The forest in winter was especially silent.
Shi Mei lay in her tent, having not slept all night.
The world outside the tent had gradually grown bright when suddenly, her mobile phone vibrated.
[Mu Nanke]: Senior Sister, are you awake?
[Mu Nanke]: I intended to go to the toilet, but now I’m lost, wuwuwu
Mu Nanke did not reply again.
Shi Mei, sleepless for the whole night, stretched and got dressed, but no matter where she looked, she couldn’t find Mu Nanke.
[Mu Nanke]: has started sharing location
Shi Mei glanced at it and realized there was indeed some distance.
The location seemed to be deep inside the forest.
What a confused soul, even though the staff had already arranged a restroom, located just on the other side of where Mu Nanke was. Could she have run in the wrong direction?
Shi Mei followed the location, and after walking for an unknown length of time, the cold mist of the forest enveloped her, making her shiver.
But as she walked on, she unexpectedly saw Tang Gu.
Tang Gu, holding a mobile phone, seemed extremely surprised to see Shi Mei and said, "You actually came."
Shi Mei’s gaze turned icy, "Where’s Xiao Ke?"
"She’s asleep in the tent, it was I who asked to meet you," Tang Gu said with a face full of joy. "Because I knew, if it were I inviting you, you certainly wouldn’t have come, so... I had to spend some money to have someone hack Mu Nanke’s WeChat, you see."
Without a second thought, Shi Mei turned to leave.
"You’re here now, don’t you want to know why I asked to meet you?"
Shi Mei kept walking, her tone cool and impatient, "I don’t."
"Do you know why Mr. Shi sought you out this time?" Tang Gu’s voice rose, tinged with smugness.
Shi Mei paused in her steps.
Tang Gu moved closer to her, continuing, "Did you really think Mr. Shi considered you as Tang Wu? Don’t be so naïve. Even if he needed a stand-in for Tang Wu, it should have been me, not you. After all, I’m Little Tang Wu, and who are you, exactly?"
With her back to Tang Gu, Shi Mei heard these words and found them somewhat amusing, responding with a faint smile, "You’re quite confident, aren’t you?"
Tang Gu’s heart sank.
Miss Bai had coached her to say these things, but she had no idea if it would work.
At least it kept her from leaving.
Tang Gu pressed on, "It’s you who’s unfoundedly confident, isn’t it? Do you know why, for all these years, there hasn’t been another woman by Mr. Shi’s side?"
Shi Mei turned around to face Tang Gu.
The smugness on Tang Gu’s face intensified, her expression full of self-satisfaction, "Because his heart has been taken already. If it weren’t for Miss Bai’s heart condition, she would have been Mrs. Shi, rightfully."
The coldness in Shi Mei’s eyes deepened.
Tang Gu felt a chill in the air that involuntarily straightened her spine.
Facing Shi Mei’s gaze, Tang Gu continued, though with a forced bravado, "Actually, Mr. Shi and Miss Bai have been secretly meeting since before Tang Wu’s time, sharing a Platonic love. With Tang Wu, it was just a physical relationship."
Shi Mei’s heart felt like it had been struck by something heavy.
"So now, what use is there in imitating Tang Wu? If you think that by doing this you can climb up the social ladder, then you’re mistaken. Mr. Shi likes Tang Wu solely for her body," Tang Gu walked closer, her face full of malice, word by word: "The one he truly loves is Miss Bai."