Lu Yao was so drunk she was a complete mess, utterly unable to respond to Shen Zhirou’s question. She simply followed her instincts, humming and nuzzling as she kissed Shen Zhirou.
Seeing Lu Yao in such an obedient state only ignited Shen Zhirou’s anger in a flash. She pinned Lu Yao to the bed, preventing her from squirming around, and demanded, “What would you have done today if I hadn’t brought you back?”
Lu Yao seemed uncomfortable with her wrists being gripped and twisted her body with a whine. “Jie Jie, kiss me. I missed you so much. I missed you.”
Hearing this only fueled Shen Zhirou’s fury. Her gaze fixed on the woman beneath her. “So you call every woman you see ‘Sister,’ huh? Lu Yao, you’ve really outdone yourself.”
With that, Shen Zhirou leaned down and kissed her. She was already fuming inside, so there was none of her usual gentleness this time. Surprisingly, Lu Yao beneath her was perfectly compliant, her arms hooking around Shen Zhirou’s neck as she allowed the kisses.
“Sister, kiss me more. Kiss me a lot more.” In the brief moment when Shen Zhirou pulled back, Lu Yao whined and coquettishly pleaded with her. Her cheek was flushed red from the kisses, and her eyes were misty with desire.
But the more Shen Zhirou heard, the angrier she got. “Do you even know which Sister you’re coquettish with right now? How do you not know how to protect yourself at all? What if I were a bad person? Lu Yao, do you even realize what you’re doing?”
“Sister, I missed you so much. Take me, okay? Wu~ I want more.” The drunken Little Kitten couldn’t comprehend Shen Zhirou’s words at all. She only knew that the person before her was her Shen Zhirou—the scent was exactly the same. Sister hadn’t touched her in nearly two months, and just those few kisses had already aroused her.
Shen Zhirou stared intently at Lu Yao, taking several deep breaths to try calming herself down. But when she heard those words, her defenses shattered completely. “You don’t even know who I am, and you’re saying these things to me? Lu Yao, you’ve really outdone yourself.”
With that, Shen Zhirou kissed her again. Her movements lacked their usual tenderness this time, carrying an urgent edge instead. It was a long while before she finally released her. She gazed at Lu Yao for a moment, then sighed. “Yaoyao, what am I supposed to do with you?”
Lu Yao seemed to sense Shen Zhirou pulling away and instinctively felt a twinge of fear. She reached out for her, mumbling nonstop. “Sister, Sister, hold me more. I missed you so much…”
Shen Zhirou didn’t embrace her again. Instead, she removed Lu Yao’s high heels, changed out of her own gown, folded it neatly, and placed it in a clean bag. She slipped into a nightgown herself, then glanced at Lu Yao sprawled across the bed. Finally, she went over to help Lu Yao change.
Shen Zhirou pulled her up, letting Lu Yao lean against her chest. From behind, she unzipped Lu Yao’s gown and lifted the hem of the skirt, trying to slip it off. But the woman relying on her was completely uncooperative. The moment Shen Zhirou loosened her grip, Lu Yao’s arms wrapped around her neck, followed by a flurry of soft kisses. Lu Yao couldn’t see clearly, relying purely on instinct to press her lips forward, clinging to Shen Zhirou’s neck as if afraid she might flee.
By the time Shen Zhirou finally managed to change Lu Yao into a nightgown, she was drenched in sweat—and that was with the gown still half-on.
Seeing that the little drunk kitten in her arms was utterly disobedient, Shen Zhirou tried coaxing her. “Yaoyao, be good. Let me get your nightgown on first, then I’ll hold you, okay? You’re holding on too tight.”
“No, Sister, don’t go. Don’t go be with her, okay? You never took me to see a movie. You even wiped the lipstick marks off for her. Don’t go. Don’t abandon me.” As she spoke, Lu Yao burst into tears again, burying herself in Shen Zhirou’s chest and sobbing uncontrollably.
Shen Zhirou sighed and soothed the woman in her arms. “I’m not going anywhere. Just be good and lift your arms a little.”
“Okay, I’ll do anything, Sister.” Lu Yao leaned against Shen Zhirou and clumsily raised her arms. Shen Zhirou barely managed to remove the gown and slip a nightgown over her. By the time she finished, a thin sheen of sweat covered her own body.
She tucked Lu Yao under the covers, then finally headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. After blow-drying her hair, Shen Zhirou emerged to find Lu Yao curled into a tiny ball beneath the blankets, looking just like an insecure little kitten ready to bristle at the slightest disturbance.
Shen Zhirou stood by the bed, watching Lu Yao for a long moment. At last, she lay down beside her. It was undeniable—she still had feelings for Lu Yao. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have chased after Wen Jin or brought Lu Yao back herself. But there were still so many issues between them. Shen Zhirou turned off the main light and rolled over to face her.
~~~
When Lu Yao woke up again, her back and waist ached from the hard mattress, nothing like the soft one at home. Her heart sank inexplicably, and she opened her eyes in a panic to look around. Not far away, she spotted that reassuring figure.
Last night, she had actually kept Jiang Chen and Chen Qingqing waiting outside the whole time, with her phone and bag left in Chen Qingqing’s car. But for some reason, she now seemed to be at Shen Zhirou’s place?
Joy surged in Lu Yao’s heart, and her eyes sparkled. So Jie Jie did still care about her deep down and couldn’t bear to leave her alone.
Her lower back felt sore, so Lu Yao quickly looked down at herself. Her body was clean and unmarked—no little strawberry kisses like she’d hoped for. Disappointment crept into her heart. Had Jie Jie only helped her change clothes?
Shen Zhirou heard the movement from Lu Yao’s side and turned to look at her. “Since you’re awake, go wash up. I’ve got clothes ready for you—wear mine for now. I need to head to the company soon.”
Seeing Shen Zhirou talking to her, Lu Yao slipped on some slippers and walked over. She wanted to lean in for a hug but didn’t dare reach out, afraid of another rejection. She could only stop in front of Shen Zhirou and gaze at her cautiously. “Jie Jie, thank you for taking care of me last night. I don’t remember anything after that.”
“Mm. Drink less when you’re out in the future. You don’t want to get dragged off by someone with bad intentions.” Shen Zhirou’s expression darkened as she recalled last night. She hadn’t done anything else, but she had kissed Lu Yao.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to drink that much. Seeing you chatting and laughing with her made my heart ache, so I lost control and had a bit more. Jie Jie, please don’t be mad. I’ve already handed the project off to someone else. I won’t have any more dealings with Wen Jin. After busting my ass on it for so long, it’s time to take a break for a month or two and focus on my own things.” Fearing a misunderstanding, Lu Yao hurried to explain.
“Something like last night is too dangerous. Just be more careful from now on.” Shen Zhirou sighed.
“Jie Jie, let me help you make breakfast.” Lu Yao didn’t have much left to do at the company anyway. She could have Chen Qingqing wrap up the remaining odds and ends today, and then she’d be free for her month-and-a-half vacation.
“No need. There’s not much to do.” Shen Zhirou replied offhandedly.
“Then I’ll wash the vegetables.” With that, Lu Yao sidled up next to Shen Zhirou.
The apartment wasn’t big—just one room with a balcony and a bathroom. Having two people at the kitchen counter felt crowded, especially in their current state. “Why don’t you go wash up first? Breakfast will be ready soon.”
Lu Yao sniffed herself. She did smell bad, so she headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. When she came out, her eyes lit up at the clothes Shen Zhirou had laid out for her. Taking Jie Jie’s clothes meant she could come back around midnight to return them—maybe even crash here again.
By the time Lu Yao emerged, Shen Zhirou’s scallion oil noodles were ready. She hadn’t made much, just enough for one bowl each. She carried them to the small dining table nearby and glanced at Lu Yao. “Come eat something first.”
“Thank you, Jie Jie.” Lu Yao sat down obediently. Staring at the bowl in front of her, her eyes sparkled again. Jie Jie probably hadn’t brought that other girl here, right?
After a few bites, Lu Yao’s eyes lit up even more. She hadn’t had much appetite for days, but with Shen Zhirou sitting right across from her, her stomach suddenly woke up. She slurped down the noodles, sneaking glances at Shen Zhirou every so often.
She polished off most of the bowl, feeling much better. Smiling warmly at Shen Zhirou, she said, “Jie Jie, this is the best meal I’ve had in the two months. It was so good.”
“It’s just a plain bowl of noodles. Still, you’ve lost a lot of weight. No matter what, you need to take care of yourself.” After a moment’s thought, Shen Zhirou added the reminder. She’d felt it yesterday when she’d held Lu Yao’s waist—her friend had gotten noticeably thinner.
“I will, Jie Jie. Don’t worry. I’ll be good and eat properly.” Lu Yao’s gaze lingered on Shen Zhirou’s face. She didn’t dare say more.
After breakfast, Lu Yao insisted on handling the dishes herself, not letting Shen Zhirou lift a finger. She figured she could drop off the clothes tonight and maybe share dinner too. The thought lifted her spirits, making even the dishwashing feel lighter.
Shen Zhirou checked the time, then glanced at the tidied-up Lu Yao. “It’s about time. I’m heading to the company. When you leave later, just lock the door behind you.”
“Jie Jie, wait for me. I’ll go with you.” Lu Yao hurriedly changed her shoes and followed Shen Zhirou out of the room. She had to head to the company that morning, but afterward, she’d have all the time in the world to keep Shen Zhirou company.
As they stepped into the elevator, Lu Yao cautiously studied Shen Zhirou’s expression. After a long pause, she ventured, “Jie Jie, when I come over this afternoon to return your clothes, can we make dinner together?”
Shen Zhirou gazed at the tentative Lu Yao standing before her. She pondered for a moment, then pursed her lips and nodded. She had thought that two months would be enough to slowly fade her feelings for Lu Yao, but yesterday’s events had proven otherwise—she hadn’t let go at all. She had simply been avoiding anything related to Lu Yao on purpose. These past two months had been nothing but self-deception.
The image of Lu Yao, drunk the night before and gingerly kissing her, was still fresh in her mind. Shen Zhirou had to admit that her heart had softened toward Lu Yao once again.
Since she couldn’t bring herself to let go, she’d just let nature take its course. These past few months had exhausted her enough.
Lu Yao hadn’t expected Shen Zhirou to actually agree. She’d been on pins and needles just moments ago, terrified that Shen Zhirou might tell her to use Shansong to send the clothes back. But hearing this, Lu Yao’s eyes lit up. Did that mean Jie Jie couldn’t bear to part with her either?
