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Chapter 31: Red Thread

After the shoot wrapped, the model was still picking her shots when He Xiaoying sat down beside Song Xian. “Want me to treat you to dinner tonight?”

She turned to her. “Why?”

He Xiaoying grinned. “To thank Teacher Jiang, of course. I got a bonus, remember?”

That was true—Song Xian had also been told by Yuan Hong about the bonus. Hers wasn’t as much as He Xiaoying’s, though. At noon, He Xiaoying had already treated everyone to milk tea. Still, she’d been thinking about Jiang Liuyi’s help and wanted to return the favor with a dinner.

Song Xian thought it over. “Let me ask her first.”

It probably wouldn’t be an issue. She and Jiang Liuyi often went out to eat anyway. Song Xian had just dialed and started speaking when He Xiaoying, tactful as ever, went off to tidy up the rest of the gear.

Jiang Liuyi had spent the entire afternoon scouting venues—her eyes were going blurry from it. After narrowing things down with Zhao Yuebai, the latter was suddenly called away by family. That’s when she got Song Xian’s call.

Song Xian asked, “Are you free tonight?”

An invitation?

Jiang Liuyi nodded. “I am.”

“Then let’s eat out. I’ll send you the location in a bit.”

Jiang Liuyi smiled faintly. “Alright.”

After hanging up, she went back to her room to look for something to wear. She tried on two outfits before realizing how ridiculous she was being. It was just dinner. Didn’t they go out to eat all the time? Why was she so nervous?

Trying to calm herself, Jiang Liuyi finally settled on a soft, milky-white loungewear set. The cotton fabric hugged her skin—dry and comfortable. Once she’d changed, she sat in front of the mirror. Even as she told herself she was being ridiculous, she carefully applied a flawless makeup look.

Except for performances, she usually wore only light makeup. But tonight, she went all in, brushing and blending until the reflection in the mirror looked so polished it seemed ready to take the stage.

Jiang Liuyi glanced at herself a few times and felt satisfied.

She headed toward the living room to grab her bag. Just as she reached out, she noticed the red string around her wrist and smiled, lips softly pressed together. Then, almost as an afterthought, she placed the box from the coffee table into her bag and left for the restaurant.

When Song Xian arrived, she didn’t see Jiang Liuyi and, worried she might not find the private room, decided to wait at the entrance. He Xiaoying had gone inside to start ordering. She’d thought about inviting more colleagues, but by the time she got back to the office, everyone had already left for the day—so she resigned herself to being the third wheel.

From a distance, Jiang Liuyi spotted Song Xian standing by the door. She stepped out of the taxi and walked toward her, calling out, “Song Xian.”

Song Xian turned her head. Jiang Liuyi, tall and slender with her long hair down, wore simple loungewear, but her makeup was immaculate—so much so that at first glance, she took your breath away.

Several people nearby had already started glancing their way.

The two of them made a striking pair—both stunning, perfectly matched, pleasing to the eye. No one came over to chat them up, but a few found it hard to look away.

“Let’s head in. Xiaoying’s waiting inside,” Song Xian said.

Jiang Liuyi blinked. “Xiaoying?”

Song Xian nodded. “My colleague, He Xiaoying. The magazine’s sales were great this time, so she’s treating us to dinner. She wanted to thank you.”

Jiang Liuyi followed behind her. “Oh.”

There was a subtle shift in her tone.

Noticing the change, Song Xian turned to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

Jiang Liuyi gave a gentle smile. “Nothing. Let’s go in.”

Inside, He Xiaoying had already placed their order. Since they’d eaten together before, she had a good sense of their tastes. She went with home-style dishes. As soon as Jiang Liuyi walked in, she was warmly welcomed to the table—”Teacher Jiang” this and “Teacher Jiang” that.

Jiang Liuyi smiled. “No need to be so formal.”

“So what should we drink? Song Xian, did you drive? If so, maybe we skip the alcohol tonight and just have some soft drinks?” He Xiaoying asked.

Song Xian nodded. “Sure.”

He Xiaoying went off to ask the server for drinks. Song Xian sat beside Jiang Liuyi, scrolling through her phone for a bit. She finally saw the message Jiang Liuyi had sent earlier. She’d been busy and hadn’t replied yet—hadn’t even mentioned anything about the wedding venue.

As she scrolled all the way down, she saw an image Jiang Liuyi had sent: she was wearing that bracelet.

From the corner of her eye, Song Xian glanced at Jiang Liuyi’s right wrist. Though her sleeve covered part of it, it was clear—she had it on.

She didn’t seem like someone who would enjoy wearing accessories like that.

Song Xian shook her head and put her phone down, then asked, “That wedding venue you mentioned this afternoon—what did you mean?”

Jiang Liuyi was suddenly reminded of what Zhao Yuebai had said.

“What’s the rush with a venue? Shouldn’t you start with a proposal first?”

“And what about the parents? Don’t they need to meet? What, they’re going to brawl at the wedding?”

Jiang Liuyi replied, “It’s nothing. I just realized we’ve never actually had a wedding. I’ve got some free time lately, so I figured I’d start looking around.”

Just as she finished speaking, He Xiaoying came in carrying the drinks. She sat across from them and began pouring, saying, “Teacher Jiang, you wouldn’t believe it—Song Xian made you look amazing in the photos. And with this issue selling so well, tons of people are lining up to collaborate with Man Tong.”

This time, Man Tong had truly stolen the spotlight. Ever since Zhang Susu was poached, the magazine had been at a disadvantage. No one believed they still had anything left up their sleeve—until the news about Jiang Liuyi dropped.

It sent shockwaves through the industry.

Plenty of people even tried to use Man Tong to get close to Jiang Liuyi. Yuan Hong had shut it down immediately, saying the interview only happened because of her wife—no connections could be made. Then, not even half a day later, another magazine came trying to poach Song Xian. Yuan Hong was nearly livid.

Of course, Song Xian had turned them down.

He Xiaoying handed her a drink with a goofy smile, all sweet and pleased. Jiang Liuyi glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. Song Xian’s expression remained serene, her whole presence wrapped in a quiet glow. The crystal chandelier above cast its light over her without a single ripple.

Sitting beside her brought a deep sense of calm.

Turning back, Jiang Liuyi looked at He Xiaoying and said, “As long as the issue sold well. I was worried it might not.”

“No way!” He Xiaoying exclaimed. “Teacher Jiang, you really have no idea how incredible you are, do you? Do you know who’s the most popular in the art world right now? Who else could it be but you! That global tour you did—so many people couldn’t even get tickets!”

She wasn’t exaggerating. Sure, there were artists more technically accomplished than Jiang Liuyi, but her blend of talent and beauty was unbeatable. In a society as fast-paced and image-driven as this one, looks often made the first impression. Combine that with genuine skill, and it was no wonder Jiang Liuyi stood at the top—unquestionably the most sought-after.

Seeing Jiang Liuyi stay silent, He Xiaoying pressed on. “Even my best friend—she’s a die-hard fan! She stares at your photos every night before bed. When she found out you were doing an interview, she was so excited she couldn’t sleep for days! As soon as the magazine dropped, she bought over a hundred copies!”

Realizing how that might’ve sounded, she quickly added, “I mean—just appreciation! Pure artistic admiration!”

Her face flushed deep red, afraid of being misunderstood. Song Xian let out a soft laugh, and Jiang Liuyi, now clearly amused, replied, “Well, thank you, Miss He. And thank your friend for me, too.”

“Oh, no, don’t mention it!” He Xiaoying was blushing like a cartoon character. She quickly changed the subject. “Why are the dishes taking so long? I’ll go check.”

Just as He Xiaoying was about to leave, the private room door opened and the server came in with their food. The dishes were served from Jiang Liuyi’s side, so she shifted slightly to avoid the tray, moving a little closer to Song Xian. The air carried a warm, familiar scent. Song Xian turned her head, and without meaning to, caught a glimpse of Jiang Liuyi in profile—deep-set, refined features, quietly stunning.

She shifted half an inch to the side and gently pulled Jiang Liuyi closer.

Jiang Liuyi hadn’t meant to lean into her, but now Song Xian had her by the sleeve. Her gaze dropped to Song Xian’s fingers—slender, defined, delicate.

And suddenly, she was starving.

A different kind of hunger swelled inside her, one that food couldn’t touch.

She looked away just as He Xiaoying said, “That’s everything, thank you.”

The server left carrying an empty tray. He Xiaoying raised her glass with a cheerful, “Let’s eat!”

Song Xian sat up straight. Jiang Liuyi suddenly didn’t feel like shifting back. She wanted to stay close like this. But it was only a thought—she knew her manners. She moved slightly toward the outside, lifted her glass, and clinked it against He Xiaoying’s.

He Xiaoying caught a glimpse of the red string on her wrist and thought it looked familiar. Then it clicked—wasn’t that the one Yuan Hong had given her? So Jiang Liuyi really did like the gift. Pleased, He Xiaoying happily made a mental note to tell Yuan Hong all about it.

[She’s wearing it! Sister Yuan, the gift you gave—Teacher Jiang actually put it on! You’re amazing!]

Yuan Hong lit up the moment she saw the message. [Really?]

He Xiaoying replied: [Really, really! I had dinner with Teacher Jiang and Song Xian tonight. I saw it with my own eyes.]

There’s no one who wouldn’t feel happy seeing someone genuinely cherish a gift they’d given. Even if it was just for one evening, it meant something. Yuan Hong had always assumed she and Jiang Liuyi lived in completely different worlds—she never imagined she’d actually wear her present. But seeing it happen, even briefly, was more than enough.

She messaged He Xiaoying: [Take good care of Teacher Jiang tonight. If you don’t, I’m docking your bonus.]

He Xiaoying grinned at the playful threat and quickly replied: [Got it!]

And for the rest of the evening, she was the picture of attentiveness—refilling tea, checking in on them, making sure everything was perfect. Jiang Liuyi almost didn’t know how to handle it. In the end, it was Song Xian who finally said, “Alright, we’ve finished eating. Time to head home.”

“You’re leaving already?” He Xiaoying asked.

Then she remembered her own surprise and smiled. “Well, going home early’s good too. Get some rest.”

Song Xian nodded, and He Xiaoying added, “Oh, right—I still have a wedding gift for you two.”

She took the gift from her bag and handed it to Song Xian, even tapping the back of her hand lightly—a gesture loaded with meaning. But Song Xian didn’t catch on. She accepted it with a calm expression. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” He Xiaoying winked at her. “Alright, I’ll head out. See you Monday.”

Song Xian and Jiang Liuyi walked her to the restaurant entrance before parting ways. After leaving, Song Xian went to get the car. Jiang Liuyi, who had arrived by taxi, followed behind her. Once inside, she took the passenger seat, and Song Xian backed the car out of the lot and drove onto the main road.

A faint scent of perfume lingered in the car, drifting from the air conditioning vents. The heat would take a while to warm up, but the fragrance spread first. While stopped at a traffic light, Song Xian lowered the fan speed. Jiang Liuyi, watching her slender wrist as she adjusted the dial, said, “I got your gift.”

Song Xian turned her head. The yellowish glow of the streetlights spilled into the car, casting flickering shadows across Jiang Liuyi’s profile.

“What gift?” she asked.

Jiang Liuyi lifted her wrist slightly. “This one.”

Song Xian nodded. “It’s quite pretty. The editor-in-chief has great taste, as always.”

Jiang Liuyi frowned. “The editor-in-chief?”

Song Xian answered, “Mm. It was a wedding gift from her. I’m glad you like it.”

Jiang Liuyi fell silent.

A sudden weight pressed against her chest. So it wasn’t something Song Xian had bought… nor something she had carved herself. Jiang Liuyi lowered her gaze, staring at the red string on her wrist, then abruptly turned her head and asked, “Do you like it?”

Song Xian paused for a moment. “Me? Yeah, I do like it.”

Jiang Liuyi’s mood shifted, gloomy skies parting. She said, “Then do you want to wear it?”

Song Xian turned toward her, meeting the clarity in Jiang Liuyi’s gaze. “Sure, I don’t mind.”

Catching her meaning, Jiang Liuyi immediately reached into her bag and took out the little box. She looked at Song Xian, who was still in the driver’s position, both hands on the steering wheel. They were waiting at a red light, the car at a standstill. 

Jiang Liuyi leaned forward, keeping to Song Xian’s posture, and lowered her head to tie the red string around her wrist.

She moved with focus, her profile quietly intense. As she bent close, a few strands of hair brushed against Song Xian’s chin and neck. The spot where the string touched her wrist tingled—and so did her neck. Song Xian felt a bit self-conscious and used her free hand to gently tuck some hair away from her skin. 

Just as she looked down, Jiang Liuyi finished tying the knot. She looked up at Song Xian and smiled. “All done.”

A car pulled up across from them, its headlights shining straight into the cabin. Jiang Liuyi’s smile lit up under the beam, her eyes bright.

Song Xian gave a soft “Mm.” A few seconds later, she couldn’t resist turning her head to glance at Jiang Liuyi again.