"What are you two doing?" Venus asked, her voice gentle.
Julian, attempting a playful imitation of Venus's local accent, replied that they were catching fireflies.
"Can I join in?" Venus inquired.
Julian held up an empty jar, explaining that they were already finished. Venus's soft smile faded slightly. "Sorry about that," Julian added.
Venus then touched a charm on her bracelet. "This is nice," Julian commented.
"My boyfriend gave it to me," Venus told him.
Just then, Gao Tianyu arrived in his impressive carriage, which seemed to explain Venus's elegant attire.
Gao Tianyu stepped out and affectionately drew Venus close, admiring her appearance. They shared a kiss, though from Julian's perspective, it seemed less passionate than a wolf grooming itself.
Later that evening, Venus and Gao Tianyu went to a local teahouse for dinner. They shared a table with a boisterous group celebrating a birthday, who had clearly enjoyed quite a bit of rice wine.
"Aren't you the son of the renowned hunter, Mike Tianyu?" one of the men slurred.
Gao Tianyu puffed out his chest with pride. "That's me."
Suddenly, Gao Tianyu became the center of attention. He spent the entire meal talking with them about hunting techniques and strategies. They questioned him about his future hunts and whether he planned to surpass his father's legendary status. Gao Tianyu nodded confidently, stating his intention to achieve even greater renown than his father. He didn't mention that Venus was also a skilled hunter; the evening was entirely focused on him.
As a server cleared their dishes, Gao Tianyu excused himself to use the restroom, saying he would be right back.
Moments later, his personal communication device on the table vibrated. Venus glanced at the screen. It was Shi Peng again, but this time she had sent a picture of herself standing before a mirror, wearing very nothing. She held one arm across her chest and smiled at the device in her other hand. Venus looked away, trying to ignore a pang of unease at the sight of Shi Peng's flawless complexion, long dark hair, and striking eyes. She wanted to find fault with Shi Peng's appearance but couldn't deny her beauty.
Remember this? the message read.
When Gao Tianyu returned to the table, Venus handed him his device. "You received a message."
He looked at his device and slowly sat down. "It's not what you think, Venus."
"I think it's a revealing nude picture from your former sweetheart," Venus replied.
The other diners at the table were now listening to their conversation. Gao Tianyu began to look uncomfortable. "Can we discuss this later?" he muttered through gritted teeth.
Venus was beyond caring about his embarrassment. "Take me home," she stated firmly after they paid their bill. She didn't wait for a response and headed towards the exit.
"Let me explain," he said once they were in his carriage.
"Go ahead. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation for why Shi Peng is sending you such images."
"It's not my fault. I suppose she wants us to be together again." Sensing Venus's dissatisfaction, he sighed in frustration. "You know I dislike this kind of jealous drama, Venus. There's nothing between Shi Peng and me. I cherish you. Trust me." He avoided her gaze as he signaled the driver to start.
Venus recalled a conversation with Julian. He had once said that if someone avoids eye contact, they are likely being dishonest. The possibility that Julian might be right only intensified her anger.
Lost in her thoughts, Venus didn't realize Gao Tianyu wasn't taking her home until they arrived at the Moonlit Pavilion, a popular gathering place near the edge of their village, known for allowing entry to those who were at least seventeen years old. Gao Tianyu enjoyed spending time there.
"Gao Tianyu, I'm not in the mood for dancing," Venus said.
"If you don't want to dance, then don't," he replied, placing his hand on her knee. "We'll go to the private area and simply relax. I'll prove to you that you are the only one for me. Agreed?"
Venus nodded reluctantly. "Agreed."
He squeezed her knee. "That's my Venus. Trust me."
He parked the carriage out front and gave a generous tip to the attendant. Despite it being a regular weekday evening, the place was crowded because a renowned musician from a distant city was said to be performing. And it was the season when many young people treated every day like a festival.
Gao Tianyu kept his arm around Venus as they bypassed the general queue and walked towards a special entrance. The gatekeeper immediately recognized Gao Tianyu and waved them through, without asking for any proof of age, unlike most others.
Venus could feel the vibrations of the music through the floor. The pavilion was so packed it was difficult to move. It was dimly lit, with only the flashing lights from the performance area illuminating the space. Gao Tianyu took Venus's hand and led her up a set of stairs to a secluded VIP section, where those with wealth or status were guaranteed comfortable seating and drinks. They settled on a plush red couch overlooking the main area. When a server, dressed in revealing attire, approached to offer Gao Tianyu a drink without checking his age, he readily opened a tab, seemingly pleased by the attention. The server held a bottle of strong liquor above him, and he tilted his head back, allowing her to pour it directly into his mouth. He shuddered slightly and quickly swallowed the drink.
"Would you like to try some?" he asked Venus, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"No."
He gave the server a large tip. She thanked him with a practiced wink and smile, and he watched her as she went to serve other patrons.
"What is wrong with you, Gao Tianyu?" Venus asked. He was showing off. This wasn't the Gao Tianyu she knew, the one she had fallen in love with over the past months.
"Nothing. Just relax for once, Venus. Look, even Julian knows how to enjoy himself." He pointed below, where lights flashed and the dance floor was full.
Venus scanned the crowd and saw Julian dancing with Mei Liu. Mei Liu had her back to him, moving closely against him. Lin Yue and Liu Hao were dancing nearby, all of them laughing and smiling. Venus couldn't help but feel excluded and irritated. She had no claim over Julian, but for some inexplicable reason, it bothered her to see him with someone else. To add to her annoyance, Julian was a surprisingly skilled dancer and moved confidently to the music. She had always imagined if he knew any dancing, it would be traditional folk dances, not something so lively and modern.
Since when did her close friend and her friend's sweetheart spend time with Julian and Mei Liu? She wished they hadn't come to the same place tonight. Seeing Julian here stirred unfamiliar feelings within her.
Mei Liu turned and wrapped her arms around Julian's neck. His hands were now on her waist as they moved together to the rhythm. Venus just wanted to leave so she wouldn't have to watch them. When the song ended, Julian glanced up. Venus quickly looked away, not wanting him to catch her staring and somehow realize the captivating depth of his eyes.
Gao Tianyu moved closer and nuzzled her neck. "You smell wonderful, Venus," he whispered in her ear before gently kissing her earlobe and placing his hand on her inner thigh. "And you look incredibly alluring." Normally, Venus didn't mind Gao Tianyu's attempts to be intimate, but she was used to it being in private. This felt like a public display, lacking any genuine emotion.
"I need to use the restroom. I'll be right back." Venus grabbed her purse and headed for the nearest lavatory. She locked herself in a stall and leaned her head against the door, trying to sort through her jumbled emotions.
Seeing Julian with Mei Liu had unexpectedly opened a wound she hadn't known existed. She knocked her head against the stall door in frustration. This couldn't be happening, not now, when things were starting to feel more stable. She was a respected hunter in her community. Her sister and nephew were back home, at least for the time being.
Julian was disrupting everything because the truth hit her with surprising force. Not only had Julian entered her home, her circle of friends, and her life, but he had also found a way into her heart.
Venus realized she had a growing affection for Julian that wasn't likely to disappear soon. And she knew she had to end her relationship with Gao Tianyu.
Her life felt completely chaotic.
Venus returned to Gao Tianyu and was astonished to see him talking to Bonk as if they were old acquaintances. It felt surreal. Bonk and Gao Tianyu were known rivals, both personally and professionally, so why were they smiling and exchanging friendly gestures? Wouldn't Bonk be furious that Gao Tianyu was responsible for spreading embarrassing images of him?
"See you later, friend," Bonk said, giving Gao Tianyu a friendly slap on the back. He then gave Venus a private, unsettling look as he passed, reminding her of a predator about to pounce.
"Why were you talking to Bonk?" Venus asked Gao Tianyu, a knot of unease forming in her stomach. Gao Tianyu and Bonk were from rival hunting clans. Bonk's clan was known for their underhanded tactics both in the hunt and in their personal dealings. Gao Tianyu knew this. He also knew that Bonk was often the instigator. Venus didn't trust him at all, and neither did anyone in her hunting group.
"Sit down, Venus," Gao Tianyu commanded.
Venus shook her head and stepped back when he reached for her wrist. "Not until you explain why you and Bonk are suddenly acting like close companions."
He reached out again and this time grasped her arm, his fingers tightening and forcing her to sit beside him. "Don't make a scene."
Venus tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron. He had never behaved this way before, and it frightened her. She winced as his fingers dug into her skin.
"I'm leaving our hunting group and joining Bonk's clan. Since my family's land borders both territories, I had a choice of which group to join. So when they offered me a leadership position, I accepted," he admitted.
The pain in her arm was insignificant compared to the wave of betrayal that washed over her. "You're leaving?" Suddenly, everything made sense. "You missed our last gathering because you were meeting with Bonk's clan, not because your family needed your help." She narrowed her eyes. "You lied to me!"
"I didn't lie. I simply took the best opportunity offered to me." He acted as if changing clans was a trivial matter. "If your group wants you as their leader, that's fine."
Venus struggled to breathe normally, feeling lightheaded with shock. "If you leave, we'll be left with only a few experienced hunters. There's no way we'll succeed in the upcoming Great Hunt."
"Listen, I have to do what's best for me, not what will please everyone else."
"Why did you bring me here tonight? Why did you make me believe everything was fine between us when all along you were planning to abandon me and our comrades? You told me you cherished me. Was that a lie as well?"
He simply shrugged.
Meanwhile, Julian tried to focus on Mei, avoiding looking towards the upper area where Gao Tianyu was being overly affectionate with Venus. His internal struggle to leave Venus alone was weakening, as he wished more than anything to be in Gao Tianyu's place.
The evening had been pleasant until Venus arrived with her boyfriend.
Mei moved closer to Julian again, as if he were a support for her dancing. She was indeed a skilled dancer. When Mei had invited him to join her, Lin Yue, and Liu Hao for the evening, Julian had thought it would be a welcome distraction from Venus's constant perception that he was somehow making her life difficult.