Seduced Me into a Deep Fall - Chapter 17

That scorching midsummer, the orange soda and folding fan under the shade of trees.

In the end, they all became memories belonging solely to Song Yi.

She was undoubtedly lonely.

Yet she couldn’t blame Ling Xi.

After all, so many years had passed.

Besides, Ling Xi had been so young back then.

If it hadn’t been her first love, if the experience hadn’t been so heart-stirring, who would remember decades later who had sat beside her at seventeen, sharing popsicles while listening to cicadas in the trees?

Song Yi clenched her heart, biting her lips with unbearable anguish.

She wouldn’t blame Ling Xi. Even if Ling Xi truly couldn’t remember in the future.

She would simply keep that entire summer’s escape as a treasured photograph for herself.

Back then, she had been far more downcast and disheartened than now, skinny as a rail and painfully plain. Perhaps it was better that Ling Xi didn’t remember.

Neither the housekeeper Zhao, nor Song Yi’s guardians or friends knew.

It wasn’t that she was indifferent to love, refusing all matchmaking and retreating to temples, wearing Buddhist prayer beads around her wrist.

She was simply waiting for someone.

Waiting for the person who had barged into her life during her lowest point, stolen a summer from her, and inadvertently taken her heart along the way.

Waiting for the one she had given her heart to in youth, the only one she had ever recognized in this lifetime.

The truth was just that simple. Everyone had mistaken her for being too unconventional.

Song Yi traced the beads around her wrist.

How could she not have searched for Ling Xi?

They had simply missed each other.

Tan Nijun returned to Ling Xi at four in the afternoon.

Ling Xi had already picked a restaurant, giving them a chance to finally share a meal.

“Have you been alright lately?” Tan Nijun couldn’t wait to ask the moment they sat down.

“Ah, what could possibly be wrong? If I weren’t fine, would I be sitting here having dinner with you?”

Ling Xi laughed it off, skirting past any mention of Mu Xie.

“Don’t lie to me. My superior that officer you accidentally met, told me you attended some engagement banquet recently?”

Tan Nijun wasn’t as easily fooled as Ling Xi’s other two friends.

“Was it Mu Xie’s? These past few days, has she really not forced you into anything?” Tan Nijun grasped Ling Xi’s hand.

“You call me Sister Tan. If you’re truly in trouble, I’ll definitely help.”

Ling Xi hesitated.

In her past life, it had been the same.

After escaping, she had coincidentally run into Tan Nijun during patrol.

She hadn’t even explained much before Tan Nijun stepped in to help.

Even at the cost of her own job.

The regret and pain Ling Xi had felt then were nothing compared to the emotions flooding her now.

“I know,” Ling Xi said, squeezing Tan Nijun’s hand in return.

She knew Tan Nijun would keep her word.

So… at least in this lifetime, she wouldn’t have to trouble her again.

“Thank you, Sister Tan. But I really am out of danger now.”

“How did you manage it? Those two idiots Yu Yangqing and Mo were probably easily fooled, but I won’t be.”

Tan Nijun had the air of someone who wouldn’t let Ling Xi leave without a proper explanation today.

“…Ahem.” Was it really okay to call their friends idiots so bluntly?

Ling Xi didn’t dare interrupt.

Having spent years in a strict, disciplined environment, Tan Nijun carried an authoritative air that made it hard to talk back.

“I just found a friend who helped me deal with Mu Xie. I haven’t been followed by her these past two days.”

Ling Xi lowered her head, slightly obscuring the nature of her relationship with Song Yi, and answered honestly.

“She was stalking you before?” Tan Nijun nearly knocked the teacup off the table in shock.

A waiter hurried over to clean up the spilled tea and quietly reminded her, “Ma’am, please keep your voice down.”

Only then did Tan Nijun sit back down. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I was afraid she might target you. I don’t know how much influence she has, and she’s threatened me before…” Ling Xi’s voice grew quieter as she spoke.

Finally, her eyes reddened as she looked pitifully at Tan Nijun. “Can we not talk about her anymore?”

“Alright, alright, we won’t mention her. Those two idiots won’t say anything either. At least I came from the military, no matter how far Mu Xie’s reach is, can she extend it there?”

Tan Nijun patted Ling Xi’s shoulder. “Silly girl, don’t carry everything alone. You have friends.”

Ling Xi, moved to tears, couldn’t help but think resignedly.

Mu Xie really did have that capability.

Her reach was terrifyingly long. In her past life, she had dragged Tan Nijun from her position.

The food arrived, and the two began eating.

Halfway through the meal, Ling Xi suddenly remembered something and warned Tan Nijun,

“Please don’t go out of your way for this. I’m safe now, don’t put yourself in danger for me.”

If she hadn’t said anything, Tan Nijun would have seriously considered finding a way to deal with Mu Xie.

Hearing this, Tan Nijun sighed. “Fine, I’ll listen to you. But are you really just going to swallow all the grievances you suffered?”

Ling Xi shook her head. “What else can I do? I have no power or influence. Just living safely and spending the rest of my life happily with family and friends is enough.”

Having been reborn, she didn’t have grand ambitions. Right now, she just wanted to find her sister, clear her mother’s name, and earn enough to support her.

After that? Once she reunited with her friends and family, what else in this world could trouble her?

Ling Xi was the kind of soft-hearted person who, even when escaping or resisting, only dared to torment herself.

Now, with her cheeks stuffed with food, she really did look like a soft little hamster.

Tan Nijun truly treated Ling Xi like a younger sister, she had even fought with Ling Yue over who got to take care of her before.

Her heart ached for Ling Xi, but she took the advice and stopped thinking about how to eliminate Mu Xie.

While chatting about recent events after the meal, Ling Xi received a message.

It was her special notification tone.

She set down her cup and opened her phone to see a message from Song Yi.

[Where are you? I’m passing by.]

Brevity itself, it even preemptively blocked any excuses Ling Xi might have made.

She hadn’t even said where she was yet how was Song Yi already “passing by”?

Ling Xi felt a little embarrassed, but remembering Song Yi’s sharp, knife-like gaze, she obediently sent her location.

[Are you coming to pick me up?]

She fidgeted slightly and added another question.

[Mn.] Song Yi replied almost instantly maybe she was already in the car, free from work and with time to spare.

“Do you have a ride back later? Where are you going, your old place?” Tan Nijun noticed Ling Xi’s movements and asked with concern.

“Mu Xie could get into my old rental. A friend gave me a place to stay, she’s picking me up.”

“Tch, that Mu Xie… Never mind. Do we know this friend of yours?”

Ling Xi shook her head. Driven by some intuition, she didn’t want Tan Nijun to know that “friend” referred to Song Yi.

“I met her half a year ago. Oh, she’s here. I should go now. Don’t work too hard, remember to rest and maintain a good work-life balance.” Ling Xi offered her usual blessings.

“With your words, I feel reassured. May our team’s investigation go smoothly.” After all, she was their group’s lucky charm whatever she blessed came true.

“Then your investigation will definitely go smoothly.” Ling Xi waved at her with a smile before dashing out of the restaurant.

Song Yi’s car was indeed parked at the entrance, just as it had been that morning.

Ling Xi opened the door and got in. By the time Tan Nijun caught up, all she saw was the car’s silhouette.

She quickly snapped a photo, zoomed in, processed it, and sent it to Yun Fengzhi.

[Do you recognize this car?] Tan Nijun felt it looked somewhat familiar.

Moreover… with such a luxurious brand and that unique color, there probably wasn’t a second one like it in Yanjing. But whose it was, she couldn’t recall.

It had to be some wealthy family’s private vehicle, she’d even captured the license plate clearly.

Yun Fengzhi used to be from the Yun family; she should recognize it.

Please don’t let Ling Xi jump from the tiger’s den straight into its mouth. Tan Nijun was extremely worried.

Almost instantly, she saw Yun Fengzhi reply: [I do.]

But the message was retracted within 0.1 seconds, replaced with: [I don’t.]

Complete with a very precise period.

[I saw what you retracted. Spill it, whose car is it?]

Yun Fengzhi was sweating bullets.

Couldn’t Song Yi be more discreet? Flaunting that car like it wasn’t instantly recognizable couldn’t she at least switch vehicles?

Didn’t she know how hard it was dealing with Ling Xi’s protective circle?

[What are you talking about? I don’t understand.] Yun Fengzhi played dumb.

Tan Nijun sent back a photo of Yun Fengzhi slacking off on her phone during work.

“…” This supervisor was downright ruthless!

Yun Fengzhi forwarded the screenshot to Song Yi.

But Song Yi was too busy stealing glances at Ling Xi in the car to reply.

Left with no choice, Yun Fengzhi decided to play dead.

She regretted teasing Ling Xi earlier.

She never wanted to get involved in this group’s romantic entanglements again.

“Thank you, Song Yi.” Once in the car, Ling Xi instinctively maintained a two-person distance between them.

Song Yi glanced at the vast space separating them and sighed inwardly.

Maybe having a crush who’s too polite isn’t always good.

At least right now, it was downright painful.

“Don’t mention it. Like I said, it’s on my way.” She hadn’t even asked for Ling Xi’s address, hoping she’d read between the lines.

Wherever Ling Xi was, she’d come pick her up.

It would always be “on the way.”

They’d already missed each other once. This time, she couldn’t afford to be “out of the way” or miss her again.

“I still want to thank you. Even if it’s on your way, me sitting here must still be bothering you.”

This time, Song Yi set down the tablet she’d been pretending to work on and looked straight at Ling Xi.

“You’re not a bother.” She adjusted her glasses, bringing Ling Xi into sharper focus.

That slightly dazed, slow-to-react expression pierced straight through Song Yi’s heart.

“Huh?” Ling Xi genuinely didn’t understand.

After a moment’s thought, the tips of her ears turned faintly pink.

Song Yi caught it all in her peripheral vision, lips curling secretly in the shadows, eyes smiling.

“So… Song Yi, did work go well today?” Ling Xi unconsciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, suddenly nervous.

She wasn’t usually this socially anxious.

Ling Xi didn’t quite get it , it seemed she only felt this particularly flustered around Song Yi.

“Hmm? Now that you mention it, things have gone surprisingly smoothly.” Song Yi recalled Ling Xi’s blessing from the morning.

Upon reflection, the day had been unusually smooth.

The group of elderly women who usually opposed her had nothing to say about her decisions today.

When drafting proposals, her thoughts flowed with uncanny clarity, as if she had some kind of cheat activated.

Even regarding Ling Xi’s matter, Yun Fengzhi had stepped in to help relay messages.

Only Mu Xie’s side remained stuck. But that was fine.

The trouble she had stirred up for Mu Xie would keep him busy for at least half a month.

“Right? My friends say the same thing. Whenever I bless them, what I say seems to come true.” Ling Xi scratched her cheek, visibly uncomfortable.

“So, if today went well for you, that’s great.” She looked at Song Yi with eyes sparkling like starlight.

It left Song Yi utterly bewildered.

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