Shadowed Love: A Lover Who Refuses to Let Go - Chapter 7

Having agreed to go home for dinner on Saturday, Yin Yunzhu finished her work early and woke up at the crack of dawn to get ready.

Xiaoyu, her cat, suddenly appeared from somewhere, crouching by the sink and curiously pawing at the water in the basin. She swatted him away, and he let out a disgruntled meow before slinking into the bathroom with his tail held high.

Putting on her contact lenses, her vision cleared considerably. She fit the stereotypical image of a writer, usually wearing thick black-framed glasses, though her prescription wasn’t strong, they made her look scholarly.

Ever since going out for hot pot with Beijiali, where the steam fogged up her lenses and earned her some teasing, she had switched to contacts whenever she went out.

“Xiaoyu, time to go see Grandma,” she said, pulling out the cat carrier from the shoe cabinet and unzipping it to call for him.

The chubby figure emerged from the bathroom, his whiskers clumped together from water. Xiaoyu licked his paws contentedly before strutting into the carrier.

Yin Yunzhu grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and scolded, “Drinking from the toilet again, huh? Next time, you’re not sleeping on the bed.”

As she changed her shoes to leave, a message from Shan Songyue popped up.

One Meter of Sunshine: “Left yet?”

Little Bamboo: “About to.”

Exiting the chat, she noticed Jiang Menghe’s name right below. Since that night when things had spiraled out of control again, the two had seemingly cut ties. Even when Yin Yunzhu sent updates about going home, there was no response from the other side.

This was for the best. They were never from the same world to begin with. From now on, they’d go their separate ways, returning to their own paths without interference.

Feeling restless, Yin Yunzhu quickly composed herself, hoisted the heavy cat carrier onto her back, and headed downstairs to hail a cab.

A few years ago, school district housing prices had skyrocketed, but Shan Songyue had the foresight to buy a place nearby early on, ensuring Yin Xuan could study in peace. It wasn’t far from Yin Yunzhu’s apartment in Xinwu.

The ten-minute ride passed quickly. When Yin Yunzhu knocked on the door, she was greeted by the cheerful patter of slippers.

“Big sis!” Yin Xuan, who had grown a bit taller, flung the door open and threw herself into Yin Yunzhu’s arms with a bright shout.

The force of the hug nearly knocked Yin Yunzhu back a step. She crouched down and pinched her sister’s cheeks. “Little Xuanxuan, haven’t seen you in half a month, have you gotten chubbier?”

The little girl’s fair cheeks flushed pink, her big, watery eyes strikingly similar to Yin Yunzhu’s. Hearing this, she puffed out her chest proudly. “Of course! I’m the strongest in my class now.”

“And what other great achievements have you made?” Shan Songyue’s voice rang out as she poked her head out from the kitchen, a spatula in hand.

“Well, it’s true,” Yin Xuan muttered, deflating like a wilted eggplant.

Noticing her disappointment, Yin Yunzhu leaned in and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ll take you to the mall later as a reward.”

“Really?!” The little girl’s eyes, which had dimmed, instantly lit up again. Spotting the round-faced orange cat in the carrier, she urged Yin Yunzhu to let him out immediately.

Xiaoyu, faced with an unfamiliar environment, sniffed the floor cautiously before darting under the sofa. Yin Xuan plopped onto the floor, sticking her head underneath to peek at him.

After washing her hands, Yin Yunzhu stepped into the kitchen. The range hood roared loudly, and she coughed twice before asking, “Need any help?”

“Nope, go keep your sister company and watch TV. There are fresh oranges on the shelf.” Shan Songyue expertly flipped the contents of the wok. She rarely cooked, her husband had left for work in another city years ago, sending money home monthly and only returning during the New Year.

So she had to learn a skill to support herself though whether the food tasted good was another matter. Yin Xuan had privately complained that her mother’s cooking was terrible.

Yin Yunzhu hesitated for a moment before deciding to head to the living room. Yin Xuan was sitting on the sofa, her short legs dangling, holding an unwilling Xiao Yu in her arms while watching a recently updated movie.

“Why aren’t you watching cartoons anymore?” Yin Yunzhu found it odd as she sat down beside the child.

It turned out to be an old film starring Jiang Menghe from a few years ago. Not only was the tone heavy, but Yin Xuan probably couldn’t even recognize most of the words in the dialogue at her level.

“She’s pretty,” the little girl said, her eyes glued to the screen whenever Jiang Menghe appeared. “Lots of kids at school like her.”

Well, at that age, kids didn’t understand much. Their tastes hadn’t yet been shaped by popular trends, they simply liked what instinctively appealed to them.

Jiang Menghe had an elegant, scholarly grace, her features resembling delicate ink brushstrokes in a painting. Unlike striking, glamorous looks, hers leaned toward warmth and approachability, giving her broad appeal among the general public.

But Yin Yunzhu knew all too well how she behaved in private.

“Big sis, do you think she’s pretty?” Yin Xuan suddenly asked.

Of course she was pretty, but Yin Yunzhu didn’t want to answer. She picked up a small plastic hair tie nearby and used the excuse of styling the girl’s hair to change the subject.

“Have you been causing trouble at school lately?”

Sure enough, Yin Xuan huffed. “I listen to the teacher.”

Shan Songyue, who was just bringing out the dishes, scoffed. “If you were well-behaved, there wouldn’t be a single obedient child in this world! Go wash your hands and come eat!”

Yin Yunzhu carried Yin Xuan to wash up. By the time they returned, the table was set. She took her seat beside Shan Songyue and picked up her chopsticks.

Throughout the meal, Shan Songyue kept piling food onto her plate, alternating between fussing over how thin she’d gotten and scolding her for staying indoors so much that her face had turned pale.

Eventually, the conversation circled back to the expected topic.

“Have you met anyone suitable lately?” Shan Songyue asked casually, ladling soup into Yin Xuan’s bowl despite the girl’s loud protests.

Coming home always meant enduring nagging, especially about marriage and blind dates. A couple of years ago, Yin Yunzhu could still claim youth as an excuse, but her family wasn’t stupid, they’d caught on that she simply didn’t want to.

“Mom, I’ve been so busy lately, I haven’t had time to meet new people,” she said sweetly, slipping a piece of Shanghai greens into Shan Songyue’s bowl, only to have it flicked back with a chopstick.

“You know you don’t have time? I told you before, your job isn’t stable. A government position would’ve been better. Your boss could even introduce you to someone, both of you stable.” Like a firecracker, Madam Dan’s words exploded nonstop. “You think you’re an Alpha or Omega? They have genetic matching in their databases. We ordinary folks should just live a decent life.”

Yin Yunzhu knew better than to argue. No matter how much she said, she could never out-talk Shan Songyue, a seasoned teacher. She opted for silence instead.

Thankfully, the little one kept chattering away, preventing the table from falling into complete awkwardness. After dinner, Shan Songyue cleared the dishes and got ready for her nearby yoga class. Yin Xuan, seizing the moment while her mother changed, scurried over to Yin Yunzhu with a mischievous grin.

“Are we going?”

The child’s mind was fixated on a trip to the supermarket, so excited she’d even changed her clothes. Yin Yunzhu sighed and flicked her forehead. “You and your sharp memory.”

After letting Shan Songyue know, she took Yin Xuan out for some fun.

Tiancheng Community was surrounded by Quancheng’s renowned affiliated elementary and middle schools. For the next few years, Yin Xuan wouldn’t need to worry about her education, though given her abysmal grades, whether she could actually get admitted was another matter. The mature commercial district that encircled the area lacked the neighborly charm of the old streets from before.

The two arrived at the nearest shopping mall. Yin Yunzhu was holding Yin Xuan’s hand as the little girl bounced across the street when, from a distance, they saw a crowd gathered at the entrance, phones raised overhead like a dark swarm, completely blocking the way.

Was there some event at the mall today?

Yin Yunzhu wondered silently, hesitating whether to find another entrance, when a few young people rushed past, urging those lagging behind.

“Hurry up and grab a good spot! If we’re late, there won’t be any left!”

“Is the info reliable? Are you sure Jiang Menghe will show up?”

“The venue application was approved, but she doesn’t have any movies out recently.”

The crowd pressed shoulder to shoulder, their reflections crowding the glass doors until even the air felt thin. Since Jiang Menghe had won the Best Actress award of the year, her popularity had soared even higher.

Hearing the familiar name, Yin Yunzhu froze, her grip on Yin Xuan’s hand tightening.

She had thought the two of them would never cross paths again, how could they run into each other even while shopping?

Thinking about it, Quancheng, as a prosperous coastal city, though not large, had a concentrated commercial district where many wealthy celebrities settled. Running into them wasn’t unusual.

Fortunately, from the snippets of excited chatter, it seemed Jiang Menghe hadn’t arrived yet. Yin Yunzhu didn’t want to invite trouble or dredge up unpleasant memories.

Planning to avoid any potential encounter, she tugged Yin Xuan’s hand, ready to turn back.

But the little girl’s eyes lit up the moment she heard “Jiang Menghe,” and she immediately began tugging at Yin Yunzhu’s arm like a stubborn mule.

“Sis, sis! I want to see Jiang Menghe! I want to see the big star!” Where the half-pint got such strength was a mystery, she yanked so hard Yin Yunzhu nearly stumbled.

The chance to see a real celebrity, maybe even take a photo, would make her the envy of her classmates.

Yin Xuan’s mind buzzed with excitement, already scheming.

Knowing her sister’s stubbornness, Yin Yunzhu knew reasoning was futile when she got like this. Instead, she crouched down to meet Yin Xuan’s eyes, speaking earnestly. “But it’s too crowded here, we won’t even get close. Didn’t you want to go to the supermarket?”

“But I want to see the big star! I want to be on TV!” Yin Xuan pouted, looking like a dejected little duckling.

“Be good, Xuanxuan. Supermarket or big star?” Yin Yunzhu tilted her head, kneading the little girl’s hand gently.

For a child, both options were irresistibly tempting. Yin Xuan hesitated, staring at her toes in silence.

“It’s rare we get to spend time together, keep me company, okay?” Seeing her waver, Yin Yunzhu coaxed further.

The two stood in the bustling square, where vendor pigeons perched within their marked territory nearby, fluffing snow-white feathers as they pecked at scattered grains, eyeing passersby warily.

A black van passed by, startling the birds into a flurry of panicked flapping. By the time the vehicle came to a smooth stop, a woman stepped out.

Jiang Menghe wore a loose hoodie, her straight black hair just reaching her waist. Her gaze swept casually over the raised cameras before she smiled politely and followed her assistant into the mall.

The rapid clicks of shutters and flashes of light were relentless. Some people were born to be the center of attention, just standing there was enough to draw every eye.

Despite the dense crowd, Yin Yunzhu still worried about being spotted. She quickly pretended to adjust Yin Xuan’s collar while muttering under her breath. Whether it was her imagination or not, she sharply caught a fleeting gaze from the corner of her eye.

But when she turned to look, it had already vanished.

Maybe they didn’t see her?

While she was lost in thought, the little girl had already made up her mind. Reluctantly eyeing the crowd following Jiang Menghe into the mall, she grumbled, “Fine then, but you owe me a big meal.”

Hearing this, Yin Yunzhu breathed a sigh of relief. She ruffled Yin Xuan’s hair and stood up, taking her hand. “That’s more like it. Let’s go.”

The two headed in the opposite direction, planning to visit a nearby water park. As they waited at the crosswalk, Yin Yunzhu protectively shielded Yin Xuan.

Then, her phone buzzed inconveniently in her pocket.

Assuming it was just an app notification, she pulled it out to swipe away, only to see a long-dormant contact name flash across the screen.

Juhe: [Free tonight? Come over.]

!

She had seen her after all, how in such a huge crowd?

Yin Yunzhu pressed her lips together, recalling their day-long escapades, her cheeks burning as if on fire. If the first time was fueled by alcohol and the second by the moment’s heat, this time she had every reason to refuse.

Xiao Zhu: [Busy. No time.]

She dismissed it outright and was about to lock her phone when an instant reply popped up.

Juhe: [Busy babysitting?]

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