Captivating Beauty 122

Chapter 122: Side Story 10

Shen Shu woke up with a groan, her head throbbing, her body aching, a warm weight pressing down on her waist, and she instinctively snuggled closer, her face nuzzling against Xu Jinnan’s chest, then drifted back to sleep.

She woke up again a little later, roused by a soft rustling sound.

She turned over to see Xu Jinnan standing by the bed, cleaning up the debris scattered across the floor, a broom in her hand.

Xu Jinnan, also recently awakened, her voice still slightly hoarse, glanced at her. “You’re awake?”

Shen Shu’s eyes widened as she took in the scene – the open wardrobe door, the stainless steel clothes rail broken and dangling precariously, the wooden door of the wardrobe cracked, wood shavings scattered across the carpet.

Xu Jinnan, seeing her reaction, paused, her hand resting on the broom handle. “Miss Shen, you seem to have forgotten about last night’s… activities,” she said, a playful smile on her lips.

Shen Shu bit her lip, then sat up, pulling the blanket around her, but Xu Jinnan caught her foot and gently pushed it back under the covers. “There are still some splinters on the floor. Wait until I’m done,” she said.

Shen Shu rubbed her temples, her head throbbing. She usually had a high tolerance for alcohol, but last night’s mix of red and white wine had clearly been too much.

She watched as Xu Jinnan continued cleaning.

She looked at the broken clothes rail, then at her own knees, which were slightly bruised, and the memories of last night, hazy at first, then increasingly vivid, came flooding back.

“Come here,” Xu Jinnan had said, lying on the bed, her eyes, narrowed slightly, fixed on Shen Shu, who was standing at the foot of the bed, her body swaying slightly, her steps unsteady.

“I don’t…” Shen Shu had begun, her hand resting on the edge of the bed for support, then Xu Jinnan, kicking off her slippers, had lifted her legs slightly, her voice a husky whisper, “Then what will it take for Shu Shu to forgive me?”

Shen Shu’s legs had weakened, her body yielding to the pull of Xu Jinnan’s pheromones, her face buried in Xu Jinnan’s stomach. “I’m still angry. Xu Jinnan, what if you… fall for someone else? What if you like someone like… Chen Shu?”

Xu Jinnan: “…”

Her eyes had widened in surprise, and she had sat up, pulling Shen Shu closer, her hands cupping her face. “What are you talking about? How much did you drink?” Shen Shu’s skin had been burning hot beneath her fingertips.

Then, she had seen the tears welling up in Shen Shu’s beautiful eyes, and her heart had lurched, a sudden panic.

She had pulled Shen Shu into a hug. “Shu Shu… don’t cry. I would never… I would never like anyone else, let alone Chen Shu. Don’t cry. It’s my fault,” she had whispered, her voice thick with emotion, her heart pounding, her mind racing, surprised by Shen Shu’s sudden outburst.

“Is she… pretty?” Shen Shu had asked, her voice muffled against Xu Jinnan’s shoulder.

“No, she’s not,” Xu Jinnan had replied.

“Did you look? Did you like the way she looked when she… took off her clothes?”

Xu Jinnan had remembered Chen Shu’s disheveled appearance when Shen Shu arrived, her coat open, her legs bare.

“I didn’t see anything. And I’m not interested in her,” she had said.

She had felt the dampness of Shen Shu’s tears against her shirt, and she had pulled away slightly, wiping Shen Shu’s face with her fingertips. “What’s wrong, Shu Shu? What happened?” she had asked, her voice gentle, forgetting Shen Shu was drunk, her mind clouded by alcohol, her words likely meaningless.

“You held her,” Shen Shu had said, her voice thick with tears.

“She fainted at the doorway. I just carried her inside and put her on the bed. That’s all,” Xu Jinnan had explained patiently.

Shen Shu’s tears had subsided slightly, though her eyes were still red and watery.

“How did it feel… holding her? Did you… like it?” she had asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Xu Jinnan had paused, realizing Shen Shu had been asking the same question repeatedly.

How did it feel?

Her expression had turned serious as she finally understood.

“Shu Shu…” she had begun, but Shen Shu had interrupted her.

“You said… you said you always react to… Lu Yun, to the people she cares about. She loved Chen Shu. Did you… feel anything? Any… attraction? Xu Jinnan, how did it feel?”

Xu Jinnan’s heart had ached, a sharp, twisting pain, and she had pulled Shen Shu closer, her hand cupping her face. “You’re drunk. I’ll have to explain this again tomorrow,” she had said, her voice husky, then, kissing Shen Shu’s eyelids, her forehead resting against Shen Shu’s, she had whispered, “Don’t you remember? I’m here for you. And what you’re afraid of… it won’t happen. I promise.”

Shen Shu’s eyes had been half-closed, her long eyelashes wet with tears, and Xu Jinnan had kissed them away.

“Shu Shu, I love you,” she had whispered.

Shen Shu’s mind had been clouded by the alcohol, her earlier fear and anxiety still lingering, the thought of Xu Jinnan being attracted to Chen Shu a painful, persistent thorn.

“Xu Jinnan… I’m so sad…,” she had whispered, her voice breaking, tears streaming down her face.

Xu Jinnan, her skin tingling at the warmth of Shen Shu’s tears, had sighed inwardly. Shen Shu, knowing about the original Xu Jinnan, about the book, was understandably insecure, their shared fear of the past, of the original’s influence, a constant presence, despite their love for each other, their trust in their relationship.

They weren’t afraid of falling out of love, but of being… replaced, of the original Xu Jinnan resurfacing, of this world, their world, being rewritten.

They had told each other they weren’t afraid, as long as they had each other, but the fear, like a persistent weed, kept resurfacing.

And Chen Shu’s appearance had only fueled those anxieties.

“She’s gone. She’s not coming back,” Xu Jinnan had whispered, holding Shen Shu close, then winced as Shen Shu’s hand moved to her waist, her fingers fumbling with her belt buckle.

“I want to…” she had murmured, her movements clumsy, her voice slurred, her desire a sudden, urgent need.

Xu Jinnan’s carefully constructed composure had shattered, her earlier explanations and reassurances forgotten.

She hadn’t resisted.

Shen Shu’s memories returned as Xu Jinnan leaned in, her lips finding Shen Shu’s, the kiss deep and passionate, her body responding instinctively.

Xu Jinnan pulled away, glancing at Shen Shu’s knees. “Those are going to bruise,” she said, her voice husky.

Shen Shu looked down at the dark purple marks on her knees, her face burning.

She tried to push Xu Jinnan away, but Xu Jinnan caught her hand. “Shy now, are we?” she asked, her voice teasing.

Shen Shu’s chin lifted slightly. “Who’s shy?”

Xu Jinnan chuckled softly. “I shouldn’t let you drink anymore. You’re so well-behaved in public, then you come home and… torment me.”

Shen Shu, remembering something, took Xu Jinnan’s wrist, her fingers gently tracing the dark bruises. “Are your wrists okay?” she asked, her voice soft.

“They’re fine,” Xu Jinnan replied.

She leaned in and kissed Shen Shu softly. “Anything to make my wife happy,” she murmured.

Shen Shu’s gaze lingered on the bruises, then on the handcuffs and the broken clothes rail on the floor, her eyes filling with tears. “Wifey, I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“Why are you crying again? It doesn’t hurt,” Xu Jinnan said, pulling her into a hug, her lips brushing against Shen Shu’s ear. “Besides, it felt… really good.” Even the memory of it was enough to make her skin tingle.

Shen Shu hadn’t stopped at just… unbuttoning her pants.

After leaving the bedroom, she had gone to the guest room, retrieved the suitcase, and taken out the new handcuffs and a few other… items.

She had been kneeling on the floor, tears streaming down her face, as she searched through the suitcase, and Xu Jinnan, watching her, had felt a strange mix of amusement, tenderness, and a growing arousal.

Desire was a powerful force, connecting their bodies and their minds, their souls.

She didn’t mind Shen Shu’s… enthusiasm, her boldness, her exploration of their shared desires, her touch arousing, her whispered words a sweet temptation.

She had watched as Shen Shu retrieved the items, even letting her handcuff her wrists, the only surprise being Shen Shu’s choice of location – the stainless steel clothes rail in the wardrobe.

Xu Jinnan held Shen Shu close, repeating the words she had said to her last night, her promise that the original Xu Jinnan was gone, that she wouldn’t come back.

Shen Shu, her head resting on Xu Jinnan’s shoulder, asked softly, “How can you be so sure?”

“I just… feel it,” Xu Jinnan replied, her voice a husky whisper.

It was a strange, almost mystical explanation, but it was the only way she could describe it.

The original Xu Jinnan’s presence had vanished completely, the memories, the emotions, the desires, no longer a part of her, even when she returned to the old house, to the places that had once held such significance for the original.

“Shu Shu, don’t be afraid. We’ll always be together,” she whispered, her cheek resting against Shen Shu’s ear, her hand gently caressing the back of her neck.

Actually, after their conversation about the transmigration, she had had a dream, or perhaps it had been more than just a dream.

She had dreamed of her soul leaving this world, of her arrival, of meeting Shen Shu, of saving her, of her secondary differentiation, of her sensitivity, of the Xu family, of Yin Xue, Song Ronghui, Bai Xiao, Zhou Pei…

Of the divorce, the reconciliation, the confession.

Then, she had dreamed she was dreaming, her soul leaving this world, entering the world of Savage Lover…

A recurring dream, a never-ending cycle.

She had heard a voice, cold and mechanical, asking her a question.

[You can choose to leave now, and I’ll send you back to your original world. Or you can choose to stay, but you’ll never be able to return.]

And she had replied, This is my world.

She had woken up to find Shen Shu beside her, her heart filled with a quiet joy, a sense of belonging she had never felt before.

Wherever Shen Shu was, that was her home, her world.

Whether this world was real, or just a dream, it didn’t matter anymore.

She held Shen Shu close, her voice a soft murmur against her hair. “Shu Shu, last night… it was a beautiful dream.”

Shen Shu’s eyes, still slightly red-rimmed, crinkled at the corners as she smiled faintly. “The wardrobe is broken,” she said.

“I’ll have someone fix it,” Xu Jinnan replied, then added, “A stronger one.”

Shen Shu chuckled, her shoulders shaking slightly. “You enjoyed it, didn’t you?”

“I enjoy everything with you, Shu Shu. But…” Xu Jinnan’s voice dropped to a husky whisper, her gaze falling on the fluffy object on the floor. “Next time, let’s not use… that. It’s for… playing with cats. It’s a little… much.”

“Did I use that?” Shen Shu asked, her voice innocent.

“You did,” Xu Jinnan replied.

“I don’t remember,” Shen Shu said.

“And you… spanked me,” Xu Jinnan added.

“I don’t remember,” Shen Shu repeated, her voice a playful tease.

Xu Jinnan pulled her down onto the bed. “It’s fine. I’ll let you experience it firsthand next time, and then you’ll remember,” she murmured, her voice husky.

“Don’t you dare,” Shen Shu said, her voice a soft warning.

Xu Jinnan smiled faintly, her fingers twirling a strand of Shen Shu’s hair. “Do you really think I wouldn’t?”

Shen Shu bit her lip, her voice a soft murmur. “Xu Jinnan, you’re bullying me.”

“I haven’t even done anything yet. And you were the one who…” Xu Jinnan began, then stopped, her hands resting on either side of Shen Shu’s head, her gaze fixed on her face, a playful glint in her eyes.

Shen Shu, remembering Xu Jinnan’s willing submission last night, her unrestrained passion, her soft moans, whispered, “Just once.”

Xu Jinnan’s gaze softened, lingering on Shen Shu’s flushed cheeks, her slightly swollen lips, then she leaned in, her lips finding Shen Shu’s, the kiss deep and lingering.

As they pulled away, Xu Jinnan whispered, “Then I’ll have to make it count.”

The room was still a mess, and they lingered in bed for another hour, Shen Shu’s foot resting on Xu Jinnan’s stomach, Xu Jinnan’s hand gently massaging Shen Shu’s bruised knee.

“We should probably do something about Chen Shu,” Xu Jinnan said, breaking the silence.

Shen Shu paused, her thoughts drifting to the woman who had tried to come between them, her motives unclear, but her intentions obvious.

“I’ll handle it,” she said calmly.