Chapter 45: You Also Have What I Have

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

This time, Ji Lianxing moved first. Jiang Shu was one hundred percent sure.

The air in her mouth was taken away little by little by Ji Lianxing, but Jiang Shu could not stop herself even while short of breath.

Ji Lianxing’s lips had a faint cherry smell. Her hot tongue slid between lips and teeth and brushed lightly, which made Jiang Shu want to respond without holding back.

Bit by bit, inch by inch, a flame burned up Jiang Shu’s throat. Under the effect of alcohol, her head turned dizzy. After several touches of their tongues, she was almost pulled into Ji Lianxing’s hot whirlpool.

Beep beep.

The driver pressed the horn once.

They split apart at once. Ji Lianxing lifted her head first, tucked loose hair behind her ear, and pretended to stay calm while looking forward. Someone was blocking the road ahead.

Jiang Shu leaned in Ji Lianxing’s arms, closed her eyes, and replayed that kiss.

Maybe because she drank, her heartbeat felt faster than before. If that feeling just now was called heart flutter, then everything made sense.

Jiang Shu rested her ear on Ji Lianxing’s collarbone. Ji Lianxing was thin, but she could give her a sense of safety.

It was different from those girls before. She never felt this way with them.

She had to admit that Ji Lianxing gave her too many new feelings, and she had put in too much thought on Ji Lianxing already. It was no longer the old mindset of just giving money.

So it really did not suit them to stay lovers. But if not lovers, then what could they be?

Girlfriends.

This word jumped into Jiang Shu’s mind and hit her without warning. People said the subconscious always caught you off guard, and Jiang Shu felt that right now.

New and flustered, that feeling rushed in and left her confused.

She had never had a proper relationship. She did not know how to love someone. Her usual way was careless and always about money.

But what if it was a girlfriend?

She could not help but look at Ji Lianxing again. What if Ji Lianxing was her girlfriend? Not a relationship that ends after two months, but one that could go far into the future?

If she really thought about it, it did not seem that scary.

Ji Lianxing felt her gaze and looked down at her. She asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Shu just shook her head.

“We’re almost home.”

Jiang Shu just nodded.

Five minutes later, the car stopped at the neighborhood gate. Ji Lianxing helped Jiang Shu out and took her home.

She was a little tipsy. Her steps were light and unsteady, like stepping on clouds.

“Don’t drink this much next time, okay?”

Jiang Shu nodded and leaned her weight on Ji Lianxing. “I thought you were here, so drinking more was fine.”

“It’s good that I was here. What if I wasn’t? If they pushed you to drink, would you just drink?” Ji Lianxing stopped, walked in front of her, and bent down a little. “Come on, I’ll carry you on my back.”

Jiang Shu stopped and looked at Ji Lianxing’s black hair falling behind her shoulders. Her shoulder blades were thin. She looked weak, yet she said she would carry her.

“Hurry up, Jiang Shushu.” Ji Lianxing urged.

Jiang Shu moved closer and put her hands on Ji Lianxing’s shoulders. She was still thinking if Ji Lianxing, so thin, could piggyback her.

Ji Lianxing lowered herself more, slipped her hands under Jiang Shu’s legs, and used some strength. She lifted her easily.

Jiang Shu wrapped her arms around Ji Lianxing’s neck and pressed close to her back. The heartbeat she had just calmed down started racing again.

Thump thump, it was about to jump out of her throat.

Soft and smooth hair brushed her cheek strand by strand, and also brushed her restless heart. It was itchy and comfortable.

“You’re not that heavy,” Ji Lianxing said.

“Because I’m thin,” Jiang Shu said near Ji Lianxing’s ear.

Ji Lianxing tilted her head to dodge the warm breath. “But you’re tall.”

“Little Hedgehog.”

“Mm?”

“I think it’s pretty good if we don’t stay lovers.”

Ji Lianxing paused for a step, then kept walking, and smiled. “Is that so?”

“Like this right now. It’s good.” Jiang Shu’s long arms held Ji Lianxing tight, and her tone softened a lot.

“But right now we’re lovers.”

“Yeah.” Jiang Shu rubbed her nose against Ji Lianxing’s ear. “But it doesn’t feel like lovers. It feels more like dating.”

Ji Lianxing’s heart skipped a beat, and then her blood rushed fast. It was like something was dropped into her heart, like a small stone thrown into a pond, and waves spread out.

“But I’m scared I’ll mess many things up in the end. Maybe I don’t know how to love someone.” Jiang Shu rested on Ji Lianxing’s shoulder and spoke softly.

She leaned on Ji Lianxing, listened to her footsteps, and half closed her eyes to look at the world around them.

The lights along the green path shone into the leaves. Outside the gaps was endless dark, but on the leaves was soft light. Light and dark overlapped. Jiang Shu reached out, but the light in her sight was blocked.

“When you fall in love, you’ll know. I think loving someone doesn’t need learning.” She bounced Jiang Shu up a bit and said, “Anyway, I never learned.”

****

After they got home, the first thing Ji Lianxing did was put Jiang Shu on the sofa. Jiang Shu was not heavy, but carrying her for long still made her tired.

Ji Lianxing took off her suit jacket and put it on the sofa. She was wearing a white shirt inside. She rolled up her sleeves and said to Jiang Shu, “Rest a bit. I’ll get makeup remover pads for you.”

Jiang Shu nodded and watched Ji Lianxing turn and walk to the bathroom.

Ji Lianxing’s jacket was beside her, with a faint floral smell.

Jiang Shu turned her head and smelled the jacket.

She picked it up and held it in her arms, like she was holding Ji Lianxing. That steady feeling wrapped around her.

Jiang Shu thought maybe Ji Lianxing was right. Maybe they should not be lovers.

It was rare to meet a girl like this, rare to have this kind of fate, and rare to feel moved once. Instead of missing it, she should be brave.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped. Jiang Shu put the jacket down, but something fell from her pocket. It was a delicate business card.

She picked it up and was about to put it back, but she saw the company name on the back. She frowned, turned it over, and saw the name Zhang Mingyue.

At the same time, the bathroom door opened. Ji Lianxing came out with makeup remover pads. Jiang Shu said nothing and stuffed the card back.

“Still dizzy?” Ji Lianxing walked over, sat beside her, and put a cotton pad with remover on Jiang Shu’s eyes, first removing her eyeliner.

“A little.” Jiang Shu’s voice was low.

The cotton pad wiped over Jiang Shu’s eyes, showing her bare face. She always took good care of herself. Even at twenty eight, there were still no wrinkles around her eyes.

“After removing makeup, go take a shower?”

“Mm.” Jiang Shu lifted her head and looked at Ji Lianxing up close. She saw smooth face lines, a natural oval face, clear skin, and features that looked like a picture carefully made by heaven.

Jiang Shu kept looking and her eyes went unfocused. She suddenly realized that a pretty girl like Ji Lianxing might also have secrets.

Sometimes they felt very close, but sometimes very far.

She did not understand why Ji Lianxing had Zhang Mingyue’s business card. The only link she could think of was when Ji Lianxing went out alone tonight.

Why would Zhang Mingyue give her a card? If it was just about looks, then why would Ji Lianxing take it?

Jiang Shu felt messy. After thinking again and again, she felt it was better not to guess too much. Maybe those two had nothing at all.

“What are you daydreaming about?” Ji Lianxing wiped her face clean and smiled at her.

Jiang Shu pulled her gaze back. “My mind wandered.”

“You’re pretty cute when you space out, Jiang Shushu.” Ji Lianxing wiped one last time, rolled the cotton pad into a ball, and threw it into the trash.

“Why are you calling me Jiang Shushu?”

“It’s a nice name.”

Jiang Shu turned her head, a bit awkward. “That kid Jiang Xiaotan made it up. Why are you copying it?”

“It’s addictive to say. Jiang Shushu, Jiang Shushu, Jiang Shushu.” Ji Lianxing called it three times. When Jiang Shu resisted, she pulled her up and led her toward the bathroom. “Alright, Jiang Shushu, follow me. You need to shower.”

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5310224
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

She had already filled the tub, and the temperature was just right.

Ji Lianxing brought Jiang Shu to the tub, then suddenly remembered something important. People who drank alcohol did not seem fit for a bath.

“Forget it. Don’t soak. Just rinse simply.”

“Why?”

“I remembered you drank. What if you get dizzy while soaking? Just stand under the shower and rinse.”

Jiang Shu stared at the water in the tub and suddenly wanted to soak. She looked at Ji Lianxing, then back at the tub.  

“How about we soak together? If you stay with me, I won’t get dizzy.”  

Hearing this, Ji Lianxing felt her cheeks heat up. Soaking together… this was a bit too… okay, definitely not. Just thinking about it made her embarrassed.  

“I can stay with you, but we can’t soak together.”  

Jiang Shu raised a hand, resting it on Ji Lianxing’s shoulder, smiling. “Then help me.”  

“Help you?” Ji Lianxing’s hand trembled.  

“I’m dizzy, I don’t feel well. You help me take it off.”  

“!!!”

“My coat.”  

“Oh~ coat, that’s okay.” Ji Lianxing thought her speech was broken and stuttering, and couldn't help suspecting she was doing it on purpose.  

Sure enough, the next second Jiang Shu’s face had a smile. Okay, Ji Lianxing felt she already understood most of this woman’s mischievousness.  

She helped Jiang Shu take off her coat, leaving only a base layer shirt, and turned around.  

“The rest is up to you.”  

“What's there to be afraid of? You also have what I have.” Jiang Shu was surprisingly natural.  

Ji Lianxing thought: you have what I have, but the size is different.  

Jiang Shu unbuttoned her pants, letting them fall to the floor, then the base shirt, and then…  

Splash—  

Ji Lianxing heard her step into the tub. The water stirred, igniting flames in her chest, quickly burning.  

“Are you sure you won’t join?”  

“Sure.”  

“The water is perfect.” Jiang Shu sank into the water, fingers brushing the surface, leaning against the tub’s edge, watching Ji Lianxing’s back with a smile.  

“I know, I know!” Ji Lianxing felt a bit annoyed. Why did this woman talk so much after drinking?  

Jiang Shu poured the red wine from the tub’s edge into the water. The deep red hit the clear liquid, quickly spreading, turning peach-colored, and the whole tub filled with the scent of grapes.  

“‘I know, I know.’ Since you know, why not come in and wash with me?”  

Upon hearing this, Ji Lianxing's head buzzed, and she felt like she was about to lose her composure.

Author's Note:

So, the crematorium is about to start, so everyone's wondering whether to take a bath today or not.