Chapter 34.1

By the time Han Shuangshuang returned to Shen Yuru’s residence, it was already very late.

Tomorrow was Shen Yuru’s birthday.

Han Shuangshuang looked at the little money she had saved over the past two days, and joy could not be hidden in her eyes, though it was also covered by exhaustion.

Shen Yuru silently waited until after ten. She had been in the study the whole time, studying and looking up materials.

Han Shuangshuang raised her hand and knocked on the door. She saw Shen Yuru, dressed in a thin nightgown, open the door for her. Shen Yuru stood at the doorway with her arms crossed, those phoenix eyes gazing at her faintly.

Han Shuangshuang scratched her head, rather embarrassed.

“Um… Sister Shen, I’m really sorry. Something came up, so I came back late. But this is definitely the last day. I definitely won’t come back this late again.”

Shen Yuru thought of what Shi Nianxue had said to her.

Shi Nianxue said Han Shuangshuang had gotten up early to buy soy milk for her. Then did Han Shuangshuang returning this late also have something to do with Shi Nianxue?

Shi Nianxue said she was recently looking for a place.

Once Shi Nianxue found a place, Han Shuangshuang would move over and live with her.

And now, Han Shuangshuang [stolen content]had still returned here. Was she only using Shen Yuru as free accommodation, as a mere transition?

Shen Yuru’s mind began to uncontrollably run wild.

Even the look she gave Han Shuangshuang grew a few degrees colder.

After opening the door, Shen Yuru turned and walked toward the study, as if she had not heard Han Shuangshuang’s explanation at all.

Only when she reached the study door did she suddenly mutter two sentences to herself. “I heard there’s a breakfast shop near the school whose soy milk tastes very good. I’m a little tired of the breakfast Auntie makes. I wonder when I’ll have a chance to drink that very delicious soy milk.”

Han Shuangshuang was sitting on the sofa, looking at her phone balance.

She was thinking about making a super exquisite big cake for Shen Yuru tomorrow.

Then she suddenly heard Shen Yuru say that at the study door. Han Shuangshuang froze slightly and looked up at Shen Yuru.

Because she seemed to remember that Shen Yuru did not really like drinking soy milk. Shen Yuru generally preferred sweet milk.

Han Shuangshuang asked in return, “Is it that good? Why haven’t I seen other people drink it?”

The corner of Shen Yuru’s mouth curved slightly. She turned around and looked down from above at Han Shuangshuang, who was sitting on the sofa. Her tone was rather strange. “Of course it’s good. That breakfast shop is so far from school. The people who can drink that soy milk all had someone carefully queue for them to buy it. What they’re drinking isn’t soy milk. It’s thoughtfulness.”

Han Shuangshuang nodded as if she understood, but she was still a little dazed. Exhaustion made her brain turn less quickly.

If Shen Yuru wanted to drink soy milk that much, then tomorrow after class at [bailiantales.com]noon, she could go line up before that breakfast shop closed, buy a cup of soy milk, and then go to the dessert shop to make the cake. In the afternoon, Shen Yuru would be able to drink soy milk and eat cake.

Han Shuangshuang felt her plan was flawless.

And although Shi Nianxue had discovered that she was working at the dessert shop, it seemed she had not told Shen Yuru. So her secrecy plan was still quite successful.

Seeing that Han Shuangshuang did not respond, her eyes staring straight ahead as though her thoughts had drifted somewhere unknown, Shen Yuru gave a soft hum, then turned and walked into the study.

After Han Shuangshuang washed up simply, she fell into bed and slept.

Before long, Han Shuangshuang’s slow and long breathing came from the second floor.

Shen Yuru took off the glasses on her face and set them aside. She shut down the computer and looked at the time. It was almost eleven.

Tomorrow was her birthday again.

Her mood began to inexplicably grow heavy and oppressive.

Those unpleasant memories from childhood began surging into her mind again, lingering no matter what.

If she had not stubbornly demanded back then that her parents come home to see her on her birthday, would her parents not have gotten into that car accident?

The adult Shen Yuru no longer longed for her parents’ love and care. Instead, she regretted every moment that her parents’ accident had been caused by her, that she had personally taken away the lives of the people who loved her most.

Shen Yuru’s body and heart both felt incomparably heavy. She slowly walked to the second floor and saw Han Shuangshuang sleeping sweetly, not a trace of worry on her face. She was carefree and heartless.

Shen Yuru sat at the bedside. The warm yellow light from the small lamp shone on Han Shuangshuang’s face. Han Shuangshuang seemed to sense that the light was a little glaring. In her sleep, she frowned, murmured twice, then turned over.

Shen Yuru sat quietly by the bed and looked at Han Shuangshuang.

After Shen Yuru began remembering things, the thing she could recall most often was relatives arguing beside her ear in order to divide up her family’s property.

After her parents passed away, the company declined day by day. No one supported her. Her personality became increasingly cold and gloomy. She would not take the initiative to speak to people, nor would she take the initiative to show goodwill.

So from childhood to adulthood, she had never had friends by her side. Only Yun Ruyi and Yun Yun followed her.

But Yun Ruyi and Yun Yun had always maintained distance from her.

She had never opened her heart to anyone, nor had she ever shown her vulnerable side to anyone.

Because she knew there was no such thing as true empathy in this world.

When other people heard of painful experiences, they would only reveal momentary sympathy. And when they retold it to others, most of it became gossip-like discussion.

She did not need that kind of mocking pity.

Han Shuangshuang was someone who had suddenly appeared in her life.

She had caught Shen Yuru, who had always been vigilant, completely off guard.

Although Shen Yuru had long since known that the Shen family and the Han family had intentions of forming a marriage alliance, and the person most likely to marry her was Han Shuangshuang, the rumored ignorant, incompetent, pleasure-seeking, brainless girl—

After spending so much time together, she discovered that Han Shuangshuang was not like the rumors said. She was passionate and sincere, and in her bones, she even gave off a kind of firmness. She was always upward, full of tenacious vitality, like a sunflower.

She made people unable to help wanting to draw close, and also made people envious.

Shen Yuru raised her hand and placed her fingers on Han Shuangshuang’s brow bone, rubbing Han Shuangshuang’s brows and eyes. Then her fingertip slowly moved downward, sliding over Han Shuangshuang’s nose bridge and root, then over the delicate tip of Han Shuangshuang’s nose. Farther down was Han Shuangshuang’s warm philtrum. And a little farther down was that mouth of Han Shuangshuang’s, which could always bloom lotuses with its words and say things Shen Yuru could not distinguish as true or false.

This mouth could say words that angered her to death, and it could also say honey-sweet words.

She could immediately identify other people who approached her with purpose and show resistance.

But Han Shuangshuang was very strange. Her purpose was too simple, too singular, too direct. Han Shuangshuang’s purpose was to obtain her, without caring about any of her other benefits.

This straightforward intention left Shen Yuru at a loss.

Shen Yuru’s temples began to ache faintly, because it was almost twelve. Staying up late harmed the body, and her body still did not allow her to be so reckless.

Shen Yuru could only lie beneath the quilt and raise her hand to turn off the small bedside lamp.

And just as she lay down, Han Shuangshuang, whose eyes had just been closed, seemed to sniff the scent and come over. She turned over, and her arm landed on Shen Yuru’s chest all at once.

That warm little face also moved closer, burying into Shen Yuru’s neck and inhaling hard, as though this could make her feel extremely at ease even in her sleep. She even murmured “Sister Shen” a few times.

Shen Yuru looked at Han Shuangshuang sleeping beside her, hugging her tightly like an octopus, like a clingy big doggo.

The corner of her mouth curved into a cold smile.

At night, Han Shuangshuang pretended to cling to her so affectionately by her side, but during the day, who knew who she was fooling around with.

Putting on such a deeply affectionate appearance—did Han Shuangshuang really think Shen Yuru was that easy to fool?

Shen Yuru raised her hand, grabbed Han Shuangshuang’s arm, then flung it hard to the side. Han Shuangshuang’s entire body was thrown over.

Han Shuangshuang had worked the whole day and was too exhausted, so she did not wake. She only hummed and wriggled twice.

Shen Yuru snatched the blanket and wrapped it all around herself.

She had already given Han Shuangshuang two days, but Han Shuangshuang had never voluntarily confessed her relationship with Shi Nianxue.

Nor had she voluntarily explained those words Shi Nianxue had said to her.

The moment Shen Yuru thought of Shi Nianxue, a breath of anger inexplicably surged up inside her, drilling into her heart and making it beat faster and faster.

Shen Yuru suppressed the anger constantly rising within her and gave a cold laugh.

What relationship Shi Nianxue had with Han Shuangshuang—what did that have [unauthorized copy]to do with her? Why did she keep thinking about this matter?

Tomorrow, those shameless old things from the Shen family were going to hold a grand birthday celebration for her again. They clearly knew that her birthday was also the memorial day of her parents’ deaths, yet for their own interests, those people had never cared.

They were always shamelessly demanding that she attend too. If she did not go, they would accuse her of being ignorant. She had never understood why those people’s skin was so thick.

Shen Yuru’s brows furrowed even more deeply, and gloom had already surged across her face.

In her sleep, Han Shuangshuang seemed to sense the coldness beside her and hugged herself tighter. But even curling herself into a ball could not make her warm at all, so she could only instinctively turn over and look for a source of heat.

Han Shuangshuang turned over, but in her sleep, she did not rudely snatch the blanket from Shen Yuru’s body. Instead, she stretched out her arm and hugged Shen Yuru together with the blanket into her arms.

Smelling the sunlight-like scent on Han Shuangshuang’s body, Shen Yuru’s tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed as well.

Shen Yuru did not struggle out of Han Shuangshuang’s embrace either, because she knew Han Shuangshuang slept like the dead. Once Han Shuangshuang hugged her, she refused to let go no matter what. If Shen Yuru shook her off this time, Han Shuangshuang would hug her again next time. It was a compromise that felt like accepting fate.

Gradually, Shen Yuru slowly fell asleep in that warmth.

……

At school.

Yan Huan followed behind Yun Yun. Yun Yun keenly sensed that someone seemed to be following her from behind, but the moment she turned her head, Yan Huan immediately turned around and pretended to look at the scenery.

Yan Huan discovered that on several occasions when she followed Yun Yun, Yun Yun just happened to see [stolen content]Han Shuangshuang and Shi Nianxue interacting.

But Yan Huan dared swear to the heavens that her own sister had absolutely no second thoughts toward Shen Yuru.

So she absolutely could not let Yun Yun misunderstand and cause Shen Yuru to misunderstand Han Shuangshuang.

She had to explain this misunderstanding clearly. And she definitely was not a perverted bad person using an excuse to stalk Yun Yun.

Han Shuangshuang was absentminded throughout the whole day of class. Every three minutes, she had to glance at her phone to see whether time had passed.

Yan Huan sat beside Han Shuangshuang and bumped her with her elbow. “Sis, is there some misunderstanding between you and Shen Yuru?”

Looking at Yan Huan speaking so mysteriously, Han Shuangshuang thought for a moment, then firmly shook her head.

Han Shuangshuang’s puppy eyes sparkled. Her mouth curved open, revealing her canine teeth in joy, and her face carried impatience. “I’ve been super well-behaved lately, okay? I haven’t done anything wrong. Today, I’m celebrating Shen Yuru’s birthday with her.”

Seeing Han Shuangshuang happy, Yan Huan became happy too. She had an incredibly thick sister filter for Han Shuangshuang.

As long as Han Shuangshuang did not think she had done anything wrong, Yan Huan definitely would not think Han Shuangshuang had done anything wrong either.

Yan Huan asked tentatively, “But lately, I keep feeling that Senior Shen seems weighed down by something and not very happy.”

Neither Yan Huan nor Han Shuangshuang knew that the day of Shen Yuru’s birthday was also the day Shen Yuru’s parents had gotten into the car accident and passed away.

Han Shuangshuang shook her head. “These past few days, I’ve been too busy working part-time. I’ve [Read on BaiLianTales]been leaving early and coming back late. After I go back at night, I fall asleep the moment my head touches the pillow. I haven’t spoken much with Shen Yuru. It’s fine. Today, I’ll properly talk to Shen Yuru.”

After Han Shuangshuang said this, she suddenly thought of something and asked Yan Huan, “I heard there’s an extremely delicious breakfast shop near the school, and the soy milk there is especially amazing. Do you know exactly where it is?”

The moment Han Shuangshuang mentioned soy milk, Yan Huan’s whole body jolted, and a scene surged into her mind.

The day before yesterday, Shi Nianxue had held soy milk and waved it in front of Shen Yuru, saying that soy milk was bought for her by Han Shuangshuang. If it really had been bought for her by Han Shuangshuang, how could Han Shuangshuang not know where that soy milk was sold?

Yan Huan suddenly understood. She sighed, shook her head, and patted Han Shuangshuang’s shoulder.

Yan Huan said, “You really have no shortage of romantic luck. So many people have you in mind. But that makes sense. Who told you to be so good? How could anyone bear not to get close to you? Don’t blame your sis for not reminding you. Recently, Shi Nianxue has frequently been wandering in front of Shen Yuru. She probably said something to Shen Yuru. The soy milk is sold in a shop south of the school town. After you leave the school gate, walk right, keep walking until the end, then turn left. But it’s quite far from school.”

After all, this was Han Shuangshuang’s private matter. As a friend, Yan Huan could not randomly say too much either. She could only give Han Shuangshuang hints and let Han Shuangshuang discover things herself.

The moment Yan Huan mentioned Shi Nianxue, Han Shuangshuang immediately became alert and treated it seriously.

Thinking about it, she did not seem to have properly explained her relationship with Shi Nianxue in front of Shen Yuru.

“Then tonight, along with the birthday gift, I’ll treat it all as a surprise and tell Shen Yuru honestly. That way, I can also untie the knot in her heart from these past few days.”

Yan Huan immediately took out a little notebook and wrote it down. “So this is how you prepare a surprise. Sis, you’re too amazing. I’ll use this move in the future too.”

Han Shuangshuang endured restlessly until noon. After class, she was the first to pick up her bag and rush out of the classroom.

When Han Shuangshuang rushed out of the [stolen content]teaching building, Shi Nianxue was already waiting downstairs with an exquisite doll-like smile on her face.

But Han Shuangshuang’s whole mind was on lining up to buy soy milk for Shen Yuru, so she did not notice Shi Nianxue, who brushed past her.

After Shi Nianxue saw Han Shuangshuang, her exquisite doll-like eyes immediately lit up. But seeing that Han Shuangshuang did not place her gaze on her at all and instead ran straight out, the light in her eyes gradually dimmed again.

In her world, aside from Han Shuangshuang, there was no room for anyone else.

Shi Nianxue knew Han Shuangshuang had already developed resistance toward her, so she did not want to push Han Shuangshuang too hard.

During this period of time, aside from looking for Shen Yuru, she had not wandered in front of Han Shuangshuang, nor had she sent Han Shuangshuang any messages.

But she discovered that if she did not look for Han Shuangshuang, Han Shuangshuang truly would not pay attention to her.

Not a single message had been sent to her.

She could not hate her, resent her, or scold her. Seeing Han Shuangshuang suffer and tire herself out, she felt heartache.

What should she do with Han Shuangshuang?

Shi Nianxue could only follow behind Han Shuangshuang and see where she was going.

Today was Shen Yuru’s birthday. Han Shuangshuang remembered it so firmly that she even went to the dessert shop to work part-time just to buy Shen Yuru a good gift.

Shi Nianxue felt that jealousy was about to drive her mad.

What exactly should she do to drive Shen Yuru out of Han Shuangshuang’s life?

Shi Nianxue followed Han Shuangshuang for a very, very long time. Han Shuangshuang could not bear to spend money and did not want to take a taxi, so she jogged the whole way to that breakfast shop that was about to close and bought the last cup of soy milk.

Shi Nianxue finally tasted what it felt like for jealousy, unwillingness, anger, powerlessness, and all kinds of emotions to mingle together.