Rich Woman, But Got Dumped By A Jerk Three Times. - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Drummer A-Ci Requests to Add You as a Friend…

The sharp question, cold as ice, dissipated into the night with the sudden gust of wind.

The wound, now consciously acknowledged, throbbed with pain. Yi Chengsong swallowed imperceptibly, unsure how to answer for a moment.

The team that had been lurking in the dark had completely withdrawn. The park was deserted, leaving only the two of them.

And the person before her was showing a rare patience, not speaking again.

It seemed that without an answer, the night would freeze into a stalemate right here.

Everything was meticulously prepared for this moment. With the smokescreen of danger cleared, the critical question finally arrived.

Since she grabbed Yun Jiushu, the woman had asked three questions.

The focus landed on three completely different points.

She had explained why she suddenly appeared. Yun Jiushu must have believed it, or she wouldn’t have cared about the injury. But if she believed it, why was she interrogating her as Ye Ge?

Or has Yun Jiushu already noticed something and is deliberately testing me?

As her brain raced, Yi Chengsong looked up at Yun Jiushu, who was still scrutinizing her.

When she first received this mission, Yi Chengsong was still filled with the youthful ambition of a recent graduate. She made an incorrect judgment based on the discrepancy between Yun Jiushu’s glamorous appearance and her documented personality.

But now, Yi Chengsong had to admit that her undercover mission was far trickier than she had imagined.

After the terrifying experience of being followed, Yun Jiushu did not grant the person who saved her absolute trust or complete dependence. Instead, she quickly sobered up and began to scrutinize her savior.

This woman’s mental fortitude and level of shrewdness far exceeded those around her.

Physiological tears welled up in her pupils under the glare of the bright light. Yi Chengsong blinked calmly and gathered her thoughts.

She didn’t use sign language again. Instead, she reached out her hand, gesturing for Yun Jiushu to give her the phone.

Looking at the outstretched hand, covered in grit and bloodstains, the dried crimson looked particularly gruesome under the light.

Yun Jiushu subtly shifted her gaze, opened the notes app on her phone, and handed it over.

Taking the phone, Yi Chengsong lowered her head and began to type furiously.

Even when Yi Chengsong was looking down, Yun Jiushu still had to crane her neck to look up at her. This difference in height annoyed Yun Jiushu, who was accustomed to looking straight ahead or down at people.

She observed the lowered head of the person before her.

The small bone protruding at the back of her neck. Most of her skin was wrapped in the light gray fabric.

The thin material of the tracksuit outlined her broad shoulders and narrow waist, giving her a more powerful build.

Based on her attire, was the person here for a night run?

She would definitely use ‘night running’ to explain her sudden appearance later.

Night running after midnight. How quaint. Yun Jiushu gave a cold internal laugh. This excuse is too weak.

Amidst her racing thoughts, the protruding small bone retracted. The person who had been typing lowered her head and finished her explanation.

Yun Jiushu looked at the phone being handed over. The screen had been dimmed again, thoughtfully set to night mode.

1. I was out night running. I come here every night I don’t have a performance. Tonight, I just happened to see someone following you, so I deliberately hid here, thinking I could help you, since you gave me the opportunity to perform.

2. Thank you for your concern. My hand doesn’t hurt anymore.

3. I apologize. I’ve explained this before, but I feel the need to reiterate: I am not Ye Ge. Although I don’t know why you keep mistaking me for her, I genuinely am not Ye Ge. I hope you will stop making that mistake.

After quickly scanning the patiently listed points one, two, and three on the screen, Yun Jiushu noticed the person still used the hand that was injured in the impact.

The suspicion that had only been a guess in Yun Jiushu’s mind was now thoroughly confirmed.

Coincidence.

This person’s appearance always seemed to be such a coincidence.

Happening to appear just as she arrived in Chuncheng. Happening to run into her at every social engagement. Happening to be there when she was in danger.

The frequently offered hand seemed like a kind of medal, carrying a deliberate hint.

Since the person before her was determined to play a role, Yun Jiushu decided to play along, cooperating until the very end.

“So that’s what happened—”

Yun Jiushu, whose eyes had been full of scrutiny moments ago, blinked lightly, raised her hand to pat her chest, and showed an expression of lingering fear: “I was just wondering why you suddenly appeared. It turns out you specially came to save me. Thank you so much.”

Her attitude finally changed. A few cracks appeared on the deeply buried iceberg.

Yi Chengsong couldn’t keep up with the shift in her emotion. The hand holding the phone trembled, and a flash of guilty unease crossed her eyes.

She isn’t questioning me further?

“I was so terrified that my mind completely blanked,” Yun Jiushu caught the other person’s awkwardness and unease. She sneered internally, but her expression of fear intensified: “I’m finally realizing it now. I’m a little slow to process things.”

Yi Chengsong looked at her expression, unable to analyze the reason for the change, and felt momentarily stunned.

Do you feel any better now?

The phone was retrieved. A new question was written on the notepad and offered again.

Yun Jiushu nodded, patting her chest: “Actually, no. I still feel a little scared.”

Not giving the person a chance to type another question on the notepad, Yun Jiushu intercepted the rest of the conversation.

“Can you walk me back to the restaurant?”

The park was deserted at night. The spring night was silent. The flowers that were full of life during the day now exuded an eerie aura.

Yun Jiushu glanced around the park, then slowly shifted her gaze to Yi Chengsong.

That outfit isn’t just suitable for night running; it’s also perfect for hiding in the bushes.

“You don’t need to rush to give me my phone back,” Yun Jiushu said, looking at the offered screen and collecting her thoughts: “It’s a bit of a walk back to the restaurant. Would you mind keeping me company and chatting?”

Yi Chengsong, who had been wracking her brain over how to get closer and start a conversation, heard these words, and joy instantly spread in her heart.

This is going even more smoothly than expected.

Her knuckles gripping the phone tightened. Yi Chengsong nodded heavily.

“When did you start learning music?”

Yun Jiushu casually introduced a topic, watching the person beside her for a reaction: “I hope this isn’t too rude, but I’m genuinely curious. Given your physical condition, learning music must be harder than for the average person.”

Yi Chengsong pondered for a moment after hearing the question, then lowered her head and typed her reply.

[I started learning when I was very young. My disability is congenital and incurable. My parents were afraid I would isolate myself, so they specially nurtured hobbies for me.]

Answering according to her pre-planned persona, Yi Chengsong acted very naturally.

She was ready to meet Yun Jiushu’s gaze with confidence, but this time, Yun Jiushu didn’t look up again.

She simply paused to read the answer, nodded with understanding, and replied: “I see.”

The person who had answered turned her head, not asking any further questions.

Yi Chengsong, who had thought she could use this to build a conversation, felt a little lost because the topic suddenly stalled.

Thankfully, the distance from the park back to Yun Ji wasn’t far.

When she saw the restaurant’s sign in the distance, Yi Chengsong realized her time was limited and lowered her head to type again.

Can I add your contact information? I often jog at that park. If you want to stroll in the evening again, you can let me know in advance.

Looking at the message offered to her, Yun Jiushu pursed her lips, subconsciously taking half a step back.

Receiving no reply, Yi Chengsong became anxious. She typed another request.

If you need to report the incident you encountered tonight, I can come forward as a witness for you.

With the conversation reaching this point, refusing would make Yun Jiushu seem somewhat heartless.

She raised her eyes, curving her lips meaningfully: “Fine.”

Seeing the WeChat account written on her arm, the worry that had been hanging over Yi Chengsong all night finally eased.

“My restaurant is just ahead,” Yun Jiushu handed back the pen, turning away without hesitation: “You should also head home soon.”

Yi Chengsong, who had wanted to say more, lost her chance. She could only watch Yun Jiushu take back her phone.

She could see someone walking down the steps of Yun Ji in the distance. Yi Chengsong stopped her instinct to follow.

She looked at Yun Jiushu’s retreating back, silently thinking that nothing must have gone wrong tonight.

She must have believed my explanation.

…

The Burning Cigarette

“Jiejie!”

Yun Xiao saw her from a distance and quickly rushed over: “The restaurant was too busy. When I saw the message, the location sharing had already ended. Did something happen? Are you okay?”

Her reaction was urgent. Yun Jiushu slightly curved her lips and shook her head: “I’m fine.”

The faint reply didn’t ease Yun Xiao’s worry. She raised her eyes to look at the person still standing there, narrowing her eyes.

“You need to be careful when you go out recently.” Yun Jiushu didn’t linger in conversation, giving a casual instruction: “I’m not feeling well. I’m going upstairs now.”

Not giving Yun Xiao a chance to speak further, Yun Jiushu headed straight upstairs.

Her mind was full of the events that had just transpired. The words the person wrote on the notepad played over and over.

The parents of a congenitally deaf-mute person would send their child to learn music for fear of self-isolation.

Such a poor script instantly killed Yun Jiushu’s desire to continue the conversation.

And it was this very sentence that completely overturned Yun Jiushu’s initial belief that this “A-Ci” was not Ye Ge.

Everything that happened tonight was too bizarre.

Yun Jiushu leaned against the window and silently lit a cigarette, gently exhaling.

The thin circle of smoke blurred the blackness of the night.

Looking at the smoke, Yun Jiushu involuntarily recalled the feeling of being embraced moments ago.

The scalding skin pressed against her, eliminating all distance until they could only feel the resonance of each other’s heartbeats.

And the shallow, deep breaths spraying onto her neck.

This person’s body temperature always seems to be very high.

It wasn’t just this embrace. Last time, under the table, those wandering hands were also this scalding hot.

Was Ye Ge’s body temperature really this high?

The once unwavering assumption was slowly being challenged by the person before her. Yun Jiushu felt a little shaken.

For instance, at this moment, Yun Jiushu could no longer remember Ye Ge’s body temperature or the sensation of her breathing close to her ear.

The only sensation left was the scalding heat of the person right now.

Perhaps she was too deep in thought.

A scalding pain actually registered on her fingertip. Yun Jiushu flinched, realizing the heat came from the falling cigarette ash.

If a falling spark on her finger could cause pain, how much pain did that broad palm, cushioning the back of her head, endure when it struck the stone wall?

And the person who absorbed the full brunt of the impact didn’t make a sound.

If this ‘muteness’ was an act, then this person’s acting was far too good. That wound was clearly deep enough to see bone.

Her thoughts scattered again. The phone in her pocket chimed with a notification.

Yun Jiushu lowered her head, looking at the new message that popped up.

Drummer A-Ci requests to add you as a friend