After Stealing a Kiss from My Sponsor Sister - Chapter 39
“Hahaha, seriously?”
“They’re just putting on an act?”
“Hold on, let me make a cup of coffee, and we’ll chat properly.”
Yu Shuang wasn’t really in the mood. “You’re busy? I’ll hang up then.”
“Busy with what? Hang up what—? I’m practically on my way to the grave, can’t you let me have some fun?”
“…”
Yu Shuang: “Ms. Tan, are you talking about the grave called marriage?”
“What else? I’m almost six feet under, can’t you let me enjoy myself? Are you even human?” Tan Xiao shot back.
“…I thought your enjoyment shouldn’t come at the expense of others’ annoyance, agree?”
The white noise of the coffee machine’s high-pressure steam came through the line, followed by a soft click as the extraction cup settled on the marble countertop. Suddenly, Yu Shuang said, “I want coffee too.”
Ms. Tan was quick: “I’ll order you some. Which place?”
Several brands flashed through Yu Shuang’s mind, but her discerning taste buds made her get up. “I’ll make one myself.”
By the time the call stabilized again, both women held a cup of coffee in their hands.
The clinking of ice cubes in the glass eased some of Yu Shuang’s exasperation.
“It was just like that—snide remarks all around. You ask about my career, I ask about yours.”
“Full of veiled barbs.”
“And in the middle of it all, Su Shu went crazy for some reason, relentlessly grilling Jiang Ya. My intention was just to let the kid tag along for a meal. To those who knew, it was just a meal; to those who didn’t, it must’ve looked like some deep-dive background investigation. Ridiculous.”
“After being back for a few years, I thought she might ask me about the art scene here, maybe get me to make some connections… But she didn’t say anything. Just kept butting heads with He Minqian.”
“What a mess. Exhausting.”
“And after all that, she still wants to meet up again? Do I look that free?”
Yu Shuang ranted.
Tan Xiao’s laughter never stopped in her earphones.
“What could those two possibly say to each other? I’m genuinely curious about that scene.”
Yu Shuang: “Forgot. I don’t bother remembering every piece of trash.”
“Pfft, hahahaha.”
Tan Xiao: “But why was she interrogating Jiang Ya so closely? Does she think there’s something between you and Jiang Ya?”
Yu Shuang didn’t catch on at first: “What?”
Tan Xiao: “Does she think your relationship is… special?”
“…”
“Hey, don’t get me wrong, the kid’s pretty good-looking. She and Su Shu even seem like the same type, temperament-wise.”
“Not at all. They’re nothing alike.”
“Really?”
Yu Shuang couldn’t be bothered to elaborate. “You’re going to the exhibition too. Right now, your memory’s idealized Su Shu. Once you see her in person, you’ll realize how different they are.”
“I didn’t say they were the same. Just that they’re similar in temperament.”
“They’re not.”
“…”
Tan Xiao: “Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure.”
“So what did He Minqian talk to you about during lunch?”
Yu Shuang fell silent.
Sensing gossip, Tan Xiao pressed on relentlessly until she finally pried open Miss Yu’s mouth.
“He’s not giving up, huh? Honestly, it’s kind of touching. How does that even happen?”
“If you like him, I’ll recommend him to you.”
“…I’ll pass. Wrong gender.”
Yu Shuang laughed.
“So what do you think?”
“About what?”
“About He Minqian. What do you think?”
“I don’t.”
“…”
After a round of banter, the coffee in the cup was drained. Yu Shuang smiled and said, “Like I said, I might not be suited for romance. I really have no such thoughts. After all these years apart, he holds no special appeal in my eyes. Let’s just go with the flow.”
“Darling, do you realize that every time you say ‘go with the flow,’ it usually means things are doomed?”
“No, I didn’t. How did you come to that conclusion?”
“From my observations and statistical analysis while we were abroad. Every time you said that, it guaranteed nothing would ever come of it.”
Gazing at the last remaining ice cubes in her cup, Yu Shuang shook it playfully, her voice soft. “Is that so?”
Her tone made it clear her mind wasn’t on the conversation.
Tan Xiao finally understood completely.
With a dramatic groan, she flopped onto the sofa, her eyes dull. “When will I ever see you bring someone home?”
“Is romance really that interesting?”
“Between you and my mom—not that I’m saying either of you is wrong—I know you’ve settled down these past few years. But do you really need someone by your side?”
“I think I’m doing just fine on my own,” Yu Shuang murmured, so quietly Tan Xiao barely caught it.
“It’s not about needing someone. It’s… ugh, I can’t explain it to you. It’s about intimacy…” Tan Xiao faltered, then let out a long sigh. “Forget it. Being alone is fine. Just don’t bring another Su Shu into the picture.”
Her seriousness lasted all of half a second before she added, “By the way, what if it were someone like Jiang Ya—”
“There’s no ‘what if,'” Yu Shuang cut in sharply. “Don’t use her as an example. What would that make me?”
Yu Shuang tried to imagine it seriously but couldn’t—not even a little.
“If you bring it up again, I’ll get angry. It feels insulting.”
The remark seemed abrupt, but Tan Xiao understood.
Yu Shuang had poured so much into Jiang Ya—time, energy, money—but it was essentially charity, an act of goodwill toward a child.
Tan Xiao’s question made it sound like Yu Shuang had ulterior motives, and the thought disgusted her.
“Okay, okay, I misspoke. My bad.”
“Mm.”
“…”
Ugh. What a mess of a conversation!
Tan Xiao let her thoughts wander. “What if a kid Jiang Ya’s age had a crush on you…”
Yu Shuang replied without missing a beat, “Then they should see a therapist. Mommy issues or sister complex?”
“Ugh, now you’ve grossed me out.”
“Fair’s fair!”
“…”
–
That day, Jiang Ya’s name had come up in conversations involving He Minqian and Su Shu. What Yu Shuang hadn’t expected was that there would be follow-ups.
It was impossible to trace who had mentioned her first, but with the upcoming art exhibition, many friends had reached out to her.
Bits of information had trickled into her phone without her noticing.
When she pieced them together, the picture that emerged was baffling.
“A few days ago, at He Corporation’s headquarters, she helped adjust their system. Afterward, He Minqian took her out to eat.”
“The next day, someone else said they saw Su Shu with her.”
Yu Shuang turned to Tan Xiao, puzzled. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Tan Xiao shrugged. “Maybe they’re trying to pursue her?”
“…”
When no response came, Tan Xiao glanced over and saw Yu Shuang deep in thought.
“Wait, I was joking. You’re not actually considering that, are you?”
Yu Shuang: “It’s not entirely impossible.”
“…” You’ve got to be kidding.
Yu Shuang tapped her nail against the screen and murmured, “Besides, she’s 22 now. Isn’t it about time she had some romantic experience?”
Raising a child had always been a learn-as-you-go process for Yu Shuang. Aside from consulting a teacher early on for some general parenting advice, once Jiang Ya got into university, she pretty much let the kid grow wild.
Well, she didn’t turn out crooked. Under Yu Shuang’s watch, she grew into a fairly upright little sapling.
This question also hit Tan Xiao’s blind spot. “R-Really?”
“When did you start dating?”
“Middle school? Eighth or ninth grade? Hmm, around fourteen or fifteen.”
Looking at it that way, Jiang Ya really was a bit off.
But Tan Xiao quickly corrected herself, “I’m not a good reference. With my luck in romance, most people start figuring things out in high school… Tsk, based on that, is Xiao Ya a bit late too?”
Yu Shuang fell silent.
Tan Xiao’s face mirrored the silence.
They stared at each other, both frozen.
Tan Xiao: “I hereby declare I’m not having kids anytime soon!”
Yu Shuang: “?”
“Being a parent is way too stressful!”
“Only realizing that now?”
“But would Xiao Ya’s taste really be that bad?”
“Isn’t dating all about the thrill of forbidden, sneaky romance?”
Yu Shuang hit the nail on the head, sending a shiver down Tan Xiao’s spine.
“Ningning, that’s a dangerous mindset!”
“But what I want to say is—absolutely correct! Back then, I was all about the unconventional types!”
Yu Shuang took a deep breath.
Tan Xiao also inhaled deeply.
Their eyes met.
Yu Shuang sighed.
Tan Xiao exhaled in sync.
“Whatever.”
“Oh, then… Huh? What?”
“Whatever. Let her be.”
“Bruh, friend, is that the right call?”
“She’s an adult. I shouldn’t be thinking about her like a kid anymore.”
“…Fair point, I guess.”
Yu Shuang leaned back into the sofa and said lightly, “So it’s time for her to explore the world. Happy adulthood!”
“She’s been an adult for a while now, hasn’t she?”
Yu Shuang lowered her lashes, then nodded after a pause. “True.”
Tan Xiao: “?”
“Alright, back to business. Which companies are we meeting at the art exhibition? Who do we need to greet? Any potential business partners to scope out?”
“Wait, you—”
Yu Shuang propped her chin on her hand and asked seriously, “Will there be alcohol at the exhibition? Champagne on-site?”
“…Given it’s mostly foreign artists and the guest list, probably.”
“Then I’ll ask He Minqian what proof they’re serving.”
“Oh right, some types don’t sit well with me. Ask, so I don’t end up puking in front of potential partners.”
“Got it.”
Jiang Ya hadn’t just become an adult yesterday.
But until now, she’d kept up the habit from high school of sharing every little detail of her life with Yu Shuang.
This seemed to be the first time the girl hadn’t mentioned a thing, despite packing her schedule.
Something Yu Shuang didn’t know about.
And it was precisely this that made Yu Shuang acutely aware—Jiang Ya was already twenty-two. At that age, her life was entirely her own, and parental probing would only breed wariness.
A faint sense of loss settled in.
Guess that’s just how parenting goes.
Yu Shuang suddenly paused, then shook her head with a wry smile.
Tan Xiao blinked. “What? Something wrong with this company?”
“No, let’s keep going.”
“…”
Three days before the exhibition, with the list of executives to network with and companies to connect all sorted, Yu Shuang started picking her outfit.
Miss Yu
Image
It was the exhibition invitation. The sender: Jiang Ya.
Yu Shuang: “Su Shu gave this to you? Inviting you to the art exhibition?”
“Not from Teacher Su, it was her assistant. We’ve been working together recently.”
Yu Shuang stared at the last sentence. “So?”
“Can I go? Is it mostly just work-related networking for you all?”
“Go if you want. At its core, it’s still an art exhibition—displaying paintings.” After a brief hesitation, Yu Shuang added, “Do you have a favorite painter?”
It was a joint exhibition, featuring works from three artists alongside some borrowed masterpieces.
Only the He family could pull off an exhibition of this caliber.
She regretted sending the message the moment it went through.
Her finger hovered over the text, about to recall it, when Jiang Ya’s reply popped up simultaneously: “Yes.”
Yu Shuang’s eyelid twitched.
“The Impressionist masters’ paintings seem really interesting. I’d like to see them.”
Yu Shuang’s heart settled back down.
Those were the famous borrowed works on display.
She couldn’t quite name the emotion she felt—nor did she have time to dwell on it.
Maybe she shouldn’t have tested the waters with that question.
And now it was too late to take it back.
“Then go,” Yu Shuang replied, forcing herself to focus.
“I’m afraid I won’t understand them.”
Yu Shuang found it amusing. “Did you forget what I studied in school?”
“But won’t you and Tan Xiao be busy that day, Miss Yu?”
“I’ll still have time to show you a few paintings.”
“Okay~”
Yu Shuang could almost picture Jiang Ya’s obedient smile on the other side of the screen.
Playing innocent.
Jiang Ya: “Now the only question is—what should I wear? Does it need to be very formal? I’ve never been to one before, so I don’t know.”
“Pitiful face.jpg”
Playing pitiful.
Yet the corner of Yu Shuang’s mouth lifted.
“Come back. I’ll pick something for you.”