I Don't Want to Have Little Mushrooms with You - Chapter 32

Her first instinct was to find Song Xuehe.

Chen Ling, Chen Ling will definitely believe me too.

And Qu Chunjun.

A jumble of names flooded her mind. Her face was pale, yet she felt an inexplicable calm settle over her.

But the immediate priority was to escape.

She no longer had the energy to ponder the origins of these mycelia or what exactly Qu Fengyue was.

Her body stiffened, and only one thought remained: I can’t stay here any longer.

Qu Fengyue held her waist tightly, still trying to kiss her.

“Qu Fengyue,” Song Tai said. “Let go of me.”

She repeated, “Let go.”

Perhaps sensing her unwavering resolve, Qu Fengyue gazed at her with dark, brooding eyes, but slowly released her.

“I’m so tired,” Song Tai said, averting her gaze. “I didn’t sleep well last night. I don’t want to.”

“Let’s not continue.”

Her words carried credibility. She had cried for hours the previous night, leaving her eyes red-rimmed and her lips pale. The sudden shock had also left her looking haggard.

“Are you a dog?” The accusatory tone in her voice carried a hint of anger. Song Tai pursed her lips awkwardly, her lower lip still swollen from Qu Fengyue’s earlier kisses.

Qu Fengyue’s gaze swept across Song Tai’s eyes, meeting her angry glare. Without suspecting anything, she gently wiped away Song Tai’s tears and murmured, “Elder Sister, don’t be angry. It’s all my fault.”

Whenever Song Tai asserted herself, Qu Fengyue instinctively felt herself becoming weaker.

“Then Elder Sister should sleep. I’ll stay here and watch over you.”

Song Tai: “No, go back first. I don’t want you watching me sleep.”

Qu Fengyue insisted, “No.”

“If I leave, you’ll unilaterally break up with me, and I’ll never see you again. I’m not leaving.”

Song Tai pressed her hand against her chest, as if she had more to say. “We’ll talk about the breakup later.”

“Go to the kitchen and start cooking. It’s almost noon, and I’ll be hungry when I wake up.”

Qu Fengyue: “You won’t let me leave?”

Song Tai wore an expression of exhaustion, too tired to argue. “Just go.”

Only then did Qu Fengyue’s expression relax slightly. “Then what does Elder Sister want to eat?”

“Just make the same dishes you made last time,” Song Tai said.

Qu Fengyue thoughtfully tucked the blanket around her and obediently turned to leave.

But just as she reached the door, she changed her mind and hurried back to Song Tai’s side.

Standing by the bed, she gazed at Song Tai’s bloodless lips, leaned down, and licked them.

For a long while, until the lips flushed crimson under her ministrations, she reluctantly straightened up, sighing softly, “Elder Sister, I love you so much.”

Song Tai closed her eyes, her right hand clenching into a fist, beads of sweat forming in her palm.

She heard Qu Fengyue’s footsteps finally receding, followed by the soft click of the bedroom door closing.

Song Tai opened her eyes, straining to hear the faint sounds from the kitchen, muffled by the door.

After a few minutes, her fingers clenched, she rose from the bed and called out to Qu Fengyue in the kitchen, “I suddenly want a cola. Is there any left in the fridge?”

Qu Fengyue opened the refrigerator, glanced inside, and smiled at her. “None left.”

Song Tai let out a predictable “Oh.”

There was no way Song Tai would have any cola in her refrigerator. From childhood, Song Xuehe had strictly forbidden her from drinking carbonated beverages.

Qu Fengyue picked up her phone. “I’ll order some for you. It’ll be here soon.”

Song Tai had initially planned to send Qu Fengyue downstairs first, using the opportunity to slip away. But her plan fell through. She sat down on the living room sofa, forcing her voice to sound casual. “Never mind, I’ll just buy some myself later.”

Qu Fengyue hummed in acknowledgment and didn’t press the matter further.

About twenty minutes later, she finally heard the doorbell ring. It must be the property management delivering the cola she had ordered.

She had been listening intently for any sounds outside the door.

Hearing the ring, Qu Fengyue paused what she was doing. “Elder Sister?”

Song Tai immediately stood up from the sofa. “That must be my cola. I’ll go get it.”

“I’ll get it,” Qu Fengyue offered, making to come out of the kitchen.

Song Tai’s heart pounded so hard she felt it might burst out of her chest. “No, I’ll get it myself. I’m starving. Is your dish ready yet?”

Qu Fengyue retreated to the kitchen.

Song Tai opened the door, her palms sweating. A person stood outside, but it wasn’t the delivery person she’d expected.

When she met those familiar hazel eyes, Song Tai was instantly speechless.

It made no difference. Her palms still sweating, she seized the opportunity to slam the door shut before Qu Fengyue could react, then hurried to press the elevator button.

Qu Lingyue held several tickets printed with tour information for their band, Umbrella Fungus Band. She seemed to have come looking for Song Tai as well.

Seeing her, Qu Lingyue raised an eyebrow and said proactively, “Miss Song, what a coincidence! You opened the door right after I rang the bell. Could this be fate?”

Song Tai didn’t have time for Qu Lingyue’s chatter. “Move aside, quickly.”

She couldn’t linger here, fearing it would arouse Qu Fengyue’s suspicion. She was terrified Qu Fengyue might suddenly appear behind her and drag her back.

But Qu Lingyue seemed confused. “After our last conversation, I realized you were right. Since Miss Song helped me, I should express my gratitude.”

“But upon further reflection, a mere verbal thank you felt insincere. Here are some tickets to our band’s tour next week, as a token of my sincerity. I hope Miss Song will do me the honor of attending.”

Song Tai found Qu Lingyue’s chatter irritating. She wanted her to move aside immediately and stop blocking her path. She nodded absently. “Fine, I understand.”

But Qu Lingyue refused to move, pressing several tickets into Song Tai’s hand and signaling her to accept them, making it clear she wouldn’t let her go easily if she refused.

Flustered, Song Tai took the tickets, her gaze darting around. “I understand.”

“Will you really come?” Qu Lingyue persisted, her voice lingering near Song Tai’s ear as she followed her.

Song Tai wasn’t even listening to what she was saying, desperate to get rid of her. “I will,” she replied dismissively.

For some reason, the elevator was stuck on the upper floor, refusing to budge.

Anxiously, Song Tai repeatedly pressed the elevator button, her gaze wavering toward the emergency exit beside her. She was about to give up on the elevator when she heard the sound of a doorknob turning behind her.

Her entire body stiffened.

The elevator finally arrived, its doors creaking open with a ding. But it was too late; the door behind her was opening faster than she had anticipated.

In that instant, her mind went blank, almost paralyzing her.

But just as the door swung open, Qu Lingyue suddenly grabbed Song Tai’s wrist and pulled her into the apartment behind her.

The entire sequence happened in a flash. Song Tai barely registered what was happening as she was dragged along until the completely different interior design finally snapped her out of her shock.

“Are you hiding from her?” Qu Lingyue asked.

Song Tai nodded frantically, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst. She didn’t have time to explain; she turned and peered through the peephole to see what was happening outside.

She saw Qu Fengyue open the door, her gaze sweeping the corridor with suspicion before settling on the elevator that had stopped on their floor. She seemed to be searching for Song Tai.

When she realized Song Tai wasn’t there, she quickly turned to leave.

Just as Song Tai was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she saw Qu Fengyue return, phone in hand.

The next moment, Song Tai’s phone rang in her pocket.

The familiar ringtone exploded in her ears, and Song Tai’s heart nearly stopped.

Qu Fengyue suddenly turned her head, staring directly at Song Tai’s hiding place through the peephole.

She began walking slowly toward the door, each step echoing in Song Tai’s ears despite the barrier.

Qu Fengyue stopped at the door, her dark eyes fixed on Song Tai. She smiled. “Elder Sister?”

The silence hung heavy, broken only by the relentless ringing of Song Tai’s phone. A chill ran down Song Tai’s spine, freezing her in place.

In her panic, she instinctively grabbed Qu Lingyue’s hand.

Qu Lingyue looked puzzled but seized the opportunity to grip Song Tai’s hand in return. She mouthed, “You don’t want her to find you?”

Song Tai nodded frantically.

Qu Lingyue: “Unlock your phone and give it to me.”

Song Tai’s heart pounded so hard that she lost all ability to think clearly. She handed over her still-ringing phone without hesitation.

Qu Lingyue took the phone, neither answering nor immediately silencing it. The person outside had already heard the ringing; any sudden move now would only alert them.

She quickly switched the record on the turntable in the living room.

Song Tai stood frozen, watching her every move.

The moment the knocking came, the music blared deafeningly, overlapping with the phone’s ringtone. This created the illusion that Qu Lingyue was simply listening to music, masking the true source of the sound.

Only then did Qu Lingyue silence Song Tai’s phone. She pointed to an inner door, signaling Song Tai to go inside.

Heart racing, Song Tai stumbled into the room. It appeared to be a music storage room, but she was too panicked to notice the details. Her heart continued to pound relentlessly.

Qu Lingyue placed her hand on the doorknob, turned back to give Song Tai a reassuring smile, and then opened the door.

Leaning against the door, Song Tai anxiously imagined the confrontation unfolding outside.

Would Qu Fengyue be fooled?

After a moment’s hesitation, Song Tai quietly peeked through the crack in the door.

The music continued to play in her ears. She vaguely saw Qu Lingyue open the door and say something to Qu Fengyue, but she could only see their backs and couldn’t hear what they were saying.

After a brief exchange, she noticed Qu Fengyue’s suspicious gaze, as if she wanted to come in. But Qu Lingyue stopped her, and after lingering for a moment, Qu Fengyue finally left.

Watching Qu Fengyue depart and the door close, Song Tai slumped against it, letting out a long sigh of relief.

She had successfully fooled Qu Fengyue, but Qu Lingyue didn’t turn off the music. Instead, she picked up Song Tai’s phone. “Your ringtone seems to be a song by our band?”

Yes.

After hearing it last time, Song Tai had changed her ringtone to that song.

Though Qu Lingyue had left her with a rather poor impression, the music was good. Besides, Qu Lingyue hadn’t sung the song herself; she had only written the lyrics and composed the melody.

Qu Lingyue’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Miss Song, are you secretly keeping an eye on me?”

How narcissistic!

Song Tai was in no mood for jokes. She snatched her phone back. “It’s none of your business.”

“What do you want my phone for?” Song Tai asked.

Earlier, she had only used the vinyl record’s music to drown out the phone’s ringing; there was no actual need to take her phone.

“To add my contact information, of course,” Qu Lingyue said with a wink. “Would I be a fool to let such a perfect opportunity slip by?”

Song Tai: “……”

Song Tai opened her phone’s contacts and indeed found Qu Lingyue’s number already saved.

The entry read: “Qu Lingyue (Umbrella Fungus Band – Backup #1)”

Song Tai: “……”

Still reeling from the earlier encounter, Song Tai’s heart pounded so violently she felt a ringing in her ears.

Refusing to engage further, she subtly deleted the “(Umbrella Fungus Band – Backup #1)” note but left Qu Lingyue’s number saved.

Qu Lingyue watched her actions with satisfaction.

“Though I might get complaints from the neighbors upstairs and downstairs,” Qu Lingyue sighed dramatically.

Having just been helped by her, Song Tai couldn’t ignore the remark. “I’ll buy gifts to apologize.”

Qu Lingyue smiled. “Miss Song, you’re too kind.”

“It’s only proper,” Song Tai replied. “After all, I pride myself on my manners.”

She peered through the peephole, having texted Qu Fengyue that she had to go to the office for an urgent matter.

The excuse was clumsy, but it was the best she could come up with on the spot.

Qu Fengyue seemed to accept it without suspicion, replying: I’ll wait for you to come back, Elder Sister.

Song Tai breathed a temporary sigh of relief.

Qu Lingyue offered, “Where are you headed? I’ll drive you.”

Song Tai didn’t refuse; she still hadn’t fully composed herself.

She considered her options. She wanted to see Chen Ling, but barging in unannounced might be awkward if Chen Ling was busy or if Wang Luo was there.

Without Wang Luo, she would have simply shown up uninvited, treating Chen Ling’s home like her own territory. But with Wang Luo potentially present, future visits to Chen Ling couldn’t be as casual as before.

After a moment’s hesitation, she pulled up the navigation app and chose her home address. “Take me here first, please.”

After driving for a while, Qu Lingyue turned to her and asked, “You don’t mind if I roll down the window for some fresh air, do you?”

Song Tai, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, rolled down the car window. The warm breeze on her face helped her feel a little clearer. She turned to look at Qu Lingyue, who seemed completely unconcerned, and suddenly remembered, “Don’t you need to wear a mask or hat or something?”

Qu Lingyue was, after all, a celebrity with a considerable fanbase. Wouldn’t she be photographed?

Qu Lingyue chuckled. “Do you really think I’m that famous?”

The car pulled up to the courtyard of a small building.

Song Tai unbuckled her seatbelt and got out, offering another sincere thank you. “Thank you. I was wrong about you before. You’re a good person.”

Even if her moral compass is a bit skewed, at least she’s not a complete scoundrel.

Qu Lingyue quipped, “Beep—good person card!”

Then, feigning gratitude, she added, “Thank you, thank you! This is the first good person card I’ve ever received.”

Song Tai stared at her, speechless.

Qu Lingyue suddenly asked, “Are you feeling any better now?”

Song Tai blinked in surprise.

“Your complexion looked terrible,” Qu Lingyue explained. “I cracked a little joke to lighten the mood. Did it help you relax a bit?”

Song Tai remained silent for a moment, surprised that Qu Lingyue had noticed her tension.

Qu Lingyue raised an eyebrow, a hint of self-satisfaction in her tone. “Touched, are we?”

Song Tai said sincerely, “No, I’m just a little surprised you can speak normally.”

Qu Lingyue: “……”

Song Tai added earnestly, “But thank you anyway.”

Qu Lingyue left, her retreating figure radiating satisfaction.

Perhaps finally feeling safe at home, Song Tai closed her eyes. She had been clenching her right hand tightly since earlier.

Her palm was damp. When she opened her hand, several delicate fungal hyphae lay in her palm, proving that everything had truly happened and wasn’t just her imagination.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Qu Lingyue returned home. As she pushed open the door, she saw someone who had just visited and shouldn’t have been there, calmly adjusting her record player.

Qu Lingyue glanced at her without surprise, scoffed, and said mercilessly, “You’re truly useless.”

Hearing this, Qu Fengyue looked up at her, her pitch-black eyes devoid of emotion.