A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 110
by Little PandaModern AU Extra 4
Embrace
“Xu Ming, when you get to school tomorrow, go block that bleach-blond punk and tell him directly that I’ve arranged to meet a few of them at the usual spot.” Shen Hetang wanted to resolve this matter thoroughly.
Taking the initiative to scare them a bit and observe their reactions—only then could she feel at ease.
“Me?” Xu Ming pointed at his own nose, his face full of uncertainty.
“Of course you. You absolutely cannot show fear. You still have two years together—you will be seeing each other all the time, and you might even end up at the same high school. You have to strike decisively and make him drop the idea of bullying you. I’ll back you up for a couple more days. Show some manly spirit these next two days, and go provoke him boldly.”
“Can I really do it?” Cousin Xu1 smiled sheepishly.
“You can do it. Trust me.” She looked at the uncertain boy with firm encouragement.
“Mm.” Cousin Xu nodded hard. Seeing Shen Hetang speak so confidently, he seemed to find the courage to resist as well.
Since they were all students, the two shige2 did not let everyone eat too late, and the gathering dispersed before ten o’clock at night.
The shige had wanted to see Cousin Xu home, but Shen Hetang did not want to keep troubling the two older brothers, so she said she could escort the other two classmates back. And so she hailed a taxi, put Cousin Xu in the cab, and then rode off on her electric scooter with Jiang Chenyu, heading in the other direction.
Jiang Chenyu lived in a small villa community. The neighborhood consisted entirely of detached villas in a French style—not excessively large—with lush greenery in the courtyards. A small patch of Luohan bamboo even grew in one corner of the wall, swaying gently in the breeze.
“It is too late. Why do you not stay at my place tonight? There is only an auntie at home. It would not be safe for you to go back alone, would it?” At the doorstep, she genuinely wanted Shen Hetang to stay.
Shen Hetang glanced at the surrounding buildings and said, “It is fine. Not many people can make me feel unsafe.”
Jiang Chenyu heard this and knew her reasoning did not hold up, but she still had something she wanted to discuss with her, though she could not just come out and say it.
Just then, the auntie inside came out—a woman in her forties. Seeing Jiang Chenyu returning at this hour, she pulled a long face and said with displeasure, “Where did Xiao Yu go? Why are you only coming back now? If the master finds out, he will not be happy. Honestly—a girl like you, running around outside all day long. If anything happens, do not blame me.”
The woman rambled on incessantly, her face pulled so long it could last a good person half a month. She fiddled with her bright red acrylic nails as she spoke, making Shen Hetang frown.
“Since you have invited me, I will impose on you tonight then.” She had not planned on staying, but this woman looked ready to devour Jiang Chenyu, which disgusted her from the bottom of her heart. The thought that Jiang Chenyu had just lost her mother and was already being bullied by this housekeeper made it impossible for her to just leave her and go home.
“Really? You agreed?” Jiang Chenyu completely ignored Nanny Wu’s words, just happily pulling Shen Hetang into the house.
Nanny Wu was the spy her stepfather had planted by her side—she could not care less what this woman said.
“Huh? Who is this? Xiao Yu, why do you bring just anyone home?”
“Nanny Wu, this house is in my name. If I wanted to, I could burn it down, let alone bring a classmate home. If you have a problem with it, go back and serve Uncle Wu. I am not keeping you here.” Jiang Chenyu had not wanted to engage with her, but the woman actually dared to question her friend—truly pushing her luck.
Shen Hetang saw that she could still bare her claws, and the corner of her mouth twitched. She had not expected that someone who looked so soft and sweet could look quite convincing when she glared—her worries might have been unnecessary.
“You… you… I am doing this for your own good. At your young age, how can you not tell good from bad?”
“No need. Nanny Wu, you had better worry about your own son flipping up girls’ skirts at school instead. You would do well to worry less about my affairs—would not want you aging prematurely.” Jiang Chenyu’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes3 were full of disgust, as though even mentioning Nanny Wu’s son would taint her.
“Let us go!” Without waiting for Nanny Wu’s reaction, she took Shen Hetang’s hand and led her straight to her own room.
“Stay in the same room with me—you do not mind, do you? I want to chat with you.” She had her own little calculations, so naturally she would not put her in the guest room.
“Of course not.” She figured they had shared a room before, but remembering how Jiang Chenyu would cling to her like a koala after falling asleep still made her feel a little awkward.
Thinking of that silky-smooth sensation when the other girl pressed against her, she feared she would not be able to control her own hands.
“What is wrong?” Seeing her fall silent for a moment, she thought she had reservations.
“Nothing.” Jiang Chenyu suddenly leaned closer, tilting her body toward her, and she instinctively leaned back.
“What are you dodging for? You look like a scholar visiting a brothel4.” Jiang Chenyu moved closer, and Shen Hetang’s jade-white earlobes turned red, as though she were the scholar being teased.
Jiang Chenyu reached up, plucked off her hat, and put it on her own head, laughing happily. “It is late. There is a bathroom in the room. Let us wash up and go to bed.”
“We?” Shen Hetang’s exquisite phoenix eyes widened a full circle in alarm.
“Mm, is there a problem? We are both girls, and it saves time!” Actually, she had not meant they should bathe together—she had just noticed Shen Hetang’s mind going somewhere else and was deliberately teasing her.
“I will be done in five minutes, will not waste any time. I will go first.” Shen Hetang said this and took off running.
“It is over there—you are going the wrong way! I was just teasing you, no rush! Hahahaha!” Seeing her flee like a runaway, Jiang Chenyu laughed so hard she shook like a flower in the breeze, like a fox that had just swindled itself a meal.
A while later, the two sat across from each other on the bed in their pajamas.
“I am going to tell you something very seriously. After you think it over carefully, you have to promise me, okay?” Though Jiang Chenyu looked confident, she actually was not sure Shen Hetang would agree.
“Mm, go ahead!” Shen Hetang’s eyes held a hint of amusement. She looked like a little white rabbit trying to coax a big bad wolf—clearly uncertain of success, yet demanding a promise.
“Um… um… With things like what happened today, you really should avoid getting involved in the future. After all, those people this time were just all show. If you ran into someone truly ruthless, I am afraid you would suffer.” Jiang Chenyu chose her words carefully before speaking. Though she worried Shen Hetang might misunderstand her as being too meddlesome, she did not want her getting into fights with others again like today—not even staged ones.
“Just that? I will think about it. This time it was also because of a friend.” Seeing how worried she was, Shen Hetang felt warm inside. She had done many things on her own, and sometimes she did want someone to talk to, but she was still accustomed to walking alone.
“Of course there is something else. I have a more suitable job for you here.” She knew Shen Hetang occasionally took part-time jobs and had made indirect inquiries about her situation. Since she would be taking up her time, naturally there should be fair compensation.
Thinking of how they shared similar fates, she truly did not know who had it worse. She looked at the self-reliant Shen Hetang, vibrant and radiant as a dazzling sunflower.
Then she thought of herself, who would never have to worry about food and drink for the rest of her life. Perhaps they both had bright futures ahead.
“What kind of job?” She still needed to save up for university tuition and living expenses. If the job Jiang Chenyu described was something she could handle, she would consider it.
“Eat with me, drink with me, sleep with me!” Jiang Chenyu looked perfectly innocent, counting off on her fingers one by one.
“What?” Shen Hetang’s beautiful face stiffened, thinking she had misheard!
“Do not misunderstand. As you have seen, this auntie in the house was hired by my stepfather and takes orders entirely from him. And sometimes, being alone with my stepfather is very… awkward. Every time he comes here, the auntie takes leave and goes home to rest.” At this, Jiang Chenyu lowered her eyes, not wanting the person across from her to see the disgust in them.
“So… I… I really do not want to be alone with him. It is… inconvenient.” Jiang Chenyu shook her head gently, obliquely expressing her difficulty. She did not want to spell it out—she could not bring herself to say it!
“Could you… when my stepfather comes here, stay with me? Live with me, eat with me—so I will not be afraid.” Her watery eyes, brimming with affection, carried a hint of pleading. She was terrified Shen Hetang would refuse her. She truly needed an ally, and there was no one more suitable.
“Afraid?” Shen Hetang naturally caught the implication behind her words. This beautiful orphan girl was like a prime cut of meat—anyone would want to claim her for their own. But if that man was the one beside her, then Jiang Chenyu’s situation was truly dangerous.
“Yes, afraid!” Her expression was just like a wronged child. The soft lighting made her look pitiful and delicate, yet youthful and beautiful.
“Do not be afraid. I will stay with you.” Seeing Jiang Chenyu like this, Shen Hetang’s heart ached a little. She leaned forward slightly, pulled her into an embrace, and gently patted her back.
After hearing her agreement, Jiang Chenyu wrapped both arms around her neck and pressed close. She loved this embrace—warm and natural.
From the moment Jiang Chenyu first saw her, she had been drawn to her unconsciously, wanting to draw closer. Whether this affection could be attributed to friendship between girls, she did not care—she just wanted to be closer still.
Footnotes
- Biaodi: a pinyin kinship term for a younger male cousin through a non-patrilineal line, such as a maternal aunt.
- Shige: a pinyin term meaning 'senior martial brother,' referring to a senior male fellow disciple in Chinese martial arts tradition.
- Peach-blossom eyes (桃花眼, taohua yan): a Chinese aesthetic ideal for eyes with slightly upturned outer corners and a dreamy, romantic quality, shaped like peach blossom petals.
- Scholar visiting a brothel (逛青楼): a common trope in Chinese literature where young scholars visit courtesan quarters (青楼, qinglou) for poetry, music, and companionship. The reference humorously compares Shen Hetang's flustered reaction to that of a timid scholar in a romantic setting.
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