After Breaking Up With The Wealthy Heiress - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Noisy. How could it not be noisy?

But the noise wasn’t coming from the environment; it was the sound of Fang Yu’s own heartbeat. It felt as if she had pushed open a door only to find a valley full of startled birds, chirping and fluttering without a moment’s rest.

Fang Yu had expected Tan Yunshu to look for her after returning, but she hadn’t expected it to be now. Right at the moment she was missing her.

Her nearsightedness was around 1.5 diopters in both eyes; at this close range, even though Tan Yunshu had removed her glasses, it didn’t stop her from seeing the person she hadn’t seen in so long with perfect clarity.

However, she wasn’t given much time to just look. Because the act of removing glasses, between them, carried a different significance altogether.

There were no cameras in the emergency stairwell. People passed by outside in small groups, but none seemed intent on coming in. Still, the sound of scattered footsteps kept Fang Yu’s nerves taut. This situation was even more nerve-wracking than the night Tan Yunshu had held her by the roadside.

“Fang Yu.” The upward curve of Tan Yunshu’s lips didn’t waver. She arched an eyebrow and asked in a slow, playful drawl, “Are you not going to kiss me yet? Time is running out.”

Fang Yu: “…”

Fang Yu habitually squinted her eyes and leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Tan Yunshu’s waist. Since she was wearing high heels today, they were at the same height; she only needed to tilt her head slightly to accurately capture Tan Yunshu’s lips.

The walls of the stairwell were stark white, and the lighting was a matching sterile white. Compared to the night they embraced in the dark, this was “black and white” in its clarity.

Fang Yu moved one hand up, her palm touching Tan Yunshu’s shoulder. Her eyelashes fluttered as she slowly closed the distance.

But just as she was about to actually kiss her, the stairwell door moved. Before she could react, the palm of Tan Yunshu’s hand pressed against the back of her head. Her face was buried into Tan Yunshu’s shoulder, her breath filled entirely with the other’s scent faint and intoxicating.

A few young people entered, laughing and chatting. They froze for a moment upon seeing two women embracing, and as they continued downstairs, they couldn’t help but steal a few more backward glances.

What… kind of scene is this? Was someone being comforted after a breakup, or were they a couple? Somehow, the latter seemed more believable.

Tan Yunshu gave them a cold, sidelong glance. Only after their voices faded into the distance did she release her hold on the back of Fang Yu’s head.

But Fang Yu didn’t let go of her embrace.

“Let me hold you a bit longer, Tan Yunshu,” Fang Yu’s voice trembled slightly.

Tan Yunshu let out a low chuckle, unable to resist teasing her. “Why?”

“No reason.”

But hearing that tone, Tan Yunshu understood everything. She slowly raised her hand and pinched Fang Yu’s ear. The person in her arms had nowhere to hide. Two seconds later, Tan Yunshu’s fingertips touched a “hand warmer.” Even though summer was approaching and her own fingers weren’t cold, the ear she touched was burning at an unimaginable temperature.

Tan Yunshu lowered her gaze. Thanks to the bright light, every detail was visible. Because of her part-time job, Fang Yu’s hair was pinned up, making her look less youthful than usual. This meant both her ears were completely exposed and not just her ears; the flush crawled down her skin, her entire face a deep, undeniable red.

Almost being caught kissing Tan Yunshu in a place like this was too much for Fang Yu. She was mortified, her ears hot and her face glowing; even her makeup couldn’t hide the blush that gave her away instantly.

Tan Yunshu used her other hand to tilt Fang Yu’s head back up to face her. She couldn’t help but think that “peach” really was the best word for Fang Yu whether it was during intimacy or in a moment like this, she looked like a delicious, ripe peach. This feeling was only reinforced by the fine, pale down Tan Yunshu had noticed on her face before.

Tan Yunshu’s smile deepened. She hadn’t seen this side of Fang Yu in the daylight before; it felt novel. Moreover, Fang Yu’s clear eyes were now misted over, making her look so pitiful and vulnerable that it invited further teasing.

“Tan…” Fang Yu whispered the name, but only one syllable escaped before the rest was swallowed.

With one hand still holding Fang Yu’s glasses and the other cradling her head, Tan Yunshu leaned in and softly took Fang Yu’s lips into her own.

Fang Yu closed her eyes, her knuckles white as she gripped the water bottle tightly. Her heartbeat amplified in her mind again thump-thump, thump-thump so loud she felt like calling for help. Outside, the world continued to pass by, footsteps and voices filtering into their ears. It was thrilling and terrifying all at once.

Before long, Tan Yunshu released her. She slid the glasses back onto Fang Yu’s face, her smile undiminished. “I won’t delay your work,” she said, checking her watch with newfound mock-seriousness. “Since you said you had seven minutes left, six have already passed…”

Fang Yu glared at her. “You really are…”

But the words died in her throat. After those few minutes with Tan Yunshu, her exhaustion seemed to have vanished, replaced by a heart full of joy. She truly was “Xiao Yu” (Little Joy) now.

She looked at Tan Yunshu, leaned in for a quick peck on the lips, and then turned without hesitation to pull open the stairwell door. She vanished back into the bustling mall, out of Tan Yunshu’s sight.

Tan Yunshu watched the closed door, licked her still-moist lips, and slowly followed her out.

By the time she reached the second-floor lounge area, Fang Yu was already back at her post on the first floor. Looking down, Tan Yunshu could see her smiling and handing out brochures at the booth. Fang Yu would bow slightly—the posture of a dedicated service worker.

A while later, Tan Yunshu went downstairs and entered the coffee shop directly opposite the booth. The mall was crowded, and the shop was doing brisk business, playing soothing music. She found a seat with a clear view of the booth and leisurely flipped through a book about coffee from the shelf. Every time she looked up, Fang Yu’s busy figure was framed by the glass wall.

And Fang Yu’s peripheral vision had captured Tan Yunshu the moment she came downstairs. Her eyes seemed to have an auto-focus for her. She watched Tan Yunshu enter the shop and take a seat even closer to the booth. Their gazes met occasionally, and Fang Yu would unhurriedly look away.

Tan Yunshu had seen her dilapidated home and slept in it; she had seen her working part-time before. There was nothing to be ashamed of. However, a question began to nag at her:

How did Tan Yunshu know she was here?

If the last time was a coincidence, what about this time? Even Fang Qin didn’t know she was working this specific shift today. How did Tan Yunshu find her so accurately? And this time, Tan Yunshu’s friend wasn’t there; she was alone.

The doubt grew. Fang Yu found herself slightly distracted. Cheng Meng, noticing her dazed expression, leaned in and whispered, “Xiao Yu, are you feeling unwell?”

Fang Yu’s face and ears had been red when she returned from her ten-minute break, which prompted the question.

“No, I’m just wondering why it isn’t 10:00 PM yet,” Fang Yu said with a small smile.

Cheng Meng’s eyes crinkled. “Last time I asked you, this time you’re asking me. I guess the urge to clock out is contagious.” She sighed. “I almost thought you had a fever.”

“How could I?”

An hour later, it was Fang Yu’s break time again. As usual, she went to the second-floor lounge. She didn’t look back, focusing on her phone. Tan Yunshu, still sitting in the coffee shop with no intention of leaving, received a message.

Fang Yu: How did you know I was here?

xxx: I guessed. xxx: You wouldn’t miss a chance to work on a holiday like this.

Fang Yu sat down in an empty seat. Looking at the message, her lips involuntarily curled up. Tan Yunshu knew what day it was. Even if Fang Yu found this “holiday” strange, the meaning attached to it was there. And Tan Yunshu had come to find her today.

Fang Yu suppressed a smile: Oh.

She turned to look down at the coffee shop. The second-floor railing was clear glass; she adjusted her glasses and saw Tan Yunshu clearly at the window seat. From this angle, she could see Tan Yunshu playing with her phone, chatting with someone, her fingertips tapping the screen frequently.

Fang Yu’s heart sank. She hadn’t received another message from Tan Yunshu. She stopped looking and gulped down half a bottle of water.

The ten minutes passed in a blink. She went to the restroom and hurried back to her post. But when she cast another subtle glance toward the coffee shop, someone else was sitting in Tan Yunshu’s spot.

It was a couple sitting side-by-side. They had ordered coffee and dessert. The girl was feeding her boyfriend a spoonful of cake; they were intimate, drawing a few glances from others.

Fang Yu couldn’t help but think of the phone call from a few nights ago. It was exactly the same. Tan Yunshu came when she wanted and left when she pleased, without even a “goodbye.” The control in this relationship always rested firmly in Tan Yunshu’s hands.

At 10:00 PM, the booth was packed up. Because of the holiday, sales were excellent. Sister Jiao gave everyone an extra 100-yuan red envelope, telling them to buy a late-night snack when they got home.

Fang Yu didn’t buy anything. She had no appetite. After returning the uniform to the warehouse, she let her long hair down and swept it back. Cheng Meng caught up and asked, “Xiao Yu, is your friend picking you up?”

“No, she’s busy,” Fang Yu said, realizing her tone sounded off. Tan Yunshu wasn’t her driver, after all. She quickly added, “I’ll just take the subway.”

“Let’s go together then.”

But the moment they stepped out of the mall, she saw Tan Yunshu’s figure by the roadside. Fang Yu’s footsteps faltered. She had thought she wouldn’t see her again today.

Seeing this, Cheng Meng followed her gaze and smiled. “See you next time, Xiao Yu.”

“See you next time.”

Walking through the night breeze, Fang Yu approached Tan Yunshu. She was still a bit bothered by Tan Yunshu’s unannounced departure earlier, so she didn’t have a smile on her face. She looked calm.

Tan Yunshu tucked her hair back. When Fang Yu got close, she chuckled and asked, “You don’t seem very happy to see me, Fang Yu?”

“Tan Yunshu…” Fang Yu stood before her, needing to confirm one more time. “Can you really date after you graduate?”

Tan Yunshu stared at her and gave an “Mm.” “I can.”

But before Fang Yu could say anything else, she pulled her in by the waist. Fang Yu couldn’t see Tan Yunshu’s face darkening as she said softly, “Happy today, Fang Yu.”

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