Chapter 19

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The sounds of entangled panting filled the entire room. The naked-eye 3D effect immersed the viewers in front of the screen, making them feel as though they stood mere inches from Shen Lanyan. From her disheveled strands of hair to her alluring jawline, the tips of her slightly reddened ears—every exquisite detail was laid bare in sharp clarity.

Ning Jiuwei’s breath caught in her throat. She didn’t dare steal a glance at Su Jinglan from the corner of her eye.

The room’s temperature climbed steadily, thin beads of sweat trickling down her temple. Ning Jiuwei kept her expression serene, but inside, the scene unfolding before her filled her with such profound embarrassment that she longed for a crack in the floor to slip into.

Su Jinglan’s gaze drifted from the screen to the woman beside her. The heated kisses echoing right by her ear acted like a potent love spell burrowing into her heart, luring her ever closer to Ning Jiuwei.

With all the room lights off, only the screen’s dim, flickering glow remained. Su Jinglan fixed her eyes on those full, enticing lips, fighting a fierce battle against the overwhelming impulse to taste their soft allure.

Her stare burned too fiercely. Ning Jiuwei sensed it and turned her head, meeting Su Jinglan’s eyes with calm composure. “Is the movie no good?”

“The one you picked, Designer Ning, is perfect.” They weren’t in a theater, so there was no need to whisper. Su Jinglan discovered her voice had grown husky and strained. She lowered it further for her next words. “It’s just that a scene this intimate… it leaves me feeling a little overheated.”

Ning Jiuwei had no ready reply. Su Jinglan wore only a single layer; she couldn’t suggest taking it off. The weather wasn’t chilly enough to warrant the air conditioning yet.

“Then I’ll switch to something else.”

The movie was the source of the issue. Ning Jiuwei clung to her rationality, reaching for the remote to exit.

Su Jinglan caught her hand, her palm’s searing heat laid bare. “Let’s keep watching. The kissing part’s already passed.”

They were adults, after all. A bit of mature content could broaden their life experience—no harm in that.

The brush of skin, coming right after that scorching intimate sequence, sent a subtle spark racing through her, stirring unrest. Ning Jiuwei pulled her hand back to her lap, slowly tamping down the turbulent waves Su Jinglan had unleashed within her.

The film pressed on. Ning Jiuwei, who had turned her eyes away, avoided looking at Su Jinglan, channeling her focus onto Shen Lanyan instead.

A hush fell briefly. Then Su Jinglan’s voice murmured close to her ear. “Hugging something might help.”

How on earth could hugging anything make it better? Ning Jiuwei’s already unsteady heart detonated. The fine hairs on her skin prickled as if ready to stand on end.

She opened her mouth to protest, but suddenly a soft bundle landed in her arms. Ning Jiuwei glanced down to see Su Jinglan placing a throw pillow on her lap. “Hugging this while you watch will feel more comfortable.”

Having misunderstood it as an invitation to embrace a person, Ning Jiuwei hugged the pillow tight against her chest.

This wasn’t their first time alone together, but it was the first they’d spent watching a movie. No matter how she tried to ignore the tension, it lingered objectively. Now, with the pillow clutched close, that tension began to ebb away.

Ning Jiuwei leaned back into the sofa’s plush support. The pillow felt like the comforting weight of a blanket on a late-night slumber, warmed by her body and radiating security.

Su Jinglan’s lips curved in a soundless smile. She snagged a pillow for herself, cradling it the same way, and settled into a lazy recline beside her.

Once the opening intimacy faded, the next half hour dove into pure plot. Driven by her designer’s eye, Ning Jiuwei dissected Shen Lanyan’s every glance and gesture in meticulous detail.

Film was fiction, mere performance at its core. Yet she had to concede Shen Lanyan’s skill was masterful—her restraint as she gazed at the lover fate forced her to part from, eyes shimmering with interwoven despair and fragile hope.

“Lovers in real life don’t lock eyes like that.” As Ning Jiuwei fixated on the tear trembling at the corner of Shen Lanyan’s eye, poised to fall yet holding back, Su Jinglan turned to study her. “They know each other’s every move like the back of their hand.”

Ning Jiuwei didn’t catch her drift. Su Jinglan’s smile softened, warm and tender. “The moment a spark of love lingers in those eyes, it drives you to throw yourself into the fire, vowing eternal loyalty through nine deaths without regret. Designer Ning, you must have memorized 《Li Sao》 back in high school, right? ‘What my heart desires, though nine deaths, I would not regret.'”

《Li Sao》 had been required reading in high school; Ning Jiuwei could still recite it from memory and grasped its meaning perfectly.

A knot twisted in her chest. Ning Jiuwei fell silent. Su Jinglan turned back to the screen, where the protagonists parted. “The one you love is your heart’s true north—unwavering, nine deaths be damned.”

Ning Jiuwei’s gaze dropped, her teeth catching her lower lip to stifle the flood of memories.

The espionage intrigue was grueling and perilous; its twists and turns pulled Ning Jiuwei’s attention fully. Composed once more, she let go of her lip and reached for the water bottle on the coffee table.

She’d barely stirred when Su Jinglan anticipated her, grabbing a mineral water, twisting off the cap, and offering it over.

“Thanks.” Ning Jiuwei accepted without protest, far less guarded than before. After two refined sips, she capped it and set it on the sofa beside her for easy reach later.

The movie ran long—over two hours—and they were barely halfway through. So far, that opening intimate scene had been the only one.

The movie they had chosen lived up to its description—no cloying romance. Ning Jiuwei relaxed and watched it attentively.

As she focused on the screen, her mind slipped into work mode. She began mentally designing a ring that Shen Lanyan could wear every day.

Discarding the previous two design drawings entirely, she envisioned new styles. Images flashed through her thoughts one after another—dazzling, yet none seemed perfectly right.

Her phone rang. “Excuse me,” Ning Jiuwei said. She glanced at the caller ID and hung up without a second thought.

Su Jinglan asked curiously, “Who was that?”

“Just an advertising sales call.” Ning Jiuwei locked her screen and turned back to the movie.

There was no saccharine romance in the film, only endless, heartbreaking entanglements. Separated lovers reunited, and Ning Jiuwei assumed the emotional scenes were over. Without any warning, a steamy intimate exchange appeared on screen.

The flames of desire burned hotter under suppression. The long-parted pair collided like heavenly thunder and earthly fire. Before Ning Jiuwei could react, Shen Lanyan had pinned her partner against the wall in a deep kiss. She traced the line of their jaw, forcing their head back, her hand slipping deftly beneath their clothing.

This scene was even bolder than the opening.

Ning Jiuwei ducked her head, averting her eyes.

A melodic chuckle sounded in her ear, having caught every bit of her reaction.

“I never realized Designer Ning was so adorable.” Hugging her pillow, Su Jinglan edged imperceptibly closer. “Designer Ning, if I may be so bold—could I ask something personal?”

Ning Jiuwei’s heart hammered wildly. She had a good guess what was coming. “I’ve never been in a relationship.”

“Then I’m relieved.” Su Jinglan’s face lit up with a radiant smile.

“Relieved?” Something tugged at Ning Jiuwei’s heart.

Su Jinglan met her gaze with a grin. The usual enigmatic depth in her eyes now sparkled with unmistakable delight. “That’s not what I wanted to ask. What I meant was—has Teacher Ning never seen intimate scenes in movies or TV shows before?”

The sudden switch to “Teacher” made Ning Jiuwei’s mind veer toward those illicit videos starring teachers.

She shot back, “Has President Su?”

“Oh, plenty.” Su Jinglan held Ning Jiuwei’s gaze, her soft voice slow and enticing. “Sadly, I’ve never had the chance to try them out myself.”

Their eyes gleamed in the glow from the screen. Su Jinglan braced one hand on the sofa and leaned in closer, stopping just shy of twenty centimeters away to study Ning Jiuwei intently. “Teacher Ning’s never been in a relationship… and never been kissed, right?”

Ning Jiuwei clutched her pillow like a shield, on the defensive. “No.”

“Want to give it a try?” Su Jinglan’s offer was earnest, utterly sincere—no trace of a joke.

Ning Jiuwei: “……”

Su Jinglan laughed and pulled back, settling against the sofa. “There, the steamy part’s over.”

The two-hour-plus film ended as night fully descended. Stepping out of the audio-visual room felt like emerging from a world apart.

Right now, Ning Jiuwei wanted nothing more than to rush home. Every extra second at Su Jinglan’s house intensified the emotional turmoil inside her.

“Designer Ning, what should we have for dinner?” Su Jinglan clearly had no plans to let her guest leave. She broached the topic as if it were the most natural thing.

After watching a movie here, Ning Jiuwei couldn’t very well suggest going their separate ways. “What does President Su feel like? My treat.”

“I’ve heard Designer Ning rarely eats out—she always cooks for herself.” Su Jinglan didn’t hold back. “Why don’t we have a casual dinner at your place? I’d love to sample Designer Ning’s cooking.”

Worried Su Jinglan might try to stay the night, Ning Jiuwei laid down the law early. “My guest room doesn’t have a bed, and no alcohol for President Su.”

“Deal. Whatever you say for food or drink—I’m all yours.”

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