CH 40

The shopping center was a landmark building near Yu Zhou’s home. They took the elevator straight from the basement to the fourth floor. The Teppanyaki restaurant was quite upscale with not too many customers, so there was no waiting for a table.

The four of them reserved a private room before ordering the buffet sets for everyone. Peng Xiangzhi randomly ordered some dishes on the menu, handed it to the waiter before holding her cheeks as she asked Su Chang, “How generous am I? Having a buffet, I won’t make you go bankrupt.”

Su Chang smiled while remaining silent.

“You’re so contemptuous. Are you sure you won’t go bankrupt?” Peng Xiangzhi glared at her.

“Do you have any idea how many people on the internet want to see you go broke?”

“No idea,” Su Chang replied.

“Oh, there are people shouting every day under your Weibo posts, ‘Su Chang, be broke so I have a chance to keep you!’” Peng Xiangzhi jeered.

Yu Zhou laughed.

Su Chang glanced at her and also smiled.

Damn, disgusting couple! Peng Xiangzhi even got goosebumps — she never noticed before that Su Chang likes making eye contact.

“So annoying,” She whispered a complaint before looking for an ally, “Wanwan, let’s chat for a while.”

“Please go ahead.”

“Where did you get that tone?” Peng Xiangzhi couldn’t help but laugh.

“I was born with it.”

“Ha ha ha ha! Don’t make me laugh anymore!”

Xiang Wan frowned as Yu Zhou hurriedly explained, “She learned it from TV, watching too many palace dramas.”

Su Chang, however, seemed deep in thought. She observed Xiang Wan’s behavior, glanced at Yu Zhou trying to smooth things over and thought about Xiang Wan’s “innocent” actions. Suddenly, she recalled Yu Zhou telling her with teary eyes that Xiang Wan had traveled through time.

Su Chang had a vague suspicion – perhaps Xiang Wan had experienced some sort of accident, like a head injury, which caused amnesia and a distorted subconscious identity based on past TV dramas. Then, she happened to meet Yu Zhou and told her that she had traveled through time.

Had it been someone else, they might not have believed it. But that was Yu Zhou.

A girl who loved to show off but actually was extremely softhearted, with an overdeveloped sense of protection and justice.

As a result, whether or not Xiang Wan had really traveled through time, Yu Zhou believed her and took her in, cared for her and even helped conceal her identity.

This might explain why Xiang Wan’s speech seemed unusual, why she appeared to have nothing, suddenly showing up and entirely relying on Yu Zhou for her life.

Thinking about this, Su Chang’s heart ached. When Yu Zhou told her about Xiang Wan’s supposed time travel, could she have been seeking her help?

At least, Yu Zhou hoped she would believe her.

If it were not for supporting Xiang Wan, she probably wouldn’t be in such dire straits.

Su Chang let out a quiet sigh before asking Xiang Wan, “I heard you’re going to attend a voice acting summer course?”

“Yes.”

“What about your other studies? How do you plan to make up for them?”

Yu Zhou raised her ears in alertness. Something was off, why was Su Chang suddenly so concerned about Xiang Wan?

To be more accurate, had Su Chang ever cared for anyone before?

Peng Xiangzhi was also baffled, resting her chin in her hand as she watched them.

“I…” Xiang Wan, not knowing what to say, turned to look at Yu Zhou.

Yu Zhou replied, “I’m also worried about that. She doesn’t have any qualifications, and we’ve always followed the path of compulsory education. I don’t know where to send her for schooling.”

Thinking about literacy, Xiang Wan might have to start learning from primary school, but obviously, she’s not just lacking primary education.

Su Chang said, “I have a few professor friends. I’ll ask them for advice later. If that doesn’t work, we can arrange for a tutor for her.”

“I…” How can I afford that, Yu Zhou thought to herself.

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll pay for it first.” Seeing that Yu Zhou was about to refuse, Su Chang added, “After Xiang Wan’s training, she can help me record a few audio dramas.”

Xiang Wan was still new to the industry, so the money she could earn from recording dramas wouldn’t be much. It was clearly an act of charity.

Even Peng Xiangzhi let out a soft chuckle, loaded with meaning. Xiang Wan didn’t quite understand and just looked at Yu Zhou. Yu Zhou bit her lip and said, “This doesn’t seem right. I-I’ll think about it.”

“Think about what?”

“Um?”

It was unlike the previous Su Chang to insist on interfering in someone else’s affairs, so Yu Zhou never expected her to ask back.

Su Chang leaned back on the chair, tilting her head slightly as she gently asked, “What’s your relationship with her?”

The underlying message was – why can you refuse on her behalf?

Her voice was gentle and her expression slightly smiling, but Yu Zhou knew that Su Chang was angry.

Su Chang rarely got angry, and now even Peng Xiangzhi became nervous. Taking a deep breath, she stood up before letting out a dry laugh as she tried to mediate.

“Su Chang.” She nudged Su Chang’s knee under the table, calling her softly.

Su Chang turned her head and exhaled slowly. She couldn’t tell why but she seemed a bit upset.

Then she pursed her lips and said, “I just feel that you and Xiang Wan met by chance, and so did I. Whether or not she needs to accept a friend’s help should be her own choice.”

She explained patiently, her tone filled with a hint of resignation in the end.

Yu Zhou suddenly understood that what Su Chang said made sense. If she could help Xiang Wan, why couldn’t others? Why did she always think of herself as a guardian and treat Xiang Wan like her own kitten or puppy, feeling embarrassed about asking for help? If there was truly an opportunity, it seemed she had no right to refuse on behalf of Xiang Wan.

So she turned her face and asked: “Wanwan, what do you think?”

Upon hearing her words, or rather her giving in once again, Su Chang didn’t feel happy at all. Instead, she lowered her eyes, feeling uncomfortable in her heart.

Xiang Wan said: “To be honest…”

The three of them waited for her answer.

“I don’t quite understand.”

……

“Uh, from where didn’t you understand?” Yu Zhou asked.

“From the very beginning.”

“I don’t understand why I have to call beast[1] for study?” Xiang Wan seemed puzzled.

……

The three of them laughed, and Peng Xiangzhi shook her head: “Oh Wanwan…”

The atmosphere relaxed as though the ice was broken. Yu Zhou glanced at Su Chang and saw that Su Chang was also looking at her.

The two made eye contact before lowering their heads to look at their tea again.

It was still Peng Xiangzhi who spoke: “You just mentioned the guardian, who is your guardian?”

“Guardian?”

“You know, the person in charge of your household registration. Your parents, grandparents, or aunts and uncles.” Peng Xiangzhi explained.

Yu Zhou said: “Her household registration hasn’t been completed yet. I took her to register a while ago, and it hasn’t been done yet. She only has a certificate of unregistered residence.”

“Then, she doesn’t have any family and where will she register?”

Yu Zhou hesitated for a moment, and Xiang Wan didn’t say anything either.

“What’s wrong?” Peng Xiangzhi’s curiosity was piqued.

“I registered her to my household.” Yu Zhou blurted out, and quickly added: “Because I was the only one who could provide the proof of acceptance affiliation.”

“That’s right.” Xiang Wan agreed.

“Household registration!” Peng Xiangzhi was shocked. She looked at Su Chang before complaining to Xiang Wan, “She doesn’t even register with Yu Zhou’s household! How can you?”

Su Chang paused while sipping her tea as Yu Zhou nearly choked. She quickly took another big gulp.

“Well… it doesn’t seem to matter much.” Yu Zhou said softly.

Then she heard Peng Xiangzhi on the other side retort: “Doesn’t matter?”

“What is she blushing for then?” Peng Xiangzhi pointed at Su Chang, smiling playfully.

Yu Zhou looked up, and sure enough, it seemed a small patch behind Su Chang’s ear had turned pink. Hmm…

Su Chang lowered her eyelashes without looking at her, but Yu Zhou suddenly understood why Su Chang’s ears would turn red. It was because her own response just now didn’t seem to deny that Su Chang’s relationship with her was closer than Xiang Wan’s, or anyone else’s.

She didn’t ask why someone else couldn’t go just because Su Chang didn’t go.

Instead, she said, what does it matter?

To a person who cared, it probably meant that no matter whose name was on the household register, Yu Zhou and Su Chang should be the closest people. Or they used to be.

However, she wasn’t sure if Su Chang was that person who cared.

Yu Zhou was lost in thought until she heard Su Chang say to her, “Don’t worry.”

“Huh?”

“When Xiang Wan goes to the training class, both Jiang Zhi and I will take good care of her.”

Yu Zhou glanced at Xiang Wan, feeling a bit touched. She didn’t know if she should say it, but she liked this kind of mutual assistance the most. The spirit of a chūnibyō girl should be used in such a place.

Peng Xiangzhi also said, “Let’s create a WeChat group. If there is anything, we can communicate in the group in time.”

While saying this, she took the action to add everyone to the group, named – Caring Xiang Wan Growth Association.

Help… Yu Zhou didn’t want to be a mom on the Internet, so she changed the group name to – Congratulations for Fortune.

It was only after changing the name that she realized something, “Are you going to be a lecturer?”

Su Chang had just said that she and Director Peng would take care of Xiang Wan.

“Yes.” Su Chang moved her plate a little to make room for the main dishes to come.

Wow, Xiang Wan’s start was amazing. More impressive than the steak that was brought in.

Yu Zhou didn’t like Teppanyaki that much, because although the ingredients were rich, it all seemed to taste the same to her. However, Xiang Wan seemed to enjoy it. Seeing her smiling while eating, Yu Zhou also found it a bit appetizing.

After they had eaten and drank their fill, Su Chang said she intends to buy a new outfit to change into before returning the clothes she was wearing to Yu Zhou.

Yu Zhou was a bit speechless and muttered to her, “You’re returning them without washing them?”

She really didn’t know how to act.

Su Chang looked a bit surprised as if washing before returning hadn’t crossed her mind with Yu Zhou.

However, seeing Yu Zhou’s indignant look, she laughed, “Or should I put the dry-cleaning fee on your card?”

Damn, she mentioned again that Yu Zhou couldn’t afford the dry-cleaning fee.

Forget it, Yu Zhou didn’t want to argue. With the principle of digesting their meal, the few of them went shopping with Su Chang.

Su Chang went straight to the third floor and took several turns before arriving at a boutique Spanish brand store. She and Yu Zhou had been to this shop before. It wasn’t very expensive, a mid-range brand.

Glancing at the recommendation display in the window, she walked to the first row on the left-hand side, filled mostly with black, white, and gray hues. Su Chang was not fond of shopping, so casually chose two items, told the salesperson her size, and then entered the fitting room.

The outfit consisted of a white blouse with a small stand collar and slightly translucent sleeves, paired with black shorts made of the same material as suit pants. It adorned her slender waist and showed off her legs, matching her original boots perfectly.

“Does it look good?” Su Chang looked at them on the sofa through the dressing mirror.

Peng Xiangzhi flipped through a magazine: “Do you even need to ask that?”

Su Chang glanced at Yu Zhou. Yu Zhou nodded, “It looks really good.”

“Then I’ll take this one.”

As she touched the appropriate size at her waist, she walked to the cashier, casually browsing the new seasonal arrivals. She lifted her head and spoke a couple of sentences to the salesperson. Without hurrying to pay, she approached Xiang Wan and said, “It’s discounted if you spend more than 5000. I’m just a little bit short, do you want to pick an outfit too?”

Xiang Wan had always worn Yu Zhou’s clothes, worrying that her own clothes would get damaged through washing.

Yu Zhou wanted to say something but kept quiet after thinking of the situation during dinner. She whispered to Xiang Wan, “It means that it will be more cost-effective to buy more.”

“Which is to say, she wants to gift you clothes.” She whispered back.

“Is it appropriate?” Xiang Wan, during her time in the prime minister’s residence, had received many gifts from visitors. However, she felt unsure about the proper etiquette in modern society.

“I’m not sure either,” Yu Zhou barely managed to stop herself from twisting her neck, but still continued whispering in her ear, “Just take a look and see if there’s anything you like. If there is, just—just remember her kindness.”

Xiang Wan had a complex expression. For just an outfit, it seemed that it already counted as an act of kindness. Modern people seemed a little poorer than she had imagined.

She glanced at Su Chang, nodded and stood up: “I’ll accept it graciously.”

Seeing Xiang Wan start to choose, Su Chang sat on the sofa next to Yu Zhou, browsing through a magazine with her legs crossed.

Yu Zhou wanted to say something to her, motioning her to come to her side.

As the two of them approached the fitting room, Yu Zhou grabbed her wrist as she was about to pull her inside.

However, they were stopped by the salesperson who calmly said, “I’m sorry, Miss, but two people cannot try on clothes at the same time.”

Their tone seemed to fear that some “scandal” might occur.

There was a hint of amusement in Su Chang’s eyes as Yu Zhou awkwardly asked, “But we’re both women, is that still not allowed?”

“No, it’s not allowed, Miss.” Looking at Su Chang’s gray outfit, the salesperson’s smile seemed to hold deeper implications.

Alright then. So Yu Zhou had to pull Su Chang back outside, telling the salesperson, “Our friend is still in there. We’ll be back in a bit.”

She was worried that the salesperson might mistake the two of them for leaving while wearing the unpaid clothes.

Pulling Su Chang around a corner, Yu Zhou finally stopped, about to speak when she noticed Su Chang’s gaze on her wrist as Su Chang looked up at her again.

“Oh,” Yu Zhou said, releasing Su Chang’s wrist.

Then she began to spill the beans: “I just thought you seemed a little odd today, always wanting to help Xiang Wan.”

“I don’t know what Xiang Wan told you at home or what you saw and thought of, but I just wanted to tell you that I’m not poor.”

“I still have some money left, but as you know, I’ve always been careful with how I plan to spend it. With Xiang Wan, it disrupted my planning slightly, so I budgeted more carefully and told her I had no money, only hoping she could understand and bear with it.”

“But you, don’t get me wrong, I’m not extremely poor, okay? I just don’t spend on things that aren’t necessary.”

“If you treat Xiang Wan as a friend and want to give her some gifts, then I really have no position to say anything. But if you are… you want to help lighten my burden or something like that, I just want to tell you, I’m really not poor.”

“I quit my job only to take a break, that work was too boring, and if it hadn’t been for meeting Xiang Wan, I would probably be looking for a job soon. According to my plan, I wouldn’t have any problems with my expenses.”

There was another reason for quitting, which she didn’t mention, because every time she left work and walked to that intersection, she felt a little dazed as if there would be headlights from Su Chang’s car in the stream of cars, coming to pick her up.

“That’s all I wanted to say,” Yu Zhou said.

Su Chang listened quietly as she spoke, her eyes gazing gently at Yu Zhou, saying, “I understand.”

It was the most Yu Zhou had said since they had met again, making Su Chang feel a little comforted.

The two faced each other, breathing for a while before Su Chang looked back at Yu Zhou’s hand, pursed her lips and reached out to take it.

With her palm up, Yu Zhou’s ring finger moved as she heard Su Chang say, “I think I understand some things a little better now.”

She blinked her long, thick eyelashes as she stretched out her index finger, drawing a circle in Yu Zhou’s palm, then gently closing her hand.

Looking at Yu Zhou, she said, “This circle is my promise to you now. I will do things within the bounds of friendship.”

She didn’t want Yu Zhou to think too much or feel like she owed Su Chang anything. Neither did she want her to explain herself like this again, even though she still wanted to hear Yu Zhou speak.

She was a little anxious, starting from the moment she felt unfamiliar at Yu Zhou’s home.

Yu Zhou watched as Su Chang let go of her hand and said, “Let’s go back.”

“Okay.”