Chapter 81

Xiao Yue knew of Leng Xiang.

Xiao Shi Entertainment had long-term cooperation with Excellence Media, and she had heard about the scandal involving Leng Xiang and Excellence Media’s higher-ups a few years ago. Plus, the recent uproar on Weibo about Jiang Sisi and Leng Xiang—she had seen that too.

Xiao Yue narrowed her eyes and sized up the person standing before her.

Rumors clung to her like shadows, and her reputation wasn’t great, but now that the person stood right in front of her, she didn’t seem the same.

She stood very straight, a polite smile on her lips—the kind called a skin-deep smile—and extended her hand toward Xiao Yue with an aggressive edge that couldn’t be ignored. Yet her peripheral gaze kept stealing glances at Jiang Sisi.

It was practically a declaration of sovereignty.

Xiao Yue thought, Well, isn’t this kind of cute?

A hint of playfulness crept into Xiao Yue’s smile as she reached out and grasped Leng Xiang’s hand. “Hello, I’m Xiao Yue.”

When Leng Xiang had first approached, her momentum had been unstoppable, like she was barging in for a brawl.

But now, shaking hands with Xiao Yue, who responded mildly with a faint smile, Leng Xiang suddenly felt out of place.

Yet she just hadn’t been able to hold back.

Why hadn’t she held back?

She clearly knew Jiang Sisi had no other intentions toward Xiao Yue—it was probably just old friends catching up, and she’d happened to walk in on it. She’d even seen their WeChat chat history; it was almost all business, rarely any personal talk.

Suddenly, she deflated a bit.

Leng Xiang released her hand and took a few steps back, intending to turn and leave.

“You two chat then. I won’t disturb you,” Leng Xiang said.

She hadn’t taken two steps before her hand was grabbed from behind.

Jiang Sisi had seized Leng Xiang’s hand, pulling her back a few steps and forcing her to turn around to face her.

“What are you doing?” Leng Xiang asked.

“Wait a minute,” Jiang Sisi said.

Jiang Sisi didn’t let go of her hand—instead, she gripped it tighter.

At first, it was just Jiang Sisi holding her hand to keep her from leaving, her cool body temperature transferring over, making Leng Xiang frown involuntarily.

Why were Jiang Sisi’s hands always so cold, like they couldn’t be warmed?

As she thought that, Leng Xiang’s hand stilled, letting Jiang Sisi hold it.

Her own hand was always warm.

So what started as a simple grip gradually turned into interlaced fingers, warmth and coolness intertwining, skin pressed to skin, steadily conveying their body heat to each other.

Jiang Sisi held her hand and stood shoulder to shoulder with her, their arms brushing too, pressed extremely close. Leng Xiang was a bit shorter than Jiang Sisi, and tilting her head, she could even feel each other’s breath.

Leng Xiang’s first instinct was to pull away a little.

There was someone else here.

Xiao Yue watched the scene before her with a smile.

“She’s not just my friend,” Jiang Sisi said.

Leng Xiang turned her head to look at Jiang Sisi, her eyes widening slightly, staring big and round.

What did she want to say?

Jiang Sisi tightened her grip on Leng Xiang’s hand, smiled, and said, “She’s my girlfriend.”

Leng Xiang froze for a good while, blood rushing straight to her head, her face starting to burn.

Damn it, Jiang Sisi, you jerk.

Her face really heated up, so hot she was about to sweat. Instinctively, she wanted to yank her hand free—staying longer, she’d evaporate on the spot—but Jiang Sisi gripped it tightly, unyielding, and she couldn’t budge.

Fuming with embarrassment, she growled low at Jiang Sisi, “When did I become your girlfriend?!”

Jiang Sisi smiled, nodded slightly, and wrapped her other arm around Leng Xiang’s shoulders, half-pulling her into her embrace.

“We didn’t get together yesterday?” Jiang Sisi said.

Leng Xiang’s face was about to crack; her voice carried a gritted-teeth edge. “No, I never agreed to be with you.”

Xiao Yue took in all their little movements, smiling faintly.

Xiao Yue suddenly spoke up. “Why don’t you two go somewhere else to discuss this?”

Only then did Leng Xiang remember Xiao Yue was watching. Her face exploded red as she shook off Jiang Sisi’s hand and stormed out without looking back.

Leng Xiang walked so fast, like she was fleeing the awkwardness, that Jiang Sisi didn’t even have time to grab her before she vanished.

Jiang Sisi clicked her tongue. “This is your fault. Why’d you speak up all of a sudden? You scared her off.”

Xiao Yue: “…”

Blame me now?

“I’ve lived this long, and this is the first time someone’s shaken my hand so aggressively,” Xiao Yue said.

Recalling Leng Xiang’s earlier demeanor, Xiao Yue laughed again. “She’s pretty great. I can tell she really likes you. Be good to her.”

“She’s my wife. Of course I’m good to her,” Jiang Sisi said.

Xiao Yue: “…”

“Can you not flaunt it in front of me?” Xiao Yue said.

Jiang Sisi spread her hands. “I’m not flaunting.”

Xiao Yue: “Huihui was busy today and didn’t come with me. If I’d brought Huihui, would you even have a chance to flaunt?”

Jiang Sisi: “But you didn’t bring her.”

Xiao Yue: “…”

The two looked at each other and burst out laughing simultaneously.

They had been university classmates, studying together in the UK, but after returning to the country, they hadn’t seen each other again.

“What are you still doing here? Go chase her,” Xiao Yue said.

With disdain, Xiao Yue added, “No tact at all. No wonder she hasn’t agreed to you yet.”

Jiang Sisi flipped her off and ran out.

…

The group playing games in the garden was still at it.

Wang Linlin was held in Tan Ya’s arms, laughing uproariously as she drew turtles on someone’s face with a water-based pen.

“You lost again! Come on, one more—left side one, right side one, symmetrical now, hahaha!!”

She laughed so hard she nearly choked herself; Tan Ya patted her back to help her catch her breath, her eyes full of indulgence.

Jiang Sisi headed toward a more secluded part of the garden.

This section had been built when she was very young. She was wild by nature—born into wealth but unable to sit still—so this garden had been made specially for her to play in.

She knew the garden well. It was vast, planted with all sorts of flowers. It was early spring, so the blooms weren’t full yet, giving it a somewhat desolate feel.

Tended by dedicated staff, deeper in lay a small lake.

Beside the lake was a clearing with a centuries-old tree, its roots buried deep, branches sprawling upward. In early spring, leaves were just budding anew, and the ground was carpeted in fallen ones.

Moonlight spilled like water across the lake, reflecting a crescent moon.

An old swing hung from the tree—rough twin ropes holding a soft cushion with reinforced padding, worn and aged.

Jiang Sisi looked toward the old tree. Leng Xiang sat on the swing, swaying idly, lost in thought gazing at the lake.

Jiang Sisi stood by the lake’s edge, a short distance away.

She gazed at Leng Xiang from afar.

Leng Xiang wore a beige long skirt, the one she’d agonized over all afternoon. Her long, slightly wavy hair reached her back, somewhat disheveled.

Stars and moonlight patterned her skirt; gentle moonlight bathed her face. Her brows and eyes fluttered softly, stars dotting her gaze, as if the entire lake was captured there.

Leng Xiang seemed to sense someone watching and turned her head toward Jiang Sisi.

They were separated by the small lake, ripples shimmering on its surface, each seeing only the other’s reflection in their eyes.

Moonlight shattered on the water.

Jiang Sisi walked toward her.

Leng Xiang remained on the swing, swaying gently, watching Jiang Sisi approach.

The crunch of footsteps on fallen leaves was loud—crackling—and Leng Xiang’s heart began pounding wildly.

Thump.

Thump.

Leng Xiang looked up at her.

Moonlight haloed her from behind, tenderly kissing her profile, even her lip’s smile carrying a watery sheen.

The moonlight was her; she was the moonlight.

Leng Xiang’s eyes flickered softly, filled with her image, staring a little dazedly.

She lowered her lashes, lashes trembling like a lone butterfly’s wings.

She watched as the moonlight slowly knelt halfway before her.

Jiang Sisi knelt halfway in front of her, looking up into her still-smiling eyes.

Leng Xiang pursed her lips. “You two finally finished chatting?”

Jiang Sisi chuckled softly and reached out to lightly scrape her cheek.

The touch of finger to skin flushed her face deeper.

Leng Xiang glared at her.

“Xiao Yue teased me for showing off our relationship, saying if Tang Hui had come with her, I wouldn’t have had the chance,” Jiang Sisi said.

Leng Xiang still pursed her lips, watching her.

Jiang Sisi turned to gaze at the lake. “This lake has a name. Guess what it is?”

“What?” Leng Xiang replied instinctively.

Jiang Sisi smiled. “It’s called Mirror Lake.”

Leng Xiang watched her, waiting for what came next.

“My mother passed away in an accident when I was very young,” Jiang Sisi continued.

Leng Xiang’s eyes widened in surprise.

She’d sensed Jiang Sisi came from an open-minded family, probably raised happily, but she hadn’t expected this backstory.

Seeming to reminisce, Jiang Sisi said, “My mother’s name was Xu Jing, so this lake is Mirror Lake. My father built this garden when I was little, saying it was for me to play in, but I heard my mother loved tending flowers and plants in life. Later I realized he built it because he couldn’t forget her.”

Leng Xiang turned to look at the serene lake.

“My father’s an old fox with a ton of flaws—he doesn’t even like washing his socks. His one redeeming quality is probably his devotion,” Jiang Sisi said, looking earnestly into Leng Xiang’s eyes.

“I have a ton of flaws too, but like my dad, once I fall for someone, it’s hard for me to forget her.”

Leng Xiang seemed about to speak but hesitated. Jiang Sisi pressed an index finger to her lips.

“Let me finish,” Jiang Sisi said.

Leng Xiang moved her lips and nodded.

Jiang Sisi withdrew her finger, subtly rubbing it against her thumb as if savoring the sensation.

“That person just now was Xiao Yue. We were university classmates. I liked her for many years—you probably know that,” Jiang Sisi continued.

Leng Xiang lowered her gaze. “I know.”

Jiang Sisi took her hand, lifting her eyes to meet hers, gaze soft as water.

Like this moonlight.

“I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time,” Jiang Sisi said, gripping her hand tighter.

“But I’m afraid I can’t give you what you want.”

Leng Xiang let her hold her hand tightly, her eyes quietly watching.

“If I’ve ever made you sad, it’s my fault.” Jiang Sisi’s gaze traced her brows and eyes tenderly. “I loved someone else for too many years, Xiangxiang. I don’t know if I can love you properly.”

One of Leng Xiang’s hands was held; the other rose to gently brush Jiang Sisi’s cheek.

Leng Xiang’s throat tightened. She opened her mouth, finding her voice hoarse.

Her voice trembled, raspy. “I know.”

She understood everything.

“But you’re so beautiful, kind, sincere, brave, full of passion—you’re so wonderful, I can’t help falling for you more and more,” Jiang Sisi said.

“But I’m really scared. I feel like I don’t deserve you. I’m serious.”

“I’m afraid I’ll let you down.”

Jiang Sisi’s voice grew hoarse too.

Her chest ached sorely; she could barely speak.

“But I really like you. I really love you. I’ll be good to you, always. Believe me, okay?”

Leng Xiang looked at her and suddenly burst into tears.

“Jiang Sisi, you’re such a big idiot.”