Chapter 11 : Jiang Yule, sit in front

“Jiang Yule gets carsick.”
Su Yubai still hadn’t started the engine.

Jiang Yule froze slightly.
Su Jinyun, in the front passenger seat, turned to look at her.

Her gaze was intense, as if seeking confirmation that Su Yubai was making an excuse.

Jiang Yule went along with it.
“Could we switch seats, please?”

Su Yingying chimed in.
“Sitting in front might help with carsickness.”

Their story aligned, no cracks in it.
Su Jinyun had no choice but to open the door and get out.

Jiang Yule settled into the front passenger seat.
A faint tea scent hit her instantly.

She glanced at Su Yubai.
Her eyes locked onto Jiang Yule, lips parting slightly.
“Seatbelt.”

Su Yubai’s expression was neutral.
Jiang Yule couldn’t tell if she’d forgotten Jiang Yule didn’t get carsick or if it was just a pretext.

A bit dazed, Jiang Yule fastened her seatbelt out of habit.
She recalled the last time, riding shotgun to the airport to pick up Professor Qiao.

In the back, Su Jinyun chatted with Su Yingying, occasionally tossing a comment to Su Yubai or Jiang Yule.

Jiang Yule responded sporadically.
Topics ranged from new shops and food in town to the legacy and promotion of Wuzhou embroidery.

Su Yubai’s reactions were muted, barely engaging.
At a traffic light, she casually turned on the car stereo.
A trendy pop song filled the cabin.

Its upbeat vibe clashed starkly with Su Yubai’s cool, ethereal aura.

Jiang Yule wondered if she wasn’t interested in Wuzhou embroidery.
Her brow furrowed whenever the topic came up.

The back-seat chatter blended with the music, hard to follow.
Jiang Yule looked out the window.

The weather was perfect today.
Endless blue sky, dotted with lazy white clouds.
Like a stunning oil painting.

“Play whatever song you want. Connect your Bluetooth.”

A crisp voice cut through the guitar riffs.
Jiang Yule didn’t catch it fully, turning to her.
“Hm?”

Su Yubai stared ahead, focused, repeating herself louder.
“Play whatever song you want. Connect your Bluetooth.”

She didn’t glance over, not even a flicker.

Jiang Yule smiled lightly.
“It’s fine. This song’s good.”

Su Yubai said nothing more.

Thinking the topic was done, Jiang Yule gazed out again.
The architecture and scenery were captivating.

“I want to hear The Best of Times.”
Su Yubai spoke again.

Jiang Yule perked up, surprised.
She hadn’t expected Su Yubai to like that song.

“Okay.”
Jiang Yule opened her phone’s Bluetooth, leaning slightly to connect to the car’s system.

As she got closer, the tea scent grew stronger.

Comforting, pleasant.
Jiang Yule slowed her movements unconsciously.

“Connected?”
Su Yubai asked suddenly.

“Done.”
Jiang Yule hit play and sat back.

Guessing she’d like similar songs, Jiang Yule added more hits by the same artist to the playlist.

The back-seat chatter faded.
Jiang Yule glanced back.
Su Yingying and Su Jinyun were asleep.

The pop tunes were soft, perfect for lulling them to sleep.

“Rest a bit.”
Su Yubai’s voice cut clearly through the music.
Jiang Yule turned to her.
“I’m okay, not too tired. The view’s nice.”

With four in the car, if three slept, it’d be disrespectful to the driver.
Su Yubai wasn’t their chauffeur.

“You might not get a break this afternoon.”
The car slowed to a stop.
Jiang Yule looked at her.
Her eyes were serious, insistent, no trace of politeness.

Jiang Yule nodded blankly.
“Okay.”
Before closing her eyes, she saw the red light had nine seconds left.

Su Yubai only made adjustments or spoke at red lights.

Her focus while driving was almost rigid.
Jiang Yule thought sleeping in her car was likely safer than in anyone else’s.

Favorite music played in her ears.
A faint fragrance lingered.
Jiang Yule drifted off quickly.

But it didn’t feel long before Su Jinyun’s voice woke her.
“We’re here! Wake up!”

Jiang Yule opened her eyes to a narrow alley, a small river at its end.
Only one car could pass, and getting out would be tricky.

“Get off here and follow Su Jinyun.”

Jiang Yule nodded at Su Yubai.
“Okay, Professor Su. We’ll wait for you.”

Su Yubai said nothing more, dropping them off to park.

The three stood at the alley’s entrance.

“You and Yubai… close?”
Su Jinyun asked, standing beside Jiang Yule.

Jiang Yule looked at her, unable to say if they were close or not.

Su Jinyun stared, her expression growing more complex.

Su Yingying, anxious, jumped in.
“Pretty close. Yule’s my childhood friend, and my sister’s too.”

“Oh, Yubai and I grew up together too.”
Su Jinyun’s tone carried pride.

Ten years, Jiang Yule calculated silently.

“My sister loves Yule. Before going abroad, she tutored her daily, took her out all the time.”
Su Yingying wasn’t backing down, like it was a competition.

Jiang Yule turned, eyes wide, signaling her to tone it down.
But Su Yingying didn’t relent.
“Ask my sister if you don’t believe me.”

?

“Ask me what?”
Su Yubai returned from parking, catching the tail end.

Jiang Yule’s lashes fluttered, a guilty pang hitting her, like she’d been caught spreading rumors.

“I said you really like Yule, that you’re close, right?”

Su Yubai glanced at Jiang Yule.
“Yes. Let’s go.”

Jiang Yule’s mouth opened, holding back shock.
Her eyes followed Su Yubai, who was already walking into the alley.

“Told you. My sister still likes you, same as before.”
Su Yingying’s voice dripped with a hint of jealousy.

“Move it.”
Su Jinyun, silent until now, spoke up, hurrying after Su Yubai.

Jiang Yule let Su Yingying pull her along.
Her mind replayed the words Su Yubai blurted out before leaving the country.

Did Su Yubai… like her back then?
But those words meant the exact opposite.

Jiang Yule followed them into the embroidery workshop.
The sign read “Wuzhou Embroidery Museum.”
A small plaque noted, “Closed Today.”

The workshop wasn’t large.
Willow trees stood at each corner of the courtyard.

Memorial items were set out in the yard.
Under the southeast tree’s shade sat a marble table with a celadon tea set.

Jiang Yule’s gaze swept through the glass windows.
The three-sided museum displayed intricate embroidery.

The pieces were stunning, dazzling.
No embroiderers were present.

“Have some tea.”
Su Yubai was already at the marble table.

Jiang Yule and Su Yingying walked over.

Su Jinyun quickly poured tea.
“I got it!”

She poured, Su Yubai distributed.

“Thanks.”
Jiang Yule took the cup from her.

The tea was the perfect temperature, likely brewed before Su Yubai left to pick them up.

“Yubai, you taking them to a guesthouse tonight?”
Su Jinyun asked.

“Yes.”

Jiang Yule expected this—their luggage was still in the car.

“There’s enough room at home. Why spend the money?”

Su Yubai didn’t respond.

The air grew awkward.
Jiang Yule spoke up.
“Professor Su, can we check out the embroidery in the museum?”

Su Yubai nodded.
“Go ahead.”
She sat under the tree.

Su Jinyun followed Jiang Yule and Su Yingying inside, explaining which embroiderer made each piece and its unique traits.

“You’re so knowledgeable,” Jiang Yule said sincerely.

Su Jinyun looked sheepish, glancing at the woman under the tree.
She sighed softly.
“Yubai’s way more talented. If she’d taken up the legacy, Wuzhou embroidery wouldn’t be like this.”

Jiang Yule glanced out the window.
A breeze swayed the tree’s shadow.
Su Yubai sat upright, her white shirt dancing in the wind.
Stunning.

“You saw it—Wuzhou embroidery hasn’t really taken off.”

Jiang Yule looked back discreetly.
Su Yingying asked, “It’s not just you here, right?”

“Not quite. About twenty embroiderers, big and small. But today’s special, so they’re off.”

“Oh, phew, that’s good,” Su Yingying said softly.

“But if my senior sister took the lead, more would stay. With her, Wuzhou embroidery would thrive.”
Su Jinyun’s tone was heavy with regret.

“But she doesn’t want to.”
Jiang Yule spoke suddenly.

“She has her reasons for not taking up Wuzhou embroidery. I get how you feel, but don’t romanticize a path she didn’t choose.

“Professor Su is our school’s youngest distinguished professor and vice-dean.

“Why should she sacrifice her wishes for Wuzhou embroidery’s sake? It’s not her duty. She’s not responsible for it.

“She’s only responsible for her own life.”

The air stilled as Jiang Yule finished.

Something felt off.
Sure enough, the next second—

“Senior sister, you’re here.”

Jiang Yule turned at the voice.
Unsure when, Su Yubai had walked up behind her.
Their eyes met, catching her off guard.