Chapter 29: The Bad Thing

◎ “Do you really think I’m a bad person?” ◎

The night in Zhangshan City was full of vintage romance. Yu Ran drove along the neon-lit streets, leisurely making her way back to Shen Suhui’s home.

As soon as the door opened, Yu Ran rushed to hug Shen Suhui, eagerly drawing in her warmth.

Shen Suhui tilted her head, resting her chin on Yu Ran’s shoulder. She gradually tightened her arms around her, silently holding her close.

Being embraced by her lover made all her worries fade away. After recharging, Yu Ran returned to her usual self. She smiled at Shen Suhui and wrapped her arms around her as they entered the room.

“Did you clear things up with Jiang Shiluo?”

“Mm, yes. I told her about my feelings and my stance.”

Yu Ran ruffled her hair and placed a kiss on her forehead.

“I’m sorry, these things should have been dealt with by me, or we should have faced it together.”

Shen Suhui looked at Yu Ran, and Yu Ran returned the gaze. Her eyes were still as gentle as they had been in high school. At that time, Shen Suhui thought that if she could be looked at by such eyes, she would drown in them.

Now, she was still submerged in those same eyes.

“Why should you deal with it? We’re the same, we’re equal,” Shen Suhui said. “Like you said, we can face things together. When one of us is unavailable or weak, the other can shield them from the storm.”

“Shen Suhui…”

Yu Ran didn’t know how to respond. She could only call out Shen Suhui’s name. At nearly thirty, this was the first time someone had said to her, “You can also be weak, and I can shield you from the storm.”

She had longed for love like that from her parents, but she had found it in this delicate woman.

In fact, Shen Suhui appeared fragile and petite, needing love, but she was stronger and more resilient than many people.

Lucky, the cat, jumped from the cat tree and ran to Yu Ran’s feet without any fear of people. Yu Ran squatted down, scooping Lucky into her arms and kissing her warm little head. Lucky purred contentedly in her arms, and Yu Ran, inhaling the pleasant cat smell, found all her worries fading away.

“Lucky really likes you, huh?” Shen Suhui said.

Yu Ran looked down at Lucky, who was curled up in her arms, her eyes half-closed, completely relaxed. Yu Ran kissed her ear and then her head, and Lucky didn’t show any sign of waking up.

After placing Lucky in her bed, Shen Suhui had already prepared a change of clothes for Yu Ran.

“Take a hot shower first, wash away the fatigue of the day.”

Yu Ran took the clothes and kissed Shen Suhui’s forehead. “Okay.”

It was still early, and after her shower, Yu Ran came out to find that Shen Suhui hadn’t gone to sleep yet. Instead, she had turned on the projector in the living room, ready to watch a movie.

“What do you want to watch?” Shen Suhui asked.

Yu Ran replied, “Let’s watch Pride and Prejudice, the one you love.”

“Alright~”

The two of them snuggled on the couch in peaceful silence, watching the movie, with Yu Ran holding Shen Suhui close.

After a while, Shen Suhui’s phone rang. She sat up to answer the call.

“Hello, Shen Dongting.”

“Why are you feeling unwell again? If you have a fever, you must go to the hospital. Have you been staying out in the cold these past few nights?”

Shen Suhui furrowed her brow, looking worried. Yu Ran sat up and comforted her, holding her shoulders.

“You should get a full check-up. I’ll transfer you three thousand yuan. If it’s not enough, come to me. You must go to the hospital, a fever like this isn’t normal.”

“What do you mean ‘overreacting’? It’s fine if you get a fever once and take some medicine, but if you’re having fever after fever, that’s not normal. Go to the hospital, then let me know the results.”

Shen Suhui ended the call after speaking.

“What’s wrong?”

“My brother is always sick; I need to send him money for an examination.”

“If he’s always sick, it’s better to have a full check-up, just to be on the safe side. Alright, don’t keep that serious face, let’s continue watching the movie!”

Yu Ran pinched Shen Suhui’s face, and Shen Suhui immediately smiled. After confirming that Shen Dongting had received the money, she put her phone aside and lay back in Yu Ran’s arms.

After thinking for a moment, she still felt uneasy, so she reopened WeChat.

• Fourteenth year: Be sure to get checked!

Shen Dongting replied quickly: Sis, you’re so annoying!

Shen Suhui smiled and lay back in Yu Ran’s arms, feeling a little more at ease.

She didn’t know where the movie had gotten to, but Yu Ran’s kisses, overwhelming as they were, were far more intense than the plot. Shen Suhui, pinned under Yu Ran, felt her heated body brushing against her as she tilted her head, accepting the passionate kisses.

Yu Ran loved kissing her skin, her soft lips wandering across her body, kissing Shen Suhui all over, warming her up, making her tremble.

And Yu Ran, when kissing Shen Suhui, had only one thought in her mind:

“It’s mine, it’s mine, Shen Suhui is mine, and only mine.”

She clung to Shen Suhui desperately, not only expressing her deep love but also challenging her parents.

This time, she wouldn’t back down. What if Jiang Shiluo liked her? Even if she was the prey Jiang Shiluo spoke of, from now on, Yu Ran would fight to keep her.

“Yu Ran…”

Shen Suhui’s voice was trembling.

Yu Ran knew that she was scared.

Scared of her force, her madness, scared of the sudden change in her.

“Yu Ran…”

But Yu Ran was serious now, addicted, unable to stop.

She kissed Shen Suhui’s lips and cheeks again and again, kissing away her tears, kissing her soft hair.

“Baby…”

Yu Ran’s voice was hoarse, “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t cry, don’t cry anymore…”

Shen Suhui gradually quieted down in her arms, her eyelashes wet, quietly sobbing.

Yu Ran held her tightly, gently patting her back.

They took a shower together in the bathroom, and by the time they got into bed, it was almost midnight. Both had worked the next day, and Shen Suhui lay in Yu Ran’s arms, drowsy.

Suddenly, Yu Ran asked, “Do you dislike me like this? Are you scared?”

“Just now?” Shen Suhui smiled; her cheeks still flushed after their passionate moments. “I felt great, so I really liked it.”

She hugged Yu Ran tightly, “I like you no matter how you are.”

The routine of their cohabitation and work life continued.

The weather warmed, people wore light clothes on sunny days, and spring had truly arrived. On a breezy weekend, Lu Yushan invited the group of four to go hiking.

Of course, Zhang Enlan couldn’t come, as she was still in New Zealand, and Jiang Shiluo was busy, still in an awkward situation with Yu Ran.

Yu Ran initially wanted to refuse, but since she wanted to introduce Shen Suhui to Lu Yushan, she agreed to the invitation.

The planned activity was hiking. Zhangshan was a city surrounded by mountains, and Lu Yushan had chosen their company’s development project, Wengshan.

Now was the perfect time, as the flowers and plants on Wengshan were in full bloom.

“Once I finish following up on the Wengshan project, I’ll really be going to New Zealand…”

Lu Yushan leaned on her hiking pole, struggling to move forward while looking at Shen Suhui.

She sat in an office most of the time, so her physical strength wasn’t as good as she expected.

On the other hand, Yu Ran, who went to the gym regularly, wasn’t even out of breath by the time they reached the halfway point. She held Shen Suhui’s hand and carried the hiking backpack, moving slowly forward.

“You’re really fast. You actually caught someone so quickly,” Lu Yushan panted, “Shen, what’s it like to secretly love someone? Is it really hard?”

Shen Suhui, who had been terrified of hiking, felt suddenly energized by Lu Yushan’s words, as if she had been injected with energy.

“…Huh?”

“Huh, what? Isn’t it obvious?” Lu Yushan asked.

“…”

Soon, Shen Suhui’s already red face turned even redder.

Yu Ran glanced at them and scolded Lu Yushan, “You can’t even catch your breath, and your mouth is still running.”

“Ha… ha…” Lu Yushan bent down, looking at the ground, with sweat pouring down in big droplets, which evaporated quickly as they hit the ground.

“With this kind of stamina, how can you chase all the way to New Zealand?”

“I’ll fly there,” Lu Yushan replied honestly.

“So what?” Yu Ran sneered, “It takes energy to chase someone, and even more to keep them. After you get into a relationship like this…”

Shen Suhui, worried Yu Ran might say something inappropriate, quickly pulled her sleeve.

“I… I want some water.”

“Alright.”

Yu Ran immediately forgot about scolding Lu Yushan, took out a bottle of mineral water from her bag, and opened it for Shen Suhui.

“Drink.”

As Shen Suhui drank, Yu Ran focused on watching her. In fact, she even had tissues ready, ready to offer them the moment Shen Suhui finished drinking, almost like she was waiting for her next command.

She was like a loyal dog watching its owner drink.

Lu Yushan turned to look at them, then suddenly said, “I feel like you’ve changed a lot, Yu Dog.”

“Changed how?” Yu Ran looked down at her condescendingly.

“You’ve become younger, more energetic.”

“…”

Lu Yushan was speaking the truth.

“You mean I looked old before?”

“Not old…” Lu Yushan thought seriously for a moment. “Just very rigid, not one to smile… Only when she’s with Du Qiuyan does she act differently…”

Lu Yushan widened her eyes, the words getting stuck in her throat. Oh no, what did I just say!!!

At this moment, the three of them were sitting on a large stone halfway up the mountain to cool off. Yu Ran sat in the middle, and the atmosphere between them visibly lightened. Lu Yushan immediately felt less hot.

She glanced at Shen Suhui, who was also leaning her head to look at her, her expression innocent and surprised, naturally endearing. Lu Yushan almost wanted to slap herself.

“Actually, Yu Ran is just like… hehehe…” Lu Yushan stammered. “She’s just a little… different with people she likes, compared to others.”

“I really regret coming out with you now.”

Yu Ran stood up, holding Shen Suhui’s hand, and turned to Shen Suhui, saying, “I’m the one involved here. You should listen to me.”

“Mm-hmm.” Shen Suhui nodded. “I’ll listen to you.”

The two moved ahead, and Lu Yushan, supporting her waist, followed behind them. Her back ached, and she couldn’t straighten up anymore. When Yu Ran glanced back, she decided to get some revenge.

She took out her phone, snapped five quick pictures of Lu Yushan hunched over, looking like she was in pain, and sent them all to Zhang Enlan.

“Ha—”

Shen Suhui saw this and couldn’t hold back her laughter, leaning against Yu Ran’s shoulder.

“You’re so bad,” Shen Suhui said.

“Really?” Yu Ran asked, raising an eyebrow. “Do you really think I’m bad?”

Shen Suhui seriously thought about how Yu Ran had teased her last night, and just the thought made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

She nodded vigorously. “Mm-hmm, very bad!”

“…”

Yu Ran narrowed her eyes, sizing her up, looking a bit dangerous.

Shen Suhui quickly added, “Bad girl!”