The Night is Called Gentle - Chapter 25

With a deft move, she redirected the trouble elsewhere.

Lin Zhixia had won again.

To see her off after work, Yan Huaiqing had turned down Su Wangyue’s dinner invitation right in front of everyone, saying she needed to take her new assistant home.

As Lin Zhixia followed her out of the rehearsal hall, her steps were steady and her demeanor calm, though her back prickled under the weight of countless flickering gazes.

What was this woman trying to do? Did she have to make the atmosphere so awkward?

Remembering she still had a score to settle with Zhao Jinchu, she forced herself to stay composed and let Yan Huaiqing drive her home in the opposite direction.

The distance wasn’t far, just a few minutes by car, but it wasn’t enough time for the prickling sensation on her back to fade.

“Teacher Yan, thank you. I’m sorry for taking up two days of your time.”

Yan Huaiqing parked the car, turned to her, and replied softly, “Don’t mention it. Hurry inside.”

Under her gaze, Lin Zhixia bid a polite farewell and stumbled out of the car in a daze. Just as she closed the door, the car window rolled down.

“Xiaxia.” Yan Huaiqing called out to her, shifting her gaze from the rearview mirror to the window.

“What is it, Teacher Yan?” Lin Zhixia leaned in to look.

Yan Huaiqing smiled, took something out of her bag, and handed it to her. “A key to my office. I’m giving you one.”

“Th-this isn’t really appropriate, is it?” Lin Zhixia leaned against the car window, hesitantly eyeing the key in her palm.

“Take it quickly. It’s going to rain again soon.” Yan Huaiqing gently tapped the steering wheel with her left hand, urging her in a soft tone.

“Oh, okay.” Lin Zhixia’s attention was effortlessly diverted. She quickly took the key and reminded her, “Teacher Yan, you should go rest. Drive safely.”

“Alright, see you tomorrow.” Yan Huaiqing tilted her head as she said goodbye, though her tone sounded more like an invitation.

“See you tomorrow.” A bubble of warmth rose in Lin Zhixia’s chest. She took a few steps back and watched the car drive away.

Yan Huaiqing waited for over ten seconds. Seeing that the other showed no intention of moving, she decisively started the car and left. Only when the figure in the right-side mirror turned around did she roll up the window.

Her eyes shifted to the interior of the car, where a lone jacket lay in the back seat. She pressed her lips into a faint smile and stepped on the accelerator.

It wasn’t until she had walked a few steps that Lin Zhixia remembered she hadn’t returned the jacket. But by the time she turned around, the car was already far away.

The cold key in her palm seemed to be reminding her of something.

Belatedly, Lin Zhixia realized that Yan Huaiqing always had a way of subtly diverting her embarrassment, making her naturally accept her kindness.

Whether it was working at the theater, eating at her place, staying over, or giving her a key.

There was simply no way to refuse.

Day after day, she was living a life that, upon closer thought, made her want to beat herself up.

She kicked the steps beneath her feet and strode home.

After two days of delay, it was time to settle the score with Zhao Jinchu.

Returning home with someone else’s key, she had to knock. When Director Lin opened the door, she looked puzzled. “Why are you knocking so urgently?”

“Mom, where’s Zhao Jinchu?” Lin Zhixia yelled while changing her shoes.

“No manners! Since when do you call her Zhao Jinchu?” Director Lin frowned at the ill-fitting clothes she was wearing.

“Never mind that. This is between her and me. Is she back?” Lin Zhixia craned her neck to search inside the house.

“You’re back. What’s the matter? Not replying to my messages all day, just waiting to come settle scores with me, huh?”

“You’re one to talk! What nonsense have you been spreading about me out there?” Lin Zhixia demanded angrily.

“What could I possibly say? I only told the truth.”

Zhao Jinchu emerged from the bathroom, drying her hands with a tissue, when she suddenly narrowed her eyes and gave Lin Zhixia a thorough once-over. “Hey, that outfit looks familiar seems like Yan Huaiqing’s.”

“Damn it.”

Lin Zhixia’s anger deflated, replaced by awkward disbelief. “How do you know it’s her clothes?”

“I’ve seen her wear it before,” Zhao Jinchu replied matter-of-factly, then her expression turned suggestive, her tone even more so. “And you? You’ve only known her for a few days, and you’re already wearing her clothes. Don’t tell me you even stayed overnight at her place?”

Now that’s what you call sharp no wonder she got into Tsinghua.

Lin Zhixia was utterly defeated, conceding complete admiration.

Director Lin’s expression shifted several times. After all, back in the day, Zhao Jinchu had stayed at her place on the very first day they met and even wore her clothes to school.

But lately, Zhao Jinchu seemed to be spending a lot of time at the theater, watching Yan Huaiqing.

Mother and daughter stood facing each other, each lost in their own thoughts.

Lin Zhixia’s mind worked quickly. She suddenly turned and approached Director Lin, wrapping her arms around her mother’s and shaking them gently. “Mom, look at her! She’s so focused on what other women wear, who knows how many female students she’s been checking out at school? Aren’t you going to do something about it?”

Zhao Jinchu turned an innocent gaze toward Director Lin, who rolled her eyes as if to say, We’ll settle this later when we’re alone.

Zhao Jinchu shifted her attention back: “…”

Just as Lin Zhixia raised her eyebrows triumphantly, Director Lin turned to her, tugging at her collar with a hand accustomed to holding surgical scalpels. “Did you really stay overnight at her place?”

“Only because of her,” Lin Zhixia said, pointing at Zhao Jinchu in an attempt to muddy the waters. “She took it upon herself to tell Yan Huaiqing that I’m the author. So, Yan invited me to work at her theater helping revise the script for ‘Several Layers of Mountains.’ We had a meal together, then went to her office to sign the contract. And since it got cold outside.”

What a masterful verbal montage every sentence was true, but rearranging the order created an entirely different implication.

Seeing that Director Lin remained only half-convinced, Lin Zhixia chuckled lightly. “Well, it’s only out of respect for our esteemed professor that she’s being so considerate toward me. How could I refuse? So I ended up wearing this back.”

She made no mention of having been drunk and neatly absolved herself of any responsibility.

What a skillful deflection revenge served cold.

Zhao Jinchu, who had been observing from the couch, glared with resentment and sneered sarcastically, “You’ve watched a few performances and think you can be a playwright? And she ‘invited’ you? How shameless.”

“You’re the one staring at what other women wear,” Lin Zhixia retorted, continuing to stir the pot and redirect the conversation.

Director Lin glanced between the two of them before turning a cold gaze to Lin Zhixia. “No dinner for you today. Go back to your own home.”

“Hmph, like I even want to eat here,” Lin Zhixia snapped, turning to leave. But then she remembered she hadn’t driven over, and it might be raining outside ruining the clothes would be a shame so she backtracked and softened her tone. “Can’t we talk this out properly? We’re family, after all.”

“You Lins are such an esteemed, prominent family I, an outsider, just don’t fit in. I’m leaving.” Zhao Jinchu stood up and headed back across the hall. Before leaving, she cast a resentful glance at the mother and daughter.

Bang! The sound of the door closing echoed through the room.

Lin Zhixia dashed to the study, unplugged Director Lin’s charging phone, and hurried back to hand it to her. In a hushed tone, she said, “Don’t worry about me I won’t go hungry.”

With that, she swiftly opened the front door, ran out to confirm that the door opposite was indeed left ajar, then hurried back and nudged Director Lin toward it, not forgetting to remind her from behind, “I remember Auntie has a ruler in her study. Go on, but take it easy on her.”

“See you tomorrow.”

*Bang *

*Bang *

She personally closed both doors.

Her movements were fluid and practiced, as if she had done this countless times. Finally, the world belonged to her alone again.

Unfortunately, less than three minutes later, Jiang Jing’s video call came through.

“I heard you wore Teacher Yan’s clothes is it true?” the other person asked as soon as the call connected. “Hey, is it the one you’re wearing now? Pull the camera back, let me see.”

Lin Zhixia was mortified. She quickly covered the camera, took off the clothes, and retorted, “Who told you that?”

“Why are you taking it off? I haven’t gotten a good look yet.”

“Sister Xiaohua told me. She saw us going to the theater together and asked me what your relationship with Teacher Yan is.”

“She also said you’ve started working at their theater and already signed the contract.”

“You’re something else usually so quiet, but you’re the type to pull off big moves without a sound.”

“I knew I hadn’t misjudged you.”

“But seriously, how did you manage to charm Teacher Yan?”

Jiang Jing chattered on, not forgetting to pat herself on the back.

Lin Zhixia hung up the clothes, leaned back on the sofa, and warned into the phone, “Watch your wording.”

“So, you really wore Teacher Yan’s clothes? That one just now, right? Let me see.”

“I’ve never known what brand Teacher Yan wears. Actually, our figures and auras are quite similar. Send me the brand name I might consider buying the same style.”

Where does she get the nerve?

Though, in silence, their auras did bear a slight resemblance.

Lin Zhixia felt awkward, speechless, and amused, unsure where to even begin.

“Hey, so how did you end up wearing Teacher Yan’s clothes? Did you go to her place? Which one, the large apartment near the theater?”

“You’ve been there too?” Lin Zhixia focused on the key point.

“Of course I have. Teacher Yan invited me for a meal once.” Jiang Jing’s curiosity about the clothes was still evident as she raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’s the brand? Let me see.”

“Why did Teacher Yan invite you to eat?” Lin Zhixia pressed.

“What kind of question is that? Can’t Teacher Yan invite me to eat?”

“I heard from Xiaohua that their boss loves hosting dinners. Her family’s housekeeper cooks really well, sometimes the troupe gathers for meals at her place. Teacher Su often drops by for a free meal too. I just tagged along once, shamelessly.”

So it was a group thing. Lin Zhixia smiled faintly and echoed, “I just happened to go too.””

“What about the clothes? How did that happen?” Jiang Jing still wouldn’t let it go.

“Oh, I didn’t wear enough when I went out. It got colder today, you know? Teacher Yan just casually lent me one. I’ll take a photo and send it to you later, alright?”

Lin Zhixia didn’t believe she’d actually dare to buy the same style that would be downright humiliating.

“Alright, I’ll take the photos now.” With a beep, Jiang Jing ended the video call.

What kind of person is this?

Lin Zhixia still took a few photos and sent them over, but waited a long time without receiving any response from the other party.

Just before going to bed, she finally got Jiang Jing’s reply: several model photos, one flat-lay shot of the clothing, and three lines of text.

“Forget it.”

“The aura is too strong.”

“I can’t pull it off.”

Each sentence ended with a period seems like she was quite hurt.

Serves her right for bringing this upon herself.

But if even Jiang Jing couldn’t pull off this outfit, then what about her entire day.