Please Marry Me (GL) - Chapter 25

Jiang Yi brought over the hairdryer, intending to dry her hair, but once she plugged it in and flipped the switch, it didn’t budge.

Is it broken?

She checked the power source and the switch again, but it still wouldn’t work. Jiang Yi gave it a frustrated tap, frowned, and set it down before heading out.

Her aunt’s room was also on the second floor, though it was quite a distance away.

Jiang Yi knocked on the door. “Auntie, the hairdryer in my room is broken. Do you have an extra one I could borrow?”

Her aunt replied, “Hold on, let me look. I remember there being one in here.”

After Jiang Yi waited at the door for about ten seconds, her aunt came over, rubbing her hands together apologetically. “Jiang Yi, look at my memory. The groom’s cousin’s daughter—or whoever—just came by and borrowed it.”

Jiang Yi showed her understanding. “I’ll go ask someone else then.”

Her aunt nodded. “That’s fine. Your Auntie Shen lives right next to her; why don’t you ask her?”

Jiang Yi’s expression stiffened. “No… I’m sure someone else has one.”

Her aunt, unaware of the history between them, thought of a possibility. “Are you afraid of her? Let me tell you, even though your Auntie Shen runs a company, she won’t give you the cold shoulder for no reason. You’re her niece, after all. Come on, I’ll go with you to borrow it. It’s no big deal.”

With that, the aunt grabbed Jiang Yi’s hand and led her toward Shen Siyun’s room. Jiang Yi tried to decline, but she was met with: “A grown woman like you is still scared of this?”

“…” Jiang Yi felt like she had a bitter pill she couldn’t swallow.

“Auntie…” Jiang Yi looked at the door with immense resistance. Just over an hour ago, she and Song Rao had jointly snubbed Shen Siyun; there was a snowball’s chance in hell she’d borrow her a hairdryer.

The door opened, revealing a tall silhouette standing against the light. The faint scent of jasmine-scented body wash wafted out.

“Little Auntie, my niece’s hairdryer is broken. She wanted to borrow yours for a bit.”

Jiang Yi looked up. Shen Siyun was also drying her hair. “Auntie, she’s using hers too. I’ll go ask someone else.”

“Look at you in those pajamas. Stop wandering around; there are many male relatives here, you shouldn’t be seen like that,” the aunt said disapprovingly.

“Come in and dry it here.” Shen Siyun’s gaze swept over Jiang Yi’s silky slip dress. She stepped aside slightly to let them in.

“I won’t come in. Jiang Yi, you and Auntie Shen should chat more.” The aunt turned and left immediately after dropping those words.

Jiang Yi stood there awkwardly. After a moment’s consideration, she turned to leave. “I’ll just borrow one from someone else. I won’t disturb Auntie Shen.”

Shen Siyun let out an immediate sneer. “Are you afraid of me, or do you think I’m petty enough to give you a hard time? Jiang Yi, since when did you become so cowardly?”

Jiang Yi stopped her footsteps and looked up at her calmly.

“It’s not a matter of being cowardly or not. I am a married woman now. Do you understand the concept of keeping a respectful distance?”

In their room, Song Rao finished washing up. Not seeing Jiang Yi, and seeing her phone still on the table—knowing Jiang Yi rarely left without it—Song Rao decided to step out and look for her.

As soon as she stepped out, she saw Jiang Yi standing in front of the neighbor’s door.

She arrived just as Jiang Yi was saying, “…I am a married woman now. Do you understand the concept of keeping a respectful distance?”

Song Rao walked over. “What’s wrong?”

Seeing Song Rao, Jiang Yi’s expression relaxed. “Song Rao, you’re here. The hairdryer is broken. Auntie told me to borrow hers, but she insisted I come inside to dry it. I didn’t agree.”

After hearing Jiang Yi’s explanation, Song Rao cast a subtle, meaningful glance at Shen Siyun.

“It’s best if Auntie Shen and my wife keep a respectful distance.” Song Rao put her arm around Jiang Yi’s shoulder. “Especially after what happened today. I’m sure Auntie Shen wouldn’t want to lose face in front of so many friends and relatives.”

“Song Rao, you’re really something.”

Shen Siyun slammed the door shut.

“Jiang Yi, go back to the room first. I’ll help you borrow one,” Song Rao’s voice drifted in from the hallway.

Hypocrite!

Shen Siyun stood behind the door with her arms crossed, staring at it.

Xin Wenyue, carrying a small plate of fruit from the lobby, walked past Song Rao and Jiang Yi with a feigned air of seriousness. She pushed open Shen Siyun’s door and, seeing Shen Siyun standing there with an indescribable expression, offered the fruit with a good mood. “Want some?”

Shen Siyun didn’t even give her a glance before turning away.

Song Rao returned with a borrowed hairdryer. By the time Jiang Yi finished drying her hair, it was 10:00 PM. The two prepared for bed.

“I’m turning off the lights, Jiang Yi.”

“Go ahead.” Jiang Yi lay on one side and yawned.

“Okay.” With a click, the room fell into darkness.

Song Rao, wearing her grey long-sleeved pajamas, walked to the bed. As she lifted a corner of the quilt to lie down, she felt something hard beneath her.

Confused, she reached behind her waist. Tucked under the hem of her shirt was a rectangular object. Song Rao pulled it out and looked at it in the faint moonlight. She couldn’t tell what it was at first, but when she flipped it over, the moonlight reflected off a polished surface.

A polished surface…

It could only be that metallic clip.

“What is it?” Jiang Yi looked over, seeing her holding something. She reached out from under the covers to feel it.

Song Rao tucked it away. “Nothing. Go to sleep.”

A flicker of doubt crossed Jiang Yi’s mind. “Okay.”

The next morning, the groom’s family was up by five or six o’clock, busy in the courtyard with food and wedding preparations. Despite their attempts to keep quiet for the sleeping guests, the noise woke Jiang Yi.

“Not going to sleep more?” Song Rao noticed her tossing and turning. Finally, Jiang Yi got up to wash up.

Jiang Yi picked up her fully charged phone. The screen’s glow illuminated her delicate, fair face with a warm softness.

“It’s almost six.” Since she lived near her office, she hadn’t woken up this early in a long time.

“Then I’ll get up too and see if there’s anything to help with.” Song Rao turned on the light and looked out the window. The first floor and the courtyard were lit up. Beyond the gates, a long road stretched into the forest. One could see the faint morning light through the trees; the air was fresh with the scent of the morning woods.

After washing up, they went downstairs. Coincidentally, the aunt was also awake.

“Why didn’t you two sleep more? It’s still early,” the aunt said.

“We came down to see if we could help with anything.” Jiang Yi looked at Song Rao.

The aunt laughed. “Go on, go on. Even I can’t help with much, let alone you two. The customs here are different from ours; there are many rules. It’s better not to interfere, lest we accidentally cause bad luck and get blamed.”

The aunt added, “Song Rao, if you’re really bored, you can go help the groom’s cousin’s daughter. Her mom said she has a monthly exam next week. Anything you can teach her helps. She chatted with me all night; she’s very impressed with you.”

Song Rao thought for a moment and agreed. “Alright, we’ll go after breakfast.”

At 8:00 AM, the groom left with his party to pick up the bride. The remaining guests began heading in groups toward Tuli Yun Lake, about seven or eight hundred meters away. Since the road had to be kept clear for the wedding procession, others couldn’t drive; they had to walk.

Seeing the time, Jiang Yi went to the cousin’s daughter’s room to get Song Rao so they could head out. On the spiral staircase, she ran into Shen Siyun and Xin Wenyue, who were also heading down.

The two were of similar height. Shen Siyun wore a long, black, tight-fitting dress that accentuated her curves, topped with a soft Chanel black blazer. A gold double-C logo sat on her chest. The tailoring was impeccable, with sleeves reaching her knuckles to show off half of her slender, porcelain-white hands. Five silver buttons on each side of the blazer kept it from looking dated, and a black-and-gold chain belt cinched her waist, with a gold coin-sized charm dangling lazily at one end. Perhaps Shen Siyun had a particular fondness for gold; her earrings were also brilliant today. Walking down the stairs, she looked like a noblewoman—an understated, high-luxury look infused with a touch of lazy elegance.

Xin Wenyue, beside her, was no less striking.

When Xin Wenyue saw Jiang Yi, she blocked her path with an arm, smiled, and asked, “Little Niece, I seem to have lost two metallic hair clips. I don’t suppose you’ve seen them? I visited your room last night, and your wife hosted me.”

Xin Wenyue’s intention was to trigger a trust crisis. After all, a clip is a personal item; if it’s found in a married person’s room, it’s hard to explain.

However, Jiang Yi’s face changed instantly, her expression turning icy. “Are you implying my wife took your things, Miss Xin? Do you have evidence? Do you understand the principle of not slandering people without proof? My wife is a professor; she has a reputation and certainly isn’t short on money. Why would she covet your clip? If you don’t have evidence, apologize to me.”

Xin Wenyue was blindsided by the retort. She opened her mouth, suddenly finding she had no comeback.

Shen Siyun couldn’t bear to look at her friend’s foolishness and prepared to leave, only to be hit by Jiang Yi’s questioning and mocking gaze.

“It seems Auntie Shen’s friend is no better, using the same underhanded tricks as Auntie Shen. It’s truly an eye-opener.”

“…”

For the first time, Shen Siyun felt like a dog walking down the street that had been kicked for no reason. She felt profoundly wronged.

“I didn’t use any ‘underhanded tricks’.” Shen Siyun composed herself; she didn’t want to argue on such a celebratory day.

“Has Auntie Shen not threatened, coerced, and troubled others enough? You’ve forgotten already? Quite a set of skills.” Jiang Yi mocked her relentlessly.

Under Xin Wenyue’s inquisitive gaze, Shen Siyun remembered. Jiang Yi was talking about the time she hid in the wardrobe. She had indeed threatened and troubled her. Stung by Jiang Yi’s words, her face turned pale, unable to argue.

Finally, Song Rao appeared, breaking the standoff. She came out of the second floor and asked what was going on.

Jiang Yi ignored the two women and walked up to hook her arm into Song Rao’s. “It’s nothing. Just some people trying to throw mud at you. I pushed back, and now they can’t save face. They probably feel embarrassed.”

“Let’s go. Auntie is waiting for us.”

Song Rao gave a gentle smile. “Okay.”

The two walked past the women standing halfway down the stairs without even a glance, met the aunt downstairs, and set off for Tuli Yun Lake.

It took a long time for Xin Wenyue and Shen Siyun to calm down. It truly felt like being two dogs on the side of the road kicked for no reason—and they hadn’t even found a way to bite back.

How frustrating!