Yan Yu didn’t expect the answer to come faster than she thought. She had just finished her midterm exams and was pondering how to discreetly get some information from Su Qinghan’s side. After all, the main quest’s progress depended on that woman’s emotional fluctuations. Unexpectedly, Su Qinghan and Jiang Muyun themselves had an explosion.
‘Good. New event has started. Acting progress can be pushed forward again.’
Yan Yu silently calculated.
The incident happened on Friday afternoon after school. The setting sun dyed the entire street a warm orange-red. At the school gate, people came and went, with students carrying school bags heading home.
Ruo Xiaozhen pushed Yan Yu’s wheelchair as the two slowly made their way toward the rented room. Ruo Xiaozhen was muttering about what to make for dinner.
“There’s still half a cabbage in the fridge. How about a vinegar stir-fry cabbage? And cook some seaweed egg drop soup. Simple stuff…”
She paused mid-sentence.
“Yan Yu, look. Why are so many people gathered over there?”
Yan Yu looked in the direction she pointed. Sure enough, on the open ground to the right of the school gate, a crowd had gathered. They were huddled in twos and threes, some craning their necks to peer inside, others whispering and murmuring to each other, their faces wearing excited expressions that clearly enjoyed the spectacle.
“I don’t know,” Yan Yu said. “Let’s go around. Don’t get involved in the commotion.”
Ruo Xiaozhen acknowledged and was about to push the wheelchair around the crowd when Yan Yu’s peripheral vision caught a familiar figure.
Su Family’s black luxury sedan was parked by the road as usual. The driver had already opened the back door and stood respectfully waiting for Su Qinghan to get in. However, this time, Su Qinghan didn’t have Jiang Muyun by her side.
She stood alone by the car, phone in hand, brows slightly furrowed, casting occasional glances toward the school gate. She was waiting for someone—waiting for Jiang Muyun.
Yan Yu signaled Ruo Xiaozhen to stop and watched from afar.
After about five or six minutes, Jiang Muyun finally walked out of the school gate. Her long hair hung loose over her shoulders, her steps fast—so fast it was as if she was fleeing something. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, not looking at Su Qinghan, not looking at the car, walking straight in the opposite direction.
“Mu Yun!” Su Qinghan quickly called out, catching up in a few steps and reaching out to grab Jiang Muyun’s wrist.
Jiang Muyun was forced to stop but still didn’t look at her.
“What’s wrong with you?” Su Qinghan’s voice was very low, so low that only the two could hear.
But Yan Yu wasn’t too far away, and with the favorable wind, a few words drifted over intermittently.
Jiang Muyun suddenly turned her head. Yan Yu saw her face clearly—eyes red, as if she had been crying or holding back tears. Her lips trembled slightly, tightening and releasing, releasing and tightening.
“What do you think is wrong with me?” Jiang Muyun’s voice wasn’t loud, but every word seemed squeezed through clenched teeth.
Su Qinghan was stunned. “Qinghan, you weren’t like this before. What exactly is going on? Explain things clearly—”
“Why do I have to spell it out for you to understand?” Jiang Muyun’s voice suddenly rose a few notches, causing several surrounding students to turn their heads.
Su Qinghan’s face stiffened slightly. She instinctively looked around and saw that many people’s attention had gathered on them. Those gazes held curiosity, speculation, the excitement of watching a show, and a few girls were huddled together whispering, with smirking smiles on their faces.
Su Qinghan didn’t like this. She never liked exposing personal matters in public, and even less liked being fodder for gossip. She was the eldest miss of the Su family, an unattainable existence in everyone’s eyes, and she would not allow herself to lose face in any situation.
She let go of Jiang Muyun’s hand. The movement was light, as light as a fallen leaf slipping through her fingers. But in Jiang Muyun’s eyes, it was a giving up, a retreat.
Jiang Muyun forcefully swung her arm. Actually, Su Qinghan had already let go, so the “swing” was more like a demonstration for the onlookers. Then she turned around and strode off in the opposite direction from the school gate.
Su Qinghan stood alone in place, watching the fading back. Her brows were furrowed, lips pressed into a line, her expression unclear whether it was anger or grievance, or both.
She wasn’t someone who liked to wear her emotions on her face. But at this moment, she was indeed uncomfortable. Not because Jiang Muyun was angry—couples have conflicts, it’s normal.
What made her uncomfortable was Jiang Muyun giving her a cold shoulder in front of so many people.
She was Su Qinghan. No one had ever dared to treat her like this since childhood.
Earlier, when the school was spreading stories about her and Jiang Muyun’s good relationship, she didn’t say anything but secretly felt a little happy. That happiness wasn’t vanity, but a sense of security from being recognized. Everyone knew they were a couple, and everyone looked favorably on their relationship.
She thought Jiang Muyun cherished that recognition as much as she did. But today, Jiang Muyun gave her a public embarrassment in front of so many people.
Those onlookers, whispering and murmuring, must have started talking about them by now. No matter what they said, it wouldn’t be good. Su Qinghan could almost imagine those voices.
“Look at Su Qinghan and Jiang Muyun. Did they have a falling out?”
“Jiang Muyun’s attitude just now, tsk tsk tsk…”
“Even the eldest miss of the Su family has her day.”
That feeling of discomfort in her heart gradually turned into a trace of resentment. Not resentment toward Jiang Muyun, but helplessness at her own situation. Yet in the end, that helplessness still fell back onto Jiang Muyun.
Just then, her phone rang.
Ding dong—a crisp message notification sound.
Su Qinghan looked down at the screen and felt a slight stir. She instinctively thought it was from Jiang Muyun. Mu Yun should be considerate; after throwing a tantrum, she might send a message to smooth things over.
Maybe a simple “Are you there?”, or a coquettish “Are you angry?”, or just an emoji. Whatever it was, as long as Jiang Muyun spoke first, Su Qinghan would take the opportunity to let this little friction pass.
She sighed and swiped open the screen, only to find that the message wasn’t from Jiang Muyun.
It was Yan Yu. Su Qinghan’s finger paused.
Yan Yu? The ripples stirred by this name eerily overshadowed the earlier displeasure toward Jiang Muyun.
She had thought that at this juncture, at this moment when even Jiang Muyun had disappointed her, she would have no energy left to deal with anyone. But… Yan Yu had sent her a message.
How long had it been since Yan Yu last sent her a message? Why send one now? Was it concern? Or just boredom?
Or… like herself, had she keenly sensed the rift between her and Jiang Muyun, and couldn’t wait to watch the show?
A trace of irritation brushed her heart. Su Qinghan found herself somewhat reluctant to open that message.
She was used to being in control, used to people looking up to her or flattering her, but Yan Yu was an exception. Yan Yu was always aloof, as if shrouded in mist; she couldn’t see the true emotions in her eyes, and this inability to control felt especially glaring at this moment.
Furthermore, Su Qinghan’s current situation was embarrassing. Having her hand shaken off in public, being stared at by passersby, her carefully maintained dignity shattered. She didn’t want anyone to see her like this, especially Yan Yu.
She didn’t want to reveal to Yan Yu that she could be dumped, that she could have someone shake her off. That would destroy the pitiful sense of superiority she had painstakingly built up in front of Yan Yu.
But… Su Qinghan’s fingertips curled slightly. Deep in her heart, a faint voice objected.
Maybe Yan Yu was different from what she thought.