Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 29.1

Jiang Menghe was cunning, adept at using ambiguous and sticky sweet talk to make Yin Yunzhu blush. But those words seemed to foreshadow a parting. In the two or three days after Pingcheng, she never appeared at the hotel again.

After hours of continuous travel, dragging her suitcase home in a weary state, Xiao Yu poked his head out from the open bedroom, seemingly struggling to recognize her.

“Don’t recognize me anymore?” Yin Yunzhu set down her bag and scooped up the big orange cat by his front legs.

“Meow!” The kitten let out a heart-wrenching cry, leaped over her shoulder, and landed on the sofa.

The automatic feeder still had half its cat food left. She pulled out a can from the cupboard above the study and gave Xiao Yu an extra meal before remembering to notify those close to her that she was back safely.

Shan Songyue, Beijiali and Jiang Menghe.

Even though sending a group message wouldn’t take much effort, Yin Yunzhu didn’t want to bother Jiang Menghe with such trivialities after all, they weren’t really dating.

Sure enough, replies came quickly from everyone else’s chat windows, but Jiang Menghe’s remained silent. Her family, however, responded faster.

One Meter of Sunshine: “You’re back in Quancheng? Coming home for a few days?”

Glancing at the dusty floor, Yin Yunzhu didn’t agree immediately.

Little Bamboo: “Maybe in a few days. I need to clean up first.”

After replying, she opened the windows to air out the place, started the robot vacuum, and then went to unpack her suitcase. Since Pingcheng was close to Quancheng, there weren’t many local specialties to bring back. She had only bought a bracelet from the temple at the foot of Pingdan Mountain while the New Year festivities were still lively.

Finding He Ping’s business card in her backpack’s inner pocket, she hesitated before opening WeChat and entering the phone number.

As expected, the first search result was He Ping himself. The reason she recognized him instantly? His profile picture was a dead ringer for the real person.

Yin Yunzhu wasn’t fond of social interactions, but remembering Jiang Menghe’s reminder, a faint sense of anticipation stirred in her heart.

If her book could catch the eye of a renowned director and be adapted into a film or series…

She sent a friend request, and it was accepted almost instantly. The empty chat window displayed only the system’s automatic greeting, leaving Yin Yunzhu at a loss for how to start the conversation.

Little Bamboo: “Yin Yunzhu, pen name ‘Withered Dreams Meet Spring.’”

He Ping: “The girl from Pingdan Mountain? I’ve noted it down.”

Purpose-driven socializing made her uncomfortable, but between her future prospects and pride, Yin Yunzhu chose the former.

Little Bamboo: “This is my latest work. Please take a look.”

Little Bamboo: “[File attached]”

The straightforward approach worked well. After receiving the file, He Ping replied.

He Ping: “I’ll review it and get back to you later.”

Staring at the last message, Yin Yunzhu thanked him repeatedly, clutching her phone as her heart raced with excitement.

Meeting He Ping in Pingcheng had been partly thanks to Jiang Menghe’s introduction. She was about to share the good news with her but quickly came to her senses.

Never mind. It was still too early better to wait until things were settled.

–

Time flew by, and before she knew it, it was New Year’s Eve. The streets were both lively and deserted. Bright red lanterns hung from overhead wires, densely blocking the snowy light. Festive couplets and “Fu” characters adorned doorways, yet few people were out and about.

Spring City was a city that had developed over the past two years. Though barely qualifying as a first-tier city, it had attracted no small number of young migrant workers. On this day of family reunions, almost all those remaining were locals.

Snow had melted into icy slush by the roadside, mixing with dirty water to form gray puddles. Yin Yunzhu opened the trunk and unloaded the New Year groceries she’d bought days earlier.

Just as she reached the doorstep, Yin Xuan spotted her through the peephole and came running out without even changing shoes.

This was always the case whenever Yin Yunzhu didn’t arrive empty-handed, she’d receive an enthusiastic welcome.

The little girl wore her festive new clothes, a fiery red padded jacket with fur-lined cuffs and collar that swayed adorably with her movements.

“What delicious treats did you bring this time?” She naturally circled behind Yin Yunzhu, only to lose interest instantly upon seeing the carton of milk and goji berries.

“We’ll go shopping later,” Yunzhu chuckled, nudging the door open with her foot.

The aroma of cooking wafted from the dining room where parboiled meats and cleaned fish sat in basins, evidently preparations for the New Year’s Eve feast.

“The corner store downstairs is closed. We’ll need to drive to the nearby mall for snacks.”

Yin Xuan rummaged through a plastic bag by the door, pulling out a rice cracker to munch on. When it came to snacks, she was more knowledgeable than anyone, muttering incessantly as if afraid her prize might escape.

Dan Songyue was mopping the floor when she noticed Yunzhu’s return. “Why didn’t you bring the kitten?”

“Too cold outside, and troublesome to transport,” Yunzhu replied, bending to set down gift boxes. “These are for you, don’t let them expire.” Though knowing Dan Songyue’s habit, most would likely be regifted after the holidays.

“Sit and watch TV for now. Dinner will be ready soon your father’s coming home tonight.” She swept the trash into a dustpan and placed it by the hallway plant stand.

Yin Yunzhu wasn’t surprised. Every holiday, her father Chen Haidong would travel back just for the family reunion dinner. Childhood memories had faded, leaving only awkward silence between them now.

Most daughters naturally grew closer to their mothers, and Yin Xuan was no exception.

After dinner, as Yunzhu helped clear the table, she overheard Ms. Dan’s sharp-toned phone conversation in the living room likely with Chen Haidong. The woman had little patience, her rising voice delivering cutting remarks that left no room for rebuttal. Yunzhu paused her wiping, recalling Beijiali’s warnings.

Dan Songyue and Chen Haidong’s marriage had never been passionate, a matchmaker’s arrangement that had worn thin over years of routine. Recent quarrels had become frequent, though Dan’s fiery temper was offset by her short memory, while her husband remained a silent receptacle for her outbursts.

The doorbell snapped Yunzhu from her thoughts. She signaled Yin Xuan, who scampered to answer while licking a cheese stick.

Outside stood Beijiali, maintaining her polished New Year’s persona, flashing her newly done maroon almond-shaped nails in greeting.

“Miss me, Yin Xuan?” She teased the child with a playful, almost roguish tilt of her chin.

“Nope.” Yin Xuan rolled her eyes, unable to hide her disappointment.

With a huff, Beijiali produced a giant snack package from behind her back. “Hey you little rascal, is that any way to talk to your elder?”

Like a carrot dangled before her eyes, Yin Xuan stood on tiptoe trying to reach it. “I want to eat it! I want it!”

“Then what should you call me?” Beijiali squatted down to meet her eye level, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

Having watched Yin Xuan grow up, the three of them were so familiar with each other that there was none of the usual distance between strangers. Compared to Yin Yunzhu’s reserved nature, the other two got along surprisingly well.

A chill swept through the doorway, dispersing the warmth as it crept under their clothes and brushed against their skin. After being stared at for a long time, Yin Xuan blushed, shyly hiding behind Yin Yunzhu, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.

“Jiali, sister.”

“Good girl.” Beijiali smoothed the child’s short bangs before handing her the treat.

The rewarded child immediately bit into the cheese stick in her mouth, then hugged her snacks and disappeared into the bedroom, not to be seen again.

“She’s going to grow taller again this New Year,” Beijiali remarked, gesturing as she slipped her feet into the slippers left out for her.

On the other side of the partition, Shan Songyue heard the commotion and quickly lowered her voice to end the call before rising to greet her. “Jiali’s here? Come, sit!”

She then pulled open the TV cabinet drawer and took out a red envelope prepared in advance. “This year’s red envelope, can’t forget yours.”

“Auntie, I’ve been working for years now. I can’t keep taking red envelopes from elders,” Beijiali protested verbally, though her fingers clung tightly to one corner of the envelope.

“Nonsense,” Shan Songyue said warmly, her demeanor softening toward other children. “As long as you’re unmarried, you’re eligible for red envelopes.”

The words made Yin Yunzhu’s heart skip a beat. She exchanged a glance with Beijiali, catching a hint of teasing in the other’s eyes.

Sure enough, the conversation took a turn, landing exactly where someone had hoped. Seeing that mother and daughter were about to delve into personal matters, Beijiali winked at Yin Yunzhu, set down the items she had been asked to bring, and found a suitable excuse to slip away.

Left alone in the living room, Yin Yunzhu pretended to organize the New Year goods and casually asked, “Were you just talking to Dad on the phone?”

Shan Songyue, led astray by the question, swallowed her original words. “Oh, just chatting about how he’s been eating and living outside. Nothing else.”

The attempt to cover up was too obvious. If the conversation had been just small talk, she wouldn’t have been so agitated.

Unaware of the underlying context, Yin Yunzhu fell silent, nodding without another word.

The late winter sky darkened quickly, the orange-red clouds blending with the plummeting temperature. In the distance, towering buildings displayed festive New Year greetings on their massive screens, filling the air with jubilance.

Yin Xuan sat at the dining table, painstakingly peeling sunflower seeds with her fingers. Her neatly trimmed nails were short and round, making her movements slow and clumsy.

“Use your teeth,” Yin Yunzhu teased, demonstrating before asking, “Why are you peeling so many?”

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