Her Wild Rose - Chapter 37
Chapter 37: The Third Party
Seeing both people in front of her blush, Tang Tang awkwardly stood up and tugged at Su Qian’s sleeve.
“Maybe we should go,” Tang Tang glanced at the two of them—clearly caught up in a romantic moment that looked like it might end with them packing up and heading home together. “It’s getting a bit awkward for us to stay here.”
The person in front of them avoided eye contact with Su Qian, clearly shy after Lu Piaopiao and Gu Shuangran’s confession.
Su Qian secretly held Tang Tang’s hand and leaned in close to her ear, whispering, “Silly girl, should I make a confession to you right now too?”
Yes, of course she wanted that, but…
Tang Tang glanced at the other two, still wrapped up in each other. Her cheeks flushed all the way to the tips of her ears, and she suddenly recalled what had happened with Su Qian in the fitting room. Embarrassed, she gently pushed Su Qian away.
“What are you doing, bullying me again, aren’t you?”
Maybe because she had been with Su Qian for quite some time now, Tang Tang’s bashful expression resembled that of a young girl. She gave Su Qian a pretend glare, though there was barely any power in it.
“When have I ever bullied you?” Su Qian grinned like a fox. She grabbed Tang Tang’s wrist and pulled her into her arms. “And if I did bully you, didn’t you kind of like it?”
That line—
It had an even deeper teasing undertone.
Pressed against Su Qian’s warm chest, Tang Tang’s whole body softened. She lowered her head, letting her brown hair fall and cover her flushed, burning cheeks.
“You… you’re so bad.”
Tang Tang stammered for a long time, but all she managed to say was a not-so-angry complaint. “And what are you doing pulling me in like this again? We’re still being filmed.”
Her lover’s shy resistance only made Su Qian even more excited. But knowing how self-conscious Tang Tang could be, she obediently let go—at least with the hand that was holding her in public. With the other, hidden from the camera’s view, she started playfully tickling Tang Tang’s waist.
The white silk fabric of Tang Tang’s dress couldn’t stand that kind of teasing. In just a few moments, it was full of creases. The viewers in the livestream were eagle-eyed, and soon one comment stood out among the rest:
“Am I the only one noticing how Tang Tang’s dress is all wrinkled again? So… what is Su Qian’s other hand doing?”
“LOL the detail hawks are terrifying. Can we let our Movie Queen Su keep a little mystery?”
“Still, Su Qian is so naughty, but like… secretly naughty.”
“Lu Piaopiao and Gu Shuangran are sweet too! I heard gossip that they were a student-teacher couple—if true, it’s amazing they made it this far.”
“Student-teacher? Let’s not spread false rumors. I remember Lu Piaopiao once said in a livestream they met in a tutoring class. Gu Shuangran was just a TA, not a teacher.”
“Whether it was teacher-student or not, it was definitely Lu Piaopiao who chased after Gu Shuangran. Now that Gu’s confessed, it’s even.”
“Now I’m wondering—who confessed first between Su Qian and Tang Tang?”
……
As the show aired, viewers began to dig deeper into the contestants’ relationships. What started as casual interest gradually evolved into online sleuthing—finding old videos and interviews to piece together each love story.
“The internet really does have a memory.”
Tang Tang yawned, nestled in Su Qian’s arms, as she saw fans in the super-topic digging into their relationship history. Drowsily, she complained, “It’s all your fault. You’re even more of a straight-shooter than I am.”
“What, you don’t like it?”
Su Qian chuckled as she reached over and took the tablet from Tang Tang’s hands. “Let them know a little about how we fell in love. The more they know, the quicker your admirers will give up.”
You’re the one with more admirers, aren’t you?
Tang Tang grumbled internally, then lifted her head to look at Su Qian. She was half a head shorter than Su Qian, and from this angle, all she could see was her elegant collarbone and sharp jawline.
Some of Su Qian’s long hair fell onto Tang Tang’s face, with a few strands playfully tickling her nose. Tang Tang reached up to brush it away, then, like a curious kitten, started playing with the loose strands in her fingers.
“I’m just a little girl, and you’re the mature goddess.”
Tang Tang, ever proud and competitive, couldn’t help but compare their features—and came to the resigned conclusion that she was nowhere near Su Qian in looks or figure.
It was true: facing someone like Su Qian, any girl would probably feel like a dull little speck in the face of perfection.
Completely outclassed.
“You’ll grow into it,” Su Qian noticed her mood and gently kissed her on the forehead, coaxing softly. “When you reach my age, you’ll be even more beautiful than me.”
After saying that, Su Qian secretly exhaled, mentally cursing herself.
All just to comfort her girlfriend… fine, she’d admit her age if she had to.
“Hey, you two aren’t just planning to leave like that, are you?”
Just as Su Qian and Tang Tang were about to go, Gu Shuangran suddenly walked over, blocking their path. She held out her hand like a stingy landlord collecting rent—completely unbothered.
“You haven’t paid yet. Trying to dine and dash?”
What dine and dash? The reading wasn’t even done.
Su Qian disapproved of her little scam and snorted, “What, the great Tarot Priestess has fallen so low that she’s resorting to street scams now?”
She thought her words would make Gu Shuangran flinch, but instead, Gu simply held her hand out with pride and answered without shame.
“No choice. If I want to keep my wife happy, I can’t afford to care about dignity.”
Oh wow—so this is what it’s about.
Su Qian’s expression darkened slightly, but she smiled and nodded, pulling out her phone to scan the payment code.
With a cheerful chime, the Alipay voice announced: “Payment received: 9,999 yuan.”
Su Qian held up her phone and forced a smile. “Fine. I’m too tired to scold you. Best wishes for a long and happy life.”
“Thanks! But just so we’re clear—the wedding gift will be extra.”
Gu Shuangran shamelessly accepted the payment, then started packing up the tarot booth like she was done for the night.
“I already promised someone to rent out the booth after ten tonight. Today’s business? Totally worth it.”
Looking fully satisfied, she strutted away, leaving Su Qian and Tang Tang staring at each other, unsure what to say.
“Seriously, fortune tellers have black hearts!” Su Qian smacked the table and pulled Tang Tang away from the fortune-telling booth. “I’m telling Li Xiang to Photoshop the word ‘SCAMMER’ right on top of their heads.”
They made their way through the bustling crowd, and by the time they left the night market, it was already late. But perhaps because they’d come out so late, Tang Tang still felt like the night was young.
She tugged at Su Qian’s arm and said, “Hey, want to go check out Li Xinxin and the others? I heard the bar’s not far from here.”
Su Qian nodded, and the two of them slowly made their way through the cool city streets until they reached the entrance of a bar called “Encounter.”
Su Qian pushed open the door, and they found a quiet booth in a corner to sit in.
“Ladies, what would you like to drink?” the server came over with a smile. He seemed to have a guess about their relationship and quickly recommended something. “Today, we’ve got a new bartender in-house, and he’s crafted a special couples’ cocktail called ‘Rose in the No Man’s Land.’ Interested?”
“Let’s try that,” Tang Tang was intrigued by the name and nodded in agreement.
This bar Su Qian had chosen was more like a lounge, with a small stage in the center where customers could go up and sing.
Su Qian’s striking looks drew attention. Not long after they sat down, a clean-cut young man began glancing at her frequently.
Tang Tang’s gaze met his, and she didn’t even need to look twice to figure out that this shy young guy had clearly fallen for Su Qian.
“Miss Su, you sure are popular,” Tang Tang leaned toward her, voice dripping with mock jealousy. “Not only do you attract girls, even the boys are falling at your feet.”
What now—another jealous spell?
Su Qian chuckled indulgently. She glanced in the direction Tang Tang was indicating and saw that, sure enough, a young man was staring at her with a dazed look. The moment their eyes met, he instantly looked away, as if caught doing something shameful.
“Just a kid who hasn’t grown up yet,” Su Qian said lazily, tapping her fingers on the edge of her glass. “You’re the official girlfriend. Want me to grant him a royal punishment?”
It was just a joke, but Tang Tang paused for a moment—Su Qian was always like that, drawing a sharp line between who she liked and who she didn’t.
“Um… my name is Chen Shen, and I—I like you!”
Tang Tang was just about to speak when a trembling male voice cut in. She turned to Su Qian with a raised eyebrow and leaned back to enjoy the show.
“But I don’t like you.”
Su Qian replied lazily. She gave Chen Shen a quick once-over before continuing slowly, “First time in a bar? Just turned 18? Then listen carefully, little guy. Bars are full of people like me—people who look enchanting and beautiful but are really just illusions. Like mist on water, like flowers in fog.”
“But I really do like you. I can wait—until you settle down, until you think I’ve grown up, until you notice me.”
The boy’s persistence was evident in his gaze. He promised earnestly, “I swear I’ll only love you, and I’ll always wait for you. Just look at me.”
“But you don’t even know my name.”
Su Qian was handling the situation effortlessly and was just about to say more when, unexpectedly, Tang Tang suddenly stood up and walked toward the stage.
She stood right in the spotlight at the center, casting a mysterious aura under the soft beam. Holding the microphone, she smiled at Su Qian.
“Miss Su, how about a song?”