Chapter 38

On the day Jiang Yi suddenly flew back, Xin Wenyue happened to be the one who took Song Rao to the campus clinic.

The medical record issued by the doctor normally included basic personal information. Xin Wenyue had probably discovered from there that Song Rao and Jiang Yi’s marriage was fake and had never been officially registered.

“What kind of person is she?” Jiang Yi asked.

Her impression of Xin Wenyue went no further than knowing she was Shen Siyun’s friend. After the incident with the clips and the false accusation, Jiang Yi truly had little confidence in the character of Shen Siyun’s friends.

“It’s hard to say.”

Song Rao also sighed.

She still had not dared tell Jiang Yi that Xin Wenyue had repeatedly tried to seduce her.

After Jiang Yi left, Xiaohei began barking outside the laboratory.

Hearing it, Song Rao walked out.

Sure enough, she saw the person she had expected.

Xin Wenyue stood far away, glaring at the little black puppy beneath the tree with gritted teeth.

Then she looked at Song Rao, who stood expressionlessly in the doorway, and took a deep breath.

“Fine. Very good.”

Song Rao had deliberately brought the dog there to make a fool of her.

Xin Wenyue had never failed to obtain anything she wanted.

She turned and left furiously.

Jiang Yi drove home.

Cen Ruo’s pet shop was on her way back. [read the original at bailiantales.com]Just as she turned past the large banyan tree, she saw a crowd gathered outside the shop, talking among themselves.

She parked the car and squeezed through the crowd.

“Habi, stop!”

Cen Ruo’s voice came from inside.

At the reception area, a cat and dog were locked in a tense confrontation.

The furious cat yowled with its fur standing on end, while the dog lowered its head and bared its teeth.

The people outside folded their arms and watched the spectacle.

Suddenly, perhaps admitting defeat, the cat tucked its tail between its legs and darted toward the entrance.

The dog had no intention of letting it escape.

It sprang forward on its hind legs, opened its mouth wide, and bit the cat’s tail.

Startled, the cat twisted around and clawed twice at the dog’s nose.

The dog released it in pain.

The cat flipped through the air and scratched open the hand of Jiang Yi, who was standing in the doorway.

Jiang Yi cried out in pain.

Still frightened, the cat fled.

“Xiaowei, tie Habi up and don’t let him out again.”

Cen Ruo seized the dog’s collar and handed it to her assistant.

Then she strode toward Jiang Yi, took her hand, and led her inside.

Once the show was over, most of the crowd outside dispersed.

“Are you all right?”

Cen Ruo brought her to the sink and rubbed antibacterial soap over the back of her slender, pale hand.

“It’s bleeding.”

Jiang Yi tried to withdraw her hand and wash it herself, but Cen Ruo held it tightly.

Water rushed over their overlapping hands and down their wrists.

Jiang Yi felt somewhat embarrassed.

“It’s nothing serious. I think it only broke the skin.”

“It’s bleeding.”

Without lifting her eyes, Cen Ruo repeated herself.

“That cat was a stray that accidentally ran inside and angered Habi. That’s why everything just happened.”

After washing her hand, Jiang Yi raised it to look.

The scratches were rather deep, with thin traces of blood still seeping out.

“Would this count as an entirely undeserved disaster?”

She suddenly laughed.

“If I hadn’t come inside to watch, none of this would’ve happened.”

She had even wondered whether she could help, only to end up causing more trouble.

“You’re about to suffer a financial disaster too.”

Cen Ruo removed her work uniform and picked up a pale, elegant, structured blazer.

Only then did Jiang Yi see that she wore a black turtleneck underneath.

At around 170 centimeters tall, Cen Ruo made the long, casual white blazer, whose hem nearly reached her thighs, look like a doctor’s coat.

The two large pockets on either side made the resemblance even stronger.

“Were you a doctor too?”

The question slipped out before Jiang Yi could stop herself.

Cen Ruo rolled up the sleeves of her blazer and lowered her eyes, concealing her expression.

“I used to be. Not anymore.”

Jiang Yi’s expression shifted slightly.

At Cen Ruo’s age, if she had already qualified as a doctor, unauthorized copywhy would she change careers and open a pet shop?

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“Let’s go. You need a rabies vaccination.”

Cen Ruo did not appear bothered and headed outside.

Jiang Yi could only follow her to a nearby hospital, where she received a rabies shot.

Just as they came downstairs, Mother Jiang unexpectedly called.

She said their dog had suddenly begun vomiting and convulsing, frightening her half to death.

Father Jiang happened to be away, and Mother Jiang did not know how to search online for information. She was not close to the neighbors either, so she could only call her daughter for help.

Hearing the fear and worry trembling in her voice, Jiang Yi hurriedly comforted her.

“Mom, don’t panic. I’m coming right now.”

“Would you like me to go with you?” Cen Ruo asked.

Thinking that she might know how to treat the dog, Jiang Yi silently agreed.

She turned the steering wheel and drove Cen Ruo there.

Outside the residential community where Mother Jiang lived, older men often played chess in the park downstairs.

Just as Jiang Yi was about to enter the elevator, her mother called again.

“Hello, Mom. I’m almost there. I’m downstairs.”

“Jiang Yi, there’s actually no need to rush.”

Mother Jiang’s attitude had changed completely.

All urgency had vanished from her voice, replaced by a faint note of pride.

“?”

Mother Jiang said, “Your friend is such a good person. She brought a veterinarian over. The vet fed Wangcai two spoonfuls of hydrogen peroxide, and after he vomited, he recovered.”

Jiang Yi’s brows drew together.

“My friend?”

“Yes, of course she’s your friend.”

Mother Jiang glanced at the woman sitting in the living room.

“She’s tall and slim, and very beautiful.”

“Is she still there?”

Jiang Yi stepped out of the elevator.

A professional-looking person resembling a veterinarian happened to enter, and they passed each other.

Jiang Yi pressed her lips together.

Could that have been the veterinarian who had just treated the dog at her mother’s home?

She walked directly toward the apartment.

“She’s still here, sitting in the living room,” Mother Jiang answered.

“What’s her name?”

Jiang Yi and Cen Ruo reached the door.

“She said her name is Shen Siyun.”

Jiang Yi gave a cold scoff outside the door, ended the call, and pushed it open.

The first thing she saw was Shen Siyun seated in the living room, accepting a cup of tea from her mother.

Perhaps she had deliberately dressed like a successful professional woman.

Her perfectly tailored white trousers fit without a wrinkle, and paired with ankle boots, they lent her a sharp, energetic air.

A black velvet sweater hugged her figure, outlining every curve.

The long sleeves were rolled up slightly, revealing a slender, pale wrist adorned with a reddish-brown quartz watch.

Against those rich colors, her complexion looked even more unnaturally pale than usual.

“Have some water.”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Shen Siyun had also tied up her normally loose, long curls.

As she lowered her eyes to sip her tea, two strands fell beside her face, making her look capable yet gentle.

Even Mother Jiang could not resist looking at her several times, privately wondering who exactly Shen Siyun was.

Hearing movement, she turned toward the door.

“Jiang Yi, you’re here?”

She stepped forward and saw Cen Ruo beside her.

Hesitating, she asked, “And this is…”

Jiang Yi withdrew the cutting look she had fixed on Shen Siyun and turned toward her mother.

“This is my friend. She works at a pet shop. She originally came to see whether she could help.”

Cen Ruo nodded politely.

“Hello, Auntie. My name is Cen Ruo.”

Mother Jiang responded warmly and invited her to sit, then poured her a cup of tea.

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Cen Ruo sat beside Shen Siyun.

The two women were nearly equal in every respect, neither inferior to the other in the slightest.

The moment Shen Siyun saw Cen Ruo, her expression turned foul.

She had known Jiang Yi for years, yet Jiang Yi had never personally brought her home to meet her parents.

But Cen Ruo, whom Jiang Yi had known for only a few days, had already been brought into the family home.

“Shen Siyun, what are you doing at my house?”

The moment Mother Jiang went to check on Wangcai, Jiang Yi questioned her.

“How did you find my family’s address?”

Anger radiated from her entire body.

She clenched her fingers, furious that Shen Siyun had come to meet her mother without permission.

Cen Ruo gave Shen Siyun a curious glance, lifted her teacup, and calmly watched the show.

“I came to save your family’s dog.”

Shen Siyun answered the first question after a brief silence.

She avoided the second altogether.

Instead, she looked toward Cen Ruo, tightened her jaw, suppressed the [unauthorized copy]jealousy churning inside her, and asked coldly, “Why can she come, but I can’t?”

“We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Do you understand?”

Whom Jiang Yi brought home was entirely her own business.

She did not want to lose her temper in front of an outsider. Otherwise, she would already have given Shen Siyun an ugly expression.

“Sorry you had to witness this.”

Cen Ruo smiled faintly.

“It’s fine.”

As she spoke, she stood.

“Perhaps I should leave. There doesn’t seem to be anything else I can help with.”

The dog had already been treated, making her presence seem somewhat unnecessary.

Shen Siyun put down her teacup without even looking at her.

Her red lips curved contemptuously.

“Take care. I won’t see you out.”

Jiang Yi also felt it would be awkward to make Cen Ruo remain there.

She was about to offer to walk her out when Mother Jiang suddenly emerged and stopped her.

“Cen Ruo, where are you going? Jiang Yi, why are you sending her away?

“She’s your friend, and this is her first time visiting our home. It wouldn’t hurt to let her stay for dinner.”

Mother Jiang caught Cen Ruo’s hand.

“Is the shop busy? If not, stay and have dinner. It’s been a long time since the house was [bailiantales.com]this lively. You can treat it as keeping Auntie company for a meal.”

Shen Siyun stood abruptly, unable to remain calm.

How could Auntie treat Cen Ruo better than she treated her?!

Cen Ruo looked toward Jiang Yi.

Her gaze then shifted slowly into the living room and landed on Shen Siyun, who was standing and staring at her.

She looked away and met Mother Jiang’s enthusiastic gaze.

“Then I’ll trouble Auntie to add another set of chopsticks.”

Mother Jiang happily went to prepare things in the kitchen.

Jiang Yi turned around to drive Shen Siyun away.

There could not be two outsiders in this house.

“Shen Siyun, it’s getting late. You should go home. Take care. I won’t see you out.”

Jiang Yi stood at the entrance with one hand gripping the door handle, her face and heart equally cold.

Shen Siyun looked incredulous.

“You’re throwing me out?”

Hearing this, Mother Jiang hurried over, snatched the handle from Jiang Yi’s hand, and closed the door.

“She’s joking. How could she drive out a guest? Siyun, you should stay for dinner too.”

Shen Siyun’s red lips curved, and her tone carried a trace of obedient sweetness.

“All right, Auntie.”

“Mom!”

“Be quiet. Come help me wash the vegetables.”

Mother Jiang dragged Jiang Yi into the kitchen and scolded her.

“I’ve never seen anyone as rude as you. She just saved Wangcai, and instead of thanking her, you immediately tried to throw her out. What kind of behavior is that?”

Jiang Yi still tried to protest, but Mother Jiang cut her off.

“Even if you have some grudge against her, she still helped you. What’s wrong with letting her stay for one meal?”

“…”

“Oh no. Your father cooked all the vegetables for lunch. There’s nothing left.”

Mother Jiang opened the refrigerator and stared at the leftovers and otherwise empty shelves.

She patted Jiang Yi’s shoulder.

“Go to the market quickly before it closes and buy some meat and vegetables.”

She urged, “Hurry. I’ll find those sausages we saved for New Year. Also, if you see your father on your way back, tell him to come home early.”

Resigned, Jiang Yi walked out of the kitchen.

She put down her bag, picked up a shopping basket from the side table cluttered with miscellaneous items, and prepared to leave.

“Auntie, I’ll go with Jiang Yi to buy groceries.”

“Auntie, I’ll come too. I have nothing else to do.”

The two women seated on the living-room sofa spoke at the same time.

Mother Jiang froze.

For a moment, she had the strange impression that she was choosing between prospective sons-in-law.

She hurriedly came back to herself.

What prospective sons-in-law?

Her daughter was already married to Song Rao.

How could she think such a thing?

“All right. Tell Jiang Yi what you’d like to eat. Hurry there and back before the market closes.”