Jin Hanshuang took a leisurely walk with Lu Yunshu in the park.
The night breeze occasionally blew Lu Yunshu's long hair towards Jin Hanshuang, carrying a gentle fragrance.
Then Lu Yunshu tied her hair up.
She used the hair tie from Jin Hanshuang's wrist, as she had forgotten to bring her own.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
They naturally chatted, talking about what they should.
Talking about the person Lu Yunshu liked.
Mostly, Jin Hanshuang was asking, like a strategist diligently gathering intelligence.
"Have you liked her for a long time?"
"Yes."
"Then, knowing her for so long, why didn't you confess earlier?"
"There wasn't an opportunity before."
"No opportunity? What do you mean?"
"She had... someone."
"Oh~ Recently broke up?"
"Yes, she's single now."
"I see, if it took so long to break up, the relationship must have been good."
Lu Yunshu fell silent.
She couldn't respond to that.
Seeing this, Jin Hanshuang thought she was feeling down, so she naturally comforted her, "Oh, it's okay. They broke up, right? Let her look forward to the future, look forward to you."
Lu Yunshu chuckled softly, saying nothing.
Seeing her smile, Jin Hanshuang changed the topic to a very important question: "I forgot to ask earlier, does she also like women? You wouldn't fall for a straight woman, would you?"
The smile on Lu Yunshu's lips deepened, and she shook her head, "No, she's not."
Jin Hanshuang nodded knowingly, "Good."
And that was the end of it.
Their conversation abruptly paused.
After a while, Lu Yunshu picked it up again.
"Will Shen Wenxin... come here?"
Starting with her nemesis, surprisingly.
It shouldn't be, mentioning her was a mood killer, but it was the most fitting topic now.
Would Shen Wenxin come? Would she suddenly show up?
Would she be shocked to see her walking with Jin Hanshuang?
Would she accuse Jin Hanshuang of associating with her?
Jin Hanshuang still smiled, "Yes, when she doesn't want to stay alone, doesn't want to go to a friend's house, and doesn't want to go to her uncle's house, she comes to me-oh, you should know her uncle is-"
"Her biological father."
Lu Yunshu continued her words.
Yes, Shen Wenxin was not Chairman Shen Minghai's biological daughter; she was adopted by Shen Minghai from his brother.
Because Shen Minghai couldn't have children and wanted a smart child.
Coincidentally, Shen Wenxin was very smart from a young age, and even more coincidentally, she had the Shen family's bloodline.
In this circle, this wasn't much of a secret.
Jin Hanshuang smiled and nodded, "Wenxin usually tells me in advance before she comes, so you don't have to worry about running into her."
Lu Yunshu understood.
"Time flies," Jin Hanshuang suddenly sighed at the moon, "When I first met you two, you were still in school. In the blink of an eye, you've both become CEOs, capable of handling things on your own. You seem to have changed a lot, yet not at all. For example, you're still afraid of the dark."
Lu Yunshu blinked lightly, her lips curving slightly, listening quietly.
Jin Hanshuang's memory instantly returned to that night, a night that left a deep impression on her.
"I remember the streetlight was broken that day. You wanted to walk with me but were too shy, so you secretly followed me home."
Lu Yunshu's voice was a bit embarrassed, "I didn't secretly..."
Jin Hanshuang's voice was full of teasing laughter, "Hmm? Didn't you?"
Lu Yunshu fell silent, then sighed, "Alright, I did."
"So you remember it so clearly."
Lu Yunshu couldn't help but look into Jin Hanshuang's eyes, which were sparkling.
Jin Hanshuang suddenly smiled, her lips curving lazily with a hint of mischief, "Yes, I remember it very clearly. Your expression."
It was that day she learned this child was afraid of the dark.
And it was also that day this child learned she had a lover-learned she was a lesbian.
Lu Yunshu: "..."
She slowly averted her gaze, looking ahead.
Her expression that day must have been very surprised.
It was the first semester of senior year, on a weekend night before autumn had set in.
Lu Yunshu had gone out with classmates during the day and was just returning, needing to pass through a long alley to get back to the neighborhood.
The alley was lit with orange lights, and branches she never bothered to name hung down from the white walls, swaying slightly in the cool breeze.
She walked past a white wall covered in vines with her bag on her back.
The next second, the light above her head suddenly went out, and darkness enveloped her.
Her steps froze, and she didn't dare move.
In the darkness, there seemed to be a ghostly wind, chilling her to the bone.
Her ability to think was forcibly shut down.
A few seconds later, she mustered her courage, slowly looking around. The lights in the residential buildings were on; it was the streetlight that had gone out.
"..."
Of all times to go out.
There was light ahead; the lights further down were probably still working.
Listening to the sounds from the surrounding residential buildings, a bit of courage welled up in her heart. She steeled herself, gripped her backpack straps tightly, and dashed towards the light ahead.
The woman who had recently moved in to take care of Shen Wenxin, Shen Wenxin's mother, a very beautiful woman.
Shen Wenxin seemed to have a good relationship with this stepmother.
But Jin Hanshuang was not alone.
There was another woman in front of her.
That woman was hugging her, and she was hugging the woman, gently patting her back, stroking her head, as if comforting her.
The woman seemed to say something in her ear, then quickly kissed her-on the lips.
Lu Yunshu saw Jin Hanshuang's lips curve into a smile, a gentle and sweet smile, without a trace of anger.
She even, even returned the kiss, tenderly and sweetly.
Lu Yunshu stood frozen.
What was this situation?
An affair?
Shen Wenxin's mother was having an affair, with a woman.
With... a woman??
Her mind was blown.
Lu Yunshu was stunned, not knowing what to do.
At that moment, Jin Hanshuang saw her.
Surprise flashed across Jin Hanshuang's face, clearly recognizing her, but her expression quickly became calm and composed.
Lu Yunshu saw Jin Hanshuang let the woman leave first.
She saw Jin Hanshuang walking towards her.
She saw Jin Hanshuang give her an apologetic yet particularly beautiful smile, speaking softly, "Good child, you won't tell anyone, right?"
Lu Yunshu couldn't speak for a long time.
She didn't know what to say.
She didn't even know why she was the one to witness this scene-Shen Wenxin's nemesis.
After a long pause, she finally forced out a stiff sentence, "We're not familiar."
Jin Hanshuang smiled and said, "Then you can't tell anyone what you saw tonight. It's our secret."
A bit domineering.
Lu Yunshu pursed her lips and remained silent.
Jin Hanshuang said, "If you tell the secret, I'll be very sad."
Lu Yunshu finally spoke, "What you're doing will make others sad."
Jin Hanshuang asked, "Who?"
Lu Yunshu: "..."
Lu Yunshu: "Shen Wenxin... and her dad."
It was unbelievable that she would one day stand up for the Shen family.
Jin Hanshuang laughed at her words.
She laughed without any psychological burden, openly.
"You're really good," she suddenly said.
Lu Yunshu: "...?"
Inexplicable.
"But you don't need to worry about that. No one will be sad."
"Why?"
"Because the adult world is very complicated."
"How complicated?"
"Everywhere is complicated."
"..."
Inexplicable, as if she hadn't said anything.
Jin Hanshuang smiled and turned to walk towards their neighborhood, "Let's go home, little one. The road ahead is a bit dark, I can walk with you."
"Dark? The lights ahead are also broken?"
"Hmm? The lights behind are also broken?"
"...Yes."
"How strange."
"..."
Not strange, very annoying.
Looking at this inexplicable woman in front of her.
Lu Yunshu's steps didn't move.
Her mind was still replaying the scene of the affair.
There's nothing good about affairs, parents having affairs, children suffering, yet she said no one would be sad... hard to understand, complicated adults.
Jin Hanshuang wanted to walk away, but considering Lu Yunshu's safety, she stood and waited for a while, but the child in front of her didn't move.
The child seemed to be challenging her.
"Then call your nanny to pick you up."
With that, Jin Hanshuang turned and walked away.
As soon as she left, the little one followed.
Secretly, cautiously keeping a distance.
She heard the footsteps and smiled to herself, thinking this child was quite amusing, but she didn't turn around to expose her and kept walking straight ahead.
When they stepped into the darkness, Jin Hanshuang sensed the person behind her suddenly getting closer, but still maintaining a distance, just walking faster.
It seemed like... fear.
"Are you afraid of the dark?"
Jin Hanshuang didn't turn around.
After asking, she kept walking and waiting, and after a while, she finally heard the little one behind her softly, almost reluctantly, respond, "Yes."
Followed by, "Don't tell Shen Wenxin, this is also our secret."
Lu Yunshu was afraid Shen Wenxin would think she was a coward.
She was afraid Shen Wenxin would laugh at her.
Just thinking about it was annoying.
Shen Wenxin must not know!
Then she heard the gentle voice from the person in front of her, "Then stay close to me."
Later, Jin Hanshuang very proactively suggested exchanging contact information.
"Next time you encounter this situation and your nanny isn't around, you can call me, and I'll come down to get you, as a thank you for keeping my secret," Jin Hanshuang said.
At that time, Jin Hanshuang really thought Lu Yunshu's nanny wasn't home, so Lu Yunshu chose to follow her.
But that day, Lu Yunshu just wanted to get home quickly.
What Lu Yunshu didn't expect was that to this day, Jin Hanshuang still remembered this secret.
Her brows and eyes were filled with gentle joy.
A promise from her youth, remembered by the one she liked, how could that not make her happy?
"So," she began, "did Shen Wenxin always know?"
"Hmm?"
"That you like women."
"Yes."
Shen Wenxin didn't care either.
She never cared about Shen Minghai and Jin Hanshuang's love life.
She only asked them not to bring their partners in front of her to bother her.
Back then, Shen Wenxin had the same request for this stepmother: date whoever you want, just don't bring them home.
Jin Hanshuang thought at the time: this kid is quite accepting, pretty cool.
"So... does Shen Minghai know too?"
A very obvious question.
The answer was an open secret among those who knew them, never openly discussed.
But Lu Yunshu couldn't help it.
She couldn't help but ask, couldn't help but want to know why, why she chose him, why she didn't get a divorce.
Her feelings had been frozen for a long time because of Shen Minghai's existence.
Jin Hanshuang curved her lips, not answering.
Everything was understood without words.
Lu Yunshu couldn't help but push further, "Why did you two get married?"
Jin Hanshuang smiled at her words and finally spoke:
"President Lu, this conversation is getting a bit deep."
Silence.
After a moment, Lu Yunshu lowered her gaze, "Sorry."
What to do, they weren't even close enough to speak freely yet.
......
Lu Yunshu went home, carrying a heart that wasn't allowed to cross boundaries.
She lay on her bed, silently looking at the black hair tie on her wrist.
Jin Hanshuang's hair tie.
She forgot to return it when she left.
Jin Hanshuang didn't ask for it back either, seemingly forgetting about it.
Her phone kept chiming with notifications.
It was a group chat with a few friends.
They were talking about her and Jin Hanshuang.
Mainly about the issue of boundaries.
[Fan Jia]: It's quite normal, after all, you didn't have much interaction before, not even friends.
[Le You]: Willing to accept a gift is still very hopeful, it means she doesn't reject your approach.
[Fan Jia]: Right, today she accepted the gift, the next step is to become friends.
[Fan Jia]: The next step after that is to become girlfriends!
[Fan Jia]: Then get married!
[Little Fanfan]: Get married!!!
[Le You]: Get married!!!
Lu Yunshu: "..."
She couldn't help but laugh.
These three had even less sense of boundaries than she did.
[Little Fanfan]: Don't sulk, come out and get married @Lu Yunshu
[Le You]: Don't sulk, come out and get married @Lu Yunshu
[Fan Jia]: Don't sulk, come out and get married @Lu Yunshu
[Lu Yunshu]: Be serious.
[Lu Yunshu]: We can't get a marriage certificate.
[Little Fanfan]: She even corrected that same-sex couples can't get a certificate.
[Le You]: She's super in love.
[Fan Jia]: She must have already thought about the wedding venue.
[Le You]: And where to go for the honeymoon.
[Little Fanfan]: Has she thought about how to get Shen Wenxin to call her mom?
[Fan Jia]: Hahahahahahahaha Shen Wenxin is going to call the police!
Lu Yunshu couldn't argue with them and put down her phone, amused.
Their teasing had dispelled much of her gloom and given her a new goal-become friends first.
Since she couldn't immediately become Jin Hanshuang's girlfriend, she would become her friend first.
A friend she could talk deeply with.
A friend she could talk about anything with.
Step by step, slowly but surely.
Now that the gift had been given, what should she do next?
Lu Yunshu picked up Jin Hanshuang's black hair tie again, silently looking at it.
After a while, she put down the hair tie, picked up her phone, opened the camera, aimed at the hair tie, and clicked.
[Accidentally took it with me.]
After a while, Jin Hanshuang's status changed to: Typing...
[Jin Hanshuang]: Then keep it.
[Jin Hanshuang]: Consider it something I exchanged with President Lu.
[Lu Yunshu]: Exchanged for what?
After another wait.
[Jin Hanshuang]: This.
[Jin Hanshuang]: [Image]
A selfie.
In the picture, she sat in front of a vanity, her reflection in the mirror.
A beautiful black halter pearl dress, soft and fluffy curls, and a crescent tassel earring on her exposed ear.
Her eyes were lazy and smiling, her gaze bright and radiant in the mirror.
Jin Hanshuang had specifically found an outfit to match these earrings and was happily admiring herself.
She also let Lu Yunshu admire it, affirming her taste.
Lu Yunshu looked at the selfie for a long time without moving.
Then she reached out, saved the picture.
Opened the voice message, her lips parted, and sent it.
Jin Hanshuang looked at the sudden voice message, clicked it, and heard: "Very beautiful."
Jin Hanshuang was taken aback.
Three simple words, a simple compliment.
But it was extremely gentle, with a hint of a smile, and combined with her naturally mature voice... impressive.
[Jin Hanshuang]: Sounds great.
[Jin Hanshuang]: Send more.
She pressed send too quickly, not finishing her message.
She continued typing, but received three voice messages from Lu Yunshu in a row.
"Really?
"Then I'll use voice more.
"Is that okay?"
After listening to the three still very pleasant voice messages, Jin Hanshuang couldn't help but laugh, finishing her message: [Send more to the person you like.]
Such a nice voice shouldn't be wasted.
She didn't expect this child to be so obedient. She said send more, and she really did.
So well-behaved, Lu Yunshu.
Lu Yunshu sent another voice message: "Got it, I'll use voice more when talking to her."
Followed by: "Thank you for the advice, Sister."
Jin Hanshuang listened to the last one again.
Thank you for the advice, Sister.
Sister.
Jin Hanshuang's eyes curved into a smile.
Well-behaved girl, Lu Yunshu.
[Wishing President Lu a sweet romance soon.]
Lu Yunshu looked at the message, staring at the title.
President Lu... she didn't want to hear her call her President Lu.