When the Heartthrob Meets the Cold-Hearted Ex - Chapter 9

“Why are you closing your eyes?” Tang Yeran leaned forward with one hand braced against the sofa edge, pressing a freshly wrung damp towel into Su Yang’s hands. “Clean yourself.”

That protective charm had unwittingly stirred memories for both of them, though neither chose to acknowledge it aloud.

Still, Tang Yeran’s attitude had softened somewhat. Initially planning to leave after seeing Su Yang home, she’d once again yielded to the other woman’s fastidiousness.

Helping her bathe was absolutely out of the question at most, she’d wring out another towel.

Su Yang accepted the cloth and began meticulously wiping her face without a sound.

In her weakened state, she was uncharacteristically compliant, a stark contrast to her usual prickly daytime demeanor.

During their reunion these past few days, they’d either maintained the distance of strangers or traded barbed remarks at the slightest provocation.

This current quiet coexistence in the same room felt almost unnatural by comparison.

Belated discomfort prickled at Tang Yeran. Had this been any colleague even one she’d met just once her natural extroversion would have easily generated conversation to ease the tension.

But her history with Su Yang was complicated. They weren’t exactly familiar after years without contact, yet they’d each seen sides of the other that no one else knew.

Forcing small talk now risked triggering landmines that would only worsen the awkwardness.

While Su Yang cleaned her face, Tang Yeran scanned the apartment for distraction.

The space proved oppressively sparse even the lone lucky cat figurine on the windowsill dragged up unwanted nostalgia.

Finding no respite, she sank onto the sofa and closed her eyes, as if avoiding the visual would dissolve the discomfort.

“Tired?” Su Yang’s ethereal, weakened voice floated beside her, the towel apparently discarded.

“What do you think?” Tang Yeran’s eyes snapped open as she half-reclined against the backrest, answering with a question of her own. Between work, dinner with friends, then doubling back to escort this invalid home, exhaustion was inevitable.

Su Yang studied the faint weariness in Tang Yeran’s expression before speaking after a pause. “There are two bedrooms here. The bedding is all new.”

Tang Yeran understood the implication instantly. Her sidelong glance needed no translation: We’re not that close yet, President Su.

Persuasion had never been Su Yang’s forte merely voicing that suggestion was revolutionary for her.

Silence reclaimed the space.

Eventually Tang Yeran stood. “You’ve taken medicine and washed up. Just rest now you can shower when you’re better. I should…”

BOOM!

Thunder cannoned outside, severing her unfinished farewell.

At the window, Tang Yeran found rain sheeting down without warning, drumming against the sill with such force that droplets splashed onto her arm.

“Could I borrow an umbrella?” she asked, shutting the window as she turned back to Su Yang.

The man had somehow appeared behind her without her noticing. When she turned around, they suddenly found themselves standing extremely close, close enough to feel each other’s breath.

Tang Yeran’s eyelashes fluttered slightly as she instinctively took a step back to create distance between them.

Su Yang remained composed, as if that fleeting moment of proximity had been nothing more than an illusion.

She reached for the maneki-neko charm on the windowsill and placed it back on the coffee table. “There is an umbrella, but the frame broke a couple of days ago. I haven’t had the chance to buy a new one yet.”

To prove her point, she dragged her frail body to the balcony, retrieved the black umbrella from the bamboo holder, and unfolded it in front of Tang Yeran.

One of the ribs was broken, causing the canopy to sag limply in one spot.

It might have barely sufficed for a light drizzle, but against the torrential downpour outside, the umbrella would likely snap the moment it was opened.

“Is this the only one you have?” Tang Yeran frowned as she watched Su Yang fold the umbrella back up.

“It’s just me living here, cough, cough!” Su Yang covered her mouth with her hand, but the intermittent coughing still escaped.

“Come inside first.” Tang Yeran rubbed the fresh raindrops from her arms and pulled the other woman into the room.

Worried that Su Yang already sickly might worsen if she caught a chill, she tossed a dry towel at her.

Then, she stood aside, lost in thought: Should she order an umbrella from the convenience store, or just brave the rain for a short distance to hail a cab?

The two of them returned to the living room sofa, their gazes once again drawn to the maneki-neko charm on the coffee table.

The cat figurine was made of aluminum alloy, coated in gold paint, its mouth stretched into an exuberantly cheerful grin.

Even the slightly worn charm hanging around its neck seemed to carry an extra layer of blessings for prosperity and longevity.

Tang Yeran’s train of thought derailed. When she had first given this charm to Su Yang, she had sincerely wished for her happiness and good health.

Now, looking at the pale, sickly woman beside her, it seemed the charm hadn’t lived up to its promise.

Su Yang dried her hair with the towel while discreetly observing the other woman’s reaction.

Neither of them had forgotten the past, yet neither was willing to bring it up first.

Tang Yeran took a deep breath, as if steeling herself, and pulled out her phone to book a ride only for a hand to suddenly grasp hers.

“I’m sorry.” Su Yang’s voice was so soft Tang Yeran almost wondered if she had imagined it.

Seeing her stunned expression, Su Yang shifted slightly closer and repeated the words, barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry.”

Tang Yeran, already emotionally vulnerable from reminiscing, felt her nose sting at the sudden apology from someone usually so proud. Her voice trembled.

“Wh-what are you apologizing for?”

Deep down, she had always believed that Su Yang was the one at fault when they broke up.

But she had convinced herself that chapter was long closed. If Su Yang was about to dredge up old grievances now, she wasn’t prepared, it was too abrupt.

Su Yang kept hold of Tang Yeran’s arm, studying her reaction before pressing her lips together lightly.

A few seconds passed. Just as Tang Yeran was about to pull away, she spoke again.

“These past few days, my attitude when speaking to you hasn’t been good quite rude actually. Are you still angry about that?”

So that’s what this was about. Tang Yeran breathed a sigh of relief. Compared to Su Yang’s past actions, her childish nitpicking over the last couple of days was hardly worth mentioning.

“It’s fine, I’m not angry with you.” Tang Yeran withdrew her hand and looked at Su Yang with a genuinely friendly smile.

“Then can we get along peacefully from now on?” Su Yang remained in the same position, her beautiful eyes unblinking.

“Aren’t we getting along peacefully right now?” Tang Yeran chuckled lightly. “Would someone unfriendly go out of their way to bring you home in this weather?”

Hearing this, the corners of Su Yang’s eyes curved as she revealed a smile that didn’t quite match her usual aloof demeanor.

“In that case, since it’s raining so heavily outside, I’d like to politely invite you to stay overnight here. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Tang Yeran: “…”

How had she never noticed before that Su Yang was the type to take advantage of any opportunity presented to her?

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