Chapter 136 Romantic surprises and cold attitude
Shi Yunyang lay contentedly sprawled across Xu Zhaodi. The face beneath her wasn't strikingly beautiful—'plain Jane' might be the kindest description—and her figure was somewhat underdeveloped, lacking any real curves. Yet, for three years, Shi Yunyang hadn't tired of this 'little cabbage'. Ah, Shi Yunyang, she mused, for all your worldly wisdom, you still fell for this little cabbage. Unfortunately, this little cabbage's heart still belonged to that idiot.
"Fangfang, you're heavy. I can't breathe," Xu Zhaodi frowned. Shi Yunyang always had this habit of draping herself over her after they were finished. Although Shi Yunyang wasn't fat, having a 173cm woman lying on top of her 163cm frame was still suffocating.
"You can call me Shi Shi, Yun Yun, or Yang Yang. As for Fangfang... just forget it," Shi Yunyang felt a profound sense of helplessness. It seemed she would forever be stuck with the image of a simpleton in Xu Zhaodi's mind. 'Fangfang' was the name she'd had during her amnesiac, idiotic phase—unbearably folksy. Shi Yunyang desperately wished that memory wouldn't be brought up, even though she'd been quite happy playing the fool back then. It clashed so terribly with her true self.
"The only thing left of her is the name," Xu Zhaodi insisted stubbornly. She deeply resented how the current Shi Yunyang had usurped her Fangfang. Fangfang had been such a wonderful girl; she didn't even want to comment on this Shi Yunyang.
Fine, let her call me whatever she wants, Shi Yunyang conceded inwardly. At least Xiao Zhao had the decency not to use it in front of others. That would be utterly humiliating.
"The Eldest Miss invited us for a spring outing barbecue," Shi Yunyang changed the subject. Xiao Zhao would probably never refuse an invitation from Eldest Miss Qin. Shi Yunyang couldn't fathom where Miss Qin got such powerful charisma; no one seemed immune. A sour feeling welled up inside Shi Yunyang. It took no genius to figure out that in Xiao Zhao's eyes, she and Qin Wanshu were worlds apart—one in heaven, the other on earth.
At the mention of Qin Wanshu, Xu Zhaodi immediately perked up. She truly couldn't understand how a woman as goddess-like and perfect as Miss Qin could be childhood friends with the utterly scummy Shi Yunyang. It just felt like Miss Qin had poor judgment in friends. If it hadn't been for Miss Qin's sake back then, she wouldn't have wanted anything to do with this Shi Yunyang, who was all glitter on the outside but rotten within.
"When?" Xu Zhaodi was also curious about the kind of person who could stand beside Qin Wanshu. She found it hard to imagine anyone worthy of being next to her; Qin Wanshu was just too wonderful, almost too perfect for mortals.
"Tomorrow." Shi Yunyang was terrified Qin Wanshu might let slip about her 'idiot phase' to Zuo Qinghuan. Although Qin Wanshu wasn't one to gossip, Li Xin... Shi Yunyang suddenly remembered that person, and her face darkened. The blood clot in her head had been removed by Li Xin. That Li Xin held a grudge against her, too. She'd probably spill the beans. Would Zuo Qinghuan invite Li Xin and Yan Ruozhe tomorrow as well? The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
"Tomorrow? No way, I need to get up right now and prepare..." Xu Zhaodi's mother-hen instincts kicked in. She had a habit of taking everything upon herself and was about to get up to organize barbecue equipment and whatnot.
Shi Yunyang pinned Xu Zhaodi firmly beneath her, preventing her from rising.
"They invited us, not the other way around. They'll handle everything properly. Stop fussing," Shi Yunyang said with a frown.
"Miss Qin doesn't seem like she would..." In Xu Zhaodi's mind, Qin Wanshu, much like Shi Yunyang, seemed like the type whose delicate fingers never touched mundane chores. She probably wouldn't know how to handle such trivial things.
"The Qin family has plenty of servants. Besides, the Eldest Miss has that fake fairy Zuo Qinghuan by her side. Why would they need you to worry about it?" Shi Yunyang retorted dismissively.
"Fake fairy?" Xu Zhaodi thought about it and agreed, but then wondered, "Who's the fake fairy?"
"The Eldest Miss's woman." Had she really never mentioned Zuo Qinghuan to Xiao Zhao?
"Miss Qin's woman?" Xu Zhaodi's voice unconsciously rose. She hadn't expected Miss Qin to love women too. More importantly, she struggled to picture Qin Wanshu with an intimate lover by her side. Xu Zhaodi felt a strange surge of anticipation for tomorrow's barbecue.
Xu Zhaodi watched as Shi Yunyang tried on outfit after outfit. This woman was indeed as flamboyant as ever, and today she seemed even more extravagantly dressed than usual, as if preparing for a beauty contest. In truth, Shi Yunyang was planning to compete. It was well known that Shi Yunyang naturally loved being the center of attention—she was just that ostentatious.
"Xiao Zhao, should I put some light makeup on you?" Having chosen her clothes and finished her own makeup, Shi Yunyang asked Xu Zhaodi, who was waiting beside her, nearly out of patience. After all, the plain Xiao Zhao might be at a disadvantage among that group of beautiful women. Shi Yunyang knew every woman had a bit of vanity, even if Xiao Zhao's vanity seemed to be in negative numbers.
"Aren't we just going for a barbecue? Why bother with makeup? Making such a fuss. Let's get to Miss Qin's place early and help with the grilling," Xu Zhaodi scolded, particularly disapproving of Shi Yunyang's impractical, showy style.
When Shi Yunyang arrived with Xu Zhaodi, Li Xin and the others had arrived too. They bumped into each other right at the entrance of Qin Wanshu's villa. As fate would have it, the two incredibly flamboyant women were both wearing striking red outfits. Though the styles differed, the clash was still awkward.
Xu Zhaodi noticed that both Shi Yunyang and Li Xin looked slightly unnatural upon seeing each other. Dr. Li seemed a bit nervous, casting cautious glances around, seemingly afraid of provoking Yan Ruozhe's jealousy.
Yan Ruozhe wasn't surprised that Shi Yunyang was also invited. Although her dislike for Shi Yunyang had lessened compared to before, the fact that Li Xin and Shi Yunyang had actually had a one-night stand still left a small knot of discomfort in her heart.
Shi Yunyang cursed Zuo Qinghuan inwardly for being so tedious. She just knew Zuo Qinghuan would invite Li Xin and Yan Ruozhe. She didn't particularly care about the one-night stand with Li Xin, but Li Xin, as the surgeon who later removed the blood clot from her brain, had seen her during her amnesiac phase. Shi Yunyang felt utterly mortified, like she'd lost face all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
Li Xin breathed a slight sigh of relief seeing Yan Ruozhe's expression remain unchanged. Actually, Yan Yan was quite possessive, something Li Xin had only discovered later. Her own tendency to attract trouble always brought unwanted attention from others. When Yan Yan encountered such situations, she'd act indifferent on the surface, but Li Xin knew she'd be in for it once they got home. She would always torment her until she was crying and begging for mercy, yet never admit she was jealous—stubborn as a mule.
Li Xin, Yan Ruozhe, and Shi Yunyang were each lost in their own thoughts, momentarily ignoring Xu Zhaodi standing beside Shi Yunyang.
This wasn't the first time Xu Zhaodi had seen Li Xin. It was obvious that Li Xin, without her doctor's coat, belonged to the same flashy type as Shi Yunyang. Standing together, they were like Yao Huang and Wei Zi peonies, vying for attention.
"Hello, Dr. Li," Xu Zhaodi greeted proactively. Although Li Xin looked even more like a 'loose woman' than Shi Yunyang, her sacred profession as a respected doctor earned her a measure of respect from Xu Zhaodi.
"Oh, it's Xiao Zhao and Fangfang! Looks like it's going to be lively today." Li Xin's mood instantly brightened seeing Shi Yunyang's face darken at the mention of 'Fangfang'. One shouldn't be too wicked, or karma will strike. Shi Yunyang was a prime example.
"We should go inside," Yan Ruozhe reminded them. Greetings exchanged, it was time to enter.
Upon entering the courtyard, Xu Zhaodi saw Qin Wanshu carefully tying Zuo Qinghuan's hair, her expression gentle and focused. One woman like a goddess, the other resembling a fairy—together, they created an image of extraordinary, ethereal beauty. Qin Wanshu and Zuo Qinghuan possessed the kind of looks Xu Zhaodi idealized. While Shi Yunyang was also stunningly beautiful in her own alluring way, she lacked that serene, elegant grace.
"You must be Xiao Zhao. I'm Zuo Qinghuan. You can call me Qinghuan," Zuo Qinghuan greeted Xu Zhaodi warmly and proactively. She observed Xu Zhaodi carefully. Her appearance was indeed unremarkable compared to the dazzling women present, but she had a friendly, girl-next-door vibe. Zuo Qinghuan had always thought Shi Yunyang's taste in women, if she ever switched sides, would lean towards Qin Wanshu's or Li Xin's type. This innocent little fruit, Xu Zhaodi, clearly looked like a very proper child. Standing next to a rebellious, wicked, mature woman like Shi Yunyang, the contrast was indeed stark.
Xu Zhaodi shyly smiled back at Zuo Qinghuan. "I'll go get things ready." Xu Zhaodi wasn't good at socializing, especially among such a group of outstanding women. She felt a little reserved and decided to stick to what she did best.
"Xiao Zhao, I'll help you," Li Xin, the culinary expert, volunteered eagerly.
Shi Yunyang felt this barbecue was incredibly dull. Everyone was just eating barbecue politely and making small talk.
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Shi Yunyang proposed.
"Good idea!" Li Xin immediately perked up at the suggestion.
"Okay," Zuo Qinghuan agreed. It could lighten the mood, and more importantly, allow for infinite mischievous fun.
"You guys play. I don't want to," the prim and proper Yan Ruozhe was the first to opt out.
"Mm, Ruozhe and I will just watch from the side," Qin Wanshu also disliked such low-brow games.
"I don't want to play either." Xiao Zhao saw it was her Shi Yunyang's suggestion and figured it couldn't be anything good.
"If you don't want to play, that's fine. You can just do a sexy dance instead," Shi Yunyang wouldn't allow the three proper ones to withdraw. It was much more fun playing this game with serious people.
"Agreed!" Li Xin and Zuo Qinghuan said in unison.
"It's settled then. Anyone who doesn't want to tell the truth has to do a sexy dance," Shi Yunyang finalized the rules with a metaphorical hammer blow.
And so, as luck would have it, those who least wanted to play were the most likely to be chosen. Yan Ruozhe was the first victim.
"Which part of Li Xin's body do you like the most?" Zuo Qinghuan asked first, a mischievous grin plastered on her face.
"Yeah, which part? Tell the truth, or else it's a sexy dance," Shi Yunyang added fuel to the fire. Li Xin also looked expectant. Even Qin Wanshu and Xu Zhaodi watched her with curiosity. Yan Ruozhe suddenly felt immense pressure under the intense gaze of this pack of predatory women.
"Her chest." Forced into a corner and incapable of bluffing, Yan Ruozhe blurted out the answer. Seeing so many surprised eyes staring at her, her fair face instantly flushed crimson, the blush spreading down to her neck.
Who knew the most proper person was actually quite improper? This thought flashed through almost everyone's mind. Only Li Xin proudly puffed out her impressive chest.
The second victim was Zuo Qinghuan, questioned by Xu Zhaodi.
"How did you two meet?" As expected of the innocent Xu Zhaodi, the question disappointed everyone present.
"She was originally my lover's wife. I seduced her," Zuo Qinghuan's answer left Xu Zhaodi's mouth agape in astonishment. She had always imagined Qin Wanshu and Zuo Qinghuan shared a beautiful love story. She never thought the fairy-like Zuo Qinghuan was actually the real homewrecker. It truly drove home the saying, 'never judge a book by its cover.'
Third was Li Xin's turn. She drew Qin Wanshu.
"Qin Wanshu, between you and Zuo Qinghuan, who tops more often?" Li Xin certainly didn't disappoint the crowd.
"About the same." Qin Wanshu breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the question wasn't too explicit. But she relaxed too soon. She was chosen again in the next round, and the questioner was Shi Yunyang. Qin Wanshu knew Shi Yunyang's utterly shameless brand of wicked humor all too well and instantly felt immense pressure.
"Qin Wanshu, what's your favorite position?" Shi Yunyang asked, indeed proving her lack of shame.
Even the usually calm and composed Qin Wanshu couldn't remain composed. "Anything is fine," Qin Wanshu's face was also tinged with a suspicious flush.
"Qin Wanshu, nobody's satisfied with that answer. If you don't tell the truth, you'll have to do the sexy dance," Shi Yunyang wasn't about to let Qin Wanshu off the hook so easily.
Qin Wanshu felt like slapping Shi Yunyang dead. What a shameless woman! She hated all sorts of low-brow, wicked games. She desperately wanted to flee.
Yan Ruozhe could deeply empathize with Qin Wanshu's current state of mind but also found it amusing. It was rare to see Qin Wanshu lose her usual elegance and composure. Wickedness was indeed contagious.
"As long as it feels good," Qin Wanshu finished, her face completely red.
"Alright, let's continue," Zuo Qinghuan came to the rescue of the thin-skinned Qin Wanshu. She considerately reached out and pulled Qin Wanshu into her embrace. Qin Wanshu buried her face in Zuo Qinghuan's neck to avoid seeing the others' teasing expressions. It was truly embarrassing.
Although no one was fully satisfied with the answer, they knew it was already a feat for Qin Wanshu to say that much, so they let her pass for the time being.
Yan Ruozhe drew Shi Yunyang. Li Xin excitedly volunteered a question for Yan Ruozhe.
"What did it feel like to have amnesia?" Yan Ruozhe couldn't think of a question herself, so she adopted Li Xin's suggestion.
"It felt very happy and very grounded," Shi Yunyang said seriously. Although that period of amnesia was humiliating, perhaps it wasn't retribution, but rather redemption.
Xu Zhaodi looked at Shi Yunyang, feeling slightly moved. She had always thought Shi Yunyang was unwilling to bring up that past. For someone as proud as Shi Yunyang, that must have been her lowest point.
Except for Qin Wanshu, everyone else looked at Shi Yunyang with some surprise. They had thought Shi Yunyang would rather do the sexy dance than answer this question. Moreover, the answer was unexpected, causing everyone to see Shi Yunyang in a new light. Shi Yunyang was indeed somewhat different from before. Although still prone to causing chaos, she was at least less of a scumbag.
"Why are you all staring at me like that? Continue!" Shi Yunyang felt strangely uncomfortable being watched like this.
This time, Zuo Qinghuan drew Xu Zhaodi.
"Xiao Zhao, when do you find her most annoying?" Zuo Qinghuan was curious about Shi Yunyang from her lover's perspective.
"She's basically always annoying. Loads of bad habits, a venomous tongue, her worldview and outlook on life are seriously twisted. She's practically a person with warped values." And old flames keep popping up, regardless of gender! Just thinking about it made her angry.
Zuo Qinghuan gave a look that screamed, 'Xiao Zhao, you've hit the nail on the head!' Zuo Qinghuan always felt that tolerating Shi Yunyang was something no ordinary person could manage.
"Hey! Am I really that bad? At least I'm not annoying in bed, right?" Shi Yunyang protested.
"True. You're only barely tolerable in bed," Xu Zhaodi pondered for a moment before stating this rather matter-of-factly.
The others couldn't help but burst into laughter. Shi Yunyang was depressed. Back in the day, she had charmed countless admirers. Now, she was reduced to mere utility in bed. Was this truly a case of fortunes changing?
"Yunyang," Xu Zhaodi suddenly spoke up in the car on the way back, looking at Shi Yunyang who was driving.
"Hm?" Shi Yunyang was a bit surprised. Privately, Xiao Zhao preferred calling her by her amnesiac name, or calling her full name when angry. Hearing her first name suddenly felt unfamiliar.
"They are all very special." The goddess-like Qin Wanshu, the fairy-like but not-so-fairy-like Zuo Qinghuan, the equally boisterous Li Xin, and the most proper Yan Ruozhe—each one was so unique.
"Shouldn't I be the most special one?" Shi Yunyang asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That last close dance with Dr. Li was really something. Was Li Xin perhaps an old flame of yours too?" That final intimate dance between Li Xin and Shi Yunyang had been incredibly hot. In terms of looks, the two were truly evenly matched. Thankfully, there wasn't a sense of intimacy between them; it felt more like a showdown. Still, seeing her lover dance so closely with someone else left a bitter taste.
"How could that be?" Shi Yunyang said with a smile, feeling slightly guilty. Although her interest in women had started with Li Xin, they couldn't really be called old flames. It was just a one-night stand—something she certainly wouldn't let Xiao Zhao know.
"Hard to say," Xu Zhaodi snorted derisively.
"It's a pity Aoba returned to Japan, otherwise it would have been even livelier," Zuo Qinghuan thought of Aoba, who had been urgently summoned back to Japan by her foster father. Friends, family, lover—she had them all now. She felt very happy.
"If you miss her, we can go visit her in Japan together when we have time," Qin Wanshu was a thoughtful lover, undoubtedly.
"Mm." Zuo Qinghuan reached out and wrapped her arms around Qin Wanshu's waist. Beside Qin Wanshu, she felt blissful.
Qin Wanshu returned the embrace, hugging Zuo Qinghuan's waist. She seemed to be growing increasingly fond of Zuo Qinghuan's intimacy.
"That final close dance between Li Xin and Shi Yunyang was quite spectacular. It really got the blood pumping," Zuo Qinghuan remarked. As expected of two heartthrobs, putting them together was like Mars colliding with Earth.
"I suspect Li Xin is going to suffer when she gets back," Qin Wanshu couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. Yan Ruozhe's jealousy vat was likely overflowing.
"It's possible Li Xin did it on purpose. You know her, she probably wouldn't mind being ravaged to death in bed by Yan Ruozhe. That workaholic Yan Ruozhe inevitably neglects Li Xin. And Li Xin, a woman in her thirties, is like a wolf or tiger, especially after being forced to abstain for so long. She's practically insatiable. So, she occasionally stirs up trouble, provoking Yan Ruozhe to ravage her wildly. It's entirely possible," Zuo Qinghuan became increasingly convinced by her own analysis as she spoke.
Qin Wanshu was speechless. Could this be Li Xin and Yan Ruozhe's particular brand of foreplay?
"Yan Yan, please don't be angry anymore, okay?" Li Xin pleaded sweetly with Yan Ruozhe, who had maintained a cold expression ever since they returned.
Yan Ruozhe grew angrier just thinking about Li Xin dancing closely with Shi Yunyang.
"Yan Yan, I'll never do it again, forgive me, please? I swear, otherwise let me turn into an ugly hag," Li Xin begged humbly. Seeing Yan Ruozhe still unmoved, she thought, 'Oh no, Yan Yan is really furious this time.'
"Yan Yan, you know how a group of women together gets competitive out of vanity. I just didn't want to be outshone by Shi Yunyang. It was definitely vanity acting up. Yan Yan, don't ignore me, I know I was wrong," Li Xin's earnest attitude was just short of committing seppuku.
"Shallow!" Two cold words floated out from Yan Ruozhe.
"Yes, I'm shallow! I have big boobs and no brain..." Seeing Yan Ruozhe finally react, Li Xin quickly followed her lead, self-deprecating and reflecting on her flaws.
Hearing Li Xin say this, Yan Ruozhe found it both infuriating and amusing. Big boobs and no brain? How could she say that?
"Alright, don't let it happen again. You can go out first, I still have some things to handle," Yan Ruozhe interrupted Li Xin before she could spout more nonsense.
"Huh? Just like that?" This wasn't how she imagined it would go. The anticipated passionate bedroom tumble was gone. Li Xin felt like crying. Yan Yan has been neglecting me for so long, waaah...
Yan Ruozhe had indeed been busy lately, neglecting Li Xin for the better part of a month. She had planned to take a month off after finishing this stretch of work to go on vacation abroad with Li Xin. She originally intended to tell her tonight, but now she decided not to reveal it so quickly. Let her suffer the cold shoulder for a few more days. Who told her to misbehave today?
Li Xin's expression towards Yan Ruozhe wilted like a drooping flower. She tucked her tail between her legs and left Yan Ruozhe's study. She hated workaholics.
The more disappointed Li Xin was, the more Yan Ruozhe wanted to give her a surprise. Perhaps this would be the most romantic thing Yan Ruozhe had ever done for Li Xin.