Chapter 2

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Following the navigation, Ning Jiuwei’s car arrived at the most expensive residential complex in the city’s core district.

The entire community consisted of six buildings, each designed with one ultra-luxurious unit per floor and offering a 360-degree view of the city. From top to bottom, it was equipped with an artificial intelligence security system. Without a visitor code, no one could enter the premises.

Ning Jiuwei pulled up at the community gate. The Smart Recognition System failed to identify her license plate, and the barrier arm held her outside.

“Good evening, miss.” A young, tall security guard in a crisp white uniform bent down by the driver’s window to greet Ning Jiuwei.

Ning Jiuwei lowered her window. The guard presented his tablet with both hands, his face beaming with just the right amount of enthusiasm.

“For non-residents, a visitor code is required to enter. If the owner forgot to provide it to you ahead of time, you can contact them right now.”

The tablet’s interface was elegantly simple: a visitor code input field at the top and an owner unit number field below.

Ning Jiuwei took the tablet and glanced at her assistant, showing no intention of handing it over.

Her assistant immediately recited the code from the passenger seat. When they had arranged to meet Miss Shen’s assistant at seven-thirty that evening, the assistant had provided the visitor code—but hadn’t shared it with Ning Jiuwei.

The Smart Control System verified the code and slowly raised the barrier. The guard retrieved the tablet and pointed her in the right direction with a thoughtful smile. “That building over there is Building A. There are parking spots right in front—feel free to use one anytime.”

“Thanks.” Ning Jiuwei raised her window and drove toward Building A.

The professionally trained guards never gossiped about who came and went, nor did they pass judgment on visitors. They simply fulfilled their duties and returned to their posts to await the next arrival.

“This place is so luxurious. No wonder only the ultra-wealthy can afford to live here,” the assistant said, craning her neck to peer around with unabashed curiosity. “I hear several celebrities call this complex home.”

She had nearly forgotten: tonight’s client, Miss Shen, was a celebrity herself.

Celebrities really were loaded.

Ning Jiuwei merely smiled and said nothing as she pulled into an empty spot in front of the building.

The lobby was grand and opulent, its ceiling adorned with glowing light strips that illuminated every corner.

With a two-elevator-per-unit layout, the already sparse residents enjoyed maximum convenience. The assistant hurried ahead a few steps to summon the elevator for Ning Jiuwei.

The elevator on the first floor opened promptly. Its mirror-polished interior reflected their figures on the walls as it carried them smoothly upward.

Miss Shen’s assistant was already waiting just outside the doors. They had barely parted when she greeted them.

“Good evening, Designer Ning. Right this way.” The elevator opened onto a spacious hallway lined with lush potted plants in the corners, exuding a cozy, lived-in warmth. She led them forward. “Sister Yan is waiting in the living room.”

The assistant’s overly familiar demeanor sparked a flicker of caution in Ning Jiuwei. On a first meeting, no one would speak with such certainty without first confirming identities.

They passed through the double front doors and around the curving entryway before the assistant paused at the living room entrance. She announced to the figure on the sofa, “Sister Yan, Designer Ning is here.”

A woman with a graceful, slender figure lounged indolently on the wide, plush sofa. Silky long hair tumbled over her shoulders, and she wore a thin silk robe that was rather casual for receiving guests.

Ning Jiuwei approached with her assistant, drawn by the woman’s sharp jawline and captivating profile. “Hello, Miss Shen. I’m HS Designer Ning Jiuwei, and this is my assistant, Tan Yushu.”

Celebrities fell into two categories: those less attractive than their photos, and those even more stunningly beautiful in person. The rising star actress Shen Lanyan standing before her belonged firmly to the latter.

“Please, have a seat, Designer Ning.” Shen Lanyan’s lips curved into a subtle smile, her bright, soulful eyes locking onto Ning Jiuwei with captivating allure. She turned to her assistant. “Ah Xiao, pour a drink for Designer Ning.”

Ning Jiuwei settled into a single-seater sofa. When she heard Shen Lanyan offer her wine, she demurred. “Water will be fine for me.”

“This is a gift from a friend—Romanée-Conti wine from Burgundy. Won’t you do me the honor of trying it, Designer Ning?” Her silk robe did little to conceal her long, fair legs, but Shen Lanyan shifted positions without a hint of self-consciousness, swirling the glass in her hand.

The rich, heady aroma of the wine filled the air, drifting into Ning Jiuwei’s nostrils. Ning Jiuwei offered a faint smile and refused. “I have a terrible tolerance for alcohol. If I get tipsy, I won’t be able to discuss your custom design with you properly, Miss Shen.”

That only piqued Shen Lanyan’s interest further. “How much would it take to get you drunk, Designer Ning?”

“Just one sip.” The implication was clear: not even that much.

“Just one sip?” Shen Lanyan lent her roles her own cool, aloof voice. She sauntered over with her wine glass and leaned in close to Ning Jiuwei.

Up close, Shen Lanyan caught the scent of Ning Jiuwei’s perfume—a crisp, cool fragrance she quite liked.

Seeing Ning Jiuwei’s calm reaction, Shen Lanyan grew even more interested in her.

“Yes.” Ning Jiuwei met Shen Lanyan’s gaze. Her stunning figure carried the rich scent of roses—a fragrance that would send Shen Lanyan’s fans into a frenzy on the spot.

Shen Lanyan leaned in closer, tilting the wine glass in her hand toward Ning Jiuwei’s lips. The rim hovered less than an inch away, on the verge of touching. “Then I have to see for myself if Designer Ning really gets drunk after just one sip, like she claims.”

Ning Jiuwei’s resolve was as unshakable as an ancient Buddha meditating by a green lamp. She wasn’t tempted in the slightest. “I drove here.”

“I have plenty of guest rooms. Designer Ning can stay the night.” Shen Lanyan chuckled softly. “Or you could sleep in my bedroom.”

“Miss… Miss Shen.” Tan Yushu was startled. In all the time she’d served as Ning Jiuwei’s assistant, she’d never met a client as forward and predatory as Shen Lanyan.

Duty-bound to rescue her boss, Tan Yushu’s heart pounded like it might burst as she forced out the words she’d rehearsed in her mind several times. “Did you invite Designer Ning here for drinks?”

You didn’t invite Designer Ning here for drinks.

Shen Lanyan glanced at Ning Jiuwei’s little assistant and let out a light laugh. “I invited Designer Ning to discuss a custom design.”

Assistant Tan breathed a quiet sigh of relief. But Shen Lanyan went on, “There’s a gem that’s perfect for it. Could Assistant Tan go fetch it with my assistant?”

Assistant Tan: “…”

Tan Yushu didn’t dare agree or refuse. She sat on the sofa, tense as if on pins and needles.

Shen Lanyan’s intentions were plain: send everyone else away so she could be alone with Ning Jiuwei.

Night was perfect for bold moves, and privacy for testing boundaries. This was Ning Jiuwei’s first meeting with Shen Lanyan. She couldn’t fathom why someone she’d just met would flirt so relentlessly.

The specific request for her designs. The insistence on a late-night meeting. Everything that had happened since they arrived. Ning Jiuwei wanted to uncover Shen Lanyan’s real motive.

“Little Tan, go with Miss Shen’s assistant to get the gem.” Ning Jiuwei stayed calm and composed, showing no hint of walking into the lion’s den. “If it’s too late, just take a cab home. No need to come back.”

Tan Yushu balked. How could she leave Designer Ning alone here? The place was too risky. Who knew what might happen…

Shen Lanyan was a woman, and Designer Ning was a woman. What danger could there possibly be between two women?

Tan Yushu froze, hitting on the crucial point.

She glanced at Ning Jiuwei, who gave her a subtle nod. It was the silent rapport they’d built through work— a nod meant Ning Jiuwei could handle anything.

Of course. She was HS’s Chief Designer. Tan Yushu trusted her completely and believed every move she made had a purpose.

Tan Yushu followed Ah Xiao out.

“Little Tan told me Miss Shen wants a custom ring.” Ning Jiuwei brought the conversation back to the reason for their visit. From a professional standpoint, she asked Shen Lanyan, “Is it a proposal ring, something for everyday wear, or an accessory for a major gala?”

Shen Lanyan took a sip of her red wine and settled onto the sofa in the spot closest to Ning Jiuwei. Her eyes roamed boldly over Ning Jiuwei’s face.

Her features were exquisite, beautiful whether taken alone or as a whole: a perfectly straight nose, brows arched just right, skin flawless and glowing white and smooth under the light. But Ning Jiuwei’s eyes were the standout—peach-blossom eyes that drew you in even without a smile, clear yet resolute.

“Has anyone ever told you your eyes are incredibly alluring, Designer Ning?” Shen Lanyan reached out to touch her.

Her fingertip had just grazed Ning Jiuwei’s brow bone when Ning Jiuwei turned her face away with graceful ease. She looked back at Shen Lanyan with cold detachment. “What are you trying to do, Miss Shen?”

“Have you ever been in a relationship, Designer Ning?” Shen Lanyan pressed on without restraint. “Do you like women?”

Ning Jiuwei stayed silent, but a figure flashed through her mind.

Su Jinglan in a satin blue-gray shirt, mature and composed, her deep eyes like stars over an endless sea—impenetrable, unknowable…

“Who are you thinking about?” The keenly observant Shen Lanyan caught Ning Jiuwei’s momentary lapse. Curiosity pulled her closer. The hand she’d tried to touch her with earlier—now dodged no longer—cupped Ning Jiuwei’s face intimately.

Ning Jiuwei didn’t pull away this time. Her gaze sharpened as she stared down the woman who’d crossed the line again.

“That look in your eyes right now… it’s intoxicating.” Shen Lanyan’s eyes drifted to Ning Jiuwei’s lips. Her breathing grew heavier, a sudden urge to taste them surging inside her.

She started to move, but Ning Jiuwei seized her arm and rose, twisting in one fluid motion to pin Shen Lanyan onto the single-seater sofa—the very spot she’d just vacated.

“Miss Shen, what did you want to do to me?” Ning Jiuwei held her in place, leaning in close. Her voice dropped low, stripped of any warmth or politeness. “Or do you want me to do something to you?”

Shen Lanyan’s heart pounded erratically. She opened her mouth to speak, but caught sight of the newcomer standing at the living room door out of the corner of her eye and fell silent.

Assistant Tan, who had come back, stared in bewilderment at the scene before her, completely baffled by what she was seeing.

The instant Ning Jiuwei spotted Su Jinglan, she released her hold on Shen Lanyan. Assistant Tan was perplexed by Ning Jiuwei’s behavior, while Ning Jiuwei herself was baffled by Su Jinglan’s sudden appearance here.

Why had Su Jinglan come?

Had she overheard everything?

Shen Lanyan straightened her disheveled nightgown and slowly rose to her feet, showing not the slightest embarrassment at being caught. “Designer Ning was just discussing the custom design with me. You two are back sooner than I expected?”

She showed no surprise or unfamiliarity toward the unexpected guest and met her gaze quite naturally. “President Su, to what do we owe the pleasure? What would you like to drink? How about a glass of whisky?”

Su Jinglan gave her a glance before walking over to Ning Jiuwei and fixing her with a silent stare.

Is this how a designer communicates with a client?

Ning Jiuwei averted her eyes from Su Jinglan, reining in all her earlier sharpness, and took her leave from Shen Lanyan. “Miss Shen, I have other matters to attend to. We’ll talk about the customization another time.”

The words had barely left her lips when Su Jinglan spoke up. “Stay and have a drink with us. I’ll introduce you two properly.”

~~~