Chapter 50

When maple leaf season arrived, Jin Yizhu finally found some free time and flew to Japan for a vacation.

For that, she had been busy for a whole month, with meetings scheduled from morning till night. After handling affairs in Hong Kong, she still needed to set up operations for the Tokyo Branch.

Several times, she thought about calling it off, as this really wasn’t a good time for a vacation.

Maple leaf season came every year, and she didn’t need to visit Karuizawa every year. The scenery there was nice, but going once every three to five years was plenty.

At a time like this, even on vacation, she couldn’t completely let go of work.

The thought of not being able to relax even on vacation left Jin Yizhu feeling listless. She might as well not go at all.

But…

She had promised Wei Shuyu they would go see the maple leaves together.

Jin Yizhu lay on the sofa and let out a quiet sigh.

Wei Wei had argued with her parents and run out from Mid-Levels. She sat on the carpet in Jin Yizhu’s home playing games. Hearing her voice, she glanced over sideways. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Jin Yizhu’s train of thought was interrupted, and her tone wasn’t great. “It’s getting dark. Aren’t you going home?”

“What’s the point of going home? To actually go on that blind date with Wang Ruoling?”

Wei Wei’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Did you fight with your little canary and take it out on me?”

“I just don’t like having an extra person at home,” Jin Yizhu pressed her forehead. “First off, she’s not a canary. Second, she has a name.”

“Uh, fine. Did you fight with your girlfriend and take it out on me?”

Wei Wei smoothly changed her wording, paused the game, and said,

“If something’s bothering you, just say it. Aren’t you going to Tokyo next week?”

“No, I’m just a bit tired. Too many meetings lately.” Jin Yizhu felt even more stifled. She couldn’t help picking up her phone to check if Wei Shuyu had messaged her. “She seems really busy too…”

“Do you two have to see the maple leaves?” Wei Wei shrugged. “You’ve already gotten tired of that barren mountain in Karuizawa, haven’t you?”

“I promised her,” Jin Yizhu said. “And I was the one who invited her.”

In the face of Wei Shuyu’s teary eyes, she couldn’t think of anything else—she just wanted to make her happy.

However, she hadn’t expected to be so busy afterward, so busy that she barely had time to call Wei Shuyu. Sometimes, when Wei Shuyu picked up, she would get sleepy after just a few words.

Jin Yizhu couldn’t bear to keep her up and always told her to go to sleep early.

She knew exactly why. The Tokyo Branch operations had held Wei Shuyu back, forcing her to rush between the lab and the company.

Wei Shuyu had only agreed to do it for her sake.

Back when she was in Hong Kong, accompanying her to that Charity Gala, she had made it very clear.

She didn’t want any more involvement with these things—whether it was the art world, exhibition design and planning, galleries, or art investments. She had no interest in any of it, to the point of disgust.

But for Jin Yizhu, she was willing to do her this favor.

It wasn’t something money could compensate for…

Jin Yizhu didn’t know what Wei Shuyu really wanted.

She only vaguely felt that, compared to her money, education, looks, or work ability, Wei Shuyu valued something else—something she sensed faintly but couldn’t quite put into words.

Jin Yizhu had always thought she wasn’t a perceptive person.

Even if others called her slick and worldly, she knew socializing had its tricks, but what Wei Shuyu wanted wasn’t a gentle illusion.

“You invited her? Then just tell her you’re too tired and can’t go.”

Wei Wei said carelessly. She had grown up with Jin Yizhu and knew exactly what kind of people lived in Mid-Levels. They received too many privileges and showed little respect to those not on their level.

“Anyway, when you go to Karuizawa, you’ll probably stay at your family’s villa, right? If she wants to go, let her go by herself. You just pay for it.”

Jin Yizhu was silent for a long time before shaking her head.

She said, “I don’t want to treat her that way.”

If sincerity had value, then Wei Shuyu had laid her true feelings right in front of her, showing that not everything could be measured by money.

And she didn’t want to be that despicable kind of person, buying everything with money.

“…”

Wei Wei looked like she’d heard some absurd fairy tale. She tossed the controller aside and asked,

“Isn’t that wrong? Being this thoughtful— is she really just your girlfriend?”

“She’s a friend,” Jin Yizhu said seriously. “I’ll still go. It’s a vacation anyway, a good chance to rest.”

“I’m your friend too. How come you don’t treat me like this?” Wei Wei muttered. “Dear friend, may I borrow your guest room?”

“Quit being so sarcastic,” Jin Yizhu stood up from the sofa. “Help yourself. If you need anything, call the maid—don’t call me.”

After deciding to go on the vacation, Jin Yizhu messaged Wei Shuyu first, arranging to meet at the airport and drive to Karuizawa together.

The next second, Wei Shuyu called her.

“Why the sudden call?”

Jin Yizhu picked up, her voice tinged with delight.

“You never call me first usually.”

“…When have I not called first?” Wei Shuyu muttered. “We’re going to Karuizawa next week?”

“Yeah, right in maple leaf season. I’ll tell them to prepare the house.”

Jin Yizhu replied. Her fingers itched to switch to video, but as soon as she sent the request, Wei Shuyu rejected it.

“Hm? Why not?”

“I’ve already taken off my makeup,” Wei Shuyu answered haphazardly. “I’m just about to sleep.”

Ever since that time she thought about Jin Yizhu…, she really didn’t know how to face her.

Luckily, they’d both been so busy lately that they barely talked, let alone video called.

Wei Shuyu figured that once she adjusted her mindset, she could face Jin Yizhu again.

Who knew maple leaf season would start right away, and Jin Yizhu would arrange the trip? Now they had to meet.

What to do?

She felt embarrassed even taking a video call now, let alone face-to-face.

“Really? You used to take calls in bed.”

A hint of grievance crept into Jin Yizhu’s voice. She felt even more stifled, that earlier annoyance bubbling up again. She simply walked out of the bedroom, opened the liquor cabinet, and stared blankly at the shelves of whiskey.

“Wei Shuyu, you’ve been acting weird lately.”

Do you hate me? She wanted to ask but couldn’t bring herself to.

Such questions always sounded so childish.

Getting along with people wasn’t about self-awareness? No matter how good friends were, there came a day when it ended. Real adults parted gracefully instead of clinging and questioning endlessly.

Jin Yizhu felt restless. With no reply from Wei Shuyu, she randomly grabbed a bottle from the cabinet, took a glass, poured it full—no ice—and took a sip.

The intense bitterness spread on her tongue. She couldn’t taste the malt or fruit notes, only the harsh burn of the alcohol.

Wei Shuyu heard the sounds and asked, “Jin Yizhu, are you drinking?”

“Yeah, got a problem?” Jin Yizhu carried her glass back to the bedroom. “You’re the one ignoring me.”

Her voice dipped at the end, sounding less like a complaint and more aggrieved.

Instantly, Wei Shuyu’s heart softened. “When did I ignore you…”

She liked Jin Yizhu anyway—how could she stay unmoved hearing her like this?

Unlike her usual crisp decisiveness, Jin Yizhu’s voice turned clingy, laced with a hint of pique and subtle jealousy—like she was coquettish, or a big dog clinging and refusing to let go.

“Really?” Jin Yizhu took another gulp of whiskey and muttered, “Then you can’t reject me.”

Another video invite popped up. Wei Shuyu accepted helplessly and turned on the bedside lamp.

“I’m really in bed,” Wei Shuyu said. “I really wasn’t ignoring you.”

“I thought you didn’t want to go on vacation with me,” Jin Yizhu’s voice lightened a bit. “I had to steel myself to decide to go.”

“You don’t want to go?” Wei Shuyu asked sharply.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I do want to go, but work’s been so busy lately that even on vacation, I’ll probably have to handle some things.”

Jin Yizhu’s face appeared on screen, looking a little tired.

“Working on vacation isn’t such a buzzkill? I was thinking maybe another time would be better.”

She took a sip of whiskey, her mood calming gradually. She said, “Maple leaf season lasts a month or two, but I’m worried it’ll stay this busy… Plus, I’ve kind of missed you.”

“My friend came over today, and she was so noisy. It’s more comfortable being with you.”

Hearing the first half, Wei Shuyu felt happy.

I’ve kind of missed you—no matter how little, she floated like on cotton candy.

But after the second half, her heart plummeted.

Being with me is comfortable because I always put your feelings first, prioritizing you over myself—that’s why you’re happy.

Even so, you only see me as a friend…

Wei Shuyu lowered her head and answered softly, “…Really?”

“What’s wrong?”

Jin Yizhu paused. The alcohol made her thoughts a bit fuzzy, but Wei Shuyu’s low mood was too obvious, impossible to hide.

That off feeling returned. Jin Yizhu felt confused, unsure what to do.

“What I mean is, I prefer being with you. It’s fun being with you. I want more time together. I really want to see you…”

She rattled off explanations, her heart uneasy.

Jin Yizhu had never coaxed anyone or explained her feelings to anyone.

But lately, she felt so close to Wei Shuyu yet so distant.

They’d almost become good friends before… Why had they regressed now, turning awkward and strange?

She didn’t want that.

“I get it,” Wei Shuyu yawned on cue, injecting sleepiness into her voice. “We’ll talk when we meet, okay? I’m so sleepy now.”

Jin Yizhu’s unease eased a little, but new anxiety surfaced.

“Then you can’t back out,” Jin Yizhu stressed. “You have to come see me.”