Chapter 29: Returning the Favor

Lu Jia naturally didn’t call out.

Meeting Sheng Shubai’s eager gaze, she averted her eyes and didn’t respond.

This woman had deliberately teased her just now.

At the very least… she wouldn’t consider calling her that until the hickeys faded.

Fortunately, Sheng Shubai knew her limits. Their plans for the next few days involved staying only in the Sheng Family Exhibition Hall, where they wouldn’t see outsiders. It didn’t matter if the marks lingered for a while.

By the time they returned to C City, the traces should have disappeared, so Advisor Rong wouldn’t see them.

Since that was the case, if Sheng Shubai wanted to hear her call her “older sister,” it wasn’t impossible.

Lu Jia pondered.

But the woman didn’t persist like before. She just chuckled lightly, turned back to the table to grab her bag, and smoothly changed the subject without dwelling: “All packed? Let’s go then.”

Lu Jia lowered her head to grip the suitcase handle, unconsciously using a bit more force. The wheels skidded slightly on the tile floor before she steadied them discreetly.

So this woman didn’t actually want to hear it that badly; she had probably just said it in passing to tease her.

Otherwise, why wouldn’t she ask a second time?

Lu Jia didn’t respond. Even after getting in the car, she let the woman chat amiably with the driver up front.

She lowered her gaze and tapped open the tablet on her lap.

The last time she came, she had admired nearly the entire exhibition hall’s prints, but it had only been a hasty glance. The longest she lingered on any one was just over ten minutes.

Lu Jia had already sorted all the photos and videos into categories during her spare time and planned which pieces to study closely over the next few days.

She had done her homework in advance, gathering background and details on today’s selections, planning to review them again so she could consult Sheng Shubai later.

But as soon as she opened the document, a hand blocked the screen.

Fair skin, distinct knuckles.

Resting on the screen, it looked even more slender and beautiful under the glow.

Lu Jia zoned out for a moment involuntarily.

Shifting her gaze, she finally turned to the person beside her: “Miss Sheng?”

She had been chatting so animatedly with the driver just a second ago—why block her screen all of a sudden?

“Careful with your eyes. Didn’t you learn your lesson last night?”

Sheng Shubai glanced at her.

They had been very close that morning, so she could see clearly: Lu Jia’s eyes were threaded with red veins.

This kid had probably been glued to her tablet reviewing materials from after her wash-up until Sheng Shubai knocked and entered.

And then they had stayed up late together, so she hadn’t rested well.

As expected of Rong Yi’s prized student—her work ethic was no less intense than that woman’s back in the day.

“There’s still a while to the Old Mansion. Close your eyes and rest, or you’ll head straight back to my place this afternoon to sleep it off.”

This tactic worked perfectly on Lu Jia.

She immediately shut off the screen: “Okay, I won’t look.”

As she suddenly closed her eyes, her brows couldn’t help but furrow slightly.

Lu Jia had just leaned back against the seat, not yet relaxed, when a feather-light touch smoothed over her brow, gentler than the early autumn breeze.

A satisfied laugh came from beside her ear: “Good girl, little Lu sister.”

–

In the Sheng Family Exhibition Hall, Lu Jia stayed for four whole days.

During that time, aside from when Sheng Shuyun called and Sheng Shubai left for an entire afternoon, they were almost inseparable.

Lu Jia would often spend one or two hours staring at a single piece, and Sheng Shubai never rushed her. She would lounge on the nearby soft sofa with her own tablet. Whenever Lu Jia had a question, she explained patiently.

The exhibition hall had a printmaking workshop.

Every day after viewing the works, Lu Jia couldn’t resist trying her hand, pondering carving techniques on the printing plates.

Sheng Shubai watched with arms crossed from the side, showing no interest in trying herself.

Her gaze mostly lingered on Lu Jia, only occasionally flicking to the plate in front of the girl, calm and steady.

Only when Lu Jia puzzled over the plate without progress did she lower her brows and finally grasp the girl’s fingertips.

It was like teaching a child to hold a brush—from behind, loosely encircling her, covering her right hand.

Their fingers were similar in length, but Lu Jia’s frame was smaller, bones finer, making them look a size smaller than Sheng Shubai’s to the naked eye.

Gripping the carving knife like this wasn’t ideal for control.

Sheng Shubai didn’t apply force, just positioned the blade’s tip at the right angle before loosely resting on the back of Lu Jia’s hand, letting her decide when to cut and lift.

The line draft had been hastily sketched during the first day’s lunch break.

Over the days, she devoted plenty of time and effort.

Lu Jia applied all her new insights and techniques to this print, even scrapping one plate midway. The final version turned out far better than expected.

Her skills advanced by leaps and bounds—in just a few short days, surpassing what others might achieve in weeks or months.

Sheng Shubai saw it all and was long since moved. She resolved to steer her under the family’s elders for doctoral studies.

Though she didn’t interact much with her family, she knew their expertise well. A few years under them, and Lu Jia would shine brightly.

It would be a real shame to let such a promising talent slip away.

If the old lady had a satisfactory student to inherit her mantle, she wouldn’t keep hounding Sheng Shubai to return and make prints.

“Miss Sheng, this one’s for you.”

After inking and printing, Lu Jia handed over the freshly made print.

She had seen what it depicted long ago, but Sheng Shubai feigned ignorance: “The swimming posture on this one you carved is pretty nice.”

Lu Jia curved her eyes: “It’s you.”

To showcase the swim form, it was only a back view.

But the pool structure and the detailed trees behind were all too familiar—Sheng Shubai had even seen the line draft. How could she not recognize it?

Thus, in a pleased mood, she nodded: “Thank you. I’ll take it.”

“I should be the one thanking you.”

Lu Jia said earnestly: “You’ve spent these days accompanying me, Miss Sheng, and taught me so much. I… don’t know how to thank you properly, so I can only give you a print.”

She had specifically asked Sheng Shubai, who said she didn’t want bought gifts—just something else from her. Lu Jia figured the only thing she could offer was a print, and since the woman didn’t mind receiving one, she got to work.

Sheng Shubai eyed her meaningfully: “Haven’t you already thanked me?”

Caught in the woman’s pointed stare, Lu Jia recalled the details of their nights together—far too heated.

She didn’t even want to think about it anymore.

Lu Jia’s ear tips warmed as she tried to steer back: “This has nothing to do with… those.”

They had signed a contract; that sort of thing was expected.

Though these recent times had been a bit excessive, it was all consensual.

And both had taken initiative at points, so to Lu Jia, it hardly counted as “thanks.”

“Alright, if you’re still feeling guilty—”

Sheng Shubai tapped her forehead, the familiar pressure pulling her thoughts back.

Lu Jia looked up to see the woman smiling: “How about giving me the printing plate too?”

She agreed promptly: “Of course.”

She had drawn her subject anyway—if the woman wanted it, she would offer it with both hands.

Sheng Shubai was decisive and immediately made a call. After hanging up, Lu Jia asked: “Miss Sheng, are you shipping it to C City?”

She had assumed Sheng Shubai would leave it at her Z City residence.

“Mm.”

Sheng Shubai nodded, then as if recalling something: “Right, it’ll ship with your Charm Beneath the Grove. It was set for tomorrow anyway, so it’ll arrive the same day as us. I rushed the contact to add one more.”

“What?”

Lu Jia’s expression filled with stunned surprise.

If she remembered right, that was the piece from the fourth floor of Sheng Shuyun’s Villa—how could it be hers?

“My fault, I forgot to mention.”

The woman’s brows and eyes brimmed with warmth: “I saw you liked it last time, so I casually asked my sister for it. Consider it a welcome gift.”

What was done was done.

It was a gift Sheng Shubai had obtained for her; refusing now would seem ungrateful.

Lu Jia said softly: “Thank you.”

“You’re not thinking about how to repay my sister now, are you?”

Noticing the girl lower her eyes in thought, Sheng Shubai had a solid grasp on her personality by now—seven or eight out of ten.

She also recalled glimpsing a rough sketch of a woman in a suit while advising on Lu Jia’s line drafts earlier—the style and aura just like Sheng Shuyun’s.

The woman narrowed her eyes: “What, you planning to carve a print of her too and give it as a gift?”

Lu Jia’s eyes lit up, clearly taken with the idea: “But I’d have to ask first. I don’t know if President Sheng would mind—”

“No.”

Sheng Shubai cut her off.

As Lu Jia looked over blankly, Sheng Shubai barely suppressed an inexplicable irritation:

“My sister… doesn’t like others drawing her. Plus, she’s got something budding with a girl. That kind of gift wouldn’t be appropriate.”

Lu Jia nodded in understanding: “I see.”

That did make it unsuitable; she’d have to think of something else.

But before she could, the woman before her lifted her chin, her peach-blossom eyes curving into a meaningful arc:

“No rush on her. I think the print you gave me took so much effort—it’s quite precious.”

“Returning a gift without receiving one first is rude. Tonight, I should repay you properly.”

She drew out “repay” with an alluring lilt.

Lu Jia lightly bit the soft flesh inside her lip, nodding mutely without a word.

These nights, the woman had bound her, pinned her down, even blindfolded her with a dropped whip. When they discussed aftercare feelings afterward, she never felt too embarrassed—always straightforward.

But after several times, Lu Jia vaguely sensed her own inclination toward pain.

She had always been the type to voice her desires plainly, yet some unfamiliar emotion repeatedly suppressed the words on the tip of her tongue.

She feared Sheng Shubai wouldn’t like such thoughts from her.

She feared… the woman would find her too strange.

With little alone time lately, Lu Jia had deliberately avoided dwelling on it.

If that time Sheng Shubai bit her while drunk had been pain coincidentally sparking new inspiration’s pleasure…

Then now, her reactions to such sensations grew ever more pronounced—even craving more.

But why?