Accidentally Becoming a Green Tea Goddess Everyone Loves - Chapter 22

“Yanwei, what are you doing here?” Shen Shirou asked, her face full of surprise.

Lu Yanwei let out a soft, low chuckle. “I couldn’t just leave you here to wait all by yourself, could I?”

She made no mention of Jiang Peixing. Instead, she reached out and took Shen Shirou’s hand, lacing their fingers together in a firm grip.

“There are a lot of people here; don’t get separated from me,” Lu Yanwei said, her expression serious. Only Lu Yanwei herself knew just how much her heart was racing the moment she felt Shen Shirou’s hand in hers.

Fearing they would get separated was only a small part of it. The primary reason was a deep, aching desire to hold onto the person in front of her and never let go.

Shen Shirou took her at her word and allowed Lu Yanwei to lead her into the venue, their hands remained joined the entire way.

Well, at least Jiang Peixing didn’t show up, Shen Shirou thought. Attending a concert with Lu Yanwei shouldn’t affect the plot too much, right?

She hesitated for a brief second, but before her mind could wander further, Lu Yanwei had already found their seats.

“Let’s switch,” Lu Yanwei said, checking the seat numbers on the tickets. “You sit on the inside. The view is better there, so you’ll be able to see more clearly.”

Shen Shirou shook her head. “It’s fine,” she replied flatly. Truthfully, she had very little interest in the concert itself.

But Lu Yanwei misinterpreted her lack of enthusiasm as heartbreak over Jiang Peixing’s absence—assuming she had lost the will to even enjoy the show.

Lu Yanwei gently but firmly pressed Shen Shirou into the seat. “Now that we’re here, don’t waste another thought on terrible people or things.”

Terrible people and things? Shen Shirou froze. Surely, she doesn’t mean Jiang Peixing?

Lu Yanwei and Jiang Peixing were the “Official Couple.” They were the two destined to be together, yet Lu Yanwei seemed to harbor a massive prejudice against her.

” Yanwei,” Shen Shirou asked tentatively, “do you not really like Sister Jiang?”

Lu Yanwei locked eyes with Shen Shirou for a long moment. Her long lashes cast a shadow over her eyes. After a full minute of silence, she answered with absolute conviction: “Yes.”

She didn’t want to deceive Shen Shirou, so she spoke the truth of her heart.

“I loathe Jiang Peixing,” Lu Yanwei said bluntly. “I loathe anyone who treats you poorly.”

Shen Shirou knew it was normal for Lu Yanwei to be biased toward her, given that she viewed her as a soulmate. But listening to these words, Shen Shirou couldn’t help but wonder, was her relationship with Lu Yanwei becoming a bit too close?

“But you’re my best friend, and Sister Jiang is my fiancée,” Shen Shirou said, sounding full of self-reproach. “You’re both very important people to me. I don’t want there to be conflict between you because of me.”

The moment the words “best friend” left her mouth, Lu Yanwei’s brow furrowed. That particular label sounded exceptionally grating.

Ever since learning how Jiang Peixing treated Shen Shirou, Lu Yanwei had changed her mind. She no longer wanted and was no longer satisfied with merely being a friend.

The lights illuminated the stage, and as the concert began, the entire stadium erupted in a roar of excitement.

“Shirou,” Lu Yanwei called out.

“Yes?”

Lu Yanwei slowly looked up. Her lips moved, appearing to say something. But the sheer volume of the music and the screaming crowd drowned her out entirely. Shen Shirou only caught the very first word: “I.”

The rest of the sentence was lost in the noise. Shen Shirou leaned closer to her. “What did you say?”

Lu Yanwei shook her head, choosing not to repeat herself. She offered a curved, soft smile. “I’ll tell you next time we see each other.”

Since they saw each other almost every day, Shen Shirou figured “next time” likely meant tomorrow.

The concert ended at nine o’clock. Lu Yanwei offered to drive Shen Shirou home, and this time, Shen Shirou didn’t refuse, though she only let Lu Yanwei drop her off at the intersection near the villa.

After parting ways with Lu Yanwei, Shen Shirou had only walked a short distance when she spotted a Porsche Cayenne parked under a streetlamp near the villa gates. Its position was identical to the last time.

It went without saying who was inside.

She suspected that even if she tried to ignore it, Qi Yan would just use the same old trick and block her path with the car. Shen Shirou glanced toward the villa. The windows were dark; not a single light was on. Jiang Peixing wasn’t home.

Just as Shen Shirou stepped forward to knock on the car window, the driver’s side door opened.

Looking at Qi Yan, Shen Shirou arched an eyebrow. “It’s so late. What could possibly bring Miss Qi here again?”

“I was thinking it was getting late myself.” Qi Yan’s red lips curved into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “So, why is my dear coming home at this hour with another woman?”

From the sound of it, she had witnessed Lu Yanwei dropping her off at the corner.

” Yanwei and I are just good friends,” Shen Shirou said. “Besides, who I come home with is none of your business, Miss Qi.”

Shen Shirou placed a sharp emphasis on “Miss Qi,” as if pointedly reminding Qi Yan of her place.

Qi Yan, however, showed no signs of self-awareness. “Is that so? I thought we were mutually in love and had been together for a long time now.”

“Really? All I remember is that I’m engaged to Sister Jiang,” Shen Shirou countered. “If you don’t have anything important to say, I’m going inside.”

As she turned to leave, Qi Yan caught her by the wrist.

“We haven’t seen each other in nearly two weeks, yet you’re in such a hurry to leave. Don’t you want to catch up at least a little?” Qi Yan let out a soft sigh. “And here I’ve been, whispering your name in my dreams every night.”

“I only love Sister Jiang,” Shen Shirou stated. “We aren’t a good match.”

“How would you know if we’re a match without trying?” Qi Yan retorted.

In the darkness of the night, Qi Yan’s eyes were deep and heavy. “What? Other women can drop you off at your door in the middle of the night, yet when it comes to me, you won’t even consider giving me a single chance?”

Shen Shirou wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she thought she detected a faint, unmistakable hint of jealousy in Qi Yan’s voice.

“Unless Sister Jiang breaks off the engagement,” Shen Shirou said loudly, “I won’t be with any other woman.”

“Oh?” Qi Yan arched an eyebrow. “So, you’re saying that as long as Jiang Peixing leaves you, you’ll accept my pursuit?”

Shen Shirou was stunned. She was clearly trying to get Qi Yan to give up! How had it been twisted into this?

Qi Yan took her silence as a default agreement. A meaningful glint flashed in her eyes. “Then it’s a deal.”

“You aren’t wearing the bracelet I gave you again today.” Qi Yan’s gaze traveled down to her bare wrist. “Or would you prefer I punish you instead? Hmm?”

The smile vanished from Qi Yan’s face. “I’m angry, so.”

She leaned down, bowing her head toward Shen Shirou. Her red lips pressed against Shen Shirou’s pale wrist, leaving a fleeting, lingering kiss.

“This is your punishment.”