Chapter 20

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Before they had even left the house, Ning Jiuwei was already starting to regret her decision. She glanced toward the entrance cloakroom, where Su Jinglan—dressed in an ink-blue trench coat—was sitting on the shoe-changing stool, slipping on her shoes.

The white sneakers gave off a youthful vibe. Su Jinglan bent at the waist, her slender, nimble fingers deftly tying two knots.

As Su Jinglan stood up, Ning Jiuwei pulled her gaze away from the several stolen glances she’d taken. She shoved one hand into her trench coat pocket and unlocked her phone screen, pretending to be absorbed in it.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Designer Ning.” Su Jinglan brushed away the faint creases on the front of her coat and flashed a gentle smile as she opened the door.

Ning Jiuwei stepped out under the warmth of that smile. The door clicked shut behind her, and the tall, long-legged Su Jinglan caught up in just two strides, falling into step beside her as they reached the elevator.

The two-elevator-per-unit design ensured the lifts were never crowded, and at this mealtime hour, it was surprisingly empty—no other residents in sight. Ning Jiuwei caught a glimpse of Su Jinglan’s reflection in the elevator wall and hesitated, wondering if she should suggest changing the dinner spot to a commercial restaurant outside instead.

The Mercedes-Benz business van that had brought them was waiting at the entrance. This time, the driver opened the door—no need for Su Jinglan to do it.

Once they were settled inside, Su Jinglan lowered the partition and asked Ning Jiuwei, “What’s Designer Ning’s home address?”

She already knew where Ning Jiuwei lived, but she couldn’t let that slip right now.

“Xitang Mansion, Building 6.” Ning Jiuwei kept her composure, abandoning the idea of eating out.

Su Jinglan instructed the driver to head out, then raised the partition again, leaving her alone with Ning Jiuwei.

The van’s overhead lights were on, and the pulled-down window shades blocked the daylight—or prying eyes at night. Ning Jiuwei pulled out her phone and ordered ingredients for delivery.

There was a fresh grocery supermarket just outside the residential complex, with a wide variety of seafood, vegetables, and delicacies. Ning Jiuwei often got fresh ingredients delivered right to her door.

The driver navigated steadily, but rush-hour traffic kept their speed down. Ning Jiuwei knew this route well and had a good sense of how long it would take to reach the complex entrance.

Xitang Mansion wasn’t in the city’s priciest core district like Su Jinglan’s place, but it had a top-notch security system powered by an AI smart system. Unknown vehicles needed owner approval to enter or exit.

Ning Jiuwei was prepared to show her face for verification, but the business van sailed through without a hitch, pulling right up to Building 6.

The driver’s voice came through the one-way intercom. “President Su, we’re here.”

Ning Jiuwei lifted the window shade. The familiar scenery, unchanged day in and day out, confirmed this was her home complex.

Dim yellow streetlights stretched along the greenway, a stark contrast to the brightly lit lobby entrance. As they stepped out of the van, Ning Jiuwei lingered by the vehicle, her mind swirling with questions.

“Designer Ning, through here?” Su Jinglan got out on the other side and looked across the roof of the van at her.

Ning Jiuwei tamped down her doubts and replied with a simple, “Yeah.”

The automatic glass doors slid open as they approached. Su Jinglan hung back half a step, walking beside Ning Jiuwei.

The elevator arrived from basement level 1, carrying two other residents who exchanged no words with them. Ning Jiuwei stepped in, pressed the button for her floor, and they rode up in silence.

This building housed some of the complex’s larger units—only two apartments per floor.

Fingerprint entry was convenient, but the thought of letting Su Jinglan into her home made Ning Jiuwei’s hand tremble on the handle. She had to press her finger twice to align it properly with the scanner at the top.

“President Su.” Ning Jiuwei turned back to call her and noticed Su Jinglan looking across at the opposite door.

In all the time she’d lived here, Ning Jiuwei had never run into the neighbors across the hall. She had no idea who lived there—or if anyone did at all. If Su Jinglan asked, she’d have to say she didn’t know.

But when Su Jinglan turned around, she didn’t ask about the neighbors. Instead, she said, “Designer Ning, how’s the living environment here?”

“The complex is quiet and serene, shaded by plenty of trees. Most residents are young professionals—no noisy kids upstairs or down. It’s perfect for me.” Ning Jiuwei waited for Su Jinglan to step inside, then closed the door.

The shoe cabinet stood against the wall, topped with an exquisite decorative piece that resembled a landscape painting embroidered on a screen. Up close, its intricate cutout design was revealed.

Su Jinglan eyed the ornament, a glint of light reflecting in her eyes along with a faint smile.

Ning Jiuwei pulled a fresh pair of slippers from the hidden storage compartment under the shoe-changing stool and set them neatly in front of it. “President Su, please, change into these.”

The shoe-changing stool sat next to the cabinet. Su Jinglan took a seat there, and Ning Jiuwei swapped places with her, standing by the cabinet as she retrieved her own well-worn slippers from inside and slipped them on.

The home’s regular lights flicked on the moment the owner entered. After changing shoes and washing her hands, Ning Jiuwei poured a glass of water for Su Jinglan, playing the perfect host.

“Does President Su have any food allergies?” Ning Jiuwei slipped off her coat and hung it on the rack, rolling up her sleeves as she prepared to head into the kitchen.

The arm hidden beneath her sleeve was slender and pale, the bones of her wrist sharply defined. Su Jinglan’s gaze lingered there briefly, a flicker of heat stirring within her. “None at all. Designer Ning, anything you make will do just fine.”

Ning Jiuwei switched on the living room television and casually grabbed a hair tie from the cabinet atop it, gathering her hair into a low ponytail.

“Have a seat, President Su. I’ll get started on dinner.” Ning Jiuwei avoided meeting Su Jinglan’s eyes. “If anyone knocks, just give me a shout.”

She stepped into the kitchen, leaving Su Jinglan alone in the living room. With Su Jinglan’s impeccable upbringing and poise, there was no need for special warnings—Ning Jiuwei trusted she wouldn’t go rifling through things.

She usually cooked just for herself, keeping things simple and quick, but tonight she was entertaining Su Jinglan. Throwing together a bowl of noodles wouldn’t cut it. Ning Jiuwei set rice to cook and pulled fresh bamboo shoots from the fridge, planning to make spareribs with bamboo shoots until the other ingredients arrived.

The shoots were still dusted with soil. With deft strokes, Ning Jiuwei scored the outer shell and peeled it away cleanly, like slipping off a layer of clothing.

Su Jinglan stood silently at the kitchen doorway, her mind ablaze with scorching thoughts. She imagined peeling away Ning Jiuwei’s gray blouse in just the same way.

Sensing her presence, Ning Jiuwei’s breath hitched. Emotions long buried in her heart surged forth, twisting her pulse into a frantic rhythm. She glanced toward the figure in the doorway, her grip tightening on the knife.

“Is there anything I can help with?” Su Jinglan’s throat bobbed as she swallowed the rising heat.

Ning Jiuwei averted her eyes and continued slicing the fresh bamboo shoots. “No need. I’m used to cooking alone.”

Su Jinglan didn’t press to assist, nor did she leave the kitchen.

Instead, she committed every one of Ning Jiuwei’s movements to memory.

The delivery arrived with a buzz of the doorbell, the bags left at the door. Su Jinglan didn’t call for Ning Jiuwei; she fetched them herself.

The ingredients had already been prepped and just needed a quick rinse before cooking. Ning Jiuwei took the bags and directed Su Jinglan back to the living room. “I’d like to watch Designer Ning at work in the kitchen.” Though her words suggested mere observation, her actions were considerate. She took the ingredients from Ning Jiuwei’s hands as they were unpacked and set them neatly on the counter.

Ning Jiuwei retrieved the bamboo shoots, which had been soaked in yellow wine and blanched in boiling water for a few minutes. After a cold rinse, she added them to the pressure cooker with the spareribs. She turned to Su Jinglan, who lingered stubbornly in the kitchen. “President Su, do you remember what I said to you at the banquet last night? I invited you for dinner tonight simply to thank you for treating me to that movie.”

Not to foster anything deeper.

The unspoken half of her thought hung between them, understood without words.

Ning Jiuwei offered a mild smile, and Su Jinglan returned a gentle one of her own. Under the faucet, Su Jinglan slowly washed her hands, which had touched the ingredients. Without another glance at Ning Jiuwei, she withdrew from the kitchen in silence.

Once Su Jinglan was gone, the mild smile vanished from Ning Jiuwei’s face. She lowered her head, closed her eyes for a moment, and let out a soft sigh, releasing the tension coiled in her chest.

The phone in her coat pocket began to ring. Ning Jiuwei was too busy in the kitchen to hear it from afar, but Su Jinglan, seated on the sofa and surveying the room’s layout and furnishings, caught the sound. She glanced toward the kitchen doorway and rose to approach the coat rack.

Ning Jiuwei’s coat carried a faint trace of perfume. Su Jinglan hesitated as she reached into the pocket and withdrew the persistently vibrating phone.

“Designer Ning, your phone’s ringing.” Su Jinglan stepped into the kitchen, where Ning Jiuwei was plating the food, her hands fully occupied. “It’s Shen Lanyan,” she added, tapping to answer and holding it to Ning Jiuwei’s ear.

The voice rang out clearly through the kitchen, perfectly audible to Su Jinglan as well.

“Designer Sister, I’m back. Come eat dinner with me tonight.” Fresh from pulling out of the airport parking lot, Shen Lanyan couldn’t wait to reach out, her playful tone spilling over the line.

Ning Jiuwei shot a sidelong glance at Su Jinglan, whose face remained impassive, like some AI home robot.

She didn’t want to lie to Su Jinglan about already having eaten, so she refused Shen Lanyan based on her current reality. “Sorry, Miss Shen. Dinner’s almost ready here, so I can’t join you.”

“You’re cooking at home? Perfect—make a couple extra dishes. I’ll come over.” Shen Lanyan had her excuse ready. “We can chat about the custom design.”

Ning Jiuwei’s tone turned icy. “It’s not convenient.”

“What’s inconvenient about it? Afraid I’ll devour you?” Shen Lanyan chuckled lightly. “I still remember that look in Designer Ning’s eyes when you pinned me down on the sofa…”

Before she could finish, Ning Jiuwei ended the call.

Su Jinglan’s expression hadn’t shifted in the slightest. “I accidentally hit the speaker. Wasn’t on purpose.” With that, she turned and left the kitchen.

Watching her retreating figure, Ning Jiuwei felt a stifling ache in her chest. Her phone buzzed with a WeChat notification from Shen Lanyan, the glowing screen casting light across her face.

Ning Jiuwei tapped into Shen Lanyan’s chat and fired off a reply.

Half an hour later, the doorbell chimed, followed by two soft knocks.

She swung the door open. Before she could even make out the visitor, Shen Lanyan’s voice drifted in. “My design… President Su?”

Su Jinglan stood just inside the doorway, her face as cold as frost.

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