The Eldest Lady always wants to have a double O Relationship with her old enemy - Chapter 32

“Zhaozhao, the weather hasn’t been very good lately. Xixi is alone at the temple—go and keep her company. If something happens, you’ll also be able to help in time.”

Tang Yanzhao was sitting at her desk doing homework. Outside, soft snowflakes were just beginning to drift down.

Normally, Rong City, being in the south, rarely saw snowfall. Even if it did snow, it usually melted before it had a chance to settle. But this year seemed different. Though the snow in the city wasn’t heavy, it had already formed a thin layer on the windowsill.

“President Shen is abroad expanding the market, and couldn’t make it back in time. Since we’ve benefited from their kindness, we should also do something in return.” Tang Xuan looked at the chaotic dance of snowflakes outside the window and sighed softly.

Tang Yanzhao put down her pen and followed her mother’s gaze.

“Even if it’s unnecessary…” Tang Xuan murmured, her words ending in another sigh.

Although Tang Xuan was not yet forty, fine lines already marked the corners of her eyes. Looking closely, one could even spot strands of white among her long black hair.

Time had shown her no mercy—but perhaps she deserved it.

After all, it was because of her and her daughter that Shen Jianxi harbored such discontent. Even her relationship with Shen Xiaoyin had fractured because of them. Tang Xuan knew her best option would have been to completely refuse Shen Xiaoyin’s help, but… she couldn’t.

She had no lofty excuse to offer. The truth was, she needed protection.

And the Shen family was the only straw she could cling to.

For this, all Tang Xuan could do was offer the most useless kind of apology, and a misplaced sense of gratitude.

Since Shen Xiaoyin was away on a business trip, Shen Jianxi was left praying alone in the temple. That was why Tang Xuan wanted Tang Yanzhao, as someone of the same age, to accompany her.

Tang Yanzhao nodded solemnly. After tidying herself up, she set off.

Because she had recently moved out of the Shen household to live at school, Shen Jianxi’s attitude toward her had softened slightly, though the girl’s disdain still never truly lessened.

Tang Yanzhao, however, never minded. To her, it made no difference.

But the snow made the roads slippery. If one wasn’t careful, a single misstep could send them tumbling. Climbing the mountain was especially exhausting. Even with her habit of exercising, Tang Yanzhao found herself pressing on her thigh, breathing in shallow gasps.

The winter wind cut against her skin like blades, and a faint taste of iron filled her mouth as her strength waned. She shut her lips, swallowed, and tilted her head upward. The winding path above her seemed endless.

She turned back to glance at the path she had come from. The mountain was cloaked in silver, a vast white expanse.

Here, the snow was far heavier than in the city. She stretched out her hand—within seconds, a fine white film coated her palm.

She withdrew her hand, flexed her fingers, took a deep breath, and pressed on.

But before she could go much further, a rustling noise came from above. It grew louder and louder.

Alert, Tang Yanzhao looked up—only to see a torrent of snow rushing down to swallow the path ahead.

A snow slide.

Her pupils contracted. She spun around, trying to escape sideways, but her foot slipped into a hollow. With nothing to brace herself against, she plunged into a deep pit. Before she could regain her bearings, the opening above was suddenly blocked by a fallen tree trunk. Snow piled high, sealing them in.

Fortunately, the snow shaken loose wasn’t heavy enough to bury them alive.

When all finally grew still, Tang Yanzhao had time to survey her surroundings—and froze.

At the base of the pit wall, a man and a woman were crouched together, tightly cradling a swaddled infant. Their eyes were fixed anxiously on the tree trunk overhead, terrified that it might snap and let the avalanche crush them.

Thankfully, the worst hadn’t happened.

Their eyes met Tang Yanzhao’s. The mother, holding her baby, greeted her:

“Hello—did you fall in here too?”

A pointless question. Did she look like she’d jumped in willingly?

Still, in such a crisis, remaining in this pit was indeed safer.

Tang Yanzhao, not much of a talker, simply nodded in reply.

The father’s voice was steady: “I’m afraid we can’t get out for now. But word of the avalanche should spread quickly. Don’t worry.”

The mother rummaged in her backpack. “You look about fifteen or sixteen. Why are you here alone?”

Tang Yanzhao brushed the snow and dirt from her clothes, took a couple of steps back, then thought for a moment before sitting down again.

Conserving energy was what mattered most.

Straightening her jacket, she answered coolly, “Looking for a friend.”

“Oh, what bad luck. Who would’ve thought? The odds of an avalanche here are tiny. It hasn’t happened for years, and now we’re the unlucky ones.” The woman sighed.

Tang Yanzhao sat across from them, silent.

The woman rummaged again in her bag. “It’s okay—we’ve got some food. If you get hungry, come have some. The longer we can hold out, the better.”

“Mm.” Tang Yanzhao’s reply was flat. After a pause, she added, “Thank you.”

Time crawled by unbearably slowly. Sleeping wasn’t an option—whether or not one could fall asleep, without warmth, their bodies could easily succumb to the cold.

Tang Yanzhao sat motionless, as if in meditation. Occasionally, the couple, worried about her, would check if she was alright. She would only open her eyes to nod in response.

Who knew how long had passed before the silence was broken—by a crash at the pit’s opening, followed by a sharp cry of fear.

Even though the voice was so shrill it was hard to recognize, Tang Yanzhao instantly knew—it was Shen Jianxi.

She shot to her feet. Before she could react, the woman shouted desperately:

“Is someone out there? Please help us! We’re trapped and can’t get out!”

The plea worked. The tree trunk blocking the opening shifted as someone struck it. Then a muffled voice came down from above:

“Someone’s in there?”

“Yes! Yes, there are people here! Please save us!” the mother called back eagerly.

“Okay.”

Without hesitation, Shen Jianxi began clawing at the snow and branches with her bare hands.

Her voice carried a faint, almost hidden tremor. That fall earlier must have hurt her badly. Yet even so, she still fought through the pain to save them.

Shen Jianxi was the Shen family’s high-born young lady. But she wasn’t some pampered aristocrat who treated lives as trivial. Her likes and dislikes were always laid bare—she never pretended otherwise.

Clear in love, fierce in hate—that was Shen Jianxi’s nature.

For the first time, Tang Yanzhao saw her more fully. Her eyes trembled slightly as she looked up, the faint light from above reflected in her dark pupils.

Peering down into the darkness, Shen Jianxi asked, “Can you grab hold of me?”

Reckless—she wanted to pull them all up with her own strength, without thinking what would happen if she got dragged in too.

Tang Yanzhao’s lips curved faintly. The usually cold girl showed the slightest trace of a smile. She lowered her voice and told the man, “I’ll help you.”

He looked at her frail frame and instinctively wanted to refuse. But she added, “She doesn’t have enough strength. You’ll need to be up there.”

And she was right. Tang Yanzhao crouched, letting the man use her as support. With Shen Jianxi hauling from above, he scrambled out and collapsed weakly on the ground.

He asked if she was alright, but Shen Jianxi just waved him on to keep rescuing. He nodded quickly and helped in turn.

At last, when Tang Yanzhao’s head finally poked above the pit, her gaze immediately locked on Shen Jianxi.

The girl was clutching her legs, trying to stand, but her body gave way.

She swayed—and fell heavily beneath a centuries-old tree, her face deathly pale.

Support The Eldest Lady always wants to have a double O Relationship with her old enemy