Is Not Enough
Back in her original world, Cheng Jiqing didn’t have many opportunities to show her face in public.1
Let alone going out alone to watch movies, eat, or shop.
She had wanted to come out the past couple of days, but various things caused delays. It just so happened she had time today, and she quite liked the genre of the movie that had just been released.
She observed for a few days before deciding to go see it.
Fantasy romance.
The name was 《Shang An》2, adapted from a novel. The author was also the director of this film.
The story took place during the human apocalypse.
The female lead was the only human left on Earth, possessing the last human genes. At the end of her loneliness, she jumped into a vast blue sea.
But she didn’t die as she wished; instead, she found another world in the ocean.
Here, she obtained what she had never possessed—companionship, liveliness, and love.
Her lover was the queen of the underwater world.
Just when she thought she had everything and had found happiness, she suddenly discovered it was all the queen’s deception; the queen only wanted to obtain the last human genes from her.
Moreover, not only was she the last human, but she was also the last enemy of the underwater world.
When the truth was exposed, the female lead chose to leave. Only then did the queen realize her true feelings.
But in the end, the female lead still chose to go ashore.
The camera lingered on the scene of the female lead turning her back on the sea, heading towards the desert.
No follow-up, her fate unknown, the future uncertain.
After the film ended, Cheng Jiqing sat in her chair, calming herself for two minutes. Her eyes felt a little hot; she was an emotional person at times.
However, she didn’t cry, just felt somewhat moved inside.
She really liked this story.
Walking out of the cinema, Cheng Jiqing noticed that next to the entrance displaying the movie poster, there was also a message board. Messages could be left for the author or dedicated to the movie.
Cheng Jiqing walked over, picked up a pen, and wrote a sentence.
Just as she finished writing, a woman in sportswear and sunglasses, sucking on a lollipop, walked into the staff backstage area. She casually took Cheng Jiqing’s note.
“Rather be lonely than suffer.”
The woman read it aloud: “You see things pretty clearly, sis.”
Hearing this, Cheng Jiqing looked up and smiled slightly: “It’s alright. Do you know if there’s a bookstore nearby where I can buy this novel?”
Cheng Jiqing simply felt touched internally; the feeling of a movie and a novel are different, and she wanted to read the novel. Who knew that after hearing her, the woman actually gave her a copy directly.
Although it wasn’t a new book, she still felt quite pleasantly surprised. Unexpected gains always bring joy.
After Cheng Jiqing left.
Tong Yanxi3 bit her lollipop, her gaze fixed on the note.
Someone approached beside her and asked, “If that person knew the author-director herself gave her the book, she’d definitely be thrilled.”
Tong Yanxi was nonchalant.
What’s so great about showing off a title.
“Director Tong, was there anything special about that person? Why give the book only to her?”
“Nothing special. Just remembered that before I finished writing the ending, I had the same thought.”
Six o’clock.
The time agreed upon with Qin Yufu.
Cheng Jiqing parked her car at the entrance of Xiao Nanzhou. As soon as she entered, the manager immediately came forward to lead the way. She had originally booked a private room, but Cheng Jiqing felt that given the current situation and their previous relationship, it wasn’t quite suitable for her and Qin Yufu to be alone in a private room.
She asked the manager to change it to a table in the main hall.
After waiting less than two minutes, Qin Yufu arrived.
As the female lead, Qin Yufu’s looks were totally on point;4 the book described her as a rare refreshing beauty in Beicheng. Cheng Jiqing extended her hand in a ‘please’ gesture.
“Miss Qin, I imagine you’re not in the mood to have dinner with me either, so let’s talk business first.” Cheng Jiqing asked concisely and comprehensively: “Old Madam Qin asked you to come today, right?”
Qin Yufu’s expression stiffened.
Cheng Jiqing said, “I explained about the incident at the cocktail party last time; it was a misunderstanding caused by Cheng Jing. So today, knowing you were forced to come specially, I’m here to help you out. Consider it a show of my sincerity.”
Qin Yufu naturally still didn’t believe her. Her gaze towards Cheng Jiqing wasn’t friendly as she said, “Help me out? But who caused the situation I’m in now?”
“Count it as me, perhaps, or perhaps not…” Cheng Jiqing realized she seemed to lack the patience she had when facing Bai Xin. This thought vanished in an instant. She said, “The issue now is how to resolve this matter, correct?”
Cheng Jiqing’s expression and tone were very calm.
Qin Yufu looked at her for a moment, then said, “How do you plan to handle it?”
Old Madam Qin simply wanted a marriage alliance with the Cheng family. According to Cheng Jing’s intentions, although it previously looked to outsiders like the original owner had pestered unreasonably and ruined Qin Yufu and Bai Xin’s marriage, the Qin family had actually done its fair share of adding fuel to the fire.5
“After we meet today and you go back, I will have Cheng Jing clearly tell your Old Madam that I no longer like you. I guess there will be two outcomes. First, the Old Madam gives up, and you and I have nothing more to do with each other. Second, the Old Madam still wants to insist, forcing you to come find me again, or having Cheng Jing arrange a second meeting.” Cheng Jiqing paused for a moment. “Which possibility do you think is greater?”
Cheng Jing seemed relatively easy to deal with on this side; as long as Cheng Jiqing refused, Cheng Jing would reject it even if it meant offending someone.
The key was still on Qin Yufu’s side.
Qin Yufu said, “Since you know the Old Madam’s thoughts, you should know she won’t give up easily.”
So it was the second option.
“That’s simple too. It just means repeating the process of our meeting today a couple more times. Things shouldn’t happen more than twice; after the third time, even if Old Madam Qin persists, she’ll give up out of consideration for face.”
After hearing this, Qin Yufu scrutinized Cheng Jiqing. Before she could ask, Cheng Jiqing preempted her, “Please don’t ask me again why I’m doing this. Just consider it me paying the price6 for the past.”
There was a long silence.
“How can I trust you?”
“Believe it or not, it’s up to you. Let the results speak for themselves.”
Cheng Jiqing felt a bit thirsty from talking, and also a bit hungry. “Shall I order a couple of dishes to tide us over?”
Qin Yufu had seen Cheng Jiqing’s previous behavior before. She still had doubts about what was just said, but there was no better way right now.
She had to listen to the Old Madam—so that her mother could live a bit more comfortably in the Qin household.
This was also why Bai Xin had suffered that unexpected disaster.
She suddenly remembered the news she heard today, Zeng Lu and Bai Xingxing…
“Cheng Jiqing… did the matter with the villa really have nothing to do with you?”
Cheng Jiqing passed the menu over. She figured Qin Yufu had also heard about last night’s events. She said, “If it had something to do with me, shouldn’t I be the one going in right now?”
Qin Yufu pressed her lips together, hesitating, “Then that day, did you… bully Bai Xin?”
Cheng Jiqing seemed to instantly hear the omega’s panting breath beside her ear. If referring specifically to that day, then yes, she had.
She took a sip of water. Qin Yufu was probably probing to see if she knew about Bai Xin’s omega identity.
But there was no need to tell Qin Yufu everything.
She said, “She’s an alpha, what could I bully her about?”
The current Qin Yufu was still very naive; Cheng Jiqing could see the relieved state in her eyes at a glance.
“Besides, Zeng Lu and Bai Xingxing’s matter, our cooperation went quite well. Even if you see us sitting together in the future, you don’t need to be surprised,” Cheng Jiqing said.
Qin Yufu sneered, “How could you possibly sit together?”
Cheng Jiqing shrugged.
She thought for a moment, then asked, “How did you and Bai Xin meet?”
Qin Yufu wore an expression that said ‘Why would I tell you’. Cheng Jiqing said, “Fine, I’ll ask her next time.”
“Don’t go bothering her!” Qin Yufu glared at Cheng Jiqing, but then, likely afraid her attitude was too harsh and would displease Cheng Jiqing, bit her lip. “She’s had a hard enough life. Don’t bully her, okay?”
Cheng Jiqing thought to herself, except for bullying her at the villa that day, afterwards it seemed like Bai Xin was the one bullying her…
But Qin Yufu was actually quite good to Bai Xin.
“We met because she saved me.”
On the day of the school field trip, she accidentally fell into the water and was saved by Bai Xin who happened to be passing by.
That day was also the day Bai Xin presented7… so that’s how she knew Bai Xin’s true identity.
Later, they met again at a banquet. At that time, her family was planning to marry her off to a divorced alpha, while Bai Xin happened to be under suspicion by Bai Xingxing and needed to hide her identity. They hit it off immediately8 and got married.
But Qin Yufu didn’t tell Cheng Jiqing the rest of the story.
Hearing this, Cheng Jiqing nodded in understanding. “So that’s how it was. You said she has a hard life, is it because Bai Zhaoliang and that stepmother aren’t good to her?”
As Cheng Jiqing asked, her thoughts inexplicably turned to Bai Xin’s coolly beautiful face. That morning, when Cheng Jing appeared at the door, Bai Xin had thrown herself into her arms.
Soft fingers between her lips.
A place softer than fingers pressed against her heart.
At that time, did Bai Xin notice her unusually fast heart rate?
Qin Yufu looked into Cheng Jiqing’s eyes. The feeling Cheng Jiqing gave her at this moment was very strange. There was a kind of gentleness about her; her posture while drinking water was graceful, the white jade bodhi bracelet on her wrist accentuating her fair skin.
Not a trace of her former arrogant and dissolute ways.
She actually felt that Cheng Jiqing at this moment had a shred of humanity.
So Qin Yufu held onto a little hope. She hoped that after hearing this, Cheng Jiqing would at least not target Bai Xin next time she saw her.
“Yes. After Bai Xin’s mother passed away unexpectedly, she supported herself alone. Bai Zhaoliang is just a hypocrite, and Zhou Ping and Bai Xingxing treat Bai Xin even more like a rival for the family inheritance. When she was younger, if Bai Zhaoliang wasn’t home, Bai Xin couldn’t even get a single hot meal…”
Qin Yufu only revealed a part of what could be said; she didn’t tell Cheng Jiqing some of the Bai family’s private matters.
But even this was enough to touch Cheng Jiqing’s heart.
She seemed to find it hard to accept that Bai Xin had suffered such hardship, and subconsciously developed more aversion towards Bai Zhaoliang.
“How did her mother pass away?”
“A fire.”
Neither of them was really there to eat; they only ordered three home-style dishes.
Since they needed to talk, they didn’t ask the waiter to come over again.
Now that the conversation was mostly over and the dishes had arrived, it was clear neither had much appetite. Cheng Jiqing took two bites and said, “Add me on WeChat. Let me know if anything comes up when you get back, so I can be prepared.”
Qin Yufu thought for a moment and took out her phone.
Cheng Jiqing had tried to add her before, but she had never accepted.
“…You can scan mine.”
Qin Yufu opened her QR code.
Bai Xin and Tang Jia entered Xiao Nanzhou. Just as they turned the corner, they saw Cheng Jiqing by the window, holding her phone towards Qin Yufu’s phone.
It was clearly the posture for scanning a QR code.
“CEO Bai, a coincidence? Or did you plan this in advance?” Tang Jia crossed her arms, tilting her head to look at Bai Xin.
Bai Xin gazed at Cheng Jiqing’s back, her expression cool, ignoring the person beside her.
It was also at this moment that Qin Yufu suddenly looked towards them.
Cheng Jiqing had just finished adding the contact when she noticed Qin Yufu’s gaze was off. She turned her head to look.
Her eyes met Bai Xin’s gaze precisely.
Icy cold, devoid of any emotion.
“…”
Cheng Jiqing felt that Bai Xin in heat was cuter.
The moment this thought appeared, she startled herself.
Bai Xin and Tang Jia weren’t far away anymore. The two walked over slowly. Qin Yufu stood up, “Bai Xin, Doctor Tang… you came to eat too?”
When they got married, it was a mutual agreement, but when they divorced, she was the one who proposed it to protect herself and her mother. She knew Bai Xin had suffered quite a bit recently.
So she was full of guilt towards Bai Xin.
Tang Jia chuckled lightly, “Yes, Miss Cheng is here too?”
Cheng Jiqing: “…Yeah, just discussing something.”
No matter how she looked at it, she felt Tang Jia’s eyes were filled with the shadow of the god of gossip.9
After speaking, she unconsciously glanced at Bai Xin.
Bai Xin averted her gaze coolly. “Please continue.”
Cheng Jiqing unconsciously replied, “We’re done talking.”
Tang Jia looked at the three of them, pushed up her glasses, and smiled. “Then why don’t we eat together?”
Cheng Jiqing: “…?”
Setting Tang Jia aside, with the three of them and their tangled relationships, sitting together—was it a competition to see who would be more awkward?
Wouldn’t Tang Jia herself feel awkward?
Her eyes questioned Tang Jia.
Then she realized, oh, Tang Jia wouldn’t.
She could even see a hint of hidden anticipation in Tang Jia’s calm eyes.
But Bai Xin definitely wouldn’t agree. Cheng Jiqing thought resolutely and decisively.10
Bai Xin stood beside them, one standing, one sitting, thus her gaze was slightly lowered. Her eyes first landed on Cheng Jiqing’s face, then shifted to Qin Yufu, asking, “Do you mind?”
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
Qin Yufu shook her head. How could she mind? She was just still a bit worried Cheng Jiqing would make things difficult for Bai Xin.
But then she reconsidered; if Bai Xin herself didn’t object, it meant she didn’t see Cheng Jiqing as any threat.
Only Cheng Jiqing looked surprised. Why would Bai Xin agree to such an absurd suggestion?
“Little CEO Cheng wouldn’t mind, would she?” This question came from Tang Jia.
Did she even have a chance to mind anymore?
Cheng Jiqing shook her head. Although… why did she feel like this Tang Jia person always gave her the feeling of stirring things up?
“CEO Bai, where will you sit?”
Qin Yufu had already shifted one seat further in. Bai Xin took a small step towards Cheng Jiqing’s side, her voice cool and light, “Move further in.”
“…Oh.”
Inexplicably, Cheng Jiqing felt a tiny bit of pleasure.
Qin Yufu looked at the two opposite her, suddenly remembering Cheng Jiqing’s earlier words—if you see her and Bai Xin sitting together, don’t be surprised.
But when did Bai Xin and Cheng Jiqing become so harmonious…
Perhaps because they were mentally prepared, the atmosphere wasn’t as awkward as imagined, though there weren’t any particularly interesting topics either.
A few more dishes were ordered, and Tang Jia ordered a bottle of red wine.
A passerby’s chat drifted over inadvertently, “Watching 《Shang An》 today almost made me cry my eyes out, the director is amazing.”
Cheng Jiqing seized the moment to break the silence, “I went to see it too.”
Tang Jia asked, “What did you think?”
“Very good. The story is novel and moving, worth watching,” Cheng Jiqing commented.
Tang Jia nodded, no one noticed the subtle change within her. “Is that so? Has Miss Qin seen it?”
Tang Jia didn’t seem like someone who would be curious about these things. Qin Yufu paused, then nodded, “Just watched it this afternoon.”
She was dragged there by her best friend.
Bai Xin took a sip of red wine, the liquid swirling slightly over her tongue before sliding down her throat. The taste wasn’t particularly outstanding. So she finished the remaining mouthful in the glass.
She remembered the text message Cheng Jiqing sent her in the afternoon—I’m going to watch the movie by myself. Besides, what do I need to prepare for meeting Qin Yufu?
Going to watch it with Qin Yufu, yet telling her she went alone.
Cheng Jiqing had no need to tell her; since she did, why lie?
Bai Xin’s heart sank slightly. She parted her lips, the tip of her tongue grinding against her teeth, applying slight pressure, causing her dimples to appear.
As if she wasn’t drinking wine, but biting something.
Her fingertip tapped lightly against the wine glass, and a waiter immediately stepped forward to refill it.
Seeing this, Tang Jia gave her a warning look—Take it easy.
Although Bai Xin’s alcohol tolerance was decent, during a period of unstable heat cycles, drinking too much could potentially affect her pheromones due to the alcohol.
Cheng Jiqing only drank two sips when the four of them clinked glasses; her alcohol tolerance wasn’t very good.
Seeing Bai Xin had already finished a glass, she said, “Miss Bai, eat some food.”
Bai Xin ignored her.
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
Starting again, is she?
Qin Yufu spoke up, “Bai Xin, did Bai Xingxing tell you about the text message incident?”
That day, Bai Xingxing pretended to run into her and tricked her phone away from her. This was also one of the reasons she felt apologetic towards Bai Xin.
“Mn.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Bai Xin’s tone didn’t fluctuate much. “It’s in the past.”
Gather for profit, scatter when profit ends.
That was how it was between her and Qin Yufu. No deep friendship, but not enough for enmity either.
Qin Yufu couldn’t think so clearly. She just remembered how the two of them once chatted happily together, yet now they were so distant, and felt very bad inside.
She drank a glass of wine.
Except for Cheng Jiqing, even Tang Jia had fallen silent at some point.
By this time, the meal had become difficult to continue.
Instead, one and a half bottles of red wine had been consumed.
The three women walked out of Xiao Nanzhou.
Cheng Jiqing and Tang Jia had driven; each called for a designated driver.
After stepping outside, Tang Jia answered a call, then turned her head and said, “Something came up, I have to leave first. Miss Cheng, I’ll have to trouble you to send these two home.”
Cheng Jiqing looked at the cool-eyed Bai Xin, then at the flushed Qin Yufu.
Cheng Jiqing: “…”
She suspected she must have offended Tang Jia at some point.
Qin Yufu believed Bai Xin didn’t want to deal with her and didn’t want to be a nuisance, saying, “No need, I’ll take a taxi back myself.”
Qin Yufu clearly couldn’t hold her liquor; as the delayed effects kicked in, her face became quite red.
Cheng Jiqing thought for a moment, “Get in the car. Can’t just leave you here alone.”
As she said this, Bai Xin had already gotten into the back seat.
Qin Yufu knew that was tacit agreement, so she got in the car.
Qin Yufu sat in the front passenger seat, while Cheng Jiqing and Bai Xin sat in the back row.
Based on distance, they would drop Qin Yufu off first. The air was mixed with the smell of red wine and a faint, elusive fragrance.
No one spoke the entire way. Especially Bai Xin beside her, the pressure was low.
Cheng Jiqing didn’t try to engage that cold face; bored, she looked at her phone for a while and soon received a text message from Tang Jia.
Tang Jia: 【Bai Xin drank quite a few glasses just now. She might feel a bit unwell today.】
She had barely finished reading the message when she sensed slight movement beside her.
She glanced over out of the corner of her eye.
Bai Xin’s hand rested on her leg. She was wearing a skirt that ended above her knees, so half of her fingers were on her skin.
Cheng Jiqing watched those fingers curl up, as if in endurance.
Cheng Jiqing carefully glanced at the people in the front row, then leaned her upper body closer.
Bai Xin had her head turned towards the window, dark hair obscuring the side of her face. Cheng Jiqing couldn’t quite see her expression, so she could only reach out to brush the hair aside.
She unintentionally touched Bai Xin’s face; her fingertips met a layer of damp sweat.
Cheng Jiqing’s heart tightened. It seemed like symptoms of the start of a heat cycle, yet also somewhat like the marking side-effects Tang Jia mentioned. In any case, Bai Xin wasn’t comfortable right now.
This was an expressway; stopping the car was impossible.
Besides the driver, Qin Yufu was in the front passenger seat. She didn’t dare speak, so she could only shift slightly closer. Based on the experiences from the previous two times and last night, she took Bai Xin’s hand.
Hoping it would make Bai Xin feel a bit better, just like last night.
As her hand closed over Bai Xin’s, her slightly cool little finger inadvertently brushed against the hem of Bai Xin’s skirt. She distinctly felt Bai Xin tremble all over for an instant.
Then she heard a faint sigh.
Cheng Jiqing’s face flushed. She immediately coughed twice softly to cover the sound. She looked up; the driver didn’t seem to have noticed, and there was no movement from the passenger seat.
She relaxed slightly.
Cheng Jiqing picked up Bai Xin’s hand and held it in hers. She felt Bai Xin grip her tightly.
Bai Xin’s long eyelashes fluttered like feathers. She slowly opened her eyes, gazing at the darkness outside, revealing the dangerous and frantic thoughts within her dark pupils.
—Just holding hands is not enough.
Cheng Jiqing saw Bai Xin open her eyes. Just as she was about to lean closer and ask softly, her wrist was seized tightly and pulled by Bai Xin.
Then her fingertips touched a scorching heat. Cheng Jiqing felt a ‘throb, throb, throb’—
Her hand had been placed by the omega onto the gland on her neck…
The author has something to say:
CEO Bai: Let me clarify first, I’m not jealous, I’m just a little annoyed, that’s all (gritting teeth) Cheng Ji 11
Bai 00: Average
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