Pillowside Passion - Chapter 23

23:

This was Du Qingting’s first time riding a green-skinned train, a grueling 17-hour journey. When she boarded, she never imagined 17 hours could feel so torturous.

Halfway through, she was so exhausted she wanted to jump off the train. She thought the frugal years she spent abroad were tough enough, but this was something else entirely.

When she finally got off, watching the aunties and uncles disembark, Du Qingting chose to stay silent. At the station, she bought a pack of wet wipes to clean her face. Compared to what she saw around her, the hardships she’d endured were nothing.

Emerging from the crowded station, she found the outside packed with cars—so many that there wasn’t even room to step. Du Qingting turned back, opting to take the subway instead.

Fortunately, the subway wasn’t too crowded.

Sitting on a seat, she caught her reflection in the glass—inexplicably haggard. Her mother’s words echoed in her mind: If our family goes bankrupt… would it be like this? Probably worse.

Once she felt less exhausted, she called Uncle Wang, the family driver, to pick her up. They agreed on a meeting point, and when the subway reached its final stop, she spotted Uncle Wang’s car waiting.

Carrying big and small bags, with a potted plant cradled in her arms, Du Qingting caught Uncle Wang’s surprised look. It was the first time he’d seen her so disheveled. He must have been thinking: Once the money runs dry, life outside isn’t so great, and you come running back.

He hurried over to help with her bags, saying earnestly, “Qingting, you’ve had it tough out there, haven’t you? Listen to your parents, they only want what’s best for you. They’ve been worried sick lately.”

Du Qingting didn’t respond. She climbed into the car, ignoring his words as if she were deaf, immediately reclining the seat and turning on the massage function.

Halfway through the drive, she looked up at Uncle Wang and couldn’t resist asking, “Uncle Wang, your surname is Wang… Are you from Kyoto?”

“Yep.”

“Do you have a relative named Wang who’s really accomplished?”

Uncle Wang thought for a moment. “There’s one. Highly educated, just returned to Kyoto to settle down. We had dinner a few days ago.”

A few days ago, that was right around when she came back.

Du Qingting sat up straight. “What’s her name?”

Uncle Wang replied, “Wang Tie, a postdoctoral scholar. Why?”

It all clicked for Du Qingting. Wang Tie… a postdoctoral scholar, the age matched. So her name was Wang Tie! No wonder she was reluctant to share her name, maybe she was shy about it being “Wang Tie.” Too embarrassed to say?

“Did she recently go to Xianghai?” Du Qingting’s eyes lit up slightly.

Uncle Wang said, “Not sure. Haven’t seen her much in recent years. Her family’s done well for themselves, so we don’t interact much. We only reconnected recently because she heard I drive for your family.”

Du Qingting touched her lips, chuckling softly. This person was kind of cute. They were fated, weren’t they? Moving in the same circles, no wonder she seemed familiar.

Wang Tie.

What should she call her?

She called Du Qingting “Xiao Qingting.” Should Du Qingting call her “Xiao Tie”?

God, the name was a bit rustic, but to her, it was inexplicably adorable. Was she too shy to say her name because it was hard to admit?

Du Qingting perked up. “Uncle, give me her number.”

“I’ll ask in the family group chat tomorrow. We only had dinner that one time.”

Du Qingting was impatient. She held up her phone to check her reflection—her hair was a mess, her face still oily despite the wipes. She needed to go home, shower, and sleep to freshen up.

“Uncle, you have to get it for me first thing tomorrow. I need to talk to her.”

Then, worried about getting caught at home, she asked, “Are my parents home? Don’t tell them about this yet.”

“Your dad’s out of town, not back yet. Your mom’s still at Tai’an Temple, but she’ll be back in a few days.”

“Good, perfect.” Du Qingting added, “She’s really pretty, at least 172 cm tall, about my height, and looks stunning in a skirt.”

Uncle Wang nodded. “Yeah, but her family doesn’t let her wear skirts—says it’s improper. You haven’t seen Wang Tie in a skirt, twisting like that. She’s so fair, speaks softly, not harsh at all, with permed curls. But for work, suits are better. Her brother’s more ‘normal’, her family favors him.”

Du Qingting felt a pang of sympathy.

So her family was patriarchal? That made her feel even sorrier for her.

She scolded Uncle Wang, defending her. “Clothing is freedom. What era is this? You can’t have such outdated, biased views.”

Uncle Wang doubted himself for a moment, thinking she had a point.

At home, Du Qingting was too lazy to unpack, tossing her bags on the sofa and carrying her “Touch-Me-Not” plant upstairs to shower.

Seventeen hours—she hadn’t dared sleep, and the bumpy ride made it impossible anyway. After her shower, she sprayed some water on the plant.

Lying in bed, she thought of that woman’s name, exhaling deeply and softly calling it out.

Wang Tie… Xiao Tie… Ah Tie.

Her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.

She slept dreamlessly and woke at 6 a.m.

Uncle Wang wasn’t at work yet, so she called him over. After a quick breakfast, the moment he arrived, she whipped out her phone.

Uncle Wang pulled a handwritten number from his pocket. “I asked her mom. I also checked with the kid, she says she doesn’t know you.”

“She doesn’t know my full name,” Du Qingting said.

Too lazy to add her on WeChat, Du Qingting dialed the number directly. No answer. A bit anxious, she called again.

After three tries, the call finally connected.

Du Qingting’s heart raced. Leaning against the dining table, she said with a mix of resentment and excitement, “Darling, guess who this is? Did you miss me? How could you just leave me like that, huh?”

She gritted her teeth. “Xiao Tie, you made me search so hard.”

Silence on the other end, then a man’s roar exploded, “Damn it, Wang Tie, you’re cheating on me with a woman? Are you gay? Explain yourself!”

“What the—” Du Qingting was stunned, her brows furrowing. Her phone slipped from her grip. Gay?

Then came a coy, flirtatious male voice, utterly devoid of masculinity. “Sister, who are you? I don’t even know you! You’re making my husband angry. Please explain! Honey, listen, I don’t know her! Honey, honey~ darling ~”

Du Qingting’s hand shook violently, goosebumps rising. She threw her phone to the ground, rubbing her hands furiously. Turning to Uncle Wang, she said in disbelief, “This is Wang Tie?”

“Yeah,” Uncle Wang said, equally shocked. “Who else?”

Du Qingting couldn’t hold back and kicked her phone, cracking the screen. Remembering her girlfriend’s photos were still on it, she picked it up, wiped it, and stormed upstairs to the bathroom to brush her teeth again. Uncle Wang heard loud banging from upstairs. The maid went to check and found Du Qingting had smashed the mirror.

Neither Uncle Wang nor the maid understood what was going on. They stared at her for a long time. Du Qingting’s face was grim as she sat on the sofa, clutching her phone, furiously switching channels on the TV. When the others left, she pounded the sofa with her fists.

Calm down, calm down.

Du Qingting, how did you become so lovesick? If you’d just shown Uncle Wang her picture yesterday, this wouldn’t have happened.

Goddamn it, so embarrassing.

Finding someone in Kyoto was like searching for a needle in a haystack. All she knew was the surname “Wang”, a common surname. Where to even start? The best option was posting on social media—Weibo, short video apps—or asking through her dad.

But if the other person didn’t want to continue, doing that would make her look desperate and annoying.

Du Qingting sighed. Wang Tie…

She slapped her mouth for saying the name so naturally. Damn it.

Regaining her composure, she set two simple goals: stake out the bar where they first met and discreetly ask her Kyoto friends. Maybe hang around the airport, she might run into her again.

Du Qingting arranged to meet Gu Rui and others at the bar. This time, she arrived early, and everyone was still sober, not too wild.

But before she could even order a drink or strike a cool pose, Gu Rui, holding a glass, grinned and asked, “Heard you’re getting married to You Jin. Is it true or what?”

Other friends chimed in, “You kept that one quiet! So bold, stepping into the grave of marriage at 25.”

Du Qingting was baffled. “Who told you that?”

“Your mom’s WeChat Moments. Everyone knows. You came back to get married, right?”

“No way, nonsense.” Du Qingting couldn’t sit still. She scanned the bar, focusing on where that woman had sat before. Now, a tattooed guy was there. No sign of her, she’d vanished without a trace.

Her friends wouldn’t let it go, pressing her about the marriage. Snapping back to reality, she said, “I have a girlfriend.”

Gu Rui looked around. “Where’s your girlfriend?” Then, recalling, “Not that woman who flirted with you last time, right? That stunning one?”

“Do you know her?” Du Qingting saw Gu Rui’s blank look and figured he didn’t. She glanced at the others, men and women. She’d been back in the country for a while but only in Kyoto for a day or two, so she’d grown distant from this circle.

“No idea…”

Asking was pointless. She looked at a red-haired girl across from her with big, blinking eyes. Honestly, Du Qingting couldn’t even remember when they’d become friends. The others, slouched in their seats, were clearly spoiled rich kids, up to no good. They didn’t seem like they’d know any elite professionals.

She considered showing them a photo but only showed it to one friend who seemed decent. “She looks like this. Seen her?”

They all shook their heads, exclaiming, “Wow, gorgeous! Send me the pic, I might recognize her if I look longer.”

“She looks familiar, like a celebrity.”

The red-haired girl stared at Du Qingting’s neck. “What’s that you’re wearing? A choker? You never wore necklaces or anything before.”

Gu Rui noticed too, saying, “No wonder I thought something was off. Let me see.” He reached out to touch it.

Du Qingting was wearing a necklace with a small chain.

When she was with that woman, You Jin loved tugging on it, and Du Qingting had grown to like it too.

She swatted Gu Rui’s hand away, annoyed, not wanting to discuss trivial things. She finished her drink, lingered a bit, then stood to leave. Outside, she stood in the breeze, feeling irritated.

A thought struck her.

What if that woman wasn’t surnamed Wang?

Maybe she’d misread, or it was a pseudonym, or she’d mistaken someone else for her—like mistaking Xu Yang for that “Su” person.

Du Qingting hated admitting she had face blindness. Fate was cruel, making a face-blind person fall in love and then search for a woman in a sea of people.

She was scared too.

Her face-blind memory was limited. She could only distinguish people by specific traits—hair, facial features, face shape, like red hair, short hair, or a mole under the eye.

If she spent three or four months with someone, she could remember them. But after just a week or two, their faces would blur in her mind.

Du Qingting took a deep breath, feeling melancholic.

She kept going to the bar to stake it out but stopped inviting those friends. After years of no contact, except for Gu Rui, who was somewhat normal, the others were just loafing around in China. At least she’d studied seriously abroad, earned her certifications, balanced work and play.

Suddenly, she understood why You Jin had looked down on her back then—a bunch of self-important, tacky delinquents.

That night, she called the two hotels they’d stayed at, asking about Room 8832. Both said new guests had checked in.

With new guests, the room they’d shared was gone. Du Qingting pressed her hand to her eyes. After so long with no contact, did she want to end things?

Du Qingting wasn’t ready to give up.

Propping herself up, she messaged Xu Yang, asking for her girlfriend’s contact info and thinking of sending a gift.

Xu Yang didn’t reply. Du Qingting didn’t lose hope. She figured sending daily messages would eventually win her over. As for that “Su” person, knowing her girlfriend left with her made Du Qingting uneasy. At first, she could tolerate it, but later, she couldn’t hold back, and her messages and calls became less polite.

While she vented, Su Qinxi suffered. Though it was a work number, it was on her phone. Every day, she saw missed calls and threatening texts. She then decided to call You Jin.

Su Qinxi, exasperated, said, “I’m blocking your little blind dog. She’s so annoying—dozens of calls a day, threatening texts.”

Su Qinxi added, “When are you back? I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?” You Jin’s voice sounded tired.

“Scared she’ll lose it.”

She sent a screenshot. “Pay me for emotional distress. Your blind dog’s out to kill me.”

You Jin said sincerely, “Sorry.”

Then added, “Send more screenshots.”

Su Qinxi’s headache worsened.

She asked, “Haven’t you sorted things with your mom?”

You Jin chuckled, then her tone grew heavy. “As soon as I got back to Kyoto, they sent me to my dad.”

“What, she doesn’t like Du Qingting? I think she’s nice.”

You Jin only hummed. Back in Kyoto briefly, she was sent away for urgent company matters. She couldn’t see Du Qingting now, or she’d scare her off again.

As You Jin’s longtime friend, Su Qinxi knew her parents’ standards. Du Qingting wasn’t their ideal match.

No standout qualities, always running around, and terrified of You Jin.

Most importantly, she was face-blind.

When Du Qingting returned, You Jin was sent to Xianghai. But fate worked mysteriously—she was face-blind, yet chased her to Xianghai.

It was tricky.

“What now? Should I talk to her?” Su Qinxi offered.

You Jin’s tone was firm. “I think I should have the right to choose my partner. Du Qingting isn’t lacking in any way.”

“Beauty’s in the eye of the beholder,” Su Qinxi sighed.

Du Qingting went to the bar daily until 8 p.m., occasionally hung out with Gu Rui’s group, then biked to the airport to wander. A week passed with no news.

But at the airport, she ran into her mom.

Chen Huiru rushed over from a distance, hugging her. Her mom wore a white dress, large pearl earrings, and an emerald necklace, radiating wealth and happiness.

Du Qingting didn’t have time to escape. Chen Huiru hugged her joyfully. “Baby, the master was right! He said if I devoted myself to Buddhism, you’d become obedient and sensible. What a blessing!”

“Uh…” Du Qingting nearly suffocated under her mom’s embrace. Had she known her mom was back today, she wouldn’t have come to the airport. But seeing her mom so happy, she didn’t have the heart to say anything.

Patting her mom’s back, she said, “Alright, let’s go.”

Chen Huiru dragged a suitcase. Du Qingting reached for it, but her mom stopped her hand. Confused, Du Qingting asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Your Aunt Liu is behind us. Go say hi.” Chen Huiru winked at her.

Du Qingting instinctively wanted to bolt. Aunt Liu was like two You Jin’s in her mind, stern. As a kid, when she did homework at Aunt Liu’s, her gaze was a mix of anger and pity.

Looking toward the escalator, even after years, Du Qingting recognized her by her aura. Unlike her mom’s ostentatious rich-lady attire, Liu Sumei wore a sleek black dress, slim waist, small pearl earrings, hair pinned up, exuding a cold elegance. Noticing Du Qingting’s gaze, she nodded slightly.

“Hello, Aunt Liu,” Du Qingting greeted.

Liu Sumei frowned, as if saying, You recognize me?

Du Qingting smiled back, sensing Liu Sumei’s dislike. Liu Sumei said, “You’ve been out gallivanting?”

Du Qingting thought for a moment and said directly, “Yeah, went out to have fun and fell in love.”

Chen Huiru pinched her hard, shooting her a look.

Liu Sumei showed no reaction. “You Jin mentioned it.”

Du Qingting was slightly surprised.

“You two should have dinner sometime.”

Du Qingting was confused, wondering if she’d misheard.

Liu’s family was waiting outside the airport. Liu Sumei handed her bag to an assistant. Du Qingting seized the moment. “You don’t mind?”

Liu Sumei glanced at her. “If you mind, you can break up.”

Du Qingting was dumbfounded.

Liu Sumei bent to get into her family’s car—a grand, new-season model, at least six million yuan. Chen Huiru patted Du Qingting, craning her neck. “Baby, where’s our car?”

Du Qingting pointed vaguely. Chen Huiru didn’t smile, she saw nothing. Du Qingting said, “I came on my motorcycle.”

Liu Sumei, expressionless, said, “Motorcycles aren’t banned? You rode here? Not very safe.”

“I parked below and walked up.”

Liu Sumei fell silent, looking at Chen Huiru, who got into the car and thanked her.

Du Qingting took a deep breath, determined to clarify. After helping her mom with the luggage, she said at the car door, “Auntie, my girlfriend is beautiful, sexy, adorable, empathetic, and talented. I know You Jin is pretty, but you can’t imagine how clever she is.”

Du Qingting tried to be clear. “I really like her. We won’t break up. Can you understand?”

Liu Sumei looked up calmly. “Oh.”

“I’m being blunt because you haven’t seen how amazing and optimistic she is. She’s like the wind, hard to describe. You know, I spotted her in a crowd instantly. She’s one-of-a-kind, radiant. Her smile warms the world. She’s not just beautiful—her soul is gentle, pure. I can’t live without her. I’m devoted to her this lifetime. No other woman can sway me. She’s a goddess, breathtakingly beautiful.”

Liu Sumei’s eyes curved, and she suddenly smiled. Du Qingting found her gaze mocking. Clenching her fists, she thought, I’m pouring my heart out, and Aunt Liu scoffs? Angrily, she said, “Can you take me seriously? We’re so sweet, we’ve done everything. I just want to marry her. You don’t get it—I only want her, no one else.”

She glared at her mom, who looked panicked, reaching for the car door and frantically signaling her to stop.

Liu Sumei said calmly, “Good, I understand.”

“You don’t! You haven’t seen her! I’ll show you her photo, I’m not lying. We’re perfect together. Don’t tear us apart!”

“No need for photos,” Liu Sumei said seriously. “You don’t need to say more. I understand.”

She added, “You Jin’s on a business trip with her dad. She’ll be back soon. We’ll talk then.”

What was there to talk about? Du Qingting’s mouth twitched. She looked away to calm down, kicking the ground. Can’t they understand plain language?

About to vent, Chen Huiru quickly rolled up the window. With the airport’s six-minute parking limit, the car drove off with Liu Sumei and Chen Huiru.

Du Qingting stood for a few minutes before heading to the parking garage.

She was genuinely upset, heartbroken.

Walking, she texted Chen Huiru: [Are we the nouveau riche, or is the You family falling apart? Why can’t they understand? I don’t want to marry You Jin. Is my meaning that hard to get?]

Du Qingting: [Send me Aunt Liu’s WeChat. I’ll explain clearly.] She planned to send photos to make them give up, showing her standards.

Now her mom wasn’t replying.

So infuriating.

Worse, it took her an hour and a half to find her motorcycle in the garage. Barely containing her anger, she rode back, but the bike stalled. By the time she pushed it home, it was dusk. Her mom and sister were back, and as she was about to call for help, she overheard their conversation.

“Your Aunt Liu is starting to approve of your sister, but your sister’s running her mouth, saying she has a girlfriend. If she keeps it up, Aunt Liu won’t agree, and your dad’s business will lose investors. I’m giving you a tough task: find out if her girlfriend is real. Get a photo. I’ll have a look.”

Du Nuanzhi asked, “Why meet?”

Chen Huiru: “I’ll offer her five million to leave your sister.”

Du Nuanzhi gasped. “Mom, that’s too much like an evil mother-in-law from a web novel. Nowadays, women might take the five million, walk away rich, and call you stingy.”

“…Is five million stingy? Online, celebrities get only 500,000 yuan for breakups.”

“It’s a bit stingy… I think it’s unfair to sis. What if it’s true love? Offer more, six million?”

“Then I’d have to sell a piece of jewelry. That hurts.”

Du Qingting, drenched in sweat from pushing the bike, snapped. “Can you respect me? Stop plotting loudly. I’m not running away again.”

Chen Huiru jumped, startled. “Sorry, baby. I thought you’d flee the marriage again. I didn’t expect you back. Listen, you’re young and don’t understand life. You haven’t suffered. Trust me, The You family is good.”

Du Qingting felt hurt, unable to argue. Ignoring her mom, she went upstairs, locked her door. Chen Huiru followed, knocking softly, reflecting that she might’ve been too harsh.

She said, “Bring your girlfriend to meet us. You’ve only been out a few days, saying you’re in love. I’m worried it’s just passion, and you’ll grow to resent each other. You Jin’s different, you know each other well.”

“Stop talking. I don’t want to deal with you,” Du Qingting said. “You haven’t met her. You don’t know her. Don’t judge. You’d meet her just to throw five million at her? She’s accomplished, a big boss. Let me breathe.”

“A big boss…” Chen Huiru paused. “Video call her, let me see what she’s like.”

Hearing she was a boss, Chen Huiru’s greed kicked in, urging a meeting.

It stung. If she’d found her girlfriend, it’d be easier.

The more her family pressured her, the more she missed her vanished girlfriend. But she knew—without her showing up, it was all for nothing. Was it time to wake up from this dream?

That night, Du Qingting didn’t eat, feeling unwell.
She sent Xu Yang a few more messages as usual.
Returning, she saw a new friend request on her phone.

The avatar was a black dog with paper cups on its ears, lying on the ground, baring its teeth at the camera, looking silly. A Doberman or butterfly dog? Such a contrast.

Her heart raced. She sat up, holding her breath, typing: [Darling? Girlfriend?]

The reply: [Yes.]

Du Qingting typed a flurry: [Where are you? I’ve been looking forever. Do you miss me? How’d you get my number… I’m going crazy missing you…]

She paused, regaining rationality, and deleted it.
Instead, she sent: [Who are you?]

The reply: [You Jin.]

The next second, Du Qingting fumbled with her phone.

D deleted a message x1
D deleted a message x2

You Jin: [?]

“D has enabled friend verification. You are not their friend yet. Please send a friend verification request. Your message has been rejected.”

Aunt Liu: I don’t approve of you two together.

Du Qingting: I love her, deeply. She’s amazing. You don’t understand. We won’t break up. I only want her!