Chapter 16: Loving You  

Shen Zhansi didn’t know how she had ended up asking that question, but the moment it left her lips, she suddenly felt a weight lift off her chest—as if she could finally breathe again.  

What awaited her now, however, was judgment.  

Yan Qingye raised her eyes and gazed at her quietly, taking in her nervous expression before slowly setting down her chopsticks. She simply watched her in silence, saying nothing.  

Shen Zhansi swallowed hard.  

The hospital room was deathly still. Under Yan Qingye’s unwavering stare, Shen Zhansi suddenly understood the unspoken message.  

What right did she even have to ask that question?  

A sharp sting burned in her nose. She lowered her head and picked up her chopsticks, mechanically grabbing the dishes she used to love. But now, every bite tasted bitter.  

She didn’t want to expose her vulnerability in front of Yan Qingye. After forcing down a few mouthfuls of rice and suppressing the lump in her throat, she finally spoke. “Just pretend you didn’t hear what I said. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”  

She didn’t choose to confront Yan Qingye—what would be the point? A heated argument?  

That would be meaningless.  

She wasn’t actually seventeen anymore, not at an age where impulsive decisions could be made without consequence. As an adult, she had to consider far more than just raw emotion.  

Since she couldn’t leave Yan Qingye right now, there was no need to make things worse between them.  

Hearing her words, Yan Qingye gave her a faint glance before picking up her chopsticks again and continuing to eat.  

Shen Zhansi watched as Yan Qingye reached for every dish—especially the Crispy Duck Intestines—and her expression instantly changed.  

If Yan Qingye suddenly enjoying sweet-flavored scrambled eggs with tomatoes had only been a mild surprise, then seeing her eat duck intestines was downright shocking.  

She distinctly remembered—Yan Qingye never ate any kind of offal. In fact, she would even throw up if she did.  

So why was she able to eat it now without so much as a flicker of discomfort?  

Shen Zhansi was too stunned to speak, a creeping dread settling in her chest at this realization.  

Ten years was far too long.  

Not only had Yan Qingye’s temperament changed in ways she struggled to accept, but even her tastes had become unrecognizable.  

Was the Yan Qingye sitting before her still the one she knew?  

The one she had loved?  

For the first time, Shen Zhansi felt lost. Ten years was too vast, too full of changes—and she was starting to realize she couldn’t keep up.  

But Yan Qingye showed no concern for her turmoil. Once she finished eating, she set down her utensils and moved to the side to handle work.  

Watching her actions, Shen Zhansi fell completely silent.  

She realized then—she needed to get to know Yan Qingye all over again.  

This Yan Qingye, who had grown into a full-fledged adult, whose thoughts and maturity were now beyond her reach.  

Shen Zhansi quietly observed Yan Qingye’s focused expression as she worked. If she still wanted to love her, she had to acknowledge the distance between them. Yan Qingye stood too high now—she would have to climb, step by step, to reach her.  

Lowering her gaze, Shen Zhansi continued eating in silence.  

She would start anew—getting to know Yan Qingye again.  

And if possible… she wanted to try pursuing her.  

Memories of their high school days surfaced as she swallowed another bite.  

No wonder she had become someone else’s Substitute. With the way she used to avoid Yan Qingye back then, it was no surprise she had never fallen for her.

Shen Zhansi was filled with regret, regretting how stubborn she had been before. It was clear—so clear—that the situation with Yan Qingye and the others was no longer following the original storyline…

After finishing her meal, Shen Zhansi silently gathered the trash and placed it by the door. Today, she was feeling much better and could bathe on her own, so she didn’t trouble Yan Qingye again. Carrying her change of clothes, she entered the bathroom by herself.

Once she was inside, the fingers that had been typing on the keyboard paused. Yan Qingye lifted her gaze toward the bathroom door, her eyes carrying a complexity that outsiders couldn’t decipher.

Compared to before, Shen Zhansi had been unusually well-behaved these past two days.

Yan Qingye pressed her lips together, a slight frown creasing her brow.

Was she truly behaving, or was this just another one of her schemes?

Meanwhile, Shen Zhansi, carefully washing her face in the bathroom, had no idea what Yan Qingye was thinking outside. After washing her face, she gently wet a towel and wiped her head.

Running her hand over her prickly scalp, Shen Zhansi was in a fairly good mood.

Long ago, she had thought about shaving her head to experience it, but she had never been able to muster the courage, afraid she wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Now, she had the perfect opportunity to try it out.

When she stepped out of the shower, she was surprised to find Yan Qingye no longer in the room. She froze momentarily.

Had she left already?

Shen Zhansi’s expression darkened, and she let out a self-deprecating laugh.

She wasn’t even worthy of a goodbye from her.

Sitting on the bed, she picked up the book she had been flipping through earlier. It was still early, and sleep was out of the question.

Though she appeared to be reading, not a single word registered in her mind. Her thoughts were entirely consumed by the information she had gathered from her earlier conversation with Su Bao and the others.

 Shen Zhansi , 27 years old, was an art student. According to Yun Shu, she had exceptional artistic talent, having held her own solo exhibition while still in school, earning high praise in the art world.

It was said she was currently in seclusion, preparing for her next exhibition, making it difficult to track her down.

Shen Zhansi pursed her lips. Logically, with her current resources, finding someone shouldn’t be hard. The real challenge was doing so without Yan Qingye noticing—that was the hardest part.

She even suspected that the resources she could access were all under Yan Qingye’s control.

Any move she made, Yan Qingye would know immediately.

But what troubled Shen Zhansi the most was  Shen Zhansi ’s photo.

Yun Shu had shown her a picture of  Shen Zhansi , and she had to admit—there was a resemblance between them, especially in profile. They looked strikingly similar.

Yet their temperaments were polar opposites.

Shen Zhansi was bright and sunny, while  Shen Zhansi , with her long, artistic hair, exuded an air of gloom.

Shen Zhansi had to admit she felt a pang of jealousy when she saw the photo.

 Shen Zhansi  possessed an artistic aura that she lacked—that melancholic, captivating allure, like the depths of the ocean drawing one in.

So this was what Yan Qingye liked?

Shen Zhansi touched her own face. If not for their similar features, would she even have qualified as her Substitute?

But now, if she wanted to meet this  Shen Zhansi , she had to find her first.

The task was now entrusted to Su Bao, with hopes that she would bring good news.

Click.

Shen Zhansi looked up and froze once more upon seeing Yan Qingye’s figure.

“What’s wrong with you?” Shen Zhansi quickly rolled off the bed, intending to steady the swaying Yan Qingye.

At this moment, Yan Qingye’s face was pale, her breathing erratic, and the strong scent of alcohol clung to her. When she lifted her head and met Shen Zhansi’s eyes filled with genuine concern, her gaze wavered.

For some reason, the instinct to avoid contact vanished, and she remained motionless instead.

Her eyes stared at Shen Zhansi with an almost intoxicated intensity.

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