She Said She Has Feelings For Someone - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: The Kiss—Is a Romantic Relationship Enough?

Lu Shuyu left as soon as she spoke, as decisive as the crumpled paper she had tossed into the trash. She left no room for negotiation.

Xia Leshuang finally turned around fully, catching only a glimpse of the other’s departing back. She knew Lu Shuyu was truly angry. Bitterness surged in her heart; even though she had prepared for this, the confirmation was still hard to swallow.

The vibration in her pocket returned, a persistent reminder of reality that almost numbed her muscles and her mind. The long vibration stopped briefly, followed by a few short pulses before Xia Leshuang took it out to check.

It was from Xu Ruyue. It was brief, as always, but suffocating.

— Come home. — Immediately.

Her fingers tapped to delete the notification. She turned off the screen and left the restroom. By the time she returned to the filming room, she was once again Xia Leshuang: the smiling, smooth, and gentle member of the Gold Team.

…

Recording ended near dusk. The group was exhausted, standing up to stretch. Xia Leshuang rubbed her facial muscles, which had grown stiff from forced smiling. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard Tang Jiahe shout: “Producer Lu!”

“The drinking session!”

Xia Leshuang’s heart jolted. She couldn’t help but look at Lu Shuyu behind the camera. The latter was clearly still fuming; even her smile was several degrees fainter than usual. But the promise of a drinking session had been delayed for so long; with everyone present and free, it was a good opportunity.

Lu Shuyu pondered for a moment and then smiled. “Fine. I’ll book a place.”

“Awesome!” Tang Jiahe cheered. The others were happy too—except for Xia Leshuang, who desperately wanted to run away.

Lu Shuyu’s fingers moved quickly over her phone. She looked up at the camera crew behind her and asked, “Does anyone else want to come?”

“It’s the ‘Summer Flower Music Bar.’ Great environment, lots of food and drinks, and they have a live band every day. It’s quite lively.”

“If you want to go, I’m buying.”

“Ahhh, I want to go!” Hua Tong was the first to raise her hand. “The lead singer of that band is beautiful!” Once she said that, many staff members who were on the fence got interested and raised their hands.

Seeing this, Chi Shan waved her hand. “They can go, but I’m passing.” Seeing Lu Shuyu’s confusion, she explained: “I have a date with Zheng Yu.”

Lu Shuyu froze. It took her a long moment to process. “Zheng Yu? Which Zheng Yu?”

Chi Shan replied matter-of-factly: “Your best friend, Zheng Yu.”

This twist piqued everyone’s curiosity. Lu Shuyu shouted in shock: “You two have only known each other for a few days and you’re already hanging out?!”

“As long as we speak the same language, the ship of friendship can be built in a minute, right?”

Lu Shuyu fell silent, appearing significantly shaken. She took a deep breath. “Fine.” Her phone vibrated. She glanced at it and said, “I’ve talked to the owner of Summer Flower. I’ll send the location to Hua-hua. Just give my name when you get there.”

“Thank you, Producer Lu!”

…

Lu Shuyu borrowed a business van from the company and drove Xia Leshuang and the others to Summer Flower. Whether it was the quality of the car or Lu Shuyu’s skill, the ride was smooth and relaxing. Xia Leshuang sat in the very back, unable to see the driver’s seat. Jiang Fei chatted with Lu Shuyu in the front, full of curiosity because she had seen video reviews of the bar.

“It really is quite famous.” Beside her, Tang Jiahe searched social media, muttering about which drinks looked best.

In less than half an hour, they arrived. The shop lived up to its name: modern decor with a summer color palette—intense and bold. Xia Leshuang trailed at the end of the group. Just as she crossed the colorful small garden, she heard Lu Shuyu’s crisp voice from up ahead: “Boss Yi! I’m here!”

She followed the sound and saw a woman with braided hair behind the bar. The woman turned around instantly, her gentle features blooming into a bright smile. “Oh my, look at this busy person! You finally showed up~”

Lu Shuyu gave a playful, coquettish giggle. “Ayy, my bad~ But I’m here now, aren’t I?”

The woman shot her a look. “You’re all busy people. Little Zheng and President Min haven’t been here in ages, either.” She picked up a goblet and handed it over. “Here, fresh off the press: your favorite, Duckweed Orange Sparkling Water.”

“Thank you, beautiful and kind Boss Yi!” Lu Shuyu accepted it with a laugh. “I was actually thirsty!”

The cocktail glass was small; she finished it in one go and then introduced the group. “This is the owner of Summer Flower, Yi Ya. She’s a few years older than Teacher Luo. You can call her Boss Yi or Sister Yi.”

She turned to introduce Xia Leshuang and the others to Yi Ya, but Yi Ya waved her hand. “No need!” She explained in a whisper, “I’ve seen them on screen!”

Her whispering made sense. The six women weren’t wearing disguises, and several customers in the shop were already glancing over. The hype for The Silence of Gold was very real.

Lu Shuyu realized this and nodded. “Right. The girls from my crew will be coming later; put their tab on my account. Thanks for looking after them, Boss Yi~”

“No problem,” Yi Ya agreed immediately. “Go on up to your usual spot.”

Lu Shuyu smiled. “Will do!”

As they went upstairs, Xia Leshuang noticed that the staff here seemed to be all women—at least the ones she had seen so far. They all knew Lu Shuyu and greeted her warmly. Some called her “Producer Lu” with great familiarity. They also recognized the guests.

Zhong Wen muttered, “I’m still not quite used to this.”

Inside the private room, Lu Shuyu teased, “Then Teacher Zhong better get used to it quickly. But don’t worry, since you’ve signed with Cherry, President Min will protect you. Trust her.” She spoke seriously, clearly holding a high level of trust in Min Wutong.

Xia Leshuang felt a pang of bitterness and sat as far away from Lu Shuyu as possible.

The “private room” was actually more like a semi-enclosed booth. Because there was a stage downstairs, their booth was on the edge of the second-floor gallery, directly facing the stage. Three partitions and a layer of fine crystal beads created a small, private space.

The seven of them sat down and quickly scanned the QR code to order. Sounds came from below. Sitting at the edge, Zhong Wen could see clearly. “Is the band starting?”

Lu Shuyu leaned over to look. Instruments were being set up. “Yeah, they usually start at six-thirty. As for the lead singer, whether she sings or not depends on her mood. We might not hear her today.”

“Wow,” Jiang Fei said, surprised. “That’s quite the ego.”

Lu Shuyu smirked. “That’s just marketing.”

“Leshuang,” Tang Jiahe suddenly leaned in. “What drink did you order?”

Xia Leshuang snapped back to reality, nearly dropping her phone.

“Why did you order a soda?” Tang Jiahe saw her order list and was confused. “You aren’t drinking?” During their previous gatherings, Xia Leshuang had the best tolerance among them and usually drank quite a bit.

“My finger slipped. I clicked the wrong thing.” Xia Leshuang quickly canceled the soda. She didn’t dare admit she was so distracted by eavesdropping on the conversation at the other end of the table.

The noise below settled, and a piano melody began to play. Zhong Wen and Jiang Fei leaned out to look. “Oh,” Zhong Wen noted, “is that pink-haired woman the lead singer?”

Lu Shuyu glanced over and smiled with surprise. “Looks like the lead singer is in a good mood today. You’re in for a treat.”

Sure enough, when the song ended, cheers erupted from below. Then, a husky female voice reached their ears.

“Today, Summer Flower has a very important guest. So, I’m dedicating the song Meeting to her—someone who loves Stefanie Sun.”

As the melodious intro began, Zhong Wen and Jiang Fei couldn’t help but look at Lu Shuyu. Luo Han asked directly, “Producer Lu, is she talking about… you?”

All eyes at the table fell on her, except for Xia Leshuang, who kept her eyes downcast, her thoughts unreadable.

“Not necessarily,” Lu Shuyu laughed it off. “We just know each other. We’re just nodding acquaintances.”

Suddenly, someone’s phone vibrated, and silence returned. Xia Leshuang flipped her phone face down, her lowered brow tightening.

…

“I hear the departure of winter…”

The lead singer began, her husky voice full of emotion that easily touched the heart.

“It’s just a coincidence,” Lu Shuyu said.

The singer was in high spirits, performing three songs in a row. The food and drinks they ordered arrived. After a few rounds of drinks, everyone started to open up. The sudden surge in the show’s popularity had put quite a bit of pressure on them, and combined with their past experiences of fame and decline, they felt like venting.

Most of the lights were focused on the stage downstairs, leaving them in a dim, atmospheric setting. Lu Shuyu, who had been listening in silence, was caught up in the mood and drank a bit. The alcohol began to hit her. She looked at everyone in the booth; the light reflected off the crystal beads danced across their faces, mysterious and dreamlike.

The world began to sway slightly, only steadying when her gaze landed on Xia Leshuang at the far end. Light from somewhere made Xia’s face flicker, and Lu Shuyu saw her tense expression. It looked like she was in trouble.

“Leshuang,” Tang Jiahe whispered, “is someone looking for you? Go return the call, it’s fine.”

Only then did Lu Shuyu realize the light wasn’t coming from nowhere; it was Xia Leshuang’s phone screen. Someone kept calling, and she kept rejecting it.

Xia Leshuang gave a forced smile. “Okay.” She stood up and left the booth. After a moment, Lu Shuyu stood up and followed her.

“Xia Leshuang!”

Near the restroom, she called out. Xia Leshuang was visibly startled. She turned and looked at Lu Shuyu for a few seconds before stepping closer. “Are you drunk?”

Lu Shuyu felt a bit tipsy. She rarely drank and didn’t know her limits well, but she was walking in a straight line, so she felt sober enough. “I am not!” she said.

“I’ll send you home first—”

“No!” Lu Shuyu interrupted, taking a deep breath to clear her head. “Xia Leshuang, did something happen?”

Xia Leshuang’s face stiffened. That vivid concern vanished instantly, replaced by a distance that felt like ten thousand miles. She even took a half-step back. “Thank you, Producer Lu. I’m fine.”

This avoidance and distancing were too hurtful. The fire Lu Shuyu had been suppressing finally ignited. “Xia Leshuang, we are friends! Is there really nothing you can tell me?”

A curve appeared on Xia Leshuang’s lips, but there was no mirth in it. “Producer Lu, even friendships have boundaries. You can’t say everything or do everything.”

…

Lu Shuyu laughed from sheer anger. Friendships have boundaries. What a joke.

She took a deep breath. “Fine. Then tell me: what kind of relationship do we need for you to be able to talk to me?”

Xia Leshuang froze, completely caught off guard by the question. Receiving no answer, Lu Shuyu pushed further: “If a friendship isn’t enough, is a romantic relationship enough?”

“Lu Shuyu!” Xia Leshuang’s eyes widened in disbelief, and then a faint trace of bewilderment and grievance spilled out. “You’re drunk. I’ll take you—”

“I said I’m not!” Lu Shuyu stomped her foot, grabbed Xia by the neck, and kissed her.

The contact was soft and warm, carrying the bittersweet scent of alcohol. In the dim light, it felt like a dream drawing one into a deep abyss. It wasn’t until the overhead lights flickered on that Xia Leshuang snapped out of it and pushed the kiss away.

Lu Shuyu gripped her hand tightly, asking relentlessly, “Is it enough now?”

“Lu Shuyu…” Xia Leshuang’s eyes turned red. She looked at her in shock and confusion, and soon, tears began to well up—eyes full of hurt. “Let me go.”

“I won’t!” Lu Shuyu gritted her teeth.

They were evenly matched in strength, and both were afraid of hurting the other, so their hands were locked together like a chain, neither yielding.

“Shuyu?”

Suddenly, someone called her name from behind. Lu Shuyu jolted back to her senses and realized the music had stopped. The upstairs lights were partially on.

“Shuyu, do you need help?” The person stepped forward. Lu Shuyu looked and saw beautiful pink hair. It was Fan Yisi.

With this interruption, her grip instinctively loosened, and the warmth of their skin dissipated instantly. Xia Leshuang cast a glance at the pink-haired woman and ran away without looking back.

Lu Shuyu’s legs went weak. Her mind was a mess of ‘I’m crazy,’ ‘It’s over,’ ‘What did I just do?’

“Shuyu,” Fan Yisi supported her. “Are you okay?”

Lu Shuyu took a deep breath, straightened herself, and pulled away from Fan Yisi’s support. “I’m fine.”

“Um…” Fan Yisi looked like she had more to say.

Lu Shuyu gave a weak smile. “Yisi, you sang beautifully today. But I have some business; I need to head back.” She pursed her lips. “And about what just happened… I hope you can pretend you didn’t see it.”

Fan Yisi nodded dejectedly. “Okay. Don’t worry, I will.”

Lu Shuyu returned to the booth. Xia Leshuang was gone. Seeing her return, Zhong Wen asked curiously, “Producer Lu, that pink-haired singer just came looking for you.”

Lu Shuyu smiled. “Yeah, I saw her. We just said hello.”

Tang Jiahe received a message. “Leshuang says she had something to do and left first.”

“Someone must have really been looking for her then,” Luo Han guessed.

Sitting down, Lu Shuyu felt much more sober. The image of her frantically kissing Xia Leshuang kept looping in her head like a glitchy video. She couldn’t stop it.

“Um,” Lu Shuyu said, feeling like she was sitting on needles. “I have something to do too. I’m leaving first.”

“The bill is on my tab. Just leave when you’re done.” Without waiting for the guests to respond, she escaped at the speed of light.