WRR – Chapter 14

“I bit you?” Xu Shi was so surprised her voice unconsciously rose. “Where?”

Yu Lingshan: “Want to see?”

Xu Shi: “Yeah.”

Yu Lingshan: “Then I’d have to take my clothes off.”

Xu Shi paused. “Th-then you don’t have to.”

Yu Lingshan walked a little further out, and the hotel room door closed automatically with a click. Yu Lingshan asked, “Have you eaten?”

Xu Shi: “I have.”

Yu Lingshan: “I haven’t.”

After saying this, Yu Lingshan headed for the elevator. Xu Shi immediately followed. After a few steps, Yu Lingshan slowed her pace, waiting until Xu Shi was walking beside her before continuing.

Then Yu Lingshan said, “Are the words ‘I’ll eat with you’ so hard to say?”

Xu Shi choked for a moment. “No, I was just afraid it would be too abrupt.”

Yu Lingshan: “It’s never abrupt when you eat with me.”

Xu Shi’s heart suddenly trembled at those words. “Oh,” she said, then added, “I’ll eat with you.”

With that, the two entered the elevator. It was hot today, and Yu Lingshan was dressed lightly, in a different style from yesterday. She wore a wide-strapped tank top, long pants, and sneakers—a different kind of beautiful.

In this small, confined space, Xu Shi hid behind Yu Lingshan and began to carefully inspect all of her exposed skin, looking for any trace of a bite mark.

From her neck to her shoulders, to her shoulder blades, to her faintly visible waist, and all the way down to her ankles.

When Xu Shi finally pulled her gaze away from Yu Lingshan’s toes, she lowered her head and let out a silent laugh. She thought, I can’t be that much of a pervert, can I?

But then she thought, Standing behind her and observing her like this… what is this if not perverted?

“See anything?” Yu Lingshan suddenly spoke.

Xu Shi: “Huh?”

Xu Shi looked up, only to realize that the elevator door was basically a mirror.

Xu Shi: “…”

Xu Shi’s face flushed red in an instant. Then, in the reflection, she saw Yu Lingshan smile.

Fine…

Being able to make Her Majesty the Queen laugh was good enough.

The elevator reached the first-floor lobby, and Xu Shi followed Yu Lingshan out. As they walked, they fell into step side by side again.

“Didn’t the organizers prepare lunch for you?” Xu Shi asked Yu Lingshan on the way.

Yu Lingshan: “It was bad.”

Xu Shi: “…Oh.”

The car was already waiting outside. As soon as they exited, someone opened the door for them. Yu Lingshan let Xu Shi get in first, then followed.

Once they were both seated, Yu Lingshan tossed her bag onto Xu Shi’s lap. Just as Xu Shi steadied it, Yu Lingshan leaned over and rested her head on Xu Shi’s shoulder.

At the same time, Yu Lingshan’s fragrance wafted over.

Xu Shi didn’t dare to move.

“A little tired,” Yu Lingshan said softly.

Xu Shi thought for a moment, then replied, “Rest for a bit after we eat.”

Yu Lingshan made a sound of disagreement. “Mmm, no~ I have to go back and sign in.”

Xu Shi calculated the time; it was about right.

So she said, “Go to bed early tonight.”

Yu Lingshan chuckled. “I really can’t believe you work for a dating app company.”

Xu Shi understood. Yu Lingshan was saying she was bad at conversation.

Yu Lingshan added, “Can you try to show some concern for me?”

Xu Shi licked her lips and thought for a long while before saying, “You should balance work and rest. Don’t get too tired.”

“Sigh~” Yu Lingshan sounded helpless. “Forget it.”

Yu Lingshan finally stopped talking to her. Xu Shi didn’t know if Yu Lingshan was comfortable leaning on her like this—it didn’t look very comfortable to her, but she didn’t dare move.

Yu Lingshan was reading the news on her phone. With nothing to do, Xu Shi also took out her phone.

Not for any particular reason, she just opened her chat with Heard.

Heard still hadn’t replied.

Xu Shi made a hypothesis. She wondered if Heard had replied with her mind, so she sent another message.

Yan Wuwu: Have you eaten?

Yan Wuwu: Don’t work too hard. You need to balance work and rest.

After sending the two messages, Xu Shi locked her phone without expecting a reply.

“You’re pretty good at holding it in,” Yu Lingshan said.

Xu Shi: “What?”

Yu Lingshan: “You still haven’t asked me why I had you transferred.”

Xu Shi’s heart skipped a beat. So it really was Yu Lingshan who had her moved.

Xu Shi ventured a guess. “Is it because I bit you?”

Yu Lingshan let out a short laugh, then nodded. “If you say so.” She added, “Yes, that’s right. It’s because you bit me.”

Xu Shi looked down at her fingers.

Her fear of Yu Lingshan really wasn’t unfounded. This woman was unpredictable, passive-aggressive, moody, strange, and baffling. Xu Shi never knew what she was thinking or what she was saying.

“I’m sorry,” Xu Shi apologized sincerely. “I was too drunk yesterday.”

Yu Lingshan gave a faint “mm.”

Xu Shi continued to ask, “Did it hurt when I bit you?”

Yu Lingshan replied distractedly, “It hurt.”

Xu Shi said again, “I’m sorry.”

In her entire life, Xu Shi had blacked out a total of four times. The first was in her freshman year of university when she didn’t know her limit. The second was at her senior year graduation when she lost control. The other two times were both in front of Yu Lingshan.

Xu Shi knew she became more talkative when she drank too much, but she had never bitten anyone before. She couldn’t understand why she had bitten Yu Lingshan yesterday.

Before long, the car arrived. As they walked to the restaurant entrance, Xu Shi remembered another important thing.

“Oh, right,” Xu Shi asked Yu Lingshan, “the bill from yesterday.”

Yu Lingshan: “I paid.”

Xu Shi said, “Oh.”

Yu Lingshan: “So you still owe me a meal.”

Xu Shi thought for a moment. “How about I treat you to this meal now?”

Yu Lingshan stopped in her tracks and looked at Xu Shi.

Xu Shi: “What’s wrong?”

Yu Lingshan said, “No.”

Yu Lingshan was always quick to order. This time, she decided in less than half a minute, then asked the waiter to take away the tableware in front of Xu Shi, adding, “She’s not eating. She’s watching me eat.”

Xu Shi hadn’t actually planned on eating, but was this really necessary?

But what could she say?

For the rest of the meal, Xu Shi did more than just watch Yu Lingshan eat. When the shrimp arrived, Yu Lingshan said to her in a soft, gentle voice, “Peel them for me.”

Fine, peel them.

When the soup came, Yu Lingshan pushed a small bowl in front of Xu Shi with her index finger.

Fine, serve it.

Finally, when the fruit platter was served, Xu Shi had already learned to be proactive, peeling anything that had a skin.

After the meal, Yu Lingshan showed no signs of leaving. Seeing that it was still early, Xu Shi didn’t rush her and sat with her.

Yu Lingshan scrolled through her phone, yawning. As she scrolled, she suddenly asked Xu Shi, “Do you know Wu Liyang?”

“I do,” Xu Shi said, then corrected herself. “Not that I know him personally, but I know of him.”

Yu Lingshan said, “He’s coming this afternoon, too.”

Xu Shi instantly perked up. “Teacher Wu is coming this afternoon?”

Yu Lingshan’s gaze shifted from her phone, likely drawn by Xu Shi’s tone. “You like him?”

Xu Shi nodded. “I do. He’s amazing.”

Xu Shi had analyzed all of Wu Liyang’s works and had even written her thesis on him.

Yu Lingshan made a sound of acknowledgment. “I heard he’s taking on a final disciple. Did you know about that?”

Xu Shi: “I didn’t know.”

Yu Lingshan went back to looking at her phone. “Interested?”

Xu Shi’s voice rose slightly. “Me?”

Yu Lingshan: “Mhm.”

Xu Shi could barely speak properly. “How could I… How would he… He… I’m not qualified.”

Yu Lingshan’s tone remained as placid as ever. “So little confidence.”

“It’s not a lack of confidence,” Xu Shi said, her spirits deflating. “It’s impossible.”

Who was she? What a joke.

Yu Lingshan put her phone away and popped a piece of strawberry into her mouth. “There’s no such thing as possible or impossible. Wu Liyang is the type who doesn’t look at fame, only talent.” She chewed the strawberry while looking at Xu Shi. “It also depends on if he takes a liking to you.”

Xu Shi pressed her lips together, a wild, hopeful thought stirring in her heart.

Yu Lingshan continued, “He still hasn’t found a final disciple he’s satisfied with.”

Xu Shi didn’t know what to say and subconsciously gripped the hem of her shirt.

Yu Lingshan smiled as if joking and asked Xu Shi, “Do you think he’d take a liking to you?”

“I don’t know,” Xu Shi said, then added, “Probably not.”

Yu Lingshan didn’t say anything more, just smiled and stood up. “Let’s go. Time to go back and sign in.”

Xu Shi let out a soft breath. “Okay.”

Yu Lingshan suddenly made a sound of realization. “Oh, right. Do you want to meet him?”

Xu Shi: “Can I?”

Yu Lingshan raised an eyebrow. “Of course you can. I’ll take you.”

Xu Shi nodded eagerly. “Yes, I want to meet him.”

Yu Lingshan tilted her head. “Then you’ll owe me two meals, right?”

Xu Shi nodded repeatedly. “Okay.”

Yu Lingshan was a little full. On the way back, she leaned against Xu Shi, rubbing her stomach the whole time, and even blamed Xu Shi for peeling so many shrimp for her for no reason.

Xu Shi responded with a series of noncommittal hums, her mind already drifting somewhere far away.

She was thinking, What should I say when I meet Teacher Wu?

An autograph was a must. If possible, she wanted a photo with him. Teacher Wu hadn’t given any interviews about his work from two years ago, so if, and only if, the circumstances allowed, Xu Shi wanted to talk to him about it.

She just wondered if Teacher Wu knew about the incident between her and Ying Jie.

After returning to the hotel, Yu Lingshan linked her arm with Xu Shi’s, leading her directly up to the 28th floor and into her room. Only then did Xu Shi snap back to reality a little.

Yu Lingshan had her sit on the sofa, then took two dresses out of the closet.

“You know I’m getting two awards this afternoon, right?”

Xu Shi looked up at Yu Lingshan. “I know.”

Yu Lingshan held up the two dresses. “Which one do you think will stun the entire audience to death?”

Xu Shi laughed at Yu Lingshan’s words, her eyes curving as she looked at her. “You look good in anything.”

Yu Lingshan looked at Xu Shi. “This is the first time I’ve seen you be so naturally sweet-tongued since we’ve known each other.”

Xu Shi: “I’m telling the truth.”

“I know, the truth,” Yu Lingshan said, turning to compare the dresses in the mirror. “Hopelessly straight.”

She asked again, “Will you be in the audience watching me when I accept my award?”

Xu Shi said, “I will.”

Yu Lingshan: “Take pictures of me.”

Xu Shi: “Okay.”

Yu Lingshan: “And you have to clap for me.”

Xu Shi smiled for some reason. “I will.”

Xu Shi glanced at the time. “I have to go down now. I need to go to Teacher Chen’s side.”

Yu Lingshan tossed the light green dress onto the bed. “You don’t have to go. I had you switched back.”

Xu Shi froze for a moment. “Huh?”

Yu Lingshan: “Mhm.”

Xu Shi immediately lowered her head to grab her phone.

Yu Lingshan: “Don’t bother looking. I told the person in charge that you’re with me, and I’ll notify you directly.”

Xu Shi was speechless for half a second. “Yu Lingshan, you’re so…”

Yu Lingshan took off her earrings while facing the mirror. “Trying to say I’m willful?”

Xu Shi paused.

What kind of monster was Yu Lingshan? How could she guess everything?

“I am willful, so what?” Yu Lingshan’s tone was completely fearless.

What could Xu Shi possibly say? “So nothing.”

She was about to say something else when she was suddenly stunned by the sight before her.

Yu Lingshan… she… she… she actually just took… took… took off her top.