Big Miss and White Moonlight, Stop Fighting! - Chapter 8
Chapter 8: I Give Up
The next morning.
“…Xin Xin.”
Wen Wuxin whimpered but didn’t open her eyes. Last night’s indulgence had been too exhausting.
In a state of semi-consciousness, Wen Wuxin vaguely felt someone intertwining their fingers with hers, followed by a gentle and lingering kiss.
Wen Wuxin responded almost instinctively, and it was then that she reluctantly opened her eyes.
“Hmm.” As soon as Wen Wuxin opened her eyes, she was blinded by a flash of silver. She frowned and closed her eyes, about to ask Jiang Qingyue what it was, when she felt a cool, circular object slide onto her left middle finger.
When Wen Wuxin opened her eyes again, Jiang Qingyue placed another ring in her right palm.
All the words she had prepared in her mind were now completely discarded. Jiang Qingyue’s voice held an undetectable tension. “Wuxin, let’s be each other’s one and only…”
Jiang Qingyue’s words trailed off.
She wanted to make many more promises to Wen Wuxin, and she wanted to tell her many things.
But never mind. There was no need for this innocent painter to know about the dark side and the troubles.
As for the promises, Jiang Qingyue felt it was better to show her with actions rather than sweet words.
With her logic now sound, Jiang Qingyue didn’t say anything more.
But Wen Wuxin just stared blankly at the handmade silver ring on her left finger.
Jiang Qingyue’s proactive move left her no room to maneuver.
She figured that Jiang Qingyue had left in a hurry that day to have this pair of handmade silver rings made.
There was no emotion in Wen Wuxin’s heart. She calmly thought, If the opposing actress gets too deep into her role, can she still perform the final act with me?
Wen Wuxin’s heart was wavering.
Should I agree right away, or should I continue playing with her…
“I give up.”
Jiang Qingyue’s hoarse voice interrupted Wen Wuxin’s thoughts. Her usually nonchalant eyes now held a hint of seriousness.
Wen Wuxin had only been thinking for a few seconds, but Jiang Qingyue felt she couldn’t wait another moment. She didn’t know what to say to get the other woman to agree, so all she could do was give in and surrender.
All the dominance and arrogance of a superior person in Jiang Qingyue disappeared at that moment. Her eyes were teary, like a small, abandoned puppy on the side of the road.
Don’t reject me.
Wen Wuxin could only read those three words in Jiang Qingyue’s eyes.
But Qingyue, I’m not the winner in this game either.
Wen Wuxin held the other silver ring in her right hand, the one that was originally meant for Jiang Qingyue. She could tell that the person who made these rings was inexperienced. The surface of the rings was a little bumpy.
With a decision made in her heart, Wen Wuxin didn’t take off the ring on her left hand, but she offered the ring in her right hand back to the other woman.
“But Qingyue, you were the one who said that you could give me a lot of money, but I couldn’t ask for anything else, like a title or love.”
Wen Wuxin gave a bitter smile. “I’m a little greedy, so I’m afraid I can’t return the ring you gave me. But Qingyue, to me, you will always be free. I don’t want to trap you with this small silver ring. You deserve better.”
Jiang Qingyue’s chest was filled with a feeling of regret. She thought, If I could turn back time, if I could go back to the day we first met, I would never, ever have done that.
…
Three years ago.
“Miss Jiang, please take a look. Our latest bags and jewelry are all here. Look at this one…”
In a tastefully decorated luxury store, a salesperson was enthusiastically promoting products to the languid, red-lipped woman with big wavy hair.
Jiang Qingyue was the only customer in the store at the moment. She had gotten Jiang Qingyue’s contact information from a salesperson in the same brand abroad a few days ago, who said she was a rich heiress who splurged whenever she came to the store, buying a mountain of things. She was famous in the luxury sales circles in London.
Now that this walking ATM had returned to the country and was visiting her store, the salesperson couldn’t even imagine how high her sales would be this month.
The salesperson was still talking non-stop when another salesperson came up and whispered something in her ear.
The first salesperson stopped talking. She looked at Jiang Qingyue with some difficulty. “But Miss Jiang, she…”
Jiang Qingyue, who was sitting on the sofa, changed to a more casual and comfortable position. “What’s wrong?”
The salesperson whispered, “We originally wanted to reserve the whole store for you, but a customer said she wanted to buy something… But she has already chosen what she wants and should be leaving soon after she buys it.”
Jiang Qingyue didn’t make things difficult for the salesperson. “It’s fine. Let her come in.”
Five minutes later.
Jiang Qingyue pointed to a few bags, then told the salesperson to continue.
But a figure suddenly entered her line of sight.
A woman who seemed cold but had an exceptionally beautiful face walked in, wearing a white dress that fell just below her knees.
The salesperson with the woman said in a soft voice, “Miss Wen, please wait a moment.”
Jiang Qingyue glanced at the unfamiliar woman and quickly looked away.
The woman was incredibly beautiful, but she was also too beautiful and too cold.
Besides, Jiang Qingyue wasn’t very interested in beauty. She had no intention of being in a relationship, not with a woman, and even less with a man.
But there was only one sofa in front of the woman, and Jiang Qingyue was already sitting on it.
The woman finally turned to look at Jiang Qingyue, and their eyes met.
The woman took a few steps back in disbelief.
Jiang Qingyue immediately touched her face. She asked the salesperson who was still promoting products to her, “Is there something on my face?”
The salesperson was also a little confused but still honestly shook her head.
This was the first time Jiang Qingyue had encountered this situation. Could this be a new trick from her rivals?
…That would be too foolish.
The woman quickly recovered. She apologized for her lack of composure. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Jiang Qingyue waved her hand, and at the same time, moved over to make room for her.
The woman’s salesperson was still in the back room looking for her item. She sat awkwardly next to Jiang Qingyue, unconsciously pinching the fingers of her left hand with her right.
Her nervousness was palpable.
Jiang Qingyue found it a little amusing. Do I look like a bad person? Why is this person so afraid of me?
“Do you know me?” Jiang Qingyue first told the salesperson promoting to her to be quiet, then asked.
The salesperson was very good at reading people. She took a step back. The rich heiress had already bought a lot of things. Now that she wanted to talk to the person next to her, she wouldn’t bother them. She didn’t want to upset the heiress.
“I,” the woman stammered, “can I paint a portrait of you?”
Jiang Qingyue smiled, not finding the question strange at all. “Are you an art student?”
The woman nodded.
Jiang Qingyue asked the question again. “Do you know me?”
The woman again answered with a different question. “My name is Wen Wuxin. The ‘Wen’ from warmth, the ‘Wu’ from fog, and the ‘Xin’ from joy. I’m a third-year oil painting student at the Huayuan School of Art.”
Jiang Qingyue smiled. She looked at the increasingly nervous woman and suddenly had the idea of teasing her.
With that thought in mind, she acted on it. Jiang Qingyue propped her left hand on the soft leather sofa and leaned her upper body toward Wen Wuxin.
“Wen Wuxin,” even though it was a simple three-word name, Jiang Qingyue said it with a hint of flirtatiousness. “You still haven’t answered my question.”
They were extremely close. Wen Wuxin’s fair face quickly turned red.
The salesperson standing nearby was also amazed. So this heiress likes women.
It’s not surprising, considering she studied in London. The environment there must have made her a lesbian.
While the salesperson’s mind was racing, a different scene was unfolding between the two women on the sofa.
Wen Wuxin bit her lower lip hard, but she didn’t try to pull away. After a long pause, she said softly.
“Miss Jiang, I’ve seen you before. But you probably haven’t seen me.”
Jiang Qingyue said, “Oh. How so?”
Wen Wuxin once again answered with a different question. “Can I have your contact information?”
After saying this, Wen Wuxin quickly realized her mistake. The once cold beauty now looked incredibly flustered. She stammered out an explanation. “No, if it’s not convenient, that’s fine. Just give me an address, and I’ll mail the painting to you when it’s done.”
Jiang Qingyue propped her head on her hand, looking at the beauty in front of her with a half-smile.
Wen Wuxin was so anxious that the corners of her eyes were red. “I’m really not a bad person, really. I’m a very good painter. You…”
Jiang Qingyue took out her phone and displayed her WeChat QR code. “Scan it.”
Wen Wuxin was pleasantly surprised. “Thank you.”
Jiang Qingyue teased, “I feel like if I hadn’t agreed, you would have cried.”
Wen Wuxin didn’t argue. She lowered her head, and her long, trembling eyelashes hid her eyes.
“Yes.”
Jiang Qingyue chuckled. “Wen Wuxin, do you know you’re a little cute?”
The salesperson who had been looking for Wen Wuxin’s item finally came out with the bag. “Miss Wen, please take a look. If everything’s okay, I’ll wrap it up for you.”
Jiang Qingyue glanced at the bag. It was a classic but slightly old-fashioned design.
Wen Wuxin explained on her own. “It’s a birthday gift for my teacher.”
Jiang Qingyue hummed. Wen Wuxin stood up and stared at Jiang Qingyue, a fleeting hint of longing in her eyes.
Jiang Qingyue didn’t miss it, but Wen Wuxin didn’t say anything more. She just said she would mail the painting to her later, then left.
That night, at the Jiang family’s main house.
Jiang Qiange was drinking black tea. “Did you go shopping again today?”
Jiang Qingyue nodded. “Mother, what do you think about me liking women?”
It was a shocking question, but Jiang Qiange just took another leisurely sip of her tea.
“A new plan?”
Jiang Qingyue hummed. “I met a very interesting woman today, but… let’s not talk about her for now. I just suddenly thought that my reputation for being unlearned and extravagant should have spread in the social circles by now, but it’s not enough. It’s not enough to make those people lower their guard.”
“What do you think they would think of me if I were to announce that I like women, but never get into a relationship and only have a bunch of lovers whose relationship I never make official?”