Chapter 13: Shy

Nian Qiao smiled. “Alright.”

Huh?

Watching Nian Qiao leave, then looking at the gown laid out on the bed. That’s it? Aren’t you going to force me a little? Maybe I’d have given in halfway?

The little sheep felt a tiny pang of disappointment. Then she caught herself. Damn. She’d fallen for the “play hard to get” tactic!

Staring at the dress, Ding Sishu bit her fingernail. Just now, when she’d seen it, she’d already thought — should she just put it on?

Nian Qiao waited outside for a while, then glanced at her watch. Thirty minutes had passed.

Ding Sishu was fidgeting. Then she heard Nian Qiao’s voice from outside: “Don’t forget to put on the high heels.”

“Do you need help?” Not hearing anything, Nian Qiao asked again.

“Ah… I can manage on my own.” She was just feeling awkward. Feeling awkward made everything uncomfortable. Even through a closed door, Ding Sishu could hear the soft laugh from outside.

Ding Sishu pinched her burning ear. “I… I’m done.”

So nervous. When she’d enlisted and had to strip down completely naked, she hadn’t been this nervous.

Click — the door opened. Ding Sishu’s breath caught.

She kept telling herself she was the top, but her face still burned. She wasn’t used to this, okay? When a person isn’t used to something, any physiological reaction is normal. So her blushing was normal too.

Besides! With the high heels on, she was way taller than Nian Qiao! Hahaha!

Nian Qiao looked at her, and Ding Sishu suppressed her inner laughter. “What?”

The moment Nian Qiao stepped in, she saw a delicate beauty.

Ding Sishu had always been refined-looking. With her years of training, she carried herself well. When she didn’t speak, she was a shy, pretty girl — the type both men and women would like.

Nian Qiao stepped closer, hand resting on Ding Sishu’s long hair. Though shorter than Ding Sishu, Nian Qiao’s aura remained undiminished. As she approached, Ding Sishu tensed.

Nian Qiao’s fingers settled in her hair. Ding Sishu’s fists clenched secretly. With one gentle tug, the hair came loose. Soft fingers combed through her long locks, smoothing them.

Nian Qiao raised her eyes, lips curving. “Letting your hair down would suit your temperament better.”

“Is that so?” Ding Sishu exhaled.

She wasn’t used to loose hair. The military didn’t allow it.

“Are the heels okay?” Nian Qiao said.

“Fine.” Ding Sishu took two steps.

Her walk was a little heavy-footed. With heels, walking like that looked clumsy. She glanced back at Nian Qiao, who was gentle. “Don’t walk like that. You’ll hurt your feet.”

Nian Qiao was truly gentle. If it were her cousin watching her walk like that, she’d have gotten a kick.

“It looks lovely.” Nian Qiao pinched Ding Sishu’s cheek. “From now on, try to be more ladylike.”

Awkward.

“Quite charming, actually.” Nian Qiao said.

“Oh.” Ding Sishu lowered her eyes. Shy.

Actually, many people had told her to be more ladylike. Her parents often said it too. But when Nian Qiao said it, it felt different somehow. Maybe because Nian Qiao was gentler?

“Have you been neutered?” The moment she returned to her room and answered her cousin’s call, the first greeting she got was that. Ding Sishu had intended to speak softly, gently—

“No.” Ding Sishu pinched her voice, mimicking Nian Qiao. “Sis, don’t you think I sound very gentle like this?”

“…Shushu.”

“Mm?”

“Have you hit a major life crisis?”

“Heehee, no.”

“…I feel like you’re mocking me.”

“Heehee.”

After two “heehees,” her cousin beat her up.

A child encounters setbacks and her personality changes — what to do? Usually, the skin is just itchy. One good beating fixes it.

She was only ten years older than her cousin, but talking to her, He He always felt like a single mom.

“Sis.” Ding Sishu clutched the edge of the blanket, clothes disheveled, looking like she’d been “assaulted.”

He He couldn’t stand it. She snatched the blanket away. “Fix your clothes.”

“Sis.” Ding Sishu sidled up to He He, grinning. “When are you getting to the engagement?”

“What, are you going to be shy all on your own?” He He said.

Seeing Ding Sishu’s beaming face, He He rolled her eyes again. “I’m going to work, not to play. You too. Don’t just stare at the bride.”

“How could I?” Ding Sishu said. “The moment I get to the venue, I’ll be sweeping for paparazzi.”

Although Huateng had its fingers in many industries, its core business was film and television. The Little Boss of Huateng was practically a half-celebrity herself. She wasn’t an entertainer, and she wasn’t marrying a star either. But her “bridal party” was stacked. All of Huateng’s top male and female stars, and if not them, then Huateng’s hottest new signings.

Nian Qiao had signed with Huateng at sixteen or seventeen, making her a “senior” top female star.

Because of the Little Boss’s wedding, the old history between the Little Boss and Nian Qiao had been dug up.

Spotting Nian Qiao’s name, Ding Sishu read the article closely. It seemed Nian Qiao and the Little Boss had been close before, but their relationship had cooled these last few years. Recently, due to a contract dispute, their relationship had plunged to “freezing point.”

This time, attending the Little Boss’s engagement — it was said Nian Qiao intended to renew her contract.

Relationships and interests are mutually reinforcing. Ding Sishu was inclined to believe that explanation.

The claims that they’d once liked the same male celebrity, or that there was some kind of secret sapphic relationship — those seemed less reliable.

Then again… a secret sapphic relationship was entirely possible! Nian Qiao was bi! So the question is, the bride—

“Sis, does the Little Boss like men?”

He He nearly spat in her face. “She’s getting MARRIED. What do you think?”

“Isn’t this type of rich person all about political marriages?”

“Would she possibly like women?” Ding Sishu pressed.

“Stop overthinking. She’s about to be engaged.”

Then He He looked her up and down. “Do you lesbians change your crushes this fast?”

At the venue, Ding Sishu followed the captain through the site inspection.

The venue had been in preparation for a month before the engagement. Large-scale events like this demanded specific security requirements. Public security departments and security companies had to coordinate in advance, finalizing plans and routes.

Two days ago, the captain had gotten word that paparazzi would be coming. Not every entertainment reporter got an invitation to the venue.

As expected, not long after the event started, a drone flew in from a blind spot in the venue.

“You know how to fly those, right?” The captain asked Ding Sishu.

“Yeah.”

“Drive them out.” The captain said.

The captain had come prepared — several drones of their own. Ding Sishu and a colleague piloted two or three drones, intercepting and forcing them back. After ten minutes of aerial combat, the intruding drones withdrew.

The colleague wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Little Ding, you’re pretty good at this.”

“I had training.” Ding Sishu said.

“That outfit of yours today is pretty impressive too.” What was this feeling? Like discovering that Mulan was actually a woman. The moment Ding Sishu got out of Nian Qiao’s car, all the colleagues’ eyes went wide. They knew Ding Sishu was pretty — they just didn’t know she could be THIS pretty.

The colleague was about to chat her up when the deputy captain came over. “Enough chatting.”

“We’re colleagues — we’ve still got things to talk about!” The colleagues laughed. The quick-tongued one patted his drone. “Mulan’s returning victorious this time, covered in glory. Of course we should talk more.”

“Alright, stop with the nonsense. Back to your posts.” The deputy captain spoke with “gravity,” then turned to Ding Sishu. “Mulan, you go with Miss Nian.”

“…” This was exactly why Ding Sishu hated wearing dresses! Put on some lip balm and the straight male colleagues stare. “Getting pretty now, huh?”

Couldn’t get any worse.

She waited outside the dressing room for a while, but Nian Qiao never came. She’d asked Tiantian earlier, and he said Nian Qiao was in the dressing room.

She went inside. Only a few makeup artists were there, chatting.

“Miss Nian? Miss Nian never came in.” The makeup artists said.

They asked each other — everyone confirmed Nian Qiao hadn’t entered the dressing room.

The ceremony had already started. Ding Sishu went back to the reception and looked around.

As she stood there, a “big shot” walked over. Ding Sishu didn’t know if she was a big shot, but she walked like one. “I want juice. Not these. They’re not fresh. I want freshly squeezed.”

Ding Sishu glanced at the tray in her hand. The big shot placed a U.S. dollar bill on the tray.

Ding Sishu calmly picked up the tray. “Very well.”

Your wish is my command.

Just as she turned, Nian Qiao returned her call. “I’m fine. I just wanted some quiet.”

Quiet? But it had only just begun.

Could it be… she’d seen the bride, and the “romance” of the past had come flooding back? The secret sapphic relationship?!

Since Nian Qiao was like this, Ding Sishu couldn’t say much. “Heartbroken” women had priority. “Okay, Miss Nian.”

Tray in hand, Ding Sishu walked and snacked along the way.

It was actually pretty convenient.

After ten-plus minutes of searching, she finally found Nian Qiao, the woman who “wanted some quiet.”

Only…

Ding Sishu also spotted the bride — who, moments ago, had been smiling on stage like a flower, as if she’d married the best man in the world.

The bride’s eyes were red. She was patting Nian Qiao’s shoulder.

Ding Sishu couldn’t see Nian Qiao’s expression. She only saw Nian Qiao grab the bride’s wrist.

Following standard plot progression:

“You scumbag, you jerk, I never want to see you again!”

“I’m the scumbag? I’m the jerk? Fine! I’ll show you scumbag and jerk!”

Ding Sishu counted on her fingers. Yes — next comes the kiss.