Why Suffer for This Distress (GL) - Chapter 19

Su Xiyan was also looking at He Jingmo. Her expression was not good. She snorted with extreme contempt, “Likes the mature and steady type? Only childish people are like that, right?”

“You can’t call it childish. My sister, she has liked this type of person since she was little, always saying she wants someone to protect her.” He Ranran clearly didn’t hear the sourness in Su Xiyan’s words, looking at her with a smile to explain. He Jingmo curled her lips and actually nodded in agreement.

Nodding? She actually nodded?! Su Xiyan’s eyes were practically spitting fire. She grabbed another glass of cold water and chugged it down in one go.

“She’s fragile? A standard Taekwondo athlete with a big, strong build, who can knock someone dizzy with a slap—is that called fragile?”

“Sister, how do you know? Did you get hit?” Su Nan stepped forward to speak the truth. Su Xiyan choked, staring at her brother with wide eyes.

“Whose side are you on?”

“Enough.”

He Ranran interrupted the two. “Stop talking about these pointless things and let’s talk business. I think there’s no time like the present. How about we arrange for Jingmo to meet Wei Ning tomorrow?”

He Ranran took out her phone, ready to contact Wei Ning, while she spoke. He Jingmo hadn’t said anything, but Su Xiyan frowned first and said impatiently, “Why are you in such a hurry? It’s as if she can’t get married. Women should know how to be reserved, you know?”

“Hey, isn’t it because the guy is busy? And he’s getting on in years; his family is urging him. What’s the use of being reserved? A reserved person like you doesn’t even have a boyfriend now.” Su Nan said with a chuckle. Su Xiyan was too annoyed to argue with him, “Getting on in years? Is he an old man then? You’re too desperate! Introducing an old man to Jingmo? Although she’s not as outstanding as me, she at least deserves a promising young man.”

“Are you okay?” Su Nan looked at his sister strangely. “Didn’t I say Wei Ning is Ranran’s classmate? How is he an old man when he’s under 30?”

“Haha, I think Xiyan is jealous that we’re introducing someone to Jingmo.” He Ranran laughed heartily on the side. Su Xiyan took a deep breath and looked at He Jingmo, “Go for it, girl. Try to bring the old man home tomorrow.”

He Jingmo looked at her, her eyes smiling, but she didn’t speak. Su Xiyan saw that she could still smile, and a fire ignited in her heart. She filled her glass to the brim, tilted her head back, and chugged it down again.

“Hot!!!”

Her poor mood led to a moment of confusion. Su Xiyan grabbed a cup of hot water and chugged it down directly. The burn brought tears to her eyes. This time, He Jingmo stopped smiling. She quickly rushed to Su Xiyan’s side, grabbed her, stared intently at her, and asked sharply, “What’s wrong?!”

“I’m burning…” Su Xiyan’s lips were bright red from the scalding water. She looked at He Jingmo with grievance. Even drinking water could be a disaster. Today was truly unlucky. He Jingmo meticulously examined the area around her mouth. After confirming it wasn’t serious, she sighed, “Come inside. I’ll get you a cold compress.”

“Mhm.” Su Xiyan obediently agreed, happily placing her hand in He Jingmo’s palm, letting her lead her into the bedroom. During this process, Su Nan and He Ranran, who were also in a state of anxiety on the side, were completely ignored. It wasn’t until the living room was empty except for the two of them that Su Nan slowly spoke.

“W-Wife—”

“Mhm?” He Ranran replied with some distraction. Su Nan swallowed hard and turned to look at her, “These two sisters don’t seem right.”

“I know. Was I wrong just now? They were holding hands.” He Ranran also felt like she was dreaming. Although He Jingmo and Su Xiyan got along quite well in college, due to their temperaments, they argued almost every day. Now, they were holding hands.

“Hehe, it looks like we need to go out more often and give them more time to cultivate their relationship.”

Su Nan smiled and moved closer to He Ranran. He Ranran patted his shoulder, feeling a bit shy. Afterward, this carefree couple smiled and hugged each other before heading into their room.

Inside the bedroom, Su Xiyan pouted, letting He Jingmo apply ice to her lips, her face full of reluctance. He Jingmo knelt by the bed, holding the ice, carefully applying it to her lips. Seeing the delicate skin on her lips blister, she couldn’t help but complain despite her distress, “How old are you? Why are you still so clumsy?”

“Even if I’m old, I’m not looking for an old man.” Su Xiyan retorted to He Jingmo at lightning speed. He Jingmo rolled her eyes, ignored her, and continued the cold compress.

“Hmph, feeling guilty, are we?” Su Xiyan was persistent, refusing to give up even with her lips swollen like a sausage.

“Jingmo, I know you’re getting on in years too. It’s time for you to find someone, both physiologically and psychologically. But still, you should find someone decent. You should skip this blind date with some old man you’ve never met.” Su Xiyan kindly advised He Jingmo. He Jingmo frowned, glanced at her, and patiently explained, “My sister mentioned Wei Ning to me before.”

“Oh.” Su Xiyan felt a slight pang in her heart. She pouted and said, “Mentioned once, and it’s deeply ingrained in your mind, isn’t it? That perfectly illustrates that lyric, ‘Just because I saw you once in the crowd, I could never forget your face.'” Su Xiyan finished and started singing. Because her mouth was scalded, the lyrics were mumbled and out of tune, sounding like a duck quacking. He Jingmo frowned but still didn’t stop her, letting her express herself freely. In fact, by the time Su Xiyan finished singing, He Jingmo was so amused that she burst into laughter.

Su Xiyan, who had intended to needle He Jingmo, saw her acting as if she could withstand a thousand-man army and still laugh. Her heart felt even more suffocated. She pushed He Jingmo’s hand away, not letting her touch her anymore.

“I don’t need your esteemed help. You have a blind date tomorrow. Why don’t you hurry up and put on a beauty mask and rest so you can be radiant for that lecherous old man.”

Wei Ning, who had never even met them, was innocently called an old man and also labeled with the heavy title of “lecherous.” He Jingmo looked at Su Xiyan’s sulky little figure lying horizontally on the bed, smiled wordlessly, took the ice, and got up to wash up.

Su Xiyan, who had expected her arrogance to be met with He Jingmo’s gentle treatment, lay on the bed, feeling miserable. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. Jingmo likes the gentle, caring, and mature type? She wasn’t gentle, not caring, and not mature. What was so great about that Wei Ning? He was so old and hadn’t even found a wife yet. Would anyone want a man like that?

By the time Su Xiyan was tossing and turning, unable to sleep in her anger, He Jingmo returned, exuding a clean fragrance. Just as Su Xiyan had suggested, she put on a face mask and lay down next to her.

Su Xiyan turned over and saw He Jingmo’s big white face with the mask, and jumped in shock, “What are you doing?”

“Putting on a face mask, as you suggested.” He Jingmo answered with her eyes closed, gently patting her face. Su Xiyan looked at her comfortable demeanor, bit her lip, and asked fiercely, “Since when have you been so obedient?”

“It’s always good to listen to good advice.” He Jingmo was in an unusually good mood today, seemingly oblivious to Su Xiyan’s repeated provocations and maintaining a cheerful disposition.

Seeing her like this, Su Xiyan was furious. She gritted her teeth, kicked her legs, and started kicking the blanket off. He Jingmo lay comfortably beside her, ignoring the raging storm and continuing her mask treatment.

After kicking for a long time and breaking out in a sweat, Su Xiyan looked at He Jingmo, who was slowly peeling off the mask. Seeing the long hair scattered across her forehead and her delicate features, she felt a slight itch in her heart.

“Hey, are you really going?”

“Why not?” He Jingmo turned her head to look at her, her face nonchalant. Su Xiyan pouted, “I don’t think your personality is suited for dating someone older than you.”

“Why?”

“How can someone older than you tolerate your nagging? You’re buzzing all the time, telling people not to do this and not to do that. Oh, have you seen A Chinese Odyssey? There’s a character, Tang Sanzang. He—”

“I think you’re Tang Sanzang!” He Jingmo, unable to bear it any longer, interrupted Su Xiyan’s chatter. Su Xiyan snorted, “What’s wrong? I’ve barely started, and you’re already complaining? I’m telling you, older men are just like that, always rambling.”

“Heh, I just like verbose and gentle people.”

“And older men are outdated and boring.”

“Heh, I just like taciturn and traditional people.”

“…Is that so?” This time, Su Xiyan fell silent. She lowered her head, pursed her lips, and turned over. At that moment, thinking of He Jingmo’s words, painful and suffocating emotions surged in her heart, making her feel wronged and almost bringing her to tears. In Su Xiyan’s mind, a beautiful image had already formed: He Jingmo, hand in hand with a middle-aged man, looking at her in a wedding dress with smiling faces, their happiness obvious. Thinking of this, Su Xiyan’s breathing became heavy, her eyes moistened, and a torrent of bitterness struck her. Just then, a warm body pressed tightly against her back. Familiar arms wrapped around her body, and He Jingmo gently hugged Su Xiyan. Closing her eyes slightly, Su Xiyan inhaled the familiar fragrance, bit her lip, and pitifully spoke the thoughts in her heart, “Jingmo, can you not go meet that old Tang Sanzang.”

“Why?” He Jingmo looked at her, her eyes twinkling. Su Xiyan thought for a moment, pouting, “He’s too old, ugly, and doesn’t deserve you.”