Princess Syndrome - Chapter 121

Chapter 121: Like

Su Lingyue did mind the person Ji Zhiyi liked in high school, but she didn't really mind to the point of disregarding Ji Zhiyi's feelings and criticizing her in front of their friends. At most-- she was just a bit conflicted.

She felt uneasy inside.

But she didn't really show it.

Especially after seeing Zhang Xian's expression, it was as if one more word and she would start fighting with Ji Zhiyi.

It wasn't that serious.

After Ji Zhiyi came out, Zhang Xian gave her a look of help. She went over. "What are you talking about?"

Su Lingyue looked up at her. "Nothing, things from the past."

Zhang Xian breathed a sigh of relief.

She was really afraid that Su Lingyue would get angry and fight with Ji Zhiyi. They had just made up, they couldn't fight again.

Ji Zhiyi sat down beside her. Su Lingyue gave her some fruit, saying, "It’s sweet, we should go out and buy some more later.”

Chu Yi said, "I'll buy it, and send it to you."

Su Lingyue said, "No need. We'll go out later anyway."

Chu Yi asked, "Going out to buy things?"

Su Lingyue, "We're going to your place this weekend, so we’ll buy some groceries first."

Chu Yi happily said, "Okay."

Seeing this, Zhang Xian said she had to go. Su Lingyue and the others were about to go out later and she didn't want to waste their time. Chu Yi didn't have anything else to do either, so she left with her. Su Lingyue walked them to the door. Zhang Xian was still worried and pulled Su Lingyue over, saying, "Lingyue, don't take those things I said to heart. Ji Zhiyi liked her before, but she hasn't had any contact with her since then."

Su Lingyue nodded, seeing her explaining so cautiously, "I know, Ji Zhiyi already told me."

Only then did Zhang Xian feel relieved, waving goodbye to both of them.

Ji Zhiyi walked to her side. "What were you two whispering about?"

Su Lingyue turned her head to look at her, thinking about the custom shoes and the Haoyue series, it still bothered her. "Secret."

Ji Zhiyi was speechless.

Su Lingyue said, "Which market are we going to?"

At this time, the usual markets were closed. Only the big market in the west was still open. Ji Zhiyi, who previously had her housekeeper buy all her groceries and put them in the fridge, followed Su Lingyue for the first time, driving all the way to the west.

Unlike other places, the night life here had just begun, and even the markets were bustling. Su Lingyue held Ji Zhiyi's hand, turning to look at her in her hat and mask, wearing a loose sweatshirt and jeans. Su Lingyue had helped her put on this outfit. It was completely different from her shrewd and capable look at the office. She looked like a fresh college graduate wearing this outfit.

Su Lingyue said, "You feel like you're in college again."

Ji Zhiyi laughed. "You still remember how I was in college?"

Su Lingyue thought about it for a bit. "I remember."

But in reality, she had very few memories. She only remembered a few sporadic things and some memories that she wasn’t sure were her own. Ji Zhiyi asked, "What do you remember?"

Su Lingyue thought for a long time. "You bringing me water."

Ji Zhiyi was speechless.

Su Lingyue added, "You ate my bread."

Ji Zhiyi couldn't help herself, "You were the one who gave it to me."

Su Lingyue said, "Wasn't it because you were staring at me like a puppy? I felt bad, how could I not give it to you?"

She recalled, "Were you also wearing a hat back then?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "Yeah."

She laughed. "Why were you staring at me back then? Did you think I was too beautiful?"

Ji Zhiyi watched her raised tail and smiled.

Su Lingyue said, "Right? I'm telling you, it would have been better to have liked me then. If you had pursued me back then..."

Ji Zhiyi lowered her head, saying casually, "If I had pursued you back then, you would have agreed."

Hearing this, Su Lingyue thought seriously, and then said, "I don't know."

The pre-meaning of this sentence was that she wouldn't have.

Back then, she had a ton of gifts and love letters every day. She had always been very resistant to love. If Ji Zhiyi had really pursued her, she probably wouldn't have agreed.

But now--

Su Lingyue said, "But maybe, after all, it’s Ji Zhiyi.”

She was coaxing Ji Zhiyi.

Ji Zhiyi could tell what she was doing, she pinched Su Lingyue's nose, and Su Lingyue cried out, running to her side, only to be pulled back by Ji Zhiyi. People who were passing by cast glances at them. Ji Zhiyi pinched Su Lingyue's tiger's mouth.

Su Lingyue turned her head.

Ji Zhiyi didn't say anything.

Su Lingyue asked her, "Why did you pinch me?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "Just because."

Su Lingyue pressed against her side, half of her body leaning on Ji Zhiyi. The two of them looked like students who had just started dating. Their clinginess made those who wanted Su Lingyue’s contact information think twice. Su Lingyue asked, "Should we buy fruit first or vegetables first?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "Let's just look around first."

Su Lingyue thought for a bit and agreed.

Speaking of which, after they started dating, the thing they did the most was stay at home. They rarely went out. Previously, it was because of Ji Zhiyi, she didn’t want to cause Ji Zhiyi any trouble. Now that Ji Zhiyi was leaving Yilin, there weren’t as many things she had to worry about, so Su Lingyue wasn’t as restrained.

The two of them walked along the street. There was a street food area. They had just eaten dinner, so they weren't hungry. But Su Lingyue still bought a big cotton candy, nibbling at it, and asking Ji Zhiyi, who shook her head. She was wearing a mask, so it wasn't really convenient. Su Lingyue didn't force her, and took her for a walk through the street.

On the way back, Su Lingyue noticed someone following her.

She was just about to be on her guard, but when she turned around, she saw it was someone she knew.

Aunt Liu also recognized Su Lingyue. "Lingyue?"

She then apologized, "Su, Miss Su."

Su Lingyue went to her side. Before she could even open her mouth, her eyes were already red. "What 'Miss Su', Aunt Liu, why are you here?"

She was the housekeeper at her old house.

Aunt Liu had been working at the old house before her mother died. Later, after her mother died, they fired some people, and Aunt Liu was one of them. Su Lingyue had cried and made a huge fuss. Her dad didn't want to see her fighting every day, so he rehired Aunt Liu.

Su Lingyue thought she had already gone back to her hometown long ago.

After all, Zhou Shiyu didn't like Aunt Liu. Zhou Shiyu had been the one who wanted to fire her back then.

So, after she had left the old house, she had thought that Aunt Liu had left too.

Aunt Liu said, "No, after you left, the house was very empty, there was no one."

After Su Lingyue left, no one went back to the old house. Even during the New Year, it was empty. Aunt Liu remembered the kindness that Su Lingyue and her mother had shown her, and she also had a salary, so she never left. Su Lingyue nodded, "So, Zhou Shiyu hasn't gone back?"

"No." Aunt Liu waved her hand. "It’s just been me all these years.”

Zhou Shiyu had fired everyone else long ago. It had just been her at the old house all these years.

Aunt Liu guessed that Zhou Shiyu had forgotten about her, had forgotten about the old house.

Su Lingyue nodded.

Aunt Liu said, "You look good now, right?"

They hadn’t seen each other for so long, but when they met again, she was still concerned about whether Su Lingyue was doing well. Back then, when the house was transferred to Zhou Shiyu, Su Lingyue had cried in the house for two days, her eyes red and swollen. It was she who had comforted her while applying a cold compress. “Your dad just had a moment of foolishness. He only has one daughter, and he loves you. Go and be a little spoiled and have a good talk with him. The house will definitely be yours again.”

That stubborn Su Lingyue.

She had been arguing with her father since she was young. Acting spoiled? Having a good talk?

No way.

Su Lingyue moved out of the old house.

Afterwards, she had heard some news about Su Lingyue, but she was powerless to do anything, unable to help in any way. There were a few nights when the wind was strong, and tree branches were banging against the door, making a *pa pa pa* sound. She had even thought that Su Lingyue was knocking on the door. When she opened the door, she only saw empty tree branches and yellow leaves.

Su Lingyue said, "Yeah, I’m doing well now."

Aunt Liu looked at Ji Zhiyi, feeling a little embarrassed to say more, “That’s good.” Her words conveyed her sincerity. Su Lingyue blinked, her eyes becoming hot. Aunt Liu added, “Oh right, you’re living near here now, right?”

Su Lingyue said, "No..."

Aunt Liu said, “Since you’re living nearby, come back to take a look when you’re free.”

Su Lingyue hadn’t said anything yet.

Aunt Liu said, "But I’m going back to my hometown soon."

Su Lingyue looked at her. "When?"

Aunt Liu said, “At the end of the month. My son is coming to pick me up. You know him, you guys used to play together a lot when you were young.”

Su Lingyue nodded, her memories not very clear.

Aunt Liu’s phone rang. She looked at Su Lingyue. “Then I’ll go back first.”

Su Lingyue said, "Okay."

Aunt Liu said, “If you’re free, come back and take a look. I’ll cook you one last meal before I leave.”

Su Lingyue’s nose tingled.

She laughed. "Okay, we’ll see.”

Hearing this, Aunt Liu replied with a soft “ai” and looked at Su Lingyue longingly, before waving and leaving.

Su Lingyue thought about how every time she went out in the past, Aunt Liu would stand at the door, waving to her, watching until she left before going back in. It was the same even when it was raining. Su Lingyue’s heart was touched.

Ji Zhiyi turned her head. "Do you want to go back and take a look?"

Su Lingyue said, "I don't know."

She confessed. "Before, I never came to this part of town because I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from going back. I didn’t want to go back, I didn't want my mother to see me not being happy."

Ji Zhiyi held her hand. "Then Auntie can rest easy now."

Su Lingyue nodded. "Yeah." She said, very satisfied, "Now she can rest easy."

The two of them looked at each other and smiled on the bustling street. Su Lingyue said, "Let's buy things."

Ji Zhiyi followed her into the market. It wasn't a supermarket like the ones they usually went to. There were no marked prices, and you had to haggle. Su Lingyue had seen Ji Zhiyi negotiate business, but she had never seen her haggling over prices at the market stalls. The owner was laughing from her smooth haggling. Su Lingyue gave her a thumbs up and asked, "Where did you learn that?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "When Yilin first started out, negotiating a deal was about the same as this."

That was really beyond what Su Lingyue had imagined. She had thought Ji Zhiyi was successful from the start.

She then felt sorry for her.

But they were outside and she couldn't reward Ji Zhiyi. She held herself back until they got into the car. Only then did Su Lingyue pull down Ji Zhiyi’s mask and kissed her on the face, feeling completely satisfied.

Ji Zhiyi asked her, "Is there anything else you want to buy?"

Su Lingyue shook her head.

Ji Zhiyi asked, “Then shall we go home?”

Su Lingyue said, "Yeah, let's go home."

Saying this, she leaned against the seat and looked ahead. After the car turned, the road became more familiar. Su Lingyue turned her head to look at Ji Zhiyi, not saying anything.

Ji Zhiyi continued to drive forward.

Su Lingyue turned her head to look out the window.

In these past few years, this road hadn't changed at all. The stalls at the side of the road were still there. Fallen leaves were blown onto the front of the car, and were carried away by the wind. Soon, Ji Zhiyi parked the car beside a villa.

Su Lingyue didn't get out of the car, and asked her casually, "Why did you come here?"

Ji Zhiyi said, "I wanted you to go in and pass on a message to Auntie."

Su Lingyue’s eyes turned red instantly, she held it back. “What message?”

Ji Zhiyi looked at her, smiling. "I will always like Su Lingyue."

Patreon

VerseVoyage