Lin Yuan was still ranting endlessly about Ji Yunxiao’s “awful behavior.” By the end, she sounded aggrieved again: “Weiwei, you promised me.
You said you’d divorce Ji Yunxiao soon, but now not only are you showing no signs of divorcing her, you’re actually treating her even better…”
Lin Qianwei patiently explained, “I really did want a divorce before, I wasn’t lying to you.
But I never expected Ji Yunxiao to change so much—she’s completely different from before.”
Lin Yuan’s voice turned sharp.
“What’s so different? She just changed her style and got prettier, that’s all! Are you really that shallow, only caring about looks?”
Lin Qianwei let out a cold laugh.
“Ji Yunxiao’s changed in every way.
I even feel like she’s a totally different person now, but all you see is that she’s prettier.
So, which one of us is really shallow?”
Lin Qianwei took a light breath and said indifferently, “As for Ji Yunxiao’s face, I do like it, I can’t help it.
Her face is exactly my type—I just love looking at her, I could look at her for a lifetime.
So there’s no way I’m divorcing her.”
Lin Yuan tried to hold it in but ended up crying.
“But Ji Yunxiao badmouths me behind my back.
Didn’t you hear that recording?”
Lin Qianwei’s voice was cold.
“Was she wrong? If you were really thinking straight, after getting that recording, you should’ve distanced yourself from Ji Liuliu, not come to me to complain about Ji Yunxiao.”
Lin Yuan protested, “Why should I distance myself from Liuliu? Liuliu’s a good kid, she truly respects me, unlike Ji Yunxiao—Ji Yunxiao’s feelings for me are all fake.”
Lin Qianwei actually laughed in anger.
“You don’t think Ji Liuliu has any problems at all?”
Lin Yuan was still sobbing, but she defended Ji Liuliu anyway.
“What’s wrong with Liuliu? She’s just unlucky, having a sister like Ji Yunxiao, and now she’s being slandered for no reason…”
Lin Qianwei’s head was buzzing.
She shot back, “What exactly did Ji Yunxiao slander Ji Liuliu for? She even sent you that recording—can’t you see what’s going on?”
Lin Yuan sniffled and asked slowly, “See what? What do you want me to see?”
Lin Qianwei tried to break it down for her.
“First, why did Ji Liuliu record the call?”
Lin Yuan tried to explain, “Liuliu told me she has automatic recording set up for all her calls.
She didn’t do it on purpose to be manipulative.
She just heard Ji Yunxiao badmouthing me and got upset, so she found that recording.”
Lin Qianwei felt there was no point in analyzing further.
She just couldn’t get through to Lin Yuan.
“If that’s how you want to see it, there’s nothing I can do.” Lin Qianwei hung up right away.
But Lin Yuan wouldn’t give up and kept calling back.
Lin Qianwei waited until she’d calmed down before picking up again.
“Mom, can you stop making a fuss?”
Lin Yuan’s voice was tearful.
“I’m your real mother, how can you treat me like this for an outsider? I’m doing this for your own good.
My own marriage was a disaster—I don’t want you to repeat my mistakes.
I hope you can learn from me and know when to cut your losses.”
Lin Yuan was sobbing so hard she could barely speak.
“Back then, I was just too lovesick.
If I’d wised up sooner and divorced quickly, our family wouldn’t have gone through such a disaster.”
Lin Qianwei said flatly, “I’m not you.”
Lin Yuan broke down.
“Fine, I like men, you like women, we’re different.
But scumbag men and scumbag women are all the same! You think you’re clear-headed, but you’re just too close to see it.
Today you can give Ji Yunxiao thirty million, tomorrow you might hand over the whole Lin Group.
By then, it’ll be too late!”
Lin Qianwei closed her eyes.
She took a deep breath and actually calmed down.
She asked Lin Yuan quietly, “You really want to make a fuss about that thirty million?”
Lin Qianwei said, “Yes, I gave her thirty million.
And I’ll give her more in the future—not for any other reason, just because it makes me happy.”
Lin Qianwei was calm and casual.
“It’s my own money.
I’ll spend it however I want.”
Lin Yuan was suddenly at a loss for words.
She’d only ever suffered setbacks in love; everything else in her life had gone smoothly.
As a child, her parents doted on her and gave her everything she wanted.
She wasn’t interested in business, only in art, and her parents supported her fully.
Later, after her parents passed away, she was tricked by a man and nearly left penniless.
But her barely-adult daughter turned things around in a stunning comeback.
At that time, Lin Qianwei had to stabilize the company and take care of her sick sister.
Lin Yuan didn’t help at all—she was so heartbroken she cried all day, needing Lin Qianwei to comfort and support her.
Lin Yuan knew she wasn’t a great mother.
She wasn’t capable of shielding Lin Qianwei from hardship; instead, she needed Lin Qianwei to protect her.
But even so, Lin Qianwei never complained and still gave her a very comfortable life.
Lin Yuan often bragged to others about her good fortune.
Even though she’d met a scumbag, her bad days didn’t last long.
When she was young, she was a pampered heiress; now, she could live in luxury thanks to her daughter.
Lin Yuan knew very well she had no talent for making money and couldn’t keep the family business going.
She could only keep relying on Lin Qianwei, so when it came to a real argument, she had no confidence at all.
Lin Qianwei’s voice was icy.
“Are you still going to argue with me?”
Lin Yuan didn’t dare cry anymore.
“I, I…”
Lin Qianwei continued, “Before, Xiaoxiao didn’t want me to get involved because she cared about your feelings and didn’t want to make things worse at home.
But I can’t stand seeing her wronged.”
“I’ll make it clear for you: Ji Yunxiao is great now.
There’s not a single thing wrong with her.
I don’t care what you think of her—it doesn’t matter to me.
Your opinion won’t change mine.
I won’t divorce Ji Yunxiao, and I’ll stay with her.”
“And don’t try to guilt-trip me with the ‘I’m your real mother’ line.
As your daughter, I’ve never let you down.”
Lin Qianwei steadied herself and went on, “Mom, if you keep this up, I’ll take Youran and raise her myself.
Youran is the last thing my sister left in this world, and I don’t want to see you ruin her.”
Lin Yuan quickly apologized, “I was wrong, it’s my fault, okay?” But from her tone, she probably still didn’t understand what she’d done wrong.
But Lin Qianwei didn’t feel like correcting her anymore.
She just sighed and said softly, “These past few years have been hard for me, with very few happy moments.
But now, every day I spend with Ji Yunxiao makes me happy.”
With that, Lin Qianwei hung up.
Qiao Xi’s villa was in a great spot.
Standing on the balcony, you could see the quiet scenery and the bright moonlight.
Lin Qianwei looked up at the moon and suddenly thought of the white moonstone anklet Ji Yunxiao had given her again.
She took it out of her bag and played with it in her hand.
Lin Qianwei couldn’t sleep.
She missed Ji Yunxiao.
Missed her so much.
She didn’t even bother changing into pajamas—she just threw on a suit jacket and got ready to leave.
Qiao Xi wasn’t asleep yet.
Seeing her heading out, she asked, “Weiwei, where are you going?”
Lin Qianwei turned around, gave her a small smile, and answered, “I’m going home.”
She enunciated every word clearly: “I miss my wife.
I’m going home to see her.”
Qiao Xi was so shocked she dropped her cup.
Was this Lin Qianwei? Was this really Lin Qianwei? When did she get so straightforward?
But Lin Qianwei didn’t give her a chance to react—she ran out the door in her pajamas and suit jacket.
Qiao Xi could only call after her, “Drive safe!”
She thought about telling Ji Yunxiao, but then figured maybe Ji Yunxiao had already coaxed her back, so there was no need.
Qiao Xi never imagined that Lin Qianwei had actually talked herself into going back.
On the way home, Lin Qianwei thought of what Ji Yunxiao had said about love.
She said love was both tacky and romantic.
If that’s the case, then she might as well do something tacky and romantic herself.
Lin Qianwei turned the car around and headed for a flower shop.
There weren’t many flower shops open at this hour, but she still found one.
She was wearing flats, a silk nightgown, and a neat suit jacket.
The outfit was a bit mismatched, but with her delicate features and strong presence, she still looked like she was walking a runway.
“I want to buy some flowers,” Lin Qianwei said in a low voice.
The girl at the flower shop blushed when she saw Lin Qianwei’s cold and indifferent expression.
“Which one would you like?” the girl came over and asked.
There were some pre-arranged bouquets, but Lin Qianwei didn’t really like any of them.
In the end, she made her own bouquet, choosing peony, Pink Snow Mountain rose, tulip, narcissus lily, fountain grass, and eucalyptus leaves, putting together a romantic and dreamy palette of gentle colors.
“Does this look good?” Lin Qianwei asked the girl.
The girl nodded, her face turning even redder.
The flowers were beautiful, but the person was even more stunning.
When Lin Qianwei paid and was about to leave, the girl chased after her, mustering her courage and nervously asking if she could have Lin Qianwei’s contact information.
Lin Qianwei refused.
She got into the car with a cold look, leaving behind just one sentence: “I have a wife.”
As the car sped away, another person was left feeling lost in the city’s night.
But Lin Qianwei was in high spirits.
She brought the bouquet home, tiptoed inside, and found that, as expected, the lights were off.
Ji Yunxiao was probably already asleep, right? Should she go see her? Lin Qianwei took off her suit jacket, washed her hands, and held the bouquet, picking the leaves off the roses while muttering softly, “Go see her… don’t go see her… go see her…”
She stopped after picking the third leaf.
After all, she’d made this bouquet herself, and it felt a bit cruel to ruin it like this.
“Forget it.” Lin Qianwei held up the last leaf she’d picked, tilted her head slightly, and made a decision: “I’ll go see her after all.”
Ji Yunxiao had locked the door, but even so, Lin Qianwei found the spare key and opened it.
She didn’t plan to do anything else—she just wanted to take a look at that woman, leave the bouquet by her pillow, and then leave.
But when she really came in, turned on the warm bedside lamp, and saw that sleeping face clearly, Lin Qianwei couldn’t bring herself to go.
It wouldn’t hurt to look a little longer, right? Lin Qianwei sat down by the bed.
She wanted to pull the blanket up for Ji Yunxiao, but when she reached out, she paused.
Her gaze couldn’t help but fall on those full curves.
Every time Ji Yunxiao hugged her, she could feel them so clearly.
Ji Yunxiao really had a great figure.
Lin Qianwei didn’t even know why she pulled the blanket down, or why she reached out to touch.
She felt a bit out of line, even a little disgusted with herself, but her hand didn’t stop.
Soft.
Warm.
A little further over, and she could feel the heartbeat.
Lin Qianwei’s face felt like it was on fire.
She panicked and tried to get up and run, but her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Ji Yunxiao pulled her into her arms, holding her tight, and whispered in her ear, “You think you can run away after doing something bad?”
Ji Yunxiao had woken up long ago.
She’d had a nightmare tonight, dreaming of the seaside when she was nineteen.
She watched Qianqian run away in tears, about to board the plane that was doomed to crash into the sea.
She wanted to stop her, but no matter what, she couldn’t make a sound.
In the dream, she screamed herself hoarse.
When she woke up, there were tear stains at the corners of her eyes.
Still dazed and confused, Ji Yunxiao heard a sound at the door.
It was the most familiar voice in the world.
It was Qianqian saying, “Go see her… don’t go see her… go see her…”
So the heart that had been in her throat finally settled back down.
She really wanted to rush out and hug the person she’d been longing for, to make sure she had her back again.
She needed to be sure that this wasn’t just a fantasy, that she wasn’t dreaming.
But soon, Ji Yunxiao calmed down, because she remembered how easily embarrassed Qianqian was these days.
Ji Yunxiao lay back in the still-warm bed and quietly closed her eyes.
She listened as Lin Qianwei opened the door and felt her come to her side.
“What were you touching just now?” Ji Yunxiao held the warm, soft person in her arms and wouldn’t let go.
Lin Qianwei was mortified.
She took a deep breath, barely managing to find her cold tone, and declared righteously, “You must be half-asleep.
I didn’t do anything just now.”
Ji Yunxiao wrapped her hand around Lin Qianwei’s wrist, interlacing their fingers, her voice lazy and husky with sleep: “You can touch.
Want to try again?”
As she spoke, she tried to guide Lin Qianwei’s hand.
Lin Qianwei wished she could disappear into the floor.
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, she broke free from Ji Yunxiao’s arms and ran out of the room without looking back.
“Qianwei?” Ji Yunxiao propped herself up helplessly and called out, “Why are you running?”
Lin Qianwei ignored her and went straight back to the master bedroom, locking the door behind her.
Ji Yunxiao couldn’t help but smile.
She slipped on her slippers, walked out of the room, leisurely poured herself a glass of water, and after finishing it, calmly lifted a chair and let it drop freely right outside Lin Qianwei’s door.
She added a dramatic yelp: “Ah!”
Sure enough, within seconds, Lin Qianwei opened the door, looking especially anxious.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
“Something happened.” Ji Yunxiao took the opportunity to hug her.
Ji Yunxiao buried her face in Lin Qianwei’s shoulder, breathing in her scent, and whispered, “Wife, I missed you so much.”
This time, Lin Qianwei didn’t reject Ji Yunxiao’s way of calling her.
She put her hand on Ji Yunxiao’s long black hair, gently touched it, then moved away, acting reserved and proud.
“I don’t miss you.”
Ji Yunxiao lifted her head from Lin Qianwei’s shoulder, cupped her face, half-smiling.
“Really? Then why did you come back?”
Lin Qianwei made up an excuse.
“Because I left some documents here, I need to take them to the company tomorrow morning.
I was afraid I wouldn’t have time.”
She answered smoothly.
But Ji Yunxiao didn’t buy it.
She still held onto the beautiful woman tightly, refusing to let go, and pouted, “But I missed you, missed you so much.
I even dreamed about you just now.”
“Oh?” Lin Qianwei asked coolly, “So what exactly did you dream about?”
Ji Yunxiao lowered her eyes, silent for a moment.
Lin Qianwei’s voice turned cold.
“So you were lying to me after all.”
Ji Yunxiao just smiled, said nothing, and took her hand, leading her back to the bedroom.
Ji Yunxiao helped Lin Qianwei tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, then suddenly asked, “Qianwei, do you believe in past and present lives?”
Lin Qianwei narrowed her eyes, her expression turning cold.
“What are you trying to say?”
Ji Yunxiao said, “I…”
Lin Qianwei pinched her chin, her voice even colder.
“Are you having another episode?”
Ji Yunxiao stayed in the position Lin Qianwei put her in, didn’t struggle, just curled her lips.
“No.”
Lin Qianwei let go, lowered her eyes, pressed her lips together.
“I thought you were going to say you came from another world again.”
That’s actually true.
But the current Qianqian had lost her memories from that world and didn’t believe in transmigration at all, so Ji Yunxiao could only say, “I wasn’t planning to say that.”
Lin Qianwei snorted.
She sat with her arms crossed for a while before finally saying, “Since we’re talking about this, let’s have a proper conversation.”
Ji Yunxiao sat beside her, trying to hold her hand.
“What do you want to talk about?”
Lin Qianwei moved her hand away, refusing to let her hold it, and crossed her arms again.
“Is there really someone called Song Qianqian?” Lin Qianwei asked directly.
Ji Yunxiao’s breath caught.
Memories surged like a tide, making her eyes redden and her gaze turn misty.
Of course there was a Song Qianqian.
Song Qianqian lived in her memories, vivid and beautiful, never to be erased.
Maybe it was this obsession that brought her here, to find the current Lin Qianwei.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Lin Qianwei was already getting annoyed.
Ji Yunxiao tapped her nose with her fingertip, dodged the question.
“Why are you suddenly asking this?”
“Because I suddenly remembered.
Back then, you stopped my car for no reason, ran over and hugged me, dragged me to the beach without explanation, and told me this tragic love story.”
Lin Qianwei glanced at Ji Yunxiao, her eyes calm, the beauty mark at the corner of her eye catching the light.
“Then you confessed to me, said you liked me, but the name you called out was Song Qianqian.” Lin Qianwei recalled the details, the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
“And at that time, you really didn’t seem to know who I was.”
“You even texted me saying you wanted a divorce, but when I got there, you tore up the divorce papers and clung to me.” Lin Qianwei looked at Ji Yunxiao, her expression growing colder.
“Later I thought you had a split personality, but after a checkup, the doctor said you were fine.”
Ji Yunxiao said, “Actually…”
In that moment, Ji Yunxiao wanted to confess everything.
But what then? Would Lin Qianwei believe she was Song Qianqian? Proving another world existed was nearly impossible.
She had no real evidence.
No matter how detailed her story, it would just sound like delusion.
Ji Yunxiao swallowed all her bitterness and smiled.
“Those were just my ways of chasing you.
I already explained it at the hospital.”
Ji Yunxiao took Lin Qianwei’s hand, winked at her playfully.
“And it worked, didn’t it? I did get your attention, right?”
Lin Qianwei’s mood improved a lot.
But she still frowned, asking warily, “So, you don’t have some white moonlight called Song Qianqian, right?”
Ji Yunxiao didn’t dare meet her eyes, just answered softly, “Yeah.”
Lin Qianwei lifted her chin with a finger.
“Why won’t you look at me?”
Ji Yunxiao looked at her, smiling gently.
Lin Qianwei pressed her lips together, demanding, “Look me in the eyes and say it again.”
“I…” Ji Yunxiao felt awful, but still said, “I don’t have a white moonlight called Song Qianqian.”
Lin Qianwei let her go.
Lin Qianwei lifted the covers, getting ready to lie down.
Seeing Ji Yunxiao still a bit dazed, she reached out and tugged her.
“I’m going to sleep,” Lin Qianwei said, but her eyes stayed fixed on Ji Yunxiao.
She thought Ji Yunxiao would get the hint, but Ji Yunxiao just tucked her in and said, “Good night.”
Good night, my ass.
Lin Qianwei saw Ji Yunxiao wasn’t leaving, just sitting there in a daze, so she gritted her teeth and let the strap of her silk nightgown slip off one shoulder.
“Hey.”
Still not looking at her? Was this not enough? Ji Yunxiao had said she loved her collarbone.
Lin Qianwei was both embarrassed and annoyed, a little unwilling too.
Since Ji Yunxiao wasn’t looking, she yanked the silky nightgown down hard.
Lin Qianwei wasn’t wearing a bra.
Her beautiful figure was finally revealed, and Ji Yunxiao’s gaze finally turned to her.
Ji Yunxiao licked her lips and let out a soft laugh.
Ji Yunxiao cupped her pale face, gently stroking it with her thumb, and asked, “How are you still so cute?”
Lin Qianwei regretted it.
She panicked, trying to pull her nightgown back up, but Ji Yunxiao held her hand down and said, “Don’t move.”
Lin Qianwei almost wanted to cry.
She tried to cover it up.
“I didn’t mean to, let go of me.”
Ji Yunxiao’s kisses landed on her brows, on her lips, and finally pressed against her collarbone.
Ji Yunxiao said in a hoarse voice, “Let me look at you a little longer.”
Author’s note: Here’s the blurb for my new story—if you’re interested, check out my profile and add it to your collection~
“Tasting Green Plums”
Jiang Xiaoyan has a stunningly beautiful little childhood friend.
Her little childhood friend’s skin is fairer than snow, her looks are out of this world, and her beautiful eyes are naturally seductive.
Even though Jiang Xiaoyan has seen this face for years, whenever she gets close, she still feels her heart flutter.
Jiang Xiaoyan can’t help but think, Qiao Nian is so pretty, I want to spoil her, protect her, and be her best friend for life.
…
Qiao Nian and Jiang Xiaoyan grew up together, inseparable, the closest of friends in everyone’s eyes.
But no one knows, Qiao Nian hasn’t wanted to be just friends with Jiang Xiaoyan for a long time.
Her childhood friend is beautiful and gentle, treats her with such care, and when she’s held in her arms, Qiao Nian blushes, her heart races, and her mind runs wild.
Qiao Nian wants to be Jiang Xiaoyan’s lover.
But Jiang Xiaoyan is straight.
When girls confess to her, she coldly rejects them, and when they ask if they can at least be friends, she cruelly laughs, “I won’t be friends with women who like me.”
Qiao Nian feels chilled to the bone, but she doesn’t want to give up.
She starts her own plan to reel in her green plum.
First, she dresses lightly and alluringly on purpose, then drunkenly falls into Jiang Xiaoyan’s arms, and when Jiang Xiaoyan feeds her green plums, she deliberately wraps her tongue around those pale fingers.
Qiao Nian tries everything, but Jiang Xiaoyan doesn’t budge—still as straight as ever.
Finally, Qiao Nian just gives up and says, “I like women, I want to date.
The campus belle from next door seems nice, why don’t you help me get her contact info?”
Who would’ve thought Jiang Xiaoyan would get jealous and snap, “You’re not allowed to date her!”
Qiao Nian: “Then who can I date?”
Jiang Xiaoyan pulls her into a tight hug and says, “Date me, Nian Nian.”
