Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 17

This seemed to be the nature of their relationship mutual non-interference, with no need to ask questions that crossed boundaries.

Yin Yunzhu suppressed the subtle emotions in her heart and got up to shower. Just as she stepped out, there was a knock at the door.

“Good afternoon, here’s the lunch you ordered. Please enjoy,” said the waiter by the door, pushing a cart inside with a practiced smile.

“Thank you,” Yin Yunzhu replied absentmindedly. As the door was about to close, she finally spoke up.

“Um… do you know where the room’s owner went?” She had braced herself mentally, now asking with composure.

The question laid bare the fact that they weren’t close. As for why they were both at the hotel, anyone with a bit of sense could easily guess.

Sure enough, the waiter pursed his lips. “I’m sorry, ma’am, that’s the guest’s privacy.”

Realizing she wouldn’t get more information, Yin Yunzhu nodded.

She could have just texted him, but after last night, she hadn’t fully recovered. Her knees ached faintly, and her cheeks burned as if she had glimpsed some unspeakable aspect of herself.

She was thin-skinned whether embarrassed or angry, it always showed on her face.

The hotel meal was on the bland side. Picking at the salad, Yin Yunzhu suddenly missed the little stir-fry joint she frequented nearby.

As if hearing her thoughts, her phone rang, the sound jarring in the quiet room.

She grabbed the jacket draped over the chair, fished the phone from the pocket, and saw it was Beijiali calling.

“Had lunch yet?” The voice on the other end was as brisk as ever, despite not having spoken in days.

Yin Yunzhu glanced at the plate on the counter blanched, peeled shrimp and washed-out greens and instantly lost her appetite.

The hotel must have tailored this meal to Jiang Menghe’s tastes.

“No.”

Hearing this, Beijiali perked up immediately. “Same old place. You in?”

Yin Yunzhu was easygoing; whenever they went out, she usually let Beijiali take the lead. Proud to play the role of Quancheng’s living map, Beijiali always unearthed hidden culinary gems.

The “same old place” she mentioned was exactly the home-style stir-fry joint Yin Yunzhu had just been thinking about.

“You read my mind,” Yin Yunzhu chuckled, her gaze catching on a small box on the nightstand with a note tucked beneath it.

She reached for it and recognized the packaging of a luxury perfume brand. The sleek gold casing bore a minimalist foreign logo, even though Yin Yunzhu knew nothing about such things, she had heard of it.

The note read in elegant, flowing script: A gift.

Jiang Menghe’s handwriting.

She knew what it meant to be condescendingly humiliated, so she had left Yin Yunzhu enough dignity by replacing money with an equivalent gift as if that could add some weight to the gesture.

Beijiali’s drawn-out whine came through the phone. “What’s going on? Your mic broken or something?”

“Huh?” Yin Yunzhu snapped back to reality, quickly crumpling the note. “Oh, I was just looking at something.”

“Can you focus when you’re on the phone? Let’s say 12:30. I’m clocking out soon, meet me at the entrance, okay?”

“Sure.”

Amid the endless stream of complaints, they ended the call.

After hanging up, Yin Yunzhu picked up the perfume box, hesitating.

She wasn’t one for flashy things. The perfumes and makeup at home were mostly for show, and on the rare occasions she needed them for formal events, she’d call in Beijiali for backup.

Judging by the brand, it must be exorbitantly expensive, if she kept it for herself, it would just gather dust.

But if she refused, would Jiang Menghe lose face?

After some deliberation, she secretly tucked it into her bag, even guiltily zipping it up as if she were a thief.

Leaving the hotel, Yin Yunzhu hailed a taxi at the entrance and headed to the meeting spot.

It was a weekday, so the downtown mall wasn’t as packed as it would be on weekends. Taking the elevator straight to the fifth floor, she circled around, her hands soon stuffed with flyers.

Compared to her peers’ mature demeanor, Yin Yunzhu had a more youthful air. Bundled in a fluffy coat and clutching a pile of advertisements, she looked as lost as a child waiting for their parents to finish paying.

After pouring herself a cup of warm water in the waiting area, she soon saw Beijiali rushing up from the elevator in a fluster.

Panting, she leaned on her knees and complained, “My colleague insisted I finish the report before lunch break, so annoying!”

“Sorry I’m a few minutes late.”

Yin Yunzhu took her black leather handbag and set it on the seat, thoughtfully pouring her a glass of water. “It’s fine, they haven’t called us yet. Have some water first.”

Beijiali pushed it away, shaking her head. “No, no, I was in such a hurry I didn’t even go to the bathroom. Do you have any tissues?”

“Shouldn’t the mall provide some?” Yin Yunzhu replied.

“I wouldn’t dare use those too many germs. What if I get an infection?” Beijiali was clearly desperate, her tone urgent.

Hearing this, Yin Yunzhu had no choice but to unzip her bag and fish out a small pack of tissues. As she pulled them out, a corner of the perfume packaging accidentally peeked out.

Beijiali, who had only glanced casually, immediately noticed and raised her chin. “What’s that?”

“This?” Figuring it wasn’t anything to hide, Yin Yunzhu took out the hefty box. “It’s—”

Before she could finish, Beijiali’s eyes lit up. “Wow, HJ perfume? Did you strike it rich?”

She reached out to touch it. “Even online platforms don’t sell this, you’d have to go through a reseller. And this is a custom edition? It must cost three months of my salary…”

Then, her expression suddenly turned sly. “Don’t tell me you’ve landed yourself a sugar daddy?”

Though Yin Yunzhu wasn’t exactly wealthy, she had managed to buy a home outright in a first-tier city, at least lifting herself out of poverty into comfortable stability. Plus, she had little interest in fashion or makeup, making the sudden appearance of such an item highly suspicious.

Cornered, Yin Yunzhu stammered, she was terrible at lying. “Can’t it just be something I bought myself?”

She didn’t want others to know about her relationship with Jiang Menghe just yet, and they had both agreed to keep it quiet.

Despite the clumsy lie, Beijiali didn’t press further. “Why so nervous? I trust your character. There’s no way you’d let someone keep you…”

She carefully shook the box, then sniffed it. The packaging was airtight, revealing nothing beyond the faint scent of paper.

“Wait, do you have a crush on someone?” She nudged Yin Yunzhu with her elbow, waggling her eyebrows. “Who is he? Let me vet him for you, can’t have you getting scammed.”

“What? Stop making things up, or I’ll get mad!” Yin Yunzhu reached to snatch it back.

Beijiali quickly shielded it, suddenly switching to a fawning, pleading tone as she tugged at her arm. “Come on, Yunyun, lend it to me! Our company’s year-end rally is coming up, if I wear this, I’ll totally steal the spotlight!”

Deep down, she had a touch of vanity, but she only put on airs within her means nothing worth criticizing.

“No.” Yin Yunzhu refused outright.

This was a gift from someone else. Though its origins weren’t exactly honorable, it was still a gesture of goodwill. Disposing of it carelessly would surely be ungrateful.

Even if she couldn’t imagine Jiang Menghe getting upset over such a trivial matter.

“Come on, ” Beijiali’s voice took on a nasal whine as she pressed her entire upper body against Yunzhu. “Sweet Yunyun, just lend it to me. It’s not like you use it anyway. Please? Pretty please?”

The woman practically draped her full weight over her. In the past, such intimate contact between friends wouldn’t have fazed Yunzhu. But ever since… whatever happened with Jiang Menghe, another female Beta, her mindset had shifted.

Yunzhu pulled her wrist free from the other’s grasp, unable to resist the pleading. “Didn’t you just say you were about to burst? Hurry to the restroom before our turn comes up.”

Though she hadn’t agreed outright, given their lifelong friendship, Beijiali knew she had won. She spread her arms for a hug, only for Yunzhu to glare at her with mock ferocity.

Like a kitten puffing up its fur to scare off intruders, utterly lacking in intimidation, only coming off as adorable.

Meeting her gaze, Beijiali sheepishly withdrew her hands, flashing a cheeky grin before grabbing a tissue and darting toward the restroom, blowing a kiss over her shoulder.

Watching her leave, Yunzhu silently reassured herself.

Just lending it out. Since it was given to her, she should be free to decide, no harm done.

Lunchtime was peak dining hours, and the two had waited nearly ten minutes before being seated, which nearly made Beijiali late for work that afternoon. They parted ways on the mall’s fourth floor, with Yunzhu deciding to linger a little longer.

The area wasn’t far from Tiancheng Residential District, but her younger sister, Yin Xuan, was still in class at this hour. She also wasn’t keen on going home to face Ms. Shan and endure her nagging.

The little gift for her sister could wait till next time.

Leaving the toy store, she headed to the ground floor, lined with high-end boutiques. At this hour, the only people idling around were either unemployed like her or the wealthy.

The heat mingled with the sweet aroma of baked goods, lulling her into drowsiness. Slinging her jacket over her arm, Yunzhu glanced around.

The perfume had been swiped from her bag. Remembering Jiang Menghe’s thoughtful gesture, she felt compelled to reciprocate. After much deliberation, she stepped into a luxury brand store with steep prices.

Clutching the card in her bag, she hesitantly approached the counter.

The sales associate greeted her warmly. “How may I assist you, ma’am?”

Yunzhu was clueless about these things. Scanning the dazzling array of products, she tried to guess their prices before resting her hands on the counter and murmuring, “Which one is the most expensive in your store?”

The moment the words left her mouth, she wanted to bite her tongue off. She must have looked like a clueless nouveau riche, pointing at rows of the latest seasonal items and demanding they all be wrapped up.

The SA, who had just fetched water, paused, studying her.

The gaze wasn’t judgmental, just assessing whether she had served a client like this before. After all, Yunzhu appeared no older than twenty-three or twenty-four, her financial status unclear.

Her youthful looks often gave people the mistaken impression that she wasn’t a white-collar professional.

Seeing her embarrassment as she buried her face in her collar, the SA proactively eased the awkwardness: “Have you shopped with us before? If not, we require a pre-purchase here.”

Yin Yunzhu only knew the neighboring store had such a policy. Her voice was so soft it seemed scattered by the wind: “Then… what items are required for the pre-purchase…”

Twenty minutes later, she left the store carrying a small square scarf.

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