Chapter 38: Fate

Li Tao was fast; Su Niannian couldn’t even stop her in time.

Su Jianshan knew his sister liked sweets. A few days prior, he had specially asked Chen Niannian to save him half a catty of shaqima. As soon as he finished work, he rushed back to get it. The rich, sweet scent of the crispy shaqima made him feel much less worried — all he hoped was for his sister to be happier after tasting it.

After signing in at the entrance, he crossed the art troupe’s corridor and came face to face with a female comrade in a green army uniform. Her pretty face was stiff with rage. Su Jianshan subconsciously turned his body to avoid her, but she came up directly and struck him, knocking the oil-paper package out of his hands. Her clear voice was filled with resentment.

“Why are you so thick-skinned? Wasn’t what I said last time clear enough? Do you think you can win Su Niannian’s heart just by sending her a bowl of broth or a few packs of sweets? Do you even see yourself? Do you think a temporary mess hall worker is a match for our Niannian? Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself. If you try to get close to her again, I’ll break your leg. Do you hear me?!”

Liang Tao’s aggression opened up a new view for Su Jianshan — he hadn’t expected it to be directed toward him. Su Jianshan nodded, then frantically shook his head. “No! That’s not going to happen!”

He knelt down and carefully picked up the shaqima, gently patting away the dirt. His eyebrows furrowing, he said, “If you attack me again, I’m going to get mad.”

“Did you not hear me? I told you to keep your distance from her!”

“That’s impossible. I’m even looking forward to her moving in with us.” Su Jianshan grinned warmly as he said this.

Liang Tao was rendered speechless with rage. She’d met thick-skinned people before, but someone this shameless was a first. The marriage hadn’t even been decided, yet he was already thinking about their future together — it was ridiculous. Su Niannian was the highlight of the troupe, yet this country bumpkin was openly lusting after her. Furious, Liang Tao raised her hand and dealt him a heavy slap across the face.

“Shameless!”

Su Niannian rushed forward just in time to see this scene. The people in the troupe paused and turned their eyes toward Su Jianshan. Anyone who could make Liang Tao raise a hand certainly was not a good person.

Su Jianshan widened his eyes in disbelief and said in a somewhat wounded voice, “Why… why are you hitting me? Hitting people isn’t right…”

Liang Tao began rolling up her sleeves. “I’m not finished yet!”

“Taozi, calm down! Calm down!” Su Niannian rushed forward and held her back.

“It’s hard for me to calm down. Look at the nonsense he’s spouting! He’s not thinking about your reputation at all — he’s trying to destroy it…”

Conflict gnawed at Su Niannian’s heart. As people began to gather, she decided to grab both of them and tug them away under the guise of needing a follow-up visit at the hospital.

Liang Tao glared at Su Jianshan, poised to attack at any moment.

When they reached the hospital building, Su Niannian turned to her with a guilty expression, her voice much softer. “Taozi, I’m sorry. This was all a mess stemming from my poor judgment. Actually… he’s not a suitor. He’s my brother, Su Jianshan.”

Liang Tao was already poised for battle — wondering where to strike — but this revelation made all her momentum dissipate. She turned stiffly toward Su Jianshan in disbelief. “Su… Jianshan? Niannian… he’s your brother?”

Su Jianshan nodded, the mark of the slap still visible on his face.

Liang Tao swallowed and turned inward, shrinking much like a quail. “Ah… I’m… I’m sorry.”

“Taozi, this is all my fault. I kept his employment a secret — I was worried he’d get bullied by the guys — which resulted in this mess. I’m really sorry… and I appreciate your kindness toward me.”

She couldn’t bring herself to reveal everything about Gu Zhiye just yet. But with their relationship made clear, if Liang Tao wanted to know, it wouldn’t be hard for her to find out. However, Su Niannian was not deliberately hiding it — and due to their trust in each other, Liang Tao immediately promised to keep her mouth shut.

Having made a mess, Liang Tao was ashamed to linger by their side. Because Su Niannian was weak and needed nourishment, she volunteered to go collect soybeans from the doctor.

Meanwhile, Su Jianshan supported Su Niannian up to the second floor for her follow-up. The wound on her ankle was not severe, and with proper rest, it should heal nicely in time for the performance by the following month. The doctor repeatedly assured them there would be no lasting effects.

Hearing this, Su Niannian finally smiled.

Su Jianshan carefully cleaned a small scratch on his face with mercurochrome, and then said to her, “It’s fine. It’s not painful — her grip isn’t as strong as the cat’s back home!”

“Brother, Taozi meant well.”

“I know. It really doesn’t hurt.”

In a crowd, the two kept their distance. But there were many people at the hospital, and as they turned a corner on the staircase, Su Niannian was suddenly jostled by a patient’s family member. She fell forward — just a moment away from tumbling down — when a strong, well-structured hand grabbed her arm and held her up.

“Th… thank you.” Su Niannian forced a smile in nervous alarm. But upon seeing the familiar face, her expression stiffened, and her defenses rose.

Jin Chuan was wearing a clean white lab coat, with black pants that made him look tall and slim. His hand was still covered by a piece of gauze — a clear sign that he was there for treatment — adding a distant, icy feeling to his appearance, much like a snowfield that no one had tread upon.

He, meanwhile, wore a gentle expression as he quietly said, “Be careful.”

A rush of chills went up Su Niannian’s spine. Her fear — a mixture of resentment, rage, and a deep unfairness — seemed to seep from her very bones. Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears. When Jin Chuan lowered his gaze, he fell into those misty, vulnerable orbs — a softness that made him unconsciously want to reach out, to possess, something that felt both familiar and distant.

Jin Chuan suddenly pushed up his glasses, his finger resting briefly against his brow bone.

“What’s your name?”