Princess Syndrome - Chapter 126
Chapter 126: A Fight Brewing
Even after hanging up, Zhang Xian remained puzzled. How could Su Lingyue be so capable as to find Ji Zhiyi's first love? Love truly made people formidable!
Thinking of Chu Yi, who was joining them tonight, she couldn't help but call her.
Chu Yi was still clueless about meeting Ji Zhiyi's first love tonight. She hadn't heard anything about it; Su Lingyue hadn't mentioned it during their earlier conversation. Chu Yi had assumed it was a regular dinner.
Was it a Hongmen Banquet then?
No, why would she think that? She wasn't Ji Zhiyi.
Chu Yi said, "Just eat and drink. What are you afraid of?"
Zhang Xian was speechless.
She understood why Su Lingyue and Chu Yi were such good friends; sometimes, their nonchalant attitudes were identical!
Chu Yi didn't seem worried, but how could Zhang Xian not be? She was worried for Ji Zhiyi. "It's been so long. Has Lingyue still not let go?"
Hearing this, Chu Yi retorted, "Why is it Lingyue who hasn't let go? Maybe it's Ji Zhiyi who's still hung up and hasn't moved on!"
Zhang Xian immediately refuted, "Impossible! She loves Lingyue so much. Besides, she never mentioned this first love before; it can't be important!"
Chu Yi scoffed, "If it wasn't important, would Lingyue have bothered to find this person? If it wasn't important, would she create a whole series dedicated to her, a series she won't sell or license? If it wasn't important, would she have mentioned writing love letters in the interview? I'm telling you, this means Ji Zhiyi must be paying attention, otherwise how would Lingyue even know where to find this person? Ji Zhiyi must have told her!"
Zhang Xian argued, "That's malicious speculation!"
Chu Yi retorted, "You're the one making malicious accusations!"
Zhang Xian was speechless again.
Chu Yi hung up with a snap. Zhang Xian stared at her phone, biting her lip.
She just wanted to find an ally, someone to help maintain the peace if things got out of hand. Who knew they'd end up arguing? When did Chu Yi become so eloquent?
Zhang Xian had a headache.
After work, she went home and called Ji Zhiyi, but no one answered. She considered calling again but stopped, wondering if it might be inconvenient. She put down her phone and went to take a bath. While soaking in the tub, she pondered who this first love of Ji Zhiyi's could be.
To say that Ji Zhiyi never mentioned this person would be a lie, otherwise Zhang Xian wouldn't even know about them. However, Ji Zhiyi rarely talked about her relationships, so Zhang Xian only gleaned bits of information from snippets of conversations.
They met in high school.
Ji Zhiyi liked her a lot.
Once, at a colleague's wedding, many people tried to set Ji Zhiyi up, but she politely declined. Later, sitting next to her, Zhang Xian asked curiously, "None of them caught your eye?"
Ji Zhiyi replied, "Did you see anyone you liked? I can introduce you."
Zhang Xian waved her hand, "No, and I don't like men anyway."
Ji Zhiyi sipped her wine, smiling at her.
A while later, Mao Jing'an came over and tried to get Ji Zhiyi to drink, even making some drunken, veiled confessions. Zhang Xian was wondering how Ji Zhiyi would handle the situation when Ji Zhiyi said, "Sorry, Sister Mao, I have someone I like."
Mao Jing'an laughed it off, fueled by alcohol, and left.
Zhang Xian had assumed it was an excuse, as she hadn't seen Ji Zhiyi close to anyone. But later, during the interview, she realized Ji Zhiyi really did have someone she'd liked for a long time, someone she'd been interested in since high school. It was just that she never mentioned this person after returning to the country. And then, with her relationship with Su Lingyue, Zhang Xian naturally assumed Ji Zhiyi had moved on.
Perhaps the person she liked had found someone else? Perhaps the feelings had changed?
Regardless, Ji Zhiyi was with Su Lingyue now, so Zhang Xian hadn't thought about the past. If Chu Yi hadn't mentioned the Haoyue collection that day, she wouldn't have even brought it up.
And now, Su Lingyue had invited this person to her home!
Zhang Xian was so shocked she didn't know what to say, but her curiosity intensified. Who wouldn't be curious about the person Ji Zhiyi had cherished for so many years since high school?
But this would hurt Su Lingyue, wouldn't it?
Zhang Xian felt terrible for being so curious about the first love at a time like this.
She scolded herself inwardly. After her bath, she grabbed her bag and rushed to Ji Zhiyi's place. At the door, she bumped into Chu Yi, who was about to knock. Hesitating at the threshold, Chu Yi was startled when Zhang Xian called out from behind her.
Chu Yi spun around like a frightened bird, relieved to see it was Zhang Xian.
But she didn't speak.
Su Lingyue hadn't mentioned the first love to her. Was she upset with Ji Zhiyi? What should she do if something really happened? Should she just drag Su Lingyue away? But Su Lingyue's feelings for Ji Zhiyi were deeper than she'd imagined. Would she be able to drag her away? Lost in her thoughts, she heard Zhang Xian call her name again.
Chu Yi replied, "I'm here."
As if nothing had happened.
She seemed to have completely forgotten about their argument and hanging up on Zhang Xian.
Zhang Xian was bewildered.
This feeling was truly strange.
She simply said, "Okay."
They stood at the door.
Zhang Xian asked, "Should we knock?"
Chu Yi suggested, "You do it."
Zhang Xian stared at the doorbell, contemplating for two seconds. With a 'whatever happens, happens' mentality and prepared for a tense atmosphere inside, she pressed the doorbell. A moment later, a voice called out, "Coming."
Footsteps approached.
Su Lingyue opened the door, beaming. "You're here?"
She looked at the two of them. "Why did you both come together?"
Chu Yi explained, "We met at the door."
She looked inside, trying to find any trace of the first love, but there was nothing. The house was empty, the living room deserted. She asked, "Where's Ji Zhiyi?"
What she really wanted to ask was, "Where's the first love?"
Su Lingyue stepped aside, saying, "In the kitchen. Come in."
Zhang Xian and Chu Yi exchanged glances and entered after changing their shoes. Instead of lounging on the sofa as they usually did, they stood stiffly in the living room. The TV was on, curtains drawn. They noticed the sofa had been changed to a grey leather one, looking incredibly soft.
They looked at each other again.
Zhang Xian gestured towards the sofa with her eyes, seemingly asking, "Did they fight so badly they ripped the old sofa apart?"
Chu Yi shrugged.
Zhang Xian walked over and sat down. "Lingyue, you changed your sofa?"
Su Lingyue paused, then softly replied, "Yes," adding, "The old one is in the study now."
Zhang Xian responded with an "Oh," then commented, "This one is nice. And soft."
She was clearly making small talk.
Zhang Xian stood up. "I'll go see if she needs any help."
Su Lingyue said, "She's ladling the soup. Dinner will be ready soon."
As she finished speaking, Chu Yi said, "I'll go wash my hands."
Zhang Xian immediately followed suit, "Me too."
Su Lingyue watched their figures disappear into the bathroom and smiled to herself.
When Zhang Xian came out, she saw Su Lingyue and Ji Zhiyi sitting at the dining table. The food was ready, and the wine was poured. She and Chu Yi exchanged bewildered looks, and finally, Chu Yi couldn't hold back anymore. She asked Su Lingyue, "Is it just us tonight?"
Su Lingyue replied, "Yes, did you invite other friends?"
Zhang Xian sat down cautiously, "Didn't you say—"
Su Lingyue finished her sentence, "Ji Zhiyi's first love?"
Silence fell over the dining room. A strange tension filled the air. Zhang Xian glanced at Ji Zhiyi, who was sipping her wine, her face slightly flushed. She avoided their gaze. Seeing her like this, Zhang Xian grew suspicious. Suddenly, it was as if lightning struck her, enlightenment dawning upon her. She looked at Su Lingyue. "Could it be..."
Ji Zhiyi had never specified who or what her loved one was like.
But not mentioning it didn't mean it wasn't Su Lingyue!
Realization hit Zhang Xian. "It's you?"
Su Lingyue looked at her, blinked, and smiled, seemingly confirming it.
Zhang Xian shot up from her chair. Chu Yi, sitting beside her, quickly moved to restrain her. Zhang Xian exclaimed, "Let go of me! She tricked us!"
Su Lingyue leaned against Ji Zhiyi, laughing uncontrollably. Ji Zhiyi, too, was smiling, watching their antics.
Zhang Xian flailed her arms, her waist held tightly by Chu Yi. She was near tears. "I..." Remembering her earlier thoughts, she felt foolish for worrying about Su Lingyue's pain and being curious about Ji Zhiyi's first love.
Now, she wanted to beat her chest in frustration.
Were these two even human?!
Chu Yi was firmly on Su Lingyue's side. "You didn't figure it out, so how can you blame Lingyue?"
Zhang Xian asked her, "Did you figure it out?"
Chu Yi's tone didn't change. "Nope."
Zhang Xian was speechless yet again.
She was going to die of anger!
Seeing her red face, Su Lingyue pulled Chu Yi and said, "I apologize, I apologize." She raised her glass. "Is one glass enough?"
Zhang Xian snorted.
Su Lingyue poured another glass, this time filling it to the brim. Ji Zhiyi said, "Slowly."
Zhang Xian felt embarrassed to continue making a fuss. Su Lingyue had apologized with two glasses of wine, so she sat back down. Chu Yi asked curiously, "So, you two knew each other in high school?"
Su Lingyue shook her head.
Ji Zhiyi explained, "I knew her, but she didn't know me. "
Chu Yi nodded. "A secret crush."
Zhang Xian recalled what Ji Zhiyi had said in the interview, about the love letter she'd given that wasn't accepted. She was initially annoyed but now found it amusing. She started laughing. The others looked at her. Zhang Xian blinked and, seeing their continued stares, felt embarrassed. "Eat, eat. What are you looking at me for?"
Su Lingyue looked at her and asked, "Are you still mad?"
The coaxing tone was too much for Zhang Xian to handle. She put on a magnanimous air. "Don't let it happen again!"
She took a sip of wine to calm herself. Su Lingyue refilled their glasses. As Zhang Xian drank, she realized something. "So, you initially targeted Su Qi because of Lingyue?"
Ji Zhiyi said, "You've already asked this."
Zhang Xian remembered she had indeed asked, but Ji Zhiyi hadn't revealed that Su Lingyue was her first love, the girl she had written love letters to. Zhang Xian felt deeply hurt. She clutched her chest dramatically. Seeing her like this, Ji Zhiyi said, "You didn't ask that specifically."
Zhang Xian was at a loss for words.
She was truly defeated.
Chu Yi, sitting next to her, burst out laughing. Zhang Xian turned to her. "Are you laughing at me?"
Chu Yi denied it, "No, I'm not."
Zhang Xian muttered to herself, clearly being mocked but not admitting it. Feeling annoyed, she drank a few more glasses. By the time the steak arrived, they had finished a bottle of wine. Zhang Xian, who enjoyed wine and often had a few drinks at home, urged Ji Zhiyi to open another. They didn't eat much steak but finished quite a bit of wine. Since they were on the topic of first love, they inevitably started sharing some of their more embarrassing stories from their school days. Zhang Xian shared, "I wrote a love letter once too. "
The three looked at her. The alcohol had gone to her head, her face flushed and mind hazy, so she spoke without much reservation. "And she told me I was crazy. "
Chu Yi burst out laughing, her laughter growing louder and louder.
Zhang Xian turned to her, "What are you laughing at? Haven't you ever written a love letter?"
Chu Yi replied, "I have."
Zhang Xian pressed, "So what are you laughing about? Did they accept yours?"
Chu Yi responded, "Nope."
Zhang Xian was indignant. "Then why are you laughing at me?!"
Chu Yi seemed genuinely confused. "I just thought it was funny. "
Zhang Xian was exasperated.
She was going to fight Chu Yi one day!
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