Chapter 37

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Su Jinglan pressed forward, closing in on Ning Jiuwei. Their fingers intertwined, locking her in place and preventing any escape. The smooth, cool edge of the table behind her wasn’t uncomfortable—it perfectly blocked her path, leaving her nowhere to retreat.

With a soft thud, Ning Jiuwei bumped into the table. She tamped down her turbulent emotions and countered by seizing Su Jinglan’s wrist.

Unlike her careless grip on Shen Lanyan earlier, she carefully controlled her strength here, merely restraining Su Jinglan’s movements without causing her the slightest pain.

Su Jinglan glanced at her captured wrist, then lifted her gentle gaze back to Ning Jiuwei’s eyes. Ning Jiuwei swallowed hard, easing the heat and tightness in her throat, and forced her voice to sound as steady as ever. “President Su, you didn’t do anything to me. There’s no need for you to take responsibility.”

“No need to indulge me.” A tingling itch sparked where their skin touched, burrowing into Su Jinglan’s heart and urging her to push further with Ning Jiuwei. “I know exactly what I did to Teacher Ning last night.”

You don’t have the faintest idea.

Ning Jiuwei recalled how Su Jinglan had unconsciously hiked up her sleepwear in the night, her hand gliding unimpeded over Ning Jiuwei’s waist and abdomen. To claim nothing had happened would be a bit of an overstatement—there had been a slight boundary crossed.

But nothing that warranted responsibility.

The brief memory left Ning Jiuwei momentarily dazed. Peering into her eyes, Su Jinglan could tell she was reminiscing, and her heart leaped with uncontainable joy.

The elation lasted all of two seconds. Ning Jiuwei raised her gaze, her clear, calm eyes devoid of any warmth or affection. “Nothing happened. And even if it had, I’m not that traditional. I don’t need President Su to take responsibility.”

Su Jinglan latched onto the key words: something had happened, responsibility required.

Seizing the moment while Su Jinglan was lost in thought, Ning Jiuwei tugged her toward the entryway. Just before shoving her out the door, she demanded the room card.

It was still in Su Jinglan’s possession.

“Teacher Ning, get it yourself.” Su Jinglan wiggled her trapped wrist. “With Teacher Ning holding me like this, I can’t reach it.”

Ning Jiuwei: “…”

Ning Jiuwei patted down Su Jinglan’s suit pants pockets, checking both sides before fishing out the room card.

She had only one hand captured; it shouldn’t have impeded Su Jinglan at all. She was doing this on purpose.

Su Jinglan beamed with utter innocence, no hint of guile—as if she genuinely couldn’t remember which pocket it was in. Ning Jiuwei pushed aside thoughts of whether it was forgetfulness or deliberate mischief, released her grip, and made a polite gesture inviting her to leave.

Su Jinglan rubbed her wrist with a smile and departed Ning Jiuwei’s room.

The door clicked shut. Ning Jiuwei lingered behind it, quietly lifting the peephole cover to sneak a peek at the figure outside.

Su Jinglan stood in the corridor, back turned, her expression hidden from view.

Out of sight, Su Jinglan curved her lips in a delighted grin. She savored every one of Ning Jiuwei’s gestures, basking in her gentleness and indulgence. Dropping her head, she let out a soft, private chuckle.

Even alone, she wanted to conceal her joy.

Ning Jiuwei watched her every move until Su Jinglan slipped into the room across the hall. Only then did she lower the cover.

The fiery horizon blazed with its final streak of sunset. Ning Jiuwei stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, gradually soothing the smoldering heat in her chest. As the stars sharpened into view, she opened her tablet and began sketching.

Shen Lanyan entered Su Jinglan’s room.

“You’re staying across from Ning Jiuwei?” Shen Lanyan, fresh from the top-floor presidential suite, drew on her sharp memory: Room 2201 belonged to Designer Ning.

She had brought drinks—two bottles of eighteen-year-old whisky. Amber liquid cascaded over clear ice spheres, crackling on impact and filling the air with a heady aroma.

“How long are you planning to stay here?” The question was rhetorical. Su Jinglan accepted the glass, took a sip, and replied, “By my reckoning, you should be heading to set for filming any day now.”

Shen Lanyan swirled her glass, ice clinking lazily against the sides as it caught the room’s light. “Tomorrow. I told you—I came here just to see you and get some things straight in person.”

With that, she set her glass down, propped her cheek on one hand atop the small round table, and fixed Su Jinglan with eyes brimming with curiosity. “President Su, there were two quilts on Designer Ning’s bed. Was that you?”

Amusement laced her eager gaze.

Su Jinglan lied through her teeth. “Nope.” She nodded toward her own bed. “Mine’s right here on my bed.”

Shen Lanyan followed her line of sight, scrutinizing the bed before observing, “It doesn’t look like anyone’s slept in it.”

Sharp as ever.

Su Jinglan changed the subject seamlessly. “What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

“Let’s talk about it when I wake up tomorrow,” Shen Lanyan said. With convenient transportation and tickets always available, she wasn’t in any rush to leave. In fact, she was even thinking of staying a couple more days. “What about you? When are you heading back?”

“Not sure.” Su Jinglan had rearranged her schedule, delegating meetings to her subordinates. Routine tasks could be handled via email, and documents needing her signature were either set aside if not urgent or signed off by the vice president if they were.

Shen Lanyan raised an eyebrow. “Are you waiting for your precious designer to go back with you?”

Su Jinglan smiled without replying, slowly sipping the wine in her glass.

The elegant line of her slender neck arched gracefully, her flawless pale skin glowing under the light. Her throat bobbed gently with each swallow. Shen Lanyan stared at Su Jinglan’s neck until Su Jinglan noticed.

“Is there something on my neck?” Su Jinglan had checked the mirror carefully that morning while getting dressed and hadn’t seen any kiss marks.

Shen Lanyan recalled the sensation of Ning Jiuwei pinning her against the wall. She shook her head with a laugh. “Nothing at all.”

“Want to hit up a bar tonight? There’s one in the auxiliary building—only guests from the hotel go there.” It was still early, and Shen Lanyan wanted to find some fun to pass the time.

“No.” Su Jinglan turned her down flat. “I have work to do.”

What a dedicated boss. Comparing herself to Su Jinglan, who was all about work while she was itching for play, Shen Lanyan felt a twinge of shame. She set down her glass. “Fine, I won’t go either. I’ll head back to my room and study the script properly.”

In a rare show of courtesy, Su Jinglan stood to see her out, watching from the doorway until she left.

Shen Lanyan was taken aback by the attention. Then she remembered who lived across the hall, and it clicked—Su Jinglan wasn’t seeing her off; she was making sure Shen Lanyan didn’t go bothering her precious designer.

Back in the top-floor presidential suite, Ah Xiao had already unpacked all her clothes. Even for just one night, she made sure Shen Lanyan felt right at home, comfortable as could be.

“Where’s my script?” Shen Lanyan lounged lazily on the sofa, waiting for her assistant to hand it over.

Ah Xiao was the perfect all-around assistant, handling her daily life and scheduling everything flawlessly. “It’s only in digital format. Should I print it out?”

“No need.” Shen Lanyan took the tablet and flipped through it, but her mind wandered straight to Ning Jiuwei.

Studying the script was nowhere near as interesting as deciphering Ning Jiuwei.

Propping her head on one hand and leaning against the armrest, Shen Lanyan called out to Ah Xiao. “Ah Xiao, go invite Designer Ning to my room. Tell her I want to see the design drawings. Oh, and put on a hat and mask—President Su lives right across from her. Don’t let her recognize you.”

Ah Xiao hesitated but obeyed Shen Lanyan’s orders without question.

She dug a black baseball cap out of the luggage and headed to the 22nd floor fully disguised, positioning herself in the hallway a few doors away from Ning Jiuwei’s room to send her a message.

Ning Jiuwei rubbed her temple as she sketched, her fine pen strokes landing on the blank paper. But after just two lines, a certain someone’s figure invaded her thoughts, scattering her design ideas to the wind.

The buzz of her phone pulled her back to reality. She twirled the pen in her hand and set it down beside the tablet.

Ah Xiao: Designer Ning, Sister Yan wants to see your design drawings and invites you to her room. I’m waiting outside your door.

Ning Jiuwei paused for a moment, then sent the design drawings directly to Shen Lanyan.

Right after, she followed up with a message: Miss Shen, here’s the floor plan. I’ll deliver the 3D model once we’re back. If there are any changes needed, just let me know on WeChat.

Her intent was crystal clear: whatever she had to say, they could handle it over WeChat. No need to meet in person.

At least not tonight.

Shen Lanyan was captivated by Ning Jiuwei’s design drawings. A surge of indescribable emotion and heat roiled in her chest, setting her blood racing and her spirits soaring.

This wasn’t her first time commissioning jewelry from a designer. Past projects had required endless revisions, driving the designers to near baldness before she was satisfied.

But Ning Jiuwei’s sketch hooked her instantly. It was just a simple floor plan, yet her mind raced ahead to envision the final piece.

The intense reaction stirred something deeper. Shen Lanyan pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart pounding wildly beneath her palm.

Ah Xiao waited ages with no reply, then pulled her cap lower and went to knock on Ning Jiuwei’s door.

Ning Jiuwei’s response finally came: The design drawings have already been sent to Miss Shen.

Ah Xiao froze in the doorway for a moment before checking back with Shen Lanyan.

Shen Lanyan issued new instructions: Come back.

The cleaning auntie pushed her cart out of the staff elevator and spotted the suspicious figure. She stared intently, her hand slipping quietly toward her phone.

The hotel’s security was ironclad—no non-guests could access the floors. But one could never be too careful. What if this person had snuck up with another guest, up to no good? She had to stay vigilant.

Ah Xiao noticed the cleaning auntie’s expression and calmly stepped into the elevator, removing her mask once inside.

Both her knock and her departure had been witnessed by Su Jinglan.

Su Jinglan couldn’t focus on the documents at all. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Ning Jiuwei. To her surprise, when she peeked through the peephole, she saw not only the tightly shut door across the hall but also a sneaky figure lurking there.

From the side profile, Su Jinglan recognized her—it was Ah Xiao, the capable assistant who always accompanied Shen Lanyan.

Once Ah Xiao had left, Su Jinglan continued to secretly observe the room opposite hers.

The door never opened. It seemed Ning Jiuwei had no intention of keeping her appointment with Shen Lanyan.

What excuse could she possibly have tonight to slip into Ning Jiuwei’s room and sleep beside her?

Su Jinglan turned her thoughts to more pressing matters.

As the night wore on and bedtime arrived, Su Jinglan changed into her pajamas and lay down on the pristine, empty king-sized bed. The pent-up longing that had found some brief relief now surged even stronger. Without Ning Jiuwei by her side, she felt not the slightest bit of drowsiness.

Tossing and turning restlessly, she opened her WeChat chat with Ning Jiuwei. She stared at Jiuwei’s profile picture for a moment before typing out a message: “Designer Ning, I’m heading back tomorrow.”

Ning Jiuwei read the message but didn’t reply. A reaction stirred in her heart—a sense of relief mingled with an indescribable tangle of emotions.

Another message followed from Su Jinglan: “Can I come sleep in your room? I’m not used to this bed, and I’ve got an early high-speed train tomorrow.”

Jinglan didn’t hold out much hope. But just two minutes after sending it, the doorbell rang.

Ning Jiuwei stood at her door, pajamas in hand. “Let’s switch rooms.”