Captivating Beauty 85

Chapter 85

The office was brightly lit, the afternoon sun streaming through the windows, illuminating Shen Shu’s crossed ankles.

Xu Jinnan leaned in, her arm around Shen Shu’s back, her lips finding Shen Shu’s, a soft, lingering kiss that deepened as she gently pushed Shen Shu back against the desk, her other hand sweeping across the surface, scattering papers and the book Shen Shu had been reading.

The book landed on the floor with a thud, the sound echoing in the quiet office, unnoticed and unacknowledged.

Shen Shu’s back pressed against the cool surface of the desk, the hem of her sweater riding up slightly, exposing a sliver of skin.

She shivered, then Xu Jinnan’s lips left hers, her warm breath caressing Shen Shu’s ear as she whispered, “Shh.”

Shen Shu’s head was pressed against the desk, and she couldn’t tilt it back, only turning her face slightly, Xu Jinnan’s breath now on her neck, her heart pounding as she bit her lip, suppressing a moan.

She knew there was a listening device under the desk.

–

Ten minutes later, Xu Jinnan smoothed Shen Shu’s clothes, their faces flushed, their lips a soft, inviting red, Shen Shu’s slightly darker, like rose petals glazed with honey.

But the moisture quickly evaporated in the cool air of the office.

“My lips are numb,” Xu Jinnan whispered.

“Where?”

Xu Jinnan chuckled softly. “…Shu Shu, are you seriously asking?”

Sometimes, Shen Shu’s words, delivered with such a serious expression, were so suggestive that Xu Jinnan couldn’t be sure if she was being deliberately provocative.

Then, a playful smile touched Shen Shu’s lips, confirming Xu Jinnan’s suspicions, and Xu Jinnan raised an eyebrow, gently pinching Shen Shu’s earlobe, then leaned in close, her lips brushing against Shen Shu’s ear.

“Here,” she whispered.

Shen Shu’s eyes sparkled, her earlobe burning hot beneath Xu Jinnan’s fingertip, and Xu Jinnan, satisfied, straightened up, gently ruffling Shen Shu’s hair.

Just then, her desk phone rang.

It was Viola, reminding her about her next meeting.

Xu Jinnan picked up the book from the floor and gestured towards the small lounge. “Go rest in there for a bit,” she said, and Shen Shu nodded.

“I’ll be in a meeting.”

Before leaving the office, Xu Jinnan touched up her lipstick and powdered her slightly flushed cheeks.

She didn’t notice the flurry of messages in her employees’ group chat as she walked calmly towards the meeting room.

Holy shit! Did I just see that? I think CEO Xu’s lips are swollen!

I thought I was imagining things.

Sorry, I have to ship this. Did they just have office sex? So hot!

That’s not ‘shipping’; that’s a full-blown obsession.

How did this even start?

Probably just a kiss. What can you do in ten minutes?

True, but I think our CEO Xu is the type who can go for three days straight!

Reminds me of that novel, The Domineering CEO’s Captivity Diary. So hot!

I know! It’s not finished yet. You can follow it, but the author stopped writing, saying she’s giving the rest of the story to her best friend as a gift… so sad.

I wish I had a best friend who would write smut for me!

Let’s continue discussing CEO Xu and her wife’s steamy escapades.

…

Xu Jinnan messaged Cai Ying, asking about the apartment decorations.

A few seconds later, Cai Ying sent a photo.

She was at the mall.

Xu Jinnan: [?]

Cai Ying: [I finished decorating ages ago. Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.]

Cai Ying: [Shu Shu won’t be home until 6 p.m. anyway. I’m out shopping, seeing if I need anything else.]

Xu Jinnan: [She’s already home.]

Cai Ying: […?]

–

At Wanhe Plaza, Cai Ying, staring at Xu Jinnan’s message, was momentarily stunned, then, taking the ice cream cone the waiter had just handed her, hurried out of the store.

“Are you kidding me?” she asked, sending a voice message. “How did she get there? I didn’t even see her!”

Xu Jinnan: [Oh, she wanted to surprise me.]

Cai Ying, who usually savored her ice cream with small, delicate licks, now took a large bite, annoyed by Xu Jinnan’s blatant lie.

That’s so mean!

“I’m not going! You two have fun without me! Hmph,” she muttered.

Xu Jinnan: [Okay. We’ll have a private celebration when you’re away on your business trip.]

Cai Ying: “…”

She took a screenshot of the conversation and sent it to Shen Shu, along with a message, abandoning her ice cream.

[Your wife is bullying me! Crying emoji Now that you have a wife, you don’t need your bestie anymore! My life is so hard!]

[I demand justice!]

[Rolling on the floor crying emoji]

Shen Shu: [Patting head emoji]

Just as she was about to reply, her phone vibrated with a message from Xu Jinnan: [Tattling again?]

Cai Ying chuckled, looking down at her phone. Xu Jinnan was completely whipped.

She noticed someone walking towards her and stepped aside, then again, but they kept ending up in each other’s path.

She looked up and met Han Wenling’s gaze.

“What a coincidence,” Han Wenling said, noticing the ice cream cone in Cai Ying’s hand.

Cai Ying didn’t reply, walking past her.

Han Wenling’s face hardened, and she couldn’t let Cai Ying ignore her a second time. She reached out and grabbed her arm. “Cai Ying.”

“Let go of me!”

Han Wenling’s grip wasn’t tight, and Cai Ying easily pulled away, her voice cold. “Han Wenling, what are you doing?”

Han Wenling looked at her, the coldness in Cai Ying’s eyes, the unfamiliar hostility in her expression, making her question if this was the same person.

The same person who had smiled at her so brightly, who had coaxed her into trying her ice cream, who had teased her about being a picky eater, who had always ordered dishes she liked.

Han Wenling’s hand felt empty, her heart hollow.

“Do you hate me that much?” she asked, her voice soft. “Can we talk?”

Cai Ying hadn’t intended to engage, but seeing Han Wenling’s expression, she felt a surge of anger. How could she act like this, after everything she had done, after Cai Ying had poured her heart and soul into their relationship?

She took a deep breath. “If you have something to say, say it. I’m in a hurry.”

Han Wenling paused, her gaze fixed on Cai Ying. “My engagement to He Qing is just for show. I never intended to marry her,” she said.

Cai Ying didn’t reply, her light-colored eyes blinking slowly, as if asking, Is that all?

“I’m sorry, Ying Ying,” Han Wenling said.

Cai Ying’s heart ached.

Han Wenling rarely used her name, preferring “Little Bunny,” even using it as her contact name. She had found it endearing at first, loving bunnies.

Then, after discovering Han Wenling’s deception, she had realized it was just another cruel joke, a subtle insult.

“For me, everything is a transaction. Except you. I admit I wasn’t serious at first,” Han Wenling continued, her voice soft. Even the fake tutor persona had been a whim, but gradually, she had started to care, worried about Cai Ying finding out the truth.

She hadn’t realized her feelings had changed, that she had started to care.

She had even pulled some strings at the university to maintain the facade.

Her voice was low, her usual arrogance replaced by a quiet vulnerability as she looked at Cai Ying’s impassive face, her heart pounding with a strange anxiety.

She wanted a cigarette.

“I’ve never felt this way before, Ying Ying. My feelings for you are real. I never lied about that,” she said.

Cai Ying remained silent, as if waiting for her to continue.

“Ying Ying, let’s not break up. I miss you,” Han Wenling said, her voice barely a whisper.

It was the first time she had ever pleaded with a woman. Before seeing Cai Ying today, she had thought she could let it go, had even left the bag of chrysanthemum tea Cai Ying had given her on her desk, a constant reminder of her loss.

But it had been a constant torment, the dried flowers a symbol of their withered relationship, Cai Ying’s cheerful smile haunting her.

She had even tried calling Cai Ying from a different number, but the number had been disconnected.

It was as if Cai Ying had vanished from her life.

Seeing her today had rekindled a spark of hope, and now, after confessing her feelings, she felt a surge of unfamiliar nervousness.

Then, she heard Cai Ying’s cold voice. “Are you done?”

Han Wenling’s brow furrowed, the nervousness replaced by a heavy, oppressive feeling.

Cai Ying, as if oblivious to her distress, said, “I have something to tell you too,” her voice even colder than before, the usual softness replaced by a chilling indifference.

“Han Wenling, can I have my earrings back?”

–

Xu Jinnan finished her meeting at 5 p.m., and as she and Shen Shu were driving back to Xingcheng International, Cai Ying sent a voice message in their group chat, recounting her encounter with Han Wenling.

Xu Jinnan, driving, listened to the message with Shen Shu.

“Good for her!” Tong Jia exclaimed, also on her way to the apartment. “Better late than never! Who does she think she is? A few sweet words, and Cai Ying is supposed to forgive her? Our Cai Ying deserves better! What a bitch!”

“I didn’t want to make a scene, but when she said that, I just couldn’t take it anymore. Why? Does she think a simple apology is enough? Does she think I’m obligated to forgive her?” Cai Ying’s voice, though not angry, held a hint of hurt and grievance.

“CEOs, like Xu Jinnan and Han Wenling, they meet so many women, have so many admirers throwing themselves at them, that when they finally meet someone like you… what’s that saying? ‘You’re the first person who’s ever treated me like this. You’ve piqued my interest’,” Tong Jia said, then chuckled.

Cai Ying burst out laughing, her earlier sadness seemingly forgotten.

Xu Jinnan: “?”

She glanced at Shen Shu, who was looking at her, and Tong Jia, perhaps realizing her mistake, quickly added, “Of course, CEO Xu is a rare exception, a truly decent CEO. All those CEO romance novels should use her as a template!”

“Thank you,” Xu Jinnan said dryly.

Tong Jia chuckled. “You’re welcome, CEO Xu.”

Cai Ying’s voice, also cheerful now, said, “Xu Jinnan, you better watch out! If you ever hurt Shu Shu, we’ll skin you alive, fry you in oil, then feed you to the dogs!”

Xu Jinnan: “…?”

She raised an eyebrow. They were talking about Han Wenling, how had this become about her?

Shen Shu, a faint smile playing on her lips, glanced at Xu Jinnan’s slightly exasperated expression, then said calmly, “It’s over. Let’s have Xu Jinnan cook you a delicious dinner when we get home.”

Xu Jinnan chuckled. So, I’m being threatened and bribed with food now?

She glanced at Shen Shu as they waited at a red light, her gaze soft and indulgent, yet also slightly amused, like an adult watching a child play.

Shen Shu, seeing her expression, smiled faintly.

Cai Ying’s voice, now calm and cheerful, said, “I want sweet and sour pork ribs, salt and pepper shrimp, and chocolate donuts for dessert!”

“Don’t push your luck,” Xu Jinnan retorted.

–

They arrived at Xingcheng International, and as Xu Jinnan was about to open the car door, she heard hurried footsteps approaching and instinctively pulled Shen Shu closer.

Cai Ying threw her arms around Shen Shu. “Shu Shu! I missed you so much! Kisses!”

Xu Jinnan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she gently pulled Shen Shu away.

“Just kidding!” Cai Ying exclaimed, though her playful tone didn’t entirely mask her disappointment.

Xu Jinnan, looking at her, her lips curving into a faint smile, thought, She’s being mischievous today.

Her silence, combined with her sharp gaze, was enough to make Cai Ying hesitate, then, biting her lip, she stood beside Shen Shu, trying to maintain her composure.

“How old are you two, seriously?” she asked, her voice slightly petulant.

Shen Shu opened the apartment door, her eyes lighting up as she saw the decorations.

The living room, usually sparsely decorated in neutral tones, was now transformed, bathed in a warm, golden glow from fairy lights draped across the ceiling and wrapped around small, colorful orbs hanging like miniature planets.

It looked like the inside of a fairytale castle.

And for a moment, Shen Shu felt like a princess.

“Shu Shu, do you like it?” Cai Ying asked.

Shen Shu nodded, her eyes sparkling. “I love it! Did you do all this?” she asked, remembering Xu Jinnan mentioning Cai Ying had the keys.

“Xu Jinnan set up the castle, I arranged the flowers,” Cai Ying said, clinging to Shen Shu’s arm, her voice playful. “And I added the finishing touches! No need to thank me. Just keep loving me!”

Shen Shu smiled, glancing at Xu Jinnan, surprised.

Xu Jinnan had been so busy with the Xu Corporation lately, yet she had still found time for this.

Setting up all those lights must have taken hours.

Xu Jinnan, meeting Shen Shu’s gaze, smiled faintly. “As long as you like it,” she said, taking Shen Shu’s hand and leading her inside.

–

Tong Jia arrived shortly after.

Xu Jinnan had prepared a feast, and the four of them sat down to dinner, the same seating arrangement as before – Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu, Tong Jia and Cai Ying. Tong Jia and Cai Ying, as usual, opted for alcohol, while Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu stuck to juice.

After a while, Xu Jinnan brought out the cake Tong Jia had brought – a strawberry cake with the message “Happy Birthday, Superstar!” written on it.

Tong Jia and Cai Ying both offered their birthday wishes.

Tong Jia’s gift was a hand-drawn portrait of Shen Shu in her Into the Dream promotional photo, wearing the dark green qipao, her beauty breathtaking.

“Wow, Jia Jia, you’re so talented!” Cai Ying exclaimed.

Shen Shu was also surprised and touched.

“I took art classes when I was little, then stopped, and just started drawing again recently,” Tong Jia explained. She had actually been practicing for weeks, hoping to create something worthy of Shen Shu.

Shen Shu carefully put the portrait away.

Cai Ying, with a mischievous grin, took out a small, rectangular package wrapped in pink wrapping paper.

It looked like a book.

“Shu Shu, this is just for you. A one-of-a-kind gift,” she said. “A special edition, custom-made just for you.”

Shen Shu took the package, confirming it was indeed a book. “You wrote this?”

Cai Ying’s smile widened, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Xu Jinnan, looking at her, had a bad feeling.

“Xu Jinnan, where’s your gift?” Cai Ying asked.

Xu Jinnan placed a strawberry from the cake onto Shen Shu’s plate. “You can’t rush these things. My birthday isn’t until next month. I’ll give it to her then,” she said.

Cai Ying: “…Hmph.”

Shen Shu took a bite of the strawberry, her cheeks flushing slightly, her mood lifting.

She enjoyed this lively atmosphere, surrounded by people she cared about, people who cared about her.

Her lover.

Her friends.

She felt content.

–

After dinner, Tong Jia volunteered to wash the dishes, Cai Ying helped clear the table, then went downstairs, saying she needed to get something.

She returned a few minutes later, carrying a small suitcase.

If Xu Jinnan hadn’t known about her upcoming trip, she would have thought Cai Ying was planning to move in.

Cai Ying sat down on the sofa and opened the suitcase, taking out various items.

“Buffer, gel polish, nail tips, diamonds… UV lamp…” After arranging everything on the coffee table, she looked at Xu Jinnan, her eyes sparkling. “Master!”

Xu Jinnan: “…I’m not worthy of such a title.”

Master when you need something, ‘go to hell’ when you don’t.

She had Cai Ying figured out.

Shen Shu, sitting nearby, sipping her water, exchanged an amused look with Tong Jia.

Xu Jinnan, unable to resist Cai Ying’s persistent pleas, especially with Shen Shu’s encouragement, and remembering her earlier promise, finally relented.

She leaned in close to Shen Shu’s ear. “This is a huge sacrifice,” she whispered.

“Thank you for your service,” Shen Shu replied dryly.

“That’s it?” Xu Jinnan asked, her expression slightly disappointed.

“Hey, this is happening! I’m so excited! This is my first time giving someone a manicure!” Cai Ying exclaimed.

Xu Jinnan: “…”

She wasn’t excited; she was slightly terrified.

She straightened up and offered Cai Ying her left hand.

Her hand, pale and slender, with long, elegant fingers, was undeniably beautiful.

“So pretty! Such a waste not to have a manicure,” Cai Ying commented.

Tong Jia chuckled.

Xu Jinnan didn’t say anything, her right hand clenching slightly as she felt a warmth spreading through her palm, a subtle reassurance from Shen Shu.

–

After over an hour, her back and neck aching, Shen Shu, watching Xu Jinnan’s increasingly stiff posture, started to feel a little guilty.

She hadn’t realized manicures took so long.

She handed Xu Jinnan a glass of water. “Want a massage?”

“No, it’s fine,” Xu Jinnan replied. Sitting down wouldn’t help.

Her phone vibrated on the table, her left hand under the UV lamp. “Can you check who that is?” she asked Shen Shu.

Shen Shu picked up the phone. It was a message from the work group chat, several employees tagging her.

They were thanking her, their messages full of flattery. Xu Jinnan smiled as she read them. “It’s about the team-building event,” she said.

Shen Shu didn’t comment.

Another twenty minutes passed, and Tong Jia, bored, started playing a game on her phone.

Finally, the manicure was done.

“Wow, not bad,” Tong Jia said, looking up from her phone.

Xu Jinnan looked at her nails. They were a pale pink, with white diamonds and small, delicate chains, quite pretty, though there were a few imperfections, barely noticeable unless you looked closely.

But she still wasn’t used to them.

Cai Ying, humming happily, said, “They’re beautiful! My dream has come true!”

“Is it your birthday?” Xu Jinnan asked, amused.

“They’re nice,” Shen Shu agreed.

Cai Ying, satisfied, was about to leave when she leaned in close to Shen Shu, her voice low. “Shu Shu, you have to read that book by yourself, okay? If Xu Jinnan finds out, she’ll kill me.”

“Is it that bad?” Shen Shu asked.

“You’ll see,” Cai Ying said with a grin.

–

After Tong Jia and Cai Ying left, Xu Jinnan and Shen Shu were alone in the apartment.

Xu Jinnan cleared the table, washing the dishes, then told Shen Shu to take a shower.

Her phone was buzzing with notifications – messages from her own company, and even more from the Xu Corporation.

She had underestimated the impact of her sudden takeover; even with the company running smoothly, the employees were still nervous, their actions hesitant, constantly seeking her approval, afraid of making a mistake.

She scrolled through the messages, then opened her laptop, and before she knew it, Shen Shu had emerged from the bathroom and sat down beside her.

“Do they look good?” she asked, noticing Shen Shu’s gaze on her hands.

“Yes, they’re beautiful,” Shen Shu replied.

A few droplets of water clung to Shen Shu’s neck, and Xu Jinnan reached out to wipe them away, drying her hand on her shirt. “As long as you like them,” she said. She paused, then held out her hand. “Here, take a closer look.”

Shen Shu took her hand, her fingers gently tracing the outline of Xu Jinnan’s nails, the pale pink polish shimmering in the light, accentuating the delicate beauty of her hands.

Xu Jinnan’s heart skipped a beat as Shen Shu’s fingers caressed her palm.

She gently pulled her hand away. “I’ll have them removed in a couple of days,” she said.

“Oh?” Shen Shu asked, her gaze meeting Xu Jinnan’s, her earlobes flushing slightly.

“Why not keep them for a while longer?” she asked. “When Cai Ying was little, her mother used to give her manicures, and she’s always been fascinated by it. Even her love of reading comes from her mother.”

Xu Jinnan paused, surprised.

She hadn’t known that.

She only knew that Cai Ying’s mother had died in a car accident, and she had been raised by her doting father.

“You can remove them if they bother you,” Shen Shu said. “She probably just wanted to… play.”

“I’ll keep them for a couple of days. She seemed to enjoy it,” Xu Jinnan said, looking at her meticulously painted nails. And they did look quite nice.

Her phone vibrated insistently, and Shen Shu, seeing her busy, picked up a book and started reading quietly.

After a while, she leaned against Xu Jinnan’s shoulder, her body relaxing against hers.

“Shu Shu,” Xu Jinnan asked softly, “have you thought about where you want to go on the 21st?”

Shen Shu paused. “Aren’t you going on that company retreat?”

Xu Jinnan froze, glancing at the date on her computer. “…Oh, right,” she said, realizing it was next Friday.

She had been working non-stop, her days blurring together, only the dates distinct in her mind.

“It’s fine. Wherever you want to go, I’ll go with you,” she said.

“What about the retreat?”

“You’re more important,” she replied without thinking.

Shen Shu’s eyes softened, her gaze lingering on the fairy lights still twinkling in the living room. “It’s your company’s first retreat. You should go.”

Xu Jinnan hesitated. She had a point. “Then I’ll make a brief appearance, then we’ll go wherever you want,” she said.

“We’ll go together.”

Xu Jinnan turned to her. “Camping?”

“I’ve never been camping before,” Shen Shu replied.

Xu Jinnan, despite her intelligence, sometimes felt incredibly slow. It had taken her this long to realize Shen Shu was actually interested in the camping trip.

“Then we’ll go together,” she said. “I heard it’s in the mountains, with hot springs. Sounds… rustic.”