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Chapter 30: Losing Control
◎ “Do you really love her?” ◎
Lu Yushan ended up harming both herself and others. She insisted on climbing the mountain, but in the end, she couldn’t continue and had to spend money to hire people to carry her down.
Mr. Lu wasn’t short on money, and the stretcher they used for her was covered with soft silk blankets. Lying on it felt comfortable, almost as if she were floating.
Climbing up the mountain was glamorous, but coming down was another story. Lu Yushan lay still, groaning all the way down the mountain.
Yu Ran said, “I should’ve filmed this and sent it to Zhang Enlan.”
“You’re too cruel!” Shen Suhui tried to laugh but didn’t have the energy.
Yu Ran knew she wasn’t much better off, but Shen Suhui had never been one to show negative emotions. She was very good at hiding them.
“Shall we head down too?” Yu Ran took her hand.
“Not going to continue? We’re almost there…”
“No, you’re too tired. You need to rest.”
Shen Suhui didn’t move, but she grabbed Yu Ran’s hand. Yu Ran turned to face her.
They locked eyes for a moment before Shen Suhui spoke. “Yu Ran, do you think I need to be treated like this?”
“What’s wrong?”
Shen Suhui shook her head. “Climbing to the top of this mountain isn’t much compared to the hardships I’ve faced before meeting you. Only after going through a thousand difficulties can one truly appreciate the beauty of the scenery, right?”
“…”
“Yu Ran, I want to reach the top of this mountain. I want to watch the sunset with you.”
Big beads of sweat trickled down Shen Suhui’s face. She was hot and exhausted but had an incredibly strong will. Shen Suhui’s confident, sunny smile was beautiful. She wiped her face with her sleeve and looked at Yu Ran again.
“Let’s hold on for a little longer, okay?”
Yu Ran held her hand tighter, their fingers intertwined.
She felt that what she was seeing now was the real Shen Suhui.
“Then let’s watch the sunset together.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Later, climbing up wasn’t as hard as it seemed?
This mountain wasn’t well-known, but it had a bit of fame in Zhangshan City. Reaching the summit was challenging, and many people came on weekends to try to climb it. About half of them couldn’t make it to the top.
But Shen Suhui was far stronger than she appeared.
The two of them continued on, overcoming obstacles together. Eventually, they reached the top. The sun was setting, painting the line between the mountains and the sky a brilliant red.
It looked like a painting on ancient rice paper.
The summit was lively. Most people were holding cameras, some women were filming with their phones while crying, and couples were taking photos and kissing in the sunset.
The beauty of nature helped people forget momentary troubles, and in that moment, they all blended into the scene, just being themselves.
Shen Suhui hugged Yu Ran’s waist and looked up at her face.
“I really love this sunset. Do you like it?”
“I do.”
Yu Ran turned to face her, slightly bending down to press her forehead against Shen Suhui’s.
Not far away, a man was kneeling to propose. When the woman said yes, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause.
Shen Suhui was drawn to the excitement and wanted to clap along. But Yu Ran gently grabbed her chin and, in that moment, kissed her on the lips.
“Mmm…”
The cheers grew louder, though it was unclear which couple they were cheering for.
At first, Shen Suhui felt awkward and tried to pull away, but after a few unsuccessful attempts, she gave in, as if encouraged, and climbed up onto Yu Ran’s shoulder, kissing her back.
Some people nearby even filmed the moment they kissed. When they left, Shen Suhui’s face was bright red. She was so embarrassed that she couldn’t even muster the courage to lift her head.
But Yu Ran, with a cultured and elegant smile, walked over to the nearest girl.
“Excuse me, could you send me the photos you just took? I really like them and would like to keep them as a memory.”
The girl didn’t expect Yu Ran to actively ask her for a photo, and her face instantly turned red. When Yu Ran looked at her with a gentle and polite gaze, she felt even more unable to make eye contact, feeling like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.
“Sure! Let’s add each other on WeChat, and I’ll send you the photo when I get home.”
“Okay, thank you.”
The two added each other on WeChat, and the girl complimented, “You two really look good together, so eye-catching! You should always stay together~”
“Thank you!” Yu Ran politely nodded, “We will.”
Later, they embraced each other and watched the sunset until the sun had completely set.
Lu Yushan was leisurely lying in the inn at the foot of the mountain. After dealing with several work matters, she began to harass Zhang Enlan. When they arrived, she was holding her phone and grinning broadly.
“What’s got you so happy?”
Yu Ran sat across from her and threw a cushion at her.
“Who else could it be? Of course, it’s our wanwan!”
Yu Ran rolled her eyes and was in the mood to tease her. It was common for them to joke around like this during their high school days.
“Climbing a mountain made you look like you were dying. How come you’re full of energy now? Is it because of Zhang Enlan?”
“wanwan is still attending a dinner. She’s really working hard…” Lu Yushan sighed, “Once the project in New Zealand is finalized, I’ll make sure to tie her down and let her rest well.”
“Do you really like Zhang Enlan?” Shen Suhui suddenly asked in disbelief.
Lu Yushan looked at her oddly, then playfully said, “Hey, you’re already Yu Ran’s girlfriend, why are you still being so formal with me? You can just call me by my name like Yu Ran does.”
“Mm.” Yu Ran responded, “It’s fine to call her by her name, no need to feel embarrassed.”
Shen Suhui blushed and lowered her head, whispering, “Okay.”
“But why would you say that, Xiao Shen?” Lu Yushan asked.
“Because it’s obvious!” Shen Suhui answered truthfully, “You could tell just from the dinner we had last time.”
“Ah…” Lu Yushan said in distress, “I guess secret crushes can only fool yourself.”
“…”
The words were said carelessly, but Shen Suhui heard them clearly. She sat obediently, unable to resist clenching the hem of her clothes. She didn’t even dare to look at Yu Ran’s expression.
But she hid it so well. She liked Yu Ran so, so much, and even Jiang Shiluo didn’t notice!
Maybe Jiang Shiluo’s personality was too carefree, and she didn’t observe much, or maybe Shen Suhui was too introverted. Unlike Lu Yushan, who had the confidence to openly show her feelings, Shen Suhui kept hers hidden.
A pair of hands covered hers, and Shen Suhui looked up. Yu Ran was looking at her with concern, rubbing the back of her hand with her finger.
From the way she looked at her, Yu Ran seemed to know something, but out of consideration for Shen Suhui’s feelings, she didn’t directly mention it.
“What do we want to eat tonight?” Lu Yushan asked. “I heard from Yu Ran that you’re a great cook, Xiao Shen. She praised you to the skies, so tonight I have to try your cooking.”
Yu Ran immediately turned around and gave her a glare, saying, “She’s so tired today, and you still want her to cook for you? You’re dreaming.”
“I’m fine, I still have enough energy to cook…”
Before Shen Suhui could finish, Yu Ran squeezed her fingers, “No cooking for you.”
Shen Suhui opened her mouth and made a pouting sound, feeling a little wronged.
“No cooking for you~” Lu Yushan mimicked Yu Ran in an exaggerated way, “So considerate~”
“I’ll pay for dinner, anything is fine,” Yu Ran said generously, “Just not letting Xiao Shen cook.”
Lu Yushan thought for a moment and decided to go to Zhang Enlan’s favorite western restaurant.
She ordered two bottles of red wine and declared they wouldn’t stop drinking until they were drunk.
Since Yu Ran was driving, she didn’t plan to drink, but Shen Suhui liked wine, and Yu Ran didn’t stop her. However, Shen Suhui had a high tolerance for food but not for alcohol. After just a few drinks, she was already drunk.
“You’re not safe by yourself at night, drink less,” Yu Ran tried to stop Lu Youshan.
“I have a designated driver.”
“It’s not safe!”
“Yu Ran, you’re such a worrywart. How come I never noticed you were so fussy before?”
“If you weren’t my friend, I wouldn’t care so much,” Yu Ran muttered quietly.
By the time they returned to the car, Lu Yushan was already unconscious, mumbling “Zhang Enlan’s” name repeatedly. Yu Ran first carried her into the car, then went back to pay and brought Shen Suhui into the car.
The two were drinking so openly for the first time, but it felt like old friends catching up. It was clear that Lu Yushan and Shen Suhui had a lot in common.
Yu Ran quietly listened from the side.
“Secret crushes are really too painful, too painful…”
Lu Yushan kept repeating this phrase.
Shen Suhui held her hand, and the drunk Lu Yushan was more outgoing than usual. “I understand, it’s really painful…”
“Xiao Shen, I wish I had known you sooner. I was blind! I want to learn from you… from you.”
“…”
The Tesla drove steadily on the road. Afraid that the two drunk girls would feel uncomfortable, Yu Ran slowed down as much as possible. Her expression was melancholy and still, like a calm, deep lake.
But deep inside, a storm was brewing.
After they got home, Yu Ran carried Shen Suhui to bed. The mountain climb had drained a lot of energy, and at that moment, Shen Suhui was more honest than usual. She began to moan, crying out in pain whenever she moved.
“It hurts! It hurts!” She buried her face in the blanket, “Be gentle, gentle!”
Though she was complaining, it was also a form of whining. Her tone was pitiful, and Yu Ran’s heart melted when she heard it.
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry. I’ll be gentle, I’ll give you a massage. It won’t hurt when you wake up tomorrow, be good…”
Shen Suhui lay quietly on the bed as Yu Ran massaged along her waist. Her movements were precise, applying just the right amount of pressure, knowing exactly where the tender spots were. Though it caused a bit of soreness, it felt very soothing.
“Is there anywhere else that hurts? Tell me, okay?”
Yu Ran kissed the tip of her ear and asked softly.
“My legs…”
“Got it!”
Yu Ran began massaging her legs. “Shen Suhui, from now on, whenever you need anything, just order me like this, okay?”
“…”
Not getting a reply, Yu Ran chuckled. “You’re definitely cuter when you’re drunk.”
“…”
Shen Suhui closed her eyes, rubbing her face and head against the blanket, instinctively finding the safest place closest to Yu Ran, and hugged her waist as she drifted off to sleep.
“Yu Ran…”
She mumbled, calling her name several times.
The hospital was as busy as ever.
During their lunch break, the two were chatting. The café was crowded, and Shen Suhui’s replies were delayed. Yu Ran was calm and patient, opening the conversation window and staring at the screen.
After waiting for a long time, she started talking to herself.
There was no response from the other side, so she sent a bunch of cat emoji stickers, each one of Lucky. Yu Ran took many pictures of him at home and turned them into stickers.
Soon, Shen Suhui replied.
Yu Ran sent another sighing cat emoji.
These words made Yu Ran smile, and she was about to say something when Yu Haowei called her.
As soon as the call popped up, Yu Ran’s expression changed instantly as she picked up the phone.
“Dad.”
“Are you not coming home tonight?”
“…”
“When are you going to stop causing trouble? Your mom has a high fever, it’s really bad,” Yu Haowei’s tone softened. “She wants to see you. Can you come home and stay the night?”
Yu Ran thought for a moment and agreed.
After the call ended, she messaged Shen Suhui, who understood her well.
After work, Yu Ran drove straight to her family home. By the time she arrived, dinner was already prepared. She walked in to see the table full of hot food, and Yu Haowei, Zhong Wanli, and Du Qiuyan were waiting for her.
“…”
Yu Ran’s face instantly stiffened. She coldly spoke, “Dad, you’re lying to me.”
Slap—
Yu Haowei slammed his hand on the table. “How are you speaking? Don’t you see there are guests here? Didn’t you stick to Du Qiuyan back in high school? How come you’re pretending not to know her now?”
Yu Ran instinctively glanced at Du Qiuyan, who, as expected, pretended to be gracious, saying, “It’s okay, don’t get angry, Mr. Yu.”
“I already ate at the hospital canteen, I’m not hungry. I’m going upstairs now.”
Just as Yu Haowei was about to say something, Zhong Wanli grabbed his arm. “Alright, Yu Ran often eats at the hospital. Don’t get angry with her in front of guests. Let’s eat.”
Du Qiuyan watched Yu Ran’s retreating figure, her expression gradually becoming more forlorn.
Yu Ran walked into her room, feeling like she had nowhere to vent her anger. Has Du Qiuyan become this way now? Where did her so-called pride go?
—-
After a long day and sweating from exhaustion, Yu Ran went to take a shower. When she came out, she found Du Qiuyan sitting by her desk, holding something and examining it closely.
“Yu Ran, how do you have such antique things here…”
Yu Ran’s heart skipped a beat. She walked over and saw it was the old MP3 Shen Suhui had given her not long ago.
“Give it back.”
Her voice turned cold and unnatural.
Du Qiuyan froze, instantly realizing what it was.
“It’s Shen Suhui’s.”
“How ridiculous. What does it have to do with you?”
Yu Ran took another step forward, her tone firm. “Give it back.”
Du Qiuyan, seeing Yu Ran’s reaction, felt a surge of bitterness. She hadn’t originally cared about fighting for this old MP3, but now, seeing Yu Ran so upset over it made her very displeased.
Very, very displeased!
“It’s just junk!”
Yu Ran narrowed her eyes. “Your attitude right now disgusts me.”
“Are you calling me disgusting, Shen Suhui? Don’t you know her high school story? She was so poor she didn’t even have new clothes. Her whole life was a mess. She carried the same backpack for three years, and it turned white from washing… Everyone hated her, and only Jiang Shiluo, the blind one, would stand up for her…”
“Why are you staring at me like that? Yu Ran, aren’t you the same? Now that she’s successful, you fall in love with her? What about before? She was around your best friend for three years, and you didn’t even notice her, did you? You’re a superficial person who likes pretty things. Before, you never even looked at Shen Suhui properly…”
“Do you really love her?”
“…”
Yu Ran was furious, but Du Qiuyan’s words had indeed pierced her heart like a thorn.
She loved Shen Suhui without a doubt, but it was also true that she hadn’t paid much attention to her before. Why didn’t she notice Shen Suhui earlier? Why couldn’t she have paid more attention to the people around her before?