Scent
Smell her scent
Jian Qing held Lu Yinxi’s hand and walked in the neighborhood.
Holding hands, palm to palm, initially one was warm and the other was cool, and then gradually they became the same temperature.
Early spring, the season when it is still cold after a sudden warmth, the branches sprout tender buds, the violets are about to bloom, and a faint floral fragrance can be smelled in the air.
In the past few years, she had not paid attention to the scenery, but tonight it all surged before her eyes.
The last time Jian Qing noticed the arrival of spring was when she was young. She was holding her younger sister’s hand and heading home. Her sister picked a small, soft flower and carefully placed it in her palm to please her. She thought the wildflowers by the roadside were not clean due to the wind and rain and wanted to throw it away. Her sister wouldn’t let her, snatched it back, held it all the way home, cleaned it in water, dried it, made it into a specimen, and then gave it to her again.
Her younger sister is a completely different type of person from her, soft, clean, kind, and sincere.
Lu Yinxi entered the elevator and wanted to press the floor button. Just as she was about to raise her hand, she realized that she had been holding Jian Qing’s hand all along.
She exerted a little force and tried to pull away but didn’t succeed.
Jian Qing pressed the floor number, and the elevator door closed. She turned her head and glanced at Lu Yinxi.
With that slightly indifferent glance, Lu Yinxi inexplicably dared not move again.
Perhaps, she also didn’t want to move. Just holding hands like this, it satisfied her heart, fulfilled her wishes, and in the days of confusion and ignorance, she stole a bit of intimate time.
Unconsciously, a smile crept up to the corners of her eyes and brows. Lu Yinxi bit her lips, trying to restrain herself, but couldn’t suppress the curve of her lips.
“Ding”—the elevator door opened.
She gently shook her hand, holding Jian Qing’s hand as they walked out.
As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, her gaze fell on the door of their home. She was stunned, retracted her smile, and gently squeezed Jian Qing’s palm.
Jian Qing stopped in her tracks and looked toward the door. The soft colors in her eyes faded away, replaced by vigilance and coldness.
A woman around thirty years old stood at the door. She had pale skin, was tall, holding a branded bag, and wore a well-tailored black suit.
Her makeup was exquisite, with slender eyes and a high nose bridge, bearing a slight resemblance to Jian Qing.
Seeing them return, the stranger’s gaze fell on Jian Qing, then shifted to Lu Yinxi, scrutinizing them for two seconds before lowering her gaze to their joined hands.
Lu Yinxi instinctively wanted to withdraw her hand, but Jian Qing held on tightly and didn’t let go.
The stranger looked for a few seconds, seemingly understanding but not revealing it, and smiled, asking, “I’ve been waiting for you for an hour. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
Her slightly indifferent face, when smiling, felt like a spring breeze, full of warmth.
Jian Qing, holding Lu Yinxi’s hand, walked past without looking sideways, pressed the code, opened the door, and didn’t say whether to invite the person in or not.
Lu Yinxi guessed she was probably Jian Qing’s family member. After entering, she took a pair of clean cotton slippers and placed them at the door, inviting her in.
The woman at the door nodded politely in thanks, changed her shoes, and entered. Standing at the entrance, she saw them take off their coats and hang them on the coat rack. Following their example, she took off her suit jacket, hung it up, and then followed them into the living room.
Quite particular about etiquette.
Lu Yinxi took the initiative to make space and said to Jian Qing, “You two talk, I’ll go catch up on sleep. I didn’t sleep well last night.”
Jian Qing responded with a hum, reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear, “I’ll cook a late-night snack tonight, you should get up and eat some.”
It really seemed like a close family member, with a conversation that required her to step aside.
Lu Yinxi didn’t ask more questions, smiled, and closed the door as she entered her room.
Before the door fully closed, she faintly heard the stranger start to persuade, “Ah Qing, it’s okay to have fun, but don’t let it get out, it would ruin the family reputation.”
The voice was just loud enough to reach Lu Yinxi’s ears.
It was ostensibly said for Jian Qing to hear, but in reality, it was a warning to Lu Yinxi.
A relationship that hadn’t even taken shape was already being disdained by the other party’s family.
Lu Yinxi snickered and thought to herself: You paper people, what kind of family reputation do you have?
She changed into her pajamas and lay down on the soft cotton quilt, letting her imagination run wild, fantasizing about a scene where a wealthy heiress throws down a ten million dollar check, asking her to leave Jian Qing.
Thinking about it, she laughed and rolled around on the bed several times.
This is a virtual world; except for Jian Qing, everyone else is insignificant. For some simple and kind minor characters, she is willing to release her goodwill and treat them sincerely; as for other characters, they are as fleeting as passing clouds, and there is no need to care about them.
Jian Qing originally planned to show some hospitality by preparing tea and snacks, but after hearing what Jian Yan said earlier, she decided not to prepare anything. She sat down on the sofa, took an orange, and started peeling it, saying indifferently, “Just say what you have to say.”
Jian Yan also sat down, rubbing her sore ankles from standing, “As an elder sister, can’t I come to visit my younger sister?”
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Not caring during holidays and festivals, suddenly coming to visit for no reason.
Jian Qing didn’t look at her directly, and said sparingly, “Just say what you have to say.”
Jian Yan went straight to the point: “Jian Corporation is planning to enter the pharmaceutical industry recently and has acquired KN. I’m not familiar with that area of business and would like you to come back and help me.”
Jian Qing refused, saying, “I only know how to treat patients, not how to do business.”
Jian Yan continued, “You’re smart, you can learn. There will be professionals to teach you, and I can personally guide you. Ah Qing, we are not born of the same mother, and you have never properly called me sister, but I have always treated you as my own younger sister. The old man is now in poor health, our eldest sister died young; our second brother was sent to prison by you and is still serving his sentence; our fourth brother was fed to wild dogs, his body not yet cold; our fifth sister is frail and sickly, not knowing when she might pass away. Among the younger generation of the Jian family, only the two of us sisters are left to rely on each other. If you don’t come back, I am weak and powerless, unable to fight against those old guys.”
Businesspeople always speak with such sincerity, but Jian Qing listened disinterestedly, “Finished talking?”
Jian Yan, observing her expression, knew she was not interested. “I’ll come back another time. If you change your mind, you can contact me.” She picked up her bag, ready to leave, but as if remembering something, she took on an elder sister’s demeanor and lectured, “Don’t waste that young girl’s time. She’s young and naïve. Don’t be naïve along with her and play with her feelings.”
Jian Qing acted as if she hadn’t heard, peeled the orange, and ate it slowly.
“I noticed she looks like your sister, Ruan Xi. Even the mole at the corner of her eye is exactly the same. Your taste is quite unique. If I found a woman who looked like you, wouldn’t you find it disgusting?”
Jian Qing nodded without changing her expression, “Disgusting.” She wiped her hands, stood up, opened the door, and threw the coat at Jian Yan, “Don’t come again.”
Jian Yan took her coat, hung it on her arm, shed her sharp-tongued elder sister facade, and donned the persona of a business elite: “I’ll be waiting for your call at home. If you have time, come home and see the old man.”
Lu Yinxi said she was catching up on sleep, but in fact, she was in her room memorizing lines and writing character biographies.
The room had good soundproofing, so she couldn’t hear the conversations in the living room.
Two hours later, Lu Yinxi finished writing the character biography, stretched lazily, thought of the woman who bore a slight resemblance to Jian Qing, and opened her laptop to search for information on the Jian family.
The chairman of the Jian Galaxy Group is named Jian Zhenghe, who was once the deputy mayor of Jiangzhou City. In the early 1990s, there was a wave of officials leaving their posts to enter business due to policy encouragement. He resigned from his position as deputy mayor and founded the Galaxy Group. Riding the wave of economic reform and opening up, the Galaxy Group has, since its establishment, developed into four core industries: commercial real estate, entertainment and culture, financial investment, and network technology.
These are the details from the encyclopedia. The rest of the links that popped up mostly had sensational titles like “Jian Family Feuds,” “Jian Family’s Second Son Commits Hit-and-Run, Jailed,” “Family Struggle, Crown Prince Sacrificed, Third Princess Successfully Takes the Throne,” and other exaggerated headlines.
Online, there were only video materials of Jian Zhenghe and Jian Yan, the heir of the Jian family, attending business ribbon-cutting ceremonies and press conferences. The rest of the Jian family members only appeared in some candid shots from behind or in blurry photos where their faces couldn’t be seen clearly. Many links, when clicked, were also invalid.
Lu Yinxi tried to search for information on the family tree but found nothing; it had been completely cleaned up.
It seems there was an intentional effort to hide it.
The internet only shows what people want the public to see. Some deliberately hidden things will only exist as hearsay and will not be displayed in front of the world.
Might as well ask in person.
She went out in her pajamas, and there was no one in the living room. The aroma of white fungus and red date soup wafted from the kitchen.
She filled a bowl, wandered to the study, and found the door ajar.
She knocked to signal to the person inside: “I’m coming in, okay?”
The person inside responded with a hum, agreeing to her entry.
Pushing the door open, Lu Yinxi saw Jian Qing bent over the desk, writing something.
It might be a thesis draft, or maybe other paperwork from the hospital. Lu Yinxi had no interest in knowing. She held the bowl of white fungus and red date soup, sat beside Jian Qing, and, taking a spoon, began to eat it spoonful by spoonful.
Jian Qing asked, “What’s up?”
Usually, when she was working here, Lu Yinxi wouldn’t come in.
“Keeping you company,” Lu Yinxi said playfully.
Knowing she wasn’t speaking sincerely, a slight warmth rose in Jian Qing’s heart, and she smiled faintly, warning, “Tell the truth.”
Lu Yinxi spoke honestly, “I want to know about you and your family.”
She was straightforward, not afraid of being misunderstood as having ulterior motives.
Jian Qing’s smile faded, her expression indifferent, “I don’t have much contact with my family.”
She guessed that Lu Yinxi had searched for information. Jian Yan’s face, hailed as the most beautiful female entrepreneur in Jiangzhou, was reported by major media and had dedicated entries on encyclopedias, occasionally making headlines.
As Lu Yinxi drank, she asked, “Then tell me about yourself. What is your rank in the family?”
Jian Qing hesitated for a moment and answered, “Sixth.”
She was willing to talk about herself, unlike before when she remained tight-lipped.
Lu Yinxi smiled down at her bowl. The red date soup was sweet and delicious, its sweetness spreading from her mouth to her heart.
She continued to probe, “Do you have any younger siblings?”
After answering the first question about her family, Jian Qing didn’t mind telling her the rest: “I had a half-sister from the same mother but a different father. She later passed away.”
Lu Yinxi was silent for a moment, observing Jian Qing’s expression, which was calm and indifferent, not in need of comfort.
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So she didn’t offer any. Instead, she asked, “The person who came in the evening, she is your…?”
“In name, she is my third sister.”
Lu Yinxi nodded and made a sound of acknowledgment. The red date soup was almost finished, so she went to get another half bowl.
The study was filled with the sweet and rich aroma of red dates. Jian Qing looked up at Lu Yinxi and asked, “What else do you want to know?”
Lu Yinxi returned the question to her, “What else are you willing to tell me?”
Jian Qing recalled Lu Yinxi’s earlier words about wanting to know more about her and her family. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Do you truly want to know?”
Lu Yinxi nodded, “I do.”
Jian Qing asked again, “You won’t regret it?”
Lu Yinxi didn’t understand, “Why would I regret it?”
Jian Qing smiled faintly.
Those erased secrets of the wealthy family were casually spoken by her as if they were insignificant: “The Jian family has six children, four daughters and two sons, ‘Hai Yan He Qing, Xiu Wen Yan Wu.'”1
“Eldest sister Jian Hai, had depression, jumped off a building and committed suicide;
Second brother Jian Xiuwen, drove drunk and committed a hit-and-run, killing a pregnant woman, an elderly person, and a 3-year-old child. I reported him, and he was sent to prison, sentenced to death with a reprieve.2
Third sister Jian Yan, the one you saw tonight, once fought for the inheritance. She had someone take fourth brother Jian Yanwu to the mountains to feed him to wild dogs, trying to frame me, but she failed;
Fifth brother Jian He, was kidnapped when he was a child, got frightened, has been in poor health, and has been recuperating at home.
After the kidnapping case, Jian Zhenghe had all the information erased from the internet. No photos or voices of family members are allowed to be posted.”
The secrets of wealthy families are not fairy tales. It’s a matter of ‘you are the knife, I am the fish’3, with a few lives lightly brushed over. Lu Yinxi held her breath, listening without daring to make a sound, continuously stirring the red date soup in her bowl, not daring to take another sip.
The dark red date soup looked somewhat similar to the color of blood.
Jian Qing looked at her and asked, “Are you scared?”
“No…” Lu Yinxi shook her head, fell silent for a moment, then weakly commented, “Your family fights for inheritance more fiercely than fighting for the throne…”
Each one appeared polite and respectable, but almost all were unscrupulous individuals.
Jian Qing explained calmly, “I didn’t fight. Jian Xiuwen harmed my people, so I sent him to prison.”
Lu Yinxi didn’t say anything more. She recalled that when they returned to the villa for New Year, Jian Qing mentioned that there were wild dogs in the mountains that had killed people, with intestines strewn all over the place, and it was she who called the police and the ambulance.
The person she mentioned couldn’t be her fourth brother, could it…
No one spoke, and the study was silent.
Jian Qing put down her pen and paper, staring at Lu Yinxi, observing her expression.
Lu Yinxi lowered her head to sip the soup, her gaze sliding away and then back, trying to ignore that cold, piercing look.
Suddenly, Jian Qing leaned in, grabbed her chin, and forcefully turned her head, compelling her to make eye contact.
Her chin was tightly restrained, unable to move. Lu Yinxi’s pupils suddenly dilated, gripping the spoon tightly, her chest rising and falling slightly, like a cat entering a state of alert, its fur standing on end.
Seeing this, Jian Qing loosened her grip a bit.
She used the pad of her thumb to gently wipe the light red soup stain from the corner of Lu Yinxi’s lips, then released her, calmly reassuring, “Don’t be afraid.”
“I won’t harm you.”
“I never will.”
Her tone was cold but sincere and firm, like a vow, coupled with her cool and pleasing voice, it was truly captivating.
If Lu Yinxi didn’t know the future plot, she would have certainly believed her lies.
The ending of the original novel surfaced in her mind one by one: imprisonment in the villa, half-hearted resistance, forced suicide…
That obsessive and gloomy image gradually overlapped with the person in front of her.
Lu Yinxi’s heart pounded, but this time it wasn’t out of affection, it was fear.
They truly were not from the same world.
Jian Qing’s world prioritized fame and fortune, filled with mutual strife, sibling rivalry, and human lives as cheap as ants.
Would she become someone like Jian Yan in the future? Someone who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals?
“Weren’t you supposed to keep me company?” Jian Qing gently rubbed Lu Yinxi’s head, “There’s a small bed behind the screen. Go there to rest and read, and consider it keeping me company.”
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Lu Yinxi nodded, quickly gulped down the remaining half bowl of red date soup, ran behind the screen, randomly grabbed a book from the shelf, curled up on the bed, and started reading to distract herself. She didn’t dare to disturb Jian Qing and temporarily didn’t want to talk to her.
She was a bit afraid of her.
But only temporarily.
She just needed some time to digest and adapt.
Jian Qing was not someone who smiled easily, but often, she was considerate and took care of people. She had never truly forced herself to do anything she didn’t like. Now, she was encountering herself, the self that had crossed over from the real world, and she would never become the person in that ending…
Jian Qing stared at the blurry figure behind the screen for a while, then quietly resumed her work.
Lu Yinxi, who usually talked a lot, was unusually silent tonight.
It was as if they had returned to the beginning, where their interactions were filled with endless silence.
Late at night, after finishing her lecture notes, Jian Qing turned off the computer and walked behind the screen.
Lu Yinxi had fallen asleep while reading at some unknown time. She lay on the small bed, eyes tightly shut, her sleeping face looking obedient and soft, evoking pity.
Jian Qing walked over, stared at her for a long while, then leaned down and gently stroked the tear mole at the corner of her eye, softly complaining, “You said you wanted to know me. I told you, and now you’re afraid of me…”
The person in the dream couldn’t respond to this complaint.
Jian Qing lowered her head, buried her face in Lu Yinxi’s neck, and gently inhaled her scent.
The author has something to say:
Cat cuddling!
Footnotes
- Hai Yan He Qing, Xiu Wen Yan Wu (海晏河清，修文偃武): Names that carry auspicious meanings. “Hai Yan He Qing” implies a peaceful and prosperous state, while “Xiu Wen Yan Wu” implies a cultivated and harmonious state.
- Death with a reprieve (死緩): A legal term in Chinese law where a death sentence is suspended for two years and can be commuted to life imprisonment if the convict shows good behavior.
- You are the knife, I am the fish (你為刀俎我為魚肉): A situation where one is at the mercy of another.
