jin Yizhu?”

“It’s me,” Jin Yizhu answered. “Have you gone to sleep?”

“Almost, I just finished showering.” Sounds of footsteps came from Wei Shuyu’s side, followed by the rustle of clothing. “Are you unhappy?”

“A little… What are you doing?”

Jin Yizhu pressed her earphones, realizing belatedly that Wei Shuyu had detected her mood from just one sentence.

“Putting on clothes?”

“Yeah, is there no one beside you?” Wei Shuyu replied. “It wouldn’t be good if others heard.”

“No, I’m wearing earphones. Little He went to get the car.” Jin Yizhu looked at the car lights not far away. “You go to sleep, but don’t hang up, okay?”

An eerie silence fell in the earphones.

It was indeed a strange request, but that night, she was truly exhausted in both body and mind. She just wanted to hear a voice that comforted her, even if Wei Shuyu said nothing and only breathed quietly. That would be fine.

“It’s okay if it’s okay…”

Wei Shuyu placed her phone by the pillow and looked at the ceiling above. She asked her,

“Do you want to chat with me? It might feel better if you talk about it.”

“No, wait until I come over.”

Jin Yizhu instinctively refused her. She really didn’t know how to bring up these messy matters. Maybe it would be better to talk in person? There would be a chance eventually.

“I’ll come next month. How about we go to Tokyo Disneyland?”

“Sure, Land or Sea?” Wei Shuyu didn’t ask why and simply agreed to her request. “Which side do you want to go to?”

She rolled over and unconsciously pressed closer to the phone, as if that would bring her nearer to Jin Yizhu.

“We’ll see then. We can buy a combined ticket,” Jin Yizhu said. “I want to go to both.”

The Porsche 911 stopped in front of Jin Yizhu. She opened the door and sat in the back seat. “Don’t play music. It’s too noisy.”

Little He acknowledged and drove silently down the mountain, heading toward Central.

“That’s so weird,” Wei Shuyu said. “Just thinking about you getting in the car with someone beside you, I suddenly don’t know what to say.”

“What does that matter?”

Jin Yizhu was used to having someone pick her up when she went out. She could completely ignore the driver’s existence.

“Just say whatever you want to say.”

Wei Shuyu was silent for a few seconds. Her breathing came light and heavy, making Jin Yizhu’s heart find it amusing.

How was she so like a little animal, startling at the slightest noise.

“Are you getting used to living in the Minato Ward?” Jin Yizhu casually found a topic. “How does the place feel?”

“It’s great. The tower is very quiet, and the 24-hour garbage room is convenient.” Wei Shuyu let out a slight breath of relief as she answered Jin Yizhu’s question. “Will you stay here when you come?”

Of course, there were also inconveniences.

The Minato Ward wasn’t a place suited for living. Supermarkets and daily goods stores were almost nonexistent, shopping was inconvenient, and prices were high. But Jin Yizhu had given her a black card, so she clearly didn’t want to hear about these things.

Wei Shuyu hadn’t decided yet whether to use her card…

She always felt that Jin Yizhu giving her the black card was one thing—it could count as her sincerity. But if she actually swiped Jin Yizhu’s card, what would that make her?

Wouldn’t that really turn her into a canary? She wasn’t sure if once the relationship was defined that way, she could still face Jin Yizhu freely.

“Yeah, it’s more convenient in my own place.” Jin Yizhu said enthusiastically. “I’ll tell you before I come, and have the aunt help you set it up. You won’t have to trouble yourself.”

“Got it.” Wei Shuyu was getting drowsy, her voice showing some fatigue that instead carried a hint of coquettishness. “I’ll wait for you.”

I’ll wait for you.

Those three wondrous words.

Jin Yizhu’s heart, curled up into a ball, was slowly soothed by that “I’ll wait for you,” and even the anxiety of the whole evening dissipated.

“No one’s ever said that to me before.” Jin Yizhu said softly, with a hint of a smile. “Then you have to wait for me.”

“I will wait for you.” Wei Shuyu heard the insecurity in her tone. “Jin Yizhu, have you gotten home?”

“Almost, just two more intersections.” Jin Yizhu answered. “So sleepy. I really want to go home and sleep.”

“Okay, then I’ll wait until you get home.” Wei Shuyu’s voice brimmed with smiles, even gentler. “I’ll wait until you go to sleep, then I’ll sleep. Okay?”

“Really?”

Jin Yizhu was a bit surprised, feeling a trace of unfamiliar warmth.

“But aren’t you very sleepy?”

“It’s fine for a little while.” Right after Wei Shuyu said it, she couldn’t hold back a yawn. “I can hold on!”

“How are you like an idiot.” Jin Yizhu laughed. “I’m in the elevator.”

In the constantly changing floors, for the first time on her way home, Jin Yizhu felt a touch of anxiety.

Although Wei Shuyu was only waiting on the other end of the phone, that anticipation was real.

“If you’re sleepy, just go to sleep first.” Jin Yizhu said. “I still need to remove my makeup. It’ll take some time.”

The curtains automatically drew open, and the brilliant night view unfolded before her. Jin Yizhu grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the liquor cabinet at random, sat on the sofa, and let out a long sigh.

“Have you gotten home?” Wei Shuyu mumbled. “I hear the sound of a glass. Are you going to drink?”

“Yeah, a little before removing makeup.” Jin Yizhu poured herself some whiskey and added ice. “Wei Shuyu, I’m so tired.”

“…I’ll keep you company.” Wei Shuyu forced herself to get up from the bed and went to the fridge to grab a beer. “I’ll drink draft beer.”

“When I come, we’ll go to the izakaya again.” Jin Yizhu said. “I want draft beer too.”

Draft beer wasn’t that great—it was a bit bitter. But that day in the izakaya, Wei Shuyu’s eyes had been so bright that she couldn’t forget it.

How could someone’s happiness be so simple and pure? She wanted to be like Wei Shuyu too.

She wanted a heart that clear too.

Would that bring her closer to happiness?

“Sure, but don’t order fries then.” Wei Shuyu pulled the tab on the can with a crisp sound. “No one even wants to eat them.”

“You have to order some small dish, otherwise it looks too plain.” Jin Yizhu had her own theory. “Don’t you need something to go with your drink?”

“But we don’t have any drinking snacks right now.” Wei Shuyu gulped down two mouthfuls of draft beer, her voice growing even lighter and happier. “What’s the difference? It’s just easier to get drunk that way.”

“You’re not already drunk, are you?” Jin Yizhu laughed. “Sleepy and no snacks—easy to get drunk.”

What answered her was silent breathing. She didn’t know if she had suddenly fallen asleep.

Really, no sense of proportion at all.

Jin Yizhu should have found it annoying, but she didn’t. Maybe the moonlight was too nice, diluting her faint irritation.

She messaged the aunt in Tokyo to check on Wei Shuyu. The reply was that Wei Shuyu was indeed too sleepy from drinking and had fallen asleep.

Jin Yizhu laughed helplessly and could only sit alone in the night, finishing the remaining half glass of whiskey.

Fortunately, Wei Shuyu’s breathing was in her ear, so she didn’t feel restless.

The apartment was too quiet. Besides Wei Shuyu’s breathing, only her own breathing remained.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, after a few moments of thought, Jin Yizhu still didn’t hang up. Instead, she let that breathing linger in her ears and spent the whole night that way.

Until the next morning, she heard Wei Shuyu’s startled cry: “Damn, how is it almost nine?”

“Nine?” Jin Yizhu asked groggily. “Are you going to be late?”

“Yeah, I’m going to be late.” Wei Shuyu grabbed her bag and started stuffing things into it. Suddenly, she felt something off, snatched up her phone, and was stunned by the call duration of eight hours and forty-three minutes. She immediately reined in her anxiety, and even her voice softened. “Jin Yizhu, you didn’t hang up last night?”