Chapter 131: Driven by interest

“I know why you invited me out.”

Shen Yue spoke in a soft, slow tone, her expression no longer wary and timid as it was last time.

Instead, she was calm and open: “To be honest, this piece isn’t even very complete, and I don’t plan on continuing it, so I don’t think you need to cling to me.”

As she spoke, she rambled on as if listing all the shortcomings of her own composition: “I don’t know if you’ve ever looked into… my background, but the truth is, I’m not professionally trained. I have a younger sister, and when we were little, I’d often play random tunes for her to hear. Little by little, it became a hobby.”

“So I’m actually able to accept critiques—even harsh ones—from professionals. But—”

Shen Yue paused suddenly, her voice tinged with a faint, nearly imperceptible sadness: “There are some things I never did, yet countless accusations still landed on my head… I’ve been tormented by that kind of public opinion for so long, truly, much longer than you’d imagine. That’s why I don’t want to get involved in these things anymore.”

She didn’t really mind honest criticism of her music, because Shen Yue understood that everyone has different tastes, and her song isn’t RMB—how could everyone possibly like it?

But the point of that incident wasn’t about her music. It was that she was just seriously writing her own song, and any talk of her arguing with Candy’s members was complete nonsense. Still, countless so-called bystanders, knowing nothing, took the moral high ground to criticize her. She felt like a criminal, tied to a post and awaiting judgment, suffering stab after stab.

Jiang Ling listened to her somewhat rambling but earnest words, and the long speech she’d prepared didn’t know where to begin anymore.

“No one has ever found my alternate account before, so I just posted some everyday inspirations. I never expected you’d be the one to find them—it feels kind of like fate, actually.”

“But to be honest, I’m really scared now. I’ve never been a brave person. This feeling of being stabbed in the back… it really hurts.”

Shen Yue pursed her lips, her gaze sincere.

And taking the chance to meet her eyes, Jiang Ling realized that today Shen Yue was wearing makeup—deliberately using heavier colors to try to hide her youthful face. She wasn’t wearing a casual T-shirt either, but had changed into a knee-length dress, black and white in simple, elegant contrast. Yet none of this could hide her cuteness. The overall impression was like a delicate doll from a dress-up game—petite and utterly charming.

Facing that unguarded, slightly bitter gaze, Jiang Ling found she simply couldn’t utter the words she’d meant to say: “Let’s try again.”

She really did want to help Shen Yue, but honestly, if she ignored what Shen Yue actually wanted, wouldn’t that just be self-indulgence?

And maybe this was exactly what Bai Xue had meant—that it would be better for both her and NOVA.

Jiang Ling understood all the logic, but the strange feeling in her heart refused to go away.

She knew that the “right” thing to do now was to nod in agreement, leave Shen Yue’s sight without a fuss, and go look for another song for NOVA.

But would that really be okay?

Jiang Ling questioned herself silently.

No answer came.

So she asked again: If she kept being stubborn, would that be right?

Again, no answer.

This whole matter was like an unsolvable Math Problem, tangled up in Jiang Ling’s mind, making her already hazy thoughts even more chaotic.

To put it plainly, she wanted to meddle, but Shen Yue, the one involved, didn’t want her help.

Jiang Ling felt as though she were stuck in a quagmire she couldn’t escape.

She knew she absolutely couldn’t go against Shen Yue’s wishes, but was what Shen Yue said really what she truly felt inside?

In fact, Jiang Ling understood why Shen Yue would refuse—after all, what happened to her was entirely unjust.

“Are you willing to give up now?”

Shen Yue watched as the Waiter brought over the coffee, lifted her cup slowly, and took a sip, the creamy latte art smearing slightly at the corner of her lips.

Jiang Ling didn’t answer right away, instead pulling out a napkin and handing it over with a troubled look: “Wipe your mouth.”

“Ah? Ah…”

Noticing Jiang Ling’s gaze, Shen Yue’s face instantly turned red as she quickly took the napkin, carefully wiping her lips.

The heavy atmosphere lightened considerably.

And in that moment, Jiang Ling suddenly saw things clearly.

“What doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger!”

With determined eyes, she clenched her fist, looking as if she were ready to face death without fear.

Shen Yue almost choked on her coffee, coughed twice, then frowned helplessly at Jiang Ling’s burning gaze: “You really are persistent!”

That animated expression made her delicate little face even cuter—her cheeks seemed stuffed full of soft, sweet cotton candy, making it hard not to reach out and poke—

In fact, Jiang Ling didn’t hold back and did poke her.

“Bo.”

Shen Yue stared blankly at Jiang Ling’s action, making a tiny sound.

For a moment, the air was silent.

Moments later, Shen Yue’s already slightly flushed face turned bright red. She frantically waved her hand in front of her face: “In any case, I’m not going to agree with you!”

“Please say yes!”

“No!”

“If you don’t agree, I’ll kneel down right now, hug your legs, and bawl my eyes out!”

Jiang Ling declared with righteous conviction.

For NOVA, she’d do anything!

Hearing that, a complicated look flashed across Shen Yue’s face as she avoided Jiang Ling’s gaze: “That’s way too embarrassing, please, I’m begging you, don’t do that.”

“Then just say yes—”

When Shen Yue left the café, she let out a long, heartfelt sigh.

She really hadn’t felt this exhausted in ages!

Just as she was trying to calm her breathing, a cheerful voice called out from nearby.

“Jie~ jie~”

Looking over, she saw a little girl who looked almost identical to her—both in face and build—waving at her. Under her right eye was a small mole that Shen Yue didn’t have, and her playful expression contrasted with the pitiful tone of her voice: “Why’d you take so long to come out? Your little sister has been waiting so bitterly, wu wu wu~”

Seeing her sister’s obvious look of boredom, Shen Yue instantly switched from her earlier gentle manner, putting on a stern face that was totally unthreatening as she scolded: “Ranran, did you sneak out again?”

“It’s just because I was worried about you.”

The girl called Ranran was, of course, Shen Yue’s twin sister, Shen Ran.

She eyed Shen Yue’s slightly tired yet cheerful expression with interest and asked, “You met her? What’s her name… Jiang Ling?”

“Mm, I wanted her to give up early.”

Shen Yue flagged down a car, got in with Shen Ran, and smiled softly: “Even if we can’t be partners, as a friend, she’s really interesting.”

There weren’t many people who could talk to Shen Yue these days—aside from Shen Ran, Jiang Ling was probably the only one left. She hadn’t planned on cutting Jiang Ling off completely.

“But after talking so long, I’m pretty tired. I’ll sleep a bit, wake me up when we get there.”

As Shen Yue closed her eyes and dozed off with peace of mind, Shen Ran arched her brows slightly, tapping her cheek with one finger, a rhythmic tapping sound. With her other hand, she quickly unlocked her phone, soon finding the name that had come up over and over from her sister’s lips: Jiang Ling.

Looking at the girl’s bright smile on the screen, Shen Ran glanced at her sister, who’d once been so defeated she wouldn’t even step outside her room. On that sweet, lovable face now bloomed a sly smile, as mischievous as a little devil.

This person…

Seems really interesting, doesn’t she?