Before dating He Lindi, or even during her initial crush, He Lindi was the epitome of perfection in Chi Shuo’s eyes. He Lindi always wore a smile, sweet and kind, excelled academically, and took amazing photos. Chi Shuo thought He Lindi was truly exceptional, a perfect 100 out of 100.
After getting to know He Lindi, Chi Shuo didn’t think she was any less impressive. He Lindi’s fear of flying even added to her charm. Even later, when Chi Shuo started disliking He Lindi and acting against her, He Lindi’s image in her heart remained untarnished.
It wasn’t until they started dating that Chi Shuo realized what all those relationship advice gurus had said was true—there’s a filter when you have a crush. Once you get closer and interact more, you discover the other person isn’t as perfect as you imagined, and might even be a bit flawed.
Chi Shuo hadn’t believed it before, but now she had to admit, while He Lindi was still excellent in some aspects, when it came to relationships, especially arguments and cold wars, she was a complete mess.
Chi Shuo let He Lindi hug her, not reciprocating as usual, instead asking coldly, “Didn’t you say you didn’t dare contact me? Why come apologize now?”
Chi Shuo had to admit, her anger hadn’t dissipated, and her words were barbed. He Lindi didn’t release her hold, even resting her head on Chi Shuo’s shoulder. “I really know I was wrong.”
She didn’t explain what she was wrong about, nor did she say anything else.
The excitement in Chi Shuo’s heart gradually calmed. She placed her hands on He Lindi’s waist, gently pushing her away. “You should go back.” She paused. “Come talk to me when you’ve figured things out.”
He Lindi was easily pushed away; Chi Shuo hadn’t used much force. She froze, tears falling. “I don’t want to go back.” Her teary eyes glistened, reflecting the warm yellow light of the dim hallway. “I shouldn’t have kept things from you, I shouldn’t have been so self-righteous, and I shouldn’t have assumed you wouldn’t understand my good intentions.”
Chi Shuo lowered her head slightly, opening the door. He Lindi stood outside, crying, while Chi Shuo suppressed her inner turmoil and entered first. He Lindi didn’t move, still standing outside, but her words didn’t stop. “I haven’t had many relationships. I still have a lot to learn. Can’t you look back at me?”
Chi Shuo stopped. She didn’t turn around immediately, instead asking, “Are you crying outside because you want others to see?”
“So what if they see?” He Lindi sniffled, her nose already red. “There’s no shame in admitting I’m wrong.”
Chi Shuo finally turned around. “After a week apart, you can’t even understand what I’m saying?”
He Lindi belatedly realized and just said, “Oh.” Then, she closed the door, separating them from the outside world.
Chi Shuo ignored her again, pouring herself a glass of water. She was actually thirsty, despite not having said much.
He Lindi didn’t sit beside her, but stood opposite, looking somewhat uneasy and fidgeting slightly.
This scene felt familiar, like when a student had done something wrong and was called into the teacher’s office.
He Lindi’s tears had stopped, but she was still composing herself. The living room fell silent. Chi Shuo waited for He Lindi to speak. She didn’t want to take the initiative; she wanted He Lindi to learn her lesson.
Even when apologizing, He Lindi was hesitant. Was there any point in continuing to be proactive? Chi Shuo didn’t want their next fight to follow the same pattern; it would be too boring.
He Lindi stood there, wiping her tears, looking somewhat lost.
Chi Shuo remained silent, scrolling through Weibo. She saw a post from someone she followed, saying she was fighting with her boyfriend but was secretly happy, because he usually didn’t let her play games, and she was going crazy from being cooped up. Now, with the cold war, she could finally play to her heart’s content.
Chi Shuo pondered this, then looked up at He Lindi and asked, “Did you go do something fun during this time apart? Were you too restricted when we were together, not allowed to do this or that, so you took advantage of the cold war to do those things?”
He Lindi shook her head. “How could that be?!”
Chi Shuo’s lips curved upwards. “Really?” She said, “Many people take advantage of fights to live freely. Aren’t you one of them?”
He Lindi sat down beside her, pointing indignantly at her dark circles. “Do I look like it?”
“Who knows?” Chi Shuo didn’t even glance at her.
He Lindi exhaled and said seriously, “Chi Shuo, I promise, I won’t keep anything from you again.”
“Then what will you do?”
“I’ll be completely honest with you.”
“I’ll tell you all my worries.”
“I…”
Chi Shuo interrupted her. “What if I don’t want to hear them?”
He Lindi hadn’t reacted yet.
“Did you ever consider that behind all that secrecy and those supposed ‘good intentions’ lies my despair?”
“I’m sorry…” He Lindi’s voice dropped even lower.
…
In the end, they made up. Chi Shuo didn’t push He Lindi any further and finally pulled her into a hug.
During the hug, He Lindi explained what had happened during the past few days.
After their fight, she returned to Yunshang Garden. She had calmed down and wanted to apologize, but she was afraid Chi Shuo was still angry, so she waited.
Before it was time to go home, He Lindi drew at her apartment. She drew many pictures of her and Chi Shuo, but didn’t post any. Then the weekend arrived, and she went back to her family home.
Old Master He didn’t seem angry when he saw her. He looked calm, called He Lindi over, and asked if she and Chi Shuo had fought.
He Lindi neither confirmed nor denied, just stood there like a statue.
She didn’t know what her grandfather was thinking, but he asked many questions about Chi Shuo, like their current salaries, when they met, and other pointless things, leaving He Lindi confused.
And what surprised He Lindi even more was that her grandfather let her go. He didn’t confine her or prevent her from contacting the outside world like before.
He Lindi was shocked. She hadn’t been fully prepared to “fight” with her grandfather, but she hadn’t expected this outcome.
Worried about some hidden scheme, He Lindi didn’t immediately return to Yunshang Garden. She stayed at the He family residence for a day, discussed it with Ding Miaoran, and finally reached a similar conclusion—her grandfather had given up.
Given up on the idea that his granddaughter might be straight.
He Lindi was a bit emotional as she finished her story. Chi Shuo listened, her heart pounding. “So… Uncle and Yue Ke spoke up for us?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“My dad said I didn’t have a mom growing up, and Ke Ke also said I didn’t have a mom growing up. They made me sound very pitiful.”
“My grandfather basically gave in after that.”
Chi Shuo was also stunned. “Wasn’t your grandfather supposed to be some big boss? How could he…” She couldn’t find the right word. “…how could he be a fake?”
He Lindi slapped her wrist. “What are you saying? Do you mean we’ll face the real boss later?”
Chi Shuo looked at He Lindi and nodded. “Don’t forget, there’s still my mom.”
“…”
Thinking about her mother, who had relentlessly arranged blind dates before, they both fell silent.
Chi Shuo then remembered another important question. “So… you came back on Monday but didn’t contact me? Is that right?”
“I waited for you on the bench every day, but you didn’t see me,” He Lindi said, sounding somewhat wronged.
Chi Shuo didn’t understand her logic. “Are you saying that after doing something wrong, you just put on a pitiful act and wait for me to come coax you? Why do you think you’re entitled to that?”
He Lindi: “…”
He Lindi shook her head. “No.”
She pointed to a small bag she had brought. “I even brought sexy lingerie. I lost, I’ll wear it.”
“…”
Chi Shuo’s father came by her family home again on Friday, or rather, he didn’t even make it inside because her mother didn’t open the door, pretending she wasn’t home. He stood outside for a long time, leaving a letter before leaving.
Her mother didn’t open it. She waited for Chi Shuo to return, and they opened it together.
The letter was simple, saying he was happy seeing them doing well and wouldn’t disturb them again.
Chi Shuo had beautiful handwriting. Most of the credit went to her father’s strict supervision during her childhood. While other children were playing games, she was confined at home practicing calligraphy, using her father’s handwriting as a model.
Before knowing her father was a scumbag, Chi Shuo had thought he was very cool. He didn’t have a steady job, but he seemed to do everything.
Tong Jinjin’s roller skating skills were taught by Chi Shuo, while Chi Shuo’s were taught by her father.
She occasionally thought of these things, but only fleetingly. She and her mother deserved better. As for her father, Chi Shuo didn’t know his contact information, nor did she need to. She just felt that with him leaving like this, they no longer owed each other anything.
He had left so decisively back then. Now, she had shut him out, evening the score.
But after returning home, Chi Shuo still had one more thing to handle—coming out.
She didn’t want to delay it any longer, didn’t want her mother to continue assuming she was dating a man. It would only become harder to explain later.
That evening, her mother made several dishes. Chi Shuo asked, “Mom, why are you so happy today?”
“I’m happy when you’re home.”
Chi Shuo sometimes felt her mother’s attitude changed too quickly, but thinking about it, long ago, her mother had been this gentle person.
Chi Shuo held her chopsticks, her heart feeling heavy at her mother’s words, yet she still forced a smile. “I’m happy too.”
“We should sell this apartment,” her mother said. “I talked to your Uncle Tong, and he said the location is great, just a bit old, so the price might be slightly lower, but we can still get a good deal.”
“Okay.”
“We can buy a smaller one in another district.”
Chi Shuo pursed her lips. “Mom, I can contribute to buying the new place. No need to compromise. After living in a large apartment for so long, I’m afraid you won’t adjust well to a smaller one.”
Her mother waved her hand. “It’s fine, I’m old, I can adapt.”
“Okay.”
They ate harmoniously. Finally, while having soup, after much hesitation, Chi Shuo spoke. “Mom, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Go ahead,” her mother replied, wiping her mouth elegantly.
“I…” Chi Shuo hesitated again. “You don’t need to arrange any more blind dates for me, I don’t like them. That Jianguo guy last time, he was truly awful.”
Her mother looked at her. Chi Shuo took a sip of soup and continued, “I… I’m seeing someone.”
“I know.”
“But…” Chi Shuo’s voice trailed off. “It’s a…”
Her mother jumped in. “A girl?”
Chi Shuo’s eyes widened. Even though her mouth was empty, she still choked, coughing.
“Is it that actress?” her mother continued. “The one who was very close to you in university.”
Chi Shuo coughed even harder. She knew her mother was talking about Shen Qu.
Chi Shuo wanted to disappear.
The next day, when she saw He Lindi, she recounted the incident. He Lindi was incredibly surprised. “Your mom arranged those blind dates just to test if you were still interested in men?” She frowned. “But her taste seems rather questionable. Those two guys…”
She trailed off, and Chi Shuo knew what she meant.
“No.”
“She didn’t expect me to seriously consider those blind dates.”
“She just brought two guys along to make it look real.”
He Lindi paused. “Wait, I’m a bit confused. Wasn’t your mom’s attitude towards you very bad before?”
“Yes, it was. I was devastated, didn’t know why she treated me like that.”
“But she confessed last night. Initially, she was taking her anger at my dad out on me.”
“Later, it was because I liked a girl. I hid some things at home, thinking they wouldn’t be discovered, but my mom found them.”
“She started to think I was some kind of monster.”
“Then why did she suddenly change her mind?”
Chi Shuo lowered her eyes. “Because her failed marriage made her realize that happiness is more important.”
He Lindi scratched her head. “Don’t you think it’s all a bit suspicious?”
“What?”
“My grandfather and your mom, their change of heart seems a bit… strange.”
Chi Shuo, after hearing He Lindi, also realized. “It does seem that way.”
After staring at each other for a few seconds, they reached a conclusion: their parents had already met.
But they didn’t know when or what they discussed.
They both started worrying, afraid this harmonious, beautiful situation was just a dream that would soon be taken away.
Just then, the doorbell rang, startling them. He Lindi whispered, “Who is it?”
Chi Shuo then remembered she was supposed to give a colleague a document. “It’s a colleague.” She checked her phone. “Yes, she just messaged me.”
He Lindi relaxed. “Okay, I’ll go open the door, you get the document.”
“Okay.”
As she stood up, He Lindi straightened her clothes before walking to the door.
She opened it and saw a somewhat familiar face, indeed Chi Shuo’s colleague.
The colleague was incredibly surprised when she saw He Lindi. “Teacher He, why are you here?”
He Lindi raised an eyebrow. “I’m her girlfriend. Where else would I be?”
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