What If
What if she pursued you?
After Lu Zhenqiu spoke, the corners of her eyes reddened with anger. The last shred of beautiful memory from before their breakup completely crumbled. Now, facing Tang Yingxia, she only found it laughable. This was clearly someone she had once genuinely loved, so how did it come to this?
Tang Yingxia had liked her; she could feel it. Liking someone was impossible to fake, and so was not liking them. Or rather, so was being perfunctory. During the period when Tang Yingxia was getting ambiguous with Yu Wen, she had already sensed the perfunctory attitude. To gather well and part well1 was the last shred of dignity they had for each other, but Tang Yingxia’s repeated pestering had torn this dignity to shreds!
When they first got together, Tang Yingxia said she didn’t want to make their relationship public, and she had agreed. After the breakup, she never used that point to blame Tang Yingxia, because she had consented to it. But this kind of consent had made Tang Yingxia greedier and greedier. She wanted to get back together, yet was too cowardly to go public, too afraid to even admit to their two-year relationship. So selfish.
And now she even dared to suspect her relationship with Jin Shuiluan?
Did she think everyone was like her?
Lu Zhenqiu took a deep breath, turned around clutching her phone, and walked away without looking back, even as Tang Yingxia gritted her teeth and stared at her. She went straight into the studio. Tang Yingxia stood in place for a few minutes, then turned and kicked a car tire viciously. The hard tire’s rebound scraped her toes, and the pain made her face turn deathly pale!
The car buzzed with a whump. Tang Yingxia bit her lip until it broke. The taste of blood stimulated her taste buds, choking her throat with a rusty flavor. When Yu Wen came out of the studio, she saw Tang Yingxia standing by the car. She walked over, carrying her bag, and called out, “God Xia.”
Tang Yingxia turned to look at her, her heart drowned in fury, still ringing with Lu Zhenqiu’s words. She actually said that about me? Was it because of Jin Shuiluan?
Yu Wen walked to her side, looked up at her, and said softly, “God Xia, what’s wrong…”
Before she could finish, Tang Yingxia pulled her into an embrace. Yu Wen frowned instinctively, her shoulders gripped tightly. Tang Yingxia held her and looked toward the studio Lu Zhenqiu had disappeared into, her eyes filled with gloom.
As Lu Zhenqiu entered the studio, she saw someone come in behind her and heard them mutter in a low voice, “Are God Xia and Yu Wen for real?”
“How could it be fake? I just saw them hugging outside.”
Lu Zhenqiu’s motion of putting down her bag paused. She calmly took her phone out of her bag. Tang Yingxia had gripped it so tightly just now that she was worried the screen might be broken. Thankfully, the phone was sturdy. The screen only had some slight ripples and wasn’t broken. Lu Zhenqiu first replied to Jin Shuiluan’s message before she heard Ji Zibo call out, “Qiuqiu.”
She turned her head. Ji Zibo said, “You’re here.”
Lu Zhenqiu smiled. “Yeah.”
Ji Zibo observed her expression and was relieved to see she truly wasn’t affected by the gossip. She had also heard the crew members talking about Tang Yingxia and how she and Yu Wen seemed to be hugging and embracing outside. So bold. But did this mean Tang Yingxia and Yu Wen had confirmed their relationship? If so, wouldn’t Jin Shuiluan’s chances be much greater?
She started smiling at the thought. Lu Zhenqiu asked curiously, “Teacher Ji?”
“Hm.” Ji Zibo reined in her smile and resumed a serious expression. “Is Teacher Jin feeling any better?”
Lu Zhenqiu said, “She should be a bit better. She seemed to be in good spirits this morning.”
She was even able to take Maomao downstairs for a walk; she didn’t look like she had a fever anymore. Ji Zibo nodded. “She has a good constitution. Colds usually pass quickly for her. Once, there was a flu going around our crew, and the whole army was wiped out2, but she was completely fine. She even mocked us for not exercising. Tell me, isn’t that infuriating?”
Lu Zhenqiu imagined the tone Jin Shuiluan would use to say that. It would definitely be infuriating. She nodded.
Ji Zibo said, “But infuriating or not, how about I go with you to take a look later?”
Lu Zhenqiu said, “Sure.”
At noon, Ji Zibo didn’t eat with the crew and left with Lu Zhenqiu. Before getting in the car, Ji Zibo made a tsk sound. Lu Zhenqiu didn’t pay it any mind. After getting in, Ji Zibo said, “She’s had this car for about three years. It was a birthday present from her parents.”
She never willingly lent it to anyone.
Lu Zhenqiu started the engine and said, “Teacher Jin has a pretty good relationship with her parents.”
“It’s very good.” When she first met Jin Shuiluan, she was just envious of her family’s wealth. Later, she grew to envy her parents’ attitude. They were so open-minded.
She still remembered asking Jin Shuiluan how she told her parents about her sexual orientation. Jin Shuiluan didn’t hide it, telling her, “I just told them directly.”
She was stunned. “You told them you like girls?”
Jin Shuiluan nodded.
She was a little envious. “And your parents didn’t get angry.”
Jin Shuiluan shook her head. It was only later, when they had a meal together, that she truly believed Jin Shuiluan’s parents were open-minded, because they treated her with the enthusiasm reserved for Jin Shuiluan’s girlfriend.
Hearing this, Lu Zhenqiu let out a pfft of laughter.
She asked Ji Zibo, “And then?”
Ji Zibo said, “And then Teacher Jin told them she had someone she liked, and it wasn’t me.”
After saying that, she glanced at Lu Zhenqiu. “But that was three years ago.”
Lu Zhenqiu nodded and asked curiously, “So, did Teacher Jin get together with the person she liked back then?”
Ji Zibo paused, then said, “No.”
Lu Zhenqiu felt a bit of regret. She said, “For someone as wonderful as Teacher Jin…”
“What if it were you?” Ji Zibo asked suddenly. Lu Zhenqiu looked at her. “Hm? Me?”
Ji Zibo nodded. “Everyone knows our Teacher Jin has great charm. So if Teacher Jin pursued you, would you say yes?”
Lu Zhenqiu was stunned by the question.
Seeing this, Ji Zibo smiled. “If it were me, I’d just give in. She’s beautiful and rich. In the first two years of our radio drama, Jin Shuiluan was the one funding it, without even considering if she’d make the money back. All she wanted was to have fun.”
Their thinking was simple and pure back then. They made the radio drama following their hearts, choosing voice actors based solely on suitability. It was nothing like now, where they had to consider promotion, the popularity of the voice actors, and so on. It was probably because they were so reckless back then that they managed to carve out a path. They succeeded.
For the first two or three years, they didn’t make money. Later, as radio dramas became more widespread and the audience grew, Jin Shuiluan not only recouped her investment but was now making a fortune.
Lu Zhenqiu nodded, praising them, “Very forward-thinking.”
Ji Zibo smiled.
They chatted idly all the way home. Jin Shuiluan was sitting on the balcony reading a book, with Maomao lying beside her, its big tail wagging contentedly. She took a sip of warm water, and as she put the cup down, she picked up her phone to check the time. Lu Zhenqiu should be home soon. Jin Shuiluan glanced down but didn’t see anyone. The group chat, however, was buzzing with activity. Jin Shuiluan tapped open the crew’s group chat.
【Hey, it’s true! Why don’t you guys believe me!】
【So you’re saying it’s real?】
【They’re actually pretty sweet.】
【I even have a photo.】
This was the main crew group chat, which included many extras3 she didn’t recognize. She just clicked on the photo and recognized the person in it was Tang Yingxia, and the one in her arms was Yu Wen.
The two were standing by a car, embracing.
Dating? Going public?
Jin Shuiluan’s finger tapped on the screen, her gaze deep. After a long moment, she put down the phone and continued to read her book.
When Lu Zhenqiu and Ji Zibo opened the door, they saw the person sitting on the balcony. Lu Zhenqiu changed her shoes and glanced over. Jin Shuiluan had her back to them, her head lowered to her book. The window was open a crack, and the wind lifted her hair, making it arc in the air. The atmosphere was tranquil and beautiful. Lu Zhenqiu suddenly remembered what Ji Zibo had said just now, about the person Teacher Jin used to like.
What would she be like with someone she likes? Even gentler, more considerate? Lu Zhenqiu couldn’t quite imagine it. She felt that the current Jin Shuiluan was already very good at taking care of people.
Ji Zibo greeted her, “Teacher Jin.”
Jin Shuiluan turned her head. Seeing her come in with Lu Zhenqiu, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you here?”
“To freeload a meal4,” Ji Zibo smiled. “And to check on you.”
Lu Zhenqiu said, “You two chat then, I’ll go make dinner.”
Ji Zibo walked onto the balcony and saw Maomao lying at Jin Shuiluan’s feet. She asked, “Is your cold better?”
Jin Shuiluan gathered her clothes around her. “I was fine to begin with.”
Her cold came on fast and left just as quickly. Her energy level was now about the same as it was yesterday. Ji Zibo said, “It’s good that you’re fine. Later this afternoon, come out with me.”
Jin Shuiluan frowned. “For what? I have to write the script this afternoon.”
Ji Zibo glanced toward the kitchen and said in a low voice, “Isn’t Lu Zhenqiu’s birthday coming up? She invited me, but I have no idea what to get her. You can help me pick something out this afternoon.”
Jin Shuiluan asked her, “What are you planning to buy?”
Ji Zibo thought for a moment. “A bracelet?”
Jin Shuiluan didn’t speak, just stared at her. Ji Zibo felt her skin crawl under the gaze and changed her answer, “A necklace?”
The person before her remained silent. Ji Zibo shrugged. “I can’t think of anything. Have you bought something? Can you give me a reference?”
Jin Shuiluan lowered her head. “I have.”
Ji Zibo asked her, “What did you buy?”
Jin Shuiluan pursed her lips. “I’m not telling you.”
Ji Zibo: …
So childish!
She didn’t bicker with Jin Shuiluan and sat beside her, trying to think of a gift. Lu Zhenqiu didn’t give it a thought while she cooked. It pained Ji Zibo to be so distracted even while eating. Lu Zhenqiu even thought the food wasn’t to her liking. Jin Shuiluan tapped the table and said, “Eat first.”
Only then did Ji Zibo snap back to reality, showering praise on Lu Zhenqiu’s cooking. Her face-changing speed could be called a unique skill5. Lu Zhenqiu smiled. “I’m glad you like it, Teacher Ji.”
“I love it,” Ji Zibo said, then sensed a cold pressure. She added, “But the most important thing is that Teacher Jin likes it, since Teacher Jin eats it often.”
“Teacher Jin, do you like it?”
Jin Shuiluan’s hand, holding her chopsticks, paused. She glanced at Lu Zhenqiu and Ji Zibo, then said in a muffled voice, “I like it.”
Lu Zhenqiu felt relieved. After lunch, she even made them some tremella soup6. Ji Zibo held the bowl and said, “This is the life of the gods7…” After speaking, she looked at Lu Zhenqiu, who was busy in the kitchen, and said in a low voice, “I have some good news for you.”
Jin Shuiluan turned her head. “What good news?”
Ji Zibo said mysteriously, “It’s about Tang Yingxia and Yu Wen. It seems the two of them are together.”
Jin Shuiluan gave a breezy “oh.” Ji Zibo frowned. “What’s with that expression? Aren’t you happy?”
Her ex-girlfriend had finally made a clean break with Lu Zhenqiu. Shouldn’t she be happy?
Jin Shuiluan replied, “I’m happy.”
Ji Zibo: …
Thanks, but you don’t look happy at all.
Jin Shuiluan turned her head and said, “But I feel like there’s something strange about this.”
“Strange?” Ji Zibo was confused. “What’s strange about it?”
Jin Shuiluan thought for a few seconds, then shook her head.
Ji Zibo was dissatisfied. Just as she was about to speak, Jin Shuiluan changed the subject. “When is the first episode of our radio drama coming out?”
“Around the 15th of next month. Why?”
Jin Shuiluan asked, “And Tang Yingxia’s?”
“The 20th, I think.” Ji Zibo had seen the date and, out of professional habit, had memorized it. Jin Shuiluan nodded. Ji Zibo asked her, “What’s wrong? Do we need to avoid it?”
Jin Shuiluan opened her mouth. “No.”
Her fingers tapped on the tabletop. After a few seconds, she said, “Whatever day they release theirs, we’ll release ours on the same day.”
The author has something to say:
Thirty red envelopes, muah muah.
Jin Shuiluan: I’m not a good wife if I’m not stirring up trouble.
Lu Zhenqiu: ???
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