Xu Shi could finally understand the anxious state Tingting had been in earlier at the door to Yu Lingshan’s room. She was in the exact same state now.
After finishing the ice cream, Yu Lingshan had left again for some business. And now, all the other designers had already signed in and entered the venue. Xu Shi stood at the entrance, waiting. One person after another arrived, but none of them were her.
She didn’t dare call Yu Lingshan, worried she might be interrupting something important.
So all she could do was keep checking the time, hoping the host would be slow to come out.
Although Yu Lingshan exuded the aura of a big shot, Xu Shi still didn’t want people gossiping about her behind her back.
Finally, just one minute before the scheduled start time, Yu Lingshan slowly walked in through the entrance in her high heels. Xu Shi instantly let out a huge sigh of relief.
She hurried over to lead Yu Lingshan to the sign-in area, took a few photos, and then guided her to her seat. After all that was done, the lights up front came on, and Xu Shi quickly scurried away, hunched over.
The organizers had also arranged seats for them, not far from the main guests. After sitting down, Xu Shi subconsciously glanced toward Yu Lingshan and saw that Yu Lingshan was also looking at her.
The lights in the audience had already been turned off. She gave Yu Lingshan a smile from a distance, not knowing if Yu Lingshan could see it.
Soon, Yu Lingshan retracted her gaze. From Xu Shi’s angle, she could only see Yu Lingshan’s shoulder and the back of her head.
She seemed to really like wearing off-the-shoulder clothes—either spaghetti straps or completely bare.
But it made sense. With such beautiful shoulders, it would be a shame not to show them off.
The host had come out, speaking in a cheerful tone. Xu Shi was absent-minded, staring at Yu Lingshan’s shoulders without even realizing it.
Later, when Yu Lingshan moved slightly, she jumped and quickly averted her gaze, looking like she’d been caught. Her eyes darted around in a panic.
“Xu Shi.”
Xu Shi turned at the sound of her name and saw that Xiao Yu had switched seats to sit beside her.
Xiao Yu squeezed in next to her. “Didn’t you say you weren’t in charge of Yu Lingshan anymore? How come you came in with her again?”
Xu Shi said, “She transferred me back.”
“Good grief,” Xiao Yu was puzzled. “What does that mean?”
Xu Shi: “I don’t know.”
Xiao Yu laughed helplessly. “I fucking ran around in circles and couldn’t find anyone to shadow, and now I’m back with you.”
Xu Shi felt that Xiao Yu had been through a lot. She said in a low voice, “I’ll help you ask later, but no guarantees.”
Xiao Yu was delighted. “Okay, okay, thank you.” Xiao Yu cleared her throat and added, “You have no idea. Something that’s completely out of reach for others is so easily within your grasp.”
Xu Shi laughed. “That’s a bit melodramatic.”
Xiao Yu: “Hahaha.”
“Hey, is that Yu Lingshan?” After a moment, Xiao Yu leaned over again, pointing. “First row, the one with the bare shoulders.”
Xu Shi: “Yes.”
Xiao Yu immediately took out her phone and quickly snapped a picture.
Xiao Yu’s action seemed to make Xu Shi realize that she could take pictures now, so she also opened her camera app.
Unfortunately, the distance was too great. She had to zoom in several times just to get Yu Lingshan alone in the frame, and it was still very blurry.
Xu Shi took a shot but wasn’t very satisfied, though she didn’t delete it.
Beside her, Xiao Yu had already sent the photo to her friends’ group chat. Xu Shi glanced over unintentionally and saw her friends screaming “Ahhh” under the picture.
“I have some gossip,” Xiao Yu said with a smile. “About Yu Lingshan. Wanna hear it?”
Xu Shi nodded. “Go on.”
Xiao Yu pointed. “Third row, count over… uh, it’s hard to count. Just look, there’s a girl with short hair, wearing a floral-patterned shirt. See her?”
Xu Shi looked over. Although she couldn’t see the face, the hairstyle was very similar to the girl she had encountered in the hallway outside Yu Lingshan’s room yesterday.
“What about her?” Xu Shi asked.
Xiao Yu smiled. “She’s pursuing Yu Lingshan.”
Xu Shi turned to look at Xiao Yu in surprise, momentarily at a loss for words. After a long pause, she managed to squeeze out, “How do you know?”
Xiao Yu cleared her throat and shook her head smugly. “You think I’ve been wasting my time these past two days?”
Xu Shi turned her head back, puzzled. “But she’s a girl.”
Xiao Yu smiled. “And?”
Xu Shi was taken aback and suddenly didn’t know what to say again. Something just felt strange.
Xiao Yu added, “Let me tell you, Yu Lingshan is really popular in the lesbian circle.”
Xu Shi: “Chicken? Coop?”
Xiao Yu clapped her hands and laughed. “Never mind, you wouldn’t get it.”
After saying that, Xiao Yu went back to chatting in her group, even taking a picture of the short-haired girl and sending it over.
Xu Shi idly listened to the host’s banter, her gaze shifting between Yu Lingshan and the girl. Suddenly, the terms she had looked up that afternoon flashed through her mind. She looked up, had a half-second epiphany, and understood that Xiao Yu must have meant the “ji” from “jiquan.”
“Xu Shi.” Xiao Yu leaned over again.
Xu Shi: “Hm?”
Xiao Yu asked, “You’ve spent so much time with her. What’s she like?”
Xu Shi: “She’s great. She’s a very nice person.”
Xiao Yu smiled. “So nice she keeps swapping you back and forth.”
Xu Shi faltered. “There was a reason,” she added. “My fault. I didn’t do a good job.”
“Oh,” Xiao Yu said. “So her transferring you back was an act of her magnanimity?”
Xu Shi: “Yes.”
Xiao Yu laughed again. “Xu Shi, don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her too.”
Xu Shi made a very confused sound. “Huh?”
Xiao Yu burst out laughing. “Just kidding, just kidding. You’re way too straight.”
Xu Shi nodded. “Yes, I’m straight.”
Xiao Yu was thoroughly amused by Xu Shi.
Before long, the program moved on to the awards segment. Xu Shi had a schedule in her hand. She waited and waited, and when it was finally time for Yu Lingshan’s award, she felt a little nervous for some reason.
Only when she heard the host call Yu Lingshan’s name did Xu Shi let out a breath and smile from the bottom of her heart.
She watched Yu Lingshan rise from her seat and walk onto the stage amidst thunderous applause.
Xu Shi quickly took out her phone, but she suddenly remembered what Yu Lingshan had said about clapping for her, so she immediately put her phone down and joined in for the last couple of claps with everyone else.
Yu Lingshan’s acceptance speech was simple and steady. She sincerely thanked a few people, said thank you to the host, and walked off the stage to another round of applause.
And Yu Lingshan’s second award came just five minutes after the first.
As Xu Shi raised her phone, she heard Xiao Yu say beside her, “Impressive.”
Xu Shi completely agreed. “She is.”
Xu Shi had a feeling Yu Lingshan would check her photos, so after Yu Lingshan came back down, she opened her photo album and meticulously deleted all the bad shots—the blurry ones, the ones with bad angles.
Then she saw, above those photos, the picture she had saved the other night of Yu Lingshan smiling at the camera. She couldn’t resist opening it again, zooming in on Yu Lingshan’s face, on her eyes.
It was like a fox, enchanting. Xu Shi stared for a long, long time, until Xiao Yu accidentally bumped her, and she finally came back down to earth.
She was afraid Yu Lingshan would discover this picture, but she couldn’t bear to part with it. After some thought, she sent the photo to herself via WeChat before going back into her album to delete it.
The awards ceremony ended half an hour later, right around dinnertime. The host said a few words, and the afternoon session was dismissed.
The people sitting around them all started to move, looking for the person they were responsible for.
Xu Shi also stood up. Suddenly, Tingting appeared out of nowhere beside her and thrust a coat into her hands.
“I have to run, it’s a bit cold outside. Put this on her for me, and call me if you need anything.” Tingting spoke in a rush. “There’s a tube of the lipstick she used today in the pocket, and a powder puff. But if she needs anything else, could you please go to her room and get it? Thanks!”
Xu Shi managed an “oh,” and Tingting was gone.
Xu Shi felt like she was Yu Lingshan’s assistant.
When she reached Yu Lingshan, she found her still sitting in her seat, sipping water through a straw. All the other designers were already standing, but she didn’t move an inch.
Xu Shi didn’t say anything, simply walking to her side and showing her face to announce her presence.
Yu Lingshan glanced up slightly, then her gaze fell on the coat draped over Xu Shi’s arm.
“You actually knew to bring me a coat.”
Xu Shi: “Tingting gave it to me. She said it was cold outside.”
Yu Lingshan: “Oh.”
Yu Lingshan continued to drink her water. Xu Shi wasn’t in a hurry and continued to stand and wait. Only when the water bottle was half empty did Yu Lingshan show any intention of moving.
But instead of standing up first, she raised her hand.
Xu Shi quickly went over to help the queen up, lending her some support. Then, very perceptively, she draped the coat over Yu Lingshan’s shoulders.
Yu Lingshan bent over to put the bottle on the table, and the coat suddenly slipped off one shoulder.
Xu Shi quickly pulled it back up for her.
Yu Lingshan turned to fix her hair, and the coat slipped off a shoulder again—the right one, still.
Xu Shi quickly pulled it back up for her again.
Yu Lingshan suddenly smiled, shrugged her shoulder, and the coat fell off again.
Xu Shi pulled it back up for her again.
The moment it was on, Yu Lingshan shrugged again.
Xu Shi: “…”
My lady…
Xu Shi helped her put it on for the fourth time, exasperated. “Teacher Yu…”
This time, Yu Lingshan stopped messing around. She grabbed the two lapels herself and said with a smile, “Not fun.”
On their way out, Xu Shi ran into Xiao Yu and her group. Xiao Yu was too busy to come over, but she kept giving Xu Shi meaningful looks. Xu Shi responded with a nod.
So, after they went outside, Xu Shi cleared her throat and called out, “Teacher Yu.”
Yu Lingshan turned to look at Xu Shi. “What is it?”
Xu Shi stammered, “My colleague, the one who came with me this time, she, she asked me… she’d like to take a picture with you,” Xu Shi asked cautiously, “Is that okay?”
Yu Lingshan was straightforward. “Sure.”
Xu Shi: “Thank you, Teacher Yu.”
Yu Lingshan: “Don’t call me Teacher Yu.” She added, “And also, the only reason she can take a picture with me is because of you. I don’t just take photos with anyone. Understand?”
“I understand,” Xu Shi smiled. “Thank you, thank you very much.”
Yu Lingshan scoffed and muttered, “Like hell you understand.”
The term jiquan is the pinyin for two different Mandarin phrases that sound identical. Xiao Yu is referring to “姬圈” (jī quān), which is slang for the “lesbian circle.” However, Xu Shi mishears it as the homophone “鸡圈” (jī quān), which literally translates to “chicken coop,” leading to her confused response.
The very crux of your writing whilst appearing reasonable at first, did not really sit very well with me after some time. Somewhere within the paragraphs you actually were able to make me a believer unfortunately only for a very short while. I however have got a problem with your jumps in assumptions and you might do well to fill in those gaps. When you can accomplish that, I will undoubtedly end up being fascinated.