Chapter 41 (1/2)

Lin Anzhi had been an orphan who’d been adopted by Mo Bing’s parents at the age of 14. They had developed feelings for each other at the age of 16 and had become a couple. They were each other’s first love and had been together for 14 years now.

Since she was a third party, Jiang Jiusheng did not feel that it was her place to interfere, so she hung up. Hearing music, she hiked up her dress and walked back inside. As she opened the door, the spotlight shone into her eyes, and she saw the elegant form of a woman.

“Jiang Jiusheng!”

A woman, exuding feminine grace in a pretty, pale apricot-colored maxi dress with a plunging V-cut, called Jiang Jiusheng’s name as if they were old friends.

Lifting her head, Jiang Jiusheng glanced at her and said, “I Don’t think we’ve met.”

Eyes shining brightly, the woman smiled. “I’m Wen Shihao.”

The young daughter of Yuncheng of the Wen clan—the niece of that man.

Jiang Jiusheng was familiar with the name Wen Shihao. Mo Bing had mentioned her many times, claiming that she had hit the jackpot with a single song and was the next big thing in the world of songwriters. Jiang Jiusheng had heard the song, which, incidentally, was still on the charts, sung with great emotion by a reigning queen of pop. With that one song, Wen Shihao had earned a nomination for Best Songwriter. She probably wanted to use the awards ceremony to present herself to the world.

What the heck? Two Wen women in one night…

Jiang Jiusheng nodded in greeting. “Hello.”

Wen Shihao smiled brilliantly, oozing the elegance and grooming of a privileged upbringing. “I’ve been to your concert,” she said, a look of subtle appraisal in her eyes. “You look very much like someone I once knew. You even have the same name.”

Once knew?

Generally speaking, the preferred lines to strike up a social association would have been, “You look familiar,” or, “Where have you been all my life?”

Jiang Jiusheng replied impassively. “Maybe I could meet this person, if the opportunity arises.”

Looking straight at her, Wen Shihao said, “She’s dead.”

In that instant, her eyes shone brightly, flashing with fire.

Jiang Jiusheng realized that perhaps this person really did exist. Perhaps it was someone whom Miss Wen had been close to or someone that the young lady had hated deeply. In any case, not wishing to probe into someone’s private affairs, Jiang Jiusheng apologized and changed the subject.

Shaking her head, Wen Shihao assured her, “It’s alright.” She proceeded to enter the event before Jiang Jiusheng, smiling all the way.

Returning to her seat, Jiang Jiusheng noticed that Xu Qingjiu was not in his. She also noted that Su Qing looked very pale. She was frowning, and her forehead was soaked in perspiration. She was not even watching the opening performance. Sliding over to the seat next to her, Jiang Jiusheng asked in a low voice, “What’s the matter?”

The artists around them were either watching the opening performance or focusing on preparing their best pose for the cameras, should they zoom in on them. They were not interested in anything else.

Su Qing lowered her head. The two appeared to be having a private conversation.

“I’ve got my period,” she replied.

Pinching her brow, Jiang Jiusheng turned to look up at the positions of the cameras and the lighting, then pointed to a spot behind them, saying, “That way. The lighting’s dim there. Wait for me on the second floor.”

“Okay.”

Doubled up in pain and clutching her abdomen, Su Qing snuck out silently, wary of being observed. She didn’t go to the lounge where her newly recruited assistant was waiting, since the latter would not understand her needs. She decided to go to the washroom, thankful that she did not bump into anyone on the way there. The bad news was that her white pants had been stained red.

Sitting on the toilet, Su Qing was deep in thought.

Jiang Jiusheng couldn’t go into the men’s bathroom, while she, with her pants stained red, could not dare to venture out. And it was almost time for her to go on stage to dance.

The blood was still flowing…

Clap!

The sound of a door shutting jerked Su Qing out of her thoughts. Straining her ears, she heard a zipping and swishing sound in the next stall.

“Bro Liang.”

A man’s voice.

Duh… Of course it was a man’s voice. She was, after all, in the men’s washroom.

A little later, Su Qing thought she heard the sound of a metal belt buckle. To be sure, she placed her ear on the dividing panel. The man next door was on the phone.

“Send me a pair of pants. Yep, it’s soiled. Quickly.”

Since the man had deliberately spoken in a low tone, Su Qing could not hear clearly, but what was more important was that a part of a pant leg had appeared on the floor in the gap between the two cubicles.