Chapter 169: Like
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
On the other end of the line came a very gentle woman’s voice. Her first words sounded casual and intimate. “Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.” Miss Luo held the phone to her ear.
“It is already past mealtime,” the woman on the phone seemed to scold softly. “Why have you not eaten yet? No matter how busy you are, you still have to eat.”
She muttered again, with a hint of complaint. “Although, I do not even know what you are busy with in Sichuan, you are very secretive.
Miss Luo seemed to really like hearing that slightly emotional tone. She said with a smile, “The food is still cooking and I am waiting, it will be ready soon.”
“Mm.” The other woman responded lightly, her tone meaningful. “If you are eating out, I will worry. Can you even get used to the food there?”
Miss Luo seemed to catch the hidden meaning behind her words. She rose from her chair and walked a bit farther away, speaking in a low voice. “Qingyi, do you miss me?”
The other side: “…”
“I… did not.” The other woman seemed to stutter a bit, then said after a pause, “How did you even get that?”
“You wanted me to know it.” Miss Luo said, “So I did.”
“You are talking nonsense again.”
Miss Luo’s smile grew deeper. She was always a cold person, yet when she took this call, she seemed to melt into water, even her voice sounded softer and clearer. “You said you are worried when I eat out, afraid I cannot get used to the food. But when I eat at home, you are at ease. For you to be at ease, you want me to come home soon. Would that not be called missing me?”
“You… you think everyone is like you, twisting words like that. I… did not mean that.” The woman’s voice was gentle, but it carried a hint of shyness. “I just worried you might not be used to the food, that is all.”
Miss Luo only smiled without speaking.
It sounded like casual talk, yet she listened with full attention, as if the woman on the other end was standing right before her.
The woman’s voice softened sweetly. “When will you come back? It is getting cold now, and it is about to snow. I sleep alone, and there is no one to warm my quilt.”
“Was I not the one who gave you a cool quilt in the summer?” Miss Luo asked in return. “And when was I ever allowed to warm yours?”
“…”
“… Alright, I will warm your quilt.” The other woman changed her words. “When will you come back? I want to warm your quilt.”
“Soon.” Miss Luo said softly.
There was silence for a while on the other end, then a faint murmur came. “Luo Shen, I miss you.”
“… Mm.” Miss Luo seemed dazed for a moment, then coaxed gently, “Be good, I will come back soon.”
Miss Luo, who usually looked quiet and distant, now talked with the person on the phone for quite a while. It wasn’t until Ranla Changxiu came out to call for dinner that she put her phone away. Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo were tired from practicing with the mini crossbows, so they washed their hands and sat at the table.
There were three more guests at the table. Ranla Changxiu was happy and made a big meal. Smiling brightly, she greeted them and said to Ruan Yesheng, “Miss Ruan, this is what Miss Xi especially bought for you. She said you like it. We went to the market together this morning.”
Ruan Yesheng quickly turned to look at Xi Mo.
Xi Mo lowered her head and ate. “…”
Ruan Yesheng couldn’t believe it. After she told Xi Mo what dishes she wanted, Xi Mo actually went shopping with Ranla Changxiu. In the past, this was something unimaginable. She didn’t even know when it started, but the sense of everyday life around Xi Mo slowly grew, from faint and distant to something she could finally touch.
As Ruan Yesheng got closer to Xi Mo, she also felt closer in heart. Sometimes, a thought would pop up in her mind, like a foolish dream.
She fantasized that maybe one day, she could live with Xi Mo. But soon she laughed at herself, thinking she didn’t dare dream such a thing.
Now, she couldn’t help looking forward to it a little.
Maybe she could really dream that dream, slowly, until it came true.
“It’s delicious.” Ruan Yesheng’s eyes were soft like honey, and her voice was sweet. “Aunt Ranla’s cooking is good, and the ingredients were picked well too.”
She secretly praised Xi Mo.
Xi Mo’s lips curved a bit, as she kept eating.
Miss Luo glanced at them, sitting straight like calm snow.
After lunch, Miss Luo went back to her room. A while later, she came out. A’cuo Rize was sitting in the living room when his phone buzzed. After he saw it was a money transfer notice, he froze, then stood up and walked to Miss Luo. “Miss Luo, you don’t need to send me money.”
Miss Luo said, “You have worked hard these days finding the way.”
“You came at the end of last month, and you already sent me plenty. No need this time.” A’cuo Rize said hurriedly, he was an honest man.
“Take it.” Miss Luo’s face stayed calm. “I will leave this afternoon.”
"You just got here yesterday, and you are leaving so soon today? Don’t you want to look around the town a bit more?" A'cuo Rize was surprised.
"There is someone at home waiting for me. If I stay away too long, I am afraid she will not get used to it." Miss Luo’s voice was like pearls and jade, clear and cold, yet when she spoke of the one at home, it softened gently. "So this time, I will go back earlier."
She always spoke in an old-fashioned way, unlike others. It carried a certain grace.
If anyone else spoke like that, it might sound strange.
But when she did, it seemed just right.
"Last time you stayed only three days. Does that count as long?" A'cuo Rize said smiling kindly, he was simple and honest, but he understood.
He actually didn’t know who Miss Luo’s family member was, but from that gentle tone she used when speaking of the one at home, he could more or less guess.
"It is already long enough."
A'cuo Rize asked her, "Then when do you plan to come next time? There is no clear progress in finding the way this time."
"I am uncertain of the exact date, but it willl have to wait until after Christmas," Miss Luo said.
"Christmas? That’s only a few days away." A'cuo Rize was glad. "Spend Christmas with your family first, then come. Just let me know before you do."
"Mm."
Miss Luo handled things neatly and quickly. Before long, she had already packed her luggage. When Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo saw that she was leaving, they hurried to say goodbye. Though they had only spent a short time together, both were very grateful for Miss Luo’s help. They even went with Baolai to the yard gate to see her off.
Standing at the gate, Miss Luo said to Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo, "If you still feel uneasy about the room, you can stay in mine. I have already told A'cuo Rize."
"Thank you." Ruan Yesheng smiled. "Xi Mo and I will go back today too, so we won’t need to stay."
Miss Luo nodded and turned to leave.
Baolai crouched at the gate, whining a few times. Ruan Yesheng watched Miss Luo’s back fade into the distance, then went back with Xi Mo. Yan Tinghuan, Cui Jiayu, and Lin Tingyu will come over later, but they’re not sure exactly when, so they went back to their room first to wait and get ready.
After lunch, Yan Tinghuan headed toward A'cuo Rize’s house. But she wasn’t in a hurry to go in and wandered nearby instead.
She covered her lips with her hand, as if spitting something into it. It was the cicada she kept inside her body. Normal people couldn’t see it, but by following the direction of Yan Tinghuan’s gaze, one could sense where the released cicada went.
Yan Tinghuan’s cicada acted as her eyes and ears, peeking into every corner around. What the cicada saw was what Yan Tinghuan saw.
For now, there was nothing unusual.
Yan Tinghuan stayed by the roadside for a while and saw a tall woman walking from afar.
That woman carried a graceful ancient charm, as if she walked outside of time. Time had left no trace on her. She was still like snow on a mountain peak, untouched by dust.
As the woman came closer, her face became clearer. Yan Tinghuan could see the small cinnabar mark between her brows.
Yan Tinghuan had never seen Miss Luo before, nor had she heard anyone describe her looks, so she didn’t know who the person was. But after seeing Miss Luo, she couldn’t help looking at her a few more times.
Miss Luo’s expression was calm. She walked forward with composure and soon passed by Yan Tinghuan’s side.
The two brushed shoulders.
Miss Luo’s eyes shifted slightly, glancing at Yan Tinghuan, then seemed to glance toward another direction, as if she was looking at something.
But there was nothing there.
Yan Tinghuan felt Miss Luo’s gaze and suddenly shivered inside, feeling something strange. At that passing moment, she almost had the illusion that Miss Luo wasn’t just looking at her.
There was a cicada beside Yan Tinghuan.
But she quickly came back to her senses and dismissed the thought. Impossible. Normal people couldn’t see her cicada, and Miss Luo’s calm face didn’t look like someone who had seen it.
Miss Luo walked farther and farther away, her figure fading at the end of the road, no longer in sight.
Yan Tinghuan let the cicada scout for a while longer, and when she found nothing unusual, she headed toward A'cuo Rize’s house. Cui Jiayu and Lin Tingyu came together, but Cui Jiayu didn’t look well, while Lin Tingyu was smiling. It was clear without asking that Cui Jiayu had once again been punching cotton.
The three of them went into Xi Mo’s room and sat down together.
When Ruan Yesheng saw Cui Jiayu, she went straight to the point. "Last night, someone entered Xi Mo’s room."
The three who had just arrived instantly changed expressions.
Yan Tinghuan quickly asked, "Did you see what that person looked like?"
Ruan Yesheng said, "No, the person had already left when we came back."
"How did you find out?" Cui Jiayu frowned. "Was anything stolen?"
"We checked carefully. Nothing was missing, and nothing strange was added either." Ruan Yesheng stood up and brought out a cotton swab that still had some sticky substance from last night, handing it to Cui Jiayu. "But the lock was tampered with. There’s a faint smell, and some sticky stuff was left in the keyhole. This swab took a sample of it. Can you take it back and have someone test what it’s made of?"
"No problem. Leave it to me." Cui Jiayu took it.
After what happened in the alley last night, Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo had decided to exchange the clues they each had with Cui Jiayu. Cui Jiayu also said she would investigate this matter privately. They trusted her character and knew she wouldn’t leak anything, and Cui Jiayu truly cared about their safety and was willing to share everything she found.
Cui Jiayu worked in the police, which gave her many advantages in the investigation.
"Actually, before Xi Mo and I even arrived in town, something already felt off," Ruan Yesheng said, explaining in detail about the nails scattered on the road, along with the analysis she and Xi Mo had made about it. "And last night, someone broke into Xi Mo’s room. There must be someone secretly watching us."
She lowered her voice. "Do you think it could be Yang Zhen? We have no grudge with him, but judging from his route before, it really looked like he was following us. I just don’t know whether he’s following me or Xi Mo, since we’ve been together the whole time."
Xi Mo glanced at Ruan Yesheng.
Cui Jiayu said, "You came back late, after we split up in the alley. That means the break-in must have happened before that. Last night, I was watching Yang Zhen the whole time from downstairs where he lives. I didn’t see him leave. Then, close to midnight, I saw him come out the door. I was planning to follow him quietly to see where he was going, but he spotted me and ran right away. That guy was clearly guilty, why else would he run? I chased him all the way to the alley, and that’s where I ran into you."
"Could he have noticed you tailing him earlier, then slipped out from a back window, gone to Uncle A’cuo’s house, and afterward climbed back through the window to make it look like he’d been inside all along?" Xi Mo tried to analyze.
The houses here were mostly multi-floor inns, with many windows. Unless someone was guarding every spot, it was hard to be sure whether anyone had stayed inside the whole time.
"That’s possible," Cui Jiayu nodded. "I was alone then, so I couldn’t keep watch on all the windows."
Lin Tingyu said, "I was near Jiajia too. Sometimes I checked the windows, but didn’t see anything strange. Still, if he slipped out when I wasn’t looking, that’s possible too."
"That means… during that time, Yang Zhen could really have broken into my room." Xi Mo’s brows furrowed deeper.
After connecting all of Yang Zhen’s strange actions, she felt a chill run through her. What frightened her most was that she had no idea why Yang Zhen was doing all this.
She and Ruan Yesheng had never had any contact with Yang Zhen before.
"The most important thing right now is to figure out one thing, the motive. Without knowing the motive, it’s hard to judge what he’s trying to do." Cui Jiayu interlaced her fingers and rested them on the table. "But right now, we don’t know Yang Zhen’s motive at all. What exactly does he want?"
The room fell silent.
It seemed no one could answer that question.
"Unless we catch Yang Zhen and question him hard, see if he talks." Cui Jiayu’s face was serious. "He should have an accomplice, Ding Qihong, who’s even harder to track. But from the piece of cloth Baolai bit off, it’s clear there was another person hiding in that alley besides Yang Zhen. We need to focus on catching both Yang Zhen and Ding Qihong. Those two are definitely working together, and Dr. Zhao Yinchu’s death is tied to them."
"But he already ran away," Yan Tinghuan said. "He’ll only get more secretive from now on. It will be much harder to trace him. He won’t go back to the long-term rental he stayed at in Shanghai."
Lin Tingyu thought for a moment and spoke clearly. "Wherever Yang Zhen is, if he’s really watching Ruanruan and Xi Mo, or one of them, he’ll follow their movements again. We have to pay special attention to that. If anything strange happens around Ruanruan or Xi Mo, we must stay alert. That could mean Yang Zhen has shown up again. And once he does, we can be sure his target is indeed Ruanruan and Xi Mo."
Though Cui Jiayu and Lin Tingyu didn’t usually get along, Cui Jiayu still nodded in agreement.
The group talked for a long time. After that, Ruan Yesheng took the initiative to tell Cui Jiayu, “Jiajia, actually there’s something Xi Mo and I hid from you before. I’m sorry.”
“What is it?” Cui Jiayu was a bit surprised.
Ruan Yesheng said in shame, “That night when you arrested Ding Qihong, you came to our room and asked if we heard any noise. Xi Mo and I both said we only heard the sound of the door opening and nothing else. Actually, we saw Ding Qihong. She was really strange then, looking through the peephole. I got scared. But at that time, we weren’t close to you, and you were a police officer. If you knew I saw Ding Qihong, you would definitely ask me to give a statement. Xi Mo and I were together then, and we didn’t want to get involved with the police or end up being written about by the media, so we just wanted to avoid it.”
At that time, she and Xi Mo had switched bodies. Cui Jiayu didn’t know about this, so Ruan Yesheng made it sound like it was herself instead of Xi Mo.
“So that’s how it was.” Cui Jiayu didn’t mind and showed understanding. “I can understand why you two were worried. I was handling the case publicly then. But I’ll look into Yang Zhen and Ding Qihong’s matter privately later, don’t worry. You can tell me anything, the media won’t know.”
“Thank you, Jiajia.” Ruan Yesheng was very grateful.
“No need to be polite,” Cui Jiayu waved her hand. “We’re the Shanghai sisters who love each other.”
Xi Mo: “...”
Ruan Yesheng laughed.
“What are your plans next? The variety show’s done filming, when are you leaving?” Lin Tingyu asked softly.
“We plan to leave this afternoon,” Ruan Yesheng said.
“Then Yang Zhen will probably leave too,” Cui Jiayu said sharply.
“I’m going back too. We can go back to Shanghai together,” Lin Tingyu suggested.
“Who wants to go back to Shanghai with you?” Cui Jiayu said disdainfully.
“Did I talk to you?” Lin Tingyu smiled. “I was clearly talking to Ruanruan, Xi Mo, and Tinghuan. Jiajia, you must’ve misunderstood.”
Cui Jiayu: “...”
“Jiajia, just come with us,” Ruan Yesheng said with a smile.
Cui Jiayu looked at Xi Mo. Xi Mo nodded to her. Cui Jiayu was overjoyed inside but kept a calm face and said stiffly, “Then… fine, I’ll go pack up.”
This time, they had an honest talk with one another and no longer had those old concerns. But Ruan Yesheng didn’t mention Yan Tinghuan raising cicadas or the secret about switching bodies with Xi Mo. It wasn’t convenient to say it now.
Cui Jiayu asked, “Ruanruan, Xi Mo, what are your plans after this? I want to see if Yang Zhen will follow.”
“We’re going to Beijing for the script reading of a new movie. Most of the filming will also be in Beijing.” When Ruan Yesheng thought about Yang Zhen possibly going to Beijing too, she felt a chill all over. But compared to before, when she didn’t know Yang Zhen was following them, at least now they could be more careful.
“Then I’ll go to Beijing too,” Cui Jiayu said. “Anyway, I haven’t officially started my new job yet. I’ll tell my brother.”
After she finished speaking, she glared hard at Lin Tingyu and warned, “Don’t you follow me!”
“I’m not following you.” Lin Tingyu smiled kindly and said to Xi Mo and Ruanruan, “You two are starring in Director Gu Ru’s new movie, right? The double-female-lead casting has been kept secret very well, but I already know. Don’t worry, I didn’t leak it. I just want to ask if I can go get some fresh content, so my company can release it earlier than others.”
“Sure.” Ruan Yesheng nodded. “Director Gu actually plans to work with an entertainment company to prepare some material early and release it later for promotion. Nantin Entertainment has a good reputation, so you can talk to Director Gu. Xi Mo and I will speak to her for you. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Thank you.” Lin Tingyu felt delighted and glanced at Cui Jiayu.
Cui Jiayu was annoyed. She felt Lin Tingyu was like a sticky plaster, impossible to shake off. Her brother, Cui Jiashu, must’ve done something wrong to make Lin Tingyu keep watching her.
After they discussed things, everyone went back to pack.
Ruan Yesheng still had many things left in the show’s house, so Xi Mo went with her.
Shen Qingbie and Yu An were also there packing. Yu An wore a mask and looked tired. Ruan Yesheng quickly asked if she was feeling better.
Now that Yu An knew Ruan Yesheng and Shen Qingbie were close friends, she liked Ruan Yesheng too and no longer acted polite on the surface. She smiled sincerely and said, “Much better than yesterday. Last night... I almost died.”
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Shen Qingbie was shocked. “Ah? Good thing I went over, or it would’ve been really troublesome.”
Yu An: “…”
I almost died of anger last night, thank you.
“Go back and rest more,” Ruan Yesheng said to Yu An.
Yu An nodded.
Shen Qingbie asked Ruan Yesheng, “Ruanruan, which flight did you book? A’Yu was so sick and feverish before, she finally messed up once, and she hasn’t booked yet.”
Ruan Yesheng told her the flight and said, “We only booked it today too. There are still many seats left. You can still make it if you book now.”
Shen Qingbie’s eyes lit up. “Then I’ll book the same flight with you. We can go back together since we’re all heading to Shanghai.”
“Okay,” Ruan Yesheng agreed with a smile.
The plane was going to be lively today, full of familiar faces.
Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo went back to their room. Ruan Yesheng didn’t have much to pack, but she kept thinking about bringing the flowers Xi Mo had given her. The flowers were fresh. She had put them in water for a while, but it wouldn’t last long, and it wasn’t easy to take them along. Still, she felt bad throwing them away.
After thinking for a bit, she found a notebook and started plucking the petals and leaves off one by one, pressing them between the pages.
“What are you doing?” Xi Mo walked over and asked.
“Making petal specimens,” Ruan Yesheng sat on the bed and looked up at her with a smile. “You have so many leaf specimens, can’t I make some flower ones?”
Xi Mo didn’t say anything and helped her pluck the petals.
Ruan Yesheng plucked one petal, the first odd number, and said, “Likes me.”
Xi Mo was startled, staring at her in shock.
Did she hear that right?
What was Yesheng saying?
Ruan Yesheng held back a laugh and plucked another petal, the second even number. “Likes me not.”
Xi Mo: “…”
Ruan Yesheng plucked again. “Likes me.”
Then another. “Likes me not.”
She was playing the old game of counting petals to see if someone loved her, giving a playful excuse. “This is kind of fun. Makes me think of those scenes in scripts where people count petals.”
Xi Mo thought she was joking, her face a bit stiff. “You’re so childish. I thought you really had someone you liked.”
“I do.” Ruan Yesheng looked into her dark eyes, her voice soft and gentle.
Xi Mo froze. “Who?”
“Why should I tell you?” Ruan Yesheng’s eyes were full of charm. “It’s my secret.”
She kept pulling the petals off and pressing them into the notebook, murmuring, “Likes me, likes me not.” Her face showed a shy sweetness with a little longing, and her wavy hair on her shoulders swayed gently with her movements.
Xi Mo frowned, looking not very happy.
Ruan Yesheng tore off the last petal and softly placed it between two pages. Her eyes lit up with a trace of joy. “Likes me.”
The petals were an odd number.
...Likes me.
It was a silly and unrealistic game, yet Ruan Yesheng still felt her heart move. She had long passed the age of believing in fairy tales, but deep inside, there was still a bit of that girlish, pure dream of romance.
Ruan Yesheng looked at the petals.
Xi Mo looked at Ruan Yesheng, her brows furrowing even tighter, saying nothing more.
After Ruan Yesheng finished packing, she went back to Xi Mo’s room. The two finally got everything ready, took their luggage, and went to say goodbye to A’cuo Rizhe. Dong Zhiyuan came to pick them up and handed Xi Mo a bag. Xi Mo had asked him in the morning to buy something from the county, and he brought it back for her.
“Uncle A’cuo Uncle, Auntie Ranla,” Xi Mo said, “we’re leaving.”
Ranla Changxiu and Acuo Rize were very satisfied with this temporary guest. They nodded and said, "Miss Xi, you are welcome to visit us next time."
"I've prepared gifts for you as a token of my care for you over the past two days." Xi Mo handed the bag that Dong Zhiyuan had brought to Ran Lachangxiu. "Please accept it. Open it after I leave. It's not something expensive, but just a token of my appreciation."
Ranla Changxiu and A'cuo Rize were very pleased with this temporary guest. They nodded and said, “Miss Xi, you’re welcome to visit again next time.”
“I prepared a gift for you, to thank you for taking care of us these days.” Xi Mo handed Ranla Changxiu the bag that Dong Zhiyuan brought. “Please take it. Open it after we leave. It’s nothing expensive, just a small token of appreciation.”
Ranla Changxiu didn’t want to accept it at first, afraid Xi Mo had spent too much, but seeing Xi Mo insist it wasn’t valuable, only a token of appreciation, she couldn’t refuse and quickly accepted it.
The couple and Baolai stood at the door to see them off. Dong Zhiyuan drove over to load the luggage. Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo waved goodbye to them and Baolai, then got into the car.
After Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo left, Ranla Changxiu reached into the bag and took out a box.
When she opened it, she and A'cuo Rize were both stunned, then deeply moved.
It was a pair of gold rings.
They were from the jewelry brand Xi Mo endorsed.
When Ranla Changxiu saw Xi Mo’s endorsement on TV back then, she said she wanted to buy a pair of those gold rings as a wedding anniversary gift for A’cuo Rize. Xi Mo remembered it and specially asked Dong Zhiyuan to make a trip to the county town.
The group split into several cars and left Heizhugou Town.
When they got to the airport waiting for the flight, they all sat together. Shen Qingbie, being warm and friendly, added Cui Jiayu and Lin Tingyu as friends, and even discovered the “Shanghai Sisters Who Love Each Other” secret chat group that Ruan Yesheng and the others often used.
Lin Tingshuang sent a message, exposing this base to Shen Qingbie.
“I’m from Shanghai too,” Shen Qingbie quickly said, “We’re family too.”
Ruan Yesheng couldn’t stop laughing and added Shen Qingbie in. With Shen Qingbie there, of course, she dragged Yu An in as well.
The secret chat base now had new members. The “Shanghai Sisters Who Love Each Other” group grew again. Especially with Shen Qingbie around, who could chat like ten people at once, even Lin Tingshuang back in Shanghai was very happy.
The group finally returned to Shanghai and went their separate ways.
Ruan Yesheng went back to Xi Mo’s home.
Author’s Note:
Double sweet sugar~~~~
Luo Shen and Shi Shi exchanged sweets over the phone, and Ruanruan and Xi Mo also exchanged sweets over the flower petals.
I declare that the two couples will be married soon.
Also, Tinghuan, look at yourself, you didn't even kneel down.
Note: The part in this chapter where Luo Shen passes by Yan Tinghuan is described in detail in the Exploring The Empty Tomb - Modern Times. There, Luo Shen did say that she saw Yan Tinghuan's cicada and saw the rank of her cicada. That section also gives more explanation about the cicadas.
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