Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 50.2

Jiang Menghe allowed the emotional outburst to wash over her, remaining unmoved with her arms crossed, watching the hysterical “madman” before her.

Inside the shower, Yin Yunzhu had rushed to put on her clothes the moment she heard the first sounds of the argument.

The moment she saw Bella, she froze. “Bella, why didn’t you tell me you were coming over?”

Being caught in this scene by a close friend filled her with a shame so deep she couldn’t lift her head. She didn’t dare meet Bella’s eyes, feeling as though she had become a traitor.

Seeing that Yin Yunzhu was unharmed and in a relatively stable state of mind, Bella quickly pulled her behind her back, carefully checking her shoulders and forearms for injuries. “Did she do anything to you?”

As the explosive atmosphere receded, Yin Yunzhu suddenly didn’t know how to explain. She opened her mouth several times only to close it again.

Bella urgently brushed back Yin Yunzhu’s half-dry hair. Seeing the hickeys scattered across her neck, she looked away uncomfortably.

Yin Yunzhu’s reaction said everything. Bella’s state shifted from urgency to a calm, then finally to a pained sense of disbelief.

“You and her…” She didn’t dare think further, looking at Yin Yunzhu with a flicker of hope for a denial.

Yin Yunzhu looked up, her gaze crossing Bella’s shoulder to meet Jiang Menghe’s. The woman looked perfectly at ease, leaning against a cabinet as she narrowed her eyes to enjoy the show.

She wasn’t panicked at all. In fact, she looked like a strategist who had everything under control, certain that Yin Yunzhu wouldn’t speak up, relying on the younger woman’s lingering sense of pity.

Yin Yunzhu’s mind flashed back to the woman’s words from earlier—that “sink or swim” determination to drag her into a mire from which there was no escape.

She didn’t dare gamble. Based on her limited understanding of this woman, Jiang Menghe was unscrupulous enough to force her into compliance.

So, Yin Yunzhu reached out and gripped Bella’s shoulders, forcing a small smile.

“Bella, this is between her and me.”

“There are a lot of things that can’t be explained for now. Even we are still sorting things out. I’ll tell you everything when the time is right, okay?”

The subtext was clear: she didn’t want an outsider to interfere.

Bella remained in a state of disbelief until her shoulder was patted twice. She snapped out of it. “What do you mean?”

“For the time being… I might be seeing her frequently. I hope you can keep this a secret from my family—” Yin Yunzhu remembered something and specifically added, “Don’t tell Yin Xuan either.”

Jiang Menghe paused. Hearing that last sentence, she lost her patience and reached out to stop them.

“You can leave now,” she said flatly, her tone a direct provocation to Bella.

“Yin Yunzhu, you really are something.”

Bella seemed to have misunderstood. Like a friend who had been put through the wringer by a couple who kept breaking up and getting back together, she glared at Yin Yunzhu and then shot a lethal look at Jiang Menghe.

“I don’t care if you live or die anymore.” She was furious, unable to understand how someone could throw away their principles for a relationship.

“I’ll be the one caring if she lives or dies.” Jiang Menghe leaned against Yin Yunzhu’s shoulder, like a victor making a declaration.

Watching Bella storm off with her bag, Yin Yunzhu pushed the heavy weight off her shoulder. “Are you satisfied now?” She asked coldly.

“No,” Jiang Menghe replied calmly. “I’ll only be satisfied when she disappears forever.”

“Get out!” Yin Yunzhu threw the towel used for her wet hair into the woman’s arms.

She rarely used such harsh words; for her, it was a heavy term that reflected her absolute disgust for Jiang Menghe.

Unexpectedly, the woman gripped the towel and brought it to her nose, inhaling softly. Sensing an unfamiliar scent, she asked, “Why didn’t you use the shampoo I bought for you?”

She favored gardenia; her perfumes and toiletries all shared that scent. When she used to stay at Yin Yunzhu’s apartment, she would replace everything. To smell the same scent on her was like an Alpha/Omega marking—it brought her peace.

Looking at her, Yin Yunzhu felt a wave of nausea, a feeling of powerlessness like punching cotton. No matter how much she sparred with Jiang Menghe verbally, it was a waste of effort. She turned and walked away.

The person behind her followed like a shadow. Jiang Menghe enjoyed her reaction. “You’re quite smart. If you dragged the people around you into this, they would feel troubled too, wouldn’t they?”

It was another casual threat.

“I know,” Yin Yunzhu stopped in her tracks. “I won’t complain. Please don’t cause them any trouble.”

A hand wrapped around her waist, and Jiang Menghe’s forehead rested on her shoulder. Her voice sounded muffled against the soft fabric.

“This is better for both of us.”

Yin Yunzhu wanted to say, It’s only better for you, but thinking of starting a pointless argument, she remained silent. She had learned to be smart—to tuck away her sharp claws and show weakness to protect her own peace of mind.

The two days and nights with Jiang Menghe were an ordeal. The woman clung to her constantly, wanting her over and over. She was in a good mood, always wearing a satisfied smile afterward. Even though Yin Yunzhu remained passive, the woman wasn’t discouraged. It made Yin Yunzhu suspect that even if the woman were facing a corpse, she would still be turned on.

But Yin Yunzhu wasn’t a saint. Seeing Jiang Menghe’s effort and hearing her moans, she found her own body softening despite her tension. She could only bite her lip, forcing herself to stay silent.

When Jiang Menghe tried to use three fingers, Yin Yunzhu struggled violently, pulling her hand away and scrambling out of bed in a panic.

The woman’s bright, affectionate eyes gazed at her, then she buried her face back into the pillow, her body twitching in the lingering afterglow.

“Where are you going?” She calmed down and stood up to wrap her arms around Yin Yunzhu’s waist, but the latter dodged.

“Going home to pack my things.”

With only two days left of the holiday, she had already booked her flight for tomorrow. She had never been so desperate to return to Pingcheng.

“You already booked a flight?” Jiang Menghe frowned.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Yin Yunzhu turned around and gave a fake smile. “If a big star like you sits in economy class with me and gets recognized, it’ll cause a lot of trouble.”

Jiang Menghe’s expression turned cold. “Do you have to speak to me in that tone?”

She hated it when Yin Yunzhu looked like she was being forced. Hadn’t she been immersed in it as well? If her attitude were even slightly softer, she wouldn’t have been “forced” to stay in bed for two days.

“How would I dare,” Yin Yunzhu said flatly, tying her belt.

Staring at the blue-and-white diamond-patterned belt, Jiang Menghe lowered her eyes, processing the feeling of being brushed off.

Yin Yunzhu left without even a word, driving all the way to the Tiancheng community.

The holiday was nearly over, and younger children with little homework had run down to the park. The ice on the small pond had melted, leaving the water a deep green that rippled slightly with the shouting nearby.

Entering the house, she heard laughter in the living room and saw an extra pair of women’s shoes at the door.

“Auntie Bella.” Catching sight of the familiar figure on the sofa, Yin Yunzhu greeted her obediently.

Auntie Chen (Bella’s mother) had returned from her holiday looking radiant. Seeing Yin Yunzhu after so long, she called her over.

“Oh, Yunyun, you’ve put on some weight! You’ve taken good care of yourself.” She patted Yin Yunzhu’s hand with approval.

“Thank you, Auntie.” Seeing that the water glass on the table was empty, Yin Yunzhu refilled it and handed it back.

“If only Bella were half as sensible as you. She’s been gone for two days, and since she got back, she’s been like a firecracker, snapping at everyone. Her mouth is worse than mine.”

Hearing about Bella, Yin Yunzhu couldn’t help but feel guilty about the incident two days ago.

“How is… she?”

“They say you two have the best relationship, and it’s true you’re still thinking of her. She’s fine, probably just her period. Ignore her!” Auntie Chen waved her hand dismissively.

Yin Yunzhu felt relieved. She believed Bella wouldn’t tell anyone about her situation, but she couldn’t help feeling guilty. She wondered if that “I don’t care if you live or die” remark was just anger or if she meant it. Knowing her personality, it was likely the former.

I should find a time to apologize and explain, she thought.

“By the way, where’s Xuan?” The house was strangely quiet. Since Yin Xuan hadn’t gone to school yet, it was unusual for her to be so well-behaved.

“She’s playing with the other kids in the park downstairs. she doesn’t know you’re back.” Shan Songyue interjected before continuing her conversation with Auntie Chen.

Yin Yunzhu pulled her suitcase from the guest room. Most of the clothes inside hadn’t been touched and were still neatly folded. She took out a thicker jacket and swapped it for a lightweight T-shirt and shirt.

Locking the suitcase, she prepared to head down to find Yin Xuan, bringing along some snacks she had bought on the way to share with the other kids as a way of saying goodbye.

At such a lively age, the small park was boisterous. Even the leaves of the bushes seemed to vibrate with the noise.

Carrying her plastic bag, she saw from a distance that Yin Xuan was surrounded by a crowd of chattering children. Although she hadn’t fully grown yet, her fair, clean face hinted at future beauty, and her features faintly mirrored Yin Yunzhu’s.

Having been raised around Bella, Yin Xuan was the opposite of Yin Yunzhu’s quiet nature and was very popular among the children.

As she approached the steps, she noticed an adult crouching among them.

When she saw the person’s face clearly, Yin Yunzhu’s face turned deathly pale, and the bag of snacks in her hand dropped to the ground.

The sound caught the group’s attention. Seeing her, Yin Xuan rushed over like a little engine. “Sister!”

The woman remained in a half-crouched position, her affectionate gaze piercing through the crowd and looking straight at her.

The moment she saw Jiang Menghe, Yin Yunzhu’s heart felt as though it were being squeezed, and her breathing became uneven. She had thought the woman had some sense of boundaries and wouldn’t interfere with her private life.

Shan Songyue and Auntie Chen were still upstairs, and she had just told Bella a few days ago not to tell Yin Xuan. Now, everything was in disarray.

How did she dare?

How did she dare to follow her here! With so many people watching, if Shan Songyue came down to pick up Yin Xuan, she would easily see Jiang Menghe.

How would she explain then? Yin Yunzhu had no doubt that Jiang Menghe could brazenly introduce herself and tell Shan Songyue about their “shameful” affairs.

She had thought those threats were just jokes to make her comply…

Her legs felt like lead, and she didn’t even have the courage to run away. Yin Yunzhu felt her strength drained, and she stumbled, feeling as if she were about to faint.

She thought it was all an illusion.

Until a hand supported her arm. Jiang Menghe had stepped forward at some point. She seemed completely unaware of the gravity of the situation as she spoke to herself.

“I saw you were alone and followed you because I was worried.”

At that moment, Yin Yunzhu realized that the woman’s desire for control was far beyond her imagination.

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