Chapter 66

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Shi Wanxu stepped out of the fitting room in a fresh new outfit. Designer Ning’s taste and judgment aligned perfectly with her own; every piece of clothing and every pair of pants she had selected hit the mark.

Beaming with a full smile, she called out to Ning Jiuwei. The person standing beside Ning Jiuwei, who had been facing the clothing rack, turned to look at her. Their gaze was utterly calm, devoid of any aggression, yet it carried an intimidating presence that instinctively put others on guard.

“Designer Ning’s colleague,” Shi Wanxu said, her steps unwavering as she continued toward Ning Jiuwei. “You’re here too?”

“Hello, Teacher Shi,” Su Jinglan replied, sticking with the teacher title. “I’m off duty today and came to pick up a few items. What a coincidence—running into Jiuwei and you here.”

Su Jinglan was a master at deception; she had deliberately trained her eye movements to make it impossible to distinguish truth from lies.

“I came here with Ning Jiuwei,” Shi Wanxu said, adopting an elder’s tone to probe Su Jinglan. “What do you think of this outfit? Designer Ning chose it for me.”

A flash of jealousy crossed those otherwise placid eyes, neatly caught by Shi Wanxu. She chuckled to herself—Designer Ning’s colleague harbored feelings that went far beyond professional camaraderie, and this encounter was anything but coincidental.

Turning her attention to Ning Jiuwei, Shi Wanxu noted her gentle smile, her gaze fixed solely on Shi Wanxu without so much as a glance at her colleague. She likely had no inkling of those deeper emotions.

“What does Doctor Shi think of the clothes?” Su Jinglan asked. She already knew Shi Wanxu’s identity as a doctor, and Ning Jiuwei used her usual form of address without holding back in Su Jinglan’s presence.

Mirrors gleamed everywhere in the store, the walls themselves paneled with reflective glass. Shi Wanxu checked her reflection, then glanced down at herself from above before smiling at Ning Jiuwei. “I like it very much.”

Su Jinglan tamped down her churning emotions. “The clothes Jiuwei picked suit Teacher Shi perfectly.”

Ning Jiuwei had never selected clothes for her, yet here she was doing it for Shi Wanxu. Su Jinglan clenched her fist discreetly, seized by a sudden impulse to drag Ning Jiuwei home and keep her there.

“Then I’ll take this set,” Shi Wanxu declared, buying it on the spot. Her scrutinizing gaze swept over Su Jinglan once more before she retreated to the fitting room.

Su Jinglan could no longer hold back. She seized Ning Jiuwei’s hand. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Ning Jiuwei curved her lips into a reassuring smile, instantly calming the storm. “Shall I pick out a few pieces for President Su too?”

“Sure,” Su Jinglan said, her jealousy receding slightly. She didn’t let go of the hand in hers—instead, she gripped it tighter. “I’m short on underwear as well. Would Designer Ning mind helping me choose a few?”

Was underwear something you asked a friend to pick out so casually? Ning Jiuwei’s smile froze on her face. She never would have imagined Su Jinglan being so brazen right in front of the sales assistant.

The sales assistant remained warmly enthusiastic, unperturbed by the store’s lack of underwear inventory—after all, Su Jinglan’s status was plain to see. “Miss, if you’re looking for underwear, head that way. There are several lingerie shops just over there.”

Was underwear a topic for such open discussion? Ning Jiuwei always bought hers from the same brand, with new styles dropping online and in stores at the same time. Her size hadn’t changed since adulthood, so she simply placed an order the moment something caught her eye—no need to browse in person.

It was hidden under clothes anyway, invisible to everyone else, so there was no point fussing over styles or patterns.

An inexplicable heat bloomed in her body, an ineffable sensation prickling through her skin to the surface. Ning Jiuwei swiftly withdrew her hand, hoping Su Jinglan wouldn’t notice anything amiss.

She plucked two tops from the rack—the very ones Su Jinglan had admired while her back was turned. “President Su, why don’t you try these on.”

“Designer Ning certainly knows how to choose clothes,” Su Jinglan said. She took them and handed them directly to the sales assistant, deciding without a second thought. “I’ll take these two.”

Ning Jiuwei: “…”

She grabbed a pair of pants off the rack at random for Su Jinglan—clearly not to her taste. This time, Su Jinglan didn’t accept them. After a quick look, she remarked, “Designer Ning’s eye for fashion seems a bit inconsistent.”

So it wasn’t a matter of buying whatever was handed over. Ning Jiuwei returned the pants to the rack and selected two pairs of apricot and off-white suit pants for Su Jinglan with real care.

They shopped for clothes without a glance at the prices, caring only for whether they liked the items or not. As Ning Jiuwei made her selections, Su Jinglan’s eyes never left her, taking in every gesture as she checked the sizes.

The pants she chose fit Su Jinglan’s waist measurements perfectly.

Su Jinglan passed the pants to the sales assistant and bought them without trying them on.

Unlike tops, pants couldn’t be judged by looks alone for fit. The sales assistant offered a gentle reminder. “Miss, would you like to try the pants on first? We can always exchange sizes, but to save you the trouble of coming back, it’s best to try them before purchasing.”

“No need.” Su Jinglan smiled with deep meaning, her gaze locked intently on Ning Jiuwei. “She knows my size.”

Not just from eyeing it, but from hands-on measurement.

The sales assistant flushed crimson, her mind leaping to improper images, and she hurried off to the register with the clothes.

Shi Wanxu changed back into her own outfit, had it packed up, and followed along to pay.

Su Jinglan strolled over, her expression serene as a clear sky while her heart bloomed with a hundred flowers, radiating the warmth of spring. “Jiuwei just picked out some clothes for me, too.”

The two stood shoulder to shoulder at the checkout counter. From a distance, Ning Jiuwei overheard Su Jinglan’s words and couldn’t suppress a laugh.

Before they returned, she tucked away that heartfelt smile deep inside and slipped back into her usual gentle one, maintaining just the right distance.

“Shall we keep shopping, Doctor Shi?”

That was usually code for calling it quits.

Shi Wanxu glanced at her watch and wrapped up the outing. “It’s getting late. Let’s plan for next time.”

They hadn’t driven, so once they left the clothing store, Shi Wanxu bid Ning Jiuwei farewell, shopping bag in hand, and headed for the mall entrance to catch a cab.

Ning Jiuwei turned toward the elevators, but Su Jinglan reached out and swept her into her arms, one hand snug around her waist as she grinned. “We haven’t picked out any lingerie yet, Miss Ning.”

Her words were politely formal with “Miss Ning,” but her touch was as intimate as calling her wife.

Ning Jiuwei jabbed Su Jinglan with her elbow. “Back off.”

“Miss Ning, that hurt.” Su Jinglan only pulled her closer, bodies pressed together.

The mall teemed with weekend couples, several pairs right ahead of them—men with women, women with women—all half-embracing, murmuring so close it seemed a kiss was moments away.

Su Jinglan and Ning Jiuwei blended right in. They weren’t officially a couple, but they might as well have been; they’d already shared deep, tongue-entwining kisses, so Su Jinglan’s arm felt entirely natural around her.

Ning Jiuwei drew the line. She couldn’t bring herself to cuddle in public like that—especially not with Su Jinglan, who already had one clingy koala in Wen Wanyuan. She refused to encourage a second.

“Is that one of President Su’s people?” Ning Jiuwei’s face turned serious as she pried the hand from her waist and put some space between them.

She tipped her chin toward the figure trailing them at a discreet distance off to the right rear. The woman had removed her sunglasses, her gaze drifting casually over the nearby shops like any idle browser.

Su Jinglan halted and turned toward Secretary Xie.

Their eyes met. Xie Yun hesitated, then approached with evident nerves.

It was clear they were waiting for her.

“President Su.” Unsure of the situation, Xie Yun offered the greeting and fell silent.

Su Jinglan, needing someone to carry bags, handed over her shopping and introduced her to Ning Jiuwei. “This is my secretary, Xie Yun.”

No need to spell it out—Xie Yun was the one Su Jinglan had sent to tail her. Ning Jiuwei pressed on ahead, face impassive, leaving Su Jinglan behind.

“Designer Ning.” Su Jinglan caught up in a few quick strides and fell into step beside her, head tilted. “What a coincidence—my secretary’s here shopping, too.”

They both knew exactly how much of a coincidence it was.

As they neared the lingerie shop, Ning Jiuwei stopped short, fixing Su Jinglan with a scrutinizing stare. “Since when does the Design Division have a secretary to the president like her?”

She didn’t socialize deeply with colleagues, but that didn’t mean she was oblivious to who worked in her department. Even if Xie Yun was a recent addition to the Design Division, as Su Jinglan’s secretary, she’d have been coming and going from the President’s Office right in plain sight.

Ever since relocating across from the President’s Office, Ning Jiuwei had only ever seen Assistant Lin entering Su Jinglan’s domain.

“I forgot to mention it to Designer Ning—I hold multiple positions.” Su Jinglan explained without missing a beat. “Little Xie is my secretary for one of my other roles.”

Su Jinglan’s smile brimmed with delight as she took Ning Jiuwei’s hand and led her into the lingerie shop.

The dazzling array of styles made Ning Jiuwei instinctively look away, tempted to back right out.

Su Jinglan’s grip tightened on her hand, giving her no chance to escape.

“Jiuwei, what style do you usually go for?” Once inside, Su Jinglan discussed it openly with Ning Jiuwei. The sales assistant, accustomed to such pairs, greeted them warmly and began making recommendations. “We have some new arrivals over there—elegant and sophisticated. Perfect for you two.”

Ning Jiuwei had faced all sorts of situations in her career, but this was a first. With zero experience to draw on, her earlobes burned hot as embarrassment surged from her chest straight to the top of her head, her scalp prickling.

She kept her composure, nodding coolly. “Mm. We’ll just browse on our own.”

The sales assistant respected their space, beaming as she stepped back. “Feel free to ask if you need help with anything.”

“Teacher Ning? Where is she?” Jiang Shiyao panted as she rushed into the dining room after seeing her childhood friend’s message. She asked her directly, “Where is she?”

Jiang Gufan handed her a bottle of mineral water and gently patted her back to help her catch her breath. “You’re so late. Your Teacher Ning has already been snatched away by someone else.”

“Ah?” Jiang Shiyao was so frantic that she didn’t even take a sip of water. She grabbed her childhood friend’s arm in panic. “What do you mean, snatched away?”

“Only now you’re in a hurry? Why didn’t you reply right away when I messaged you?”

“I was working on the design drawings. The moment I saw your message, I came straight over.” Jiang Shiyao’s breathing was still ragged. “Didn’t you say Teacher Ning was here? Where did you spot her?”

Jiang Gufan led her out to the corridor. The mall’s open atrium offered a clear view of the floors below. Leaning against the railing, she pointed downward to the first floor. “Teacher Ning’s down there shopping with a refined middle-aged woman. I didn’t follow them, so I’m not sure if she’s still around. The place is huge—it could take all day to browse. She’s probably still there.”

The moment she finished speaking, Jiang Shiyao bolted downstairs.

Jiang Gufan shook her head with a smile and took a sip of her water, her gaze following Jiang Shiyao.

Su Jinglan picked up a set of bright red sexy lingerie and turned to Ning Jiuwei. “Miss Ning, what do you think of this?”

Ning Jiuwei stole a single glance at the vividly colored piece, which was made of so little fabric it barely covered half the essentials, and didn’t dare look again. “If President Su likes it, that’s what matters.”

Su Jinglan liked it, of course—but she wasn’t sure if it would suit Ning Jiuwei. It looked like her size; only trying it on would tell if it fit properly. She handed the lingerie to Ning Jiuwei. “You try it first.”

“Me?” Ning Jiuwei’s heart nearly exploded, her disbelief plain.

“Who else?” Su Jinglan glanced at herself. “This isn’t my size.”

“…” Ning Jiuwei swallowed hard, moistening her parched throat. She cleared her throat and refused with the calmest, most serious expression she could muster. “I’ve never worn lingerie in this color.”

Even discussing lingerie was mortifying enough, and now they had to talk about the color right there in the store. Ning Jiuwei couldn’t help but admire her own mental resilience.

Su Jinglan’s lips curved in a smile as she leaned close to Ning Jiuwei’s ear. “Didn’t Teacher Ning say that whatever I like is fine? Why don’t you try this color? You might end up liking it too.”

Ning Jiuwei’s heart burned like fire. Su Jinglan lifted her gaze and smiled at the sales assistant standing discreetly off to the side. “Excuse me, is it allowed for two people to enter the fitting room together here?”

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