Chapter 44

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The night breeze was crisp and cool, with sparse stars twinkling in the darkness. As time passed, the dome light in the car flickered out, plunging the interior into pitch blackness.

Ning Jiuwei’s gaze lingered on the ring pendant of the necklace, the chill of the metal drawing away her body heat. She clenched her fist, trapping the entire piece in her palm.

“I’ll tell you when the time is right,” Su Jinglan said, her gentleness radiating from within. Beneath it, her heart beat strongly with affection, love coursing through her veins to every inch of her body, imprinting her feelings for Ning Jiuwei.

Ning Jiuwei was dying to know. “Can’t you tell me now?”

“If Designer Ning stays over tonight, I can tell you.” Su Jinglan cradled the back of Ning Jiuwei’s neck with one hand and steadied her shoulder with the other. Her scorching gaze made Ning Jiuwei’s heart tighten with an indescribable restlessness. “No thanks, President Su. See you later.”

It was the kind of look and atmosphere that adults understood all too well—staying over tonight wouldn’t just mean sleeping under the covers. Ning Jiuwei hurried away, her footsteps frantic, as if a seductive sprite were chasing her. One moment’s hesitation, and she’d be doomed, devoured whole.

Her pounding heart gradually settled once she was out of Su Jinglan’s sight. Ning Jiuwei tucked the ring into her clothes and rolled up the car window.

She left Fenglinwu Community and drove home along the familiar route, her mind a bit distracted. Fortunately, she kept her speed low and arrived safely.

Mercedes with standing emblems weren’t uncommon in this residential complex, but Ning Jiuwei’s license plate was distinctive. As she passed the Small Garden, the person on the bench spotted her immediately.

Finally back. Wen Wanyuan pocketed her phone, grabbed her bag, and headed out.

The Small Garden was just over a hundred meters from Building 6, and Wen Wanyuan had chosen it precisely because it was on the direct path to the building.

No sooner had Ning Jiuwei gotten home than Wen Wanyuan came upstairs.

The video doorbell showed Wen Wanyuan’s face. Ning Jiuwei rubbed her forehead and went to open the door.

“Ah Mu.” The door swung open, and Wen Wanyuan launched herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Ning Jiuwei’s neck like a long-lost puppy desperately nuzzling its owner.

Ning Jiuwei pried her off. “How many times have I told you, you’ll choke me to death like this.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve taken first aid courses. I’ll give you CPR and chest compressions—guaranteed to bring you back.” Wen Wanyuan followed Ning Jiuwei inside and flopped casually onto the sofa, completely at ease.

She’d been sitting in the Small Garden for ages, and the evening breeze had left her both weary and parched. “I’m dying of thirst. Get me some water.”

Ning Jiuwei fetched two bottles from the fridge. Unlike her friend, she sipped hers daintily. Wen Wanyuan twisted off the cap and chugged half the bottle, letting out a long, satisfied sigh.

“I told you to go home. Why are you still here?” Ning Jiuwei asked.

Wen Wanyuan lolled sideways into the corner of the sofa, draping herself over the armrest with a beaming smile. “I said I’d deliver myself tonight—I can’t go back on my word. You went out late to meet a client about a custom order?”

“Mm.” Ning Jiuwei kept it brief. “An old client wanted to discuss a new piece tonight.”

Designers had flexible hours, but that freedom came at the cost of dropping everything for client meetings on custom work. Wen Wanyuan was a designer too, and she knew plenty of clients preferred late-night sessions—she’d pulled her share of all-nighters.

Client details weren’t for casual chatter, so Wen Wanyuan took another sip and said, “I didn’t bring pajamas. Just grab me a set, and I’ll shower.”

“…” Ning Jiuwei didn’t budge. “I never have people stay over.”

“You promised earlier that I could sleep with you, Ah Mu. You can’t back out now!” Wen Wanyuan was dead serious. She screwed the cap back on, set the bottle on the coffee table, and added, “If you don’t give me pajamas, I’ll sleep naked with you.”

Jewelry designers had a keen eye for gems and pieces, and the room’s bright lighting caught Wen Wanyuan’s attention. Her gaze froze, and she grabbed Ning Jiuwei’s sleeve, leaning in to inspect her neck. “Where’s the necklace I gave you? This one’s not from me.”

She’d only given it to Ning Jiuwei today, and she hadn’t even worn it for a full day before taking it off?!

Wen Wanyuan reached for Ning Jiuwei’s necklace, but Ning Jiuwei caught her hand precisely and pulled away. “This is my own necklace. The one you gave me is safely stored in the cabinet.”

It was a new release not dropping until next month, so Wen Wanyuan supplied her own excuse. “No need to hide it after next month—wear the one I gave you. Oh, right, the necklace name’s finalized. The boss loved it, along with the ad copy I wrote.”

Designers writing intros for their own work hit harder than the florid, adjective-stuffed prose from copywriters—deeper, more precise in conveying the true intent.

Ning Jiuwei zoned out for a split second. Wen Wanyuan waved a hand in front of her face. “What’s up? You seem distracted.”

“Nothing much.” Su Jinglan’s gentle whisper lingered inescapably in her ear—wear it, don’t take it off—as though those words carried an irresistible power. Ning Jiuwei yielded without resistance, slipping the necklace around her neck, with no impulse whatsoever to remove it.

Now that Wen Wanyuan had brought it up, Ning Jiuwei touched the ring through her clothes, already planning to take the necklace off during her shower later and never wear it again.

“Then let’s head to bed and keep chatting. I’ll go wash up first.” Wen Wanyuan made for Ning Jiuwei’s bedroom.

She had barely moved when someone seized the back of her collar, hoisting her up like a helpless chick and freezing her in place. All she could do was struggle futilely.

“Wanyuan, you know my habits. I don’t share a bed with anyone.” Ning Jiuwei spoke without a trace of guilt. In Wen Wanyuan’s eyes, though, she appeared utterly pure—and irresistibly alluring.

Wen Wanyuan’s eyes sparkled. She tugged lightly at Ning Jiuwei’s sleeve. “You’re not a little girl anymore. It’s time you found someone to sleep with. Come on, Jiuwei—give me a try.”

Ning Jiuwei was at a loss for words.

Was this “try” the kind she thought it was?

“Wanyuan, are you going to walk out on your own, or should I call your parents to come pick you up?”

In the past, any mention of her parents had sent Wen Wanyuan scurrying to obey. Not this time. She broke into a beaming grin, growing even more brazen. “Go right ahead and call them. I’ll tell Mom and Dad we’re dating—we’ll register our marriage tomorrow, throw an engagement party next month, get married by year’s end, have two kids in three years, and three more in five.”

Ning Jiuwei couldn’t help laughing. “Stop with the nonsense. Be good now—I’ll walk you downstairs.”

“I’ve barely been here any time at all, and you’re already kicking me out.” Wen Wanyuan wrapped her arms around Ning Jiuwei’s in an intimate embrace. “Ah Mu, let’s chat a little longer. I’ve been thinking about the old days lately. Let’s talk about the past.”

Wen Wanyuan believed she’d masked her intentions well, but Ning Jiuwei saw right through them. She gently pried Wen Wanyuan’s hand away and closed the topic with breezy calm. “I need to sleep. We’ll talk next time I’m free.”

Next time became the next next time, and every next time stretched into an endless horizon.

“We can lie down together and chat. It won’t keep you up—it’ll help you sleep.”

No amount of wheedling or coquettish pleading from Wen Wanyuan could sway her. Ning Jiuwei offered only a mild smile. “Come along. I’ll see you out.”

“Ah Mu, you’re so heartless.” Wen Wanyuan grabbed her bag and stepped into the elevator under Ning Jiuwei’s watchful gaze.

The doors slid shut with a soft hiss, the floor numbers ticking downward. Ning Jiuwei didn’t retreat inside and close the door. Instead, her probing gaze shifted across to the opposite apartment, her expression pensive.

It wasn’t particularly late, nor especially early. When she’d entered the complex earlier, Ning Jiuwei had glanced up at her own floor on the twenty-second—the lights in the apartment directly across, Room 2201, had been dark, signaling that the new neighbor was out.

By all rights, she should have been home.

Harboring her quiet doubts, Ning Jiuwei shut the door and wandered back to the living room.

She cleared away the half-finished glass of water Wen Wanyuan had left behind, picked up her own bottle with just a few sips taken from it, and stepped out onto the balcony for some fresh air.

The enclosed balcony’s window cracked open just a sliver, allowing cool night air to drift in. Ning Jiuwei drew several deep breaths, set her water casually on the table, and curled up on the low sofa.

The cramped space wrapped her in a comforting sense of security. She closed her eyes for a moment, then slipped the ring out from beneath her clothes.

“Why was there a ring dangling from Ah Mu’s necklace?” Wen Wanyuan muttered to herself as she walked toward the complex entrance.

Had she seen it wrong? It was possible.

Necklaces incorporating ring motifs were everywhere, and as a designer, Ning Jiuwei owned all sorts of styles. It wouldn’t be odd for her to wear one with a ring pendant.

Still, Ning Jiuwei had sized it up with her naked eye—that ring was a perfect fit for her fingers, ideal for either the ring or middle one.

The years had advanced her age, but her figure remained as slender as ever. When had Su Jinglan bought that ring? Ning Jiuwei couldn’t hazard a guess from the size alone.

The alluring night air scattered her thoughts. Ning Jiuwei reined them in and reached back to undo the hidden clasp.

She fumbled twice, but it wouldn’t budge.

Ning Jiuwei knew necklace clasps inside and out; the one on this necklace from Su Jinglan was an invisible hidden type. It took her a moment to locate it.

She twisted the shower on, shedding every stitch of clothing save for the necklace still looped around her throat. Under the bathroom’s harsh lights, it gleamed with dazzling brilliance.

She’d keep the necklace on as a reminder to steer clear of Su Jinglan.

Yet in the instant her fingers freed the clasp, Ning Jiuwei abandoned the notion entirely. The hand that had ventured nothing fell away limply, and she snapped the clasp shut once more.

Torrents of steaming water cascaded over her from above and behind. The showerhead’s indicator glowed in heavy rain mode, scouring her skin and rinsing away every foreign scent and trace that clung to her.

Her drenched hair plastered itself to her back. Ning Jiuwei’s fingers brushed the ring nestled at the hollow of her collarbone—and closed around it in a quiet, unyielding grip.

After her shower, Ning Jiuwei skipped the towel and activated the bathroom’s drying system. The gentle warm breeze evaporated every drop of water from her skin, including the tiny beads clinging to her necklace.

She fell asleep with the necklace around her neck. Long stored in its metal case, the jewelry now carried a faint sandalwood scent that seemed to have a soothing effect. Ning Jiuwei enjoyed a dreamless slumber, waking naturally the next morning.

She selected a charcoal-gray shirt and buttoned it all the way to the top. In front of the mirror, Ning Jiuwei tucked the ring beneath the fabric so the necklace was faintly visible, but its pendant—a ring—remained hidden from view.

No sooner had she arrived at the company than Ning Jiuwei received notice of a meeting. All designers from the Design Division Jewelry Sub-department were required to attend at 10:30.

Ning Jiuwei glanced at her watch. The meeting was half an hour away.

“Who’s holding the meeting?” Ning Jiuwei asked.

Assistant Tan set aside her documents. “Director Zhang. Word is it’s to announce the final drafts for the quarterly new products and discuss related matters.”

Ning Jiuwei nodded. As long as Su Jinglan wasn’t chairing it, she didn’t mind.

She rarely attended meetings and always arrived right on time, making a beeline for the conference room.

“Designer Ning.” A familiar voice called from behind her. Ning Jiuwei paused mid-step as Su Jinglan drew alongside, her gaze flicking over Ning Jiuwei’s neck. A smile curved her lips. “I’m heading to the meeting too. Let’s walk together.”

The conference room was packed with designers, the head seat conspicuously empty—they had clearly anticipated Su Jinglan’s attendance. Ning Jiuwei eyed the spot reserved for the Chief Designer right next to Su Jinglan, then shifted her gaze and headed for the far end of the table.

There were no strict seating rules, so Ning Jiuwei could sit wherever she pleased.

“Designer Ning.” Su Jinglan’s clear voice halted her. In front of everyone in the room, she said to Ning Jiuwei, “Come here. Sit beside me.”

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