Chapter 8: Company in the Thunderstorm

Look.

The rain today really was pouring. After all, it was the water that had flooded into Jiang Xiaoyi’s brain.

Her eyes might as well be donated—they hadn’t even glanced at the comment before she hit send.

To make the same stupid mistake twice… She had no face left to show to Meng Chuning.

Jiang Xiaoyi tapped open that screenshot and carefully examined the Moments post Meng Chuning had shared.

It was just a single photo of a sheer gauze dress captured in the mirror, set to friends-only visibility.

For some reason, Jiang Xiaoyi felt a spark of delight. She was actually within Big Boss Sister’s circle of visible friends.

No, what was she thinking?

Was this really the time to be happy about that?

But why had Meng Chuning replied to her with just those three words: “Come over and see”?

Was it an invitation… or sarcasm?

It couldn’t possibly be an invitation.

Jiang Xiaoyi was going crazy. How was she supposed to explain this?

To make matters worse, she was still in Big Boss Sister’s house right now. She couldn’t even escape if she wanted to.

What if she stepped out this door and found Big Boss Sister blocking her way, refusing to let her leave until she gave a proper explanation?

She agonized over it for ages—so long that she didn’t even notice the lightning flashing outside several times.

Huddled under the covers, Jiang Xiaoyi typed in the dark.

Xiao Yi: 【Sorry, Sister!】

Xiao Yi: 【I meant to comment on a friend’s post, but I got it wrong.】

Xiao Yi: 【I absolutely didn’t mean to offend you.】

She and Su Jiuyue often bantered like trash-talking friends, tossing out flirty comments without a second thought. She’d just figured the heavy rain made it perfect and copied the line on impulse. Only after sending did she realize what she’d posted.

It would’ve been fine for Su Jiuyue, but to Meng Chuning? That was straight-up creepy.

Meng Chuning had probably fallen asleep by now—no reply came for a long while, leaving Jiang Xiaoyi even more on edge. Maybe she should just slip out of Big Boss Sister’s house while she could.

The bedside lamp cast a dim, hazy glow. Jiang Xiaoyi tiptoed to the door and eased it open.

The hallway was deathly quiet. Meng Chuning’s bedroom was dark, just as Jiang Xiaoyi had guessed—she must be asleep.

But was it okay to leave without a word? How would she explain it next time they met?

Jiang Xiaoyi ruffled her messy hair. Why did she always act like such an idiot around Meng Chuning?

“Xiaoyi?”

Meng Chuning stood at the foot of the stairs, a bottle of red wine and a tall-stemmed glass in her hand.

The light was too dim to make out Big Boss Sister’s expression clearly, but the hazy silhouette revealed Meng Chuning’s long hair cascading softly down her back, stripped of its daytime chill.

Drinking so late at night.

Had she really been so upset that she couldn’t sleep?

Jiang Xiaoyi stood awkwardly in place, her greeting barely above a mosquito’s buzz. “Sister, you’re still up this late?”

Meng Chuning hummed softly. “Yeah, I can’t sleep.”

She really had been driven to insomnia by the anger.

Jiang Xiaoyi immediately bowed in apology. “I’m so sorry, Sister. That message wasn’t meant for you at all. It was…”

“It’s fine.” Meng Chuning cut her off mildly. “I didn’t take it to heart. No need to be so tense. Go get some rest.”

Big Boss Sister had forgiven her?

But why did Meng Chuning seem a little distant… maybe even a bit unhappy?

Jiang Xiaoyi retreated to the guest room and clutched the edge of the quilt with a deep sigh. What an utterly awful day.

Before drifting off, she reminded herself over and over: From now on, she had to be way more careful around Big Boss Sister.

…

In Meng Chuning’s bedroom.

The floor lamp cast a soft halo across the cashmere carpet.

The damp gauze dress hung by the window. She had originally snapped the photo as a memento of the day and posted it to Moments.

She had set the post visible only to Jiang Xiaoyi. Unexpectedly, within a second, two bold, risqué comments had popped up from her.

Judging by Jiang Xiaoyi’s usual behavior around her, Meng Chuning guessed it was a mistaken post. To prevent her from deleting it in a panic, Meng Chuning switched the visibility to just herself.

Even so, she couldn’t resist teasing her a little.

She sent those three highly suggestive words.

But Jiang Xiaoyi hadn’t played along at all. Instead, she jumped straight to explaining it was a mistake—and insisted firmly that it was meant for some other sister.

Meng Chuning drank half the bottle of red wine, the drunken haze slowly rising to dull her thoughts of Jiang Xiaoyi and other women.

But it didn’t work.

She couldn’t stop thinking about it.

So she decided to ask directly.

The guest room light was still on. Meng Chuning raised her hand and knocked on the door. After a moment, she heard Jiang Xiaoyi stirring, getting out of bed and slipping on her shoes.

“Sister?”

Jiang Xiaoyi squinted slightly, looking half-asleep. One extra button of her shirt dress had apparently come undone in her sleep, the faint curve of her figure vanishing into the open collar.

Meng Chuning’s heart softened a touch. Maybe she shouldn’t have disturbed her so late.

“I…” Meng Chuning frowned faintly but held back the question. “There was thunder just now. I’m a little scared.”

“Hm?” Jiang Xiaoyi blinked. She was so exhausted she hadn’t even noticed any thunder. “W-what do we do?”

Meng Chuning shook her head.

Jiang Xiaoyi had no real experience with this, but she’d read in Su Jiuyue’s novels about the little one being afraid of thunderstorms, with the big sister staying by her side all night.

They weren’t in that kind of relationship, and she wasn’t the sister, but the principle was the same.

“How about I watch over you until you fall asleep?” Jiang Xiaoyi suggested on a whim. Maybe she could even earn back some goodwill to make up for the mistaken message.

Since Jiang Xiaoyi had offered, Meng Chuning accepted gladly. “Sorry to trouble you.”

“No trouble at all!” Jiang Xiaoyi was more than happy to oblige. She trailed after Meng Chuning into her bedroom, step for step.

Big Boss Sister’s bedroom was nothing like Jiang Xiaoyi had imagined.

She had pictured a CEO’s room as stark and minimalist, but it was actually warm and cozy in gentle tones.

Jiang Xiaoyi hugged a pillow and sat on the carpet. “Sister, you sleep. I’ll leave once you’re out.”

She couldn’t help yawning right after, her eyes watering as she grinned sheepishly. “I’m not sleepy.”

She looked so well-behaved.

Meng Chuning lay on her side on the bed, gazing at Jiang Xiaoyi’s dozing profile.

She claimed not to be sleepy, but in truth, she nodded off in seconds.

Meng Chuning couldn’t help smiling. She called softly, “Xiaoyi?”

“Mm…” Jiang Xiaoyi’s eyes were half-closed, her chin propped on the pillow as she mumbled, “I haven’t fallen asleep yet, Sister…”

Meng Chuning hummed in acknowledgment. “The floor can’t be comfortable. Why don’t you come up here and keep me company?”

The coaxing tone wove an inexplicable spell. Utterly drowsy and thoughtless, Jiang Xiaoyi saw Gentle Sister reaching out a hand and offered hers without hesitation. She curled up on the soft bed and passed out.

Jiang Xiaoyi clutched the pillow, lying on her side facing away. Meng Chuning sprawled beside her.

Up close, she noticed how long Jiang Xiaoyi’s lashes were—not flirtatiously curled, but straight and endearingly delicate.

“Xiaoyi?” Meng Chuning sighed softly. “Can you tell me who that comment was really for?”

Jiang Xiaoyi was fast asleep, her lips twitching faintly before she settled back into slumber.

Meng Chuning couldn’t resist brushing her fingertip against those lashes.

The next morning, sunlight squeezed through the curtain gap, dappling across the two in the bedroom.

In her sleep, Jiang Xiaoyi felt a bit warm and scooted forward to escape the light. What she held wasn’t the familiar texture of a body pillow.

It was so soft, so comfortable.

Unable to resist, Jiang Xiaoyi kneaded it a few more times.

“So soft…” she murmured, wondering what plush toy she’d bought that felt this amazing. Moments later, a muffled grunt sounded by her ear.

Jiang Xiaoyi’s mind snapped alert. Something was wrong. Last night, she had slept over at Big Boss Sister’s house. Then Big Boss Sister couldn’t sleep, so she came to keep her company.

After that… what happened? She couldn’t remember a thing.

Which meant right now…

Jiang Xiaoyi jolted fully awake. Meng Chuning’s slender back was pressed to her chest, chestnut curls spilled across the pillow.

Worse still, this wasn’t the guest room—it was Big Boss Sister’s bedroom.

Jiang Xiaoyi’s arm draped over Big Boss Sister’s trim waist, her guilty palm pressed to the soft plane of her abdomen.

She was done for.

What had her hand just been doing?

Rubbing? Squeezing?

In utter panic, Jiang Xiaoyi slowly withdrew her palm, holding her breath to avoid waking Big Boss Sister.

Just as she was about to pull away completely, Meng Chuning turned her sleepy gaze on her.

“…” Jiang Xiaoyi panicked completely, her chopped-hand apology already forming on her lips. Then she heard Meng Chuning murmur languidly, “Is it the rain that’s so big… or am I?”