Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 3

Clutching the movie tickets in her palm, Yin Yunzhu felt them burn like embers against her skin. She placed both tickets on the table and awkwardly withdrew her hand.

“No, I’m still a bit dizzy. Maybe you should ask someone else?” Her voice was so weak it lacked any conviction. She didn’t even dare lift her head to meet the other person’s gaze, afraid her clumsy acting would be exposed.

As she spoke, she tugged at her collar to ensure the scattered love bites remained hidden. With Beijiali’s relentless curiosity, she’d undoubtedly bombard her with questions if she noticed.

Beijiali’s mood soured at the rejection. Yin Yunzhu’s refusal felt like a slap in the face, an unwillingness to accept her apology.

“Suit yourself,” Beijiali muttered, leaning back in her chair and scrolling through her phone, signaling she wasn’t in the mood to talk.

Noticing the subtle shift in tone, Yin Yunzhu hesitated. She lowered her gaze to the two tickets, her mind drifting to the movie poster she’d seen on TV that morning.

The woman’s face on the poster overlapped with the one bathed in hazy moonlight last night, almond-shaped eyes half-lidded, dark as a vortex that could swallow you whole.

It’s just a movie. It’s not like I’ll actually run into her. It should be… fine, right?

Meanwhile, Beijiali’s eyes darted over her phone screen. Seeing Yin Yunzhu’s hesitation, she added fuel to the fire: “It’d be a waste if you don’t go. Aren’t you stuck on your writing? Maybe this’ll give you some inspiration.”

“Unless, ” She dragged out the word teasingly, “you’ve got something to hide?”

It was meant as a joke, but to Yin Yunzhu, whose conscience was already guilty, it set off alarm bells in her head.

Did she find out?

She subtly adjusted her collar again, confirming the marks on her collarbone were still concealed, her heart pounding. Just then, the waiter arrived with their food, and Beijiali’s attention shifted. “Got a secret date or something?”

“Nothing like that,” Yin Yunzhu reassured, her nerves settling. “I’ve been cooped up at home every day. When would I even have time to socialize?”

Having been a full-time writer for nearly four years, her body had grown sluggish. Even on the nicest days, she preferred staying in. Back in college, with her delicate, serene looks, she’d had plenty of suitors. But after graduation, her social circle had shrunk drastically Beijiali had met almost everyone she knew.

“Fine, boring.” Beijiali shrugged and reached for the barbecue tongs in the holder.

The meal passed in uneasy silence. Once they finished, they gathered their things.

The area around Xinwu Apartments, where Yin Yunzhu lived, had few snack streets, mostly just well-developed commercial districts and residential buildings. Exiting the barbecue place, they found themselves near a chain supermarket, with the cinema on the fifth floor.

They crossed the intersection through an underground walkway, Yin Yunzhu trailing behind, fingers clenched around the crumpled tickets in her pocket, her steps hesitant.

It was hard to imagine how it would feel to see someone she’d shared a bed with now on the big screen. At least she was grateful that her encounters with Jiang Menghe had stayed at the level of shallow physical contact, never delving into deeper emotional connection.

No, it might not even be Jiang Menghe.

Comforting herself with that thought, she followed Beijiali up to the fifth floor. The cinema lobby was crowded with people waiting to scan their tickets, most of them younglikely here for Jiang Menghe.

“Tickets.” Beijiali, quick on her feet, reached the staff first and held out her hand to Yin Yunzhu behind her.

Yin Yunzhu reacted a beat too late, pulling out the wrinkled tickets. While they waited, Beijiali glanced up at the screen and ordered a Coke and popcorn.

Having just finished their meal, neither of them was hungry. But seeing the crowd entering with snacks in hand, they casually made their purchase.

The girl scooping popcorn was quite young, and her eyes lit up when she saw Yin Yunzhu. The Beta wore a warm cashmere coat, her cheeks rosy and plump from the meal, looking irresistibly pinchable.

Standing there, she resembled a gentle, quiet little lamb.

Unable to resist, the girl gave Yin Yunzhu two extra scoops, handing it over with a smile. “Here you go.”

Beijiali glanced at her own portion, then subtly compared it to Yin Yunzhu’s, clicking her tongue softly but saying nothing.

Since childhood, she had grown accustomed to strangers giving her best friend “special treatment.”

Yin Yunzhu was considerate and gentle, yet never overly self-sacrificing, which made her well-liked. If not for her reluctance to socialize, her popularity would easily rival that of the Alphas and Omegas in their class.

“Thank you,” Yin Yunzhu said, accepting the popcorn.

The movie was about to start, and they followed the crowd inside. In the dim lighting, they had to watch their step carefully. Yin Yunzhu walked slowly, cradling her snacks protectively.

As her eyes adjusted, she took in the packed seats and silently marveled.

Beijiali hadn’t lied this film was a smash hit, both critically and commercially, with nearly every seat filled. They finally reached the second-to-last row, where Yin Yunzhu’s seat was on the aisle, just one spot away from the walkway.

Homeward Bound was a niche film, telling the story of a heroine whose closest friend was sent to the battlefield and died, only to be framed by treacherous officials posthumously, leading to the imprisonment of her entire family. The protagonist, played by Jiang Menghe, carried her friend’s ashes and set off for the capital to clear her name.

The chatter gradually died down, and the movement in the front rows lessened. Perhaps because Jiang Menghe was the lead, Yin Yunzhu found herself distracted.

Then, she noticed the seat to her left was empty. For a film with marketing buzz far surpassing its peers, this was unusual.

Maybe the person was delayed.

To her right, Beijiali was already engrossed, phone silenced, watching with keen interest.

Since no one was there, she could set her snacks aside for now.

Yin Yunzhu placed the popcorn in the cup holder and sat quietly. She had always liked Jiang Menghe not as a fan, exactly, but whenever gossip arose, she would defend her without hesitation.

In the hushed theater, occasional whispers and the fleeting glow of phone screens illuminated faces. The warm air hummed, and the enclosed space was thick with mingled scents, making her head feel heavy.

Perhaps due to a restless night and the cozy atmosphere, drowsiness crept in. Yin Yunzhu’s head nodded slightly, though she resisted the urge to slump over, forcing herself to stay alert.

She patted her cheeks, just then, the seatback behind her shifted, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a figure.

A woman stood in the aisle beside her, slightly hunched. In the near-total darkness of the theater, she wore a baseball cap and a mask that covered her face completely, leaving only her eyes visible beneath the brim.

The getup was so odd that Yin Yunzhu couldn’t help but stare. Only when the woman sat down did she realize her Coke and popcorn were still in the way. She quickly gathered them into her lap.

“Sorry…” she mouthed silently.

Unable to read the woman’s expression, Yin Yunzhu pressed her lips together. The silver screen’s light reflected in her eyes, casting a cool pallor over her cheeks.

The volume surged past her ears, yet the movements of the person beside her seemed amplified infinitely. Long, straight black hair cascaded over her shoulders, pressed down by a cap, giving her a clean and crisp appearance.

Above the mask was a tall, straight nose bridge. Taking advantage of the surrounding darkness, Yin Yunzhu stole a few glances.

Suddenly, the woman turned her head, just as the movie screen flashed with a burst of light.

Their eyes met. Yin Yunzhu seemed to catch a familiar citrus fragrance, cool with a hint of tartness and lingering sweetness.

As a Beta, she couldn’t detect pheromones, but she was sensitive to perfumes. The scent clinging to the fabric teased her senses, pulling her back to a certain moment.

The woman from last night surfaced in her mind, gradually overlapping with the one before her.

After about three seconds of eye contact, she realized how impolite her staring was and quickly straightened up, nervously gripping the popcorn in her hands.

The atmosphere turned awkward.

An elbow nudged her lightly. Beijiali leaned in to study her face. “You’ve been distracted for a while now. What’s wrong?”

Suspicion was written all over her expression. Afraid of giving herself away, Yin Yunzhu fanned herself deliberately and whispered, “The air conditioning’s a bit too warm. I think I’m feeling a little lightheaded.”

“You’re the one who dressed so heavily,” Beijiali rolled her eyes, tugging at Yin Yunzhu’s collar. “Want to go wash your face in the restroom?”

“Good idea.” Yin Yunzhu accepted the suggestion.

The unfamiliar woman to her left was far too overwhelming, she desperately needed to calm her nerves. Her mind was a tangled mess, and the noise wasn’t just from the speakers but also from an inexplicable unease.

Even if it was just a resemblance, it was enough to make her want to flee.

Bending slightly, she stood up, but the narrow aisle made it hard to pass freely. The woman, noticing her struggle, lifted her gaze and shifted her long legs aside to make way.

When Yin Yunzhu murmured her thanks, she caught a glimpse of the white brim of the cap and a sliver of the woman’s chin.

The restroom was at the end of the theater hallway, facing a mirror just around the corner. Yin Yunzhu’s cheeks were flushed unnaturally. She turned on the faucet, letting the cool water run over her hands, the chill sharpening her senses.

It was unbearable, the mingling scents of smoke and snacks, diffused by the warm air, made her head spin.

Gripping the edges of the sink, she closed her eyes briefly to steady herself. When she opened them again, she tugged at her loose collar.

The scattered love bites showed no signs of fading. The lighter ones would take at least two days, the darker ones even longer. Even as her memories blurred, these marks remained as proof of that night’s recklessness.

She was so absorbed that she didn’t notice the approaching footsteps until it was too late.

A bottle of concealer was extended toward her. Following the hand that held it, she saw slender fingers adorned with a simple silver ring on the index finger.

“Need it?” The woman shook the bottle slightly, her voice cool and smooth like melting ice.

She still wore the baseball cap, but her mask was now off. Her soft hair gleamed under the overhead lights, and her gentle, relaxed expression could easily be mistaken for affection.

Yin Yunzhu froze. She knew this face all too well from yesterday, today, and even moments ago on the big screen, flashing repeatedly before her eyes.

Should she marvel at how two people could look so alike, or question how such a coincidence could happen?

She had no idea if the other woman recognized her or if she’d even spared a thought about last night.

Stay calm. Maybe she didn’t even get a clear look at my face. Don’t panic.

“No?” When Yin Yunzhu hesitated, the woman chuckled softly and set the concealer bottle on the edge of the sink before turning to fix her own appearance.

“Forgot?” She glanced sideways through the mirror, her hands never pausing, “We met last night.”

Yin Yunzhu: !

All morning, she had been steeling herself to take responsibility, but now the words stuck in her throat like cotton, impossible to voice.

What could she say?

That she had drunk too much last night, that she hadn’t been in her right mind, and if the other woman felt wronged, she could make it up to her?

Jiang Menghe’s lips curved as she observed Yin Yunzhu’s reaction in the mirror, tracing her lower lip with the lipstick.

“By the way.”

Yin Yunzhu twisted her fingers together, sneaking a glance upward when the other woman spoke.

The woman tilted her head, long lashes casting thick shadows under her eyes, and asked with amused interest.

“Was that your girlfriend just now?”

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