CITM - 57

A few afternoons later, Ye Yun arrived at Mrs. Liang’s house as planned. She wore a red beret and a white ruffled blouse paired with a wide-hemmed skirt. As she walked from a distance, she appeared lively and graceful, sweet like soft candy.

Mrs. Liang’s eyes couldn’t help but light up with a joyful smile: “What are you dressed like that for?”

Ye Yun took off her beret and replied, “To take promotional photos for the school. They asked me to dress youthfully and vibrantly, so this is how I had to dress.”

“Don’t tell me, little Ye truly looks like an 18 or 19-year-old girl like this,” Mrs. He said with a smile.

Mrs. Zheng chimed in, “Not having had children, she looks so young.”

“Little Ye herself isn’t that old,” Mrs. Liang beckoned Ye Yun to sit down quickly.

As soon as Ye Yun sat down, Mrs. Zheng asked her, “Did you hear about what happened a few days ago?”

Ye Yun still had a smile on her lips: “What’s the fresh news?”

“It’s about that living Yama we talked about before. A few days ago, he invited a lady to dance at the Longda Hotel, and they say they danced two songs in a row.”

The smile on Ye Yun’s lips gradually faded. She didn’t respond, lowering her head to pick up a mahjong tile.

Mrs. He said regretfully, “I was supposed to go that night, but my husband had a last-minute dinner appointment. Otherwise, I would have gone to watch the excitement.”

Mrs. Liang asked, “What’s the woman’s background?”

Ye Yun’s eyelids drooped, her earlobes slightly flushed, and she remained silent.

Mrs. Zheng played a tile: “People outside say she’s the shipping magnate’s daughter and that she and the living Yama were old acquaintances many years ago. Maybe they’ve been secretly together all along.”

Mrs. He interrupted her: “Old Zhao’s daughter is quite old; much older than us. Maybe his granddaughter, that’s more like it.”

“Old Zhao doesn’t have a granddaughter, but he has two grandsons. However, Old Zhao has an adopted daughter outside, but her age is unknown,” Mrs. Liang said.

Someone arrived at the Liang household. The maid ran to open the door, and it turned out to be Xie Yushu. After she arrived, the women continued their previous topic, debating whether it was a granddaughter or an adopted daughter.

Meanwhile, the subject of their conversation was sitting with them, playing cards, listening to their endless arguments without saying a word, unusually quiet.

Ye Yun hadn’t expected that a mere dance could provoke so many speculations. It seemed that as long as she was associated with Bai Wenfu, she couldn’t have peace. It was like this back in Erwei Lane, and now that she was in Shanghai, with a larger circle and more complex relationships, he could still easily drag her into the eye of the storm.

There was movement at the front gate again, and the women exchanged glances. Mrs. Zheng asked, “Who else is coming? The card table is already full.”

Mrs. Liang asked Xie Yushu to take her place, and she went to see. Soon, Mrs. Liang’s laughter drifted over: “Welcome, welcome! I’ve heard so much about you. Don’t be a stranger; make yourself at home here.”

The women playing cards, hearing the commotion, thought the newcomer didn’t seem to be from their circle, but rather a guest of the Liang family.

Just as they were thinking this, Mrs. Liang led the person over. Before entering the card room, they heard her say, “It’s fine, these are all my close sisters. They’ve all heard your name. It’s good everyone can meet.”

The few people at the card table looked up and exchanged glances, their gazes all turning towards the door of the card room. Mrs. Liang walked in first, beaming, and said, “Guess who came to my house?”

Everyone was eager and craned their necks to look behind her. Mrs. Liang stepped aside and said to the person outside the door, “Please come in.”

Immediately, a tall, broad man with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes walked in. This man had a commanding presence, but he was certainly not a pretty boy. In fact, he was different from most of the pampered men around them. His features were heroic, and even in well-tailored clothes, his powerful physique was evident, exuding masculinity in his every move.

Even these ladies, who were accustomed to seeing quality men, were instantly impressed.

“Who is this?” Mrs. Zheng asked, raising her eyebrows.

Mrs. Liang introduced him to everyone: “This is Boss Bai.”

She then added a suggestive remark: “He’s the one from the dance at Longda Hotel.”

Mrs. Liang didn’t want to call him “living Yama” to his face, so she could only hint this way. The women in the card room had just been discussing him, and with Mrs. Liang’s hint, they immediately understood.

Bai Wenfu smiled faintly: “I’m sorry to interrupt your pleasant time.”

His gaze swept across the room, subtly resting on the white figure seated in the inner corner. Everyone else looked at him with interest, but only Ye Yun kept her gaze down, slowly turning the card in her hand. Ever since Bai Wenfu stepped into the card room, her mind had been like an uncontrollable wild horse, crashing back and forth.

Running into him outside was one thing, but him suddenly entering her social circle felt like a dangerous predator slowly encroaching on her territory, catching Ye Yun off guard. From the moment Bai Wenfu entered the room, every nerve in her body tensed.

“No interruption at all, we’re just playing casually,” Mrs. He said, scrutinizing the man in front of her from head to toe as she spoke.

Mr. Liang also walked in at this moment and said to everyone, “Don’t leave tonight. It’s rare for me to host this old friend, so everyone stay and have dinner together.”

The other ladies smiled without speaking. Ye Yun, at this point, stood her cards on their edge and said, “I won’t stay.”

Mr. Liang specifically held her back: “Little Ye, you really shouldn’t leave. I’ll need to talk to you later.”

Saying that, Mr. Liang went to arrange dinner. Ye Yun gently furrowed her brow. Xie Yushu turned her head and asked her, “What do you have to do? If it’s not important, you can leave later.”

She glanced at Bai Wenfu, implying that Ye Yun shouldn’t miss the rare opportunity to see this legendary figure. She had no idea that Ye Yun’s heart was already in turmoil.

Mrs. Liang beckoned Bai Wenfu: “Have a seat anywhere, I’m going to check on the kitchen.”

This card room also served as a reception room; it was spacious enough, with sofas on the side for tea. For those not playing cards, it was pleasant to sit and chat.

However, after Mrs. Liang left, Bai Wenfu didn’t go to the sofa. Instead, he unhurriedly walked to the card table and watched them play.

He was tall and carried an unshakeable aura. Standing behind people, his figure cast a shadow, inevitably making others feel constrained.

Mrs. Zheng looked up with a smile: “Boss Bai, please sit. Standing there makes it hard for me to pick my cards.”

Bai Wenfu’s lips twitched. There were clearly sofas and chairs outside, but he deliberately walked to the innermost part of the card table and sat on the stool behind Ye Yun.

The women at the table subtly raised their eyes. Though not a word was spoken, their gazes had already exchanged countless messages.

Ye Yun felt like she was facing a formidable enemy. Even if she couldn’t forget Bai Wenfu, she absolutely couldn’t have an unclear relationship with a married man. Yet, Bai Wenfu seemed to have no such qualms, still acting on his own will, unrestrained by moral rules.

Mrs. Zheng silently observed Bai Wenfu. He indeed had a scar above his brow bone, but it wasn’t as ugly as people outside claimed. Perhaps his handsome features softened the scar’s presence; at first glance, one would instead be drawn to his striking face.

Mrs. He, noticing Mrs. Zheng’s gaze, teased, “The rumors really can’t be trusted, can they? Mr. Bai is so distinguished, yet he was rumored to be like that. Mrs. Zheng should apologize to little Ye.”

Bai Wenfu’s gaze shifted to Ye Yun: “What was I rumored to be like?”

Mrs. Zheng changed the subject: “Those are all nonsense. Little Ye already said it, you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“Is that so? Then I should thank Miss Ye for speaking up for me.”

Ye Yun kept her gaze down. Even though she hadn’t turned her head once, she could still feel the undeniable gaze behind her, making her restless. She randomly played a card and gave away a point.

After Mrs. He finished her turn, she joked, “Boss Bai is sitting behind our little Ye, making her unable to play her cards.”

Bai Wenfu’s voice held a hint of amusement: “Since it’s my fault, the money Miss Ye lost is on me.”

Mrs. Zheng immediately winked at Ye Yun. Ye Yun ignored the ladies’ jokes and turned to look for tea. As soon as she turned, a cup of tea was handed to her. A flush of embarrassment crossed Ye Yun’s face. Everyone was watching. Not accepting the tea would be too impolite, but accepting it would seem intimate.

She was playing cards here, and he was sitting behind her, which was typically a gesture a husband would make for his wife. Now, handing her a cup of tea, what kind of appearance would that be?

Just as she hesitated, Bai Wenfu personally lifted the teacup lid for her. Ye Yun quickly took the tea, afraid that if she delayed a few more seconds, he would bring the tea to her lips.

Although she didn’t know why she had this thought, based on her understanding of Bai Wenfu, as long as he was willing, he wouldn’t care what others thought.

Ye Yun took the tea and drank it. The other three at the card table had various expressions. Soon, Mr. Liang came to call Bai Wenfu upstairs for a chat, so he got up and left the card room.

As soon as he left, Xie Yushu couldn’t help but say to Ye Yun, “You just drank Boss Bai’s tea.”

“What?”

Ye Yun turned her head. Her tea was sitting there untouched. The tea Bai Wenfu handed her was the Lion Peak Longjing specifically brewed for him by the maid.

Mrs. Zheng blurted out, “Our little Ye is just so likable. Boss Bai didn’t even take a sip of his tea before giving it to you. It wasn’t in vain that you defended him so much last time.”

A faint awkwardness and uneasiness spread across Ye Yun’s face.

Before dinner, everyone finished their card game and went out to the courtyard for some fresh air. Halfway there, Ye Yun remembered she had left her beret in the card room, so she turned back to get it.

After Ye Yun retrieved her hat, she walked from the front hall to the backyard. As soon as she stepped out the back door, she heard the crisp “ding” sound of a lighter.

She followed the sound. Bai Wenfu had a cigarette in his mouth, his lighter unconsciously opening and closing in his hand. When he turned his head, his eyes were filled with fragmented light, cold yet burning.

His gaze rested on Ye Yun, casually observing her. Her swaying skirt passed before his eyes, her waist cinched narrowly, the ruffles fluttering in the wind, and with that delicate and lovely beret, she looked sweet enough to take a bite.

A restless shadow floated in Bai Wenfu’s eyes, and he spoke: “You still haven’t answered the question I asked you that day.”

Ye Yun paused slightly: “What question?”

His eyes were steeped in the lingering sunlight, as if ignited: “If I didn’t have another woman, would you still want to distance yourself from me?”

Ye Yun’s heart skipped half a beat. The afterglow in his eyes seemed to burn on her as well. A gentle breeze swayed, and the evening air carried the faint yet alluring scent of jasmine.

She tilted her chin slightly, her clear eyes tinged with the beautiful evening glow.

“So, do you?”

Bai Wenfu bit on the cigarette holder, his eyes like mist, hazy and bewildered.

Ye Yun didn’t get an answer from him, so she didn’t linger and walked back to the ladies.