Big Miss and White Moonlight, Stop Fighting! - Chapter 39
Chapter 39: Stress Reaction
But Wen Wuxin had already taken her seat, so there was nothing she could do.
Jiang Asheng acted as if she hadn’t seen their childish behavior. She scanned the dining table and let out a surprised “Hoh.” “Are we eating this much tonight? There are only four of us.”
Although the Jiang family was wealthy, wasting food was not one of their rules.
For four people, six or seven dishes were more than enough, but there were nearly twenty dishes on the table.
Butler Li, who was standing to the side, took the initiative and said with great feeling, “These dishes were made by the two sisters together, President Jiang. Take a look, your two daughters are great cooks.”
Jiang Asheng raised an eyebrow. As far as she knew, neither of them were fond of cooking.
It was unexpected, but it also made perfect sense.
Jiang Qingyue didn’t seek credit, because she had more important things to do—
With lightning speed, she picked up a piece of braised beef brisket and put it in Wen Wuxin’s bowl. She said ingratiatingly, “Xin Xin, this is the braised beef brisket I made. It’s stewed until it’s tender and flavorful. Try some.”
Before Wen Wuxin could say anything, she added several more dishes, and Wen Wuxin’s bowl was piled up like a small mountain.
Wen Wuxin, holding her chopsticks, didn’t know where to start.
Jiang Qingyue’s voice also sounded. “Xin Xin, do you want to try the fried mushrooms I made?”
Wen Wuxin seemed to have come to her senses. She said “Oh” and picked up a piece of fried mushroom.
Someone grabbed her right wrist, and the piece of fried mushroom was snatched away.
Jiang Qingyue smiled and swallowed the fried mushroom. “Xin Xin, you should finish what’s in your bowl first before you look at anything else. Look at the dishes I put in your bowl. They’re both abundant and nutritious.”
“Alright,” Jiang Asheng, who was sitting across from them, couldn’t watch anymore. “How old are you two? Stop acting like children and just eat properly.”
Only then did the two of them stop.
Jiang Asheng cleared her throat and looked at Jiang Qingyue. “Qingyue finally came back. As a family, let’s just have a happy dinner. We won’t talk about anything else for now.”
The curve of Jiang Qingyue’s lips was so subtle that you would need a magnifying glass to see it.
Jiang Qingyue, on the other hand, was smiling beautifully. “That’s right, since you’re back, Sister, our family has a double blessing.”
She remembered what Jiang Asheng had said to her and repeated it perfectly. “Sister, let’s hold your welcome back party together with my and Xin Xin’s engagement party. It’ll definitely be more lively.”
Jiang Qingyue put down her chopsticks. “I don’t agree.”
Jiang Qingyue deliberately misinterpreted her meaning. “Oh, is it because you’re not ready, Sister? It’s fine if we push your welcome back party back a little.”
“It’s not about the welcome back party.” Jiang Qingyue looked at Wen Wuxin, and her tone instantly became gentle. “Xin Xin, do you really want to get engaged to her?”
Seeing that Wen Wuxin wasn’t speaking, Jiang Qingyue said again, “Xin Xin, I’ll support all of your choices. So, don’t be afraid.”
Wen Wuxin tried hard to calm her emotions. She really wanted to lie, just as she had countless times over the past three years when expressing false affection to Jiang Qingyue. But with Jiang Qingyue asking her this now, she felt a lump in her throat.
The gazes of the three people almost became tangible as they stared at Wen Wuxin. She took a small breath and finally looked up.
“Auntie Jiang, you can decide on the matter of my engagement with Qingyue and Miss Jiang’s welcome back party.”
Jiang Qingyue’s dark eyes instantly became unfathomable.
Jiang Qingyue whined, “Xin Xin, why do you always have to ask my mom about our business? We should be the ones to decide on our engagement.”
Jiang Asheng looked at the three people opposite her. Everyone’s expression was quite interesting.
But she didn’t stop them. Instead, she calmly picked up a piece of pork ribs and started gnawing on it.
Wen Wuxin said softly, “Then Qingyue, you decide.”
Jiang Qingyue’s mood finally turned from cloudy to sunny. She urged Wen Wuxin, “Alright, hurry up and eat. The food is getting cold.”
“…Miss Jiang?”
Jiang Qingyue’s three words interrupted Wen Wuxin’s movements again.
The hurt in Jiang Qingyue’s eyes was unconcealed. She looked at Wen Wuxin and said softly, “After all these years of not seeing each other, you’ve become estranged from me, Xin Xin. You won’t even call me ‘Sister’ anymore.”
Wen Wuxin bit her lip. The guilt that welled up inside her was almost consuming her. She shook her head. “That’s not it, I…”
She turned to look at Jiang Qingyue, wanting to explain, but didn’t know where to begin.
From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the other woman’s left hand rubbing the white porcelain bowl. The ugly scar on it stung Wen Wuxin’s eyes.
Wen Wuxin didn’t know that this was a stress reaction from psychological trauma. She only knew that she was starting to hear the sharp ringing sound again.
The pain from the tinnitus was unbearable, but she couldn’t show it now.
She lowered her head in a daze, looking as if she had no intention of explaining the matter to Jiang Qingyue.
Her vision was blurry. She fumbled for her chopsticks with her right hand several times before she finally found them.
Jiang Qingyue thought that Wen Wuxin had conceded. She also felt a little upset and was about to say something when she realized that Wen Wuxin’s state was not right.
Wen Wuxin’s right hand was trembling as it fumbled for the chopsticks, but she didn’t pick them up.
The sharp ringing in her ears was too piercing. She felt like her brain was about to explode.
Unable to bear it any longer, Wen Wuxin frowned and covered her ears with her hands, trying to alleviate the pain—
But after covering her ears, the sharp ringing sound became even more pronounced.
Jiang Qingyue also noticed that something was wrong. She immediately grabbed Wen Wuxin’s hands to stop her from covering her ears. “Tinnitus again? Xin Xin, take a deep breath.”
Jiang Qingyue’s voice sounded blurry and distant to Wen Wuxin. She could only clearly see the scar on the hand that was holding hers.
This scar turned into a sharp blade, precisely piercing Wen Wuxin’s heart.
Making a whimpering sound like a wounded cub, Wen Wuxin completely broke down. Tears fell one after another, and her chest heaved rapidly.
Following Wen Wuxin’s gaze, Jiang Qingyue saw her own left hand. She instantly realized the real reason for the other woman’s illness.
When Wen Wuxin had tinnitus before, Jiang Qingyue thought it was just because she was too emotional after just meeting her and didn’t think about the scar on her own left hand.
But with Wen Wuxin’s behavior now, how could she not understand?
Jiang Qingyue quickly let go of her left hand, but Wen Wuxin, having lost half of her support, uncontrollably leaned to the other side.
Jiang Qingyue caught her and carefully held her in her arms. Jiang Qingyue shouted to Butler Li, who was not far away, “Go get the doctor!”
Lying in the familiar warm embrace, Wen Wuxin, whose consciousness was blurry, instinctively burrowed into Jiang Qingyue’s arms. This body had only given her lust in the past, but now it also gave her a sense of security.
Feeling someone gripping her left hand, Wen Wuxin, with her eyes closed, frowned and tried to break free. She didn’t use much strength, but that person voluntarily let go.
“Qingyue, it’s so noisy.”
Wen Wuxin sobbed, her tone full of grievance.
Jiang Qingyue and Jiang Qingyue both fell silent. They both thought that Wen Wuxin was calling out to the other.
…
Ten minutes later, in the lounge in the basement.
The doctor wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “Although she’s not in any serious danger now, I still recommend that Miss Wen go for a full physical and a psychological check-up tomorrow.”
Jiang Asheng, who was standing to the side, said flatly, “Then you can arrange it for Wuxin. Have all the necessary check-ups done in the next two days.”
She had never realized before that Wen Wuxin was so easily affected.
Wen Wuxin struggled to sit up. Jiang Qingyue quickly embraced her, letting her lean on her.
“I’m sorry, it’s all because of me,” Wen Wuxin’s apology was almost a whisper. “You guys go eat. I’ll rest for a bit.”
With things turning out this way, who could still eat?
A servant pushed a wheelchair over. Jiang Qingyue carefully picked up Wen Wuxin and placed her in the wheelchair. “Let’s go back to the bedroom to rest for a while. If you wake up and want to eat something later, I’ll have a servant bring a meal up.”
Wen Wuxin weakly hummed in response. Having had tinnitus twice in one day, she really didn’t have the strength to respond in any other way.
Ever since what happened just now, Jiang Qingyue had become much quieter. She had been standing in the corner of the room, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.
After seeing Jiang Qingyue and the other person leave, Jiang Asheng looked at Jiang Qingyue. “Everything will be alright. Don’t worry.”
Jiang Qingyue didn’t respond. She just stood there, staring at her shoes. No one knew what she was thinking.
After pushing Wen Wuxin, who was in the wheelchair, back to the bedroom, Wen Wuxin slowly sat on the bed with Jiang Qingyue’s help.
Jiang Qingyue lifted the covers. “Rest for a bit first.”
Wen Wuxin lowered her head. “I’m sorry for interrupting your reunion.”
Who wants to have a reunion with this person?
Jiang Qingyue scoffed inwardly, but her expression remained gentle. “It’s nothing. Your health is what’s most important.”
This was Wen Wuxin and Jiang Qingyue’s past. She, Jiang Qingyue, had no right to be a part of it.
The dissatisfaction and jealousy in her heart eventually turned into a sourness in her nose. Seeing Wen Wuxin lie down, Jiang Qingyue smiled and tucked the blanket around her.
“Get some good rest. I’ll go with you for your check-up tomorrow.”
“No need.” Wen Wuxin rejected it without even thinking.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her body. On the contrary, the reason she had taken so many health supplements before was to maintain her health.
Before she found the truth, she didn’t dare to collapse.
But now that she had found the truth, she finally realized that her heart was also already covered in scars.
The impact of seeing Jiang Qingyue get hurt to save her in a dream and seeing the scar on Jiang Qingyue’s left hand in reality was completely different for Wen Wuxin.
Wen Wuxin finally understood that she was still in denial. She still couldn’t accept the person she was back then, who needed Jiang Qingyue to risk her life to save her.
Seeing the look of disapproval on Jiang Qingyue’s face, Wen Wuxin added, “I get a physical every year. My health is very good.”
Her words didn’t make Jiang Qingyue feel better. On the contrary, Jiang Qingyue’s smile faded.
Jiang Qingyue said with certainty, “So, it’s a mental illness.”
Wen Wuxin averted her gaze. “It’s just an unimportant past. Qingyue, give me some time. I’ll get used to it.”
She didn’t want to show her bloody wounds to anyone, not even a professional psychologist.
Jiang Qingyue said with heartache, “How can you get used to something like this? Do you know how awful your face looked just now?”
Wen Wuxin closed her eyes. Her thick, long eyelashes trembled slightly. “Qingyue, I want to rest for a bit first.”
She was truly tired.
Seeing this, Jiang Qingyue didn’t ask any more questions. “Okay, you sleep. I’ll…”
She bit back the words “I’ll be with you the whole time.” Although Jiang Qingyue really wanted to be with Wen Wuxin, she knew that what Wen Wuxin needed the least right now was her company.
But she wasn’t magnanimous enough to let that other woman accompany Wen Wuxin.
So Jiang Qingyue choked for a few seconds before saying slowly, “Sleep. When you wake up, if you want something to eat, just press the bell on the bedside table.”
Wen Wuxin didn’t respond. She curled up in the blanket. Her thick, seaweed-like black hair covered the side of her face, revealing only a hint of her fair skin.
Turning off the bedside lamp, Jiang Qingyue was about to leave when she heard Wen Wuxin’s muffled voice. “Don’t turn off the light.”
Jiang Qingyue was stunned. She turned the light back on and left in silence.
As soon as she opened the door, Jiang Qingyue’s eyes met the woman standing outside the door.
Although neither of them spoke, Jiang Qingyue quickly blocked Jiang Qingyue’s path, her eyes warning her not to get any closer.
Jiang Qingyue had both of her hands in the pockets of her coat and didn’t seem to have any intention of entering the room.
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze going past Jiang Qingyue to look at the person in the bedroom.
One second, three seconds, ten seconds.
Jiang Qingyue watched for a long time. There was heartache, self-blame, and possessiveness in her eyes.
Jiang Qingyue gently closed the door. She looked at the woman with the same face as her with a cold expression. “Stay away from Xin Xin.”
Jiang Qingyue let out a small laugh. “Why?”
Butler Li always appeared at the right time. “Misses, Miss Wen needs some quiet rest now.”
The two of them exchanged glances and quickly left.
Grabbing the nanny who was following her, Butler Li finally didn’t have to communicate with her eyes and winks this time.
“Nanny Wang, what do you think?”
The nanny was confused. “What do I think? I’m watching.”
Butler Li let out an “Aiya” and lowered her voice. “Can’t you tell that the eldest miss also likes Miss Wen, just like the second miss?!”
The nanny gave her a look. “We all saw it.”
Butler Li hissed. “Then… what should we do? Who do you think will be the final winner, the eldest miss or the second miss?”
The nanny said helplessly, “We definitely don’t know the answer. The decision is up to Miss Wen.”
Butler Li chuckled. “Well, I’m voting for the eldest miss.”
Based on what happened in the dining room just now, it was clear that Wen Wuxin had a deeper connection with Jiang Qingyue.
The nanny, however, disagreed. “We all saw how the second miss and Miss Wen have been together for the past few years. Habit is a very scary thing, Butler Li.”
Butler Li was thoughtful. “Habit… right?”
The two of them were still discussing, but the war in the main hall downstairs was on the verge of breaking out.
Jiang Qingyue said resentfully, “Yes, even if you and Xin Xin have a past, that’s not a reason for you to poke at her wound and make her lose control.”
Even though Jiang Qingyue didn’t even know the exact reason why Wen Wuxin lost control of her emotions, all she could see was that after Jiang Qingyue said one sentence, the other person lost control like that.
Jiang Qingyue had never seen Wen Wuxin like this before.
Jiang Qingyue sneered. “Jiang Qingyue, are you jealous? Jealous that I can make her feel pain and sadness, while you can’t stir up any emotions in her heart?”
There was not even anger on Jiang Qingyue’s face, only disbelief.
“Jiang Qingyue, do you really love her? Do you think that love is about making the other person feel pain?!”
Jiang Qingyue said in a cold voice, “The feelings between Xin Xin and me are not for an outsider like you to judge.”
“An outsider?” Jiang Qingyue was so angry she laughed. “If anyone’s an outsider, it’s you.”
Wen Wuxin was about to become her, Jiang Qingyue’s, legitimate fiancée. What was Jiang Qingyue to her?
Jiang Qingyue was not flustered at all. “Whether I’m an outsider or not is not for you to decide. Of course, I also believe that soon you will not only be an outsider between me and Xin Xin, but you will also be an outsider to the Jiang family.”
Jiang Qingyue said leisurely, “Alright, Sister. You can only pray that you’re strong enough to defeat me.”
Jiang Qingyue gritted her teeth. When Wen Wuxin called her “Sister,” it always brought a smile to Jiang Qingyue’s face, but when Jiang Qingyue called her “Sister,” it made her feel disgusted.
“You two,” a distant voice came from the stairs. It was a tired-looking Jiang Asheng. “Wuxin isn’t feeling well, and you two are still fighting?”
The two of them finally stopped.
“…Mother,” this was the first time Jiang Qingyue had ever called Jiang Asheng that. She said calmly, “I have some things I’d like to talk to you about privately.”
Jiang Asheng didn’t hide her surprise. She thought her eldest daughter would never call her “Mother” in this lifetime.
Jiang Qingyue walked over to Jiang Asheng. “We’re all family, Sister. There’s no need to be so distant.”
Jiang Qingyue wasn’t angry. She said meaningfully, “Yes, that’s right. We’re a family, so there’s nothing we can’t talk about together.”
It was as if the two of them hadn’t just been arguing and calling each other outsiders.
The three of them went to Jiang Asheng’s study. Jiang Qingyue got straight to the point. “Mother, about my welcome back party, I’d like to hold it separately from the engagement party.”
Jiang Asheng thought for a moment. “Okay.”
“I want to hold my welcome back party first,” Jiang Qingyue added.
Jiang Asheng’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she didn’t say anything.
Although she didn’t know what the other person’s intentions were, Jiang Qingyue’s intuition told her that this was not as simple as it seemed.
Just as Jiang Qingyue was about to refute Jiang Qingyue’s plan, a knock on the door sounded.
The knocking was a little rushed. Jiang Asheng pressed a button on her desk, and the door opened. Butler Li looked a little anxious. “Sorry to interrupt. Miss Wen is awake and now wants to find… uh…”
Butler Li’s words got stuck halfway through. She had only heard Wen Wuxin say she wanted to find “Qingyue,” but she couldn’t be sure if it was “Qingyue” or “Qingyue.”
Jiang Qingyue and Jiang Qingyue both ran out at the same time.
Butler Li was also about to leave, but Jiang Asheng called out to her.
When the two sisters arrived on the floor where Wen Wuxin’s bedroom was, they saw the fragile beauty with a pale face and bare feet standing in the hallway.
Wen Wuxin’s face was frighteningly pale. She was clutching Nanny Wang’s arm and muttering to herself.
Nanny Wang was comforting her while looking around. When she saw Jiang Qingyue and Jiang Qingyue, she looked like she had found her savior.
“Misses! Over here! Miss Wen is looking for you.”
Nanny Wang, like Butler Li, naturally couldn’t be sure who Wen Wuxin was calling, so she called out to both of them so as not to offend anyone.
The moment Nanny Wang spoke, Wen Wuxin also let go.
Seeing the two women with the same face running toward her, Wen Wuxin also stumbled and ran toward them.
Wen Wuxin fell into an embrace that was both familiar and a little unfamiliar.
Jiang Qingyue comforted her softly, “Did you have a nightmare? Don’t be afraid, it’s all fake.”
Jiang Qingyue, who was a step behind, stood to the side with a livid face.
“It wasn’t a nightmare,” Wen Wuxin rubbed against Jiang Qingyue’s chest, as if to find a sense of security. She grabbed the other woman’s hand to rub it again. “I…”
The uneven texture of her hand told Wen Wuxin that she was the culprit of the injury.
Wen Wuxin pushed Jiang Qingyue away with difficulty.
She took a step back, looked at Jiang Qingyue who was standing to the side, and forced a smile. “I’m sorry, Miss Jiang. I mistook you for someone else just now. Qingyue, let’s go.”
Jiang Qingyue was flattered, but she quickly took Wen Wuxin’s hand. “Okay.”
A look of disbelief flashed in Jiang Qingyue’s eyes. She had never thought that she would be the one Wen Wuxin abandoned.
But Wen Wuxin really did leave her without hesitation and chose Jiang Qingyue.
Back in the bedroom, as soon as they entered the room, Wen Wuxin let go of Jiang Qingyue’s hand. She said in a low voice, “Qingyue, I’m going to wash my feet first.”
She had been in such a daze just now that she had walked out of the room barefoot. Although the floors of the Jiang family’s main residence were always impeccably clean, Wen Wuxin’s germophobia made her unable to bear going to bed in that state.
Jiang Qingyue grabbed her wrist. “I’ll wash them for you.”
Wen Wuxin felt that Jiang Qingyue’s indulgence of her was bottomless. “I’m not a child. I can do something like this myself.”
Jiang Qingyue pretended not to hear and led Wen Wuxin into the bathroom by her hand.
Wen Wuxin looked at the two of them in the mirror, first putting water into the bathtub, then lowering her eyes and starting to unbutton her shirt.
Jiang Qingyue frowned, but she didn’t stop her.
“Xin Xin, you can take a bath if you want, but you’re not in a good condition right now, so you can’t soak for too long. It’s not good for your heart.”
Wen Wuxin was also a little surprised. “Aren’t you joining me?”
The two of them had done many absurd things in this bathroom, and Wen Wuxin thought that Jiang Qingyue’s actions just now were for the purpose of doing that with her.
Jiang Qingyue, who had just realized what she meant, gave a wry smile. “Xin Xin, I really just wanted to wash your feet. But since you’ve already said that, let’s take a bath together.”
The two bodies were submerged in the warm bathwater. The softness of Jiang Qingyue’s chest was pressed against Wen Wuxin’s back. The two of them were physically intimate, but Jiang Qingyue felt that the other person was very, very far away from her.
Resting her chin on the other woman’s thin shoulder, Jiang Qingyue looked at the dense, fluffy foam on the water’s surface and said softly, “Xin Xin.”
Wen Wuxin hummed in response.
Jiang Qingyue’s tone was a little pitiful. “Love me a little more, okay?”
Wen Wuxin’s answer was the same as always. “Of course I love you the most, Qingyue.”
But this was not the answer Jiang Qingyue wanted to hear.
After a long silence, Jiang Qingyue said softly again, “My sister is back. What do you think about that?”
Wen Wuxin’s answer was flawless. “It’s, of course, a good thing for your family to be reunited.”
Jiang Qingyue was now just beating around the bush. She wanted to know Wen Wuxin’s true thoughts but was also afraid of getting an answer she didn’t want to hear, so she could only ask ambiguous questions.
Therefore, it was impossible for Wen Wuxin to give a real answer.
Jiang Qingyue tried hard to raise her tone. “Xin Xin, what style of dress do you want to wear for our engagement party? I’ll have a tailor come over in a few days to custom-make dresses for us.”
Wen Wuxin thought for a moment and finally said softly, “Anything is fine, Qingyue. You can decide.”
Jiang Qingyue couldn’t hold back. “Xin Xin, are you… actually not wanting to get engaged to me?”
Wen Wuxin turned around. She rested one hand on the bottom of the bathtub and the other on Jiang Qingyue’s shoulder. “No.”
Under the bathroom lights, her light brown eyes were like fragile glass, incredibly beautiful.
Jiang Qingyue was entranced and didn’t say anything.
Wen Wuxin simply grabbed the other woman’s hand and placed it on her soft chest. Through the flesh, that heart was still beating so hard that Jiang Qingyue’s palm tingled.
“Qingyue, I only want to get engaged to you.”
Jiang Qingyue was certain that Wen Wuxin wasn’t lying. Happiness came so suddenly that she almost felt dizzy.
Like a young girl falling in love for the first time, Jiang Qingyue stammered, “I, I do too.”
Wen Wuxin leaned in, but Jiang Qingyue’s wet index finger pressed against her lips.
“You, you should rest well first,” Jiang Qingyue’s stuttering curse hadn’t ended yet. “We’ll do this later…”
Surrounded by the mist, Jiang Qingyue’s cheeks were flushed, and she didn’t know if it was from the hot water or for some other reason.
Wen Wuxin stood up from the bathtub. A drop of water slid down her smooth, delicate skin after another.
“Then let’s go to bed early today.”
The immense feeling of happiness overwhelmed Jiang Qingyue, and she didn’t even have any lustful thoughts—
So when she saw the other woman’s beautiful body exposed in front of her, Jiang Qingyue’s first reaction was:
“Quick, use a towel to dry yourself so you don’t catch a cold.”
Unlike Wen Wuxin, who was being affectionate in the bathroom, Jiang Qingyue’s side was completely cold.
She had returned to the room that Jiang Asheng had arranged for her. It was very far from Jiang Qingyue and Wen Wuxin’s bedroom; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they were at opposite ends of the house.
Putting on her bathrobe, Jiang Qingyue rubbed the scar on her left hand. Although she didn’t want to admit it, she had originally intended to use it to win Wen Wuxin’s sympathy and pity, but she didn’t expect the scar to make Wen Wuxin so sad.
It seems like I should start wearing gloves again tomorrow.
Jiang Qingyue’s thoughts began to drift. The scar tissue was so severe that even the most advanced repair techniques available now couldn’t restore it to its original state.
Coupled with the fact that Jiang Qingyue didn’t have the obsession to fix the scar, the matter was dropped.
But looking at Wen Wuxin’s current attitude…
Jiang Qingyue sighed. It seems I still need to contact a doctor as soon as possible to try to repair the scar.
A knock on the door sounded at this moment. Jiang Qingyue opened the door, and the person who came was Jiang Asheng.
Jiang Asheng had also changed into her pajamas. Unlike the usual high and mighty head of the Jiang family, she now had a few more soft features, and the wrinkles on her face were more visible.
“Qingyue, are you settling in well today?”
Jiang Qingyue nodded slightly, which counted as a response.
Jiang Asheng closed the door behind her and sat down unceremoniously on the edge of the bed. She patted the soft, huge mattress. “Just like your sister, you’re sleeping on a VISPRING mattress. I think you’ll have a good first night at the Jiang family home.”
Jiang Qingyue sneered in her heart and skipped the topic. “I’d like to hold my welcome back party a week from now.”
Jiang Asheng paused, then said slowly, “Sometimes things don’t go the way you expect them to.”
How could she not see through Jiang Qingyue’s thoughts?
Jiang Qingyue said flatly, “So was it something you expected when you abandoned me?”
Jiang Asheng’s expression froze, and she didn’t argue back.
Jiang Qingyue also sat down on the other side of the bed. The mother and daughter sat back to back.
“You know best whether I covet the Jiang family’s assets or not. But if you insist on having Xin Xin marry Jiang Qingyue, I can’t just stand by and do nothing.”
Jiang Asheng laughed. “You are my daughter. The Jiang family’s assets naturally have a share for you. How can you use a word like ‘covet’?”
Jiang Qingyue said calmly, “Are you sure you want Xin Xin to get engaged to Jiang Qingyue?”
Jiang Asheng also spoke in riddles. “As long as you do as I say, in the end, you’ll all get what you want.”
Jiang Qingyue stood up and walked over to Jiang Asheng. She looked down at her biological mother with whom she had a bl00d relationship.
“What I want was ruined by you long ago. I’m going to rest.”
Jiang Asheng, who had just been given the boot by her daughter, wasn’t angry. She stood up and looked up at this daughter who was both familiar and unfamiliar. “Why do I feel like you’re taller than Qingyue? You’re supposed to be twins.”
Jiang Qingyue had no intention of answering.
Jiang Asheng patted Jiang Qingyue’s arm and left.
…
The next morning.
Compared to the intense atmosphere at dinner last night, breakfast today was peaceful.
When Wen Wuxin and Jiang Qingyue arrived at the dining room, Jiang Qingyue had just finished eating.
Wiping her lips with a napkin, Jiang Qingyue stood up and smiled at Wen Wuxin.
Wen Wuxin also smiled. “Good morning, Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Qingyue seemed to have become desensitized to being called “Miss Jiang.” She smiled and said, “I have something to do, so I’ll be going now.”
This way of interacting with each other confused Jiang Qingyue.
Wait, Wen Wuxin was with me all night. She didn’t have time to have a private talk with Jiang Qingyue, did she?
Why are they acting so distant and polite to each other, like they’re meeting for the first time?
Jiang Asheng, who was drinking hot tea and reading the financial news, also poked her head up. “Qingyue, your sister’s welcome back party is set for this Sunday. It will be held at our Jiang family’s main residence. You can handle the guest list.”
Jiang Qingyue was stunned. “So soon?”
Jiang Asheng hummed in response. “If she drags it out for too long, it will also affect your engagement with Wuxin, won’t it?”
Jiang Qingyue’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. She could tell just from her instincts that Jiang Qingyue definitely had ill intentions and would cause some kind of trouble at the welcome back party.
Wen Wuxin saw Jiang Qingyue’s face visibly turn sour and quickly changed the subject. “Qingyue, come back early after work today. I’m almost finished with your painting.”
This trick always worked on Jiang Qingyue. Sure enough, Jiang Qingyue’s attention was immediately diverted, and she happily agreed.
…
Four hours later, in the Jiang family’s art studio.
Wen Wuxin was lost in thought as she looked at the person in the painting.
The woman in the painting, in a red dress, was bright and bold. Her facial features were delicate yet impactful, and her pair of peach blossom eyes were incredibly captivating. Just one glance would make a person fall for her.
The paint had not yet dried. Wen Wuxin put down her brush and reached out with her paint-stained right hand toward the eyes of the woman in the painting.
This was the first time she had ever painted Jiang Qingyue with her eyes open.
In Wen Wuxin’s previous paintings, she had always painted Jiang Qingyue with her eyes closed. As for the women with their eyes open, although Jiang Qingyue thought they were her, they were actually Jiang Qingyue.
Wen Wuxin had been deceiving herself by trying to use this method to distinguish between the two.
But today, for some reason, when Wen Wuxin’s drifting thoughts came back, she realized that she had painted a portrait of Jiang Qingyue with her eyes open.
As if she had been electrocuted, Wen Wuxin suddenly retracted her hand before she could even touch the canvas. The once cold and refined beauty’s eyes flashed with confusion and helplessness.
Wen Wuxin pursed her lips and moved the painting and its easel to the window. The oil paint would need to dry in the sun for a few more days before it was completely dry.
Click.
The door to the room opened. Wen Wuxin thought it was Butler Li calling her for lunch.
Although she was confused as to why Butler Li hadn’t knocked this time, Wen Wuxin still said politely without turning her head, “Just a moment. I’ll be down for lunch soon.”
The iron easel was a little heavy, and the art studio wasn’t small. Wen Wuxin had moved it several steps but still hadn’t reached the window. Her arms were already a little sore.
A hand wearing a black leather glove held the other side of the easel. Wen Wuxin felt the weight in her hand lighten considerably.
Although she didn’t know when Butler Li had started wearing gloves, Wen Wuxin still gave a smile. “Butler Li, tha…”
The words of thanks stopped halfway. Wen Wuxin looked up and saw who the person was.
It was Jiang Qingyue.
Her expression was neutral as she helped Wen Wuxin move the easel to the window.
The sky was clear today, and a golden light poured onto the oil painting through the glass window. The woman’s peach blossom eyes in the painting were even more captivating and full of charm.
Wen Wuxin’s mind was in turmoil. She wanted to block the painting, but she felt that doing so would be like a guilty person trying to hide something, so she could only stand stiffly on the other side of the easel.
Jiang Qingyue glanced at the painting, then shifted her gaze back to Wen Wuxin’s paint-stained hand.
“Wash your hands first.”
Wen Wuxin murmured with her cherry-red lips, “You…”
She naturally placed her gloved left hand behind her back. Jiang Qingyue’s voice was barely audible. “Can you not paint her next time?”
Jiang Qingyue had recognized that the painting was of Jiang Qingyue.
This realization made Wen Wuxin’s heart pound. She parted her lips slightly but didn’t know what to say.
Wen Wuxin’s reaction made Jiang Qingyue unable to bear it any longer. She took a step forward, and Wen Wuxin quickly took a step back. They kept moving like this, and in the end, Wen Wuxin was cornered against the wall.
Behind her was a cold wall. Wen Wuxin had nowhere to go.
Jiang Qingyue stood in front of Wen Wuxin. She didn’t use her hands to trap the other woman. The two of them were very close. Wen Wuxin stood there as if she had been paralyzed, unable to move.
“…I’m sorry.”
After a long time, Wen Wuxin lowered her head and said softly.
Looking at the other woman’s eyelashes trembling like a butterfly’s wings, a hint of pain flashed in Jiang Qingyue’s eyes. The veins on her forehead bulged for a moment, and then she quickly controlled the emotions that were bubbling up inside her.
“You and I don’t need to apologize to each other.”
The gentler Jiang Qingyue was, the more Wen Wuxin felt like she was being consumed by guilt. But she couldn’t get close to Jiang Qingyue right now, otherwise…
Wen Wuxin tried hard to stay calm. “Miss Jiang, I need to go downstairs for lunch.”
But Jiang Qingyue didn’t move.
“M-I-S-S… J-I-A-N-G?”
Jiang Qingyue said these three words, one by one, and in the end, she laughed out of extreme anger.
“There are only the two of us here, Xin Xin. Are you sure you still want to call me that?”
Jiang Qingyue’s voice was extremely gentle. A strand of Wen Wuxin’s hair fell to the side of her face. She reached out with her right hand and tucked the strand of hair behind the other woman’s ear.
Even though Jiang Qingyue’s voice and actions were so gentle they could melt butter, Wen Wuxin got goosebumps all over her body.
Wen Wuxin turned her face away. Her eyes were unfocused. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll just go…”
Jiang Qingyue interrupted her. “There is something.”
“Xin Xin,” Jiang Qingyue pinched Wen Wuxin’s chin, forcing the other woman to look up at her. “Are you sure you want to marry Jiang Qingyue?”
Wen Wuxin looked at Jiang Qingyue’s eyes. “…Yes.”
Jiang Qingyue said flatly, “But I’m back now. Why do you still want to get engaged to her?”
Yes, why?
Jiang Asheng had Wen Wuxin do this for her own reasons, and Wen Wuxin could have chosen to refuse—
If she no longer cared about Jiang Qingyue.
But Wen Wuxin couldn’t do that, so she agreed to Jiang Asheng’s request. And there was a more important reason why she agreed:
With the Jiang family announcing Jiang Qingyue’s return, it would inevitably cause a huge stir in the outside world. The heir of the Jiang family might also change. Everyone would inevitably compare Jiang Qingyue and Jiang Qingyue.
If Wen Wuxin chose to get engaged to Jiang Qingyue, then Jiang Qingyue would be labeled as being engaged to someone of the same s3x, which was a ridiculous label.
If it was just a relationship, Jiang Qingyue’s behavior of constantly finding female lovers over the years would be seen by everyone as a small fuss, but an engagement would completely change the nature of it.
Compared to Jiang Qingyue, who was engaged to a woman, Jiang Qingyue would obviously be a better candidate for the Jiang family’s heir.
These thoughts, of course, could not be known by either of the sisters, so Wen Wuxin could only bite the bullet and say, “When I first got close to Qingyue, it was indeed… to find the truth. But as I got to know her, I found that I had actually developed feelings for her. I…”
A warm index finger pressed against Wen Wuxin’s lips. The obsession in Jiang Qingyue’s eyes was no longer hidden.
“Don’t say things that will make me sad, okay?”