Encroachment Chapter 48 and Chapter 49

Chapter 48: Unattainable Desires

For a considerable period thereafter, Xiao Ran persistently sought solace in her presence, making her responsible for his feelings about being dumped.

However, Shen Shuman found that he held no ill intentions towards her. Thus, in a situation where she was unsure how to handle the matter, she opted for a cold treatment.

In the blink of an eye, she entered her sophomore year of high school. When she encountered him on the same floor, she initially thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. “Aren’t you supposed to be in your senior year?”

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“Ebyv pwcflnv?”

“Nshl. Uwzvkhyvkdt zshl kpd’v pkxrzl,” bl pktble okvb y vkdtl sq xlzydnbszu.

Shen Shuman raised an eyebrow. “Your ex-boyfriend still won’t get back together with you?”

He cast a melancholic glance at her. “No… He said that what others have in terms of love, we can’t imitate.”

“Ah…” Shen Shuman expressed her understanding. After all, coming out takes a lot of courage.

Both being in an unrequited love in the world, so why didn’t they get to know each other before?

Following that conversation, Shen Shuman felt that Xiao Ran, like her, was a victim of unattainable desires. She developed a slight sense of sympathy for him, and her aversion towards him lessened.

As they spent more time together, Shen Shuman discovered that Xiao Ran was truly a carefree and uninhibited individual. His speech was often sprinkled with the phrase “young master,” reflecting his casual attitude.

She had questioned his sexual orientation multiple times, yet he adamantly clung to his preference for men, insisting that he was indeed gay.

He even turned the tables on her, accusing her of lacking loyalty as a friend for doubting her good friend’s identity.

Shen Shuman pondered silently, realizing that pressuring someone who identifies as gay to admit a heterosexual orientation might not be appropriate.

As a friend, Young Master Xiao actually put in quite a bit of effort.

Seeing Shen Shuman and Jiang Xia, both becoming reclusive homemakers, rarely venturing outside, he took it upon himself to take them out shopping, hiking, and exploring the streets.

Upon hearing about new restaurants from Shen Shuman and Jiang Xia, he would promptly make reservations and even inquire in advance about signature dishes and popular menu items.

…

Thanks to him, Shen Shuman and Jiang Xia, who would otherwise be cooped up at home and in school, immersed themselves in studies, found their youth painted with a different hue.

One time, Xiao Ran returned to school with bruises and swelling, walking with a limp and a crutch. He bore no resemblance to the usually suave Young Master Xiao.

Observing his battered appearance, Shen Shuman’s heart swelled with compassion. “You were perfectly fine. Why did you end up in a fight again?”

Xiao Ran rubbed his nose and cast a glance at her, hesitating to speak.

Seeing his expression, her heart skipped a beat. Her sixth sense told her that this might involve her. “Just tell me!”

He cleared his throat and stammered, “Because… they mentioned you. Uh… are you sure you want to hear this?”

“I want to hear it!”

“If I tell you, promise you won’t get mad…?” The more Xiao Ran tried to be secretive, the more intriguing it became.

“If those people… basically said they wanted to ride you, this pretty little cow, until you were howling. Their mouths were foul, and I couldn’t stand their words, so I made them howl instead.” He grew more animated as he spoke, his expression becoming fiercer, as if he wanted to drag someone over and fight them again.

After listening to his words, Shen Shuman fell into a deep silence.

Xiao Ran called out to her with concern, “What about Wei Shu? If I knew, I wouldn’t have told you, sigh.”

“In this world, there are far too many hurtful voices. If we were to retort to every offensive statement, it would only exhaust ourselves,” she spoke earnestly, and in a gentle tone of advice, she added, “Xiao Ran, please refrain from getting into fights in the future.”

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Chapter 49 – Fate

Over the many years that had passed, Shen Shuman truly regarded Xiao Ran as a friend—a loyal and close friend.

However, little did she know that from the very beginning, he had set up a scheme for her.

She, at times, wasn’t very astute.

Because her heart and mind were focused solely on a certain person, she had never looked at other individuals in a romantic light and was reluctant to allow anyone to get close to her.

Xiao Ran had been quite upfront about his attraction to men, causing Shen Shuman to let down her guard when it came to him.

Five years ago, on a summer night, Xiao Ran invited her to watch the latest movie.

As he walked her home, she casually asked, “Back in your sophomore year, you said you had moved on, left behind your ex-boyfriend, and fallen for another charming person. But it seems like since then, you’ve never mentioned them again.”

“Curious?” Xiao Ran smirked with a touch of insolence.

She glanced at him. After his graduation, he became an art teacher at a high school.

She had assumed that becoming a teacher would make him more dignified.

However, he still maintained his wild and carefree style, with no trace of formality. Even in a T-shirt, he exuded a street-style hip-hop vibe, coupled with a long necklace, a pair of ripped jeans, and casual shoes.

“If you don’t want to share, then I won’t be curious,” she said calmly.

“And what about you? You’ve mentioned before that you had someone you liked… Do you still like them now?” he asked.

Shen Shuman’s steps faltered, and the handsome face of Wei Shu crossed her mind.

Emotions intertwined within her, and she sighed softly, “Ironically, what I couldn’t have, I still hold deep in my heart.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran’s lips curled into a smile, feigning nonchalance. “Both being in unrequited love in the world, we’ve sort of ended up in the same place. How about we make do and give it a shot together?”

She paused, raising her gaze to meet his, trying to discern if he was sincere.

But he had never been serious, and she couldn’t quite see through him. Playfully, she retorted, “What’s this? If we become friends, am I obligated to help you come out of the closet?”

Upon hearing her words, his expression changed. “Shen Shuman, I’m being serious.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she composed herself. “When it comes to matters of the heart, I’m serious too.”

Faced with a sudden confession from a longtime friend, Shen Shuman was truly caught off guard.

In her state of confusion, the written test opportunity in Songxi City arose. Therefore, she decided to attend the interview there… and ended up staying in Songxi City for five years.

If it weren’t for that Lantern Festival night this year when Xiao Ran mentioned he was in a relationship in the group chat, she might not have realized the timing of it all.

She, indeed, wasn’t clever, lacking that wisdom.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have allowed so many years to pass before addressing her feelings for Wei Shu.

Shen Shuman took a sip of tea and sighed. “Isn’t the present situation quite good? You’re married and have children now. As for me, I’ve achieved what I longed for. And as for Xiao Ran, he’s found his cherished love too.”

All three of them had found their respective places in life.

As for Cheng Tong, she had always been independent and didn’t need anyone to worry about her.

Jiang Xia nodded, “Yeah, luckily I’m not the kind of person who gets involved in other people’s romantic affairs. Otherwise, with Xiao Ran liking you, you liking Wei Shu, and Wei Shu having feelings for you… I wouldn’t be able to support anyone in this love triangle.”

Shen Shuman suppressed a smile. Jiang Xia might lack other talents, but she had a knack for handling delicate situations.

In life, people go through many experiences and make numerous choices. Jiang Xia had a keen sense of foresight, always a step ahead in making the right decisions—like choosing to observe their love triangle from the sidelines, not offending anyone, and maintaining their friendships.

For example, she pursued potential husband candidates right after completing her master’s degree. Just before her parents dragged her to arranged marriage meetings, she brought her boyfriend home…

Learning, working, falling in love, getting married, having children—Jiang Xia’s life followed a steady, ordinary path, leaving an impression of tranquility and conventionality to most observers.

Unlike Shen Shuman, who had once thought that if she couldn’t be with her beloved (Wei Shu), she would remain unmarried and childless. After all, there was no need to willingly subject oneself to a lifetime with someone she felt indifferent towards.

Although many from the older generation viewed those who chose not to marry or have children as outsiders, Shen Shuman wasn’t truly an outlier. She was just an ordinary person who hadn’t found a suitable partner, opting for a solitary life.

But fate has its way of coming into play.

In the end, there was still a connection between her and Wei Shu.

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