One Year After Her Sister-In-Law Was Widowed - Chapter 33

Xiao Shuangyu huddled in the passenger seat next to Ji Zhuozhou, quietly watching the streets ahead.

Ji Zhuozhou’s voice sounded beside her. “How was Lian Lian’s day? Was it as rushed as yesterday?”

Xiao Shuangyu shook her head. Her gaze retracted and fell upon the faint reflection of Ji Zhuozhou on the car window. “Today was a bit better.”

Today’s tasks were not very urgent, and the workload was on the lighter side. Even though she had spent most of the afternoon delayed by a meeting, it didn’t affect things too much.

Thinking of the afternoon, she hesitated for a moment and added, “In the afternoon, Sister Bian Ya took me to listen to a fragrance evaluation meeting.”

Ji Zhuozhou focused on the road and didn’t look over at her, but she spoke with a hint of a smile. “It seems there was an evaluation meeting today. How was it? Was it like what you imagined?”

Xiao Shuangyu shook her head again.

Ji Zhuozhou’s smile brightened a bit. “If my evaluation meeting ever encountered LianLian, I would try my best to be a bit more interesting.”

A dark gaze secretly shifted, landing on Ji Zhuozhou’s profile.

After a moment, Xiao Shuangyu tugged at a small smile and nodded. “Mm.”

Xiao Shuangyu suddenly felt a strong urge to play the drums.

After returning home, eating dinner, and sitting close to Ji Zhuozhou to watch TV, Xiao Shuangyu still really wanted to play the drums.

It had been a month since she moved into Ji Zhuozhou’s home with her suitcase, yet she still hadn’t completely moved everything.

Ji Zhuozhou had asked about her arrangements earlier; she had said she didn’t need to move much and had only brought another suitcase of clothes.

After all, the place Xiao Shuangyu lived in before was rented during her school days. Being a student, she had vacations during winter and summer breaks; seasonal clothes and items could be taken back home, so there weren’t too many things.

She used these words as an excuse to tell Ji Zhuozhou, and Ji Zhuozhou didn’t think anything was wrong with it.

So at this moment, among the streamlined moving items, there were no drums.

Of course, her rental house didn’t have a complete drum kit either, but rather an electronic drum set purchased after weighing various factors.

Electronic drums were smaller in volume; the sound could go into headphones, and the remaining noise entered soundproofing cotton. It wouldn’t disturb the neighbors, yet it allowed her to fill her mind with the sound of drumming at any time.

Right now, she wanted the drumbeats to fill her head.

Before being dragged into the Rainshower Band by A’Nan, she didn’t like music at all, nor was she proficient at drumming.

Every instrument she had learned had been compared to Xiao Mingyi and then changed until there were no more left to change amidst her mother’s disappointed looks.

But after several years of immersion, she found herself unable to leave the drum kit.

There was rhythmic thumping in her mind. She eventually couldn’t help herself and told Ji Zhuozhou she had some business and was going out for a while.

Ji Zhuozhou looked into her eyes. “Okay. Come back early, LianLian. I’ll wait for you.”

Xiao Shuangyu nodded. “It won’t be very late.”

Ji Zhuozhou saw her at the door.

More than two hours later, Ji Zhuozhou welcomed her back at the door.

Xiao Shuangyu went to wash up.

She had rented a drum room at a nearby music store. In those short two hours, she had drummed to the point of exhaustion, her clothes completely soaked with sweat.

But the drum room didn’t have a shower, and she hadn’t brought a change of clothes. So even though she had regained strength and dried her clothes on the way back, she still couldn’t approach Ji Zhuozhou while smelling of sweat.

Walking out of the bathroom with a lingering warmth, she sat down beside Ji Zhuozhou. Lowering her head, she said, “Sister.”

Ji Zhuozhou’s gaze had been on her the whole time. From the moment she stepped out of the bathroom until now, those deep green eyes peacefully stroked the increasingly sharp tentacles around her body.

Ji Zhuozhou asked, “What’s wrong?”

Having just played the drums, her hearing had become somewhat poor. Ji Zhuozhou’s voice felt like it was behind a layer of something.

It wasn’t just Ji Zhuozhou’s voice; even Xiao Shuangyu’s consciousness seemed to be floating in the air, not quite entering her head.

The drifting Xiao Shuangyu found a landing spot amidst the drum sounds that still seemed to be echoing in her ears. She looked up at Ji Zhuozhou. “Can I… move a drum kit here?”

She quickly added, “It’s electronic. I’ll wear headphones; it won’t be very noisy.”

Her voice dropped a bit, blurring in her temporarily imperfect ears. “If it’s not okay, I’ll still just go outside occasionally.”

Ji Zhuozhou looked into her eyes and said as if in realization, “So LianLian went to play the drums.”

Xiao Shuangyu lowered her gaze and nodded gently.

Ji Zhuozhou reached out and took her hand. “Come.”

Xiao Shuangyu looked up blankly and followed Ji Zhuozhou’s footsteps.

Ji Zhuozhou led her to the guest bedroom on the other side. Pushing open the door and turning on the light, Ji Zhuozhou let go of her hand.

“This room can be used by LianLian. Just put it here, how about it?”

Ji Zhuozhou walked into the room, using her hands to trace a circle into the empty center of the guest room where there was no bed.

Those jewel-like deep green eyes looked at her, her smile carrying a tender expectation.

Xiao Shuangyu stared blankly. Unconsciously, she stepped forward to Ji Zhuozhou’s side and said in a small voice, “There’s no need to give this room to me.”

She imitated Ji Zhuozhou’s gesture, tracing a much smaller area. “This much space is enough. It can be placed…”

She lifted her head to look around, and for a moment, she actually couldn’t find a place to put it.

In the living room, it was too close to study. Her room was too close to Ji Zhuozhou’s room.

Even though electronic drums didn’t have the sound of an actual strike, there would still be the sound of hitting the mesh drumheads.

That kind of sound might be nothing for a hit or two, but if it continued for an hour or two, it would become annoying.

And in the entire home, it seemed only this guest room would provide some distance from Ji Zhuozhou when she needed quiet.

Xiao Shuangyu was stuck.

Ji Zhuozhou saw her confusion. “Let’s just have it here. It’s empty anyway.”

After a long while, Xiao Shuangyu retracted her gaze and nodded.

With the matter settled, Ji Zhuozhou led her back outside.

She suddenly turned her face and asked her, “Could LianLian’s part-time job be related to the drums?”

Xiao Shuangyu was stunned for a moment, but she eventually admitted it.

Since she had already couldn’t resist asking Ji Zhuozhou about the electronic drums and Ji Zhuozhou hadn’t rejected it, she had no reason to keep hiding it.

Ji Zhuozhou seemed to have her question ready. “I guess… it’s a band?”

Xiao Shuangyu lifted her eyes and looked over. Her dark pupils held distinct surprise.

She guessed so accurately.

Ji Zhuozhou took in her expression. The curled smile masked the darkness at the bottom of her eyes. “After all, if it were tutoring, it probably wouldn’t go until midnight.”

Xiao Shuangyu thought about it; that was indeed true.

But would a normal person immediately think of a band?

Xiao Shuangyu’s drifting mind didn’t have time to think deeply before Ji Zhuozhou’s warm, soft voice sounded again.

“It seems so. Give me a chance to see it too—LianLian’s performance.”

Those emerald-clear eyes rested at the center of her vision, exceptionally beautiful, like a silent coaxing.

Xiao Shuangyu unconsciously nodded.

It was late at night.

Xiao Shuangyu lay in bed. The phantom sound of drumming in her ears grew fainter, leaving only a weak thump-thump.

This weak thump-thump was not enough to suppress her thoughts—those tangled, sharp, clamoring, viscous thoughts.

She didn’t know why she had brought up the matter of the drums at a time like this, nor why she was greedy enough to want to move the drum kit into Ji Zhuozhou’s home.

She couldn’t even feel joy in her heart regarding Ji Zhuozhou giving her a separate room for the drums or Ji Zhuozhou saying she looked forward to her performance.

As the thump-thump sound faded, the name she had heard in the afternoon appeared in her ears again and again.

She wanted to say it was nothing, that it was probably just a coincidence. One couldn’t make everyone in the world named “Mingyi” stay away from Ji Zhuozhou just because of one Xiao Mingyi.

But the “Mingyi” in the afternoon seemed very close to Ji Zhuozhou.

What was the relationship between that girl with a name Xiao Mingyi and Ji Zhuozhou?

Why was that girl with a name Xiao Mingyi by Ji Zhuozhou’s side?

She hadn’t been able to see the girl’s face, and she wasn’t even sure if she had seen that person while she was standing guard.

She only knew that the girl wasn’t part of Huarui’s leadership; she hadn’t heard from Wang Ran that there was another “Mingyi” in Huarui.

Thinking about it now, she didn’t recall hearing from the pantry that there was someone by Ji Zhuozhou’s side with the same name as her deceased wife, let alone any outrageous rumors fabricated because of it.

Was it because she had heard too little?

Did it just not reach her ears?

She felt a sense of panic.

The panic of not being the “only” replacement.

And jealousy.

The jealousy that even just a similar name could replace her at any time.

She felt as if she couldn’t breathe.

She climbed out of bed, stumbled to the wardrobe, and reached the depths. She pulled out the alcohol and poured it down her throat. As the stimulating spiciness rushed up her nose, she anesthetized her nerves mouthful by mouthful.

She hugged her own body, shrinking herself into a tiny ball, pulling up the collar of her pajamas to cover her nose and mouth.

There were none of Ji Zhuozhou’s things here; she couldn’t even grab anything concrete.

Even her pajamas had long since lost Ji Zhuozhou’s scent.

No, that’s not right.

She lifted her head. She walked out of the room. She stood before the bedroom door next door.

She pushed open that narrow crack. She stood by Ji Zhuozhou’s bed.

The alcohol steamed her brain. She was dizzy; she was drowsy.

She climbed onto the bed, huddling beside Ji Zhuozhou, carefully pinching the hem of Ji Zhuozhou’s nightgown, quietly sniffing.

The smell of alcohol diffused in the center of the rain and mist scent, mixing into a reassuring aroma.

Her consciousness was heavy. She completely failed to notice that beside her, a pair of deep green eyes slowly opened.

The next day, before Ji Zhuozhou woke up, Xiao Shuangyu silently left Ji Zhuozhou’s room.

Her head hurt a bit, but her mood had calmed down.

Or rather, there was nothing she could do even if she wasn’t calm, so she could only temporarily settle down.

She felt she couldn’t lose her head. She had to first find out who that “Mingyi” was.

It was just a name. Speaking of the face alone, she was still the one who looked more like her, wasn’t she?

Then, she had to be better than any “Mingyi” so that she wouldn’t be abandoned in Ji Zhuozhou’s choice.

Xiao Shuangyu stood outside Ji Zhuozhou’s door again, waiting to meet her.

She had been dizzy from drinking last night and didn’t even know how she had climbed onto Ji Zhuozhou’s bed. Fortunately, she wasn’t discovered by Ji Zhuozhou.

To defeat those “Mingyi,” she first had to be good and absolutely must not do things like running around in a drunken stupor.

So Xiao Shuangyu thought.

Not long after, within the narrow crack of the door, Ji Zhuozhou got up and walked toward her.

The scent of rain and mist rushed toward her. Ji Zhuozhou opened the door, but she didn’t say good morning.

Ji Zhuozhou’s voice was soft, with a hint of suspicion. “When did LianLian leave?”

Xiao Shuangyu instantly froze in place, even squeezing a strange syllable out of her throat.

“Gah?”

Ji Zhuozhou’s deep green eyes watched her. “Didn’t LianLian sleep on my side last night?”

Xiao Shuangyu froze even more.

But that wasn’t the end. Ji Zhuozhou’s voice almost killed her. “And you smell of alcohol.”

Xiao Shuangyu was completely petrified, staring at Ji Zhuozhou’s face in disbelief, feeling as if she were in a dream.

What was going on?

How did Ji Zhuozhou know?

Didn’t Ji Zhuozhou know?

Her mind went blank, and her mouth went pale.

This—she clearly shouldn’t have left such an impression on Ji Zhuozhou.

Ji Zhuozhou didn’t seem to want to blame her; she even softened her voice. “Why did LianLian drink in the middle of the night? Did something happen?”

“No matter what it is, you can tell me. I’ll listen to what LianLian has to say.”

Xiao Shuangyu recovered her senses slightly. She looked at Ji Zhuozhou’s face, instinctively wanting to ask about that “Mingyi” yesterday afternoon.

But with the words at the tip of her tongue, she still swallowed them.

If she asked now, wouldn’t it clearly tell Ji Zhuozhou that she had been spying yesterday?

She would wait until later, after seeing that “Mingyi” herself, to ask.

So, she shook her head.

She said, “I’m fine.”

She was very much not fine.

It couldn’t be said that she was fine in the slightest.

Xiao Shuangyu’s head was empty. Creaking, she took her petrified body and followed Ji Zhuozhou, almost like a ghost.

Ji Zhuozhou said, “It’s good that you’re fine. LianLian mustn’t force herself. LianLian stays with me, and I will stay with LianLian, too.”

Ji Zhuozhou also said, “If you want to say anything, tell me anytime. I’ll have time.”

What was this?

Ji Zhuozhou didn’t scold her at all. Was she just being gentle and tolerant like this?

Is it… only for her?

Only her?

It was time for work.

Xiao Shuangyu was still not quite settled.

Occasionally, she would put down the work at hand to check the office of the perfumery department on the sixth floor, and then secretly take a lap on the ninth floor.

She wanted to see Ji Zhuozhou.

Or rather, she wanted to run into the “Mingyi” by Ji Zhuozhou’s side.

It was almost time for the lunch break.

Many people had worked all morning without moving much. Taking advantage of the temporary lull, they walked into the pantry, sitting down in twos and threes to chat.

“Teacher Ji is really a nice person…”

Xiao Shuangyu, who was about to turn and leave, slammed to a halt.

“I didn’t expect Mingyi to cause such a huge mess. Teacher Ji’s tone didn’t even change; she even comforted Mingyi in turn.”

“I’m afraid only Mingyi gets this treatment. Ji Zhuozhou is very strict about work. Anyone who has worked with her knows; they wouldn’t dare make even a single mistake.”

“Ah? Then why is Mingyi fine?”

“Hiss, this isn’t allowed to be talked about now. When Mingyi came in, Ji Zhuozhou had just returned from her wife’s funeral. The higher-ups were afraid she’d overthink things alone in the lab, so they pushed several assistants onto her. They all ran away, but Mingyi stayed.”

“Isn’t that pretty good? Why isn’t it allowed to be talked about?”

“Someone spread rumors. Ji Zhuozhou’s deceased wife was named something like… something Mingyi. It’s very similar to Mingyi’s name. It was a huge deal back then; the company even fired quite a few people.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder then.”

“Hey, do you think something is actually going on between them?”

No voice answered, but a low laugh came from inside.

Xiao Shuangyu’s expression grew even darker.

Her phone buzzed once. Inside the pantry, they immediately noticed and went quiet.

She picked up her phone to look. It was a message from Ji Zhuozhou.

Sailboat: I’m out on business. LianLian, don’t wait for me at noon.

Xiao Shuangyu’s gaze fell heavily on the message on the screen. After a moment, she sent a reply.

Turning around, she walked into the pantry and sat down among the group.

What’s the matter

“What’s the matter?”

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