Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 34.2

Sangen Xueleng: Jiang Menghe, if you want to vent your lover’s frustrations, you should see if you have the ability.

Sangen Xueleng: Aren’t you afraid I’ll expose everything?

Because Jiang Shiyun was backed by a patron and her status had risen due to her child, she spoke with a sting to everyone she met.

Sangen Xueleng: You always use high-sounding excuses to fish for information. Does your lover know?

Sangen Xueleng: I won’t talk nonsense, but if she found out just how malicious you used to be, how do you think she’d react?

The sarcasm in that last sentence was too heavy. Jiang Menghe instinctively looked at Yin Yunzhu.

The Beta curled up like a little shrimp, her arm hooked around the woman’s waist as she murmured in her sleep. The scene was so much like a peaceful dream that one could hardly bear to shatter it.

Jiang Menghe rose, her smooth satin pajamas sliding open with the movement, making the sexy little mole on her skin appear even more vivid under the light.

Draping a heavy coat over her thin frame, she stepped out onto the balcony, closing the glass door tightly to ensure not a single sound leaked back inside. The moonlight was like a bolt of white silk, and the distant mountains were hidden in the night, resembling crouching beasts. A narrow view, she thought, often leads to a narrow mind.

She dialed Jiang Shiyun’s number. After a long series of rings, the call was finally answered.

“Getting anxious?” the other woman asked. There were voices in the background—a cacophony of noise.

“What do you want?” Jiang Menghe instinctively reached into her pocket, felt the hard square of a cigarette pack, and pulled one out to light it.

The swirling smoke was blown into her eyes by the cold wind, the crimson spark glowing and fading rhythmically. She leaned against the railing, staring into the darkness below.

Jiang Shiyun took a deep breath. “Jiang Menghe, first of all, I didn’t know she was yours. My manager messaged me; after you blew up the trending searches last time, who knew Ren Yu would suddenly act up and come out to clarify? It’s bad enough being a human shield!”

The woman on the other end grew more agitated. “I don’t want to be dragged into this. That photo came from above.”

She was tired of Jiang Menghe’s persistence. She didn’t understand why a simple transaction record, one where the recipient wasn’t even Jiang Menghe would trigger such a massive reaction. It was as if Jiang was a powder keg waiting to explode.

“Delete it,” Jiang Menghe said coldly.

“Is that how you ask for a favor?” Jiang Shiyun sneered.

“You don’t have to delete it.”

A brief silence fell between them. Someone on the other end whispered something to Jiang Shiyun; she hummed a few responses before her voice became clear again.

“How about this? We both take a step back.”

It sounded like a fair trade. Jiang Shiyun had spent years carefully crafting her public persona; she was terrified of people finding out about her relationship with her patron, even hiding her meetings with her own child.

She had no real connection with Jiang Menghe. She had only mentioned the high-level rumors out of spite when she was questioned earlier. She hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. In Jiang Shiyun’s mind, Jiang Menghe was the “National Goddess,” always well-behaved and possessing a stellar reputation. Although they had never met face-to-face, Jiang’s widespread influence made her a figure to be reckoned with. Thus, when she heard the dirt on her, she had kept a mental note of it.

The burning spark reached the end of the cigarette, scorching Jiang Menghe’s fingers. She looked down to see a patch of red on her skin.

Her consciousness snapped back. Her voice was swallowed by the wind. “That photo… where did it come from?”

Meanwhile, in a brightly lit luxury villa, ripples danced on the surface of the swimming pool, merging with the moonlight. Jiang Shiyun was dressed in a sexy rose-red swimsuit that accentuated her slim waist and long legs. She sat at the edge of the pool, arching her foot to hook the dripping water.

On a nearby lounge chair, another woman had a bath towel draped over her shoulders, her sharp eyes like those of a hawk. Hearing the conversation over the speakerphone, she mouthed words to Jiang Shiyun.

“It was a… man?” Jiang Shiyun tried to distinguish the source, her tone carrying a hint of uncertainty.

At the mention of the word “man,” a familiar face surfaced in Jiang Menghe’s mind. Recalling what he had once said to her, her shoulders couldn’t stop trembling. Her grip on the railing turned her fingertips white. Her heart sank, as if choked by the smoke in her lungs, and she crushed the cigarette butt.

The tiny spark vanished completely, along with the light reflected in her eyes. “I see.”

With the final click of the hang-up, silence returned. Jiang Menghe buried her face in her arms until the smell of smoke had dissipated before she found the strength to walk back inside.

The time on her phone read 3:40 AM—the peak of deep sleep. Having stood outside for so long, the stiffness in her bones felt a wave of relief as she re-entered the heated room.

Yin Yunzhu had a bad habit of sleeping with her mouth slightly open. At home, she often used mouth tape, but out here, she just followed her instincts. Seeing her like this, Jiang Menghe knelt down and smoothed the fine hairs on the girl’s forehead. The dim light turned them into a bright gold, floating into Jiang’s heart like dandelion seeds.

“Yin Yunzhu,” she called softly. She was afraid of waking her, yet afraid she wouldn’t hear.

After the second or third time, the sleeping girl grew annoyed, knitting her brows and murmuring a protest. She then stuck a leg out from under the quilt, pressing it against the edge.

Jiang Menghe gazed at her, forcing a faint smile. Wrapped in the warm yellow light of that corner, it was a sleepless night for her.

When Yin Yunzhu woke up, Jiang Menghe was still asleep. Light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, landing on her thick, long eyelashes.

Treading softly, Yin climbed off the bed and moved toward the sofa. Huangcheng wasn’t like the coastal humidity of Quancheng; being surrounded by mountains made the winter dry rather than damp-cold. Having the heater on all night had made her throat itch with dryness.

She groggily pulled on a turtleneck sweater and walked to the mirror to tidy up, intending to go downstairs for breakfast. The rustling noise wasn’t exactly quiet, and it reached Jiang Menghe’s ears. She covered her forehead and propped herself up, her almond eyes hazy with a trace of allure.

“What do you want to eat?” Yin Yunzhu zipped her jacket up to her chin, looking like a little puppy stuffed into a straight sack. It made one’s heart melt.

Jiang Menghe held her hand out in an inviting gesture. Yin Yunzhu immediately understood, walked to the bedside, and sat down, cupping Jiang’s hand to her lips for a kiss.

A soft chuckle came from above. “You’re so well-behaved.”

The next moment, Yin’s collar was grabbed, forcing her to look up and meet Jiang’s eyes. “What time is your flight?”

“Tomorrow,” Yin Yunzhu blinked.

Being invited to Huangcheng to watch the show had seemingly used up all the bad luck of her lifetime. Not only was she locked in a storage room and missed the program, but her hand was also injured. For a writer, nothing was more essential than flexible fingers.

“It will be a long time until we see each other again.” Jiang Menghe’s words were ambiguous. Yin Yunzhu understood instantly, clutching the bedsheets beneath her in nervous anticipation.

“Then… what do you want?” Her voice trembled slightly, laced with a cloying sweetness.

The person who had once been stiff and wooden in bed had been trained to be full of charm. Everything proceeded naturally.

A hand pressed into her hair, and they kissed, using every skill to please one another. Yin Yunzhu was still somewhat clumsy; as the kiss deepened, her breathing became rapid and hot against the woman’s nose. The woman’s nails dug into her upper arm.

Thin muscles tensed, and a flush of excitement spread across the surface of their skin. They kissed in short, shallow bursts, but before they could go deeper, Yin Yunzhu pulled back, staring at the moist, glistening lips before continuing. It was like a little chick pecking for grain—teasing and unbearable.

With her right hand incapacitated, her left hand naturally moved to a soft spot, rhythmically kneading as she followed the tempo of the woman’s broken, husky moans.

Jiang Menghe threw her head back, like a swan extending its neck, allowing the storm of kisses to fall on her shoulders. Her swallow was easily caught by the other woman, creating a strong sense of breathlessness.

The body hidden under the quilt was even more heart-stirring. Just as they were about to break all restraint, the woman suddenly stopped.

“Yin Yunzhu.”

She always liked to call her by her full name, with a solemnity as if she were carving it into her heart. For some reason, Yin Yunzhu felt an irrational surge of panic. Like seeking the only piece of driftwood in a surging sea, she took Jiang Menghe’s hand and responded patiently.

“I’m here.”

Seeing this panicked look, the woman smiled faintly. “Just calling your name gets such a big reaction? Then later…”

She intentionally guided Yin Yunzhu’s left hand, moving it from the smooth skin until they reached the damp moisture. Her swollen finger was deliberately rubbed forward. “Aren’t you going to feel so good you’ll die?” Jiang Menghe said, her face unchanging and her heart steady.

“Don’t say that!” Yin Yunzhu pulled her hand away, her damp fingers brushing against the woman’s cheek, adding a touch of decadence. She hated it when Jiang Menghe used such extreme language.

The woman, her mouth covered, said nothing. Instead, she took Yin’s finger into her mouth and licked it clean with her tongue. “I won’t say it anymore.”

Even though the corners of her lips curved upward, the smile still didn’t reach her eyes. Yin Yunzhu felt insecure about this relationship, especially when Jiang Menghe’s attitude shifted between hot and cold—like trying to catch the moon’s reflection in water.

“Jiang Menghe, when are you going back to Quancheng?” she asked, kneeling in front of the woman.

Jiang Menghe stroked the top of her head with a tenderness that felt like water. Her focus was so intent on Yin Yunzhu’s face that she barely heard the words.

“What?”

“When are you going back to Quancheng?” Yin Yunzhu leaned into her ear and raised her voice.

The childish act made Jiang’s ear itch. She ended up lying flat on the bed, but even then, she didn’t forget to support Yin’s hand to keep it from being pressed painfully.

“Are you that clingy?” Jiang Menghe propped up her temple and kissed the corner of Yin’s mouth.

Like small animals drawing in each other’s familiar scent, Yin Yunzhu blushed and responded shyly. Unlike the domineering demand from earlier, this kiss was gentle and long. Yin Yunzhu’s heart hammered in her chest, and the overflowing joy made her lose her reason for a moment.

“I like you.”

Being near a furnace makes one feel warm, and being cared for with such intention is naturally felt. After the moment of triumph, her mind quickly searched for an excuse, but she decided to throw caution to the wind.

“Do you like me?” Yin Yunzhu asked, giving the woman a flattering kiss on the corner of her mouth.

Her sincerity and frankness were always hard to refuse, especially when she looked over with those wet eyes, making one’s heart feel as though it were soaked in a jar of honey.

The dense kisses were heart-wrenching. Not getting an answer, Yin Yunzhu’s movements quickened. Amidst the rising waves, Jiang Menghe grabbed the other’s collar and finally, in a short and high-pitched response to the last threatening question, she spoke.

“I like you!”

Hearing the answer, Yin Yunzhu revealed a satisfied smile and lay on Jiang’s rising and falling chest, poking the little red mole over and over.

But in the instant those two words escaped her mouth, Jiang Menghe broke out in a cold sweat.

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