After Being Targeted By A Sweet Girl With Big Eyes - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Disgust

Xia Lin quickly chased after them. Under the dim lights of the underground garage, she watched Jiang Ruyi and Fan Ling walking side-by-side from behind, consumed by frantic jealousy.

Why them? That spot should have been hers. If she had realized she loved Jiang Ruyi sooner, things wouldn’t have come to this. She should be the one walking next to her.

Too late. It’s too late.

No, it’s not too late. She had broken up with her girlfriend. Jiang Ruyi was single, and she still liked people like her. Didn’t that mean Jiang Ruyi still liked her? Maybe she still had a chance.

“Jiang Ruyi!”

She rushed forward, grabbed Jiang Ruyi’s hand, and pulled her into an embrace. Then, without giving her time to react, she kissed her on the lips.

“Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!”

Jiang Ruyi shoved her away fiercely and slapped her across the face. The resounding crack echoed in the garage, leaving Jiang Ruyi’s hand stinging.

Fan Ling, recovering from the shock, rushed between the two. “Xia Lin, are you sick?”

“Xia Lin, you b1tch! AHHHHHHH! Fan Ling, take me to the hospital!!!!!”

Xia Lin licked the corner of her mouth where Jiang Ruyi had bitten her, covering her face. “Ruyi, I’m sorry. I really am sorry. I understand now. I truly understand. I was so stupid. I only slowly realized that I liked you after I lost you. Forgive me. I was too foolish. I trampled on your sincerity, but I’ve been reflecting. I’ve been reflecting for years. I realized I love you. I just discovered my sexual orientation. I love you, Jiang Ruyi. Let’s get back together.”

“AHHHHHHHH! Fan Ling, take me to the hospital!!!!!”

Jiang Ruyi had no interest in hearing anything Xia Lin said. She screamed and rushed towards the car as quickly as possible, anxiously stomping her foot at the passenger side, urging Fan Ling.

Fan Ling shoved Xia Lin, who was trying to pursue Jiang Ruyi, and dashed to Jiang Ruyi’s side. She efficiently got Jiang Ruyi into the car and sped toward the hospital, asking anxiously, “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Wuwuwu, wuwuwu, I suspect Xia Lin has contracted some disease and is trying to get revenge on me! I don’t want to die! I’m still so young!”

Fan Ling was speechless. So, Jiang Ruyi hadn’t heard a single word of Xia Lin’s nonsense. Well, that was probably for the best. But seeing Jiang Ruyi cry so desperately, she surprisingly felt that this was a real possibility. Why else would someone suddenly go crazy?

Fan Ling slammed the accelerator, gripping the steering wheel tightly, focusing on driving.

Jiang Ruyi’s eyes were blurred with tears. At some point, she had answered a phone call. Fu Tian’s cheerful voice came through the speaker. “Why did you suddenly stop texting me? Did something happen?”

Before Fu Tian could finish, she heard a sharp pat-a-pat, the sound of Jiang Ruyi’s tears hitting the phone screen. Then Fu Tian heard her mumbling vaguely about not wanting to die. Fu Tian instantly broke out in a cold sweat. She grabbed her car keys and rushed downstairs. “Jiang Ruyi, where are you? Are you hurt? Should I call the police? What happened? Jiang Ruyi!”

“We’re here.”

Fan Ling executed a clean, perfect drift-stop. Jiang Ruyi urgently jumped out of the passenger seat. Fan Ling also rushed out and took the phone, which was still on the call, saying to Fu Tian, “The situation isn’t clear. Don’t worry. We’re at Huayang Hospital. I know how to handle any issues.”

When Jiang Ruyi saw the emergency room doctor, all her focus was on him. Oh, White Angel, please, please save me!

She practically cried and slid up to him. Even though her brain was dizzy and chaotic from crying, she immediately regained her composure and said in a clear, organized manner, “I had saliva and bl00d contact with a person suspected of having an infectious disease within the last half hour. I request a full panel of infectious disease tests, Doctor, Doctor, please save me!!!”

“Okay, okay, we’ll save you. Does the infectious disease have any particular characteristics? So we can narrow down the testing.”

“I don’t know! I don’t know her well! She’s completely insane!”

“Besides saliva and bl00d contact, did anything else happen between you?”

“Of course not! She went crazy! When I struggled free, I bit her lip, and it bled. Then I… I… I rinsed my mouth on the way here, but I’m not sure if I swallowed any [bl00d] in the moment! That bastard must have contracted a disease and is getting revenge on society! Doctor! Doctor! Save me…”

…

By the time a frantic Fu Tian arrived at the hospital, she saw Jiang Ruyi sitting miserably, utterly exhausted, on a cold hospital bench, angrily cursing into her phone at Xia Lin. “Xia Lin, I don’t care what disease you have, you better install a surveillance camera above your bed! I’m going to hire someone to come for you! You, you, you…”

Two legs couldn’t outrun four wheels. Xia Lin, predictably, failed to catch up. She collapsed on the ground, out of breath, looking nothing like the rebellious celebrity with the red streak in her hair from a moment ago.

Sweat mixed with tears dripped onto the pavement. Xia Lin licked her wound, reliving the kiss over and over.

Hiss. It hurts.

Jiang Ruyi was single again.

It’s good that she broke up. It’s good. She still liked her type, and she might even still miss her.

Just give her a little more time, a little more time. Soon, the thing that had separated them for so many years would be revealed.

Xia Lin regulated her breathing, resuming her usual shrewd, aloof expression. She silently dusted off her clothes and got back into the car.

Jiang Ruyi, Jiang Ruyi, Jiang Ruyi.

How could she make up for all the years they hadn’t been together?

She rested her head on the steering wheel, indulging in wild fantasies, when a phone rang in the silent car, instantly pulling her back to reality.

Blue light illuminated her features. Her contours were sharp, distinct from those of Jiang Ruyi and Fan Ling. Her bone structure was slightly larger, which ironically softened her sharp appearance.

The ringtone was the band’s first debut song. She leaned back in the driver’s seat, enjoying the music. Just as the call was about to end, she lazily picked it up.

Xia Lin was impatiently dismissing the person on the other end when her phone vibrated with another incoming call—it was from Jiang Ruyi.

It was actually Jiang Ruyi! Her number had been blocked by Jiang Ruyi years ago. She never thought it would be unblocked.

She quickly hung up the first call and cautiously answered Jiang Ruyi’s.

Though the moment she answered, she was met with a furious torrent of curses. “Ruyi, I didn’t think you’d actually call me… I’m not sick. I just missed you too much… Haha, it’s been a while since I heard your voice. Your voice sounds so nice. Curse me more. You can hit me however you want…”

…

The Hospital Aftermath

Fu Tian saw Jiang Ruyi hang up the phone, looking utterly disgusted, and stepped forward with concern. “Are you okay?”

Jiang Ruyi hastily recoiled, distancing herself. “Don’t touch me. Stay away from me.”

“Why?”

What happened? Why is she suddenly like this? Did I do something wrong?

Fu Tian quickly wrapped her arms around her, checking her all over for injuries. She saw nothing unusual besides her eyes being red and swollen and her lips slightly pale.

Jiang Ruyi struggled and pushed her away. “Stay away from me! Some of the results aren’t back yet. You all need to stay away from me. I’m doing this for your own good. Fu Tian, you idiot! Don’t you know I…”

As she spoke, her mouth suddenly drooped, and tears welled up again.

Fu Tian squatted helplessly on the spot, looking at Fan Ling. “What exactly happened?”

Fan Ling held up a partial test result sheet. “It’s hard to explain…”

“What’s hard to explain? What’s wrong with her?”

“She… was forcibly kissed by someone she used to have a conflict with. She suspects the person has an infectious disease and is trying to get revenge on her, so she came for testing.”

“What did the doctor say?”

“The exposure time was short—only half an hour—and it’s not confirmed the other person is infected. But due to her strong insistence, they did a full panel of tests. We’re waiting for one more result; the rest will take a few days. The doctor said to closely monitor her physical condition first…”

“Then why don’t we have the other person come in for a bl00d test? Wouldn’t that be faster than screening her for everything?”

“No, the screening is just as complicated, and there’s no guarantee the other person will cooperate.” Fan Ling paused for a second and added, “And… the other person is Xia Lin.”

“I don’t care who it is—Spring Lin, Autumn Lin—is she crazy?”

Seeing that Fu Tian clearly hadn’t remembered who Xia Lin was, Fan Ling sighed. “For now, let’s just pray the other person isn’t sick. I just got someone to track the other person’s recent movements. They’ll send me the compiled information later.”

“Mhm. I trust you to handle it.” Fu Tian’s speech suddenly stalled. She looked over at Jiang Ruyi, who was still staring blankly at her phone, debating whether to call her family. Fu Tian’s expression changed. She looked up at Fan Ling and asked, “Xia Lin?”

“Yes.”

They looked back at Jiang Ruyi, who was solitary and helpless in the glaring white hospital light. They exchanged a look, silently contemplating the past events.

True. A former bandmate with whom one had such a terrible falling out suddenly forcing a kiss on you—anyone would suspect malicious intent.

Jiang Ruyi refused to let anyone near her. The three sat in silence on the long bench, two to one, but the scale still tipped toward Jiang Ruyi.

Jiang Ruyi’s heart was a mess. She thought she was a mess, and Xia Lin was an even bigger mess, all mixed with a feeling of nausea.

But she couldn’t forget.

The word she hated most in her life was First Love.

When Jiang Ruyi was pursued by a classmate in college, she vaguely realized her sexual orientation and explored it for a while. Then, after joining the company, her gaze would inadvertently fall on Xia Lin, and she finally became certain of her identity as a lesbian.

Where does liking someone start?

There’s no standard, no fixed answer, and it varies from person to person.

Maybe it was the curl of her hair ends, maybe it was a casual glance, maybe it was her slender fingers holding the microphone, or maybe it was her clear, soul-stirring high notes…

Jiang Ruyi thought her affection was quiet and unnoticed, but in Xia Lin’s eyes, it was so obvious and purposeful. If the feelings weren’t so deep back then, why didn’t she just reject her?

“Xia Lin, do you like men or women?” Jiang Ruyi pretended to be calm in the company cafeteria, asking as casually as if she were inquiring about the weather.

“…I’m not sure.”

“Then, can I pursue you?”

“…You can try.”

…

“Xia Lin, look how well this necklace matches your stage outfit tomorrow. I picked it out myself. Do you like it? No one else got one, of course~”

“Xia Lin, come on! We said we’d go get coconut chicken after rehearsal. I don’t want to bring the others~”

“Xia Lin, are you cold? Wear my jacket. It’s okay, I’m not cold. That broken down puffer jacket of yours is no good. I’ll buy you a Canada Goose one right now. That one is warm.”

“Xia Lin, let me take you to get a custom microphone. Our lead singer has such a beautiful voice; she should have her own microphone. Whatever others have, you should have too.”

“Xia Lin…”

“Xia Lin…”

“Xia Lin…”

So disgusting. So disgusting. So disgusting.

[Harrassing a teammate, an all-female band with workplace sexual harassment! Relying on her family’s dirty money, she throws scraps at people and expects them to be eternally grateful and offer themselves in return.]

[So disgusting. So disgusting. So disgusting.]

“Get away from me! I don’t want to hear any of your excuses! You b1tch! You are the biggest, most super-duper b1tch! If you didn’t like me, you should have just rejected me! I’m no rich young lady! In your eyes, I’m just a clown! A CLOWN! I have no damn power! Fine, fine, I’m just a hanger-on! Fine! I’m not hanging on anymore! I’m quitting the band! I’m quitting! I don’t care who gets the spot! Breathing the same air as you makes me sick!”

…

Leaving the Nightmare

-Hospital-

Fan Ling shook the paper in front of Jiang Ruyi. “Let’s go. The last test result is back. The rest we’ll talk about in a couple of days.”

Jiang Ruyi surfaced from the deep dive into her memories, her mind still foggy. “Fan Ling, I’m so tired.”

“Mhm. I’m taking you home right now.”

Fu Tian followed behind them, silent.

In the underground garage, Jiang Ruyi covered her mouth and waved at Fu Tian. “Don’t bother us. Stay away from me for the next few days. Did I tell you I was coming to this hospital earlier? Anyway, it was very loyal of you to show up. Goodbye.”

“Okay, goodbye.”

The car door closed. Fu Tian quietly watched them drive away. The hospital lights behind her blazed constantly. The evening breeze soothed the unfurling green leaves. A skinny tabby cat scurried across the street, low to the ground.

…

The Truth and Moving On

The next morning, Jiang Ruyi woke up and rolled over, not rushing to get out of bed. She looked at the message from Fan Ling:

Fan Ling: Xia Lin’s recent movements have all been normal. She even signed with a new company and immediately got a dual female-lead drama. She’s starting filming soon. Her physical exam results are all normal. She looks fine. I think you can relax.

Fan Ling: But the drama she took on is weird. I’m not sure if you want to know.

Jiang Ruyi pouted. She was not the slightest bit curious about what Xia Lin was doing. Whatever she was doing had nothing to do with her. She just wanted to eliminate all memory of this person from her life. But Fan Ling brought it up, and that piqued her curiosity a bit.

Oh, dear. She acted so innocent and pure back then, and now she’s selling out. How could she face the fans who had fought so hard for her “straight” identity?

She asked: What’s weird about the drama?

Fan Ling wasn’t on her phone, so she didn’t reply. After Jiang Ruyi finished lunch, Fan Ling finally responded: It’s an original script. The rumor is that it’s quite similar to that old incident…

Fan Ling stopped there, not saying more, but that little bit of information was enough to make Jiang Ruyi feel sick.

Tsk. She thinks being cyberbullied by the whole internet back then wasn’t enough? Does she want another round?

That b1tch Xia Lin. Has she fallen so far that she needs to piggyback off the past drama’s popularity? She was the one who benefited the most back then, successfully establishing her image as the “beautiful and tragic victim” in the entertainment industry.

A person so despicable was truly rare in this world.

Jiang Ruyi commented honestly: B1tch.

Fan Ling: I also can’t figure out what she’s doing.

Jiang Ruyi cut her off: Okay, okay, I don’t want to talk about that person anymore. Your girl moved on ages ago, alright? Just a tiny Xia Lin is not worth my effort. Let her act! What do I care?

Fan Ling: As long as you genuinely don’t care.

Jiang Ruyi: OK.

She went to pick up the remaining test results two days later. Everything was fine, just fine. So, she happily packed her bags and went back to her hometown.