Chapter 14 : What is your relationship with Su Yubai?

Jiang Yule froze for a moment, realizing Su Yubai was wearing a qipao.
The very one she’d been eyeing.

Her heart pounded uncontrollably, faster than usual.

She didn’t dare meet Su Yubai’s eyes, staring at her slender arms instead.
“It looks good.”

“Sis, it suits you!”

Su Yubai glanced at Su Yingying.
Jiang Yule seized the chance to look at her again, feeling something was missing.

Not her bare face—Su Yubai looked stunning without makeup.

“What?”
Su Yubai spoke suddenly.

Jiang Yule snapped back, realizing the issue—it needed jewelry.
A pair of pearl earrings would be perfect.

Meeting her gaze, Jiang Yule smiled lightly.
“Nothing, just… Professor Su looks beautiful in that qipao.”

Su Yubai nodded, her expression unchanged, and turned back to the fitting room.

Jiang Yule felt a twinge of disappointment.
She’d worn it for barely a minute.

Su Yingying followed her to change out of her own clothes.

Jiang Yule wandered, finding other styles lackluster.

The one Su Yubai wore was best, but she didn’t seem to like it.

Soon, Su Yubai emerged, the qipao on a hanger, likely to be put back.

Jiang Yule’s eyes dimmed, then she shrugged it off.
Professor Su preferred plain black, white, or gray shirts.
Disliking qipaos made sense.

She browsed modernized qipaos absentmindedly when—

“Pick one you like. I’ll pay.”

Together. Pay.
Jiang Yule whipped around.
Su Yubai was at the counter, waiting for the staff to pack.

She was buying the qipao.
Jiang Yule’s heart lifted, and she smiled.
“I don’t have one I like. You look great in that one, Professor Su.”

“Yes.”
Su Yubai nodded.

Su Yingying returned, putting her qipao back.
“Feels a bit darkening.”

She turned, catching Su Yubai at the counter, exchanging a look with Jiang Yule for confirmation.
Su Yingying lost count of today’s shocks.

Jiang Yule watched Su Yubai pay, her right hand lifting to take the bag.
Her silver quartz watch caught her eye again.
Beautiful.

The three stepped outside when a familiar voice rang out—

“Yule, you’re really here.”

Jiang Yule looked up.
Lin Siqiong.

“Lin Siqiong, why are you here?”

Lin Siqiong ignored the question, her eyes scanning Su Yubai, lingering on her watch.
She sneered, “What a coincidence, Professor Su’s here too.”

Su Yubai glanced at her coolly.
“Not a coincidence. We’ve been together.”

Lin Siqiong laughed lightly.
“Is that so? But I was with her before.”

?
Jiang Yule turned to leave.
“Sorry, we have things to do.”

The Su sisters flanked her.

Lin Siqiong followed, sidling up to Su Yingying’s side, calling to Jiang Yule.
“I can keep you company.”

What was wrong with her today?

Jiang Yule stopped, looking at her calmly.
“I think I’ve made it clear. We’re done.”

Lin Siqiong smiled, as charming as when they met.
“We’re done, but chasing you again is my choice.”

Jiang Yule stared, silent.

“Want to keep shopping, or head to the guesthouse?”
Su Yubai turned to Jiang Yule.

“Let’s go to the guesthouse.”

Lin Siqiong trailed them to the car, shamelessly saying, “Yule, see you tomorrow.”

Jiang Yule got in with a cold face, deliberately taking the front seat.

Still unsettled, a faint tea scent hit her.
She looked up, struck by Su Yubai’s stunning face so close, her soft breathing near her ear.

Her heart raced.
She blinked, about to speak, when Su Yubai’s hand moved, pulling down the seatbelt and buckling it.
One smooth motion.

Jiang Yule flushed, embarrassed, and thanked her.
“Thanks, Professor Su.”

“For what?”
“For helping me out.”

And for buckling her seatbelt to put on a show for Lin Siqiong.

Su Yubai ignored the thanks.

Jiang Yule touched her nose, recalling the last time Lin Siqiong confessed at the banquet.
She’d thanked Su Yubai then, and got no response either.

The car was quiet until Su Yingying spoke suddenly.
“Lin Siqiong’s chasing you again? That’s creepy.”

“It’s fine. I’ve blocked all her contacts. Wuzhou’s big—she won’t just show up.”

Su Yingying sighed.
“She’s so annoying.”

Jiang Yule felt a wave of irritation, wondering how Lin Siqiong knew she was here.
Then it hit her—the blog!

She opened her blog, seeing the photo she posted accidentally included Su Yubai’s hand.
And that quartz watch.

Her past posts about Hangzhou outings with Su Yingying never drew Lin Siqiong out.

This time, so far away, she showed up in hours.

It was because Lin Siqiong saw Su Yubai, her sense of threat kicking in.

Jiang Yule set her recent posts to “friends only,” blocking all of Lin Siqiong’s alt accounts.

She felt lighter.

“What do you want for dinner?”
Su Yubai asked.

Jiang Yule remembered.
“Can we eat the cake?”
“Yes.”

“How about cake for dinner? So it doesn’t go to waste.”

Su Yingying, a sweet-tooth, agreed instantly.
“Sounds good!”
“Yes.”

Su Yubai turned the car around.
Su Yingying hesitated.
“What if Lin Siqiong’s still there?”

Jiang Yule scoffed lightly.
“She won’t wait around.”

They returned near the workshop.
Jiang Yule scanned the area—no Lin Siqiong.

As expected, she lacked the patience.

Su Yubai opened the workshop door.
It was empty.

“Inside or outside?”

“Outside,” Su Yingying said.
“The evening breeze feels nice.”

She and Jiang Yule sat at the marble table under the willow.
Su Yubai brought the cake.
“You eat first. I’ll cook.”

They stood quickly.
“We’ll help.”

“No need. Eat.”

Jiang Yule cut three slices, bringing them to the kitchen with Su Yingying.

The kitchen had no fan, stiflingly hot.

Jiang Yule remembered the fan in the living room, fetching it to fan Su Yubai.

“I’m not hot. You can wait outside.”

Jiang Yule didn’t move.
Su Yubai added, “Fan yourself.”
Wiping her face, Jiang Yule realized her forehead was sweaty.

“Yule, I’ll take over. Go rest.”
Su Yingying couldn’t stand it.

The kitchen was sweltering.
They took turns fanning Su Yubai.

Thankfully, she cooked fast—three dishes and a soup were ready.

The summer breeze carried the food’s aroma.
An outdoor dinner, cozy and pleasant.

The only downside was mosquitoes—Jiang Yule was a magnet.

Su Yubai produced a bottle of repellent, handing it to her.

Jiang Yule took it.
“Thanks, Professor Su.”
She sprayed and passed it to Su Yingying.

The repellent worked—no more bites.
She noted the brand quietly.

After dinner, Jiang Yule and Su Yingying washed dishes.

When they emerged, Su Yubai was gone.

With experience, they headed to the window behind the pine tree.

Sure enough, Su Yubai was there, reading a paper.

Professor Su was relentless with academics.
Was the evening stroll a waste of her time?

Jiang Yule felt a pang of regret.

Su Yubai noticed them, packed her papers, and came out.

“Missing any toiletries?”

Jiang Yule and Su Yingying shook their heads—they’d packed everything.

“Then to the guesthouse.”

It wasn’t far from the scenic area.
Su Yubai drove them quickly.

Jiang Yule and Su Yingying grabbed their luggage from the trunk, following Su Yubai to check in.

“Two rooms.”
“Sis, one double’s fine.”
On past Jiang-Su family trips, the younger two always shared a room for late-night chats.

“Singles are more spacious.”

Su Yingying exchanged a look with Jiang Yule, not pushing.

Su Yubai checked in, handing out keycards.

Jiang Yule reached for hers when her phone rang.

She glanced at it, grabbed the keycard, and said, “Thanks, I’ll take a call.”

It was her mom, Jiang Huazhen.
She answered, hearing—

“What’s your relationship with Su Yubai?”