Troublesome – Chapter 91

Silence

Your current silence is deceiving me.

Lu Zhenqiu stood at the bathroom door. The person on the other end of the phone shouted a few times: “Lanlan? Lanlan? You’re pretending not to be there again, right? You promised your dad you would go to the evening party to present an award, you’re not taking it to heart at all. Hello? Lanlan?”

He Jinmei looked at the phone. There was still no response, which didn’t fit Jin Shuilan’s style. She figured the signal was bad, said “strange,” and then hung up the phone. Lu Zhenqiu clutched the phone, feeling that she was being very rude, but in that moment, she really didn’t know what to say. There was a breath stuck in her chest, catching in her throat, making it difficult for her to breathe, let alone make a single sound.

Go on stage, Mo Bai, present the award.

Lu Zhenqiu took a deep breath, lowering her head to look at the phone. She knew Jin Shuilan’s phone password, but she had never opened it. Even when no one was around, she had never touched Jin Shuilan’s phone. For the first time, she wanted to open it and see.

The sound of water from the bathroom was splashing. Lu Zhenqiu’s thoughts were a mess. She heard a scratching sound coming from beside the door, turned her head and walked to the room’s entrance, and opened it. Maomao rushed out from inside. Seeing her, it became exceptionally happy, wagging its tail as it stood by her side. Lu Zhenqiu rubbed its head and was pushed by Maomao to sit on the sofa. Maomao was still in a posture asking to be petted. After Lu Zhenqiu rubbed it, she bit her lip and opened Jin Shuilan’s phone.

She didn’t look at the call history, didn’t look at the messages, but after hesitating for a moment, opened the Sanshui Live Streaming Platform. Although she was mentally prepared, she still fell back onto the sofa after seeing that familiar name.

Why, was it really her?

Lu Zhenqiu bit her fingertips, waves of confusion washing over her. Many fragmented conversations flashed through her mind, but she couldn’t piece together a single sentence. She didn’t know if it was the alcohol taking effect, or if the shock from this news was too great, but Lu Zhenqiu’s vision blurred for a few seconds, and she was left completely stunned.

She leaned against the edge of the sofa, woodenly put down the phone, woodenly glanced in the direction of the bathroom, and slowly curled up her body. Maomao squeezed in and was pulled into Lu Zhenqiu’s arms.

Soon, the sound from the bathroom stopped.

Without the sound of water, the entire room was terrifyingly quiet. Lu Zhenqiu rubbed Maomao’s head, her eyes vacant for a long moment, before she heard Jin Shuilan ask, “Hasn’t dinner been delivered yet?”

Her tone was gentle, and as she approached, she brought with her the scent of shower gel.

Lu Zhenqiu turned her head and saw Jin Shuilan wearing gray silk pajamas. They had a rich texture, and the surface of the pajamas reflected the light from the crystal lamp, making it a bit dazzling. Lu Zhenqiu squinted her eyes and only spoke after a good while, “No.”

Her voice was slightly hoarse and lacked strength. Hearing this, Jin Shuilan looked down at her, then sat over and said, “You let Maomao out?”

“You’re so tired today, don’t play with it.”

Lu Zhenqiu nodded, “Mm.”

Although she agreed, she still didn’t let go of Maomao. Hugging Maomao, she lay on the edge of the sofa, her fingers unconsciously poking its nose. Maomao’s warm breath sprayed onto her fingertips.

Seeing her like this, Jin Shuilan wondered if the alcohol was kicking in. Just as she was about to ask, a sound came from the doorway, and then the room service staff knocked on the door. Jin Shuilan pushed the cart in and saw that Lu Zhenqiu was still maintaining the same posture. She asked, “Are you still eating the salad?”

Lu Zhenqiu shook her head, “I don’t want to eat anymore.”

She said, “You should have your dinner.”

Jin Shuilan sat beside her. Before eating, she handed Lu Zhenqiu a cup of hot milk. Lu Zhenqiu took it, the warmth spreading through her palm. She took a sip; it was just the sweetness she liked.

Lu Zhenqiu turned her head to look at Jin Shuilan, watching her eat with her head lowered. The light fell on her long eyelashes, which were still damp from her recent shower. Her eyelashes were wet, and her side profile was very beautiful, the curve of her features a work of art. Lu Zhenqiu had heard people say before that being an author was the profession most prone to illness because sitting for long periods easily leads to various problems. But Jin Shuilan seemed to be an exception. She was healthy and self-disciplined. Although she would also stay up late and mix up day and night, you rarely heard her complain about any aches or pains.

Her thoughts were too chaotic, a complete mess. Lu Zhenqiu didn’t even know what she was thinking right now. She just quietly watched Jin Shuilan eat her dinner. Occasionally, Jin Shuilan would ask, “This dessert is not bad, want to try it?”

As she spoke, the spoon was already at her lips. She opened her mouth and took a bite. It was very sweet, but she couldn’t taste the flavor.

Jin Shuilan smiled and asked her, “Is it good?”

Lu Zhenqiu said, “It’s pretty good.”

Jin Shuilan nodded, “My mom can make it too. If you like it, I’ll have her make it for you next time you visit.”

Lu Zhenqiu didn’t reply.

Maomao leaned against her for a while before getting up to wander around the room. Having been cooped up all day without going downstairs, it was venting its excess energy in the room. Lu Zhenqiu also got up and walked to the balcony, looking downstairs, suddenly feeling that she was quite stupid.

Mo Bai had said it before, the upper floors of the hotel were all booked by Sanshui, so how could Jin Shuilan have been able to stay here?

And at Sanshui, the special treatment she received, even Xiao Yu couldn’t help but click their tongue in astonishment upon hearing she was the host of the evening party: “Amazing, ah, you’re the first person to be able to host the evening party after being here for less than half a year.”

Not to mention those other small, subtle exceptions: the recommended spots on Sanshui, the consistently high popularity of her live stream room, Mo Bai’s attitude. She had never understood why before, but now she suddenly understood a little.

After finishing dinner, Jin Shuilan walked to her side. The balcony was large and had a hanging chair. Lu Zhenqiu stood by the window, her figure looking thin and frail. Jin Shuilan walked over, hugged her from behind, and asked, “What are you looking at?”

“Looking at the lights outside.” Lu Zhenqiu didn’t turn her head. The faint smell of alcohol on her body mixed with the recent taste of milk, creating a sweet scent. Jin Shuilan couldn’t resist lowering her head to kiss her cheek, asking, “What’s so interesting about the lights?”

Lu Zhenqiu said, “The lights are very bright.”

A sentence that came from out of nowhere¹. Jin Shuilan just assumed she was drunk, coaxing, “Okay, it’s cold out here, let’s go back inside to look.”

The window was half-open, and the cold wind rustled in. Maomao raised its head and let out a woof, seeming frustrated that it hadn’t gone out today. Lu Zhenqiu turned her head, standing by the window to look at Jin Shuilan. She opened her mouth, “I want to sit here.”

She looked at the hanging chair. Jin Shuilan complied with her wish but still closed the window. The lights from outside were refracted by the window, creating many shadows. Jin Shuilan sat beside Lu Zhenqiu. The hanging chair bore the weight of two people, causing the middle to dip inwards, and the two of them were pressed closely together. Jin Shuilan called, “Qiuqiu.”

Her voice was very bewitching. Lu Zhenqiu turned her head and met Jin Shuilan’s gaze. Those eyes were burning and clear. She had already washed up simply again after dinner, and when she spoke, there was a faint minty scent, which was Lu Zhenqiu’s favorite scent recently. She tilted her head up slightly, watching as Jin Shuilan slowly approached, their foreheads touching, their breaths intertwining. Lu Zhenqiu was already familiar with Jin Shuilan’s proximity. Her brows and eyes, the bridge of her nose, her clearly defined eyelashes, her fair skin, the curve of her features—she knew every detail by heart. Just as Lu Zhenqiu was about to speak, she was kissed by Jin Shuilan.

The lights in the living room were faint. The balcony light was off, and the light and shadows intertwined. Jin Shuilan’s movements were light and gentle, as if afraid of hurting her, even her sucking lacked force. Lu Zhenqiu thought of the things from just now, and her chaotic thoughts became disordered once again. She grabbed the collar of Jin Shuilan’s pajamas and suddenly ground her sharp teeth as she bit down on Jin Shuilan’s lip. The soft sensation was more pronounced than usual. Jin Shuilan, pained by the bite, subconsciously furrowed her brows. She wanted to pull away, but Lu Zhenqiu was still clutching her pajamas tightly and bit down even harder than before.

The pain stimulated her nerves.

It was hard to say who ignited whom. Lu Zhenqiu’s rare moment of madness provoked the suppressed heat in Jin Shuilan’s heart. She turned the tables, wrapping her arms around Lu Zhenqiu’s waist and lifting her directly onto her lap. The hanging chair swayed because of her movement, and the two of them became even closer due to the motion, almost pressed against each other.

Jin Shuilan didn’t feel that being bitten was a bad thing at all. Instead, an inexplicable emotion surged through her body. Her blood flowed faster and more powerfully than before, and an invisible flame shot up in her heart, soaring higher and higher, like a spark starting a prairie fire. Just as she was about to deepen the kiss, Lu Zhenqiu released her.

It wasn’t exactly a release.

She was just lying on her chest, panting.

Listening to her breathing, Jin Shuilan’s mind buzzed. An instinctual desire drove her hand to slide down from her waist. As it moved downwards, Lu Zhenqiu called out, “Jin Shuilan.”

Like a cool breeze blowing in her face, Jin Shuilan sobered up a bit. She stopped her movements, her hand still suspended in mid-air. She curled her fingers and patted Lu Zhenqiu’s back.

Lu Zhenqiu said, “My mother had her second marriage several years ago.”

Her voice was very light, very soft, carrying the charm of reminiscence. Jin Shuilan hummed in acknowledgment and heard Lu Zhenqiu continue, “The first time she brought that person back, she told me he was just a colleague. She said that person was very good to her at the company, took great care of her, so she wanted to treat that person to a meal.”

“She was afraid I would overthink it, said she wouldn’t get together with anyone else, said she and that person were just ordinary colleagues.”

Jin Shuilan listened to her finish. All around was quiet. Even Maomao tactfully lay at their feet, not making a sound.

Lu Zhenqiu said, “The second time we met, that person came out of my mother’s room. My mom said they were just discussing something, that nothing happened.”

Jin Shuilan spoke up, “Qiuqiu…”

Lu Zhenqiu was lost in her own memories: “The third time we met, he was shirtless and hugging my mom, right in front of me. My mom said, ‘It’s okay, Qiuqiu, even if your uncle and I get together, we will still love you just the same.’”

“I actually don’t mind at all who she is with.” Lu Zhenqiu looked at Jin Shuilan. A blush crept up the corners of her eyes because of the memories, making her look very upset, like she wanted to cry. Her voice was also slightly choked, “She has always had it very hard, very tiring, I know all of that. I also want her to find someone who is good to her, to be able to live the rest of her life happily and peacefully.”

Her tone shifted as she said, “But I don’t like her lying to me.”

“From the first time she brought that person back, she had already planned to live with that person in the future. She had it all planned out, that she didn’t want me. But why did she give me hope time and time again, only to lie to me time and time again?”

Jin Shuilan didn’t speak.

Lu Zhenqiu said, “I really hate it when people lie to me.” After she finished speaking, she looked at Jin Shuilan, her gaze focused, and asked with a calm expression, “Jin Shuilan, have you lied to me about anything?”

Jin Shuilan’s heart skipped a beat. She raised her eyes to meet Lu Zhenqiu’s. She was silent for two seconds, then called out, “Qiuqiu.”

Lu Zhenqiu stood up from the hanging chair, looked at Jin Shuilan, and said very angrily, “You have. Your current silence is deceiving me.”

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