PSMD – Chapter 37

Sometimes Qiu Yang felt that Shen Ningruo didn’t draw the line between them very clearly, perhaps even a little blurred.

Especially these past two days.

Shen Ningruo said to her, “I’m worried, I’ll pick you up.”

Shen Ningruo said to her, “After all, our Xiao Yang is so well-behaved.”

While being cared for felt good and warm, it also made Qiu Yang somewhat apprehensive and uneasy. She felt things were developing beyond her expectations.

When Shen Ningruo talked about repaying a debt, Qiu Yang didn’t think much of it. They had sex within half a day of meeting and had been entangled ever since, with no clear end in sight. The physical connection was tangible and didn’t make her overthink; she would cooperate as much as possible.

When Shen Ningruo talked about missing her, Qiu Yang also felt it was okay, because their sex life was harmonious. From her perspective, this longing was mixed with many factors, as she also thought of Shen Ningruo, the kisses they shared, the positions they used, and the restrained, suppressed breaths in the night.

But she never expected to be “us” with Shen Ningruo in the real world, nor did she expect Shen Ningruo to say “our Xiao Yang.”

Qiu Yang had long gotten used to the nickname Xiao Yang; only Shen Ningruo called her that. At first, she was a bit uncomfortable, but two weeks had passed now.

However, “our Xiao Yang” combined somehow gave her a sense of an avalanche or tidal wave approaching, leaving Qiu Yang unsure how to respond.

Anyone with ears would hear a special hint of affection in that address, like someone blowing a breath into her ear.

It felt a little ticklish, making Qiu Yang want to shrink away.

This feeling was truly novel.

Actually, Qiu Yang had once heard Yue Chu say “our Yangyang.” At that time, she felt such an address was very reassuring, as if it enclosed a person, binding them together with oneself.

But hearing Shen Ningruo say it now, Qiu Yang felt it was even more different.

She couldn’t grasp her own thoughts; three little figures popped up in her mind.

One said: “Shen Ningruo just wants to be friends with you.”

One said: “Shen Ningruo doesn’t know anything, she has no other intentions.”

One said: “I think it’s a bit dangerous, stay away from her.”

The three little figures chattered and argued loudly in Qiu Yang’s mind. In the end, no one won, and no one lost.

Qiu Yang, however, became even more confused.

“Yes.” But Qiu Yang still remembered to answer Shen Ningruo’s question, even though she wasn’t as convinced now that she would be as lucky as Shen Ningruo said.

After all, she used to think meeting Tao Sixian was the luckiest thing in the world, who could have imagined such a disastrous outcome.

Shen Ningruo collected her thoughts and didn’t continue on the topic: “I’ll take you back now. Your cat is probably hungry and waiting for you.”

Qiu Yang nodded along with her words: “It’s already its mealtime.”

Following that, the journey was silent. The atmosphere in the car became quiet, yet it seemed to slowly breed some other kind of emotion, one that might take root and sprout someday.

It wasn’t early, and there weren’t many cars or pedestrians on the road. They also didn’t need to go through the city center, so the drive that was expected to take half an hour ended up taking only about twenty minutes.

Qiu Yang got out of the car, carrying the bag Auntie Mingfen had given her. Before closing the door, she said to Shen Ningruo, “Good night.”

Shen Ningruo smiled at her: “Go wash up and get some sleep.”

With that, she stepped on the gas pedal without any hesitation. The car disappeared around the corner shortly after, until it was completely out of sight.

Qiu Yang felt a sense of emptiness. She felt Shen Ningruo was different, but she couldn’t pinpoint exactly how.

However, the only thing she could be sure of was that Shen Ningruo was a very good person.

Qiu Yang wasn’t just giving Shen Ningruo a “good person” card; she genuinely felt that way, even though Shen Ningruo, a director at a large company, would act spoiled, extort, and “feign injury” with her in private.

But Qiu Yang could feel that Shen Ningruo’s concern for her was genuine.

But why?

Just because they had a romantic encounter in Xicheng?

Just because they knew each other’s bodies?

Qiu Yang couldn’t figure it out. Before showering, she pulled at her pajamas and then looked in the mirror, seeing that the hickey Shen Ningruo had given her the night they parted in Xicheng was gone, without a trace.

She couldn’t describe her current mood, only stared at that spot in a daze for two seconds before stepping under the showerhead.

Shen Ningruo also couldn’t describe what she was thinking, but the frustration in her heart was building up little by little, as if it would make her head and chest explode.

She had crossed a line with Qiu Yang tonight. Some things weren’t suitable to say to Qiu Yang, but she said them anyway.

Ultimately, it was because she remembered Qiu Yang when she received the call last night; that slightly heavy nasal voice made Shen Ningruo’s heart ache a little.

And at this moment, Shen Ningruo looked at the empty, lifeless living room and slowly exhaled a turbid breath.

She wouldn’t see Qiu Yang for a week.

Good, this time could be used to calm down.

The two women’s thoughts reached an agreement across the distance; a week’s time could perfectly serve as a cooling-off period.

Qiu Yang left at 1:30 PM. She hadn’t forgotten about meeting Yue Chu and took it quite seriously, applying makeup to look a bit more mature, wondering if it would make Yue Chu feel she had grown a lot over the years.

It was past lunchtime, but there were still quite a few customers at Xinhao Hotel. When Qiu Yang arrived, Yue Chu had just been seated for a few minutes and was looking through the menu.

Qiu Yang spotted Yue Chu from afar among so many tables. The reason was simple: Yue Chu was as radiant as ever.

She was like a human sun, a focal point wherever she went. Qiu Yang caught sight of several strangers’ eyes; they were all looking towards Yue Chu from time to time.

And Yue Chu only saw her, waving and showing her joy directly: “Yangyang.”

Qiu Yang smiled, walked over, and sat opposite Yue Chu: “Senior Yue.”

“Six or seven years unseen, our Yangyang looks even more beautiful,” Yue Chu said, trying to prevent the atmosphere from being awkward from the start, opening the conversation with appearance.

Hearing the address “our Yangyang,” Qiu Yang’s eyebrow couldn’t help but twitch, reminded of Shen Ningruo’s address to her last night.

But when Yue Chu called her that, she didn’t feel any illusion of her heart racing.

“Senior Yue, don’t tease me,” Qiu Yang replied. “I think you really look like you’re glowing now.”

Yue Chu waved her hand: “You’re exaggerating, Yangyang.”

After saying that, she handed the menu to Qiu Yang: “See if there’s anything you want to eat.”

The dishes at Xinhao Hotel weren’t expensive; they were at a normal consumption level. Plus, the taste was good, so it was normal for many people to come.

Qiu Yang didn’t stand on ceremony, ordering three of the signature dishes here, then looked at Yue Chu: “Senior Yue, you haven’t been back in a long time, let me order.”

Yue Chu didn’t stop her: “Okay.”

The surroundings were noisy, with all sorts of sounds. Yue Chu nervously clasped her hands on her lap and asked with concern: “How have you been recently?”

“Okay,” Qiu Yang said lightly, not planning to hide anything. “Just broke up, that’s the biggest thing this month.”

Yue Chu was a little surprised: “Is that the girlfriend you posted about on your Moments before?”

“I heard your relationship was quite good, why did you break up?”

Regarding Qiu Yang liking girls, Yue Chu, who was already in Beijing at the time, was actually a bit shocked, but she processed it quickly and even liked the photo Qiu Yang posted with her girlfriend.

“Well…” Qiu Yang opened her mouth. She really wanted to tell the truth, but she was afraid Yue Chu would worry too much, so she dismissed it with a smile, “It’s normal.”

“So many couples are in love, and many break up, so why shouldn’t it be me?”

“Oh, you…”

After so many years apart, the self-blame and guilt in Yue Chu’s heart hadn’t completely dissipated, but it didn’t prevent them from both relaxing a lot later on.

At first, they were both a bit reserved, but once they started talking about things from their university days, the distance between them shortened considerably.

“Oh, right, Jie,” Qiu Yang had already changed her address. “Have you submitted your resume then?”

“Not yet.”

“I have some personal matters to handle recently.”

Qiu Yang wasn’t very curious, so when she heard Yue Chu say this, she didn’t continue to ask. But she didn’t expect Yue Chu to explain herself: “It’s about me and that person.”

“I met that person last night. We were both invited to a gathering.”

“But I didn’t expect that after so many years, she’s still angry and still doesn’t like me.”

Qiu Yang felt this was vaguely “gay,” but she didn’t ask. After all these years, she actually didn’t know if the person Yue Chu liked back then was male or female.

So she just asked: “Then what are you going to do?”

“What do you mean, what am I going to do?”

“Your relationship needs to improve,” Qiu Yang’s brow furrowed slightly.

Yue Chu’s expression froze. She thought of what happened last night and quickly, somewhat flustered, moved on to the next topic: “Yangyang, are you happy with your job?”

Qiu Yang didn’t notice her panic and nodded cooperatively: “It’s not bad.”

But only Yue Chu knew that after last night, her relationship with that person hadn’t improved. In fact, before she left in the afternoon, the other person even threw a pillow at her, held their waist, and cursed at her: “Damn it! Yue! You owe me for my waist!”

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