Chapter 52

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The pajamas were thin and soft, the cotton fabric feeling comfortable against the skin. Ning Jiuwei’s hand rested on Su Jinglan’s lower back, sensing through the cloth that her skin was cooler than the warmth of her own palm.

“This spot hurts a bit.” Their embracing position let Ning Jiuwei reach it easily. Su Jinglan placed her hand over Ning Jiuwei’s and guided it in a couple of rubs. “Massage is easy to learn. Designer Ning, use your palm to rub right here—not too hard, and not too light.”

Her waist was so slender that Ning Jiuwei had no idea how much pressure it could take. She had the uneasy feeling that even a little force might make Su Jinglan’s back pain worse. Su Jinglan released her hand, letting Ning Jiuwei try on her own.

“I can’t.” Ning Jiuwei drew her hand back, eventually resting it awkwardly on herself.

“Is it that Teacher Ning can’t do it, or that she’s afraid of an accident?” Su Jinglan caught the hem of her clothes, pressing close in an intimate, teasing way. Her warm breath washed over Ning Jiuwei’s face with every word.

Ning Jiuwei rolled over, turning her back to regain control of the moment. “President Su, it’s time to sleep.”

Su Jinglan didn’t sleep right away and returned to her side of the bed. Before climbing in, she had sworn she wouldn’t sneak under Ning Jiuwei’s covers in the middle of the night. True to her word, she didn’t wait until then—she slid in well before midnight. Ning Jiuwei shifted half a body length away, creating some distance.

She had once wondered if such a spacious bed was a waste for one person. Now it was proving useful. Thank goodness for the width; it gave her room to retreat.

Su Jinglan followed suit, inching half a body length closer.

Their bodies molded together under the covers, building heat. Ning Jiuwei’s thin back registered the uniquely feminine softness and warmth pressing against her from behind. Her heart skipped a beat, pounding faster than she could bear.

“Su Jinglan, go to sleep.” Ning Jiuwei’s words came out cold and sharp, delivered in a commanding tone.

The edge in her voice didn’t deter Su Jinglan. Instead, she snuggled even closer, looping her arm around Ning Jiuwei’s waist and murmuring softly against the nape of her neck. “Jiuwei, I can hear your heartbeat. It’s racing.”

A racing heart could signal so many things, and both women latched onto the same one—perfectly suited to the charged atmosphere between them.

“Ning Jiuwei.”

Su Jinglan called her name again from behind.

Ning Jiuwei turned over, seizing Su Jinglan’s hand and pinning it to the bed. She made no effort to steady her breathing; hot, ragged gasps fanned across lips just inches away.

Loose strands of hair brushed her cheek, stirring an itch that burrowed into her heart like ants. In the sheltering darkness, Su Jinglan’s lips curved upward. Her voice, laced with heated amusement, drifted slowly into Ning Jiuwei’s ear. “What does Teacher Ning want to do?”

The fierce kiss she anticipated never landed. The grip on her wrist tightened, the pain catching Su Jinglan off guard.

Breathing hard, Ning Jiuwei looked down at the woman pinned beneath her. “Su Jinglan, I don’t want to hurt you.”

It was obvious Ning Jiuwei lacked hands-on experience, though she clearly had the theory down. Su Jinglan endured the ache in her wrist, her lips arching into a stunning curve as a genuine smile lit her face. “If I’m willing, then it’s not hurting me.”

She wasn’t just willing. She had been eagerly anticipating this for so long.

Su Jinglan had no clue what she was saying. Ning Jiuwei wrestled her emotions under control, easing the pressure on her hand bit by bit—holding Su Jinglan in place without causing her pain.

Her heartbeat showed no sign of slowing anytime soon. Ning Jiuwei drew her knees up and sat upright, flinging back the covers to release the trapped heat. The chill of the air helped clear her head.

They switched sides, with Ning Jiuwei now lying on the right.

It hit Su Jinglan belatedly. In the sleepless depths of the night, she turned Ning Jiuwei’s words over in her mind: “I don’t want to hurt you.” The harm Ning Jiuwei meant wasn’t the physical kind from clumsy intimacy—dryness or overzealousness—but something deeper.

Like not taking responsibility after a one-night stand?

Was Ning Jiuwei really that conservative, overthinking everything?

The night wore on, and a wave of exhaustion finally overtook Su Jinglan. She shifted into a more comfortable position, her hand slipping under the covers to rest against the pillow as she drifted off to sleep.

She never once worried that Ning Jiuwei might hurt her. In her presence, she let all her guards down, sleeping with utter abandon.

The rhythm of her slow breaths was faint, almost lost in the quiet night. Ning Jiuwei opened her eyes and glanced sideways. The dim outline traced Su Jinglan’s form; memory sharpened it into perfect clarity.

Guided by the sound of her breathing, Ning Jiuwei’s hand found Su Jinglan’s face. Her fingertips traced gently over her cheek.

The skin was smooth and flawless, the jawline sharply defined. One appreciated her beauty with the eyes, her bone structure with touch. Ning Jiuwei murmured softly, “Su Jinglan.”

The woman in the depths of sleep was slow to register sounds, ignoring the call from the outside world. But her skin knew—the tingling itch spread from her cheek down her neck. Su Jinglan stirred, shifting her head slightly, and the hand at her neck withdrew.

Dawn had just broken, the faint morning light tinting the crystalline dew. Ning Jiuwei hadn’t slept much and rose early.

Su Jinglan slept until she woke naturally. This slumber left her utterly relaxed and comfortable, body and soul.

Ever since sharing a bed with Ning Jiuwei, she could no longer stand sleeping alone. Even without doing a thing, just lying beside her filled Su Jinglan with deep, inner contentment.

Su Jinglan glanced at the spot beside her and realized Ning Jiuwei was gone.

It wasn’t late yet—just past eight. Had Ning Jiuwei gotten up this early? Su Jinglan touched the sheets. The warmth beneath Ning Jiuwei’s covers had long gone cold; she’d been up for at least an hour.

The room was dim, so Su Jinglan drew back the curtains. Thick clouds blanketed the sky outside. The residential complex was quiet, with only a handful of pedestrians weaving through the gardens. Su Jinglan gazed out into the distance before leaving the bedroom in her pajamas.

The house felt eerily still, as if she were the only one there. Su Jinglan had a rough sense of Ning Jiuwei’s home layout. She texted her assistant and learned Ning Jiuwei hadn’t gone to the company. After a brief pause in the living room, she headed to the study.

The study door stood ajar. Ning Jiuwei sat behind the desk, stylus in hand over her tablet, lost in thought and oblivious to the figure in the doorway.

Su Jinglan took in the sight of Ning Jiuwei working from home, then lightly rapped the doorframe. She met the gaze that turned her way with a gentle smile. “Designer Ning, sketching some designs?”

“Mm.” Ning Jiuwei stayed perfectly composed, betraying no surprise at Su Jinglan’s arrival. “I’m working on designs here today—no trip to the office. Make yourself at home, President Su.”

“Is this the brooch for Lanyan?” Su Jinglan had no rush to head to the company. Her eyes flicked to the tablet’s screen, surprise flickering across her face. “Why’s it only half finished?”

“I got halfway, then some uninvited guest came along and interrupted.”

Su Jinglan knew full well who that “uninvited guest” was. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to cut Designer Ning off. As compensation, let me buy you breakfast.”

“I’ve already eaten.”

With her role as President of the Design Division, Su Jinglan had every right to peek at designs. She asked Ning Jiuwei, “Mind if I take a closer look?”

From this distance, she could tell the brooch was half-sketched, but the details on the main piece were indistinct.

Ning Jiuwei passed her the tablet.

Su Jinglan bent her head for a careful study. Ning Jiuwei watched her face intently, gauging her reactions.

“It’s only half done, but I can already sense the sexual tension.” Su Jinglan handed the tablet back and inquired about the annual new product plans. “When do you plan to start on the annual new product, Designer Ning?”

“After I wrap up these custom orders.” Seeing no sign of Su Jinglan leaving, Ning Jiuwei politely ushered her out. “Shouldn’t you be off to the company, President Su?”

“Does Designer Ning want me gone so badly?”

“No.” Ning Jiuwei’s courtesy opened the door, and Su Jinglan stayed right where she was. “Then I’ll linger a bit longer.”

Ning Jiuwei: “…”

Su Jinglan let out a helpless chuckle. “Does Designer Ning remember last night?”

So much had happened—who could say which incident Su Jinglan meant? Ning Jiuwei met it with silence. Her lovely, seductive peach-blossom eyes resembled petals in an early spring shower, her gaze speaking volumes without a word.

Su Jinglan dropped a key phrase. “Helping Miss Wen fend off the marriage pressure.”

“What, has President Su changed her mind?” Ning Jiuwei smiled, a subtle hint of distance veiled in her gentle expression.

“Leave professional jobs to the pros.” Su Jinglan played coy. “I’ve got the perfect candidate to pose as Miss Wen’s girlfriend. Her parents won’t suspect a thing. And it’ll help Designer Ning shake loose from Miss Wen too.”

That final line stirred Ning Jiuwei’s interest.

But she wasn’t ready to take Su Jinglan’s words at face value.

After some deliberation, Ning Jiuwei sent the restaurant address. “This is tonight’s dinner spot.”

Su Jinglan glanced at it. “I’ll be there tonight too—with Designer Ning.”

With Wen Wanyuan and her parents present, Su Jinglan wouldn’t push boundaries. But what role would she play at the table? Ning Jiuwei guessed her scheme in an instant and shot it down. “No need for President Su to join.”

Burning bridges before crossing the river—Su Jinglan laughed. “I’ll swing by at five to pick you up, Designer Ning. Be a good girl and wait for me at home.”

Ning Jiuwei regretted it instantly, tempted to text Wen Wanyuan and switch venues right then.

In the end, though, she held back.

Su Jinglan crossed to the other place to change, bid Ning Jiuwei farewell before heading out, and went to the office.

A chief designer enjoyed far more freedom than a president, with far less on her plate.

Ning Jiuwei spent the day at home. Right on the dot at five p.m., the doorbell chimed.

She’d already changed. Su Jinglan gave her an appraising once-over from the doorway and smiled. “Let’s head to the restaurant.”

The restaurant was quite a distance away, and with rush hour traffic, it took nearly an hour to arrive. Su Jinglan told Ning Jiuwei to head up first while she waited for her friend.

“Ah Mu, you’re finally here! I’ve been waiting forever!” The restaurant occupied the third floor of the hotel, its ambiance elegant and serene, permeated by the rich scent of Blue Windchime Fragrance. Wen Wanyuan had received the message and come to meet Ning Jiuwei at the elevator. Seeing her arrive alone, joy bloomed in her heart. “Wasn’t there supposed to be a very professional friend coming to play my girlfriend?”

Wen Wanyuan glanced behind her. “That friend is you, right, Sister Ning?”

Ning Jiuwei smiled faintly. “She’ll be up in a bit.”

Wen Wanyuan didn’t buy it. She linked arms with Ning Jiuwei and led her into the restaurant toward the private room. “Ah Mu, steel yourself—my parents aren’t the only ones inside.”

Afraid Ning Jiuwei might bail, Wen Wanyuan had only just told her now. “When my parents got here, they contacted yours, so… your parents are in there too.”

Ning Jiuwei: “???”

Wen Wanyuan threw up her hands. “I only found out when we got here.”

In the underground parking lot, a black nanny car pulled up beside Su Jinglan’s. A woman stepped out, her face obscured by a black mask. A pair of polarized night vision glasses perched on her prominent nose bridge, complemented by a high-end custom outfit and an expensive handbag.

No matter how thoroughly her face was hidden, Su Jinglan recognized her at a glance. “Lanyan.”

Shen Lanyan approached her car, a meaningful smile hidden behind her glasses. “Rest assured, President Su. I’m very professional when it comes to acting—especially romance scenes.”

Realizing Su Jinglan was coming, Ning Jiuwei hurriedly shook off Wen Wanyuan’s hand. “You go ahead inside. I need to give my friend a few instructions.”

She had to get Su Jinglan to leave.

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