Hints at GL - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

By the time Su Yuan brought Zhong Ning to the vicinity of Big Ben, it was nearly eight o’clock. Since the fireworks were launched near the London Eye, not only the bridge but all the surrounding streets to the east were packed with people.

At a glance, there were at least tens of thousands of people, and there seemed to be quite a lot of police along the way maintaining order.

Zhong Ning was naturally intimidated by the scale of the crowd, but she was clearly still thinking about the fact that they had run off alone. She couldn’t help but pull on Su Yuan’s wrist. “Is it really okay to lie to them and say I’m not feeling well?”

Su Yuan looked back at her, her eyes crinkling slightly. “Why? Is it possible you actually want to go back?”

Zhong Ning’s face flushed for no reason. She said stubbornly, “I was just afraid you might want to go back.”

Just then, a couple tried to pass them. Su Yuan paused, stepping aside and wrapping an arm around Zhong Ning’s waist to pull her to the side. “What are you talking about?” She stared directly at the jealous edge in Zhong Ning’s voice and suddenly laughed. “Do you know how many people wanted to ask me out today?”

Zhong Ning bit her lip and didn’t dare answer.

Is Su Yuan… a little unhappy?

“I turned down so many invitations just to see you,” Su Yuan said as a cool breeze blew. She raised her hand to stroke Zhong Ning’s soft hair, gently tucking it behind her ear. “Stop being temperamental, okay?”

That soft gaze made it impossible for Zhong Ning to sustain the rest of her stubbornness. She thought to herself, You tortured me for days, why am I not allowed to be temperamental? But after a moment, she still nodded submissively, her cheeks flushed.

The two were currently standing at the very back of the crowd. Su Yuan held her waist and had no intention of moving forward. She asked with a slight frown, “There are so many people. Do you really want to stand here until twelve?”

Zhong Ning looked around. There were simply too many people; never mind the bridge, even the banks of the Thames were completely occupied.

The wind was cold. Zhong Ning was wearing a short skirt and found the temperature increasingly unbearable.

She couldn’t help but peek at Su Yuan, biting her lip with a hint of reluctance. “Then… maybe forget it.”

Her disappointment was real. For a split second, she had considered making Su Yuan stand there with her for four hours as punishment. But then she thought such a punishment was too childish; Su Yuan had experienced New Year’s fireworks in London for over twenty years, so tonight meant nothing to her.

Besides, she might not even survive this temperature herself. Why bother?

“Do you mind watching from a distance?” Su Yuan looked down at her and asked suddenly.

Zhong Ning was slightly startled, not quite understanding what the other woman meant, but she shook her head. “It’s fine.”

“Good,” Su Yuan took her hand and said softly, “Follow me.”

Su Yuan led Zhong Ning along the South Bank, moving away from the London Eye. The crowds nearby were either sitting or standing; occasionally, some energetic groups were dancing to the rhythm of nearby music, treating the area like an open-air club.

Because they were walking against the flow of the crowd, they were noticed by many tourists.

Zhong Ning wasn’t used to this atmosphere and just wanted to get away quickly.

But as they walked, she suddenly slowed her pace, as if she had vaguely heard something. She pulled Su Yuan back and looked behind them, murmuring, “Did you… hear something just now?”

Zhong Ning looked at a homeless man by the road, frowning. “I think I heard him say ‘restart’ or something.”

Su Yuan froze slightly, her eyes happening to meet the homeless man’s. “Everything could be restarted,” she repeated softly, her expression changing subtly.

“Everything can start over?”

Zhong Ning found it bizarre. She didn’t know why she cared about the mumblings of a homeless man, but she figured it was likely just a coincidence and quickly forgot about it.

“Forget it, let’s go,” she said, pulling Su Yuan’s hand.

Afterward, Su Yuan led her west through a small alleyway. The area gradually became less crowded, with low-rise white villas lining both sides of the road. Before long, the two stopped in front of one of the villas.

Where is this?

Zhong Ning didn’t quite understand Su Yuan’s intent; she just felt cold and clung to the other woman’s arm.

“Cold?”

Su Yuan leaned in and gave Zhong Ning’s cheek a light peck. “Wait for me for a moment, it won’t be long.” Seeing Zhong Ning nod, she smiled and went forward to knock on the door.

A light was clearly visible through the blurred glass window of the door. After a while, the voice of an elderly person drifted out. “Who’s outside?” Su Yuan raised her voice and laughed. “It’s Anna.”

The door opened quickly. A kind-looking elderly lady opened the door and, seeing Su Yuan, broke into a clearly happy smile. “Anna.” She opened her arms warmly, and Su Yuan leaned down to give her a hug. “Long time no see, I missed you,” Su Yuan said with a smile.

The old lady looked at her, pretending to be angry. “Oh, you did not! I don’t even remember the last time you came to see me.”

Su Yuan laughed but didn’t answer.

The elder looked behind Su Yuan, her gaze falling on Zhong Ning. “Oh, you have a new girlfriend.” She paused, then added crossly, “Look at that, you replaced the previous mixed-race girlfriend and I didn’t even know.”

New girlfriend…

Zhong Ning’s cheeks felt a bit hot. She hadn’t even told Su Yuan whether she would say yes yet—why did everyone Su Yuan knew default to assuming they were in a relationship whenever they saw them together?

She felt shy, yet she still smiled and nodded to the woman.

“Mhm, we haven’t been together long,” Su Yuan said with a smile, pulling Zhong Ning to her side and familiarly wrapping an arm around her waist. “Is she pretty?”

Su Yuan’s act of admitting it so openly made Zhong Ning’s cheeks flush even more. Who said I’d say yes? And what is she saying next? Who asks people if their partner is pretty like that? Zhong Ning bit her lip lightly and couldn’t help but glance at Su Yuan.

The old lady looked Zhong Ning up and down and nodded. “Of course. You’ve always had good taste.”

With these two having a conversation that completely ignored her feelings, Zhong Ning didn’t even know how to respond.

Su Yuan’s gentle gaze landed on Zhong Ning. The clearly bashful expression made her eyes narrow slightly. After a long moment, Su Yuan finally remembered the main business. “By the way, do you still have my key?”

“Of course. I knew that’s why you were knocking the moment I heard you. Wait a moment.”

The old lady gave Su Yuan a look and turned to go inside. Before long, she returned with a key. “I hope you two have a pleasant evening,” she said with a smile, hugging them both goodbye.

“I don’t stay here often, but because it’s looked after, it’s a bit nicer than the other one,” Su Yuan said as she inserted the key into the lock, gently pushing open the door to the apartment next door.

“…The style seems a bit different.”

Zhong Ning surveyed the room. The decor was not traditional; wooden floors connected a large living room and kitchen. The entire apartment’s design was simple, with a much stronger modern feel compared to the traditional European style she’d seen before.

A thought flashed through her mind: it had only been a month, yet she had already visited several of Su Yuan’s residences.

“Mhm, my father designed it. He likes this style,” Su Yuan stood by a wooden wine cabinet in the corner of the living room, carelessly looking at the neatly arranged bottles inside.

“Is your father a designer?” Zhong Ning walked slowly into the center of the living room and asked casually.

“No, he studied design before,” Su Yuan said. It was the first time she had mentioned her family, though she didn’t say much. “What will you drink? Shall I choose for you?” She looked back at Zhong Ning and asked with a light smile.

“Mhm, anything is fine,” Zhong Ning replied offhandedly, walking toward the floor-to-ceiling window.

This apartment was slightly higher than the others. Although not perfectly clear, the sight of the Thames was distinctly reflected in her eyes. No wonder Su Yuan wanted to bring her here; the view of the fireworks would probably be better from here.

Soft music began to play behind her; Su Yuan seemed to have just put in a CD.

Su Yuan walked to her side and handed a wine glass to Zhong Ning. “Do you recognize it?” There was a smile on her lips.

The low strumming of a bass filled her ears. Zhong Ning looked at Su Yuan’s soft gaze and couldn’t help but say, “He Films the Clouds. Thank you, I really like it.”

The slow, low music gradually made Zhong Ning let down her guard.

She didn’t drink the wine in her glass, but kept eye contact with Su Yuan. Neither spoke. The complicated troubles seemed to slowly disperse like mist. In that tender gaze, Zhong Ning finally seemed to find a sense of security.

The atmosphere began to turn suggestive.

A faint, unnamable emotion flickered in Su Yuan’s eyes. She stepped forward and put her hands on Zhong Ning’s waist. “So, does this mean you’ve said yes to me?”

The fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose, and Zhong Ning’s palms felt hot. “Haven’t you already defaulted to that?”

Su Yuan looked down at her and laughed softly. “You have to tell me yourself, of course.” Su Yuan slowly leaned down. Zhong Ning thought she was going to kiss her again, her cheeks flushing. But the next second, those thin lips pressed close to her ear, whispering, “Otherwise… who knows how else you might torture me.”

The warm breath circled her ear, and Zhong Ning felt her whole body go weak. “Who’s torturing you…” She said with a red face, her voice growing softer. “I’m waiting for you to explain things clearly to me before I decide whether to say yes or not.”

“What else is there to say?”

Su Yuan whispered softly in her ear, accompanied by intermittent pecks that covered her bit by bit. “Should I say how fascinated I am by you right now?”

Zhong Ning’s face was completely red. Su Yuan had already set the wine glass aside. Though her movements were gentle, Zhong Ning clearly understood what the other woman wanted to do now.

When her earlobe was kissed, Zhong Ning’s whole body shuddered.

It wasn’t that Zhong Ning was unwilling; she had probably given her silent consent the moment they turned into that alleyway. But she felt it shouldn’t be like this right now. What Su Yuan owed her shouldn’t just be a few intoxicating words of love.

“Su Yuan,” Zhong Ning said, enduring the tingling sensations at her waist and ear, and couldn’t help but push the other woman back a little. “Tell me the truth about you and Ruan Mu, okay?”

She looked into Su Yuan’s soft eyes, the corners of her own eyes slightly red. “I don’t want to end up becoming… like Olivia.”