Su Jinglan didn’t answer. Instead, she held Ning Jiuwei even tighter and laughed softly by her ear.
Their intimate embrace was the kind reserved for lovers in the heat of passion. They were just one clear confession away from being a real couple. Ning Jiuwei regretted asking the question aloud. Her heart pounded in her throat, and a familiar wave of panic spread through her entire body.
The two of them didn’t speak again. They simply closed their eyes and held the position as they drifted off to sleep.
It was a long, sleepless night. Ning Jiuwei was grateful that Su Jinglan hadn’t given her an answer. The night had a way of making people impulsive and out of control, and she wasn’t sure how she would have reacted.
She slipped into a hazy dream. Thick clouds of fog blanketed the sky, blocking out the path ahead and erasing the way back. Ning Jiuwei knew she was dreaming again. She tried to take control, to part the disorienting mist and reach a familiar place. But the dream wouldn’t obey. No matter where she walked, it felt like she was just going in circles.
An echo rang through the empty valley. A kind, gentle voice approached from afar. Ning Jiuwei turned toward the sound and called out tentatively, “Su Jinglan?”
A figure slowly emerged from the dense fog. Its outline sharpened into Su Jinglan’s familiar form. Su Jinglan smiled tenderly, her exquisite features shedding their youthful innocence and taking on a mature allure.
In an instant, the inescapable maze shifted to their home—a place so familiar it couldn’t be more so. There, she held Su Jinglan close.
The dream felt too real. The warmth and softness in her arms were tangible. Ning Jiuwei caressed her back, her fingers tracing the defined line of her spine upward. The smooth, delicate skin beneath her palm was impossible to resist. Su Jinglan had claimed her heart entirely; she filled Ning Jiuwei’s thoughts and vision.
Her body, in the prime of its desires, ignited with ease. Su Jinglan grew hotter and hotter as she slept. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ning Jiuwei crossing boundaries. Her sleep robe had come loose from all the rubbing, the sash half-undone.
Su Jinglan steadied her breathing and took Ning Jiuwei’s hand, placing it on the outer side of her waist over the robe, letting her hold her through the fabric.
Ning Jiuwei was still restless, as if dreaming of petting a cat or a dog. Her back-stroking motions were just like soothing a fluffy little animal. Su Jinglan shifted upward, pulling Ning Jiuwei into her embrace. She gently stroked the back of her head, running her fingers through her hair to the nape of her neck.
She was someone who desired Ning Jiuwei, someone who could be easily stirred to impulse by her.
The soothing touch finally stilled Ning Jiuwei’s hands. Su Jinglan rubbed her chin against the top of Ning Jiuwei’s head and held her until dawn.
Su Jinglan felt like she was quite the bodhisattva. Despite her human desires, she had restrained herself and upheld propriety, never taking advantage of Ning Jiuwei while she slept.
The fire in her body flared up only to be suppressed, over and over. When she opened her eyes to see Ning Jiuwei sleeping peacefully in her arms, Su Jinglan smiled. She gently cupped Ning Jiuwei’s face, her fingertip tracing the soft curve of her lips.
The faint, tickling sensation woke Ning Jiuwei. The bedroom was dimly lit. She blinked sleepily at the bedmate mere inches away. A soft kiss landed on her lips.
“You teased me all night. Now, I can finally claim my due.” The light kiss brushed over like a feather on water, sending ripples outward. Su Jinglan rested her forehead against Ning Jiuwei’s, her voice husky as she asked, “Do you want more, Teacher Ning?”
Ning Jiuwei jolted fully awake.
This wasn’t a dream. Su Jinglan was really kissing her.
Ning Jiuwei steadied her own breathing and averted her gaze from those burning eyes. She spoke to Su Jinglan calmly. “President Su, this isn’t right.”
Su Jinglan’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “It’s not just worry on my part.”
She had waited until morning to answer the question from the night before—perfectly rational and clear-headed, saying just enough to leave the rest unsaid.
It’s not just worry. I like you, too.
Ning Jiuwei froze for a moment before realizing what Su Jinglan meant. Her heart exploded. A tangle of complex emotions surged through her, squeezing her chest until she could barely breathe.
She forced herself to stay calm.
But she couldn’t. The thought that Su Jinglan liked her sent her heart racing, her mind flooding with memories of the past.
Her emotions churned inside, but she kept her face composed. Ning Jiuwei casually extricated herself from Su Jinglan’s arms, acting as if she hadn’t taken the words to heart. She smiled at her mildly, keeping a polite distance. “Thank you, President Su, but no need. I’m used to living alone. I can take care of myself.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.” Seeing Ning Jiuwei play dumb, Su Jinglan grabbed her hand and asked, “How long have you known Doctor Shi?”
She didn’t use the title Teacher Shi. She went straight for Shi Wanxu’s profession as a doctor—practically admitting she knew Ning Jiuwei had once been her patient.
“What does how long I’ve known Doctor Shi have to do with you, President Su?” Ning Jiuwei removed Su Jinglan’s hand and got out of bed unhurriedly. “President Su, you’re being a bit too nosy.”
Su Jinglan threw off the covers and slid out of bed, but caught off guard, she was suddenly pinned back down by Ning Jiuwei. Ning Jiuwei braced one hand against the mattress, her grip on Su Jinglan’s shoulders firm and unyielding, leaving her no room to resist.
“President Su, I only let you sleep in my bed and tolerated those kisses to spark some inspiration. If you don’t believe me, go ask Miss Shen. She can tell you exactly what kind of necklace and brooch she commissioned.”
Ning Jiuwei’s gaze flicked over the soft lips right in front of her, a teasing smile curling her mouth. “President Su, you’re young and gorgeous, not to mention the President of the Business Division. With looks and a figure like yours, anyone would buckle under you throwing yourself at them.”
“Ning Jiuwei.” The words stabbed into her heart like needles, leaving Su Jinglan too choked up to speak easily. “You…”
“Can you just stay away from me?” Ning Jiuwei’s hand trailed from her shoulder to the nape of her neck, pinching lightly before clamping down on her throat, her eyes sharpening. “You’re disrupting my life.”
Ning Jiuwei tightened her grip, and Su Jinglan could feel her windpipe compressing, the pain in her neck building steadily.
Ning Jiuwei’s sharp gaze softened, replaced by a gentle smile as she gradually eased the pressure from her fingers. “President Su, just stay away from me from now on, okay?”
Her long legs, draped over the edge of the bed, drew back and planted firmly on the floor. Ning Jiuwei pushed herself upright and started to leave.
Su Jinglan seized her hand and yanked hard, pulling her back onto the bed. Her arms snaked around Ning Jiuwei’s waist, drawing her close into her embrace. “Ning Jiuwei, do you really think a stunt like that will make me walk away?”
Their bodies pressed tightly together, heartbeats laid bare with nothing held back. Su Jinglan felt the rapid thrum of Ning Jiuwei’s pulse and curved her lips into a smile. “If I couldn’t tell truth from lie, I’d have been President for nothing.”
A rush of blood surged through Ning Jiuwei, her mind blanking out in waves. Su Jinglan rolled them over on the bed, flipping their positions. “Designer Ning doesn’t actually want to hurt me. That hand around my neck was holding back the whole time.”
Every move exposed, Su Jinglan dissected it all step by step until she pinpointed the root cause—Doctor Shi.
Until now, she’d only suspected Ning Jiuwei was Shi Wanxu’s patient. But she was now certain: Ning Jiuwei had undergone psychotherapy.
Ning Jiuwei’s outburst had been nothing more than an attempt to drive away her former patient.
Unfazed by shame, Su Jinglan teased her outright. “Ning Jiuwei, we both know full well how passionate you were when you kissed me.”
Sex didn’t have to be built on emotion, but when it was, it hit differently—shaking you from body to soul, every little detail brimming with affection that coursed through your veins to every corner.
When Ning Jiuwei had kissed her, Su Jinglan had felt those feelings crystal clear.
All this time, Ning Jiuwei had been indulging her. Even before Shen Lanyan’s extra custom commission, Ning Jiuwei had let her draw close without ever losing her temper.
The lie fell apart easily. There was no truth to indulging her just for design inspiration.
Ning Jiuwei turned her head away, eyes fixed on the neatly folded blanket draped over the bench at the foot of the bed. She denied it flat-out. “I wasn’t passionate at all.”
“Then show some passion now.” Having read Ning Jiuwei’s mind, Su Jinglan leaned in, offering her lips. “Teacher Ning, want a kiss?”
The soft, playful words from Su Jinglan’s mouth made Ning Jiuwei’s heart skip. An urge to give in tugged at her irresistibly.
It was the middle of the day—what kind of kissing?
Ning Jiuwei blocked Su Jinglan’s face and squeezed her eyes shut. “President Su, we’ll be late for work.”
“Is there even such a thing as late for us?” The position was too perfect. Su Jinglan blew a light puff of air across Ning Jiuwei’s wrist. “I’m the president—no clocking in required. You’re the Chief Designer; your schedule’s wide open. Finish the custom work, and the company won’t care if you vanish for a whole month.”
Late arrivals and early departures were rules for the rank-and-file, not them.
Ning Jiuwei kept her face shielded, deadpanning her nonsense. “I have a client meeting. If I don’t get up, I’ll be late.”
“Huh? I heard Designer Ning isn’t seeing clients this month—Assistant Tan handles all those meetings for you?” Su Jinglan called her bluff with a radiant smile.
The warm breaths brushing her face chipped away at her resolve. Her body went limp in the intimate press, defenseless. Ning Jiuwei let out a breath. “Can President Su get off me? You’re too heavy—my ribs ache.”
Su Jinglan: “…”
No one could argue their own weight. Reluctantly, Su Jinglan rolled off. Freed at last, Ning Jiuwei tugged at her rumpled pajamas, sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, then crossed to pull back the curtains.
The weather was glorious—sunny and bright. The residential complex teemed with life; in the distance, joggers dotted the winding paths, keeping fit.
Today was the weekend, after all.
Ning Jiuwei had no concept of workdays versus days off. She went to the company whenever the mood struck her, and she lounged at home whenever she pleased.
Sensing the gaze from behind her, Ning Jiuwei glanced over her shoulder. Su Jinglan approached her side with a gentle smile.
“Has Designer Ning decided which client she’s going to meet?” Su Jinglan teased, clearly amused.
She couldn’t stay in this house any longer. Ning Jiuwei headed toward the bathroom. “I’m going to the company to work on some design drawings.”
“Perfect timing—I need to head to the company to take care of a few things myself.” Su Jinglan followed her to the bathroom, but Ning Jiuwei shut the door right in her face, leaving her on the outside.
Only wives could share a morning routine like that. With their current relationship, they had no choice but to go their separate ways.
Su Jinglan couldn’t help laughing. She went to the bathroom further out instead.
By the time she had washed her face and returned, Ning Jiuwei was still inside. The phone on the bedside table started ringing. Su Jinglan walked over for a look, figuring she could use the excuse of delivering it to strike up a conversation.
But when she saw the name on the caller ID, Su Jinglan frowned.
“Who’s calling me?” Ning Jiuwei emerged from the bathroom and spotted Su Jinglan holding her phone. She asked calmly, “Is it Miss Shen?”
“It’s Shi Wanxu.” Su Jinglan tapped to answer and switched on speakerphone before handing it over.
Ning Jiuwei glanced at Su Jinglan, then greeted the voice on the line. “Doctor Shi.”
Shi Wanxu’s warm, gentle voice flowed through the speaker like a soft breeze, laced with a faint chuckle. “Do you have time to meet up, Ning Jiuwei?”
~~~
