Chapter 64 p2
They arrived at the riding stable a little before 2 p.m.
It wasn’t a weekend, and with the members-only policy, the stable was relatively empty.
They went to the changing rooms to put on their riding outfits.
Xu Jinnan finished first. Cai Ying’s VIP card granted them access to the VIP area, and the manager personally brought her a riding crop.
She took it, dismissed the manager, and sat down outside the changing room to wait for Shen Shu.
“Shu Shu, are you ready?” she called out after a few minutes.
The door opened, and Xu Jinnan’s eyes widened slightly.
The women’s riding outfit was different from the men’s.
A high-collared white shirt, a fitted black vest, tight breeches with a silver buckle, and tall black boots that hugged Shen Shu’s slender calves.
The overall effect was strikingly elegant, almost severe, yet undeniably alluring.
Xu Jinnan stepped closer, her voice full of admiration. “You look amazing.”
“I know,” Shen Shu replied, a playful glint in her eyes. She had a confident air about her when she was in a good mood.
Xu Jinnan smiled faintly and led her to the stables to choose their horses.
The wooden stalls housed a variety of horses, and the manager, walking beside them, explained, “The ones with nameplates are already reserved, either by their owners or by us, on their behalf. We have many other fine horses, some newly arrived, with excellent pedigrees. Take a look and see if any of them catch your eye.”
Xu Jinnan noticed the various nameplates hanging from the horses’ halters, some with names, others with symbols or initials.
“This is Miss Cai’s horse,” the manager said, pointing to a pinto.
A “C” hung from its halter, Cai Ying’s initial.
Like a mark of ownership.
Xu Jinnan’s gaze lingered on the nameplate, a strange sense of familiarity washing over her.
Then, she realized Shen Shu had been unusually quiet and glanced at her to see her also staring at the nameplate.
“Do you like this one?” Xu Jinnan asked.
Shen Shu shook her head. “No, I prefer solid colors,” she replied, looking away. She couldn’t explain it, but the nameplate had also seemed familiar to her.
They walked over to another row of stalls, and Xu Jinnan chose a dark brown horse, while Shen Shu picked a white one.
It wasn’t pure white, but a creamy white, its coat shimmering in the sunlight.
It was a beautiful horse.
It held its head high, its demeanor proud, but as Shen Shu reached out to stroke its neck, it nuzzled against her hand, its eyes gentle.
“It suits you,” Xu Jinnan commented.
Shen Shu, liking the horse, decided to ride it.
“You’re a beginner, so you can’t ride alone yet. I’ll lead you around for a bit,” Xu Jinnan said. The horses here were specially trained, and most of them were gentle and easy to handle.
She helped Shen Shu onto the horse, then, holding the reins, led her to a less crowded area.
Shen Shu’s expression was calm, but her knuckles, white from gripping the reins, betrayed her nervousness.
Xu Jinnan stopped. “Are you scared?”
Shen Shu looked down at her, not bothering to pretend. “A little.”
“Want me to take you?”
“Aren’t you already?”
“A different way,” Xu Jinnan said, looking up at her, her eyes squinting slightly against the sunlight. “Should I join you?”
Shen Shu understood instantly. “Okay,” she replied.
Xu Jinnan stepped onto the mounting block and swung herself onto the horse behind Shen Shu, her arm circling Shen Shu’s waist, pulling her back against her chest.
Almost the same position as last night.
As if they were picking up where they left off…
Xu Jinnan leaned forward to take the reins, her warm breath brushing against Shen Shu’s ear.
“Shu Shu, ready?”
“Yes.”
Xu Jinnan gently flicked the reins, nudging the horse’s flanks with her legs, and the horse started walking.
They rode across the vast green field, the blue sky stretching endlessly above them, bathed in warm sunlight.
The scent of fresh grass and the gentle breeze filled the air, carrying with it the warmth of the person behind her.
The horse wasn’t moving fast, but the rhythmic swaying motion brought their bodies closer, Shen Shu’s back pressed against Xu Jinnan’s chest.
Suddenly, the horse shifted slightly, and Shen Shu instinctively leaned back against Xu Jinnan, feeling her arm tighten around her waist.
And she thought she heard a sharp intake of breath behind her ear.
—
Xu Jinnan, mindful of Shen Shu’s recent publicity, had deliberately chosen a less crowded area. Seeing no one around, Shen Shu seemed to relax slightly.
“Want to go a little faster?” Xu Jinnan asked.
“Okay.”
Xu Jinnan didn’t use the crop, simply applying more pressure with her legs, and the horse picked up speed, Shen Shu’s body pressing closer against hers.
“Hold on tight if you’re going to fall,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice barely audible over the wind.
Shen Shu grasped her arms, her fingers tightening around Xu Jinnan’s firm biceps, surprisingly strong beneath the thin fabric of her shirt.
Xu Jinnan wasn’t particularly muscular, her arms and legs slender and shapely, but her strength was evident now.
Shen Shu’s heart skipped a beat, her palms tingling.
Xu Jinnan, glancing down at Shen Shu’s flushed earlobes, suddenly realized why the nameplate had seemed so familiar.
It had reminded her of the “X” tattoo on Shen Shu’s collarbone.
And of Xia Chun.
And of Shen Shu’s words in the car: The Xia Chun I knew wouldn’t do this.
Her thoughts paused, her lips pressing together, and she unconsciously pressed her legs harder against the horse’s flanks, the sudden acceleration making Shen Shu lose her balance.
“Xu Jinnan, slow down!” Shen Shu exclaimed, her voice laced with surprise and a hint of panic.
Snapping out of her thoughts, Xu Jinnan didn’t pull on the reins, simply tightening her arm around Shen Shu’s waist to reassure her.
She leaned in close, her lips brushing against Shen Shu’s ear. “I said the wrong thing in the car earlier,” she murmured, her voice slightly breathless.
She had been thinking about it ever since.
“What?” Shen Shu asked, her own breathing uneven.
“It wasn’t ‘maybe a little’,” Xu Jinnan said, her voice low and husky.
“I was very jealous. Hearing you praise someone else… it made me jealous,” she confessed, her words like a tremor before an earthquake, shattering the fragile peace, the memory of their earlier kiss resurfacing, the warmth of Shen Shu’s lips a phantom sensation.
She pulled on the reins, slowing the horse to a stop, then gently touched Shen Shu’s cheek with her gloved hand.
Shen Shu turned to her, their eyes meeting, her gaze lingering on Xu Jinnan’s lips, then slowly moving upwards.
She squinted slightly against the sunlight, her hand tightening around Xu Jinnan’s arm, her fingers brushing against her skin, a subtle invitation.
Xu Jinnan didn’t hesitate, leaning in…
The horse shifted slightly beneath them, the movement a gentle rocking motion.
As they pulled away, Xu Jinnan’s breath catching in her throat, she looked at Shen Shu, whose flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips, her eyes sparkling with a mixture of desire and something else Xu Jinnan couldn’t quite decipher, were a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
Even though Shen Shu had turned towards her willingly, Xu Jinnan still felt a surge of possessiveness, a primal urge to claim her.
Her throat tightened, and she kissed Shen Shu again, a soft, lingering kiss, then, resting her forehead against Shen Shu’s, whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Shen Shu’s heart pounded, her fingers gripping Xu Jinnan’s arm, the warmth of her lips still tingling.
Xu Jinnan gently brushed her gloved hand against Shen Shu’s lips.
Shen Shu seemed to relax slightly, leaning her head against Xu Jinnan’s shoulder, the earlier intimacy having broken down the last of her defenses.
But her head was still bowed slightly, a hint of shyness in her posture, her cheeks burning as she noticed the silver ring on Xu Jinnan’s gloved finger.
She bit her lip, taking a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure, to hide her reaction.
Xu Jinnan seemed so experienced, so in control, while she…
“Have you done this… often?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
A gust of wind carried her words away, and Xu Jinnan, leaning closer, asked, “Done what often?”
“This,” Shen Shu clarified.
“…”
“Nan-jie!”
A familiar voice called out from a distance.
Xu Jinnan looked up to see Chen Bo and Han Wenfang approaching.
Since Song Ronghui and Yin Xue’s downfall, they had found new companions.
Han Wenfang, seeing someone she knew, stopped, while Chen Bo continued walking towards them.
“Oh my god, I thought I was mistaken,” he exclaimed, seeing Shen Shu with Xu Jinnan. “Hello, sister-in-law!”
Shen Shu’s expression cooled. She hadn’t forgotten the hospital incident.
“I’m going to get some water,” she said, dismounting.
Xu Jinnan glanced at Chen Bo, knowing he wanted to talk to her, and said, “I’ll go with you.” She didn’t like people like Chen Bo, but she could use him.
She had even discussed it with Shen Shu, who had said she didn’t mind Xu Jinnan using him for business purposes. But Shen Shu clearly disliked him.
Chen Bo, aware of her disdain, felt a twinge of resentment.
He had assumed Xu Jinnan had approved of his actions at the hospital.
He touched his nose. “Nan-jie, I wanted to talk to you about the North District project.”
Xu Jinnan stopped him from dismounting. “We’ll talk later,” she said. The resting area was a ten-minute ride away, and even with the safety nets along the riding path, it wasn’t entirely safe.
At the resting area, Xu Jinnan dismounted first, then reached out to Shen Shu. “Here,” she said, then, as Shen Shu took her hand, pulled her into her arms, lifting her off the horse.
After Shen Shu went inside to get some water, Chen Bo and Xu Jinnan sat down at a table under a parasol. A waiter brought them two cups of coffee.
Xu Jinnan raised an eyebrow, looking at Chen Bo. “Did you follow me here?”
Chen Bo’s back stiffened, and he quickly shook his head. “No way! It’s just a coincidence! I’ve been meaning to talk to you… And this place just opened recently. You know I frequent riding stables.”
Normally, she would have indulged him, but today, she wasn’t in the mood. She glanced towards the resting area. “Just say what you want.”
Chen Bo briefly explained his request – he wanted to know if there was any possibility of him getting involved in the North District project.
“Sis, let me join your team. My old man is getting stricter and stricter with me, telling me to learn from you. We’re both spoiled brats, but you managed to turn your life around. Why can’t I?”
Xu Jinnan: “…”
Chen Bo grinned. “If he sees me focusing on my career, he’ll stop nagging me.”
It was true, but there was another reason – he had a sort of blind admiration for Xu Jinnan.
Her success, in his eyes, was effortless, and seeing her “reform,” he wanted to try it too.
“Why are you coming to me with your family problems?”
“My father only gives me trivial tasks. It’s boring, and I don’t want to work with him. I want to work with you,” he said.
Xu Jinnan took a sip of coffee.
“What do you want to do?” she asked. “Or rather, what can you do?”
Chen Bo’s eyes lit up. “Nan-jie, you decide! I’m free. I can do anything.”
Xu Jinnan considered it, not rejecting him outright. Having Chen Bo involved wouldn’t be a bad thing. The Chen family also had some influence in North City. This favor wasn’t just for Chen Bo; it was for the Chen family.
After discussing the details, she went to find Shen Shu.
She opened the door to the resting room and saw Shen Shu sitting on the sofa, examining the riding crop.
Xu Jinnan paused. Shen Shu seemed to have a particular interest in leather…
Perhaps I should get rid of those things after all.
