Spring Night of Misty Rain - Chapter 34

Even though Shen Zeyu had wanted to treat Xu Luosu to cake, those plans were cancelled as the other woman had already made extensive arrangements.

As night fell, the resort hosted a bonfire party on the beach, bringing together the company staff to celebrate Shen Zeyu’s birthday. Shen Zeyu was someone who particularly cherished peace and quiet, but she couldn’t withstand the group’s boisterous energy. Surrounded by Xu Luosu and the others, she listened to the group sing “Happy Birthday” in a grand chorus and, with a flushed face, cut the birthday cake.

By the time the routine was over, Shen Zeyu felt as though her soul had left her body. Holding a glass of sparkling water, she found a hammock in a secluded corner and sat down. She watched the young women dancing hand-in-hand around the bonfire in the distance, gently swaying the hammock beneath her.

The crescent moon, curved like a hook, hung over the deep ocean, casting a shimmering light across the distant waves. Shen Zeyu buried her bare feet in the fine sand, feeling the tingling sensation against her skin, and stretched contentedly.

Before long, the sound of footsteps approached from the distance. Shen Zeyu looked up and saw Xu Luosu, draped in a silk nightgown, walking away from the noisy crowd with the firelight at her back. As she drew closer, Shen Zeyu noticed she was carrying an oval, dark-red gift box in her left hand and a bottle of champagne—nearly half-drunk—in her right. She approached with a beaming smile.

“Senior Sister…” The tall figure stood before Shen Zeyu, leaning down over her. “Happy birthday. This is your birthday gift. Here.”

She handed over the gift box with a forceful motion, an action so heavy it almost felt aggressive. Shen Zeyu took the box, noting its surprising weight, and offered a soft word of thanks.

The hammock dipped as Xu Luosu sat down beside her. Holding the wine in one hand, she propped her chin on her other palm and looked at her sideways, her voice slightly elevated: “Hurry and open it. See if you like it.”

Shen Zeyu turned and saw that the girl’s face was flushed, even to the tips of her ears. Ah… she must be drunk, Shen Zeyu thought.

With that in mind, Shen Zeyu leaned over to set her sparkling water aside and opened the box. Resting on the red velvet was a crescent-shaped solid gold collar. Shen Zeyu was slightly taken aback. She lifted the collar from the box, and with a series of metallic tinkles, the piece revealed its full form.

Under the crescent moon and beside the bonfire, the collar—consisting of three layers linked by very thick gold chains—was arranged from largest to smallest. The bottom was adorned with golden tassels that shimmered brilliantly. The style was reminiscent of the silver neck rings of the Yi people, rather than the traditional Han longevity locks.

Yet, it was indeed a longevity lock. By the moonlight, Shen Zeyu could just barely make out the engraved characters. From top to bottom, they read: “Fortune, Longevity, and Health,” “Live a Hundred Years,” and “May All Things Go Your Way.”

Shen Zeyu had been a producer before, so she naturally recognized the ancient craftsmanship. She weighed the gold in her hand—there was at least 2,000g. It was truly an extravagant gift. Waves of emotion surged within her, though she kept her face calm. She turned to Xu Luosu and asked curiously, “Is this a longevity lock?”

“Mm.” Xu Luosu nodded, took a swig directly from the champagne bottle, and looked at Shen Zeyu with misty eyes. “When we went out together before, you were always wearing ‘New Chinese’ style clothes. I thought you would definitely suit a longevity lock.”

Xu Luosu extended a long finger and poked the back of Shen Zeyu’s hand, her cheeks flushed. “But since you always wear black, white, and gray, I also had a silver set made. But the master couldn’t finish it in time, so I had to give you this gold one first.”

Shen Zeyu didn’t know what to say for a moment. After a long pause, she finally managed: “You spent too much.”

Xu Luosu’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “Not at all, it was only a little bit of money.” She set down the champagne and reached for the collar. “Let me put it on you once, just to see if it fits, alright?”

Given such precious sentiment, Shen Zeyu couldn’t find it in her to refuse. “Mm.”

She nodded, and Xu Luosu lifted the collar, leaning her entire body toward her. Shen Zeyu felt a weight on her shoulders as Xu Luosu’s hands landed on the back of her neck, methodically fastening the clasp. The other woman’s scent washed over her; amidst the champagne, Shen Zeyu vaguely smelled something like White Peach Oolong. It was sweet and light, yet very fragrant.

They were so close—close enough that Shen Zeyu could feel the other’s hair brushing against her neck. When a slight sea breeze drifted past, Shen Zeyu felt an itch all over her body. Her neck was itchy, but her heart was itchier. She rested her hands on her knees, desperately suppressing her breathing and heartbeat, her whole body trembling.

It wasn’t until Xu Luosu said, “Done,” and pulled back that Shen Zeyu let out a long breath, feeling as though she had received a royal pardon.

The night wind blew back Xu Luosu’s hair. She raised her hand to tuck the messy strands behind her ear, looking at Shen Zeyu with a smile: “Mm, it suits you very well.”

Shen Zeyu couldn’t see it herself, but hearing her say so, she patted the collar on her chest and offered a compliment: “Since it was specially made, how could it not look good?”

She rarely said such things, and Xu Luosu was overjoyed. The corners of her mouth curled up, her tone sounding like she was acting like a spoiled child: “Speaking of which, does Senior Sister really like the gift I gave you?”

Shen Zeyu nodded and replied honestly: “I do like it.”

Xu Luosu seemed to be scorched by her words; a pink hue quickly flooded her cheeks. She followed up immediately: “Then do you like me celebrating your birthday today?”

The smile in Shen Zeyu’s eyes grew warmer. “Of course I like it.” No one had stayed with her for her birthday in years, and it had been just as long since anyone had put so much thought into it for her. How could she not like it?

Xu Luosu let out a sigh of relief. “That’s good.”

She had drunk a bit too much and felt a little dizzy. Hearing Shen Zeyu’s words, she relaxed completely and leaned her head against Shen Zeyu’s shoulder. Shen Zeyu felt the weight on her shoulder and was about to say something when Xu Luosu raised her hand to pinch the hem of her clothes. She gazed at the bonfire in the distance, her tone soft and lingering: “When I saw you run off here alone instead of joining the bonfire party, I was worried sick. I thought you didn’t like it.”

Warm breath spilled across Shen Zeyu’s chest, and every inch where their skin touched was extraordinarily hot. Shen Zeyu felt her throat go dry; she leaned down to grab her sparkling water and took a large gulp. “I just prefer the quiet.”

“Is that so?” Xu Luosu’s forehead pressed against her shoulder, nuzzling gently. It was a long while before she looked up at Shen Zeyu. “Then… do you think I’m too bossy?”

Shen Zeyu looked down at her. In the reflection of the bonfire, those watery black eyes were as misty as a puppy’s. Shen Zeyu didn’t dare look for long; she forced herself to turn away, fixing her gaze on the bonfire dance ahead. “A little.”

She answered dryly, then drained her sparkling water in one go and tossed the bottle aside. “But what does it matter?” She clasped her hands over her knees and gazed into the distance, speaking softly. “In the process of interacting with others, every one of us uses our own way to treat people.”

“Whether it’s gentleness or bossiness, it’s just a character trait.”

Under the dark night sky, Xu Luosu looked up from Shen Zeyu’s shoulder, her gaze lingering on her. The bright bonfire illuminated Shen Zeyu’s profile, making her look lean and cold. “Everyone has their own traits. It’s those traits that make us different people.”

Shen Zeyu lowered her gaze, her eyes deep. “Just be yourself. Frank, direct… to me at least, you like this are very real.”

She didn’t need hypocritical kindness or feigned gentleness. She didn’t want to guess other people’s thoughts; she only wanted what was open, direct, passionate, and persistent.

Xu Luosu stared at her blankly for a long time, then whispered from her shoulder, “Can I have a hug?”

Shen Zeyu was stunned by the question. “Huh?”

Before she could react, Xu Luosu raised her arms, passing them under Shen Zeyu’s ribs to cross them behind her back, firmly crashing into her chest and embracing her.

With a woman’s body pressed into her arms, Shen Zeyu felt as though she were on fire. She held her hands up awkwardly. “Xu… Junior Sister Xu…”

Xu Luosu let out a sigh, nuzzling her shoulder. “Susu… you can call me Susu, like my family does.” She looked up at Shen Zeyu with a beaming smile. “Happy birthday, Senior Sister A-Ze. Can you come celebrate my birthday next year?”

When she smiled, she truly looked innocent and pure. Shen Zeyu tentatively raised her hand and gently patted the top of her head, answering with a single word: “Mm.”

Shen Zeyu dreamed of mermaids all night. When she woke up the next morning, she found that Xu Luosu had already left on the earliest flight.

It was as if she had come specifically to celebrate Shen Zeyu’s birthday, sparing only a few days of vacation before returning to her duties. Shen Zeyu felt a bit melancholy, but she was soon relieved by her departure. Otherwise, if things continued like this a few more times, she feared she wouldn’t be able to hold out—her defenses would crumble, and she would do something she shouldn’t.

Once Xu Luosu left, the employees on the team-building trip also gradually departed, leaving only Shen Zeyu behind.

Even in a different city, the rhythm of Shen Zeyu’s life didn’t change. She continued with her personal training sessions and revised her scripts afterward. She spent her days busy and productive, but at night, she took many medications to suppress the desires of her body and mind.

On occasion, she would think of Xu Luosu. She thought of their dive underwater, the way they leaned on each other under the crescent moon, and her embrace.

But Xu Luosu was busy—if she wasn’t playing minor roles, she was negotiating contracts; there was simply no time to chat. At first, Shen Zeyu thought this was good—less communication would effectively block the fermentation of emotions. However, as she submitted the drafts for the second season of Night Languor and the temperature dropped, her condition began to deteriorate.

In late December, she fell into a depressive period once again.

Compared to the previous time she fell into depression due to a specific trigger, this seasonal depression was even harder for Shen Zeyu to endure. She woke up every morning feeling furious, as if a large hole had been gouged out of her chest—both empty and painful. After training with her coach for a while, the anger would vent slightly, and her mood would shift into a heavy sadness.

By nightfall, her emotions would spiral completely out of control. Even after taking her medication, she would huddle with her blanket and cry. Sometimes she cried for her mother, sometimes for Shang Qiuchi; occasionally she would curse Lin Pei, but most of the time, she thought of Xu Luosu.

She wanted her hug, she wanted her scent. She wanted to pull the other woman into her arms, mess up her hair, bite her body, and crush her to fill her bleeding chest and her weeping soul.

After enduring this for a week, Shen Zeyu could no longer hold on and allowed herself to fall into the abyss of depression. She stopped going out, refused her training sessions, and only wanted to hide in bed, curled up until she died.

It was at this moment that Xu Luosu returned.

On the last day of December, Xu Luosu knocked on the villa door, carrying a suitcase. Shen Zeyu, who had been huddled half-dead in the closet, heard her voice and immediately ran downstairs barefoot. She threw open the door and, wrapped in her blanket, threw herself into the other woman’s arms.

Xu Luosu was instantly held firmly in her embrace. She looked down at her in surprise: “Senior Sister?”

Shen Zeyu wrapped her arms around the other’s waist, her palms sliding down her back as she pressed her entire weight against her. She gave a muffled reply: “Mm.” She looked up, her eyes red and bloodshot, filled with suppressed violence. “Jump up.”

Xu Luosu looked utterly confused. “Huh?”

Shen Zeyu’s hands slid down to support her buttocks, her attitude extremely forceful. “Jump onto my waist. I’m carrying you up.”

As those burning palms pressed against a place no one had ever touched before, Xu Luosu looked down at the person slightly shorter than her, her mind completely stalling.