Pei Shijin still remembered what Bai Mingsong had done before, but Lu Yixue gently set it aside.
Even Lu Lingjiang had said that she was a friend who grew up with Lu Yixue, so she received preferential treatment.
Lu Yixue was stunned for a moment. She had almost forgotten about this person. But the faint tremor in Pei Shijin’s voice, along with the doubt and displeasure hidden behind her words, was keenly captured by her.
The three words that followed made Lu Yixue realize even more that Pei Shijin’s mood was very bad. She thought Lu Yixue would cover for her!
Lu Yixue didn’t know where Pei Shijin’s suspicion came from, and now wasn’t the time to probe. She chose to state her position directly to reassure Pei Shijin. “If it was her, I absolutely wouldn’t condone or forgive it. She is no longer my friend. The affection from growing up together has been completely worn away.”
She faced Pei Shijin’s doubt head-on, her tone sincere and serious as if she were making a vow. “Even if she were a friend, if she hurt you, I wouldn’t let her off. You are more important.”
Pei Shijin’s mind went blank. The four words “you are more important” echoed repeatedly in her head.
Had she misheard, or was she dreaming?
Her nails dug into her palm, and Pei Shijin pinched herself hard. The pain spread from her palm—turns out it was really happening in reality.
But was reality necessarily true?
Pei Shijin firmly believed in “time reveals a person’s true heart.” Over the past four years, Lu Yixue’s kindness toward her was etched in her heart, but Lu Yixue’s dislike for her wasn’t fake either. The farewell letter she had received recently was as real as it could get.
Yet how much time had passed before Lu Yixue did a complete one-eighty?
Even though she told herself not to care, she couldn’t help questioning herself: What did she have that was worth Lu Yixue devoting all her attention to her?
She kept a straight face and said stiffly, “It had better be that way.”
“Let’s go home.” Pei Shijin picked Little Mingzhu up from Lu Yixue’s arms and gave no further response to Lu Yixue’s statement.
Lu Yixue felt a bit disappointed, but there was no time for disappointment now. Someone had tried to harm Pei Shijin, and that needed to be dealt with.
The three of them arrived at the door of Pei Shijin’s rental. Lu Yixue took the initiative to set the stuffed toys down. “Leave these here. Mingzhu might want them when she wakes up. Tomorrow, when you wake up, everything will be resolved. Good night, sweet dreams.”
Pei Shijin hesitated for a moment. “Good night.”
“Then I’ll head out first. Call me anytime if there’s anything.” Lu Yixue backed toward the elevator. Pei Shijin glanced at her, then called out for Song Zonghui to come take the stuff inside.
The security door closed, and only then did Lu Yixue slowly turn around.
She returned to her home in the opposite building unit, washed her hands clean, and then made phone calls one by one, assigning people to investigate and capture the culprit.
The last call was to Lu Lingjiang.
Her relationship with this mother wasn’t close, but undeniably, Lu Yixue relied on her the most right now.
“Mom.” After the call connected, Lu Yixue called out.
Lu Lingjiang, who was still working overtime, hummed in acknowledgment. “What do you want me to handle for you?”
Their exchanges never involved small talk, nor would she call just to check on health or the like.
Lu Yixue suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Compared to Mingzhu, she was a somewhat incompetent daughter. But then she thought, Lu Lingjiang didn’t need such pointless concern anyway, so she returned to normal.
“Do you remember Bai Mingsong? The youngest daughter of the Bai family—what happened to her in the end?” At the time of the incident, Lu Yixue needed to recuperate, and afterward, she discovered that the Suppressants she used had such great effects because Pei Shijin’s pheromones had been added. This had dealt her a heavy blow, shaking her confidence in her own abilities.
So back then, her mind was occupied with research results and Pei Shijin, and she didn’t pay attention to how the involved parties were handled. They might have been thrown in jail or sent abroad to deal with it themselves.
“She was sent to Africa,” Lu Lingjiang said as she walked from her desk to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked up at the moon in the sky. “Why are you suddenly thinking of her?”
“Has she returned to the country? Someone tried to harm me tonight.” Lu Yixue said.
A flash of cold intent passed through Lu Lingjiang’s eyes. “I’ll have someone check. I’ll give you the results in twenty minutes.”
“Okay, thank you.” There wasn’t much else to say for now, so both sides fell quiet.
Lu Yixue didn’t like this cold silence. “Then I’ll hang up first.”
“Okay.” Lu Lingjiang looked at the disconnected screen. There had been quite a few call records this year; the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curve up slightly.
The child grew more independent from her mother each year. This year was pretty good.
After hanging up, it was time to wait. Lu Yixue paced aimlessly around the living room twice before heading to the study.
Taking advantage of this time, she reviewed the day’s actions.
Lu Yixue picked up a pen and wrote down her behaviors and Pei Shijin’s reactions one by one.
They hadn’t spent much time together today, but the gains were substantial. If not for that bastard interrupting tonight, her dreams would surely have been sweet.
Lu Yixue wrote down “Bai Mingsong” on the paper and began recalling the intersections between Bai Mingsong and Pei Shijin.
Besides the Sea Island incident last time, there was also that one time at the mall when she saw Bai Mingsong and her friends bullying Pei Shijin.
At this thought, Lu Yixue furrowed her brows tightly. One couldn’t empathize with one’s past self—how could she lightly let off someone who bullied her wife and child?
And this was just what she knew. Who knew how many times that guy had bullied Pei Shijin when she wasn’t aware?
Lu Yixue circled the name and crossed it out. She cared about friendship, but friendship had limits—it diminished with every use.
Now, Bai Mingsong was just an enemy who had bullied her wife and child.
When dealing with enemies, she had to be colder than the harshest winter.
Less than twenty minutes later, Lu Lingjiang called back. “That child is indeed no longer in Africa. The last time she appeared was in Xizhou domestically.”
“I’ll send people over. Have bodyguards accompany you all out during these days.”
Lu Yixue hummed in agreement. Someone who could escape surveillance definitely couldn’t have done it alone with Bai Mingsong.
She recalled the Lightning Skull Mark she had seen on the Sea Island. Could it be that Bai Mingsong really had those people behind her?
When she was young and kidnapped, she had seen this mark in that laboratory.
She had been rescued by the Lu Family and spent a long time in treatment afterward, unclear on the follow-up.
Later, when she had the ability, she tried to investigate the organization but found nothing—and Lu Lingjiang discovered it. Lu Lingjiang forbade her from investigating further, so Lu Yixue gave up.
Most likely, this organization had operations overseas, and getting involved was very troublesome.
Lu Yixue pondered. In any case, Bai Mingsong had to receive the punishment she deserved.
Hiring someone to injure, even kill… She could rot in prison for life. Since she wouldn’t stay abroad obediently, she shouldn’t think of leaving again.
If she could use this chance to find that organization and get revenge, maybe she wouldn’t be afraid of anything anymore.
Lu Yixue slowly exhaled, set down her pen, and went to wash up, also cleaning the lop-eared bunny she had brought back.
Aside from this little plush toy, the other spoils of war were left with Pei Shijin.
After Pei Shijin helped Little Mingzhu wash up and put her to bed, she came out to organize the plush toys and spotted the rejected little white sheep tied to the big pink sheep’s tail with its hooves bound by string.
When Lu Yixue had gone to hug Little Mingzhu midway, they had been tossed on the floor. The once white and fluffy little sheep was now covered in dust.
It looked utterly pitiful.
Pei Shijin rescued the little white sheep and gave it a bath in the sink.
By the time she had cleaned and dried all the plush toys, restoring their cuteness, Pei Shijin looked at the little white sheep and found it increasingly adorable no matter how she gazed at it.
“Lu Yixue treated you so poorly. From now on, follow me instead.” Pei Shijin pinched the little sheep’s tail. She had saved it from dire straits.
“What are you grinning at with that doll?” Song Zonghui poked her head in. “I could hear your creepy laugh from the living room.”
Pei Shijin immediately flattened her lips. “You misheard.”
“Tch.” Song Zonghui leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. “Had a lot of fun tonight?”
“Not bad.” Aside from that upsetting incident at the end, everything else was joyful. Seeing Song Zonghui’s teasing gaze, Pei Shijin couldn’t help adding, “Playing with Little Mingzhu—there’s no way not to be happy.”
Song Zonghui tsked. “Just Little Mingzhu?”
“Mm. Do you need the bathroom?” Pei Shijin shifted the topic. “I’ll be done soon. Just need to take them out of the dryer.”
“No need. This little sheep is pretty cute. Give it to me.” Song Zonghui dragged the topic back.
Pei Shijin immediately hid her hand behind her back. “No. I’m sleepy. I’m going. Good night.”
She yanked the rest of the plush toys from the dryer and hurried out. This frantic escape made Song Zonghui laugh so hard she doubled over.
This was what a tsundere looked like.
Pei Shijin brought the plush toys back to the bedroom and set them on the chair. After some hesitation, she still placed the little sheep by her pillow.
Before drifting off in a daze, Pei Shijin squeezed the little sheep’s butt and wondered what kind of news tomorrow would bring.
The next morning, Little Mingzhu woke up. Opening her eyes to see her beloved big pink sheep and frog, her mouth split into a grin. She pounced over without even putting on shoes.
The plush toys were about her size, and flopping onto them felt soft and comfy.
When Pei Shijin came to wake Little Mingzhu, she saw her with big wings on her back, riding the big pink sheep, pumping her little fists and shouting “Charge!”
“One magic wand short.” Pei Shijin commented.
“Mommy buy for Mingzhu~” Little Mingzhu giggled, abandoning the big pink sheep to rush over and hug Pei Shijin’s leg. “Want super gorgeous magic wand! And crown and cape—Mingzhu wants them all~”
“Okay. What anime have you been watching lately?” Pei Shijin scooped up the little one and headed to the bathroom. “After washing up, we’ll pick them online, alright?”
Until this matter was resolved, Pei Shijin didn’t plan to go anywhere else—just back and forth between home and the clinic.
“Yay yay~” Little Mingzhu had never shopped online before and was full of excitement.
Pei Shijin watched Little Mingzhu wash up while her mind wandered again.
Actually, last night she hadn’t gotten concrete info from that thug’s mouth—just that the contact was a female Beta.
Though she had played Bai Mingsong’s recording for the little thug to identify, and the thug admitted it outright, it could also have been out of fear of being beaten.
But among those who bore grudges against her, with her father half-dead in the hospital, only Bai Mingsong was still hopping around.
It didn’t matter anyway—Lu Yixue would surely investigate thoroughly.
Pei Shijin still harbored resentment toward Lu Yixue’s leniency with Bai Mingsong, whether it was brushing off her repeated misdeeds or rushing home during work hours last time just to fetch a photo because Bai Mingsong wanted it. She remembered it all clearly.
The words Lu Yixue had said last night resurfaced in her mind: “You are more important.”
Was she really more important?
