After Stealing a Kiss from My Sponsor Sister - Chapter 37
“How about this?”
By the time they reached the seventh revision of the lighting plan, Jiang Ya was numb.
Fortunately, she wasn’t one for small talk, and her face was adept at concealing emotions—her mood remained impenetrable as she buried herself in swiftly modifying the code before letting the backend run it.
“Let me take a look.”
Hearing these words from Su Shu for the seventh time, Jiang Ya let out a cold laugh inwardly.
She glanced at her watch, and the moment her gaze landed on the dial, her mood softened slightly.
It was a VCA piece, though not a current model—a vintage watch. A gift from Miss Yu the year Jiang Ya topped the national college entrance exams. It suited her perfectly in every way: simple yet elegant in design, with a delicate bezel of pavé diamonds, a classic and understated dial devoid of any ostentatious branding, and a price tag that didn’t burden her with guilt.
A gift Miss Yu had chosen with great care.
“Nice watch. Vintage, isn’t it?”
Su Shu returned sooner than expected.
Either there were more adjustments to be made, or she had new ideas—though Jiang Ya refused to indulge in such naive optimism.
“Is the lighting acceptable now?” Jiang Ya withdrew her wrist and turned her gaze toward the exhibition hall.
“I’d like to see the previous version for Booth 18 again, for comparison.”
Of course.
Su Shu added, “What brand is it? VCA? It looks like it.”
So she still couldn’t let the watch go.
Jiang Ya lightly tapped the screen to scroll. “The previous version with three-tone adjustment, or the two-tone variation?”
“Let’s see both.”
“Alright. Give me a moment.” Before her fingers settled on the keyboard, she added casually, “It was a gift. I’m not too familiar with it either.”
With that, she began typing rapidly, lines of code flooding her vision. Su Shu seemed about to say something but swallowed her words at the sight.
After finalizing Booth 18, it was Booth 21, then 22… the overhead lights for the entire venue… the transitional lighting for the connecting sections…
Hitting Enter, Jiang Ya’s smile didn’t waver in the slightest. “That should be about it. Would you like to review any details, Ms. Su?”
“I’ll take another look.”
Su Shu walked back over. “This will do for now. If there are any changes before the exhibition, I’ll inform the assistant.”
The hour hand on the watch dial pointed precisely to six—time to call it a day.
Jiang Ya withdrew her gaze and began packing up, giving final instructions to the backend.
After uploading the final version and exiting the backend, she found Su Shu still in the exhibition hall, speaking with her assistant. They hadn’t left yet.
The assistant offered to drive them back after a few polite words of appreciation for Jiang Ya’s hard work.
Su Shu said, “Just drop me off at He Corporation’s headquarters. I have an appointment nearby tonight.”
Jiang Ya raised a brow and met the assistant’s gaze. “I’ll head to the headquarters too. Need to hand over the finalized code.”
Her senior colleague was scheduled to be at the headquarters that afternoon. They had arranged to meet, wrap up this tedious project, and collect payment.
The assistant stepped out to arrange the car.
Su Shu wore a smile, though for some reason, Jiang Ya found it insincere.
Perhaps a better description would be “distant”?
Rumors said Su Shu came from a privileged background—though Jiang Ya wasn’t sure how it compared to Miss Yu or Sister Tan Xiao. But neither Miss Yu nor Sister Tan Xiao smiled like this. Even He Minqian, who rarely smiled in daily life, never faked one.
Su Shu’s gaze lingered on Jiang Ya’s wrist, tinged with something like nostalgia, before glancing at her own watch. “The aesthetic of your watch reminds me of a friend.”
Only then did Jiang Ya notice Su Shu was also wearing a VCA—a far more recognizable one, the famous Pont des Amoureux.
“She also prefers the classical and graceful style, always politely declining anything too flashy or ostentatious.”
Watching Su Shu shake her head, Jiang Ya couldn’t quite discern which style the watch on her wrist belonged to.
This was too much of an artistic domain—she was completely out of her depth.
Politely, she echoed, “Is that so?”
Her tone carried no real question.
Su Shu continued, “Yes, she always says the popular ones are tacky, and the overly complicated ones are just showing off. When asked if all modern designs are unacceptable in her eyes, she picks and chooses, and eventually settles on the Ballerina.”
By the end, Su Shu lowered her gaze, shaking her head as she looked at the watch face, but her expression softened noticeably, becoming more affectionate and genuine.
Jiang Ya didn’t think it was her doing—it was probably the friend Su Shu had mentioned… or perhaps more than just a friend.
Jiang Ya had no intention of prying, but the mention of the Ballerina struck a chord with her.
It was a style Miss Yu liked.
At first, Miss Yu had tentatively asked if she wanted that particular watch. Jiang Ya had said it was too expensive, and after being rejected two or three times, Miss Yu finally changed her mind and started looking at vintage styles for her instead.
At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it, but looking back now, she realized it must have been quite frustrating for Miss Yu.
But she didn’t regret it.
Times had changed, and her spending habits were no longer as constrained as before. She was even considering whether to buy a car or a house first… but when it came to Miss Yu putting thought into things for her—anything, really—she loved it all.
Jiang Ya’s smile warmed slightly. “The Ballerina is really beautiful. It’s very tasteful.”
“Her taste is indeed exceptional. It’s just a shame she didn’t continue with painting.”
“Was she a former classmate of yours, Teacher Su?”
“Not exactly, but we did study together. She’s a very interesting person—very clear about her own… positioning.”
Jiang Ya: “Shining in another field is just another way of realizing one’s self-worth.”
Su Shu gave a slight nod, her brow lifting as she smiled, but she didn’t continue the conversation.
Jiang Ya was just being polite and paid no attention to Su Shu’s reaction.
Su Shu murmured softly, “She’s doing quite well now, it’s just that I don’t know—”
“The car’s here, this way!” Jiang Ya raised her hand to signal.
Su Shu’s words were cut short.
Jiang Ya adjusted her backpack strap, her mind solely focused on leaving as quickly as possible.
They had come in two cars, and the return trip followed the same arrangement. Jiang Ya finally had some peace and quiet.
Half an hour to arrival. Are you still there?
Her senior replied: Waiting. Why so late today?
Ran into someone difficult. I’ll explain in detail when we meet.
OK, I’ll treat you to dinner.
–
After lunch, Yu Shuang didn’t part ways with He Minqian. Under the pretext of picking out a gift, he dragged her along for some shopping.
She didn’t mind accompanying him—Mrs. He had always been kind to her, and offering some gift suggestions was the least she could do as a junior.
But Yu Shuang only provided a range of options.
The final choice was left to He Minqian himself.
Otherwise, if word got out that she had picked it, given their past relationship, it would be awkward for everyone involved.
Who knew how it might be spun.
Yu Shuang had no intention of becoming a wealthy family’s daughter-in-law again.
Nor did she want unnecessary gossip.
He Minqian: “Which of these three bags do you think is best? Which one would my mom like?”
The first one on the left.
That was what Yu Shuang thought.
“Whatever you buy, Auntie will love it,” she said instead. “If you’d asked me before, I might have known, but it’s been years since I last saw her. I really don’t know her current preferences.”
He Minqian: “What about you? Which one do you like?”
The SA assisting He Minqian also noticed something different and glanced towards Yu Shuang, who was sitting upright on the sofa.
“Isn’t this supposed to be for Auntie? What does it matter if I like it? If you really can’t decide, why not just buy them all and agonize over it later at home? Or gift all three at once—they’ll definitely come in handy anyway.”
The SA’s eyes lit up.
He Minqian gave Yu Shuang a long look.
Meeting her smiling, crescent-eyed gaze, the stubbornness in his heart dissipated once again.
He still had to take things slow.
“Alright, wrap them all up. Charge it to this card—the name’s here.”
He was probably using his sister-in-law’s VIP account. If he’d used Mrs. He’s, there’d be no element of surprise.
The sales associate processed the purchase, took the delivery address, and the two left the store.
“Perfect timing—come help me pick out a suit,” He Minqian said as they stepped outside, spotting the shop across the way.
Yu Shuang’s smile faded slightly. “Wouldn’t that be inappropriate?”
Their gazes met in the air, the standoff lasting only a moment before Yu Shuang’s lips curled up again. “Even if it were appropriate, I wouldn’t go.” She checked her phone. “I’m hungry from all this walking. I’m going out for coffee. If I didn’t know you so well, I’d suspect this whole afternoon was just an elaborate scheme to make me your shopping assistant.”
He Minqian: “I didn’t—”
“Go on. Pick something quickly—I’ll wait for you outside.”
Yu Shuang walked off with light steps.
Her silhouette resembled that of a graceful, beautiful butterfly.
He Minqian stared after her for a while before shaking his head with a quiet laugh, though he didn’t feel particularly annoyed.
Yu Shuang had that kind of magic—even when rebutting or rejecting someone, she never made them angry. Instead, they found her amusing.
By the time He Minqian found Yu Shuang again, she had already ordered dessert for him. Unsure what he’d want for afternoon tea, she left the choice to him—a considerate arrangement that left no room for complaint.
He Minqian enjoyed spending time with this version of Yu Shuang.
But he also felt that this version of her was distant, always separated from him by some invisible barrier—just out of reach, impossible to hold onto.
There was no rushing it.
So step by step, they’d start by becoming friends again.
He Minqian paid for the afternoon tea.
The two walked back to He Corporation’s headquarters, chatting about their time abroad.
Yu Shuang shared stories from her travels over the years, and from the way she spoke, it was clear she genuinely loved the beautiful sights of the world.
“What about you? Haven’t you traveled at all these past few years?”
“No time.”
His shoulder was playfully punched.
Yu Shuang walked backward, the wind lifting the hem of her dress. Her charming face was as bold and vibrant as a peacock in full display, full of life—like a flamboyant bouquet blooming beneath lush roadside trees.
She laughed as she withdrew her hand. “Don’t work yourself to death!”
He Minqian was momentarily captivated by her smile before replying slowly, “I should have time this year.”
“Good. If you wait too long, some places might not be worth visiting anymore.”
Yu Shuang remembered He Minqian had great stamina—unlike her, since she didn’t work out.
Recalling some past adventures, she tilted her head and grinned. “But it’s fine if you don’t go. I’ll be the one sprinting up snowy mountains, then turning back to nag at you.”
“You still remember that?”
“How could I forget?”
Back then, the two of them had ventured to many unconventional places together. They were young then, and their other companions were also in great shape. Yu Shuang usually held her own, but under extreme conditions, her stamina would fall short compared to theirs.
She’d never forget how the group had dangled metaphorical carrots in front of her—cheering her on with “almost there” and “you’re doing great”—like leading a donkey, just to keep her going.
It had been a uniquely memorable experience.
Yu Shuang murmured, “I wonder how Jason and Hazel are doing now…”
“They’re doing great. They climbed Mount Everest the year before last, and recently they’ve been studying wingsuit flying.”
“Wow.”
It was so exaggerated that He Minqian couldn’t help but laugh at Yu Shuang’s exclamation.
But just as his smile began to spread, it suddenly froze.
Yu Shuang, who had been walking backward, paused mid-step and turned around.
Then, she locked eyes with Su Shu, who had just stepped out of a car in front of the He Corporation building.
Yu Shuang: “…”
Su Shu: “…”
He Minqian: “…”
A breeze swept by—still not quite summer, refreshing, yet unable to dispel the strange tension.
As the three stood frozen, the car door behind them opened.
“Miss Yu?” Jiang Ya, who had just stepped out of the car, exclaimed in surprise.
Yu Shuang: “…”
Su Shu: “…”
He Minqian: “…”
Su Shu turned to Jiang Ya. “You know each other?”
No sooner had she asked than Jiang Ya greeted He Minqian, “Mr. He.”
Her tone was noticeably more distant compared to before.
Yu Shuang remained silent for a moment.
Jiang Ya answered Su Shu, “Yes, we know each other.”
Su Shu quickly realized—all four of them were acquainted with one another.
Her surprise lasted only a second before she smiled and asked, “Are they your clients too?”
Jiang Ya replied, “Mr. He is.”
“Miss Yu…”
As soon as she uttered the name, Jiang Ya noticed Su Shu’s lips twitch slightly. Catching this, she hesitated.
Swallowing the words “financial supporter,” she blurted out instead, “She’s… kind of like my sister.”
Hearing this, Su Shu’s eyebrow twitched again.