After Flirting with the God-Tier Beautiful Tycoon - Chapter 57

There were no classes the next afternoon, and she didn’t need to go to the shop.

Shen Xiaojiang sat staring at her phone, transfixed by her chat window with Chen Yi.

It was empty neither of them had sent a message.

Since adding each other on WeChat, they rarely chatted. When something came up, they either relied on phone calls or… telepathy.

Shen Xiaojiang bit her lip, wondering if she should ask what her “Auntie” was doing or if she was busy.

Forget it, she thought. Remembering Chen Yi’s hurried and agitated expression from the previous night, she figured Chen Yi must be dealing with something troublesome. It was better not to disturb her.

A good little puppy should learn to walk itself.

Shen Xiaojiang bit the cap of her pen, her mind flipping between clarity and confusion. Her thoughts were like a ball of yarn knotting up one moment and unraveling the next.

It was a total mess.

“Ginger baby?” Sun Jiabao had ordered milk tea and brought one for her.

Shen Xiaojiang’s interest in milk tea was average she could drink it, but she didn’t crave it.

The plastic cup was covered in condensation. The mist gathered into droplets that reached a breaking point, sliding down rapidly to form a tiny lake on the desk.

“Iced, thirty percent sugar witness my deep love for you.” Sun Jiabao moved her chair closer to Shen Xiaojiang.

“Mm,” Shen Xiaojiang responded flatly, showing no emotional fluctuation.

Sun Jiabao took a loud sip of her own “crispy boba,” tilted her chin, and scrutinized Shen Xiaojiang’s profile. Being so close, she could see the distraction in her friend’s eyes.

“Ginger, what’s wrong with you?” Sun Jiabao set down her drink, looking concerned.

She was Shen Xiaojiang’s best friend; they had been close since high school. Both were generally thick-skinned and blunt, but Sun Jiabao was slightly better at reading the room.

“Huh?” Shen Xiaojiang slowly looked up.

“Geez, I don’t even look this depressed after pulling an all-nighter gaming,” Sun Jiabao pushed the milk tea forward. “Here, aren’t you going to drink it?”

Shen Xiaojiang glanced at the tea and suddenly remembered being in Haishi, drinking the almond milk her mother had made with Chen Yi. That almond milk had been truly delicious.

“Oh.” Shen Xiaojiang picked up the cup and stared at it for a long time, failing to even insert the straw.

“Tsk!” Sun Jiabao couldn’t take it anymore. She snatched the tea and straw. “Give it here. You really need me for everything.”

Shen Xiaojiang took the opened drink back, took a symbolic sip, and whispered a small “thanks.”

Sun Jiabao nearly choked. “What did you say?”

Shen Xiaojiang set the tea down and rested her chin in both hands, looking exactly like a girl lost in the throes of first love.

“No way,” Sun Jiabao reached out and touched Shen Xiaojiang’s forehead with the back of her hand. “You don’t have a fever.”

Shen Xiaojiang looked at her with disdain. “What are you doing?”

The two stared at each other, eye to eye. Shen Xiaojiang was the first to look away.

“Heh, Ginger…”

“Don’t talk to me, I’m annoyed.”

Shen Xiaojiang pulled her arms in and buried her face in the crook of her elbow on the desk.

Sun Jiabao blinked rapidly and leaned into Shen Xiaojiang’s ear, whispering, “What are you annoyed about? If you don’t talk to me now, you’ll regret it.”

Shen Xiaojiang sighed but remained silent.

Sun Jiabao gave a mischievous grin. “I’ll tell you something to make you happy. I found the answer to what you asked me yesterday.”

Yesterday? Shen Xiaojiang searched her memory.

Sun Jiabao wobbled her head playfully. “The birthday…”

Birthday?

Shen Xiaojiang suppressed her excitement and feigned indifference. “Speak.”

“Oh, it was on the tip of my tongue, but I forgot.”

“Sun Jiabao, do you still want private tutoring?”

Sun Jiabao nodded frantically. “July 22nd. It happens to be a Saturday.”

July 22nd. That meant Chen Yi was a Cancer.

Cancer, the first sign of summer. People born under this sign are sharp minded with strong adaptability and quick reflexes. That fits Chen Yi, Shen Xiaojiang thought.

On the other hand, Cancers are said to be indirect, sensitive, suspicious, hard to please, and sometimes too serious to find joy in life. That also fits Chen Yi.

Shen Xiaojiang was an Aries. The compatibility between Cancer and Aries is about 20% a very mediocre statistic. Rounding down, they were basically incompatible.

Shen Xiaojiang gave a faint “Oh” and etched the date into her heart.

Suddenly, Sun Jiabao grabbed her wrist. They locked eyes, and Sun Jiabao squinted.

“Come outside with me,” she said.

Shen Xiaojiang’s heart skipped a beat. Sun Jiabao might seem a bit dim, but she was still a young woman, how could she not understand the heart of another?

The two went to the empty laundry room.

Sun Jiabao leaned against the wall, looking around to make sure they were alone before speaking slowly: “Tell me the truth.”

Shen Xiaojiang froze, her fingers gripping the seams of her pants.

“What truth?” Her voice trembled slightly, and her heart raced.

Sun Jiabao pulled a small pink comb from her pocket, fixed her bangs, and said seriously: “You’ve been asking about my mom’s birthday, then my aunt’s birthday, and offering to tutor me in calculus… Tell me, is it…?”

“I…” Just as Shen Xiaojiang was about to speak, Sun Jiabao interrupted.

“How long has it been?”

Shen Xiaojiang’s back felt numb. She hadn’t known Chen Yi long, and they had spent even less time together.

“Barely a month,” Shen Xiaojiang said, her heart like still water. After all, paper cannot wrap fire it was time to confess.

“What?” Sun Jiabao frowned. “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Shen Xiaojiang: “Earlier…?”

Sun Jiabao tucked her comb away and pulled out her phone. “How much do you need to borrow?”

Shen Xiaojiang: “Huh?”

Sun Jiabao stepped toward her. “Come on, how much?”

“No,” Shen Xiaojiang backed away. “Borrow what?”

Sun Jiabao laughed. “You never ask for help unless it’s a desperate situation. Doing all these favors out of nowhere? You must want to borrow money.”

Shen Xiaojiang: “…” What kind of twisted logic is that?

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She had clearly overestimated Sun Jiabao’s intelligence. Her “cluelessness” went far deeper than it appeared.

“Idiot, I’m not asking for money.” She turned to leave.

“Ha! Then you’re in love,” Sun Jiabao said decisively.

“What?” Shen Xiaojiang tried to keep up the facade.

Sun Jiabao squinted and smiled. “Who is it? Do I know them?”

The plot twists kept coming. Sun Jiabao had a brain, just not a very large one.

Shen Xiaojiang stopped looking at her like she was a fool. “You… might not know her.”

“Ah?” Sun Jiabao’s eyes went wide. “Ahhh? Did I hear right? You, Shen Xiaojiang, are actually in love?”

Shen Xiaojiang covered Sun Jiabao’s mouth and mouthed: Are you crazy!

Then, she got serious. “I don’t know if we’re ‘in love’ yet. We haven’t confessed to each other. I’m very confused.”

“Mm, go on,” Sun Jiabao said, wearing a face ready for free gossip.

Shen Xiaojiang’s face went cold. “Forget it, I’m not saying anything.”

“Wait, wait! Don’t be like that! Tell me, maybe I can help.” Sun Jiabao winked frantically.

“Aren’t you also perpetually single?” Shen Xiaojiang tried to leave again.

Sun Jiabao pouted. “Don’t say that. Just because I haven’t eaten the pork doesn’t mean I haven’t seen the pig run. I’ve read more novels and flirted with more people than you’ve done math problems.”

Shen Xiaojiang glared. “Who are you calling a pig?”

Sun Jiabao rubbed her hands together in apology. “So, what’s the situation?”

“What do you mean ‘what situation’?”

“I mean, how far have things progressed?”

Shen Xiaojiang choked. Her mind was instantly filled with the image of Chen Yi’s charming, tearful, and breathless face in the car.

“We…” She paused, her hand hovering over her mouth. “We haven’t… haven’t… Ugh, I told you, we haven’t confessed.”

Sun Jiabao looked at her thoughtfully. “Tsk, who made the first move?”

Shen Xiaojiang thought back. It was hard to say. It felt like she was the proactive one, yet the entire rhythm seemed to be under Chen Yi’s control. It was as if both had mouths but neither was speaking.

Seeing Shen Xiaojiang’s silent struggle, Sun Jiabao uncrossed her arms in shock. “Babe, don’t tell me this is just a secret crush?”

A secret crush?

They had held hands, kissed, and made love. Could that be called a secret crush?

“You like them, you don’t know if they like you back, and neither has confessed. Based on that, it’s a secret crush,” Sun Jiabao concluded brilliantly.

Shen Xiaojiang felt a surge of frustration. After a few seconds of silence, she surrendered. “I guess so. So… how do you pursue someone?”

Sun Jiabao nearly choked on her own spit. “What? You pursuing someone? Is there anyone in this school worth you taking the initiative?”

Shen Xiaojiang bit her lip and whispered, “I didn’t say it was someone from our school.”

“Oh!” Sun Jiabao nodded slowly, giving a thumbs up. “I should have known.”

“So, how do I do it?”

“Boys are easy to handle. They’re all muscle and no brains…”

Before Sun Jiabao could finish, Shen Xiaojiang pressed her lips together and lowered her voice. “I never said the person I like is a guy.”

Meanwhile, Chen Yi was sitting at an octagonal table having lunch with Old Man Bai.

She kept her head down, sipping fish soup spoonful by spoonful. The customs of Nancheng were different from Haishi, and the way they prepared fish soup was very different. Chen Yi preferred the fish head soup made by Shen Xiaojiang’s father.

“Xiao Qi, try this.” As soon as Old Man Bai spoke, a servant placed food in Chen Yi’s bowl.

Chen Yi was a picky eater, but she forced herself to swallow the dish the Old Man suggested.

“After lunch, come with me to meet some guests,” he said.

Chen Yi nodded.

After finishing his last bite, he added calmly, “Clear your schedule recently. Come with me to some galas and show your face.”

Chen Yi continued to nod. She was like a machine without emotion.

In the dormitory laundry room, water dripped from a faucet, echoing in the sink.

Sun Jiabao looked at Shen Xiaojiang in shock, but quickly, her expression changed to “I knew it would be like this.”

“Heh, it’s a modern society. Nobody says it has to be a heterosexual relationship,” she shrugged.

Shen Xiaojiang was stunned. She hadn’t expected Sun Jiabao to say that.

“You… don’t think it’s weird?” she asked.

Sun Jiabao shook her head earnestly. “Tsk, what’s weird about it? My cousin came out too; her girlfriend is ten years older than her. Both are beautiful and successful they’re a perfect match. I think it’s totally normal. You like a person, not their gender. I’m glad you told me. You know me whatever you decide, I’m 100% behind you.”

In their first year of high school, Sun Jiabao had moved to Haishi with her parents. As a transfer student with a blunt personality, she had been isolated. It was Shen Xiaojiang who stepped in and saved her. A simple “Hey, are you okay?” had made Sun Jiabao a friend for life.

“Jiabao, thank you,” Shen Xiaojiang said seriously.

“No need for words between us,” Sun Jiabao started racking her brain. “If you really want to pursue her, send messages, make calls, ask her out. Go for tea, shopping, movies, drinks, hiking to see the sunset… Oh, and buy her things!”

Shen Xiaojiang listened intently. Some of these she had done; others she hadn’t.

“Actually, I think giving gifts is good. Since you’re in the ‘crush’ stage, asking her out directly might be awkward. Send her something she likes to test the waters. If she doesn’t accept, try something else. If she does, you’ve got a chance,” Sun Jiabao looked puzzled. “But do you know what she likes?”

What did Chen Yi like? She liked many things, yet seemed to like nothing at all. Materially, she lacked for nothing.

Shen Xiaojiang was stumped. “I really don’t know.”

Sun Jiabao comforted her. “Actually, material things aren’t that essential. You can figure that out after you’re together. Right now, the most important thing is letting her see your sincerity. That’s worth more than anything.”

“Do you really like her?”

“Of course.”

“Then be proactive. Tell her.”

That night, Shen Xiaojiang sat in her chair, clutching her phone and staring at the chat window.

She clicked on Chen Yi’s profile picture. After having her on WeChat for so long, this was the first time she had looked at it closely. It was an oil painting of a deep blue sky, white clouds, green grass, and purple flowers. It looked peaceful and comfortable.

She checked Chen Yi’s Moments there were no posts at all.

Back in the chat, she tapped out a sentence:

【Shen Xiaojiang: Auntie, are you busy?】

For some reason, her hands were shaking. She was nervous worried Chen Yi wouldn’t reply, yet also worried if she did.

Shen Xiaojiang quickly turned off the screen. Looking at her own reflection in the black glass, she sighed. The wait was agonizing. Only a minute had passed, but it felt like an hour.

She turned the phone back on and, mimicking Chen Yi, changed her lock screen password to Chen Yi’s birthday: 0722. Those four numbers felt so cute.

Just then, Chen Yi’s reply came.

【Chen Yi: Mm, I’m alright.】

Shen Xiaojiang almost threw her phone in excitement. She felt possessed—even checking her college entrance exam scores hadn’t made her this nervous.

【Shen Xiaojiang: Have you been busy all day?】

After sending it, she felt it was inappropriate and immediately retracted it, editing a new one:

【Shen Xiaojiang: Will you be busy later on?】

She still felt it wasn’t right and retracted it again.

On the other side, Chen Yi, who was reviewing a business proposal, saw the “Message Retracted” notifications and felt her lips curl into a smile. She wanted to know what this little fool was up to.

The phone rang. It was Chen Yi calling.

Shen Xiaojiang’s palms were sweaty she had to swipe several times before she could answer.

“Hello?” Chen Yi’s voice came through low, soft, and slightly raspy.

Shen Xiaojiang ducked onto the balcony and locked the door before speaking: “Mm, Auntie.”

Chen Yi: “I saw you retracting messages constantly. I wanted to ask what exactly you were trying to say.”

Chen Yi’s voice was calm, like a cup of plain water that had gone cold impossible to read.

Shen Xiaojiang’s heart tightened, and she spoke weakly: “I… I just wanted to ask if you’ve been busy all day, and how late you have to work?”

As she finished, a thin layer of sweat broke out on her forehead and back.

After her conversation with Sun Jiabao today, the feelings she harbored for Chen Yi had become even more intense. She thought about Chen Yi every moment her eyes, her smile. She wanted to see her, to hold her, to pull her into her arms and kiss her deeply and lingeringly.

Now, just hearing Chen Yi’s voice made her heart pound, and a deep seated physical longing began to stir.

“I might be busy for a while longer,” Chen Yi replied, then turned off the speakerphone.

Shen Xiaojiang hadn’t really planned what she was going to say even if she said nothing at all, just listening to the other woman’s voice felt like happiness. However, Chen Yi’s response was lukewarm, leaving Shen Xiaojiang even more speechless.

“Are you getting ready for bed?” Chen Yi asked.

Her voice sounded more focused than before, though a hint of fatigue could be detected.

“I… not yet,” Shen Xiaojiang said, nervously pinching a corner of her pajamas. The wind seemed to carry the scent of Chen Yi. Even though she wasn’t there, everything around Shen Xiaojiang felt like her.

“Mm.”

For some reason, the two lapsed into silence. During the lull, the wind died down slightly, and Shen Xiaojiang looked out at the high-mast lights on the sports field. She remembered that night in Haishi, lying on the grass with Chen Yi, kissing. The warmth of those lips seemed to linger.

“Little one, what exactly do you want to say?”

Faced with Chen Yi’s question, Shen Xiaojiang carefully organized her thoughts. In those few seconds, a thousand things crossed her mind.

“Auntie, I… I miss you.”

Silence on the other end.

After a long pause, Shen Xiaojiang repeated it more earnestly: “Auntie, I really miss you.”

The lights in the dormitory opposite went out, and the moonlight grew brighter, like a clear, transparent lie.

Chen Yi didn’t speak, but her breathing became a bit heavier. Why wasn’t she saying anything? Did she not miss her? Shen Xiaojiang gripped her pajamas harder, as if trying to tear the fabric so the cool wind could pour in recklessly.

“Shen Xiaojiang.”

Chen Yi finally spoke. Her voice wasn’t loud, Shen Xiaojiang could almost hear the faint static through the receiver.

“Yes, I’m here,” she said.

“Do you… want to come over to my place?”

Twenty minutes later, He Zhong’s car pulled up at the gate. The moment Shen Xiaojiang sat inside, she smelled that cold fragrance she had been yearning for.

“Miss Shen, we’re leaving,” He Zhong said flatly, glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

“Okay,” Shen Xiaojiang felt a bit stiff without Chen Yi there. “You can just call me by my name.”

He Zhong looked at her again but said nothing more.