Chapter 39: Stirrings of Courage

The car was so quiet, inside and out, you could hear a pin drop—only their breathing broke the silence.

Jiang Yule froze, watching Su Yubai lean closer.

Flustered, she swallowed, feeling Su Yubai’s right hand graze her chin and lips.

Her thumb brushed lightly, calloused, unfamiliar.

A slight itch on her lips made Jiang Yule instinctively tilt her head, shifting the touch to the corner of her mouth.

When it vanished, she looked up, but Su Yubai’s gaze had already withdrawn.

“Something dirty, I wiped it off,” she said faintly.

Stunned, Jiang Yule’s memory blurred—she’d wiped her lips after dinner.

In her peripheral, Su Yubai took a tissue from the console, meticulously cleaning her fingers.

Snapping back, “Haha, thanks, Sister Yubai,” her voice hoarse.

No reply.
Su Yubai started the engine.

The car felt fast.
“Sister Yubai, drive safe,” Jiang Yule ventured.

No words, but the speed visibly slowed.

Relieved, she sensed Su Yubai’s mood was off but couldn’t pinpoint why.

Was she upset about teasing Huang Yuxin?
Or something else?

Their homes were close; soon, Su Yubai stopped at Jiang Yule’s complex.

Unbuckling, “See you tomorrow, Sister Yubai.”

“Mm.”

Opening the door, one foot out, she heard—

“Why come back to Hangsu?”

Guilty, she stuck to her story.
“Missed home.”

Soft, unsure if Su Yubai heard.

Standing, ready to close the door, “See you, Sister Yubai!”

The car sped off before she took two steps, leaving her in a puff of exhaust.

Her phone buzzed relentlessly.
Finally free, she checked.

Su Yingying: [You were on fire today!]

[Totally showed off!!]

[Still say you don’t like my sis? Come on.]

Thinking, she replied: [Huang Yuxin’s… not right for her.]

Instant reply: [Who is then?]

No response.
She entered her house.

Jiang HuaZhen sat on the sofa.
“Back? What’d you eat?”

“Zhinanfang, ran into Sister Yubai and her friend.”

Her mind flashed—Professor Chen and Jiang HuaZhen wanted to pair Huang Yuxin with her brother.
She said “friend” instead of “junior,” avoiding suspicion.

Preempting tomorrow, “Four of us ate together, and we’re having dinner at Aunt Lin’s tomorrow.”

But Jiang HuaZhen didn’t care about her plans.
“Yubai’s friend—Professor Chen’s youngest? Zhiying mentioned her.”

Softly, “Yeah, but Mom, Senior Yuxin probably won’t like Brother.”

Jiang HuaZhen mused, “Your brother’s just okay, but what if they click?”

Inwardly: Never, they both like women.

Unable to say it, “Their partner preferences might not match.”

Jiang HuaZhen sensed something.
“You know Huang Yuxin well?”

“Not really, but Brother’s not her type.”

While her mom pondered, Jiang Yule slipped upstairs.
“Mom, shower time, so tired.”

Thinking she’d dissuaded her, she woke to a message: [Aunt Lin booked a room at Jiangnanyuan, 6 p.m., Tingnan Hall.]

Her mom was set on meeting Huang Yuxin.
Guilt for Huang Yuxin deepened.

After washing and brunch, she wondered how to contact Su Yubai.

Post-meal, she sent the revised paper.
[Sister Yubai~ Latest version, any issues?~~]

No reply.
Bored, she lounged on the sofa, watching a movie, checking her phone.

Half an hour later, Su Yubai: [No issues, good.]

A doubt flickered.
She sent another file.
[Actually, I finished it~~]

Waiting for praise, instead: [Noted.]

Cold, formal.

Pouting, [So cold QAQ]

No reply.
Worried she’d overstepped, revealing her feelings, she focused on the movie.

A buzz.
Heart racing, she checked—Su Yubai: [I talk to Yingying like this too.]

???
She really saw her as a sister!

But she wasn’t this cold before!
Breathing steady, she sent a pouty emoji: [Fine.]

Conversation dead.

That evening, she went alone to Jiangnanyuan.

In the private room, only Su Yingying and Huang Yuxin were there.

Guilty, “Hi, Senior Yuxin, where’d you go today?”

Without Su Yubai, her enthusiasm felt forced.
Huang Yuxin, uninterested, huffed, silent.

Rubbing her nose, Jiang Yule sat by Su Yingying.

“It’s hot, Senior Yuxin didn’t go out much,” Su Yingying said.

To Su Yingying, “When’re you heading to school?”

“No rush, staying till the last day of deadlines.”

“So attached to home—or someone?” Jiang Yule teased.

A glance.
“Ask yourself that.”

Thinking of Su Yubai, she pivoted, “How do you and your sister chat? What’s the vibe?”

Su Yingying showed her their chat.

Skimming, their contact was sparse, brief.

Latest: [Sis, I’m here.]
[Mm.]

Her finger lingered, glancing up—

[Sis, your package arrived, grab it~]
[Got it.]

Package.
That toy!

Su Yingying realized, reaching for her phone.

Jiang Yule held it up.
“Su Yingying! You!”

“My bad, my bad!!”

She always apologized well but repeated mistakes.

Fuming, Jiang Yule kept the phone out of reach.

“What’re you doing?” Huang Yuxin looked up from her phone.

Stopping, Jiang Yule returned it, smiling, “Just bestie antics, don’t mind us, Senior Yuxin.”

Another huff, back to her phone.

Glaring at Su Yingying, Jiang Yule was speechless.

So that’s why Su Yubai was home then—Su Yingying tipped her off.

Placating, “Sis won’t overthink, just thinks I’m silly.”

“Chill, chill.”

Another glare.
“Good thing you said you bought it!”

“Yep, all me, nothing to do with you.”

Pursing her lips, she heard noise outside.

Jiang HuaZhen and Lin Zhiying appeared together.

“Hi, Aunt Lin,” Jiang Yule greeted softly.

Knowing both moms were coming, Huang Yuxin recognized them, “Hi, Aunt Lin, Aunt Jiang.”

“Hi, Aunt Jiang,” Su Yingying added.

The moms chatted with Huang Yuxin briefly.

Lin Zhiying studied Jiang Yule.
“Yule looks thinner.”

Noise at the door.
Jiang Yule turned, seeing Su Yubai in a white shirt and black trousers.

Everyone looked.
Lin Zhiying teased, “Not eating well with Sister Yubai?”

“No way, Yule just doesn’t eat much in summer,” Jiang HuaZhen said.

Su Yubai glanced subtly.

Looking away, guilty, “Sister Yubai’s great, it’s just me.”

Her own fault, indeed.
She couldn’t meet her eyes.

Huang Yuxin piped up, “Senior always mentioned your cooking in Hong Kong, Aunt Lin.”

Glancing at Su Yubai, her expression neutral, no response.

Lin Zhiying paused, “Really?”
Her tone wistful.

Jiang HuaZhen, sensing it, engaged Huang Yuxin, “Didn’t see you in Hong Kong years ago, studying abroad?”

“Yeah, such a pity. Mom mentioned wishing I’d met Yule earlier.”

Listening, Jiang Yule thought Huang Yuxin was smooth, but did Su Yubai really praise Lin Zhiying’s cooking?

She hadn’t gone home much… until recently.

A server entered, “Ms. Lin, ready to serve?”

Smiling, “Yes.”

Frequent diners, they’d pre-ordered online.

Lin Zhiying ushered everyone to sit.

Su Yubai took a random seat; Jiang Yule sat to her right.

A subtle glance from Su Yubai.

Dishes arrived, chatter light.

Mostly Jiang HuaZhen and Huang Yuxin, Jiang Yule pitying her briefly.

Their eyes met; Huang Yuxin caught her “pity,” glaring.

Jiang Yule wished for more glares to ease her guilt.

Huang Yuxin glared twice more, but Jiang Yule just smiled.

Confused, What’s her deal?

Ignoring her, Huang Yuxin shifted topics to Lin Zhiying and Su Yubai.

Relieved, Jiang Yule glanced at Su Yubai, barely eating.

Recalling yesterday’s shrimp, she peeled one, placing it in her bowl.

Su Yubai glanced, seeing her eager look, picked up fish instead, noticing a flicker of disappointment.

Setting the fish aside, she ate the shrimp.

Satisfied, Jiang Yule watched her eat.

“Tone it down, grandma,” Su Yingying whispered.

Looking away, she missed Su Yubai’s faint smile.

“Our Yubai’s single too, Yuxin, talk some sense into your senior,” Lin Zhiying said.

Jiang Yule’s head snapped up—marriage talk again.

Huang Yuxin smiled politely, silent.

Unfazed, Lin Zhiying continued, “Last time, A Uni’s Professor Zhou recommended someone, young and promising. Meet for dinner?”

No “blind date,” but the vibe was clear.

Su Yubai didn’t speak or object.

Unease hit Jiang Yule.

Lin Zhiying, seeing no resistance, “I’ll send his details and WeChat.”

Ears perked, Jiang Yule heard Su Yubai eating fish, no reply.
Just as she relaxed, a soft—

“Mm.”

She froze, locking eyes with Huang Yuxin, both sensing something.

“My gosh, Sis didn’t say no,” Su Yingying whispered.

But Jiang Yule’s mind was on Su Yubai’s blind date, ignoring her.

Realizing, if Su Yubai married a man, it’d hurt worse than death.

Her feelings, once hazy, were now certain: she loved Su Yubai, wanted to be with her.

As for the blind date… she’d find a way.

Seeing Su Yubai reach for fish, Jiang Yule spun the table.

Su Yubai aimed for vegetables; she spun it again.

Silently, Su Yubai set down her chopsticks, glancing at her.

Unfazed, Jiang Yule peeled a shrimp, eating it in front of her.

Confusion in Su Yubai’s eyes.

“Why aren’t you eating, Sister Yubai?”
As if the table spins were accidental.

Su Yubai looked away.

Regretting, Jiang Yule peeled another shrimp for her bowl.

Noticing her eat it, unaware of her anger.

Dinner ended, the moms chatted with Huang Yuxin.

“Eat well, Yuxin?”

“Mm,” her mood low.

Everyone left gradually.

Su Yubai went to the restroom; Jiang Yule followed, shutting the door.

Seeing her in the mirror, “What’s up?”

Leaning on the door, tilting her head, “Sister Yubai, you’re really going on that date?”

No direct answer, just, “What’s up?”

Pouting, “Doesn’t seem right.”

A faint lip curve, gone fast.
“Who’s right then?”

Huffing, looking away, she waited for her to finish washing, then faced her.
“Then, then I’ll, I’ll vet them for you.”

Bold words, stammered out.
Lips pursed.

In the tight space, Su Yubai heard her breathing, eyes grazing her pouted lips, a glint in her gaze.
“Sure.”

Jiang Yule looked up, blinking.