CH 75

Someone said, when you're young, you shouldn't meet someone too stunning. Cheng Suran didn't understand that before, but shortly after her twenty-first birthday, she finally understood the meaning of this sentence.

Perhaps she would never forget that person for the rest of her life.

Reflecting on the past half year, it felt as long as a lifetime, starting from the end of summer, enduring through the severe winter, and finally reaching early spring. In reality, it was just a blink of an eye, as if the night she first met Jiang Yu was just yesterday.

She was both lucky and unlucky. Lucky for Jiang Yu, but also unlucky because of Jiang Yu.

For a long period of time, Cheng Suran was in a state of detachment from the world. She often thought that she was inherently pathological. Whenever someone treated her kindly, she would go all out to reciprocate, even to the point of putting herself in a passive position.

At such times, all she needed to do was to separate from the other person in a timely manner, and she would quickly return to her usual state of being alone and indifferent to everything. But this time, the duration was too long, long enough for her to be deeply immersed and even if she came out, she would forever bear the mark.

In the quiet of the night, she would often dream of Jiang Yu, with a voice that seemed distant yet close saying to her: "Ranran, sister likes you."

When she wakes up in the morning, she will subconsciously reached out to the empty space beside her, feeling a sense of emptiness flowing into her heart. It was only in a daze that she realized that the person had disappeared from her life.

She felt as if she was trapped under a huge transparent glass, isolated from the whole world. She could see the vibrant flowers and trees outside, full of vitality, but within her own realm, there were only flashes of lightning and desolation.

It felt like sinking into the depths of the ocean, with no light, no sound, suffocating. And so, the week passed in a haze.

Passing the makeup exam was a relief, the first pleasant thing since the beginning of spring. It was the only glimmer of brightness in these dark days. Cheng Suran began to regain some composure and realized that she still had her studies to attend to, and she couldn't neglect them.

She rented a room not far from the school dormitory and moved out, partly because of the previous conflicts with her roommates, and the awkwardness of facing them. Secondly, she considered her own state of mind, needing a quiet space.

With some money at hand, she no longer had to worry about living expenses. She could accommodate herself and find peace, which might be beneficial for her studies. In the past, she had to endure, causing internal injuries over time.

It was only at this moment that she truly understood the meaning of Jiang Yu's words about "having options".

Having money was truly wonderful.

Isn't this the joyful life she dreamed of, free from worries about basic necessities? The day before the check expired, Cheng Suran went to the bank and withdrew two million. She opened a special account and deposited the money, not intending to use it for the time being, but keeping it for future needs.

She threw away the milk-scented body lotion and packed all the items Jiang Yu had given her, except for the laptop, into a large box. She sealed it with tape and placed it in the most hidden corner of the room.

Out of sight, out of mind.

This year, spring in Jiangcheng seemed unusually long, with the temperature slowly rising amidst one rain shower after another.

Approaching May, Cheng Suran applied to the school for an exchange program to France in the second half of the year. At the same time, those classmates who had gone on exchange in the first semester of their junior year returned, privately sharing their experiences.

"If you're walking on the streets of Paris and you see a handsome guy, or if your neighbor next door happens to be a handsome guy, listen to me, don't get too excited too soon. First, find out his sexual orientation because... there's a 70% chance he might be gay!"

"Hahaha---" they laughed together.

"On a serious note, I think we should still consider taking the postgraduate entrance exam. If we just rely on our undergraduate degrees, we'll either end up in Africa or doing foreign trade e-commerce. There aren't many options."

"Isn't it unsafe for girls to go to Africa?"

"Right, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is coming to our school next month for recruitment. I'm thinking of going to join the fun and give it a try."

"So, you want to work in the government system? My parents are civil servants, and it gets boring after a while. That place is more suitable for retirement."

"You say that because you haven't been beaten by society."

"It seems like you have, haha..."

Everyone was planning their futures, but Cheng Suran still felt a bit lost in her heart.

Studying and taking exams at school all the time, with limited knowledge of career information from the outside world, she still couldn't determine if studying abroad was the best choice for her future. Confusion often accompanies anxiety, but compared to her freshman and sophomore years, this anxiety was not as intense.

In the past, she used to constantly think about what job to do after graduation, with making money being the top priority, fearing that she wouldn't be able to establish herself in this city and provide a home for herself.

But now...

Perhaps there are other options? Other possibilities? There's no need to rush for quick money and miss out on long-term development opportunities.

Maybe it's the sense of security that the money gave her, allowing her to calm down and plan for herself. Thinking of this, Cheng Suran couldn't help but feel a tingling sensation in her nose.

Sister was right.

….

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=4738582

This translation is originally posted on

love4baihe.blogspot.com

please read it there. and check out other stories too

With only a month left until the CATTI* English "Oral" and "Written" exams, one evening, Cheng Suran was having a meal when she suddenly received a phone call from Lu Zhiqiao.

*China Accreditation Test for Translators and Interpreters.

"Xiao Cheng, have you had your meal?" The woman's voice was gentle.

"I'm eating," Cheng Suran hadn't recovered from her surprise yet. "Boss Lu, you have my number?"

"Mm, you provided it last summer when you were at the company, and I've kept it."

"Mm."

She was about to ask what the matter was when Lu Zhiqiao spoke again, "On the 20th of next month, Yanyan and I are having our wedding. Do you have time to attend? If so, I'll bring the invitation to you on the weekend."

"... Wedding?" Cheng Suran's hand trembled, and her chopsticks almost fell.

"Boss Lu, you and Sister Yanyan are getting married? Can same-sex couples get certificates now?"

Lu Zhiqiao chuckled on the other end, "That's a beautiful idea. We're just having a wedding. We both want to have a ceremony for each other and hope to receive the blessings of our family and friends."

"Wow, that's amazing! Congratulations to both of you!" Cheng Suran's eyes sparkled with joy, and fragments of memories suddenly flashed in her mind.

The office, Jiang Yu, a wedding album.

She remembered seeing Jiang Yu flipping through a wedding album in the office once.

At that time, she thought Jiang Yu was getting married to someone...

Jiang Yu, Jiang Yu.

It's Jiang Yu again.

"Will you come to our wedding?" Lu Zhiqiao's tone was warm.

Cheng Suran snapped back to reality and nodded repeatedly, as if Lu Zhiqiao could see her, "Yeah.. yes, I will."

"On Saturday at 10 AM, I will come to the school to find you."

"Ah, there's no need, Boss Lu. I can go and pick it up myself to save you the trouble."

"Silly child, wedding invitations are supposed to be delivered. It's not right to let guests come and pick them up." Lu Zhiqiao laughed and called her adorable.

Cheng Suran blushed slightly, "I see, well..."

She hung up the phone, the smile still lingering on her lips.

It's wonderful.

They're getting married.

Cheng Suran sighed inwardly, feeling a tinge of envy and remembering that person. [Do you know how Qi Yan and I broke up?]

Sister Yanyan,  the ex, is getting married. So—

Will Jiang Yu be invited?

....

The rain lasted for a full two months. A ray of sunlight rescued the city from the dampness, and the sky finally cleared.

On the weekend, Jiang Yu rarely slept in. She got up after nine o'clock, drank a glass of water on an empty stomach, and didn't eat anything. She sat in her room, working on a clay model, until the afternoon. It still wasn't right.

Looking at the misshapen sculpture in front of her, she sighed, stood up, stretched her lazy body, and walked to the window. She swiftly pulled back the curtains.

The sunlight was dazzling, and the sky was cloudless.

Jiang Yu narrowed her eyes and gazed down at the street from her window. Boats of all sizes moved along the river, while tall buildings lined the other side. The people walking below appeared tiny.

After standing for a while, she returned to her table and continued working on the model.

[Sister, do you still like it?]

[I really like it.]

Jiang Yu's breath caught, as she picked up a component and then set it down.

In these past two months, besides work, she had been going to various meetings and conferences. Today in one city, tomorrow in another country. It was busier than February, and time had passed long enough.

However, the imprint of that girl in her heart had not faded, but rather became clearer.

It was like drinking a glass of sweet wine. At first sip, it tasted sour and sweet, and she thought she could handle it. But little did she know that its impact was strong, and the more she drank, the longer it took to recover...

—tok tok tok

The sound of knocking interrupted her thoughts.

"Coco..." Pei Chutong gently pushed open the door and entered.

Jiang Yu turned her head to meet her gaze and smiled. "Why did you just come? And where is Ruan Mu? Didn't you bring her with you?"

"She's in the living room. We're having a private conversation so I didn't let her in," Pei Chutong raised an eyebrow and sat on the small sofa next to her, crossing her legs.

The weather was hot, and she was wearing a camisole and wide-leg silk pants. Her face was bare, and her hair lazily tied up at the back of her head.

The young miss has been busy lately, attending various events and signing new talents. Due to lack of time, she missed the Paris Fashion Week in early March and didn't see Jiang Coco's last runway show. She only recently had some free time.

Jiang Yu clicked her tongue twice. "Are you trying to provoke her?"

"No."

"Hmm?"

"It's true," Pei Chutong shook her head. "To be honest, I'm tired too. I'm not in the mood for these games anymore." Her smile faded, and she waved her hand. "Let's not talk about that. When do you have a longer vacation? Let's go somewhere secluded, like an island or a desert, to relax and unwind…"

Jiang Yu no longer teased her and tinkered with the object in her hand while saying, "We can go now. I've just postponed those variety show invitations, so I have more time."

Since the small popularity surge at the beginning of the year, there have been constant project offers in the past few months. However, Jiang Yu lacked interest and after considering for a while, she ultimately turned them down.

"What do you have in your hand?" Pei Chutong, noticing Jiang Yu's distraction, curiously leaned closer to take a careful look.

"This little figurine looks like you. Oh, why is it broken?" Jiang Yu gently touched the damaged part of the figurine and spoke softly, "It was a birthday gift from Ranran last year." After a moment's pause, she continued, "I accidentally dropped it and it broke."

Her expression turned gloomy, as if a dark cloud hung over her, contrasting with the clear sky outside the window.

Pei Chutong was momentarily stunned, her gaze fixed on Jiang Yu's face, and she hesitated before asking, "Didn't you two…break up?"

Two months ago, she was laughing on the phone, saying she would find the next person soon.

"Yeah."

"Then why are you still keeping the things she gave you?"

"If it's given to me, it's mine. How I handle it is up to my mood," Jiang Yu chuckled, her touch becoming even lighter, afraid of breaking it again.

A brief silence followed.

Pei Chutong stared at Jiang Yu and sighed, "It's been two months since you broke up, and if you really don't care as you told me on the phone... Well, forget it, you have your own considerations."

She sat back on the sofa, propping her head with one hand, her mood inexplicably downcast.

"We're both difficult sisters." She muttered to herself.

"Oh, by the way, I've kept an eye out for suitable girls for you. There are three of them, and we can go see them tonight."

Jiang Yu lightly shook her head, "Not interested."

"One of them looks a lot like your little sister, both in terms of face and body, even the voice is quite similar," Pei Chutong said tentatively.

Jiang Yu's eyes brightened for a moment, then dimmed again. "Let's talk about it later."

There was another knock on the door.

After waiting for a while, no one entered, but the knocking was very soft. Pei Chutong thought it was Ruan Mu and felt a bit annoyed. She got up to open the door. Tian Lin was standing outside.

"Miss Pei." She smiled and nodded at Pei Chutong, then walked straight into the room, her gaze falling on Jiang Yu, who was playing with the model.

Wearing pajamas, with disheveled hair, she looked like she had just woken up. The bedding on the bed was in a mess, and there were dolls scattered on the floor.

Jiang Yu looked up at the sound, "Why are you here, Sister Xiao Tian?"

"..."

Pei Chutong coughed lightly, "I'll go check on the Wood." After saying that, she went out and closed the door behind her.

Tian Lin didn't say anything and quietly walked to the side of the bed, picking up the rabbit plush toys that had fallen onto the carpet, one by one, and arranging them neatly. Then she straightened the bedding.

"Do you need something?" Jiang Yu looked at her.

Tian Lin glanced at the models on the table, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Qi Yan is having her wedding on the 20th of next month. She wants to invite you and Miss Cheng. To avoid suspicion, she asked her girlfriend to deliver the invitation to Miss Cheng, and she asked me to inform you as well.

"She probably doesn't know that you and Miss Cheng have broken up."

Jiang Yu lowered her gaze and remained silent.

The clay figurine in her hand had a broken leg, lying incompletely on its base, its eyes looking at her with a hint of mockery.

Her ex-girlfriend is getting married.

[In my heart, you're not bad at all.]

[You're a good sister.]

Jiang Yu felt a stab of pain in her heart, and she subtly furrowed her brows, turning her face away. "I'm not going. Take a gift on my behalf and make it clear that Ranran and I have already broken up. Anything else is unrelated to me."

She picked up a transparent box and covered the model, carefully placing it inside the cabinet.

Tian Lin's lips twitched, wanting to say something, but she swallowed it back. "Alright. Also, I've arranged for a psychiatrist. Let's see when…"

Jiang Yu interrupted, "I'm not sick, I don't need it."

….

Ruan Mu sat motionless on the sofa, staring at her phone in a daze. She had been in the same sitting position for almost ten minutes.

The screen displayed a Weibo Chaohua, with CP pictures and fanfictions of Jiang Yu and Pei Chutong.

The niche enthusiasts indulged in their own fandom, displaying various creative works and demonstrating their strong fighting spirit. It brought them great joy. Ruan Mu didn't know how long she had been following this hashtag, but each time she looked at it, her heart ached a little. Yet, she couldn't resist clicking to see it again, unable to control herself.

The fans gave Pei Chutong the attribute of "worldly fortune flower" and Jiang Yu the attribute of "thousand-year-old evil doer," clearly distinguishing between the roles of the aggressor and the receiver.

The supermodel and the actress, a perfect match.

Ruan Mu furrowed her brows tightly, waves of emotions stirring in her deep, abyss-like eyes, while her thin lips formed a straight line. She was so engrossed in looking at it that she didn't notice someone approaching behind her.

"Is it interesting?" a familiar voice suddenly sounded in her ear.

Ruan Mu was startled, and she reflexively locked her phone screen and turned around to see Pei Chutong standing behind the sofa, her expression slightly cold.

"Tongtong..."

"Give me the phone," Pei Chutong reached out her hand.

Ruan Mu hesitated for a moment, a hint of struggle flickering in her eyes, but ultimately she unlocked the phone and handed it over to her.

She rarely refused her requests.

Pei Chutong took the phone, glanced at it briefly, then looked up, staring directly at Ruan Mu. "How long have you been following this?"

"For over three months," Ruan Mu's gaze avoided her.

"Why do you follow it?"

"I accidentally clicked on it."

"You're lying!"

"..."

Ruan Mu lowered her head and fell silent.

Pei Chutong stared at her, her eyes gradually turning red, and let out a cold laugh.

She was utterly disgusted by this evasive behavior and suddenly felt exhausted and disheartened. She could no longer bear it. "I've had enough, Ruan Mu. I'm sure you've had enough too, right?"

"Starting from tomorrow, you're free. I have so many bodyguards, I don't need this one. If my grandfather asks, I'll handle it. Besides, he's getting old and won't interfere in the affairs of younger generations anymore. You don't have to treat his words as if they were military orders. Let's each go our separate ways. I let you go, and let me go too."

Pei Chutong took a deep breath, turned around, and stepped onto the balcony.

Underneath the high-rise buildings, the Binjiang River flowed between the two banks, shimmering with sparkling waves as boats busily shuttled across.

The summer sun enveloped her.

Ruan Mu tightened her fist, her upright figure trembling slightly, her face pale. After a moment, she approached Pei Chutong from behind and said, "Tongtong, actually, I..."

"Shut up," Pei Chutong covered her ears. "I'm not trying to force you to comply. I've already made my decision, so you don't need to explain anything anymore."

"In 1998, there was a major flood in the Yangtze River Basin..."

"I said, shut up!"

"What else do you want to say? Do you think that after you say it, I'll immediately change my mind? Understand your difficulties? And then continue to endure that agony, endure your avoidance, is that it? This will become your tactic for the future, to use whenever you want to make me silent, without actually wanting to solve the problem. I see through it!" She became hysterical, as if possessed, her eyes turning red as she faced her.

Ruan Mu immediately closed her mouth and hugged her, clumsily trying to comfort her. "That's not what I meant. Okay, I won't say anything anymore... I..."

"I accept whatever decision you make."

Pei Chutong silently shed tears.

….

The wedding day was on "May 20th."

The venue was a mountain villa hotel owned by the Qi family, located halfway up the mountain in the Binhai Estuary Scenic Area. It had beautiful scenery, facing the sea with a wide view. It was decorated splendidly in preparation for the upcoming wedding.

A black car slowly drove along the winding mountain road.

Jiang Yu and Tian Lin sat in the back seat, one dressed in formal attire with a serious expression, and the other dressed casually and absent-minded.

Dappled tree shadows passed over their faces.

After a short while, they arrived at the hotel entrance.

The driver followed the instructions to park the car, and Jiang Yu looked out the window. She saw Qi Yan's parents standing at the entrance to welcome guests, but apart from them, most of the faces were unfamiliar.

There was no sign of the girl.

"Sister Yu, are you really not going? We've come all this way," Tian Lin picked up her handbag but didn't immediately get out of the car.

Jiang Yu shifted her gaze away, turned her face, and smoothed out the wrinkles on Tian Lin's dress. She smiled and said, "Sister Tian, you look beautiful today."

"..."

Tian Lin sighed helplessly, knowing that she couldn't persuade her anymore. She didn't say anything more and opened the door to get out of the car.

Silence filled the car.

Jiang Yu kept her eyes fixed on the hotel entrance.

At 11:40, a taxi stopped at the door, and the backseat door opened, revealing a pair of feet wearing white high-heeled sandals stepping out.

Her gaze moved upward, revealing slender and straight legs, a gradient-colored dress in shades of sea blue and white, long and silky black hair, and a lightly made-up face with delicate features.

Kid...

Jiang Yu's heart thumped, her breath held at her throat.

Still thin, but looking in good spirits, dressed beautifully, exuding a youthful and mature charm, it was the same Cheng Suran she knew.

She suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

The girl walked along the red carpet towards the hotel lobby.

Jiang Yu raised her phone and took a slightly dark-toned photo through the glass, watching her step into the lobby until her figure disappeared through the splendid arch...

She uploaded the photo to her private Weibo account.

@Carnivorous Herbivore JWY: Juste une photo de toi.

Visible only to herself.

The photo was slightly blurry, and the girl's figure was not very distinct, like a butterfly that could fly away at any moment. Jiang Yu suddenly remembered the tune she heard by the hot spring pool on a certain night in October last year.

Just a photo of you remains.

After a long while, Jiang Yu closed the Weibo app, looked up, and said to the driver, "Let's go."

"Won't we wait for Assistant Tian?"

"Pick her up later."

"Okay."

At exactly twelve o'clock, the ceremonial cannons roared, and the wedding began.

The black car quietly drove out of the hotel gate...