Sprained
Jin Shuilan carried her horizontally1.
The six of them got on the elevator together. Beside them, two couples were you-ing and me-ing2, completely unconcerned with anyone else. Lu Zhenqiu stood toward the back. Jin Shuilan was squeezed next to her by one of the couples. It was only four floors, and they arrived in the blink of an eye. Lu Zhenqiu held her breath and counted down. With a ding, the elevator doors opened, and she let out a breath. The two couples got off the elevator and turned into a private room3 to the side. Lu Zhenqiu led Jin Shuilan further in.
This hotel was quite large, with about seven or eight private rooms per floor. Theirs was at the very end. In the hallway, Jin Shuilan patted down her clothes and asked Lu Zhenqiu, “Is it messy?”
Lu Zhenqiu tilted her head to look at her. A light brown long trench coat covered her thighs; underneath was a brown knit sweater and slim-fit jeans, along with a pair of casual shoes. She was tall and slender. Normally, a long trench coat like that would need to be paired with high heels, but she didn’t need them; her presence was powerful enough.
“It’s not messy.” After speaking, Lu Zhenqiu looked up. She wondered if Jin Shuilan had just come from a meeting. At home or in the recording booth, Jin Shuilan always liked to put her beautiful hair4 up with a ballpoint pen or a random clip, which looked very natural and comfortable. Now, however, it was coiled up tightly. Her bangs had also been trimmed, resting against her temples, and she was wearing more exquisite makeup than usual.
Her facial features were more defined and clear, her gaze deep. As the hallway light refracted in her eyes, her pupils shone with a beautiful color. Lu Zhenqiu asked, “Teacher Jin, are you wearing cosmetic contact lenses5?”
Jin Shuilan smiled. “No, why?”
Lu Zhenqiu shook her head, came back to her senses, and said, “It’s nothing.”
The two continued walking further in. As they passed the adjacent private room, the door was open. Lu Zhenqiu walked straight past, with Jin Shuilan following behind. Someone inside the room saw them and cried out, “Oh, oh, oh, it’s Teacher Jin!”
“Teacher Jin is back?”
“Didn’t Teacher Jin go to the author’s conference?”
“That trench coat Teacher Jin is wearing is so beautiful!”
Tang Yingxia subconsciously glanced to the side. Jin Shuilan passed the doorway, leaving only the sight of her back. She gripped her cup so tightly that her fingertips turned white.
Why is she back? Didn’t she say she wouldn’t be attending this dinner? Tang Yingxia’s face was cold, and she remained silent. Lu Yan, sitting beside her, hesitated about whether to go to the room next door. She still wanted to vie for a role in Jin Shuilan’s next radio drama and wanted to make an appearance6. But with Lu Zhenqiu there, she really did not want to see her.
As she was hesitating, Yu Wen came in. Someone asked, “Wenwen, did you see Teacher Jin?”
Yu Wen was taken aback. “Teacher Jin? Where?”
“Next door.” The person who spoke pointed to the adjacent room. “Should we go over for a drink later?”
Yu Wen glanced at Tang Yingxia, thought for a moment, and then smiled. “You all go ahead.”
Saying this, she sat down beside Tang Yingxia. The others exchanged knowing smiles and began discussing in low voices.
A single wall separated the two private rooms. On Ji Zibo’s side, the meal had already begun. Since it was a rare occasion that the recording was completely finished, Ji Zibo didn’t make them hold back, letting them eat and drink to their hearts’ content. Several cans of beer had been opened, as well as two bottles of red wine. Most of the toasts were directed at Jin Shuilan, but she drank very little. Lu Zhenqiu, on the other hand, was earnest; when others drained it7, she also drained it. Watching her drink like this, Jin Shuilan could neither laugh nor cry.
“Are you drunk?” Jin Shuilan asked. Lu Zhenqiu shook her head and said in a low voice, “I can hold my liquor quite well.”
Her enunciation was clear, so she did seem to be fine.
Jin Shuilan turned her head to the side. Lu Zhenqiu’s cheeks were slightly flushed, and her eyes were rippling with a watery light8, but there were no signs of her being very drunk. Her alcohol tolerance was better than Jin Shuilan had imagined. Jin Shuilan silently poured Lu Zhenqiu a cup of strong tea and said, “Drink some.”
Lu Zhenqiu took a sip, her pretty face scrunching up. “It’s terribly bitter,” she said.
Jin Shuilan replied, “Of course. Good medicine is bitter to the mouth9; it’s only effective because it’s bitter.”
Lu Zhenqiu said, “Oh,” and obediently drank more than half the cup.
She felt completely clear-headed.
Ji Zibo and the others were now playing a game, Truthful Words, Big Adventure10, a game one never tired of at the drinking table. Ji Zibo pulled Lu Zhenqiu and Jin Shuilan in to play, and everyone cheered, wishing the mouth of the bottle would land on Jin Shuilan every time.
However, Jin Shuilan’s luck was good, and it missed her several times in a row. She even got to hear quite a few secrets; Ji Zibo even began telling the story of her first love. She clamored to switch seats with Jin Shuilan. Jin Shuilan nodded in agreement, and the moment they switched, the bottle pointed to her.
“Which of Teacher Jin’s books made the most money…”
“Which author does Teacher Jin admire the most…”
“Which of her own books is Teacher Jin’s favorite…”
“Let me ask!” Amidst the clamor of everyone talking at once, one voice rose above the others. The voice actor sitting across from Jin Shuilan stood up with a smile, leaned across the table, and asked, “Teacher Jin, how many partners have you had?”
The table fell silent for three seconds, then erupted into an uproar. Lu Zhenqiu looked at Jin Shuilan. She was being propped up11, surrounded by people egging her on. Everyone had drunk a lot, and their spirits were higher than usual. Jin Shuilan glanced at the crowd and calmly said, “None.”
The simple word landed like a clap of muffled thunder12. Ji Zibo couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter.
“So the rumors that Teacher Jin is perpetually solitary and widowed13 are true.”
The voice actor who had asked couldn’t resist another question: “Is there someone you like?”
Lu Zhenqiu felt a sudden jolt, as if her own name had been called. She subconsciously looked toward Jin Shuilan, just as Jin Shuilan happened to look over at her. Their gazes met. Jin Shuilan said, “That’s a second question.”
A wave of hissing sighs went around the table as they begged Jin Shuilan to play one more round. Jin Shuilan remained silent. Before she could answer, people from the private room next door came over to string doors14.
Lu Zhenqiu had no issue with the voice actors from the next room, as long as she didn’t have to see Tang Yingxia and Yu Wen. But as soon as the newcomers arrived, a new topic of conversation began.
“How did God Xia’s book signing go?”
“Not very well.”
“The roads were closed because of the snow recently, so very few people went. There were hardly any fan photos posted online15.”
Lu Zhenqiu silently drank a cup of tea, listening to their chatter.
Jin Shuilan, who was sitting beside her, suddenly leaned over and asked in a low voice, “What time are you heading back?”
Lu Zhenqiu glanced at her phone. Jin Shuilan said, “New phone?”
“Mhm,” Lu Zhenqiu nodded. “Just got it.”
Jin Shuilan looked at the phone, which was the same model as the one she herself had gifted her. She looked up at Lu Zhenqiu for a couple of seconds and asked, “How do you like it? Is it easy to use?”
Lu Zhenqiu replied, “It’s fine.”
Jin Shuilan lowered her head. “Then I’ll get this model next time, too.”
Lu Zhenqiu fell silent and did not answer.
The voice actor across the table still hadn’t given up on the previous question and wanted to pull Jin Shuilan into another round. With the arrival of people from the next room, the mood grew even more boisterous. Jin Shuilan played two more rounds with them. Lu Zhenqiu had drunk too much tea and needed to go to the restroom. She navigated past the crowd and exited the private room.
Only three private rooms on the floor had their lights on: one near the elevators, and the two their parties were in. The restroom was to the right of the elevators, across from the other occupied room. As Lu Zhenqiu walked down the hallway, Tang Yingxia put down her red wine glass and said to Lu Yan, “Teacher Jin is next door, aren’t you going to see her? I heard she’s looking for you for her next radio drama.”
Lu Yan turned to look at her, unable to tell if she was being truthful or not. Having spent so much time in the studio, she had more or less sensed Tang Yingxia’s hostility toward Jin Shuilan. But she had no intention of siding with Tang Yingxia. In personal matters, she could help take a jab at Lu Zhenqiu—since Lu Zhenqiu is Xiao Yu’s best friend, helping to put her down16 is convenient, but her career was a different matter. She had no desire to offend Jin Shuilan for Tang Yingxia’s sake. So now, hearing this, Lu Yan immediately went down the slope17, saying with a smile, “Then I’ll go take a look.”
Tang Yingxia nodded, poured another glass of red wine, lowered her head and drank it all18. She watched as Lu Yan headed to the room next door. She glanced at Yu Wen, who was occupied by another investor from the production team. She said, “I’m going to the restroom.”
Yu Wen asked, “Do you want me to come with you?”
Tang Yingxia shook her head. “No need. Just watch my bag for me.”
Yu Wen nodded, and Tang Yingxia left the private room.
After using the restroom, Lu Zhenqiu stood before the mirror, unable to stop recalling the look Jin Shuilan had given her during the game. She then shook her head, thinking she must have had too much to drink. She bent down, cupped water in her hands, and splashed it on her face. The icy water shocked her senses, sobering her up considerably. Lu Zhenqiu pulled out a facial tissue to dry the droplets from her face. The moment she opened the door, someone seized her wrist. She frowned, looking at Tang Yingxia.
“What are you doing?” Lu Zhenqiu stared in disbelief as Tang Yingxia pulled at her. Tang Yingxia seemed very drunk; she reeked of alcohol, and the smell was overpowering. Lu Zhenqiu tried to pull her hand away, but Tang Yingxia gripped it even more forcefully. Lu Zhenqiu cried out, “Tang Yingxia, have you mistaken me for someone else?”
Did she think she was Yu Wen?
Lu Zhenqiu’s brows furrowed deeply.
Tang Yingxia cried, “Qiuqiu.”
Lu Zhenqiu looked up. Tang Yingxia’s face was a picture of drunkenness. In the two years they had been together, she thought she had only seen Tang Yingxia drunk once, and that was over a video call. Tang Yingxia had repeatedly called her name: “Qiuqiu, Qiuqiu, I like you so much.” Back then, she had just sold the rights to her first book, and she had coaxed Tang Yingxia until midnight, feeling happy herself.
Now, however, it was the complete opposite. She forcefully tried to shake off Tang Yingxia’s hand, but Tang Yingxia gripped it deathly tight19. Lu Zhenqiu couldn’t help but demand, “Tang Yingxia! What on earth are you trying to do?”
Tang Yingxia’s eyes were red as she looked at her. “Qiuqiu, I miss you so much,” she said.
Lu Zhenqiu gritted her teeth. “Well, I don’t miss you.”
As she said this, she gave a hard push. But Tang Yingxia, being drunk, was stronger than usual and was pulling with all her might. Thrown off balance by the opposing force, Lu Zhenqiu stumbled back two steps and twisted her ankle. The pain was so sharp that a cold sweat broke out on her brow. From the hallway, the sound of approaching footsteps and conversation grew louder.
“Teacher Jin’s temper is surprisingly so good! I was so scared talking to her just now!”
“Me too! My goddess is so beautiful! I love her to death!”
Lu Zhenqiu recognized the voices as people from Tang Yingxia’s production team. She pushed herself up against the wall, not believing that Tang Yingxia would dare to get physical with her right under other people’s noses. But she was mistaken.
Seeing the two people approaching and hearing their voices grow clearer, Tang Yingxia, without a second thought, grabbed Lu Zhenqiu’s wrist and shoved her into the adjacent emergency stairwell!
Lu Zhenqiu’s ankle was already sprained, and she never expected this. Forced to take two steps on it, tears instantly shot out20. Before she could cry out, she was pushed into the pitch-dark stairwell, where the four small, green characters for “Emergency Exit” were glowing.
Afraid of being seen, yet she still dares to come after me?
Lu Zhenqiu laughed in anger. As Tang Yingxia approached, a wave of nausea washed over her. She shoved Tang Yingxia away violently and turned to pull open the door. A hand reached in through the opening, brushed precisely past her ear, and seized the hand of Tang Yingxia behind her.
Tang Yingxia was startled to see Jin Shuilan push the door open and enter!
Jin Shuilan was silhouetted against the light, her shadow falling over Lu Zhenqiu, but Lu Zhenqiu felt a sense of security. Her eyes were red from the pain in her leg, and her voice was lower than usual. “What are you doing here?”
“You were gone for a long time, so I came to check,” Jin Shuilan said, looking at Tang Yingxia, the pad of her thumb pressing into her wrist. Tang Yingxia’s entire arm went numb, and her legs went weak.
Jin Shuilan asked, “Why is she here?”
Lu Zhenqiu replied, “She’s drunk.”
After she spoke, she lowered her head to walk out, but a sharp pain shot through her ankle, causing her to lean sideways against the wall. Jin Shuilan reached out to steady her. She glanced at Tang Yingxia, then asked Lu Zhenqiu, “What happened to your leg?”
Lu Zhenqiu said, “I just sprained it, I…”
Before she could finish, Jin Shuilan bent down and carried her horizontally. Lu Zhenqiu was stunned. The rest of her words died on the tip of her tongue. Her eyes caught a glimpse of Jin Shuilan’s jawline, and she hastily averted her gaze.
The author has something to say:
Thirty red envelopes, memeda~
You’ll never believe this, but to figure out the right angle for carrying a person, I spent half an hour pestering my cat, picking it up this way and that. Now it runs away the moment it sees me…
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