Her Wild Rose - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: A Happy Ending

Because of the earlier delay, it was nearly 9 p.m. by the time Tang Tang and Su Qian arrived at the night market.

Unlike other times, the wind in Liangcheng—normally nonexistent—finally stirred, gently brushing against their faces and clothes, making the light hems of their dresses flutter with the breeze.

“There are so many people here.”

Tang Tang’s hand was held by Su Qian, but that didn’t stop her from pausing curiously at every stall. In just a short while, her hands were already full of all kinds of strange little trinkets.

Hearing Tang Tang’s faint complaints, Su Qian knew she was grumbling about how late they had come out.

She reached out and lightly scratched her palm before chuckling, “The night market is always more interesting when you come later.”

Tang Tang nodded, reluctantly agreeing with her, and continued walking through the crowd, simultaneously scanning the vendor signs for Gu Shuangran and Lu Piaopiao’s booth.

The two had chosen a central location in the market earlier—so it should be nearby.

“We might have to walk a little further.”

Su Qian quickly caught on to what Tang Tang was thinking, answering her before she could even speak. She held her hand tightly, carefully guiding her through the crowd, her gaze fixed on Tang Tang’s back as though she feared losing her in the sea of people.

“Ahhhhh, Su Qian’s gaze is so intense—it’s like she’s glued her eyes to Tang Tang.”

“I mean, come on, Tang Tang is her wife. What’s wrong with staring at your wife?”

“LOL! Facts. Su Qian’s gaze is not something we see often—let’s enjoy it while we can.”

“Their dresses are totally matching couple outfits—they look perfect together.”

“Real talk, what were Su Qian and Tang Tang doing in that changing room for so long? Anyone got insider info?”

“If you know, you know. LOL.”

“HAHAHAHA…”

The comment section was flooded with laughter and teasing as fans playfully speculated. Sensing the teasing, Su Qian turned and looked directly at the camera, a sly smile spreading across her face.

She winked mischievously and mouthed a phrase: “Not showing you.”

“Did she just say “not showing you”? Can we get a lip-reading expert in here?”

“Yup! That’s exactly what she said. Su Qian has reverted to Su Three-Year-Old.”

“HAHAHA, I want to see! Come on, Su Qian, fight me!”

“Too cute. But careful—don’t get yourself banned for thirsting too hard.”

“LOL. Su Qian getting roasted again.”

…

Meanwhile, Su Qian and Tang Tang arrived at Gu Shuangran and Lu Piaopiao’s tarot booth.

When Su Qian had rented the spot, it was just a rusty little kiosk. But Lu Piaopiao, ever the crafty perfectionist, had meticulously decorated the booth with adorable (if slightly tacky) decorations.

Tang Tang looked at the now gray-pink themed booth, dotted with quirky little dolls that were oddly cute in their own weird way.

The entrance was adorned with colorful string lights, and above the door hung a row of cartoon radishes with a hand-painted sign:

“Tarot House”

“That name must’ve been Gu Shuangran’s idea,” Tang Tang laughed, pointing at the sign and commenting to Su Qian. “Only someone as cold and stiff as her could come up with something so blunt and cheesy.”

“Exactly. She’s hopelessly unromantic.”

Lu Piaopiao, overhearing the commotion, stepped out of the booth, her tone dripping with fond annoyance. “I told her not to use such a literal name, but Shuangran wouldn’t listen. See? Now we’re getting mocked.”

“Piaopiao, are you talking bad about me again?”

Gu Shuangran’s voice floated out from inside as the group followed Lu Piaopiao into the small booth, which quickly became cramped with all of them inside.

Su Qian helped Tang Tang pull over a stool and then properly sat beside her. Lu Piaopiao took out a box of homemade cookies and placed them on a tray in front of the pair.

“Try some. I baked these myself,” she said with a proud smile. “Oh, and do you want a tarot reading? Shuangran can do one for you—for free!”

“Thanks, but I don’t think we need it.”

Tang Tang smiled as she held out her hand to show off a diamond ring, her voice full of joy. “Su Qian and I are doing great. We don’t need tarot to tell us anything right now.”

That line… sounded suspiciously like a subtle flex.

Gu Shuangran, caught off guard, fumbled her cards, and the once perfectly neat tarot deck scattered across the table—she looked slightly defeated.

“So, when are you two meeting the parents?” Gu Shuangran’s eyes glinted as if she had found their weak spot and went straight for it. “Su Qian, aren’t you getting older? I remember your mom tried to set you up with someone not long ago, right?”

A blind date?

Tang Tang froze slightly, turning a suspicious gaze to Su Qian. She had imagined Su Qian might’ve dated someone else during their three years apart, but hearing it out loud still stung a little despite all her mental preparation.

“A blind date?” she said, pinching Su Qian’s arm with wide eyes, her tone like a queen confronting her consort. “And when were you planning to tell me about that?”

“Blind date?! Did even Su Qian almost fall into the blind date pit?!”

“Must’ve been during the three-year breakup. They were pretty hostile toward each other back then.”

“Gu Shuangran’s really good at digging up dirt—Tang Tang shows off her ring, and Shuangran immediately drops this bomb. LOL”

“Tang Tang was definitely jealous there. Their relationship is getting cuter by the day.”

“Totally agree. Tang Tang’s getting bolder with her affection—she used to be shy, but now she’s totally at ease around Su Qian.”

“But let’s be clear: Su Qian didn’t go on a blind date because she couldn’t find someone. She was just heartbroken.”

“+1”

“+10086”

…

“Oh, it was three years ago,” Su Qian quickly explained, hearing the jealousy in Tang Tang’s voice. “I was out of work and feeling down, so I went home for a while. My mom got tired of seeing me mope around and set up some blind dates…”

She trailed off, embarrassed, as she looked at Tang Tang with a sheepish smile and squeezed her hand gently. “But nothing came of it, right? Don’t be mad at me, okay?”

Was… was she pouting?

Tang Tang’s cheeks turned red, and she didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, her mind began to wander.

Was I too harsh just now? Is that why Su Qian looks so wronged?

Maybe… maybe I should apologize.

“That must’ve been a tough time for you?”

Tang Tang blinked, her voice softening with empathy. She had her own rough years too—it was easy to relate.

“It wasn’t that bad. It’s all in the past now.”

Su Qian picked up one of the treats Lu Piaopiao had prepared, the kind Tang Tang liked, and handed it to her. Then, gently brushing Tang Tang’s hair, she smiled warmly. “Alright, silly girl. Don’t be upset anymore, okay?”

“I’m not that upset.”

Tang Tang pouted and added quietly, “It’s just that… I don’t like remembering that time.”

“You two should probably stop showing off your love now.”

Lu Piaopiao, who had been silent this whole time, finally couldn’t take their sickly sweet interaction any longer and interjected dryly.

All around them the night market buzzed with lively chatter, yet their little booth remained oddly quiet in comparison.

Showing off?

Only then did Tang Tang realize how absorbed she and Su Qian had been in each other. Her face flushed deep red, the tips of her ears practically glowing.

Her bashfulness made Su Qian shoot a glare at Lu Piaopiao, regretting that she’d ever helped them set up this stall in the first place.

Had she paid for this just to get roasted?

Annoyed, she turned to Gu Shuangran and hit back with a sharp question of her own. “Shuangran, didn’t you say you were going to pursue Piaopiao ages ago? So? Any progress?”

She asked with a sly smile, just waiting to see Gu Shuangran’s face change.

“Who knows…”

Gu Shuangran casually drew a tarot card. When she saw the Devil card, her smile wavered. She glanced at Lu Piaopiao, who didn’t meet her eyes, and her voice grew bitter. “Let’s just leave it to time. It’s not like… she’s that willing anyway.”

Clearly, that comment was meant for Lu Piaopiao. Whether she heard it or not, even Gu Shuangran couldn’t say for sure.

“When did I say I wasn’t willing?”

Lu Piaopiao, clearly irritated, glared at her. Her doll-like face flushed red with frustration. “Gu Shuangran, you’re the one who iced me out, and now you’re blaming me for it?”

Her voice was tinged with years of bottled-up grievance. She slammed her water cup down in front of Gu Shuangran, splashing droplets onto the tarot cards she treasured most.

She shot Gu Shuangran a glance, visibly nervous but still defiant. “And another thing—you were the one who gave up on me first. How many times are you going to do this before I start wondering if you even care?”

Her outburst left Gu Shuangran frozen in place. She looked at the flustered Lu Piaopiao, and a surge of emotion welled up inside her.

She didn’t know what exactly it was, but something deep inside told her—if she didn’t say it now, she might regret it for the rest of her life.

“Forget it. It’s always like this…”

Lu Piaopiao turned and walked toward the door. “I need some air. You can stay here and keep your precious cards company.”

“Wait, Piaopiao—”

Gu Shuangran stood up and pulled her into her arms. “I really like you. Will you be with me?”