Sweet Kiss - Chapter 13.2

The real story was simple. The designer had argued with his boyfriend and wanted to win him back. He asked Li Yansui and a few other models to help plan a surprise proposal at a hotel.

She and the designer went to book the room while others were preparing downstairs.

Somehow, someone snapped a picture during that short moment.

That person even dared to challenge her openly.

And the designer’s boyfriend was also a man.

Rumors really only needed a mouth to begin.

Over the years, rumors about her hadn’t decreased. They only increased.

She used to tell herself it didn’t matter. These people didn’t know her. Why should she care?

But the internet was fast and cruel. She couldn’t stop the lies from reaching her ears.

Just a few days ago, she had been called “cursed,” and now “a homewrecker.”

She tried to explain, but her clarifications were quickly deleted.

She looked at the deleted post and laughed.

She didn’t want trouble. She didn’t want to hurt anyone, but the drama kept finding her, and she couldn’t stay calm.

If she couldn’t be happy, then those who spread lies about her shouldn’t be happy either.

She hadn’t planned to eat dinner. The housekeeper had made her some sweet dumplings, but she was going to skip it and sleep.

But then she saw Bai Tingzhou’s face on her phone wallpaper and decided to eat a little and call him.

She wanted to quietly let him know she was okay.

She had learned to act well after years of photo shoots. Changing her tone was easy.

She only wanted to say, “I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

But when she heard the anger in his voice, she knew—he had seen it.

So, she made up an excuse and ended the call.

Before going upstairs, the housekeeper came to clean up and saw that she had barely eaten. “Yansui, don’t you want a few more?” she asked gently.

Li Yansui shook her head at the stairs. “I’m full.” Then she turned and went back to her room.

The housekeeper didn’t say more. She just quietly made a plan to cook something tasty for her in the morning.

In her room, Li Yansui didn’t even look outside. She closed the curtains and turned on the light.

Suddenly, her phone lit up with the words: “Superman Li.”

Li Yansui took a deep breath and answered.

“Hello, Auntie.”

When something happened to Liyan Sui’s parents, everyone came, but what they wanted was nothing more than the couple’s leftover fortune and company. Meanwhile, their daughter, Liyan Sui, cried silently alone in a corner of the mourning hall, nearly fainting, and no one even noticed her.

That day, the little girl barely ate anything except a single cookie, which was given to her by a kind-hearted aunt.

As Li Yansui stood in the mourning hall and watched everyone arguing and turning red in the face over the inheritance, she experienced for the first time what it meant for human nature to be ugly.

She hated them—truly hated them.

She wanted to kill them, all of them, and be the only one left.

But how could a mere five-year-old possibly fight against such people?

As little Li Yansui swayed in the corner and was about to faint, she wondered whether fainting might mean she could see her parents again.

Just before her head hit the floor, someone scooped her into a warm embrace, which gave her a sense of safety.

Before losing consciousness, she heard only one sentence:
“My brother’s estate is not for outsiders like you to fight over.”

Later, her aunt drove away everyone who tried to take over the company and who wanted to take over her.

She remembered her parents saying that her aunt was a straightforward woman who never planned to have children—her dream had always been to travel the world.

However, ever since the death of Li Yansui’s parents, this woman put her plans on hold.

She raised Li Yansui with great care, almost never denying her anything.

Her aunt was also incredibly capable. Within a decade, she made a name for herself in the business and political world—Li Qianxue.

The woman on the other end of the phone had been on a business trip for a week straight. At that moment, she was likely standing on some crowded street abroad, surrounded by noise.

Li Qianxue had been working nonstop on a project recently and hadn’t had time to call her niece.

Upon hearing her niece’s soft and sweet voice, a look of satisfaction appeared on her face.

“What’s the matter, Auntie?” Li Yansui asked with concern, hearing the fatigue in her voice.

“I’m fine. I just wanted to ask how you’ve been. Is juggling work and school too much?” Li Qianxue said, rubbing her temples.

“I’m doing well,” Li Yansui replied obediently.

“That’s good.” Li Qianxue lowered her hand and sighed in relief. “I’ll be back in a few days. Take good care of yourself, okay?”

“Got it, Superwoman,” Li Yansui smiled and reminded her aunt, “But you need to take care of yourself too! Without me around, I bet you’ve been skipping meals.”

Sometimes, Li Yansui felt her aunt was like a superhero—always going full speed without even getting tired.

“Okay, okay, my little doctor,” Li Qianxue said fondly before hanging up.

Li Yansuis is holding her phone, deep in thought. She wouldn’t tell her aunt about these minor troubles. She was already too busy. Li Yansui didn’t want her to worry any more than necessary.

She had to investigate by herself.

Still, she hadn’t forgotten what she said casually to Bai Tingzhou earlier in the afternoon—“I’ll call you tonight.”

So, she went to take a shower. When she came out, Bai Tingzhou’s video call happened to come in.

“Didn’t I say I’d call you?” Li Yansui smiled at the person on the screen, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

She found a phone stand and set the phone up.

Bai Tingzhou didn’t hide anything and answered honestly, “I was afraid you’d forget, so I called first.” He seemed to be playing the piano.  She heard the little sound of the piano keys.

“Are you playing the piano?” Li Yansui asked.

Bai Tingzhou slowed the music and said softly, “Yeah, it’s been a while.”

“Your hands aren’t rusty, are they?” Li Yansui suddenly wanted to hear him play. She sat on the couch and asked, “Can you play a piece for me?”

Actually, Li Yansui didn’t sleep well. She often woke up in the middle of the night and sometimes couldn’t sleep at all.

Through the screen, Bai Tingzhou looked at her curled up under a blanket on the sofa. She looked tired, no matter how she tried to hide it. He nodded and said, “Sure. What do you want to hear?”

Li Yansui thought for a moment and asked, “Do you know Forest Mixtape?”

After a short pause, the piano accompaniment began. Li Yansui closed her eyes, ready to enjoy the moment of peace.

Not long after, she fell asleep without realizing it.

Bai Tingzhou didn’t stop playing until he saw that she was completely asleep. His phone camera still pointed at her face. He noticed her long lashes trembling slightly and a sheen of sweat on her nose. He could tell she wasn’t sleeping soundly.

Looking at her through the screen, Bai Tingzhou gently reached out as if to touch her face.

He softly murmured, “Go away, demons, go away.”