A Restless Night and a Confession

Qin Huairen didn’t know how she made it back to the hotel.

Along the way, her mind was filled with the image of Wen Yuzhi being kissed by the woman in the qipao.

As if possessed, she stood at the door, replaying it again and again.

Until a hotel staff member approached and asked, “Is the door not opening?”

Qin Huairen snapped back to reality, gave a vague reply, and went inside.

Leaning against the door, she lowered her head to look at the snow on her shoes—it had mostly melted.

She stomped her feet lightly.

What was she doing just now?

Reliving someone else’s kiss like a bystander?

At some point, her chest had started to feel tight and heavy.

Now, an inexplicable sourness spread through her.

Faced with this unfamiliar emotion, she felt lost.

She tapped her chest, took a deep breath, and muttered to herself,

“It must be because I walked too fast just now.”

Even after showering, the heaviness didn’t fully fade.

The heat and humidity of the bathroom only made it worse.

Letting out a long breath, she stood sideways in front of the mirror, applying medicine.

For a few seconds, she forced herself to focus.

But soon, her mind filled with the dimly lit image again—

The overlapping figures, the elegant curves pressed together…

The intrusive scene rushed into her thoughts.

Startled, her hand trembled, and the cotton swab fell.

“Damn it.”

She muttered softly.

Throwing the swab into the trash, she gave up applying medicine.

An inexplicable irritation rose within her.

“Such a shameless person.”

She didn’t even know who she was referring to.

Pouring herself a glass of water, she sat on the sofa and picked up her phone.

She first opened the cultural relic app.

Then suddenly remembered the issue with her small account being exposed.

She immediately gave up the idea of going live.

Switching to Weibo, she checked the latest updates.

The trending topic was gone.

The hype had died down.

She finally let out a breath of relief.

Lying on the carpet she had spread, with the floor heating warming her body, she stretched out and gradually fell asleep.

But not long after, she started dreaming.

In the dream, she returned to the hotpot restaurant.

Seeing Wen Yuzhi being kissed, she kicked the door open in anger.

Her foot hit the sofa in reality, and the pain woke her up instantly.

Frustrated and annoyed, she punched the floor.

“Damn that idiot, why are you showing up in my dreams?”

Back in bed, she couldn’t fall asleep again.

She lay spread out, hugging a wooden frame, taking deep breaths until the faint woody scent calmed her slightly.

Only then did another thought occur to her—

If Wen Yuzhi was kissing a woman, did that mean she might like women?

In Qin Huairen’s understanding, she couldn’t imagine being kissed by the same s*x.

She touched her lips, wondering—

What would that feel like?

A kiss.

What is a kiss like?

What does it feel like?

Curious, she searched online.

Some described it as beautiful and magical.

Others said it was disgusting.

The difference was simple—

Whether it was someone you liked.

Her eyes grew tired.

She put down her phone and sighed.

She was almost thirty… yet had never experienced a real first kiss.

Should she date someone?

But who?

She didn’t even have anyone she liked.

Restless, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Meanwhile, someone else also couldn’t sleep—though for a different reason.

Wen Yuzhi hadn’t changed her business trip, but switched from train to plane.

She flew on a private jet arranged by the Su family, accompanied by Su Yuetong.

Su Yuetong teased her.

“This level of urgency—only you could pull it off.”

Then she added that she had already applied for a temporary flight route, which made things possible.

After speaking, she suddenly narrowed her eyes.

“Did you ask my brother?”

“Yes.”

Wen Yuzhi answered calmly.

Su Yuetong clicked her tongue.

“So I guessed right? You really have someone you like?”

“… ”

“Which young master is it?”

She joked endlessly, then suddenly became excited.

“Wait… don’t tell me you like girls?”

Wen Yuzhi didn’t respond.

Su Yuetong laughed even more.

“If that’s true, I might have a chance.”

Wen Yuzhi finally interrupted her.

“Do I have to be tied to your family?”

Su Yuetong smiled but grew slightly serious.

“You’re from a powerful family.

Your marriage won’t be your choice.”

Wen Yuzhi didn’t argue further.

Instead, she said lightly,

“I don’t care how outstanding someone is.

I won’t like them.”

Su Yuetong shrugged.

“I don’t care about gender.

I only care about who my heart chooses.”

Wen Yuzhi closed her eyes.

“I have a meeting in the morning. Let me rest.”

Silence followed.

Her thoughts, however, were anything but quiet.

Should she have asked Su Yuetong for help?

If she had the courage to say she liked someone…

Would things with Qin Huairen be different?

In the end, she told herself—

Don’t romanticize the road not taken.

At dawn, the plane landed.

As she stepped off, Su Yuetong called out to her again.

But instead of continuing their previous topic, she brought up Xu Jianing.

“Let it go. Don’t make things difficult for her.”

Wen Yuzhi had already agreed to that for Qin Huairen’s sake.

But Qin Huairen hadn’t told Xu Jianing yet.

She simply asked,

“You seem close to her. How did you meet?”

Su Yuetong smiled mischievously.

“Curious?”

Wen Yuzhi turned to leave.

Su Yuetong grabbed her arm playfully.

“Come on, don’t be so serious.”

Then she let go and said,

“If you really want to know, we’ll talk another time.”

Watching Wen Yuzhi walk away under the golden morning light, Su Yuetong pressed her hand to her chest.

Her heart was restless.

Soon, her phone buzzed.

A message from Wen Yuzhi:

“I booked you a room at W Hotel. Get some rest before leaving.”

Su Yuetong smiled.

“If you’re in the room, I’ll go.”

Wen Yuzhi frowned slightly and replied calmly.

“Thank you for today.

But this kind of joke isn’t appropriate.”

Su Yuetong replied quickly.

“What kind?”

Wen Yuzhi didn’t answer.

She went to her meeting.

Meanwhile, Yan Qing reported everything about the dinner.

She concluded—

Qin Huairen cared about Wen Yuzhi.

Wen Yuzhi replied:

“She cares about me? How did you tell?”

Yan Qing explained—her tears, her reactions…

Then added jokingly that maybe she was just moved by the story.

Wen Yuzhi sent a row of ellipses.

Yan Qing sighed.

Something felt off, but she couldn’t pinpoint it.

That night, Qin Huairen invited Xu Jianing to dinner.

She told her that Wen Yuzhi wouldn’t pursue the violin incident further.

But also warned her not to act impulsively again.

Xu Jianing scoffed.

“Do I have to be afraid of her?”

Qin Huairen sighed.

“She didn’t hold it against you.

You should at least be grateful.”

Their conversation grew tense.

Xu Jianing suddenly said,

“Do you… like her?”

Qin Huairen froze.

“Like?”

What kind of nonsense was that?

The conversation turned awkward.

Eventually, they finished eating.

Back at the hotel, Qin Huairen lay on the sofa, exhausted.

She muttered to herself.

“Why did you even invite her?

Serves you right.”

She stared at the number of the restaurant owner she had saved.

Then thought again of last night.

The kiss.

The ringtone.

Was it really Wen Yuzhi?

Why did it bother her so much?

She didn’t know.

She only knew she felt uncomfortable.

That night, she drank wine to help herself sleep.

One glass.

Then another.

Warmth spread through her body.

She lay down, eyes closing.

Just as she was about to fall asleep—

Her phone buzzed.

Annoyed, she opened her eyes.

A message from an unsaved number.

But familiar.

Wen Yuzhi.

“Are you asleep?”

The memories came rushing back.

Qin Huairen angrily typed:

“Idiot.”

Wen Yuzhi replied almost instantly.

“You seem unhappy. What’s wrong?”

Qin Huairen muttered,

“It’s all your fault… you look so proper, but behind my back you’re…”

The phone rang.

She answered without thinking.

“You idiot! Kissing someone behind my back—what are you even—”

Wen Yuzhi paused, then asked carefully,

“You saw it last night?”

“Of course I did!”

“That was—”

“What ‘that was’?”

Qin Huairen vented everything she had held in.

Accusing her of being improper, of getting too close to people, of crossing the line.

Wen Yuzhi listened quietly.

Didn’t interrupt.

Didn’t defend herself.

Eventually, Qin Huairen’s voice grew softer.

Almost drifting to sleep.

She kept repeating—

“Why…”

Only then did Wen Yuzhi speak gently.

“Ah Ren.”

Qin Huairen hummed.

“Why does it make you angry to see me kiss someone else?”

Why indeed?

Qin Huairen murmured, half-asleep,

“I haven’t even kissed yet… why should you?”

Wen Yuzhi’s heart suddenly raced.

“You want to?”

“Of course… I’ve never kissed before…”

Her voice was soft, almost childlike.

Wen Yuzhi felt a burning heat in her chest.

Suppressing everything, she said only—

“Then wait for me.”