PSMD – Chapter 83

“Yes.” Qiu Yang’s answer was just one word, and then silence fell between them.

Shen Ningruo gripped the steering wheel, feeling a bit stunned. She had never considered the possibility that Yue Chu knew Qiu Yang, thinking the world was too big for such a coincidence.

Even when Yao Yao cried hysterically over a cat before, Shen Ningruo hadn’t thought of this.

But now, life had taught her a harsh lesson, showing her that while the world is indeed big, it can also be very small—so small that the senior Qiu Yang trusted was Yue Chu, the very Yue Chu Yao Yao had been longing for for so long.

Qiu Yang was also shocked. Shen Ningruo immediately calling out Yue Chu’s name proved she knew and recognized Yue Chu. And she was even more surprised that the person Yue Chu couldn’t get over for so long was Yao Yao.

Yao Yao was Shen Ningruo’s long-time friend, and they had a very good relationship.

After being quiet for most of the drive, Shen Ningruo finally sorted out the connections. She looked at the road ahead, pursed her lips, and said, “Yue Chu went to the same high school as us. Yao Yao confessed to her in high school but was rejected. After that, she outwardly acted like she couldn’t stand Yue Chu. All these years later, she still likes Yue Chu, and after they reconnected, they started getting entangled again.”

Shen Ningruo’s explanation was direct and straightforward, allowing Qiu Yang to understand what had happened immediately.

Qiu Yang then shared the version she knew: “I met my senior when I was a freshman. She was a senior then. She was very good to me, and I joined the photography club because of her encouragement. Later, she went to Beijing for grad school and work. She always felt she owed me something and rarely contacted me during that time. Now that she’s back in Yuncheng, we’ve reconnected.”

“The reason she felt she owed me was because she was so good to me because she thought my eyes looked like someone else’s.”

Shen Ningruo was speechless. After a few seconds, she laughed and said, “It’s like we’re comparing notes.”

Qiu Yang’s brows remained furrowed: “Do Yao Yao Jie’s eyes and mine look alike?”

“Why didn’t I notice?”

The streetlights were bright. As they drove onto a street lined with trees, the light dimmed considerably.

“If you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have thought so, because your eyes have different feels to them, but…”

“Now that you’ve said it, thinking back carefully, I do think your eyes are quite similar.”

Qiu Yang: “…”

Qiu Yang rubbed her forehead: “I’m confused.”

“You heard Yao Yao call me the other day. She said she wasn’t even as important as a cat, that Yue Chu was delaying taking care of her feelings for a cat. When I went over, I saw her crying uncontrollably.”

“That cat is Pangpang, the one you entrusted to Yue Chu before your business trip. Yue Chu took very good care of it, and Yao Yao felt neglected.”

Qiu Yang: “…”

Qiu Yang sighed: “I don’t know what to say.”

Shen Ningruo chuckled softly. She glanced at Qiu Yang’s expression and found it amusing: “Don’t take it to heart, it has nothing to do with you. There are too many twists and turns in their story, I’m used to it.”

Qiu Yang acknowledged this, but she was still shocked. She had thought Yue Chu’s words sometimes had a bit of a gay vibe, but she really hadn’t thought the other person was a woman.

Not only was she a woman, but she was Yao Yao.

She needed some time to process this news.

However, this time felt long. By Friday, Qiu Yang had opened the chat window with Yue Chu countless times, yet still hadn’t typed a single word. She didn’t know how to start.

Moreover, the guilt from saying hurtful things to Yue Chu before hadn’t dissipated, making her even more unsure of how to approach the conversation appropriately.

Shen Ningruo suggested Qiu Yang ask Yue Chu out for a meal to talk things through properly and casually mention knowing Yao Yao. Qiu Yang, however, felt this wasn’t right, as it would shift the focus of the matter.

But after thinking it through, Qiu Yang realized Shen Ningruo had a point, because the focus should shift. The issue between her and Yue Chu shouldn’t remain unresolved.

Their relationship shouldn’t be like this.

So, after further consideration, Qiu Yang sent a message to Yue Chu, inviting her to dinner at Xinhao Hotel tonight.

Shen Ningruo would also take action; she would invite Yao Yao to Xinhao Hotel.

Qiu Yang didn’t know if Yue Chu had mentioned her to Yao Yao. She figured it was likely just a casual mention without using her name, otherwise Yao Yao would have already asked Shen Ningruo. Based on her “importance” to Yue Chu, Yue Chu would definitely accept the invitation.

In that case, they might as well clear up the misunderstandings this time.

Qiu Yang suddenly started to feel nervous. Just thinking about the scene where the four of them would face each other made her feel awkward already.

These past three days, because of the Yue Chu and Yao Yao situation, Qiu Yang hadn’t paid much attention to Qu Yan’s movements, though she occasionally checked. Still, she hadn’t found anything unusual. Tao Sixian also hadn’t shown up again, and Qiu Yang finally felt like she could breathe a little.

Too much had happened in just over a month.

And since she publicly returned the medicine Peng Kaimiao brought her last time, Peng Kaimiao seemed to have understood her stance and hadn’t actively sought her out again.

Qiu Yang was happy for the peace and quiet. Gu Lan even messaged Qiu Yang to celebrate her getting rid of the childish Peng Kaimiao, and specifically bought Qiu Yang a cup of milk tea for it.

That was just today’s event. After work, Qiu Yang still hadn’t finished the milk tea. She wondered if the milk tea shop misunderstood what “three-tenths sugar” meant, as it was so sweet it was almost sickening. She had to drink half a cup of plain water after each sip.

Fortunately, Gu Lan also found the milk tea excessively sweet. When she ran into Qiu Yang after work, she told her she would never buy milk tea from that shop again.

Qiu Yang smiled: “Okay.”

“Happy weekend.”

“Happy weekend.” Gu Lan gave Qiu Yang a wink, her meaning clear.

It must be about Shen Ningruo.

Remembering this, Qiu Yang pursed her lips slightly and said with some hesitation, “We’re not together yet.”

“Huh?”

“It’s been a week, and not yet.”

Lao Yu had something going on at home today, so Shen Ningruo didn’t have him pick her up. Just as she was about to find someone else to drive, Qiu Yang said it wasn’t necessary and she wanted to take the bus home herself.

Gu Lan usually took the subway and bus too, so they happened to chat downstairs today.

“No.”

“There are still things to resolve.”

Qiu Yang knew Shen Ningruo would soon confess everything to her. She also knew Shen Ningruo might be struggling with how to start, just as she was struggling with how to talk to Yue Chu. Therefore, she was willing to give Shen Ningruo time.

She wasn’t in a hurry.

Gu Lan didn’t understand: “But Qiu Jie, you and Director Shen seem so good together. Can’t you just get together first and then solve the problems?”

“I don’t quite get it.”

“No.” Qiu Yang smiled and patted Gu Lan’s shoulder, “Because some things are just that important to her.”

Gu Lan seemed to understand vaguely: “Okay.”

They were going to the same bus stop, but for different bus routes. Gu Lan’s bus arrived first, and Qiu Yang continued to wait.

The display at the bus stop showed that her bus was about two stops away.

Qiu Yang held her phone tightly, looking in the direction the bus would come from.

There were a lot of people around now, and holding her phone tightly reduced the chance of it being stolen.

Cars came and went in waves on the road. Before her bus arrived, other buses stopped and passed by. After waiting for five minutes, Qiu Yang swiped her card and got on.

There were no seats available now, so she stood holding onto a handrail, looking out the window.

When the bus reached the next stop, several more people got on, making it more crowded. Qiu Yang had to shift her position slightly, not wanting to be too close to others.

Having gotten used to riding in Shen Ningruo’s car, suddenly being squeezed onto a bus felt a little uncomfortable for Qiu Yang, but it wasn’t unbearable.

Summer was still a month or two away, but even in this weather, there was still the smell of sweat and feet in the crowd. The bus was also a bit stuffy. After a while, Qiu Yang felt unwell. At the next stop, she decided to get off and take a taxi home, otherwise, she worried she might throw up on the bus.

The bus stopped at the next station. As soon as the back door opened, Qiu Yang got off. She stood by the roadside to recover for a moment before straightening up to call a car.

But her phone was gone.

Qiu Yang: …

Qiu Yang checked her pockets and rummaged through her bag. She searched twice but couldn’t find it. Fortunately, her wallet was still there. Qiu Yang walked to a supermarket by the road, recalled Shen Ningruo’s number, and borrowed a landline to call Shen Ningruo.

“Hello?”

“Who is this?”

Shen Ningruo’s tone was cool.

“It’s me…”

“My phone was stolen.”

Shen Ningruo became worried: “Where are you now?”

“I’m near Shuangren Road.”

“Wait there for me, I’m coming right away.” Shen Ningruo said and hung up. She didn’t care about anything else, put on her jacket, and left the office.

There was a mobile phone store near the company. Without a second thought, Shen Ningruo first went to buy Qiu Yang a new phone, then drove to find Qiu Yang. Luckily, the large store didn’t close until 7 PM, so there was still time to get a replacement SIM card.

Qiu Yang sat in the passenger seat, feeling a bit speechless about her luck: “I was holding it so tightly, I didn’t expect a thief to still get it.”

“It’s okay, Jiejie will buy you a new one.”

“Jiejie…?”

Shen Ningruo “uh”ed: “Didn’t they say that in the lesbian community, the younger ones like the older ones, and the older ones also like the older ones?”

“I’m three years older than you, so I count as Jiejie, right?”

Qiu Yang cleared her throat: “Call me Jiejie during the day, and I’ll call you Jiejie at night?”

“Have you heard that phrase?”

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