When asked that, Shen Ningruo remembered the name of Qiu Yang’s ex-girlfriend. She hadn’t paid attention before, not caring because the person she focused on was Qiu Yang, not anyone else. But now that Qiu Yang mentioned the name, she felt a little off, or rather, uncomfortable.
This uncomfortable feeling shot straight to her head, and Shen Ningruo’s brows furrowed.
She had been a bit stunned at first, thinking Qiu Yang was asking if she had liked her during their week in Xicheng. But that wasn’t it. She felt relieved on one hand, but her mood grew heavier on the other.
She and Qiu Yang were indeed not at a stage where they could discuss the word “like,” were they?
She had needs, Qiu Yang had needs; they used each other. It was just that simple and clear relationship. Sometimes, involving emotions complicated things.
Qiu Yang was still muttering to herself, “Did she…?”
Shen Ningruo let out a heavy sigh. She wasn’t Tao Sixian; she couldn’t answer that question. What she needed to do was change the subject: “Are you drinking alone?” She paused, becoming serious. “Qiu Yang.”
Qiu Yang nearly lost her balance, but Miao Yi was also swaying on the sofa, too preoccupied to notice her state.
Qiu Yang clung to the window, hearing Shen Ningruo’s voice. Her eyes blurred slightly. “No.”
“With a friend.”
Shen Ningruo’s lips were tightly pressed together. Listening to Qiu Yang’s still somewhat muddled voice, she couldn’t help but worry.
At the same time, she realized more deeply that Qiu Yang’s sadness from the breakup was much greater than she had imagined, otherwise why would she still seek an answer even when drunk.
Shen Ningruo didn’t know much about Qiu Yang and Tao Sixian’s past relationship, but even so, she knew that Qiu Yang’s love for Tao Sixian was very real and very deep.
She lowered her gaze, then looked at the rattle drum on the coffee table. After struggling for a few seconds, she finally asked, “Are you okay?”
Being mistaken for Tao Sixian by Qiu Yang didn’t make her angry; it was more… pity?
She hoped Qiu Yang could move on from the shadow of the breakup sooner, or take bigger steps.
Qiu Yang’s thoughts returned, knowing it was Shen Ningruo on the other end of the phone. She tilted her head slightly to look at the dark night sky. “I’m okay.”
Actually, she wasn’t very okay.
When sober, she could clearly know that she shouldn’t miss Tao Sixian anymore, but once she drank, she would be swallowed and surrounded by past memories, leaving her nowhere to hide or escape.
Shen Ningruo heard the slight nasal tone in her voice. “I’ll come pick you up.”
Shen Ningruo paused. “I’m worried.”
Worried about Qiu Yang’s current state.
Qiu Yang blinked, and tears still fell from the corners of her eyes, landing on the window. Was it the lingering effect of the breakup or the lingering effect of being drunk? She couldn’t tell.
Undeniably, Shen Ningruo felt like a lifeline to her right now. Staying by Shen Ningruo’s side was the only way she wouldn’t think of Tao Sixian anymore.
Therefore, regarding Shen Ningruo’s offer to pick her up, she didn’t resist like before, but her expression still hesitated for a moment before she gave her exact address.
“I…”
“I live in Building 3, 1902.”
“Okay.” Shen Ningruo grabbed her car keys. “Wait for me.”
Qiu Yang didn’t say anything else. She hung up the call and sat down on the balcony chair, feeling a bit tired.
The movie was still playing, but neither she nor Miao Yi was watching it.
Qiu Yang turned her head and saw Miao Yi hugging Pingzi and crying. “Wuwuwu Pingzi, your Auntie’s favorite guy’s baby is due next month, wuwuwu…”
Pingzi indicated it knew nothing and just wanted to sleep. It looked at Qiu Yang with a look of distress.
Qiu Yang got up again, walked somewhat unsteadily to Miao Yi and sat down. She patted Miao Yi’s shoulder. “Miao Yi, you still haven’t forgotten him?”
Qiu Yang had heard about the guy Miao Yi liked during college. The story wasn’t complicated; it was basically a guy Miao Yi liked in high school who kept stringing her along, always trying to be ambiguous with her but never getting together.
After they became good friends, Qiu Yang saw how happy and cheerful she was every day and even doubted the truth of this matter. But now, judging by Miao Yi’s reaction, she likely hadn’t completely forgotten.
“I, I will forget him.”
“Wuwuwu.”
Pingzi was rescued by Qiu Yang. Miao Yi pulled a cushion from the sofa and buried her face in it, sobbing loudly.
She cried and cursed at the same time, “Dog scumbag man, dog scumbag man!”
Qiu Yang patted her shoulder again, unsure how to comfort her. She used to be like this right after her breakup, but back then she couldn’t bear to curse Tao Sixian.
Now she wanted to curse, but she didn’t know how to say it. A belly full of frustration and grievance was stuck inside, unable to come out.
Qiu Yang sat in silence for a long time, then poured herself half a glass of red wine and drank it all.
She hiccuped, then said to Miao Yi, who had calmed down a bit, “I…”
“A friend is coming to pick me up in a bit.”
“Where are you going?” Miao Yi turned her tear-streaked face to look at her.
“I don’t know.” Qiu Yang really didn’t know.
Miao Yi didn’t ask further. Her social circle was different from Qiu Yang’s, and she wasn’t curious. She just reminded her, “Be careful.”
“I will.”
Miao Yi nodded again. “Okay then, that’s good.”
“I’ll look after Pingzi for you.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow.” Qiu Yang said, getting up again. “I’ll go pack some things.”
She guessed Shen Ningruo would likely take her to a hotel, so she needed to pack clothes to change into tomorrow.
Shen Ningruo arrived just as Qiu Yang finished packing. She knocked on the door, still carrying the chill from outside.
Qiu Yang opened the door, and the smell of alcohol on her rushed towards Shen Ningruo. She smelled it, frowned, and pulled the suitcase from Qiu Yang’s hand to drag it herself. “Let’s go.”
Miao Yi was still in Qiu Yang’s living room and watched Qiu Yang leave. She saw the woman standing at the door, but the light was dim, and she couldn’t see her face clearly.
However, this was Qiu Yang’s private space; she was just a friend and wouldn’t be overly curious, so she withdrew her gaze.
What she didn’t see was that after Shen Ningruo took Qiu Yang’s suitcase, she also put an arm around Qiu Yang’s waist, letting Qiu Yang lean her weight on her.
The car was parked in the underground parking lot. Shen Ningruo kept her arm around Qiu Yang until she got her into the car.
Qiu Yang was getting more intoxicated, but she hadn’t completely lost her mind. She sat obediently in the passenger seat and even tried to buckle her own seatbelt.
Shen Ningruo didn’t let her. Shen Ningruo grabbed her wrist and said softly, “I’ll do it.”
Shen Ningruo was still standing outside the car. She leaned in slightly to buckle Qiu Yang’s seatbelt. They were very close, and the smell of alcohol on Qiu Yang went straight into Shen Ningruo’s nostrils.
She sighed inwardly. Before she could pull back and stand up straight, Qiu Yang raised both arms and hooked them around her neck.
Shen Ningruo’s body stiffened. She looked into Qiu Yang’s eyes, but the light was too dim to see as clearly as during the day.
Their breaths mingled again. Shen Ningruo’s eyelashes trembled, and she couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”
Qiu Yang didn’t say anything, just leaned her lips closer and pressed a kiss on Shen Ningruo’s face before releasing her arms.
Shen Ningruo pursed her lips, her heartbeat clearly audible at that moment.
But she didn’t know what Qiu Yang meant, nor if Qiu Yang had mistaken her for someone else. She composed herself, having no desire to ask further right now. She quietly straightened up, closed the car door for Qiu Yang, and then went to the trunk to put the suitcase away.
A minute later, the sedan drove out of the parking lot.
Qiu Yang’s head was heavy. Her right elbow rested against the car window, her palm supporting her chin. The light flickered, dancing on her slightly furrowed brow.
Shen Ningruo drove a little slower than on the way there. While waiting at a traffic light, she turned to look at Qiu Yang again, then slowly reached out and smoothed Qiu Yang’s furrowed brow, and then smoothed her hair before sitting back up straight.
On her left cheek, it felt as if the warmth of Qiu Yang’s lips still lingered in that spot. Shen Ningruo held the steering wheel, her irregular heartbeat not yet returned to normal.
Half an hour later, they reached their destination.
Shen Ningruo got out of the car to get the suitcase, then went to the passenger door.
Qiu Yang had fallen asleep on the way. Shen Ningruo opened the car door carefully, but Qiu Yang still woke up.
She opened her eyes, feeling disoriented for a few seconds, but seeing Shen Ningruo’s face standing beside her, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Are we there?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll take you up.”
Qiu Yang felt a little better. She looked around the parking lot and felt it didn’t look like a hotel parking lot. Coupled with Shen Ningruo’s tone, she was even more certain of her thought.
Just two days ago, she was thinking about keeping her distance from Shen Ningruo, and now what?
Shen Ningruo came to her place to pick her up and brought her to her own place.
Just like how she thought she wouldn’t have a fling in Xicheng but then turned around and went to find Shen Ningruo.
Qiu Yang: …
Forget it, she was used to it.
She stepped out of the car, and Shen Ningruo’s right arm came around her again. She didn’t push it away.
Because she really couldn’t stand steady.
Shen Ningruo was like she was when she picked her up, pulling the suitcase with one hand and holding her with the other.
Into the elevator, out of the elevator.
Entering the password, opening the door.
Shen Ningruo’s apartment was much more refined, at least from the decoration of the hallway. And when Shen Ningruo turned on the living room light, this feeling became even more apparent.
It didn’t feel like a home, more like a hotel, with no sense of life.
Qiu Yang didn’t speak; she leaned against the wall.
Shen Ningruo bent down to get slippers from the shoe cabinet and then knelt down, intending to untie her shoelaces.
Qiu Yang stepped back, clearly uncomfortable with such contact with Shen Ningruo.
For Qiu Yang, tying shoelaces was a very private matter. Their relationship would make this very awkward.
“I’ll do it myself.”
“Thank you.”
Shen Ningruo looked up slightly, didn’t continue, stood up, and said one word: “Okay.”
Shen Ningruo didn’t leave immediately after speaking. She looked at Qiu Yang for a few seconds, thought for a moment, and still asked, “When you kissed me, who did you think I was?”
Qiu Yang was a little confused, then remembered what Shen Ningruo was referring to, and met Shen Ningruo’s gaze. “I didn’t think you were anyone.”
“I just wanted to kiss you.”
Shen Ningruo took a small step forward. “You kissed me secretly, without my permission.”
“That’s not fair.”
Qiu Yang’s brow twitched, and she sobered up considerably. A bad premonition rose in her heart.
Sure enough, the next second she heard Shen Ningruo’s voice rise at the end: “Then I’m at a disadvantage.”
“I need to sleep with you to make up for it.”
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