A Beauty That Moves the Heart (GL, ABO) - Chapter 6
Xu Jinman still felt somewhat awkward.
It was obvious that Shen Shu didn’t want to see her otherwise, she wouldn’t have pretended to be asleep.
And she played the part well. Xu Jinman guessed her earlier words must have frightened Shen Shu, making her think she was about to do something.
She really had a talent for acting.
Then it dawned on Xu Jinman, Shen Shu was an actress, wasn’t she?
She had been the lead in her university’s drama club and later even joined a film crew. For some reason, that project never aired, and after her grandmother passed away, Shen Shu seemed to have given up on that path.
Ha, Xu Jinman covered her mouth, feigning a yawn as she turned away, deciding to act as if she hadn’t noticed anything. Just as she was about to leave, her gaze inadvertently landed on a document on the table, and she paused.
It was a bidding proposal related to urban construction.
Xu Jinman silently committed it to memory before glancing back at the “sleeping” figure on the bed breathing steadily, clearly determined not to wake up.
Her lips curled faintly. This side of Shen Shu was unexpectedly kind of cute.
A basket of grapes sat on the corner of the table. A thought crossed Xu Jinman’s mind, and suddenly, she didn’t feel like leaving anymore.
In reality, Shen Shu had woken up the moment Xu Jinman stepped into the room.
It was an instinctive tension, the kind that came from facing an abuser. She knew Xu Jinman’s claim of not harming her was just a cover for some ulterior motive.
When she sensed Xu Jinman getting up, Shen Shu assumed she must have realized she was faking sleep and decided against doing anything.
She heard the Alpha yawn and place something on the table, then silence. But soon, there was the sound of something being picked up, followed by footsteps moving away from the bedside.
Her fingers tightened slightly under the blanket. After a couple of seconds, Shen Shu cautiously cracked open her eyes just enough to catch Xu Jinman’s retreating figure disappearing into the bathroom.
Xu Jinman was also dressed in a light blue hospital gown, her light brown curls tied into a messy bun. She was holding something, her arm slightly raised, the thin fabric of the gown outlining her slender waist.
As she stepped through the doorway, a glimpse of pale ankle peeked out from beneath the hem of her pants.
Then came the sound of running water from the bathroom.
What is she doing?
The sudden ring of her phone snapped Shen Shu out of her thoughts.
The call was ill-timed, but seeing the caller ID, she answered.
The voice on the other end was far from pleasant. “Why are you in the hospital?”
Shen Shu gripped the phone and glanced toward the bathroom. “Mom, I’ll call you back later.”
“Tell the nurse to let me in. She said I can’t see you without your permission.”
Shen Shu froze. It must have been Cai Ying’s doing. Now that her mother was already at the door, there was no avoiding it.
After hanging up, Shen Shu took a deep breath and looked in the direction of the bathroom. “Xu Jinman.”
Despite their marriage, she had no intention of letting Xu Jinman see her parents again. It was Xu Jinman who had threatened to cut off their funding, forcing her into this arrangement in the first place.
“Awake?” Xu Jinman’s voice cut through the sound of running water, clear and cool.
Shen Shu couldn’t tell if it was her imagination, but there seemed to be a faint trace of amusement in it.
Shen Shu: “…”
Then she saw the tall, slender figure emerge from the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe with one shoulder. In her hand was a deep purple grape, which she lifted slightly in greeting.
“Just washing some grapes.”
That harmless demeanor, if Shen Shu hadn’t seen Xu Jinman’s true nature before, she might have almost believed it.
Without waiting for Shen Shu to finish her sentence, Xu Jinman turned and went back into the bathroom.
She placed the freshly washed grape into a bowl, her smile fading slightly. If it had been anyone else at the door, she wouldn’t have bothered sticking around like this.
But it was Shen Shu’s adoptive mother, Wei Wuqing, who arrived.
This woman had hurt Shen Shu no less than the original owner.
Wei Wuqing’s voice soon echoed outside, and she seemed displeased the moment she entered, slamming the door shut with noticeable force.
Xu Jinman turned off the faucet and casually popped a grape into her mouth.
Wei Wuqing sat on a chair, arms crossed as she scrutinized Shen Shu. “What exactly happened? How did a perfectly good wedding land you in the hospital?”
“Just feeling a bit unwell,” Shen Shu replied, wanting to remind her that Xu Jinman was in the room.
But Wei Wuqing had already continued, “Why is Xu Jinman hospitalized too? Did you resist and end up hurting her?”
Shen Shu was momentarily speechless, as if a heated balloon were lodged in her chest while a wall of ice lay beneath her heart. She averted her gaze, her tone cooling significantly. “I couldn’t hurt her.” Though she herself had nearly died.
“Then why did you suddenly collapse? Did Xu Jinman say anything about it? How are you supposed to keep an Alpha with this attitude? If you can’t hold onto her, the Shen family’s funding chain will collapse, do you realize that?”
Shen Shu pressed her lips tightly together. She had naively assumed Wei Wuqing had come for her sake.
When Wei Wuqing asked about Xu Jinman’s hospitalization and realized Shen Shu hadn’t even checked on her, her expression darkened. “If you’d just put a little more effort into the family, your father and I wouldn’t have to endure people’s scorn. The homecoming banquet was all set, and now it’s canceled people are saying the Xu family looks down on us.”
As Wei Wuqing rambled on, Shen Shu listened in silence. Hadn’t she given enough? For the Shen family, she had thrown herself into Xu Jinman’s den of horrors. But couldn’t Wei Wuqing at least ask her, what was wrong? How was she feeling now? Not even a perfunctory show of concern.
Exhausted in body and mind, Shen Shu had nothing left to say.
Suddenly, a faint but distinct sound came from the bathroom, like something being dropped on the floor.
“Ah, Mrs. Wei is here.”
A calm voice followed.
Xu Jinman emerged from the bathroom carrying a plate of freshly washed grapes, a smile on her lips that didn’t reach her eyes.
Wei Wuqing immediately looked up, hastily plastering on a smile. “Miss Xu, you’re here too.” She paused, realizing the formality no longer suited their relationship.
Xu Jinman ignored her and walked straight to Shen Shu’s side, sitting down and placing the plate on the table. She picked up a grape and handed it to Shen Shu, murmuring softly, “Here.”
Wei Wuqing’s expression shifted, another shocking surprise. Xu Jinman had personally washed grapes for Shen Shu.
Recalling her earlier complaints to Shen Shu, she felt both regret and irritation at her daughter’s lack of tact. At least she hadn’t said anything too outrageous.
Still, if Shen Shu could truly tame the notorious Xu Jinman, none of this would matter much.
Shen Shu lowered her gaze to the plump grape resting on Xu Jinman’s jade-like fingers, glistening with water like an amethyst. She didn’t want to accept it, but Xu Jinman simply held it out, showing no intention of withdrawing.
Under the weight of two pairs of eyes, Shen Shu had no choice but to reach out and take it. Her fingertips brushed against Xu Jinman’s hand cool, slender fingers still damp from the water.
Only after Shen Shu took the grape did Xu Jinman finally look up. “My mistake. Since Shu Shu and I are married now, I should call you ‘Mom.'”
Shen Shu’s fingers trembled around the grape.
Wei Wuqing beamed, her eyes nearly disappearing into slits. “Good child. Our Shu Shu was spoiled growing up, please be patient with her if she’s ever inconsiderate.”
Xu Jinman turned her head to look at Shen Shu, gently resting a hand on her shoulder with tenderness in her eyes. “She deserves to be pampered. Her health isn’t good, and I want her to rest quietly for a while. We can discuss the homecoming visit later. What do you think?”
A chill shot up from the soles of Shen Shu’s feet to the crown of her head, making her scalp tingle.
Wei Wuqing naturally agreed, then inquired about Shen Shu’s condition and when she might recover. Seeing that Xu Jinman seemed to have little patience left for conversation, she exchanged a few pleasantries before leaving.
Once the woman was gone, Xu Jinman withdrew her hand and stood up, maintaining a half-meter distance from Shen Shu.
“Apologies. That was necessary under the circumstances.”
Shen Shu lifted her gaze to meet Xu Jinman’s. She could tell Xu Jinman had been protecting her just now, but that thought only made her more uneasy.
“Necessary under the circumstances” the same applied to Xu Jinman’s behavior.
There had to be a reason behind her actions. What was her motive?
“What are you doing here?!”
Cai Ying burst through the door, shopping bags in hand, and positioned herself between Xu Jinman and Shen Shu. She glared at Xu Jinman. “Get out! You’re not welcome here, and Shu-shu doesn’t want to see you either!”
Xu Jinman’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
She considered herself fairly even-tempered, but being repeatedly scorned to her face still made her extremely displeased.
Especially by this young girl, a 19-year-old in the bloom of youth. While willful arrogance could be endearing, she had never been fond of such behavior.
Shen Shu sensed the shift in Xu Jinman’s mood instantly and immediately stood up.
“Cai Ying,” she said, pulling the girl back a step. “Go outside for now. I need to talk to her.”
Cai Ying refused to leave Shen Shu alone with the perceived threat, but Shen Shu firmly insisted until she finally stepped out.
“Xu Jinman.”
“Hmm?”
Xu Jinman remained where she was, curious about what Shen Shu, uncharacteristically wanted to say by asking her to stay.
A divorce?
It wasn’t impossible.
Shen Shu had always been the type to act decisively, capable of cutting ties cleanly. If Wei Wuqing’s outburst today had disillusioned her, she might decide the Shen family wasn’t worth holding onto.
Requesting a divorce was plausible.
“Don’t take it out on Cai Ying,” Shen Shu said. “She’s only 19, young and immature.”
Had she even been planning to? Xu Jinman wondered.
Then, reflecting on the latter part of the statement, she understood Shen Shu’s implication.
The original owner’s determination to torment Shen Shu hadn’t stemmed solely from her looks, but from repeated offenses.
Cai Ying, a mixed-race Omega young, beautiful, and distinctive was exactly the type to catch an alpha’s eye. Combined with her attitude toward Xu Jinman these past few encounters.
Shen Shu was afraid she might turn Cai Ying into a second Shen Shu.
Xu Jinman felt both exasperated and helpless, further annoyed by the infamy of her scoundrel reputation.
With Cai Ying outside, now wasn’t the time to bring up her Omega status. Exposing that would only cause trouble for herself.
The frustrations Xu Jinman had suppressed these past days flared up, though she could never take it out on Shen Shu. She gave a slight nod. “Understood. Get some rest.”
After Xu Jinman left, Shen Shu reached over and opened the window slightly wider. A humid breeze drifted in, carrying the scent of summer.
Cai Ying sat in a chair watching her, wondering what Xu Jinman could have said to leave Shen Shu so deep in thought.
The expression Xu Jinman wore when she finally left lingered in Shen Shu’s mind, anger, frustration, and something else she couldn’t quite decipher. Though she didn’t understand why her words had provoked such a strong reaction from Xu Jinman, one thing was clear: it was genuine, not an act.
It was a raw expression the Xu Jinman she knew would never display. No matter how well Xu Jinman pretended, no matter what gentle tactics she employed, once her temper truly flared or her emotions peaked, she could hardly restrain herself.
“Why?” Cai Ying asked.
“Xu Jinman has a psychological disorder,” Shen Shu replied, gazing at the scorching sunlight. To be precise, whenever Xu Jinman exhibited such emotions, it signaled the onset of an episode.
Xu Jinman would become abnormally volatile, even losing control of herself.
Shen Shu had witnessed it several times. On two occasions, after offending someone, Xu Jinman had spiraled into madness, smashing objects, resorting to violence, anything was possible. Even after regaining composure, she would inevitably seek revenge, no matter how petty.
Just like when she had forced Shen Shu into marriage, using what Shen Shu valued most to torment her bit by bit.
Yet, upon reflection, ever since that night when Xu Jinman had let her go, Shen Shu had glimpsed that same expression before. She hadn’t noticed it then, but today, with Xu Jinman standing right in front of her, she saw it clearly, Xu Jinman was holding back.
“Miss Shen, your medication for today is on the table,” the nurse said cheerfully as she entered.
Shen Shu turned and thanked her. The nurse added, “Miss Xu cares for you so much. Not only does she ask about your condition every day, but she even refuses to let young nurses tend to her wounds, saying she’s a married woman.”
Shen Shu froze for a moment. Cai Ying, recalling the bruises on Shen Shu’s body, scoffed, “What injuries does she have?”
The nurse replied, “Probably from a fall. There’s a large bruise on her back.”
Shen Shu suddenly remembered a fleeting moment, when she had fallen, Xu Jinman had rushed to catch her, shielding her as they hit the ground. If Xu Jinman didn’t even hesitate to hurt her, why would she fear letting her fall?
At the same time, her memories blurred, returning to the very beginning when Xu Jinman had dragged her into the room.
A shiver ran down Shen Shu’s spine.
Calming herself, she compared the two scenarios and arrived at an absurd conclusion.
“Shu-Shu, what are you thinking about?”
“Xu Jinman.”
Cai Ying was startled.
Shen Shu closed the window, her body temperature gradually returning to normal. In a quiet, detached voice, she said, “I suspect she has dissociative identity disorder.”