Money. It always came back to money.
For Jiang Muyun, the only thing that seemed to matter in this world was money.
Su Qinghan stared at her phone screen, a nameless irritation rising in her chest. She didn’t reply to that message immediately.
Jiang Muyun had voluntarily suggested a trip together—that should have been a signal of easing tensions. But at this moment, Su Qinghan couldn’t feel happy at all. She had to carefully budget even her daily expenses; where would she find the spare funds to satisfy Jiang Muyun’s extravagant wishes that cost tens of thousands?
What should she do?
She knew she should refuse, or at least try to negotiate and change the trip to something more economical. But the words stuck in her throat, unable to come out. When had she ever said ‘no’ to Jiang Muyun?
The more she thought about it, the more tormented she felt.
Why was this? Was Jiang Muyun really that important to her? For a moment, Su Qinghan even asked herself: ‘What exactly do you like about Jiang Muyun?’
Was it because she had saved her in that accident back then? Or was it simply because she had gotten used to ‘should’ liking her?
Her phone rang again. The screen stubbornly lit up in the dim light. She didn’t need to look to know who it was. Su Qinghan didn’t lower her head; she directly hung up the call.
She took two steps back, leaning against the cold, rough brick wall, and raised a hand to rub her throbbing temples. Her other hand brushed through the black hair on her shoulder—her hair had grown this long now, the soft strands slipping through her fingers, carrying the coolness of the breeze.
Not far away, Yan Yu was still focused on practicing walking. That young girl held onto the wall, step by step, moving very slowly but steadily.
Su Qinghan didn’t want to disturb her. She planned to just lean against the wall and properly think about this question that had been bothering her. Why had she come to see Yan Yu today?
The person she, Su Qinghan, loved should be Jiang Muyun, and only Jiang Muyun. These quietly sprouting, unexpected feelings for Yan Yu should have been pruned away by reason long ago, without any room to exist.
Because the person who saved her back then was Jiang Muyun, not Yan Yu.
To outsiders, this reason might seem too rigid, stubborn, even laughable. But for Su Qinghan, who had grown up under strict family rules, it was the most fundamental cornerstone upon which she built her emotional world—heavy as a mountain, beyond doubt.
Su Qinghan lived in a wealthy family with strict rules. Her father was a decisive tyrant in the business world; her mother was an elegant but distant aristocrat. In this household, maintaining composure in joy and anger was basic cultivation; showing emotion was a sign of weakness; true feelings were private items to be carefully stored away.
Her father could indulge her in spending money like water, buying any luxury item she fancied, but he couldn’t tolerate her showing too much real emotion or desire in public, especially at important social events. Her worth always seemed tied to the Su family’s prestige and future business marriages.
What was love? What was liking? These useless concepts were never part of her family’s education. Su Qinghan didn’t actually know what true romance was.
All her hazy imagination of love came from the lingering descriptions in novels she had secretly read as a teenager, from the dramatic scenes in movies and TV shows, from the fragmented sweetness and arguments she had captured while observing others in love. Those things had constructed a vague outline of ‘love.’
Therefore, in Su Qinghan’s simple and even rigid understanding, ‘love’ and ‘liking’ meant identifying one person, and then being with that person who was ‘most important’ to you. And that person, many years ago, had been designated by fate and an accident as Jiang Muyun.
So, Su Qinghan believed she should like Jiang Muyun. It had almost become an instinct that required no thought, a predetermined fact written into her life script.
Thus, even when she clearly saw Jiang Muyun’s spoiled princess temperament, even when she was occasionally neglected casually, Su Qinghan would subconsciously make excuses for the other party, telling herself, ‘This isn’t a big deal,’ ‘Her nature isn’t bad,’ ‘She just hasn’t matured yet.’ She silently swallowed those small disappointments and grievances, using the grand reason of ‘liking’ to cover up all discomfort.
As for Yan Yu…
The past Su Qinghan had never truly considered Yan Yu as ‘one of her own.’ She arrogantly believed that Yan Yu had approached her and accepted her relationship proposal only because she coveted the Su family’s money and status.
And herself? What she coveted was perhaps just a harbor where she could temporarily let down her guard when she was exhausted. She had simplified that relationship into a transaction where each took what they needed—she provided material things, Yan Yu provided emotional value.
As for how serious Yan Yu’s illness was, how painful the treatment process was, what thoughts Yan Yu had when facing disability and poverty alone, whether Yan Yu still had any hopes for the future… none of these were within her consideration. She had paid part of the money, and felt she had done her duty to the utmost.
But Su Qinghan had overlooked one thing: the human heart is not a commodity with a clear price tag, and feelings cannot be framed by simple transaction logic.
Perhaps that ‘transaction’ had been her own wishful definition from start to finish. Perhaps when she had proposed ‘being together’ in that condescending manner, that pale and fragile girl had also seen her as a light in the darkness, truly believed, hoped, and invested her heart.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
In the distance, Yan Yu’s footsteps sounded again, slow but steady.
Su Qinghan couldn’t help but lower her head. Some indescribable ache quietly surged into her chest, making it hard to breathe.
‘No. I can’t think about Yan Yu. I like Jiang Muyun, not Yan Yu. I promised I would always like Muyun. I can’t betray her, can’t make her sad. I should put aside my pride and communicate properly with Muyun, explain my current difficulties clearly.’
She closed her eyes, repeating these words over and over in her heart, like forcibly disciplining her wavering feelings.
But just as her mind was unsettled, Su Qinghan’s foot moved and accidentally kicked an empty aluminum can someone had discarded against the wall.
Clang—!
The metal can rolled, clattering against the ground. The distant footsteps stopped in response.
Su Qinghan’s whole body stiffened. She inwardly cursed, ‘Oh no.’ Subconsciously, she lifted her head and looked in the opposite direction from the sound. Almost at the same time, Yan Yu, who had just turned the corner of the short wall and was leaning against it, catching her breath, also turned her head toward the sound and looked into this hidden corner.
Their eyes met, completely unprepared. The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Su Qinghan felt all the blood rush to her head. Her cheeks and ears instantly burned hot. She wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Her mind went blank, leaving only one thought: ‘It’s over!’
She had only wanted to watch quietly for a while and then leave. Now not only had she failed to leave, but her sneaky behavior had been caught red-handed by the person herself.
“Yan… Yan…” She had to move out from the shadow of the corner, her steps stiff, forcing a smile uglier than crying onto her face, her tongue tied. “You have to let me explain, it’s really not what you think… I, I was just passing by… and then I saw you… no, I mean…”
She babbled incoherently, racking her brains to come up with a reasonable excuse, but found her IQ seemed to have abandoned her. The words that came out were full of holes, the more she explained, the worse it got.
“Hmm?” Yan Yu tilted her head slightly, her clear eyes reflecting the daylight, as if she didn’t understand why she was so flustered. “What’s wrong? Did Qinghan come here to visit me at home?”
She paused, looking at Su Qinghan’s flushed face and wandering eyes, as if understanding something. The corners of her lips lifted gently, revealing a smile just as usual—pale and sickly but warm. “Qinghan, let’s talk inside.”
Instantly, all of Su Qinghan’s defensive and explanatory words got stuck in her throat, unable to come out. Faced with Yan Yu’s open and tolerant attitude, her little schemes and excuses seemed so clumsy and unnecessary.
Yan Yu quietly looked at her for two seconds, didn’t press further, returned to her wheelchair and sat down, then gestured for Su Qinghan to push her.
Su Qinghan woke up as if from a dream. She hurried forward a few steps, circled behind the wheelchair, grabbed the handles, and slowly pushed the wheelchair toward the slightly worn door of the rented room not far away.
The wheels rolled over the uneven cement floor, making a regular sound. Sunlight stretched their shadows long, intertwining together.
At that moment, Su Qinghan suddenly became acutely aware of one thing. It seemed she had already ignored Jiang Muyun’s message for the second time, choosing instead to keep her mind and thoughts focused on Yan Yu. She felt like she was walking toward a dangerous abyss, yet unable to stop her feet.
And in the wheelchair, Yan Yu was thinking about something else.
Earlier, when communicating with Dai Feng, she had noticed that something was off with Su Qinghan’s situation. But despite the mint candy taking effect, Dai Feng hadn’t told her the specific details. The more she didn’t know, the more concerned Yan Yu became.
If something had indeed happened to Su Qinghan, then taking advantage of this rift between her and Jiang Muyun, this little substitute could step in and arrange a brand new script.
She hadn’t used the two skills 【Eloquent Speech】 and 【Exquisite Culinary Skill】 yet. In this situation, Yan Yu felt she might try them out on Su Qinghan.
【Eloquent Speech】 would make Yan Yu’s words more influential. Using this skill during conversation might make Su Qinghan voluntarily reveal her current situation.
As for 【Exquisite Culinary Skill】 , its function was to influence a person’s emotions and psychological state through food. It could adjust them toward positivity or induce negativity. If this skill was combined with 【Eloquent Speech】 , the two together would double the effect. Perhaps she could use this opportunity to push the plot forward again.
Thinking this way, Yan Yu already had a plan in her mind. When Su Qinghan pushed her through the door, she suddenly turned her head and said in that soft, delicate voice: “Qinghan, have you had lunch yet? Today my roommate happens to be out. How about I make you some lunch?”